CH 42

OOOoooo!

Cyrene raised a shriek full of anguish from Cystia’s attack. Bodily fluids in the color of purple gushed out from the deeply pierced spear wound.

「Drop dead!」 「NO!! Please stop!」

Just as Cystia was about to deliver consecutive thrusts, Inglis rushed in, forcing her way through. She rushed her to the nearby wall and pinned her back to it strongly.

「Kgh…! Don’t get in my way, b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲! I have no intention to fight you now! That gotta be defeated fast before more damage is done!」 「You are with the Ironblood Chain Brigade, aren’t you?」 「So what of it…?」 「…If only I killed you back then!」

Should I do it now?1 Thought Inglis, clasping her fist tightly. When suddenly, another voice sounded out from behind her.

「You’re wrong, it wouldn’t change anything either way. My comrades have Prism Powder with them at all times. Comrade Mimosa had brought her own.」 2

Since when did he get behind me? She only then realized that there was a black gloved-hand grasping her own fist, as though trying to halt it.

「……!?」 「Because our plan to ambush her by manipulating the ex-Knights had failed, Comrade Mimosa made her move. She didn’t even ensure her own safety. I respect her to no end for it.」 「Who are you!?」

He was a strange man, sporting a black mask concealing his face, draped in a black outfit, completed with a cloak. Inglis could only tell he was a male from his stature and voice. However, she felt a hint of familiarity from the muffled voice he uttered 3.

「I am one who leads the Ironblood Chain Brigade. As I have no name, you may call me however you wish. I hastened myself here in order to protect this land.」

The masked man seemed to have no intention of naming himself 4.

「Even though you’re the one who made it happen?」 「Precisely why. We indeed eliminate the Highlander, but the people of this region bear no sin. We can’t have them be injured.」 「I won’t let anyone get injured, neither the people nor Lady Cyrene.」 「There is no way to reverse the transformation. What are you even saying?」 「…I am thinking up one now. Don’t get in my way.」 「Like hell we’ll play by your rules!」

Cystia made a beeline towards Cyrene.

「I won’t allow you!」

Inglis went after her. However, she was stopped in her tracks by the black-masked man.

「Get away!」

Without a moment’s delay, Inglis threw her fist at him. It was a blow with Ether Armor activated. The blow packed more than enough power to render even a Hyrule Menace immobile but…

KERCHLAANK!!

The black-masked man’s hand stopped Inglis’ fist, reverberating an earth-shattering noise as a result.

「WH-!?」 「Kgh…! What a heavy punch…!」

All her punch had managed to do was push his hand back a little. There wasn’t a single person who could properly receive Inglis’ punch when her strength was enhanced with Ether Armor, up until now.

The world was vast. There were still people like this. How fantastic. How very interesting. Her warrior instinct yelled at her to fight with this person to her heart’s content… But, now, she had to stop Cystia! 5

「Get away!」 「I’m sorry, but I can’t let you go!」

Black Mask overpowered Inglis’ fierce consecutive hits by devoting himself in defense. All he needed to do was to distract her. He knew that full well and fought accordingly.

In the meantime, Cystia had made her way closer to Cyrene.

「Got y…!? Kgh!?」

Before Cystia could even deliver an attack, she had to quickly dodge out of the way as arrows of light chased after her.

「I won’t let you do it! Lady Cyrene is our friend!」

Rafinha had shot repeatedly at the Hyrule Menace. Her arrows of light exploded into numerous smaller arrows in rapid succession so as to hinder Cystia from drawing any closer.

「Then I’ll start with you!」

Cystia diverted her attention and focused on Rafinha. 6

It was then when…

「L-, lady Cyrenee!」 「Lady Cyrene, are you alright!?」 「Are you hurt…? Are you in pain…?」

Rino, Mayumi, Chiko. The three endearing girls Cyrene took under her care. So they haven’t evacuated!! They seemed to recognize this Magic Stone Beast as Cyrene, as they were getting closer to her out of worry.

Cyrene only thrust her jewel embedded palm at them, and it began to glow.

「Rino, Mayumi, Chiko! Run!」

Rafinha shrieked.

「Oh no…! Stop it, Cystia!」 「Sir!」

Even with her full speed, Cystia wouldn’t make it in time.

And Cyrene suddenly redirected her palm towards herself right before the ray was shot.

「Ah…!」

That conduct alone said it all. Faint as it might be, Cyrene still had her some of her own consciousness left. She would put the children before herself, as long as the children were safe, she would even end her own life.

Her choice of action only spoke of the truth; that her desire to be of help to the Midlander was by no means a lie. She thought and spoke too much of an idealism that Inglis even doubted that Cyrene had any hidden side to her.

Precisely because she is this kind of person, I can’t let her get killed here…!

「Ether Pierce!」 7

A ray of Ether was released from Inglis’ fingertips, hitting Cyrene’s palm and redirecting the heat ray to the sky.

「Phew…! Okay!」 「You’re great, Glis!」 「The hell are you doing, b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!? That thing’s already choosing death by itself! Noble conduct; yet you didn’t let it finish itself!」

Cystia spoke ill of what Inglis just did. However, even if she ignored what Cystia said, Inglis didn’t know any method of saving Cyrene.

She knew, however, that she would definitely regret it had she let Cyrene die just like that. Inglis also worried about how Rafinha would recover from it.

They had replenished their travel fund, they were going to continue their fun trip, feasting on meals all the while. Inglis had been looking forward to visiting the town of Arlman, where the carcass of a Prisma was encased in ice. If she had let Cyrene die just like that, this fun trip would no longer be fun.

Thinking along those lines, one thing popped in her mind.

That’s right… if I can get her away from here, maybe I can do it!

「I have a proposal! Just for a little while, please draw Lady Cyrene’s attention without hurting her! There’s something I want to try! If that doesn’t work, then I won’t bother you people again! What do you think?」

Inglis said to Black Mask and Cystia.