CH 118

Demon Attack

The cold rain was getting stronger and stronger.

Their hair was damp and clinging to their skin. Combined with the cold, they almost shivered.

But none of them cared about that.

They couldn’t move. Like a puppet with broken strings. As if they couldn’t even think about sheltering from the rain.

They couldn’t care less about trivial matters. The younger group members were unable to comprehend the inescapable crisis that loomed ahead of them.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Clauschezade and Jornwerner remained relatively calm.

Sheila quickly regained her composure and moved the exhausted guard to rest in the shade for the time being.

The continuous rain would wear him down. There were no houses in the area and the forest hut was far away, so even if it was a makeshift, it would still be somewhat better for him.

When Sheila entered the base of a large tree, the rainfall weakened slightly. As she adjusted the man to sit down properly, the others continued to ask for details.

He was apparently working at a fortress along the eastern border. It was around noon yesterday when the demons[1] broke through the border without warning.

Along the border, on the side of the Faril Divine Kingdom, there was a large sea of trees called the “Forest of Death.”

It wasn’t only a religious taboo, but it was also a forbidden place because of the demons that inhabited it.

The Faril Kingdom confined the demons with its divine power.

One couldn’t easily get out of the forest, either because of the protective talismans that surrounded it or due to the number of trees inside the forest, which was quite vast. Therefore, the demons couldn’t simply escape.

However, once every few years, the wards would weaken. And it was almost always along the border of the Kingdom of Steitz.

The demons that normally lived in the forest took this opportunity to run amok. They would break through the border and come for the aristocrats, who were like a mass of magical elements.

Since the people of the Faril Kingdom had no magic powers, it was only natural that they would attack the Kingdom of Steitz. Jornwerner had also said that it was more efficient for the demons to ingest blood thick with magical elements than to absorb magical elements floating in the air.

The man continued regretfully.

“I left the front line as a messenger on the orders of my superiors. I was ordered to inform the people of the capital, the royal family, and the nobles of the current situation while my comrades hold the front.”

In an attempt to faithfully carried out his orders, the man seemed to have changed horses and ran all night.

When Sheila first came to the royal capital with Felix, it was by carriage, and they took the north course to see the sea.

Even so, it took them fourteen days to arrive. If he had rushed from the border in just one day, it was no wonder why he was so worn out.

“It’s fortunate that there were no winged demons in the area. Even though my comrades at the fort are doing their best to stall them, it’s only a matter of time before they caught up with us. Even as we speak here, they may show themselves.”

How much damage had been done to the fort? What had happened to his companions who were holding the demons back? The man seemed even more distressed than when he fell from his horse.

No wonder. The demons could strike at any moment, and there was neither the time nor the preparation necessary to intercept them.

The shining white castle and the peaceful lives of the people living in the royal city were about to be trampled without any means of control.

Sheila and her group were in a place where they could get information quickly, but they weren’t fully prepared.

The feeling of helplessness was creeping up on her, but Sheila tried to push it down.

It was fortunate that the people gathered there were able to fight. Moreover, there was Clauschezade. A man who was powerful enough to fight a few demons.

“…. Let’s help them.”

Sheila’s dignified voice overpowered the sound of the rain.

Cody and Zechs, who were somewhat stunned, slowly moved their gazes.

“Maybe because there are pests in the forest, there are no private houses around here. Thanks to that, we can set up a line of defense. ――If we want to intercept the demons, this is the only place to do it.”

Cody raised his voice at Sheila’s words.

“Y-You want to fight them?”

“It’s the only way. Cody and Zechs, take this man to the royal castle. And while you’re at it, it would be great if you could also instruct the people of the capital to evacuate.”

Sheila had no idea how to give instructions, but perhaps a run to the Patrol Corps would do the trick. It might be possible to get the message to the royal castle via the corps.

The fact that there were many nobles remaining in the capital due to the birth of the Crown Prince’s first child might be convenient now. If they were in different regions and targeted individually, there would have been a limit to their self-defense.

Anyway, there was no time now. It would be best to split up into several groups and do their part.

But this time, Zechs frowned suspiciously.

“Are you telling us to evacuate? What about you?”

“I’ll stay and fight. Cody is the heir of a baron family, and he has magic powers, so he’s at a disadvantage when it comes to fighting demons. He’s the right man for the job.”

“If that’s the case, then I should stay too. I’m in the same position as you.”

“That’s…”

It was simply reckless for a student who hadn’t even graduated from the academy to confront demons without magic. If you have magical power, you will be preyed upon by demons, and if you don’t have magical power, you won’t stand a chance. In this situation, Sheila realized the frustrating contradiction that Jornwerner had mentioned before.

However, if there existed a person who was outside of that framework.

Even if they had no magic power themselves, if they could borrow the power of spirits and wield the same power as magic.

Then, they were the right person for the job.

“…. I have to fight. I’ll be useful in the fight against the demons.”

“What does that mean?”

“….”

How could she explain this to them?

Sheila hesitated even in the face of an urgent situation. She couldn’t believe that she had to tell her precious friends that she had a secret under these circumstances.

She was afraid of Zechs’s intense stare.

“Sheila, what the hell are you hiding….!”

“Zechs. Now is not a good time to argue.”

It was Cody’s voice that admonished his friend, so calm that it seemed out of place. He calmly tapped him on the shoulder, and Zechs squinted his eyes in frustration.

“Why…. It’s reckless that the guy with no magic power decided to stay behind… So, why won’t you stop him!?”

“Now is not the time to be talking about that, is it? And besides, we trust Sheila, right? He’ll definitely come back safely.”

Cody’s hand patted Sheila on the shoulder as well.

Like Zechs, he didn’t know anything either. It was natural for him to be confused, but in his chestnut eyes, there was only concern for his friend.

His unwavering trust warmed her heart.

“…. Yes. I’ll definitely give you a full explanation when I get back. After it’s all over.”

Sheila responded firmly and turned to Zechs.　

She felt a pang of apology as she realized that despite his agitation and anger, at the root of it all was kindness and concern for his friend.

Still, Sheila looked straight at her friend.

“I’m going to be okay. So, don’t worry.”

As she quietly told him, Zechs’ trembling shoulders suddenly slumped. His hazel eyes lost their light and slowly lowered. Their gazes no longer met.

Sheila was clearly reminded that a rift had formed between them. But it could be repaired.

She would return safely and tell them what happened. She would sincerely apologize for not telling them. She would do it again and again until they forgave her.

As Sheila made up her mind, Cody began to think about their next move.

“I think it would be better for me to evacuate the people. With the amount of magic power I have, I might be a liability even if I stay here. Since Leidyrune-senpai is the son of the Duke of Centrix, he should be given priority in evacuating the residents.”

“Oh, that’s true too. I’m sure it would be easy for Leidyrune-senpai to get in and out of the royal castle, and it would be quicker to talk to them.”

Sheila agreed with him.

Evacuation orders would go smoothly if Cody, Zechs, and Leidyrune split up. The royal nobles, who were easily targeted by demons, could also evacuate more quickly.

She looked at Leidyrune with anticipation, but he snorted with his arms crossed arrogantly.

“My family is certainly a duke’s house, but I myself am only the second son. I have enough freedom to fight in times of crisis.”

“But Leidyrune-senpai, it’s too dangerous.”

“Healing magic is essential in fighting demons. If Clauschezade-sensei and Jornwerner are fighting in the vanguard, they will need someone to assist them in the rearguard. My abundant amount of mana will definitely come in handy.”

When she silently agreed that he had a point, a voice raised a complaint.

“Hey, hey. I never said anything about playing vanguard.”

Jornwerner shrugged his shoulders as if he was in trouble. With the ease of a relative, Leidyrune quickly retorted.

“What are you going to do if you don’t come forward with your experience? Are you going to use your students as shields?”

“Wow, you treat me like a teacher only at times like this.”

It would be extremely difficult to motivate Jornwerner. But perhaps because he had admired him for so many years, Leidyrune was well-versed in the art of manipulating the odd man out.

“Because it’s you. You wouldn’t have gone out of your way to leave the lab if not because you want to observe something.”

“That’s rude. I was watching Sheila-kun and the others fight with a pure heart. Well, anyway, I brought some magic tools for wide-range attacks as a consolation when I had free time.”

Sheila and others who were listening shuddered at the dreadful words “wide-range attack magic tools,” but the two continued their conversation without a care in the world.

“Ah, I just wanted to experiment in a slightly larger area. Otherwise, it’ll be a real disaster.”

“Is that so? Wouldn’t it be rather legal to conduct experiments now? There’s no need to hold back against demons. It would be convenient for you, wouldn’t it?”

“Oh my, indeed.”

As the conversation took a dangerous turn, Sheila noticed that Clauschezade hadn’t said a word. At a time like this, he would have been able to give them more precise instructions than anyone else.

“Clauschezade-sensei?”

She looked up at the silent Clauschezade. His expressionless face, like that of a statue, was a little pale, perhaps because it was wet from the rain.

He slowly opened his mouth as all eyes were on him.

“I have to evacuate you. ――I’m sorry, but I’m leaving the line of fire.”

Translator Notes:

1. I felt that it was more appropriate to use ‘demon’ than ‘monster’ so I’ll be editing the word in the previous chapters. ↵