I’ve come to save you

I’ve come to save you

“… But how? We don’t even have a way to contact the Heaven God Cult, let alone persuade them.”

To that, I wiggled the mace and answered as if it were obvious.

“We can use the bishops.”

“The bishops?”

“From the Heaven God Cult’s perspective, the bishops are likely a valuable resource. So we can use this to set the stage.”

Espin seemed to have difficulty understanding this alone, as he gave me a look asking for a more detailed explanation.

Seeing that look, I added some additional explanations.

“If we release a bishop in the Illusion Library, the Heaven God Cult will have no choice but to go there, even if they don’t want to.”

“… Ah.”

Since the Illusion Library is located not too far from the Academy and the city center.

If we place a ‘Firens’ bishop, who not only emits massive magical energy but is also incredibly large in size.

Countless people would come to know about Firens’ true identity.

‘This would give the Heaven God Cult quite a headache.’

Although they’ve been coming into the spotlight recently, that’s only ‘recently’.

If rumors spread that a bishop figure is actually a demon while they haven’t fully established themselves yet, it would cause them significant trouble.

They would try to hide this if possible.

‘Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, they’d want to recover the bishops.’

Above all, those who were ‘forcibly captured’ through threats, persuasion, and terrorism might harbor unnecessary hope.

From their perspective, recovering the bishops would be the top priority, by any means necessary.

‘So I will use this to.’

I decided to set the stage for the Heaven God Cult to attack the Illusion Library.

First, I decided to spread information related to the Heaven God Cult.

‘This way, when I summon the bishop to the Illusion Library, the Heaven God Cult will react immediately.’

Having made that decision, I slowly opened my mouth towards Espin.

“Spread the information related to the central government, the Academy, and the Magic Society.”

“Got it… Oh, and can I borrow your family’s power when spreading that information? Our family is… well, not in a good state right now.”

Espin’s father is currently demoted, and although Espin hasn’t been fired yet.

It seems he said this because the Inspection Department has essentially collapsed, and the few remaining members are all people from the Heaven God Cult.

I nodded, saying that it was fine, of course.

‘Now, what’s left is.’

Just to make a spectacular move.

I patted Luna’s back while waiting for Espin to quickly spread the information.

* * *

The information spread faster than expected.

Whether it was due to Espin’s ability or the superior capabilities of the Lercier Family who helped, I’m not sure.

Even Rumi, who usually hears rumors late, said she had heard these rumors, so the rumors must have spread as far as they could.

Therefore, I thought it might be time to execute the plan and loosened my shoulders.

As always, terrorism that I didn’t need to take responsibility for was quite thrilling.

With that thought, I headed towards the Illusion Library.

As I approached the Illusion Library, I could see.

People who were clearly planted by the Heaven God Cult, with mixed magical energy and mana, hiding here and there.

Looking at them, I chuckled and slowly took out my mace while speaking to Luna.

“When I summon the bishop, cast large-scale illusion and auditory hallucination magic in this area to make them attack the Illusion Library.”

Here’s the translated text:

[I see!]

I tickled Luna’s chin as she giggled.

I lifted the mace and pulled out Bishop Firens who was contained inside.

– Kwaaaang!

In Firens’ case, since he was captured in his ‘true form’ state.

His size was beyond imagination, simply summoning him was enough to cover part of the Illusion Library building.

As I watched Firens being pushed aside by the Illusion Library’s protective barrier, Luna stretched out her hand and cast a spell.

[Gyaaak!]

With a strange cry, she created rain clouds and began to spray curse magic mixed with hallucinations and auditory illusions everywhere.

I started to slowly back away as I saw the whole world being dyed with sticky black rain.

‘What matters is that the Heaven God Cult and the Illusion Library are fighting each other, anyway.’

As I was watching, hoping for a spectacular battle.

It seemed the Heaven God Cult side decided to attack first, as an unexpectedly large number of troops appeared from everywhere and started casting spells.

‘I wonder where they recruit so many people from.’

Just the number I’ve killed alone must easily exceed several hundred.

It’s quite surprising that they can still mobilize so many.

‘Moreover, they’re not just ordinary humans, but those who can use magic or swordsmanship.’

The probability was high that an unimaginably large number of people were involved with the Heaven God Cult.

I chuckled, thinking that this is why Rumi was being treated unfairly, and then folded my arms in contemplation.

‘But still, the Heaven God Cult seems to be less powerful than expected.’

Deren was surprised that they couldn’t break through the barrier despite having such a large number of people and even a bishop.

‘I’m not sure if the Heaven God Cult is weak or if the Illusion Library’s barrier is strong, but I can’t leave it like this.’

If the Heaven God Cult is pushed back like that, my plan will be ruined, so it would be better to use some tactics.

I summoned the remaining bishop stored in the mace, then used a space expansion magic.

‘Then I’ll guide this guy to attack.’

I’ll just need to pour that magic into the Illusion Library.

I activated my magic while watching the bishop who was trying to attack me, screaming and struggling as soon as he was summoned.

‘Now, let’s try to gather this as much as possible.’

I laughed as I caught the incoming spells with space expansion magic, along with all sorts of curses.

* * * * *

Ember was frowning at the countless spells pouring in, activating all the protective magic existing on the Illusion Library’s side.

‘Why are they suddenly doing this…?’

Even though it might be difficult to have a friendly relationship, they could have maintained a contractual relationship through negotiation.

She couldn’t understand why they were suddenly attacking the Illusion Library and hugged the book tightly.

‘… Something must have gone wrong. I don’t know what it is, though.’

Thinking that something had gone terribly wrong, she moved around, repelling the intruders and assessing the situation.

‘Fortunately, there’s only one bishop-level, so we should be able to hold out.’

The bishops of the Heaven God Cult were monsters among those who received the power of the Demon King, belonging to the highest ranks.

Each of them was evaluated as capable of easily destroying an entire city alone.

Therefore, in normal cases, it was nearly impossible to face them.

‘If the Illusion Library is in a defensive position.’

Even for a bishop, it would be impossible to break through the protective barrier installed in the Illusion Library.

This barrier was created by Archmage Serean, the original great magician and the owner of this place.

‘So there shouldn’t be anything to worry about, but…’

Just as I was pacing back and forth, feeling an inexplicably uneasy feeling.

A powerful magical energy is felt from one side.

‘……?’

A strength that seems to have condensed the magical energy of a bishop-level being about a hundred times.

Wondering if perhaps a being of archbishop level had appeared, just as I was about to confirm this.

Before that, a massive magic beam is shot into the center of the Illusion Library, beginning to destroy everything nearby.

“……”

Even for an archbishop, it should be impossible to break through the barrier in one go.

I accidentally dropped the book I was holding, thinking how it was incomprehensible how they managed to break through.

‘C-Could it be that the barrier has deteriorated?’

It doesn’t make sense otherwise.

As I tried to suppress my mind turning blank, just as I was about to use water magic to extinguish the spreading fire.

I see the followers of the Heaven God Cult infiltrating through the hole one by one, wielding weapons.

“……”

Sensing that I wouldn’t be able to protect even myself, let alone the Illusion Library, I could only collapse to the floor.

My efforts to protect this place for a long time were about to become futile in an instant.

So, as my head was spinning and I felt like vomiting, I struggled to hold it in and came up with one thought.

‘If I press the emergency button…’

Perhaps I might be able to escape this situation.

Sadly, it was nothing more than a gamble, as I had never heard what would happen if the emergency button was pressed.

First, I thought it would be best to press it, so I grabbed my trembling legs that couldn’t properly exert strength and ran towards the center of the Illusion Library while shouting.

“E-Everyone! Repel the intruders!”

Besides the barrier, there should be numerous repelling golems or chimeras for intruders, so they should be able to buy some time.

Of course, those alone won’t be able to stop the Archbishop, so there are limitations.

It would be fine if I could just press the emergency button.

By sacrificing those that have guarded this place for a long time.

I was barely able to enter the emergency management room, which I hadn’t entered even once since the Archmage died.

Too many things have been sacrificed, and will be sacrificed.

Thinking that it wouldn’t matter as long as the Illusion Library could be protected, I pressed the emergency button.

“……”

But nothing activates or proceeds.

Thinking that it might not have been pressed properly because my hand was shaking, I pressed it again several times, but there was no response.

As my legs, which had been barely holding up, collapsed, a sense of vagueness and despair swept over my entire body.

‘Is this… the end?’

While I was thinking that I didn’t know what I had been working so hard for all this time.

I saw someone who looked like a believer of the Heaven God Cult breaking down the door of the emergency management room and trying to enter.

It seems they followed me.

Seeing this, I tried to use an attack spell while stepping back, but my hands were shaking and no magic came out.

‘…Ca-calm down, I’m a ghost. So calm down and one by one…’

To be precise, magical spirit entity would be a more correct expression than ghost, but anyway.

I tried to comfort myself, thinking that if only the psychological problem could be solved, I could do something somehow, but.

No matter how much I tried to comfort him, nothing changed, and as I was despairing, the believer cast a spell towards me and shouted.

“Heretic! Kill the heretic! Save the bishop!”

As I felt my mind becoming dizzy from those words, I tightly closed my eyes.

Someone struck the believer’s head with a mace from behind and spoke to me in a calm voice.

“I’ve come to save you.”

Unable to expect that voice, I could only blink blankly and stare at Deren.