The 15th day of the Water month. Bell, who has been living in Lilia-san's mansion has gotten used to life, and he's made friends with the servants.
And now, I'm headed to Alice's miscellaneous goods store, where I've had more opportunities to go lately.
I've been there before, but I forgot to ask about Alice's plans because of all the things that happened during my last visit.
Kuro said she was fine at any time, but it would be better to do it as early as possible.
Normally, one would think that having won so much money before, she wouldn't have to worry about our lives for the time being but... it's Alice we're talking about here. If I take my eyes off her for a second, before I knew it, it would probably be gone to gambling, and I'm afraid something may have happened to her.
Continuing down the street, when I get down to a slightly larger street, a strange feeling of discomfort appears.
It's like I walked through a thin membrane... It's hard to explain, but that's the feeling I got.
Tilting my head and moving my gaze to the surroundings, I found nothing in particular and the road was quiet, so I decided to proceed walking despite the feeling of discomfort.
It's not long before I came to the street where Alice's miscellaneous goods store is... and the sense of discomfort became more intense.
...I didn't pass anyone. At this time of the day, on this street?
This area would normally be bustling with people setting up shops, and it was clearly unusual how there's no one in this place.
As I looked around, feeling uneasy, I saw three shadows approaching from the direction I'm walking to... around the end of the road.
A woman with long red hair and a large spear that surpasses her height, and a woman with a face exactly like the other woman, except for her short hair and huge shield... Are they twins?
There's also a blue-haired man with a sword that resembles a Japanese katana behind them... I have a really bad feeling from them. My Sympathy Magic is telling me their emotions... This sickening feeling of hostility being directed at me.
The three of them walk up to me and after stopping a few meters away from me, the twins step forward.
[My name is Eta.]
[My name is Theta.]
[ [ And we're War King Megiddo-sama's envoys. ] ]
[!?]
The woman with the big spear called herself Eta, while the woman with the big shield called herself Theta.
War King's envoys? Does that mean these three are Demons?
I wonder why, I just have a bad feeling around them... At least it doesn't sound good, considering what I've heard so far about the War King.
[Megiddo-sama has decreed that he will see you.]
[You will have to follow us.]
[.....]
I knew it was that kind of talk... I'm pretty sure Kuro had said that the War King wasn't someone I could talk to very well.
Feeling the cold sweat running down my back, I quietly sent a question to the twin women.
[...What if I say I don't want to?]
[Don't get us wrong.]
[Your opinions... isn't something we need.]
[What!?]
As soon as she said it, the woman with the large spear at the ready approaches me in a straight line and thrusts her huge spear.
It's a fast and sharp thrust, a blow that I can't dodge, but before it can reach me, the shadow of a person flew out from behind me.
[...!?]
[Sieg-san!?]
To be honest, I didn't immediately understand what was going on.
I didn't know what Sieg-san is here, nor did I even catch the moment that the big spear and her twin swords intersected.
The only thing I could clearly understand was that with that loud sound, Sieg-san's twin swords shattered and her body was slammed into a nearby wall.
Seeing this unbelievable scene, I immediately ran to the fallen Sieg-san's side.
Sieg-san seems to have sustained quite a lot of damage, and while shaking her body, she looks at me, moving her mouth only to say "run away".
I didn't fully understand how tremendous that strike of the woman with the big spear... Eta is, but the area near the roof of the building that Sieg-san had a hole with around a meter of radius.
[...Hooohhh, how surprising, for you to have such splendid ability. At the moment of the intersection, you saw that it was impossible to offset it and deflected that blow instead...]
I thought I heard Theta's mutter very clearly.
Sieg-san told me to run away, but perhaps... No, it's definitely not possible for me to escape from Theta and the others.
The only combat magic I can use is Auto-Counter, but that magic doesn't really increase my power levels.
I can't avoid an attack I can't even see, and of course, it would be impossible to escape from someone moving that fast.
I feel anger boiling within my guts for having Sieg-san get hurt... but there's nothing I can do.
Realizing my own helplessness, I stand in front of Sieg-san to protect her.
I'm the one they're after... I don't think I can talk to someone who suddenly attacks me, but I can't afford to let Sieg-san get hurt any further.
...So I'll just have to go along with them...
[Theta, what do you think?]
[So long as he's still alive, we should cut off his limbs so that he can't escape.]
[Yeah, let's do that.]
[!?]
With the girl with the big shield... Theta's words, Eta holds her spear towards me again.
That attack's coming again... But for some reason, at the moment when that spear would lunge again, Eta and Theta leaped backwards, and immediately afterwards, three sharp lines appeared at the ground they were standing at just a moment ago.
[Who the heck are you!?]
[...You're going to hurt master? That means... You're asking to be torn apart!!]
[Anima!?]
[I'm sorry I'm late! This unworthy Anima, finished her duty and returned!]
A familiar figure stood in front of me, her black fur cloak flapping with the win.
It was Anima, who I had asked to join Rigforeshia's guard unit and was temporarily separated from me.
[Anima... How did you get here?]
[Hahh! Just the other day, they finished reorganizing the guard force, so I immediately "ran" to master's side!]
[...I- I see.]
You ran!? From Rigforeshia to here!? There should have been three mountains around that area though...
While I'm surprised by Anima's outrageous statement, Eta and Theta look at Anima with a slightly sharper expression than before.
[A Beastman? Eta, this one's... strong.]
[Yeah, I could see that. However, I don't see a problem with the two of us fighting her alone—– What!?]
Even with Anima as their opponent, Eta and Theta had a somewhat carefree expression on their faces, as if they knew they would win with the two of them against one.
However, their expressions drastically changed when they saw huge flames attack them immediately afterwards, and they quickly split off to the left and right, avoiding the flames' reach.
Those flames that flew from behind me... There's only one person behind me right now, so the one who released them is definitely...
[...Looking back to it, it was quite foolish of me to fuss about it. However, why can't I just throw it away?]
[Eh?]
It was a dignified, yet somehow, a gentle and warm voice.
I heard footsteps and a shadow quietly stood in front of me.
Her short hair grew to her shoulders and the atmosphere she had around her was somewhat different, but there's no way I could mistake the appearance of her back for anyone else.
The swords with only hilts left in her hands have flickering crimson flames that held the shape of the blades, and in the light of that flame, even her red hair seems to sway like raging flames.
[However, if it's to protect you... I will throw away this foolish obsessiveness I've been holding onto for so long.]
[...Sieg...-san? Could it be...]
[Yes. I used the Fruit of the World Tree.]
After Sieg-san told me with her beautiful voice, she looked straight at Eta and Theta.
Sieg-san's change wasn't only that her hair grew back and her voice returned, the magic power she was clad in was also... clearly larger.
No, rather than saying it had become larger... Perhaps, it would be more accurate to express it as it had returned to how it originally is.
Sieg-san then walked up to Anima's side, holding her twin swords made of fire.
[...I will also be fighting with you. You also probably aren't in your tip-top shape. Moreover, the person we want to protect, the person we must protect... is the same.]
[You….. What did you say your name was?]
[Sieglinde.]
[... I see... Sieglinde-dono, thank you for your help! Let's fight together!]
[Yes!]
Extending her sharp claws and preparing for battle, Anima shouted, while Sieg-san vigorously nodded while holding her twin swords.
Dear Mom, Dad——- I am suddenly attacked by people who call themselves the War King's envoys. Armed with a large spear, Eta, holding a large shield, Theta, and a blue-haired man who showed no signs of moving. Now, the battle between the twin Demons Eta and Theta against Anima and Sieg-san—— The battle has begun.
**********
{Author's Notes}
To Kaito who says he can't do anything, let me teach you the magic words.
[Shiro-san, help me.]
This will solve most of the problems and the opponent will die.
And even if it doesn't, Eta and Theta will lose in the next chapter anyway.