“Feld!”
The adventurer who appeared was Feld, a member of the Rainbow Sword.
“Why are you here…”
“We’ll talk later! First, let’s take these guys down!”
As Feld shouted and stepped forward, the surviving quartermaster soldiers, who he instantly recognized as a threat, charged towards him.
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
In response, Feld neither retreated nor dodged, but with a war cry, swung the jet-black greatsword in his hands horizontally.
A single flash—.
“—!”
With just that, three soldiers, along with their weapons and steel armor, were bisected vertically and sent flying. Even so—
“Oaaah…”
“…What is this?”
It wasn’t over yet. The soldiers Feld had bisected, even after losing their consciousness, were still moving, struggling to swing their weapons.
“Feld, those guys are the ‘dead’!”
“What!”
Understanding from my words, Feld grimaced slightly as if mourning the deceased. Just as he readied his greatsword to deliver the finishing blow, the captain, who had taken my knife between his brows, stood up and lunged at Feld barehanded.
“I won’t let you! We fight for justice, for this country—”
“…Just stop already.”
Feld muttered and thrust his greatsword into the captain’s heart. But, as the captain still tried to reach out, I stabbed my black blade into his neck from behind.
“You should be dead by now.”
I sliced deep into his neck joint, severing it to end his false life.
Nero also neutralized the remaining Undead, and once the Second Order of Knights’ quartermaster unit was annihilated, Feld finally approached.
Was he still wary of his surroundings? The black blade of the greatsword resting on his shoulder emitted a dull gleam. …Is that Feld’s new sword?
“Is that the Elemental Dragon Sword? As expected of Galbas… it’s beautiful.”
“Yeah, right? Galbas seemed to have put a lot of effort into it, so it took a while, but it’s a flawless masterpiece.”
When I brought up the topic of his new weapon, Feld’s slightly clouded face broke into a smile like a child who’d gotten a new toy. For better or worse, Feld is a good person, so he probably isn’t very good at dealing with enemies like the Undead, who desecrate both life and death.
Feld’s previous weapon was also a Magic Steel greatsword made by Galbas. When I first met him at the age of seven, he was apparently just about to receive it from Galbas.
That weapon was also quite good, but it broke during the battle with the Dark Elemental Dragon. So, to strengthen the Rainbow Sword’s combat power, a new sword was made for Feld using the great horn of an Elemental Dragon as material.
Materials from high-ranking species, like the Minotaur Murderer’s horn used to enhance my weapon, and the claws and horns of Elemental Dragons, contain Living Metal (Adamantite).
The Minotaur Murderer’s horn had a low Living Metal (Adamantite) content, making it difficult to turn directly into a weapon. However, Galbas patiently reshaped the Elemental Dragon’s black horn, transforming it into a single-edged greatsword with a blade nearly as long as I am tall.
In terms of shape, it might be close to the “tachi” from That Woman’s “knowledge.” It wasn’t that slender, but the hamon-like pattern, characteristic of Living Metal (Adamantite) resembling tree rings, made it a very beautiful sword.
“It has both hardness and resilience, so it’ll take some getting used to, but with this sharpness, I can even cut down Rank 6 or higher Monsters. I can’t keep letting you handle all the trouble.”
“Feld…”
Currently, I possess combat strength that ranks me among the top humans not just in this country, but on this continent. I think Feld can handle Monsters up to Rank 5, but beyond that, I’d likely be the one stepping forward more often.
Feld didn’t accept that, and as a warrior, as a comrade, he was trying to stand by my side.
“I heard you were caught up in some trouble again. I didn’t expect to run into you on the way, but it seems I have some luck.”
Feld paused there and looked straight into my eyes.
“I also heard that you went as far as resigning from the princess’s guard and faking your death just to eliminate your enemies. …What happened?”
“It’s a bit of a long story, but…”
I explained to him everything that had happened so far.
Feld seemed to have heard some things already, but when he heard about the existence of a Greater Demon exceeding Rank 6, and the ongoing rebellion by Prince Amor and the Undead, he regretted that the sword’s creation had taken so long and he couldn’t return sooner. He stroked his now thicker stubbled chin, lost in thought.
“…It’s gone beyond the scope of a mere adventurer or guard. Especially what His Highness Prince Amor is doing; it’s a clear rebellion. He has his own share of royal family issues, but I didn’t think he was that foolish…”
“Do you know him?”
“Yeah. I knew him a little when I was attending the Magic Academy. Well, I dropped out of the academy soon after and became an adventurer, though.”
“I see…”
Come to think of it, Feld was from a noble family. If it weren’t for succession issues despite his outstanding abilities, he might still be a noble now.
According to Feld, Amor, who, as a member of the royal family, was forced to bear the title of ‘King’s Younger Brother’ while still a student, was apparently quite mentally cornered.
He had neither the ability nor the authority of the King’s younger brother, merely a freeloader to make up the numbers in the royal family. He was constantly compared to the second prince, who died young but was exceptionally talented and should have been the King’s younger brother. Perhaps because of that, Feld saw a side of him that was always trying to be useful to “someone” but ended up spinning his wheels.
Is that why he fell for a woman like her… And the reason he changed must also be that Saint.
“Assuming your prediction is correct, and Prince Amor and his supporters attack Dandole and Melrose, it would be difficult to mobilize the First Order of Knights even if we inform them now. Over two hundred Undead… To deal with them properly, we’d need nearly five times that number in forces.”
“Yeah.”
Even if most of the knights are Rank 2, I feel like it would take at least two Rank 3 knights to neutralize one Undead. If they were the same rank, it would take three to be evenly matched. To ensure annihilation, five times the number, just as Feld said, would be necessary.
“Even if they split into two groups, that’s a hundred. The Dandole Family, where the Commander of the Knight Orders resides, also has a knight training ground, so there should be about a hundred knights stationed there. I think the Dandole Family itself has about fifty knights, so even if annihilation is impossible, they could manage a siege if they prepare. After that, it depends on reinforcements… The problem is the Melrose Family.”
“…”
The Melrose Family, located on the southern outskirts of the Royal Capital, is the farthest from here. If we were to send word from the Royal Castle, the distance would be the same, but informing them from here would create a delay of more than a full day in information compared to the Dandole Family. Even if Amor planned a simultaneous attack, it would be a close call for Nero and me to reach Dandole in time to warn them.
Even if I alone informed Elena-san, if the First Order of Knights mobilized, sympathizers within the Holy Church might report it, potentially hastening the attack.
And even if Elena-san believed me, the Knight Orders cannot be mobilized without clear proof of rebellion.
I have personal conviction, but it’s ultimately my speculation. The attack might happen later, or it might target a different location altogether. Melrose might be able to hold out like Dandole. However, I myself believed that attacking those two families was the most efficient course of action.
Once my speculations and our mutual opinions were laid out, Feld slowly opened his mouth.
“Aria, what do you intend to do?”
“I… I think I’ll go to Melrose.”
The Melrose Family should have knights too, but they have few proper ones. There should also be knights from the Shadow Unit, but not many of them are suited for direct frontal combat.
“I want Feld and Nero to head to Dandole. If I’m alone, I can use Real Breaker…”
“Chigau (It’s not me!). That’s not it.”
Feld uncharacteristically interrupted me, peering into my eyes as if glaring.
“As I said earlier, this is beyond the scope of a mere adventurer. It’s not a problem for you to shoulder alone. Why do you fight so hard?”
“…”
I don’t have to do it all by myself… I thought that too when I was holding back the Orc horde. But at that time, I realized I wasn’t capable of living so deftly.
The Melrose Family are the nobles I shunned, the ones who would drag me into my destiny. Mikhail-san is a good person, but I don’t feel enough attachment to think of that Prime Minister as my grandfather.
But… still, they are Mother’s family. That Prime Minister is Mother’s father. The people Mother cherished are there. Father’s friends, who were knight apprentices with him, might be there too.
That’s why I want to protect them…
This might be different from my initial thought of escaping fate. But my true nature hasn’t changed at all.
“I will live according to my ‘heart’.”
Even if I die before achieving that resolve—.
“…I see.”
Feld-san’s expression softened at my answer, and he suddenly placed his hand on my head.
“I did this when we first met, too. Back then, I thought you were a ‘lad,’ but you’ve really grown up.”
“…You remembered?”
Knowing him, that blockhead, I thought he would have forgotten.
“…No, I remembered meeting the lad, but I didn’t realize it was you until I heard about it from Viro-san.”
“I thought so.”
When I said that, Feld-san laughed and ruffled my hair.
“If you have your convictions, I won’t say anything more. When I met you as Aria, the young girl, I wondered if I should protect you as a woman. But with those convictions, you’ve become stronger than any of us.”
“I still haven’t caught up to everyone’s experience, though…”
“Even so, I guarantee you’re strong. You’re the ‘strongest.’ Show that power to those who would obstruct your destiny.”
“Yeah.”
As he patted my head, I nodded like a child without thinking, and Feld-san’s expression softened even more.
“Still, if you get tired, come back. We’re comrades, but we’re also family. You’re a warrior, but you’re also a girl, so it’s okay to be pampered, you know?”
“…”
When I looked at Feld-san with a blank expression at his words, he must have thought he’d said something wrong, as he scratched his head and said, “I can’t say things as smoothly as Viro-san, huh…”
He really… hasn’t changed from how he used to be. That’s why I see him not as a man, but as an “father.”
“Alright! In that case, I’m heading to the Dandole Family estate now. If there’s a Long-Distance Communication Device at an Adventurers Guild along the way, I might be able to summon the Rainbow Sword too. And that Phantasmal Beast there… Nero, was it?”
With the plan decided, Feld-san started speaking energetically, but his gaze stopped on Nero, and his face twitched slightly.
“Graa…”
Nero had been listening intently to Feld-san and me, but perhaps realizing he couldn’t go with me, an ill humor emanated from his entire body, enough to make Feld-san flinch.
Still, around the time Feld-san patted my head, Nero gently stroked the whiskers wrapped around my arm, then lifted his head and exhaled through his nose as if looking down on Feld-san.
“He says he’ll go with you.”
“O-Oh…”
I was surprised that Nero, who doesn’t trust anyone but me and Master, allowed Feld-san to fight alongside him, but I also felt a slight sense of unease at how easily he seemed to accept it.
“Nero?”
“Graaa.”
Is Nero wary of “something”? Not Feld-san. There’s something in a place I can’t sense…
The next moment, Nero shot lightning from his whiskers, and simultaneously, my knife, drawn as I flipped my skirt, flew into the darkness of the forest.
CRACKLE!!
“—Is your little chat over?”
A woman’s voice came from within the forest. A moment later, Feld-san raised his sword as if to protect me, but I waved my hand to show I was alright and stepped forward.
“Is that you… Karla.”
“It’s been a while, Aria. I’m glad you’re not dead.”
Karla, who’d offered such a worthless greeting, threw back the bloodied knife she’d caught barehanded. With a light wave of her hand, the wound healed instantly and vanished.
Karla looked paler than before, and even though her stamina must have been drained just from that exchange, it was a wonder why she wasn’t dead.
Meeting Feld-san was a coincidence, but how did Karla know where I was…? Well, there’s no point in worrying about every little thing she does.
“Karla… you’re supposed to be at the royal palace for demon countermeasures, aren’t you?”
To be honest, it was precisely because Karla was at the castle that I was able to get out. If Karla hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been able to move this far to annihilate the enemy. I may not trust her personality, but I believe in her strength more than anyone else’s.
As I glared at her with narrowed eyes, filled with these thoughts, Karla started to chuckle.
“Because I was bored, you see. Don’t you think it’s comical that once you left the princess’s side, the demon became wary and couldn’t make a move?”
“…”
Because Karla was at the castle, I was able to move. Because of that, the demon couldn’t move in order to protect its summoner, and because of that, Karla made her move…?
I was reminded once again how troublesome someone who can move anywhere is. My 【Real Breaker】 is pretty out there too, but I can only jump to places I can see. For long distances, I need to use it consecutively.
It was possible that the demon might start moving again because Karla had made her move, but if the demon was, as we predicted, a force on the Saint’s side, then with the King’s younger brother now active, it might be even less able to leave its summoner’s side.
Either way, it’s useless to say anything to Karla. It might even be better to make a big show of things and draw them out.
“So? Were you looking for me?”
“That’s right. There’s a child causing mischief (・・・) in my garden, so I was thinking of punishing them. But Aria, you were going to make a move anyway, weren’t you? In this situation, weren’t you planning to part with your cute little kitty and fight a hundred Undead all by yourself?”
“And what if I was?”
I’m going to Melrose alone. If you intend to interfere with that, I’m prepared to settle things here and now. As I glared at her with that resolve, Karla smiled sweetly.
“That’s very like you, Aria, but are you sure about that? Will your little kitty and your companions over there be able to survive, I wonder?”
“…”
I understood what Karla was trying to say. I trust Nero, Feld-san, and my companions in the Rainbow Sword. But they can’t face a hundred Undead and come out unscathed.
If I head to Dandole with everyone, our chances of victory will be higher, but that would mean abandoning Melrose.
I want to save Mother’s family. I want to help Father’s friends. But I don’t want any of my companions to die because of it.
If I hadn’t gotten involved in this, neither the Rainbow Sword nor Nero would have had to fight. Because I decided to go to Melrose, Feld-san and Nero are trying to save Dandole.
I believe in everyone’s strength. But… Just as I was lost in thought, Karla’s voice cut in.
“Aria, you go to Melrose. I’ll go to Dandole for you.”
“…What are you scheming?”
I know that Karla occasionally acts with me in mind. But it’s always for her own sake.
“Oh, how cruel. I’m telling you this out of kindness (・・・), you know.”
“Why don’t you try being kind to other people too?”
“I refuse. I wouldn’t be able to kill them, then.”
What is she really thinking…? Just kindness? Save your sleep-talking for when you’re asleep.
But… if Karla heads to Dandole, Feld-san and the others’ chances of survival will increase dramatically. Before that, I need to be wary of Karla, but she shouldn’t have any reason to oppose me here.
Karla wants to fight me. She wouldn’t want to fight for such a trivial reason either.
In a way, it means trusting her Madness, but I thought that was also very like us (・・・).
Besides… if I could read her motives, I wouldn’t be struggling in the first place.
“Can I entrust it to you?”
“To some extent. They wouldn’t want to owe a debt to me alone, would they?”
Where Karla glanced, Feld-san and Nero were frowning, both confused and with a sense of foreboding.
But I was forced to understand that, in the current situation, this was the best option. Even for Karla, it should be difficult to defeat a hundred Undead alone without any other casualties, but with Feld-san and the others, it would likely be possible. I can give it my all, believing in their survival.
“Well then, I’ll be going on ahead. If you’re worried about me, you should finish things up quickly.”
“…”
I’m worried about that in a different sense, though…
Still, I can give it my all, believing in their survival.
“—【Iron Rose】… 【Real Breaker】—”
Let’s go… to Melrose.
Aria heads to Melrose.
Does Aria, challenging it alone, have a chance of victory? What is the meaning behind Karla’s actions?
Next time, the Undead Army.