OMS Chapter 26

Viirant’s vessel for the blessing had grown so large after everything we did that it was almost overwhelming. Part of it is due to my abilities, but I’d say it’s no exaggeration to call him the strongest in history. He’s mastered fire, wind, and lightning magic to the level of a seasoned magician, and his swordsmanship is impressive. Now, with a holy sword added to his arsenal, it’s clear we’re dealing with more power than necessary.

—So why do I still feel so uneasy?

I had already prepared as many healing potions as possible, and I’d made plenty of Sacred Arrows as well. We had more than enough, likely more than we’d even need. If we didn’t use them all, they could be left for the fortress to use later. The bigger issue would be running out of supplies when we needed them most. Given where we were headed, you couldn’t have too much backup.

Driven by that feeling, I continued imbuing the magic iron ores I’d bought in bulk with holy power in silence. After finishing one box, I’d stop the carriage, swap it for a new one from the back, and get back to work. For the past few days, aside from the blessing I’d given to Viirant, I’d poured all my holy power into these ores, and I’d finally almost finished. Magic iron is cheap because it’s difficult to work with and hard to imbue with magic, but compared to similarly sized magic stones, it costs about one-hundredth of the price.

It was hard not to buy too much, so I went a little overboard.

Each piece fits neatly into the palm of my hand. When submerged in water after being infused with holy power, these magic iron ores create holy water that monsters can’t stand. Thrown directly at a monster, they become effective weapons. Unless they break, the holy power should stay contained, and they might even make great arrowheads. They should make dealing with most monsters much easier.

“Ah, right. Dirk, I should give this to you now.”

“…What’s this?”

“Hmm, let’s call it a collection of emergency measures? If something happens to me, open it.”

I handed him a plain leather pouch, tightly tied so you couldn’t see the contents. It was just for emergencies, so he could open it when absolutely necessary.

At first, I thought about giving it to Viirant, but he’d probably get furious, thinking it was bad luck. And if I gave it to Kahim, he’d just tell Viirant right away. Dirk, on the other hand, doesn’t talk much and wouldn’t bring it up unless necessary. Of course, I made sure to tell him to keep it secret.

We have two days left until we reach the fortress. Viirant’s on night watch tonight, so I’ll be able to fill his vessel with holy power. …Because his vessel has grown so large, I’ll need to be intimate with him again to fully fill it. But it’s just one more day of me being useless after the fact. I planned to focus on restoring my holy power anyway, so it’s fine.

I’ve also gotten used to Viirant’s body. The second time he held me wasn’t as bad as the first. It was still embarrassingly good to the point where I had to hold back my voice, but that’s better than it hurting.

If we have to do this, it’s better for it to feel good rather than painful.

The day after tomorrow, once we arrive at the fortress and assess the situation, we’ll begin the final purification. Three scattered locations in the forest. Can I purify them all? Where will the Demon King appear?

To distract myself from the unease growing in my chest, I focused on working with the magic ores. No matter how hard I worked, that unsettling feeling wouldn’t go away.

✢

When we finally reached the fortress, it had an ominous atmosphere. We’d stopped at several fortresses during our journey, but this one felt completely different. The knights and soldiers, as well as the people living there, were on edge. Many were armed, and the entire place felt heavy with tension.

The reason for this became clear when we met with the commander in charge of the fortress.

––It’s been weeks since any monsters have been spotted.

The worst possible news. I clicked my tongue without thinking. There’s only one reason monsters wouldn’t appear in a place as tainted as this.

A monster stampede, driven by a magical frenzy, is imminent.

…No, it’s more likely that it’s being held off, waiting for me to arrive.

The Demon King probably assumed Emilia was the `nt after the attack on the capital. He must have thought that when he returned to recover in this tainted place, it was too well-guarded for anyone to interfere. Naturally, he’d believe the saint was there, protected.

But then, at some point, these heavily tainted areas started getting purified one after another. There’s no way the saint could cleanse such strong corruption from afar. Did she have the power to purify from a distance, or was she on the ground in those areas?

The Demon King must have figured that out and chosen this place as the final battleground.

He’s calculated my speed of travel and prepared meticulously—within a day or two, the stampede will begin. Monsters will flood out of the forest, overwhelming the land and bringing new corruption.

“The saint sent us with a large supply of aid.”

“Well, we’re grateful for that. It’d help even more if she’d come to fight alongside us.”

“…That’s why we were sent,” Viirant replied, subtly displaying the holy sword at his waist.

Though his voice remained calm, I could tell. He was furious.

It’s understandable the commander would be upset the saint isn’t here given the dire situation. Viirant probably knows that too, but he can’t hold back his anger at hearing her insulted right in front of him.

After all, I am actually here.

“We’re heading into the forest to investigate,” Viirant said, continuing without hesitation. “Dirk and Kahim will know how to distribute the supplies. Be prepared.”

“Didn’t need you to tell me that.”

We left the commander’s office quickly, and I hurried to gather what we needed—bows, arrows, branches of the sacred tree, some magic iron ores, healing potions, and some simple rations. We’d done all we could to prepare.

Dirk and Kahim will protect the fortress. Now it’s up to me to stop the stampede by taking down the Demon King before it starts.

“Viirant.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go. …The Demon King is deep in the forest.”

He’s there, waiting for me, surrounded by countless monsters.

Viirant and I, resolute, left the fortress and stepped into the forest.

The dark, eerily quiet forest seemed to make it clear—a great force was waiting for us deep inside.