The Demigod Beast's Charge
A minor commotion stirred in the peaceful afternoon of Terezia.
"This is Her Majesty's order to evacuate!"
"Please move to the imperial palace in an orderly fashion!"
To the citizens going about their daily lives, it was far too sudden.
"You gonna close up shop today?"
"Nah, nothing's gonna happen. This is Terezia, after all."
Some folks weren't listening. In fact, quite a few.
The soldiers looked troubled.
"At least tell us why!"
"The enemy invasion is imminent..."
"Then hit 'em first before they get here!"
"If we fight in Terezia, won't our houses get wrecked?"
"This is my home I bought..."
"House prices are already tanking—it's tough enough!"
They'd received orders, but even the soldiers didn't know the full details. Just "evacuate the people fast."
"Her Majesty must finally be losing it in her old age."
"She's at that age, yeah."
As protests swelled and soldiers got jostled around, she appeared.
"I haven't lost my marbles yet. And I'm still in my prime."
"Uh, eep."
The nobleman gossiping behind her back clamped his mouth shut in a panic. But seeing the empress's sullen face, it was already too late.
"I-I'll take my own life. Please, at least spare my family."
"......Don't say things you don't mean. Hmm? Oh, right—you're the one who tried to buy my knickknacks from me during that inspection last time."
The nobleman's face drained white. But he clung to his convictions.
"I take that back. I only wanted the little maid's knickknacks. If I'd known it was Your Majesty, I wouldn't have said a word."
The nobleman fled amid a hail of stones from the outraged crowd.
Lydia watched with a pathetic expression, then sighed.
"This is no joke."
The Liannen citizens, who had been picking their ears during the soldiers' pleas, now listened intently to the empress.
"Terezia stands on the brink. To overcome this crisis, I need your cooperation. Pack only the bare essentials and evacuate to the palace at once. This place will soon become—a battlefield."
With the empress personally overseeing, the evacuation proceeded smoothly. Lydia stayed until the end, watching, before slipping into a dark alley.
Poof.
Transformed into a white cat, Lydia scampered forward on tiny paws.
Her destination: a certain girl's shoulder.
"Nyaaaooong."
-That should cover my part.
Lydia diligently licked the girl's cheek to deliver her message.
"That tickles."
Sisilia said flatly, picking up the cat and stroking its nose gently.
Sisilia was still breathing raggedly. Penicillin couldn't cure Maui's curse, obviously. The best her newbie cheer buff could do was fake normalcy for a minute.
-You look unwell.
"I'm fine. A mere cold won't dull my sword."
The white cat fretted, prodding Sisilia's cheek with soft paws.
-Even so, your resolve hasn't changed?
"No."
Sisilia affirmed firmly, despite the pain.
"Focus all the city barrier's blessings on Betty. It's my lifelong wish."
-If it's Sisikitten's lifelong wish, how can I refuse?
The cat crossed its arms, tilting its head with a hum.
-Concentrating blessings on one person would heal your condition easily. On Lord Chiron, and Jahar wouldn't stand a chance. Yet you won't change your choice?
It was a barrier protecting the entire city. Devoting it to one would yield miraculous effects—no exaggeration. At minimum, a full realm advancement.
"Papa and I are strong enough. Above all, concentrating on Betty gives the best results."
-You really believe Beatrice will have an enlightenment.
No matter the power granted, it meant nothing if she couldn't wield it. By those standards, Beatrice fell short. She couldn't even use Extreme Art yet.
Sisilia's premise assumed Beatrice would awaken mid-battle and ascend to Sword Demon knight.
"Of course. So watch closely. It's Betty's promotion exam."
-Another high knight for the Windsor Knights would be a boon. But even if Sisikitten begs, I won't force it. If she doesn't meet the bar, I'll judge coldly.
Sisilia smiled brightly.
"You'll see. Betty's the protagonist this time—she'll pull it off."
"?"
The cat pointed at itself with a question mark.
-Wasn't I the protagonist...?
Unfortunately, no.
'I wanted a total newbie to shine, but that's unrealistic. Betty's a bit sour, but still a newbie.'
Honestly, other newbies wouldn't have reached this point. It was because it was Beatrice that they'd made it this far.
Hard workers deserved rewards. Sisilia resolved to praise Beatrice to the skies.
This time, she'd be the sun illuminating the moon. The sun always shines, but people only see the gentle moon.
**
"I am Jahar, the wandering storyteller."
Amid the fearful crowds gathered in the palace, a man began his speech.
"In these chaotic times, may I borrow a moment of your precious time?"
"Haha! A bard's tales are always welcome. What've you got for us this time?"
"Give it a go. Perfect timing—things were getting dull."
Like moths to a flame, people gathered around Jahar.
He licked his lips, grinning slyly as he spoke.
"The hero who saved the world turned back after slaying the Demon King. And there..."
The crowd looked intrigued. What scene did the world-saving hero behold last?
Jahar paused dramatically, building tension.
'Showtime.'
Foolish humans, clustering together under the guise of evacuation. No escape left anywhere.
As Jahar savored their fearful anticipation and opened his mouth—
"The hero—"
"Correct."
His words cut off rudely, Jahar's face twisted beyond control.
It infuriated him. He'd planned to reveal all at the end before killing them. He forced a smile.
"Haha, excuse m—"
Looking at the rude intruder, Jahar's expression froze.
"Double peace Sisilia."
"—!"
Boom!
A blade of wind slashed upward from below. Jahar blocked instinctively but was hurled skyward by the force.
"You dare—!"
Jahar glared at Sisilia in rage. Her robe had torn from the strike, silver hair fluttering as she stared back.
"I won't forgive you! Atone for massacring my kin, you butcher!"
Jahar thrust his hand skyward. Black smoke surged at Sisilia instantly.
She leaped lightly, stepping on the smoke and charging him.
"Wh-what the—"
Smoke you could step on? Doubts aside, Jahar waved his hand to block her charge. Thousands of black blades flew at her—unavoidable, unbreakable.
Each forged from souls.
"N-no way, what the—"
Yet Sisilia bounded across them like stepping stones, accelerating madly.
As cold sweat beaded on Jahar's cheek—
"Bam."
Sisilia appeared from his blind spot, whispering in his ear.
He whipped around. Her silver sword was already at his throat.
"Gaaahhh—!"
She carved into him relentlessly.
'What kind of absurd human—'
As Jahar writhed in agony, reaching for his Authority— Sisilia's glazed eyes sharpened, slashing down at his gut.
"Guhk—!"
Kaboom!
He plummeted vertically, cratering into the ground. Spitting air, he rose trembling.
Sisilia shook her blade midair a few times, approaching slowly.
"Perfect timing to nullify your Authority. With just a gut kick."
Jahar exhaled raggedly, standing.
"But meaningless. Physical attacks mean nothing to me."
He glared murderously. Strong human. No worry, though. His Authority was Soul Annihilation. As a soul manipulator, physical blows were pointless. Painful, sure.
"Urgh. I was going to show mercy, but forget it. You'll die here—"
"You say."
Sisilia turned her head slightly, his glare burdensome.
"Papa."
"I heard. But—he'll still feel pain. Anyway."
Jahar spun around. Chiron emerged from an alley, strolling casually.
"You always make things difficult for me."
Knight of knights. Sword Sovereign by pure skill alone. He entered the plaza, drawing his blade.
"Sisilia."
One step. That was it.
Shing!
His sword was at Jahar's throat. Jahar's head tumbled cleanly.
Even in death, Jahar couldn't comprehend.
'One stored soul gone. How did a mere sword sever a soul?'
Chiron's blade bore only blue aura. No physical attack should work on him.
Yet Chiron made it so.
'Time to use it. No room for leisure.'
But a Four Heavenly King's title wasn't for show. Jahar regenerated effortlessly, leaping back.
"Keh—heh. You've made the worst choice."
Regenerated, he glared death at Chiron.
"Fine. I admit you're strong. But let's see you strut before an immortal demigod."
'Page one ends. Page two begins.'
Sisilia clutched her dizzy head, hurrying to Chiron. He sighed, grabbing her nape.
"Land well."
'My part ends here.'
Now, others' turns.
Sisilia rasped, limp.
"Be safe. I'll be mad if you get hurt. Won't talk to you for a month. For real."
"......That's scary."
Chiron smiled faintly as Jahar's black mist engulfed Terezia.
"Come, Maui—."
Chiron hurled Sisikitten with all his might.
**
Thud roll! Sisilia tumbled outside the walls.
"Achoo."
Sniffling, she rose, piecing together the plan through foggy thoughts.
Others hold Jahar's forces. Sisilia ties down Maui. Chiron kills Jahar.
Maui vanishes naturally.
That was the plan Sisilia barely convinced Chiron with.
"Thought newbie grit would carry it."
But a little white lie. Killing Jahar wouldn't kill Maui. Maui outclassed him vastly; subjugating it was the anomaly.
So capture Maui somehow—but
"Too much this time."
Fighting a Maui-level beast without vaporizing Liannen was risky. Zero casualties meant curing the cold first.
Tough. But simple.
"......Hope it works."
Maui's curse lasted "until the target inevitably dies."
Solution: simple. Stop the heart.
Fool the curse into thinking this body was "dead" long enough.
Thump.
Sisilia suppressed her heartbeat to extremes. Her racing heart slowed.
"True name release."
Just before full stop, she unleashed it.
"Sword God Sisilia."
Then, she vented all mana into the air without hesitation.
-Heaven-Breaking Powerless Sword.
Activating Extreme Art, her body stirred. Winds endlessly converging on her sword halted.
Caster "dead," the art canceled mid-cast.
Yet the phenomenon lingered. Winds floated ownerless, rippling into her body.
The willful winds softly stimulated her heart.
Thump—.
Thump—.
Her stopped heart beat again. Body twitching, she cracked open heavy lids.
"Won't do that twice. Caught a glimpse of Lady Goddess's side part."
Grunting, she leaned on her sword to rise. Her body recovered swiftly; vitality filled her eyes.
Dizziness gone, an urge to flip Betty's skirt surged.
"I'll show you the goddess this time. You want that too, right? Maui—"
Boom, boom!
She sensed Maui barreling through obstacles.
"Didn't know you'd be this excited."
Even as the demigod beast closed in, Sisilia wore her usual faint smile.
Mana at 0%. No reserves to revert cute Betty.
Mana-less, she was just a slightly strong ordinary girl.
"Sorry for DPS-checking last time."
Sisilia raised her sword straight.
Raids needed handicaps, proper respect.
"This time, full sincerity."
Mana depleted. One mistake meant instant death.
Her precious character deleted by boss mechanics.
In a word: life-or-death character sack bread.
"Sounds fun."
Smirk.
It was Sisilia's favorite content.