Chapter 253: The Perfect Smile

At the end of the previous chapter, I revised some of the descriptions because the meaning had changed from what I had intended.

(T/N: I wasn’t able to find what exactly changed.)

Also…… The points for this novel have exceeded 400,000 points. Thank you very much. I’d like to thank you again when this chapter is over.

By the way, I’m digressing, but I would love to see the illustrations, hopefully a colored one, of a certain scene in this chapter……

Well then, I hope everyone enjoys reading this chapter as much as I did writing it.

The 6th Cavalry————— has finally entered my range.

But from my position, I’m still not able to cast my skill on everyone yet.

In this battle, I need to make sure that this would be settled with a single strike.

In order to do that, I need to get even closer.

[Speaking of whichーー…… You mentioned how you wanted to see us for a reason other than to verify our cavalry’s quality, didn’t youーー? What is itーー? I’m curiousーー.]

They seemed to have bit onto that topic.

[I’ve heard rumors of a certain Dark Elf village. I wanted to confirm if that rumor was true.]

I had avoided explicitly mentioning it.

Earlier, I had casually thrown this bait.

Not mentioning it again, I waited for the Sixth to bring this up themselves.

So, rather than “us bringing up this topic to them”……

It would be like “they were curious and asked about this themselves”.

This way, it would lower down their suspicions.

[Dark Elfーー?]

[Have you heard about the Shanathyris?]

[……Ahhーー, themーー. I remember about themーー. How nostalgicーー…… So, what about themーー?]

[We have a slight history with the Shanathyris…… and are actually looking for an opportunity to take revenge on them. Well, the one who was actually looking for revenge was her———– Seras Ashrain.]

I pointed towards the nearby Seras.

[So that’s the rumored Seras Ashrain huhーー. The High Elven Knight Commander of Neia, famed for her beautyーー…… So, what about themーー?]

[Why do you think a High Elf like her lives in Neia?]

[I don’t knowーー. I heard she’s been very tight-lipped about why she’s in Neiaーー.]

[She’s been exiled.]

[Exiled huhーー.]

[She was exiled from her country of birth and had to live in Neia. And the reason why that occurred was because of a tribe of Dark Elves.]

[———–And that would be the Shanathyris huh.]

“John Doe” said.

[I see, you had some connections with themーー. If they were the reason why you couldn’t go back to your home country, I couldn’t blame you for holding a grudgeーー. However, Captainーー?]

[Indeed. We, the Sixth, have annihilated the Shanathyris. However…… the fact that Belzegia-dono came to us means that……]

“John Doe” looks at Seras.

As if to answer her question, Seras spoke.

[Yes. I heard that the 6th Cavalry destroyed the Shanathyris…… and I came to know if that was true.]

I took over Seras’ words.

[We got confirmation from Mikhail before abandoning them, but I still think we have to meet the people in question in person to confirm. And…… I thought we could at least thank them for what they did.]

Even though it was a lie, Seras’ words were laced with a bit of grief.

It must have been difficult for her to weave a story like this.

In that case, I guess it would be better if Seras spoke less huh.

It’s just, well…… a faint grief mingling with her voice……

That would be enough to make it seem like “she’s recalling the suffering she received with her exile”.

[How integrousーー. Indeed, we, the Sixth, wiped them outーー.]

I got a statement from the people themselves.

[Even so, if we knew that this was the case, we should have tormented them before killing them. The Captain has also mentioned how it was “a mistake to kill them easily”.]

Hearing what Ferenoch said, Seras got down on one knee.

[Even if that’s so…… I feel like I’ve finally gotten them off my chest. From the bottom of my heart, I give you, the 6th Cavalry, my thanks.]

I bowed too.

[In fact…… Seras said she wanted to thank each and everyone of her benefactors.

Upon my words, Seras stood up.

[……Yes. Not just with words, but also with actions…… that I want to “express my gratitude”.]

With her words, changes occurred in the reactions of the soldiers.

Some of them gulped down.

There was also a change in the way they looked at Seras’ body.

There was a clear increase in the number of people with gazes that seemed to be licking her.

They must have thought that it was an unexpected windfall.

I could even see Ferenoch gulping hard.

Even though they were trying to act subdued, the soldiers started talking with each other……

[That Seras Ashrain, with us……?]

[That Princess Knight famous for her beauty…… H- How far is she going to allow?]

[Gulp…… Looking closely, she had quite the arousing body……]

[I want to see her face.]

However, there’s only one difference from the others.

“John Doe’s” reaction hardly changed.

It could be said———- that this was a mistake.

If you want to be a mob……

If you want to blend in with the others……

If you want to be underestimated by your opponents……

The right thing to do here would have been to show the same reaction as the other soldiers.

“However”, Seras cuts their thoughts off.

[I think I will only express my “gratitude” to those who participated in the attack against the Shanathyris. My apologies, but I won’t be expressing my “gratitude” to those who didn’t participate in the attack.]

[————-All of us had participated in it.]

“John Doe” interjected.

[The reason why the 6th Cavalry is such an elite group is because we make sure that our personnel weren’t replaced since the inception of our unit. When we bring in new faces, the purity of the elitism of our group would drop…… This is how we, the Sixth, think.]

He then grins.

Meanwhile, Ferenoch looks at Seras with narrowed eyes.

[Which meansーー.]

[Everyone will be participating.]

——–That settles it.

Seras ran her fingers over her Fly King mask.

[Understood.]

Everyone’s eyes focused on Seras.

“The beauty that echoes throughout the continent.”

Now, they would be able to see it for themselves.

Moreover, I could feel their anticipation for the mysterious “gratitude” that the owner of such beauty awaits after this.

Thereupon———- Seras takes off her mask.

Lightly shaking her hair, she looked at the 6th Cavalry with her mask in hand.

It was a beauty that seemed to lure others in.

However, such an alluring body doesn’t ever compromise the elegance of her features.

The beauty Seras possesses is just one that steals away everyone’s hearts……

Yes, even from someone possessing a heart holding dreadfulness……

A bewitched smile could be seen on his face.

[————————]

[Well then, everyone…… I, Seras Ashrain, with this body of mine———— [ ]———— would like to express my heartfelt “gratitude” to all of you.]

[Quickly kill the two of them————]

△ 

“Touka-dono.”

“Hmm?”

“Errr, umm…… Am I……”

“What is it? Was it something difficult to say?”

“Am I really that beautiful?”

“Heehhh…… How unusual. For Seras to talk about such a thing———– So, what’s your point?”

“Fufu…… As expected of you. There’s actually something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“You too huh.”

” ? “

“No, it’s nothing…… So, what do you want to discuss with me?”

“Ah, yes. I thought that if I could use the charm of my face…… and my body, to attract the attention of the enemy…… For example, using it to distract them…… Would it be possible? Ummm…… I’d like to ask your objective opinion here……”

“Well…… Depending on how you do it, I suppose it’s possible. However, that really isn’t your style, is it?”

“……Just for this matter, I’ll be using any means I can.”

“It’s regarding the Dragon Light Army huh.”

“It’s also regarding the Shanathyris. From the bottom of my heart———— I couldn’t forgive them.”

“……I didn’t think you’d come up with that idea though.”

“Fufu———– Perhaps, I’d make you blush just like the others.”

“You don’t need to make me go blushing. You already have your own good qualities. It would be a shame to throw those away.”

“Even if you say that, for this matter———-“

“Alright. In that case, if you want to take advantage of your good looks…… It would be better if you use the Fly Knight mask. It’s more effective if you keep your beauty hidden until the time is right.”

The rest would only depend on Seras’ acting skills———–

▽ 

——————–Crickle, crackle——————– crickle————-

Other than me……

Everyone has been charmed……

Fascinated……

They had their hearts stolen away.

Completely stolen away.

The High Elven Princess Knight, possessing extraordinary beauty.

Seras Ashrain.

With resolve held within her heart———– she brought out her once-in-a-lifetime smile.

At that time, she didn’t show her emotions outright.

However, Seras also feels the same as the Leopardkin soldiers.

She just couldn’t forgive the 6th Cavalry.

Even if she were to bend the way she fights, she wanted to defeat them.

[—-tard…… Why are you…… attacking usーー……? What in…… the world…… is happeningーー?]

Setting it to non-lethal…….

[————– ————–]

All other things matter not at all.

[Y- You areーー…… betraying us…… here huhーー…… Gueehhhーー……]

No matter how strong you are.

If my skill goes through this moment, it would always end up with your “end”.

It doesn’t matter where the real John Doe is hiding.

If we paralyze everyone here at once———–

That would settle things here.

So that I could finish off everyone here———— I made sure to get all of them within my range.

Yes……

The fierce battle……

The struggle as to who gets to survive……

All of those aren’t needed.

Deceit……

Trickery…….

Taking them by surprise———-

When every piece fits into place, everything ends.

That was what my beyond-the-limits skill————- No, with the failure frame, Abnormal State Skill, is “all about”.

Thinking that this mattered is settled, I was about to take out a sound ball and notify the others———

[……………….]

[We’ve done it, Milord.]

[———————-]

[U- Ummm……?]

Just now……

Have I——— been overlooking something?

Something’s strange.

Yes, something is……

[……Ferenoch.]

[ ? ]

The first person in their group to notice that I intend to attack, and react to it……

——-was the Deputy, Ferenoch.

Ferenoch was the first to notice something unusual with me.

Realizing that we intend to fight, he quickly gave the order to kill us.

The result is that my skill struck them faster……

He is the only one who instantly sensed the change of our intentions and reacted to it.

Within everyone in their group……

Ferenoch was the only person who reacted.

However……

If John Doe was here……

It would be strange if he hadn’t reacted, wouldn’t he?

Is their Captain, John Doe, slower than his Deputy?

Was it that his Deputy just had a faster reaction time than him?

It just———- doesn’t feel right.

Or perhaps…… have I just been overthinking?

Was it that the true John Doe was actually struck by my

and within this group?

No…… I feel like that’s wrong.

Something——– is strange.

Something’s out of place.

[Seras…… Be on the lookout.]

[Eh? Y- Yes.]

[Pigimaru, watch my back.]

[Pigii!]

This is a terrain where you could overlook the surrounding area……

There isn’t anywhere that a person could hide.

No matter where they attacked from———– they shouldn’t be able to make a surprise attack.

If there were, it would be through an attack from a very long distance.

But if that’s the case, Seras will be able to react.

Perhaps, I may even get them or their attack within my .

However, looking at it from a different perspective, this situation……

[Seras.]

[————Yes.]

[Their Captain, John Doe, probably wasn’t one of these guys to begin with.]

[Eh? That means……?]

[That Divine Beast wasn’t here either…… It’s possible that John Doe is working separately with his group, together with that Divine Beast.]

For the enemy, the Divine Beast is their only key to open the door.

[Could it be…… The 6th Cavalry was used as bait and their Captain, John Doe, went towards the door!?]

[That might be possible.]

If that was the case……

We should quickly finish these guys off and return immediately———-

[———————————–]

That guy……

That guy……

Where the heck did he come from?

About five meters away from us……

A man……

Without any warning……

Suddenly……

He appeared.

The moment I became aware of the man.

Almost reflexively, I turned my hand towards him———–

When is it?

Since when the heck is it?

Since when did he get close to me?

This distance————

[Die———

[ <>

Whatever happens to the 6th Cavalry doesn’t matter at all.

However……

This King of Flies is just too dangerous.

I’m hoping to update what’s next without too much of a gap.

The next chapter will be updated on August 11 (Wednesday), around 9:00 pm.