Four Heavenly Kings Jahar (2)
Suddenly appearing demonic beasts turned Terezia into hell itself.
“Kyaaah!”
“Hurry and evacuate!”
The soldiers and knights guarding Terezia fought desperately, but the situation was far from easy.
“Damn it, there are too many!”
“...Wait, what the hell is that?”
The beasts killed people. And those who died like that turned into beasts themselves.
Before long, Terezia's forces realized that what they were fighting had once been people.
“No! No way! That's my fiancée! There might be some way to reverse it—”
Even for the Windsor Knights, it was grueling.
Rihaton gritted his teeth and slashed at a beast. The noble who had been wailing about his fiancée bowed his head, tears streaming down his face.
“Of all times, why now? Weren't the demons attacking Roendel?”
The damage was already immense. Yet if the Windsor Knight Order remained intact, they could contain it quickly.
'Damn it. I thought I was strong enough, but it's still not sufficient.'
Rihaton keenly felt the absence of high knights.
“Rihaton!”
“Diton! Have you found Lord Lude?!”
“N-No, nowhere!”
“What?”
“Lord Chiron and Lord Lude—they're both gone! Witnesses say they were there just moments ago but vanished suddenly!”
“!”
A desperate situation. Only desperate news reached his ears.
Rihaton broke out in cold sweat. He saw beasts charging at people with mad ferocity. Buildings crumbled, and screams filled the air from every direction.
'What... what do I even do?'
He couldn't grasp where to begin.
“Rihaton! Behind you!”
“...!”
In that moment of distraction, a beast lunged at Rihaton.
'Damn, too late—'
“One Flash—”
The instant he thought it was over, a golden flash sliced across the beast.
Through the cleaved beast, Beatrice sheathed her sword, steadying her breath. The two Windsors gulped.
That beast wasn't one you could fell in a single strike.
“Are you both okay?”
“We owe you our lives, Betty. Do you know what's going on?”
Beatrice averted her gaze ambiguously.
“No idea. But the order is to evacuate everyone to the imperial palace.”
“Prioritizing evacuation first, then. I'll take that side.”
The three Windsors split off in different directions.
Beatrice hurried along, cutting down beasts as she thought.
'...What would Sisilia do?'
Too many had already died. If Sisilia had been at full strength, would even one have perished?
'If only I'd taken her injuries instead.'
Beatrice gritted her teeth and severed a beast's neck. She shoved aside weak thoughts and focused on what Sisilia would do.
She tried to recall everything she'd learned from traveling with her.
—Always see the core, Betty. If I weren't here and you collapsed like this, saving one person would cost a thousand lives.
Once, during a minor mission, Beatrice had gotten injured trying to save someone. Sisilia had said:
—Save only those you're permitted to, Betty. Saving everyone like me? Do that after you get stronger. Promise.
'I'm sorry.'
Beatrice halted her frantic movements. Beasts chased screaming people.
'I can't save everyone.'
She swallowed tears, bit her lip hard, and turned away. Closing her eyes, she conjured small orbs of light and scattered them across Terezia.
Using her mana to save those she could right now. She'd chosen to search for Chiron and Lude's locations.
“Found them.”
One spot blocked her mana. Beatrice sprinted there full-tilt.
It was Sisilia's mansion.
“...!”
Arriving, Beatrice's eyes widened. A transparent barrier enclosed the space. Inside, a fierce battle raged.
A black something hounded Chiron relentlessly. Each sword clash shook and rang through the entire area.
Lude, finishing his chant, thrust out his hand.
Boom—!
With a muffled thud, the black something slammed into the ground. Massive gravity rippled visibly.
Beatrice whipped her gaze skyward at a faint chuckle. A demon with blood-red eyes watched from above, sneering.
'Jahar.'
She knew it instantly, though she'd never seen him.
She looked back at the black something.
'Then... what is that?'
Not even a Sword Sovereign and archmage's combo fazed it. It just charged straight ahead—no magic or sword could halt it.
Chiron's face was stoic as ever, but Beatrice sensed he'd reached his limit.
Then, Chiron's eyes met hers.
“Lo-Lord Chiron!!”
Her sharp cry didn't seem to reach him. Instead, he glanced at Lude, muttered something, and brutally repelled the black thing.
Kaboom!
As it crashed into a building, Chiron raised his sword sky-high.
——!
His blade blazed in deep purple, cleaving space with a strike that seemed to devour the world.
For a split second, Beatrice saw the space divide.
Lude, reaching the barrier's edge, extended a hand to her.
“Hah, hah—”
“Lu-Lord Lude.”
Through a slight tear in the barrier, Lude spoke urgently.
“Hurry to Sisilia! Jahar's after her!”
“W-What?”
“Take Sisilia and run, Beatrice! The only hope to kill that thing is Sisilia!”
“Th-Then you and Lord Chiron—”
“No time to explain! Follow orders, Beatrice Windsor!”
Normally, Beatrice would obey without question. But the shock was too great.
'That thing—'
The knight of knights—Chiron Windsor. Former captain, not retired from decline but to pass the torch. His power remained whole; only Sword Saint Erterion surpassed him.
And Lude, the archmage. Battle-specialized, yet peerless in magical knowledge—rumored to rival legendary grand mages.
What was that thing those two couldn't stop?
...And could Sisilia truly slay something they couldn't?
Memories flashed through Beatrice's mind.
—How did you kill Maui? Even the Demon King couldn't face it. I regret not seeing it.
Freya's mutter. Sisilia hiding her power. Injured fighting Maui.
Lude's “only hope.” Returning from a foe that overwhelmed a Sword Sovereign and archmage with mere wounds.
Putting it together:
'No way.'
Beatrice murmured unconsciously.
“...Maui?”
Lude's eyes widened in horror.
“N-No!”
“!”
Before his urgent cry finished—
—Aaaargh!
A soul-rending scream echoed. Maui, locked in combat with Chiron, charged straight at Beatrice.
Crash!
The barrier tore like paper—as if it meant nothing from the start. Maui targeted her.
Beatrice couldn't react. It was too fast, too destructive.
As the black shadow loomed over her—
Kaboom—!
Chiron seized Maui's head and smashed it into the ground.
—Kieeeeeek!
Maui thrashed to escape, but Chiron's iron grip held firm.
“Kuhahaha!”
Jahar, emerging from the barrier, laughed maniacally.
“If you all rushed in now, you might have a chance?”
Then he bellowed in rage:
“You haven't changed at all since back then, Chiron!”
Beatrice didn't hear him. Her eyes fixed on Chiron pinning the writhing Maui barehanded.
His hand was gradually engulfed by something black.
She didn't know what it was. But her instinct screamed one word:
'Death' itself.
“Beatrice.”
Even then, Chiron was calm. His usual stoic face, steady voice. But the faint smile on his lips burned into her mind.
“Take care of my daughter.”
'This is wrong.'
Beatrice's vision blurred. But she knew her choice was clear.
She turned and ran toward the mansion, layered barriers be damned.
“Has the candidate been decided?”
Meanwhile, a white-haired girl overlooked it all.
Her short bob barely touched her neck, petite frame and delicate features utterly cute—but her ghostly pale skin and blank white eyes felt otherworldly.
Freya watched Beatrice sprinting desperately, then glared at Jahar mocking her from above.
Lude tried erecting a barrier, but time was short.
Beatrice would die. Chiron and Lude too, just slower. Their deaths were certain.
Or rather—certain right before it happened.
—Don't use my mana unless it's a real emergency.
Freya yawned, rubbing her eyes.
“Is this emergency enough?”
She didn't really know. But she didn't want Beatrice dead. She held some affection for her, after all.
Demonic affection, unlike her pure love for Sisilia.
Whether it benefited humans? They'd see.
—Obey well, and I'll reward you.
“...I want that reward.”
Freya's sole motivation: fulfilling a small desire.
She lightly raised one hand. Using Authority on this scale burdened even her.
But luckily—her contractor's mana was plentiful.
Fortune smiled. Freya twirled her finger once.
Creak—
The clock hand behind her ticked forward one notch.
“...?”
“Lady Betty?”
Beatrice stared blankly at puzzled Ruby.
“What is...”
“I'm shopping for a gift for Sisilia. If you're free, could you help pick something...?”
Ruby's eyes sparkled as she hefted a gold pouch.
“I got my part-time pay.”
This was just before the incident. Beatrice had run into beasts while shopping with Ruby for Sisilia's gift.
“N-No way.”
“Eh.”
She'd returned to the past.
**
“Achoo. Achoo.”
Sisilia sniffled, propping herself up halfway. She stared blankly somewhere.
“This girl.”
Her cheeks puffed out.
“How much mana is she using?”
Already with a cold, and now her mana kept getting siphoned. She was seriously pissed.