/
“Come on!”
–Ggahhhh?
I defeated the last of the three gargoyles that attacked me.
– – “Level up, from Lv 19 to 20.
“Hah, hah, ouch!”
Breathing on his shoulder, he wipes the blood from his forehead. I’ve beaten them for now, two lvl 14s and the last one was about lvl 17 and strong. It was indeed tough. I could feel the blood running down my back where the gargoyle’s claws had torn me apart.
But now all I have to do is pretend I’m out cold.
–Kyaaaah!
When I heard Princess Leia’s heartbreaking cry, I couldn’t help but turn in that direction.
The princess and the king..
Ahead of me was the princess, who was about to be grabbed by the gargoyles and taken into the air. And the king, who was desperately trying to hold on to her waist and keep her from being taken away. The guards who were supposed to be protecting them were already lying on the floor, covered in blood.
“No, no, no! Let go of Leia, you monster!”
–Gah-gah-gah! The king, I’ve been told by the Demon Lord not to kill you, but if you get in my way, I’ll do everything else I can to stop you.
“What? I will not let go of my daughter, even if it kills me!”
The gargoyle’s sharp claws pointed at the king.
“Father, please don’t do this. It’s dangerous, please let me go.”
” Ugh. ..! I will not let you go!”
–I will cut off your arm. O king! Gah-gah-gah!
The gargoyle swung its claws. I saw it, and my heart ached.
Am I really going to be okay with that, pretending to be knocked out, pretending not to see the king protecting the princess, and going through it alone while so many people are dying? Am I going to be able to have a peaceful life with that 

? Will I continue to carry this chest pain for the rest of my life 

?
–Impossible. I’m sure I can’t.
“Hmph!”
I used my skill, “Throwing spear”. The spear flew in a straight line, as if cutting through the wind, and pierced the body of the gargoyle that was just now about to injure the king.
–Ggggggghh?
The gargoyle, however, was not dead yet. I borrowed a spear from a fallen guard nearby and ran out.
“Hurry up!”
As if to make a final push, I hit the gargoyle with a “Shippu-tsuki,” a finishing blow. I was finally able to finish him off with that.
“Dear.., Princess, are you all right?”
“Oh, you’re a guard, thank God!”
“Thank you for rescuing me in my hour of need, Guardsman!”
The king and the princess thanked me. The king and the princess thank me for saving their lives. I’m a bit heartbroken, perhaps because I tried to abandon them at one point.
“What is your name, brave guard?”
“Gustav.”
“Well, Gustav. Now I’m going to ask you 

 a terrible favor.”
“

 yes?”
“Gustav, I need you to protect Leia. Even at the cost of your life.”


 I knew it would come to that.
I feel like an idiot. I knew this was going to happen, didn’t I? The mission of the royal castle guards is to protect the royal family without regard for danger. If I went in front of the king and princesses under such circumstances, with the demon king’s army attacking, I would have no choice but to protect them until the end of my life.
“Gustav, won’t you do me a favour? I don’t care what happens to me, only Leia, even if it costs me and you your life!”
“I understand. I will not trade my life for your life. I want to live. So I will live, and I will protect Princess Leia!”
“—!”
I could see the king and princess gasping.
Was I being a little too cool? Well, this may be my last words, so a little bit of chuunibyou is fine. If I live, it might become black history.
–Gah-gah-gah! There they are, the king and the princess!
–Snatch, snatch, snatch!
–One of the guards is still alive!
–Kill, kill, kill!
The gargoyles that had been flying around the hall were coming at us at once. 10, 11, 12 or maybe 13.
“Hmph!”
I drop the first five to the ground with my “Midare Thrust” skill.
“Your Majesty! Princess! You two stay crouched behind me!”
“Mm-hmm!”
“Good luck..!”
Good luck, huh? I hope so. I thought so as I took the attacks of the rest of the gargoyles that didn’t make it to the ground.
“Damn!”
Blood spurted out from everywhere on my body. But I couldn’t be intimidated by that. I was preparing for my “Tame Thrust” skill even as I was being attacked. After the last one finished attacking, I would deliver a counterattack.
–Gugaa?
–Gyoaaaah?
The spear pierced both gargoyles at the same time, killing them both with the same blow. The skill “Tame Thrust” takes time to attack, but its power is incomparably greater than other skills.
– – Level up, lvl 20 to 21.
–This guy’s my game!
–Gah, gah, gah, gah! This is so cool!
The gargoyles, despite the fact that their comrades had been killed, kept a relaxed expression on their faces. They are flying around me as if they were playing with me.
They’re just taking advantage of me. But it’s convenient.
“What’s the matter, you gargoyles? Did that scare you off?”
–Gah, gah, gah, gah! How dare you bark at me when you’re covered in blood!
–Surround him! We’ll take him all out at once!

. That’s right, take them all. Don’t try to wait and see what happens. The only chance I see of victory is if you think you have the upper hand and come at us with the numbers you have. I will withstand any onslaught. I will survive and live a full life in this world, no matter what it takes!