Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Empty Cup

‘Hoo—.’

Adrianne burst a rapid breath.

She did not even remember how much she swung the sword.

‘A Magic Realm suddenly appearing—.’

The Magic Realm is no different from the demon race’s main base. There the demon race becomes stronger, and humans become weak.

One could not know what principle, but the Magic Realm gave particularly more burden to Adrianne who burned mana.

Adrianne chewed her lips and swung the sword.

The fully risen brilliant white aura cut the huge tentacle. The end part of that huge tentacle was cut and ash fluttered.

However one could not give a fatal wound. Adrianne who used a sword and the huge magic beast had poor compatibility.

Rather if it was a highest-rank demon race it would have been easier.

However, Adrianne did not complain.

‘One has to block here.’

She just raised aura more and advanced.

Then—.

“You worked hard.”

A familiar voice was heard from the side.

A leisurely voice as if coming out for an outing on a leisurely day—.

Galahad was already beside Adrianne at some point.

“I was a bit late because I handled the mages and came.”

Nod.

“Ah, you can speak.”

“Yes, how is the situation?”

“One can see it as good, because only this remains.”

Galahad pointed forward. Four huge tentacles were undulating on the upper part of the castle.

‘Only this····?’

It was too huge an opponent to speak lightly. Yet when Galahad spoke leisurely it felt really like that.

“Come, I will explain the operation. Looking earlier it seemed there was something like a core in the center of that guy.”

“Core you say?”

“Ah, hmm—, think of it as the head. It seems one has to deal with that part.”

“I see.”

Adrianne nodded and swung the sword. The flying tentacle was cut and turned into ash. The tentacle that became shorter rose up.

“The farther from the center the thinner the tentacle’s mana concentration. The reason you had difficulty is also that. Because you become stronger the stronger the opponent’s mana concentration.”

Galahad shook the water bottle. Adrianne nodded for now.

“But I who am a mage am strong against opponents with thin mana concentration. It is the words that our compatibility is quite good.”

Adrianne’s eyebrows slightly rose.

“Come, I will take charge of here. Come behind me.”

“······Yes?”

“It is the words to stand behind.”

Galahad opened the lid of the water bottle and stepped forward.

“That— I will stand at the lead.”

Adrianne who was blankly at the unexpectedly wide back urgently said.

“Hmm, didn’t I explain sufficiently just now?”

Galahad opened his eyes narrowly and asked. Adrianne who recalled how much Galahad teases Gilbert hurriedly shook her head.

“Understood.”

“Yes, you are not Sir Gilbert either.”

Adrianne tightly closed her mouth.

“Follow well. I will go quickly.”

Galahad who said so raised his right hand. A picture made of red blood blazed red on that forearm. Exactly like a flame that raises ash—.

“Yes.”

Adrianne followed another’s back after a really long time.

A huge tentacle fell. Galahad who stood in front of that looked precarious.

Adrianne habitually grabbed the sword. When trying to step forward.

“Hellfire.”

A small fire was shot from Galahad’s hand.

Compared to the huge tentacle it was the size of a fingernail, but Adrianne felt a subtle coolness.

The water that started small ate the ash that filled the surroundings and inflated the size.

The tentacle blazed in an instant. A nauseating smell fully spread.

The appearance of the huge tentacle burning in fire was quite a spectacle.

“Do you see there? That is the boundary.”

Galahad pointed at the end part of that tentacle. The fire that was burning the tentacle was blocked at some moment and disappeared.

“Up to there I will take the lead. Behind that you protect me.”

The eyes of Galahad who said so were quite serious.

“Yes.”

Adrianne firmly nodded.

“It is a promise.”

Galahad rarely asked again.

At that a subtle sense of incongruity was felt, but Adrianne nodded.

“Yes.”

“I will only trust you.”

“······Yes.”

Because that voice was subtly ticklish Adrianne slightly turned her head.

Because of that she did not see the corners of Galahad’s mouth rising.

Galahad continuously drank the water bottle and shot fire or lightning.

That appearance looked precarious, but there was no hesitation in Galahad.

How much did they go—.

“I am up to here.”

At the appearance of Galahad who said so and hid behind himself without hesitation, Adrianne forgot the situation and laughed softly.

“You, did you laugh just now?”

“I did not laugh.”

“Is that so?”

Galahad raised his eyebrows and asked. At that Adrianne coughed softly and adjusted the sword.

Thanks to catching breath for a moment the state became much better.

White aura blazed roughly again.

“You are prettier when you smile.”

She pretended not to hear the words heard from behind.

“Hmm, did you not hear? You are prettier when you smile.”

“······Understood!”

“You, did you get annoyed just now?”

Adrianne tightly closed her lips.

It seemed a cough would come out.

****

‘Hmm····, up to here?’

Galahad shook his right arm and raised the corners of his mouth.

It felt as if the right arm was burning in fire. It was the reason of turning too much mana.

The magic circle the First Mage left contained several functions.

Among them there was also a function of not being recognized by magic beasts.

It seemed related to the magic circle of the magic beast trainer.

However, that also had a limit.

Actually, when approaching close to the magic beast’s core the tentacle was swung even at Galahad.

Amusingly the Magic Realm called Sanctuary was helpful to Galahad.

When the pill of pain and the magic circle the First Mage left were added to mage Galahad the Magic Realm was rather effective for Galahad.

No, the word effective was insufficient.

The Magic Realm was water.

Galahad was a fish.

‘Highest-rank—.’

Galahad muttered while looking at the huge tentacle in front.

No matter how highest-rank one could not fill that huge build all with high concentration mana.

Actually confirming the very end part had only the mana of a low-rank demon race level. The mana concentration became denser as going inward.

Then, Adrianne cut the root part of the tentacle. That golden hair brilliant like the sun fluttered roughly.

“Are you okay?”

Thump—.

The heart beat roughly. The pill of pain seemed to be acting up again slowly.

‘I have to hold the hand once more.’

The pill of pain wriggled. It seemed as if protesting pretending not for nothing. Shameless guy—.

“It is the feeling the magic beast cannot concentrate this side.”

“Cannot concentrate?”

···············!!

At the magic beast’s bizarre cry that rang intermittently Adrianne’s words were cut for a moment.

“····Even the screams continuously bursting like now, it seems there is also another person besides us.”

At Adrianne’s serious words Galahad touched the cool neck.

‘Did the Grand Duke already come this far?’

Galahad deliberately moved to the opposite side of the Grand Duke.

It was the situation of placing the magic beast’s core as the center and being on opposite sides. According to Adrianne’s words, it seemed the Grand Duke already reached the core.

“It is not Sir Gilbert or Belogrim. It could be an enemy. It is a considerable strong person.”

Adrianne said seriously.

A considerable strong person—, Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

“It is not an enemy. I believe you will protect.”

“······Protecting even though not an enemy?”

“There is such a thing. Will you protect?”

Adrianne’s eyebrows hardened a little.

“Yes.”

At that firm answer Galahad laughed satisfied.

“I will only trust you.”

They advanced again.

No matter how much one cut and burned the tentacles, one could not pull out that root.

Because of that it felt the number increased as going closer.

But, Adrianne became stronger the stronger the opponent.

Adrianne did not stop the sword. That white aura blazed as if painting the world.

As going closer tentacles were shot indiscriminately.

And Adrianne blocked in front of that.

That back view was truly reliable.

However, that also seemed to have reached the limit.

Adrianne’s hand holding the sword trembled.

This place was the Magic Realm.

Thanks to the Magic Realm mage Galahad or the demon race became strong to an incomparable degree, but on the contrary knights seemed to receive bad influence.

“It is dangerous.”

Adrianne turned and said to Galahad. The face that had been expressionless was fully furrowed.

Sweat was full on the face. That face looked as if holding something about to burst right away.

“Is it the limit?”

“······It is hard to regulate anymore.”

Adrianne said in a voice pressed and contained.

‘Hard to regulate.’

Adrianne’s aura was blazing more brilliantly than any time.

Is it really the limit.

‘There is no way.’

She was the hero who would fight the demon race’s king.

That limit could not be only a highest-rank magic beast.

Adrianne could advance more.

Only a trigger was needed.

Trigger—.

Galahad muttered softly.

‘Not bad.’

The calculation ended quickly.

“You can.”

Galahad put the cigarette in his mouth and laughed.

Adrianne could not understand Galahad laughing in this kind of situation.

His next action even more—.

····Could not understand.

Galahad walked forward without hesitation.

Adrianne who was struggling even to suppress the aura could not stop Galahad.

Galahad passed Adrianne and stood in front of the tentacle.

And turning to Adrianne.

“Save me.”

He spread both arms.

A huge tentacle was shot aiming at such Galahad.

Because the distance to the core was close, the momentum of the tentacle was sharp.

Galahad laughed while looking at Adrianne.

“Ah—.”

At that crazy appearance Adrianne spat a small last cry.

In instinctive anxiety she burst the aura she had been forcibly pressing.

The aura she thought she could not control was also Adrianne’s.

Ah—.

The aura that had been blazing roughly moved according to Adrianne’s will.

The aura she thought she could not regulate was scattered long.

A white line was drawn long.

Thud—.

The cut tentacle changed into ash in an instant.

Galahad only then turned behind.

Unlike before when only the wound area became ash this time even that root turned into ash.

“Oh, it worked.”

‘Oh—it worked?’

At Galahad who laughed while shaking off the dust stuck on the coat Adrianne twitched her lips.

She wanted to curse, but there was no curse she knew how to.

“····Is the head broken?”

“Sorry but, I am fine. Rather the problem is being too excellent.”

“But why such—.”

“I only believed you.”

At the unshaking voice Adrianne’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What were you going to do if I could not.”

“Didn’t you?”

The conversation did not work.

Why giving such firm belief to the extent of staking one’s life—.

Adrianne could not understand.

“Don’t you also not want to become a widow.”

“I have not married yet.”

“Oh— ‘yet’?”

The more one mixed words the loss a man. Adrianne tightly closed her mouth.

“Come, then deal with it coolly.”

“Originally that was the thought. Not listening to that side’s words.”

“You, the voice became sharp. Did you get sulky?”

“······I did not get sulky.”

The aura was blazing rougher than before.

She did not want to acknowledge, but it was thanks to Galahad.

‘A crazy human.’

One could not understand.

···············!!

Then, the magic beast screamed a bizarre cry.

Unlike before it was a sound full of painful signs.

Soon the tentacle lost power and collapsed with a thud—.

‘What—’

Adrianne turned her head. It was clear someone caught the magic beast.

Then—.

Galahad collapsed with a flop—.

“Strength left the legs.”

“······.”

Adrianne confirmed the gauntlet. It was a state of even adding leather inside. There she desperately put strength. To the extent hard to breathe—.

After confirming several times like that she very carefully held Galahad.

“Because the wife is a knight this kind of thing is good.”

The appearance of smiling was quite annoying.

Then—.

“Hmm.”

The Grand Duke appeared.

Thick flesh pieces were held in the hand fully covered in red blood. Probably the magic beast’s core.

The Grand Duke looked at Galahad and chewed the flesh pieces well.

Only then Galahad who realized he was held by Adrianne urgently said.

“Put me down a bit.”

Adrianne rather hugged tighter.

“Adrianne?”

At Galahad’s desperate whisper the corners of Adrianne’s mouth slightly rose.

Adrianne who endured for a moment and put him down approached the Grand Duke.

“Why is His Grace the Grand Duke here?”

“The guy who calls himself son-in-law invited. A demon race banquet was held in the demon race’s yard.”

Adrianne asked in a higher voice than usual. At that the Grand Duke stared at Galahad.

“Haha, hello. His Grace the Grand Duke.”

Galahad carefully paid courtesy and raised a greeting.

‘I did not know he was that strong.’

The flesh piece lump held in the Grand Duke’s hand was clearly the core of a highest-rank magic beast.

To think of pulling that out directly with the hand. Even not a single wound was seen on that body. One could not even get a sense of how strong that was.

Above all—.

‘Did the Grand Duke use an axe?’

One did not know who in detail, but one of the main characters written in the notebook. He also clearly used an axe.

“Why don’t you call father-in-law?”

The Grand Duke asked while revealing sharp teeth like a shark.

If one could kill a person with eyes, Galahad would have died long ago.

Galahad slightly hid behind Adrianne.

“If one leaves the seat like that what will you do.”

Adrianne scolded again. At that the Grand Duke’s gaze returned.

Because behind Adrianne that bloody momentum was not felt at all.

‘How does one receive that?’

Galahad was thinking other thoughts.

The flesh piece lump held in the Grand Duke’s hand, the blood flowing drop by drop from there was too brilliant.

The pill of pain also continuously went thud thud. It seemed as if begging for that right away.

However, the opponent was the Grand Duke.

Seeing the tooth marks firmly engraved on the flesh piece it seemed he really tore and ate the demon race.

‘Eating the demon race raw without even grilling, a vicious barbarian.’

It seemed not for nothing the ruler of the North. Galahad stuck out his tongue.

“Step aside.”

Then, the Grand Duke approached one step.

Adrianne blocked him.

“If not Captain Galahad this time, one almost received large damage. One almost lost the entire 7th Battalion, and an unprecedented situation of the Magic Realm opening in the North almost occurred.”

The Grand Duke’s steps stopped. Adrianne continued the words.

“This is a merit one cannot measure. It is correct to praise the merit first.”

At the continued Adrianne’s words the Grand Duke’s face twitched.

Galahad was surprised that a person’s face could be that vicious.

He was curious how Adrianne came out from that face.

“Merit—.”

“Haha, I only did what one has to do.”

At the appearance of the guy not avoiding the eyes the Grand Duke raised the corners of his mouth.

“I will give a cup to Special Mission Unit Captain, Galahad.”

The Grand Duke took out a rusted gold cup from his bosom. It was a roughly shaped cup.

Giving a cup meant officially receiving the Grand Duke’s recognition.

The recognition of the Grand Duke who is the ruler of the North was never light.

It was the Grand Duke who had not even given recognition to Adrianne.

No, he did not give.

Because the North’s cup—.

Is filled full with the blood of the demon race.

The Grand Duke put the flesh piece to the cup and squeezed with a zook—. Red blood fully poured and overflowed the cup and flowed to the floor.

The guy who saw that largely flinched.

“It is the North’s cup.”

The Grand Duke held out the cup filled full with the blood of the demon race to the guy.

“Father······.”

“Quiet.”

Adrianne tightly closed her lips and stepped back.

The Grand Duke held out the cup to the guy.

If the guy endures, he will become the only Northern warrior who received the Grand Duke’s recognition.

If he cannot endure it was only that the guy’s vessel was that degree.

He, as always only gave an opportunity.

Although it is an opportunity where ninety-nine out of a hundred die, receiving the Grand Duke’s recognition was originally that.

A warrior who received the Grand Duke’s recognition—.

One out of a hundred.

No, a seat only one in the entire North.

“If afraid one can refuse.”

The Grand Duke quietly stared at the guy.

There was also one who ran away leaving the cup.

There was also one who drank and went crazy.

What will you do.

At the Grand Duke’s question—.

The guy.

“Thank you.”

Laughed brightly and drank the cup at once.

Continuously gulped without even breathing.

Whether even that was insufficient—.

“Is there no more? Father-in-law—.”

At the guy who held out the empty cup and licked his lips.

“A crazy guy.”

The Grand Duke’s fierce corners of the mouth rose.