“I’m going to protect everyone even when you can’t, Elias…!”
So watch me show off that I can fight too!
“Lunar Goddess, lend me your strength!”
Heat burned in the center of Aki’s forehead. The first time she experienced borrowing the Lunar Goddess’s power, the shock and pain caused her to faint, but now she knew it was a sign of receiving power.
She was going to master this cursed blessing only she could use and fight bravely alongside the Hero Party.
Aki concentrated on the pen gripped in her lowered right hand. Silver light stretched like putty into a bow. When the brilliant light dissipated, it left behind a beautiful bow with golden embellishments, and a leather quiver appeared on her shoulder.
Every time she transformed her pen into a weapon, she remembered how Leo burst out laughing about it the first time, saying how much she fit the part of the Hero’s secretary.
That’s right. I’m the Hero’s Right-hand and his secretary. I need to drive off the monsters and protect the people in a way fitting of the Hero Party.
Adventurers and the city guard were concentrating on defending inside the gate, so Aki decided her skills could serve them better repelling the monsters from the outside. Bow and quiver summoned, Aki dashed through the chaotic square and out the gate.
“Come back! It’s dangerous out there!” one of the gatekeepers bellowed after her.
His voice and the gate at her back, Aki charged into the open Field.
Vast green plains stretched on for miles. Various guard and Adventurer parties were battling monsters to slow the horde from breaching the walls. It was even more chaotic than inside Port City, with monsters and people clashing in every direction. The metallic smell of blood permeated the area, and Aki could taste the blood in the air.
This is awful…
She stood in the Field surrounded by roaring monsters and the sound of swords meeting teeth and exhaled through her nose to calm down. Countless monsters blanketed the sky and the ground—she couldn’t charge in recklessly and expect to be of help.
Calm down. Aim carefully at each target and steadily decrease their numbers!
Aki silenced the fear and exhilaration of battle bubbling up inside her and set her sights on the screeching demi-vultures.
Archers excelled at attacking monsters at distances where swords and other short-range weapons couldn’t reach. While they inflicted less damage than Warriors and Fighters, they were necessary to handle aerial monsters.
Therefore, Aki’s job was to shoot down as many flying monsters as possible before they swooped down on her allies.
Aki nocked an arrow and tilted her bow back. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the guards frantically pushing the gate closed from both sides to suppress the monster invasion.
However, monsters stampeded into town before they could finish closing it, and the guards were forced to deal with the new threat rather than seal the gate.
I can’t let anymore get close to the gate!
Aki asked the Lunar Goddess to give her arrows as much range and damage as possible and aimed at one of the low-flying demi-vultures.
Heat stung her forehead as the Lunar Goddess’s crest formed there. Aki drew back the arrow and narrowed her eyes on the target. She loosed the arrow at the demi-vulture swooping down with a deafening screech.
Please hit!
An arrow bathed in silver light cut through the wind like a comet. As it approached the monster, the arrow divided into multiple parts like stardust, shining like a meteor shower in the daytime sky, and pierced several giant monster birds flying in the sky.
It was the mercilessly beautiful judgment passed down on the monsters by the Goddess—at least that’s how the sheer magnitude of the attack looked to Aki.
She was awestruck by the attack. As she stood there in a daze, demi-vultures fell from the sky like hail.
I’ve never been able to do wide-area attacks before… Did chanting the ancient magic with Leo and Johann help me draw out more of the latent Goddess power?
Adventures and guards looked from the sky that had been instantly cleansed of the black flock of death to Aki with hope in their eyes.
“Holy Goddess, you’re strong! What kind of bow is that…?!” One of the Adventurers enthusiastically ran over to her.
Aki finally awoke from her stupor when he shook her by the shoulder.
I did it… I took out a bunch of monsters on my own. I nearly lost all confidence after what happened with Elias, but maybe I should place more faith in my abilities after all. It’s time to put my doubts and insecurities behind me!
Aki held the bow in her left hand and placed her right hand over her heart. “Hello! I’m the Hero’s Right-hand Aki! The rest of the Hero Party is handling matters elsewhere, but I will do my best to assist you on my own! I’m sure the others will rush over soon!”
Every person on the battlefield who heard her cheered.
“That’s reassuring! We’re glad to have the Hero’s Right-hand on our side!” The man shook her hand and then shouted at the top of his lungs to the parties fighting further away. “HEEEY! The Hero’s Right-hand is providing back up!”
Anyone who could spare a moment to look over did so, raising their weapons in acknowledgment.
“Hell yeah! A goddess has come to aid us!
“Let’s clear the Field!”
“Don’t let monsters into the city!”
Letting out battle cries, the humans charged the monsters.
A g-goddess? Aki was surprised by the way the other Adventurers looked at her. Maybe the Hero’s Right-hand is also a symbol of hope to the people? Then I’d better step up to the plate.