Chapter 156: Luxurious Enemy
「Hey! Move quickly! The one who shows weakness is the one who gets targeted!」
we ran at full speed through the alley while being glared at by Gorillacia, with arrows and stones raining down on us. We had to reach the house up ahead and take control of the house…!
「Ooh, there are civilians! What are you going to do!?」
Then, a silhouette of a human, assuming a posture of begging for mercy, leapt out from the alley. I sliced it down with my spear-sword and continued running.
Thanks to the constraint magic, the power of the projectiles had been greatly reduced, but if it hit my eyes or face directly, it would still be dangerous. And if I get distracted by those incoming projectiles and let my guard down at my feet――
「GYAAAAAAAAAA!」
Alvar stepped on a trap along with a "thud".
「Leave him be! If we stop here, it's exactly what the enemy wants! Prioritize taking down the enemy first, helping him can wait after that! The fool caught in the trap needs to escape on his own!」
「GAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! My ankle, MY ANKLEEEEEEEEEEE!」
Alvar screamed in pain upon finding himself unable to pull his foot free of the trap. It seems he fell victim to a combination of a pitfall and a spring trap――no matter how good the boots and greaves were, the ankle joint was still vulnerable. The spring trap was designed to target that weak spot.Leaving Alvar, who was being stoned, behind, we charged into the house.
「GWAAAAAAAAAAAA!」
In the dimly lit room, Okke Night, who had missed the wire trap, was knocked away by a log that swung out from the side like a pendulum. Okke slammed into the wall, spat out blood, groaning in pain. It seemed that several sharp iron spikes embedded in the log had pierced his side――
「Dammit!」
Despite cursing loudly, Seyrey Night took control of the upper floor while being meticulous with his steps. He kicked down the door, then paused for a moment, staying alert for traps before attempting to run up the stairs――
「Woop…」
――Just as he stepped, the first stair turned into a pitfall, swallowing his torso. His lower body and sides, unprotected by armour, were shredded by the spiked rollers set on either side, leaving him unable to even scream. His face twisted into one that seemed to say, 「I'm done for…」
「I'm the one who's going to heal you, dumba――!」
I left Seyrey behind, cursing, and continued climbing the stairs.
Damn it, another wire trap? How annoying. It's probably some falling object from the ceiling, here it comes! And right where I dodge, a pitfall! It's infuriating how well thought out these traps are! If humans had the time to set up such elaborate traps in a simple house, they wouldn't be struggling in actual combat…!!
I neutralised and avoided the vicious traps, then subdued the beastfolk hiding in the upper floor, pretending to be soldiers.
And then―― Time to enjoy the healing moment.
「You guys… Seriously need to do something properly for once…」
I temporarily stopped the training and scolded the three idiots while being licked by Liliana.
It was fine that the training was tough, and I suppose it was inevitable that injuries would happen along the way.
However, these three idiots had been caught in a trap too many times already…!!
「Our apologies…」
Alvar and his two brothers could only look down in shame, unable to look into my eyes.
「How did Your Highness… Manage to avoid all those traps?」
「By instinct.」
I couldn’t exactly tell them that I knew those traps from my previous life’s experience, causing Alvar and co to look at each other with a troubled look on their face when I gave such a vague answer.
However, since I couldn’t really say much myself. The disguise of the Night Elf was so well-done that at first glance, I had a hard time telling where they were, so it was basically a gamble, and somehow I managed to avoid the traps.
「And by the way, you guys have to remember that in actual combat, all those thorns and blades are smeared with sh*t. Even if your wounds heal, you'll end up suffering for a long time when we get back.」
The three idiots had an even more despairing look on their faces when Gorillacia reminded them of that fact.
The transpose curse could only transfer wounds or affected areas to the scapegoat, but it couldn't cure poison or remove curses. If toxins remain in the body, the victim would only feel better for a while, but their condition would deteriorate again. Each time that happens, the transpose curse has to be used for treatment again, which places a heavy burden.
Even I had never expected that our "angrily smearing po*p" tactic would deal such a blow to the Demon Kingdom…
On the flip side, doing that allowed the Alliance side to hold their ground since the toxin needed a lot of scapegoats to be fully healed.
However, that didn't change the fact that the scapegoats they used were human too!!
「… Sorry for being useless. However, having us constantly take the frontline is unfair!」
――Seeing me getting more and more irritated, Alvar finally snapped at Kvirtal.
「Don't get the wrong idea.」
However, Kvirtal and his subordinates didn't react to Alvar's yelling at them.
「Your role is to clear the way. Discovering and disabling traps are also your responsibility. We have a more important task, namely, protecting His Highness in case of an emergency.」
Kvirtal snorted, replied while casting a glance at the various traps.
「――We won’t fall for traps of this level. It’s precisely because you’re inexperienced that we’re giving you intensive field training. Don't tell me that you're going to whine after getting caught in a real battle? Now that would be truly laughable…」
Kvirtal and his subordinates openly sneered at Alvar. Since Kvirtal always shows a serious and polite demeanour toward me, seeing this arrogant, demon-like attitude is kind of refreshing.
The three idiots gritted their teeth in frustration but couldn't come up with a counterargument.
「――That being said, words alone won't convince you. Let me show you what the difference in our experience makes, kid.」
And so, Kvirtal took the lead this time.
「Humph.」
As soon as the training resumed, Kvirtal infused his step with magical power and stomped forward with powerful steps.
As soon as he did that, stone spears burst up from various parts of the stone pavement, demolishing all traps in the area at once.
「… Uhm, do you really need to go that far for this training?」
Seyrey Night asked shyly.
Even Alvar and Okke had this 「Aren't you alone enough to demolish all the traps?」look on their faces .
「Coz it's necessary. If I fail, you have to suffer from all those traps.」
Kvirtal rebutted with flawless logic, leaving no way to retort.
Well, yeah. Those traps were fully mechanical, so unlike hexes, it couldn't be sensed with magical power. Kvirtal removed them all with magic, but he must have spotted the traps visually firsthand before he went ahead and demolished all of them…
「You’re focusing too much on one spot. Don’t be overly afraid of the traps—broaden your field of vision more.」
Kvirtal started lecturing the three idiots. Despite his tough appearance, he wasn’t actually bad at looking after his juniors――
Amidst all that, we push forward, growing increasingly fatigued as time goes on.
Let’s be honest. The traps in real combat weren't this densely packed! The ones setting the traps wouldn't have that kind of leeway!
『In short, those who underwent this training won't be flustered in real combat.』
Annoying as it was, that was a fair point. Plus, goblins, beastmen, and day combat units would likely clear the way for us or get caught in the traps, neutralising them to some extent.
I heard the rent for this training facility was expensive, but the traps weren’t free either. With this level of quality, they were definitely going to charge for it…!!
「Alright, let's keep running! We still have a long way to go!」
As always, we were being pushed forward by the energetic Gorillacia, and we gradually took control of the city.
We disabled the traps, mowed down the beastfolk acting as enemy soldiers, and smashed the human figurines to pieces――
Their numbers aside, it was also tough.
It feels like my senses were dulling. The colours in my vision were slowly fading away.
I hadn’t felt this in a long time. It felt like I was in the middle of endless fighting, and it gets so damn exhausting.
When was the last time I felt this? Was it right before reaching the Demon King's throne room, when I fought against his royal guards――？
While pondering such thoughts in the corner of my mind.
I ran through the alley and when I tried to stab a civilian's doll with a spear-sword――
――My eyes met that doll.
「S-Save me! I don't want to die!」
It turned out to be a human girl.
The human girl, dressed in shabby clothes, with nothing particularly remarkable about her.
「Save me, please! I'm not doing anything ba――!!」
My limbs were frozen in shock seeing a living human kneeling and desperately begging for their life.
『… Oh no! MOVE OUT!』
Delaying my reaction to Ante’s warning.
「SORAAAA!」
The wall right beside me shattered along with a deafening roar, and a warhammer struck my side.
A tremendous impact hit me, along with a nauseating feeling as if my ribs were all crushed at once, and the intense pain that came after that――
「GAH――」
The air was knocked out of my lungs, and I had no choice but to collapse on the spot, unable to breathe.
「Hahahaha, the foolish demon fell for that!」
The one who was swinging his warhammer around and laughing foolishly was ―― Regolius.
「Yeah, I told you so.」
Gorillacia heaved a sigh with a dumbfounded face and appeared behind him.
「Big sis, Gori… This is…」
「She's a living human civilian. I told you, right? We're using her as bait to set up a trap like this.」
She grabbed my hair and dragged me along the ground. Dammit, that hurt!
「And you remember what I said, right? Now tell me what you're supposed to do if a civilian suddenly appears in your sight?」
… Stop.
「You're supposed to do THIS!!」
NOOOOOOOOOO――!!
Gorillacia swung the sword in her hand without even batting her eyes.
「Argh.」
The girl who slashed diagonally fell to the ground in her own pool of blood.
Her face turned to the side as she fell ,she had fully dilated pupils.――
Looking at me with a sorrowful look on her face.
「Haah, what a waste!」
Seyrey Night, who had been watching from afar, unintentionally let out a shout.
「Ah. I did it now, she should be useful for a scapegoat…」
Said Gorillacia as she struck out her tongue while scratching her head.
「Jilba's healing is so convenient that I forgot about it. Well, that's luxury for you.」
「Instructor, this human girl… Isn't she a bit too young to be discarded?」
Okke Night asked curiously.
「She's infertile. Since she can't bear any children, I heard she is assigned for treatment purposes.」
「Aah, no wonder…」
Okke Night nodded in understanding.
All I could do was stare dumbfoundedly at the corpse of the girl.
How could there be… such a meaningless death?
I was simply left behind when the others around me were chatting calmly.
No, there was another one…
Only Alvar Auril had an indescribable look on his face, but――
「…」
「C'mon, you should get treated too. We cannot afford to waste time in this precious training.」
Gorillacia suddenly tapped lightly on my head.
A spark suddenly ignited in me.
However, I tried my best to suppress it.
I focused on the pain in my ribs, trying to distract myself from whatever thing that was beginning to stir inside.
A genuine killing intent in front of this person was bad news.
――！
「WOOFWOOF!!」
Liliana rushed over, licking my wounds to heal them. The pain faded almost immediately, and my breathing became easier.
Alas――
「Kyu~~n…!」
And then, Liliana licked the cheek of the woman lying beside her, letting out a sad whine as she dropped her ears.
Not even her power could revive the dead.
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My first CN project, why waifu though? Well, coz the main heroine's job is buying soy sauce till the end of act 1
New Project:
Harem, Hero, Demon King, Seven Deadly Sin, Seven Virtue, Sacred Beast, Sword and Magic, Dystopian Future, DESTINY PROJECT HAD IT REALIZED!, Dungeon, Dragon, 72 Demons, Reincarnations
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