Ch.218Heading Home as an NPC. (2)

“Hik!! I-I’m so sorry!!”

After seeing the female elf who let out a shrill scream and bowed her head in apology at my outburst, I sighed deeply enough to sink into the ground.

Haa, shit. Come to think of it, she wouldn’t have any reason to know whether this information was important or not.

“It’s fine, raise your head. So, what’s going on with the Empire, Ponia, Aigram, and Naty? Who declared war first, and how did the alliances form?”

“Ah! The Empire declared war on the three countries first, and they said the Empire is allied with the Ho-Holy… Holy? Ah! A country called the Holy Theocracy. And in response, the three countries formed an alliance and are now establishing battle lines…”

Haa, I really feel like going out for lunch. Why the hell?!

In the game, the Empire was a country that didn’t care whether other nations were destroyed by demons or not. This was because the queen at that time, [Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman], was ‘using’ the demons summoned to the continent to ensure the Empire wouldn’t fall until the continent completely disappeared. But in reality, Ragni never became queen. Now her father, probably my future father-in-law, is the emperor. Could that be why this absurd situation has happened?

“…Um, I’m sorry, but…”

“Please, what do you all have to be so sorry about to me?”

“I-I’ll try not to do that anymore! A-And! M-May I ask why this information is so important to you? I-If you need more information like this in the future, we could consider sending support troops to Ponia and sharing intelligence…”

Feeling a bit sorry for the female elf who was so intimidated by me that she looked like she might die from just my gaze, I let out a small sigh. My goodness, how scary must I be that she’s offering to send troops when human countries are fighting?

“I’m not going to eat you. Stop being so scared. And you don’t need to participate in the war. It would be much better for you to focus on stopping demons instead. Just coordinate with Ponia on that.”

“Ah, ah! Yes!! Th-Then. Should I not ask about your reasons…?”

“Jack’s sister and the women he loves are in Naty, the Land of Knowledge. He’s worried they might get caught up in the war if it breaks out. Right?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“Ah, I see!”

Miho hasn’t just become more perceptive; she’s practically turned into some kind of secretary? What exactly happened during the trial? I should hear the full story when I have time. After finishing that personal thought, I started prioritizing the tasks at hand.

First, Ponia. Given that war was just declared, actual fighting hasn’t broken out yet. Our people shouldn’t be in immediate danger from getting caught up in human wars, and I didn’t leave them that vulnerable anyway. Above all, Naty’s barrier is protected by a sane headmaster, so it won’t be breached. Even if it somehow were breached for reasons unknown to me, with Gore’s giant form and Ray Ragni’s combat power and intelligence, along with the group’s overall strength, they should definitely be able to escape to safety.

The real problem is the demon that has appeared in Ponia.

Green Doll, and the high-ranking cleric who supposedly healed Green Doll. Moreover, considering Ponia’s abnormally strengthened forces due to my departure, as the spirit master said…

‘…If adventurers or guards are even half as strong as Uncle Devil, it would be impossible for Lust to threaten Ponia in its early stages.’

This doesn’t make sense to begin with, since Ponia easily let go of someone with Uncle Devil’s level of power. Of course, they might not have known his true strength, but from what I heard that day, he became the guild master as the strongest adventurer among those sent from weakened Aigram as reinforcements. This means Ponia knew he was ‘that strong’ but still didn’t employ him and let him go. And this was when the Monster Parade hadn’t even ended yet.

…If all adventurers’ levels have risen to the late 200s, or even surpassing Uncle Devil, no—reaching 300, which exceeds my early levels. The level of Luxuria, who corresponds to an ep.4 boss, would be around mid-500s, not to mention her subordinates. If things go wrong…

‘They could actually be annihilated as soon as the tutorial starts.’

…I don’t know if this Luxuria is the one my ancestor asked about, but it doesn’t seem right to let her die without even checking her face. Recalling Luxuria, who looked like an adult version of Ira when I saw her that day, I finalized my priorities.

“Miho.”

“Yes.”

“From now on, we’ll be forced to march hard like when we left Naty. If it’s too difficult…”

“I won’t stay behind. Let’s go together. I’m much stronger than before! I won’t hold you back anymore!!”

“Ah, um. Where are you planning to go? If you’re heading straight to Naty, I can arrange an escort to Aigram…”

“Elf, no. Ber San?”

“Ah! Yes!!”

“Don’t worry about me. From now on, maintain proper distance with outsiders just like you’re talking with me now, and communicate properly as one person to another. And, I’m sorry for shouting earlier. You had no reason to know about my circumstances.”

“Ah, no! We should be the ones apologizing! Y-You’ve forgiven us and helped us so much, even saved us, and we feel sorry for not being helpful…”

I stopped the elf from bowing again by grabbing her shoulders and thanked her. After all, she was looking for me to provide information despite being busy. Besides, thinking about it, she’s the elf who went all the way to Ponia to bring back a cleric to save Green Doll. There’s no need to make her bow any more.

“Well then, Miho. Let’s go to the beastkin village. Since Green Doll isn’t here, we unnecessarily missed each other. We should also ask Chikuyo before going.”

“Yeah. Since big sis will definitely come along anyway, we can just tell her to follow and she’ll happily do so.”

I smiled wryly at Miho’s increasingly harsh assessment of her sister, and we headed outside the village…

“Hohoho!! You damned old man!!!”

-KUUUUNG!!!!

“…That laughter?”

“That ghoul can take a beating. What’s more important is that he’s finally started talking properly.”

Leaving behind the explosive sound and the old man’s resentful voice coming from the direction of the Grand Elder’s mansion some distance away, Miho and I departed from Siltra, the elven village.

And that day, I would greatly regret not using the skill [Overprotection] as soon as I heard about the three months that had passed and the talk of war.

*

-Tatatatatatatat!!!

“Huff, huff…!!”

In the dark mountains, under an ominous black sky, a doll with equally ominous wings runs on the ground, breathing roughly as she looks back.

“What, what is this?! How!! How can this be?!!”

A sharp female voice. Normally a sound so sweet that listeners would immediately fall for it, but now it was strained to the point of cracking due to the extreme crisis she faced.

-Fwsssht!

“Eek?!!”

In the forest where nothing could be seen and nothing was visible. Despite feeling only minimal magical power, the forest contained ‘multiple’ beings that even she, one of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins,’ couldn’t detect, yet they were causing the ‘sounds of mountain grass and branches’ to move.

“This is cheating!! It’s cheating!!! You fucking Pride bastard!!! You never mentioned this?! You said the country would be weakened by the Monster Parade…!!!”

-Fififififit!!

“Kyaaah?!!”

She ran without stopping. Even with the limited demonic energy she had gathered since being summoned, she was focusing all the power of a ‘Seven Deadly Sin’ into her legs to run.

However, as if mocking such resistance, the relentless ambushes from these invisible attackers were wounding her wings, arms, and body despite her defenses.

“Ugh…! Stop, stop!! What the hell are you?!! Spare me!! I don’t want to die!! I’m still a virgin, and you’re only aiming for my face!!!”

-Fit!! Chwack!!

“Kyaaaak?!!”

A silver line cutting through the black sky tears through her shoulder, drawing black blood and a scream. Finally, the demon of the Seven Deadly Sins, who should have been an object of fear, collapsed on the spot. Those who had been pursuing her, along with the one who had torn her shoulder, slowly began to reveal themselves like beasts living in darkness.

“Hmm shit, is this really one of the Seven Deadly Sins?”

“Seems like it. What the hell is wrong with this Ponian mountain? Monster Parade and now demons?”

“Were all those demons we killed earlier high and mid-rank demons too?”

“Hehe, the guardian of this mountain would have had one hell of a time if he’d been here alone.”

“Serpa Unit. Don’t let your guard down, the demon isn’t dead yet. First, the Holy Maiden…”

“The Holy Maiden went to Siltra and hasn’t come back yet. Captain, your memory is terrible~”

“……”

“Captain, should we just cut off her limbs and bind her? We ‘mountain guardians’ have no reason to know how to kill demons, right?”

“That’s right, look at her shoulder. It’s already starting to heal.”

With incredible stealth and ambush attacks that could put Imperial assassins to shame, plus enough offensive power to take down one of the Seven Deadly Sins—the voices of these individuals were surprisingly rustic. The one called captain raised his hand, preparing to attack the collapsed demon before them as his companions had suggested.

“Everyone, attack simultaneously. And even if it doesn’t die, we should at least try cutting off its head once. I’ll take the head.”

“Got it.”

“I’ll take the left arm.”

“Then the left leg.”

“I’ll go for the thigh.”

-Whoosh!!

As soon as each person’s target was decided, the captain’s hand swung toward the ground. The mountain guardians of Ponia, the “Serpa Unit,” charged simultaneously at their motionless opponent, their sharp gazes belying their earlier rustic conversation. And at that moment:

“…You think I’d die so pathetically? I, Luxuria of the Seven Deadly Sins, command. O Lust (Luxuria), the source of all life!! Multiply!!!”

In the deep mountains that [Mountain Guardian Jack] should have protected, the power of the Seven Deadly Sins finally descended.