“Hell exists in as many forms as people can imagine. How many could there be? It’d be stranger if anyone noticed just because one of them disappeared.”
“So that’s the defendant’s claim.”
“Even if you make excuses, negligence is still negligence, Your Highness.”
Why did you let it be taken in the first place?
At this level, it’s worse than being a complete slacker. She was so incompetent it almost made Mephi look respectable.
“So which hell was taken from you?”
“Could you say it was lost rather than taken?”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“If I’d known, it wouldn’t have been taken.”
“Then go and take it back.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Tch.”
“…Could you not look at me like I’m pathetic?”
“At least you’re aware of it.”
“You should at least ask why.”
I don’t really want to hear it.
There’s a high chance it’s a trivial reason. Or worse, something that just exposes her incompetence.
“If I try to take it back myself, the world will turn into hell.”
A short but chilling explanation.
“I told you, didn’t I? Hell exists in proportion to human imagination. But how many can there really be? So similar hells have a tendency to merge into one. For example, hells with traits like fire or lava naturally combine into a single one.”
“And why is that a problem?”
“The fact that they merge. If I try to reclaim the hell from Faust, this world in between will end up being tainted and turned into hell.”
“…….”
“Maybe that’s exactly what Faust was aiming for.”
Faust is devious. That’s what Lapis said. It is absurd that she fell for it even though she was the one who said it, but still.
At this point, Faust may have deliberately cut Lapis out of the equation.
“What? Me? I don’t mind at all. I’m simply being merciful and protecting all of you, you know?”
Lapis puffed up with exaggerated arrogance. As expected of Mephi’s older sister. Everything she does just makes you want to smack her.
“That concludes the defendant’s statement.”
“Thank you, Attorney Mephi. You really did your best for your sister.”
“She’s such an idiot that she can’t even understand when I’m being sarcastic.”
“Ugh.”
I seriously can’t stand either of them.
Still, there was something I could gather from that short exchange.
Lapis wasn’t particularly siding with Faust.
As always, she simply wasn’t thinking much of anything. Honestly, that’s a relief.
No matter how you look at it, she’s absurdly powerful.
“So, Your Highness Lapis? Which hell was taken from you?”
“Cocytus.”
“If you start throwing around technical terms like that, I can’t follow.”
“It’s a hell where the dreadful memories from one’s life come back to life.”
“…You really got something awful taken from you.”
“Sniff.”
It would’ve been better if it were something simple and straightforward, like a fire-filled hell.
But from the sound of it, this is the kind of hell that gnaws away at your mind.
And what are you crying for!
“Just make this instead. You know how to make a Babel Gear, right?”
“And the price?”
“……”
“Fine. I’ll make it, okay? Stop looking at me like that.”
“Let’s do this properly.”
When you think about how most of what’s happening right now is due to Lapis’s negligence, it’s honestly ridiculous.
***
Preparations were complete.
My injuries had been treated, and my equipment for the fight had been put in order.
Emily sent over the helical gear by delivery, and Lapis immediately crafted the Babel Gear on the spot.
With that, there was nothing more I could prepare.
All that remained was to bring every variable into play and take down Faust.
“You really never know how things are going to turn out. Of all things, I’m the one taking the initiative to go after Faust.”
“But this time I’m coming with you, so it’s not scary, right?”
“Yeah, Yuna. I’m more worried you’ll lose your temper and charge in on your own.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Johan. I’ll hold her back.”
“I’m counting on you, Ariel.”
“Johan! You don’t trust me?”
“You’ve got a track record.”
This operation is a feint. Before, rescuing Ollie came first, but now I understand that things won’t work unless we take down Faust first.
We can’t even pinpoint Ollie’s location right now, and considering what Faust did to Melana, a rescue is likely impossible to begin with.
“Most of the Under Chain’s forces will have moved to where the knights have been deployed.”
“We did thin them out quite a bit last time.”
“They’ve probably replenished just as much.”
What makes the Under Chain troublesome is that it doesn’t end when they die. Those who die as humans rise again as undead.
Worse still, those who were once allies return as undead and join the enemy, so the longer the fight drags on, the more dangerous it becomes.
“His Majesty made sure of that.”
In a feint operation, what matters isn’t whether you get discovered.
What matters is creating a situation where, even if you are discovered, the enemy has no choice but to respond.
Even knowing the emperor’s forces are bait, they can’t be ignored.
It’s an army of that scale. Faust will likely realize we’re mixed in with them, but there’s no helping that.
If he diverts his forces toward us, his base will be reduced to ruins in the meantime.
So he only has one choice.
“Alright, time to spread out.”
He’ll have to intercept us himself.
Faced with that inevitable choice, we intend to force yet another decision on him.
“Go wild. But if you run into the Great Sage, retreat immediately.”
If we split up further here, Faust will be forced into a dilemma whether to pick us off one by one or focus on tracking the others.
Picking us off individually won’t be easy. Faust’s power is closer to that of a fixed turret.
With the countless chains he wields, it’s hard for him to move from one spot. I’ve never once seen him running around.
He seems far too dignified for that, always maintaining those light, almost frustratingly measured steps.
“Cause as much chaos as you can, then regroup at the rally point. That’s when we launch the full assault.”
Faust has something he must protect. It was the large-scale ritual magic hidden in his base.
Last time, we couldn’t destroy it due to a lack of time, but this time is different.
With forces that include the imperial family, Faust can’t afford to ignore us. Even if their abilities can’t kill him, destroying a single spell would be easy.
“Well then.”
I gripped and released the sword at my waist, taking a moment to choose.
Yeah, on a day like this, it’s better to go with a weapon I’m used to.
It’s a shame, but I’ll save the one Cynthia made for next time.
With that, I drew the demonic sword and declared,
“Let’s move.”
I’m done with always staying still and getting blindsided.
At this point, isn’t it about time I took a swing first for once?
With that, a large force including the two imperial members, Yuna, Ariel, and even the Misfits split up.
It might be the first time this many people have moved at once.
***
We didn’t try to hide the ambush.
If anything, it’d be more accurate to say we rampaged out in the open, drawing as much attention as possible.
“Only death awaits—!”
Slash!
I cut down the enemies blocking my path again and again.
There was something deeply unsettling about cutting down foes who charged in without any fear of death.
Still, the lack of fear in their eyes made it easier to bear.
“Oh, Johan, you’ve gotten stronger. Way stronger.”
Yuna clapped, clearly impressed.
While I was dealing with three opponents, Yuna had already cut down twenty.
Of course…
“I’m a little disappointed. You’ve gotten stronger without me knowing. It really makes me feel the time we spent apart.”
That still doesn’t compare to Ariel who wiped out nearly fifty on her own.
She really is strong.
With the clear benchmark of being an Archmage, it almost feels like overkill.
Still, it’s reassuring to have her on our side.
If there’s one problem…
“By the way, Johan, that helical gear looks really convenient.”
“It does seem quite useful. I suppose we should thank Miss Emily for giving you something like that without asking for anything in return.”
“……”
The pressure coming from the two of them was no joke.
Damn it, I should’ve just come alone.
Since this was a feint anyway, it might’ve been better to come up with some excuse and split them off.
Or maybe I should’ve teamed up with guys like Jeff and Dietrich instead.
This is all because I let it slip about Emily like a guilty idiot.
“Johan, what are you thinking about?”
“Huh?”
“I’m sure you’re worried because of the attacker.”
“Oh, don’t worry. You’ve got us. With me and Lady Ariel watching with both eyes wide open, who would dare come near you?”
“That’s right. Not a chance.”
Stop.
Guys, I think I’m about to run out of air.
And it’s not even my fault.
I told the truth, okay? I rejected her, and she’s the one who said she wouldn’t give up anyway.
But if you keep picking on me like this, how am I supposed to deal with it?
“Guys, enemies incoming. This isn’t the time for this.”
Before saving the world, I wish someone would save me first.
Why does my life have to be like this?
“Ugh, I’m so sick of this. Just how many of them are there? It’s not like their entire force is chasing just us.”
“It’s not just their numbers. They’re persistent, too.”
Yuna ran a hand through her hair, while Ariel crushed an undead arm that kept moving even after being severed.
In this stronghold of dark mages that was thick with the stench of rotting corpses, we had to repel wave after wave of enemies.
At this rate, I might collapse from exhaustion before even facing Faust.
I knew the Under Chain had large numbers, but who would’ve thought it’d be this many? It doesn’t help that there are skilled fighters mixed in here and there.
“Yuna, do you see that?”
“You mean the one at the very back, standing there with his arms crossed?”
“Something feels off. What do you think?”
“He doesn’t look particularly strong, but he does seem high-ranking.”
“Right?”
There was a man standing at the very rear of the hundreds-strong force, watching like a bystander.
His face was hidden beneath a hood, but it was clear he stood apart from the other dark mages gathered here.
He might have valuable information. Capturing him alive wouldn’t be a bad idea. Fortunately, that’s Yuna’s specialty.
Shing.
I drew the demonic sword once more, which I had just sheathed moments ago.
In a chaotic battle like this, the sooner it ends, the better. And that means I need to do my part.
“Phew.”
Slash!
I cut through the undead that had lost its reason and charged at me with a single stroke.
The rotting corpse, unrecognizable as anyone who had once lived, split apart as easily as slicing tofu.
Slash! Slash!
But something like that isn’t enough to take an undead out of the fight.
At the very least, you have to disable their joints. Their wrists, ankles, or anything that lets them move.
I swung my sword again and again.
It felt filthy, like I was dismantling a human body piece by piece.
The hundreds-strong force was dealt with faster than expected.
If there was one problem…
“What’s going on?”
Yuna who had gone to take the enemy leader’s head still hadn’t accomplished her objective. The man remained there with his arms crossed calmly watching his allies being slaughtered.
His head should’ve been off long ago.
“Ariel. Could you clear this out with something bigger?”
We had been subduing the enemies with the minimum force necessary to conserve energy.
But if something unexpected had happened, we couldn’t afford to keep holding back.
At my request, Ariel brought her staff straight down, and as she did, a huge crater opened in the middle of the enemy ranks, as if struck by a giant hammer.
Blood and flesh burst apart and gathered into the hole she had created.
It was a gruesome scene. The enemy formation collapsed, and I moved toward the man standing at the very rear.
Tzzzzt! Tzzzzzt!
The closer I got, the louder the ringing in my ears became.
The hand gripping my sword began to tremble.
No…
“How…”
It wasn’t my hand that was shaking.
The demon sword was trembling, as if it had found its master.
My vision spun.
Only then did I realize something else had been mixed in with the stench of rotting corpses. I could understand now why Yuna hadn’t been able to take his head.
It was a paralyzing poison strong enough to bring even me who had developed significant resistance thanks to Professor Georg to my knees.
I saw Ariel who had been dealing with the dark mages behind us falter.
The poisonous mist must have already reached where she stood.
Yuna wouldn’t have been an exception either.
But what mattered now wasn’t the strength of the toxin.
“…How are you here?”
The one who had poisoned me.
That meant someone who understood the resistance within my body and was the only one capable of creating a poison potent enough to affect both Yuna and me at the same time….an alchemist.
Yes, an opponent I had never anticipated.
“Professor Georg!”
“……”
I trembled with a sense of betrayal I had never felt before.
Which only meant I had trusted Professor Georg that much.
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