La Tarajue, La Saqat: Because She Is the Hero (2)
'No... what the hell.'
The Melrn Count despises the imperial family. He loathes their blood, their members, this country, and the nobility so intensely that he doesn't know what to do with his hatred. He's the kind of man who harbors rotten thoughts like it'd be better if they all just died, a utter piece of trash.
And that's precisely why.
"――――――!!"
...That's precisely why he couldn't understand the reason.
Why, in that situation, at that very moment, he had suddenly bellowed "No!" and charged toward Sia Romancia. Even he himself, the one who had charged in, had no idea why.
Fortunately, there was still some distance between the corpse dragon and Sia, and the Melrn Count's legs, enhanced by mana, carried him to her side even faster.
Normally, it would be blasphemy to touch an unmarried princess without permission, but with no time to quibble over such things, the Melrn Count seized Sia in his arms.
But that was the end of it. There was no more room to escape—the gaping maw of the corpse dragon was already right in front of his nose.
"Wha...?"
Sia's startled voice rang in his ear.
How pathetic, even in a situation like this. If Mine's air of detached enlightenment in every circumstance was infuriating in its know-it-all smugness, then Sia's clueless, foolish innocence—utterly oblivious to the world's tragedies—was equally maddening.
It pissed him off. It pissed him off. It pissed him off.
But above all—he pissed himself off the most. Why the hell had he thrown himself forward for a stupid princess like her, for reasons he couldn't even fathom?
Damn it, you fool. Damn it, you idiot.
"......?"
The Melrn Count had curled into a ball, clutching Sia tightly against his chest to shield her view, while erecting the strongest magical barrier he could muster at the moment. But strangely, the pain he expected never came. Puzzled, he lifted his head.
Beyond the barrier he had conjured—faintly tinged with gray—the dragon's jaws, drooling thick saliva, had halted right up close.
It wasn't blocked by the barrier. It had stopped of its own volition.
And between the dragon and the Melrn Count, right in front of that barrier.
Stood the Black Knight, reaching out with his hand.
『S... leep... ing...?』
『Th... is one... co... uldn't be...?』
Those red eyes gleamed as if testing him, glaring down.
One hand gripping his massive black greatsword, the knight hesitated.
『No... not... but... this is...?』
『Str... ange...?』
...The Melrn Count was Mona's contractor, and he had consumed more than half of the Maou's Egg fragments. Perhaps the knight was reacting to the Demon King's presence dwelling within him.
Can I survive this...?
The thought crossed his mind, and he clung to a slender thread of hope.
Maybe he'd live. Maybe it'd just let him go, pretending not to see.
That optimistic speculation crumbled the moment the knight silently readjusted his grip on the greatsword.
The black greatsword was enveloped in an even darker aura. That blade, shrouded in it, would slice through the Melrn Count's makeshift mana barrier in an instant.
He was an alchemist with some knowledge of magic arts, but magic required preparation, materials, and time. In this situation, with none of those, there was no way he could fend off the inhuman entity before him.
No, even at full strength, it'd probably cleave me in one stroke.
...If only I'd handled the Demon King's power a bit more.
He regretted avoiding that power to prevent being consumed by it. Too late now, of course.
"Damn it...."
A curse slipped out.
The knight said nothing, but emotionlessly raised his sword to cut him down. His movements were slow, as if still deliberating, but if this continued, the Melrn Count would surely die.
He might dodge one strike if he abandoned Sia and fled, but after risking his life to reach her, ditching her now would be ridiculous.
Sensing death imminent, the Melrn Count glared at the Black Knight commanding the corpse dragon—as his final act of defiance.
And it was right then.
"H-Hey, y-you, a-ah—"
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
Kuuuung!!!
A heavy impact roared.
The corpse dragon, standing behind the knight awaiting orders, was lifted half off the ground by a flying kick like a cannonball from the side, sent tumbling away. Flesh tore, black mist scattered, bones crunching horrifically.
A strike too powerful to believe came from human strength. And even harder to believe if the perpetrator was a slender woman.
But it didn't end there. Using the recoil from kicking the corpse dragon, the woman's silhouette sprang off the floor in a triangular leap, flowing toward the Black Knight like water.
A silver streak dazzling to the eyes.
The Black Knight hastily swung his raised greatsword—meant to finish Melrn and Sia—to block the incoming blade.
Chaeng!
Kakiiing!!
Not one blade, but two. Heavy longswords, one in each hand.
The Black Knight parried them both, but the attacker hadn't expected to fell him in one blow anyway.
The moment her strike was blocked, she spun her body effortlessly with the rebound, slashing from another angle.
At a speed beyond imagination, with menacing swordsmanship, the Black Knight—for the first time today—stepped back to evade.
『......?!』
But as if she'd anticipated even that reaction, the golden-haired woman matched his step, closing in.
No escape, no time to regroup...!
Shiiik—!
Kakiiing!
Piyuk, shiiit! Shishishishishishishishit!
Kaaang!
Kiiik, kiiik, kiiik, chiiit!
Kagagagagagagagagagang!!
A barrage in the blink of an eye, strike after relentless strike. The whirling silver storm clashed repeatedly with the knight's dark aura in fleeting instants, sparks flying.
Fast. Threatening. Intense—
As the Black Knight vaguely sensed danger, the figure pressing him with ferocious assault danced back lightly, opening distance.
"......Hoo. This time, I won't lose, tinhead."
The one who had blasted away his drake and unleashed an onslaught that even threatened the Black Knight was, without doubt, a familiar opponent.
The one he'd tried to cut down moments ago but failed to finish.
Hero Emilia.
She had just arrived on the scene.
Until moments ago, Emilia had been naked, her breasts and privates barely covered by cloth tied tightly around them—a crude outfit at best. The fabric looked luxurious, but anyone could tell at a glance it was just a curtain ripped from the corridor and wrapped around her.
Yet despite her shabby attire, her sharp presence and unyielding warrior's gaze commanded respect—no one could look down on her.
Jjangkang—!
Pasasak...!
Standing off against the Black Knight, the two heavy longswords in Emilia's hands suddenly cracked and shattered into pieces.
Fine swords by knights' standards, but mere steel couldn't withstand her aura's intensity.
But as if she'd foreseen it, Emilia calmly tossed aside the remaining hilts and shouted down at her shadow.
"Mona! Swords!"
Pyuuk!
Shwoot...!
Pop, kwoak...!
Two new swords rose from the shadow. Catching them deftly, Emilia resumed her stance.
A beautiful silver aura gleamed along the blades.
As Emilia poised to strike, the Black Knight mirrored her, taking his stance.
But he didn't charge. Instead, his red eyes flashed as he scanned her up and down, seemingly convinced.
『......So... that's... it...?』
『You... are... the Hero...?』
His face was hidden by the helmet, but Emilia felt like he was grinning. And indeed, if the Black Knight could show expressions properly, he would have smirked just as she imagined.
Found her. Found her. Found her!
Earlier, she'd lost her sword too pathetically and vanished before he could finish, so he hadn't been certain. Her spirit and presence had lacked punch, preventing him from declaring her the Hero outright.
But in this instant—even if a surprise attack—that swordsmanship that had cornered him and this aura made it clear.
The opponent before him now was unmistakably the Hero.
The target he was to kill per the Demon King's orders. His goal, the one he'd sought.
How could he not be thrilled to have the foe he'd longed for right in front of him?
Aah, yes. Aah, found her. Finally found her. The one I'll kill! Now I can fulfill the Demon King's command...!
『Ha,』
『Haha,』
『Hahahahahaha,』
『Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!』
The Black Knight laughed loudly. His voice, mingled with a phlegm-choked rasp, produced an unpleasant noise.
"......Shut up. Why the hell are you cackling like a maniac with someone right in front of you, you psycho?"
Frowning in disgust at the sound, Emilia steadied her stance once more.