v1c28 - The Unexpected Thing We Found When Investigating Where the Golem Was
“Thanks for the food. Thank you, Lydia and Ellie. It was very good.”
“Hehehe …… Y-You’re welcome.”
“Yes! I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Lydia had gotten a little dizzy in the bath yesterday, but she fully recovered and cooked a delicious breakfast with Ellie.
After Nina and I cleaned up…
“Well …… let’s get going.”
We decided to investigate the area around the golem we encountered yesterday.
This time, I was wearing a shield and armor, and Ellie had a staff for combat.
After preparing for battle, including defensive skills, and enter the underground caverns, using the glowing moss that Nina has grown in various places as landmarks.
After advancing for a while, we came to a slightly open area.
“This must be where we encountered the golem yesterday. Everyone, let’s proceed with caution from here on.”
Holding up the light on my shield, I checked my surroundings again as I proceeded and noticed something.
“Mm …… The place where many of the monsters that sprang up in such abundance are missing?”
“Come to think of it …… no other monsters appeared when we were fighting the golem yesterday.”
“I wonder if there is something that the monsters don’t like?”
Just like Lydia and Nina said, it’s as if …… this is a place where monsters are not allowed to approach and they don’t come close.
“Is it because I beat them too much yesterday or what?”
“No, but you still saw a lot of scorpions and rabbits on the way here, didn’t you? There must be a lot more monsters out there.”
“So maybe there are wards or some kind of mechanism to keep the monsters out?”
“…… Perhaps that was the golem from yesterday? Something that doesn’t want the monsters to get too close to this place.”
As I talked with Ellie, I got the feeling that yesterday’s golem might have been protecting something.
But even if that were the case, the question remains as to who created and ordered the golem and what it is protecting.
Just to be safe, I shared my magical power with Ellie, who had defeated the monsters up to this point with magic, and as we proceeded with caution, we saw what looked like a small house.
“A house in a place like this!? …… No, a shrine? In any case, how could such a thing be in such a place!?”
“Hmmm, Mister. So, do you think the golem from yesterday was guarding this thing?”
“I can only say probably, but it’s very likely …… Wait! Nina, there’s something out there!”
I had a bad feeling and I took Nina in my arms, who was walking toward the shrine, and jumped backwards.
Immediately after Nina, who was about to say something was startled, a large crack suddenly appeared on the ground in front of her.
“Hoh …… I’m surprised that you noticed that.”
“Yeah. I’ve got a nose for guys like you, after all.”
“Whoa! M-Mister. Thank you.”
I set Nina down and hold up my sword and shield, and a non-humanoid in the shape of a man – a deformed creature with large wings and horns – emerges from the cracks.
“You seem to know what I am.”
“Yes, I fought you once. You’re a demon, like Mammon or something, right?”
“Hmph …… I don’t want to be lumped with something as unintelligent as that. My name is Bernhard. Bernhard of the Earth …… One of the Fourth Heavenly Kings of the Demon Tribe who serves the Demon King!”
Saying this, Bernhard thrust his hand forward, and a brown spear – a spear made of earth – came flying at him.
He firmly lowered his hips down and held up his shield to catch it.
…… It is heavy.
It’s quite powerful that I want to parry it, but there might be someone behind me, so I just hold on.
“[Stone Wall].”
“[Flame Lance].”
Lydia created a stone wall to stop the spear of earth, and Ellie, who came around to Bernhard’s side, attacked with a flame lance.
However, although the flame lance hit Bernhard, it dissipated and did not seem to do any damage.
“Ha-ha-ha. Did that woman there think that such an attack would go work against a demon tribe?”
“Kuh …… It’s common knowledge that demons that uses earth magic are weak against fire!”
“I don’t want to be compared to a monster. For now, I’ll let you, ignorant one, to die first.”
Saying this, Bernhard now extends his hand toward Ellie.
From that position, I won’t make it in time.
If that is the case …… I rush towards Bernhard, who is facing the side in the direction where Ellie is.
On the other hand, Ellie tried to avoid a spear of earth aimed at her, but was hit in the left arm, and the damage was transmitted to my left arm, which was protected by Paladin’s defense skill.
I almost dropped my shield unintentionally, but I held on just in time and ran through.
“Alex! I’m sorry! Are you okay!?”
“I’m fine! Don’t worry about it!”
“What!? Why didn’t you take any damage!? Your thin arm could have been blown off!”
As a large gap is created by the surprised Bernhard, I strike him with my Holy Attribute attack skill while enduring the pain in my left arm.
“Take this! [Holy Cross]!”
“Huh, you think you can damage the demon tribe with an ordinary sword …… W-What the heck!?”
I don’t know what the Four Heavenly Kings are …… but they seem to be reasonably strong and cannot be defeated with a single blow.
“That attack …… I see. So you are the Hero of the human race. While I was holding him back, I didn’t realize that a Hero had come this far.”
“Hero? No, I am not a Hero.”
“That’s absurd! Isn’t it only the Hero who should be able to deal damage us demons… or at least, to us Four Heavenly Kings!??”
Bernhard is surprised, but even if you say such a thing, what I’m not is not.
But I wonder what is the “him” that Bernhard just mentioned.
…… No, I should focus on defeating this guy right now.
“[Holy Cross]!”
“Naive! Don’t think that a technique I’ve already seen once will work on me!”
I used my attack skill again, but is blocked by Bernhard.
However, it wasn’t completely blocked, so I think it was doing some damage, but if it continues like this, we will be left with a very poor situation.
While paladins have many defensive skills and can use sacred magic to a medium level, they have few offensive skills, so it is difficult for them to change to other means of attack.
I have no choice …… I have to use one of the trump cards.
This is one of my few offensive skills, and while it can be powerful, it also has disadvantages, so I didn’t want to use it if I could …… but I guess I can’t say that in this situation.
“Ellie! I’m going to use that. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“What!? Alex!? You’re going to use that thing in this situation!? You can’t do it in a place like this, Stella isn’t here too!”
While Ellie was in a hurry, she kept on the offensive with Bernhard, looking for a chance.
“[Grand Cross].”
I converted part of my life force and all of my magic power into holy power and launched a powerful strike.