Anomaly
Anomaly
In the moment my consciousness was flooding with questions based on every principle of the six honest serving-men, my body reacted faster than thought.
Only after I surged my Magic Power and lunged forward without even having time to draw my sword did I start processing what was happening.
The fact that the gate changed after Zeke and the students had all passed through meant a mage skilled enough to intervene in a gate in real time was operating covertly nearby, and that they were targeting Esmue.
But no one exhibiting visibly abnormal behavior was in sight.
Stealth? Or had a member of the Demonfolk infiltrated completely hidden? If so, what kind of level was this skill—capable of altering the coordinates of a functioning gate without being detected? Were they working alone? Did they have accomplices?
Was the enemy's objective to abduct Esmue? Or to kill her?
Who was I supposed to warn? Esmue's personal Royal Guard hidden somewhere? The visible Imperial Guard? Esmue herself?
If I called out to her, what title should I use? Should I adhere to the formal setting? Or call her name to maximize alertness and urgency?
My brain didn't have enough time to decide.
"Esmu...!"
On the verge of calling her name in this desperate situation where even forming a guess was impossible, I felt a chill crawl from my toes to the crown of my head and drew my sword on instinct.
-Clang!
The sword, not yet fully drawn, accurately caught the blade of someone who had swung with momentum to sever my torso. It held because the scabbard and blade interlocked; the force was such that if I had drawn it halfway, my flank might have been wounded.
I was practically blown three steps sideways. When I finally regained my footing and looked up, an Imperial Guard knight in gleaming golden armor and helmet was pointing his sword at me.
Why he'd stopped me was obvious, and the fact that he'd tried to cut me down in one stroke meant he wasn't one of Esmue's personal Royal Guards. But he was clearly blocking me to protect Esmue and made no follow-up attack, so I judged that he wasn't an enemy.
"What the sudden..."
And so, instead of trying to persuade him, I decided to shout for Esmue at the top of my lungs.
"Esmue! Get away from the gate...!"
But even that attempt failed because of something that suddenly slammed down among the crowd.
As the blast pressure tossed me backward against my will, I saw 'someone' land silently after devastating the surroundings, while black-armored Royal Guards appeared from nowhere to surround and shield Esmue.
The sound erupted only after that.
-BOOOOM!
"Fuck!"
A colossal roar that made me worry my eardrums might burst shook my body and brain.
Whether it was magic or the result of sheer physical force was unclear, but it was certain that some of the people at the spot where the bastard landed had been turned to pulp.
Even as the shockwave alone hurled me to the ground, I barely regained my stance. In front of me, the Imperial Guard knight was already acting as if I didn't exist, while the Royal Guards protected Esmue and kept the sudden intruder in check. Most of the people who still had all their limbs were in much the same state.
In this instant, nearly all gazes were fixed on the unidentified visitor and the carnage around them.
The two horns on its head were enough to tell me it was Demonfolk.
But where the hell it had appeared from so suddenly, and what means it had used to make its entrance, turning the area where it landed into a sea of blood as if hit by an air strike—I couldn't fathom at all.
What was certain was just that none of the faces among those caught in it were people I knew.
I briefly felt relief after finally tearing my gaze from the slowly rising creature to confirm that Esmue still hadn't entered the gate, but then the bastard, who had been drawing everyone's attention, abruptly looked at me, raised its left index finger, and brought it to its lips.
"Shh."
Understanding what that gesture—made with such a detached, expressionless face—meant, the only action I could take was to hold my drawn sword upright in a center guard and brace with all my strength.
What it swung was its nail, which had suddenly grown from a hand that had been completely ordinary until just a moment ago.
But what I felt when that nail was swung and struck my sword was a shock and pain as if I had been hit by lightning.
-Screech!!
"Urgh...!"
With a metallic shriek I couldn't believe came from a nail hitting a blade, the creature's shadow grazed past my side.
"You blocked this?"
The acceleration was so intense that even my eyes, with Magic Power pushed to the maximum, could barely follow it.
But even with the leisure to mutter to itself while smashing past my sword, the bastard immediately turned and rushed onward far past me, not targeting my back.
"Too many variables are cropping up."
"What the fuck are you talking about. You inhuman bastard...!"
All its specs were above mine, but it was an arrow-like bastard. Whatever other attacks it had, the strike from a moment ago clearly couldn't be finely controlled.
I spat words along with a curse, hoping I might buy even a sliver more time or learn something, but the bastard showed no particular reaction.
"I'd better hurry before things go off course."
"Block the gate...!"
The Demonfolk's next rushing strike aimed for my left thigh, but I barely moved my sword in time to deflect it.
This fucker. It's trying to stop me from warning them about the gate! Just as a flicker of anxiety made me lose focus on it and my gaze began to shift toward Esmue.
"Seize him."
Esmue's command dropped in an impeccably calm voice.
When I hurriedly looked over, Esmue seemed to have understood my warning. She had put more distance between herself and the gate and stepped forward again, while the eight Royal Guards protecting her advanced a step in perfect unison and immediately moved into action.
There were no shouted orders or hand signals. As if they had drilled for every possible situation, the Royal Guards divided their roles in complete silence.
"Tch."
Amid the shock and terror swallowing the area, the bastard's voice seemed strangely clear. Still, if even that lunatic was clicking his tongue, it proved how strong the Royal Guards were, and relief washed over me.
"I see. Eldmia Ega of Itisel. The boy who defeated the Hero."
The Imperial Guard knight who had kept his stance while watching me finally murmured as if he recognized me and sheathed his sword. Seeing that made my tension creep back up. Seriously? He could relax that much in this situation?
"If you meant to harm Her Highness, you would have had far more chances to do so. You noticed something was wrong and tried to protect her. I nearly made a grave mistake because I failed to understand your intent."
But contrary to my unease, he approached, his golden armor gleaming, and reached out his hand to me where I had half-collapsed to one knee, nearly fallen.
Behind him, the Royal Guards were swinging every strike with killing intent while the Demonfolk bastard dodged, blocked, and counterattacked in a vicious melee. Yet the knight remained perfectly calm, as if he were certain the situation was already settled.
I understood that his calm came from faith in the Royal Guards and confidence in their skill. But from where I stood, I kept seeing the Demonfolk bastard who had appeared out of nowhere fighting five Royal Guards on even terms, so I couldn't relax at all.
"You were only doing your duty, Sir. Forgive me, but I'm not skilled enough to lower my guard yet, so I'd like to postpone the greetings."
Seeing a satisfied smile on the lips of the stern-looking face visible through his helmet visor, it seemed my attitude didn't particularly offend him.
Still, since the bastard's target was clearly Esmue, I stood up with his help and moved toward her.
"Eldmia. Are you alright?"
As Esmue turned toward me, one of the Royal Guards behind her stopped watching the fight with the Demonfolk and reached a hand toward her. At first glance, it looked as though the guard meant to stop Esmue from leaving her position, but thanks to her small stature I had a clear view of the knight's hand.
His right hand, extending toward Esmue, was angled inward as if to thrust her into the gate.
Right, when interfering with a gate, having a traitor or two in place was only natural!
With no time to cliché-shout her name, I accelerated again, closing the distance at full speed.
Whether luckily or not, because he was being cautious in his underhanded action, the bastard seemed to be watching only Esmue. As if everything would be solved if he could just force her into the gate.
It was a moment no longer than an instant, but for my accelerated thoughts, it was enough time to question that action.
I couldn't even tell whether the person was a man or a woman, but someone that skilled must have devoted a lifetime to becoming a Royal Guard. Why the hell would they betray her?
But having a question didn't mean I could reach a conclusion.
What mattered was that I didn't know that person, while Esmue and I were close enough that she'd stolen my lips. For all I knew, the figure might not be a real Royal Guard at all, but a Demonfolk wearing a helmet.
And in such a situation, prioritizing an acquaintance over a complete stranger was only normal, no?
"Get your hand off! You bastard!"
I cut off the thought before it could continue and lunged toward Esmue, gripping the pommel as I swung my sword.
It was a trick I had used exactly once to save Ragnis and never since, but even I felt it draw a clean arc as it moved toward the Royal Guard member's neck. And through my fingertips I felt it precisely cut flesh past the gaps in the armor.
A single short scream burst from the traitor's mouth.
"Kahak!"
I wished the blade had gone in at least halfway, but the tip had only managed to bite into the carotid artery. That wasn't enough to stop someone fully committed to betrayal, and the bastard still managed to shove Esmue.
Because he was pushing Esmue into the gate with all his might, I had no time to see the blood spurting from the bastard's neck where I had cut him. I leaped and blocked Esmue with my whole body, then thrust her toward the golden knight who was charging after us.
Which of the Royal Guards might be another traitor, I couldn't know. If even that knight showed signs of betrayal after all this, it would be a hopeless situation, but that was the best I could do right then.
It meant forcing myself to act while suspended in midair and sending myself through the gate, but it was the best option I had.
I didn't know what lay beyond the gate, but I'd manage somehow, fuck it.