120 – The Decisive Battle (4)

Admiral Dietz’s brow furrowed.

“Just what sort of trickery did you employ to save three with the sacrifice of one, hmm? What manner of sorcery is this?”

“It was a pyre offering.”

“A pyre offering, you say?”

“You heard me.”

I’d gambled, banking on my mana manipulation skills, but never imagined it would succeed so easily.

“Does that mean your life holds such worth?”

“How does one measure the worth of a life?”

“Then what in the world…?”

“Perhaps the devil favors me.”

The Admiral chuckled, running a hand over his face.

“Not a particularly comforting answer.”

Salbira and the vampire, even the golem, reacted with disbelief. The vampire’s reaction was especially something. She stared at me with a half-dazed expression and asked,

“Erich Ronstein, you’re… truly an incomprehensible human. Why did you burn your life to save others? What benefit could there possibly be?”

“None.”

“What?”

Either everyone dies, or these three live and I die. That’s all there is to it. A human who uses a pyre offering is destined for hell. Even knowing that, I used it. To save the female soldiers of the enemy nation.

“It’s an irrational act. Yes, that’s right. I knew it, and I did it anyway.”

“But why?”

“Because I wanted to.”

My answer didn’t seem to satisfy her, for the vampire scoffed. But contrary to my expectations, there was no derision. Instead, the vampire closed her eyes and fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

“Senior, have you gone mad?”

“Erich, this rascal’s finally stirred up trouble.”

Meanwhile, David and Senior Kahlon began to chide me.

The Valkyrie’s two companions chimed in as well.

“I’ve never seen anyone use a pyre offering for someone else. Should we call it an act of good? Or no? Since he made a deal with the devil, is it an act of evil?”

“He must have some kind of plan prepared, surely. He went to a good university after all. Right? Hey! Say something!”

Perhaps because it’s possessing a golem, the words of the Holy Nation came out unedited. I can’t understand a word of it.

I smoothed the cheek where the Valkyrie had struck, stepping forward.

“Admiral, let us end this, now.”

*

It wasn’t difficult for the Holy Empire’s soldiers to deduce that Erich had performed a burning ritual.

However, only Tiria could hear whose voice had answered his plea.

There was no mistaking it.

The voice that had just echoed wasn’t Hueon’s, but Hyung’s; what had resurrected them wasn’t a demon, but a goddess.

If a demon had touched Tiria’s soul, a violent rejection would have occurred.

Yet now, she felt strangely unburdened.

“…Goddess.”

Tiria gazed at the broad back of the man stepping forward.

So reliable.

And yet, so terrifying.

After today, would she never see that back again?

In truth, the Holy Order also had a concept similar to the burning ritual, where one sold their soul to a demon.

Martyrdom.

A noble act historically performed by only a handful of saints and martyrs.

Typical martyrdom involved sacrificing one’s life to protect their faith, but martyrdom as compared to the burning ritual held a slightly different meaning.

Namely, a sacred act of offering oneself to the Goddess, pleading for blessings to be bestowed upon others.

Unlike the burning ritual, which could be performed at any time with a modicum of magical knowledge, martyrdom was exceedingly difficult even to attempt.

First, one’s soul had to be utterly without blemish.

Merit and reputation had to be high.

And above all else, one had to be capable of thinking of others before oneself.

Then, the demons, deeming the soul inedible, would recoil from it, and even if one spoke in Hueon, the Goddess would understand.

In short, Erich was a man seen perhaps once in a century.

Tiria covered her mouth with both hands.

“Ah, Goddess, please…”

Ultimately, martyrdom was similar to the burning ritual in that the caster’s soul was taken.

Erich would go to Heaven, not Hell, but in the end, dying here was still the same result.

Her head swam.

But weeping over that worry was a luxury the current situation wouldn’t allow.

“Admiral Abraham Dietz.”

Erich jabbed a finger at the Admiral.

“I might forgive most people, but you, I’m afraid, are beyond redemption.”

“And what do you intend to do about it?”

“How about a good thrashing followed by a military tribunal?”

“You have a silver tongue, I’ll give you that.”

“Be thankful I’m even restraining my homicidal urges.”

“A paragon of virtue, are we?”

The Admiral rose, his daughter still cradled in his arms.

“Are you alright?”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Seems you’re not.”

Even as he spoke to Erich, Admiral Dietz’s gaze remained fixed on his daughter. A child, barely six or seven, lay with closed eyes, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

She seemed perfectly normal on the surface.

But those who could sense the Divine Force – Tiria, Rachel, Riyo – all felt a profound unease radiating from the girl.

Those who knew, knew just how blackened a soul resurrected by demons through the sacrifice of countless lives could be.

The Admiral, seemingly oblivious, wore an expression of innocent concern.

“Listen here, Lieutenant Colonel. This is truly your last chance.”

“What is it now?”

“Surrender.”

“I refuse.”

“These Internal Security troops are each worth a hundred men. Every single one is a certified First-Class Battle Mage. No matter how cleverly you utilize those women, victory is as unattainable as plucking stars from the sky.”

“Then let us pluck those stars.”

“…You fool.”

Click, click.

Fifty-odd heavily armed soldiers leveled their rifles.

Outnumbered by more than tenfold, the situation was dire.

And yet, two women stepped forward, drawing swords and spears, passing Erich to stand at the front.

Rachel and Adora.

Though words failed, a bond was manifest in action.

Adora gestured, first to Rachel and the left, then to herself and the right, in sequence. Rachel nodded, settling to defend Erich’s left.

Meanwhile, Riyo and Tiria took up positions on either side of Erich.

“Erich.”

“Now is… not the time for other talk.”

Tiria, seeing Erich stiffen, his body growing rigid, could only bite her lip, raising her baculus high.

“———.”

Sacred utterances, and with them, light blooming wide.

“Hah.”

Admiral Dietz sighed.

“They’re all so desperate to die. Fine, I’ll grant their wish.”

At that command, rifles spat fire.

The next moment, the admiral’s eyes nearly betrayed him.

Despite the rain of bullets, the two women at the vanguard charged forward.

Such reckless movement, as though courting death itself.

Were they not afraid to die?

Of course, they must be afraid. How could they not be?

Yet, these women rushed on without hesitation, trusting in those behind them.

And indeed, it was so. Rachel, Adora—both believed in this man, Erich Ronstadt.

But the admiral overlooked something.

Erich had already used the Pyre; his life hung by a thread. Their actions were a declaration: if they could, they would follow him.

Rachel, at least, had sworn an oath with them that night, beneath the stars.

To return alive, together.

The opposite of those words meant they will die together.

But Erich would never allow that. With a flick of his hand, stalagmites erupted from the ground at perfect points to intercept the gunfire.

“No, how…!”

Not human reflexes.

It was problematic that the unit members also were skilled magicians. Being magicians, magical signatures were unavoidable. Erich, having reached the level of a surgeon, could predict their next move based on the tremors in their mana.

In reality, only on paper, a rank above even First Class.

An Extra Class mage.

Erich Ronstein’s magical skill had reached a Special Grade, and the qualitative advantage he gained was now threatening to overturn their numerical disadvantage.

And that wasn’t all.

The two women rushing towards them were the Ace of the White Lotus Brigade and a General of the Seven Swords.

The agents of the National Intelligence Service were elites in their own right, moving with crisp efficiency, but their combat experience couldn’t compare.

Concealment using the structures, and relentless assault, fearless of death.

Before they knew it, Rachel and Adora had carved a path and taken down two soldiers from the front lines.

“Gah…!”

“Ugh!”

The widely dispersed troops hastily chanted spells.

Rachel and Adora easily deflected the resulting magic with their individual powers.

“Grant me strength.”

[“Release.”]

*Clang!*

The two female soldiers, having parried the magic, raced towards the Admiral.

“Stop them!”

An agent, who had been taking cover in the rear, rose and stealthily aimed his rifle. Contrary to the Admiral’s orders, he turned the barrel towards a more distant target.

It wasn’t the two women he needed to subdue first.

Erich Ronstein. He was the lynchpin of the enemy force. If he could bring him down, the rest would be easily dealt with.

But his hand trembled.

To bury a bullet in the brow of a soldier renowned for his benevolence… wouldn’t it feel like he was the one committing a sin?

Still, duty was duty.

Wasn’t a soldier meant to obey orders, no matter how unfair or bizarre they seemed?

“Hoo.”

The man took a deep breath and calmly aimed his weapon.

*Click.*

The moment he peered through the scope, something caught his eye.

The figure of a fox beastkin, playfully wagging her tail as she aimed a crossbow in his direction.

*Thwip!*

“Ugh!”

A sharp bolt embedded itself in the shoulder of the would-be sniper.

Then Erich conjured a few more golems. Stone pulled from the earth, stirring to life with a semblance of will. Mere bundles of mana, though, capable of obeying only the simplest commands…

“What in the hell is that!”

“Fire! Stop them, damn it!”

It was enough to draw their attention.

The tide of battle turned increasingly in Erich’s favor. The Admiral, panicked, roared,

“Why can’t you handle this with guns!”

“Can’t get a clear shot, Sir!”

“What?”

“Thread! Thread everywhere! Tangled in the barrels!”

A creeping unease.

Now he noticed: not all the Lieutenant Colonel’s company were human.

“…Spider woman!”

A prickle of dread ran up the Admiral’s spine as he looked up. It was then he saw Salvira clinging to the ceiling, already drawing taut the silken threads she’d spun.

The silk, impossibly strong, made it only a matter of time before his troops were disarmed.

Salvira’s crimson eyes flashed as she fixed her gaze on the Admiral.

“…Huh.”

Gooseflesh.

Who would have guessed her stillness from the start was to diminish her presence?

To allow her to approach this close meant he could be killed at any moment.

Salvira did not kill him. She only took the guns.

“Shit! Damn it!”

The soldiers, rifles stolen, reacted in shock, reflexively drawing their sidearms.

But the die was cast.

Golems and warriors in the front.

Spiders above.

[“Bweem bweeet!”]

And Bweem-bweet.

A sigh, like smoke, escaped the lips of Admiral Dietz.

“…No hope.”

And then, it happened.

“Ugh…”

The girl in the Admiral’s arms began to twitch her shoulders.