82
Chapter 82
Whoosh-!
"Aaaagh!"
Blue flames are hotter than red ones. I didn't major in science, so I don't know the exact reason why. However, I feel like I've grasped that truth quite clearly at this moment.
That's because these damn flames are currently using my skin as kindling to blaze away. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! It feels like I'm being eaten alive by a wild beast!
"...You have a sturdy body."
"Dammit... if you know I'm sturdy, couldn't you go a bit easier on me?"
"And why would I do that?"
"For my sake, obviously, haha. I mean, do you really think I'm worried about you?"
"You sure talk a lot for someone with an open mouth."
"A clown is supposed to be able to say anything. If a society forces even the clowns who satirize the powerful to shut their mouths, then it's a dead society."
"...I think you've misunderstood something."
Raising a sword enveloped in a ball of Celestial Energy, Claire whispered softly. In her empty pupils, there was nothing but pure murderous intent.
"You are no brave pioneer. You are an arrogant devil."
Having said that, Claire swung her sword down.
Boom-!
"Demon! Why are you just standing there!"
But Claire could not cut me. It was because the King of Humans, who had flown in like a cannonball, shoved Claire aside with his shoulder.
Claire flew several meters as if struck by a blunt object. A tackle from the King of Humans, the heaviest and largest member of our party. No matter how much the Hero had awakened her Celestial Energy, she couldn't possibly be fine after taking a direct hit like that.
...At least, she shouldn't be.
"A human... why is a human helping a demon?"
Staggering as she rose, Claire regained her stance. As expected, a Hero is a Hero. A being born with transcendence, capable of defying common sense and correcting the laws of nature.
"How dare you harm my Lord! If you wish to cut him, you must get past me first!"
Swoosh-!
Beatrice rushed toward Claire, who stood like a pillar, with the speed of a ray of light. A black and white energy, which hadn't been seen until now, was gathering on her Greatsword.
Holy Power and Demonic Energy. The Holy Power she cherished, developed through faith after being chosen by the Lord during her time in the Holy Nation, and the Demonic Energy that grew steadily since she contracted with me two hundred years ago, now dominated the two edges of the Greatsword.
Perhaps judging that allowing those two opposing energies to clash would be dangerous, Hero Claire did not just take it but responded with her sword.
Clang-!
"Ha!"
"Why are these humans...!"
Sparks flew between Claire and Beatrice. Surprisingly, the battle was a stalemate.
It was because of the compatibility. Beatrice was a Warrior who utilized two types of energy. Since those two energies were polar opposites, it wasn't easy for Claire, who possessed only Celestial Energy, to face Beatrice head-on.
Even if she could handle the Demonic Energy, it was difficult for her to block Beatrice's white blade with Celestial Energy, which shared the same origin as Holy Power.
"Why is a human helping a demon! Have you sold your soul to a devil!"
"Selling my soul? You make my soul feel quite offended by saying that."
"You aren't wrong, my Lord."
Beatrice pressed Claire with lightning speed. Despite her intense movements, there was no tremor in her voice.
"However, I have no regrets. Since the moment I sold my soul to my Lord, I haven't regretted it for a single second."
"Do you realize how shameless that sounds? If the priests heard that, they'd be clutching their necks in agony."
"...The path I chose; if I must endure the consequences, I will do so with pride."
"Ah! Look ahead! Look ahead!"
Pushed into a defensive position, Claire exerted all her strength to swing her sword vertically. Beatrice hurriedly held her Greatsword horizontally to block Claire's strike.
Screeeech-.
No matter how good the compatibility is, it seems that when the gap in raw power becomes too wide, one eventually falls disadvantaged.
As the Hero poured all her strength into the downward strike, blood flowed like a stream from the corner of Beatrice's mouth, who was absorbing the full pressure.
However, if the Hero has power, we have numbers.
No, come to think of it, it's not just numbers, but we also have a hostage.
"Mr. John! Join Beatrice immediately!"
"A demon?"
"Hurry! Tie down the Hero's feet!"
Claire, you really are a rookie.
To let your reason be clouded by anger when you have something to protect. You should have just not made anything to protect, like me.
A flashing idea must be put into practice immediately. The King of Humans, having received my order, pounced on Claire without a moment's hesitation, casting aside his doubts. Meanwhile, I ran at full speed toward the solution to this fight.
Crash, Claire was sent flying again in a pathetic manner. Still, she didn't seem to have taken major damage, as she staggered back to her feet.
"You... wicked creatures...!"
"John! Grab the Hero's legs! I shall cut her upper body!"
"Ahem! Just leave it to me!"
The King of Humans restrained Claire's ankles with heavy force. Blue flames blazed, burning the King of Humans' entire body, but he endured it, exhaling a huff of breath.
Beatrice immediately thrust her sword toward Claire, whose upper body was pinned. Demonic Energy and Holy Power surged simultaneously toward the youth. Claire blocked Beatrice's blade with her own flame-wreathed sword.
Perhaps getting used to the Celestial Energy, the Hero's momentum was expanding ever more fiercely. It was enough to make sweat bead on the brows of the King of Humans and Beatrice, who were holding him down.
I have to admit, the tenacity of the Hero lineage is something else. Suddenly, the lyrics of a bard's song came to mind.
Who are you, swinging your sword at the edge of the world-?
Just a common wanderer who believes in the Lord-.
Nibelungen Siegfried, the First Hero. It was certainly a song mourning him.
Looking at Hero Claire, I see Nibelungen Siegfried. The two are similar in some way. Perhaps because they are both Heroes.
To achieve revenge for fallen comrades, resisting powerful enemies without giving up.
Though flesh is torn and guts are sliced, rising again from knees that were meant to be bent through awakening.
Fighting and fighting again, desperately and miserably, to finally achieve victory alongside shining glory.......
That's a story from a legend!
"Hero! Look over here!"
Get a grip, you human lost in a romantic illusion.
A poet who lives and dies for romance is all well and good, but now is the time to distinguish reality.
The repertoire where a Hero, realizing their lack of strength in a moment of crisis or upon the death of comrades, awakens magnificently to win.
I find it far too cliché.
"...! Caroline!!"
"Dame Beatrice! Mr. John! You can stop pushing now! The fight is over!"
"Urgh...! C-Claire...!"
Claire raised her voice in fury. However, she could not easily approach me.
Because in my hand, I was holding the priest friend that Uriel had subdued earlier. Of course, I had a magic wand dripping with Demonic Energy pressed against her neck.
It's been a while since I've played the hostage-taker.
"Demon!! Let Caroline go this instant!!"
"Ahaha, listen to the dog bark. Where in this world is there an idiot who lets go of a weapon already in his hand?"
Grab-.
"Kyaaa!"
"You son of a bitch!! Stop it right now!!"
"Would you stop if you were me, you moron?"
I grabbed the hair of the good girl who follows the Lord and pulled upward. The girl's body lifted off the ground. I wore a smile full of meanness. The Hero was enraged to the core, spitting out curses.
Being angry means she hasn't grasped the reality yet. If she realized her own position and the situation, she shouldn't be angry at me.
She should be begging.
"Hmm, I think a magic wand filled with Demonic Energy is a bit too lethal for a hostage situation. Don't you agree, Hero?"
"Kuh...! I will surely devour you...!"
"Wow, it sounds like you have a rag in your mouth. Maybe it's because I'm not providing any visual stimulation."
Rotating the magic wand half a turn, I shouted cheerfully.
"Yap! Transform!"
Pop-!
Then, the magic wand, which had been about three palms long, turned into a small dagger. One shouldn't ignore it just because it's small. It's a dagger sharp enough to pierce human flesh.
I gripped the dagger in a reverse hold. The pupils of the priest struggling in my grasp dilated. Claire, knowing she couldn't move her feet recklessly, reached out with her free hand and waved in the air.
There's still a will to resist. I'll have to break it gently.
"Hero, try dropping your sword first. Let's talk after that."
"You...! Vile bastard! You think I don't know that if I fall, Caroline will die too!"
"Oh? Is that so? I'm planning to let her go if only you die obediently?"
"...! Do not lie! What possible benefit is there for you!"
"It makes me feel good. Actually, I'm a non-violence advocate. Truly! There are times I'm forced to kill, but it's better if we can get through this without shedding blood, right?"
The hand gripping the sword trembled. She must cherish the priest dearly.
"Leader, killing her is...."
Uriel spoke to me carefully. From her nuance, it seemed she was trying to stop me. As the angel of the Lord God, Uriel likely disapproved of me taking the priest hostage.
But right now, I have no intention of catering to anyone's feelings.
"Shut up, Ms. Uriel."
"...!"
"Didn't you know? I've always been this kind of guy. A villain who doesn't care about the means or methods. If you hate that, you're free to leave us."
"...No, stopping the Hero is the priority right now...."
"I would have done this even if it weren't the priority. Why? Because this is the fastest and easiest way. You think it's ethically wrong? Don't make me laugh. It's much better than Dame Beatrice or Mr. John shedding blood."
"...I understand. You are right."
After lightly dismissing Uriel's attempt to stop me, I turned my gaze back to the Hero. The Hero was still conflicted.
"Hero, throw your weapon here. While I'm speaking nicely."
"Kuh...! Caroline...! What on earth am I supposed to do...!"
"C-Claire... because of me...."
"Sigh, seriously. You people are quite high-maintenance. I guess I'll just have to show you."
The grace period ends here. Without hesitation, I drove the reverse-gripped dagger down.
Squelch-!
"Aaaaaagh!"
"...!!"
"Hand over the sword-!"
Blood gushed from the priest's thigh where the dagger had plunged. After pulling the dagger out, I held it near the other thigh. Only then, the Hero, whose fear had now surpassed her fighting spirit, hurriedly threw her sword toward me.
Clatter, the heavy steel sword was flung onto the floor. I gestured with my head toward the King of Humans. In my grip, the terrified priest was breathing irregularly.
"Mr. John, go get the sword."
"Understood."
"You seem fine, Mr. John? Even after watching a hostage situation."
"In the wild, I've seen this a lot. Stupid beasts that care about means and methods died long ago."
"The wild teaches a great lesson."
The King of Humans grasped the sword. Now Claire was weaponless. Still, she had the Celestial Energy as a means of resistance. Since I had the momentum, I decided to push her to the limit.
"Hero, get on your knees and put your head on the ground."
"...."
"Are you resisting right now? Didn't I show you what happens when you resist? Was that not enough?"
I tapped the priest's neck with the blade of the blood-dripping dagger. Claire, having already witnessed my decisiveness, knelt spasmodically and pressed her forehead to the ground. It was a humiliating posture.
"Good girl. Very good posture. If you had been this obedient from the start, no one would have had to bleed."
"N-Now...."
"Yes? What was that?"
"Now... what else must I do...? Should I declare my defeat...?"
Biting her lip hard, Claire asked in a tone filled with grudge. Her mind seemed considerably broken.
"A declaration of defeat? What would I even use something so useless for?"
"...."
"Don't say a word and just stay still. If you do anything reckless, this dagger will go slice-slice right through the delicate priest's neck. And, Dame Beatrice?"
"Yes, my Lord. Command me."
"Cut the Hero's wrists and ankles."
I gave the order quietly. Beatrice nodded, showing her loyalty to me.
They call fallen angels devils. In that sense, Beatrice was now a perfect devil. Devil Knight Beatrice Constantino. It suits her well.
The King of Humans watched with an indifferent expression, seeming unbothered. The soft-hearted Ms. Uriel... seemed to find it hard to watch, closing her eyes tightly. Well, that's better than her getting in the way.
"Urgh...!"
"Hero, do you feel it's unfair?"
Beatrice approached Claire, resting her sword on her shoulder. I asked playfully.
"I will surely devour you all...!"
"You still haven't come to your senses. Why did you bother making something to protect, only to suffer like this? If you hadn't made something to guard in the first place, things wouldn't have ended up like this."
"Do you... do you have no one precious to you...?"
...Huh, come to think of it, I do have someone to protect. Having given my heart to the Saint, I can't possibly abandon her.
"I said something unnecessary. It'll be meaningless anyway. Beatrice, go ahead and start by cutting the Hero's wrists."
"Yes, my Lord."
Beatrice, having reached the immediate vicinity of Claire, raised her Greatsword. Once that fell, this tedious fight would finally end.
Despite her power, Claire had to suffer helplessly. She remained still, her head pressed against the ground. Even knowing her future, she had to accept it because she loved the priest named Caroline.
Finally, Beatrice's sword fell.
Thuck-!
What followed was the sound of something being pierced. It was quite different from the sound of a wrist or ankle being severed.
Something was wrong. I looked down toward the source of the sound.
"Caroline!!!"
"Ugh... Claire...."
My hand, gripping the dagger, was covered in blood. It was fresh, warm blood that had just erupted.
"...Oh dear."
The Hero Party's priest had thrust her neck forward and stabbed herself with my dagger. Right before Hero Claire's wrists were to be severed.
"Caroline! Caroline!! No!!"
"Claire... don't give up... you mustn't die, Hero...."
"Sigh, why make the easy path so difficult, Ms. Priest?"
"Don't kneel so easily... you are the Hero... I don't want you to be in danger... because of someone like me...."
The reason was obvious.
She didn't want to be a burden to the Hero.
Just as much as Claire cared for the priest, Caroline had cared for the Hero.
"Aaaaaaagh!!!"
Even though Claire tried to save her, it was already too late. The dagger had sliced through the artery, and blood was erupting like a fountain. Unless Saint Maria was brought here, the priest could not be saved.
Everyone was confused by the sudden turn of events, but there was only one conclusion.
"I'll kill you! I'll tear your flesh to pieces! I'll rip your organs apart! I'll make sure you die more miserably than anyone!!"
I no longer had a hostage.
That simple but crucial reality hit me.
Whooooosh-!
Claire no longer had a sword. However, she was strong enough even without one. Driven by murderous rage, Claire released an amount of energy that felt excessive.
Beatrice, standing nearby, couldn't withstand the sudden burst of energy and was violently blown back. The King of Humans barely managed to catch her.
"If only it weren't for you...! Caroline! Not Caroline...!!"
"She's gone full berserker. Conversation is out of the question now."
The game, which had been on easy mode, instantly switched to hard mode. Caroline, that bold priest. To think she would choose to die of her own accord at the last moment.
I would have done the same in her shoes, but thanks to her, things got complicated. My means of controlling the Hero vanished, and from now on, I had to face the awakened Claire with pure force.
"Haa, haa... M-my Lord...."
"Demon, the female knight's condition is poor."
"I know. Ms. Uriel, could you give her a heal? You have Holy Power too, don't you?"
"Impossible. My abilities are specialized only in destruction and annihilation. Healing someone is something only Archangel Raphael can do."
"So I have to face that monster with one injured person. But what to do, my body isn't in peak condition either since I got hit earlier."
Moreover, Beatrice was hurt by the recent impact. This was the worst. The final desperation of a power-less priest had flipped the tide of battle.
This is why life is interesting, though.
Step-.
Claire, with clenched fists, approached us. Cold sweat trickled down my temple. I wondered idly how I could respond in a way that would make me look good. I cursed my mind for thinking such nonsense when my life was on the line.
Step-.
There was something else to resent. Aru, you little brat. How did I raise you, only for you to be absent at a time like this? And after you just went through your awakening.
Just wait until you get back. I'll welcome you as a corpse. No, with the current Claire, I probably won't even have a corpse left, so I'll greet you as a skeleton. Regret it deeply.
Boom-!
...Huh?
Something flew in like the wind and struck Claire. It was moving at a speed that was hard to track with the eye.
Claire was sent sliding across the floor. A cloud of dust rose, obscuring the view.
Eventually, as the dust slowly settled, the vague outline of a girl appeared.
"Bark bark! What are you doing to the young demon!"
Perked-up ears atop her head and a thick, navy-blue mane.
It was the Wolf King, Aru.
*****
Thirty minutes ago.
Slish-.
"...Bark?"
The wolf beastman, who seemed to be walking, stopped in her tracks.
Her low-set gaze was fixed in one direction.
"My King, what is it now?"
The grizzled wolf asked once again.
The girl's blue eyes trembled.
"I have to go."
"Pardon?"
"The young demon. I left my hair in his hair."
"My King, you've come all this way; where are you going? The Full Moon will begin soon."
"Bark bark! I can feel it! The hair is shaking! The young demon is in danger!"
After shouting, the girl tried to leap out from the bottom of the cave. If the grizzled wolf hadn't bitten her ankle to hold her back, she would have dashed out instantly.
"Kyah! Let go! The young demon is getting hurt!"
"My King! I dare not know the circumstances, but this opportunity comes only once a year! If not now, you must wait another year before you can receive the King's power and authority!"
The girl kicked the grizzled wolf away. The wolf with the aged body was pushed back helplessly.
The wolf girl, Aru, sprinted to the cave entrance in an instant. A pack of wolves followed her, trying to stop her, but Aru bared her teeth and refused their approach.
"Grrr! That's not it! The young demon is more important!"
Then, Aru stepped out of the cave and vanished into the darkness of the forest.