Side: Jessica

What on earth is happening!?

Without warning, screams and angry shouts erupted throughout the castle.

I had been guarding Miffy-sama together with Mist-sama, but in an instant, the atmosphere inside Enaria Castle completely changed.

Reacting immediately, I drew my sword in front of the door, ready for anyone foolish enough to break in.

Mist-sama quickly pulled Miffy-sama away from the window and positioned herself on that side of the room, preparing for any emergency.

"How is it looking, Mist-sama?"

"No... Unfortunately, this window doesn't face the interior of the castle, so I can't see anything."

"...I see."

Damn it... this is a bad spot.

From here, we can't get any information.

No... if only I could contact Yuki and the others. But doing so would expose too much to Miffy-sama and Mist-sama.

Yuki and the rest of the crew are undoubtedly aware of that constraint, which is precisely why they haven't initiated a Call...

"What exactly is going on?"

"...We cannot say for certain, Your Highness. But there's no doubt we're in a dangerous situation."

"Yes, it is exactly as Jessica-san says. For a massive disturbance to break out right as we arrived to finalize a ceasefire... we can reasonably assume that factions opposed to the peace treaty are running rampant within the castle walls."

"I-In that case, shouldn't we move immediately to rendezvous with Yuki-dono and the rest of the guards?"

"No. The fact that no enemy has reached this room yet means either they don't know where Miffy-sama is. Or Yuki-san's group is intercepting them."

Exactly. If we were in any genuine, life-threatening danger, Yuki wouldn't hesitate for a fraction of a second to burst through that wall and rescue me. That is exactly the kind of man my husband is.

Taking that into account, the enemies here are ones I can handle, and at a level where I can protect two people at the same time. We should stay here and watch how the situation develops.

"Just as Mist-sama said, since no enemies have come here, Yuki and the others must be moving. If Miffy-sama moves now, it will only make protection harder. We should focus on defense here until we receive contact. I understand your anxiety, but please endure it for now."

I said this while looking straight at Miffy-sama.

Miffy-sama, this is the ultimate test of your resolve.

If we get through this, the ceasefire will undoubtedly become a reality.

"...I understand. I shall place my absolute faith in Yuki-dono and his companions, and wait right here. Mist-sama, Jessica... please, keep me safe."

""By your command!""

In all likelihood, this will mark my very last mission serving as Miffy-sama's knightly escort. For our grand finale, I shall temporarily put aside my identity as Yuki's wife, and embody the exact image of the idealized knight you always yearned to become.

...Ah, but wait.

What am I supposed to do if the enemies never actually show up here?

Given that Yuki hasn't even bothered to send a casual warning, it means the incoming hostiles are so utterly pathetic that they don't even register as a threat to him...

Oh no, how on earth am I supposed to look like a majestic, heroic knight if there's nothing to fight?! Come on, Yuki, at least leave a tiny opening for me to show off my skills! I'm begging you. May my desperate wishes reach you!!

Staring intently at the heavy wooden door, I silently offered a frantic prayer, doing my absolute best to ensure Miffy-sama and Mist-sama didn't catch on to my internal panic.

* * *

Side: Ratz

Good grief, why are demon-type monsters suddenly spawning here?

Thanks to that, our sightseeing around Enaria—and the intelligence-gathering Onii-san asked me to do—has gone completely down the drain!

More importantly... what exactly are they trying to accomplish?

They're indiscriminately attacking people and destroying the city...

『Ratz, are you all safe!?』

"We're perfectly safe! But what are these things? There aren't that many, but level-wise, the regular citizens here are going to get absolutely massacred if left alone!"

According to the Appraisals I'd been casting, these things were 'Level 92 Greater Demons'. For some bizarre reason, their numbers just kept multiplying out of nowhere.

To us, they're small fry, but at this level, even the soldiers here are no match—let alone commoners. A magic sword wielder might barely take down one.

In other words, Enaria is facing a crisis of collapse.

『Work with Aegil to eliminate the monsters. We'll investigate the cause.』

"Leave it to us—Hey, you piece of trash! Get your filthy paws off that mother and child!!"

Right in the middle of my conversation with Onii-san, a brainless monster dared to extend its claws toward a terrified mother and child clinging to each other.

Having recently become a mother myself, witnessing that exact scenario triggered an absolute, primordial fury within me.

I instantly threw the spear in my hand, blowing the monster's head off and saving the mother and child.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes, thank you!! Truly... thank you so much!!"

"Mommy—waaaaaah!!"

The mother and child hugged each other tightly and cried.

Good. Parents and children should be together.

"So... did everyone receive Onii-san's instructions?"

Pulling my spear free from the wall, I called out to the two people standing behind me.

"Yes, of course. Rather, this indiscriminate destruction is even more unforgivable than war."

"...I've seen enough of scenes like this once already. Now I have the power Yuki-san gave me. This time, I will protect them."

When I turned around, both of them were smiling while holding monster heads in their hands.

Well... Not smiling because they were happy. Just like me... They were furious.

No, they're just as furious as I am.

Eris understands the weight of protection perfectly since she is a mother herself. And while Milly doesn't have biological children of her own yet, our children are effectively her children too. She is every bit a magnificent mother.

"Haa... haa... fuuh... Um, w-why are you three so strong? Even I was pushed to my absolute limit just trying to take down one of those things..."

Glancing toward the edge of my vision, I spot Aegil-san standing there, panting heavily.

Ah, I completely forgot she was traveling with us. She's looking thoroughly battered and covered in soot, but it seems she managed to successfully eliminate her target.

Fumu, looking at her performance, she can definitely be counted on as a viable asset.

"""Because we're mercenaries."""

"That's not an explanation!!"

"Well, the minor details don't really matter right now."

"They matter a lot!!"

"Please calm down, Aegil-san. As you can see, monsters are rampaging all over the city. Is there somewhere people can evacuate? We can't allow this mother and child to be attacked again."

"Ah, right! In that case, the Great Cathedral would be good. It is said to possess a sacred barrier that repels monstrous entities, and the citizenry has been strictly instructed to gather there in the event of a national emergency."

I see, in that case...

The three of us exchange a quick glance and nod in perfect unison.

"Very well. Aegil-san, please take the lead and guide us toward the Great Cathedral immediately. We will escort this mother and child along with us." Eris declares.

"I can certainly do that, but what about the two of you?"

"The two of us will sweep through the sectors, pulverize every monster in our path, and direct the fleeing citizens toward the Great Cathedral." Milly replies casually.

To emphasize her point, Milly tosses the demon head she was holding high into the air and systematically minces it into microscopic cubes with a fluid flourish of her blade.

Whoops, looks like she is exceptionally ticked off today. Well, with a display like that, there's no way Aegil is going to try and hold her back.

"A-Ah, right. You two clearly have things completely under control. A-Ahaha... It's incredibly pathetic of me to say this as a general, but I'm counting on you! I'll ensure Eris-kun reaches the destination safely and return to reinforce you immediately! Everyone, listen to me! I am General Aegil, wielder of the Magic Sword! A monster raid is underway! All citizens are ordered to evacuate to the Great Cathedral immediately! I will guarantee your safety! Move in an orderly fashion and follow our guidance!!"

The moment Aegil's booming voice echoes through the streets, the civilians who had been scattering blindly in absolute terror instantly pivot, forming a massive wave rushing toward the cathedral district.

"...Oh, impressive. I suppose she didn't attain the rank of general purely for show."

"It seems so. Her leadership is miles ahead of how we handled ourselves during our very first battle."

However, the moment the crowd formed into one stream, the monsters naturally turned their attention toward it.

Spotting the incoming threat, the citizens freeze in utter despair... Well, you can't really blame them for panicking.

But before the monsters can even take a step, they collapse into heaps of dead meat. Their heads were completely missing.

"Please keep moving forward, everyone! General Aegil and I shall serve as your absolute shield!!"

Eris shouts, holding her bow high after releasing a volley of arrows.

As expected of a member of the legendary forest hunting tribes, her precision is unmatched. Having delivered her declaration, she begins systematically sniping down every single monster attempting to close in on the crowd.

"Got you!!"

Huh? Isn't that over 100 meters away?

Sniping with a bow at that distance is harder than using a rifle, isn't it?

"Quickly, move!"

"Yes! Everyone, maintain your composure and keep moving! Eris and I will hold the line!!"

The people snapped out of it at their voices and began moving.

"I leave the rest to you two until I return."

Eris calls out to us.

With the physical abilities granted by her high level, Eris sprinted off at an unbelievable speed, darting in every direction as she slew every monster in her path while continuing to protect the fleeing citizens.

"Now then, shall we go too?"

"Yes, but the enemies are spread out. Let's split up."

"Understood. But remember, absolutely no overexerting yourself, okay? Onii-san will literally cry if you get hurt."

"I know, I know. Now then..."

Milly's figure suddenly disappeared.

Well, I can still see her, but... ah, I see.

"Stay back! My dad isn't here right now... so I... I have to be the one to protect my big sister, my mom, and my entire family!!"

At the end of the alleyway, a young boy stood battered and bleeding, planting his feet firmly in front of his trembling family.

Even though he was completely aware that he stood zero chance of victory, he was still forcing his broken body to stand for the sake of the people he loved.

...What an incredibly foolish monster. It was clearly holding back its strength on purpose just to toy with its prey...

Thud.

A dull echo resounds, and the monster towering over the boy suddenly collapses into a heap.

"...Eh?"

Thud. Thud. Thud.

One after another, the monsters surrounding them lost their heads and fell.

Of course, the one who did it was...

"...You did well. Now leave this to me and escape to the Great Cathedral."

Milly addresses the boy, her expression radiating absolute warmth and gentleness.

"T-Thank you!! Come on, Mother, Sister, let's go!!"

The boy chose his family's safety over lamenting his own weakness and quickly left.

Hmm, a promising boy for the future.

A flying monster tried to chase after them but was instantly cut down by Milly.

"...I won't let that family experience such pain again. Come at me. No — I won't let you escape."

Saying that, Milly used the corpses of dead monsters as footholds, leaping through the air and cutting down enemies.

"Good grief, Milly and Eris really need to learn a bit of discretion when operating in public..."

As I started to say that, a different kind of scream rang out.

"My bunny girl!!"

"No!! Don't!! Come back!!"

A young girl had shaken off her mother's hand and run back to pick up the rabbit doll she dropped.

"Got it! ...Eh?"

The little girl successfully scoops up her precious stuffed toy.

But a massive, suffocating shadow instantly blankets her tiny frame. A demon looms directly over her, its razor-sharp claws raised high.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!"

The mother's desperate shriek tears through the air.

Under any normal circumstances, that little girl would have been instantly converted into a silent corpse.

Under any normal circumstances, that is—

"Up you go."

"Eh?"

Ah, dear me. I suppose I don't have any right to lecture the other two about showing off.

Before I even realized it, I was cradling the little girl safely in one arm while systematically executing a flurry of pinpoint thrusts with my spear, reducing the demon to a pincushion with my free hand.

"Is your little doll safe?"

"Uh-huh! Thank you, Onee-chan! This is a super precious treasure that my mommy bought for me!"

"Is that so? I'm incredibly glad to hear that. Now then, make sure you hold onto it tightly so you don't drop it again, alright?"

"Okay!"

The moment I gently set her back down, the little girl sprints straight into her mother's arms, who locks her in a suffocatingly tight embrace.

"Now, I'll hold them off. Everyone, head to the great cathedral."

"Thank you so much!!"

"Onee-chan, do your best!!"

The little girl waves her tiny hand enthusiastically at me while being carried away by her mother.

Aww... she really is adorable. She reminds me of that little girl from back then...

Turning my attention back to the battlefield, I find a rather sizable contingent of demons forming up in front of me. It seems they've finally managed to gauge a fraction of my raw power.

"Having received such an adorable cheer from a child, it would be terribly rude of me to hold back my strength, wouldn't it?"

The absolute second I take a single step forward, the entire horde takes a synchronized step backward.

"Oya? Don't think you can escape. You were probably summoned by someone hiding over there, weren't you?"

Without breaking my stride, I casually threw my spear.

"Gah...!?"

The spear pierced through the wall, and the hidden person was flung out onto the main street right in front of me.

"Oya? So it's a woman."

While speaking, I immediately appraised her.

Wait... a Dungeon-Human!?

Well, this is certainly an unexpected development...

"Damn it... Why!? Your level should only be around 70!! So how... how could a mere throwing spear reduce me to this state..."

"How foolish. Who ever told you that was my real level?"

I see. It looks like masking my true power via concealment worked flawlessly.

Well then. Pointless conversations during battle are a waste of time. I'd better make sure she can't escape.

With that thought, I drove several Magic-Sealing Spears into her body.

"Agh...!!"

There, that should completely cut off any attempts to escape via teleportation magic.

"...!? I... can't teleport...!?"

Ah, what a complete simpleton.

The exact microsecond you realized you were utterly outclassed, you should have prioritized an immediate retreat.

"I need you to sit perfectly still right there for a while, Holy Sword Wielder Kishua Lodei-san."

"!?"

Now then, I suppose I should get back to hunting down the remaining monsters.

After witnessing what had just happened, every remaining monster immediately realized they were hopelessly outmatched. They all turned and fled.

"You're making for excellent target practice, you know."

I took throwing spears out of my item box and rained them down.

Oh, right.

I should let Onii-san know that we'd already captured this pathetic Holy Sword Wielder.

* * *

Side: Yuki

"Ratz? Oh, it's you. By the way, there's a troublesome one headed your way... Ah, you already captured her? Yeah, that's fine. The monsters are decreasing, and I sent Rurua to the Great Cathedral to heal the injured all at once. Where am I right now? Uh, in the forest near Enaria's capital. There was a troublesome reaction here... Yeah, it's fine. I've already suppressed it too."

While wrapping up my status report over the Call, I casually cut my eyes sideways to look at our captive.

Directly beside me, a woman is currently executing a flawless, high-speed Cossack dance. Seraria, who tagged along for the ride, is staring at her with the kind of profound pity usually reserved for looking at a pathetic creature.

But make no mistake—this individual is none other than Sia Enaria herself.

A legendary Holy Sword wielder, the literal founding ancestor of the Enaria Empire, and one of the ancient figures who once waged war against Peace.

Ah, just for context—Derieu and Peace have already mobilized alongside Mino-chan's unit to systematically purge the remaining hostiles within the castle walls. I left the internal surveillance duties entirely to Ria, while Kirika has been deployed on a slightly different, specialized errand.

"Sigh... I knew that once you got involved, this wasn't going to become an ordinary battle. But... Don't you think this punishment a bit too excessive?"

Unable to bear the sight of Sia's endless Cossack dancing, Seraria finally spoke up.

"...Kuh, why won't my body obey me!?"

The person herself was seriously trying to regain control of her body, but doing the Cossack dance just made it look like a gag.

"Is it? She unleashed monsters on an entire city. People have been wounded. Some have died. She tried to destroy the peace negotiations taking place inside the castle. And all I'm making her do is dance the Cossack. If anything, I'm being merciful. Normally she'd be beaten half to death, tortured, and then executed. Oh, and she'd lose every shred of her dignity as a woman too."

"That's true... But, I still feel like something about this is fundamentally wrong..."

Well, breaking Seraria's standard common sense is precisely what I was aiming for here.

Whenever these self-righteous masterminds orchestrate a massive tragedy, they tend to get incredibly high on their own supply. Whether they win or lose, live or die, they love to wallow in a sense of tragic satisfaction, uttering lines like, "So this is how it ends... it can't be helped."

So the first thing I do is destroy that mindset.

If you're going to pick a fight with me, don't you dare think you get to enjoy a dignified defeat!

Combined with the other Holy Sword wielder Ratz managed to bag, I'm going to force the two of them to perform a synchronized rendition of Fun Fun We Hit the S◯◯t Stage. I briefly considered forcing them to do a Thriller routine, but that choreography belongs to an absolute legend, so I decided to show a bit of respect.

"Don't worry. There's no one around anyway. Besides, your little friend is going to join you shortly, and I'll ensure the two of you perform a flawless, naked duet of Fun Fun We Hit the S◯◯t Stage together."

"What on earth is that even supposed to mean!? Wait, you managed to capture Kishua as well!? That is absolutely absurd!! M-More importantly, the wild monsters are going to attack me! Please, don't leave me stranded in a place like this!!"

"You'll be perfectly fine. With a raw level tier of 150, a few random monsters shouldn't pose a threat. Tell you what—since I'm a nice guy, I'll grant you permission to slaughter them as long as you maintain the Cossack dance or the Fun Fun routine while doing so."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

Later, people claimed that her scream could be heard all the way from Enaria Castle.

Furthermore, a bizarre urban legend quickly spread throughout the kingdom regarding a stunningly beautiful girl dancing completely naked in the wilderness, but strictly speaking, I bear absolutely zero responsibility for that.

However, considering these girls have absolutely no prior concept of a Cossack dance or the Fun Fun routine, the fact that their bodies can execute the choreography flawlessly implies that my personal memories and knowledge are being directly projected into them via the link.

I see, I see. That is an incredibly valuable piece of mechanical insight. Now then, let's go wrap up the rest of our official duties.