Even Selian, who knew more than anyone else, wore a bewildered expression as she heard a story for the first time.
At the very least, it was fortunate that she wore a bewildered expression; we should be grateful she didn’t make a face of disdain.
“T-They don’t know, so it’s fine! Besides, since we’ve returned to the past, it’s the same as if these events never happened…!”
“How can we just pretend it never happened? I can still vividly feel the sensation of piercing their hearts… And… could Celia treat her past life’s memories, the memories shared with me, as if they had never happened?”
Since I cherished the memories I had with her, she remained speechless as she cherished her memories with me.
Snap
The speed of the barrier’s collapse, which was gradually fracturing and breaking apart, sped up and, as my confession came to an end, it crumbled into powder and scattered. The barrier, made of magic power, had surely reverted back to mana.
Because the barrier had interfered with the flow of time, one could only wait for it to naturally disappear lest any unforeseen incident occur. Even if Eden had been dealt with, the situation remained urgent.
My leisurely conversation with Selian was over with that. From now on, every word I spoke could mean the loss or gain of someone’s life.
Right now, the rampaging orcs and monsters were manageable since Academy students, staff, and some visitors who could swing a blade were countering them.
However, it was a different story with the demons, especially the intermediate demons and above.
Truthfully, lower demons were only somewhat smarter than orcs, and although their combat strength was a bit superior to top-tier monsters, the difference was really quite minor.
In certain situations, there are cases where they fall to opponents who are weaker than them, especially on the battlefield where blind swords, arrows, and magic are flying about.
However, starting from the intermediate demons, it’s a completely different story.
By the time you get to that level, the gap becomes very clear, one that the lower demons could never reach.
To put it in terms of knights, it would be at least a rank of captain. It’s a level that only someone with both talent and effort can achieve, and at this point, simply trying to take them down with brute force becomes nearly impossible.
Even if you try to exploit numerical superiority, you need at least enough time and manpower to gradually wear down their stamina, or else someone’s sacrifice will definitely be required.
Moreover, our forces are scattered because we’re protecting and evacuating civilians, so we can’t even utilize numerical superiority.
With my current strength, I can even take on fairly high-ranking demons, but even intermediate demons are very powerful and are by no means a level to underestimate.
I can’t even estimate how many of these creatures are rampaging within the city.
There’s no need to say that the demon that Erin and Stella are fighting nearby is a high-ranking one.
Selian, who had already exhausted herself through several intense battles with Eden, was struggling to maintain her body due to fatigue. It’s not a situation where I can leave her behind, but I can’t stay still either.
However, as the barrier broke, I noticed people running from afar.
Professors Ferent and Selen, along with Mariel, who they were protecting, were coming straight toward me and Selian upon spotting us, even though they were moving slowly to keep pace with Mariel’s steps.
The hope of humanity that I had once abandoned.
When distance between us had become just close enough, I turned my back. Now that I’ve fully regained my memories, I don’t even know what I’d say if I face Mariel. It would be better for both of us if I could avoid her.
Likewise, Selian would be in no condition to easily get up, even if she received healing magic from Mariel, so she wouldn’t be able to chase after me.
“Ah… No! Please don’t go…!”
Even as I urged my legs to quicken after hearing Selian’s desperate voice calling from behind me while I moved away, kicking through collapsing rooftops, I ignored it. If I were to stop, it would only make it harder to leave.
“Krk…! You stubborn bitches! Quit resisting and just die already!”
Beatrice, the demon responsible for dropping the meteor on the city, was in a foul mood.
Firstly, her pride had been hurt by Eden, a mere human who had obtained and commanded the body of a demon.
Oh well, that much she could have let go of. After all, Eden had become a demon and demons follow the logic of power.
However, the fact that the meteor she had prepared with great effort was blocked by a hastily conjured defensive magic crushed the remaining pride she had.
There was no way the enemy could have prepared the defense in advance, so they must have constructed the magical formation in the blink of an eye upon seeing the incoming meteor.
This was clear evidence that the mage’s sheer magical prowess was inferior to that of the enemy, regardless of how powerful they were individually.
Though the urge to find and tear apart the mage was overwhelming, it was impossible due to the two people standing in her way.
“Hey, hurry up, team leader!”
Stella yelled while batting away another fireball aimed at Erin using her oversized and ridiculously shaped gauntlets.
However, there was no response from Erin. Numerous long, thorn-like objects were floating around her, encircling her quietly as she had her eyes closed, muttering spells intensely with her mouth and hands.
Though the battle had started a while ago, her incantation had been going on endlessly since the very beginning without any sign of stopping.
Her expression remained completely focused, oblivious even to the booming explosions nearby, showing no signs of hesitation.
Typically, if a mage keeps chanting spells so intensively during battle, even the most foolish opponent would prioritize attacking the mage.
But despite all the chaos around her, Erin hadn’t even suffered a tear in her clothes. It was as if she were entirely detached from the battlefield.
In stark contrast, Stella was in utter disarray. Her clothes were torn in various places, exposing her undergarments and flesh, and there wasn’t a spot on her body that wasn’t injured.
She had been deflecting, blocking, and even using her own body to shield Erin from all the attacks directed her way. Erin’s unscathed state was due solely to Stella’s efforts.
Though every spell that Beatrice had thrown was powerful, Stella refused to fall.
The reason why her battered body was still holding up was simple: it was her resolve to protect Erin.
She entrusted everything to Erin. All she had to do was one thing – protect Erin until her incantation was complete.
Stella was Erin’s shield.
Though Stella alone couldn’t fell the enemy, and Erin alone couldn’t survive against the enemy, together, they knew they had nothing to fear.
Beatrice was beside herself with frustration. Stella’s purely defensive tactics were already irritating, but whenever Beatrice began to chant a proper spell, Stella would immediately strike with quick punches to disrupt her.
It wasn’t necessary to knock her out; just enough to prevent her from completing her incantation, and Stella was always ready to resume her defensive stance.
This was why Beatrice, whose pride had already been wounded, was completely seething with anger.
No matter how many spells she cast, Stella wouldn’t fall. Instead, her precarious persistence only fueled more anger.
To make matters worse, due to Eden’s lingering oppressive demon aura, even other demons, monsters, and demons of the Demon King’s Army were reluctant to get near, leaving Beatrice with no reinforcements.
Given that the spell already required such a long incantation, its power was bound to be extraordinary. Additionally, the strange thorn-like objects surrounding Erin were emitting increasingly ominous lights.
Even for the upper-class demon Beatrice, it was clear that her life was in danger if this continued. Thus, Beatrice made a decision.
Though she would have to lay low for a while, and her power might even drop to the level of an intermediate demon, it was still better than losing her life. Even as a demon, she valued her own life.
Forcefully squeezing the demonic energy out from her heart, the source of her power, was naturally painful. But as she imagined how the two women would be completely obliterated shortly, the pain even felt pleasurable.
The forced extraction of demon energy combined with her existing energy conjured only one vision in her mind.
A single piercing spear to break through that brute shield.
Had it not been for Stella noticing the ominous flow of magical power at that moment, she wouldn’t have even been given a chance to prepare. Stella, tense and ready, raised both her hands in front of her like a shield.
Since deflecting away the spear was impossible now, Stella had only one purpose: to believe in Erin and ensure her safety, even if it meant her own death.
“If only our team leader wasn’t such an old maid, I would’ve just left her behind. But even so, I can’t let an old maid die like this.”
Throwing out a joke that no one could hear to loosen her tense body, Stella braced herself anew.
“Die.”
At Beatrice’s quiet command, the black spear of demonic energy shot forth soundlessly.
The spear reached right in front of Stella in the blink of an eye and struck the gauntlets she had raised instead of a shield.
The moment the black spear pierced the gauntlets, which had so far remained unscathed despite deflecting countless spells amidst Stella’s injuries, they crumbled into powder like dust.
This black spear that had not just simply pierced but disintegrated the gauntlets reduced in speed only slightly as it continued to move forward.
However, Stella couldn’t let the spear reach Erin.
Hence, she grabbed the black spear with both her hands, which had been hidden within the now-destroyed gauntlets and were relatively undamaged. She ignored the feeling of her palms burning from the concentrated demonic energy.
Despite sacrificing her two hands, the spear only slowed down slightly and still held its purpose.
Without hesitation, Stella made her decision. If she couldn’t stop the spear with weapons or bare hands, she would throw her entire body into it.
The black spear pierced through Stella’s abdomen. Though the agony was incomparable to what she had felt in her hands, she couldn’t lose consciousness when she thought of Erin, who was still chanting spells without realizing the situation behind her.
Stella was somewhat grateful at this moment for the tainted blood of the monster flowing through her veins, which granted her the boon of rapid regeneration, helping her maintain her consciousness.
And so, the spear slowed down once more.
Even after piercing through Stella, the black spear continued moving unstoppably at a sluggish pace toward Erin.
However, thanks to Stella’s tenacity, the spear finally lost its momentum and halted right in front of Erin.
And at just that time, Erin’s eyes, which had been tightly closed, opened wide.
“Who said I’m an old maid!”
Erin’s shout, detached from the tense situation, echoed out. However, Stella only found the outburst gladly amusing. Though she’d probably receive a scolding later, it was something she could easily endure.
“…Do you love me, team leader? If you heard that, you should’ve said it earlier.”
Confirming Erin’s safety and that her incantation was complete, Stella collapsed. Every nerve, cell, and magical power in her body was fully devoted to recovery, even making it difficult to speak.
Instead, Stella laid down after barely pulling the black spear out from her abdomen and looked up at the imposing figure of Erin standing triumphantly.
“You had the nerve to mess up my underling so badly, huh?”
“Is there even such a thing as ‘messing up’ with underlings? Speak more politely.”
“You shut up!”
At Erin’s hysterical voice, Stella promptly closed her mouth and did as she was told to keep quiet. There was no doubt that speaking more out of turn would lead to regret later on.
An inevitable scolding had been reserved already, but the fewer, the better.
Erin was also agitated. Though Stella’s role was to protect her, it was definitely not acceptable for her to push herself to the very brink of death.
Therefore, Erin raised her hand.
The thorn-like objects surrounding her followed her hand and slowly floated upwards into the sky.
If Stella was the strongest shield, then she was the strongest spear.
The spear of the demon wasn’t able to pierce through the strongest shield.
Then, let’s show them, let me, let us show the strongest spear.
As her hand came down slowly, the thorns shot forth toward Beatrice at a speed that couldn’t even be tracked with the eyes.
*
Usually, it’s quite rare for mages to directly engage in battles with their opponents face-to-face.
There’s a simple reason for this. Naturally, while incanting spells, mages are vulnerable to attacks.
Of course, there are mages who specialize in non-incantation spells, high-speed incantations, or have the agility to move around; for them, the situation is relatively better. However, the true power of a mage often begins with preparation.
Incantations, magic circles, and the like belong to this.
While mages each have different methods, one absolute truth remains: the power of a mage is proportional to the preparation.
Though there may be limits depending on how one handles magic, Erin was a mage specialized in this preparation-based power.
Then, how effective would Erin’s spells be, having incanted non-stop throughout the battle?
Beatrice, standing opposite Erin, inadvertently gave the perfect demonstration of the answer.
The thorns that shot out pierced various parts of her body—her hands, legs, and heart—and were driven into the ground.
Though still wriggling due to the robust physique characteristic of upper-class demons, Erin’s attacks were far from over.
It wasn’t as if she’d gone through that long incantation just to drive a few thorns into her enemy’s body.
With a light flick of her lowered hand’s fingers,
Flash!
A supreme spear from the heavens pierced and impaled Beatrice.
The lightning magic was so powerful it seemed to burn sound itself, making the surroundings dazzlingly bright while remaining eerily silent.
The aftermath wasn’t silent at all.
Upon seeing Beatrice charred black, Erin slowly sank to the ground and sprawled out on the floor, much like Stella.
She was exhausted too, having pushed herself through the prolonged incantation necessary to take down an upper-class demon.
Despite the situation leaving them vulnerable to a surprise attack, if there were enemies planning to ambush them, they would have already acted during the fight against Beatrice.
Though currently lacking the strength to move a finger, since Erin had no physical injuries and Stella had the boon of regeneration, they could rest for a bit and recover enough to tidy up the surroundings.
Just as they were at ease,
The blackened remains of Beatrice began to stir. Neither Erin nor Stella noticed, and even if they did, their current state would’ve made any countermeasures impossible.
What sustained Beatrice’s life and movements now derived from the immense frustration she had harbored since the initial attack.
Even as her body was close to death, the wrath gripping the demon gave her body a strength that could delay death temporarily.
The thorns that had pierced through her body due to the thunder were already reduced to powder and dissipated.
Slowly, very slowly, Beatrice began crawling toward the two who were half-fainted.
Though they were enemies, her tenacity was commendable. However,
Plunge
Her back was pierced by a single sword.
The charred corpse of Beatrice was completely consumed by the holiness of the holy sword and turned into ashes carried away by the wind.
It was an ignoble death for an upper-class demon, indeed.
