𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫
The young nobles ran away.
Albero enlarged his right hand and opened the Barol in his right eye, seeing the blasted demon, Typhon.
And, he was taken aback by its peculiarity.
ㅤ
“W, What is this thing. . . . . .?!”
ㅤ
Typhon was blasted into the mansion.
Now, she lies sprawled on her back.
However, what truly surprised him were the 『meridian thread』 and 『meridian nucleus』 inside its body.
First, the meridian threads that circulated the body like blood vessels. The flow of these threads was chaotic. It was as if tangled threads were forcibly stuffed inside, an utterly unnatural 『flow』.
And then, the meridian nucleus. Normally there’s only one for each Summoned beast, but Typhon had eight meridian nuclei. . . . . .not just that. They kept disappearing and reappearing, too numerous to count.
Unlike before, it’s a clearly anomalous Summoned beast. . . . . .no, a demon.
ㅤ
“Albero!! Are you trying to destroy the mansion?!”
“Is this really the time to say that?! Hurry to the royal castle and call for backup! We have 21 heroes in the kingdom!”
ㅤ
Albero shouted back at Rashild, who was yelling about something unrelated.
Then, Esterize in her dress spoke up.
ㅤ
“Demon. . . . . .Hmph, Albero, leave this to me. Your Highness, evacuate to the royal castle.”
“Ah, yes. . . . . .but, just him alone. . . . . .”
“We’ll call for backup. Rashild, Fugil, let’s go.”
“Damn it, Albero!! I’ll bill you for the mansion repairs!”
“Albero, be careful!!”
ㅤ
Protecting Sanbalt, Esterize and the others left.
Albero, without confirming their escape, focused power into his right hand and, with 『Hardening』 on it, aimed it at the grounded Typhon.
ㅤ
“Finish this quickly!!”
“Ouch. . . . . .it hurts.”
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
Slowly, Typhon got up and looked at Albero’s right hand.
Then, she also enlarged her right arm and stretched it out just like Albero.
ㅤ
“『Bander, snatch』?”
“What?!”
ㅤ
Albero’s right hand collided with the strange 『mouth』 on the hand.
However, Albero’s right hand had 『Hardening』 applied. Typhon’s hand froze and stiffened, and soon, her heart and breathing stopped, leading to her death.
ㅤ
“So, hard. . . . . .ugh.”
ㅤ
With a splattering sound, Typhon’s right arm was torn from its shoulder.
Yet, as if nothing happened, a new arm grew back.
ㅤ
“She tore off her arm to escape from 『Hardening』, did she?”
“Yes. It hurt. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Typhon, grimacing as if in pain, swung her right arm around.
Albero, with her right arm still readied, asked.
ㅤ
“Who are you?. . . . . .A demon, right? Are you stupid to invade alone?”
“?. . . . . .I heard there’s lots of food here. Humans are very tasty, the old lady said.”
“Old lady?. . . . . .I don’t quite get it, but you plan to eat humans?”
“Yes. Whether it’s humans or Summoned beasts, I eat whatever I can. So. . . . . .”
ㅤ
A tingling sensation arose as Albero’s back began to froth.
An unknown entity was spewing from Typhon.
Flesh swelled on Typhon’s back, and numerous tentacles appeared. Moreover, at the tips of those tentacles were large mouths, revealing a neat set of teeth. . . . . .mouths resembling those of humans, which made them look even more menacing.
ㅤ
“I’m so hungry. Can I eat you?”
“Don’t mess with me!! I’ll crush you!! Take it, 『Jabberwock』!!”
ㅤ
Albero screamed and enlarged his right arm, charging at Typhon.
ㅤ
◇◇◇◇◇◇
ㅤ
The anomaly had already started before the tea party began.
ㅤ
“Hmm…”
“Damocles, what do you think?”
ㅤ
In front of Asgard Kingdom’s main gate, Damocles and Venus stood with stern expressions.
The reason the kingdom’s two strongest were here was due to a report that the soldiers guarding the gate had suddenly disappeared. Sensing something amiss, Damocles came.
ㅤ
“Doesn’t seem like they just abandoned their posts. . . . . .Any witnesses?”
“That’s the thing, there’s none. . . . . .It’s suspicious.”
ㅤ
Venus folded her arms and frowned.
Despite being a woman, her physique was befitting of the large sword she carried.
ㅤ
“I have a bad feeling about this. Venus, how many can act?”
“. . . . . .There’s you, me, Arjan, Garnet. The rest are at the castle.”
“Hmm. . . . . .Let’s call them just in case.”
“Come on. You think demons are coming? Beelzebub wouldn’t send demons to this country. They wouldn’t dare face us head-on, not after we sealed the Demon Emperor.”
“Just in case. Let’s be extra cautious.”
“. . . . . .Fine.”
ㅤ
Damocles was right.
Never did they imagine that a demon would come without any plan and devour not only the gatekeepers but also all the eyewitnesses right before our eyes.
And right now, they never even thought that Albero is fighting one-on-one.
ㅤ
It would be another ten minutes before these two would receive reports of a demon appearing in the noble district.
ㅤ
◇◇◇◇◇◇
ㅤ
Nisrok was the first to notice.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .What?”
“Huh, what’s wrong, Nisrok?”
“. . . . . .Wha, What’s this?”
ㅤ
At the S-class dorm.
It was snack time, and Kid had made pancakes.
Nisrok, who was enjoying them, suddenly stopped eating. He turned pale and began to tremble.
ㅤ
“W, What’s wrong?”
“Ah, ah. . . . . .I feel something scary. It’s here.”
ㅤ
Lapis comforted Nisrok, but he continued to tremble.
Witnessing his unusual fear, Kid, taking off his apron, spoke.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .Hey, is it an enemy?”
“I don’t know. . . . . . there’s a scary presence, a lot of it. . . . . .But they all feel the same. There are so many, but it feels like one entity.”
“. . . . . .What does that mean?”
“Forget that for now! Nisrok, are you okay?”
ㅤ
Ashe and Lapis patted the crouching Nisrok’s back.
Then, Yorha, who was visiting, stood up.
ㅤ
“I have a bad feeling. I’ll go and scout for a bit.”
ㅤ
Yorha went outside and summoned the Summoned beast 『Gate・of・Isolde』. She had the ability to use the summoned beasts of summoners loyal to her and called a beast for reconnaissance.
ㅤ
“『Scope Yanma』. . . . . .Go.”
ㅤ
Countless dragonflies emerging from Isolde’s mirror scouted throughout the kingdom.
Nisrok’s fear is abnormal. There must have been something.
ㅤ
“Hey, cunning princess.”
“Stop calling me that. What?”
“I have a bad feeling. Prepare for battle. You too, use whatever authority you have as a princess.”
“Wait, I’m the one giving orders here. You’re overstepping━━”
ㅤ
The next moment, Scope Yanma was devoured all at once.
ㅤ
“Ah, guh?!”
ㅤ
With a thud. . . . . .the connection to the Summoned beast was severed.
Scope Yanma disappeared, Yorha staggered, and Kid supported her.
ㅤ
“Hey, what happened?! What went on?!”
“Ugh. . . . . .What was that. . . . . .Scope Yanma. . . . . .was it slashed?”
“What. . . . . .?”
“I saw a woman. . . . . .a woman with horns.”
“━━What did you say?”
ㅤ
What Yorha saw was a horned woman.
A woman with a large scythe slashed Scope Yanma in one go.
That woman was said to be sneering.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .”
“Kid.”
ㅤ
Before they realized, Ridelle was behind them.
It wasn’t just Ridelle. Ashe, Lapis, and Leivinia were there.
Kid took a deep breath. . . . . .and addressed Yorha.
ㅤ
“Is that all you saw?”
“I saw the clock tower near the aristocratic district.”
“Alright. . . . . .Can you all handle this?”
“Of course!!”
“Yes, we can!!”
“Me too!!”
ㅤ
Everyone nodded.
Leivinia looked at the dormitory and spoke.
ㅤ
“I’m with Nisrok. If you’re going, hurry up. I have a bad feeling.”
“Yeah. Hey cunning princess, you are—.”
ㅤ
Just as Kid was about to speak. . . . . .
The space at the dormitory entrance distorted, and someone in a pitch-black robe appeared.
ㅤ
“Princess Yorha, Duke’s daughter Lapis Lazuli. . . . . .please accompany me.”
“. . . . . .Who are you?”
“You, 『Hermit』. . . . . .yes, that’s right. Our enemies are likely demons. 『Hermit』 came to protect Lapis and me. This means it’s a serious situation. . . . . .”
ㅤ
The person in the pitch-black robe had only their mouth visible.
Kid pointed his left hand.
ㅤ
“Disappear, by the princess’s command.”
ㅤ
As if to override Kid, Yorha spoke.
But, 『Hermit』 shook his head.
ㅤ
“In emergencies, the royal family and members of the five major Duke families are the top priority for protection. I apologize, but I cannot obey your command.”
“. . . . . .Is that so? Well then.”
ㅤ
The next moment, a boy and a girl leaped from Yorha’s shadow and attacked 『Hermit』.
ㅤ
“Wha━━?!”
“Fugin, Munin, hold him back! Let’s go, everyone!”
“Gryphon!”
“Marcosias!”
ㅤ
Ashe and Lapis summoned their beasts, and Kid and the others rode them. They then disappeared over the dormitory roof towards the town below.
『Hermit』 clicked his tongue, glaring at Fugin and Munin in front of him. But the two didn’t utter a word and vanished into the shadows of the dormitory.
『Hermit』 removed his robe.
ㅤ
“Damn. . . . . .this is bad, I’m going to get in trouble.”
ㅤ
Upon removing the robe, a flustered and cute girl’s face was revealed.
One of the twenty-one strongest, 『Hermit』 Trismegistus, with a tearful face, ran in the direction Yorha disappeared.
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