Please be aware that, as always, this contains graphic content.
Carla vs. Amor: First Battle
“……So you’ve shown yourself, Carla! A festering, undead pest in our kingdom!”
“Fufu… How impressive, Prince. But I wonder, which of us is the ‘Worm’?”
Amor, unfazed by Carla’s flames, cast off his burning cloak and laughed heartily at her contemptuous words.
“Fuhaha! You madwoman wouldn’t understand! I have obtained a great power!”
Amor’s body had transformed, his right half becoming a writhing mass of worms as if sliced down the middle. But those who knew him before would have noticed that his mind was also far removed from the Amor of old.
He used to lack confidence, merely kept around by the royal family. To protect his heart, he always tried in vain to be of use to someone. In that sense, Amor, who was always watching someone’s expression, had everything affirmed by a certain girl, drowned his reason in carnal desire, and obtained a [Divine Protection (Gift)] that broke his fragile human “shell,” causing his personality to transform into arrogance itself.
Environment… People can change this much depending on who guides them. In a possible future, he could have been guided by a true Saint and become the Grand Duke, supporting the next king…
“That’s right! I’m not the same as before! I’ve become stronger! Strong enough to defeat you!”
Thump!!
Amor, leaping out as if to shatter the scorched earth, enlarged his “Worm” right arm and struck at Carla.
In terms of physical ability alone, he surpassed a Rank 5 warrior. Combined with his original skill as a Rank 3 warrior, his blow accurately targeted Carla, who was floating in the air, but Carla was no ordinary human either.
Gong!!
A sound like heavy iron clashing echoed, causing several knights to flinch involuntarily.
Neither Magic nor Sorcery. With Mana Control honed at the cost of her life, Carla received Amor’s fist with the sole of her shoe, momentarily “Demon Sword”-ifying it, and ascended further into the sky—
“—[Lightning]—”
Lightning released from Carla’s fingertips from the heights of the heavens struck Amor.
“Ugoooooooooooooooo!!”
But even with his body pierced through the center, Amor did not die. Letting out a beast-like roar, burnt worms fell away, and new worms regenerated Amor’s body as if to fill the wounds.
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”
Amor shrieked with bloodshot eyes, and this time, his right arm, extended like a whip, attacked Carla like a snake.
“—[Storm]—”
In response, Carla used Level 4 Wind Magic to shatter the worm-snake.
“Hahaha! Don’t underestimate me, Carla!”
However, the fine, thread-like worms shattered by the storm swam through the wind toward Carla.
Carla didn’t know what would happen if those worms entered her body. But Carla smiled faintly and waved one hand towards the “Storm” she had created.
“—[Acid Cloud]—”
The “Acid” diffused by the wind burned all the fine, thread-like worms to death, dyeing the storm a dark black.
But was Carla alright, being in the midst of it? That couldn’t be possible.
“Aha♪”
Clad in a burnt dress, with skin scorched by the acid, Carla laughed like a girl dancing in a flower garden from within the vortex of acid.
[Carla Leicester] [Race: Human Female] [Rank 5]
[Mana Capacity: 472/630] [HP: 7/48]
[Overall Combat Strength: 1827 (Magic Attack Power: 2740)]
It was abnormal. Not sane. If it wasn’t instant death, it wasn’t “death.”
Even that pain was proof of “life” for Carla, and “killing” and “being killed” were the meaning of life.
“—[Fireball]—”
Four fireballs, each large enough to embrace, were born around Carla, and all of them rained down on Amor, who was still in the air. But—
『—!?』
There were still Dandole’s knights, who had been covering the retreat, around him.
Even one of those fireballs had the power to char a squad of knights. If all four exploded, even Dandole’s Grand Knight Commander could be caught up in it.
But there were those who intervened.
『Gaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!』
The roar of a “Beast” shook the atmosphere, and a huge “Darkness” tore through the starry sky.
“Uooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!”
A man leaped from the back of the jet-black beast, swinging the jet-black Greatsword on his back.
“—[Hell Slash]—!”
The released Greatsword Skill Level 5 Combat Art raged. The strike detonated the fireballs as if to engulf Amor, pushing back the power in the opposite direction, and the flames approaching Dandole’s side were blocked by the impact of the giant body stirred up by the black beast.
『—Oooooooooooooooo!!』
Admiration arose from the knights on Dandole’s side at the unbelievable sight.
“Sir Feld!”
“Are you safe, Lord Dandole!”
Feld, recognizing Dandole’s Grand Knight Commander and the knights who called out to him, returned a manly smile and immediately glared at Carla in the sky.
“…What do you think you’re doing?”
Feld questioned Carla, who had used Magic in a way that would engulf Dandole. Carla, regenerating her burnt white skin in the meantime, smiled sweetly.
“What Aria and I promised was to go to Dandole and kill the enemy. I’d be troubled if you expected anything else.”
“What did you say…”
“More importantly… not yet.”
『Guaoh!!』
At that moment, Nero roared as if wary of something, and Feld and Dandole’s knights turned back to see it writhing in the flames.
『—Ugoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo』
Having been hit by Carla’s Fireball and Feld’s Combat Art, Amor still couldn’t die. Regenerating without perishing, he was trying to stand up again.
“…Is he a monster?”
Dandole’s Grand Knight Commander’s voice echoed faintly. Even behind Amor, the knights of the Second Knight Order who had been caught up in the blast were standing up. Amor, who had begun to regenerate rapidly, glared at Carla and Feld with wide eyes and shouted at his subordinate knights with a voice full of hatred.
“You guys! Attack!!”
『Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…』
Responding to that voice, the knights in the flames began to move like ghosts, but collapsed back into the flames before they could even take a few steps. However, the knights of the Second Knight Order, who had been spared the baptism of fire, desperately readied their weapons, intimidated by the deaths of their comrades. Feld couldn’t help but call out to them.
“Are you still going to listen to that man’s orders! Look at Amor’s form!”
No matter how you looked at it, he was not a “person.” Even after regenerating, Amor’s half-body was still scorched, and his right half was writhing hideously, unable to even take human form as if it hated the flames. However, the knights of the Second Knight Order were not disturbed even when they saw Amor like that, and gave Feld, who was trying to reason with them, a suspicious look.
“His Highness has transcended humanity while remaining a ‘person’!”
“What does an Adventurer know? What are you saying to His Highness Amor, the ‘Hero’!”
Their words were as if they couldn’t see “reality.”
In fact, Amor might still appear to them as the Amor of old.
Could such a thing be possible? Could Amor’s [Gift] make it possible to change even people’s perceptions? In the first place, replacing half of his body with “Worms” seemed to be beyond the scope of [Gift].
Such a thing was not something that people or Spirits would do.
Looking down at their state from the sky, Carla muttered in a clear voice.
“You… made a contract with a ‘Demon,’ didn’t you?”
Feld, who heard those words, looked up at Carla. Carla ignored Feld’s gaze and began to accumulate a vast amount of Mana in her hand.
“Wait, Carla!”
If Carla released her Magic with all her might, it would inflict great damage on the Undead of the Second Knight Order, not to mention Amor. But this time, even Feld might not be able to deflect the Magic.
“—[Dragon Breath]—”
Before he could stop her, Carla’s Fire Magic was released with great Mana. However, the line of fire engulfed Amor, who was continuing to regenerate, rather than the Second Knight Order, creating a wall of flames as if drawing a line horizontally.
The rising flames divided Amor and the others from Dandole. But even that could only slightly stop their advance, and the Second Knight Order was scattering to try to get around Carla’s Magic.
But Carla sneered at Amor and the others, turning a chilling gaze towards Dandole, the General Commander of the Knight Order.
“You all are withdrawing, aren’t you? You can still retreat now, can’t you? I want to change my dress, so it’s perfect timing.”
“…………”
I don’t think Carla would hesitate to involve anyone. Feld glared at her, trying to discern her true intentions, but before he could get an answer, Dandole, the General Commander of the Knight Order, snapped back to his senses and shouted to the knights under his command.
“All troops, run to Dandole’s mansion! You can discard any unnecessary baggage! Prioritize bringing back all the injured!”
“Hah!”
The knights of the First Knight Order, who had been equally stunned, also began to move, with Feld and Nero following, still suspicious of Carla.
“Fufu.”
Carla turned her purple eyes to Amor, who was blocked by the flames, and as she finally followed after Feld and the others, a smile more devilish than the devil himself appeared on her lips.
Carla-san, 14 years old.
She’s come up with something wonderful (heart).
Next time, the scene will change to Aria.
The fourth chapter of the manga version is now available. Please give it a read, everyone!