Chapter 7. Favor and Calculation (8)

First, I contacted the gnome government to get approval for the plan.

Even if they had said it first, and it was land that was not practically used, this was gnome territory.

It wasn’t a place where someone of my position could move around as they pleased.

Moreover, we needed people who knew that we had gone inside.

This is the same reason as writing a plan and leaving family contact information before going deep into the mountains. In case of an emergency, shouldn’t there be people to help us?

Of course, among the gnomes who came to assist us, there would probably be no one who could rescue us if we fell into the middle of that lake.

Lee Si-yoon remains at the accommodation. Some knights and most hunters decided to stay and observe the situation.

One of the chocolates made with holy artifacts is probably with Lee Si-yoon. When I parted ways with Han Yu-ri yesterday, I gave her two pieces of chocolate. She probably gave at least one to Lee Si-yoon.

“Hoo.”

I let out a long breath.

“Are you nervous?”

“Well, yes.”

I let out a small breath.

“Still, it’s a bit better than last time.”

“Oh, really? Gained some experience?”

“Well, it’s not the first time, and I remember Ria protected me reliably back then.”

“…?”

Upon hearing my words, Ria’s cheeks turned slightly red.

She’s really weak to compliments.

Compliments about simply being good with a sword don’t work at all. That’s just the truth.

However, expressing personal gratitude like this can make her flustered enough.

It was good that I had one more means of attack besides the ‘face attack.’

However, Ria’s face wasn’t as flushed as before.

“Bbuing?”

Seeing Ria suddenly cup my cheeks with both hands, I widened my eyes.

I glared at her with a protesting heart, and Ria chuckled.

…It seems Ria is finding her own way to respond.

*

Before executing the plan, I warned my companions several times.

There was a very high probability that we would have to fight monsters from above. So, my companions also prepared diligently. The knights all wore armor consecrated by my power and carried weapons and shields, and the hunters also prepared thoroughly.

Well, it might have been okay even if I hadn’t warned them. Hunters are experts at confronting unknown beings.

Like most plans, this one also seemed to be going well at first.

First of all, the ice bridge was much sturdier than expected. It wasn’t as pretty as in some anime, but it was strong enough for several people to stand on without breaking.

In fact, ice pillars even formed above the black lake.

Gloria and Han Yu-ri created ice as if competing with each other, and that competition itself wasn’t so bad. It actually worked to our advantage.

It was fine even when we slightly tore the sandbags and threw them into the river.

“…?”

I looked up at the sky.

The hot sunlight.

But on my face, other light was also falling.

Normally, I would have waved my hand to make that light disappear- but not now.

For some reason, I felt like I would need the power sent from above a lot this time.

“Everyone.”

I said.

Bubbling.

Bubbles were rising above the sandbags we threw in. It looked like tar boiling.

However, I thought it was a kind of precursor.

“Get ready.”

At my words, Ria immediately drew her sword.

Shwing.

After the knights drew their swords and the hunters drew their weapons-

Waves rose from the lake.

A sight that could never be seen in an oasis was occurring in that black lake. The surface of the water vibrated as if an earthquake had occurred, and it spread to the edges of the lake like a tsunami.

Fortunately, that was an area I had somewhat purified, so there wasn’t a major problem right away.

“It’s a monster!”

I heard someone shout.

As if judging it to be dangerous that we had pushed several sandbags filled with holy power into it, monsters slowly began to rise from within the black lake.

Some looked like humans, and some looked like beasts. However, all of them seemed to be covered in something like black tar.

Thump-

The bottom of the lake, far below, seemed to shake, violently shaking the ice bridge.

“Everyone, run!”

Ria shouted, and people simultaneously ran towards the outside of the lake. Ria was already beside me, pulling me by the arm.

People at the edge of the lake, where this bridge was connected, were cutting down the beings trying to enter the bridge. White light reflected from the consecrated swords, and a monster’s head fell off.

However, even though those monsters turned into sand and scattered as transparent water, other monsters continued to rise from the lake.

Moreover, as time passed, their size generally increased. At first, the largest ones were about human size, but now, creatures like elephants, rhinoceroses, or impossibly large crocodiles began to appear.

Gunshots were heard. Gnomes waiting on the hill over there fired towards us. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very effective. Almost everything they used was based on magic.

Although there were occasional flashes of white holy power, it seemed that some priests were among the people sent.

“Ah…!”

Han Yu-ri stopped, startled.

Gloria caught Han Yu-ri, who was sliding forward, from behind and barely stopped her-

Crack.

CRASH!

Something large pushed up from below the bridge and broke the thick bridge we had come on.

The bridge, which was broken in the middle, collapsed with a splash below and floated on the lake like pieces of broken glacier.

And as I was turned back, I finally made eye contact with a large eye staring directly at me.

“…?”

It was the magic sphere.

However, this time it was properly inside the eye socket.

The only thing on its face was that one large eye.

Even in that desperate moment, everyone around me forgot to scream in unison.

The eye, half-submerged in the lake, slowly began to rise. With a whoosh, a black waterfall was created, and beyond the falling water, I could see a skeletal body.

“…Hoo.”

I made that sound as the light falling on my face grew a little stronger.

Ria looked at me with a bewildered expression.

Well, it’s not the best situation. The best would have been to eliminate this lake before such a thing appeared.

However, it’s not the worst situation either.

That it was created with only ‘bones’ like that.

It’s not in its complete form. Just that alone gives us hope.

Their plan is still being formed.

“Ria.”

“…Are you going to fight something like that?”

Ria said, looking bewildered.

But even as she said that, Ria had already come to stand beside me.

I took out my gun and shot off the head of a monster trying to climb onto the ice.

“Gloria, Yu-ri! Can you help me!? And you all too!”

“You’re saying something quite absurd.”

Gloria said, looking bewildered.

“Well, it’s not entirely advantageous to run away from here, so I guess we have no choice.”

“Alright, let’s do it!”

Just a short while ago, Han Yu-ri was speaking politely to me.

Well, this attitude is more familiar to me. I’ve seen it often in novels.

That makes me a little happy.

Ria ran forward with all her might.

As if stepping on air, ice stairs appeared below her.

I followed behind her, shooting down all the monsters trying to climb the stairs.

Of course, magic flew from behind, beheading the monsters, and the knights behind us handled all those coming up behind us.

The sound of wind cutting through the air was heard.

A giant hand was approaching us. If it touched us, it would probably crush us and the stairs we were on.

Who do you think you are?

I threw a small pebble towards that hand.

“—!”

The small pebble flew, emitting a white light, and touched the monster’s hand, causing it to disintegrate. The process looked like a small explosion. It collapsed from within and turned into liquid, falling.

Even so, they wouldn’t come all this way empty-handed.

I had a few more pebbles prepared.

“Anna.”

Ria said to me.

“Leave the next hand that approaches alone.”

“What?”

Before I could answer, Ria, as if she had a good idea, wrapped an arm around my waist.

“Ugh?”

No, wait a minute, Ria-

Seeing Ria like that, the people behind us also moved in unison. They retreated.

Again, the monster’s eye focused on us.

Thin spears sprouted around its eye, and they were shot towards us. Ria elegantly sliced through the spears with her sword-

“…!?”

While holding me, she leaped up.

The hand was approaching us.

“Trust me.”

Ria said that and then fell onto that hand.

…Well,

What else can I do now that we’ve come this far?

There’s no other way but to trust youuuuuu-!?