I published the cover for Volume 2 in my activity report.
—Heroic Spirit’s Underground Mausoleum, Level 8
(…? It’s dark. My head feels fuzzy, like I’ve been asleep for a long time. Did I fall asleep? Let’s see, I was asked by old Mrs. Marigan to go grocery shopping, so I reluctantly went… When I got back to the orphanage, Lia had prepared a meal… Hmm, my memory is hazy from after lunch. Could it be, I just ate and then fell asleep? No, no, I’m not that lazy. Not like Lia. But I really can’t remember…)
Putting strength into my heavy eyelids, I slowly try to open them. It’s not bright. It’s a dimness like being in a room with the curtains closed.
(Where is this…? Also, are we shaking?)
It was Sister Attra who awoke to consciousness. She is still being held by her “Guardian,” Serge Floa, and is in the process of being taken away.
“Where is this!?”
Attra’s whole being cried out. She was disoriented by the rapidly changing scenery. It’s understandable, considering she was moving as if she had become the wind. Attra, having just woken up, was utterly bewildered, but suddenly a sweet voice was heard from nearby.
“Oh, good morning. Did I wake you? It does shake, you know.”
“Who are you!?”
“Haha, it’s good to see you’re doing well. Melfina’s healing magic seems to have worked. That’s good, that’s good.”
The black-haired girl, whom she had never seen before, laughed merrily. Though her smile was entrancing, even for another woman, she didn’t answer Attra’s question. Serge’s attitude seemed to irk Attra, who was in the prime of her rebellious teenage years.
“Let go, let go! Who gave you permission to hold me!?”
“Alright, alright, don’t struggle. You’ll be attacked by monsters!”
“Even if you kidnap me, you won’t get any money from a poor orphanage!”
Attra tried to wriggle free, moving her whole body. However, Serge, who was holding her, didn’t budge and remained firmly in her grip. She possessed a strength that was unbelievable from her slender arms. No matter how much Attra struggled, her breathing only grew heavier.
“Huff, huff… Who are you, really…?”
“Me? Hmm, I could tell you my name, but no one would believe me.”
“Just tell me. I don’t even know what to call you, and watch out!”
Serge made some kind of arm movement, but Attra couldn’t properly comprehend it. In fact, she had just flicked away a monster that was in their path.
“I can’t help it. My name is Serge Floa.”
“…What?”
“I said, my name is Serge Floa.”
“You know, you should put more thought into fake names. Serge is the name of a hero from ages ago. Even I, with my lack of education, know that.”
Serge was looked upon by Attra with pity, as if she were looking at a pathetic person. Her gaze included feelings of sympathy and pity. However, Serge seemed accustomed to such reactions and merely laughed.
“I know, right? Well, you can call me Fu-chan or Setchan.”
Serge casually drew her Sacred Sword and struck a heroic pose while running. Her showmanship was in full swing, but Attra continued to glare at her.
—*Clang!*
Suddenly, the Sacred Sword, raised for the pose, let out a shrill sound. Above them, the cursed sword Carnage, imbued with a deadly poison, was clashing with the Sacred Sword, scattering sparks. It was Ange, in her black hooded form, who had swatted away the cursed sword.
“Gyaah!?”
Attra was further bewildered by the sudden appearance of Ange, who wore a wicked grin.
“Ah! You’re not going to let me get a surprise attack that easily!”
“…Ambushes from assassins are bad for the heart.”
Despite her words, there was no panic in Serge’s expression. She accepted the accidental defense against Ange’s stealthy surprise attack as if it were natural. However, she did have some doubts. Even with Attra in her arms, and even though Ange was more agile, it was too fast to catch up. Serge, though not as much as Ange, was confident in her own agility. She had disguised their route and even had the backing of “Absolute Gospel,” so she hadn’t expected to be discovered so easily.
(Wow, the world looks different. But controlling it might be a little difficult.)
Even Ange, who specialized in perception, would find it difficult to detect Serge if she were trying her best to escape. Unless she was within her line of sight, Serge’s luck would somehow interfere. So, why was she discovered so quickly? The answer was Kelvin’s Wind God’s Kick. Even without Support Magic, Ange’s agility far exceeded 5000. When combined with this magic, which doubles her agility, she was truly a force to be reckoned with. Ange, with her absurd speed, had explored all possible routes to the surface, assuming Serge would head there, and then caught up to Serge to launch a surprise attack.
“I am surprised, but are you planning to face me one-on-one?”
“No way. I’m not that much of a battle maniac.”
“Well, that’s fine. When protecting something, that’s when my true abilities show— Huh?”
Ange suddenly changed direction and began to create distance between herself and Serge.
“My role is my eyes. As long as she’s in my sight, I won’t lose track of the Guardian. Also, a message from Kelvin. He said to at least let him taste it.”
“Is she sick already? She must be sick, right?”
As she watched Ange disappear into the darkness, Attra, who still hadn’t quite grasped the situation, cried out in her mind. Their thoughts were understandable.
“Well, don’t be like that, won’t you accompany me?”
“—!”
An impact came from the direction they were moving. Serge met the blow, delivered without a hint of presence by the Sword Elder, head-on with a sword fight. Overwhelmed by the sheer force, Attra almost lost consciousness— but let’s put that aside for now.
“My, my, I remember now, the Grim Reaper was a Summoner. You didn’t seem like one, so I had completely forgotten.”
Gerard, summoned before Serge by Kelvin’s “Summoning Magic,” gave a wry smile. Serge, whose whereabouts had been unknown, would have her location shared with the entire party through communication as long as Ange was watching. Therefore, Level 8, located within Kelvin’s magic range, was a perfect summoning spot.
“But to block my full power…! The world is vast!”
“Haha, it’s actually quite tough.”
*Claaang* Serge deflected her black sword and passed by Gerard with a wide detour. While it was troublesome to defeat him, evading combat was easy. That was her judgment—
“You’re here! Shutra, are you ready?”
Beyond the passage, in a large room where a horde of monsters had been annihilated, Sera stood waiting. Beside her were Shutra on Georgius and Guardians forming a defensive formation.
“Yes, I’m ready, but… isn’t that Attra from the orphanage being carried by the side?”
“It’s alright, Kelvin gave permission! There’s no way the strongest hero in the world couldn’t protect a kind girl!”
“R-right, is it okay?”
Though she had doubts, Shutra controlled her threads at Sera’s trusted word. Consequently, the Guards began to move in a disciplined manner, aiming their Gatling Guns at Serge.
“Tee!”
It was Sera, for some reason, who swung her arm and signaled with apparent cheerfulness. Shutra, sensing the mood, unleashed a saturation attack of countless magic bullets.
