Leave a comment

––Lepes’ Perspective

What do I do?

At this rate, even if I beat Bebe, I’ll still be dancing on the palm of Camilla’s hand. While I was groping for a way to turn this situation around,

“Thunder Sky!”
“Fire Land!”

A maelstrom of lightning and flame surged, completely destroying the vampires surrounding Bebe.

This power, and technique…

“You guys…”

They were rebels and revolters, but at the moment there was nobody I wanted more as reinforcements. Standing there before my eyes were the Decarabia members Vera and Lyris.

“We noticed some huuge mana so we came running, but to think that you’d be here, Lepes. Why couldn’t you just die…”
“Vera, stop. I hate ‘im, but work comes first. Lepes. That mountain of demon corpses. Is it that thing’s work?”
“Yeah. Exactly that. Apparently the legendary demon Camilla has revived.”
“Serious!?”
“Y-, You have to be joking.”

Lyris and Vera were stunned. From their expressions it seems that they were having trouble believing it, but before Camilla’s pressure and gargantuan mana, there was nothing to do except believe it.

“You two are just in time. It irks me, but I don’t mind withdrawing the inquiry on your earlier conduct.”
“Hahh~ Even though we came to save you, look at that tone of yours. You reaaally piss me off, you know.”
“Vera, we know his personality. I hate ‘im too, but for now, we need to work with him.”
“I know that already. Leaving his personality aside, his strength is the real deal, after all.”
“Hmph. Are you two done talking? If you are, then I’ll have you follow my instructions.”

“So Lepes, mind explaining this to us?”
“At Camilla’s word, I fought with the demons. She gave the fantastic idea, ‘You lot kill each other in this ring. I’ll accept the survivors as subordinates.’”
“Tsk. She’s playing with us. Annoying.”
“Lepes, you deffs aren’t just going to listen to her, right?”
“Of course I’ve been looking for a way to escape.”
“Yeah, thought so. Even if we fought with her, we’d just diee right? I think running is the best choice too.”

“Alright. Then the plan is to escape to where Alec is. You two, prepare yourselves.”
“Roger. Annoying that we have to run. But no choice, huh.”
“But you knoww, I don’t think that little miss demon over there is going to let us run.”

Camilla watched the newcomers with great interest. It was as though the number of funny toys had increased.

“Ohh? They might have been lower ranked demons, but that was still quite an attack. Members of Decarabia. You have come just in time. You will join in as well.”

Camilla was forcing these two into this stupid battle royale as well. There was no way to describe her expression except entertained. Alright, she’s definitely got her guard down. As long as Lyris and Vera are here, we can turn this around.

“Vera, Lyris, we’re breaking through.”
““Roger.””
“Then let’s go. One, two―THREE!”

At my signal, Lyris, Vera and I threw technique after technique at Camilla and Bebe at full power.

“UOHHHHHH! Greatest Chained Sea Blizzard!”
“Greatest Chained Thunder Sky!”
“Greatest Chained Fire Land!”

The three of us continued to fire ultimate skills with all our strength. Along the way it felt like I was going to collapse, but I single-mindedly fired them. Aftershocks from the techniques caused dust clouds to rise into the air.

And then, the clouds dispersed― Heh. Was I too wishful in thinking that we might have beat them? Standing there where the clouds cleared was the monster, looking the same as ever.

“Hahh, hahh, hahh. W-, What a monster…”
“Human. I can’t say much about the strength, but your willpower was quite something!”

Apparently all of my attacks had been stopped by Camilla’s barrier. What an incredibly strong Shield. I was painfully aware just how thick the mana around her was. I can’t even imagine an attack that could break through it.

Did I at least get that damned Bebe?

He was in the same direction as Camilla.

“Hahh, hahh, hahh. You’re craazy, you stupid human!”

Apparently Bebe had been using a Shield with all his might.

Tsk, so he’s still alive…

Unlike Camilla, however, he received some serious damage. It looks like using my skill repeatedly was enough to break through his Shield.

But even after trying our best, there are still two demons here. There won’t be any way for us to escape like this.

I’m at a loss. No, wait, if I use that on Lyris and Vera, then perhaps I alone might be able to escape… For the sake of exterminating the demons, I need to survive. I’m resolved to sacrifice my team if need be.

“ARGHH-!”

Suddenly, I heard Vera’s agonized voice.

What happened?

I looked in the direction of her cry.

“Wha-!? Newcomers!?”

Standing there was a gentlemanly old man, his fist stabbed right into Vera’s stomach.

“Lady Camilla, we have kept you waiting!”
“Oohh, Nielsen. Then, elder sister is…”
“Milady. By Lady Tilea’s request, we have come to rendezvous with you. Lady Tilea was busy, and so she will be coming at a later point.”
“I see. By the way, Nielsen, why are you holding stakes?”
“This too, was by Lady Tilea’s command. ‘Use this handicap (stake) and destroy the enemy!’ she said. Thanks to that, we’ve managed to find quite the training out of this.”
“As expected of elder sister. To think that even in a situation like this, she was still thinking about how to comprehensively level up all the members of our Household Guard.”

Some stake-holding group suddenly appeared…

They looked ridiculous, but every one of them possessed incredible power. From what I heard, they were apparently Camilla’s subordinates. As expected of her direct subordinates. Every one of them was incomparable to Bebe.

In particular, the man who pierced Vera with his fist was on another level. If I carelessly approach them, I’ll end up just like Vera. That was what my warrior’s intuition calmly told me.

There’s no time anymore. I’ll use that.

I quietly began chanting in Vera’s direction.

“Uu, w-, what is this?”

The magic equation I had hidden inside her activated, and Vera’s whole body began to shine.

“This is Suicide Bombing Magic!? Vera, why are you being so rash!?”

Lyris was raising a fuss, but it was too late. Megamega is a spell that serves as the final resort for any Decarabia member. It causes their mana to run wild, and results in a massive explosion. Suicide Bombing Magic is the final solution for cases when we run into enemies above our ability to handle, and its strength goes beyond the natural magical abilities of the user.

Normally, it’s something you activate yourself. But I secretly remodeled them so that I can activate them as well. I had done so in order to guard against revolt, because of their discontent and grumbling.

Hmph. It became unexpectedly useful.

“F̲u̲c̲k̲! Vera, don’t die on me.”
“Lyris, with her injuries, she can’t fight. For the sake of the organization, Vera is prepared to die. Don’t waste her death.”
“B-, But…!”
“I-, It’s fine, Lyris… Can’t be helped.”
“Why, Vera!?”
“…Hahh, hahh, Lepes. You…”
“What?”

Damned Vera. So she noticed it was me. If it gets out, I’ll bet that Lyris will make a fuss. If things look like they’ll get annoying, I’ll have to activate Lyris’ as well. But I’d prefer to keep her alive as a distraction while I escape.

“No. It doesn’t, matter now. Hahh, hahh, a-, at any rate… somebody needed to sac… sacrifice themselves. While there’s a chance… run, Lyris.”

It’s impossible to stop it once the magic equation is activated. It’s impossible to save Vera anymore. In that case, it’s her duty as a warrior to survive, and not put Vera’s sacrifice to waste. Lyris understands this as well. Although she looked reluctant, it seems that she had made up her mind.

“Be careful, Nielsen. It looks like that girl is going to explode herself.”
“Yes, Milady. Then I shall immediately―”
“I-, I won’t, let you. A-, At least let me struggle… uselessly, a bit, more.”
“Kuh-! This girl!”
“I-, I won’t let… go, a-, and, I’m taking you, with… me.”
“Tsk. Everyone, protect Lady Camillaaaa!”

Nielsen hugged Vera to try and contain the blast. The other members moved to form a wall around Camilla.

But they were too slow. The blast would get to Camilla first.

“Good… bye… Lyris…”

Vera’s mana rampaged to the limit, and a massive explosion engulfed the area. The roar shook the earth, and it felt like the shock wave would blow everything away. With this, even those monsters wouldn’t get away unscathed.

Wha-!?

Even though she took such an explosion directly, Camilla was standing there looking unruffled as usual. Even Nielsen in the center of the explosion had been wounded.

“Hmph, surprising me like that. Lady Camilla, are you all right!?”
“No problems. An attack of that level would not even pass my barrier.”

So even Megamega won’t work huh… What an insane bunch!

As you’d expect, I was shaken.

But calm down, me. I need to somehow get away. I bought some time with Megamega. I activated the teleportation magic that I had created during that time.

“Trans!”

The magic equation was one that I had forcefully created in little time. I was about to collapse due to the side effects of the drug, as well as the repeated battles. But I can’t rest here. Apparently Camilla sent pursuers. I don’t know if she read my equation, or if she remembered the wavelength of my mana, but pursuers were definitely arriving.

Should I teleport again?

No, my mana is completely dry. Trying to form another spell would send me unconscious. At worst, I’d die on the spot.

Where is this?

My teleportation spell had been random, so I haven’t the faintest idea. Considering how little mana I had left, it can’t have sent me very far but…

I need to report to Alec immediately!

Hahh, hahh, I can’t. The pursuers are already…

Can’t be helped. One more teleport. While bearing with a pain that felt like my blood was running backwards, I activated another teleportation magic.

“Trans!”
“UWAHHH! That was scary. Why did a person fall out of nowhere?”

The moment I teleported, I heard the voice of a hysterical woman.

Hahh, hahh, it looks like this isn’t enemy ground.

A girl’s voice?

Did I make it to one of the evacuation spots? Thank god.

“I’m a subordinate of the royal family. Hahh, hahh, I wish to immediately contact headquarters.”
“I see― wha-, uwah! Looking carefully, you’re completely covered in blood! Are you okay?”
“Forget about me. Hahh, hahh, m-, more importantly, please tell them I’m here.”
“E-, Even if you tell me that… Aahh, and it looks like Jessica is unconscious, so I don’t even know where we are.”

Wha-!? This wasn’t an evacuation spot?

I see. So these two were late evacuees. The one in front of my eyes seemed to be a student of the Magic Academy, while the one carrying her was a blonde girl.

“Hahh, hahh, y-, you two, didn’t you follow the Public Safety Force’s instructions to evacuate?”
“Well, I really wanted to, but there were some circumstances, you see. I was actually trying to head there now, but it looks like I got lost.”

What absolute fools.

Fools who destroy the order like this make me want to cut them down myself. In particular, fainting even though she’s a student at the Magic Academy? Unforgivable! Just having weaklings in the country causes it to rot.

I unconsciously moved my hand to the sword… No, wait. Right now, there’s something that affects the whole world. This isn’t the time for that. I need to quickly let headquarters know about the threat, Camilla.

“W-, Woman, please call some official.”
“I-, I understand. We need to quickly find you help, right? I’ll go see if anybody is around. Umm~ I wonder how I can find the main street?”

Kuh-! Can I really leave this to such a stupid-looking woman? But there’s nobody else I can rely on.

“Hahh, hahh, hurry. The Public Safety Force, the defense squad, anybody will do. Hahh, hahh, and tell somebody as high up as possible.”

After saying that, I handed over the Decarabia proof of identity that the King granted me. Since she’s a commoner, there’s the chance that the higher ups will be suspicious of her, and won’t let her act. What I gave her was a confidential document, but it’s written in the letters of the royal palace. Considering how stupid she seems, she won’t be able to read it. I instructed her to give it to somebody high up.

“I’ll go find somebody to save you. Umm~ Let’s see. So you’re Lepes of ‘Decarabia’ is it. Hm? I think I’ve heard that somewhere before.”

Wha-!? She can read the letters of the palace? I looked down on her too much because she was a commoner. I let a commoner see a confidential document. I don’t think a commoner would be able to do much, but for the sake of the organization, I may need to erase her.

“W-, Woman, hahh, hahh, what is your name, and residence?”
“Eh-!? I’m Tilea but, my residence…? Ah-!? I don’t need a medal or anything. We should help each other in times of need. I can’t accept your thanks for something so small.”

When she heard me ask for her address, apparently she thought it was to give her a medal later. Is she an idiot! As a citizen of this country, it should be obvious to serve the country. And not only that, it’s suspicious that she’s heard of Decarabia. When in doubt, kill the accused. I can’t let her live.

“Hahh, hahh, enough, just tell me… Mu-!?”

So I couldn’t shake them off.

I felt the presence of demons. There won’t be time to wait for help. They’re coming. It’s not good. I can’t use teleport again. I can’t run stably either. It feels like I’m grasping at straws. I’ll have this stupid-looking woman help me escape.

“Hahh, hahh, girl, forget about help. R-, Right now, demons are pursuing me. Hahh, hahh, I-, I cannot be killed. L-, Lend me a hand!”
“Eehh? Seriously!? W-, What should I do? It’s going to turn into a battle again. G-, Gotta prepare the laminariales.”
“Hahh, hahh, hahh. W-, What are you ranting about― It’s no good. The pursuers are fast. They’ll be here any minute, girl. Lend me a hand. We’ll let them pass.”

At my urging, the girl brought me into a ruin, and at that point, I lost consciousness.