Chapter 32
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: 8. The Understander
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We're on the road back to the village.
The ingredient pouch hanging from my waist felt a lot lighter. I'd need to restock soon.
Ella was wandering around, wooden doll and sword dangling loosely in her hands.
'Where the hell did he go?'
The cult leader had vanished the moment he woke up that morning.
The wooden doll didn't respond either. She knew the person behind it was Broker.
She also knew Broker was communicating with her from afar.
And she was well aware that when Broker stepped away, the doll went silent.
'But both of them out of contact at the same time? Something's off.'
At first, she'd thought he'd just changed training spots.
Yesterday, he'd said, "Let's go somewhere more dangerous tomorrow."
But there were no signs of them at the planned location or anywhere nearby.
"...He ditched me."
Her chest tightened over and over. It felt more like betrayal than anger.
The thought hit her for a moment, but she immediately denied it.
This wasn't betrayal. Why should she feel betrayed by him?
'This isn't betrayal. I'm just pissed off.'
She muttered to herself as she reached the village entrance.
A roar echoed from the horizon. The ground trembled.
"...?!"
She looked up to see a black wave surging toward the village.
Demon spawn. Dozens—no, hundreds—rushing in a horde.
"Crazy!"
The village's wooden fence wouldn't hold them back. The houses would be trampled in seconds, and the people...
'No.'
Thought came before action. Ella kicked off the ground and charged out.
She set the wooden doll down and raced straight between the village and the demon spawn, blocking their path.
The first demon spawn loomed before her. It looked like a dog, but with three jaws.
Ella took a deep breath.
[Feet shoulder-width apart. Right foot slightly forward. Weight on the front foot.]
The cult leader's voice brushed her ear. She assumed the stance he'd taught her.
She swung the sword.
Squish!
The demon spawn's head flew off. Blood sprayed from the blade's tip.
'Nailed it on the first try...!'
But there was no time to savor it. Two, then three more lunged at once.
"Ngh—!"
Pain raked her side. She endured it, whirling the sword around.
She slashed one open across the belly and stabbed another in the eye.
The demon spawn kept coming relentlessly. She handled them skillfully with what she'd learned, but there were too many.
'Too many. I can't...'
She glanced around. The demon spawn were trying to bypass her toward the village.
A few had already slipped to the side.
'I have to block them, but I can't cover everything...'
Then, a flash of sword light gleamed in the distance.
A girl was fighting the demon spawn. Her long hair whipped around, soaked in blood.
Her swordsmanship was sharp, but she was outnumbered.
'That girl...'
She recalled what the shopkeeper had said yesterday. One was an adult woman, the other a young girl.
"Over there—!"
Ella shouted. The girl turned. Their eyes met.
"Help me! We have to block the path to the village!"
Ella gestured toward the village. The girl's gaze followed her finger.
She could see the demon spawn splitting up.
Some went for Ella, some for the girl, and the rest toward the village.
The girl nodded. No words, but it meant she understood.
She slashed the demon spawn in front of her, then shifted position swiftly.
She struck the flank of the ones charging at Ella.
Ella moved too. She slipped through the gap the girl had made and blocked the ones heading for the village.
"Left side!"
"Got it...!"
The two began syncing up. One blocked in front while the other attacked from the side.
If one was in danger, the other saved her.
At first, it was clumsy. They couldn't predict each other's moves and sometimes collided.
But as the fight dragged on, their movements meshed.
'We're syncing better.'
The girl spun right, swinging her sword. Ella seized the opening and stabbed the demon spawn on the left.
The girl's swordplay felt strangely familiar.
"Watch your back!"
Ella ducked. Claws from the one behind her grazed overhead.
She spun and severed its leg; the girl finished it with a decapitation.
"Thanks!"
This time, the girl smiled faintly and nodded.
They kept cutting down the demon spawn, and the horde's momentum began to wane.
A brief lull. Ella and the girl stood back-to-back, talking.
"I'm Ella. What's your name?"
"Ceres."
"You got companions?"
"My master, but we're separated. Probably fighting other monsters way over there. You?"
Ella thought of the two.
She had no idea where the cult leader was, and she'd left the wooden doll far behind.
'Jerkasses.'
"...No clue where they are."
"Might've gotten caught up in this. Hang in there. My master's coming soon."
"Your master's strong?"
"Yeah. At least against these demon spawn, she'll never lose."
No sooner had she spoken than the demon spawn surged again.
Ella and Ceres roared and charged.
I'm watching Ella and Ceres's teamwork from afar.
They're relying on each other despite their injuries, cooperating in the crisis.
'Good. Perfect.'
"You're controlling the intensity just right, yeah?"
All the demon spawn are under Broker's control.
In fact, the ones charging the village had bizarrely tripped up before entering.
Now they're blatantly targeting Ceres and Ella.
[Don't boss me around. I'm busy.]
"Looks like it's about time."
The chimeras are dying off fast.
Can't stall against Arbelia von Carmilla any longer.
[Pull back, then?]
"Yeah. Send them all her way."
No sooner had I said it than the demon spawn began retreating.
Not just retreating outright—that'd look unnatural.
"Th-they're running...!"
Ella muttered.
The demon spawn fell back as if terrified, then scattered one by one.
I slipped through the gap.
Masked, sword in hand, I walked toward Ceres and Ella.
Ella spotted me first.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Ceres looked at me late. She clearly had no idea who I was.
With the mask and altered build, it made sense.
"I went to pick some ice herbs a bit further out."
"...?!"
I held up the ice herbs.
Of course, I hadn't picked them—I bought them in front of the shop.
"Didn't expect this mess to pop up."
"Why would you... Huh? What's with her?"
Ella trailed off, noticing Ceres's odd reaction.
Ceres was staring right through me.
Her gaze fixed on the mask, then dropped to my hand.
My right hand. The distinctive one severed in the demon fight.
Ceres's eyes trembled.
Her gaze wandered as if seeing somewhere else entirely.
"The v-voice..."
"...What's wrong?"
I met Ceres's eyes, playing dumb.
"You okay? Hurt anywhere?"
"...Kinda. Th-that hand. No, no. Uncle's definitely dead...?"
By now, even Ella sensed something was up.
She started glaring at me.
I forced back a laugh and told her otherwise.
"Whatever you're thinking, it's not that. It's just you and me."
"......Fine."
I looked down, scanning Ella's body.
Blood was oozing from the gash on her side.
Thanks to Broker's control, it wasn't deep.
"Let's treat that first. Ella, and you..."
"...Ceres. I'm Ceres."
"Right, Ceres."
I pulled out bandages and herbs.
With practiced moves, I applied herbs to their wounds and wrapped the bandages.
Ceres couldn't take her eyes off my hand and mask.
As I finished, Broker's telepathic message hit my ear.
[One chimera left. Time to bail.]
I tied off Ceres's bandage without replying.
"All done. You mentioned a companion?"
"Y-yes..."
"We're heading out of the north soon. Heard it's getting rough with that Blue Moon rebel group. What about you?"
"I-I'm... sticking with my master."
"See you around, then."
I dragged Ella out of the village. She followed, suspicion unsolved.
"What're you up to this time?"
I shrugged.
"If you're planning something to that girl, I..."
"Gone for her in just 30 minutes? First sight and you click that well? Wild."
"You—"
"I'm not doing anything. And even if I was, you think you could stop me?"
Ella had no comeback.
It wasn't too late—
"Wait—please!!"
I stopped.
Turning, Ceres was looking at me.