Chapter 212
『I guess that’s the end of the fighting for now.』
I say as I collapse exhausted onto the ground.
I’m beat. Just really worn out.
I wanna hurry back to the dungeon, eat some magic stones, and sleep.
Lounge around lazily. There’s probably a mountain of aftermath to deal with, but I can leave that to Elibel, Ann, and the others.
…Come to think of it, they’d probably get more done without me there giving half-baked instructions anyway.
Best to let those suited to the task handle it. Delegation is key.
Fuhaha, gotta love relying on others. I’m used to it by now.
『Hey partner, don’t let your guard down just yet.』
Says my other self, chiding me.
Hmm, getting scolded by myself sure feels strange.
『…What’s with that weird look on your face?』
『Well, you’re me aren’t you… so yeah, this is kinda odd.』
『Ah yeah, it does feel pretty weird.』
『Right?』
『Right.』
「Seriously though, we better not get too chummy here.」
Interjects Léna-Lloyd.
We nod in agreement. Can’t help it though, we were the same person originally.
「You can’t relax just yet. Sure you beat Agil, but that’s not the end of it,」
Right. The fight may be over, but there’s still the aftermath to deal with―――
「―――Oy, witch」
Comes an irritated voice.
Who’s that? I look around and spot Beldi.
Oh yeah, she was here.
「It’s about time you explained what’s going on. Why are you working with monsters? What’s the Holy Kingdom’s saintess doing here? For that matter, what is that monster? And why are those black ants here with all those other random monsters?」
She grips Gungnir tightly as she approaches Léna-Lloyd.
However,
「…………」
「Whoa, hey!」
Léna-Lloyd immediately moves away from Beldi to hide behind me.
Oh right, she’s super shy around strangers.
I’d forgotten since we talked normally.
『Eek, what a pain. Why is Beldi even here? And she’s so aggressive! Typical hot-blooded adventurer. Definitely not friend material. How can she stay so calm surrounded by all these monsters anyway? Just because she awakened Gungnir’s true power, she shouldn’t let it go to her head. That’s not so impressive. If I wanted, my Rugios could totally do the same no problem. So unless she wants to get hurt, she should quietly leave without asking anything! Otherwise, who knows what Earth and his followers might do! There’s no way she can handle these numbers alone! Fufufu, she should tuck her tail between her legs and flee if she knows what’s good for her! I’ll let it slide if she does! Something like that, right Earth? Can you threaten Beldi for me?』
『…You’re really something else, you know that?』
These annoying thought transmissions are a new experience.
For being so shy, she sure talks a lot in her head.
Total inner monologue.
『Beldi, that’s far enough. I won’t allow you to approach Lord Earth any further,』
「Black ant…」
Declares Ann, stepping between them.
Cool as always.
Everyone else also surround Beldi, ready to strike.
They should all be badly hurt, yet their fighting spirit hasn’t diminished one bit. Honestly, it’s kinda scary.
「Tch, even I can’t handle this many…」
Seeing all the calamity-class and disaster-class monsters here, Beldi hesitantly lowers her spear. I’d really appreciate it if she just left without asking anything more.
『Fuhahaha! What do you think, Beldi? This is the “difference” between you and me! In any era, battles are decided by numbers! With trusted allies covering my blind spots, I’m invincible! So unless you want a cliche thin book ending, tuck your tail between your legs and flee! I’m totally serious here, please just go!』
Léna-Lloyd stares at Beldi silently while communicating mentally.
As I thought before, she can be pretty scummy. Also what’s a ‘thin book’?
「World Piercer, please lower your spear. Fighting now would be meaningless.」
Interjects Orion Karla, the Holy Ark, stepping between Ann and Beldi. Una and Dos are with her.
「The ‘Holy Ark’…along with the ‘Gale’ and ‘Water Princess’. You’re involved in this too?」
「…No. However, it’s true we humans alone could not stand against the Demon King, our common foe.」
「Demon King, you say?」
「Yes. You see―――」
Beldi listens quietly as Orion explains.
The authority of a saintess must really be something for humans.
She seems to have already heard the details from Una and Dos, as Orion lays it all out smoothly.
「…I see, so that’s what happened.」
Beldi nods along.
「Do you understand now?」
「Oh I understand all right- As if! What the heck was that!? I’m completely lost! The Demon King is the Emperor Beast, guardian of the Stellar Veins, and he rebelled against the Divine Catastrophe Dragon King!? What on earth is going on here!? Just what have I gotten caught up in…? Seriously, what is even happening now…」
She seems super confused.
Yeah, I get you, Beldi.
Her character is kinda breaking down, but let’s overlook that for now.
…Though honestly her reaction is pretty normal.
Abnormal is Elibel and Ann instantly adapting to the craziness.
Well, they are reliable like that.
『How unsightly, unable to comprehend even this much.』
「You black ant-!」
Whoa now, don’t provoke her.
Ann really loses her cool with Beldi for some reason.
Let’s just force her out of here with a teleportation gate before this gets more annoying.
Just as I’m thinking that…
「―――Shadowstitch.」
Suddenly, black tendrils emerge from the ground, enveloping all of us.
『―――!?』
Not just me.
Everyone’s been captured by the black…shadows?
「Hah…hah… Are you unharmed, Lord Agil…?」
That voice.
There stands a plain-looking woman, rivaling Léna-Lloyd.
But she doesn’t seem human. A demon?
「Anri!? Why are you here, mmgph-!?」
Léna-Lloyd starts to say something but gets gagged immediately.
Do they know each other?
To restrain this many with magic, she must be pretty skilled-probably a Demon King Army executive.
But she looks worn out. Did she fight someone before coming here?
「Is that you… Anri?」
Uh oh. This is bad.
Agil who was unconscious is waking up.
「Lord Agil! Just hold on, I’ll help you now-!」
『―――Like hell.』
The other me effortlessly shreds through the shadows, breaking free of the restraints.
Wow, amazing! I could never do that!
He moves to block the girl called Anri.
「Tch, trying to stop me, Earth―――」
『Sorry, but the fight is over. Your leader Agil lost. Surrender quietly.』
「What…!?」
Anri looks shocked but quickly regains her composure.
「…That’s impossible. We can’t lose! To repay Hal who got us here… We have to save Lord Agil and fulfill his wish!」
Hal? Who’s that?
Bound in shadows and rolling around helplessly, I watch events unfold.
『Oh right, she means Halwart. A seaweed monster, Demon King Army captain like Anri. He stayed back guarding their dungeon. My guess is he took on Silver Demon and Berg so Anri could come here. Oh, and Anri controls shadows and darkness. Calamity-class probably, the strongest of the captains.』
Léna-Lloyd fills me through thought transmission.
I see. So that’s why I didn’t see Berg, he went to their dungeon to help that guy huh.
『Ngh…this restraint—hah!』
Oh, Ann broke free too.
Magic nullification really is useful.
「Hmph, what a pathetic restraint,」
Beldi easily escapes as well.
As expected of Gungnir.
「Hmph, indeed.」
「Quite tight, but this much…」
Rasetsu, Robun, and some others have also gotten loose.
「What…!? You freaks…so easily breaking my restraints…」
Anri twists her face in displeasure.
Sorry my followers are freaks, miss. (One exception)
『Yet you, leader of said freaks, dare say that?』
Moving on! No need to rub it in.
Surrounded and outnumbered, Anri’s face pales rapidly.
But her spirit remains unbroken.
How troublesome.
sigh… What should we do now? I don’t wanna fight anymore.
「…Anri…release the restraints.」
「Lord Agil! But…」
「It’s fine. I’ve lost the will to fight…」
Hearing that, Anri looks shocked and her knees give out.
「Have we…lost?」
「…Yes, we have.」
「No way…」
The restraints dissolve.
Rasetsu, Robun and the others immediately bind Anri. She doesn’t resist.
Zahak nearby is also restrained while unconscious.
『For now we’ll put multiple restraints on them and lock them in the middle floors. That should be enough as they are.』
Agil offers no resistance, calmly accepting the restraints.
Leaving Beldi’s continued objections to Orion and the others, we use teleportation gates to return to the dungeon.
◇◆◇◆◇
The light of the teleportation gate fades.
Opening my eyes, I see the familiar earthen walls.
The dungeon.
Ahh, I’m home. That nostalgic feeling of safety, like being back at your parents’ place.
Despite only being gone about an hour in the outside world, it feels like I’ve been away for months.
「―――You’re late.」
『Elibel』
She was waiting for me it seems.
『I’m home.』
Replying normally, Elibel cracks a faint smile.
「Welcome back.」
Yeah, feels good to be back.
「~~~Eli! I’m home! I did super great you know, praise me, cuddle me!」
As Léna-Lloyd goes to hug her, Elibel elegantly and efficiently twists her up with spiraling motions.
「Mmrmm!」
「Quiet down you shitty hag」
She says, flicking Léna-Lloyd through an open teleportation gate.
『So uh, where’d you send her?』
That went so smoothly it left me dumbfounded.
「…The deep layer healing capsules. That shitty hag can barely stand as is, she shouldn’t push herself more.」
『Oh…』
「What is it?」
『Nothing really. You pay close attention, huh.』
「…Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s just more troublesome for me if that hag collapses. That’s all there is to it.」
…Is this what they call tsundere?
I’m pretty sure her face is a little red. My heart feels warm.
「Oh right. I informed Berg who was fighting in their dungeon too. Told him Agil lost, so their surrender is only a matter of time now.」
Oh nice.
Berg was battling solo over there after all, major props to him.
So we’re done with the war against the Demon King Army.
『Hm? Come to think of it, where are Ann and the others?』
Just realized it’s only me, my other self, and Léna-Lloyd here.
『They got sent to a different part of the deep layer properly. Consider your current size. We can’t all teleport to the same spot.』
Oh right, duh.
I’m massive in my adult form huh.
Gets hard to find spots when you’re this big.
Well, it’s temporary. Once Sanctuary Breach wears off I’ll revert to normal size.
Yeah, it’s fine. All good.
Alright, time to eat some magic stones and sleep.
『No sleeping.』
『Owff!』
My other self jabs me from behind.
That hurt!
『Our situation is too unstable for sleep, idiot.』
『But I’m tired…』
『No buts. We gotta fix this fast or else…』
『Or else what?』
As I ask that, my other self looks away awkwardly.
『Hey, what’s wrong?』
『………』
Yo, silent treatment doesn’t help me understand.
Staring at me, my other self heaves a big sigh.
『…I won’t be able to manifest like this for much longer.』
『For much longer?』
『I have to rejoin with you soon. We were originally one being. And since your soul is the primary personality, I need to return to you. But first, there’s something we absolutely must take care of.』
Saying that, he places a hand on his chest.
『―――The hero Cadias. We need to settle things with his soul within me.』
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