Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330657219422179/episodes/16817330658858742154
There was a commotion as we headed out. Although hidden by the clouds of dust and smoke, those present would have been foaming at the mouth when the Lord of the Stampede suddenly descended from the sky above.
Praying that no one was caught in the Andras crash, or that even if he had survived, no one had fallen into his hands, I ran like the wind across the land.
After catching up with Anri and the others, we arrived at Andras just as the smoke cleared, and our eyes were sharply drawn to the deadly atmosphere that filled the place. Slashing away at the approaching demons, we rushed forward to Andras, whom the adventurers could not get close to, but kept at a distance.
“–I guess that was shallow after all. ……”
I muttered to myself as if to throw out my regrets, and ahead of me stood the wounded figure of a demon. The wings on his back are gone, and not a little blood is flowing from the wounds running down the sides of his body. His clothes and skin were covered with fine scratches and stains, and the fearless expression on his face was gone.
Looking at his appearance alone, he appeared to be a deeply wounded and cornered demon.
“How dare you, a human, go this far ……”
Andras, who is baring his fangs, has no time to spare when he first appeared on the scene. And because of that, he no longer chose the means.
Andras, facing us, is holding the adventurer girl’s head in one hand. The girl who was on her tiptoes, looking distressed and blue-faced in the face of a powerful demon, was Lynn, the girl we had rescued in the forest near Bren during the day.
“-I never thought I would have to use such a move against an inferior race. It’s humiliating, but it can’t be helped.”
“Ugh.”
Andras looked at me with a vexed look and tightened his hold on Lynn. The people lined up for the event were upset by Lynn who let out a pained voice.
L-ynn! Damn it, what should I do ……?”
Among the adventurers surrounding the scene was Bell, who was in the same party as Lynn. He was gnashing his teeth in anguish as his friend were taken hostage.
Anri, who was standing next to me, called out in an unintentional manner,
“Bell! Why are two rookies like you two on the battlefield!”
“…..A-Anri san! We are newbies, but we wanted to help everyone, so we volunteered to help bring the wounded back to town and carry wounded medicine. …… Suddenly, Lynn ……!”
Bell’s words made us grit our teeth. The courageous young ones who raised their hands to protect Bren and the warriors are now trapped in this war.
Seeing the series of exchanges, Andras, who had lost his composure until a moment ago, smiles wryly at me.
While suppressing the anger I felt inside at this situation, I called out to the demon
“Andras. How can I get the girl back?”
“Fufufu…what should I do? I think I should repay you for making me into such a fool.”
“I guess that means you can let her go if you torture me……”
“Hey, Tale!”
Ricardo san exclaims.
I know what you mean. They are here to prevent me from falling into the hands of the demon. In other words, if they had to choose between Lynn and my life, they would have to choose my life.
However, I have no intention of voluntarily giving up my life either. There is no guarantee that Lynn will be saved, and more lives will be at risk because we will have less strength to defeat Andras.
Therefore, if Andras were to attack me with magic, I would put up a magical barrier so that I would not be noticed and somehow manage to get out of the way, and in time, the others would save Lynn. If he were to attack me directly, I would save Lynn the moment he got close to me.
Not willing to do what Andras wanted, I looked at Anri, Ur, and Rietta in secret. If they have been with me for a long time, they should be able to understand my thoughts and make a move.
If that was the case, I was about to ask Andras once again to follow his lead.
“—–Tale, the human? I have no intention of hurting you.”
Andras’ words silenced everyone, including me. It is only natural that we don’t trust that line, but we don’t know what he meant. I don’t think he thought we would let our guard down after he said that.
Andras continued.
“Tale, you are too good to be left human. Your great amount of magical power, your excellent manipulation of magical power, and especially your extremely high aptitude for magic that strengthens physical abilities, are clearly lower and middle class magic. To put it bluntly, you are much stronger than lower and middle class demons, and even close to our Six Divine Generals. That is why–“
Andras narrowed both eyes and bent his mouth into an arch. While his wicked smile made me wary, Andras, who didn’t seem to mind, beckoned me to him.
“Can you come over here, please? I’m not going to hurt you, as I said before. Oh, and please drop that sword and deactivate your physical enhancements.”
“All right.”
“Fufu, Very wise.”
Andras looks at me as I disarm myself as I said, showing him the phosphorus I captured.
I walked slowly toward Andras. I had no sword and no physical enhancements, but if the need arose, I could reapply the enhancements in an instant.
And when he was about ten steps away, Andras shouted a warning.
“I’m afraid to let you get too close. This close is close enough.”
What on earth is he talking about enough to do? I was almost frowning when he stopped me at a distance that was too close to save Lynn for sure.
I would wait to see what Andras would do, and if it looked like I could get closer, I would save Lynn. If it was impossible, I would draw Andras to me and ask Anri and the others to make a move.
As I thought about this in my mind, Andras gave me a wry smile, as if he was planning something. He did not ask me to come any closer, but stared at me silently.
And then, the next moment. –Andras suddenly emanated an invisible power from his body.
It was an unknown power, different from magic. It was something I had never seen before, without color or shape. However, it clearly communicated its pressure to me as a great threat.
I braced myself to see what it was going to do, but I also saw it as an opportunity to help Lynn and put my strength into my body. Whatever the attack, I would buy time for Anri and the others to move. And when I saved Lynn, I would defeat the demon this time.
Despite my determination, Andras suddenly opened his mouth.
“-your power. Shall you wield it under me from now on? Now, in the name of war, I command you–“
The invisible pressure rising from the air grew stronger. And it soon gathered to a point in front of Andras’ eyes and shot at me.
“—-Stop all resistance, and join the army as my puppet!”
“—!”
I felt the presence of Anri and the others moving behind me, and I put up a magical barrier around my body to the extent that they would not notice. I was so overwhelmed by the power that I could not even think about it.
It was like a torrent of thoughts. A voice kept echoing in my head, telling me to be a victim of the command Andras had given me. It was not a voice that I could not hear if I covered my ears, but a voice that pounded at my head from the inside. Whose voice is this – mine?
My face contorts and I fall to my knees. The voice echoing in my head takes all the strength out of my body, and I feel a headache and a general malaise.
I notice that the power radiating from Andras has ceased, and he smiles thinly and releases Lynn at random.
Anri and the others, who were about to pounce on her, hastily retrieve the released Lynn. Rietta takes her behind, and Anri and Ur run right up to my side.
Andras, who had overlooked all of this as a trifle, announced to me as he approached slowly, step by step.
“—Now, my faithful servant Tale. For starters, kill those two fellows.”
His words were not filled with any special power like the ones I had just heard. But Andras does not doubt that I will obey him, he just seems convinced that I will do as he says.
Anri and Ur, who are trying to support me, look at Andras’ words sternly for a moment. But even so, they do not hesitate to extend their hands to me with too much trust in me.
I refuse their help, stand up on my feet, and say to Andras, who looks at me expectantly
“—I would never kill them both.”
Andras’ eyes and mouth widened in astonishment.
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