The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Everyone fell asleep as the bonfire crackled.

I guess I’ll go sleep as well. Talking has exhausted me more than fighting, hahaha. My battle mania has reached an extreme, but that’s just me being me.

“Nya,” meowed Rollo from behind me.

“Nn, Rollo-chan. Very skilled at catching the fish in the lake.”

Eva, in her wheelchair, was next to the black panther Rollo. A blanket covered her legs. It reminded me of our first meeting in the labyrinth.

Heading over to the two, I sat down on a root.

“Oh right, thanks for cooking, Eva,” I said to her while massaging the back of Rollo’s paw.

“Did you like it?”

“Well, of course I wouldn’t be able to call it disgusting, right?”

“Nn…”

I pulled her leg a bit.

“Haha, it was just a joke. It was really great. The steamed dish of crispy meat with its spicy taste was delicious.”

“Oki. It was easy to do since I stored roasted meat in my item box beforehands.”

“Ah, the one from the Great Prairie?”

Rollodeen pulled back the paw I had been massaging, and washed her own head.

“Yep, Stone-Kicking Bird. Since it’s tender on top of allowing for great potions, it’s become a very popular dish at Dee’s restaurant. However, Dee said it’s no match for high-class meat dishes like the ones using Big Hellzeyk Birds.”

“I feel like I’ve heard that name before.”

“They’re regarded as standard dishes during dinner parties, so maybe that’s where you encountered it.”

Hee, noble purveyors? Oh, I remember. Speaking of dinner parties, the marquess explained all kinds of things to me, didn’t she?

“You were right. I recall Chardonnay had introduced that dish to me.”

“Nn…”

“Hmm? What’s the matter?”

“I also remembered. I haven’t sucked your blood, Shuuya.”

“Haha, that’s the issue? Here, go for it!”

I focused on <Blood Path – Open First Gate>. Releasing blood from my wrist, I held it out to Eva’s mouth.

“Thanks――”

Eva opened her small lips with an “Ahh” while blushing.

How cute.

While bringing my wrist close to her lips, I manipulated my blood, making it enter Eva’s mouth. The instant it entered her mouth, it somehow felt lewd.

“…”

Eva’s eyes dyed crimson. She revealed a vampiric expression with veins popping out around her eyes.

“Nn, puuaahh!”

I drew my hand back after Eva had sucked quite a bit of my blood.

“I feel like the speed of your sucking has gone up.”

“Really? I did my best with the juggling practice, so maybe it’s grown.”

Sergilon’s Steel Orbs, huh? If I remember correctly, they should boost the efficiency of mana manipulation. I expect that it also boosts other attributes as a side effect.

“Alright, I’ll take a little break before you suck up all my body fluids, Eva.”

“Hehe, I feel like Rebecca would have commented on that if she was here.”

“Ahaha, no doubt.”

While laughing, I left Eva and Rollo’s resting place, walking along the lake shore. The lake’s surface was so calm that you wouldn’t think that a fierce battle had taken place here several hours ago.

『――Your Excellency, what are you going to do with Golgonshura’s egg stone?』

Helme asked while acting like she was swimming in my visual field. Of course, she was using her tiny version as always.

『That’s a secret. Rather than that, the wind stream in the upper sky is odd』

『Oh, you’re right. It was so pleasant in you, so I didn’t pay any attention to the outside』

『I noticed it only now as well. Don’t worry about it…』

I looked up into the night sky. The firmament was already covered by stars.

The stinging feeling…definitely doesn’t come from me having eaten too much ice. A pain from my neck… An enemy from above? It’s not like Varmina is showing me a nightmare. Did she actually come to Sela through our apostle-like relationship?

For the time being I think I should also watch the forest in the back of where everyone’s sleeping.

『Eva, I’m going to take a look at the sky. Please take care of the ground with Rollo』

『Roger』

I immediately grasped the cause for the strange air flow. Hoffmann was floating up there with half his body being darkness.

A big coffin was on his right. The highly artistic design on the coffin remained unchanged from before. It projected three knight-like figures.

A huge, dark red head was floating nearby. And on the left was a snake monster with its upper body having multiple ax arms and its lower body being that of a mysterious fish man.

“Yo, do you want something from me?” I asked, but I anticipated that it was likely about the Death Butterfly women.

“Just when I thought Demi-Goddess Golgonshura, the creator of the Death Butterfly women, had revived, she suddenly vanished. So I wanted to personally greet the spearmaster who had easily accomplished that feat――”

Suddenly, a shining ring caught Hoffmann’s torso and cut it in half. But it looked like that was meaningless since the severed part connected to the darkness half in an instant.

“High-rank Vampire, target for annihilation. Divine Warrior Jenga Buu, here I come!”

“Protect Hoffmann-sama――”

All of a sudden, a melee between the group of odd creatures and a group of ring people started. There were other divine warriors present as well. After each introduced themselves with Deltabard Buu and something-Buu, they attacked the monsters.

Warriors of the Divine Domain with golden rings on their heads, huh? I didn’t see my acquaintance Arbagudrobe Buu among them, though. But, all of them had a pair of large, black wings on their backs, just like him. The strangeness of their faces with their hole in the middle was the same as well…

Only the names differ, huh?

“――Our target has changed to divine warriors! We shall fight as vanguard of Lugnad!”

Suddenly a knight on a black horse, whom I’ve never seen before, appeared. He held a magic spear, although it was different from the magic destruction lance.

Moreover, “Hee, that’s the spearmaster?”

“Wait, godslayer! Carefreely making contact is…”

“Oh my, Spirit World Knight Shuhelia-san? Did you forget the order of our lord?”

Somehow, it’s getting very lively up here…now it’s powerful folks with magic swords and spears in their hands. Are they Spirit World Knights? No idea, to be honest.

“This is why I hated this. What should I tell Vaa-chan now?”

Ah, I know this gigantic, black rabbit. Is he the reason for my mark to react?

Additionally, some grim caterpillar demon was present as well. Or rather, has this become a gathering spot for a part of the darkness forces?

“What, isn’t this quite fun here――”

Oh, isn’t that the Time Tapir!? All over the place were people I know, but then a battle against monsters with centipede caps on their head started.

『Oh! Pew-pew from the big nose!』

Just when I considered whether to ask Adombraly about this situation, I found myself above Rebecca’s place. The Wave Gourd was still with my friends as well.

I guess I’ll summon the Burning Knights during the melee. In such a case, Rollo got to deploy as well. Though it’ll result in only Eva and the semi-transparent warrior remaining on the ground with the people…

Well, at present, I don’t sense any magic source responses below. If only the Burning Knights could fly…oh well, no helping it.

“Shuuya-dono, you have it tough as well, don’t you?”

A tall, old skeleton dude suddenly addressed me. No, a mage wearing a black mantle and holding a skull wand. I met this guy at Shiki’s place.

“Yes indeed, by the way, you are?”

“Ahh, sorry I guess I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Hazes. I don’t have anything to do with the Church of Darkness Hades, so don’t mix me up with them,” the mage explained while swinging his wand to pulverize an approaching rock pellet.

I think it’d be better for me to call Rollodeen over at this rate.

『――Eva, would you mind for Rollo to come up here?』

『It’s alright. Rather than that, how about me coming up as well?』

『No, I’d feel uneasy that something might happen to all the people down there』

『Okay』

“Hazes-san, you’re a bit out of place here.”

“Is that so? …I have a message from my master, though.”

That’s impossible under the current circumstances.

“Rollo, come!”

“Nyaagoaaaa～”

Rollodeen charged my way at an explosive rate while spiraling. The Spirit World-like female and male knights stayed away. I suppose they’re a group different from Hoffmann. They don’t look like they’re going to participate in the battle against the divine domain’s forces.

『Your Excellency, should I split off here?』

『I’m not quite sure yet…let’s watch the situation for a bit longer』

Even while thinking so, I had a hunch that it’d eventually result in us splitting up and fighting…I think it’s the perfect time for my new sage art skill’s turn. Let’s make some fireworks out of white flames.

Well…it’s my trump card, so yeah.

I got ready for <Saraten’s Secret Art> with <Chain> as basic. With those plans, I leaped on Rollodeen’s back.

“Nn――”

Rollodeen smashed apart a bat-shaped monster by swinging a huge tentacle bone sword. I grasped the overall situation while she circled in the sky. The battle between the divine domain forces and a part of the Spirit World forces was intense.

No, can you actually call them Spirit World forces in this case?

“――I’ll turn all of you divine domain forces, which do not understand faith, into nourishment for me! <Walpurgis’s Night> is absolute and invincible!”

The clash between Hoffman’s side and the divine domain troops had become even more violent. Other Spirit World dwellers started to fight amongst each other, too.

Things are a total mess here.