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“It seems you’ve managed to defeat yours as well… Kyle?”
“Indeed, milord. It has been successfully slain.”
“Haaah… haaah… haaah… T-that’s only… because of… Gilbert’s help…”

Removing his helmet and sprawling flat on his back, gasping for breath, Kyle Irvine answered as Howard checked on the outcome of his battle.

At first, Kyle had been completely overwhelmed by the Great Skull’s surprising speed and incredible durability despite its enormous size. However, with Gilbert’s support, the Great Skull’s shinbone had been shattered, causing it to lose its balance and fall. Taking advantage of the opening, Kyle crushed its skull and barely managed to finish it off. The mana batteries of his Heavy Mobile Magic Armor were completely drained, including the spare units. For Kyle, it had been a hard-fought victory achieved only after exhausting both his stamina and mana.

“The Great Skull’s head is ridiculously tough. Even with help, you still cracked it open. That’s impressive.”

Drinking from a canteen handed to him by a member of the logistics unit, Conrad praised Kyle’s accomplishment.

“Thank you, Lord Cloud! Sir Conrad! And Sir Gilbert as well! Kyle too! You’ve all done splendidly!”

Cedric Meyer approached the four and expressed his gratitude. The only reason the front line still held was that those three were here. Even now, the pressure of the enemy assault had noticeably weakened thanks to their success in eliminating the larger undead. If they had not accompanied the expedition… Just imagining it made cold sweat run down Meyer’s back.

“Those things are fast and hit hard, but they’re fragile once you actually connect. They’re manageable.”

Conrad glanced sideways at Howard as he spoke. Howard merely shrugged. Watching the exchange, Kyle gave a bitter smile and muttered quietly while sitting up.

“The only people who can say something like that are Lord Cloud and the others…”
“Knight-Commander! The enemy is retreating!”

Cornell’s shout echoed from the front lines.

“Tch… They’re playing with us.”

Conrad spat the words with obvious disgust. Meyer grimaced in agreement.

In truth, the undead’s behavior up until now hardly resembled an enemy trying to exterminate them.

Several noncombatants had died during the chaotic initial assault, but after the formation had been restored, the battle had remained almost perfectly balanced.

“If we show any sign of withdrawing, they surround us from every direction. But when we stand our ground and face them head-on, they just keep charging from the front…”
“They’re definitely playing with us.”

Conrad repeated the complaint and tossed his canteen toward Howard. Howard caught it one-handed and took a drink.

The sun had already set. As darkness spread across the forest, numerous pillars of pure light rose around the camp’s perimeter. It was the Holy Ground Barrier maintained by the knight order’s holy-class members.

Ordinarily, a Holy Ground was divine ground that repelled unclean undead and granted powerful advantages against them. But against a horde of this size… It was difficult to believe it could accomplish much. What good was a bucket of water against an inferno? At best, it was a drop in the ocean.

Still, if the enemy truly was pulling back and easing the pressure on the front, it would at least provide a chance to catch their breath. At a minimum, the members of the Shield Unit maintaining the Phalanx needed to rotate out and rest. Fred was currently preparing defensive fortifications. Once completed, the troops could take short breaks. This was unquestionably going to be a battle of endurance. Conserving strength would determine everything. Though against an army of undead, there could hardly be a more unfavorable endurance battle… Meyer twisted his lips into a self-mocking smile before beginning to issue instructions in preparation for the next assault.

“…Do you think Casey… the messenger… managed to reach Amukham safely?”

Tony Easton, seated beside Conrad while trying to steady his breathing, asked the question. His helmet had been removed and hung behind his head, likely because it interfered with breathing.

“Without question. If it’s him, he will make it.”

Howard answered while watching the undead tide that still rolled toward them, though in smaller numbers than before.

“But he’s retracing the entire route alone! To make it through without incident is…”
“Well, the Demonic Beast will definitely attack him,”

Conrad replied as though it were obvious.

“If you know that, then…! Sending him alone was reckless! At least two more men, no, an entire team should have gone with him!”
“In that situation, could we have spared a team? Think back.”
“Regulus knows this forest better than anyone,” Howard added. “And he’ll make it back to the village. He will.”
“Exactly. Or what? Are you saying you don’t trust the abilities of that Casey fellow you sent alone?” Conrad said.
“That’s not what I mean! He’s a member of the Mobile Heavy Cavalry, too! There’s no way he’d lose to ordinary Demonic Beasts so easily!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“…But still!”
“Have faith in him. Besides, that’s all you can do right now anyway.”

Tony fell silent at Conrad’s words.

“Please calm down, Tony… You’re injured, aren’t you? Let me see your side.”
“Huh? Ah… am I?”

A member of the Medical Corps approached Tony and knelt beside him.

“You’ve broken two ribs. Didn’t you notice?”
“Oh… I-I see.”
“It can’t be helped. There, it’s fine now. I’ve already mended them.”
“…Ah. S-sorry, Lisa. Thanks.”

“Mm. Quite impressive.”

Howard watched the soft healing light and offered his praise.

“Lisa is one of the finest High Priests in our battalion,” Meyer answered proudly.

Lisa Tuttle, Team Leader of Squad Five and commander of the Medical Corps, was one of only four holy-class members in the battalion. The attire of holy classes differed somewhat from that of frontline knights.

Magic users generally wore equipment based on robes optimized for mana efficiency.
Breastplates, pauldrons, and waist guards were layered over the robes.

Lisa’s robe, however, was far from plain or utilitarian. Through the slit in the long garment, her slender, feminine legs were visible. The robe itself was made of pure blue velvet, while its edges and inner lining were embroidered with three-dimensional magical sigils woven from mithril gold and silver thread. As a result, it offered magical efficiency and resistance to physical and magical damage far superior to many enchanted armors crafted from Demonic Beast hide.

Like many Priests, she carried both a round shield and a mace. At the moment, however, her helmet had been removed like Kyle’s and Tony’s. Her shield was strapped to her forearm, her mace rested in a hip holster, and both hands were free to provide healing.

Many soldiers, like Tony, became so exhilarated during battle that they failed to realize they had been injured. If they returned to combat in that condition, the consequences could be disastrous. Now that the battle had temporarily calmed, Lisa was moving through the camp, checking on such people and tending to them.

Having finished treating Tony, Lisa turned toward Kyle, her short black bob swaying gently.

“You seem to be perfectly fine, Vice-Commander. As expected.”
“Though I can’t help feeling disappointed that I won’t be able to receive your love personally.”

Kyle Irvine rose smoothly to his feet and flashed her a charming smile. Lisa blinked her large dark eyes for a moment.

“Oh? What you’ll be receiving isn’t my love, it’s the love of the gods. Since when did you become so devout, Kyle?”

Then she burst into cheerful laughter.