#056 Night Raid
#056 Night Raid
After giving up the bed to the two of them.
I was certain the enemy would show up, and since I couldn't just sit still, I checked the time.
It was still 8 p.m.
While Lucius and Rosemas were getting ready for bed, I excused myself and went outside to find people who could help me.
"Bareness."
"Oh, if it isn't Witch?"
Bareness, who was preparing to leave from near the Adventurers' Guild, greeted me warmly but with a hint of puzzlement.
"Have you come looking for me, Witch?"
"Yes. I need your help."
"Oh-ho. Witch needs my help..."
Bareness took my hand, her eyes sparkling.
"You haven't suddenly become curious about the teachings of the Azure Moon Goddess, have you?"
"Yes. No. I'm sorry to disappoint you right off the bat when I'm the one asking a favor, but it's nothing like that."
"I see. I only asked on the off chance. So, what business brings you here?"
"Normance may be in danger."
"...Tell me more."
I gave a concise summary of the Demon King Army's tactics.
Bareness listened with a grave expression and took my concerns seriously enough, but...
"I'm sorry, but I will move according to the original plan. I'm going to block the Dimensional Gate."
"Bareness."
"Preparing for things that may or may not happen is all well and good, but Guild Master Francis has a point about controlling the crisis right in front of us first. If we leave the Dimensional Gate alone and a high-ranking demon comes through, that would be a real disaster."
Bareness had a point too.
The Dimensional Gate that had opened at the northern lake was said to be quiet for now, but there was no telling when another monster might come through. From the perspective of sending someone who could close the Dimensional Gate quickly and efficiently...
"I and the strike force will quickly destroy the Dimensional Gate and return."
Strategically, it was far more advantageous for the Hero wielding the Flame Holy Sword and others with good mobility to rush to the Dimensional Gate and smash it.
"I'd like to rest too, but the strike force going to destroy the Dimensional Gate is a life-or-death mission. If I don't go, the strike force won't be able to go either."
"...That's true."
"Yes. If the Holy Sword Hero drops out of a life-risking mission, who else would step up?"
I agreed with that.
Those going to destroy the Dimensional Gate were risking their lives, so they'd want to go with someone who was both the safest and most reliably skilled.
Heroes were always forced into sacrifice like this whenever humans were in danger.
"But the enemy will attack while you're away, Bareness. You're the one they're most concerned about. You're the strongest person in this city right now."
"Haha, thank you. I don't know what to do with myself."
Bareness turned her head away, blushing.
I was only stating facts. She was called the Mercenary King and must have received such praise from others, yet she reacted like this to a compliment about her own abilities?
"When others say things like that, I just let it pass, but hearing it from you, Witch, feels different somehow. Hmm, very well. Witch. I promise."
Bareness took my hand and hooked her pinky around mine.
"I will close the Dimensional Gate faster than anyone and return straight to the city. While the Magitech Anti-Aircraft Cannon holds, I will move swiftly, destroy the Dimensional Gate, and come back."
"Thank you. If staying in the city is difficult, I'd like to borrow your voice."
"My voice...?"
"Yes. Your standing as the Mercenary King."
"Hmm... Considering what you're worried about, Witch."
Bareness snapped her fingers and winked one eye.
"You want me to instill a sense of alertness in people before I leave!"
"Wow."
How did she figure it out so quickly?
I'd just assumed she was a fanatic obsessed with the Azure Moon Goddess.
"Should I use my standing as the Mercenary King and Holy Sword Hero to tell people that the enemy may launch a night raid and to prepare thoroughly?"
"...Thank you. Really."
Francis hadn't listened to me.
Whether it was because he was bald, or because he thought spreading such words to everyone would create excessive anxiety, he had kept silent and seemed to have spread the word only among people he trusted.
Even though that actually made people more anxious.
But if Bareness told people in the right way?
"If I emphasize the Hero's absence, people will be sufficiently on guard. Please tell them that Magic Beasts may attack the city while I'm gone, and not to let their guard down tonight."
"...Witch."
Bareness looked at me with rather serious eyes.
"Do you move while anticipating everything?"
"...It's more that I want to prepare for every situation. If there's even a chance that one person might die, I have to prepare so that person doesn't die."
Reducing the human population would strengthen the Church of the Azure Moon Goddess.
Just look.
At the Azure Moon Goddess's miracles pervading this city.
I could never let people die so carelessly.
"...You truly have all the qualities of a Saintess, Witch."
Bareness suddenly knelt on one knee before me, took my hand, and pressed her lips to the back of it.
"Though our faith points in different directions, you are a true Saintess who practices the Azure Moon Goddess's teachings better than anyone. I, Bareness, swear this to you, Witch."
"Swear?"
"Yes."
Smooch.
Bareness kissed my ring finger, smiled softly, and looked up at me.
"Before the warmth of this kiss cools, I will close the Dimensional Gate and return."
"...What nonsense. Hmph. Just go and come back."
"Yes, yes. Ah, but Witch."
Bareness met my gaze with a serious face.
"May I hug you just once?"
"...If that's what you wish."
A hug was nothing.
Squeeze.
"......Hah. Mm, so this is the Witch's...."
Held in Bareness's arms, I was on the verge of relaxing completely from her softness and warmth.
"...I'll be back, Witch."
"Yes. Safe travels."
Preparations were complete.
Bareness returned to the people and spurred the organization of the strike force to quickly close the Dimensional Gate, while also warning people not to let their guard down.
'This should be enough.'
Everything that could be prepared through Bareness's voice was done.
The rest was just doing what I could.
"......It's been a while. Shall I go with that?"
Just in case.
In case Acedia's bastards neutralized the Magitech Anti-Aircraft Cannon, or in case they moved through other routes.
Tunnel networks. Meteors. Gate-opening via spies.
Neutralizing the Magitech Anti-Aircraft Cannon. Dimensional Gate overload. Surprise attacks via land routes.
Cavalry charge portals. Demon King throwing. Corrupting the Holy Sword Hero, etc.
To prepare for all seventeen tactics I might have used if I were attacking Normance, I moved throughout the city.
"......Perhaps."
Already.
The enemy might have infiltrated Normance.
* * *
Francis de Emery.
The branch head of the Normance Adventurers' Guild placed the people he trusted one by one at key locations and caught his breath.
"Please..."
Whether it was the Azure Moon Goddess or the Red Moon Goddess, anyone would do.
May the Dimensional Gate close safely, and may the enemy not attack until the Flame Hero Bareness returns.
"Why did Witch say such things..."
"Making people anxious?"
"Ah, Marpiaz."
Francis welcomed Marpiaz, his acquaintance and reliable comrade, an archer woman dressed in a black robe.
"Sorry. Making you stay up all night for nothing."
"Sorry? Staying up all night is what we rangers do."
"That's exactly why I'm apologizing."
"If you're sorry, let those people over there rest. Hee-hee."
Marpiaz giggled and handed over a potion.
Inside the glass bottle sloshed a red liquid, and Francis downed the potion in one gulp without a shred of doubt.
"...Ahh. How would I pull an all-nighter without this stuff."
"I sent potions to the others too. But Francis, do you really think the enemy will come?"
"I think they might. It's not just anyone—it was something Witch said."
"Hmm..."
Marpiaz leaned her head toward Francis.
"You just met her, and yet you follow Witch's words so well?"
"Wh-what?"
"Did you fall for Witch?"
"Th-that's absurd...!!"
Fallen for the witch?
Ridiculous.
"Then why do you believe everything Witch says? What is this witch person, anyway?"
"That's..."
"Isn't she more likely a spy the enemy planted in advance? You know, like the Demon King Army did before. Pretending to spectacularly defeat low-grade monsters to win humans' favor."
"That's true. But..."
The witch wasn't that kind of person.
If there was anyone in this world who hated and despised the Demon King Army more than anyone else, it was, without a doubt, the Crimson Mage.
"Hmm? What's wrong? Why is Francis, the King of Suspicion whose hair all fell out from the stress of being too suspicious, defending this witch person like this? Hmm?"
"No, hey, Marpiaz...?"
"How strange. Do you like Witch so much that you'd keep secrets even from me, your comrade of ten whole years? Did you two become that close in the meantime?"
"No, that's..."
The moment his head spun from Marpiaz's dizzying perfume as she drew closer.
Thwaaack!!
Along with the sound of a heavy blow, an unbelievable sight unfolded before Francis's eyes.
Onto Marpiaz's head.
The tip of a wooden staff dropped down like a hammer.
"Witch...?"
Craaash!!
The witch, who had brought her staff down on Marpiaz's head, landed on the floor in an instant and swung her staff full-force into Marpiaz's waist.
Clink.
Seeing Marpiaz attacked, Francis instinctively drew a dagger hidden in his coat and moved to attack the witch, but the witch had already extended a hand toward him to stop him.
"Ghk?!"
"Calm down. That woman is one of the Demonfolk. You've been hit with a paralytic poison."
"Huh...?"
The witch let out a sigh with an irritated face.
"No wonder you weren't listening to me. There was someone whispering sweet nothings in your ear."
"Th-that person is my comrade..."
"A comrade you traveled with was actually a Demonfolk stooge. That's really—"
"Eee, hee-hee-hee!!!"
Marpiaz let out a maddened shriek and spread both arms.
And then.
Poof—
She burst apart like mist.
Francis gaped in shock at the sight.
"A clone...?"
"...It's earlier than I expected, but perhaps now was the time to move."
The corner of the witch's lips trembled.
"...Arriving well before the appointed time is admirable, but coming at this hour is a nuisance."
* * *
"...So she was caught."
Malphas frowned and extended a hand.
"Well, it doesn't matter. The preparations are already complete."
At Malphas's gesture, a massive monstrous bird revealed itself behind him.
"Black Feather Wyvern."
Giant crows formed a colony and spread their wings toward Normance.
In an instant, the eyes of Normance's people turned toward the monstrous bird.
"Fools."
Kreeeeaaaaak!!
Inside Normance.
Giant Sandworms burst out from within Normance.
"Puhaha! It's the tunnel network! You should have noticed the moment the Sandworms appeared! You foolish—"
Craash.
One Sandworm went down.
Malphas whipped his head toward the exploded Sandworm.
"...Damn it."
A witch with flowing red hair was crushing the head of the Sandworm with its neck snapped underfoot, pointing her staff at him.
As if she had expected it.
"H-how dare you break through the Demon King's tactics as if you'd been waiting for them...! You insolent—!!!"
Gyaoooooo—!!
"All-out attack! Advance, my legion—!!"
"""Glory to the Demon King Army—!!"""
From the Sandworm's belly, countless crows burst out, flapping their wings.
Kreeeeeeeeek!!!!
3:18 a.m.
Acedia Demon King Army, full-scale assault on Normance commenced.