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“The wound… I’m better.”

‘Did her healing magic get stronger? I don’t think it used to be this effective.’ Nella looked at Iris with a blank expression. The Holy Magic spread widely, healing injured soldiers one by one. They rose from the ground and seized their weapons again as if possessed.

“Do not fear, for I am with you.”

The Holy Land’s knights escorted Iris. ‘It seems her magic wasn’t the only thing to improve.’ Nella thought inwardly as she saw the Saintess encouraging the soldiers with a determined and gentle voice. The monsters that climbed up the wall could no longer overwhelm the soldiers healed by Iris. The shouts of war obscured the cries of monsters.

“…I can finally take a break.”

Nella sighed with relief. The brief skirmish ruined the rampart, but the soldiers’ momentum was strong enough to hold.

“Long time no see, Nella. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Nella held back the urge to sigh again and turned her head. They were no longer part of the Hero’s Party, but they weren’t close to begin with. They were the female counterpart of the Hero and the Mercenary.

“Don’t mind me. Just treat the fallen soldiers over there. I’m not hurt.”

Nella said so, shooing Iris with her hand, but Iris strode toward her. Her hand carefully touched Nella’s cheek, and Nella reflexively moved back, wondering if she wanted to fight again. Suddenly, the healing magic covered her entire body, and the stinging sensation she felt on her cheek disappeared.

“Take care of yourself. The entire defense line will collapse if you are unable to fight.”

“No one cares about me.”

Nella grumbled, but she didn’t feel too bad. More people with be mad if she asked why the Saintess cared for her. Nella burst the head of a monster who climbed up the wall and turned to Iris again.

“So, why are you here? Where is the Hero?”

“He’s still asleep. Since war has broken out, I thought I should come first.”

Nella frowned slightly.

“Is there any indication that he’s waking up or anything like that? Did he leave anything behind?”

“…He didn’t say anything.”

Iris’ expression was full of anxiety. ‘The relationship between the Saintess and Hero wasn’t good. No, wasn’t Iris the one who unilaterally disliked Elroy? Something must have happened between them.’ Nella came up with such an irrelevant idea during an urgent battle.

“Shouldn’t you wake him up?”

“We don’t have to be hasty. Ultimately, all this will be solved only when he wakes up after finding the answer.”

Iris stared at Nella’s fingers which trembled and then opened her mouth.

“We must believe in the Hero but not rely on him. Calling him prematurely would only delay the inevitable.

“…I didn’t know you could sound so saintly.”

Nella said half sarcastically. Iris smiled wryly and soon returned to its original state.

“I will treat the injured as we go, but the priority is to prevent them from occurring. You know that, right?”

“I got it. Go somewhere else quickly.”

Nella was still stuck in the past. The present and reality came to her eyes in the worst form. She clenched her fist and opened it.

“…I shouldn’t care.”

Magic gathered and unfolded. Spears of ice formed in the air. ‘If I use up your magic like this now, will I be able to handle the consequences later?’ However, Nella just gritted her teeth.

She just has to deal with it.

Nella stretched out her hand and clenched he fist. The spears poured down like rainwater in a storm. The sound of the monsters being torn and crushed and the cries of beasts dominated the area. With the sound of hundreds of thousands of glass breaking at once, ice spears smashed into the ground.

“If I can’t handle this much, we’ll all die anyways.”

***

Agnes looked at Laura, who came down to the ground. The Seventh Circle Archwizard was sweating profusely. Her assistant brought her a towel, but she stood firm, pushing the assistant away. Her support completely reversed the situation.

“I’ll rest for a moment, Your Majesty, so please don’t go to the battlefield.”

Agnes snorted at Laura.

“Laura, my land and people are being destroyed. My body is a small price for their safety.

She is in peak physical condition; her body is tuned to perfection. The battle on the ramparts was still ongoing. Monsters were climbing viciously like monkeys, and the soldiers were throwing themselves at the enemy, desperately trying to keep them at bay. Agnes drew her sword.

“You may rest as long as you wish, and I will hold you until you are ready again.”

“Your Majesty, please….”

“Forget it. If you have time to worry about me, focus on your recovery instead, for you know that is the way to protect me, and above all….”

Agnes looked at Laura with a sly, upturned mouth and a provocative smile. Laura shook her head, not sure why the Queen was giving her such a look.

“I am stronger than you.”

“…We don’t know that yet.”

“I’ll prove it to you. When you recover, open your eyes and see.”

Agnes ascended the stairs. Behind her, the knights followed. But the presence of the Queen with her sword drawn was more significant than all the knights who followed to escort her. She couldn’t let them overshadow her.

“Do not move ahead of me. You may guard my side and back, but I will not allow you to stand in my way. I’m sure you know very well what that means.”

Agnes raised her sword and pointed it forward.

“Your Majesty need not deal with this.”

A knight stepped forward but was stopped by Agnes’ icy glare. Her sword was held at the knight’s throat.

“Did you hear what I just said?”

‘I will not allow you to die when you should have because you sought my praise.’ Agnes put away her sword, and her mana filled the space.

“Die protecting my back, not standing in my way. I will not say it a third time.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Agnes’ form faded into a blur. It had been long since they had seen her in combat, but there was no sign of worry on the Queen’s face. It was simple movements, but she moved faster than anyone could follow. There was no wasted movement or excessive flare in her blade. Many heads fell in a single slash, stabilizing the defensive formation about to collapse.

“Rise. Remember that your families, lovers, and comrades-in-arms are behind your backs.”

Agnes’ appearance and words roused the soldiers as much as Iris’ healing magic and encouragement. They were encouraged by her skill in slaughter and her presence as the Queen.

“And do not forget that I am with you.”

The Hero did not arrive. ‘That Hero really wants to make me work.’ Agnes swung her sword.

“Hold the line, don’t allow any gaps, or your comrade next to you will die.”

The soldiers swung their spears even faster. Agnes then glanced down the ramparts. Fewer monsters were clinging to the walls. Her eyes narrowed as she wondered if the homunculus had been rampaging nearby and cleared them out.

“…No, they haven’t actually decreased in number.”

Agnes shook her head to herself. They hadn’t decreased in number, just in intensity. There was not a single significant attack, only sporadic charges.

So where were they?

Agnes’ body stiffened. Her head snapped around. ‘If they can’t break through by spreading out, they’re better off focusing on a single point. Any intelligent monster would know that much.’

The most vulnerable part of the castle. Where the terrain is the flattest and the walls the weakest.

A boulder rolled down the mountain. The noise slowly grew louder.

Agnes took off running. The attacks on the walls sounded like a giant pounding on the door of a house. The monster’s body slammed into the wall like a battering ram.

“Your Majesty, you must not come here!”

“Get out of the way.”

Agnes pushed past the soldiers who tried to block her path and reached the gates, only to see her worst fears confirmed.

“What has happened?”

A mass of monsters crashed into the gate. The wall slowly lost form and crumbled against the force. Paws, tails, and heads poked out of the amalgamation and cried out. The roar of the beasts drowned out the shouts of men. The walls rattled and shook like a wooden house.

“I don’t know… Suddenly, thousands, tens of thousands of monsters appeared and began to pound the walls and gates. The first ones to hit were crushed, and then, acting like glue, they attached themselves to others… And then, one by one, they stuck and merged together until they became….’ that.’”

The commander looked fascinated. Agnes clicked her tongue and pushed him away. A monster swooped down, aiming for the Queen. It was already in several pieces before the knights could scramble to their feet.

“Some of the best knights went down the ramparts to stop them, but….”

“They’re already one with them.”

Agnes looked at the amalgamation.

The gates shook again. A tense silence descended.

“We can wait for the Archwizard. If anything, they’ll be easier to disperse now that they’re bunched up over there.”

“If the walls can hold until then.”

The commander fell silent. Knowing full well that they had neither the reason nor the power to stop the Queen, the escort knights silently unsheathed their swords. They were prepared to die. They drew mana from their hearts and raised their auras.

“Three of you follow behind. The rest of you, guard the walls.”

There was no need to ask which three. The knights fell back, and the strongest stepped forward. Agnes narrowed her eyes and began to form her aura. A rose color gracefully descended down her arm and covered her sword.

“Let’s go.”

With that, she leaped down the ramparts. Her aura draped like a cloak over her shoulders. Her sword was aimed at the center of the mass of creatures. Among the piles of flesh, there was a body, presumably human. It wore armor and had a sword clutched in its hand. A familiar emblem was engraved on its armor.

“I’m sorry.”

Then Agnes’ sword was brought down.

Translator’s Corner

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. For those who aren’t in the discord, my pc died and it’ll take some time to fix. Luckily, I found one of my older laptops that can’t run anything. But translating takes literally nothing, so I have nothing to do but that.

-Ruminas