Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093090568338422/episodes/16818093090696310945
“Kuh—–….”
After being forced to retreat from the battle with Castor, Tejato, one of the Four Kings of the Demon King Army, “Compound Demon”, was moving through a transfer gate near the Demon King Castle in the Demon King’s territory.
“Who is he …… to strike me, one of the Four Kings of the Demon King Army, and mow down my left arm with a single blow?…”
Lost left arm. He was walking towards the Demon King’s Castle with blood spilling out and a pained expression on his face.
When he reached the front of the castle, he was greeted by two gatekeepers, the Demon Lords,
“Te, Tejato-sama! What is wrong?!”
Seeing his severed arm, the gatekeepers looked at him in surprise and concern.
“Let him through!”
“Y-Yes! Immediately!”
He gave no answer, but the gatekeeper opened a large door and let Tejato through.
He went to a room.
The room, with its red, luxurious decorations, had a large table in the center with only four chairs.
Three of the chairs were already occupied, and Tejato sat in the remaining one.
“What’s wrong with your arm? How can a man like you be wounded?”
The words were uttered by a mysterious demoness dressed in gold and black robes.
“Please heal me quickly.”
“You owe me–Recarer.”
He used a super-class recovery magic that could heal even a defect.
In no time at all, Tejato’s left arm was restored and his green arm regenerated.
He clutched his new hand, made sure it moved, and took a breath.
Tejato is skilled in magic. However, he could not use recovery magic.
“—Who did this to you?”
The next one to speak was a devilishly red demoness. He was more muscular than anyone else in the group and would twist your arm if you tried to approach him. However, his face was covered with a suit of armor, so his expression was not visible.
“He is just a human being. A black-haired swordsman …… suddenly appeared and cut off my arm with a single swing.”
“A …… swordsman, then. I’d like to meet him someday.”
“What are you talking about? I’m the one who’s going to finish him off.”
Tejato showed some anger toward the red demon
If you’ve been hit, you hit back. It was obvious.
“Hmm. So, will you be able to win next time? If your arm gets cut off with one swing, you might actually die the next fight.”
The next to speak out was a woman-like demoness with long gray hair and reddish-purple skin. Her bewitching atmosphere seemed to absorb your heart just by looking at her.
“I will not go up against him without a plan. I’ll fight with a strategy in mind.”
“Well, it’s up to you, isn’t it? Try your best not to die.”
“Hmm.”
It was a subtle conversation, as if they were friends or not.
However, there is only one person to whom they bow their heads. That one thing they have in common.
“–I’ll be sure to finish him off before he gets in the way of the Demon Lord. ……”
◇ ◇ ◇
While being nursed by Estelle and the others, I decided to watch the battle with the demons outside the city to see how well they were doing.
There did not seem to be any training facilities in the town, so we ended up outside.
We are now in a grassy field near the town of Teramithea.
The four of us were walking together, planning to fight the demons that appear at that location.
“………… Um~”
“What is it, Castor-sama?”
It’s fine, but it’s very difficult to walk because Estelle is so snugly attached to me.
I know she appreciates me, but the distance is bugging me.
I looked at Atria and Maybella’s faces.
Then they lightly raised their eyebrows and seemed to have no intention of doing anything about it.
I exhaled lightly and decided to keep walking like this until the demons came out.
I was quite happy because she was my favorite character, but I had never experienced anything like this in my previous life, so I didn’t know how to react.
As we were walking, I asked the girls what their levels were.
I was told that Estelle was 23, Atria was 24, and Maybella was 22.
Moreover, Atria, who is a magician, could use advanced magic, so she was considered to be quite strong.
Since they were not player characters in the game, I did not know their levels. But I had a rough idea of their level, and I was right. However, the game and reality are different. I needed to see them with my own eyes.
“Oh ……, there’s a flock of ‘ice flame birds’ over there. Can you get there?”
“Yes! Of course, sir!
Ice Flame Birds are flightless bird demons that breathe fire and cold air from their mouths.
The speed is not so fast, but when converted into magic, it releases breaths of intermediate magic level. If they were not careful, they could be killed at level 20 or so.
The three of them drew their weapons and readied themselves for battle.
“—I’m coming!”
Estelle called out, and all three moved at the same time.
The first to attack was Maybella. The martial artist’s reach is extremely limited, but she makes up for it with her speed. She easily entered the Ice Flame Bird’s pocket and struck it hard in the torso with her glove. The “Ice Flame Bird” screamed and fell on its back.
On the other hand, Estelle dexterously activated magic with her left hand and covered her rapier with intermediate level lightning magic “Argeon”.
In “Askue,” a skill-like technique that is not magic is called “Hou-teki,” and Estelle invoked “Lightning Strike” to create a lightning strike, which is different from Maybella’s “Ice Flame Bird”. She stabbed the neck of the “Ice Flame Bird,” which was different from Maybella, and the lightning magic she wore inflicted additional damage.
“Please move back!”
Atria, who had been watching the timing in the rear, released an advanced earth magic “Fulgrev”. Under the feet of Estelle and the others who had jumped back – the earth on the ground rose up like multiple spears under the feet of the “Ice Flame Bird” and skewered the “Ice Flame Bird” which could not fly.
The “Ice Flame Birds” that Estelle and Maybella attacked died as a result. Only two remained. At that moment, however, the “Ice Flame Birds” spit out flames and ice from their mouths, respectively.
When the breath was about to hit Estelle and Maybella, who were nearby, Atria put up a barrier called “Mahold,” which mitigates attribute magic attacks. It did not mitigate everything, but it gave them time to move, so they moved out of the way.
Estelle and Maybella approached the two “Ice Flame Birds” in the meantime.
Estelle fired “Argion” at the “Ice Flame Birds” as it was this time, and in addition to the damage, she made a series of slashes with her rapier at the timing when they were stiffened by the lightning.
Maybella, on the other hand, jumped into the air. Seeing this, the “Ice Flame Bird” tried to breathe again, but at the next moment, she activated the “Nadakidotoshi” technique. Speeding up rapidly in mid-air, the Ice Flame Bird was hit in the head with a heel drop before it could exhale its breath.
With that, she was able to kill all the remaining “Ice Flame Birds”
“Castor-sama! How did it go?”
Estelle came back to my side. Even her gestures were cute.
The other two were not too out of breath, and they were not damaged either. It seemed that this level of enemy would not be a problem.
However, if it is said that they can defeat “Thorn Metal,” to be honest, it would be quite tough.
What the girls needed was tactics.
I explained to the three of them how I would fight against the current “Ice Flame Bird.”
Simply put, we are in a grassy field and the “ice birds” were in a solid state this time, but there may be cases where they are not. If they can’t fly, there is no escape if you surround them. So I answered that if you use Atria’s “Fulgrev”, it is better to surround it with earth spears before fighting it. Well, I don’t know if …… that’s the right answer.
As far as I saw, I still felt that it would be safer if I went along to defeat the “Thorn Metal” and let them fight while I directed them in the back.
I don’t know how long it will take for me to be able to hold a sword and move properly, but to be honest, I’m curious to see how the heroes are doing.
I was especially concerned about whether they were advancing the story, conquering the places they needed to conquer, and saving the city that was about to fall into the hands of the demon tribe.
There’s only one of me, and there’s only so much I can do. In the end, I guess I can only protect what is within my reach.
The original goal was to save Estelle. But now that I had saved her, I still thought it would be better to go after the heroes.
“Castor-sama? Is something wrong?”
“Oh …… sorry, sorry. I was just thinking about the hero.”
“Hero……….?”
The moment I mentioned that name, for some reason, Estelle’s eyes sharpened. What is it, what is it, do you have a grudge against the hero?
“Don’t tell me that you like …… the hero……!”
“L-like!? Why do you come out and say I like her!”
“I’ve seen it a few times, but over time the heroes have become more and more beautiful! I thought Castor-sama was also the type like that ……”
No, no, now Estelle is what?
Is the hero a beautiful woman?
“– Ha? Is she a woman?”
“Yes, but I think it’s pretty well-known now. …… maybe you didn’t know what the hero looked like?”
“No,…… we must have crossed paths. Oh, I see,…… that’s right,…….”
In the game, I could choose between male and female protagonists.
And in this world, the hero was the female protagonist.
When we passed each other at the ruins, I was so intent on getting to Estelle that I didn’t even look at the hero’s faces. I just knew that only the hero would come out of there.
Just because it’s a female protagonist doesn’t change their strength, but I didn’t realize they were female …….
“Then I guess I was wrong about liking ……. My apologies.”
“No, it’s okay. I don’t know what Estelle is talking about, but this world would be in a lot of trouble without heroes. After I look after you guys, I thought I’d go after the heroes.”
“You’re abandoning meee!!!???”
What a surprise! Suddenly Estelle jumped on my chest and her eyes were shaking.
I had no idea why this was happening.
“It wasn’t like I was abandoning you. If you’ve become so good that you can defeat the Thorn Metal without me, then you should be fine without me around.”
“That’s what I’m calling abandonment!!!!”
“ah…… eh?”
“Castor san. Estelle wants to say this. ‘I’ll always be with you.’ ……”
Atria added to my incomprehension.
“Castor. Estelle said she would be with you for the rest of her life.
And since our purpose is to support the heroes, if you don’t mind, we’ll continue to work together.”
“Ah …… yeah…..”
I see. So you wanted to come along on my journey.
I don’t remember much about “devote yourself for the rest of your life,” but did you say something like that?
Well, fine.
However, I can’t just stay with the girls all the way
I will have to stop somewhere.
“Castor-sama! Give us one month! I’ll level up enough to satisfy you with that! Then we’ll go after the heroes together!”
Estelle said with tears and snot running down my chest.
A month, huh? It’s certainly going to take that long for my wounds to heal, …….
“Okay. One month.”
And it would be a problem if the heroes were acting irregularly, unlike in the game.
If I can leave early, that’s the best.
“Castor-samaa!!”
“There’s no need to cry so much. ……”
I naturally patted Estelle’s head, who was thinking a little too big.
I can’t believe we’re the same age.
“Uuu…… please pat me more…….”
“Can’t help it”
I stroked her until her beautiful blonde hair was soggy.
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !