Author: TA☆KA	Original Source: Kakuyomu / Syosetu
Translator: Jiro	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

The Road to the Temple – 17:20

I knew that running every morning had started to pay off. Even at this pace, I’m able to run without affecting my surroundings. I’m so amazing!

Anyway, I had cleared the road to the temple. I needed to keep the path clean so Mr. Henry could pass through! I made sure to clean up any visible trash along the edges.

And just now I’d taken care of two more dogs. That made them 21 in total. And 18 bats. Quite a few of them had infiltrated the village. Just counting the dogs alone, the number had already passed 200. As for bats, there were at least 300.

It felt like they weren’t running around chaotically; in fact, it looked like they were operating in an organized manner. I was positive that they had a leader somewhere. Those smaller groups at the edge of the forest were probably the ones in charge.

But the worst was that massive swarm lurking deeper in the woods. It would be really bad if I didn’t do something about that! It didn’t seem to be moving just yet, but I had to take care of that fast!

I had almost cleared the road to the temple. Mr. Henry likely wouldn’t be attacked. All that remained was to head to the temple itself and clean up the garbage clinging to it. There were 8 bats and 15 dogs around the temple, a huge number of enemies for just one place!

I kicked the ground hard, quickly leaping to the temple. My skirt whipped violently in the wind, making a loud rustling noise. But even so, my skirt wouldn’t roll up! That was what being a refined lady was all about!!

I descended in a wide arc from the sky, heading straight for the temple at high speed.

From above, I fired bursts of sword chi at the bats. I released five shots in quick succession. In an instant, five bats exploded and scattered into pieces. I then plunged through the rest of them, flying past three more bats and slashing wildly with my sword as I passed. With that, I took care of all the bats!

Since there were also dogs in the landing area getting in the way, I kicked one aside just before landing to secure a safe landing spot. I then twisted myself and slashed at the surrounding dogs with my sword. To absorb the impact of the landing, I drove my boots into the ground and stuck the landing perfectly. A 10 out of 10 landing, if I had to say so myself! I’d even managed to crush 5 more dogs with the landing, so that would probably amount to some technical points!

After I landed, I kicked the ground and dashed forward while keeping my body close to the ground. I quickly cut down the dogs swarming around the temple while wielding a sword in each hand. All that was left were the three dogs clinging to the temple’s front door. They eventually managed to notice me and turned to glare, but it was too late. By then, I had already reached the door. Naturally, I cut all three down.

I’d say it took about three seconds from landing on the temple grounds to clearing them out. Now, all the Demonic Beasts around the temple were gone.

Currently, the only person in the temple was Ms. Daisy.

(Is she okay, I wonder?)

The dogs were pressing against the temple’s thick door, but it seemed to be completely unscathed.

I placed both swords back into the sheaths on my belt and walked toward the door. As I reached out to touch it, I felt a slight resistance just before making contact.

(Oh… could this be a protective barrier? Is that why the door is still intact?)

Either way, I knocked and called out to Ms. Daisy.

“Miss Susie? It’s you, Miss Susie, isn’t it? Where is Henry? How is the situation outside? Are you alright? Is Henry safe?!!!”

It sounded like she was safe. Apparently, she’d constantly supplied Mana to the temple’s barrier device and managed to withstand the attack. Ms. Daisy had mentioned before that she was officially certified as a Barrier Assistant, someone capable of manipulating barriers.

“Mr. Henry will be here shortly. Ms. Daisy, please wait just a little longer.”

I reassured Ms. Daisy that Mr. Henry was safe and that I had gotten ahead of him to make my way to the temple first. I explained that I had rushed over in a hurry. Just as I was about to say goodbye and leave the temple… she reached out, held my hand, and stopped me.

“Miss Susie! The school… The kids… How is everyone? Is everyone safe?! Ah. I’m sorry. I just… You just got back to the village. There’s no way you’d know… I’m sorry.”

I was caught off guard by the sudden flood of questions. She must have realized it too, because she quickly pulled her hand back almost instinctively and clutched it to her chest, looking down, apologetic.

“It’s alright, Ms. Daisy. Everyone is safe. I’ll be sure to protect everyone!”

I gave her a reassuring smile, hoping it would help calm her nerves. I couldn’t be sure if it eased her anxiety at all… But that was all I could do for her at that moment. Pathetic as it felt, that was the only comfort I could offer.

So I turned and ran, rushing straight home. All so that I could get to the school as fast as possible!

After all, Mama Sonia was at home in her wheelchair right now! She said she was okay this morning, but it was clear she was having it tough. I could tell that the house was surrounded! I had to get back immediately!

Although I still hadn’t even reached the hill near our house, I already knew! I knew that there were 7 dogs and 5 bats! I knew that Mama Sonia was out on the terrace!

(Why? Why is she outside? And why is Miss Elrose standing in front of her? Is she trying to protect Mama Sonia? Gilbert went after the dogs?! No! Hurry! I must hurry! If I don’t, I won’t make it in time!!!)

One of the dogs leapt toward Mama.

(No! No!!! Stop it! You can’t!)

I thought I was fast.

When I first arrived in this world, I felt like my physical abilities were unreal. I was quicker, stronger, and more agile than anything else around me. I had started to believe there might be nothing I couldn’t do.

But that was wrong! I was wrong! Why was I so slow now?!

(Please, make it!!)

I had lived for 30 years. I should’ve known better. Of course, I would get the rug pulled out from under me when I got too carried away! I had been reminded of this not once! Why didn’t I learn from those mistakes?! Why did I keep repeating them?! And it was even worse when it involved something that I might not be able to take back!

(Please! Please don’t take my mama from me! Please! I beg of you!!!)

At that moment, I climbed the hillside near our house, and what I saw were the dog’s fangs just about to close in on Mama Sonia.

It was as if I were watching the scene in slow motion. The fangs edged closer to Mama Sonia’s neck. I lunged forward, firing off the chi from the sword clenched tightly in my hand. That movement shouldn’t have taken more than an instant, but my body felt painfully slow. It was like something was clinging to my body. I knew I could be faster, but my arms wouldn’t move the way I wanted them to.

And just a moment before my sword could strike forward…

The dog’s head was crushed.

“What?”

Miss Elrose struck it in the head with something like a tonfa.

The blow was brutal. The dog’s body slammed against the ground from the sheer force, and its skull burst open, scattering brain matter across the grass. Its neck twisted in an unnatural direction, and the body tumbled away from Mama Sonia, finally landing limp and motionless.

“Huh? Wait? What?”

Meanwhile, Mama Sonia was sitting in her wheelchair, calmly and quietly watching the far edge of the garden as if nothing had happened.

All while drawing her bow!

(Huh? What the…)

She held the bow with her left hand and, with her right, drew back not just one, but three arrows, one nocked, two resting between her fingers.

With a smooth, practiced motion, she released them in rapid succession, three arrows flying out one after another without a moment’s pause.

The arrows flew out and pierced through three bats mid-air as if they were drawn into them.

Then Mama Sonia reached behind her wheelchair, drew another set of arrows, and fired three more in quick succession, dropping two more bats and a dog with deadly precision. It looked like, whenever she fired an arrow, she channeled Mana into it through the fingers of her left hand, the one gripping the bow, greatly amplifying its power.

(What about Gilbert?!)

The moment I remembered him, I turned to look in his direction. Gilbert ran while keeping low to the ground, moving through the pack of dogs with incredible speed. He gripped a longsword in his right hand and a dagger in his left. With no hesitation, he cut down two dogs in the blink of an eye. His right eye, normally covered with an eyepatch, seemed to be faintly glowing with a pale green light. I felt as if I was seeing things.

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