Chapter 39

Fighting them on a ship might change things, but this is the ocean floor—it’s an extreme burden. However, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Giant sea monsters can’t enter this building. Heljarl himself is undoubtedly powerful, but this hall will limit his speed and range of motion. I need to take him by surprise and finish him off here and now. Then I’ll take the bounty money and hire another two hundred and fifty sets of Rabis and Sanyas. Sanya finally stops writhing and stares quietly. She must be processing the situation in front of her. I follow her lead, gauging the power level of the enemies in front of us. Just then, one of the seadragon knights guarding Heljarl opens his mouth. “Such impudence! Kneel before the supreme ruler of the oceans!” Everyone has their full attention on me. At this rate, it will be impossible to destroy Heljarl alone. Even if I do find a split-second opening, I’ll be forced to take on every one of his guards lying in wait. Best to keep a low profile for now. If they flee, we will not follow. The only thing we have going for us is the fact that they haven’t noticed I’m human—yet. It’s hard to believe a demon would be fooled by this costume… What the hell is going on here?! I’ll have to get Zolan to make me another set of this armor. Heljarl raises his hands, cool and composed, halting the seadragon knight’s speech. His razor-sharp claws glint in the light. “No matter. He has exceptional battle prowess for a merman. Surely he must have been through some serious bloodshed.” There’s about to be even more bloodshed…but it’s okay. This is fine. I’m even starting to enjoy this merman charade. —I hereby proclaim: In the name of the God of Order, Ahz Gried…I will destroy you. Heljarl’s voice is oddly calm in the face of a suspicious merman. I even feel an inkling of trust. “We must show respect for his devotion to his craft. Merman warrior—what is your name?” There’s no way I’m telling him my real name. I doubt they’ve even heard of me, but if I were to count every instance where I’ve given my name since starting this quest to defeat the Demon Lord, it would only be the two times I fought against demon kind. Better safe than sorry. Stephenne Veronide— No… “My name is Gregorio Legins.” And I’ll kill you. Out Crusade third rank, the “Mad Eater” Gregorio Legins, will take you down. “Hmm… Gregorio, is it? A fine name.” “…I believe I’ve heard his name somewhere, my liege.” A seadragon knight next to Heljarl cocks his head quizzically. Are you serious? Why the hell would a dragonewt living on the ocean floor have heard of Gregorio?! “…It is a common name.” “Well, no bother. Right now, we should simply be thankful that a new warrior has joined our ranks.” Heljarl sits on his throne and smiles at me. Two guards stand at his side, protecting him. I’ll wait for the perfect chance. Rushing things will only cause my downfall. I want to get information out of him first, if possible. I want to know his motivations. What is Heljarl doing in a place like this? The entire ocean is his domain. The power as puppet master over all the monsters in the ocean is formidable, but thus far, that’s applied only to ocean-bound vessels directly. After gaining control of the oceans, he should be focusing on creating a diversion for the entire ocean kingdom. What is the point of him being served by mermen and seadragon knights in a place like this? Could this be their actual headquarters? Cloudburst is the only city nearby. It’s a terrible location for a base of operations, and the building itself is dilapidated. I re-grip my mace handle tightly and control my breathing before asking Heljarl, “What would you have me do?” In response, Heljarl strokes the lacquer-black staff in his hands and thinks for a moment. “Currently, we are gathering military forces. We only need to wait a short while longer before it is time to show the world our power.” “…What will we be attacking? Ships?” “Heh-heh… Ha-ha-ha…… Ships? Ships, you say? Mwa-ha…ha-ha-haaa—” My question was meant to draw out only minimal information, but Heljarl has erupted in maniacal laughter. His raspy voice echoes throughout the throne room. The seadragon knight guards don’t move a muscle. Heljarl’s laugh, rife with ridicule, stops abruptly. He points his staff directly at me. His crimson eyes burn like fire. The seadragon knights all concentrate their gazes on him. In a voice intoxicated and euphoric, Heljarl announces to his vassals, “We will attack the hero. The last vestige of humanity’s hope, a thorn in Lord Kranos’s side. The one who defeated that filthy vampire and that thickheaded werebeast—I will kill him. Behold! The legend of the King of the Ocean begins now!” A genius. Even from Limis’s perspective—she herself born into a distinguished elementalist family, having the most preeminent elementalist in the Kingdom of Ruxe for a father—the young girl Naotsugu Toudou is an absolute genius. Toudou doesn’t have the knowledge or enough experience. In terms of talent, however, she is exceptional. A talent for magic comes down to one’s lineage. Mages aren’t created in a single generation. The House of Friedia has also taken multiple generations, over many, many years, to produce a bloodline proficient in the use of sorcery. Limis is a direct descendant of this bloodline in its purest form. Toudou, on the other hand, inherited such talents through the divine protection of the Eight Spirit Kings. The raven-haired hero steps into a magic circle that makes spirits visible atop the pier. She is then swathed in a brilliant flash of blue light. Aria is agog with fascination; in fact, Limis must have the same expression on her face. The blue light signifies low-ranking water elemental spirits that cannot normally be seen by the naked eye. Due to their proximity to the ocean, these elemental spirits are everywhere, and they’ve approached Naotsugu Toudou, hoping to form a covenant with her. This amount of affinity with the spirits is almost unheard of for someone not of a line of mages specializing in water elemental spirits. In terms of talent alone, Toudou clearly outranks Limis. Of course, affinity is only one factor that goes into casting elemental spells, but if any other elementalists were to witness the scene currently unfolding, they’d go mad with jealousy, that’s for certain. Toudou narrows her eyes and slowly raises her arms in the air. The typically invisible low-ranking water spirits gather in her palms. Even though they haven’t entered a covenant with her yet, they already seem to be obeying her commands. Toudou has divine protection. This result was expected to happen, but actually watching it unfold in person is incredible. This is the warrior summoned from another world for the sole purpose of defeating the Demon Lord—the gods’ disciple, a beacon of hope for humanity. The Holy Warrior. “Incredible… At this rate, with just a little training, I bet you’ll be able to cast water elemental spells…” “Uh… Ha-ha… I sure hope so.” Toudou is not trying to establish a covenant today. Coming in contact with the spirits made her feel as if she were in the middle of a dream, but she comes back to her senses and leaves the circle, running toward Limis, who is standing in sheer awe. Garnet, who’s been resting on Limis’s shoulder, peers at Toudou keenly. Limis gives her honest opinion. “At this rate…you might even be able to form a covenant with a high-ranking elemental spirit… Maybe.” “That’s good to hear… I was really worried you’d say I didn’t have the affinity.” Affinity is not enough to form a covenant with high-ranking water elemental spirits that possess the kind of will and intent inherent in human beings. Toudou is still an amateur. However, seeing the magical aura that surrounded her just now, forming a covenant with one seems more than possible. In fact, when Limis herself was just a child without any real knowledge or magical energy, she formed a covenant with Garnet, something many famous mages failed to do. Toudou is elated, finally seeing some promise, yet Limis looks at her aimlessly and mumbles, “I have to…try harder, too.” The primary objective of the party’s journey to Cloudburst is establishing a covenant for Limis. Toudou has the same goal, too, but hers comes second. Garnet shifts its eyes and stares out at the ocean. No one hears Limis’s misgiving—it’s washed away by the roar of the sea. It turns out there are real mermaids locked in the prison. They’re not pseudo-mermaids like Sanya, who’s simply pretending—they’re the real deal, with actual tail fins. Their blond hair is wavy, their blue eyes showing exhaustion. There are three of these sea princesses, famous for their stunning looks and singing voices. They have thick metal collars around their necks, and the chains leading from them are wrapped around a pillar. Mermaids are demi-humans who fall closer to the human side of the gene pool. They are friendly with humans, and some oceanic nations have even established official relations with them. Their voices are imbued with magical energy, allowing them to wield special magic powers, but on the other hand, they’re physically weak and often fall prey to mermen and other monsters. Whoa, whoa—is this some sort of bonus stage? …Maybe not. Who keeps mermaids incarcerated? That’s vile. There’s a rumor that mermaids have their own unique culture—they bestow a reward unto those who release them from confinement. Is this the will of God? I take a step into the room and inspect the prison’s layout. It was probably a storeroom originally. If this really is their stronghold, the facilities are pathetic. This can’t be Heljarl’s base of operations. The mermaids look up as I encroach on their environs and they quickly huddle in the corner, terrified. Four mermen dressed in military regalia guard the door, along with one seadragon knight as their leader. The security must just be for good measure. This place doesn’t seem particularly important. The seadragon knight leader hands me a metal collar. “Watch yourself. If you let your guard down, they’ll cast magic on you.” “What kind of magic?” “…It’s a charm. Don’t you know?” “…It won’t work on me.” I’m used to mental pollution. Any crusader who fights the followers of darkness has a strong resistance to those skills. Without it, you’re dead. At any rate—how does someone with a tail fin manage to charm anyone…? “…You’re a strange merman.” How rude. I’m clearly just your average, everyday merman. Without answering, I prop my mace up against the wall for a moment and hold Sanya, who I still have with me, up with both arms. Her face is close to my ear, and I can hear her mumbling through the thick metal scales of my armor. “Boss. This collar’s no dice. I can’t break it. I won’t be able to get it off.” I now understand that Heljarl’s motive is the Holy Warrior. This is a grave situation. At the same time, it’s a chance to extract even more detailed information from him. First and foremost, I need his trust. I also need time. From what I can see, Heljarl is an imbecile. Even his dragonewt guards are more cautious than he is. If all goes well, I can extract information from him in a short amount of time. I’ll get everything I can out of him before killing him. I have no intention of taking him captive. It’s too risky to let him live. And if I did take him captive anyway, I’d have to kill him. “Boss, think you could give me a scale from your mane? I might be able to use it as a lock pick.” “No.” I may look absolutely ridiculous, but this is a magic item. If it loses its functionality from messing around with it, I’ll be in deep trouble. I put the metal collar around Sanya’s neck. I can’t tell what it’s made from, but it’s definitely high quality. Sanya grips the collar and tumbles on the floor. She looks back at the seadragon knight leader and asks, “Hey, where’s the key to this thing?” “…It’s with me. What of it?” The seadragon knight points to his belt—a dull silver key hangs from it. Unarmed and bound in chains, it would be hard for Sanya to take him down…right? I look at Sanya, who’s rolling on the floor making a show of appearing terrified, and say, “She belongs to me. Hand over the key to her collar.” “…I cannot allow that. I’m in charge of the keys. No exceptions.” “I see.” I pick up my mace and, before the seadragon knight can react, smash his head to a pulp, helmet included. The seadragon knight dies without even a chance to cry out. The entire room is speechless as I put on my best merman impression. “Those who defy me will be annihilated.” “G-geez, boss. You’re horrifying… Is that really you?” “There is no room for negotiation. Anyone I can kill, I will kill on sight.” I have no intention of arguing with anyone. It’s a waste of time. The mermaids are shuddering in the corner from my sudden violent outburst. I crouch down next to the seadragon knight’s headless corpse, splayed out on the floor, and rid him of his keys. No need for his spear. “From today on, I am the master of this prison. Glory to the evil gods.” “Do you think you can just keep saying ‘evil gods’ and get away with anything?!” “Yes. All is well. In the world of demons, the strong are the righteous.” Sanya is disgusted by the growing pool of the seadragon knight’s blood and moves to avoid it. “All is not well! Right?! Boss?! C’mon, let’s get outta here!! Let’s wait for a real opportunity, okay?! There’s no way this’ll work!! Surely mermen are a bit smarter than this, right?!” “Mermen are not smart. Except for me.” I look back at the merman jailers, who are frozen stiff from witnessing what just unfolded in mere moments. They clearly have no idea what to do now that their leader is dead. They don’t even feign to raise the shoddy spears they hold in their hands. I could obliterate them in an instant, but I purposefully refrain. Instead, I trample over the corpse of the seadragon knight and clearly state my demands, with no concern for whether they can actually understand me. “From now on, I am your boss. Obey me.” Obey me and then die. “That merman is extremely dangerous, my liege.” In the throne room, Heljarl’s right-hand man, a seadragon knight warrior, bows his head deeply. The seadragon knights are the strongest and most intelligent of aquatic demi-humans, and they know battle. They’ve mastered the martial arts and learned military tactics, and they occasionally even intermingle with seadragons, the originators of their bloodline. Compared with mermen, who are daft and weak even in numbers, seadragon knights are refined warriors. Yet, Heljarl snorts and laughs in his retainer’s face. “Heh-heh-heh… He is brutal, proud, and true to his wanton desire. He’s utterly splendid, don’t you think? That is precisely what a sea warrior should be like.” “But, sir—” With alarming speed, a single merman warrior at the lowest ranks of Heljarl’s army has shown prowess that belies the fact he’s a mere merman. It’s as if his scales are made from metal, and his dorsal crest rivals that of a sea serpent. His eyes are cold and emotionless, and yet he has the intellect to have a command of the human language at will, something no merman is typically capable of. Above all else, his voice projects an ominous sense of dread. He clearly has the divine protection of the evil god Lucief Arept—that much is evident. Heljarl has reigned over the ocean for many, many years, but he’s never seen a merman this powerful before. Heljarl is the King of the Ocean. All ocean-dwelling creatures must submit to him and give him due honor, but he is capable of pardoning the selfishness of a warrior—to an extent. The ocean abides by survival of the fittest. The strong are the righteous. Weakness is iniquity. And what’s more, this merman has shown allegiance to Heljarl. Heljarl strokes his jet-black staff—an item given to him by the Demon Lord Kranos that has the ability to amplify magical energy—and laughs. “The God of Oceans has blessed us. Heh-heh-heh, the fact that he’s appeared at a time like this is nothing other than the will of God.” What does it matter if he killed the prison guard? After all, the imprisoned mermaids are simply sacrifices, which is why they’re locked up in the first place. It’s not a serious offense if they escape. Even if some of the mermaids instigate an insurrection, it will be simple to quell them with just a few seadragon knights. Rather, in the first place, if there is a desire for mermaids, then new ones can be easily captured. Heljarl’s military forces number over a million strong in total. Capturing a few mermaids is a drop in the bucket. Not to mention, his forces could even conquer the mermaid kingdom, which lies in the sea to the south. “I understand that he is strong. But he is beyond fiendish and brutal. There’s a decent chance that he will attempt to rebel against you, my liege—” “Hmph. As if I haven’t considered that already?” The King of the Ocean is different from any king of humans. A weakling cannot ascend the ocean throne. Heljarl snickers at his subordinate. The King of the Ocean is a title given to the strongest warrior within the seas. Heljarl is, accordingly, conceited and believes that he is the strongest of all. What’s more, Heljarl holds a trump card: He can cause all aquatic beings—demi-humans, even demons—to fall under his control. No matter how strong the merman who calls himself Gregorio may be, there’s no way for him to stand up to Heljarl. Heljarl rises from his throne. The seadragon knight bows and falls prostrate, his head nearly on the floor. The rational voice from earlier is gone—now, Heljarl’s booming voice is hair-raising. “Heh-heh-heh… Mwa-ha-ha-ha! I, Heljarl—I will be the one to kill the Holy Warrior. I will show our Demon Lord Kranos my true power. As for that brat pulling the strings from the shadows—I will show him a thing or two as well.” I close the thick stone door, and a small shock wave reverberates through the water. This room I was provided is completely empty except for a stone bed and a lamp. Living underwater must be quite different from living on land. According to the seadragon knight who guided me, only a small percentage of Heljarl’s subordinates are actually given room and board. It’s certainly true that this building doesn’t have the capacity to house all those mermen outside. Following behind me with the metal collar on her neck, Sanya presses her cheek against the door for a few seconds before shaking her head. There are no guards here, it seems. They must trust me. That, or they think they can kill me at any given moment. The second I let the keys go from my hand, Sanya grabs them and removes the collar skillfully, without even looking at the lock. Sanya casts the collar aside and rubs her throat, squinting—it must have been really tight. “This treatment is unbelievable. I’ve been a mercenary for as long as I can remember, but this is the first time I’ve worn a collar. I felt like a slave!” “It’s a good experience for you. I’ve done it four times.” “Boss, someone ought to lock you up and throw away the key. You’re seriously the worst.” Sanya sighs, completely and utterly exasperated. I thought she might need me to cast a tranquilizer spell on her, but she doesn’t look all that worse for wear. “There’s merit to experiencing such hardships in a place like this, though,” I tell her, changing the subject. She sighs again. “…Maybe you’re right. I definitely wasn’t expecting that notorious monster to appear out of nowhere. But honestly, boss, you were more terrifying. If I encountered you on the battlefield, I’d run away with my tail between my legs.” “Lame joke.” “No…it’s the truth. I’d do it like this.” Sanya grabs her fluffy tail carefully and curls it up, tucking it between her legs. She’s still cracking jokes, so she must be just fine. I put my mace down to ponder our next moves. We don’t have much time, but we can’t let this chance slip by. “Our primary objective is taking Heljarl’s life. But before we do, we need to extract information from him. There are a few things I need to know.” Heljarl must be taken down before he has a chance to attack Toudou, but he is one of the leaders in the Demon Lord’s army. There are so many things I want to ask him about: how he’s able to pinpoint the Holy Warrior’s location; the Demon Lord’s army’s next course of action; its formation, the names of its leaders, their skills and weaknesses—all necessary information for supporting the Holy Warrior moving forward. “Whoa… So you wanna milk him for all he’s worth before taking his life…” “I’ll get him to talk. Sanya, you need to survey this stronghold, including its layout and any escape routes. Speak with the mermaids being held prisoner and make them your friends. Also—there’s something I want you to search for.” I can’t do everything myself. Sanya disobeying my orders has turned out to be a godsend. “Something you want me to search for…?” Sanya crosses her arms and blinks repeatedly. “Yes… Although if you can’t find it, it’s not the end of the world…” Having met Heljarl face-to-face, I now understand his strength. I couldn’t determine exactly what bloodline his is mixed with, but I felt his powerful magical energy and life force worthy of an upper-echelon demon. At the very least, he’s leagues more powerful than any of his subordinates. However, even at that rate—considering the suffering he’s caused humanity thus far—he’s not as powerful as I thought he would be. Heljarl’s defining characteristic isn’t his own battle prowess but rather his capacity to freely manipulate ocean-dwelling monsters: a single sea serpent the size of a massive warship or the kinds of giant squid and krakens that have struck fear into the hearts of so many crew members. He’s even powerful enough to make seadragons do his bidding—a clear indicator of why humanity has lost the oceans to demon kind. Of course, humanity has endeavored with research. There are people called “monster tamers” who have managed to tame and thus control monsters, but manipulating monsters with low intelligence still proves difficult—highly intelligent, prideful ones like dragon-type monsters even more so. It is extremely unusual for even a high-ranked demon to be able to control multiple monsters at once. In reality, it’s more akin to playing God than anything else. I recall the massive yet tame monsters I saw obediently awaiting orders outside the stronghold. Heljarl’s notoriety only spread after the Demon Lord Kranos first appeared. As such, it’s inevitable to say that they’re connected somehow. That means this monster taming is either Heljarl’s own power…or that of a certain magic item. The authenticity of this claim has not been verified, but humanity has offered one conclusion. Sanya waits for me to continue. “It’s a flute, Sanya. A flute that allows one to control aquatic monsters. I’ve heard whenever Heljarl is controlling monsters on the battlefield, he carries a blue flute with him at all times. I need you to find it. I didn’t see it on him when we met in person…so it must be in a treasure vault or in Heljarl’s personal room. It has to be around somewhere.” If Heljarl could no longer control monsters, he’d be vastly limited in what he could do himself. On the other hand, if the flute remains even once we’ve killed him off, then there’s a high chance that another Heljarl would take his place. Hearing this, Sanya finally lets just a few words slip: “That’s a tall order.” I am well aware. It’s risky. If Heljarl finds her while she’s snooping around for it, I would be hard-pressed to say she’d be able to fight him off herself. However, Sanya is a scout. I will create a diversion for Heljarl and his henchmen. This is a job for a scout. “I implore you.” “Oh boy. If my master heard that, he’d be green with envy.” Sanya smirks at me and stands. It seems like she’s up to the task. She loosens herself up, stretching her toned amber limbs in her racy light-blue mermaid armor. She’s not nervous, and her pulse is steady. Finishing her stretches, Sanya wags her tail and quickly adds, “Oh, and, boss, if I die, you better apologize to Rabi.” “No need to go overboard. I’ve spent a hundred million lux on you—I intend to get my money’s worth, down to the last cent.” “…How can you say that when you made a bet in hiring me in the first place and then haggled for a discount on top of that?” “You’re speaking in hindsight. Even if you lose an arm or a leg, a little healing magic will have you fixed right up. Now, off you go.” “…Yessir!” Sanya replies with forced cheerfulness, trembling, before discreetly slipping out of the room. Okay, that’s taken care of—time for me to focus on my business. “So no problems at the moment, then?” “Yes. For the moment, I don’t sense my identity being questioned whatsoever.” The room is empty except for me as I exchange information with Amelia. She reports back that there aren’t any problems aboveground, either. This is working out splendidly—Rabi is keeping a close eye on Toudou and company in place of Sanya. The party has been practicing their spirit summoning, and as soon as the mermaid armor is ready, they’ll be heading to the sunken temple, I’m told. At the very beginning, when I first joined Toudou’s party, there was a whole host of problems. But now, they seem to have largely been settled. It’s possible that I’ve just gotten used to them, but I’m choosing not to worry about that right now. “We’ll maintain our cover down here as long as necessary. Inform me as soon as you know when Toudou will reach the sunken temple.” “Understood… May the fortunes of war guide you. Please don’t push yourself too much.” “I’ll be fine. I can’t pray to the God of Order in my current getup, so instead, I have an evil god assisting me now.” “……Well, if that floats your boat, Ares, then that’s fine…” Death to Heljarl. I will destroy him. I will save the Holy Warrior and bring peace to the land. The transmission cuts out. I sit on my stone bed, set my mace down beside me, and sigh. Okay—just how should I start extracting information from Heljarl…? His vigilance is paltry, but I don’t think his followers trust me. If I go about extracting information from him in an unnatural way, they’ll warn him immediately. If I’m going to get any worthwhile intel, I first need to gain their trust. I have a feeling that slaying the jail guard didn’t exactly boost their confidence in me… Thinking about it logically, this is definitely going to be a very tough mission. Heljarl’s cronies are a thorn in my side. I could try to force their hand, but they’re monsters, after all. They have different susceptibilities. I don’t know if it will work on them, and do I really have time? In the end…I’ll probably stick with brute force, my specialty… The dragonewts can’t be with Heljarl at all times. If I pick them off one by one, they’ll likely turn against me sooner or later, and even if they don’t, I’d rather have them dead regardless. Hmm… I really don’t understand Heljarl’s cronies’ culture. That said, I did once research how to kill them, in the past. As I furrow my brow and grumble to myself, the door to my room opens suddenly. Perhaps it’s because I’m underwater, but I’m having a hard time detecting other presences. “The king would like to see your power in action, Gregorio.” Well, well… This could be a good opportunity. Heljarl is evidently tolerant of warriors. If I can give him a taste of my strength, chances are that he’ll approve of me. It’s unusual to have me show off my own combat skills, but if those are Heljarl’s wishes, then I must certainly comply. I stand up and grab my mace, looking toward the seadragon knight who’s entered. He’s obviously on high alert and stares at me with narrowed eyes. They’re the eyes of a brave warrior who’s come up against death and prevailed. These damn dragonewts are a real nuisance when they’re your enemy. I raise my mace and look the dragonewt in his glassy reptilian eyes, announcing, “…I am not good at pulling my punches. I have pledged to give my life as a warrior to my evil god. Anyone who draws their weapon on me will die.” I’ll thin them out. If it all goes well, I’ll even force them into extinction in broad daylight. The more I go ballistic, the more their attention will be diverted from Sanya. It’s two birds, one stone. I am guided to a completely bare stone chamber. However, it’s far more deteriorated than any of the others—the floor and walls riddled with cracks and chips. This room could very well be designed for the same purpose that I’m here for today. Heljarl is seated on a throne in the back, and seadragon knights are lined up around him. Looking closely, I can see their equipment is all across the board. Most are wearing the blue armor that the prison guard wore, but some of them are equipped with a silvery metallic armor. This is likely an indicator of high rank among the seadragon knight troops. When I enter the room, Heljarl claps his hands and smiles, his lips twisted with derision. “A most sincere welcome to you, Gregorio. I thought we should test your mettle before we begin the assault on the Holy Warrior. Well, I personally didn’t think it was necessary, but a number of others did. Being a king has its downsides, contrary to popular opinion.” “Not an issue. My evil god demands souls. Human or otherwise.” I give a light swing of my mace to test myself out. Everything is on point. I’ve gotten used to my reduced field of vision. I look around and confirm that the seadragon knights surrounding me are of high level, but none of them sticks out as a particularly formidable foe. The steel tiger I encountered in Golem Valley was an anomaly. Heljarl seems bemused by me and asks, “An evil god, you say? Gregorio, you are a disciple of an evil god?” “That is correct. I follow the orders of my evil god. That is why I am here.” The real Gregorio practically is a disciple of an evil god. It’s a good thing I used his name. “Heh-heh… For you, an ocean dweller, to worship not the God of Oceans but rather an evil god… This is most peculiar. A warrior who follows his desire to bring both humans and demons alike to the slaughter… How interesting. I, too, have an acquaintance who possesses the divine protection of an evil god, but you, merman warrior, are truly a different breed.” You’re damn right. I’m a priest, so don’t lump me in with this acquaintance of yours. Heljarl reclines on his throne with self-importance as a single seadragon knight steps forward. This one’s speech is far more fluid than the rest. His sharp golden eyes pierce right through me. The spear in his hand is different from the others’ as well—it has a trident tip. “My liege. Allow me, Hjalmar, to put this newcomer to the test.” “Ah, Hjalmar. You, someone with divine protection from the God of Oceans, would step forward?” “Even if this brute is a warrior, he is far too irreverent. I promise to show him the extent of your authority, my liege.” Heljarl nods, visibly pleased by the seadragon knight Hjalmar’s statement. Divine protection from the God of Oceans, huh? I’ve never heard of this minor deity, but judging from its name, it’s likely a type that offers augmentation to underwater combat. It’s certainly nowhere near as powerful as the God of Order or an evil god. Hjalmar must have high credibility in these ranks, as no one raises their voice in opposition. I can’t think of anything better than slaughtering one of their strongest in front of them. I nod emphatically and stroke my mace. “The God of Oceans… How wonderful.” The room falls silent. Hjalmar’s eyes flicker with intimidation, and I start performing to stir up an aura worthy of my evil god. “My evil god will be most pleased to have your soul as a sacrifice. I will offer Him the joy of watching you suffer for all eternity.” “?!” The dragonewts look to one another after I make my claim. They let loose an uproarious din akin to a horrified shriek. “What repulsive speech! Is this evil god really so reprehensible?” “That’s not what I’ve heard!! Doesn’t He simply grant additional power?!” “Anyone, including that merman, who pledges allegiance to such a god is an infidel! Look at his sinister appearance—it’s a crime against the nature of life itself!” I’ve never heard of such a thing, either, but if it creates more enemies for the evil gods, then I’m all for it. Most of the dragonewts remain silent, but not Hjalmar. He is lording over me. “I will smash you to bits for your insolence.” This is one upright dragonewt. Agitating him will create huge openings. It appears that he has superior intellect as well as combat skills. The fact that he has Heljarl’s trust is something else to consider. This gives him a boost in my estimation. Even under ideal circumstances, this might prove to be a hard fight without casting any buffs on myself. I don’t know the details of what divine protection from the God of Oceans entails, but it’s no use now… I have no idea what will happen to me if I lose. I make a snap judgment call and raise my arms high, recalling Gregorio and imitating him as I scream with abandon. “O evil god, I will now bestow unto thee a fresh soul. Please grant me, Gregorio, your power!! Full Strength!” “?!” I cast a number of holy techniques and buffs on myself in quick succession. Red, blue, yellow, green—different colored lights flash as they fill me with power. Living on the bottom of the sea, none of these creatures has ever seen a holy technique before. The light dissipates quickly and only the surface of my body glows slightly. “What was that technique just now?!” “Is this also the evil gods’ divine protection…?!” Either my scheme is right on the money or my over-the-top acting has paid dividends, but the dragonewts definitely aren’t doubting my authenticity now. Hjalmar wasn’t expecting this, and he steps back a few paces, addressing me in a grim tone. “You… It cannot be… Are you a wizard?!” “Why would I tell you, who is destined for sacrifice?!” I attack first, without even waiting for a signal. All spoils go to the victor. I kick off the ground with force, as if pouring my every bit of strength below my feet. I swing my mace, intending to rip his head from his body, but Hjalmar reacts aptly. His trident has a long reach and collides with my mace, sending sparks flying. I thought I could overpower him, but his robust counterstrike rocks my grip. My mace and Hjalmar’s trident become locked in a standstill. However, there’s no comparing our difference in power. I still can’t read his expression, but Hjalmar’s voice shakes as he says, “Ngh… This strength… You’re no merman!” “All glory to the evil god.” I put even more weight behind my mace. Hjalmar is gripping his trident with both hands, but our difference in strength is evident. The only reason I couldn’t power through him with a single blow is likely due to the God of Oceans’s combat augmentation. I push and grind Hjalmar back steadily. “Heh-heh-heh, this shall please my god. Fear not, for you will not know respite, but rather your soul will reside before Him for eternity. It is a true honor.” “Ngh… You’re an abomination!” Hjalmar jumps to the side with immaculate timing and avoids my mace. He steps back in an attempt to reposition his stance, but I don’t intend to let him go. He’s now trying to escape, and I pursue. I lunge toward him and let loose a barrage of mace blows. Hjalmar frantically parries them with his trident. Physically strong races have little combat experience with those more powerful than them. This will be a cinch. My field of vision is still terrible, but perhaps it’s because my mind is completely focused, or I’ve gotten used to it—I know when his attacks are coming, even from my blind spots. I just need to be careful of his arms, the trident he grips in them, his legs…and his long, limber tail. It’s vastly different from Sanya’s fluffy tail—it’s covered in blunt scales and is able to snap forward quickly. “What the hell is going on?! Sir Hjalmar is being pushed back?!” “Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die for my god! Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!” Hjalmar lashes his tail toward me and I step back to avoid it. His face contorts ever so slightly. Because I dodged his attack, a small gap appears in his stance, and I raise my mace with all my might—with the intention of smashing down his trident raised in defense and obliterating his entire head. In that instant, time slows to an infinitesimal halt. Each moment feels like multiple seconds, minutes. My breathing, the flow of the water, Hjalmar’s eyes widening—I can see it all so clearly. There is no fear in his eyes, even at the last second. The moment my mace comes crashing down, Heljarl’s voice booms. “Halt, both of you! That’s enough!” Hjalmar’s gaze softens. I ignore the command and smash him into the ground. The crowd erupts into an even greater disturbance. I lift my mace back up slowly. Chunks of stone silently float in the air. Hjalmar is splayed out on the ground. Having taken a direct blow to the face, he doesn’t show any signs of moving. The helm protecting Hjalmar’s head has entirely caved in from a single blow. It hasn’t actually cracked, but it’s taken a fatal hit. Hjalmar is still alive, but it’s just a matter of time now. Faint pinkish blood stains the clear water. Heljarl furrows his brow. “…Why…did you kill him…?” The strong never attack directly. That’s a given. Hjalmar wasn’t as strong as the steel tiger in Golem Valley, but if he appeared during the middle of a skirmish, it would take at least a few minutes to fend him off. There’s no room for remorse. Per the God of Order, I am pardoned of all injustices. The room is dead silent for a few seconds. Then Hjalmar’s life force flows into me—he must be dead. I’m still shy of a level-up. Hjalmar was probably training for a moment like this. I look down at him and spit out my words. “You must be out of your mind if you plan to fight the Holy Warrior with this kind of strength.” “Rrrgh… How…how dare you!!” One of the seadragon knights’ eyes go wide as saucers and he points his spear at me. I raise my mace up to match him. “Bring it on, warriors of the sea, as many of you as you like. Our objectives may differ, but in the name of my evil god, I shall provide you a requiem.” I look around the entire circumference of the room and assess the situation. There’s no way I can kill them all. If I’m going to take them on, I should definitely start with those with the highest life force. Yet, facing them all in a row will be rough going, even for me. Just then, the dragonewt to the right of Heljarl shouts out. “Ah, I’ve just remembered! Gregorio Legins… That is the name of a man who appeared on our blacklist!” “What did you say?!” There’s no way his notoriety has managed to reach all the way down here… Has someone betrayed me? Did I miss an enemy lying in wait? Either way, this is bad… If I was going to use a fake name, I should have used one that was actually fake and not belonging to someone I know. Heljarl grips his staff and stands up. He moves with grace, but he’s clearly on high alert. “He is a combatant who serves the Church of the God of Order. They say he is a man of fiendish strength and has massacred scores of followers of darkness.” Heljarl now looks suspicious. “A disciple of Ahz Gried…? ……But he’s a merman!” The dragonewt who made the claim stares at me with his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets and shuts his mouth. This is all just confusion. They’ve got the wrong guy. It’s just someone with the exact same name. “There are no churches on the ocean floor. Nor any followers of darkness. I can scarcely even imagine a merman coming out victorious against one such being on land—nor can I imagine a reason he would even want to fight them. This must be a case of mistaken identity.” “B-but…!” “Just what about him seems characteristic of a disciple of the God of Order?! I know the priests of that Church. They claim to be bearers of miracles, but they lack any sort of skills in combat, and they certainly aren’t mermen!” That is simply absurd. Yet, the dragonewt being screamed at refuses to back down. Anguish rings in his voice as he complains. “…P-perhaps he himself has fallen to the darkness?” “…Explain.” The dragonewt begins to explain, with little confidence. I can’t help but steady my mace and hang on to his every word. “I-it’s just speculation, but…he could have committed so many sins that the God of Order abandoned him… Perhaps he was robbed of his human form and forced to eke out a life as a merman… Thinking about it, I believe he’s overwhelmingly more powerful than any other merman, and it’s quite clear he harbors a great amount of hatred.” That’s not how the God of Order operates, dumbass. “Or perhaps…there’s also the possibility he simply became enamored with this evil god from day one…” “So you’re saying he wanted to become more powerful? And gave up his human form? For that of a merman?!” This is ridiculous. Why on earth would I be forced to give up my human form? What could I have possibly done? Heljarl grips his staff and his eyes bore into me. I could deny it all, but it doesn’t bother me if they get my story completely wrong. “I’ll let you imagine for yourself. All I can do is obey the divine revelation of my god. And furthermore, I have already been proven correct.” “Correct…? Just what do you mean?” “My evil god desires the soul of the Holy Warrior. I am simply a vessel for this wish. I was right to come here, was I not?” “……” Heljarl falls silent, clearly deep in thought. He’s looking at me, from what I can tell, but the eyes on my armor might as well be papier-mâché. If I can gain his trust, I’ll wait for the right time and bash his skull in from behind. Otherwise I’ll just assassinate him. Yet, there is one thing I am certain of: The Demon Lord Kranos’s army is being controlled. Even if Heljarl isn’t a follower of any evil gods, most of the legions of darkness are. He can’t refuse me flat out. Heljarl remains silent for some time before nodding placidly. “…Very well. If you truly wish to fight that badly, we might as well give you a chance to show us everything you have.” “?! My liege?!” “Though it was not foreseen, Gregorio has defeated Hjalmar. He is capable.” Demons generally fall under the rule of brute force. Anyone with power is respected and given high status. Just as I start to feel the room’s bloodlust and agitation abate, I drop my mace and fall to my knees. He is dead. I will kill him dead. And I will fall to any level of depravity to make that happen. As I drop to my knees, Heljarl bursts into sublime laughter and barks orders with all the arrogance of a king. “Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha… Gregorio, I shall grant you the privilege of annihilating the Holy Warrior. As the sword of the King of the Ocean, you will go and slay that pesky Holy Warrior—Ares Crown!!” ?! “………Y-yes… Yes, my liege. I, Gregorio, will follow the orders of my evil god and join the ranks of your subordinates. And I shall kill this…Ares? Crown? …Correct?” Thank God. Thank God I didn’t use my real name. Sure, I’ve said my name out loud a few times since this journey began, but where did they even learn it? Cold sweat pours down my body under the thick merman armor. Heljarl grins at me from ear to ear. “Hold on now, Gregorio. I’m not asking you to march into battle on your own. Ares Crown is still inexperienced, but he’s been chosen by the gods as the Holy Warrior—essentially, your human counterpart. Our army is infinitely powerful. Let us sink the entire water capital down to our depths.” This job is so incredibly strange, Rabi laments once more. She has an abundance of experiences with odd jobs and dangerous assignments due to the nature of her work, but she can’t remember a job as twisted as this one. Since the objective is to defeat the Demon Lord, it’s certainly a top-ranked mission in terms of difficulty, but who would believe that her employer dived into enemy territory dressed as a merman? The Holy Warrior and party are walking on the other side of the road, just within range of her field of vision. She follows them silently and twitches her ears under her thick hood, picking up the sounds of her surroundings. Mixed in with the sound of the wind and water and other noises of daily life, she can hear the Holy Warrior’s voice. Rabi’s abilities as a scout are far inferior to Sanya’s, her total physical capabilities even more so. That said, as Rabi follows behind the party from a distance of over one hundred meters, there’s no sign of Toudou noticing her at all. Toudou looks utterly defenseless. He’s gotten used to his position but hasn’t mastered every single maneuver yet. Considering that he began fighting only six months ago, it’s actually quite miraculous, but he’s still too inept to be carrying the name of the Holy Warrior. Rabi doesn’t think he is truly resigned to kill. Not the kind of resignation required to kill on the battlefield—Rabi’s talking about the resignation to kill with composure anytime, anywhere. It’s a twisted quality for the average human but one that any mercenary worth their salt already has. And this Holy Warrior doesn’t have it. If Rabi attacked him right now, Toudou would experience a moment’s confusion before reacting accordingly—which would leave him exposed. Even if Toudou’s prowess far eclipsed Rabi’s, even if he was at a high-enough level where Rabi could never take him down in an honest one-on-one fight, leaving himself vulnerable like that would undoubtedly give Rabi the opportunity to kill him—that’s just how exposed he would be. Their boss has the proper readiness about him. Rabi remembers it clear as day—the first time they met, the way he looked her up and down, evaluating her. He was calm and composed but didn’t leave any openings. There was no murderous intent in his eyes, but he looked at her like he was beholding a monster. His eyes showed that he doesn’t trust anyone: a rarity for an assassin, much less for a priest. Rabi can’t imagine the kinds of carnage he’s been through. That is why Rabi is different from Sanya—she hasn’t tested him, and in return, she has not been tested. Rabi is timid. Toudou and his party are peering into a waterway. There must be a fish—they’re all pointing, their eyes wide. Rabi has been given instructions to keep Toudou and his party away from the water until her boss eliminates the sea demon. In other words, she’s to keep them out of his hair. It appears that they’ve gotten in his way once or twice before. Rabi thinks for a moment before deciding to speak up. She’s already met them once, but she slightly disguised herself at the time. Going forward, they should have some acquaintance. Rabi dislikes talking to men, but she can’t use that as an excuse now. She masks her presence and jogs up to them, calling out to the Holy Warrior from behind. “You should probably…be more careful.” “EEK—?!” Toudou and his companions cry out in hysterics and whirl around to look behind them. Nothing but blind spots. Rabi could have all their heads rolling in one second flat. Of course, that’s not what she’s here for. Her only job is to keep them away from the water. “In this area, around this time…a very powerful merman is known to appear… He carries a mace as a weapon, and he’ll beat down anyone, even his own kind. He is a terrifying cold-blooded merman.” “Wait, what?! I-is that—?!” Toudou’s eyes fly wide open and bore into Rabi. Is he really that shocked? “I don’t know the reason why, but judging from previous years, he’ll leave these parts within a few days. Until then, you should definitely stay out of the ocean. He’s never come up through these waterways, but you all look like you’re new here and a bit clueless, so out of concern, I took it upon myself to warn you.” The words flow easily from Rabi’s mouth. Her calm voice finally quiets Toudou’s unrest. Limis and Aria must have also realized she’s not an enemy, as they drop their guard down a notch. They’re naive, as expected. And far too much so. If they let their guard down this easily, then Rabi could behead them with her eyes closed. Rabi smiles and Toudou, flustered, gives his thanks. He’s staring straight at Rabi, but she doesn’t mind. “Ah, um… Thank you so much. A-and you are…?” Rabi thinks for a moment before coming up with something that will get the overall gist across. “Pardon me. I am a…traveling monster researcher, Rabi. Every year around this time, I visit this city to study a certain merman called ‘Mermares.’ You all look to be traveling mercenaries—I feel we may have the opportunity to meet again before long, if fate allows. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Terrifying—that’s the one word I would use to describe the scene before me. Scores of mermen and seadragon knight troops line the ocean floor. They all have weapons, and some are even riding ocean horses with long white manes—kelpies. A giant jellyfish, spanning many meters, floats above my head like it’s waiting for my command. Farther back in the formation, an even bigger kraken slips into the darkness and wriggles its tentacles. There’s power in numbers. Even a high-ranked mercenary would have a tough time taking all these troops head-on. So this is Heljarl’s power, huh? I now fully understand the desperation of the humans who first confronted this group—and why they were decimated. I must kill Heljarl here. As I silently etch this oath into my mind, Heljarl, surrounded by seadragon knights acting as his imperial guards, announces with the confidence of having successfully exacted his malice: “Behold my forces! I may have yet to assemble all my subordinates, but these will be more than enough to bring down one miniscule port. I know not of the Holy Warrior’s strength, but no matter how powerful he may be, they’ll be worthless here on the ocean floor.” “…Your army is truly formidable.” The majority of ocean monsters can’t wield their full strength on land, but even that fact has its limits. If Cloudburst was to be attacked by this massive number of monsters, it may very well sink to the ocean floor. Toudou’s competence has come to the fore, but he’s still level 40. If he’s attacked by this many monsters, he’ll be pushed to his wits’ end and lose. “When did you begin gathering your forces?” “Hmm. Just when was it, now?” Heljarl asks the seadragon knight closest to him. The knight’s eyes bulge in his head as he says, “Since we determined the Holy Warrior’s location, my liege. In terms of time, approximately ten days ago, I believe.” Ten days ago… I arrived in Cloudburst seven days before that. There’s a gap. However, I don’t think it’s a case of the knight being inaccurate. Toudou did arrive in the city precisely ten days ago. But what exactly does this mean? There’s only one reasonable conclusion. These guys have been tracking the Holy Warrior’s movements through some method, but I don’t know precisely how. I have assumed the identity of the Holy Warrior twice thus far on my journey. That is the reason they think his name is Ares Crown, but they’re still tracking Naotsugu Toudou, not me. I need to know how they’re doing it. I need a plan. Making sure not to sound suspicious, I ask, “Where is the Holy Warrior now?” Heljarl opens his mouth to respond, but instead, the seadragon knight next to him steps forward. He’s carrying a short golden staff in lieu of a spear and is equipped with light armor protecting his vital points. He steps between Heljarl and me, baring his fangs in intimidation. “In the water capital. We don’t have any further details yet. You’d best sit tight for now.” They don’t have the details, huh? That means they didn’t learn his whereabouts by actually searching for Toudou in person… In that case, it makes sense that Sanya didn’t notice this bunch, either. If I didn’t have this merman armor, I might not have even realized they were down here until Toudou was already under attack. I ignore the seadragon knight blocking my path and make a demand of Heljarl. I have no use for his underlings. “Tell me more—right now. I will destroy him.” “Rrrgh… You watch your tongue in front of our king…” “At ease… Gregorio.” The seadragon knight is furious, while conversely, Heljarl sounds calm. His leniency is in stark contrast with the fact that he’s a demon, and it’s terrifying. He certainly has the demeanor of a king. It’s no question that he’s been able to rule over unintelligent monsters, but it’s possible that even seadragon knights have been his subjects from the very beginning as well. “Even if we don’t know the details, we do know he is in Cloudburst. Sinking the entire city will solve all our problems.” “And what if he escapes?” “This is the hero we’re up against. If he flees, that will merely show us what kind of warrior he is. No more, no less. Should that happen, he won’t stand a chance against us. Nor does that change the fact that we will drive the hero into dust.” Heljarl’s voice is rife with confidence and contempt for the Holy Warrior. However, he’s right. The Holy Warrior is humanity’s hope. If he is driven back and defeated, it will have serious implications. His summoning has not yet been made public, which will mitigate damage to an extent, but his defeat will not be forgiven. What’s more, Toudou is not the type of man to face a demon who means to submerge an entire city, and run away without a fight. I grind my foot into the ground in irritation and confirm what I’m hearing in a forceful tone. “…If you don’t know the details and manage to sink the entire city, you won’t know if he’s truly dead, right?” Heljarl looks suspicious for a moment before smirking. “…As long as we show the fearsome strength of a demon, there’s no need…for the details. We’ll know the second he’s dead.” “But how?” I have to know. I have to extract as much information as possible while they still think I’m on their side. Perhaps I’ve asked too many questions, as the seadragon knight steps in between us again to intimidate me. “Watch yourself. Our king is lenient, but any further irreverence will not be tolerated.” “…I do not mind. It’s a valid question. Disciple of the evil god…you are devoted to your task. I am impressed.” Heljarl restrains the menacing knight. He has to be a complete moron. I suppose divulging such information to an outcast like me isn’t all that problematic, but he’s still exceedingly careless. Yet, his carelessness and the precautions he’s taken to steadily gather military force on this scale don’t add up. Heljarl sits back on his throne and stares into my costume’s dull eyes with an imposing smile. “We possess an item that can identify whoever has the divine protection of the God of Order—that is, the hero—and pinpoint their location. We know the hero’s whereabouts at all times!” Hearing this, my mind goes completely blank. For a very long time, the method used by the Demon Lord’s army to identify the Holy Warrior has remained unknown. There have been many hypotheses so far but no actual proof. Divine protection?! These bastards are using the hero’s divine protection to track him?! It’s true that the number of people who possess a power as strong as the divine protection of the God of Order, the supreme deity Ahz Gried, are few and far between. Aside from the Saint and a few other special, elite beings, you could count the number on your hands. Using divine protection to identify the hero… He can’t be lying, can he? If a hero without the divine protection of the God of Order exists, that means they wouldn’t be able to track his location at all, but Toudou certainly has it, so there’s no use pondering that scenario. I calm my breathing and veil my shock. Right now, I’m a merman—just a merman. Acting overly surprised would just be weird. I’ll tell Amelia everything in our call later. Sanya has another item to search for now. “I see… Is it possible to have a look at this supposed item? I want to check its accuracy.” “…My apologies, but the item is extremely valuable. It’s not that I don’t trust you, Gregorio, but only a small number are permitted to see it.” Permitted? By whom? There is no one of higher rank than Heljarl in the Demon Lord’s army. Does he mean the Demon Lord himself? In that moment—and just for a brief second—Heljarl’s expression changes. I catch a minuscule glimpse of intense malice. I decide to draw back for the time being. I still have information to get from him. “…If that is the case, then it is out of my hands. I understand.” I stare out at Heljarl’s forces all standing at attention ominously. Looks like I’ll be gaining a lot of things out of this mission. My lips twist into a smile underneath the merman armor. Thanks to its thick shell, no one can see me from the outside. Heljarl turns around to leave. His jet-black robe flutters behind him and his silver armor creaks quietly. “Let’s head inside, Gregorio. We’re still assembling forces at the moment. We will lie in wait until we have gathered the numbers that will guarantee our victory. Don’t call it cowardice—even as a king, I have my own ties of obligation, you see.” “…That is certainly true, for a king.” I grip my mace and quell my urge to slay him and instead follow behind his squadron of seadragon knight guards. I can sense innumerable pairs of eyes looking me over, but not one of them notices my real identity and tries to attack. Ever since receiving information from the so-called traveling monster researcher, Toudou’s party has been thrown into extreme turmoil. “There’s no way. We have to stick it out and see what happens.” “B-but, Nao… We simply don’t…have time.” Aria insists they must dive down to the sunken temple the second their magic items are ready, but Toudou maintains they must wait until Mermares leaves the area. Limis is observing quietly, and Glacia is nibbling on a cookie without a care in the world. The cause of all this, the monster researcher, looks unconcerned as she sips a cup of black tea with extra sugar. She must have nerves of steel—even though she’s been invited into an unfamiliar party’s lodging, she seems cool as a cucumber. “You heard her, right? Mermares. The strongest merman on earth. We’re up against the strongest enemy on earth—get it?” Toudou’s expression is stern, but Aria offers a rebuttal. “Yes, but he’s the strongest merman. If we prepare ourselves and attack him at once, we should definitely be able to drive him back, right?” Mermen are low-level sea monsters. Even if he’s the strongest one, there’s no way he’s anywhere close to as strong as something like a dragon. Toudou sighs in response to Aria’s proposal. “…I’m not trying to be a coward here, but it definitely didn’t look like he’d go down easily from a head-on attack. And we can’t really lay a trap for him underwater, either.” “Mermares is extremely intelligent, so a trap won’t work on him. The average appropriate level for defeating him is around ninety, they say. For you and your party at present, Toudou, it will be difficult.” Rabi presents this new information nonchalantly, and Limis’s eyes go wide as she stares back at her. “Ninety?! You’re kidding, right?! An entire squadron of knights wouldn’t even be able to take him down!” “It’s the truth. He is that calamitous. He’s so strong, so violent, even the Demon Lord’s army won’t lay a hand on him.” “…I find that hard to believe. I’ve heard that sea monsters can be strong, but I’ve never heard of a merman like that.” Aria furrows her brow. Rabi looks nonplussed and hammers her point home in rapid succession. “It’s not as if I’m asking you to believe me. But I’ve given you warning. I simply don’t want to blame myself if you end up getting massacred.” “N-no, it’s not that we don’t believe you—” “I informed you out of benevolence. Mermares is brutal and far lewder than any goblin. If he catches you, you’ll be destined for the kind of torture too horrible to even mention…probably.” Toudou cringes at Rabi’s menacing look. Her chilling tone only enhances the scenario’s plausibility. “He…kidnaps people? Wha…! What a…what a terrifying creature…” “Just the other day, he was seen tormenting a dog-eared mermaid, dragging her around like some sort of pet.” Toudou’s whole body begins to shake uncontrollably upon hearing this. Witnessing his strength from a distance was frightening enough, but if he abducts people, that’s even more terrifying. “I-if…he’s taken someone captive…we have to go…and save them.” Toudou’s voice trembles, and Rabi ponders for a few moments before saying, “She’s almost certainly dead by now, so you shouldn’t concern yourself.” “…What?!” “…The mermaid looked very happy, and now that I remember, she may have consented to the treatment. Ah yes, that was it. That was definitely the case.” “?!” Rabi hops out of her chair, ignoring Toudou and her party, who exchange speechless glances. There’s only a thin rug on the floor, but Rabi doesn’t make a sound as she lands. “At any rate, I’ve warned you. This is the usual time for him to appear, so you might want to wait awhile. That’s all I’m saying. The path you choose is up to you, Toudou.” “Just one minute…” Aria stands and looks down at the hooded girl, saying, “We’re grateful for the information, but…just who are you anyway?” “I told you earlier, I am a traveling monster researcher studying monsters and demons that possess prominent abilities. I make my living through the study of such creatures. I’m really just a humble scholar. If I can make myself of use to some passing mercenaries, I’m more than satisfied. Our world today is quite…dangerous, after all.” Rabi doesn’t hesitate to answer Aria instantly. Her matter-of-fact response contains a peculiar dreadfulness. The party examines Rabi again. She’s wearing an oversize reddish-brown robe that hides her tiny figure. Her head is completely covered by its hood and her expression is unreadable, but her pale skin and attractive features become visible when she raises her head. Judging from her voice, she’s a girl—and younger than Aria, no doubt. She’s not dressed like a typical traveler, but at the same time, her appearance doesn’t reveal a whole lot about her in general. Further, she doesn’t give the party an intimidating air, but one thing is clear—she is very skilled. Toudou has met a number of powerful individuals on her journey, including Wurtz and Gregorio. Rabi’s presence is on a different wavelength from theirs, but if she’s a traveling monster researcher, then she must have the abilities necessary for that role. Toudou stares at Rabi and raises her hand. “Rabi… Um, Miss Rabi, you’re following this Mermares, right?” “Yes. But that said, I’m not always directly on his tail. I don’t have fins, after all.” Rabi cracks a joke without even a trace of a smile. Toudou ignores her and instead gets straight to the point. They don’t have time. That said, they can’t afford to jump headlong into meaningless danger, either. However, it’s quite a coincidence that someone well versed in the ways of this powerful merman has just happened to run into them. She’s a little bit suspicious, but Toudou’s instincts are telling her that she’s an ally. “For our own certain reasons, we have to get down to the sunken temple as quickly as possible. We’ll give you a token of our gratitude, so…if it’s all right, Rabi, would you mind helping us out?” Rabi falls silent at this sudden proposal. It’s a gamble. No normal person would accept such an invitation from a group of mysterious warriors. Just when Toudou starts to give up hope, thinking there’s no chance she’ll do it, Rabi says, “……Sure, okay.” “R-really?!” “I need to show my boss some resolve sooner or later… It’s the tough side of being employed, I suppose.” Rabi lets out a shallow sigh and lifts her head. Her gorgeous red eyes, slightly transparent, meet with Toudou’s. Seeing their color, Toudou feels a deep sense of déjà vu, but she quickly shakes it off. She smiles gently and sticks her hand out to Rabi. “Thank you! We really appreciate it!” Rabi stares at Toudou’s palm for an inordinate amount of time and cocks her head to the side before finally taking it in her own. Her tiny hands are covered with thin gloves, but even then, Toudou can tell they’re delicate. They shake hands and Rabi’s eyes go wide, like she’s agitated. She quickly clears her throat, saying, “…Cough. Yes. Likewise, though our acquaintance may be short, I look forward to our time together, Toudou.” After observing the troops and returning to my room, one of the seadragon knights accompanying me hands me an earring. It’s small and contains an ash-colored stone, similar to the communication device I already have. “Put it on. It’ll vibrate when our king requests your presence. You better come running immediately when he does.” Another magic item. I close my hand around the earring. I don’t even have ears—how the hell does he expect me to wear it? “Above all else, don’t try anything with us. Our king may be tolerant, but he has his limits. Should you defy his orders again, you will know the wrath of the ocean’s supreme ruler.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” The seadragon knight leaves my room. I dangle the earring in front of my face and furrow my brow. Magic items are quite useful, but even those that can be manufactured easily shouldn’t be used by demons. However, I already know of three different magic items in Heljarl’s possession. The first is an item that can detect the divine protection of the God of Order, the second can determine the location of anyone who has that divine protection, and the third allows the user to subordinate sea monsters. There’s a chance that the first and second item are one and the same, but that’s still too many for him to have. Additionally, this earring was probably mass-produced. Its functionality is limited, but in terms of its use for establishing contact, it’s top quality. A demon’s thought process is typically along the lines of I’ll just pound their face in myself, so this can’t be the product of any demonic work. The magic item that Felsa possessed in Golem Valley suddenly crosses my mind. Did he get it from the Demon Lord as well? I want to know more. And if at all possible, I want to gather these items together. I’m expecting great things from Sanya in that regard. Suddenly, I can feel the seadragon knight’s presence again. The door cracks open, and he sticks his head in. “By the way…I forgot to ask. What happened to the mermaid you had with you?” “…” “She wasn’t in the underground cell. You wouldn’t have let her go, now, would you?” The seadragon knight narrows his eyes and watches me closely. Shit, he noticed. I make an effort to keep my voice calm in replying. I’m a merman—an arrogant, insolent merman. “I’m letting her roam. What of it?” “…What will you do if she escapes?” The seadragon knight bears his fangs, practically threatening me. His claim is logical, and I don’t intend to quibble. I decide to push the envelope. If he attacks me, I’ll have just cause to defend myself and annihilate him. That will draw attention away from Sanya. I quell my malicious pretense and instead placate the seadragon knight. His shoulders stiffen and his scaly eyelids fly open as he stares me down. “That won’t happen. She is my female.” “…” “She’s probably just taking a walk. No need to worry.” “Mermaids are our enemies and our prey. Everyone is searching for her. When they find her, there will be hell to pay.” “In that case, tell them this—she is my prey, and if they touch her, they’re dead.” The seadragon knight looks at me like I’m the enemy. I know how dangerous this is. All eyes are on me. I couldn’t have made it this far without Sanya. Hopefully this will make things even a little bit easier for her. Sanya heads down the narrow hallway with utmost caution, concentrating on the surrounding presences. Her uniform silver fur swishes back and forth in the water, and her ears twitch as they listen for monsters nearby. One of Sanya’s greatest strengths is how sharp her senses are. Thanks to her innate skills, her senses are anywhere from hundreds to thousands of times more accurate than a regular human’s. However, being underwater, which she is not accustomed to, has dulled much of her senses. She needs to stay especially vigilant. Tracing her palm along the wall, Sanya creates a mental map of her location. A few hours have passed since she’s been on the move, but since she’s had to take a number of detours to avoid the guards, she still doesn’t have a full picture of the structure’s interior. This job sucks. Sanya presses her back to the wall and lets out a sigh. Thankfully, there are only a few guards on patrol, and there is no shortage of places to hide. On the flip side, the ones she’s seen have been highly trained. It’d be one thing if she had a proper weapon on her, but she’s largely empty-handed, save for a single small knife. Sanya calmly analyzes the difference in combat strength between her opponents and herself. With the element of surprise, she can take down one of them no problem, but the seadragon knights are patrolling in packs of two at the minimum. She could potentially take down two at once, but if the second calls for reinforcements while she’s handling the first, she’ll be in trouble. Normally, no enemy would ever come this far down into the sea where the building is, but the troops aren’t letting their guard down. From listening to their conversations, Sanya has learned that they’re being extra vigilant because of her boss. Honestly, getting in my way like this… What sort of grudge does the boss have against me anyway? Sanya’s mermaid armor has slipped off her shoulder, and she pulls the string back up before looking around the corner down the hallway again. She knows where the exits and entrances are, but she’s still uncertain of the magic items’ locations. She’s narrowed it down to a few possibilities, but she doesn’t have any concrete information. The structure contains many rooms, but aside from the throne room, only two have security assignments. The most likely place for the items to be is in Heljarl’s quarters, but that room is guarded by five seadragon knights at all times and she can’t even get close to it. She doesn’t have any information whatsoever on this other room, but it has a massive lock and multiple guards in front of it, so it must be the treasure vault or another important chamber. If it was being guarded by humans, she could handle them, but with seadragon knights as guards, she has zero confidence in her ability to properly interrogate them. Sanya has had experience with infiltration tasks in the past, but the unfamiliar surroundings and anxiety that comes with life-or-death situations have left her depleted. Maybe I should go back to the boss’s room and rethink this. The thought pops into her mind, but the fact that she hasn’t made any headway whatsoever prevents her from falling back on that idea. Sanya also has pride as a mercenary. Plus, there’s the chance that her boss isn’t in his room. Sanya continues pondering as she keeps up her diligent search. Just then, as she turns a corner, she notices a seadragon knight standing at the end of the hallway and she quickly hides. —That makes three guarded rooms. However, unlike the other two, this one has only a single seadragon knight guarding it. Compared with the guards by the other rooms, this one appears to be quite at ease. What to do? Sanya vacillates for a moment, but there aren’t any other seadragon knights patrolling. She can take this one down if he’s alone. Things will only get more difficult if she keeps searching through all the rooms. She decides to put it all on the line. Sanya silently draws her knife from her waist and steadies her breathing, stretching her arms to loosen her muscles. Her blade isn’t designed for throwing. She has to go in close, aim for the throat. It’s a legitimate blade, honed from the fangs of her silverwolf werebeast ancestors, and razor-sharp. Slicing through the scaled throat of the seadragon knight will be a cinch. Ten meters separate them. She won’t be able to close the distance without being noticed—the knight is on his guard, after all. She’ll distract him and rip open his throat. That’s the only option. Thankfully, right now Sanya is a powerless mermaid. Causing the knight to slip up won’t be hard to do. “This kinda thing is really Rabi’s specialty…,” Sanya mutters to herself, brushing her bangs forward to hide her eyes. She hunkers down, making herself look small to minimize her presence. Sanya has observed Rabi’s methods for a long time. She’s also replicated them on a few occasions, although not many of them have been successful. Sanya inhales and summons her resolve, staggering out into the hallway without taking care to mask her footsteps. The seadragon knight in front of the door locks her in his gaze instantly. She approaches him, pretending like she doesn’t realize she’s been discovered, in short, staccato steps. The seadragon knight’s expression changes from suspicion to grim regard. His shrill voice rings through the hallway. “?! What?! What is a mermaid doing here?” Sanya finally pretends to realize she’s been discovered and looks up. Their eyes meet. Sanya’s face falls and she shrieks in terror, but only just quietly enough that no one else will notice. “Eek?! Eep… Meep…” Sanya steps back and presses her back against the wall. Her eyes widen in desperation and she practically crumples to the floor. She needs to feign weakness through her voice, expression, and presence. She’s not sure if she’s pulling it off, but the seadragon knight approaches her with the same grim regard. Light glints off the tip of his razor-sharp spearhead. “Did the jailer let you go? Or are you rogue? How did you escape?” “Eep… H-help me…!” Sanya pleads with the knight in a voice much higher than normal. She fakes a retreat and then puts her back to the wall again. Sanya squirms pathetically as the seadragon knight takes a few paces toward her and snorts with derision. His cold, unblinking eyes seem to regard her as if she were a mere object. He then turns the handle of his spear, not the tip, toward Sanya. “Don’t move. I’m going to bind you. If you act up, you’re dead.” Wait—is this working? Have my skills improved? The knight is off his guard. He doesn’t show one iota of concern that she might attack him. He also doesn’t appear to have noticed that her hand has slid behind her back, where she grips her knife. Sanya is blown away by this realization. Although different races boast different skills, this particular technique is something she’s never been able to master, no matter how much she trained. Rabi has always made fun of her because of it. Elated, Sanya tries copying Rabi even more. She hunches her shoulders as if to emphasize her chest and says in a trembling voice: “Ooh, I’m s-so scared. D-don’t touch me! I…I might be cute and weak, and I’ve never lifted anything heavier than a carrot, b-but…if you come any closer—I-I’ll…I’ll bite you!!” Sanya is really laying it on thick now, and the seadragon knight immediately goes on alert. He steps back quickly and points the tip of his spear at Sanya. “Just who are you?! Where did you sneak in here from? And drop whatever you’re holding behind your back!” “?! Huh… Wh-whyyy?!” But this always works for Rabi… The knight wastes no time in lunging forward with his spear. Sanya instantly dodges the twirling spearhead approaching her with blinding speed. There’s a scraping sound as the blow misses and the spear’s tip chips the wall. If she hadn’t dodged it, Sanya would have been left with another orifice in her head. “Eek!! D-don’t kill me!” “It’s too late for your little performance now!” The knight rains down his spear on Sanya. She assesses its pattern instantaneously and ducks, lying prone to avoid it. A portion of her hair that floated upward is slashed off by the tip. This would’ve worked perfectly for Rabi… Sanya puffs out her cheeks, and the seadragon knight hollers, “Hey! We’re under attack! Someone—!!” The knife released from Sanya’s hand pierces the seadragon knight’s throat. His eyes go wide as blood gushes forth. He attempts to scream as his life begins slipping away but is unable to form any words. A few seconds later, as her enemy crumples into a heap, Sanya breathes a sigh of relief. She was lucky. If the knight had actually been focused on their skirmish, she wouldn’t have been able to take him down in a split second. Sanya grips the knife stuck in the knight’s neck and twists it back and forth just to be extra sure before finishing it off. The soul has left his dead body. His now-colorless pupils show Sanya’s reflection as she stares down. “Rabi would’ve taken this guy’s head off before he even noticed…” Sanya strains her ears, but she can’t hear footsteps or anything else. Calming her breathing, she drags the knight’s body into the room he had been guarding. The seadragon knight raised quite a ruckus. It doesn’t appear that anyone’s approaching yet, but she needs to investigate the room with haste. As she begins to do so, Sanya lets out a short sigh. “Aw, man… I was wrong. No wonder the room wasn’t locked… Spare weaponry…and nothing else. Fail.” The dimly lit chamber is jam-packed with weapons. It’s clearly not what she’s looking for. Sanya drags the seadragon knight’s corpse to the far end of the room and walks along the rows of armaments. Spears, swords, shields, maces—there’s a ton of different stuff here, but nothing of value and nothing even resembling the magic items she’s after. …Guess it’ll have to be in the treasure vault or Heljarl’s quarters after all. Sanya does a final check for anything useful inside before switching up her game plan. Both rooms are under strict surveillance, from what she saw at a distance. They’re this building’s most dangerous spots. Sanya doesn’t want to go there. Silverwolves are brave, but they’re not reckless. There’s no way she can take on multiple seadragon knight guards, with full military armament, and incapacitate them in a split second. If they call for reinforcements, that will only prove detrimental to her boss’s strategy. That said, Sanya still hasn’t had a chance to show her boss what she’s got. She wants to succeed at this important task, no matter what it takes. It’s a point of pride for the silverwolf race to show their superiors what it is they’re capable of. In that case, she decides to set her sights on the treasure vault. Heljarl’s quarters are simply too dangerous. “Man, if only I knew how to use magic, I might be able to do something about this conundrum…” Guess I’ll have to head back to the boss’s room for now and consult with him. Just as Sanya decides to do so, aimlessly muttering to herself, she is hit with an epiphany. “…Ohhh… Magic… Right, magic! I don’t need to be the one to cast it.” Sanya recalls what Ares told her: “Make friends with the mermaids.” She scrutinizes the plan in her mind, nodding once, and she leaves the weapon storeroom with utmost caution. There’s only a single merman guarding where the mermaids are locked up, probably because Ares usurped the jail’s supervision. He looks at Sanya and doesn’t even feign to call for reinforcements. For some reason, Sanya knows exactly what the merman is thinking. Boss, you really scared the crap outta this guy… Just who’s the real monster here? It seems like he’s too afraid of upsetting Ares to try getting in Sanya’s way. Sanya remains cautious, prepared to counterstrike if attacked, as she enters the room. Seeing her come in, the mermaids’ faces turn pale and they huddle in the corner. Mermaids are the most famous race of aquatic demi-humans. They’re known for their good looks and voices, but their most notorious aspect is the powerful charm their voices contain. In ages past, mermaids’ charms have been known to lure crew members to their deaths by causing them to steer their ships straight down into the ocean. It’s doubtful that they’d be able to completely control the mind of a seadragon knight, but they can certainly create an opening for attack. Perhaps because Ares didn’t follow after Sanya, the mermaids’ faces relax slightly. They flap their mouths open and shut, but no sound comes out. It’s because of the collars around their necks. And now, the key to these collars has been passed from Ares’s hands to Sanya’s. She approaches the bewildered mermaids and shows them the key ring. Their eyes go wide with surprise. “I need your help. I’m trying to steal one of Heljarl’s magic items.” The mermaids’ eyes go even wider as they exchange glances. Sanya killed the seadragon knight guarding the weapon storeroom. She hid his corpse, but it’s only a matter of time before someone notices. When they do, the rest are guaranteed to go on even higher alert. Not much time left now. Sanya explains the situation to them. The mermaids look at one another for a few moments before finally nodding back at her. “Did you have anything to add?” asks the King of the Ocean, and the seadragon knight standing next to him, Halgen, shakes with fear. Halgen has served as Heljarl’s right-hand man since before the world came to know him as the “sea demon.” Halgen straightens himself up and opens his mouth hesitantly. “…No, my liege. May your will be done.” “We have known each other for many moons now. Do not hesitate to speak. It’s about Gregorio, no doubt?” Heljarl has gathered with his trusted retainer in a room fashioned into an operations center in the back of their dilapidated stronghold. Despite being able to control sea monsters, Heljarl has amassed a group of troops that are still a ragtag gang of fighters. The only seadragon knight who Heljarl trusts is highly intelligent and has a storied history. Heljarl is a king but not a dictator. Even without the power to control sea monsters, Heljarl’s strength is unparalleled throughout the entire ocean. He’s more powerful than even the strongest of ocean dragons. Thus, Heljarl listens to his subordinates. It’s just one embodiment of his composure. Halgen inhales deeply before continuing. “That merman is dangerous. He murdered Hjalmar. He might go for your throat next.” “I’ve already heard as much multiple times.” “Your power is great, my liege. But there is still time before we mobilize. I feel we ought to drive a wedge between him and us, just to be safe.” Heljarl’s shapely brow furrows subtly at this, and he waves his arm that is resting on his elbow. “Yet his kind of power is invaluable. Power and faith… If he’s really that remarkable of a merman, then I may even add him to our vanguard. If I control him, he won’t be able to wield his full strength.” Giant sea monsters are one thing. They can cause serious destruction simply by slamming into something. However, Gregorio’s battle tactics don’t simply rely on brute force. Heljarl’s power entails being able to control sea monsters, but if he was to constrain any part of Gregorio’s volition, that would only hinder his capabilities. Gregorio’s power is a matter of technique and faith. Heljarl continues, sounding almost deliriously impassioned. “Right now, I need all the power I can get. My forces must extend beyond the ocean to reach land… To show the Demon Lord my power and to let that brat know just what the King of the Ocean is capable of.” Heljarl is not completely focused on the Holy Warrior. His vision surpasses him. Halgen nods in response and replies, voice muffled, “I have one proposal. Gregorio has that stubborn mermaid with him. If we make use of her, we can drive a wedge between him and us without wasting resources…” “Oh? …Explain, then.” At Heljarl’s prompting, Halgen begins to explain his theory. Kill the Holy Warrior and obtain honor. The King of the Ocean’s pride will not settle for simply taking control of the seas. Not a moment later, Heljarl nods profusely. “Ares is always so reckless.” “Is that so?” “But the same could be said about you, trying to accompany Toudou and his party.” “Yes, you’re right.” Rabi’s voice is completely void of emotion as she and Amelia speak to each other. Her face, too. She’s probably just a bit of an airhead, but Rabi’s plans with Toudou are anything but half-hearted. Rabi hustles to prepare, searching for a few necessary items in her large knapsack—a recovery potion in a glass bottle, some sturdy see-through string, a butcher knife, a heavy book, thick-framed red glasses. “…Glasses? What are you going to use those for? I’ve never seen you wear them once, have I?” Rabi pulls down her hood and puts the glasses on for Amelia. The glasses give her the air of an unathletic, slightly dorky young girl. She timidly averts her gorgeous red eyes. Her translucent white skin looks like it’s never seen the sun. She hunches her shoulders and grabs the neck of her robe with her slender hand, hiding her body. Tears flood her eyes and she starts to shake all over. Her voice escapes her thin peach-colored lips as she pleads in supplication. “I…I s-simply cannot f-fight. It’s s-so dangerous; I j-just want peace. Eep! …No—! Wha…! D-don’t touch me— N-no, give my glasses back— I c-can’t. I j-just can’t do it— Oh… Ares—” “Huh? Huuuuuhhhhh?” Amelia can’t help herself from crying out, but Rabi’s expression is already back to normal. She releases her hands from her collar and shrugs. The pathetic, weak voice she’d been using to inspire sadism in her opponent is nowhere to be found. “—Just like that, and then you shear their head clean off. I’m weak, so I have to come up with all sorts of schemes…” Amelia’s frozen stiff, dumbfounded, as Rabi continues. “Just now, Amelia, you were wide open. I could have beheaded you ten times over.” “……Ngh… You’re…conniving…” “It’s more than likely ingrained in my DNA. I know what it’s like to be preyed upon.” Rabi removes the glasses and puts them back in their case, tucking it into a small bag that hangs from her belt. It will hold only a few limited items, but it’s a small enough bag that it shouldn’t impede her movement underwater. “Please get in touch with me via transmission. It will be easier for you to do so if you’re close by. After all, you’re used to it.” “…But, Rabi, without you here with me, what will I—?” Amelia has very low combat skills. Without anyone to defend her, she’ll have a hard time following behind. Rabi’s expression turns thoughtful. “There’s…nothing I can do. You need to keep in contact with the boss and myself. There won’t be much use for advanced holy techniques on this trip.” “……I suppose you’re right.” It’s not exactly as planned, but they can’t call Ares back here now. It’s only reasonable for Amelia to have an escort. Yet, they need someone to check on things underwater, and aside from that, it will be safer to finalize the spirit covenant before Heljarl’s troops have amassed. “…Things aren’t going according to plan, after all… Even though I got my own mermaid armor and everything.” “You can just wear it here in your room, can’t you? At least it’s not merman armor.” Finally, Rabi equips her large hatchet, stored in its sheath, and shrugs. Amelia sighs deeply at Rabi’s ludicrous advice, which she doled out without a second thought. “…Huh? But, Rabi, didn’t you say you’d be too embarrassed to fight in a swimsuit—?” Rabi can supposedly put up with it if they’re all the same gender—but the Holy Warrior’s party she’ll be accompanying is led by Toudou, a boy. From what Amelia’s heard, it’s not a matter of preference but rather a special characteristic of her breed that makes it impossible for her—will Rabi be okay? Amelia’s question is naive, and Rabi furrows her brow—the first time Amelia’s seen her do so. Then she answers nonchalantly. “No, I’ll be fine. It seems like there are some special circumstances regarding this issue, so I wasn’t sure whether I should tell you, but… Amelia, Toudou is…a girl. She may look androgynous, but there’s no doubt about it.” “……What?” Garnet lies flat on the bed and looks up at Limis. “Listen, Garnet. Don’t get scared, okay? They’re not enemies. They won’t attack us or anything like that.” Garnet doesn’t answer her. It simply lifts its head as its tongue flicks out of its mouth. One of the most important factors in establishing a covenant with an elemental spirit is one’s compatibility with any existing spirits. Water is an advantageous attribute when put against fire. You could say that water elemental spirits are Garnet’s natural enemies. Whether or not Limis is even able to establish a covenant with an elemental spirit of Garnet’s rank is just one part of the equation. But she’s come this far—she must succeed, no matter what it takes. Limis has made steady progress in preparing to establish a spirit covenant. The only concern that remains lies with the elemental spirit who’s been with her since childhood. “…Sometimes I just wish I could understand what you’re thinking…,” Limis mutters to herself, sighing. Garnet continues to look up at her and doesn’t move a muscle. Why hasn’t Limis been able to establish a covenant with other types of elemental spirits? High-ranking ones can even understand human language. From Garnet’s rank alone, it should be able to start speaking, too, but there’s no such indication at present. Just then, the door to Limis’s room opens. The Holy Warrior, who Limis has been entrusted with assisting—Naotsugu Toudou—sticks her head in and calls out. “Limis, the preparations are complete. Your mermaid armor is ready. Zolan brought it here for you.” “…A little earlier than expected, isn’t it?” “Yeah, but it seems like he really put a lot of work into it. He said he was inspired for the first time in ages.” “Inspired—?! ……Okay, fine.” Limis brings her finger toward Garnet and it climbs up her shoulder in a flash. She checks that Garnet is where it should be before gripping her staff and standing up. She’s worried, but there’s no turning back now. Then, as Zolan hands her the completed mermaid armor, her face goes stiff. She holds nothing but a scrap of red cloth in her hands. If she bunched it up, it would probably fit in her palm. Mermaid armor. The magic item necessary to establish a covenant with a water elemental spirit. “Um… Ah… This… Well…… I was prepared for this, but now that it’s in my hands, I’m curious… What about this is supposed to be armor? It’s way smaller than the sample we saw, too!!” Aria is holding a similar scrap of cloth, hers blue, as she stares into the distance, stock-still. Glacia spreads out her mermaid armor, seemingly disinterested. Hers is a light-blue color, but it doesn’t look like armor, or even a magic item for that matter. Maybe it’s because she’s so small, or perhaps it’s because her chest is so flat, but Glacia’s bikini essentially covers only her private parts. The same goes for Limis’s. It’s the type of thing they’d hesitate to wear even if they were only going for a swim. Zolan, the dwarf who delivered the items, clad in a colorful shirt, beams with pride and laughs uproariously. “I made ’em this way to save on materiaaals!! Better than strappin’ on a pair of seashells, ain’t iiit?!” “Seashells?! What the heck?! You’re telling me to wear this?! Just how am I going to explain this to my dad?!” “H-hang on, Limis, settle down—I’ve already got mine on.” “…Nao, aren’t you…mortified to wear something so indecent?!” “Please don’t say any more… It hurts my soul. But mine is definitely a step up from that!” “Nao, you might be able to wear the holy armor Fried over yours…b-but what about us?! We don’t have that luxury!” Limis’s lips tremble as she glowers at Zolan. He smiles and gives her a thumbs-up. Limis seriously considers burning him to a crisp on the spot before restraining herself. Aria has received the largest bikini, due to her size, and she abruptly says, “…It has barely any defense…” “Hyuck-hyuck-hyuck… This set o’ mermaid armor is custom-made! It’s imbued with crystals that accumulate magical energy, so even a gal like you with zero magical energy can become a mermaaaid! That feature comes free o’ charge!!” “……It has barely any defense…” Why is he being so meaninglessly cordial?! Aria barely manages to keep her tongue on a leash. Crystals that accumulate magical energy are useful but rare, and only a limited few people are able to craft with them. Finding any is a tough job—Limis and Aria couldn’t do it on their own. Zolan is an old pervert, but he’s most definitely a genius. Aria’s eyes glaze over. She grew up surrounded by men, and she has even less tolerance for this crap than Limis. But in spite of her zombielike stare, Zolan isn’t deterred one bit. He takes a nimble step forward, practically jumping for joy as he screams, “Okay—hurry up and put ’em on! Show me yer very best mermaid impression! Quick! Quickly now!” “Rrrgh…… G-Glacia, no! Stop taking off your clothes!” Glacia doesn’t seem perturbed and starts to undress, while Limis rushes to stop her. She stares blankly up at Limis, and Zolan begins to applaud—he’s really heating up now. Toudou stands in front of Glacia as if protecting her and chastises Zolan. “This is sexual harassment! Zolan, we’re thankful you brought them to us and all, but seriously, get out!” “Perish the thought! Makin’ sure they’re the right sizes is the manufacturer’s responsibility! I, Zolan, may be an old man, but I haven’t lost my pride as a creator of magic items—” “I must apologize for my husband’s behavior.” “?!” A delicate hand reaches out and grabs Zolan’s shoulder. It barely touches him, but he stops dead in his tracks. The hand belongs to an elf, though how and when she entered the room is anyone’s guess. She’s over two heads taller than the dwarf Zolan, with distinctively long, pointy ears. Her golden hair is tied up, and her porcelain-white skin and blue eyes make her look like a princess from some faraway land. Toudou and company are shocked, and Zolan’s face freezes stiff as he turns around and shudders. “S-sweetums… Wh-what’s the matter? …I’m at work right now, and—” “I think your work here is finished, darling! Come, we have another request, so let’s get back home.” “B-but I still haven’t checked the sizes—” “Ah-ha-ha, oh, darling, I know your skills better than anyone. There’s no need to check. I’m sure they’ll fit perfectly.” “No, no!! I gotta see the mermaaaids!! That’s what I came all the way here to Cloudburst fooor!!” As Zolan starts to throw a tantrum, the elf turns toward Toudou calmly and lowers her head in supplication. Her hand remains gripping Zolan’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. He’s always this way. No matter how many times I tell him, he won’t change.” “N-no, it’s okay…” “But I can guarantee you he is skilled. If there happens to be anything wrong at all, please come back and visit our shop. We’ll fix it for you free of charge.” “O-okay…” The elf smiles at Toudou, who can manage only a half-hearted reply, and drags Zolan out of the room. The dwarf’s yelping slowly dissipates. Awkwardness hangs in the air. Looking down at the mermaid armor, Aria says with disgust, “…‘Sweetums’? …He…has a wife, it seems…” “…Yeah, and he’s totally whipped.” “Why does he spend his time making things like this if he has such a beautiful wife? I just…don’t understand people…” Toudou looks at Limis’s mermaid armor and scratches her cheek in total bewilderment. At any rate, their preparations are now complete. All that’s left to do is head down to the sunken temple with Rabi. “…Is this really going to work? He said something about saving on materials…” “…W-well, we should be able to manage… Probably,” Aria mutters, not looking very confident at all. This is clearly excessive military force. You can get a sense of their indomitable will from the mass of troops gathered without having taken Cloudburst’s defenses into consideration whatsoever. There’s power in numbers. Merely dispatching the countless mermen to Cloudburst will send the city into a frenzy. If they’re able to remove the grates from the waterways and use the canal that runs throughout Cloudburst, they’ll be able to overrun it in no time. The number of monsters has increased exponentially in the last few days, to the point where they could likely defeat the entire Kingdom’s naval forces. What can they be so afraid of, to amass an army this size? No one would believe that they’re just trying to be prudent. Are these orders from the Demon Lord? Or are they just trying to cover all their bases? Even so, this is completely over the top. Heljarl already controls the entire ocean himself—amassing this many subordinates is just going to create unwanted openings, if anything. “A fearsome army indeed. Amassing this many troops just to attack one small city… Is this the power of the Demon Lord?” As I start to dig for information, one of the seadragon knight guards answers begrudgingly, eyes wide. “…We only answer to one lord. Heljarl is descended from the God of Oceans. This army belongs to him and him alone.” The God of Oceans, huh? Perhaps Heljarl and the Demon Lord Kranos’s relationship is not quite the lord-vassal type I expected. They were likely once separate forces that united as one. This makes them only more troublesome. “Come to think of it, this army isn’t the sort the Demon Lord would gather. Do you have some kind of cooperative alliance with him?” “…If you manage to distinguish yourself in battle, you might just see for yourself.” The seadragon knight falls silent before continuing at length. “However, Gregorio, do not forget. Your life belongs to Heljarl, the King of the Ocean. You should be thankful that you have the honor of attending him as a merman.” “I will pay him back in kind first by slaughtering the Holy Warrior.” The seadragon knight doesn’t reply, simply nodding in agreement. Cloudburst is a port, but taking down the entire city logically entails attacking it from on land. I haven’t heard about any plans like that, which was what made me so dubious about Heljarl’s whole strategy, but it looks like his internal affairs are more than a bit complicated. Just then, the earring I attached to my dorsal fin starts vibrating. I turn my head and say to the seadragon knight on guard, “Seems your king is calling.” “You don’t need my permission. Don’t make our king wait. Get moving!” I wonder what he wants. There should still be some time until his troops attack the city. I arrive in front of the throne room. They must have increased security—there are five fully armed seadragon knights guarding it. I suddenly realize that I might have overstayed my welcome. Because of the seadragon knight guards, I can’t afford to do anything reckless, and I don’t know how far Sanya’s gotten with her search for the magic items. I need to wait for an opportunity. I estimate that opportunity will occur right before Heljarl commands his army to march. Just prior to manipulating all the monsters he’s gathered, Heljarl will be left defenseless. In that moment, I’ll be able to identify the flute that he uses to control them. The seadragon knight guards straighten their backs and narrow their eyes at me. I perceive a stinging sensation, almost a rise in pressure, akin to murderous intent. “You’re late. Our king awaits you. Get inside.” “Ex Strength.” “?!” I cast buffs on myself in succession with holy techniques as the seadragon knights look on in astonishment. A number of high-level buffs only a high-ranking priest can wield rise within my body. “Wh-what…are you doing?!” “It’s a divine message from my god. You don’t mind, do you?” I ask as I finish casting the buffs. Take any and all precautions—that’s my motto. If I see any kind of imposing security measures, then you better believe I’ll come prepared. And if I claim this is a divine message from my evil god, then they won’t deny me. The seadragon knight guards shudder in fear and open the door without a word. Gripping my mace, I step into the room. Heljarl and his bodyguards pierce me with their gazes. In that moment, I know I was right to come prepared. “Ah, Gregorio. So good you’re here.” “Has something happened? I see you…have my sacrifice with you,” I respond, maintaining my composure. Sanya and the rest of the mermaids are standing behind Heljarl. They don’t look to be tied up, but they’re completely still. I wondered why she didn’t contact me—she’s bungled the job. Sanya’s face is horribly lifeless, drained of color. Her glassy-eyed expression is so unlike her energetic, vivacious look that it leaves me feeling utterly repulsed. Fortunately, however, she’s still alive. “Yes, Gregorio. I regret to tell you, but…your mermaid was causing a ruckus, you see. It was not an easy decision, but I’ve made her a bit more…compliant.” “A ruckus… Did she do something?” As I probe, feigning ignorance, a seadragon knight standing next to Heljarl cries out sharply, “‘Did she do something?!’ Your mermaid led the other mermaids to the treasure vault and broke in! The guards were severely wounded! If our king himself hadn’t intervened, they would have likely suffered even worse. This is on your head!” The treasure vault, huh? I did tell Sanya to befriend the mermaids, but I can see that she went a little overboard. The other seadragon knights are all glowering at me with bloodlust in their eyes. At this point, I can’t quite blame them. However, I snort and laugh in their faces. I can’t be held accountable—in trivial moments like this, I have to laugh it off. “…Ha! They took a beating from a bunch of mermaids? Such a disgrace to the Demon Lord’s army. They lost to my sacrifice—I guess those spears are just for show. Are the followers of the God of Oceans that pitifully weak?” “What did you say?!” “Your loss was due to your own weakness. You are not worthy enough to call yourselves warriors.” As I chastise them, I assess the difference in our combat ability. There are five knights to the left and right of Heljarl and six more up against the wall. None of them is particularly powerful, but taking them down in one blow from head-on will prove tough. Allowing them any time will only guarantee the arrival of more reinforcements. Heljarl raises his palm at the enraged guard to pacify him and breathes a small sigh. “Gregorio, that will be quite enough. My soldiers are not weak. Rather, your mermaid is strong. She had the help of the others, but even then, it’s unfathomable to think she managed to take down so many of my men. Furthermore, you had a responsibility to watch over her. I gave you permission to roam freely throughout our stronghold, but that permission does not extend to your mermaid breaking into our treasure vault.” Sanya strides robotically out from behind Heljarl to stand at his side. He licks his lips and continues. “Even my army follows certain rules, and sin begets punishment. Fortunately for you, you’ll soon have a chance to vindicate yourself—” I see—it appears that somehow, Heljarl has no intention of punishing me physically. It must be because our showdown with the Holy Warrior is very soon. Above all else, I’m just glad that Sanya is still alive, although she’s been captured. Sanya slowly draws the knife stuck in her belt. It’s large and fang-like. She handles it elegantly, pointing the tip directly at me. “I’m not taking her hostage, but I won’t give this mermaid back to you, not yet.” “What did you do to my sacrifice?” “Mermaids are ocean-dwelling beings. They cannot defy me, the King of the Ocean.” Are they under the power of a different flute of his? It’s true that Zolan said the mermaid armor tricks others into mistaking the wearer for a mermaid, but that implies the effect has its demerits, too. I was not expecting this whatsoever. Sanya should have resistance to mental manipulation from her training, but I guess she couldn’t stand up to it this time. Heljarl smiles, pleased, as I fall silent. “Worry not. Our objective remains the same. I don’t intend to behead you here and now. I have mercy for faithful soldiers. Follow my order and slay the Holy Warrior. Slip into the city amid the confusion, find the Holy Warrior, and kill him. If you do, consider your sins washed clean. I’ll even give you your mermaid, too.” “Very well. Yet, I have one thing to ask: Will my mermaid return to her former self?” “Heh-heh-heh, yes, of course. If I deem it so.” Heljarl lets out a low chuckle. He’s telling the truth. I can’t see any emotion in Sanya’s eyes. I have no use for magic items at this point, unless they turn her back into her old self. There are a number of techniques that cause mental contamination, but the majority of them only restrict the target’s thoughts. What’s more, mindless emotion can have the most drastic influence on one’s actions. This means that someone who’s been mentally compromised loses the ability to attack with their potential. Sanya’s movements were elegant when she drew her blade, but she can’t currently unleash her true strength. They haven’t tried to manipulate my mind, only because they’re likely scared that I’ll become less powerful. “Until I return her to you, this mermaid will be part of my personal guard. She needs to work to make up for the soldiers she killed. We’ll be ready to attack in a matter of days. You’ll manage until then.” They’re trying to keep me in check. A seadragon knight on Heljarl’s right, one who looks more regal than the rest, seems to relax a bit. It must have been his plan. I cross my arms and watch Sanya. She doesn’t seem to be any more relaxed as she stares back at me. As Heljarl said, it’s natural to strike back when attacked. This particular seadragon knight is far more troublesome than the rest. I lower my mace in my hand and ask Heljarl, feigning ignorance, “…How are you controlling them? Drugs?” “…Drugs?” Heljarl retorts, his mouth nearly splitting at the seams. His reptilian eyes are boring into me. A screeching laugh reverberates through the water. All Heljarl’s soldiers are frozen stiff. “Bwa-ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Splendid, a splendid joke, Gregorio! As if I, the King of the Ocean, would ever stoop to such pathetic methods. Very well, then—I’ll show you!” “M-my liege!” Heljarl ignores the entourage around him trying to hold him back. He gets to his feet and slowly reaches out to me with his right hand. In the next instant, a long, transparent blue flute abruptly appears in it. The flute is almost an entire meter long. Its translucent bluish body has a number of haphazardly placed holes, and the tip is adorned with several sea-green jewels that I’ve never seen before. It’s precisely what I’ve been searching for this entire time. A strange impulse runs down my body from head to toe, leaving me shivering. So he did have it after all. Is it magic?! I couldn’t see him hiding anything earlier… He completely fooled me. I’m dumbfounded, and Heljarl raises his voice as if he is announcing the item’s presence. “This is the secret treasure passed down through the descendants of the God of Oceans, created from the root of all marine life—Mar Animus—and a true testament to me, Heljarl, as sole ruler of the seas!” The seadragon knights surrounding Heljarl fall to their knees in unison like the loyal vassals they are. The only ones left standing are Sanya and the mermaids, who have had their mental faculties stolen. Heljarl glares at me. The tolerant air he had when we first met is long gone. Nothing but euphoric power stretching in all directions and an unspeakably limitless pride remain. “All ocean-dwelling beings are my servants! Gregorio, you may be a powerful warrior, but you are no exception! What—did you think that because you’re a merman, I would excuse you?!” I see how it is… I lower my mace and slowly begin to kneel. “…Yes, my liege.” The corners of Heljarl’s mouth turn up into a smile. In that moment, I pretend like I’m going to fall to my knees, but instead I kick heavily off the ground and lunge toward Heljarl. It’s important for crusaders to never falter. No matter what comes my way, I won’t hesitate. It’s an easy claim to make, but most people can’t actually follow through. Sure, I, too, used to hesitate. But no longer. I’ll execute a sudden onslaught when they’ve lowered their guard. The perfect sneak attack. The entire room is under their king’s control. Just as I looked like I was going to kneel, they all let their guard down. —None of them is able to react in time—save for just one. As I go to swing my mace down, my attack is deflected from below, at an angle. My mace is thrown off its unwavering trajectory and smashes into the ground. Heljarl’s eyes grow wide as he realizes what’s happening and takes a step back. Sanya had instantaneously stepped in to block my attack. Her eyes show neither anger nor strife. I can’t tell what the hell she’s thinking; she’s acting as a wall between Heljarl and me. The soldiers surrounding us finally get their wits about them. Their murderous intent pierces my being, and I raise my mace once again. Heljarl glowers at me. “…What is the meaning of this, Gregorio? Surely this isn’t some sort of joke you’re pulling.” It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance: Heljarl and his flute. Taking them both out in one fell swoop would return the oceans back to humanity. As for Sanya, I can just send her to the Church to heal. Emotionally, I’m torn—I want to save Sanya, but I can’t weigh that against restoring peace to the ocean. The soldiers encroach and turn their spears on me. I thrust my mace at Heljarl and demand, “Give it back— No, I will make you give me that flute back, Heljarl!” “You’ll…make me? What nonsense is this?! No—just who do you think you are?!” Heljarl’s eyes are rife with the intent to kill. Intimidation ripples through the air, smoldering throughout the battlefield. Every ear in the room hangs on my next word. I decide to identify myself clearly and openly. “I believe it’s time I dropped the act. My name is Gregorio Legins. I am a disciple of the evil god—and a member of the Demon Lord Army’s Disciplinary Corps. By order of His Excellency the Demon Lord, I demand you return that sacred treasure to me now!” Time comes to a halt. The soldiers surrounding me are visibly agitated and stop in their tracks. Heljarl’s eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets as his lip trembles. “Disciplinary Corps…?! What the hell is that? I’ve never heard of such a thing!!” Yeah, neither have I. “Saying you’re unfamiliar with it is not enough to give you a pass, King of the Ocean. His Excellency the Demon Lord is tolerant, just as you are, but he, too, has his limits.” “Ngh… Preposterous… You’re implying that Kranos has forsaken me?!” Heljarl takes a step back, perhaps unconsciously. “Foolish! Absurd! Ludicrous! I am the one controlling these vast and endless oceans! You have no idea the hardships I’ve endured—” He’s completely bought my act. It’s a good thing demons are so simplistic. But then again, I wouldn’t normally assume a merman to be allied with humans. It would seem that Heljarl has heard of it after all. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, and demons? Mountains of them. Heljarl grips his staff and burns his gaze into me. “Killing the Holy Warrior is Kranos’s greatest wish! I will not be punished for nothing!” “Hmph. Do you have specific orders, then? Spit them out.” “Rrrgh…” The warriors are abuzz, murmuring among themselves. Heljarl bites his lip. Again, the lenience I’ve seen in him thus far is nowhere to be found. Just as I expected, his plans to attack Cloudburst were not a direct order. In fact, his strategy doesn’t even align with the Demon Lord’s movements thus far. Suppression through sheer numbers is a frightening strategy indeed, but had it been the Demon Lord’s orders, there would definitely be a unit attacking from on land, and in that case, Sanya would have sniffed it out in the city. A member of Heljarl’s entourage, standing on his left, screams in a panic, “W-wait! Our king has not betrayed anyone! It’s true that he wasn’t given a direct order, but has the Demon Lord forgotten his achievements thus far?!” “You fool. That is for His Excellency to determine, not I. Attempting to understand his forethought is an exercise in absurdity. The only thing you’ll be allowed is to lower your head and await your judgment.” “!!” Heljarl’s forces are powerful, but they’re nothing compared to the Demon Lord’s. Speaking in terms of sheer military strength, there are a number of individuals within the Demon Lord Army’s top brass confirmed to be more powerful than Heljarl. And it’s obvious that Heljarl knows this. “Ridiculous… Disciplinary Corps? And on top of that, you want me to give back Mar Animus?! This item is proof of my birthright as King of the Ocean—it belongs to me. The only thing your lot has done is give it the form of a flute! Have you forgotten that I’m only cooperating with you because I was asked to?! We are equals!!” “M-my liege…!” His entourage tries to stop him, but Heljarl continues. “And in the first place, Mar Animus can only be used by the one who has the blood of the God of Oceans coursing through his veins—me and only me! What could you possibly accomplish by stealing it?!” Heljarl’s eyes are filled with intense wrath, giving off incredible amounts of bloodlust and intimidation. The staff in his right hand gleams brightly. That said, he’s really letting his mouth run. This is all highly useful information. I file it away in my brain and focus on what’s most important now. The flute cannot be used by just anyone. In other words, if Heljarl is killed, then it will be rendered useless. The other option would be to destroy this so-called Mar Animus, a testament to the King of the Ocean’s throne. I snort with derision at Heljarl’s wrath and respond with a glib remark. “It can only be used by you… Are you sure about that?” “?!” “How long have you believed you are the only one with the blood of the God of Oceans coursing through his veins?” I’m talking out of my ass here, but Heljarl is speechless. I finally notice a glimpse of fear in his eyes. It seems I’ve landed a critical hit. Heljarl’s loose lips might prove to be his only virtue. “It can’t be… Did you possibly search for them?! Why and how?!” “Judging from your appearance, you already know.” “But…but…they broke ranks with the Demon Lord! They couldn’t possibly be allied with the likes of you—” “! My liege! Say no more!!” One of Heljarl’s troops shouts to stop him from speaking further. A seadragon knight wearing a purple helmet steps in front of Heljarl and glares, his spear pointed at me. “My liege… Please calm yourself. This brute is trying to extract information from you.” “What?!” Shit, they’ve figured me out. It would’ve been so much easier to kill him if he kept running his mouth… No matter—I’ve gotten the bare minimum of what I wanted out of him. All that’s left is to bash his brains in. The seadragon knight calms his tone, yet there’s still a trace of rudeness as he interrogates me. “Gregorio, are your actions truly per orders from the Demon Lord himself?” “…” “Our king and the Demon Lord are compatriots. I cannot fathom that the Demon Lord would punish our king now, when he’s so close to attacking the Holy Warrior.” The knight speaks with conviction. Perhaps Heljarl and Kranos are closer than I predicted. Hearing this, Heljarl’s eyes grow wide. Then I see it in them again—pure rage. This anger far eclipses what I saw earlier. His voice and entire body are quivering with wrath. “You’re right. It can’t be Kranos… This makeshift plan of yours, your unbelievable strength for a merman… Are you…involved with…that brat?!” Brat…? Who is he talking about? There isn’t anyone within the Demon Lord Army’s top brass who fits that description that comes to my mind. “Heh… So you aren’t as stupid as you seem.” “Rrrgh… That human, trying to curry favor with Kranos— Just what is he trying to do to me, the King of the Ocean—?” “…” Human?! Did he just say human?! Is there a human in the Demon Lord’s army’s inner circle? If I could, I’d be holding my head in my hands. Of course, there are humans who secretly collaborate with demon kind behind the scenes, but this brat Heljarl is talking about can’t be one of them. It’s clearly one of Kranos’s elite—a human with the authority to plot an assassination attempt on Heljarl, who controls the entire ocean. Whoever this human being is, for them to hold that kind of authority and be allowed to wield it, they must certainly be in Kranos’s favor. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Can the current Demon Lord’s erratic movements be chalked up to this human member of his inner circle? Heljarl isn’t even listening to me anymore, nor is he focused on me. His golden eyes are searing his wrath into this so-called brat, through my being. I probably won’t be able to get any other valuable information from him at this rate. Sanya brandishes her knife as Heljarl screams, “Your…merman appearance…is a fake, too! What preposterous mimicry!” “I’ll leave that up to your imagination. If you surrender now, I will go easy on you. This I promise.” I raise my mace to encourage his surrender, but Heljarl immediately screams in retort. “Kill him! Let the seas run red with his blood and beat him down before Kranos’s very eyes!!” “So you resist… I have no choice, then. I will need only to deliver your head to His Excellency myself.” Seadragon knights generally carry only spears. They’re useless in a free-for-all. What’s more, this isn’t an enemy camp—it simply lacks the equipment, preparations, and anything suited for battle in general. “…D-don’t let him escape! Protect the king!” the seadragon knight screams, and the soldiers flanking Heljarl step out in front of him. Sanya leads them. She’s leading with her right foot, her stance ready to respond to anything. Her chest rises and falls imperceptibly. Her breathing doesn’t reveal any anxiety—her arms and legs are perfectly in tune. Seadragon knights are polished warriors themselves, but they don’t hold a candle to Sanya. She can snipe from midrange distance, and her movements are a whirlwind of tricky maneuvers. Her skill with a knife is the real threat. How many scouts out there can manage to parry my mace? Depending on the situation, she could even defeat me. However, Sanya isn’t that powerful from this range, and not with her current weapon. Nothing to be afraid of. Sanya watches my every move. “Your plan was pathetic, but you were right!” Heljarl screams. “Now, Gregorio. Can you defeat my subordinates? Can you mow down this many of them? Witness my power as king and burn the image into your mind as you die a pitiful death!” “Please. I lack any emotion.” “?!” Demons are the enemies of crusaders. They capture the weak as hostages on a daily basis. I bring my mace down toward Heljarl’s head without a moment’s hesitation. Sanya meets my attack with her knife. A knife is paltry next to a mace. Sanya’s not truly parrying my blows—she’s improvising her own counterattack without getting overpowered by me. She manages to deflect another one of my blows, but I can see that her hand is shaking as she attacks. She uses her right arm to deflect a high kick I quickly unleash, and her thin body levitates for an instant. I can feel her muscles groaning in agony. Her slender frame then does a flip to avoid my next attack. Sanya’s abilities are not well suited to defense. Especially not against me. “It’s a shame. She’s an outsider. This was a done deal the moment she stood before me. Her only remaining purpose in life is to become a sacrifice for my god. Did you really think that taking her hostage would work on me?” “…How vile!” I don’t really want to kill her, but Sanya became a problem the second she was brainwashed. Crusaders make their living by acting with resolve. I immediately determine that her life isn’t worth more than annihilating Heljarl. Sanya looks at me, and suddenly, her expression reverts back to normal. Her face falls and she screams out, nearly in tears. However, she’s still facing me directly—did Heljarl restore only her consciousness? “Nnngh… Ow! Boss! Stop it! I’m sorry! W-wait—you’re fighting for real here?!” “Your plan is worthless. The incompetent will die.” “I’m conscious! I’m fully awake, y’know! Boss?! Boss?!” Despite her tearful voice, Sanya extends her knife toward the hand my mace is in with one elegant movement. Perhaps because her consciousness has returned, the attack is pitiful. I step back to dodge it and slam my mace into her stomach. “Guh…” Sanya’s body floats through the water. Her eyes bulge from her head and a scream of agony escapes her slack-jawed lips. She flies toward a group of soldiers who scramble to avoid her. There’s no one there to break her fall, and she simply smashes into the wall behind them. Heljarl’s eyes go wide; he must have thought he could create a longer diversion. The soldiers themselves are shaken up, too. The ones who looked about ready to attack me from behind are having second thoughts. “Absurd… You attacked without even a moment’s hesitation?!” “Want to try and sic those mermaids behind you on me, too?” “Rrrgh… Bring it on!” The horde of troops leaps at me all at once—from both flanks: the front and the rear. I ignore them and kick off the floor, my gaze locked on Heljarl.