ALL NOVEL Chapter 267
The Holy Sword resonated with the Hero Lishe as she literally flew across the battlefield.
With Lars, who borrowed the Goddess’s power, assisting her, there was simply no rival to be found.
Even the Dragon Legion led by the Barbarian Maiden lent their strength.
It was akin to bringing siege weapons into an arena fight with just your bare hands.
“To realize that person’s ideals… ugh.”
Ritch couldn’t even finish the line he’d carefully crafted all night.
Lishe, slightly moody due to events in her fief, quickly regained her spirits after joining the allied forces and receiving treatment from Lars.
But there was a variable: Charles.
‘If Charles meets Acella, a fight is bound to break out.’
The easiest way to prevent trouble is to not give it a chance to arise at all.
Lars decided to completely keep Lishe and Acella from meeting.
Lishe focuses on the resonation while Charles gets ready for battle. Truly, it was efficient.
“So, even though he’s turned into a Great Demon, it’s a situation where we just need to take him down.”
“Exactly.”
“Lars, I can’t believe you also came from the future. It’s amazing how history has changed.”
“I could never have done this alone.”
At the end of Lars’ gaze was the formidable Barbarian Maiden riding a mammoth.
That gaze was filled with trust. If only she had met Lars a little sooner, or had been a bit more honest, could she have built such a friendship?
She momentarily set aside her envy and decided to focus solely on achieving her goal to end the cycle.
In the battle against Ritch she had fought alongside the Elves, Lars had obtained the last ingredient for the elixir: a branch of the World Tree.
Using it, he successfully crafted the ultimate potion, the elixir, to cure his debuff.
“Do I just drink this?”
However, Acella’s fifty bad endings were still alive and well. If she wasn’t cured, she’d blow him away in no time.
Even if he survived her, he would have to endure the malevolent acts she would unleash as she inevitably returned to become empress. Naturally, that was not something he could endure.
Curing Acella was a necessary prerequisite.
“Let’s think on it for a bit.”
First, let’s delete the bad endings from the Demon King’s army. He set a goal.
The allied forces began to hold back the invading Demon King’s army from the western kingdom.
However, the battle’s dynamics were somewhat different. Whether it was the result of careful monitoring of the kingdom, Jinzou caused the incident not in the kingdom, but in the Kingdom of Law.
By the time Lars arrived, significant damage had already been done. It was a location attacked in the future.
“Lars, I smell something over here.”
Gishta had found something. The place of the ambush was marked with animal blood drawn in the underground passage.
Upon tracking it and mapping it out, it turned into a giant Magic Circle.
“This…”
“I saw the same Magic Circle in the Elf’s Forest. It’s already active. This is the auxiliary circle, comprising the 3rd and 4th circuits. There are five more circles of the same type. They must have engraved the Basic Circle and Final Circle for forming cubes in a four-dimensional projection somewhere.”
Acella, glancing at the map, acted knowledgeable.
“Could you explain it simply in the Emperor’s tongue?”
“It means the Demon King’s army is drawing a seven-tier Magic Circle across the entire human realm. I don’t know the formula, but the effect must be tremendous.”
“That’s not good.”
This was undoubtedly a contract made by the Great Demon with the Demon King. Since the Demon King had also attacked the same region in the future, it made sense that his goal was to activate some colossal magic.
“So, the remaining regions are…”
“If we draw along the lines, it’ll be here and here.”
“The central kingdom and the northern Empire.”
Gishta’s expression turned grave as she gazed at the map.
“Lars, this area is…”
“Our land.”
The Gothberg Marquisate.
That locale was also one of the last battlegrounds where the Magic Circle needed to be drawn.
“Well done, Your Majesty. Predicting the enemy’s next objective is commendable.”
“Gothberg’s Commander, is the treatment not done yet?”
Acella snapped her fingers, her gaze sleek with threat. Lars fully understood that this was an ultimatum.
“Just a little more time, please.”
“How much? My patience is wearing thin. Wasn’t it you who boldly said you’d welcome me as a consort after a brief annulment?”
“W-well, technically, it was you who annulled it and, um, I didn’t exactly use the word ‘consort’…”
“Oh, so you can’t do it?”
Standing before the blazing golden eyes, Lars turned into a mute. To soothe Acella’s mood, he had to shower her with flattery.
*
As she traveled across the continent in a frenzy, Gishta prepared for the impending final battle.
The Thunder Tribe, along with the Dragon Legion, was under her command. The fate of the most critical forces of the allied forces rested in her hands.
But she didn’t feel burdened. More than anything, it was her experience from freely adventuring out of that frustrating basin that played a big part.
Thanks to her broadened perspective, she became more than capable of leading a large number of followers.
“Lars, we’ll reach the Marquisate in a week. When…”
Gishta, who had been naturally searching for him, caught sight of Lars talking with Acella and involuntarily hid herself.
From a distance, it was clear that…
…they made a good pair. It was undeniable.
Both were born of noble blood, perhaps that was why.
Conversely, her own arms, roughened from working with paper, did little to enhance her feminine charm. The healthy muscle formation diminished her allure.
Recently, Lars was passionately seeking ways to cure her. Naturally, the Healer’s attention couldn’t but gravitate towards the patient.
For the umpteenth time, she realized he was a man living in another world whom she admired.
When Lars returned to his lodging late at night, he rummaged through his notes, deep in thought.
“The remaining bad endings are the Great Demon, Acella… and…”
He glanced at Gishta.
He closed his notebook and turned his body.
“Did something unpleasant happen?”
“Uh? W-what do you mean?”
“Your shoulders look slumped.”
Seeing his face, Gishta’s earlier glumness quickly bubbled back to the surface.
Stopping her previous task, she felt joy in his concern.
Was it because they were close friends?
At the very least, she held a significance greater than mere comradeship in his eyes.
But did Lars truly see her that way?
Though she was somewhat curious, she decided, “What does it matter?” and settled for the present.
He really was a fascinating man. Being with him had taught her emotions and experiences she had never known before.
“Lars.”
For some reason, wanting to hide her expression, Gishta cuddled up to him. Leaning her face against his head to hide from his view.
Perhaps due to her slightly forceful gesture, the notebook she had tucked into her pocket fell, landing on Lars’ notebook with a thud.
“…Have you thought about what you’ll do once the fight is over?”
“Well, I didn’t have any specific plans. Wasn’t that how we always are?”
True, if adventurers even ponder the lunch menu for tomorrow, they are among the diligent.
“But if I were to think loosely, I guess I’d build a mansion in the Marquisate and only go on adventures occasionally. I’d have more time after all.”
“…You actually had that thought?”
“If I drink the elixir, I’ll live at least a few hundred years, so I intend to take things slow.”
“A few hundred…”
That’s a lengthy amount of time. The time Lars and Gishta had spent together was barely over five years. There was still much yet to come.
“Lars, I…”
“Hmm?”
“I also… can I stay by your side during that time? I mean, we’re friends…”
Gishta had a long lifespan ahead of her. The dragon’s blood flowing through her veins and the powerful heart of a dragon would still show her the vast world for quite some time.
Realizing her typically cautious question, Lars chuckled lightly, brushed aside her long bangs, and responded.
“More than friends.”
A joy much deeper than before bubbled inside Gishta, and she bit her lip, unable to voice anything further.
*
“I’ve found the answer.”
Lars ultimately discovered the method.
The Storm Stone, which enhances the effect of artifacts, was the key.
Taking a gamble, he used some of the elixir for experimentation and discovered numerous new combinations while reacting with the Storm Stone.
“Ah, this is it! I’m the alchemist of adamantium!”
The recipe for the elixir was not the final recipe for alchemists but rather a new starting point for reaching a higher realm.
Because of that, he only had 30 percent of the total amount left for the elixir he would drink, but it was enough to cure his debuff and extend his lifespan.
He finally saw a way to treat Acella’s curse. A dispel potion capable of eliminating all black magic could be made by combining the mana of a high-ranking black magician with the elixir.
In other words, it was a problem that could be resolved once he defeated the Great Demon.
“The Great Demon is currently commanding from within the kingdom. We received intel that the Demon King’s army is heading to the Marquisate through unexplored lands. So, here’s the plan.”
Just before arriving at the Marquisate, Lars put forth his suggestion.
“I have a way to lure the Great Demon. At that point, Lishe should strike. Gishta, please defend the Marquisate in the meantime.”
“Isn’t solo action too dangerous?”
“I have prepared measures. Gishta, I’m counting on you.”
“Leave it to me. Lars, come back alive.”
After watching Lars’ retreating figure, Gishta fiercely raised her axe.
“Let’s smash those scoundrels! It’s hunting time!”
The Thunder Tribe villagers followed her. Mammoths and wolves raced across the plains, stirring up a snowstorm.
‘Lars’ land.’
No, from now on.
‘…Our land.’
To continue being here with him.
With a timid aspiration, Gishta prepared for the final battle.