Episode 134
Creeeeak...
"...Phew."
Having finished my private meeting with Aisi, I let out a sigh as I stepped out of the waiting room.
"Will it hurt a lot?"
Suddenly, I started to worry.
In the previous iteration, I've had an eye gouged out, been pierced by swords, and even beaten half to death by Magic Missiles.
But my heart has never frozen even once.
'What was written in the prophetic book...?'
I tried to recall the prophetic book that I had handed over to Serena, so it wasn't in my possession right now.
Even though it wasn't by my side at the moment, I had memorized that prophetic book to death since the previous iteration.
Before long, I was able to recall the information regarding the curse of the frozen heart.
- Curse of the Frozen Heart.
An unidentified curse that manifested in the sub-heroine, Aisi Winter Cloud.
The cause of this curse is unknown, but it starts by making the cursed target's chest go numb, and eventually makes everything cold to the point where even emotions disappear.
The only way to lift it is to transfer the curse to another person, limited to exactly one time.
"...The ancestor was truly amazing."
The ancestor who, thinking it might be helpful, had organized all the skills and curses existing in Blacktail Fantasy 2 in a dictionary format.
Below the 'Curse of the Frozen Heart' that such an ancestor left behind, the following annotation was written:
- The effects that appear in the game when the curse reaches its final stage are as follows. First, permanent capture impossibility. Second, 90% increase in corruption probability. Third, emotion erasure.
Each one is a terrifying effect, but there's one thing I like.
That is, the third effect: 'Emotion Erasure.'
"...I really, what am I thinking."
I verbally denied the thought that crossed my mind with a chuckle, but when that thought crossed my mind again a moment later, my smile gradually disappeared.
Perhaps.
Thanks to my high mental power stat, even if it's not 'Emotion Erasure,' wouldn't 'Emotion Dampening' be constantly active?
Then everything would be a bit easier.
Rather than feeling everything deeply and struggling through, wouldn't moving mechanically and following my instincts be more helpful for a happy ending?
Thinking from that perspective, it might actually be a good thing...
young master."
"...You surprised me!"
Lost in thought, someone called me from behind.
"Kania?"
Startled, I turned around to see it was none other than Kania.
Why is she here? I had told her to wait for now.
"Are you having a hard time?"
"Huh? No. Just like always... wait a minute."
That question was brief, but realizing something more important, I whispered to her with wide eyes.
"How did you recognize me?"
Right now, I'm wearing a robe of deception that even the Demon King presumably couldn't properly distinguish.
So how could Kania recognize me? Does this make any sense?
"Would it make sense for a secretary not to recognize the master she serves?"
"No, that's not the issue..."
"It's a joke. Actually, I planted myself in the young master's shadow, so I know."
"...Ah."
Only then could I understand how she had found me.
"Come to think of it, you did say you made a contract with my shadow."
Around the time the commoner dormitory attack incident began, I had asked Kania, who had been using strange black magic to go in and out of my shadow, about its principle.
"This? It's simple. I made a contract with the young master's shadow."
"...What!?"
Then, came the quite surprising answer that she had made a contract with my shadow.
Thanks to that, I was quite surprised, but hearing that it was a contract that could only be made with a master one sincerely serves, I was moved and let her do as she pleased...
It seems Kania has been maintaining the contract from that time until this very moment.
"By the way, why did you come here, Kania?"
After finishing that thought, I asked Kania, who was standing before me with her head slightly bowed.
"I came because I was worried about the young master."
"Huh?"
"I came to check if anything was wrong."
For some reason, Kania's words seemed to change in the blink of an eye, but since every second was precious in this situation, I sighed and began to speak.
"Overall, the situation is good. Perloche, an unexpected variable, is actually working to our advantage."
"That seems to be the case. When I went scouting briefly, the troops were considerably concentrated on Lady Perloche."
At those words, I frowned slightly and asked,
"By any chance, was Perloche not hurt or being pushed back?"
"When I last saw her, a fully armed guard was flying through the air."
"Oh."
Only after hearing Kania's answer did I calm my anxious mind and let out a sigh of relief.
"That's right, the young master is cool when you follow your emotions like that."
"What?"
"Oh right, I have something to report."
In a situation that felt like déjà vu for some reason, I frowned and began to listen to her report.
"I secretly overheard the guards' radio earlier and found out something. Apparently, there are two more intruders in the slave market besides Lady Perloche."
"...What?"
At her unexpected statement, I frowned and spoke.
"Two... you don't know who they are?"
"I couldn't hear properly since I was secretly listening, but they both seemed to be quite skilled."
"...Hmm."
Hearing that, I quietly fell into thought.
'...I was about to proceed with the operation, but this is a setback.'
As a result of running around here and there to prepare, I had been able to complete the preparation for the operation quite successfully.
Those I personally selected, the exceptionally strong ones among the slaves, are now receiving power from Demirkan in the waiting room.
Irina is manipulating the cabinet to smuggle the slaves out amidst the chaos.
And Klana, to become the hero of the slave market liberation incident, is leading the imperial knights loyal to her and has infiltrated the first floor.
And Serena will join the operation as soon as the sun sets.
In this situation where everything is falling perfectly into place, in this situation where I could order the execution of the operation right now... for another variable to occur.
Unacceptable.
I'm tired of being burned by variables now.
"I will go, young master."
"Huh?"
While I was thinking with slightly tired eyes, Kania quietly spoke.
"Rather than the young master who needs to control the overall situation, it makes more sense for me to go check."
"Kania, but..."
"Wasn't my role in this operation to control variables in the first place? I'm just doing my part, so please don't worry."
Having said that, Kania disappeared from my sight before I could even say anything.
"...Phew."
I blankly stared at where she had disappeared,
'I'm informing everyone.'
Soon, I began to quietly send a telepathic message to everyone.
'The operation will begin shortly. So, everyone prepare yourselves mentally.'
The highlight of the 3rd main quest was right before my eyes.
.
"Aaaaaah! Everyone get out of my waaaay!"
- KUGWAGWAGWAGWAGWANG!!!
"T-this is insane...!"
At that very moment when Frey was sending telepathic messages to everyone.
"We've surrounded her! We finally surrounded her!!"
"Then push them back!! If they break through here, it's over!!"
A situation reminiscent of a battlefield was unfolding in the corridor where the slaves' waiting room was located.
"Move! If you don't move... I'll make you attain Buddhahood!!"
Perloche, who had her eyes opened sharply and both fists raised, began to run towards the personnel surrounding the corridor.
"She's coming! Anyone who doesn't want to die, steel yourselves!!"
"I won't kill you!! I'll make you attain Buddhahood!!"
Perloche, charging with her eyes squeezed shut while screaming, thanks to her characteristic foolish expression and movements, to a third party, looked merely cute.
"Ugh... ugh..."
"Hi, hihihi... hihi..."
But seeing those who let their guard down at her appearance and approached, only to get punched squarely and collapse on the floor.
"Take this!!"
- KUGWANG!!!
However cute Perloche might be, it was only natural to feel fear.
"Kuuugh..."
"...Oh no, another one."
Like that, as another victim fell to Perloche's merciless fist.
"Damn it, where did a monster like that come from?"
The temporary guard captain, who was among the stronger ones remaining, frowned and began to lament.
"If only it wasn't a narrow corridor, I would have tried something..."
"Evil and wicked villains!! I won't forgive you!!"
The people hired as guards in the slave market were all renowned mercenaries, so they could quickly figure out Perloche's combat pattern.
One blow with absolute power, but. The penalty of being able to face only one person.
With such a penalty, if this place had been a wide open space, the guards would have been able to put up a good fight.
Since Perloche's holy power was focused on defense, assuming the Sun God's blessing wasn't present, if they scattered and attacked, they could at least create a stalemate.
"She's coming again!"
"Damn it, is headquarters still far from contacting?"
But that was just wishful thinking.
The location of the guards and Perloche was a narrow corridor, making it perfect for her to drive her fist into each person's solar plexus.
- *Bzzzt*... This is headquarters. This is headquarters.
"...Hey! This is different from what was contracted! Is it okay to use us like this!?"
As he continued the meaningless war of attrition and slowly reduced the number of guards, finally receiving contact from headquarters, he screamed.
- We've evacuated all the slaves and VIPs from that floor to other floors. So, it seems you can proceed with the operation you proposed.
"You crazy bastards!! We've already lost half, half!! How can we carry out that operation with these personnel..."
- We'll send additional troops, so please hold on a little longer. Currently, we're negotiating with the Imperial Knight Commander and the Holy Knight Commander.
"Damn it!!"
Leaving those words, the radio cut off, and the man cursed, threw the radio on the floor, and shouted.
"Commence the operation!!!"
"What, what is it! Frey's evil comrades! Are you planning to use sinister arts like the evil Frey..."
- RUMBLE!!!
"...Kyah!?"
Perloche, who had been watching that sight intently and rushing forward while screaming, was startled and stopped in her tracks as a roar echoed around her.
- Hiss...
"Ah! Uwah!"
Soon, as dust clouds spread all around and engulfed Perloche, she began to back away, waving her hands as if shooing a mosquito.
"...Good, it's a success."
"Gasp!"
After waving her hands for a while and slowly opening her eyes, quite a troublesome situation was unfolding before Perloche.
"Everyone scatter and approach slowly, don't be hasty. If you don't understand well, think of when you hunt orcs."
"O-orcs! I'm a saintess!"
The guards facing Perloche, as soon as headquarters gave permission, attacked the surrounding walls all at once.
Because they had turned the narrow corridor into a wide flat plain.
"U, ugh... what should I do...?"
.
Of course, thanks to her innate holy power, it wasn't a crisis situation, but Perloche, who had ended up in a predicament with her feet trapped in the guards' encirclement, grabbed her head and began to think hard.
"Hey, kid! Give up!"
"For someone who looks stupid, relying only on strength and acting up..."
"But doesn't she really seem like she's hunting orcs? I've hunted a few times in the western continent, and they really did it like this."
The guards, seeing her like that and regaining their confidence, began to approach her slowly with smiles.
"Aha! That method would work!"
But when Perloche sparkled her eyes and shouted brightly, they froze in place.
"Since you broke the walls and cornered me! I will..."
"Huh, uhuh?"
"W-wait, surely not?"
Perloche, who was shouting confidently while looking at them.
"...break the floor and corner you!"
"C-crazy!!"
"Get out of here! Hurry!"
The guards, horrified by Perloche's unexpected problem-solving method, when she really designated the Sun God's blessing's target as the floor, began to rush toward the stairs.
"Hwap!"
- CRACKLE!!!
In less than a second, Perloche's straight punch struck the floor, and thanks to that, the floor located on a quite high level instantly shattered and began to collapse.
""U, uwaaaaah!!!""
Together with all the people on that floor.
"Sun, Sun God! Please save me!!"
At first, Perloche was proud that her scheme had worked, but soon realizing that she herself was in danger of plunging headfirst into the floor, she clasped her hands and began to pray.
- CRASH!!!
And so, the moment the prayer was completely finished, Perloche, who had gone right before hitting the floor.
"Uhek!!!"
"Uwah!!!"
Was able to land safely using someone who was passing by that spot while humming as a cushion.
"...Ugh."
"I, I'm sorry!"
Thanks to that, Perloche, who felt joy at a safe landing but also felt new fear at having hurt an ordinary person, gathered holy power in her hands in a hurry.
"I'll heal you right now!!"
And tried to give it to the person she had used as a cushion.
"Huh?"
But soon, seeing that person's face, her eyes went round.
"Lady Ruby!?"
"Ah, ah hello. Saintess."
"What are you doing here! By any chance, were you captured!? Are you involved in Frey's evil plans!?"
"Uh, um... that's..."
Soon, Perloche, who was firing words like a rapid-fire gun at Ruby who had started breaking into a cold sweat.
"There she is!! Catch her!!"
"Two intruders are gathered in one place!!"
"...Headquarters, can you hear me? The intruders seem to know each other. Please confirm."
"...Uwah!"
Seeing the additional troops coming to catch them from afar, she grabbed Ruby's arm and started running somewhere urgently.
"Don't worry, I'm here!"
"W-wait a moment..."
"I, in the name of Perloche!"
Soon, Perloche, who cut off Ruby's words that had turned pale as if she wanted to say something.
"I will definitely protect the artificial Lady Ruby!"
Finished her words with a smile.
"Right here!!!"
The quest was, literally, entering its highlight.