Isekai Mahou wa Okureteru! (LN) - Volume 7 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Their Respective Battles 

And thus, under the command of Prince Reanat, the battle between the imperial army and the demon horde was proceeding smoothly. His plan was to lay traps and ambushes all along the mountain paths leading from the savage northern lands of the Empire into its territory proper, and spring them at the first sight of the incoming demons. To that end, scouts were sent even to the most inhospitable locations so long as it would gain them the vantage they needed. And so far, it was working wonderfully. The main corps of the army was then left to defend against what demons did manage to make it through the traps, and they were staunchly holding the line as they waited for allied reinforcements. 

So, between their traps and having the defensive position, the advantage in this battle was inevitably the Empire’s. Unlike the flat wastelands of the northern Alliance, even the terrain was on their side here. The mountainous slopes and cliffs gave them countless opportunities to stage ambushes and catch their enemy off guard. Moreover, they’d had access to reliable intelligence before the battle even started. The demons had forcibly pushed their way through the other countries leading up to the Empire, giving the Empire a chance to observe their movements and prepare accordingly. In essence, it took them long enough to get to the Empire that the Empire was ready and waiting for them when they arrived. 

And because things were going so perfectly according to plan, Suimei and the others had initially been left to oversee the main encampment rather than be called to battle. This was largely to allow the imperial army enough time to establish a foothold and claim the glory for taking control of the fight, but now that they had done so, Suimei and the others were finally being called to action after a few days of waiting. And since Lefille had returned to her original form in that time, she was the first one Reanat petitioned. 

“Is it really alright to entrust an entire unit to one such as myself?” 

“I am fully aware that your powers are not limited to your prowess in battle, Shrine Maiden-dono. I would like you to lead a unit and unleash the power of the spirits to your heart’s content.” 

And so, Lefille led a unit of imperial soldiers to take part in the operation of stalling the demons. She marched with them to a strategic point in the mountain range, and was now looking down at the demons. Her unit was lined up in a grove of trees along the top of a cliff overlooking the demons snaking their way up the narrow, winding mountain path. They had no idea she and her men were there, making it the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack. 

“It seems... it’s about to rain here.” 

But while everyone else was looking down, a quiet voice at the front of the formation—right at the boundary between the thickets and the cliff’s edge—lamented the foreboding signs of rain overhead. Lefille’s red hair, bound in its usual ponytail, swayed ever so slightly as she turned to Liliana atop a small horse. She honestly wasn’t sure if Liliana had just arrived or if she’d blended in with the troops earlier, but appearing when least expected was almost no surprise from a former member of the Empire’s intelligence division— no, of the Sword Master of the Lonely Shadow’s daughter. 

“Lily, did you need something?” 

“Yes. I’ve come to report the current situation.” 

“Please do.” 

“Just as planned, the main encampment has begun preparations to retreat further south. If nothing of note happens, then Hero Reiji and Her Royal Highness Titania—who are still at the encampment—will stay out of the fray and retreat with everyone else. It seems the prince intends to put them to work in the decisive battle.” 

“So they haven’t been deployed yet, hmm? As I suspected...” 

“It’s because Hero Reiji doesn’t have much combat experience. Rather than having him fight here on such rugged terrain, I imagine the tacticians and such determined that he would better be able to display his power elsewhere. Besides, if he fights in a larger battle with more troops, it will increase both his odds of survival as well as morale.” 

As Liliana concluded her report, Lefille exhaled slowly as if to expel the tension lurking in her chest. 

“What’s the matter?” 

“Nothing. I’m just a little relieved.” 

“You were uneasy about how they were going to use Reiji, right?” 

“It’s not like Reiji-kun is the Empire’s hero, after all. I was wondering how they were intending to use him. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they didn’t use him at all for fear of him stealing their glory, or worse, signed him up for some bizarre and risky strategy under the pretense that he would be fine because he’s a hero.” 

“There’s no need to worry. His Highness Reanat... isn’t the scheming type like His Majesty the Emperor.” 

In other words, that might have happened if the emperor himself were commanding this battle. He wouldn’t have hesitated to call on the hero’s divine protection for his own gain. 

“Now, how about Suimei-kun?” 

“It seems he’s been allowed to move as he sees fit. His Highness Reanat did not assign him a location or give him any other specifications. Since military gains aren’t being stressed as important now, the prince informed him he may do as he likes so long as he doesn’t get in the way.” 

“Which means... His Highness Reanat has a powerful pawn like Suimei-kun at his disposal, but couldn’t think of an effective way to use him.” 

“Probably. His Highness Reanat’s strength is in orchestrating teams, after all. Suimei is something of a special exception.” 

Suimei, like Lefille and the others, was worth at least an entire squad on his own. That meant that no natter what squad or unit he was put into, he would be well out of the league of his fellow comrades. There was the possibility of sending him on a mission on his own, but Reanat didn’t know what kind of war potential he really had. And so, stuck between a rock and a hard place, he and his army ended up in the strange position of wanting to deploy Suimei, but having no idea how. If he was like Lefille and had the charisma to lead a unit of his own, it would have been a different story altogether. 

“I’m a magician and a student, you know? Ain’t it obvious I can’t do anything like that?” he’d said before Lefille’s unit departed. 

As she recalled that curious conversation with a smile, Liliana surveyed their current surroundings. 

“I see... things are going according to plan... here as well.” 

“Yeah, look. Those damnable demons have rather carelessly stretched themselves thin. If we attack here, we should be able to do more damage than we were expecting.” 

Choosing this location for the ambush was part of Lefille’s strategy. That said, the route the demons were taking had been confirmed beforehand. All Lefille really had to do was guide her unit there and cast the net. Since the demons were making their way along the narrow mountain path, their ranks were noticeably thinner than usual. They were only walking two or three abreast. Attacking them from above now would throw their entire line into disorder, and it wouldn’t be impossible to exterminate every last one in a melee after that. 

“Has the oil... already been prepared?” Liliana asked. 

“With no delays,” Lefille answered, pointing. 

On the far right and left flanks of the unit, several men were gathered around large earthenware pots. Under these circumstances, fire would prove a rather handy tool for them. It wouldn’t do anything against the demons because of their protection from the Evil God, but they had regular monsters mixed in their ranks, and that changed things considerably. After dropping boulders at the start and end of their line and then pouring the oil, Lefille’s mage team would light a blaze to cause chaos while the main unit attacked. It was a relatively simple strategy, but when properly set up, extremely effective. As their likelihood for victory was demonstrated to Liliana, she closed her eye in relief and stroked the neck of her horse. 

“Then with this... I will take my leave.” 

“What’s next for you?” 

“I’ve finished my rounds... so I’ll return to the main encampment... for now. After that... I’ll probably be used for communications again.” 

“I’ll leave it to you.” 

“Very well.” 

As Liliana made her way to the back of the unit, she suddenly seemed to vanish right along with the horse she was riding. It was one thing for her to make herself disappear, but for the horse too... It left Lefille wondering what kind of wiles she was using, and whether it was something she’d learned from the Sword Master of the Lonely Shadow or Suimei. No, perhaps it was a combination of the two. In any event, Lefille mounted her own horse and turned to the soldiers behind her. She then issued them their orders as if she were completely unafraid of the demons just below. 

“The time has come for us to make our move! As soon as the boulders are in place, the mages will let loose fire magic at the front and rear of their formation while we attack the center! We will treat them to a banquet of rock and oil, and entertain them in the theater of flames! Now, ready yourselves!” 

In response to Lefille’s rally, the soldiers let out hushed but passionate cries of praise for both her and the Goddess. Morale was extraordinarily high, considering the circumstances. It was a sign of just how much faith the men had in their Goddess and her power. Precisely as Reanat planned, the effect of the Shrine Maiden of the Spirits’ glorious name had an explosive effect in the fight against demons. 

After Lefille’s unit completed their preparations, they pushed large rocks off the far sides of the cliff. The weight of them alone crushed several demons and monsters in the fall. Immediately following the rocks came a rain of viscous and extremely flammable oil, and then fire. 

“The demons are in complete disarray...” 

“Good... Just like that...” 

As the demons at the front and rear of their formation began scrambling in confusion, the panic worked its way through the line like a candle burning at both ends. It eventually reached the center, completely halting their march. Finally having noticed the human forces overhead responsible for all this, the demons began howling as they tried to scale the cliff face. But it was already well beyond the point that would do them any good. 

“Leave behind the defenses for the mages! All cavalry, charge those damnable demons on the cliff! Mages, continue to rain fire on the front and rear of their formation! Let’s go!” 

At Lefille’s command, her soldiers poured over the cliff’s edge like an avalanche. They spread out and attacked, creating a huge melee. And exactly as Lefille pictured, the mountain road was littered with the corpses of demons. 

No matter how threatening a demon was to an individual human, it was obvious at a glance what kind of advantage an organized group of men had over the demons in complete disarray. And that was only accentuated in the narrow mountain path. Lefille and her troops kept close ranks and were on top of things, while the demons were even attacking their own in the smoke and chaos. They were self-destructively accelerating their own losses. 

Meanwhile, Lefille was skillfully handling her horse on the narrow road as she scattered the surrounding demons. She would guide the reigns with one hand while hacking apart her foes with her sword in the other. Each and every demon who drew near, without exception, fell prey to her large blade. But the ones who wouldn’t dare approach grew in number as she demonstrated her fell strength, slowly forming a dense circle around her. In a constricted space like this, she couldn’t unleash Gala Valner for fear of hurting her own allies. So instead... 

“Oh red gale... Heed my will. Become our furious mantle.” 

As Lefille hummed those words like she was praying, a red wind wrapped around her horse as if it were donning armor. It tapered down its legs and wound in especially thick coils around its hooves. And then... 

“YAH!” 

Lefille shouted and spurred her horse, charging for the wall of demons without a hint of fear. She plowed right into them, and her red wind blew them away. The demons at the very front also had the pleasure of being crushed by the red wind coiled around the horse’s hooves. 

Right from the outset of the battle, she had taken the superior position. All that was left was to follow through and exterminate the rest of the demons as planned... Or so she thought. Just as she burst through the encirclement around her, a messenger came sliding down the hill. He didn’t even wait to come to a stop before shouting out his emergency message. 

“Shrine Maiden-dono! Demon reinforcements to the rear!” 

But even as that frantic report reached her ears, Lefille remained calm. 

“I see. So reinforcements have come... Do not lose yourselves, men! Follow the plan! We will rout the demons at the front and then retreat! I will lead the rearguard! Anyone who’s up to the task, come with me!” 

Their original plan had included a strategic retreat after the initial damage was done, so the men took to Lefille’s orders without missing a beat. After they defeated the demons in front of them and secured a way out, the injured and exhausted soldiers would immediately make their exit. The mages that had remained up on the cliff would offer support and covering fire. And as soon as everything was in place, the retreat began in an orderly fashion. 

While that was happening, Lefille made her way to the rear of her unit. The demon reinforcements should be coming into view any minute now... yet the winding, serpentine path behind them looked surprisingly clear. 

“I see. From the sky, then...” 

Lefille looked up to see a dark mass of something in front of the clouds. As Suimei would put it, they looked like the malignant winged spirits known as devils. And flapping those powerful, bat-like wings of theirs, they flew in like a bloody storm from above... For humans, overhead was a natural blind spot, and a particularly troublesome position to be attacked from. 

“Calm down, men! The enemy isn’t to be feared just because they’re coming from the sky!” 

Lefille anticipated the soldiers’ unrest and raised a rallying cry. But she received no reply from them. In their stead came an extremely coquettish voice from directly overhead. 

“Oh dear, is that what you think?” 

Lust oozed from every sinful, dulcet syllable. Rather than a soldier on the battlefield, it sounded like a coaxing prostitute. Looking up, Lefille spotted the shadow of a demon. It had leathery bat-like wings like all the others around it, but the figure of a human woman. With soft, light brown hair fluttering in the wind, she was exquisite. The kind of woman men would line up to catch a glimpse of, and women would cast jealous glares upon. 

She floated there in the air, leaned slightly forward, and played with her black tail. Lefille stared up at her darkly, for this demon was one that Lefille recognized. Indeed, it was one she would never forget. This she-demon was the very same who’d attacked her in Noshias. Calling her Lefille’s archenemy wouldn’t be an overstatement. 

“You’re... that witch from back then!” 

“Long time no see! How’ve you been, darling? My... I suppose if you’re trying this hard, then you’re really giving it your all, huh?” 

Her taunting words and derisive giggle fanned the flames of Lefille’s rage. Just like back then, she was sneering at those who were trying their best to survive. And Lefille’s only answer to her frivolous question was a sharp red wind from the tip of her sword. 

“HAAAAAAAAAAAH!” 

Lefille bellowed in a demonstration of her fighting spirit, and the red wind roared with her as it rose. Unerringly, it rushed up into the graying sky right towards the demon general leading the attacking army—Latora. 

“Whoopsies! Careful there. It’s scary when you just suddenly attack like that.” 

However, Latora dodged the slash meant to bisect her by a narrow margin. The red wind continued tearing through the air and blew away the demons behind her, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest. All that came out of her mouth was sarcasm and condescension. 

“...So you dodged it.” 

“But of course, darling. Surely you know better—an attack like that would never hit me. Or are you underestimating me? Looking down on people is supposed to be my privilege.” 

She spoke in a seductive tone as she licked her red lips. Seeing just how casually her opponent was taking things, a fearful chill suddenly ran down Lefille’s spine. Perhaps it was more accurate to call it disgust. But she shook it off nevertheless and glared into the skies. Latora then began smiling like she was in a great mood. 

“My name is Latora. And from the look of it, you remember me well, don’t you?” 

“Of course I do! There’s no way I could forget a witch like you!” 

“Ah, for you to think that much of me... I’m thrilled! I’ve been anxiously awaiting my chance to see you again too, darling.” 

Those cruel words further fanned the flames of rage burning within Lefille. Her mind was consumed with memories of the humiliation bestowed upon her by this demon. 

“Just how will I torment you the next time we meet?” 

Unsatisfied by defeating just Lefille in combat, she’d gone on to slaughter Lefille’s comrades. And rather than killing Lefille, she’d afflicted her with a wretched curse. What she’d done was unforgivable. Even if Lefille cut her into a thousand pieces right here and now, it still wouldn’t make her feel better. 

As if hailed by Lefille’s overflowing anger, the red wind surrounding her became markedly stronger, like a swirling red fire. She was now fully amped for battle. But just then, a soldier’s voice abruptly came calling from behind. 

“Shrine Maiden-sama! The preparations for the rearguard and retreat are complete! Please prepare to retreat as well!” 

“Don’t worry about me! All of you go ahead!” 

“But if we do that—” 

“I must defeat this demon! For the sake of those who died in obscurity in this fight! And as I must do this, you must go on without me!” 

As Lefille yelled her orders back to the soldier, he nodded in acknowledgement and passed the word along to the other men. The reason they didn’t insist on staying as well was likely because they were soldiers of another nation. They were thinking of their own safety. Even if she was the fabled Shrine Maiden of Spirits, there was no reason they should have to put their lives on the line for a temporary commander. 

And so, before long, the last of the imperial soldiers broke away and took off in the direction of the main encampment. The demons behind Latora took chase after them, but they were unable to overtake the rearguard, not to mention the main troop. 

“Ah, there they go...” 

“Hmph, your reinforcements were too late.” 

“Looks that way. At this rate, we won’t catch up until they reach the main encampment, huh? Well, not that I really care... heehee...” 

Sensing a hidden meaning behind Latora’s sinister giggle, Lefille knit her brows. It was as if she didn’t mind not being able to catch up with the imperial forces, and it made Lefille remember a certain sense of discomfort. 

“Oh, darling, that look on your face tells me you don’t get it at all. Heehee, allow me to explain. We don’t particularly care if you lot run away or not. I mean, where they’re running is just as bad.” 

“Wha—?! What do you mean by that?!” 

“Nothing in particular. It just means you’re all stupid; you’ll meet the same fate either way. Did you really think we wouldn’t see through your petty little human strategies? Ahahaha! You really are stupid, aren’t you? Right about now, Lishbaum, Ilzarl, and Grallajearus should be launching a surprise attack on the main encampment your men are fleeing to, see?” 

“A surprise attack on the main encampment?!” 

“Yup. Completely unexpected, right? You thought you were stalling us, but in reality, we lured you out here and divided your forces. So even if your men are running from mine here, they’re just jumping from the frying pan into the fire.” 

Lefille now fully understood what Latora meant. Everything about crossing through the rugged mountain range in the northern Empire was a setup. They’d used it as cover to deploy a detachment. And if that was true, it did indeed mean the demons were one step ahead this time. But even faced with such a reversal of fortune, Lefille looked emboldened. 

“What’s with that look on your face now? Do you think you can still win or something?” 

“Of course I do. You said they were attacking the main encampment, but there’s a hero and mages there to protect it, not to mention the Empire’s elite. Even if they were caught in a surprise attack, they won’t fall so easily.” 

“So you trust them? Well, whatever.” 

Latora gave an indifferent reply. It was like she seriously didn’t care at all. But when Lefille raised her sword, Latora’s apathetic expression became a sly grin. 

“Heh, despite the miserable condition you were left in last time, you think you can beat me?” 

“Of course I do! I won’t fall behind like last time!” 

“Well, it does look like you’re a bit stronger than before, but is that enough to win? Hmm, I wonder...” 

“I’ll definitely win!” 

Lefille returned Latora’s derisive laughter with a shout. She called to her red wind, which wrapped itself around her like a dizzying red tornado. It was violent enough that it kicked up earth and rocks and caught them in its vortex. And in response, Latora salaciously slid her finger through the air like she would across the lips a lover. When she did, what looked like threads sprung from the dark tip of her finger and fluttered in the wind. 

Because Lefille had prior experience fighting her, she already knew that Latora manipulated the dark power of the demons in the shape of strings—strings that were elusive and ever-changing. Latora could bind opponents with them, and if she stretched them out over an area... 

“Now then, for the first move...” 

Latora repeated the technique over and over, layering the narrow mountain pass with a massive web of strings. They drilled into the ground and the cliff face, once, twice... She cast out more than ten layers of string around her. As Suimei would put it, it was a simplistic barrier. Just touching one of the threads might shred an opponent. No, considering Latora’s personality, they would likely ensnare the target. 

To get to Latora now, Lefille would either have to cut down every last string or navigate her way through the gaps without letting them touch her. The former would be easier—if they were normal strings, that is. But Lefille knew Latora wouldn’t have put them up if they were so simple to overpower. Assuming they’d be impossible to cut through, her only remaining option was to slip her way through. The problem was that the gaps weren’t even half the size of Lefille’s body. Yet in spite of her apparent predicament... 

“Do you really think I don’t have a way of breaking through this?!” 

“Of course! These are strings I wove myself, you know? You won’t be cutting through them anytime soon!” 

“In that case, all I have to do is slip through them!” 

“What are you, stupid? No matter how nice that thin little figure of yours is, you can’t slip through that kind of— Huh? HUH?!” 

Latora’s surprised voice echoed up and down the mountain trail. But that reaction was quite natural. She’d thought Lefille was going to do her best to crawl and stumble her way through the web of strings, but the moment she was about to touch them, she turned into a red wind and blew right through them. 

“Wait, you couldn’t do that kinda thing before!” 

Seeing this new technique of Lefille’s with her own eyes, Latora let out a yell close to a shriek. But the red wind didn’t hear her, or perhaps just didn’t care. It simply continued to blow through the maze of string, quickly closing in on her. It was fast and moved erratically this way and that, and eventually Latora’s eyes couldn’t keep up with it. 

“Just ‘cause you can use that kinda technique...” 

As Latora griped, Lefille circled around to her back, seemed to flank her on either side, and then once more jumped out right in front of her. Latora hadn’t expected an attack from straight on, and was late in reacting to the slash. Yet a demon general’s power was nothing to be sneezed at. Even being attacked at point blank like that, she was just able to evade Lefille’s blade by a hair’s breadth. 

“Hup, whoops, oh, whoopsies... Damn it!” 

In order to escape Lefille’s blade, however, she was forced to land. And her steps as she continued to evade Lefille’s sword were like drunken staggering. She didn’t seem accustomed to fighting on the ground, and her movements were decidedly unsubtle and awkward. But nevertheless, she managed to skate by. She continued to evade Lefille’s long chain of deadly slashes and eventually seized the opportunity strike back, lashing out with her strings like a whip. 

“How ‘bout this?!” 

Because the whip undulated in the air, it was difficult to deal with, but not impossible. In fact, Lefille had just seen Aerith Melfein of the Elite Twelve use a similar magical attack just the other day during the matches. She was ready for this. 

“I said I wouldn’t fall behind!” 

“N-No way...” 

There was single clap of thunder, a single slash of her enormous sword. It completely blew away the snake-like whip winding at her from the side. Indeed, the whip that Latora had conjured the first chance she got didn’t last long at all. It was tragically obliterated by the red wind. And, using the momentum of her strike, Lefille leaped towards Latora herself. The kittenish grin Latora had been wearing up until now vanished, replaced by a look of stark panic on her face. 

“Oh no, this is bad! I’m gonna lose— Not!” 

Her panic was only a ruse. Perhaps the whole setup was, for Latora suddenly pulled a redheaded doll out of nowhere. At a glance, it resembled Lefille. 

“What—” 

Just as Lefille was about to ask what it was, she suddenly recalled the conversation she’d had with Suimei after he’d learned of her curse. 

“We’ll likely either have to take out whoever cast it on you, or do something about the intermediary used when it was cast on you. I don’t think there’s any other way to dispel it.” 

Back then he’d said that there had to be a medium for this kind of curse. In other words, an intermediary between the curse and the victim. Recalling that, a chill ran down Lefille’s spine. This had to be it. The root cause of all her suffering. Latora’s lips curled up into a wicked grin. An instant later, a feverish pain ran through Lefille’s body. Unable to bear it, she stabbed her sword into the ground and used it to support her as she fell to one knee. 

“Ugh... Ah...” 

“Ahahahaha! You really and truly are stupid! ‘I’ll definitely win’? Ha! There’s no way I would ever lose to you. I have my little friend here, you see? The very same one I used to place that curse on you!” 

“Sh-Shit... This kind of...” 

“What, you didn’t think I would have it? Rather, wasn’t it obvious that I would? Thinking that you had a second chance after losing so badly to me the first time is the epitome of stupidity, you know? Or is it that you just got so mad that you let your emotions blind you to all reason? Isn’t that a bigger problem than the fight itself?! Stupid, stupid, stupid! A blooming idiot, I tell you!” 

“U-Ugh...” 

Showered with such abuse, Lefille only grew angrier, more frustrated, and more humiliated. But racked with pain the way she was, she couldn’t do a thing about it. It was utterly vexing. But—either fortunately or unfortunately—Latora wasn’t closing in for the kill right away. 

“Now then... I must say, that was all a lot easier than I thought it’d be.” 

“What... are you... planning...?” 

“Hmm? Isn’t it obvious that I’m gonna drag you like this all the way to your encampment and torment you? If I do it right in front of your companions and soldiers, don’t you think they’ll all despair? To see someone they relied on being teased so mercilessly... Tsk, tsk.” 

Seeing Latora put her slender finger to her moist lips, Lefille was suddenly seized by a cold feeling. Her words brought a humiliating scene to mind: the mental image of being tormented in front of all her allies... as a miserable, pitiful warning. 

“Damn it... Once again, I’m...” 

Once more, she was forced to taste the bitter disgrace of defeat. She was going to lose. And when that realization set upon her, she couldn’t stop shaking. She was unable to control the frustration boiling up inside her. Then, a high-pitched laugh came down from on high. It was an evil laugh certainly befitting a demon. And as Lefille struggled to endure the feverish pain that racked her, trembling in anxiety and humiliation... 

“What god-awful taste... My apologies—shitty bitch, isn’t it?” 

Those foulmouthed words came down from the precipice of the cliff above. 

“What—” 

“Huh? Who are—” 

“Up here.” 

The mysterious arrival boldly declared her position. Guided by her gentle yet dignified voice, Lefille looked up to see a single therianthrope clad in religious robes. She had pink, wavy hair, a gentle face, and two feline ears poking out from her habit. As for her identity, she was someone else Lefille would never forget. 

“S-Sister Clarissa?! Wh-Why are you here?!” 

“That is, of course, because I came to save you.” 

Lefille could see her composed figure in the pale sunlight shining through the gray clouds behind her. And in a complete one-eighty, Clarissa took a wild leap off the cliff towards Lefille. She was just like a regal cat, and landed at the bottom of the ravine without a sound. Lefille beheld her with a suspicious gaze. 

“You came to save me? What are you planning? Aren’t we your enemies?” 

“Certainly not. We don’t think of you as our enemies, anyway. Rather, you’re would-be allies—comrades walking down a different path towards the same goal.” 

“You’ve been feeding us nothing but evasive lies for a while now.” 

Completely unfazed, Clarissa wore a boastful smile even as Lefille turned critical on her. She then smirked a bit before abruptly tightening her expression. 

“I see... Then allow me to correct myself. We aren’t your allies; saving you is merely an afterthought. In truth, I have only come here to defeat the demons.” 

Even if defeating the demons was why she’d really come, that still didn’t clear away all of Lefille’s doubt. In fact, it only raised more questions. If defeating the demons was what she and her group wanted to do, why were they kidnapping the heroes who were already doing that? It didn’t add up, and Lefille couldn’t decipher their true intentions from those conflicting actions. And so Lefille continued to regard Clarissa with suspicion, but she wasn’t the only one. 

“Oh, and who’s this? Your friend?” 

Feeling ignored, Latora cautiously asked Lefille about the identity of the interloper. In her stead, it was Clarissa who answered. 

“For now, I will be accompanying her.” 

“Hmph. I don’t really care, no matter how many friends come to your aid. It just means the number of people I get to torment increases! Now, more importantly...” 

Latora paused for a moment and turned to look off in the direction the imperial soldiers had retreated. 

“If you came from over there, you should have clashed with my troops.” 

“Aah, if you’re talking about those fucking demon worms, they’re all drowning in a sea of blood, vomit, and shit right now.” 

As Clarissa’s words grew more and more foul, Latora turned a narrowed, vigilant gaze on her. 

“...You’re saying they were all defeated? By you, no less?” 

“Come now. It isn’t all that much of a feat, is it? Lefille-san here could have done the same thing.” 

“Hmph. You mean to say that you’re strong?” 

“More or less.” 

Making an exceptionally boastful claim in a rather humble tone of voice, Clarissa began smearing pigments on her face. She clad herself in a ferocious mana. It was like the aura a wild beast unleashed when on the hunt—something that had given Lefille a great deal of trouble in their last fight. It grew, expanding and filling the air so thickly you could almost see it. And when it reached critical mass, Clarissa unmasked her true nature. Sharp, catlike claws extended from her fingertips and her upper canines protruded out over her lip. She had now completed the ritual. Tribalism—it was a school of magicka that granted power based on faith in ancient symbols. Seeing Clarissa literally transform, Latora’s face twitched. 

“Ugeh! What is that?! People like you aren’t my type at all!” 

“That’s a good thing. I’m not fond of opponents like you, either.” 

With Clarissa’s last few words, a gust of wind blew through the area. No, it wasn’t wind. It was the embodiment of Clarissa’s bloodlust—in other words, an attack. A single cut appeared on Latora’s face. Glaring at Clarissa, she wiped the trickle of blood from her cheek. 

“You’ve been acting awfully cocky for a while now... I’m seriously going to kill you.” 

Latora’s own bloodlust and dark power swelled up. And then, in a way completely incomparable to when she was fighting Lefille, she gave concrete form to her fiendish power. 

“What...? This much...” 

Seeing the manifestation of Latora’s power, Lefille was dumbfounded. 

“Oh, come on. I’m still one of the vanguards who attacked your country with Rajas, you know? Do me a favor and don’t lump me in with the stupid small fries like Vuishta and Mauhario.” 

Lefille could only assume those were other demon generals. But the specifics of Latora’s taunting hardly concerned her right now. 

“Ugh... S-Sister Clarissa...” 

“Lefille-san, please take a rest over there. I’ll clean up this fucking trash.” 

When the nun and the demon finished readying themselves for battle, a flash of light appeared between them as their mana and dark power collided, each struggling for supremacy. It would serve as the starting pistol to their fight. 

And just around that time, the panicked voice of a messenger resounded through the main encampment. 

“Enemies! W-We’re under attack!” 

The flap at the entrance of the staff tent was violently thrown to the side, and the messenger dashed inside to convey the grim news. They’d been caught off guard. Hearing this, the high-ranking officers in the tent all simultaneously rose from their chairs. As the sky above the encampment was completely clear, it was perfectly fair to say this was a bolt out of the blue... but there was certainly something ominous on the horizon. 

Reiji and the others who had yet to be deployed were also currently in the staff tent. The messenger’s news cut off Reiji and Reanat’s conversation, and the prince immediately confronted the messenger with a severe expression. 

“We’re under attack?! Where from?!” 

“From the rear, Your Highness!” 

“The rear?! Impossible!” 

Reanat was astonished at the messenger’s unbelievable answer. In an austere voice, he asked for further confirmation. 

“Is that true, man? We should have heard word of the demons approaching from our scouts.” 

“I’m afraid, Your Highness, that we’re dealing with a small, covert force...” 

“Just what is going on...? Even if they make that sort of move here...” 

Rather than being upset over being outwitted by the demons, Reanat was more concerned about the apparent incomprehensibility of their strategy itself. He continued murmuring to himself as he stared blankly at the messenger in wonder. It was Graziella who snapped him back to his sense. 

“Elder Brother! Now is not the time to be dwelling on things! We must respond immediately!” 

“Y-You’re right...” 

Collecting himself, Reanat began giving out orders to all the generals and staff officers gathered inside the tent. 

“I’m going!” 

“Reiji-sama!” 

“Reiji!” 

While all this was unfolding, Reiji grew tired of waiting for instructions and dashed out of the tent. Chasing after him were the concerned voices of Titania and Graziella. Whether it was because he heard them or not, Reiji looked back at the tent as he drew his orichalcum sword. His eyes were then drawn to the large cliff overlooking the encampment... and the mass of demons pouring over it. 

A low shroud of dust was kicked up as they trampled over several of the tents and other structures in their way. Over the tumultuous racket they were making, Reiji could hear groaning and screaming. The demons had jumped down from the cliff without warning—and without looking. They’d crushed anyone unfortunate enough to be below them, and trampled anyone in their path moving forward. 

Following after Reiji, Reanat and Graziella emerged from the staff tent. 

“How wretched... Does this mean their main force was really just a decoy?” 

“Elder Brother, please step back here. Take a unit with you and retreat to a safe location.” 

“No, Lyla. With this, there is nowhere to retreat. We must defeat these demons, rally, and harden our defenses. Only then will there be safety. Call all of the Elite Twelve who remained here at the encampment!” 

Reanat shook his head and declined Graziella’s proposal. He then issued an order for the soldiers to assemble the Elite Twelve. It was customary for the army’s leader to retreat under such dire circumstances. But instead of withdrawing and pulling away valuable manpower to act as his escort, Reanat decided it would be better to use those men to defend the encampment. They had the demons outnumbered, not to mention most of the Elite Twelve on their side, so it certainly seemed like the situation was salvageable. 

However, the soldiers at the encampment were largely unprepared for battle. The surprise attack had come from behind, and no one was ready for it. It was clear as day that they were at a disadvantage here. 

Thriving off of the chaos they were creating in the camp, the demons began to spread out in their mad rush. They trampled anything and everything in their path in a complete stampede. The soldiers could hardly take up arms, much less get into formation. It was only a matter of seconds before things broke out into an utter free-for-all melee. It was easy enough to distinguish human from demon, so there was very little worry about friendly fire. But that was only of minimal comfort right now. 

“Burn Boost!” 

As Reiji readied his orichalcum sword, he activated a quick chant to reinforce his body with magic. His physical abilities were already enhanced by the divine protection of the Goddess, but to turn these grim tables, he’d need to be even stronger. Flames coiled around his body like a fiery dragon, igniting his inner strength. This magic was his strong point, and it made him even more effective in close combat. It was perhaps the ideal combination for Reiji, who had good instincts for battle. 

Reiji didn’t hesitate to make his way through the mass of confused soldiers and take his place on the front line against the demons. And he didn’t hesitate to raise his sword against his foes. While the other soldiers were still in the midst of pandemonium, it would be bad to let the demons any further into the encampment. Until the troops could form up properly, he had to hold the enemy back on his own as best he could. If he left it to the soldiers as they were, the camp would be overrun in no time. 

And so Reiji stepped up to the plate, cutting down demons one after another. Though the demons were physically stronger than humans, compared to Demon General Ilzarl, they were nothing to Reiji. He could handle them individually, no problem. However, being on the front line by himself, he was drastically outnumbered. If he lost focus even for a moment, that might be the end of him. 

They’re strong. They’re certainly strong, but... 

Every time he fought a demon, Reiji thought the same thing. They were certainly strong, but their strength was somehow lacking. The demons were tough and numerous, but they were out of control. Even if humans were the weaker species, there was still hope if they organized and banded together. 

In the first place, demons were wild and reckless. They were disorganized and unclever, unlike humans who relied on strategy, schemes, and skill to attain victory. All the demons really had were their claws, fangs, and brute strength. They all attacked the same way. Just like now... 

A demon swung its arm at Reiji, who deftly lopped its head off when it got close enough. Whenever he fought demons, it was always like this. Without exception. It was like they were robots programmed to perform predetermined commands. Every single one of them used the same attack. And that made them easy to fight. The demon in front of Reiji let out a gasping shriek as its head was severed from its body, and then it collapsed to the ground like a sack of potatoes and nothing more. That strength—the one thing they held over humanity—vanished so easily. 

“HAH!” 

Another demon came at Reiji—at the same speed and with the same attack. Reiji dodged to the side as usual. And, just like always, the demon’s side was completely open. Reiji had no trouble stabbing through to its vitals. It was all perfectly routine. He was just repeating a pattern. It made things easy for him, but he couldn’t help wondering... 

Are these guys really capable of exterminating humankind? 

Did they really think they could? Did they think they would win? Did they even have the conviction for that? No matter how many of them there were, were they even motivated? Some time ago back in Royal Castle Camellia, Suimei had said it was unreasonable to fight the demons. That there were so many of them, it was a fool’s errand. But Suimei was fundamentally cautious by nature. No matter the situation, he was always calmly calculating the odds, and he would never pick a hand with low prospects for success. 

But it seemed there’d been a reshuffling recently. Even Suimei, who had adamantly refused to take part in the war against the demons, was no longer backing down. In his own way, it was a statement of his confidence. That the odds were in their favor now. Reiji trusted Suimei’s keen intuition and sharp senses implicitly. He’d never once lost at anything as far as Reiji knew. So if Suimei had joined the fight, it meant that this was a fight they could win. 

Reiji didn’t honestly know if the optimism blooming inside him was the power of the Goddess at work or not. But he knew for sure that this wasn’t nearly enough to make him waver, capitulate, or fall into despair. It wasn’t even close. So again, he couldn’t help wondering... 

Do they really, seriously think this is good enough? 

They behaved so simplistically that Reiji wasn’t sure they could change their ways even if they wanted to. It was a mystery to him. Why didn’t the demons try to get stronger? Were they just lazy? Was it that they couldn’t? Such thoughts brewed in Reiji’s mind as he continued to swing his sword. He then heard what sounded like something dragging along the ground. 

“There’s still more...?” 

The demons’ surprise attack wasn’t limited to a single wave, it seemed. When Reiji looked up, he spied more of them pouring over the precipice and sliding down the cliff face. 

“Whatever! What I have to do hasn’t changed!” 

As Reiji firmed his resolve with a shout, he cut down the demon standing right in front of him—just like always. But then something unusual happened. Something that broke the typical pattern. He could sense someone behind him. No, not someone. That would imply it was a human, and Reiji’s senses told him that it wasn’t. He’d been so focused on the foes in front of him that he’d been negligent of his surroundings. He whipped around as fast as he could, but it wouldn’t be fast enough. 

After getting so complacent, this is what happens, huh? 

Reiji thought the demons were simple and predictable. But in thinking that, he’d gotten careless. He’d left himself wide open like an amateur. 

“Urgh!” 

He raised his sword to defend himself, knowing full well he wouldn’t make it in time. 

But then two silver flashes flickered right before his eyes. It was the glimmer of lustrous blades intersecting as they quartered the demon threatening Reiji. The girl he could see on the other side of the demon as it fell to the ground was wearing a high-collared mantle that covered her mouth. Her ever-gentle eyes were now narrowed and sharpened like the point of a blade. They reflected the keen silver light of the swords in her hands. Indeed, Titania looked like she would cut down anyone who dared to touch her. But without even pausing to bask in the glory of her magnificent twofold strike, she turned her back to Reiji. 

“Reiji-sama, leave your back to me. I will tidy up all the trifles here, so please swing your sword without worry.” 

“Right! Thanks, Tia.” 

Reiji gave his honest thanks to the gallant yet terrifying girl. She was reliable and steadfast. It was reassuring to have her as an ally. But that only made Reiji feel worse about himself. 

Is this really what a hero is? Is it really alright for a hero to be like this? 

In all his fights up until now, he was always the one being saved. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d fought fully focused on himself, unable to do a single thing for his comrades. He was aware of his lack of ability back in the imperial capital, and it was like he hadn’t progressed any since then. Did he really have the right to call himself a hero like this? As those doubts sapped away at his spirit and made him anxious, he felt a weight lean against his back. 

“Reiji-sama.” 

“Tia?” 

“I am sure that you must have a great deal on your mind, but right now, please focus only on your sword. If you are to be a swordsman, you must become one with your blade.” 

Even in the middle of mayhem, Titania’s clear and composed voice stood out. Hearing her remonstrate him for getting lost in idle thoughts, Reiji came to his senses. 

“Mm, sorry. And thanks.” 

As Reiji looked over his shoulder and thanked her once more, Titania didn’t give him her usual gentle smile, but a fearless one. It was proof that she knew what she was talking about, that she herself was one with her swords. This was Titania as a swordswoman, not as a princess. 

“Let’s go.” 

“Right.” 

Now with Titania at his side, the duo moved deeper and deeper into the mass of demons, cutting their way towards the foot of the cliff where the demon commander inevitably would be. They were going for a decapitation strike. Reiji handled everything in front of them, and Titania everything behind. When they finally made their way to the destination, they saw it—a massive lump of flesh. 

Seeing that utterly bizarre creature, Reiji’s footsteps unexpectedly came to a stop. Using a crushed tent as its throne, there was a mountain of skin overlooking the fray. Reiji couldn’t think of any other way to describe it. It was just a grotesque, fleshy mass. But it spoke as if it had been waiting for Reiji. 

“Oh hero who is the apostle of the Goddess, our name is Grallajearus. To fulfill our longstanding desire of pleasing God Zekaraia and Demon Lord Nakshatra, we will have you fall here and die in obscurity.” 

With a cacophonous voice like children screaming over each other, the mass of flesh made a pledge to kill the hero. 

A little before Reiji and Titania encountered Grallajearus... 

On a hill far away from the main encampment, two shadows stood at its apex, as if lording over the land like gods from on high. Yet one of those shadows let out a somehow dissatisfied sigh. 

“To think a surprise attack would be so easily carried out...” 

The sighing shadow was a beautiful man with copper chains wrapped around his body—Demon General Ilzarl. The shadow standing next to him was another demon general, Lishbaum, who replied to him in a somewhat cold tone. 

“The only reason the strategy proved so effective is because of the target’s negligence. Because we have only been using straightforward frontal attacks before now, they likely assumed that we demons are like a savage, unintelligent tribe no better than wild boars.” 

Lishbaum was right about the enemy army’s oversight, but Ilzarl still had his doubts. 

“If you could have orchestrated this all along, then why didn’t you?” 

“Naturally, to lure the enemy into a false sense of security. To make them think their strategies were working. When they think things are going their way, it makes them just that much more careless.” 

Ilzarl had intended to return the accusation of oversight, but Lishbaum’s cold reply cut that short. 

“Then it was to manipulate these offerings?” 

“Yes. If we were to attack otherwise, they would have either intercepted the advance or, if they were lacking in numbers, stall for reinforcements. But as long as they believe they’re pulling one over on us, it’s easy to play into their preconceptions while a small force goes for the jugular. It’s a simple strategy, really. Lure out the enemy, and attack where they’re shorthanded. Anyone could have thought of it.” 

“Hmph. And that’s what you set in motion?” 

“This is a most satisfactory result, considering they’ll now be more vigilant concerning our actions in the future. If we can take out their main encampment, it will be even better.” 

“I don’t think it balances out the damage done to us while waiting for your little plan to pan out.” 

“Don’t be a fool. The exchange is perfectly balanced. No, we’ve come out ahead.” 

Or so he said, but that math didn’t make sense to Ilzarl. He had his doubts about Lishbaum’s logic. Certainly, his plan had taken its toll on the enemy, but the losses they’d sustained to get there equaled that. So no matter how Ilzarl looked at it, it just didn’t add up. The humans had lost plenty of men in the surprise attack, but so too had the demons in the raid on their decoy forces in the mountains. 

If they could crush the enemy’s main force, that would be a price worth paying, but the encampment they were going after was just a vanguard outpost. It was only there to buy time for reinforcements. Knowing they were about to face a much greater threat, the cost was too great. 

“Will they really be able to take advantage of this? Rather, under current circumstances, isn’t it more likely that those guys will just flee?” 

By “those guys,” Ilzarl meant Grallajearus and the force springing the surprise attack. They’d moved in a comparatively small group for stealth, meaning it would be easy enough to outnumber them. They were demons, so maybe even being outnumbered wouldn’t stop them. But—as someone who wasn’t really a demon himself—Ilzarl had sufficient reason to be concerned. And in response to his question, Lishbaum returned a cruel smile that even made Ilzarl’s blood run cold. 

“And just what is the problem with that? Let them flee. For argument’s sake, let’s say they are annihilated. What do we care?” 

Ilzarl had no idea where that answer had come from. The demons were all supposed to be completely focused on victory, but there was something sinister in Lishbaum’s smile that told Ilzarl his goals were different. He stared hard at Lishbaum for a time, and then once more looked over the flow of the battle with a bored expression. 

“I didn’t think you were the kind of bastard to use tactics like Vuishta.” 

“You overestimate me. I’m no strategist. Not even close. All I know how to use are hackneyed tactics like this.” 

“Are you serious? Aren’t nefarious tricks your damn specialty?” 

As Ilzarl spoke with a hint of sarcasm, Lishbaum replied with a seemingly happy smile like he was being praised. 

“Oh, no, certainly not. This is the extent of my trickery. Trapping an opponent or completely reading their movements would be near impossible. If I could do such a thing, then I really would be a crafty schemer. An outright master of subterfuge. But alas, sometimes sacrifices are simply necessary in battle. For an amateur strategist like me, calling this a plan might be far too impertinent. That’s why the most I can do is this level of petty trickery. But that’s fine, isn’t it? When it comes to offensives, we will have a countless number of opportunities, after all.” 

As Lishbaum spoke of the lives of their demon subordinates like they were a complete afterthought, Ilzarl narrowed his eyes and glared at him. 

“Lishbaum, just what the hell are you thinking?” 

“Regarding that, if things proceed quickly, I will be able to tell you very soon— Oh my, but it seems they’re making a move now.” 

Lishbaum’s gaze shifted focus as Reiji began cutting the demons with Titania at his back. And soon enough, he came to the mountain of flesh in his way. That mountain of flesh was something Ilzarl knew well. 

“Grallajearus, you’re going to do it?” 

“The hero is likely taking the maximum burden on the front line to reduce the stress on the soldiers. If the hero dies right there, then their morale will plummet irrecoverably.” 

Just as Lishbaum said, the death of a hero would have a devastating effect. And for the demons, defeating the heroes was one of their highest priorities. It was a grand plan, but Ilzarl had a somewhat dissatisfied expression on his face. 

“How unexpected for that hero to be here...” 

“Was this something you could not foresee?” 

“That hero still hasn’t gotten used to the power of the Goddess. The offerings around him are probably treating him preciously and taking him out to grow stronger as he gets accustomed to his power. For him, this is a necessary step.” 

“Certainly.” 

“However, it seems those offerings do not yet understand just what a hero truly is. It’s somewhat premature to thrust him before Grallajearus.” 

“Oho, then are you saying that the hero does not have even the smallest chance of winning?” 

“Isn’t that obvious? Grallajearus is a demon general, after all.” 

The hero could never win here. Not only were his skills lacking, but the demon known as Grallajearus was particularly strong. 

“So is that why you look disappointed? Because the meal that you purposely set aside for yourself is being snatched away?” 

“Well, yeah.” 

Back in the temple grotto in the self-governed state, Ilzarl had left Reiji because he was unripe. The power Ilzarl would gain from consuming him was insufficient. So he’d let him go in hopes of fattening him up for a future feast. But now that was being taken from him. The disappointment of having one’s favorite food stolen off of their plate after saving it for last was something anyone could understand. But while talking of such things, Lishbaum abruptly changed the subject. 

“Ilzarl-dono, if I remember correctly, you gave that thing I had asked for to that hero, right?” 

“That thing that you asked for? Oh, that. Hmph. Are you mad because I didn’t complete your little errand?” 

“No, I do not particularly mind. I didn’t expect anything from you in the first place.” 

Really, he didn’t expect anything from anyone. Ignoring the slight, Ilzarl expressed his skepticism. 

“You don’t mind? Does that mean it isn’t all that much of a threat?” 

“Goodness no. That... The Sacrament is something that could reach even the Evil God, just as I said before. That much is true. However, it is not so easy to use.” 

“Even so, that man—the hero—was chosen by the Goddess, right?” 

“That’s unrelated. Between being chosen by the Goddess and being accepted as worthy by the Sacrament... I needn’t even say which of the two is more difficult.” 

Ilzarl raised an eyebrow, unsure of the meaning behind Lishbaum’s words. But he didn’t question him. The matter was inconsequential to him, after all. But Lishbaum explained nevertheless. 

“The real question is whether that hero’s inner voice can be heard. If his thoughts can reach its very roots, or if that Lapis Judaicus answers him. The power he would obtain then would be...” 

Lishbaum said nothing more after that. He only smiled faintly as he stifled a laugh before letting it out without reserve.