The Incubus King of Holy Sword Academy (WN): Chapter 24

 

Chapter 24: Guardian of the Blue Holy Tree 3

"Thieves appeared on the mountain of the holy tree? Is it true?"

 Midnight.

 Some time after the ceremony at the Royal Castle had ended.

 Patricia was in a temporary tent at the foot of the mountain with Kat and Yufimia when they received a report that the enemy was targeting the original holy sword stored in the mountain of the holy tree.

 The knights, who had been guarding the royal castle in heavy armor for approximately ten hours since after noon, had all moved from the castle to the mountain of the holy tree without resting. Because they are in a state of excitement, they appear to be in good spirits, but in fact, they are clearly slowing down.

 Patricia looked at the faces of the female knights with dark circles under their eyes and thought―― this is not good.

“How many enemies do we have? ......Still can't catch them? They suddenly appeared at the upper level of the spiral staircase? ......Not good, we're on the back foot."

 Yufimia is biting her nails as she said so at the entrance to the tent.

 Most of the knights are not well fed.

 But now that the thieves have appeared, they must now run up that long staircase with their armor on and fight the enemy.

"Yufimia-sama."

"Patricia. It's an enemy attack.... They came at the most unpleasant time. I wonder if the enemy knows what we're up to......? Maybe they have someone on the inside."

"What should we do?"

"As planned, go up from the bypass road. We don't know how many enemies there are. There may be units that are not breaking through the center of the spiral staircase, but are going to the holy tree from the bypass route."

"Understood."

"Kuh... if it had not been dark, we might have been able to reach the top of the mountain by flying carriages!"

“Wyverns are monsters. Even in the daytime, they don't like the holy tree and can't land on it.

"We can just jump out, but it is night now. It is dangerous to fly, and even more dangerous to jump."

 After saying that, Yufimia said to the tired-looking female knights in the tent.

"Only those who can run up the stairs should follow. With the church knights already deployed, we will intercept the enemy...... Patricia, take care of Setanta."

"Yes."

 Yufimia leaves the tent with the knights who can move now.

 They can't afford to be late.

 Patricia should run up the bypass route with a small group of elite men and destroy the enemy as soon as they find them―― eventually reaching the top of the mountain and fortifying the defense.

"Kat. Are you sober now?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine! I'm sober."

 As usual, the cat beast warrior approaches, wearing almost no protective gear and carrying only an oversized two-handed sword. She smells a little of alcohol, but this will be metabolized as she runs up the stairs.

"We will join Setanta."

"Alright."

 They both went out of the tent.

 When they stepped outside, they saw a huge blue tree shining in the night sky.

 The holy tree had countless leafless branches that seemed to be rooted in the sky, glowing brightly and darkening erratically, as if to disturb the perspective of those who were watching. Patricia looked at it and thought, "It's as if the holy tree itself is alive and flickering to the beat of a heart".

 Setanta was alone in the center of the plaza, where the tents for male knights were lined up, looking up at the holy tree.

"Seta――"

 Setanta, she tried to call out to him, but her voice choked.

 Because Setanta's thick back, standing upright facing the holy tree, had the illusion of disappearing into the darkness of the night.

"Yo, Setanta! Let's go! Let's fight!"

 Kat walks past Patricia, who stretches out her hand.

"――Kat, Pat."

 Setanta turns around.

 Kat's arms entwined around the blonde-haired young man's thick neck. Setanta turned back to Kat and said, "Ugh, you stink! You're drinking again, you!" He yelled at Kat.

 He, who seemed to disappear at any moment, was now the usual reliable Setanta.

"Setanta, it's an enemy attack. The chain of command is in a bit of disarray, but our unit is now moving into the bypass route."

"Understood.... I hope we can make it in time. After the party, we had a pretty good idea of what the enemy was after, so why the hell are we waiting so long?"

"There may be a spy. It seems that communication between units is not going well."

"I see. That's a problem. But we just do our job. [Sei-shoku] and [God's Eye] are already waiting at the entrance. We should get going."

"Yes!" "Alright!"

 In addition to Setanta and Kat, Patricia's team will be accompanied by [Sei-shoku] and [God's Eye].

 [Sei-shoku] is an all-rounder who can handle six sacred swords.

 [God's Eye] cannot use a sword, but is a powerful guardian knight who can sense the enemy's attacks with an ability similar to that of predicting the future, and can stand up to them appropriately.

 Hero of Light.

 Two wives.

 Two guardian knights.

 Though small in number, it is safe to say that they are the strongest team.

 However, after arriving at the mountain of the holy tree, Patricia had a feeling of uneasiness, as if she had been bitten by an insect.

(Whenever I felt uneasy, someone was hurt. It was usually Kat or Setanta. Today, I hope this rumbling is just my imagination.)

"I will only let one of my holy sword maidens accompany us."

 That's what the [Sei-shoku] who joined them in front of the mountain road leading up to the mountain of the holy tree said.

"The footholds are not good up to the side of the mountain, and once you get to the bypass route inside, the footholds are paved, but they are no more than four meters wide. If I take all my wives with me, we'll have to deploy long and wide, and those in the back will be mere scarecrows. As for the holy sword, I will bring the [Holy Sword that Slays Fairies]. If the dragon race or, though I don't think there will be any, the devil race, we will rely on your holy swords."

"Understood."

 Running up the mountain road with a total of six members including [Sei-shoku]'s holy sword maiden.

 Even though it was a mountain road at night, Patricia and the others were used to it.

 They climbed up the mountain as if they were flying.

"Myo, myo, myo, myo."

"It seems like [God's Eye] is asking what to do with the formation. Maybe."

"Myo!"

"Oh, it looks like you're right. About the formation?"

"Pat, what should we do?"

 Setanta asks.

 Setanta, who doesn't think about details and goes wild on instinct, respects Patricia as the commander of the unit―― in peacetime, at least.

 When the blood is not rushing to his head, he can speak logically.

 Once the battle begins, instructions that differ from his intuition will no longer be accepted.

 This was because Setanta's intuition was often more correct than Patricia's instructions.

"Ah, wait! I'll go first!"

"You can't. You're going to charge again anyway."

"Kitten, you still didn't learn a lesson. You were just captured by the enemy in the last assault."

"Shut up! That was some kind of mistake! It wasn't my mistake!"

"Today we don't have Gwendolyn, who is always there to follow up. Make sure you fight as a team."

“Alright, Pat. I'll leave the follow-up to you! I'll charge in!"

"Ara, such a high-spirited child. Why are you so eager to charge in? If you don't mind me asking you, an outsider, why?"

 [Sei-shoku] speaks in a friendly manner with a thick male voice.

 At first glance, he appears to be a good guy, but he is in fact a psycho who collects the bodies of demons and sews the ones he likes onto his own body.

 He seems to strip male and female genitalia in particular as trophies and implant them in his body, and is abhorred by those who know what he is.

 But now he's a reliable ally.

 Although Patricia is worried about the absence of the genius Gwendolyn, they have [Sei-shoku] and [God's Eye].

"[God's Eye] will be in the rear to provide support. Setanta will be in the vanguard."

 Setanta has overwhelming violence.

 He also has superhuman senses and can accurately sniff out the atmosphere of the battlefield and push forward toward victory.

"I'm in the vanguard too! I'll charge into the enemy and do my thing."

 Patricia, who can be positioned anywhere, is the last one to be considered, but the problem is Kat.

 Kat charges every time, and when things go well, she is able to defeat the enemy, but when things don't go well, she is the first one to fall into danger and the party's coordination is disrupted.

 Friends who have been together for a long time.

 On the other hand, there have been several times when she has saved Patricia.

 Achievements.

 How to manage her, who has violence but not intelligence, will be the key to this battle to defend the mountain of the holy tree.

“Ara? Are you going to go in there with that sword?"

 [Sei-shoku] raises his eyebrows.

 The sword that Kat has been using ever since she first stepped onto the battlefield is a large sword as tall as she is.

 It's not sharp, but it's heavy enough, and when used in conjunction with Kat's superhuman strength, it's a strong weapon capable of crushing a dragon's scales without holy arts.

"What, do you have a problem with my weapon, old man?"

"I'm a maiden. I had grown up a maiden. I have a succubus' maiden parts on my hands and both breasts. I'm not an old man."

"I don't care, you creep!"

"Kitten. Your weapon, including the hilt, is nearly three meters long. It's also wide and blocks your view. If you charge in and swing it, you'll be in everyone's way. Use a normal sword today. Or use a short spear like Pat.”

“I can't use a spear. And I left my small sword behind. But don't worry, Setanta. I've been working with this big guy for more than ten years. I can handle him in the tightest of caves, no matter where am I."

"Well, I admit that you're used to handling it......"

 In the [Frozen Plains], there were few battles in caves.

 Mainly in the open plains, they often fought huge dragons.

 Kat's weapon obviously doesn't fit in.

 She should have checked and pointed it out to her before they set out, but she was so flustered by the enemy attack that she didn't have time to even say it.

(Kat's physical ability is extremely high, so it should be fine if the weapon doesn't fit in the surroundings. Rather than that, the formation. If that big sword is swung around in the vanguard, Setanta will have to move to match her.)

 If Kat is to operate in the vanguard, the formation will naturally be centered on her.

 However, they have Setanta, who is far superior to her as a vanguard.

 It is too irrational to have a composition that is not centered on Setanta, with Kat at the center and the others following her around.

 When Patricia was hesitating, unable to make a decision, she suddenly remembered what Melvina's fiancé―― Christopher Söderholm had said to her this morning.

 [If you ask me, I don't see the point in keeping Kat-dono in the vanguard.]

 [It would be better to have her in the middle or rear guard once, so that she can observe the battle situation from a broader perspective.]

(In the middle or rear guard once.)

 She ruminates over Christo's words in her mind.

 Yes, that's right.

 If Kat is in the vanguard, her attack power and speed are overwhelmingly inferior to the Setanta-centered team.

 Especially in narrow passages, that great sword would restrict her allies' movements.

 However, if placed in the middle, the great sword becomes a reliable shield.

 Setanta would rush in, and Patricia would follow him.

 If the enemy pushes back, she swaps places with Kat, who catches the attack and pushes back with her own monstrous strength. From behind her, let Setanta, who has gained momentum again, charge.

 Do not let her swing the great sword freely.

 Use it as a powerful shield and cushion.

"Ah, I can't wait to charge in quickly and take on the small fries."

"That's all you do, Kitten."

"Kat, you're the middle guard. You are in the middle of the party. When the enemy gains momentum, you catch it and push it back. [Sei-shoku] will be in the rear. I'll be fighting in the vanguard with Setanta."

"Ha? Don't be silly! Why am I not in the vanguard!"

"It's because of that big sword."

"Ha!?"

"I agree. I can't easily attack if that large object swung wildly. Kitten, you should accept the enemies' attacks."

"I refuse!"

"Don't say no. You brat. Hey, Kitten. This is the order of the family head. You're the middle guard. You'll do what Pat says."

 Kat clicked her tongue.

"...If it's the order of the head of the family, then. Understood, Pat. I'll be the middle guard."

"You should have done that from the beginning, you stupid cat."

"Wha, Setanta! Wanna fight!?"

"Please don't fight!"

“Are you guys working together properly?”

 [Sei-shoku] asks worriedly.

 Don't let outsiders worry about it―― Patricia reflexively made a proposal to Setanta and the others.

"Let's decide on a signal!"

"Signal?"

“Yes. We must decide on a signal so that no one jumps out."

 Until now, everything had been going well, with Setanta charging in and being supported by them.

 However, as Kat gained strength and confidence and began to want to move forward, this gradually started to go wrong.

 For that reason, when the battle got crowded and she couldn't give detailed instructions, Kat would always jump out. The other day, for example, she jumped out even though it wasn't a crowded battle or anything.

 It's a dangerous sign.

“If I say [retreat], You will retreat. Conversely, if I tell say [forward], you rush forward with all your might like a warrior."

"Oh! A warrior!"

"However, please refrain from stepping forward until I say [forward]. Kat, there will always be an opportunity to charge in, so please follow my instructions."

"Alright. I'm the kind of person who knows when the time is right!"

"Setanta would basically push in. I'll guard his back, and if we got pushed back, I'll yell, [Switch], and Kat will switch places with me and move forward."

"That's where I will charge in!"

"No, push back the enemy. If you do so, Setanta will storm the enemy position and you will have the perfect opportunity to attack. I will aim for that moment and give the signal. At the [forward] signal, you charge in. Kat will be unbeatable. This is the basic tactic."

"Ooh!"

"What's the first move? I don't think we need a signal between us."

 Patricia looked back at Setanta's question.

“We have two guardian knights with us today. Setanta will give the signal for the first move. When Setanta charges in. We will take our positions."

"Understood."

"Signal... signal... sig, nal...? Signal... signal... signal..., sig, nal......... signal… then Pat――...... behind...... strike......"

"Kat?"

"Nya? What is it?"

 Patricia looked quizzically at Kat, who was mumbling something.

 However, when she turned around, she saw that Kat was the usual Kat.

 Since they were talking while running, and since it was always the case that Kat's words and actions were sometimes strange, Patricia just gave a small nod of her head and dismissed the discomfort.

“Are you properly sober?”

"Don't worry, I'm already sober."

"Really..."

 Setanta and Kat are arguing as usual.

 Patricia's intuition rang alarm bells―― but before she could continue, [Sei-shoku] called out to her.

"I and my maiden over here will be in the rear. When Setanta-chan gives the signal, we will all jump at once. If there is a battle, please let us know."

"Thank you very much. My husband and Kat are like that, but they are people who do their jobs properly when it comes to battle."

"Nfufu, that's good."

"Thank you."

 From the mountain road, they entered a large tunnel.

 In front of her is the base of the huge holy tree that glows blue.

 The spiral staircase on the left is the wide path that was usually used.

 On the other hand, Patricia and the others are now running up the narrow path on the right, which was made by carving out the rock surface. The path is structured in places to go into the hole in the bedrock and to go in and out of scaffolding on the cliffside.

 It's a dangerous bypass route.

 The path is narrow, and if you step off the path, it is the end.

(Concentrate, I have to concentrate.)

 Patricia puts her hand on the short spear on her back.

 It's all right, she said.

 Kat won't charge in because Setanta ordered her.

 Behind Patricia, who was following Setanta's back, she should play the role of a proper shield.

(I trust Kat. I can leave my back to her. We've been fighting together for years, she's my comrade in arms!)

 × × ×

 Then.

 Patricia and her group...... met it.

 × × ×

 Holy tree mountain bypass route carved out of a rock wall.

 On the left side is a huge blue glowing tree trunk―― the blue holy tree.

 There is a large hole around it, and if you step off the path of the narrow stairs, you will fall to the base of the holy tree and die.

 The stairway has a bluish-dark color, perhaps reflecting the blue particles emitted by the holy tree.

 The footholds on the stairs and in the square along the way are dry rock, and the uneven surfaces have been scraped away, making them easy to walk on.

"――――! Stop!"

 Exiting the path of the hole dug in the rock to the path of the cliff facing the blue holy tree.

 Under the blue phosphorescence emitted by the sacred tree, Setanta, who was running in front, raised his left hand to stop everyone.

"That is."

 Patricia held her short spear behind Setanta.

 The others were holding their weapons as well.

 "――――"

 In front of Setanta.

 The area at the top of the stairs.

 There, a blue-masked man was leaning his elbows on the railing, looking up at the shining holy tree.

 His mask covered only his eyes.

 From the nose down, he has bristly hair reminiscent of a goat.

 However, the outline of his face was human-like, and his lips seemed to be painted purple.

 Shirt and tie.

 Black vest.

 Black slacks.

 Leather boots.

 He looked like a clerk working for a trading company.

 The man looked away from the tree he had been looking at for a while, shook the bag on his waist, and slowly turned toward Patricia and the others.

"Demon, huh."

 [Sei-shoku] muttered.

 He carries the standard sword of a church knight.

 It's a beautiful sword stance as if he had thoroughly mastered the basics.

 Contrary to his abnormal appearance, [Sei-shoku] is a proper swordsman.

"I'm glad you're finally here. You were slower than I expected."

 The man―― the demon looks down at us.

 His eyes were golden.

(What is this ominous demon...)

 She met nothing like it.

 Although he is much smaller than a dragon, the hairs on her body stood up.

 She can't stop cold sweats.

 It's as if a knife is being held to her throat.

 Patricia's instincts were screaming with all their might that she should not fight this enemy.

"Hehe, this guy looks strong! He's my prey!"

"Kitten, it's an order. Don't jump out. This guy is bad! He's deadlier than any enemy we've fought before."

 Setanta's blue eyes shine brightly.

 His beastly instincts are heightening his will to fight in the face of a formidable foe.

 It was the same with the White Knight.

 He becomes stronger and faster.

 As the price, a permanent blue light remained in his body as an aftereffect.

 Setanta takes the scarf around his neck.

 What came out from underneath was a pale skin that emitted a phosphorescent light, just like the blue holy tree.

 He holds up his sword.

 There were several streaks of blue light running down his arm, as if to fill in the scars left by the White Knight.

"You, who are you? You don't look like an elf."

"I am Godfred Salvatori."

"Godfred Salvatori... vampire's grand duke."

"You're lying. Godfred is long dead!"

"But I am Godfred. I have risen from the holy tree to take revenge on you."

"Setanta-chan, don't let this guy misguide you."

"I know."

"Those people, behind, you."

 Patricia found her voice trembling so much that she could hear herself shaking.

 A gust of wind blew down from the front, from the man who claimed to be the reincarnation of Godfred.

 The wind had a strong smell of blood.

 Patricia felt her eyes twist with anger.

"Who are the people, behind you?"

"――Ah, this?"

 The man glanced behind him as if remembering.

 Patricia and the others were lower than where the man was standing, so it was hard to see―― but behind him, the bloody church knights were lying.

"It's humans. I was bored, so I was killing at random."

 Bored.

 Words without any emotion.

 He was bored, so he was reaping precious lives to pass the time.

 The man said in a tone as if he had stepped on an ant for fun.

 Calm down, that was a provocation―― her own voice was painted with anger.

 Patricia screamed with a burning murderous intent in her eyes.

"...Human life, what were you thinking!"

"Trash."

 "――――"

“Hahahaha! What, someone worse than me just showed up!"

"I'm normal. You who pollute this beautiful land, this verdant land built up by the spirits, with such vile blue, you are as good as trash."

"I see. Then, if you got killed by us, who are nothing but trash, then it's fine that you're worse than garbage!?"

"You think you can kill me?"

"...I'll tell you. I'll kill you as brutally as possible."

"Setanta, let's take him all at once. Kat. Wait for the signal and act according to the instructions. Don't jump out on your own."

 Patricia shouts.

 She holds herself together in spite of her anger and sends instructions to each member of the team.

"Setanta, I'll leave the moment to rush in to you."

"We can attack at any time!"

 [Sei-shoku] raises an exalted voice.

 Setanta readied his sword and roared like a beast.

 The demon in front of them bowed gracefully.

 Right hand to the chest.

 Left hand outstretched.

 He bent down as if he was about to start a magic show.

"ᛉ ᚲ ᛊ”

 Ancient words spun.

 From the young demon's body, small, brightly colored stones popped out and floated in the air.

 Patricia tied the holy seal of the shield.

"It's coming!"

"Rune magic! Be careful, Setanta-chan!"

"Everyone, get ready, let's go all at once!"

"ᛇ ᛏ ᚺ”

"I'll leave my back to you, Kat!"

 Looking up at the arrow of white light shining above the enemy's head.

 The power of the holy tree is strong here.

 The holy tree denies magic.

 With that number of arrows, they can use the divine shield to defend against them and push through――

 Setanta bared his fangs ferociously and shouted.

"There! Everyone, let's go!"

 × × ×

 Next moment.

 No one there had any idea what had just happened.

 Patricia tried to kick the ground strongly at the same time as Setanta's signal―― and felt her vision distort.

 It was as if she was being snatched sideways by a giant's hand.

 Her shoulders.

 And the side of her head.

 A hard, extremely heavy mass of iron collided with her at a tremendous speed.

"?????????"

 She doesn't understand.

 Unknowingly, Patricia was knocked to the side.

 She hit the rock wall and easily lost consciousness.

"Ha...?" "Eh...?"

 Two voices.

 Of Setanta's and [Sei-shoku]'s.

 Setanta looked at Kat as if he could not believe what he was seeing.

 Or, in fact, he could not believe it.

 As soon as he gave the "signal" to start the battle, Kat went forward, and the next moment, she hit Patricia in the side with the great sword she was holding in her hand.

 There was no way Patricia would be able to respond to the betrayal attack from her comrade who she entrusted her back―― she was thrown to the wall, bumped into it, and slowly slipped down, trailing a thick trail of blood.

"――――,"

 You, what are you doing?

 Before he could say that, an arrow of light aimed at the decisive gap that Setanta exposed, piercing him.

 Three in his right hand.

 Three in his left hand.

 Two in each of his right and left tendons.

 Five on the stomach.

 One in the heart.

 All the arrows that were supposed to be used to attack Patricia, the vanguard, and to keep Kat in bay, were concentrated on Setanta.

 It was as if they had been anticipating Kat's act from the beginning.

"Gugya."

 Behind Setanta―― a golem that had appeared from the wall, knocked [Sei-shoku] off the cliff.

 As expected, [Sei-shoku] was taken aback by Kat's unexpected action, and he jumped to the side to avoid the great sword she was swinging.

 He couldn't even notice the golem appearing from the wall.

 [Sei-shoku], screaming, fell head-first to the base of the holy tree.

 After a delay, the sound of something being crushed echoes from below.

"Ah... gah, ah......"

 Setanta was shot by countless arrows of light as he kicked the ground, and he staggered to his feet.

"......! You're still alive. That's amazing."

 A voice of pure amazement.

 He can't see anything.

 The next moment, with a thump, something shot through his forehead.

 Setanta staggered back―― his feet cut through the air and he fell downwards.

 × × ×

(Can move the position of internal organs. Can be revived under limited conditions. He is dead from the start. Cannot die near a sacred tree―― not sure which one, but that's all I can do right now)

 The demon man―― Christo, after confirming Setanta's fall into the abyss, slowly descends the stairs toward the hero party, with the protection of the [Northern Flame Wall].

 [Sei-shoku] fell and was crushed.

 Setanta was stabbed and pushed down.

 The holy sword maiden of [Sei-shoku] was shot dead with an arrow of light at the same time as Setanta was shot.

 Christo glanced sideways at the end of the holy sword maiden who disappeared as a small blue holy tree.

"Eh? A-are? Me? Why? P-Pat...? Setanta? Where? Ahaha, d-don't, don't joke around, stop it, ahahaha......"

 By the wall, Kat bends down to cling to Patricia, who is sinking in a pool of blood.

 That one can wait.

 For now, this guy.

"M-myo... myo..."

 A tall man in priestly garb.

 He wears a gold work like an eye on his head.

 One of the Guardian Knights, [God's Eye].

 He seemed unable to understand that his party was destroyed the second the battle started.

(Can't you always see the future? Is it an imperfect future, he can't choose what he wants to see in the future, or he can't see the future in the first place.)

 [God's Eye] seemed to instantly recover from his confusion.

 As expected of a war veteran.

 Christo thought he was just crazy, but it seems he can properly assess the situation.

 His party was wiped out.

 What [God's Eye] had to do was to return from this place alive, tell the others that a new threat had appeared, and that there was a traitor in the hero's party.

"Myo, myo."

 The [God's Eye] is poised low.

 It is a leaping posture.

"ᛁ ᚾ ᚦ”

 Fast chanting of runes.

 As soon as Christo's incantation echoes, the air around [God's Eye] rapidly cooled and countless pale blue chains are generated. [God's Eye] ducked as the chains flew toward his neck, and then tried to avoid the chains crawling under his feet by jumping and rolling forward.

 But his evasive maneuvers end there.

 The next chain, aimed at his arms and waist from above his head, was physically impossible to dodge.

"――――!"

 He immediately tries to tie the holy mark of the [God's Sword].

 A sword, not a shield, is the right answer.

 The shield won't solve the problem, so he has to slash the chain.

 However, the holy symbol he tied was not completed and was blown away from his wrist by an arrow of light shot by Christo.

"Myooooooooo!"

"I guess that's a shout."

 This time, the chain catches him completely.

 The [God's Eye] was bound by hand and foot and crucified on the rock wall.

"You, did you see me?"

"M-myo?"

 Christo took out a handkerchief.

 He used the chain to pull the large sword that was lying near Kat's body.

"Don't you remember? Look, it's me, it's me. We met when you were on the hill in front of the royal castle with [Sei-shoku] at noon."

 "――――!!"

"What did you see in me?"

 Christo looked into the [God's Eye] with dark eyes.

 This man looked at Christo and saw something.

 And then, grabbing Christo's arm, he was talking about the seeds of the Demon King of Chaos.

"Tell me. What did you see?"

"Hi... guh..."

"Don't look away. Look at me. Look at who I really am. You can see it, right?"

"No... stop it."

"Oi, look over here."

 Christo smirked.

 The shadow of a humanoid figure is rapidly replaced by that of a deformed angel.

 In the light of the holy tree, he whispers to the [God's Eye].

"Look directly at me until you lose your mind."

"A――――……"

 Christo tilted his head.

"What do you see?"

"Angel. An angelic demon on a chariot of fire. ......Demon Belial."

 "――――"

 Kat's great sword was thrust into the [God's Eye].

 This man should not have been allowed to live.

 He stared at the [God's Eye], which spurts out red blood like a woman's orgasm.

 In addition, the blood does not reach Christo because it is blocked by the [Northern Flame Wall].

(I thought about using him as a fallen familiar, but it was too risky. Oh well. I got my first familiar.)

"Hehe... I-I'm not the bad one. It's not my fault. Isn't that right? Hey, Pat? Pat...!"

"Poor thing."

 Christo looked down at the foolish Kat, who was dribbling tears and clinging to the red-haired girl.

 Christo whispered into Kat's ear.

"Yes, it's not your fault."

"I-I'm not a, bad girl."

"You are right."

"I'm right."

"Today is just a bad dream."

"Dream……"

"Yes, a dream."

 Christo smiled and reaped Kat's consciousness.

 He pulled the weakly collapsing Kat and made her grasp the hilt of the large sword stuck in the [God's Eye].

 In battle, it is the incompetent ally who should be feared more than the competent enemy.

 Incompetent allies kill more than competent enemies.

"You stay on that side. I'll use you again if I have to."

 Kat will wake up in a few dozen seconds.

 Then what kind of action will she take when she sees this place?

 It will be very interesting.

"Golem. Carry Patricia."

 Christo only gives first aid to the red-haired girl and sends instructions to the golem.

 The golem takes her in its arms and disappears inside it, as if sucked into the rock face.

“If you suffocate her, you will be disposed of.”

 Christo shouts a threat to the golem and climbs up the stairs.

(I'm glad that the strategy just happened to go well. I got lucky―― let's think of it that way. I must remain on guard and continue to be diligent.)

"......But it was settled too soon...... than expected. Now that I've come this far, let's go and charm Gilsanas who went to steal the holy sword."

 He needs to help them so that they can properly steal the holy sword.

 Gilsanas is a rash person, and if he didn't keep an eye on him, he will probably steal another holy sword by mistake.