episode_0029

Meanwhile, Julian, Aria, and Rene.

Even though the trio started relatively late compared to the other students, they were subduing the demons with great momentum.

“Gnome, Shield.”

As Julian gave a short command, rocks and dirt rose from the ground and gathered around his left arm.

They quickly took shape and soon became a shield of the earth, and Julian thrust them forward, striking down the approaching snow wolf.

Wake up!

The snow wolf, thrown by the unexpected force that burst out from its small body, flew through the air and landed next to its pack.

“What are you doing? They’re all gathered in one place, so they look nice.”

Julian said this without looking back, keeping his gaze alertly ahead.

“You didn’t have to rush me like that, I was already preparing?”

Chain lightning.

As soon as Aria finished speaking from behind, a bolt of lightning fell from the sky and struck the center of the demon horde.

Kkeeek-!!

Most of the demons were incinerated by that blow, but the few that survived split into two and jumped out immediately.

Julian blocked one side with his shield, but the other side rushed towards Aria, who had just struck.

“You’re ignoring me, you rude dog. That’s why I like cats more than dogs?”

One, Rene quickly intervened in the middle and displayed a shield made of divine power.

He swung a mace that he didn’t know where he got it from and broke the heads of the demons one after another.

“… If this was going to happen, I don’t know why they needed vanguard at all. Why didn’t you just stand in the vanguard? ”

“Common sense tells me that there is no way a saint like me would take the lead in such an ignorant act. It would be beneath my dignity.”

“What? I feel bad because you keep telling me to listen. So, it’s okay if my dignity goes down? ”

After wiping out the demon horde in a short period of time, they briefly checked the situation and used their free time to sling verbal daggers at each other.

The scene was suffocating, and it was hard to believe that it was the party that had been going well until just a moment ago.

“Rather than that, are we okay with our current speed?”

“Well? It seems like he doesn’t tell you exactly how many points he got or how many other people got.”

“… Even after doing all this, I feel like it would be unfair if I didn’t make it to the top.”

The moment Julian grumbled softly.

-I told you not to chase after me!

From far away, someone’s urgent cry could be heard, calling for the snow mountain to go away.

Not only that, but the distance from which the voice is heard gets closer to where they are in real time.

“… This voice is definitely.”

At that moment, Aria seemed to have guessed the identity of the voice.

The bushes next to them rustled loudly, and a blond man jumped out from them.

“Crown Prince… ?”

Julian, who now knew that face, tilted his head as if he didn’t understand why the Crown Prince would pop out from such a place.

The crown prince, who had been looking behind him as if being chased by something, turned his head toward them in response to the voice.

“… You! Aria Floris! ”

Soon, his gaze fell on Aria, who was stuck between them, and he showed an expression filled with relief.

“I heard that you are a great wizard for your nature! So, as a noble of the empire, take care of it on my behalf!”

Leaving behind such meaningless words, he passed by them just as quickly as he had appeared.

“What the… that guy?”

“Is the Crown Prince of the Empire a brother with some kind of mental problem?”

Immediately after Julian and Rene, who were taken aback by his unexpected attitude, expressed their feelings.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

From the direction where the crown prince had appeared, the sound of heavy footsteps began to resonate continuously.

Their gazes simultaneously turned to the source of the sound, and soon a large demon emerged from there.

A strangely shaped demonic hand that looks like an owl’s head was forcibly attached to the body of a black bear, with its sharp claws exposed.

“It’s disgusting.”

“It’s disgusting.”

Aria and Rene frowned openly as they looked at the creature.

“Owlbear…? Why is that guy here?”

Julian’s face turned pale as soon as he saw Owlbear.

“Are you familiar with the devil?”

Julian paused for a moment at Aria’s question before opening his mouth.

“… This is an entity that appears from the middle of Daeseolsan Mountain.”

But, why is it that he rarely leaves his territory unless someone invades it?

“Well, I guess that’s it. Crown Prince, that guy threw us as bait for that devil and ran away.”

Aria shook her head with a look of deep contempt.

Meanwhile, Owlbear was looking around as if he was looking for prey, and soon found them standing in the path that his prey had escaped.

Guuuu-!!

Owlbear, who seems to be ignoring them and not thinking of chasing the crown prince, shows signs of rushing in at any moment.

“I guess I have no choice but to deal with you. Running away is not in my nature.”

“… What?”

“I agree. It’s impossible for a saint to turn her back on the seed of evil.”

The two women stood side by side and confronted Owlbear as if they were ready to attack at any moment.

Julian glared at the backs of the two people with resentment, then quickly turned his gaze to Owlbear, visible beyond them.

“… Oh my god, seriously!”

Julian, with his expression hardened as if he had made a decision, squeezed his way through the gap between the two women and stood in front.

“There’s a limit to being selfish! Think about the people who are bothering you!”

Gnome shield! Undine spear! The rest of you, stop playing around and deploy your weapons!

Julian took a stance, deploying weapons made up of natural properties all over his body in an instant.

“Come at me, you idiot!”

Immediately afterwards, two beings with a striking difference in physique clashed head-on.

***

Upon hearing the news of Owlbear’s appearance, I followed its footsteps and arrived within striking distance, only to be shocked by the sight I encountered.

I was surprised to see that the crown prince, who was being chased, had gone somewhere and that Julian, who Owlbear most hoped would not run into, was there.

“… Where!”

Kagagak-!!

I couldn’t help but be even more amazed by Julian’s precise timing as he deflected Owlbear’s sharp claws with his shield.

Yes, Julian, who had bad memories of Owlbear, stood up and fought again.

‘… That guy is cool.’

Not only that, Aria and the Saintess who had left with Julian were also active behind the scenes.

“Flare Dance, Fire Cannon, Blazer.”

Aria would occasionally shoot fire magic whenever there was a gap between her and Julian, perhaps with the intention of softening Owlbear’s thick hide.

“Goddess, please bless the author with strength and heal his wounds.”

The saintess was giving Julian, who was facing Owlbear head-on, a blessing that was presumed to be strengthening, and was treating his minor injuries in real time.

‘… I don’t think I need to step forward.’

This was the final conclusion I reached after observing the appearance of the trio and the nature of the battle.

My long-term experience tells me that there is no way they will lose to Owlbear.

‘It’s no longer an unexpected situation.’

So I turned around and went out to look for the students who had scattered due to Owlbear’s appearance.

Fortunately, as soon as Owlbear appeared, for some reason he only targeted the crown prince, so it seemed that no one was eliminated.

I just need to get them back together, have them continue their exams, and then I can go back to the entrance of the mountain.

‘It’s a shame I can’t watch you till the end… but there’s nothing I can do.’

As I turned my steps like that, I drew a soft line at the corner of my mouth.

***

“Die…!!”

Julian’s spear of water pierced Owlbear’s heart.

Phew! Guuu-!?

Owlbear, who had suffered accumulated damage and was hit with a precise final blow, fell forward, crying out in frustration.

Kuung-!!

Julian jumped back to avoid being crushed and took a deep breath with a face that clearly showed his exhaustion.

“… Barely, to this guy.”

His expression had a somewhat sad tone.

“Why are you making a fuss about catching one…?”

At that moment, Aria, who was about to throw a tantrum because she didn’t want to see Julian acting all smart, had no choice but to stop what she was about to say.

Woohoo-

Because Eugene’s ring, which she had been carefully wearing around her neck, suddenly began to glow and vibrate.

““What is this…?””

Aria turned her gaze to the voice that was heard almost at the same time and met eyes with Rene, who was also looking back.

Woohoo-

In the palm of the saint’s hand was a rosary in the shape of a cross, shining and vibrating just like her ring.

“Wait, you’re…?”

At this moment, Aria felt a strange doubt and was about to ask a question.

Paaat-!!

The ashen light bursting from the ring and rosary engulfed the entire space they were in.