“Lady Rena-chan, let’s go.”
“Huh? W-Wait—”
“This is your once-in-a-lifetime moment. Let’s make it flashy.”
As Nifl placed a hand on Irena’s shoulder—now fully prepared—
“Teleport.”
Irena’s figure vanished.
The next moment, she reappeared—
“Hah… This is ridiculous.”
Above Bifrons’ head.
Every citizen of Gagiur gaped at the dull, leaden light that appeared in the sky, their eyes widening as it filled their vision.
Irena, the lord’s daughter, materialized midair with an overwhelming surge of magical energy before streaking toward Bifrons like a comet.
Even without understanding the situation, everyone instinctively knew—
That giant would be slain by Irena.
Though still a young girl, the citizens, who had witnessed her bearing the responsibilities of the lord’s daughter countless times, couldn’t help but roar at the sight.
[────OOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooHHHH!!]
A thunderous cheer erupted, surrounding the city.
“You damn— AAAAAHHH, YOU DARE COME BEFORE ME AGAIN, BIFROOOOOOONS!!”
Bound by chains and endlessly disintegrating, Bifrons did not direct his rage at Irena—but instead let out a wail of resentment toward someone else.
But even that was drowned out by the earth-shaking cheers of Gagiur.
The true architect of Bifrons’ ruin smirked faintly.
“Not even me—you’re getting killed by Rena-chan… Tough luck, Vomit Count.”
“GGRRKK—OOOOOOHHHHH!!”
Though enraged by the taunt, his frenzied thoughts were abruptly cut off.
“But still… this is beyond expectations. You’re giving Nidhogg a run for her money with this.”
“CRUUUSH IIIIT!! HAMMER BLAST, OOOOOOHHHHHHH!!”*
With a strike so devastating even the Corpse King recoiled, Bifrons’ core was shattered.
■
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
.”N-no… NOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!”
Screaming at the sight of Sawamura’s neck being snapped, someone turned away. The heroes’ reactions were uniformly horrified, plunging the room into chaos unlike the commotion outside.
As Sawamura collapsed into a silent mass of flesh, the heroes—who had only ever witnessed death through screens or imagination—stared in shock. The girl who screamed first sank to her knees, followed by others.
Even those who wanted to flee froze in terror, afraid that moving would draw attention to themselves.
“Ah… Aah…”
Creak.
Count Iron moved unnaturally, scanning for prey.
His gaze landed on a girl standing dumbfounded behind Sawamura’s corpse.
Hyoka.
“Wha—?! HYOKA!”
Snapped out of her daze by the sudden violence, Asha instinctively shouted her name.
The Count Iron’s outstretched hand closed in—already too far for Asha to intercept.
Hyoka, reacting too late, hesitated for a split second before settling on a spell. Ice magic. A technique to enhance her own physical abilities.
Hyoka’s unique gift, 【Silver Star’s Favored Princess】, granted her heightened mana and physical prowess in icy environments, along with auto-evasion and auto-counter mechanisms.
But activating it required her to first encase the surroundings in ice—a fatal weakness in sudden emergencies.
The inevitable delay in casting would be deadly here.
“HIZAKI!”
“HYOKA!”
As the heroes and Asha screamed in desperation, the Count Iron’s fingers curled around Hyoka’s neck—
—just before the entire mansion was engulfed in a sudden freeze.
“Tch!”
Sliding across the newly frozen floor, Hyoka narrowly avoided death thanks to her auto-evasion.
Then, the floating ice shards around her—triggered by her auto-counter—sliced through the Count Iron’s body as she passed.
“GAAAHHH… gkh…!”
With a weak groan, the count vomited a gel-like substance before collapsing.
“M-Master?!”
“Lord Metal!”
Servants rushed to his side, lifting him. Though he groaned in pain, color had returned to his face, and his breathing steadied.
Asha recognized this phenomenon.
When demons possessed humans, they often infused their own mana into the host’s body.
The gel the count had just expelled was undoubtedly the culprit.
“Haaah!”
Without hesitation, Asha drew her sword and closed the distance in one motion, stabbing the translucent gel’s floating core before it could react.
The gel trembled violently before going still.
The chaos that began with Sawamura’s death ended just as abruptly—frozen in an instant.
“S-Sawamura is…”
“D-did he really just… die?”
“Why are you shocked? You agreed to live as heroes knowing this could happen.”
“…I won’t be able to eat after this.”
No one approached Sawamura’s gruesome corpse.
Yet, even if they weren’t close, the death of a classmate—someone familiar—left an undeniable impact on each of them.
“P-Princess…! Our master’s violence toward the heroes… We deeply, deeply apologize…!”
An elderly servant bowed so low his forehead scraped the floor. Asha shook her head gently.
“Please, raise your head. The strange substance from the count’s mouth was proof of demonic possession. His actions were undoubtedly the demon’s doing. He can be treated with proper measures.”
“Ahh! Thank you…!”
Overcome with gratitude, the servants carried the unconscious count deeper into the mansion.
Asha barely spared them a glance, her expression twisting at the screams and commotion outside—sounds that had begun the moment Sawamura’s neck was snapped.
Something unfathomable was attacking Gagiur.
And it was almost certainly demon-related.
But—
“Ice magic…”
Asha muttered bitterly, recognizing a spell that wasn’t Hyoka’s.
Historically, few wielded such power. Aside from Hyoka, only one person fit the description.
(The Corpse King…!)
The urge to bolt from the mansion nearly overwhelmed her, but she forced herself to stay.
She couldn’t abandon the confused heroes. If she left, she’d have to ensure their safety first—
“Everyone, stand up! I know this is asking too much, but I refuse to let any of you share Sawamura’s fate!”
Her firm voice snapped the heroes out of their stupor. Turning to a nearby maid, she asked, “Is there a room where the heroes can take shelter?”
“Y-yes! This way!”
“Thank you. Everyone, follow her—now!”
As the heroes hurried after the maid, Asha exhaled in relief.
(Even if they’re heroes, they’re still otherworlders. They’re not ready to fight yet.)
Surveying the eerily frozen mansion, her chest tightened with guilt. Casting a pained glance at Sawamura’s corpse,
she whispered a prayer before covering him with a cloth brought by the maid.
Once the heroes were safely evacuated, she gripped her sword’s hilt tightly and took a deep breath.
“I have to get to the city.”
The sounds outside had grown fiercer. Steeling herself, Asha reached for the doorknob—
“…Princess Asha. Take me with you.”
“Hyoka…?”
Turning, she saw Hyoka—who should have been evacuating—standing there.
Her eyes, usually distant and emotionless, now burned with unmistakable resolve.
“H-Hizaki! What are you doing? Get back!”
Ignoring her classmate Kawasaki’s shouts, Hyoka kept her icy gaze locked on Asha.
Though Asha wanted to tell her to retreat too, the intensity of that stare left her speechless.
Silence stretched.
Every second wasted meant more casualties. There was no time to hesitate.
And if it was Hyoka… Driven by that thought, Asha gave a firm nod.
“Promise me you won’t take unnecessary risks.”
“That depends on the situation.”
“…Hah… Fine. Come with me, Hyoka. Kawasaki, return to the others.”
“Huh?!”
Leaving Kawasaki behind, the two dashed outside—
—and froze at the sight before them.
Sprinting toward Gagiur’s great tree, their breaths turned to white mist in the suddenly silver world.
“C-CORPSE KIIIIIIIIING!!”
A dying roar shattered the air, pounding against their eardrums.
“What is that?!”
“…That’s… a demon.”
Beside the great tree, a grotesquely swollen giant stood—undeniably a Greater Demon, a high-ranking fiend.
“No way… A Greater Demon?!”
Picking up speed, Asha felt a mix of reassurance and unease at Hyoka effortlessly keeping pace.
(If it comes to it… at least save Hyoka…)
But the moment she steeled herself—
[────OOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!]
A deafening cheer erupted from all corners of Gagiur, shaking the steel city.
Looking up, the two witnessed—
“CRUUUSH IIIIT!! HAMMER BLAST, OOOOOOHHHHHHH!!”*
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