Chapter 20: The North (5)

“Shit, it’s a demon!”

“The child is in danger!”

As the demon lunged toward the child, both Karmen and I dashed forward without hesitation.

The problem was, I had come fully armed as Ariana’s escort—while Karmen only had her axe.

“…You’re faster than me, My Lady. Take the child and evacuate while I hold it off!”

“Got it!”

As I ran, I grabbed the shield and shotel strapped to my back.

The closer I got, the clearer the figures of the demonkin and the child became, and in that moment, I was instantly gripped by fear.

The child.

The figure assumed to be a child was, just as expected, a young girl from the Icicle domain who must’ve wandered off.

But the demon.

That wasn’t just any demon.

‘That’s him, isn’t it?’

The one who put Polarr into a coma and devoured Karmen.

He looked exactly like the one from the game.

There’s no way the two of us could ever beat him.

Escape was impossible.

We would definitely die.

I could feel the strength draining from my legs.

But.

“…Hyaaaaah!”

Even so, I couldn’t run away now.

As a holy knight, how could I just abandon someone right in front of me?

And so, I threw myself between the demon and the girl, ready to die.

“Kyaaaah!”

The demon’s hand reached for the girl, and her desperate scream pierced my ears.

In that moment.

–Clang!

“Grk?”

The demon let out a grunt as my shield, hurled with all my strength, struck its hand.

With horns like a goat’s growing from both sides of its head, it looked like a yeti from legend.

A towering beast, easily four meters tall, turned its murderous eyes toward me.

Its expression seemed to say, “Was it you?”

I stomped my trembling legs a few times, gripped my shotel tightly, and motioned at it with my other hand.

“!! GRAAAAAHHH!”

The demon must’ve taken my provocation—he charged at me like a raging bull, dragging his massive body forward.

In that moment, Karmen scooped the fallen child into her arms.

Then, she kicked my fallen shield toward me from where it lay on the ground.

I rolled to the side, dodging the demonkin’s charge, and snatched up the shield.

“Thank you!”

Without forgetting to thank her, I wrapped my whole body in divine power.

Karmen’s physical abilities were certainly impressive—she took after Polarr—but if that demon really started sprinting, she’d catch them in no time.

I could tell just from the impact of that last charge.

…I have to hold out, no matter what.

So Karmen could bring the child to safety behind the barrier.

I had to face this monster alone until backup arrived.

“GRAAAHHH!”

“Urgh!”

Just then, the demon let out a deafening roar aimed at me.

I raised my shield to block it, but it wasn’t enough.

Even though I tried to hold my ground, my body kept getting pushed back bit by bit.

In the end, I changed tactics—dropping the shield and rolling to the side again.

“Grrr…”

The demonkin growled at me, watching as I dodged.

Then suddenly, he slammed his right hand into the snowy ground.

I didn’t know why, but I had a bad feeling.

I raised my shield on instinct.

And then a huge shockwave slammed into me.

–KAANG!

“Gah!”

My shield and left arm were completely shattered by the impact.

I tumbled backward, rolling across the snow, then forced myself back up.

“Kh… Haa…”

When I looked up, all the demonkin was holding… was snow.

Just plain snow.

He had thrown it—and done that much damage to me.

The shield…

It was too badly bent to be usable now.

Same with my left arm.

“Damn it…”

It hadn’t even been three minutes since Karmen left.

And I’d already lost my means of defense—and my left arm.

I miss the protagonist.

As much of a jerk as he was, he probably would’ve brushed off an attack like that without a scratch.

…No, knowing him, he might’ve just ignored the child in the first place.

“Grahrahrahrahrah!”

Seeing my destroyed arm, the demonkin let out what sounded like mocking laughter.

Damn monster…

Let’s see if you can act that smug in front of the Hero.

“Haa… Just wait. In the end, the one laughing won’t be you—it’ll be me.”

Whether it understood me or not, the demonkin narrowed its eyes as if annoyed, Then hurled another snowball straight at me.

–Whooosh!

Wham!

I had no time to dodge—the snowball hit me dead on.

“Guhk…!”

Even through my armor, I could feel bones breaking inside.

“Pfft, kuh-heok…”

Collapsed on the ground, I lifted my visor and coughed up blood.

My body was a wreck, and I had lost hold of my shotel long ago.

Even so, the demon grinned from ear to ear as he gathered more snow.

He looked like he was preparing one massive final blow.

‘This is the end.’

Still, this should’ve bought Karmen enough time to get behind the barrier.

I had protected both Karmen and the girl.

Now, all that was left was to leave the rest to Polarr, the Duke of the North.

“Khulugh…”

I didn’t want to die yet…

But I’d already been brought back to life once by the Goddess.

It was too much to wish for more.

My eyes were growing heavy.

Even so, I forced my body upright, standing in the demon’s path to the very end.

There was no point trying to dodge an attack I couldn’t avoid.

And I didn’t have the strength to dodge it, anyway.

Ariana… From beside the Goddess, I’ll pray for the Saintess’s happiness.

And just before my eyes closed, the last thing I saw.

Was a massive snowball flying straight toward me, hurled by the demon.

“Take this!”

–KAAANG!

…Huh?

What was that sound?

Startled by the sudden noise, I snapped my eyes open.

And what I saw.

Were the two halves of the snowball, split apart and lying on either side of me.

And a woman wearing heavy northern armor.

“You’re not dead, right? Sorry I was late!”

It was Karmen Icicle, fully armed.

“…Haha, cough! That was… one hell of a—guh!”

“Hey, shut that mouth! I’ll finish this quick and patch you up later!”

I weakly turned my head.

Unlike before, when the knights seemed relaxed and carefree.

Now I saw them riding hairy northern steeds.

A squad of knights with grim, focused expressions.

“You bastards! Time to pay for all your lazy slacking! Tear it apart!”

“Yes, ma’am!!”

With Karmen leading the charge, the knights formed up and rushed toward the demon.

A battle between around fifty knights and the demon began.

“Haha…”

It was truly a moving sight.

But sadly, they alone could never defeat that demon.

To fight that monster.

At that moment.

–BOOM!

“Grk?”

A massive figure came crashing down like a bomb between the demon and the knights.

As he stood and gripped his axe.

“Ah…”

It was the Duke of the North, Polarr.

This time, he arrived before losing his daughter.

“Ice! Are you okay?!”

He had Ariana strapped to his back.

Alright… with this, maybe they can hold out somehow.

Hurry up and get here, Hero.

That was my last thought before I passed out and collapsed backward.

***

–Crunch.

–THUD!

“Grrrrrr…”

“….”

Polarr stood face-to-face with the demon.

At this moment, he was undoubtedly the strongest force available.

And yet, as he looked at the demon, he made a quick judgment.

“It’ll be close… but I’ll lose.”

He had decided.

He admitted defeat.

Even if he pushed his body to the brink.

Polarr was someone who could assess himself objectively.

And this decision was made under the assumption that the Saintess he’d brought with him would be able to provide him with occasional healing.

Sadly, the beloved daughter and knights he cherished.

They hadn’t managed to do more than scratch the demon.

Even his own blade hadn’t pierced deep.

“GRRAAAHHH!”

The demon’s massive fist slammed down toward Polarr.

–CLANG!

Polarr blocked it swiftly with his axe.

But little by little, the demon was pushing the axe back.

Still, unlike the brute force of the demon.

Polarr was a human who knew how to use technique.

–WHAM!

With a sudden kick, he staggered the massive demon for a brief moment.

Not missing the opening, Karmen rushed at the demon’s back and swung her axe down hard.

But.

–KAAANG!

“!! What the—?!”

Her full-force strike bounced off without leaving so much as a scratch.

The only thing she managed to cut was a bit of its fur.

“He fought… something like this?”

No wonder he ended up so beaten.

I could suddenly picture him again, standing tall and facing the demon to the end, even with his broken body.

He knew how strong, how unfair this demon was.

And yet, he fought it anyway.

“He’s incredible.”

Now he was lying in the Saintess’s arms, finally being healed.

But before she arrived, Ice hadn’t collapsed even once.

Not even when his body was wrecked.

There was only a brief moment to admire him, though.

Because the current situation wasn’t about to give Karmen the time to reflect on Ice’s bravery.

“Karmen! Get back!!”

“!!”

The demon, struck on the back, threw his right arm backward in rage.

And in the blink of an eye, that hand—larger than a cauldron lid—grabbed hold of Karmen.

It was clearly her own carelessness.

“Damn it…!”

“Karmen!”

Polarr, her father, shouted with wild fury as he swung his axe.

The demon, perhaps realizing Karmen was his weakness, grinned slyly and used her as a shield.

“…Ugh!”

Of course, Polarr had no choice but to halt his strike.

The demon, seeing this, began dancing mockingly, as if enjoying the hopelessness of the moment.

Even Ariana, who had been healing Ice, looked toward the demon in shock.

And then.

–Shhk!

“GRAAAARGHH!”

A sword suddenly pierced through the demon’s gut.

Caught off guard, the demon collapsed.

Karmen, freed from its grip, stumbled in confusion but quickly ran toward Polarr.

Polarr pushed her behind him while keeping his guard up.

And behind the fallen demon, someone slowly walked forward.

“What the hell? A freakin’ dancing demon out here in the wild? And what’s with all these people, huh?”

A handsome face, paired with a mouth that didn’t match.

It was the Hero—Luin.