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I changed from my one-piece room wear to a black dress, put on black boots, donned a wide-brimmed hat with a rose corsage, and finally draped myself in a new robe adjusted to my recent height, completing my preparations.

As a precaution, I retrieved my silver magic wand from the Close art and took it in hand.

“Alright. I’m ready,” I nodded satisfactorily at the familiar weight in my hand.

Eren, who had been quickly packing her belongings, looked at me with concern and cautiously asked, “Um, Lady Jill, are you planning to fight alongside the guards?”

“No. For now, I don’t intend to actively join the fray,” I replied, bending down to stroke Vier, who was playing at my feet, while organizing my thoughts aloud. “Since we don’t know the full situation, acting independently could potentially hinder rather than help. I plan to stay with everyone else and assist them as needed.”

Upon hearing my words, Eren clasped her hands in front of her chest and let out a relieved sigh. “I see. With so many guards present, it should be alright, I suppose.”

“Yes,” I agreed, feeling like this conversation might be signaling something important, but I nodded along nonetheless.

Well, judging from what I saw during the day, they seem to be quite experienced in group combat, so they shouldn’t be at a disadvantage be it against night raiders or monsters. There seemed to be quite a number of magic users besides swordsmen, so there’s no particular need for a lone witch like me to join in. Besides, if I were to interfere here, it could disrupt their coordination, and it wouldn’t be honorable to intervene as an additional hand to the guards’ assigned duty—it would go against their sentiments and sense of duty.

So, deciding to focus solely on rear support this time, I walked with Eren and Vier down the corridor, following instructions towards the central foyer of the mansion.

Upon arrival, it seemed most of the students, faculty, and instructors were already gathered. It appeared we were among the last to assemble.

“Jill! Are you alright? I couldn’t see you and got worried,” exclaimed Luke, approaching with a sword at his hip and the mysterious winged cat draped over his shoulder.

Behind him were Daniel, and a bit behind them, both Cestlavie and Elias were also present.

“Yes, I’m fine. And I see that…you’re not doing so well?” I replied with concern. “Sir Daniel and Elias, are those injuries from the attack?”

Luke and Cestlavie seemed relatively safe, but both Marquis Daniel and Elias had scrapes and bruises on their faces and hands. What happened?!

“Oh, no, don’t worry. It’s just a scratch from falling from a high place… Nothing serious at all. I apologize for causing concern,” Daniel said, touching his cheek where the scratch was, looking awkwardly towards the northeast as he explained—or rather, seemed to be making excuses.

Luke gave him a cold stare and remarked in an oddly serious tone, “If Jill had been there, I’d have challenged you to a duel over this.”

Meanwhile, Elias was looking downcast, and even Cestlavie, who should have been able to heal such injuries, said, “Reap what you sow. Learn from this,” but did not offer any assistance.

As I glanced around, I noticed the student council members who had been looking down on the guards earlier were now behaving obediently, following the adventurers’ instructions like sheep. They, too, had bandages and gauze on their faces, hands, and legs.

…What on earth had happened?

And then, as I turned my head, instructions came from a staff member.

“Be prepared for anything. We will now guide you to a safe zone. We’ll move through the back roads to the Saint Campbell Church at the rear of this mansion, and collaborate with the clergy there. The city’s defense forces stationed nearby will arrive shortly, so there’s no need to worry.”

Upon hearing these words, the students, who had been looking grim, seemed to regain some brightness.

I noticed Viola at the center of a group of girls, particularly one whose face had turned pale, soothing their anxiety with gentle whispers and a calming atmosphere.

Impressive. That’s the secret to winning over women with such skillful maneuvers.

Just as I admired this… huh?! I glanced around at the faces of the male students surrounding me, and felt perplexed all over again.

Somehow, it seemed like I was in the opposite position of Viola. No, rather, it felt like I was playing the role of a princess protected by knights…

Hmm, as I questioned my own purpose, Luke directed a sharp gaze towards the staff member who had given the instructions.

“That’s odd. If defense forces are coming from the city, wouldn’t it be safer to stay fortified in the inner rooms rather than evacuating through unfamiliar night paths to the church?”

Answering this question, Lieselotte approached with her entourage. “Well, Sir Lucas’ question is quite valid. I’ve heard through the grapevine that the enemy group consists of undead, manipulated by some vile necromancer. Hence, the plan is to evacuate to the church covered by a protective barrier engraved with holy seals.”

““““Undead!?””””
“Shh! Don’t raise your voice. It will only unsettle those around us. Anyway, dealing with unholy beings like that is best left to the clergy. Well, I doubt there’s a magician capable of ‘purification’ in this town, so we’ll have to manage with holy water and silver weapons to weaken them.”

In response to Lieselotte’s grumbling, Cestlavie nodded with a bitter expression and agreed, “Indeed.”

“Oh? Cestlavie, can you not use ‘purification’?” I asked.

He shook his head with a look of exasperation. “Of course not. Those who can use ‘purification’ are usually stylites or high-priestesses—old men and women. There’s no way I could use it, and I doubt I will be able to in the future.”

“Is that so?” I could use it, though — or so I was about to say, but Luke suddenly grabbed my hand. Startled, I looked up to find him peering into my face with a gaze so serious it was almost frightening.

‘Do not say that out loud!’ his eyes warned me, and I realized I had nearly said something careless. I quickly shut my mouth.

“Lady Jill, please don’t overexert yourself,” Eren said, her voice tinged with concern.

“…Yes, I’m fine. I understand,” I replied softly, feeling guilty for causing them to worry.

“Hmm?” Although it was a brief exchange, I hoped it went unnoticed. Lieselotte, however, narrowed her eyes slightly and glanced at our joined hands, her lips curling into a smirk.

“Saint Campbell Church—I recall it being a memorable place where Lady Clara and the current Frontier Count Aulanthia once prayed together. Since then, it’s become a place where couples who visit are said to be destined to marry. Perhaps you should continue holding hands as you enter?”
““Eh?!””

We nearly toppled over at Lieselotte’s teasing words, delivered with a mischievous grin.

♦♢♦

Suddenly, the tide of battle turned, and the front lines fell into chaos, causing Orlando to feel a growing sense of urgency.

“Damn it! To be so easily outmaneuvered by a single ogre!!”

Initially, they had been effectively exterminating the undead. The dead, both human and beast, lacked proper judgment, allowing the heavy warriors with shields to restrict their movement and methodically eliminate them as planned.

With minimal losses on their side, Orlando was confident that it was only a matter of time before they completely wiped out the enemy. However, at that moment, a massive ogre burst out from the forest.

The ogre, wearing a strange mask, wielded a huge sickle with a two-meter blade. It struck the rear of their unsuspecting comrades, tore through the front lines, and even approached their main force.

Of course, it was outnumbered. Magic and arrows hit the ogre from a distance, causing it to stagger and be blown away repeatedly. Yet, in the next moment, it would rise again as if nothing had happened, unscathed.

Faced with this literally immortal monster, fear began to creep into the eyes of the once-bold adventurers.

“It’s a monster… It’s Gus the Immortal Ogre that appears from Lake Quartz on a full moon night…!”

A murmured exclamation spread rapidly among the troops, causing panic.

――This is bad. At this rate, we’ll suffer a total collapse.

Biting his lip, Orlando grabbed the spear he had stuck in the ground nearby.

“Even if it’s immortal, we can inflict damage! If we can immobilize it and burn it like the other undead, it won’t be able to resurrect. Those who are free, use spears or ropes! The rest, eliminate the smaller enemies! Let’s go!”

Responding to his rallying cry, the comrades who had been waiting near Orlando took up their long weapons and charged at the ogre.

Author’s Note:

Jill mastered purification at the age of 12, four years earlier than Clara. Normally, even those with the talent require 20 to 30 years of training, making the youngest existing healers who can use purification in their late 30s.

Because Clara was able to use it at 16, there were high hopes for her to pass on her lineage and produce even better priestesses and priests. However, she failed in that regard (she actually succeeded, but it remains a secret to the society).

Therefore, if Jill’s ability were to be discovered, there is a high possibility she would be treated as a child-bearing vessel.

Additionally, the “登塔者” (Stylites) mentioned in the story is a reference to “Simeon the Stylite.” It should be understood as a monastic saint who, after rigorous training, awakened to the power to heal people.

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“「O’ Light, dispel the darkness and illuminate the land! — Light」!”

The magician positioned in the rear cast a light spell from the tip of his magic staff. This spell, known as Light, was one of the light magic arts developed roughly a hundred years ago by the legendary Saintess Snow. Though the church refers to these spells as theocracy, the incantations differ, but the effects are the same. While advanced practitioners can make the light float and move independently, the magician accompanying the group lacked such skill.

Nevertheless, the bright, pure light emitted by the spell far outshone any torch or lantern, illuminating the surroundings like daylight, thus significantly improving their chances in the night battle.

“Damn, I knew it…”

The attackers comprised of a dozen or so armed individuals wielding swords and spears accompanied by nearly twenty black-furred beasts—meran-aries—in a chaotic mixed formation.

For context, monsters are classified using the same rank system as adventurers, from F-minus to S-plus (with rare SS or US ranks representing literal monstrosities that almost never appear in the world and are more mythological, thus excluded from normal ranks). Generally, a monster’s strength is estimated such that it would take three adventurers of the same rank to defeat it.

Although matchups can vary, it’s safe to assume that monsters are about three times stronger than humans. The meran-aries are ranked at D-minus, meaning each one posed a threat equivalent to three D-rank adventurers, which is considered an average standard.

In other words, they were facing the equivalent threat of an assault by a force of seventy to eighty armed individuals, comparable to a small to medium-sized military squadron.

Normally, a retreat house modified from a noble’s mansion, even with some walls, would have been overrun in an instant by such an assault. However, this particular place was defended by over a hundred skilled adventurers, valuable magicians, elven archers, warrior monks, and on top of that, about ten top-tier instructors from the Livitium Academy’s magic department. In a straightforward confrontation, they could repel an enemy three times their number due to the disparity in strength.

Despite this, there was a palpable sense of concern among the defenders of the “Steel Wagon” group. It was evident that their attackers were not mere bandits or rogue mercenaries.

“Lazar, Billy, Mandy, Woody, Ben, Elmer, Bugs, Roger, Selma, Mumbly, Muttley… Damn it, they’re all dead.”

Orlando, the deputy leader of the “Steel Wagon” and the person responsible for this escort mission, gritted his teeth as he identified the faces of the enemies coming at them with vacant eyes and weapons drawn.

Every face was familiar. They were all members of the team he had left behind to handle the corpses of the meran-aries they had encountered earlier that day. Now, they have turned into attackers themselves. Transgression, in itself, was not particularly shocking. Although ethically unacceptable, it was not uncommon in their line of work to hear of adventurers hired to guard nobles or wealthy individuals switching sides and becoming robbers for the sake of loot or ransom.

However, it was clear that the former comrades they now faced hadn’t betrayed them out of greed or calculation. After all, they were all already dead.

Their bodies bore gruesome wounds that were obviously fatal: gashes on the necks, skulls, and over the hearts, likely inflicted by heavy blades or machetes. Such injuries were not survivable. The same held true for the meran-arieses, each bearing the same wounds and arrows from earlier in the day.

“Zombies… no, some of them have their brains spilling out, so that’s not it. They’re definitely ‘living dead,’ but it doesn’t seem like the head or heart is their weak spot. This is going to be troublesome.”

While there was surprise, there was no shock. This situation had been anticipated; otherwise, one couldn’t serve as an executive of a large adventurer group. There was also a sense of pride preventing them from showing any signs of distress in front of their employer and comrades.

“The enemy is probably a necromancer. Defeating the caster would be the quickest solution, but they’re not likely to be on the front lines… Alternatively, a white mage or a priest capable of ‘purification’ could handle this in one go.”

Though he knew it was wishful thinking, he couldn’t help but say it out loud.

Purification was an advanced form of healing magic, accessible only to those with exceptional talent who had undergone rigorous training. Such individuals were treasured and closely guarded by their respective religious orders. They only appeared when calamity-class creatures like lichs, vampire progenitors, or high-level demons showed up. An ordinary adventurer would never encounter such a person, as they were far beyond the reach of common folk.

“…They say Lady Clara reached that pinnacle at the mere age of sixteen, but there’s no such prodigy around here. We’ll have to make do with the forces we have.”

It was ironic that in this land famous for its shrine maidens, they were being attacked by the unholy undead. However, if they managed to overcome this unexpected crisis, ‘Steel Wagon’ would gain considerable prestige, and their reward might even increase. Most importantly, protecting the students of the Royal Academy, especially such high-ranking VIPs, right under the nose of Eunice’s theocracy (a key point, as this showed it was out of their control and placed the responsibility on the local authorities) would bring them great renown. This reputation would be invaluable for the group’s future.

This was a dangerous situation, but also an incredible opportunity.

And they didn’t mind this kind of gamble. If they did, they wouldn’t be in the adventuring business, which was akin to living on the edge.

Having quickly calculated the risks and steeled himself, Orlando shouted a rallying cry to his gathered comrades.

“Listen up, everyone! As you can see, Lazar and the others were taken down by some necromancers and turned into puppets. It’s a damn shame, but we can’t save them. The least we can do is lay them to rest ourselves and then crush the b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ who turned their corpses into playthings! Don’t hold back! Sending them off properly is the best thing we can do for them. —Let’s make this a battle to remember!”

“““““““““Oooooooooooooooohhh!!!!””””””””” his comrades roared in unison.

“Shoot for their legs! Immobilize them and surround them! Archers, prepare fire arrows! Anyone who can use magic, focus on putting out any fires that spread!”

If they couldn’t figure out the weak points, they’d have to destroy the bodies beyond recognition or burn them.

Following Orlando’s immediate judgment, the adventurers of ‘Steel Wagon’ boldly launched their attack.

Author’s note:

On an unrelated note, many of the adventurers turned undead were beastmen. Dogs, rabbits, etc. Lazar is an original character of mine, but if anyone recognizes the origins of the other names, well, what a nerd! (The correct answer is that the names are taken from American cartoon characters.)

Translator’s Note:

Billy (The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy);
Mandy (The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy);
Woody (Woody Woodpecker);
Ben (Ben10);
Elmer (Looney Tunes);
Bugs (Looney Tunes);
Roger (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?);
Selma (The Simpsons, I guess? I can’t find anyone else but Selma Simpsons);
Mumbly & Muttley (this is tricky because the author uses Muttley for one character and Kenken (the JP localization for Muttley) for another character, so essentially they’re referencing the same character from the TV series Wacky Races. I decided to use Mumbly (from the Tom & Jerry package) due to how often they’re mistaken for each other).

Editor’s Note:

Well! We have a nerd here!