Monster
“I wonder if you are doing alright, Hardt-sama”
Elize-dono is beside me looking in the Imperial Capital’s direction where we’re currently heading while sighing, ‘Haa’. I too look in the direction where the Imperial Capital is just like her.
Hardt, the man who changed my life in various ways. The man, who changed my life in both good and bad ways, is attacking the Glenberg Empire, a large country that vies for the top spot on this continent, with just ten people.
I’m extremely worried. He’s attacking a large country, that not only can a country like mine not hold a candle to, but can blow my country away with a single breath, with merely ten people. There’s no way I won’t be anxious.
“Hey, Fia-san. What number would you like to be?”
“……of what?”
As I was thinking about him, whom I detest yet love, Elize-dono asked me something like that abruptly. I wondered for a moment what she’s on about, but after thinking about it carefully, I understand that she’s talking about Hardt.
“I said, Hardt-sama’s number what would you like to be? Mylene may be number one currently because she became his actual dependent, but I don’t intend to just go down like this either”
“……I don’t really”
“You are lying. Even though you’re always enviously looking at Mylene-sama who clings to Hardt-sama. It’s better to say such things out without hiding, you know? I don’t know what’s the reason you came to serve under Hardt-sama, but I know that you like that person”
……there’s nothing as embarrassing as being told about it by somebody else. As we’re talking about something like that, the air around became oppressive instantaneously.
Both Elize-dono and I break out into an unending cold sweat. Amidst that, only one person is there with a bitter smile; it’s one of the dependent whom Hardt resurrected, Elfion-dono.
“……Nero, send the dead spirit soldiers to the front immediately. Something outrageous is coming”
“……is this a gigantic something that’s approaching?”
“This is, a Dragon……Elize-sama, please move the soldiers back immediately. Even if they are around, they will just be a hindrance”
Elfion-dono orders Elize-dono with an unusually serious expression. Obeying that order, the moment Elize-dono gave the order and was about to move the soldiers, we were blown away.
It felt like my world overturned. I couldn’t tell where’s up, down, front, or back, and before I know it, I’d collapsed onto the ground. When I somehow raise my giddy head and look around, everybody has collapsed just like me.
The only ones who are standing are Elfion-dono and Nero-dono. Around that Nero-dono, there are skeletons scattered about. I guess he used the skeletons as a wall.
And then, in front of Elfion-dono and Nero-dono, there was a monster that I’ve never seen before. I felt nauseous and vomited on the spot just from looking at that. There are even some amongst us that ended up falling into despair and dying just from looking at it. I guess I’m doing considerably better in comparison to them.
“……haa, haa……wha, what is, that?”
Elize-dono, who collapsed just like me, was also turning pale and trembling. It looks like her tears can’t stop falling either, and it’s soaking her beautiful face.
And then, the moment Elize-dono muttered, the monster that descended looked over here. Just that and it feels like my heart was gripped. I can tell that my breathing is naturally becoming faster.
“”Found you……I found you! Elizeeee!!!“”
The moment that monster found Elize-dono, it swung a fist that’s more than twice the size of our body down at us. We’re just staring at that spectacle, unable to do anything, but a ridiculously large lump of flame collided onto that fist.
“Aruji-dono1 entrusted the girls to me. I cannot let you kill them so easily”
“”Don’t get in the wayy!“”
Looking at Elfion-dono, who stands in a way that he’s protecting us, the monster angrily swings its fist down at us over and over again. Why is this monster targeting Elize-dono so persistently? I get myself up somehow, not understanding that, and as I’m looking at the monster and Elfon-dono
“……Onii-sama?”
, Elize-sama mutters. Onii-sama? Which means that is the Empire’s First Imperial Prince? How, did he turn into a monster like that?
“Kuu, you are quite problematic, huh!”
Elfion-dono clashes his Magic with the fist that the monster swings down at us and blocks it, but it looks quite exhausting. It’s inevitable. He’s blocking an attack that can split the ground with just a single strike over and over again after all.
“Kuu……E, Elize-dono! We’re making a run for it while we can!”
“I, I got it!”
I put my strength into my trembling legs, and force Elize-dono, who’s trembling just like me, to stand. It’s just that, it looks like she’s having more trouble gathering her strength than me, and it’s pretty much me shouldering her. I’m also in a state where I’m barely able to walk, about to topple at any time.
“”Elizeeeee! Don’t you runnnnn!!“”
However, the monster, who didn’t forgive this act, angrily spreads the wings on its back. Its body is gigantic just as it is, and when it spreads its wings, the sun gets obstructed, and I fall into the misperception that night has fallen.
“uu! This is bad huh!”
“”Go flyinggggg!!!“”
And then, the monster’s widely spread out wings start shining. Elfion-dono, who saw that, hurriedly places his hands on the ground and activate his Magic.
Numerous layers of walls that were compressed from countless dirt were created from the ground, and they stood towering and surrounding all of us. They’re dirt walls that are so dense that ordinary Magic can’t destroy even a single layer. However, the moment the monster flapped its shining wings at us, they were blown away instantaneously.
When I came back to my senses, the dirt walls were gone, and I could only tell that they were shaved off by an absurd power. ……how powerful is it? That might that changes the terrains with just one strike.
A large hole was gouged out at the location where the dirt walls were, and there was nothing left over there. And then, in front of us
“……fuu, that was close”
was the figure of Elfion-dono standing and sticking both his hands out. Despite being wounded here and there, he blocked that one strike just now. It’s just that, only behind us was blocked. The soldiers other than that are already…….
“It takes my all to defend against it by myself……but it is fine now huh”
Elfion-dono lets out a calm atmosphere despite such a monster before his eyes. I don’t know how he can remain this calm, but in the next instant, a bolt of black lightning collided onto the monster.
Right as the monster slightly flinched, a Jet Black Dragon descended from the sky. And then, on its back
“Dáinsleif!”
rode he, whom I have a mixed feeling of love and hate for.
