Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Monster Parade (2)
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With no telling when the Monster Parade would hit the village, speed was everything.
A village that would take half a day by horse.
But I had a way to get there much faster than any horse.
"Amelin, tell Mikel he's got a tough job today."
"Yes, sir! Your Highness! But... you're heading to that village?"
"Obviously. Don't worry—we can handle it."
"Yeah, yeah!"
"We've got this!"
"Yahoo! Mass monster hunt!"
Mikel could carry up to four people on his back.
But since Amelin had to ride and guide him directly, that left room for only three passengers.
So the plan was for me, Gillek, and Hurlan to go first, followed by multiple trips with the triplets, then Tenka, then my siblings' knights in sequence.
"Mikel! Give it everything you've got today! People's lives are on the line!"
"Do your best, and I'll stuff you with premium meat for a whole week."
-Kuruuugh!
With Mikel's morale fully charged, he flew even faster than he had toward the Nardan Jungle.
Thanks to his quick back-and-forth trips, everyone arrived in the village before the Monster Parade could reach it.
"Who might you be? Hunters we requested?"
A villager approached as we surveyed the area near the village.
"Yes, and more are on the way."
"Ah... oh! You really came!"
He seemed on the verge of giving up, because tears welled up in his eyes as joy washed over him.
We planned to stop the Monster Parade, of course—but I had no intention of leaving the villagers behind.
"Adventurers are coming to help with the evacuation, so please follow them and get clear of the village."
"G-get clear of the village? Aren't you here to save us? You want us to abandon it?"
"No. The fighting could get intense, and monsters might spill into the village. We're asking you to evacuate so we can focus on taking them down."
"We'll definitely defeat the monsters, so please trust us and head somewhere safe."
They weren't hopeless—they just needed to step away during the battle. Once we said it with full confidence, the villagers began preparing to leave.
Of course, a few stubbornly refused to go.
Whoosh!
"Rest easy and go."
"A-alright."
A wide blast of fire magic toward the sky convinced them in a hurry.
And not just them—the other villagers moved with newfound hope in their eyes.
Showing off our power visually and spectacularly beat dry, boring explanations any day.
By the time everyone had arrived, the hunters dispatched from Dandelrion to aid the evacuation pulled up.
"Everyone! The Monster Parade is coming—evacua... Huh? You're already doing it?"
They looked baffled but approached us anyway as they helped with the villagers.
"Did you come from somewhere else on a rescue request? Help us with the evacuation."
"No, we're staying to stop the Monster Parade."
"Stop it?! Courage is great, but that's reckless! Wait—you're that noble young master from before! Don't be foolish; come with us."
"Pfft, 'noble young master.'"
"Keeping secrets, huh?"
"Bro's got a playful side."
My siblings snickered beside me.
"It's not a joke."
"Kids, what are you doing here? Go with the adults."
One hunter scolded my siblings, who looked like ordinary children.
They just grinned and summoned their spirits.
"Don't worry about us."
"You guys just help with the evacuation."
"Don't get in our hunting way!"
"Wha—? High-grade spirits?!"
The hunter's eyes went wide at the sight.
Then my siblings slyly pulled back their robes to reveal their faces.
"Gasp!"
The hunter's face twisted in shock.
Triplets with identical faces, wielding high-grade spirits.
Everyone knew who that pointed to in this kingdom.
"We'll handle ourselves, so you focus on evacuating."
"Got it?"
"Hurry up!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
The hunters scattered to help the villagers right away.
Hurlan asked my siblings.
"Your Highnesses, was showing your faces really necessary?"
"It's quicker."
"Explaining to each one is a pain."
"Time to prep for the hunt!"
An hour after we finished preparing...
A horde of monsters burst from the nearby forest.
"Whoa! Fresh prey!"
"Everyone ready?!"
"Bro! Show us something cool!"
"You got it."
True to the name Monster Parade, hordes of monsters were coming—but I felt no fear.
"Amelin. Let's go."
"Y-yes, Your Highness!"
During our magic lessons, I'd practiced joint spells with Amelin just like I had in the Nardan Jungle.
My wind magic—now more refined—merged with her Flame Tornado, birthing a massive vortex of fire that swept away the charging front-runners.
In terms of flashiness, it rivaled the advanced spells Amelin cast in Savior of the World.
"Whoa! What was that?!"
"Big-butts Amelin sis and Bro did magic together!"
"Incredible! Right, Hurlan?"
"Yes... truly astonishing."
"We can't fall behind! Windy! Sweep 'em!"
[Leave it to me.]
Riki followed up with Windy, launching their own attack.
[A fire whirlwind? Copying that would lack style.]
The wind spirit.
Windy—a translucent humanoid—swung an arm, unleashing a massive wind blade that cleaved the oncoming monsters in half.
An attack that would demand immense mana and skill to replicate with pure magic.
But spirit mages could borrow spirit power with far less mana than any sorcerer.
[Honey!]
I felt admiration from Honeybee on my shoulder, transmitted via our pact.
"Pretty cool, huh, Honeybee?"
[Honey!]
"Watch everything from here on out. Might come in handy someday."
[Honey!]
We traded off a few more rounds: me with Amelin, then Riki directing Windy.
That cleared most of the initial monsters that had charged from the forest.
But the real threat of a Monster Parade wasn't the speedy frontrunners.
It was the hulking brutes coming up behind.
As expected, massive monsters began lumbering out of the forest one by one.
No risk of encirclement now that we'd secured the perimeter—but each one packed serious power.
If we didn't drop them fast, we'd face them plus whatever followed.
"Laki! Our turn!"
"Yeah! Ruki!"
"Come forth!"
Ruki summoned the blessing spirit Sankria, while Laki called Jenos and a host of battle spirits.
"Everyone, battle stations!"
"Blessings galore! Sankria!"
[As my contractor wills.]
A power we'd seen plenty in Savior of the World—not just sub-DPS or tanking from support spirits, but buffs called blessings, now applied to everyone here.
"This is a spirit's blessing..."
"Power's surging through me!"
"With His Highness's blessing, no foe can stand against us! Don't tarnish His Highness's name!"
"Yes, Captain!"
"White Serpent Knights! Chaaarge!"
Hurlan and my siblings' knights charged the monsters in unison.
"We won't be outdone! Black Eagle Knights! Charge!"
"Raaah!"
My knights rushed in too.
"Go! Fight!"
[The battlefield calls!]
[Monster Parade! It's been ages!]
[Blood! Blood! Blood! Blood! Blood! Blood! Blood!]
Laki's summoned spirits plunged into battle next.
"Kirigumo, guard Amelin and the others."
"Understood."
"Amelin, hit the monsters with magic from the rear."
"Y-yes!"
"Follow me, Tenka."
"Yes, my lord!"
"Honeybee, pull back if it gets dicey, got it?"
[Honey!]
I drew my sword and headed to the front lines with Tenka, where the fighting raged hottest.
Ruki's spirit blessing made my body feel incredibly light.
Proof?
Slash!
No effort needed to cut down the monster lunging right at me.
'Ruki always just said it made you feel overflowing with power, but it buffs strength too, baseline.'
I swung my blade relentlessly, grinning as more monsters poured in.
'Gotta test every build I can use... won't end till I'm done.'
Chances like this to gauge all my builds' power didn't come often.