Ch.157Chapter 157 – Puppeteer Phobia (1)

The gateway city of Sestas was equipped with defensive installations like city walls.

And as a precaution, outposts had been set up at a distance from the walls to monitor the surroundings.

As a gateway city, it was a place where many people came and went, having a significant impact on the territory’s economy, so having this level of defense was only natural.

That’s why, whether in the middle of the night or at dawn, there was always someone in the outpost keeping watch.

“Huh?”

The soldier guarding the outpost as usual slightly raised his head.

He had been a bit drowsy, but he never let his guard down when it came to the surroundings.

Part of the reason was that he knew he would likely be the first to be sacrificed if something happened.

‘What’s that?’

Something was strange.

It was too quiet.

Even though it was winter and less frequent, animal sounds or monster cries would normally be heard once or twice.

It was just as he raised his head slightly, feeling ominous.

-Thud thud thud

“W-what?!”

Tremendous footsteps could be heard.

It was dark, but something in enormous numbers was moving.

“What in the…”

The soldier quickly tried to raise his lantern high to secure visibility.

And seeing the sight before him, he inwardly regretted having raised the lantern.

“M-monsters!”

An enormous number of monsters were swarming from all directions.

To quickly report this fact, and to survive, he hastily fled.

+

My eyes suddenly opened.

‘What’s going on?’

After talking with Sera, I had relaxed a bit and fallen into a comfortable sleep.

Turning my eyes to look out the window, I saw it was still dawn.

I was usually an early riser, but this was too early even for me.

I immediately sat up and instinctively placed my hand on my chest.

‘What the?’

My heart was beating like mad.

My mind felt strangely chaotic.

Something was wrong.

I was too late.

Those thoughts dominated my body.

‘Why?’

Even as I wondered why I was feeling this way, I got up from my bed.

Thinking it might just be because I had gone to sleep late, I quickly armed myself anyway.

‘Calm down.’

Forcibly calming my heart, which seemed to have a will of its own, I knocked on the door leading to the room where the women were sleeping.

After knocking for quite some time, Christina opened the door with a puzzled expression.

Seeing that she was already fully dressed in her nun’s habit, it seemed she had been quietly offering her dawn prayers.

“Benefactor?”

“I have a bad feeling.”

That was all I could say.

It was natural, as there was no way to logically explain the sudden feeling.

However, just as Christina was about to say something, looking perplexed:

“I’ll wake everyone up.”

It was Eve who peeked out from behind Christina.

Judging by her disheveled hair and the hastily wrapped gown-like garment, it seemed she had just gotten up from bed.

But her expression was serious and solemn.

“I’ll get ready quickly.”

“I’m counting on you.”

With those words, Eve and Christina went back into the room, and soon there was a commotion inside.

I could hear Beatrice making slightly annoyed sounds, and the rustling of clothes being put on…

‘Huh?’

After becoming a test subject, my senses like hearing had improved beyond that of normal people, but even so, I shouldn’t be able to hear the sound of clothes changing from outside the door.

‘…Is it because I’m tense?’

While thinking that and trying to compose myself, the door opened again.

The group emerged, fully dressed despite their yawns.

“Kay, what’s wrong?”

Sera looked at me with worried eyes.

“…I’m not sure. When morning came, I suddenly felt extremely anxious.”

“Maybe it’s because you went to bed too late last night…”

“No, it’s not.”

Eve answered immediately.

As attention focused on her, Eve spoke quietly.

“Monsters are swarming toward this place.”

Everyone froze momentarily at Eve’s confident statement.

Then Christina immediately spoke up.

“Let’s prepare to depart at any moment.”

Everyone, with serious faces, quickly headed to the stable.

And upon arriving at the stable, I realized I wasn’t the only one feeling anxious.

-Moooooo!

“Moo, please calm down!”

Moo was usually docile.

But now, seeing us, he was bellowing loudly.

Looking around, the horses, bipedal lizards, and other unidentifiable animals were showing similar reactions.

They looked as if they were begging to be released, to be allowed to escape.

-Moooo!

“Calm down, calm down.”

I said, placing my hand on Moo’s head.

It was just an unconscious action on my part, but it seemed to calm Moo down a bit.

“Looks like monsters really are coming.”

Beatrice’s face had already returned to its usual sharp expression, and she herself appeared tense.

“They say animals and magical beasts are several times more sensitive than humans. They might have sensed the monsters swarming nearby with their unique instincts.”

“…When you say it like that, it makes Kay sound like some kind of beast.”

Eve glared slightly at Beatrice, giving her a rebuke.

However, both of them, no, all the remaining companions simultaneously seemed to realize something.

“Kay’s body is…”

“According to my theory, it’s transforming into something like a dragon.”

As Sera and Beatrice conversed, I could understand.

Was that why I had felt strange and tense?

-“Hurry! We can’t be late!”

-“How much time do we have left?”

-“They’re almost upon us! Right now, some of the defense squad is barely buying time…”

-“Damn it, seal the gates!!”

-“If there are any adventurers around, call for an emergency assembly!”

In the distance, I could see guards shouting urgently and running around.

“It seems we don’t have much time.”

Eve said coldly, immediately checking the condition of the sword at her waist.

Sera quickly checked her tools and then ran to the carriage with Christina.

She seemed to be retrieving additional tools she had left inside, and as I was thinking this, Beatrice looked at me.

“Helmet, where should we go?”

“Let’s secure Allen first.”

Allen had started preparing the warp gate yesterday.

We couldn’t let anything happen to him for the sake of our journey.

And.

“Beatrice, is there a limit to how many people a warp gate can transport at once?”

“Theoretically, no. As long as the warp gate can be maintained until everyone passes through, any number is possible.”

But Beatrice’s expression was dark.

“However, just opening and maintaining a warp gate consumes an extreme amount of magical power. There’s a reason catalysts are needed.”

“…Still, we should secure it just in case.”

Thinking we might need to use the gate he was preparing for civilian evacuation in an emergency, we quickly began moving.

Keeping watch on our surroundings, slightly avoiding the eyes of guards who might suddenly ask us to join the fight, we moved quickly toward Allen’s house.

Passing through streets we had traversed before, quickly moving through alleys…

-Swoosh!

“What the!”

“Who’s there!”

Detecting the sound of air being cut, I quickly drew my weapon to deflect it, while Eve, who had reacted similarly, was pointing her sword at the opponent’s position.

On the rooftop stood a hooded figure holding a bow.

‘Who were they aiming at?’

Thinking this, I looked at the arrowhead that had fallen to the ground.

Sera quickly picked up the arrow and took out a cloth from her bosom, pressing it against the arrowhead.

The cloth turned purple.

“…It’s poison! Be careful!”

“Damn.”

The moment we realized the arrow was poisoned, the opponent shot again.

“This way!”

After deflecting it again, we quickly moved to a blind spot under Beatrice’s guidance, and at that moment:

-Slash!

-Clang!!

Eve blocked a sudden surprise attack with her sword.

Another hooded figure with an ornate decoration on the blade of their sword began exchanging sword strikes with Eve.

“…Not an ordinary opponent.”

“I’ll help!”

Just as I shouted that and rushed to assist Eve:

I deflected an incoming arrow and was in the process of changing my weapon to a sword when:

My entire body tingled with alarm.

“Christina! Defend!”

“Y-yes, ‘Protect the Young Lambs’!”

As Christina used her holy magic, I forcibly pulled Eve away and rolled across the ground.

And right after, lightning struck with a flash of light.

“…They were trying to electrocute us.”

“Either way, their goal seems to be to neutralize us.”

Eve said, dusting off her sword.

Whether it was from the opponent’s sword or not, there was some strange liquid on Eve’s sword as well.

It looked like the same liquid that had been on the arrow earlier.

The hooded figure from the rooftop descended to the ground, and another hooded figure emerged from a different alley.

Three enemies.

A swordsman, an archer, and a mage.

“…I guess it’s fortunate there’s no cleric.”

As I prepared for battle, thinking it would be a well-balanced party if they had a cleric too, I realized the feeling emanating from them seemed familiar.

-Clap clap clap clap clap

The sound of applause rang out.

I quickly looked toward the source of the sound and immediately frowned.

“The Emiris Order…”

Behind Sera’s tense expression, I watched a woman appear from the alleyway.

“Bravo, bravo~.”

The woman was approaching us, clapping excitedly.

She had dirty gray hair and eyes, different from Eve’s silver hair.

Under her half-closed eyes were dark circles.

Overall, she would be beautiful, but somehow the gloomy atmosphere ruined it.

“Who are you?”

“Call me Phobia~.”

I was slightly taken aback by her readily giving her name.

And then, a cold voice came from right beside me.

“Yes. If it’s that woman, it explains the dolls.”

“You know her?”

“This is the first time seeing her face.”

Beatrice answered coldly.

“But I’ve heard of her infamy. The woman obsessed with dolls.”

“Heeh~.”

Whether it was information she had obtained as an information broker, Beatrice’s eyes grew sharper.

“I heard she moves around in high positions everywhere, but I guess she’s free enough to come all the way here?”

Despite Beatrice’s words, Phobia tilted her head nonchalantly.

Then her gaze turned toward us.

More precisely, she was carefully looking at Sera and Christina.

And then.

“Woooonderful!!”

She suddenly shouted with joy.

“The blonde one has such a pure atmosphere, and the reddish-brown one—is that the right term? That child is already perfect just by her face, and she’s got something big and nice!”

“Ugh…”

Sera recoiled slightly in disgust at her words as she twisted her body wildly.

Phobia didn’t seem to mind such a reaction as her voice echoed.

“I like all of you. It’s a first. You’ve gathered only such pretty children! Living righteously has paid off!!”

Even in just a moment, I could tell.

In a slightly different direction from Somnus, but ultimately the same—she was someone who couldn’t be reasoned with.

“Hey, let me ask you one thing.”

“Yes, yes, ask away! I’m in a good mood, so ask anything!”

“Are you the culprit? The one who kidnapped people.”

Although the circumstantial evidence was almost certain, I asked the question for confirmation, and Phobia answered with a smile.

“Yes!”

She affirmed with a voice that sounded almost cheerful.

At that voice, Eve opened her mouth.

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because it’s such a waste!”

Phobia exclaimed, spreading her hands wide.

“I hate seeing beautiful things consumed in an instant!”

“Consumed?”

“I’m talking about lifespan! People age and die, right?”

Phobia said with a smile.

She spoke as if we would understand.

“I especially hate seeing beautiful people grow old! When they age, they all become cranky and weird!”

Phobia smiled brightly.

“So, I turned them into dolls.”

Phobia smiled.

“So they can remain eternally beautiful, as my friends by my side.”

“……”

I found myself staring blankly at her.

Not just me, but the others as well.

There was passion in Phobia’s words.

A passion that felt almost viscous.

“Ah, don’t worry! I’m not saying you’re not beautiful.”

Suddenly, Phobia looked at us and shouted.

“I like all of you! How can you all be such beauties, and even a man with excellent combat skills, I like you all!”

It was unsettling how she was slowly taking us all into her sight.

Then Phobia shouted loudly.

“I’ll put you all in my collection! As dolls, I’ll give you eternal beauty! So…”

Phobia shouted, opening her eyes wide.

“Will you be my friends?”

No more words were needed.

Seeing us quietly assume combat stances, Phobia smiled and said:

“Any chance you’ll quietly come with me? I’ll specially make you expensive bodies!”

“I’ll pass.”

I pointed my sword at her.

“I’ve already spent time as someone’s puppet. Seeing someone like you really disgusts me.”

“…Puppet? Who?”

Suddenly, Phobia tilted her head.

Tilting it slightly to the side, her eyes wide open, she stared at me.

“Who.Who.Whoman.Whatwoman.Whowoulddaretouch.Apotentiallygoodcollectionpiece.Tellme.Tellme.Tellmenow.Tellmerightnow…”

Phobia muttered with the light gone from her pupils.

Then suddenly, as if remembering something, she straightened her head again.

“Come to think of it, I’ll be reworking you anyway, so it doesn’t matter!”

“…Insane.”

It was clear that this woman’s way of thinking was completely different from ours.

-Clap!

Phobia suddenly clapped her hands.

“Let’s welcome our new friends, friends!”

She shouted cheerfully.

And behind her, several hooded figures appeared.

Those who had confronted us earlier also began to aim their weapons.

And Phobia shouted with a bright smile.

“Since I’ll be remaking you anyway, losing an arm or leg doesn’t matter!”

Phobia smiled and clapped her hands once more.

The hooded dolls all began to charge at once.