Chapter 41: Burial Chamber of Angels (part seven)

Sorry for being a day late! It’s a bit hard to translate, but here is the next chapter! Enjoy~ Also, I haven’t said this but thank you for all your comments, likes, and follows!

TL: clover

ED: clover, eristol

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Silver sparkling magic circle was wrapping Klaus’ spellcards.

It was Hafan’s highest tier magic, which creates the time delaying barrier that I had seen before.

 

I understood Klaus’ intention and nodded.

Simple attacks won’t hit Palug.

Then, we should create a situation which will make them unavoidable.

 

I held the wand of Magic Missiles in my right hand and pulled out another wand with my left hand.

The chosen wand was the wand of Rain of Stone.

It is as cheap as Magic Missiles, but it contains an offensive magic suitable for group warfare.

 

When I waved the wand of Rain of Stone, Palug quickly jumped back a few meters.

On the place where she was before, countless pieces of small but sharp stone shards were raining incessantly.

It is a range attack which is difficult to avoid for ordinary people, but it doesn’t seem to work due to the speed of the divine beast.

However, this was within my expectations.

 

While I shifted the effect range of the Rain of Stone, I continued to rain the stone shards intermittently.

The wand of Rain of Stone creates clouds of stone shards in the air, then they descend, so it has a large time lag from its invocation to attack.

On that time lag, I shot the Magic Missiles.

One of the magical bullets which were fired at high speed grazed Palug’s arm.

 

『This is quite an underhanded attack.』

“As if I would care about my opponent’s situation.”

 

Physical attacks and magical attacks, low speed bullets from above and fast bullets from the side, wide area attack and sniping.

Simultaneous attack of two types of magic with different properties.

Without any opening, the hail of bullets pressured Palug and snatched away her option to evade them, and forcing her to defend was a part of my plan.

Palug swept the stone shards away with her fur-covered forearms while just barely avoiding the Magic Missiles.

She wore a smile on her face as usual, but it was not the smile full of composure like few moments ago.

 

『I’m just a dying beast, you know? Please go a bit more easy on me.』

“A wounded beast is the most terrifying one.”

『That’s a pretty high evaluation. I’m glad.』

 

Without thinking of the consequences, the series of attacks continued to chase after Palug, but at the same time I was being caught up.

Palug’s evasion speed was faster than what I assumed.

It was inevitable that the consumption of the range attack increased since I was trying to cope with her high evasion ability.

Although the wand of Rain of Stone was charged fifty times, right now the remaining bullets are ten.

 

(What should I do? I have prepared a spare wand of Rain of Stone, but……there is no opportunity to pull out the wand.)

 

If the Rain of Stone stops even for a moment, Palug will attack within that gap.

However, it is unwise to let go of the wand of Magic Missile while the remaining bullets are still being released and to pull out the spare Rain of Stone with my right hand.

It is better than stopping the Rain of Stone, but she definitely can shorten our distance.

And even if I survive right after transferring Magic Missile to my other hand, it will be hard for me to control it with my left hand.

 

Before I could decide, the rest of the bullets of Rain of Stone ran out.

I withdrew my second Rain of Stone with my left hand naturally.

I saw the appearance of the approaching divine beast as if weaving her way between the arrows of magical power I had shot randomly.

 

Palug brandished her claws—

 

Claws as sharp as knives stopped right in front of me.

I myself also tangled my legs trying to escape and was stuck in the posture when I was about to collapse on my back.

The stone shards which were falling stopped mid-air.

The only moving things in sight were the silver spellcards.

 

(This magic is Klaus’……!)

 

The silver spellcards which were circling at high-speed separated us from the normal time flow.

The magic of Time Delay changed the isolated area into a slow-flowing space like in slow-motion.

By the powerful time manipulation magic which is the closest to stopping time, even the divine beast’s movement were constrained without exception.

 

Klaus who was the caster was the only one who could move normally in this barrier.

 

Klaus had a spellcard in his hand and enclosed it with a complex spell along with his magical power.

Klaus stuck it on me and it began to emit silver light similar to the time manipulation magic circle.

The feeling of being stuck in the air suddenly disappeared.

Klaus hugged and supported me who was about to fall down.

 

“T-thank you very much, Klaus-sama.”

“No, I just barely saved you……the magic of Neutralization seems to be working well.”

“Neutralization……? H-huh, I can move?”

 

While being supported by Klaus, I got up and put strength on my feet.

Since the surrounding time is still delayed, that means the barrier of the Time Delay has not been released.

The spell he put on me seems to be preventing me from being included in the delayed time stream.

 

“How ingenious……”

“I did some trial and error ever since that battle.”

 

Klaus said as if it was natural.

I thought it was unfair that he could customize the highest tier magic in just a few months.

 

“Now then, we don’t have time to relax. Although it seems to be somewhat working, the effect time doesn’t extend much.”

“If we want to attack her, I guess right now is the best time for that.”

 

I waved the wands of Rain of Stone and Magic Missile toward Palug consecutively.

The countless stone shards created by the Rain of Stone magic formed a cloud-like mass, and the magic bullets of the Magic Missile were created in front of Palug’s eyes.

However, they were caught by the Time Delay barrier and didn’t move any further.

 

“It seems that I wasn’t able to neutralize the magic you use. It will be a small task for the future……overcoming this seems to be difficult.”

“What should we do now?”

“It’s fine. I will be the one to attack.”

 

Klaus struck Palug, who was suspended in the air, by accelerating the spellcards of the Protective Circle.

However, the spellcards were ignited and burned out before they could touch Palug.

 

“Damn it……these spell cards are no good against this monstro.”

“What should we do?”

“If I can’t hit that monstro using these papers, I only have to hit her using other things. I will borrow the magic you have deployed.”

 

After saying that, Klaus cast more magic on my deployed Rain of Stone.

All of the stone shards were wrapped in a magic which was shining sparkling white.

On the surface of the stone shards, water vapor solidified into frost and then dry ice were formed.

As the aftermath of the magic, it seems that the temperature of the whole room has fallen.

 

Apparently, what Klaus cast was a cooling magic.

Certainly, if the opponent is a monstro made of light and heat, a cooling magic will be effective.

 

“Your Rain of Stone and my Cold Snap, the combined magic will be Hail of Stone, huh.”

“You said ‘combined magic’, but I didn’t do anything.”

“Whatever, the caster switched to me anyway. With this, the attack should be able to hit that monstro.”

 

Finally, Klaus added an accelerating spell built within the spellcards.

In the Time Delay barrier, the wide area attack became accelerated.

This time it will be an unavoidable blow.

 

Klaus swung his arm with the completion of the chant.

The countless stone hails, due to the acceleration magic, drew a silver trajectory and poured down on Palug.

 

After a moment of fantastic sight, overwhelming destruction took place.

The hails hit the floor and broke it into pieces and mist containing fragments of stones mixed with debris whirled up.

The broken stone pieces and mist left Klaus’ control again and was suspended in the Time Delay barrier.

 

The mist containing sparkling debris was covering the battlefield.

The concentration of mist was not enough to completely obscure our field of vision.

And yet, there was no figure of Palug.

 

“……She disappeared? Where did that monstro go?”

“It seems that she is made of light and heat, so maybe she has completely disappeared as she did a while ago.”

“No way. Although it’s a lower tier spell, this is the guy who can erase the spell cards with a cooling spell placed on them without even touching them, you know?”

“But, in the barrier where the time is delayed, she shouldn’t be able to escape……Klaus-sama!?”

 

The body of Klaus, who was focused on watching our surroundings, suddenly lurched forward.

At the same time, the barrier of Time Delay and the spellcards that were forming the Protective Circle were destroyed at once.

I rushed over to him in a panic.

He didn’t seem to have any trauma.

 

“Kuh……I see, if it’s the speed of light……”

 

Following Klaus’ line of sight, I also turned around.

A flash of red light crossed my field of vision.

Palug who materialized in the air, descended on the floor gently.

 

『Correct. It is so tiring that I didn’t want to use it if possible.

Although I am considerably slowed down, I am light.

From my point of view, the falling pebbles were the same as if they were suspended.

Well, if you had completely stopped the time, I suppose they would have harmed me.』

 

Strength faded from Klaus’ body.

I couldn’t support him with my power, and Klaus fell on his knees.

 

“Damn it……if there was no mental interference, I would still……”

“Klaus-sama!!”

 

Even though he himself is unconscious, Auguste’s mental interference is still occurring.

Klaus who has lost his Protective Circle is directly exposed to the strong mental interference.

Large drops of sweat were forming on his forehead.

While a large amount of magical power was being used up, it seems that due to the Magic Resistance he could barely endure it.

 

『Oh my~ you still want to struggle? Those who give up and give in to my prince, will feel relieved, you know?』

“Who……will be doing what you want……! I will not lose……I have decided to become Erica’s shield!”

 

Even though he was riddled with wounds and was about to faint, Klaus tried to protect me.

Just maintaining his consciousness is already a miracle, so why is he able to push himself this far?

 

Palug was looking over Klaus with a smile.

I felt that Auguste’s shoulder trembled at the edge of my sight.

 

“……What, you……are you the same as me?”

 

Unexpectedly Klaus looked away from Palug and looked around.

He was talking towards someone who couldn’t be seen in the empty sky.

 

“Eei, whoever you are, it’s fine……if you can manipulate my body, do it……”

“Klaus-sama, what—!?”

“It’s fine even if I become a puppet. In exchange, protect this girl without fail……”

『Oh my, you can’t do that.』

 

Palug punched Klaus’ jaw lightly.

Klaus couldn’t even raise his voice and his consciousness was robbed.

There is some pulse.

It seems that he only fainted.

 

『I’m sorry. I cannot let Auguste be burdened with such work.

But, that was very passionate and lovely. I have changed my opinion about that boy.

—That’s why I will spare him.

Please be grateful. It’s great to be alive……right? 』

 

Palug smiled gently at the fallen Klaus.

The divine beast which had been living as the Hero’s attendant, perhaps had seen a glimpse of the future Hero, not only in Auguste but also in Klaus.

 

『Now then, Erica Aurelia.

You are different. I will not let you go.』

 

The golden lion called me and stared.

I took a deep breath and raised my eyes.

In just a moment, the facial expression of Palug changed to a very young impression than the appearance suggested.

That smile was the smile of a cruel girl who stomped on insects innocently.

 

『My life can no longer be kept as long as it is.

Yes……unless I eat your blood, and your soul.

There is no other alternative.

I have to fulfill my contract with Auguste at all cost.』

 

Step by step, Palug slowly came closer.

I retreated several steps back.

My instinct raised the danger alarm to the limit.

 

Palug probably could’ve burned us easily if she came at us seriously, now I know why she didn’t.

It was to get an intact sacrifice.

Yes, the dedicated offering for God has to be such a thing.

 

(Noooooo!! No matter how I think about it, this is progressing towards me being eaten alive!!)

 

What should I do?

What should I do to escape from this crisis?

 

Auguste hasn’t woken up.

Tirnanog is hibernating, there is no sign of moving yet.

Klaus has been knocked down.

Both my father and Eduard-oniisama are struggling in their own roles and don’t even know about this place.

Nobody can help me anymore.

 

In the first place, in the face of the overwhelming fighting ability of Palug, my warfare was lost.

I didn’t give up on my survival, but I couldn’t even find a small chance to win.

 

Against such an unreasonable beast, humans just can’t win.

 

(—if there is nothing like that, people cannot overcome such a beast.)

 

Suddenly, I recalled my conversation with Auguste in my mind.

Inside my thoughts which were dyed deep black with despair, there was a shiny light of hope.

 

(—this beast was cursed by God, and it seems that it has no choice but to accept it if a riddle match is set up.)

 

No way.

There is no doubt, if the fragments of the folklore are all true.

Finally finding a small hope, I decided to take a risk.

 

“Palug-san! Please listen!”

『Ufufufufu, are you pleading for your life? It’s regretful, but the situation where we could talk with each other has long passed.』

 

Forcibly turning the gear inside my brain that wasn’t turning due to fear and confusion, I recalled one question suitable for Palug.

 

“It, it walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening, what is it!?”

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Rain of Stone: call down falling stones. The falling stones land on whatever target point you choose within the spell’s range (measured from your position at the time) (source)

Oh btw, Magic Missile: create glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. (source)

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