Episode 30
- KKWAGWANG!!
"Kyaaah!!"
When the laser fired from the Dark Golem's core struck the ground, Irina was sent flying from the impact.
"...Damn it!"
The moment I saw that scene, I launched myself forward, and as a result, I barely managed to catch her just before she hit the ground.
"...Ugh."
"Ow!"
However, perhaps due to my depleted stamina and the fatal wounds I'd suffered here and there, I lacked the strength to follow through, and I ended up rolling on the ground while holding her in my arms.
- Target acquisition... Annihilation...
"...Crazy golem bastard."
The golem that had been watching us began to approach, dragging its heavy body toward us, and I cursed as I straightened my sword.
"W-we have to run... That thing... Even you can't defeat it...!"
".........."
Meanwhile, Irina began shouting at me desperately.
Then again, I could understand why Irina was reacting like this.
That golem was essentially a strategic weapon of the Demon Lord's Army—one that had half-destroyed Sunrise Academy and dealt a fatal blow to Isollet.
Given its overwhelming presence, in the previous cycle, it took the entire Imperial Knight Order being dispatched, and even then, a full half-day to subdue it.
- Zzzzt... Zzzzzzt...
"L... Liana...?"
But right now, that wasn't what I needed to worry about.
Whatever happened, I had to fight that damned golem here.
Now that the golem had been activated, it would chase us to the ends of the earth wherever we went.
So even if we fled outside this forest, the danger would be the same, and even if we somehow managed to hide, nearby villages would simply be put at risk.
If that golem headed toward nearby villages, since the 'Ashen Forest' was located in a remote region of the Empire, it would take several days for a knight order to be dispatched to subdue it... and there was no way to estimate just how much property damage and loss of life would occur before then.
"...Hah."
"Y-you're not planning to fight, are you?"
"Irina... Please run away..."
And also, if Irina died here, it would be a huge problem.
"No! If we run, we run together!! I can't just leave you behind and..."
"I said run away!!!"
"...Ugh."
When I screamed at the top of my lungs, Irina, who had been trying to stop me, stepped back with a flustered expression.
"...You said you'd kill Frey somehow. You need to steel your resolve."
"B-but..."
"Anyway, from the moment my younger siblings died from abuse, I wasn't really living even when I was alive."
"..........."
"So... Please escape from here and complete my revenge. That's enough for me."
Since I needed to send Irina away first to fight the golem freely, I held back my cringing feelings and delivered those cheesy lines, and Irina bit her lip hard.
"...I guess it was just my misunderstanding after all."
"What?"
"Liana... I'll never forget your name, even in death... Definitely... I definitely won't..."
"...It's an honor."
Hearing my wistful words, Irina shed tears, then turned around and started running with all her might.
"...Phew."
I breathed a sigh of relief. If she hadn't left even when I told her to, I would have knocked her out and taken her out of here before engaging the golem, so I turned toward the golem with relief.
- Identity confirmed... Human... Annihilation...
"Wait, but if I neutralize this thing here, the scenario will... *Sigh*."
If I take down this thing now, the prophecy's scenario will go off track. In other words, a variable will occur.
But if I don't take it down now, I'm going to get a game over, so what can I do?
And originally, the prophecy's scenario was also...
- KWOAAAAOOHHHH!!!
"...Tch."
As the golem began to roar loudly, I put aside my thoughts for a moment and began analyzing the golem before me.
'Since it hasn't fully recovered its power at this point... It should be around the mid-to-upper ranks of the Demon Lord's Army combat executives.'
The Dark Golem, which commanded monsters during the Sunrise Academy invasion incident and was called a strategic weapon even within the Demon Lord's Army... but right now, that thing should be weaker than when it was the episode's final boss.
That's because the Dark Golem was awakened unexpectedly by us while it was still absorbing magical energy from the 'Ashen Forest.' That's probably why it's smaller than it was during the invasion incident.
Of course, even so, it would still be mid-to-upper rank among 'combat executives.'
For reference, the Succubus Queen and Yukarius that I easily killed last time were not 'combat executives.' Originally, combat executives aren't nobodies who would lose their lives in a single strike even if caught by surprise.
Anyway, the important point is that I have a certain chance of winning right now.
Until now, I'd been watching Irina's reactions and couldn't use 'Star Mana' properly, having to deal with monsters using only martial arts.
But now that she's gone, if I freely use the hero's power and the Star Mana currently overflowing in my body thanks to the mana potion I drank yesterday, I should be able to somehow fight it out.
Of course... due to the life force penalty, I need to end it in as few rounds as possible, and after the fight, I'll be in a near-death state, but still.
- KWOOONG!!
- FAAAZING!!
The moment I finished my thoughts, a black laser was fired from the golem's energy core, and simultaneously, sword energy containing Star Mana flew from my swung sword toward the laser.
- KUGUGUNG...!!!
Soon, a massive explosion occurred, covering everything in smoke, and I didn't miss that moment, quickly diving toward the golem's legs.
"HAAAAAAP!!!"
My sword cut through the Dark Golem's right leg, and at that moment, the golem lost its balance and collapsed to the ground.
- BEEP... Balance system... Critical error... Attempting recovery...
"...How are you going to recover when your leg fell off?"
- Recovery... Impossible...
"Phew... Thank goodness. I thought maybe it had spare legs or something."
I was startled by the golem's words for nothing, and was about to breathe a sigh of relief and approach to finish it off when...
- Countermeasure search... Result calculated... Flight propulsion deployed...
"...Crazy."
Suddenly the golem spread wings and began to fly, leaving me speechless as I blankly stared up at the sky.
"...Already using the desperate struggle pattern?"
This is bad.
This golem definitely only spread its wings when making a last stand or attempting self-destruction, but I didn't expect it to use flight mode just from losing one leg.
"...Ugh."
Like a dog that chased a chicken only to watch it fly onto the roof, I stared up at the golem in dismay, then felt an intense pain in my chest and collapsed to the ground.
"Damn it... I can only swing two more times..."
Star Mana is still overflowing in my body, but perhaps due to the life force penalty, I can probably only use at most 2 more sword strikes infused with the hero's power.
Of course, given all the hardships I've been through since yesterday, I should be grateful rather than disappointed that I can still swing two strikes... but the situation is too desperate to simply be grateful.
- Target locked... Magic missile deployment...
"...I'm going crazy."
The situation got even more serious.
Small gunports began appearing all over the Dark Golem's body, and they were all aimed at me simultaneously.
Looking at that, it seems that insane golem is about to fire all the magic missiles that devastated the Academy at me at once.
'...Something's strange. Why is it so desperate to kill me?'
Thanks to that, I started becoming more suspicious.
No matter how much I interrupted its slumber... from that thing's perspective right now, I should be nothing more than a passing ant, so why is it going all out like this?
The sudden activation of the desperate struggle pattern makes sense if I consider that it made its own judgment after having its leg torn off while not fully recovered, but pouring all those magic missiles, practically its ultimate moves, on me, a mere ant... something is seriously wrong.
- PYUSHUSHUSHUNG!!!
As I was breaking out in a cold sweat at this inexplicable situation, a massive quantity of magic missiles was fired from the golem's body.
"...What the hell is this?"
I tried to avoid them without using sword strikes if possible, but the same quantity of magic missiles that had half-destroyed the Academy in the past was fired all at once.
I stared at that sight in disbelief, then straightened my sword, took a deep breath, and shouted with all my might.
- KKWAGWAGWAGWANG!!!
The magic missiles flying toward me exploded in mid-air, creating a grand explosion, and the screams of monsters filled with fear began to echo throughout the Ashen Forest.
"Cough...! Ugh..."
Meanwhile, clutching my heart that felt like it would explode, I started rolling around on the ground.
Judging by my body's condition, the moment I swing the last sword strike, I'll be completely out of commission.
So I have to take down that golem in a single exchange.
- Zzzt... Zzzzt...
As I was thinking that, the Dark Golem hovering in the air wobbled and descended to the ground.
Wondering what happened, I looked closely and saw that the Dark Golem's left arm and wings were tattered.
It seems that when I swung my sword strike, the missiles that were about to launch got caught in the explosion, and the golem was unexpectedly caught up in it as well.
- Strategy revision... Class 1 threat... Must eliminate unconditionally...
But something is strange. Suddenly, smoke began rising from the Dark Golem's entire body.
I wondered if it had broken down from accumulated damage, and as I watched the golem with a pounding heart, a shocking sound reached my ears.
- Final measure... Self-destruct code executed...
"...Shit!"
The moment I heard that sound, I stumbled toward the Dark Golem.
- CHIEEEEEIK...
At the same time, smoke began emitting from the Dark Golem's entire body, and the core in the center started glowing red.
"...Damn it, no!"
If the Dark Golem self-destructs, that entire area will be completely devastated.
Then all the monsters in the 'Ashen Forest' will rush out at once... and the nearby villages and territories will literally be destroyed. So I have to stop it somehow.
"HAAAAAP!!"
Enduring the terrible pain throughout my body, I leaped up and drove my sword into the Dark Golem's core.
"Urrgh...!"
- Abnormal energy injection... Must remove immediately...
And the next moment, I began injecting Star Mana into the golem's core, and the golem, not to be outdone, began flowing the magical energy from its core into my body.
"AAAAARGHHH!!!"
As a result, I, who had planned to destroy the core with the hero's power, began trembling violently from the excruciating pain, and at the same time, the golem began gathering energy in its core to prepare to fire a laser.
- CRACKLE... CRUNCH...!
Witnessing that sight, I urgently twisted the sword stuck in the core and drove it deeper, managing to reduce the output by touching the core's center just before being attacked.
- KWOOOOONG!
"GAH!!"
But as expected of a main weapon, or perhaps because I couldn't properly defend while driving the sword into the core, the laser's damage was still significant even with weakened output.
Thanks to that, I ended up slumped over, clutching the sword stuck in the central core that had taken the laser directly.
- Eliminate... Must eliminate...
The Dark Golem grabbed my body with its right hand and began overheating the core in its center again, and just as the area was about to be devastated...
"ORYAAAAAAH!!!"
I gathered my last strength and fiercely swung the sword I had somehow been holding onto all this time.
- BZZZTZZTZZT!!
Although it was an attack I barely managed to unleash while clinging to fading consciousness and didn't cut the golem in half, fortunately, I was able to shatter the central core to pieces.
- Power depleted... Critical problem... Emergency... Emerg...
From the shattered central core, a massive amount of magical energy began flowing out, and the staggering Dark Golem released me powerlessly, then fell backward and stopped functioning.
"...Ugh."
As I looked at that sight and felt something missing, I quickly touched my face and found that my mask was broken, apparently from the laser.
"...Oh no."
Thanks to that, terrified that someone might come after hearing the commotion and discover my identity, I forced my fading consciousness to stay and crawled into the bushes to hide my body, but...
"O-over there!! Over there!!!"
"This is the Sunrise Empire Class 1 Crime Investigation Unit! Are you injured anywhere?"
"...Hurry and call the Imperial Knight Order! The situation is serious!"
Suddenly hearing Irina and the Empire investigation team's voices from the forest exit, I fell into despair.
'Crazy... This is hundreds of kilometers from the Academy... How did they find us so quickly?'
I was momentarily flustered, but soon saw mages bearing the Magic Tower's insignin rushing into the forest, and I instinctively realized something had gone wrong.
'...They reverse-traced the scroll. Damn it...'
It seems the Magic Tower got involved in this matter.
After all, only the Magic Tower could complete a magic reverse-trace that should take several days in less than a day.
But if that's really true, things get a bit complicated.
The Magic Tower, which holds power second to none compared to the Ducal House and the Sun God Church, rarely intervenes in any major incident unless it catches their interest, due to the Tower Lord's high ego and eccentric personality.
There's even a famous anecdote that they didn't intervene when a curse-related incident occurred in the Imperial Family until the Emperor himself made a personal request.
So then... what on earth is going on?
If I assume Headmaster Lionel, who prioritizes my well-being above all else, made a move, his capability is too insufficient.
If I assume the eccentric Tower Lord with unfathomable intentions took interest in this matter, the number of dispatched Tower mages is too small. Moreover, seeing all the Tower mages frowning, it doesn't seem like they came here of their own will.
Then what on earth...
"There are traces of mana over there!!"
"...Hmm?"
While trying to think with my fading consciousness, the investigators pointed in my direction and started approaching.
"Oh, no..."
I tried to escape from them somehow, but cruelly, the consciousness I'd been holding onto began to collapse.
As I watched the investigation team approach right before my eyes with trembling vision, at that moment...
- SHUUUUUUU...!
Suddenly, a massive amount of black magical energy flowed out from inside the Dark Golem, instantly dyeing the surroundings in darkness.
"W-what is this?"
"Light! Use Light magic!"
"Ugh... I can't breathe..."
The people struggling in that thick magical energy began collapsing one by one, and even the somewhat experienced Tower mages panicked and deployed thick protective barriers while watching their surroundings warily.
- THUD THUD
In the midst of that chaos, footsteps suddenly approached me, and flustered, I covered my face with my trembling hand and lowered my head, but...
"Please rest easy, young master..."
"K-Ka..."
"...Your faithful servant has arrived."
"Kania...?"
Pushing through the thick magical energy, Kania appeared looking at me with a sorrowful expression, and I called her name with a dying voice.
"...So please don't worry."
Soon Kania quietly picked me up and began merging with the darkness, and I watched her before losing consciousness.
"...Thank you."
I barely managed to leave her with those words.
.
- CLACK CLACK!
"Mmm..."
"Are you awake, young master...?"
When I opened my eyes again, I was inside a carriage rushing somewhere.
Feeling terrible pain throughout my body as I sat up, I saw the sunset through the window. It seems quite a bit of time has passed.
"...Kania, are you okay?"
Roughly grasping what had happened, I first asked about Kania's well-being, since she would have had to use black magic forcefully to save me.
"...Are you asking about my condition right now?"
At that, Kania looked at me in disbelief and asked back.
"You used black magic so massive it troubled even the Tower's mages, so of course I'm worried. Is your body..."
"...I applied the evil magical energy that was inside the Dark Golem, so it didn't particularly strain me. So please stop worrying about me."
Then Kania firmly cut off my words, took out medicine from a bag, and began applying it to my body.
"...Ah."
Only then did I notice that my upper garment was removed.
"Are these all wounds from today?"
"...There are a few from before too."
"...I see."
After giving a brief answer to Kania's question as she looked at me with a pained expression, I received her care in the swaying carriage for a while before quietly asking a question.
"...So, what exactly happened?"
Hearing those words, Kania stopped applying the medicine, lowered her head deeply, and spoke.
"...The family head intervened."
At those words, I froze for a moment.
"My father...?"
"Yes, and please don't be surprised. The family head... has collapsed."
"...What!?"
At those words, I jumped up in shock, and Kania urgently grabbed me.
"Please calm down. You need to rest..."
"W-why did Father collapse...!"
"That is..."
After hearing her subsequent words, I couldn't continue speaking.
When Irina and I disappeared from the arena, my father reportedly went into a rage and personally went to the Tower Lord to make a request.
According to what I learned from Kania's words, apparently my father and the Tower Lord were close friends in the past. Since I saw no sign of that at all in the previous cycle, it was quite unexpected.
Anyway, after making the request to the Tower Lord and returning, my father had gotten so worked up that he collapsed, and thanks to that, the Starlight household was turned upside down overnight. When both the family head and the eldest son suffered incidents at the same time, that was only natural.
"Currently the family head is in a coma. So, the moment you return to the Empire and report your survival, by Imperial law, you will immediately become the acting family head."
".........."
Even after hearing those words, I stared blankly for a while before finally being able to open my mouth.
"What about Arianne?"
"...She's imprisoned in the Empire's prison."
"...Sigh."
With my head lowered, I began giving orders to Kania in a quiet voice.
"We need to somehow downplay this situation. At the same time, spread rumors covertly that I'm behind this incident so that eventually everyone knows but keeps it hush-hush."
"Yes."
"As for Arianne... propose to Headmaster Lionel that since he wants to downplay the situation appropriately, dropping the charges and releasing her would be best. If that doesn't work, use bribes. And indirectly convey to her that I was the one who switched the magic scroll."
"Understood."
"I'll delegate my authority as acting family head to you. You're capable, so you'll handle it well, right...?"
"...Leave it to me."
After instructing Kania on how to handle this incident, I began asking about the next important matter.
"...What was the result of the duel?"
"By majority vote of the supervisors, it was decided as your victory, young master."
"...That shouldn't have happened."
Realizing that something quite troublesome had occurred, I quietly muttered.
"...This means the attacker will become random."
"What?"
"I'll tell you later. Anyway... lastly, about Father's condition..."
Trying to change the subject to talk about my father while forcing a calm expression, I couldn't continue speaking and lowered my head deeply.
"Young master... please don't worry too much. The family head will wake up soon..."
"...It's a special event."
"What?"
As Kania tilted her head and asked, I answered her tearfully with difficulty.
"When my father collapses from rage at my misdeeds... until the Demon King is killed... he won't... ever wake up..."
".........."
Unable to finish my words, I chewed my lip for a while before muttering in a quiet voice.
"...Hold me, Kania."
Hearing that, Kania, who somehow caught those words, stood up, quietly embraced me, and murmured.
"...Anytime you want."
Like that, Kania and I spent time holding each other.
Of course, thanks to the wounds all over my body throbbing, I had to break the embrace soon enough.
.
"...To disappear without a trace, that's definitely suspicious."
Meanwhile at that moment. Riding in the investigation team's carriage returning to the capital, Irina was,
"Though it was brief... the physique I felt when held was definitely not a woman. Plus, the faintly glimmering mana left at the scene is suspicious too. And decisively..."
Looking down at the withered tree fruit in her hand with sharp eyes, she was quietly muttering.
"...There's no way a servant with no relation to me would know the nickname I created, 'Ice Dragon.'"
.
Just as the arena kidnapping incident came to a close and deep darkness settled over the Empire, a woman was lying on a bed, muttering.
"My, my stomach... why does it hurt so much... And what on earth is a cat tail that the Saint keeps mentioning while refusing my treatment requests..."
Isabel, who had paid back hundreds of times over for humiliating Kania in front of Frey a few days ago, was clutching her stomach suffering from terrible diarrhea caused by Kania's curse, muttering.
"D-definitely... that damned Frey bastard... or that lowly girl did this out of spite... Somehow... I'll get revenge somehow..."
- GURGLE!
"...Hiek!"
But soon as a signal came from her stomach, she began running to the bathroom with tears in her eyes.
"...Pfft."
And a crow sitting on the windowsill was quietly watching her unsightly figure.