The monstrous creatures behind Hecate lunged with teeth, claws, and tentacles...
Just before they could reach her, Hecate's body was swiftly lifted into the air as if someone had snatched her away.
Soon, the rest of the Glory Knights and Junior were also floating in the air.
While floating, Junior looked down at the wriggling creatures below and broke into a cold sweat.
"Wow, that was really close..."
Tentacles flew at them repeatedly, but Junior blocked them effortlessly with magic.
With a sigh of relief, Junior looked up and waved her hand.
"Nice timing, Bodybag!"
Above them was the psychokinetic Bodybag, her face red and sweating profusely. All the retired soldiers inside the barracks were also floating around her.
Although Bodybag wasn't as fast as Dearmudin, she could simulate flying. So, she had flown in with Junior for the rescue mission, lifting the retired soldiers into the air while Junior dealt with the surrounding creatures.
After grabbing the last remaining Glory Knights and Junior, Bodybag, struggling to hold dozens of people in the air, began to fly towards the city walls. Junior assisted her with wind magic.
"..."
Hecate, floating in the air with a blank expression, looked at Junior using wind magic beside her and slowly opened her mouth.
"I've thought of something."
"Huh? What is it?"
"Something I want to do."
A faint smile appeared on Hecate's lips.
"Something really silly and absurd, something I've only imagined."
***
At the same time.
Near the southern wall.
"Uwaaaah! Aaaaaaah!"
"Help, somebody help us!"
The soldiers and volunteers in the cooking unit screamed incessantly.
Because soldiers need to eat and drink to fight, the cooking unit had to stay within the camp under any circumstances.
Although the cooking unit received minimal combat training, they generally had low combat capabilities.
For them, the fleshy monsters with tentacles and teeth were terrifying and horrible enemies.
"Aaaah! Uwaaaaah!"
Among them, a cafeteria waiter who had joined as a volunteer before this battle, the one who confessed to Evangeline, was in a panic, crying his eyes out.
"A-a-a-a-a-aah!"
Crash! Clang!
The monster that rushed in swung its tentacles, knocking over all the kitchenware.
The waiter screamed and hid under a table. The fallen kitchenware clattered loudly.
As he curled up, trembling, someone grabbed his shoulder. The terrified waiter saw it was the large cooking unit leader holding a kitchen knife and shouting.
"Hey, newbie! Get a grip! Do you want to die like this?!"
"Y-yes? Y-yes? Of c-course not?"
"Then fight back! Even the cooking unit are soldiers! You received basic training too!"
"But how can we fight such monsters...!"
"Who said to kill them? Just grab something sturdy and block their attacks instead of cowering!"
The cooking unit leader handed him a large pot. As the waiter awkwardly took it, the leader nodded.
"Hang in there a little longer! The Prince will send a rescue team soon!"
"D-d-do you think the Prince would care about us in the cooking unit...?"
"Of course! The Prince is that kind of person!"
The cooking unit leader grinned and then drew another kitchen knife, charging at the monsters with a loud battle cry.
The sound of breaking kitchenware, the screams of people, the wails of monsters...
Amid the overwhelming noise, the waiter, who had put a pot on his head, suddenly opened his tearful eyes wide.
"I-I will too..."
He thought of Evangeline, the successor of the lord who always fought for the city—his crush.
Hadn't he told her he wanted to know what kind of battle she was fighting? That's why he enlisted.
But what a mess he was now.
"I will... prove that I deserve to live in this city too...!"
The waiter crawled out from under the table and stood up, shouting.
"Bring it on, you monster!"
And right in front of him stood a gruesome fleshy monster, wriggling its long tentacles and chattering its teeth.
"A-a-a-a."
"..."
"Food..."
Terrified, his legs gave out.
He plopped down, and it was his good fortune.
Swoosh-!
The tentacle that aimed for his heart narrowly missed the pot and grazed him. The impact alone split the pot, and the waiter was knocked backward.
Thud!
"Guh! Cough, cough!"
The waiter, barely catching his breath, saw the monster slowly approaching him, step by step.
Sensing death, the waiter closed his eyes tightly.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack-!
The sound of powerful blows echoed through the kitchen unit.
"...?"
When the monster's attack didn't come, the waiter cautiously opened his tightly shut eyes.
In front of him...
Swoosh! Swoosh! Slice!
There was the faint afterimage of Evangeline moving like a flash.
The girl knight in white armor, her white scarf fluttering behind her, crushed the monsters with a weapon that combined a sword and a shield, then immediately moved on to the next one.
In no time, all the monsters that attacked the cooking unit were annihilated. Without breaking a sweat, Evangeline shouted.
"All the monsters are taken care of! Everyone, evacuate to the wall quickly!"
"Th-thank you, Lady Evangeline!"
"Don't mention it. It's what I'm supposed to do. Oh, if anyone's been bitten, let me know! I'll administer the antidote right away..."
After quickly and concisely giving instructions and handing over extra antidotes to the cooking unit leader, Evangeline turned to leave for another rescue.
She met the eyes of the waiter still stuck in the corner.
"...!"
The waiter suddenly felt embarrassed and wanted to hide. Blushing, he bowed his head deeply.
"S-sorry for showing such a disgraceful sight..."
"There's nothing to apologize for."
Evangeline approached and helped him up, smiling brightly.
"We're all fighting together on this battlefield, just in different fields."
"..."
"Keep up the good work in the remaining battles. Then."
Evangeline lightly stomped her foot and swiftly left the cooking unit to rescue others.
The waiter watched her retreating figure with reverence, then looked down at his still-trembling legs.
"..."
As the waiter bowed his head, the cooking unit leader approached and patted his shoulder.
"Lady Evangeline is right. Now, let's go to where we can fight."
"Yes..."
With mixed feelings of joy, embarrassment, and sadness.
The waiter packed his belongings and started to evacuate with the other cooking unit soldiers, stumbling.
***
Bang! Bang! Boom...!
Signal flares exploded in the sky, indicating the success of the rescue missions across the city.
As I assessed the overall situation, I glanced sideways. Lucas was silently checking his equipment.
I cautiously asked.
"Are you sure you don't need to go?"
"Everyone has their necessary places and roles."
Lucas drew [Excalibur] and the [Bestowed Sword], taking a deep breath.
"I am indeed worried about the comrades left in the barracks, but it's also true that I'm more needed in this immediate battle."
"..."
"Besides, Junior, who is as capable as I am, or even more so in some situations, has gone to rescue the barracks. They'll be fine."
Originally, I intended to send Lucas and other melee heroes to the barracks.
But the barracks were too far from the city wall, and I couldn't send just one or two of the front-line heroes. Moreover, to safely escort the non-combatants out, we needed at least two parties.
That's when Junior volunteered to go.
'Leave it to me. I will definitely rescue the retired soldiers in the barracks.'
Being seasoned and well-trained, Junior was entrusted with the barracks rescue mission.
Of course, not alone. I paired her with Bodybag, a psychokinetic who excels in various situations beyond combat. The two-mage duo.
'With Junior handling the firepower and me supporting, the two of us can manage. Please send us.'
I decided to trust the two veteran mages who volunteered.
The barracks rescue team had just sent up a success signal flare. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness.
Additionally, the evacuation of the cooking unit, priests, alchemists, and other non-combatants was progressing one by one.
The remaining elite heroes by my side watched the city's center with determined faces.
Ooooooh...!
The massive carcass of the giant reindeer monster, which was regurgitating the monsters it had eaten, spewing them out all around.
Amidst this steaming mass of flesh, an antlered demon creature stood wobbling with dull eyes.
"Ugh, ugh..."
Cromwell.
It was the true form of the enemy monster commander, who had shed layer upon layer of its hide.
'We have to take it down before it causes more trouble.'
Taking a deep breath, I exchanged glances with the surrounding heroes.
Although we should avoid close combat if possible, we cannot miss this opportunity.
While the dispatched rescue team evacuates the non-combatants and the zombie remnants are dealt with at the four defensive walls.
With the remaining personnel, we strike at the heart of the enemy camp... Cromwell's main body.
"Let's end this in one go."
I shouted, pointing the flag forward.
"Charge!"
"Yes-!"
Led by Lucas, the elite heroes clad in heavy armor smoothly scaled down the wall and charged towards Cromwell.
At the same time, I turned sharply to the side.
"Lilly, activate all the prepared artifacts!"
"Yes, sir!"
Following my order, Lilly sent hand signals around.
Then, the wizards and alchemists on the walls of Crossroad Castle began moving busily.
The black dragon wall [Knight Bringer] surrounding the castle is a structure that transforms on-site, so when installing a new wall, we also need to install the defense equipment anew.
The black dragon wall was completed just before the siege began. Cannons and ballistae were installed immediately as trained, but.
Artifacts require magical engineering processes such as connecting the magic circuits. We only used the ones installed on the castle wall of Crossroad, firing at angles that came into view.
Now the enemy is inside Crossroad.
All the artifacts installed on the castle wall can be used by simply turning their direction. They all have clear angles.
'We can't just ravage the city, though.'
Of course, if it comes to it, we must be prepared to do so, but we should minimize damage if possible.
We chose to use artifacts that would effectively eliminate the enemy with minimal damage to the city.
Zzzzzzing!
Click! Click!
As various artifacts loaded and aimed at the enemies.
"Please... Let this be a big hit this time... Make it worth the cost..."
Muttering her prayer, Lilly and the alchemists carefully took out and installed a large metal plate artifact.
An SSR-grade artifact that sends the target stamped within it to the southern plains.
[Back to Square One].