Chapter 308
Chapter 308
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 308
Chapter Title: Final Battle (14)
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"M-M-Marriage...?!"
Iril's eyes went wide. The hazy fog clouding her mind vanished in an instant.
Marriage? Did he just say marriage? The one I know?
It took about a minute before she could finally make a sound again, her mouth hanging open.
"Um, w-well... I mean... I don't hate Sir Schlieffen or anything. It's just... a bit too sudden, you know..."
Iril stammered. Her pale cheeks flushed peach-pink. Schlieffen still held her tight in his embrace, refusing to let go.
"And... to begin with, what's so great about a plain girl like me? My face isn't anything special, I don't sparkle like noble ladies... and I'm way older than you anyway. You'd definitely get bored of me quick..."
"No... from the moment I first saw you... I knew... the master of my heart... is you alone."
Schlieffen murmured like he was drunk. It was a blow as powerful as his swordsmanship. The blood loss bordering on lethal dosage had stripped away his filter, letting words spill straight from his brain to his mouth.
"Oh, come on..."
Iril covered her cheeks with both hands. Who would've thought she'd hear this from her little brother's friend? Overwhelmed by embarrassment, she buried her face in Schlieffen's shoulder.
"Wh-where did you even learn to say stuff like that? You're the same age as my Ronan... Teasing older women is no good!"
"I... love you."
"A-again with that...!"
Unable to take it anymore, Iril lightly pounded Schlieffen's chest. If she heard any more, her face might not just heat up—it could explode. Watching the two, the Savior clenched his fist.
"...This is a novel feeling. I don't know why, but I suddenly want to kill that Schlieffen guy."
"You must endure it."
Adeshan held him back. It was no different from the reactions of the soldiers with daughters she'd served with in the past. The Savior nodded heavily.
"I know. I have no right to. It's fortunate for that boy that I couldn't play father to Iril."
No matter how great the suitor, a father's heart wanted to break his legs first and ask questions later. Unable to bear it, Iril shoved Schlieffen away.
"O-okay, I get it... Just get treated first! How could you walk around with wounds like these..."
Her mood was great, but they couldn't stay like this forever. Thud. The moment Schlieffen separated from Iril, he collapsed to the ground.
"S-Sir Schlieffen?"
Iril panicked. He looked just like a marionette with its strings cut. This was nothing like her expectation of him awkwardly laughing and standing up. Blinking in shock, she urgently shook his body.
"Sir Schlieffen? Pull yourself together! Sir Schlieffen!"
Schlieffen didn't respond. His consciousness had blacked out the moment Iril's chest slammed into his while he was staggering.
Even so, having said his piece, his expression looked relieved. Iril propped him up with grunts of effort, her eyes welling with tears.
"Oh my god, look at all this blood! Y-you can't die...!"
His breathing was so faint it was barely audible. A dark red pool of blood had formed where he sat. The wounds from his battle with the archbishops were each massive and deep.
Schlieffen's body, at its limit, had no intention of indulging its master's bravado any longer. Just as Iril was about to tear her clothes for a tourniquet—
Suddenly, a thick shadow fell over their heads.
"He's not dead."
"...Huh?"
Iril looked up, her eyebrows shooting up. A massive were-tiger stared down at them. Recognizing the familiar face, Iril covered her mouth.
"Z-Zaifa!"
"It's Zaifa. Glad you look unharmed."
Zaifa sighed. He'd rushed here the moment he snapped out of the hallucination, drawn by their voices. Quickly grasping the situation, he nodded at Iril.
"...I see. So it was your power."
She'd only registered as a beautiful human in his memory—he hadn't expected her to harbor such tremendous strength. After a brief silence, he spoke.
"Thank you."
"Huh? For what...?"
Iril tilted her head at the sudden gratitude. She didn't even know she'd put people to sleep.
Zaifa didn't explain it was thanks for letting him spend happy moments, however brief, with his deceased son.
"Something like that."
"I-I don't get it, but... I'm glad I could help. More importantly, Sir Schlieffen...!"
"Don't worry about him. The medical team's already here."
Zaifa jerked his thumb backward. People were stirring from their hallucinations. Sita, likewise just regaining her senses, stretched with a yawn.
"Preeeew..."
"Hey, bird. You've slept enough—treat my pupil."
Zaifa said. Animals recovered their wits faster than humans. Confirming the area overrun with wounded, Sita spread her four wings wide.
"Preeet!"
A red ripple spread out. Whoosh...! Blood scattered across the battlefield rose in droplets. The sorted blood began returning to its owners.
"Ugh... uuuuh..."
"B-blood...?"
The dying started coming to one by one. The severely wounded received special care.
Red healing energy enveloped Schlieffen's body. His external wounds closed, bones knit. Confirming his steady breathing, Iril let out a sigh of relief.
"Th-thank goodness... Thank you!"
"Save the thanks for when he wakes. The guy bet everything to save you."
"H-he did...?"
Zaifa turned away from the stunned Iril. There was still work to do. The revitalized battlefield saw the fallen rising again.
"I see... Balzac. Just a dream, then."
"Heh heh... It's been ages since I fully lost consciousness—ever since reaching 9th Circle."
The alliance's main forces opened their eyes one by one. They jumped straight back into the fray against the giants. Asel, belatedly realizing he was upholding a massive star's blessing, screamed.
"Hiiiek! I-is this really me doing this?!"
"Incredible... Asel."
It didn't take long to reform ranks. Adeshan helped people regain their senses, issued necessary orders, then withdrew her shadow mana.
'...This should do it.'
Her head spun from overusing her power. As she caught her breath, the Savior beside her erupted in violent coughs.
"Cough! Kek...!"
"Are you alright?"
The blood clots he spat were alarming in volume. After heaving several times, he waved it off. Barely calming, he asked Adeshan.
"I'm fine now... Hoo, you're dating my son, right?"
"...Pardon?"
Adeshan's face flushed at the abrupt question. How to even answer? Hesitating, she bit her lower lip.
"......For now, yes. Though technically, it's not me."
"Blood will tell. Heh heh, I went mad for my wife's long black hair too..."
"...Why ask that all of a sudden?"
"Wanted to ask you to take care of my boy. Seems I don't have much time left."
The Savior smiled. It looked somehow relieved, twisting Adeshan's lips.
I see. He hadn't looked well from the start—guess it's come to this. The Savior continued.
"I need to head to the battleship. Might as well make full use of it. What about you?"
"I'll... follow soon."
Adeshan answered without meeting his eyes. Giving one last smile, the Savior trudged off. The battleship Dainghar, embedded in the ground, roared as if ready for immediate takeoff.
Beyond it raged an intensified battle. Elemental storms from the dragons swept heaven and earth. Spears of light crisscrossing the sky sent dragons plummeting by the handful.
"...This should do it."
Adeshan sighed, watching the Savior's back. Confirming no one watched her, she slumped against a nearby rock. Her legs trembled too much to stand.
'Good. I fulfilled my duty before it was too late.'
Adeshan smiled faintly, watching the giant battle. It looked even, but would end soon. The ceaseless roars signaled the climax.
Nothing more for her to do. She wiped her face like washing it. Steadying her breath, hand on her chest, she murmured.
"Not much time left for me either..."
She wasn't in a position to worry about him. Her consciousness faded bit by bit. The cloudless night sky blazed with stars. Fixing on the brightest, Adeshan whispered softly.
"Seniel... is this enough?"
****
『This is absurd...』
The giant king muttered. Connections to his kin severed rapidly. He sensed fewer than ten giants left, including himself.
"Absurd? What's so absurd?"
A familiar voice came from his feet. The king gripped his greatsword reverse-handed into a guard. Claaang—! A sharp metallic clash rang out.
"Tch, blocked again?"
Ronan clicked his tongue. He didn't like how nimble the near-dead king still was. Having dragged him down, Ronan fought on favorable ground.
Scraaape! As the clashing greatsword and Ramancha thrust again, dozens of sparks bloomed in the air. The king instinctively stepped back.
『A mere mortal dares...!』
The king gnashed his teeth. Unlike himself, weakening by the minute, Ronan grew stronger. As time passed, the curse lingering in his body melted away like spring snow.
【Blast him away, Ronan!】
Navardoje's voice boomed from above. She single-handedly faced hundreds of the king's summoned familiars. Crimson flames sweeping the sky dissolved light-beasts into particles.
Far superior to other giants' summons—astonishing. After a few more clashes, the king gripped his hilt.
『Insolent...』
Just defending led nowhere. Ronan stuck to targeting excessive bleeding; the longer it dragged, the worse for him.
'...Retreat?'
The mere thought was shameful, but no alternatives. He could've summoned homeworld power to crush these pests instantly, but too wasteful for one small star.
As the agonized king steeled for decision, a chilling sensation like fingers on his heart struck.
『What.』
Incomprehensible. Someone tampered with his origin power. Gasping, he looked skyward.
Something happened beyond the magic circle linking to his homeworld. Soon sensing the intruder, the king sighed in lament.
『Abel...!』