Volume 3 - CH 19

Act 3-19: Transcendent Beings(Side: Lucas Gijidoor)

Caesar’s greatsword and my longsword clashed again, scattering sparks under the night sky. I used my flame to attack the undead Caesar again, but he brushed it off like nothing.

（This is bad!）

I realized after a few clashes that my longsword wouldn’t last any longer.

The undead has inherited Caesar’s ability, but his strength is far greater than before. The only reason I can trade blows with him is that Ket’s barrier is protecting me.

If Caesar has become so strong, I have to expect that the other undead soldiers are at least at the same level as him.

As if that isn’t bad enough, we still have to deal with that black skeleton. Ruby definitely said a while ago that he offered life force to that black skeleton. In short, that black skeleton is the same as THAT, a transcendent being. A transcendent being was a being outside human reach.

In short, we have no choice but to rely on THAT.

「【TITAN】! It’s a pledge. AWAKEN FROM YOUR SLUMBER!」

The soil suddenly rose, forming the appearance of a boy around ten years old with his arms crossed.

This boy who had a daring smile on his face was Milady’s trump card. The earth spirit king Titan. This spirit was one of the reasons Milady had to leave the Amelia kingdom.

『Uhm! It hasn’t been that long since the last time, but things seem to have gotten interesting.』

This fu*king spirit!! He’s enjoying this situation, huh!!

Honestly, I could barely suppress my rage while pretending in front of this bastard. The real battle is from this point. We wouldn’t be able to survive this situation without Titan.

「We offer our life force. Protect Milady for one week.」

『I don’t mind. But are you sure about this? That skeleton is strong. I have to put myself at risk to fight that guy. Your compensation isn’t enough for even that, you know!』

The moment I saw Titan speak with that malicious smile as he placed his hands on his waist, I felt as if someone had poured cold water on my head.

「Be clear! How much do you need?」

『All of your lives, save for my contractor.』

That means except for Milady, all of us are gonna die. Milady will be alone again if she doesn’t save Wind Cat. I absolutely can’t let that happen.

「My life force, take all of it. That’s the limit of what I can offer!」

「NO, absolutely nooooooooooo! Even I have a line I should never cross. Yeah.」

I almost exploded in anger when he said that with an annoying smug on his face. This malicious spirit won’t fulfill our wish unless he gets a large amount of human life force. To begin with, this fu*king Titan doesn’t even need life force to move. That compensation is nothing more than a useless offering for a transcendent being.

And yet, Titan keeps demanding this offering at such critical moments, hurting Milady’s feelings numerous times and driving her into depths of despair.

""

「That’s enough, Lucas-sama. We will gladly offer our life to save Princess.」

When I turned around, I saw all the Wind Cat’s folks, led by the elders, standing behind me.

「Yeah, we’re grateful for what Princess did for us. But now is the time for us to return this debt of gratitude.」

「Yeah, we’re happy enough.」

Strangely, my anger spiked up again after these people said those words with resigned expressions as if they understood the situation. These people don’t understand at all. The ones who will go will have an easier time. They wouldn’t even have to try to resist and overturn the situation.

But, they have no idea just how difficult it’s for the ones left behind to accept that outcome.

（I see! That kid might’ve felt the same when I left him a long time ago.）

I chewed my lips as I suddenly remembered my son, who I had entrusted to my relatives, abandoning my duty as his parent to follow Milady.

At this point, running away is the easier choice. These people didn’t need to think so hard and fell into Titan’s cajolery.

Yet, the result would be that Milady will have failed to save anyone. That would definitely make Milady lose her mind and lose the reason to live. Do I really have the resolution to let Milady carry such a burden? Forget about resolution! Can she even live knowing that the ones who she wanted to protect gave their lives to protect her instead?

「Titan, is that the only way?」

『Don’t make me repeat it.』

""

「I see…」

So this is the moment of truth. Shall we offer appropriate compensation to save our master, or challenge the impossible without Titan.

After living with Milady and Wind Cat, I’ve seen it so many times already; the haggard figure of Milady whenever this kind of situation happens.

（It’s impossible after all.）

From the very beginning, we weren’t going to find salvation by relying on such a malicious spirit. I should’ve realized this.

Maybe I was overlooking the most fundamental thing due to the overwhelming challenge we are facing.

「EVERYONE! Take your weapons!」

I screamed till I felt that my throat was about to tear open. Then, I turned toward the undead Caesar and Ruby, who looked on with an amused expression.

「B-But…」

「Screw the pledge that forces us to offer our own lives. Do you want to have our princess carry the crime of murdering us all?」

Wind Cat’s folks shuddered, and bitter expressions appeared on their faces.

「I REPEAT! Take your weapons! Let’s show them what we’re made of!」

Wind Cat’s folks just trembled nonstop, unable to move their hands. Yes, this isn’t a fairy-tale that you often read in the books. It’s not like these people, who’ve never known about battles, would take their weapons just from mere encouragement.

I, of all people, should know about this. But why I wonder? Why do their figures when they look down with the face of someone who has abandoned all hope look truly irritating and sad in my eyes?

「So? What are you going to do now? Everyone, have you given up?」

「AS IF! We’re Wind Cat! We will never let you take our family, Felis Loto Amelia!」

「Humph, it seems that great spirit-sama over there won’t interfere with this matter. Well, it doesn’t matter even if he does. Do it.」

Caesar and the other undead soldiers moved at Ruby’s merciless order. I can somehow manage Caesar, but if they come at once, I’ll die.

However, I’m Lucas, the first vassal of Felis Loto Amelia. I’ll struggle till the bitter end!

I looked at the slowly approaching undead Caesar and the others and lowered my centre of gravity. Then, right before I could jump toward them―

「UWA!?」

A blazing black flame rose right in front of me. The black flame shot forward, enveloping the undead Caesar and the undead soldiers. It instantly turned them into ash.

A muscular, red-skinned demonic being clad in a reddish-black flame stood in the centre of that purgatory.

「W-Who are you!?」

""

Ruby asked in a shocked voice, clearly flustered. On the other hand, Titan waved his right hand with a carefree expression as if he had met an old acquaintance.

『Ifrit, such a nice coincidence to meet you here! What are you doing here? You also made a contract with a human, right? Well it doesn’t matter since the smell of death in this forest is can supply us with enough nutri―』

『SHUT UP, you filthy planaria!』

The flame demonic being looked at Titan as if the latter were nothing more than disgusting filth.

Ruby and the black skeleton shuddered when they heard the flame demonic being’s disdainful voice.

『P-planaria, m-me!!?』

The flame demonic being didn’t even take a second glance at Titan, who looked at him with bloodshot eyes. Instead, he crossed his arms on his chest and took a deep breath.

『Our supreme ruler is about to arrive!! All of you, kneel!!』

Its deafening voice made a hot wind blow through the forest.

Ruby’s face spasmed when he saw this spectacle. And the black skeleton, Deimos Lich, also staggered for a moment.

As for Titan, his enraged expression had vanished, replaced with curiosity, as he looked at Ifrit.

『Skeleton, are you deaf? I said, KNEEL!』

""

Pillars of fire rained upon Deimos Lich, who was trying to resist while glaring at the flame demonic being—who was already kneeling—with bloodshot eyes.

『GUNUAAAAAAAAAAA!!』

Seeing Deimos Lich still resisting, the flame demonic being approached it. The skeleton let out an agonizing scream as the fire burned its body. Then, the flame demonic being grabbed it by the collar of its vestment.

『This is the final warning. Kneel!』

The flame demonic being gave an ultimatum toward Deimos Lich, then threw the whining skeleton to the ground.

Thus, Deimos Lich had no choice but to hang its head down as it knelt, trembling in fear.

「What are you doing, Deimos Lich!? Quickly, ki―」

Those were Ruby’s final words. A pillar of black flame descended on him, burning him down till not even his bones were left behind, all in a moment.

Honestly, my brain couldn’t even catch up with the situation seeing how easily that villain left the stage.

『Idiot! I had told you that was my final warning!』

After spitting to the ground, the flame demonic being looked around with his bright red eyes. His fiery gaze alone was enough to force me to kneel, let alone the Wind Cat’s folks.

Even that lump of pride called Titan had no choice but to kneel. It was sweating profusely like a waterfall. I never expected that I would see his pathetic figure so soon.

『Girimekhala-sama, I’ve completed the preparations to welcome our Supreme Ruler.』

『Good job!』

The flame demonic being bowed once. Then, a gigantic jet-black sword descended from the sky. It struck the ground beautifully. Then, other swords fell as well, forming a path of the sword.

Beings with grotesque appearances walked on that path. They stopped after they reached the path’s end and stood at the end of each side. Lastly, a monster with a long nose and jet-black skin walked closer as each of its steps caused a tremor.

I could only see that bizarre spectacle with my open eyes. My teeth were rattling non-stop.

That’s only natural. After all, the smug face of that Titan, who loves to act like he owns the place, had turned as pale as chalk. Tears overflowed from his eyes, and his teeth also clattered non-stop.

I looked at Deimos Lich at once for confirmation and found out that even though he didn’t cry, for obvious reasons, his black bones were clattering non-stop as well.

Honestly speaking, Titan is powerful enough to annihilate a part of an army if he rampages around at his full power. Even if he has to fight another being of the same kind as him, it would be only limited in this world. And that Titan is actually trembling in fear. Just what kind of status does this other party have for him to act so humble like this? Whatever it is, they are definitely not something a human can mess with!

（J-Just what kind of being we accidentally messed up with!!?）

After arriving at the end of the path, the monster with the long nose stopped right in the middle, turned around, and knelt toward the forest. Following suit, all the transcendent beings who had lined up at the sides of the path also knelt at once.

A-Are you kidding me? That monster with a long nose is just doing the opening of a performance? Just what in the hell is happening here!?

『EVERYONE, bow down to our supreme ruler!』

Upon hearing the loud, yet the solemn voice of the monster with the long nose, even I unintentionally bowed my head. It was as if that monster’s words of power had affected me.

A while later, the sound of footsteps approaching from the forest rang out. I gulped. Sweat wAs dripping from me non-stop as if my sweat glands were broken.

In this situation, I even forgot about the matter of our survival.

『Raise your heads.』

Upon hearing the solemn voice of the monster with the long nose, all of us raised our heads at once.

Then, I saw a black-haired youth.

「Good day, everyone from Wind Cat.」

The black-haired young man greeted us. Later on, I was told that this was a destined encounter that had been pre-planned.