episode_0199

000

The royal capital possessed a powerful defense against threats from the outside, thanks to the Great Temple’s barrier, which refined and activated magical power drawn from the ley lines.

Thanks to this, the people of the royal capital wouldn’t have to worry about invaders suddenly jumping over the fortress walls, at least.

This defense measure was created from the lessons learned after experiencing great sacrifices due to the Imperial Army’s rapid encirclement in the previous war.

Almost 30 years since the barrier was created.

People had forgotten, due to the peace given by the church, the kingdom, and the barrier.

But trouble can arise anytime in places where people live.

It’s just that they are forced into the trash can called “back alleys” in order to not see or care about it.

They would never dream that in those back alleys, there would be an organization that worships demons, summons them, and uses them.

That they would kidnap the people of the royal capital, extract their souls, forcibly modify their bodies to use them as soldiers.

That there would be people who would launch a surprise attack on the “monastery”, which could be called holy ground.

Of course. Already, a barrier was deployed around the monastery to prevent screams and noises from leaking out.

The first to sense their energy, leaping from the air as if using the moonlight shadow as a substitute for a transfer gate, was the head of the monastery.

“Such… the monastery’s barrier, connected to the ley lines…”

Her gaze turned to the lead female warrior who appeared, leading the brainwashed women…

Towards “Lemilia,” who was holding a magic spear and making eye contact with the head of the monastery.

“Could it be… Raymond?”

The head of the monastery stared at her old friend, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, appearing before her in a changed form, with a look of astonishment.

Lemilia also sighed and raised the corner of her mouth, seeing the head of the monastery recognizing her.

Somehow, she seemed to feel something close to relief that she had been recognized.

“I knew you’d see through it right away.”

“Why are you in that form…? Don’t tell me, you… sold your soul to the devil!?”

At the head of the monastery’s words, Raymond scoffed and placed the spear on her shoulder.

The magic spear visible to the head of the monastery seemed to possess even more ominous magical power than the spear she had used before.

“Not just my soul, but my body too. I am ‘Lemilia’ now.”

“…Why-, why would you do such a thing…! Are you planning to turn this royal capital, which that child protected, into a den of demons!?”

When she spoke as if blaming Lemilia, Lemilia closed her mouth for a moment, then changed her expression to a fierce one.

It was the expression she occasionally showed during the past war with the Empire….

When a comrade was defeated by the enemy, when someone precious was treated badly, or when she saw Imperial soldiers burning buildings and looting.

It was the expression he made when he was genuinely angry.

“Which side the real demons are on… Well, whatever. That’s not really important right now. I’m asking you as an old friend. There’s a guy here named ‘Eustace’. Hand him over.”

“…I will politely decline as an old friend. Everyone gathered here is under my protection. I can’t hand over even a single person to a demon.”

A quiet tension flowed between the two.

Lemilia then sighed and instructed the brainwashed soldiers standing behind her.

“…You guys, find Eustace. I don’t care what happens to the rest.”

The soldiers nodded and ran off in all directions. There seemed to be about 20 of them.

“Angel’s Prison!”

In the next moment, a huge prison of holy magic power unfolded, covering the entire space where they were standing.

Iron bars imitating angel wings were laid out in all directions, blocking the paths of the brainwashed soldiers.

Her holy magic, which she had seen before, had increased much more in power and range than before.

Of course, even taking into account the advantage of being in the monastery, her home ground, it was unexpected that she would use such a large, high-level binding magic.

Lemilia slowly turned her gaze to her old friend, who had unfolded such magic without chanting.

“Are you serious? You’re going to take us all on by yourself?”

To undo this barrier, it would be impossible unless she subdued or killed the caster.

That meant she wouldn’t let a single brainwashed soldier out of here.

“I’m not alone.”

As she said that, a spider web suddenly stretched out from the sky, stuck to the leg of one of the soldiers, and wrapped around her body, hanging her from the ceiling of the barrier.

It was as if she had turned into a cocoon while still alive, and it moved strongly for a while, but then the spider web slowly hardened and stopped.

Anansi, who had left Rosaria in the room and ran to stop them, stepped lightly into the barrier.

“For a human who sold their soul to the devil to walk into the territory I protect…”

As Anansi muttered, looking at Lemilia, Lemilia chuckled.

“A high-ranking Arachne…? I never thought you’d be raising monsters inside the monastery.”

“… …”

Those words were a statement that accurately touched Anansi’s reverse scale.

“…After I make you into a cocoon, I’ll inject poison into it and melt you alive. Human…!”

“You’re saying things that make me wonder which one is the villain…”

She brushed off even Anansi’s spine-chilling threat with a smile, readjusted the red magic spear she was holding, and took a javelin throwing stance.

“I won’t let you do anything! Shine Spear!”

When the head of the monastery waved her arm at Lemilia, a holy and giant spear illusion appeared and was fired towards Lemilia at lightning speed.

It was an expression of her determination that even if she were a friend from the past, if she harmed this monastery, she would not hesitate to take her life in one blow.

However. It was the mindless humans standing behind her who blocked it.

“Ugh…!”

And those who spread their arms and blocked the spear with a wall of black magic power.

They were just trying to protect Lemilia, who could be said to be their commander, without any will of their own.

Even if their bodies, tainted by black magic power, were slowly burning away due to the holy magic power.

She was prepared to question her old friend.

But- the lives of those whose minds are controlled by demons-

As such thoughts flashed through the head of the monastery’s mind, the power of the spear illusion weakened without her even realizing it.

It was something she herself did not intend.

“Your flaw is that you’re too kind. That’s why you got along so well with that guy….”

In the meantime, Lemilia, who had finished injecting magic power into the magic spear, released the name of the magic spear.

[Ge Darag]

With a grating sound, something like a red crystal grew from the spear.

Then, the javelin throw, shot from Lemilia’s shoulder, became a red flash and flew in a straight line.

It flew, leaving even the sound behind-

It flew past the head of the monastery and Anansi, and was embedded in the barrier that had been deployed.

“That, spear… could it be…!”

“Has your memory gotten worse with age? You probably know, this is what the Imperial Army’s executive used to destroy the barrier.”

At the same time as Lemilia explained the effect of the spear, the barrier shattered, and the head of the monastery received the feedback directly, spitting out blood and kneeling in place.

“Ugh…! You…!”

Anansi was furious and shot out a wave of spider webs, but when Lemilia reached out her hand, the magic spear that had been thrown returned to her hand, and she spun the spear like a windmill’s wings at high speed, blocking the spider webs.

“Well. The barrier is gone. Your body, which deployed the barrier with the power of [Ge Darag], is also a mess. There’s no need for further negotiation.”

As Lemilia said that, the soldiers tried to move again.

Anansi tried to stop them, but was disturbed when Lemilia’s spear tip, which had rushed into her arms in an instant, moved to avoid it.

She sees blood flowing out, whether the spear tip grazed her arm, even though she avoided it as soon as she recognized it with her eyes.

“… …”

Anansi’s eyes, looking at such Lemilia, were colder than before.

But- at the same time, her white hair was being dyed red.

As if sucking up blood.

Anansi, feeling that her anger had surpassed the limits of what could be expressed and had become rather calm, decided to kill Lemilia in front of her first.

In the meantime, the brainwashed soldiers who entered the hallway broke down the doors and checked the humans inside.

“What, what are these guys!?”

“Are they demons’ subordinates!?”

Those who woke up at the commotion but couldn’t easily get out also met them and were flustered and tried to resist.

But it was impossible with their feminized bodies.

And soon, the demons’ clutches reached Eustace’s room.

The brainwashed soldiers break down the door and go inside to search around to find Eustace, as per the instructions they received.

There was a sign of people, but it wasn’t visible to the eye.

Then, in her eyes- a beautiful silver sword was neatly placed.

The Holy Sword, Mistilteinn.

The holy sword possessed by Eustace.

It had lost its power due to being hit by the demon’s magic power in the previous kidnapping incident.

But recently, it was slowly recovering its power, and it was even starting to regain the sparkle that had disappeared.

And, the light emitted by Mistilteinn’s blade felt even more beautiful to those tainted by black magic power.

Like moths drawn to a bright light, the brainwashed soldier, feeling the instructions she received fading in her mind, slowly walked towards the sword.

Soon, she dropped even the weapon she was holding in her hand and was about to touch the sword-

“Haa!”

Eustace, who was hiding in the closet, jumped out and grabbed her body.

Logically speaking, it would be impossible for Eustace, who had already progressed enough in her feminization, to restrain her body for a long time.

Fortunately, she had already received auxiliary spells to enhance her abilities.

“Liza! Now’s the time!”

“Ye, yes…! Sleep-inducing sand! Even you insomniacs will be sound asleep! ‘Sleep’!”

As Liza shouted that, something like powder made of holy magic power appeared on her hand.

When Liza threw the powder in a pitcher’s pose and hit the brainwashed soldier’s face.

She coughed several times, then collapsed and fell asleep.

“Hah, hah… that was dangerous…”

“Yeah…”

Eustace was concerned about Liza’s strange incantation for now, but decided to put it aside and took Mistilteinn, which he had placed on the desk, and hung it on his waist.

“I’m glad the head of the monastery told me in advance to protect Eustace.”

“…Their goal is, me?”

Eustace clenched his fist as he heard those words and looked outside.

There, Lemilia and Anansi were seen fighting at speeds that were invisible to the eye.

“…Did they aim for the time when Kleon wasn’t here?”

“Probably… Let’s go down to the basement first.”

When Liza said that, Eustace tilted his head.

He had never heard that there was a basement in this monastery.

“…Basement?”

“Yes. The basement of the monastery. The basement is physically blocked by a strong iron door, so it will take them a long time to get in. In the meantime, if Ms. Perdia brings the maids of the Tromea family…”

“Are you telling me to hide until then…? But, if I don’t come out and others get hurt…”

When Eustace lowered his head as if he was frustrated, Liza sighed and spoke to him.

“The most important thing is to prevent the enemies from achieving their goal… Please don’t even think about handing yourself over to them by mistake. Okay?”

“…Of course. I’m capable of that much distinction.”

If Mistilteinn’s power had returned even a little more, he could have participated in the fight as well.

Blaming himself for still being weak, Eustace followed behind Liza.

But when they came out into the hallway, they saw a larger number of brainwashed soldiers than expected approaching Eustace.

“No way, so many already….”

Liza bit her lower lip and grabbed the cross hanging around her neck.

She pulled out the end of the cross and created a blade of holy magic power.

“Oh.”

When a light sword like a rapier was created at the end of a small piece of wood, Eustace exclaimed, perhaps thinking it was a little cool without realizing it.

“Is this the time to be impressed…!? We have to break through somehow and get to the basement door!”

“A, ah. I understand.”

Eustace also pulled out the iron sword at her words.

The iron sword had been smeared with holy water in advance to neutralize their armor and inflict damage, but because it had a physical form, it could pierce their bodies and lead to death if used incorrectly.

“…Should I only use it for defense…!”

Eustace also knew this fact, so he swallowed and made eye contact with Liza and nodded.

Then, the two of them took a step forward at the same time and tried to move forward-

With a rustling sound, they felt something caught on their legs.

“Eh.”

“Huh?”

The two made such foolish noises and looked down.

From behind, the brainwashed soldier they had knocked down stretched out a black magic chain and grabbed their legs.

“Wa, wait a minute!”

“Why already!”

At the same time, the two’s bodies defied gravity and were hung from the ceiling by the chains.

Liza’s nun outfit was turned upside down, blocking her view, and Eustace dropped the iron sword.

“A, are you okay? Mr. Eustace!?”

Liza said that and struggled her legs, but Eustace looked at the brainwashed soldier approaching him.

“You’re a fool, Eustace. These children are ‘brainwashed’. It’s nothing to control their brains and move their bodies even if they’re asleep.”

“That voice… You’re a guy named Ishtar of Astaroth….”

“That’s right. It seems Kleon told you a lot of things? It’s no use telling someone like you.”

At her words, Eustace could only grit his teeth and clench his fists.

“A half-baked hero. The blood of a sinner flowing in your body. Ah, your father was a really annoying human. He interfered with our business and controlled the back alleys with money.”

“… …”

Eustace recalled his dead father at her words.

He was a scum and a trash human, but thanks to him holding the commercial rights of the back alleys, Astaroth couldn’t come to the fore.

“And you too… Hehe. But, it’s different now. Who would have thought that you would become our trump card?”

When the brainwashed soldier reached out her hand and tried to grab Eustace’s face, Eustace shook her body to refuse it.

“…Do you still have something to protect? Your body, your pride, your soul. They’ve already been dropped to the ground by us. Instead of continuing to live like this and experiencing shame, I recommend you die cleanly?”

When Ishtar said that, Eustace glared at her.

“…It’s because there are demons like you…. That the people of the kingdom are constantly suffering…!”

“Well, it’s a demon’s job to torment humans.”

When Ishtar shrugged her shoulders as if it were natural, Eustace became agitated and raised her voice.

“Deceiving people, seducing them, preventing them from even meeting their families, and ultimately taking away their egos and souls… I will never forgive such evil deeds…!”

“Haa… So? What can you do while hanging from the ceiling? Hero?”

But Ishtar spoke as if she found such actions of Eustace amusing.

“Take a good look. At your appearance…. You’ve become so weak and cute that you can’t even wield a sword properly, right? And, thanks to that, you seem to have learned to some extent the joy of being a ‘woman’…. Don’t pretend to be strong, Eustace. No, Justina. You’re not a hero, but a bunny girl.”

Her reflection was reflected in the eyes of the woman possessed by Ishtar.

As she said, her long hair was pointing down due to gravity, and she felt ashamed when her clothes were turned upside down and her chest was about to be seen.

But even so, Eustace could not admit her words. No, there was a reason not to admit it.

“I’m…. No. That’s wrong…! Sure, my body has become a woman, but my heart hasn’t changed…. To cherish someone, and to protect someone…!”

Her chest was pounding hotly. The “magic power engine” shaking inside her felt like it was trying to produce an abnormally large amount of magic power, unlike usual.

“I will wield the holy sword, even if it means cutting down my own body…! That is my noblesse oblige…! My path as a hero!”

As if responding to Eustace’s determination, Mistilteinn, which was hanging on her waist, shone brightly.

“Ugh…! Could it be, the power of determination!?”

When Ishtar raised her voice in embarrassment, the black magic chains that had been binding Eustace’s body slowly disappeared, and Eustace came down to the ground.

She grabbed the silver sword, Mistilteinn, which was emitting a strong light, and swung it towards Ishtar-

A “cross-section” appeared in the space as if scissors had cut through it.

It cut off the black magic clothing that was covering the brainwashed soldier, and destroyed the black magic magic stone hidden inside.

Even so, her body was unharmed anywhere.

“Thi, this…”

“Wha, what’s going on, Eustace!?”

Liza also fell to the ground with Eustace, straightened her clothes, and looked at her holy sword.

“I, I don’t know! Me neither. But for some reason, it feels like magic power is overflowing from my body.”

“If, if that’s the case. Then that means we can defeat all the other soldiers!”

Liza spoke as if she saw hope, and Eustace nodded in embarrassment.

“…Let’s go, Mistilteinn!”

[──♪]

The holy sword shines and makes a sound.

Faintly, it sounded like her voice was heard.