“Just what is the meaning of this!?”

While looking completely baffled, Mira stared at her own hands that were now literally pa.s.sing through the black case .

“As you see, the game world may have turned into a real one, but we’re still bound by its original rules . Considering the Vanity Case is a non-transferable item, you can’t hand it to anyone else . In addition, items for which you have authority over, like your Master Key, can be given to others; however, no one is able to steal or take them by force . ”

“Basically, unless I get one of those cases by myself, I am pretty much stuck with this appearance, right?”

The young girl drew her face closer to the phantom-like item and squinted .

“Exactly . Anyway, you already know the harsh truth, but I must remind you that you can’t access the cash shop anymore . ”

“Oh h.e.l.l…”

Upon this simple exchange of words, Mira dropped her entire body on the sofa and stayed there, lying face down . Her mind, that was now a.s.saulted with the desire to simply give up, began searching desperately for something, anything to get her out of that situation .

“Are there any exceptions to the rules?”

Clinging to a tiny sliver of hope, the little girl had the strength to turn her head towards Solomon .

“Never heard of anything like that in the thirty years I’ve been here . ”

“No way…”

It was an answer backed by three decades’ worth of experiences, enough to quickly shatter any hopes she had left . Trying to escape into the land of dreams, Mira closed her eyelids as she returned her face to the couch and started reminiscing of the magnificent figure she once had .

“You know, I really want to help you on that matter, in any way possible… but there isn’t anything I can do . ”

“Yeah, right . I bet that deep down you must be just laughing at my current situation . ”

Mira was now the perfect image of a kid throwing a tantrum, the incessant and negative thoughts in her mind permeating her words while she grumbled on the sofa .

“Oh no, of course not . Considering you’ve only spent a day in this world, you didn’t forget about the state of our country, right? You are one of the Elders who made this kingdom stand on par with the other countries, I would never laugh at… what happened to you . ”

When Solomon threw a glance at the girl lying on the couch, he endured the urge to burst out in laughter and forced a poker face . However, Mira didn’t miss the slight trembling of his lips .

“It is just as I thought! You are really making fun of me . ”

“Oops, my bad . But the fact that I want to help you still holds true . ”

Upon correcting himself, the king stared at Mira while showing his usual and gentle smile . In return, however, he only received a displeased stare from the girl .

“Ahhh, by the way, did you hear about the other sages? Such important people are still missing…”

Solomon averted his gaze as he tried to change the subject . The matter was the greatest incident that happened in Arkite Kingdom, where Dunbalf disappeared and, less than a year later, all other Elders suffered the same fate .

“Yes, Graia told me . From what I understood, everyone was gone at the same time, but Luminaria returned after about ten years . I then went to the towers to hear the current situation . ”

“Hmm, I see now . Well, if you know that stuff already then things will be easier to explain . Let’s start with a question, what do you think would happen to our country if its greatest military a.s.sets, the Elders, were gone?”

Akin to the host of a quiz show, the boy presented his inquiry . At the same time, his smiling expression slightly darkened .

“That is… right…”

She could easily guess the answer . Mira softly narrowed her eyes as she began stroking her chin with her fingertips, groaning in thought while still lying on the sofa .

Making use of the nine Elders’ influence and power, the Kingdom of Arkite managed to avoid conflicts against other countries by never waging wars against them . Since it had plentiful lands and the kingdom’s ruler was devoid of greed, there was no need to take away someone else’s territories; then, the efforts made by the country were directed into its own defenses . Naturally and gradually, those countries looked to start commercial relations with Arkite .

However, the individuals who held together the kingdom’s defenses had been lost . Ten years later, when the incident was officially announced, Luminaria had already returned; but no matter how strong an Elder was, being responsible for the entire country was too much for a single individual . As a result, the number of military interventions against the kingdom multiplied, reflecting the other countries’ desire to obtain its profitable lands . The situation didn’t evolve into a complete war, but the constant skirmishes gradually brought Arkite to exhaustion . Such was the current situation of the kingdom .

A single one may not exert much influence, but if all nine sages returned together their persuasive power would be immeasurable . And considering group battles, there was a sage who was especially known for its prowess in them, the War Power Dunbalf .

“Look, this is my own opinion as the king, but first of all you are this country’s hero . Your existence alone bears a tremendous influence, so we can’t really shout from the rooftops that you, the hero, became a little girl . ”

“Ugh… gghhh…”

The reason why she had professed herself a pupil of the sage Dunbalf was similar, it was an act to protect her own reputation; that is why Mira chose to not say a word to Solomon’s statement .

“Since you’re still the same person, your real strength is also the same, but everyone’s impression of you would be completely different . Although I think that it wouldn’t be such a problem if you had that appearance since the start, the image that everyone has of you is that of a veteran Expert, someone whose figure would never put to shame the ‘Sage’ t.i.tle . ”

Having her ideal male figure praised was enough to put Mira in a good mood, resulting in her turning a joyful look at the king while making a victorious pose[1], as if telling him how right she was .

“It is exactly like you said . Even now, I can still say with complete confidence that it was my greatest masterpiece . ”

“Then, can you imagine what people would think if they knew that such great hero became a loli? What kind of image would be evoked in their minds?”

When questioned, Mira tried to think about it . He was someone respected by others . What if the magician Dunbalf, from that movie, suddenly became a very young girl?

“…A person you could not rely on . ”

While murmuring that, the girl finally realized her current situation in its fullness .

“Indeed . What I really wanted was to announce that Dunbalf has returned, but there’s no way we can reveal that this is your current appearance . Vanity Cases are something unknown to the citizens, so they wouldn’t understand . ”

“Humm, can you afford to just proclaim that ‘Dunbalf’ is back without showing him?”

With an expression that said she came up with some great idea, Mira suddenly straightened her posture on the couch .

“That would be hard, I think . Remember that this is the return of the great hero after thirty years . The entire country would hold a grand party to celebrate and we can’t do that without the guest of honor . In addition, even if we didn’t have that problem and things calmed down in the kingdom, the other countries would surely try to investigate . ”

Her bright idea was utterly destroyed . At the same time, the girl seemed to be destroyed too as she slumped on the sofa face-first and, once again, laid there .

It was exactly like Solomon said . After three decades of absence, holding a huge party for the returning hero would be the natural course of events . Spies would also be sent to find out if Dunbalf was really there or not and, the moment they discover the truth, it would instigate distrust between Arkite and the other nations .

Nevertheless, since the time he met with Mira, the king had no intention of revealing Dunbalf’s reappearance; there was something more important than that . In order to tell his friend what was on his mind, Solomon walked towards the place where she currently was, the sofa . When Mira saw that boy standing near her, she also noticed that instead of his usual smile, his face now had a completely serious look . Under that gaze, she corrected herself to sit straight and looked up at him, puzzled .

Then, something happened at that moment . The hallway, just outside the room, suddenly became noisy and it was possible to hear Reynard’s and Joachim’s voices coming from there . Wondering what could possibly be happening, Solomon approached the door and opened it, revealing that someone was there: the head messenger of national defense affairs .

“What is it?”

In a completely different manner than when he was conversing with Mira, the king directed his question with a deep and calm tone to the officer in front of him . Reynard and Joachim, that stood on both sides of the door, bowed and stepped back . Then, after being surprised for a moment at the appearance of King Solomon, the messenger followed suit and immediately made the same gesture . Subsequently, he took his report and began reading its contents out loud .

“This is an urgent report from the Benedict Fort . A herd of monsters has been spotted advancing towards the northwest . Their numbers are estimated to be around 200, composed of over thirty different species . ”

After finis.h.i.+ng his task, the head messenger stepped back and waited for further orders; still, he seemed to have been in a big hurry to reach there, as evidenced by how much his shoulders kept shaking . Near him, the Knight and the Expert displayed their clear agitation over the contents of such simple report, indicating that it was, indeed, a matter of urgency .

“If we are talking about the Benedict Fort, it’s already inside our own territory! Are you telling me the border security let that huge number of monsters pa.s.s by them!?”

“It has been barely a day and there is already another pack invading… that is somehow too soon . And over thirty species mixed in it, this is the first time I have heard of such thing happening . I am a bit worried . ”

In contrast to the anxious Reynard, Joachim calmly a.n.a.lyzed the situation, albeit with a stern expression on his face .

“Barely a day, species mixed in… hmm, wait a moment . ”

When Solomon’s brain processed and reviewed the report, he murmured a few words, seemingly struck with an idea . The messenger understood those orders and stood at attention after correcting his posture, waiting for the king’s instructions . Then, Solomon returned to the office after closing the door behind him .

One way or another, the boy came up with something to fix that situation . At least that much could be understood by Joachim, as he didn’t miss the faint smile his king made at that moment .

“I want to ask you something . ”

Immediately, that was the first thing Solomon said after facing Mira, who sat on a corner of the sofa listening attentively to the conversation .

“I am still tired from that travel, you know…”

From the flow of events and the contents of what she heard, the girl could easily infer what her friend wanted to ask and quickly began ma.s.saging her calves in a clearly forced manner .

“Please, help me . It can’t be anyone else but you!”

“Well, if that is the case, leave it to me!”

Solomon asked Mira in a somewhat dramatic manner and she replied with the same tone . It was enough to make the king deliver a joyful smile from the bottom of his heart .

“Man, this back and forth… it has been so long . I really missed it . ”

“Well, in my case it has been only a week since you made me accompany you on the hunt for materials for the Jail s.h.i.+eld . ”

“Yes! That one! The Jail s.h.i.+eld… in the end, not a single material dropped, huh . ”

First would be the refusal, then the begging and finally the affirmative answer . That sequence of events was something they had agreed on to do whenever one had a favor to ask the other . Considering Solomon’s situation, the last time it happened was over three decades ago, so it was with a cheerful laughter that he closed his eyes while reminiscing of the past .

“Nevermind that, we are in an emergency, right? What do you want me to do?”

“Oops, sorry, let me see…”

Following his friend’s comment, the king stopped thinking about the old memories that had flooded his mind, a tense expression returning to his face . Then, when he stared straight at the girl, Solomon remembered that Dunbalf, the Sage, had another ability on par with his summoning skills .

“Just to be sure, do you have any sealing gems with you right now?”

“Yeah, every single kind . ”

Mira answered the question as if it was a matter of fact . The “Sealing Gems” that Solomon spoke of was a general term used to identify certain gemstones that had the natural ability to hold specific kinds of power . They were primarily found in nature, but because of the refining technology created by Dunbalf it became possible to manufacture them .

“Refining” was a special sort of ability . Basically, it was an entire technology that extracted, combined and affixed a variety of attributes and auxiliary effects . With those technical procedures, it was possible to enhance pieces of equipment with the special effects contained within gems; conversely, it was also possible to extract the power from an equipment and “seal” it inside the gemstone .

“Oh, that’s great . d.a.m.n, I’m really glad that you came here . ”

As Solomon said those words, he gave a smile that expressed not only his joy as someone being reunited with a dear friend, but also the interests he held as the king of a country . To the girl, the fact that it was an expression she was pretty familiar with only brought relief . It rea.s.sured her that even after an entire period of thirty years, that boy was still the same old Solomon she once knew .

As Solomon said those words, he gave a smile that expressed not only his joy as someone being reunited with a dear friend, but also the interests he held as the king of a country . To the girl, the fact that it was an expression she was pretty familiar with only brought relief . It rea.s.sured her that even after an entire period of thirty years, that boy was still the same old Solomon she once knew .

“Well then, I will explain the details along the way . Let’s go . ”

“Alright, roger that . ”

Solomon then threw open the door in a lively manner, slipping out a chuckle after seeing the surprised expressions of the three people that had been waiting outside . When he gave out a few orders, the messenger bowed once and departed in a hurry, an action also followed by Reynard, who left the place in order to carry out the instructions received .

“We have a special vehicle prepared for this . Please go . ”

The king beckoned Mira while asking Joachim to lead the way .

“Certainly, Your Majesty . ”

Upon answering, the Expert made an elegant bow directed at Solomon and another, in grat.i.tude, towards the young girl .

“Okay, off I go . ”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you . ”

Both Solomon and Mira exchanged only a few words, but behind their thick voices Joachim was able to notice an incredible degree of trust between them, unthinkable for people who had known each other for barely a day . He then remembered a certain phrase, faintly heard through the door to the office:

“It can’t be anyone else but you!”

With a completely wrong idea about what had happened inside the room, Joachim guided the girl towards the garage, where the special vehicle was being prepared .

———–

Situated in the underground of the Arkite Castle, that peculiar garage was used solely to house unique and special carriages . Mira, who was brought to that place, found herself in front of a black vehicle, its pretty modern look a result of remodeling and application of matte paint over the carriage’s body . In addition, sticking out on top of its metal reinforced roof was a distinctive gun barrel, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the girl was standing in front of an armored vehicle . Somehow, it seemed like that was exactly the “special vehicle” Solomon had talked about .

“I see he was pretty focused in his hobby . ”

“For me, I really love it . ”

When Mira looked up at the familiar-looking vehicle and murmured those words, someone replied . He was the one who had traveled together with her that morning, the coachman—or rather, chauffeur—Garrett .

“Never thought we would meet again this early . ”

“Oh my, it’s an honor seeing you once more . ”

The young girl narrowed her eyes as she moved them to the side, bringing Garrett into her field of view; while appearing seemingly embarra.s.sed, the military man moved and opened the armored vehicle’s heavy-looking door .

“Please, Mirsama . ”

Greatly resembling a common pa.s.senger car, the inside had a bulky couch dividing the front and rear of the vehicle . After observing it and lightly poking the armored exterior with the back of her hand, Mira went in and quickly sat down on the car seat, almost burying herself in its softness . Excepting that fluffy sofa, the interior looked particularly plain with only leather and wooden boards filling everything . To Mira, however, it didn’t feel bad .

“Ohoh, in contrast to its outward appearance, this seems rather comfortable . ”

“That was added out of necessity, though . ”

While the young girl was going up and down on the sofa to test its elasticity, Garrett heard her comment and replied, a wry smile showing on his face; of course, Mira would soon learn the hard way what was his reason to make such expression .

———–

After departing in a rush from the Arkite Castle, the armored vehicle moved towards the place where the group of monsters was discovered, its figure roaring noisily on the road that cut through the gra.s.slands .

(That d.a.m.n Solomon, I never thought he would be able to make something like this…)

The Thousand-mile Carriage was simply no match for its armored counterpart in terms of speed, as evidenced by how fast the scenery outside the window was moving . Having ascertained that fact, Mira s.h.i.+fted her attention to the person sitting in the front, Garrett . Amidst the mess that was the driver’s seat, with a number of different devices lined up, he was cheerfully gripping the steering wheel .

“This vehicle seemed so heavy at first, but now I see that it can run pretty fast . ”

From the winds.h.i.+eld, that was short in height but large in width, the only things she noticed at a glance were the gra.s.sy plains and the spa.r.s.e forest that surrounded them . However, when looking way further ahead, the girl spotted a certain white pillar, towering towards the sky in a clearly unnatural way . While observing it, she made her remark about the vehicle’s speed .

“Of course, this is the crystallization of the most advanced technology from our Sorcery Engiiineering!”

As the military man answered, his voice grew to a lively tone and, even though he was still facing the front, Mira managed to catch a glimpse of his face, apparently beaming with joy .

“Hmm, Sorcery Engineering…?”

Having never heard about that term before, she expressed her lack of understanding through her words and tone . Then, in even higher spirits, Garrett started his talk .

“Yes, it’s pretty amazing . I have been told that this is controlled by a device made by combining metal components with the stored power of sealing gems . ”

“Oohh… it uses sealing gems…”

“Indeed . Considering this Armored Jeep has been just completed, it includes most of our state-of-the-art technology . Because of that, however, its fuel consumption—gem consumption, in this case— is still significant, so we only ran it for tests once . ”

In spite of what he had said, his tone and mood kept growing with every word .

In spite of what he had said, his tone and mood kept growing with every word .

“But just a while ago, they suddenly came and gave me a great number of sealing gems, saying that I could use them as much as I wanted . Then, I was ordered to use the Armored Jeep to take you, Mirsama, to your destination with utmost haste! Thank you very much!”

With a quick movement of his head, the man looked back and expressed his thanks towards Mira, returning his gaze to the front not even a second later .

Dunbalf was the leading person in refining technology and, with his disappearance, the kingdom lost the only person who knew the fundamentals of such technology . This resulted in thirty years of nearly zero advancements in that area of expertise . In addition, because the production couldn’t keep up with the demand, higher grades of sealing gems ended up becoming incredibly valuable . And now, for the sake of bringing Mira to the group of monsters, said valuable items were being used without any control . While Garrett was surprised at the treatment given to the sage’s disciple, he also felt incredibly grateful to her .

(I see… that is why he talked about those gems…)

Mira recalled how Solomon asked if she had any sealing gems with her . Basically, since the king saw the prospects of a great supply of those items, he decided to splurge . In fact, the girl didn’t receive any kind of special treatment; Solomon simply saw the benefits of running a second test run on his Armored Jeep while simultaneously sending his friend to her destination in a swift manner .

No one held stronger feelings than Garrett if vehicles were considered . Not surprisingly, it was mostly because of those feelings that he took the position of vice-leader of the Mobile Infantry Force . Seeing that he had the chance to drive his number one favorite vehicle, unrestricted, the military man took the orders and received the sealing gems .

The Armored Jeep’s performance was higher than what Mira had imagined, especially its frame that was reinforced by the power of a sealing gem . Even after running over the monsters in its way, it wouldn’t budge an inch; furthermore, when rus.h.i.+ng at full speed on the trackless, unpaved path, the burden applied to that frame was almost nothing .

However, the same couldn’t be said of the jeep’s interior .

“Could you please… do something about this!?”

Mira raised her voice in protest while falling from the couch . All things considered, it was mostly because they were now pus.h.i.+ng their way through the middle of the gra.s.slands after ditching the road .

As the Sorcery Engineering’s most advanced invention, the Armored Jeep was built with a communication device able to contact any locations equipped with transmission tools . When Garrett used it to obtain the latest data about the monsters’ whereabouts, he confirmed that the herd was moving straight ahead, as if aiming to reach some specific place . On the direction they were heading, there were no inhabited lands, only forests and prairies as far as the eye could see; if one were to mention something special, however, it would be the flower bed at the base of the towering, white pillar .

With the information that was gathered, they inferred what was supposed to be the herd’s destination and rushed there . But there was a problem with that pacing . With the unevenness of the terrain, the entire vehicle began shaking violently, sometimes even jumping and moving midair for a few moments . As a result, every time it happened Mira would get launched up, only to have her body caught below by the soft and comfortable sofa . That was the meaning behind Garrett’s bitter smile and words, regarding the necessity for such item inside the jeep .

“I have spotted the flower garden . We’ll arrive there shortly!”

In contrast to Mira, the military man was in top form and didn’t have the slightest intention of stopping there, so the Armored Jeep continued cutting through the gra.s.sy plains .

“Oookay… I can, see it, too . ”

While bouncing all over the couch, almost as if she were in a trampolining routine, the young girl muttered a reply, her mind actually seeing a different kind of garden: the Eden one . [2]

———–

After climbing to the top of a vibrant and small green hill, the Armored Jeep continued moving and, with its momentum, flew off that peak . Immediately, while fully enjoying the slight floating sensation from inside the vehicle, Garrett yelled in delight .

The other side of the hill was a gradual slope, ending in an area completely covered by gra.s.slands and a spa.r.s.e forest . From the vehicle’s current place, it was possible to see a beautiful flower bed, its existence opening a circular gap in the middle of that distant, deep green . Then, standing at the center of such a richly colored place was the pure white pillar, a structure that evoked the image of a guardian protector’s sword .

Having fixed her posture on the sofa, Mira strained her eyes and looked through the winds.h.i.+eld .

“I suppose we were right, huh . ”

Being twice the height of the silver linked towers, the white pillar was the target of a group of creatures, with every single one of them coming out of the woods nearby and advancing straight ahead towards their supposed destination . Since there was still a great distance between them, it wasn’t possible to identify their species, but Mira and Garrett could at least confirm that the wriggling ma.s.s was indeed composed of monsters .

“Hmm, it seems that at this distance, they will be able to reach the place first . ”

When compared to how close they were to the pillar, the herd of monsters had the overwhelming advantage, to the point that even with the Armored Jeep’s speed, it would be unlikely for Mira’s group to overtake them .

“No other choice then . Let us go full speed ahead . ”

“At your command!”

Immediately after his answer, Garrett picked around three sealing gems and threw them all at once inside the small port connecting to the engine . Converting the power of those gems into its driving force, the Armored Jeep’s main device started rumbling even louder, prompting Mira to ask the driver to take safety into account while speeding .

In a flat-out run, the vehicle continued its descent down the gentle slope, pus.h.i.+ng its way through the densely grown vegetation, bushes and trees alike . Then, a few minutes later, they reached a distance that allowed them to discern the details of the group of monsters .

Trying to not look at the driver, who was completely fired up while gripping the steering wheel, Mira directed her gaze to the flower garden and caught sight of the monsters casually trampling down that place . It was then that she noticed something .

“Hey, what is happening over there…”

As soon as the herd arrived to their destination, after so much work to get there, every single one of them prepared their special abilities, moved to face each other and began a slaughter with their travel companions as the target . It may be true that they were an unorganized gathering of monsters, but there were also individuals of the same species there . Even then, regardless of that fact, they attacked anything that was in their direct vicinity .

“What the h.e.l.l are they doing… hurry up!”

Obviously, anyone would know that monsters preyed on each other . However, that wasn’t supposed to happen with beings of the same race; furthermore, if all those monsters had a predator-prey relation between one another, it wouldn’t be possible for them to even march together in a peaceful way, just like they had done a few moments before .

(Are they fighting over something that exists there? Or perhaps…)

Regardless of their true intention, it was without a doubt that the monsters had a specific goal . With that in mind, while bearing an indescribable sense of uneasiness, Mira lied down on the sofa .

———–

When the Armored Jeep finally stopped in front of the flower bed, a lone girl jumped out of the vehicle, almost tearing off its door in her hurry to leave .

“A Lesser Demon… I knew it, that guy was really involved in all of this mess . ”

Amidst all the monsters, there was but a single irregular existence there: with a body covered in wounds, it was a demonic being called “Lesser Demon . ” As the monsters continued to kill each other, their numbers decreased in the blink of an eye and, when the herd’s size was finally reduced to one monster, the Lesser Demon was the one who cut its neck off .

“What a strident voice…”

Amidst all the monsters, there was but a single irregular existence there: with a body covered in wounds, it was a demonic being called “Lesser Demon . ” As the monsters continued to kill each other, their numbers decreased in the blink of an eye and, when the herd’s size was finally reduced to one monster, the Lesser Demon was the one who cut its neck off .

“What a strident voice…”

In a corner of the garden, there stood the demonic being, cackling like a maniac . Mira threw a hateful glare at her foe and instantly summoned a Dark Knight . The figure clad in black armor ran through the scattered corpses, kicking around anything in its way and, in a flash, bisected the Lesser Demon .  Subsequently, some sort of black mist flowed out of the wounds opened by that attack; however, after floating for a moment, it dissolved and dispersed in the air . Below that spot, on the ground, the remains of the slain demon were added to the other countless corpses, its face displaying what appeared to be a blissful, distorted smile .

“d.a.m.n, they really made a mess here . ”

When Garrett finally caught up with the young girl, he surveyed the surroundings and commented about the situation . The many flowers, that were supposed to fill their eyes in a colorful scenery, became tainted by the dark red blood of monsters; it was akin to the picture of a maiden laying on a place, collapsed, after having her purity stolen and sullied .

A section of the flower bed, however, remained safe from the pollution . The damage was focused only on the outer portions of the circular garden, somehow leaving its central part, or about half of the entire place, without a single drop of blood tainting the flowers .

“Well then, shall we go back? Oh, that is right, we need to take care of the corpses first . ”

If it were still a game, the dead bodies of monsters would naturally vanish by themselves, but then Mira remembered what happened right after she arrived in that new world . When her Dark Knight ma.s.sacred the goblins, the Magic Clothed Knights took the monster’s corpses and burned them .

“Indeed . If we leave those bodies like that, a huge number of ghouls might be born from them . ”

Glancing at the myriad of scattered corpses by his feet, the military man said “I’m going to get something real quick,” and ran towards the Armored Jeep . He then returned a moment later with two small bags in his hand .

“First of all, we need to gather everything in one place . Mirsama, would it be okay for you to sprinkle this over the monster’s corpses?”

As he asked the favor, Garrett presented Mira with one of the bags .

“…Okay, and what is this?”

After receiving the pouch, the girl found that it was filled with a white, fine powder . She then did as told, taking a handful of said powder and sprinkling it on the dead bodies by her feet, not forgetting to also question Garrett about the item .

“They are called ‘Ashes of Hamelin . ’ Ah, you don’t need to use that much, just a pinch of it will suffice . ”

Following his reply, the military man trotted towards the flower garden and began using the ashes on the corpses . In the end, he didn’t tell her what kind of item those ashes were, so Mira decided to ask again later, after finis.h.i.+ng the job of copying the guy’s movements and sprinkling powder over the monsters’ bodies .

The entire work took about ten-odd minutes, and the two were now by the jeep’s side .

“Okay, let’s finish this already and go back to the castle . ”

While saying that, Garrett took a few steps forward and placed a rectangular gem on the ground . After he returned to his previous position, it required only a few moments for a bizarre scene to unfold right before Mira’s eyes . The monsters, that were supposed to be dead, stood up in a sluggish way and started walking .

For a second, the girl stayed vigilant of their movements, but after seeing the calm expression on Garrett’s face, she remembered the name of the item they had just used and inferred its effect, finally revealing her understanding with an “Oh, I see . ”

Their eyes lifeless, the slain foes moved mechanically towards the place where Garrett had set the gem and, one by one, lied on top of each other . Then, in just a few minutes, there was a pile of monster corpses gathered on that spot .

“I’m going to burn them now . Mirsama, please get a bit further away from there . ”

Without a moment’s delay after his request, the military man jumped on top of the vehicle and aimed the muzzle, that was equipped on the roof, against the mountain of bodies .

“Let’s see, which one is the fire sealing gem… oh, found it . Well then, I’m shooting! ”

Garrett manipulated something and, not a second later, a thunderous roar resounded as a ray of light was launched towards the corpses, being absorbed by them; what followed next was a huge pillar of flame shooting upwards, so high it seemed to even pierce the heavens .

“This is… quite splendid, I must say . ”

While seeing the shower of sparks coming from the burning pile of corpses in front of her, the little girl muttered a few words in admiration . However, when looking over her shoulder and noticing the bright expression coming from Garrett’s face, she let out a bitter smile .

Having finished the disposal of the corpses, both of them returned to the Armored Jeep and departed from the garden . As Mira took the chance to peek through the rear s.h.i.+eld, all of a sudden, something came to her mind; it was the Lesser Demon’s last moments, the ominous smile he had on his face even with a body already covered in wounds .

Because there were times when a demonic being would incite lower cla.s.s monsters, the girl deduced it might have been the case this time too, with the Lesser Demon bringing the entire herd to the flower bed .

“Huuumm…? I thought that thing was whiter…”

Despite all that happened around it, the towering white pillar remained unscathed . But compared to the last time she had seen it, the structure appeared a bit darker, almost as if it had absorbed the monsters’ blood .

TL Info:

獄門の盾 – Jail s.h.i.+eld (or literally, Prison Gate s.h.i.+eld) . A reference to Lord of Arcana?

魔封石 – (Magic) Sealing Gem (or Jewel)

屬性力 – Attribute Effect (Ore Twintails uses the “Attribute Power” term, but I believe ‘effect’ fits better for now)

補正力 – Auxiliary Effect (literally, Correction Power/Strength/Effect . I have seen this term used when talking about certain kinds of clothing and the mechanisms used to tighten or loose them)

ハーメルンの灰 – Ashes of Hamelin

“Just what is the meaning of this!?”.

While looking completely baffled, Mira stared at her own hands that were now literally pa.s.sing through the black case

“As you see, the game world may have turned into a real one, but we’re still bound by its original rules . Considering the Vanity Case is a non-transferable item, you can’t hand it to anyone else . In addition, items for which you have authority over, like your Master Key, can be given to others; however, no one is able to steal or take them by force . ”.

“Basically, unless I get one of those cases by myself, I am pretty much stuck with this appearance, right?”.

The young girl drew her face closer to the phantom-like item and squinted

“Exactly . Anyway, you already know the harsh truth, but I must remind you that you can’t access the cash shop anymore . ”.

“Oh h.e.l.l…”.

Upon this simple exchange of words, Mira dropped her entire body on the sofa and stayed there, lying face down . Her mind, that was now a.s.saulted with the desire to simply give up, began searching desperately for something, anything to get her out of that situation

“Are there any exceptions to the rules?”.

Clinging to a tiny sliver of hope, the little girl had the strength to turn her head towards Solomon

“Never heard of anything like that in the thirty years I’ve been here . ”.

“No way…”.

It was an answer backed by three decades’ worth of experiences, enough to quickly shatter any hopes she had left . Trying to escape into the land of dreams, Mira closed her eyelids as she returned her face to the couch and started reminiscing of the magnificent figure she once had

“You know, I really want to help you on that matter, in any way possible… but there isn’t anything I can do . ”.

“Yeah, right . I bet that deep down you must be just laughing at my current situation . ”.

Mira was now the perfect image of a kid throwing a tantrum, the incessant and negative thoughts in her mind permeating her words while she grumbled on the sofa

“Oh no, of course not . Considering you’ve only spent a day in this world, you didn’t forget about the state of our country, right? You are one of the Elders who made this kingdom stand on par with the other countries, I would never laugh at… what happened to you . ”.

When Solomon threw a glance at the girl lying on the couch, he endured the urge to burst out in laughter and forced a poker face . However, Mira didn’t miss the slight trembling of his lips

“It is just as I thought! You are really making fun of me . ”.

“Oops, my bad . But the fact that I want to help you still holds true . ”.

Upon correcting himself, the king stared at Mira while showing his usual and gentle smile . In return, however, he only received a displeased stare from the girl

“Ahhh, by the way, did you hear about the other sages? Such important people are still missing…”.

Solomon averted his gaze as he tried to change the subject . The matter was the greatest incident that happened in Arkite Kingdom, where Dunbalf disappeared and, less than a year later, all other Elders suffered the same fate

“Yes, Graia told me . From what I understood, everyone was gone at the same time, but Luminaria returned after about ten years . I then went to the towers to hear the current situation . ”.

“Hmm, I see now . Well, if you know that stuff already then things will be easier to explain . Let’s start with a question, what do you think would happen to our country if its greatest military a.s.sets, the Elders, were gone?”.

Akin to the host of a quiz show, the boy presented his inquiry . At the same time, his smiling expression slightly darkened

“That is… right…”.

She could easily guess the answer . Mira softly narrowed her eyes as she began stroking her chin with her fingertips, groaning in thought while still lying on the sofa

Making use of the nine Elders’ influence and power, the Kingdom of Arkite managed to avoid conflicts against other countries by never waging wars against them . Since it had plentiful lands and the kingdom’s ruler was devoid of greed, there was no need to take away someone else’s territories; then, the efforts made by the country were directed into its own defenses . Naturally and gradually, those countries looked to start commercial relations with Arkite

However, the individuals who held together the kingdom’s defenses had been lost . Ten years later, when the incident was officially announced, Luminaria had already returned; but no matter how strong an Elder was, being responsible for the entire country was too much for a single individual . As a result, the number of military interventions against the kingdom multiplied, reflecting the other countries’ desire to obtain its profitable lands . The situation didn’t evolve into a complete war, but the constant skirmishes gradually brought Arkite to exhaustion . Such was the current situation of the kingdom

A single one may not exert much influence, but if all nine sages returned together their persuasive power would be immeasurable . And considering group battles, there was a sage who was especially known for its prowess in them, the War Power Dunbalf

“Look, this is my own opinion as the king, but first of all you are this country’s hero . Your existence alone bears a tremendous influence, so we can’t really shout from the rooftops that you, the hero, became a little girl . ”.

“Ugh… gghhh…”.

The reason why she had professed herself a pupil of the sage Dunbalf was similar, it was an act to protect her own reputation; that is why Mira chose to not say a word to Solomon’s statement

“Since you’re still the same person, your real strength is also the same, but everyone’s impression of you would be completely different . Although I think that it wouldn’t be such a problem if you had that appearance since the start, the image that everyone has of you is that of a veteran Expert, someone whose figure would never put to shame the ‘Sage’ t.i.tle . ”.

Having her ideal male figure praised was enough to put Mira in a good mood, resulting in her turning a joyful look at the king while making a victorious pose[1], as if telling him how right she was

“It is exactly like you said . Even now, I can still say with complete confidence that it was my greatest masterpiece . ”.

“Then, can you imagine what people would think if they knew that such great hero became a loli? What kind of image would be evoked in their minds?”.

When questioned, Mira tried to think about it . He was someone respected by others . What if the magician Dunbalf, from that movie, suddenly became a very young girl?.

“…A person you could not rely on . ”.

While murmuring that, the girl finally realized her current situation in its fullness

“Indeed . What I really wanted was to announce that Dunbalf has returned, but there’s no way we can reveal that this is your current appearance . Vanity Cases are something unknown to the citizens, so they wouldn’t understand . ”.

“Humm, can you afford to just proclaim that ‘Dunbalf’ is back without showing him?”.

With an expression that said she came up with some great idea, Mira suddenly straightened her posture on the couch

“That would be hard, I think . Remember that this is the return of the great hero after thirty years . The entire country would hold a grand party to celebrate and we can’t do that without the guest of honor . In addition, even if we didn’t have that problem and things calmed down in the kingdom, the other countries would surely try to investigate . ”.

Her bright idea was utterly destroyed . At the same time, the girl seemed to be destroyed too as she slumped on the sofa face-first and, once again, laid there

It was exactly like Solomon said . After three decades of absence, holding a huge party for the returning hero would be the natural course of events . Spies would also be sent to find out if Dunbalf was really there or not and, the moment they discover the truth, it would instigate distrust between Arkite and the other nations

Nevertheless, since the time he met with Mira, the king had no intention of revealing Dunbalf’s reappearance; there was something more important than that . In order to tell his friend what was on his mind, Solomon walked towards the place where she currently was, the sofa . When Mira saw that boy standing near her, she also noticed that instead of his usual smile, his face now had a completely serious look . Under that gaze, she corrected herself to sit straight and looked up at him, puzzled

Then, something happened at that moment . The hallway, just outside the room, suddenly became noisy and it was possible to hear Reynard’s and Joachim’s voices coming from there . Wondering what could possibly be happening, Solomon approached the door and opened it, revealing that someone was there: the head messenger of national defense affairs

“What is it?”.

In a completely different manner than when he was conversing with Mira, the king directed his question with a deep and calm tone to the officer in front of him . Reynard and Joachim, that stood on both sides of the door, bowed and stepped back . Then, after being surprised for a moment at the appearance of King Solomon, the messenger followed suit and immediately made the same gesture . Subsequently, he took his report and began reading its contents out loud

“This is an urgent report from the Benedict Fort . A herd of monsters has been spotted advancing towards the northwest . Their numbers are estimated to be around 200, composed of over thirty different species . ”.

After finis.h.i.+ng his task, the head messenger stepped back and waited for further orders; still, he seemed to have been in a big hurry to reach there, as evidenced by how much his shoulders kept shaking . Near him, the Knight and the Expert displayed their clear agitation over the contents of such simple report, indicating that it was, indeed, a matter of urgency

“If we are talking about the Benedict Fort, it’s already inside our own territory! Are you telling me the border security let that huge number of monsters pa.s.s by them!?”.

“It has been barely a day and there is already another pack invading… that is somehow too soon . And over thirty species mixed in it, this is the first time I have heard of such thing happening . I am a bit worried . ”.

In contrast to the anxious Reynard, Joachim calmly a.n.a.lyzed the situation, albeit with a stern expression on his face

“Barely a day, species mixed in… hmm, wait a moment . ”.

When Solomon’s brain processed and reviewed the report, he murmured a few words, seemingly struck with an idea . The messenger understood those orders and stood at attention after correcting his posture, waiting for the king’s instructions . Then, Solomon returned to the office after closing the door behind him

One way or another, the boy came up with something to fix that situation . At least that much could be understood by Joachim, as he didn’t miss the faint smile his king made at that moment

“I want to ask you something . ”.

Immediately, that was the first thing Solomon said after facing Mira, who sat on a corner of the sofa listening attentively to the conversation

“I am still tired from that travel, you know…”.

From the flow of events and the contents of what she heard, the girl could easily infer what her friend wanted to ask and quickly began ma.s.saging her calves in a clearly forced manner

“Please, help me . It can’t be anyone else but you!”.

“Well, if that is the case, leave it to me!”.

Solomon asked Mira in a somewhat dramatic manner and she replied with the same tone . It was enough to make the king deliver a joyful smile from the bottom of his heart

“Man, this back and forth… it has been so long . I really missed it . ”.

“Well, in my case it has been only a week since you made me accompany you on the hunt for materials for the Jail s.h.i.+eld . ”.

“Yes! That one! The Jail s.h.i.+eld… in the end, not a single material dropped, huh . ”.

First would be the refusal, then the begging and finally the affirmative answer . That sequence of events was something they had agreed on to do whenever one had a favor to ask the other . Considering Solomon’s situation, the last time it happened was over three decades ago, so it was with a cheerful laughter that he closed his eyes while reminiscing of the past

“Nevermind that, we are in an emergency, right? What do you want me to do?”.

“Oops, sorry, let me see…”.

Following his friend’s comment, the king stopped thinking about the old memories that had flooded his mind, a tense expression returning to his face . Then, when he stared straight at the girl, Solomon remembered that Dunbalf, the Sage, had another ability on par with his summoning skills

“Just to be sure, do you have any sealing gems with you right now?”.

“Yeah, every single kind . ”.

Mira answered the question as if it was a matter of fact . The “Sealing Gems” that Solomon spoke of was a general term used to identify certain gemstones that had the natural ability to hold specific kinds of power . They were primarily found in nature, but because of the refining technology created by Dunbalf it became possible to manufacture them

“Refining” was a special sort of ability . Basically, it was an entire technology that extracted, combined and affixed a variety of attributes and auxiliary effects . With those technical procedures, it was possible to enhance pieces of equipment with the special effects contained within gems; conversely, it was also possible to extract the power from an equipment and “seal” it inside the gemstone

“Oh, that’s great . d.a.m.n, I’m really glad that you came here . ”.

As Solomon said those words, he gave a smile that expressed not only his joy as someone being reunited with a dear friend, but also the interests he held as the king of a country . To the girl, the fact that it was an expression she was pretty familiar with only brought relief . It rea.s.sured her that even after an entire period of thirty years, that boy was still the same old Solomon she once knew

“Well then, I will explain the details along the way . Let’s go . ”.

“Alright, roger that . ”.

Solomon then threw open the door in a lively manner, slipping out a chuckle after seeing the surprised expressions of the three people that had been waiting outside . When he gave out a few orders, the messenger bowed once and departed in a hurry, an action also followed by Reynard, who left the place in order to carry out the instructions received

“We have a special vehicle prepared for this . Please go . ”.

The king beckoned Mira while asking Joachim to lead the way

“Certainly, Your Majesty . ”.

Upon answering, the Expert made an elegant bow directed at Solomon and another, in grat.i.tude, towards the young girl

“Okay, off I go . ”.

“Yeah, I’m counting on you . ”.

Both Solomon and Mira exchanged only a few words, but behind their thick voices Joachim was able to notice an incredible degree of trust between them, unthinkable for people who had known each other for barely a day . He then remembered a certain phrase, faintly heard through the door to the office:.

“It can’t be anyone else but you!”.

With a completely wrong idea about what had happened inside the room, Joachim guided the girl towards the garage, where the special vehicle was being prepared

———–.

Situated in the underground of the Arkite Castle, that peculiar garage was used solely to house unique and special carriages . Mira, who was brought to that place, found herself in front of a black vehicle, its pretty modern look a result of remodeling and application of matte paint over the carriage’s body . In addition, sticking out on top of its metal reinforced roof was a distinctive gun barrel, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the girl was standing in front of an armored vehicle . Somehow, it seemed like that was exactly the “special vehicle” Solomon had talked about

“I see he was pretty focused in his hobby . ”.

“For me, I really love it . ”.

When Mira looked up at the familiar-looking vehicle and murmured those words, someone replied . He was the one who had traveled together with her that morning, the coachman—or rather, chauffeur—Garrett

“Never thought we would meet again this early . ”.

“Oh my, it’s an honor seeing you once more . ”.

The young girl narrowed her eyes as she moved them to the side, bringing Garrett into her field of view; while appearing seemingly embarra.s.sed, the military man moved and opened the armored vehicle’s heavy-looking door

“Please, Mirsama . ”.

Greatly resembling a common pa.s.senger car, the inside had a bulky couch dividing the front and rear of the vehicle . After observing it and lightly poking the armored exterior with the back of her hand, Mira went in and quickly sat down on the car seat, almost burying herself in its softness . Excepting that fluffy sofa, the interior looked particularly plain with only leather and wooden boards filling everything . To Mira, however, it didn’t feel bad

“Ohoh, in contrast to its outward appearance, this seems rather comfortable . ”.

“That was added out of necessity, though . ”.

While the young girl was going up and down on the sofa to test its elasticity, Garrett heard her comment and replied, a wry smile showing on his face; of course, Mira would soon learn the hard way what was his reason to make such expression

———–.

After departing in a rush from the Arkite Castle, the armored vehicle moved towards the place where the group of monsters was discovered, its figure roaring noisily on the road that cut through the gra.s.slands

(That d.a.m.n Solomon, I never thought he would be able to make something like this…).

The Thousand-mile Carriage was simply no match for its armored counterpart in terms of speed, as evidenced by how fast the scenery outside the window was moving . Having ascertained that fact, Mira s.h.i.+fted her attention to the person sitting in the front, Garrett . Amidst the mess that was the driver’s seat, with a number of different devices lined up, he was cheerfully gripping the steering wheel

“This vehicle seemed so heavy at first, but now I see that it can run pretty fast . ”.

From the winds.h.i.+eld, that was short in height but large in width, the only things she noticed at a glance were the gra.s.sy plains and the spa.r.s.e forest that surrounded them . However, when looking way further ahead, the girl spotted a certain white pillar, towering towards the sky in a clearly unnatural way . While observing it, she made her remark about the vehicle’s speed

“Of course, this is the crystallization of the most advanced technology from our Sorcery Engiiineering!”.

As the military man answered, his voice grew to a lively tone and, even though he was still facing the front, Mira managed to catch a glimpse of his face, apparently beaming with joy

“Hmm, Sorcery Engineering…?”.

Having never heard about that term before, she expressed her lack of understanding through her words and tone . Then, in even higher spirits, Garrett started his talk

“Yes, it’s pretty amazing . I have been told that this is controlled by a device made by combining metal components with the stored power of sealing gems . ”.

“Oohh… it uses sealing gems…”.

“Indeed . Considering this Armored Jeep has been just completed, it includes most of our state-of-the-art technology . Because of that, however, its fuel consumption—gem consumption, in this case— is still significant, so we only ran it for tests once . ”.

In spite of what he had said, his tone and mood kept growing with every word

“But just a while ago, they suddenly came and gave me a great number of sealing gems, saying that I could use them as much as I wanted . Then, I was ordered to use the Armored Jeep to take you, Mirsama, to your destination with utmost haste! Thank you very much!”.

With a quick movement of his head, the man looked back and expressed his thanks towards Mira, returning his gaze to the front not even a second later

Dunbalf was the leading person in refining technology and, with his disappearance, the kingdom lost the only person who knew the fundamentals of such technology . This resulted in thirty years of nearly zero advancements in that area of expertise . In addition, because the production couldn’t keep up with the demand, higher grades of sealing gems ended up becoming incredibly valuable . And now, for the sake of bringing Mira to the group of monsters, said valuable items were being used without any control . While Garrett was surprised at the treatment given to the sage’s disciple, he also felt incredibly grateful to her

(I see… that is why he talked about those gems…).

Mira recalled how Solomon asked if she had any sealing gems with her . Basically, since the king saw the prospects of a great supply of those items, he decided to splurge . In fact, the girl didn’t receive any kind of special treatment; Solomon simply saw the benefits of running a second test run on his Armored Jeep while simultaneously sending his friend to her destination in a swift manner

No one held stronger feelings than Garrett if vehicles were considered . Not surprisingly, it was mostly because of those feelings that he took the position of vice-leader of the Mobile Infantry Force . Seeing that he had the chance to drive his number one favorite vehicle, unrestricted, the military man took the orders and received the sealing gems

The Armored Jeep’s performance was higher than what Mira had imagined, especially its frame that was reinforced by the power of a sealing gem . Even after running over the monsters in its way, it wouldn’t budge an inch; furthermore, when rus.h.i.+ng at full speed on the trackless, unpaved path, the burden applied to that frame was almost nothing

However, the same couldn’t be said of the jeep’s interior

“Could you please… do something about this!?”.

Mira raised her voice in protest while falling from the couch . All things considered, it was mostly because they were now pus.h.i.+ng their way through the middle of the gra.s.slands after ditching the road

As the Sorcery Engineering’s most advanced invention, the Armored Jeep was built with a communication device able to contact any locations equipped with transmission tools . When Garrett used it to obtain the latest data about the monsters’ whereabouts, he confirmed that the herd was moving straight ahead, as if aiming to reach some specific place . On the direction they were heading, there were no inhabited lands, only forests and prairies as far as the eye could see; if one were to mention something special, however, it would be the flower bed at the base of the towering, white pillar

With the information that was gathered, they inferred what was supposed to be the herd’s destination and rushed there . But there was a problem with that pacing . With the unevenness of the terrain, the entire vehicle began shaking violently, sometimes even jumping and moving midair for a few moments . As a result, every time it happened Mira would get launched up, only to have her body caught below by the soft and comfortable sofa . That was the meaning behind Garrett’s bitter smile and words, regarding the necessity for such item inside the jeep

“I have spotted the flower garden . We’ll arrive there shortly!”.

In contrast to Mira, the military man was in top form and didn’t have the slightest intention of stopping there, so the Armored Jeep continued cutting through the gra.s.sy plains

“Oookay… I can, see it, too . ”.

While bouncing all over the couch, almost as if she were in a trampolining routine, the young girl muttered a reply, her mind actually seeing a different kind of garden: the Eden one . [2].

———–.

After climbing to the top of a vibrant and small green hill, the Armored Jeep continued moving and, with its momentum, flew off that peak . Immediately, while fully enjoying the slight floating sensation from inside the vehicle, Garrett yelled in delight

The other side of the hill was a gradual slope, ending in an area completely covered by gra.s.slands and a spa.r.s.e forest . From the vehicle’s current place, it was possible to see a beautiful flower bed, its existence opening a circular gap in the middle of that distant, deep green . Then, standing at the center of such a richly colored place was the pure white pillar, a structure that evoked the image of a guardian protector’s sword

Having fixed her posture on the sofa, Mira strained her eyes and looked through the winds.h.i.+eld

“I suppose we were right, huh . ”.

Being twice the height of the silver linked towers, the white pillar was the target of a group of creatures, with every single one of them coming out of the woods nearby and advancing straight ahead towards their supposed destination . Since there was still a great distance between them, it wasn’t possible to identify their species, but Mira and Garrett could at least confirm that the wriggling ma.s.s was indeed composed of monsters

“Hmm, it seems that at this distance, they will be able to reach the place first . ”.

When compared to how close they were to the pillar, the herd of monsters had the overwhelming advantage, to the point that even with the Armored Jeep’s speed, it would be unlikely for Mira’s group to overtake them

“No other choice then . Let us go full speed ahead . ”.

“At your command!”.

Immediately after his answer, Garrett picked around three sealing gems and threw them all at once inside the small port connecting to the engine . Converting the power of those gems into its driving force, the Armored Jeep’s main device started rumbling even louder, prompting Mira to ask the driver to take safety into account while speeding

In a flat-out run, the vehicle continued its descent down the gentle slope, pus.h.i.+ng its way through the densely grown vegetation, bushes and trees alike . Then, a few minutes later, they reached a distance that allowed them to discern the details of the group of monsters

Trying to not look at the driver, who was completely fired up while gripping the steering wheel, Mira directed her gaze to the flower garden and caught sight of the monsters casually trampling down that place . It was then that she noticed something

“Hey, what is happening over there…”.

As soon as the herd arrived to their destination, after so much work to get there, every single one of them prepared their special abilities, moved to face each other and began a slaughter with their travel companions as the target . It may be true that they were an unorganized gathering of monsters, but there were also individuals of the same species there . Even then, regardless of that fact, they attacked anything that was in their direct vicinity

“What the h.e.l.l are they doing… hurry up!”.

Obviously, anyone would know that monsters preyed on each other . However, that wasn’t supposed to happen with beings of the same race; furthermore, if all those monsters had a predator-prey relation between one another, it wouldn’t be possible for them to even march together in a peaceful way, just like they had done a few moments before

(Are they fighting over something that exists there? Or perhaps…).

Regardless of their true intention, it was without a doubt that the monsters had a specific goal . With that in mind, while bearing an indescribable sense of uneasiness, Mira lied down on the sofa

———–.

When the Armored Jeep finally stopped in front of the flower bed, a lone girl jumped out of the vehicle, almost tearing off its door in her hurry to leave

“A Lesser Demon… I knew it, that guy was really involved in all of this mess . ”.

Amidst all the monsters, there was but a single irregular existence there: with a body covered in wounds, it was a demonic being called “Lesser Demon . ” As the monsters continued to kill each other, their numbers decreased in the blink of an eye and, when the herd’s size was finally reduced to one monster, the Lesser Demon was the one who cut its neck off

“What a strident voice…”.

In a corner of the garden, there stood the demonic being, cackling like a maniac . Mira threw a hateful glare at her foe and instantly summoned a Dark Knight . The figure clad in black armor ran through the scattered corpses, kicking around anything in its way and, in a flash, bisected the Lesser Demon .  Subsequently, some sort of black mist flowed out of the wounds opened by that attack; however, after floating for a moment, it dissolved and dispersed in the air . Below that spot, on the ground, the remains of the slain demon were added to the other countless corpses, its face displaying what appeared to be a blissful, distorted smile

“d.a.m.n, they really made a mess here . ”.

When Garrett finally caught up with the young girl, he surveyed the surroundings and commented about the situation . The many flowers, that were supposed to fill their eyes in a colorful scenery, became tainted by the dark red blood of monsters; it was akin to the picture of a maiden laying on a place, collapsed, after having her purity stolen and sullied

A section of the flower bed, however, remained safe from the pollution . The damage was focused only on the outer portions of the circular garden, somehow leaving its central part, or about half of the entire place, without a single drop of blood tainting the flowers

“Well then, shall we go back? Oh, that is right, we need to take care of the corpses first . ”.

If it were still a game, the dead bodies of monsters would naturally vanish by themselves, but then Mira remembered what happened right after she arrived in that new world . When her Dark Knight ma.s.sacred the goblins, the Magic Clothed Knights took the monster’s corpses and burned them

“Indeed . If we leave those bodies like that, a huge number of ghouls might be born from them . ”.

Glancing at the myriad of scattered corpses by his feet, the military man said “I’m going to get something real quick,” and ran towards the Armored Jeep . He then returned a moment later with two small bags in his hand

“First of all, we need to gather everything in one place . Mirsama, would it be okay for you to sprinkle this over the monster’s corpses?”.

As he asked the favor, Garrett presented Mira with one of the bags

“…Okay, and what is this?”.

After receiving the pouch, the girl found that it was filled with a white, fine powder . She then did as told, taking a handful of said powder and sprinkling it on the dead bodies by her feet, not forgetting to also question Garrett about the item

“They are called ‘Ashes of Hamelin . ’ Ah, you don’t need to use that much, just a pinch of it will suffice . ”.

Following his reply, the military man trotted towards the flower garden and began using the ashes on the corpses . In the end, he didn’t tell her what kind of item those ashes were, so Mira decided to ask again later, after finis.h.i.+ng the job of copying the guy’s movements and sprinkling powder over the monsters’ bodies

The entire work took about ten-odd minutes, and the two were now by the jeep’s side

“Okay, let’s finish this already and go back to the castle . ”.

While saying that, Garrett took a few steps forward and placed a rectangular gem on the ground . After he returned to his previous position, it required only a few moments for a bizarre scene to unfold right before Mira’s eyes . The monsters, that were supposed to be dead, stood up in a sluggish way and started walking

For a second, the girl stayed vigilant of their movements, but after seeing the calm expression on Garrett’s face, she remembered the name of the item they had just used and inferred its effect, finally revealing her understanding with an “Oh, I see . ”.

Their eyes lifeless, the slain foes moved mechanically towards the place where Garrett had set the gem and, one by one, lied on top of each other . Then, in just a few minutes, there was a pile of monster corpses gathered on that spot

“I’m going to burn them now . Mirsama, please get a bit further away from there . ”.

Without a moment’s delay after his request, the military man jumped on top of the vehicle and aimed the muzzle, that was equipped on the roof, against the mountain of bodies

“Let’s see, which one is the fire sealing gem… oh, found it . Well then, I’m shooting! ”.

Garrett manipulated something and, not a second later, a thunderous roar resounded as a ray of light was launched towards the corpses, being absorbed by them; what followed next was a huge pillar of flame shooting upwards, so high it seemed to even pierce the heavens

“This is… quite splendid, I must say . ”.

While seeing the shower of sparks coming from the burning pile of corpses in front of her, the little girl muttered a few words in admiration . However, when looking over her shoulder and noticing the bright expression coming from Garrett’s face, she let out a bitter smile

Having finished the disposal of the corpses, both of them returned to the Armored Jeep and departed from the garden . As Mira took the chance to peek through the rear s.h.i.+eld, all of a sudden, something came to her mind; it was the Lesser Demon’s last moments, the ominous smile he had on his face even with a body already covered in wounds

Because there were times when a demonic being would incite lower cla.s.s monsters, the girl deduced it might have been the case this time too, with the Lesser Demon bringing the entire herd to the flower bed

“Huuumm…? I thought that thing was whiter…”.

Despite all that happened around it, the towering white pillar remained unscathed . But compared to the last time she had seen it, the structure appeared a bit darker, almost as if it had absorbed the monsters’ blood

 .

TL Info:.

獄門の盾 – Jail s.h.i.+eld (or literally, Prison Gate s.h.i.+eld) . A reference to Lord of Arcana?. 魔封石 – (Magic) Sealing Gem (or Jewel). 屬性力 – Attribute Effect (Ore Twintails uses the “Attribute Power” term, but I believe ‘effect’ fits better for now). 補正力 – Auxiliary Effect (literally, Correction Power/Strength/Effect . I have seen this term used when talking about certain kinds of clothing and the mechanisms used to tighten or loose them). ハーメルンの灰 – Ashes of Hamelin. 1↑決めポーズ – I suggest you go looking at google images for “決めポーズ”, but it’s basically “a pose of putting on airs . ” 2↑ “…別の花畑を幻視し…” – For now, I don’t know if I can keep the same meaning for the entire line . The part quoted here (literally, hallucinating a different flower garden) makes a reference, most probably, to “脳內お花畑” or “flower garden in the mind,” an expression used when it’s hard to think of anything or when you’re “escaping reality/in a fantasy world . ”