Chapter 407: The Last One

“That pompous fool! Where is Rogueheil… Sh-shit! It’s always like this! He’s meant to back us up, but doesn’t show when you need him! He's useless when it counts!”

Thermal’s body trembles with rage as he stares at the passage that I blocked. The target of his abuse is the still-absent final member of the Three Knights.

“If we prepare to kill Irushia here, the Saint will be forced to step in! Even if she runs, princess-sama can kill Irushia and gain time for the next fight. There’s no problem at all with that plan!”

Thermal is distraught. One of his hands still clutches Miria’s leg as a threat, but he's using his other hand to furiously scratch his head.

I feel a sudden chill and rush forwards.

In my experience, once cornered like this, there’s no telling what someone will do. The figure of the Hero after he was forced into an unfavourable position and suddenly started to kill humans crosses my mind. That was an extreme case, as there was the interference of God’s Voice, but it’s easy to imagine what could happen when someone who has taken a hostage becomes desperate.

Thermal was counting on escaping with Miria as a hostage more than I thought. From his behaviour, I had assumed that he couldn’t hurt Miria, but that has backfired. My options were limited, but… I was still too impatient to secure Miria.

“Congratulations, Irushia. I'll flee for now. You can have the girl, but this is my revenge… Essentially, I’m venting my anger on her. I’ll be taking this girl’s legs…!”

Healing magic skills such as [Rest] are only capable of healing what could be recovered by normal healing processes. Even though a body covered in cuts can be healed, a severed arm or a crushed eyeball can’t. Regeneration of body parts requires skills like [Autoregeneration], but although I have that skill, it’s not one that can be used on others.

At this distance, rather than using [Wind Slash], knocking him off his feet directly is faster. But I'm still going to be a step too late.

“Watch closely, Irushia! Output, 100%… Poison Tou-…!”

Thermal’s movement abruptly freezes. Is this my partner’s [Ruler’s Demon Eye] skill?

『Hurry, I can only buy us a moment!』

My partner sends a thought to me while staring at Thermal. Without taking the time to nod my acknowledgement, I stretch out my foreleg as far as it will go and knock away Thermal’s body with my claws.

“Gaah!”

Thermal’s body breaks apart, slamming against the wall while scattering dark green liquid. His body loses its shape for a moment, but quickly returns to human form. Having seemingly escaped from the Demon Eye’s paralysis, he pants while glaring at me.

We made it. The Demon eye only worked because Thermal was glaring at my partner. Had he been looking at me, the eye contact requirement of [Ruler’s Demon Eye] wouldn't have been met.

“Guh, so you have a skill to stop movement…! But this is fine. I was only ever venting my anger. It’s better that I was able to gain information on your skill.”

Thermal’s body loses its colour, breaks down, and disappears as it sinks inside the wall.

“Princess-sama… No, this is enough playing knight. I’ll advise Demon Lord-sama to hide for now. I don’t think you guys, or the Saint would be that frightening, but… It’s better safe than sorry.”

His mouth still opens and closes while losing its shape and disappearing, producing words up until it has entirely disappeared.

I rush over to the collapsed Miria. Relieved, I see that her HP is safe. She doesn't have any status conditions, either. Thermal has gotten away. But Miria is safe.

“Guu…”

I lower my head and sigh in relief.

『Are they seriously retreating?』

My partner calls out to me.

…I wonder. This place must be important to them, and I think they would be leaving earlier than they would have to, but… For a bluff, he seemed really at his wits end. For now, I want to defeat Mephisto, whose whereabouts we know.

“A-are you really Irushia-san…?”

Miria looks up at me from the floor, asking between coughs.

I don’t reply, instead looking at the nightmare on my back… Nightmare, would you mind taking her with you?

She tilts her head in hesitation, but upon being stared at by my partner, jumps down from my back. This late in the game, she’s still as easy-to-understand as ever.

The nightmare draws next to Miria, bringing her white mask close to her. Miria looks frightfully between me and the nightmare. The nightmare’s appearance must be a bit of a shock to her.

It’s happens at that moment. Without any presence that I can pick up on, the sudden sound of destruction reverberates from the collapsed wall. At once, I sweep Miria and the nightmare towards me.

A bronze pillar erupts from the mountain of rubble and pierces my forefoot. Blue blood spills out. I lift my broken right forefoot. The centre has been gouged out, bones-and-all. It struck with incredible force, as well as speed. Although I was protecting Miria and the nightmare, I couldn't avoid the damage with my stats, and it easily pierced through my body surface.

“Hoh… Thermal-dono was not mistaken to call for me. This one might be a bit much for Thermal-dono or Mephisto-dono to handle. No, I’m glad I arrived in time. I had meant to hide myself until the Saint began to move for real, but I suppose not everything can go as planned.”

After slipping through the rubble, an old man with a large build appears. Beneath his bald head, his long white moustache hangs down to the base of his chest. His clothes have the same colour scheme as the other Three Knights, but he’s wearing a robe, and there’s no sign of a sword or scabbard.

These features are a match for the rumours and Volk’s description. Probably, this person is the last of the Three Knights, the [Infinite Sword], and the most powerful mage in the capital. Bishop Rogueheil… Or rather, the slime that has stolen Bishop Rogueheil’s appearance and name.