NOVEL NEXT Episode 8: The Defense of Arania
Episode 8: The Defense of Arania
Upon arriving in Arania, we are guided to Nord’s location. There was a bit of a scuffle between Karna and the Arlight soldiers at the city gate, but I’ll skip the details. Karna and Arlight don’t get along at all. This whole engagement thing seems to be backfiring, doesn’t it? Well, as someone from Hartelia, I’m actually grateful for their discord.
“Big bro, I’m back. How’s it going here?”
“Excuse me.”
“Lord Mine, we greatly appreciate your assistance. We haven’t had any issues so far.”
“Oh, here’s a little gift.”
When I handed over the captured guys, Nord grinned. He’s a lot like Gaia in this regard. Definitely has that mob boss aura. Scary.
Well, as long as Nord handles them, everything should be fine. It would be great if he could get them to reveal any other plans they might have.
It seems they’ve been sending reinforcements to other towns and villages near the forest, but they still don’t have enough soldiers.
Right now, it’s just goblins and wolves from the forest’s edge attacking sporadically, so there’s no major damage. Basically, they’re using magic from the outer wall, occasionally sending out cavalry, infantry, and adventurers to thin out the numbers.
However, the number of monsters is gradually increasing, and there are signs of higher-ranking monsters appearing, so we can’t let our guard down. Will a Goblin King show up eventually? They have a degraded version of the Orc King’s skills, so they become a real problem when their numbers grow.
“At first, the adventurers’ morale was low. I didn’t know what to do, but Lord Andil managed to negotiate with them and boosted their spirits.”
Andil is apparently the person managing things while the ‘Sword Saint’ is away. …Sorry about that? But I didn’t lie.
—
“Are the monsters gathering?”
“Yeah, it seems they’re forming a much larger group than before.”
It’s been three days since we arrived in Arania. There was a large-scale attack on the second day, but thanks to Karna and the soldiers from various territories, we managed to fend it off. I was just fixing the outer wall and shooting [Bullets] though. Reinforcements have been arriving continuously since then, so I thought we had some breathing room…
Could there be more Mother Chimeras? At least within the scope of the game I played… yeah, my knowledge of the original story is pretty sketchy. There’s a good chance there are more of them.
“What about the information from the captured ones?”
“Nothing significant. They probably weren’t told much about their other comrades to prepare for situations like this.”
If they have that much strength, they should send the ‘Sword Saint’ directly against them… Is that not feasible? The Mother Chimera is indeed strong, but it’s more of a commander-type boss.
If there are more of them, we can’t afford to take it easy. There might be some heading toward Ortya too. No choice. Let’s put in some effort.
If Miltia is making a move, this would be the timing.
“Considering the scale, it would be tough to launch an attack from here.”
“Oh, if we are not going to leave the outer wall, can I set up some magic outside?”
“Magic?”
“Yes, I think it could reduce their numbers significantly.”
“That would be helpful, but…”
“But I’d like to be in charge of activating it. I have some concerns.”
“A separate team?”
“Yes. I suspect they might coordinate an attack on the Marquis’ mansion with the monster assault.”
“…That’s possible.”
That’s what I’d do. Most of Arania’s forces would be defending the outer wall. Well, if nothing happens, that’s fine too. The best outcome is if nothing happens at all.
So, I set two types of magic traps underground on the southern side of Arania. Doing it from above ground might get me spotted. This time, it requires a wide area, so it’s going to take a while.
[[Taa-ma-ya?]]
[[Taa-ma-ya?]]
“No, it’s earth magic this time.”
[[Ee~]]
[[Boring! Let’s make it flashy!]]
We’re not using explosive magic in Arania. We don’t know how the relationship between Alteria and Hartelia will evolve. I don’t want to show all my cards to someone who might become an enemy. Even if they know my attributes, it’s more convenient if they think I’m specialized in earth magic.
—
The next morning, I waited near the Marquis’ mansion in [Magic Armor] mode with two knights from Hertia. It would be troublesome if the Marquis’ people saw me. I’ve designed my armor to look similar to the other knights’, so we shouldn’t get caught.
Karna wanted to come too, but it would be too unnatural for her to be absent from the front lines… Oh, there’s a reaction to my [Magic Detection] and [Subterranean Survey]. A group of four… wait, this magic power…
“I think it’s around here…”
“Zeke, if you stay here, won’t Cain bother you again?”
“Roland, you’re such a worrywart. He’s over by the outer wall, so it’s fine.”
“Are you sure something will happen here? I’m not doubting your intuition, Zeke, but…”
So, it’s the protagonist party. If Zeke’s intuition brought them here, something’s definitely going to happen.
In the original story, Zeke’s intuition was often highlighted for avoiding crises and triggering events. Basically, it represented the player’s choices. The story changed based on the events the player selected from multiple options. And since his intuition brought them here…
(Note: “*..*” is for MC’s dialogue and 『…』is for sound from afar just like the headmaster’s rebellion chapter)
『Kyaaaa!!』
“””*–!?*”””
Suddenly, a woman’s scream echoed from inside the mansion. What? There were no reactions from my [Magic Detection] or [Subterranean Detection]. I should have covered the entire area around the mansion… But there’s no time to think about that now.
“Let’s go!”
“””Zeke!?”””
“*You two stay here and wait.*”
“Lord Mine?”
“*I’ll evacuate the Marquis’ family from another location.*”
“”Understood!””
As the protagonists charged through the front door, I left the knights from Hertia behind and climbed onto the roof. From there, I could use [Magic Detection] to locate Relina.
“*Got you.*”
“…Is that you, Brother Mine?”
“*Oh? How did you recognize me?*”
“Your voice is the same.”
“*Ah, I see. Keep it a secret from everyone else, okay?*”
“Yes!”
I confirmed with [Magic Detection] that Relina was hiding in a room on the second floor with a maid, so I quickly secured them both and returned to the Hertia soldiers. From the hallway, I could still hear shouting and fighting, so it seemed the invaders hadn’t been subdued yet. What are the protagonists doing?
…Oh, right. There might be a boss-like enemy. After all, the protagonists are here.
“Hey, if you value this kid’s life, drop your weapons.”
“Young master Rain!?”
“Dan! What do you think you’re doing!?”
Leaving the two in the care of the knights, I returned to the previous room and heard the usual cliché line from downstairs.
Someone had taken a child hostage and was demanding the protagonists and knights drop their weapons. He wasn’t wearing armor, so he was probably a butler or servant who had infiltrated the mansion. He’s likely the one who let the invaders in. Since I couldn’t detect him, he must have been hiding inside the mansion before we arrived.
Even in an emergency, the Marquis’ security is laughably lax… Oh, and the middle-aged maid remained unnoticed all this time too. If they wanted to kill the Marquis’ family, poison would have been quicker.
“Release the child!”
“You’re a coward!”
“Hmph, say what you will. So, what will you do? Should I kill–”
“*[Bullet]*”
“””Gah!”””
“Hey, what are you–guh!”
““”…….Ee!?”””
I have no obligation to wait for the protagonists to resolve this. I generated spherical [Bullets] behind the invaders and struck their hands and feet. Some of them bent awkwardly, but they won’t die. I hit the traitor in the face from the front since he would have fallen on Rain if I shot from behind. That boy is my brother, after all. If he got hurt, I’d kill them all.
So, that’s one problem solved? Now, could you stay away, protagonist? Dealing with you will just bring more trouble.
“Um—”
“*Are you hurt?*”
“I’m fine! Thank you, armored knight!”
“*You’re welcome. You did well to stay calm.*”
Avoiding the protagonist, I spoke to Rain. This kid is impressive. He didn’t cry at all and could even thank someone. He’s more suited to be the head than the arrogant Cain. Please grow up straight, okay?
“Are you a knight of the Hertia family? I cannot thank you enough for saving Lord Rain. I am from this household…”
“*I only acted on Lord Nord’s orders. If you want to thank someone, thank him.’
“But…”
“*I must return to defending the city, so I’ll take my leave. Goodbye.*”
“Bye-bye!”
“Ah, wait!”
I patted Rain’s head and left the Marquis’ mansion. Who waits when told to wait? If my face or name gets exposed, it will definitely cause trouble. I’ll leave the cleanup to Nord. Waving to Relina, I headed for the outer wall.
Alright, it’s time for a big cleanup.
[[Excited!]]
[[Thrilled!]]
(Note: Both of these sounds aren’t accurate, probably? But I just can’t put them to word. The sound effects are “wakuwaku” and “dokidoki”. I know what it means from watching anime so hopefully you guys know too)
“*..It’s not fireworks, okay?*”
[[Ee~]]
Hey, you were right there when I set up the magic, weren’t you?
—
“*Sorry I’m late.*”
“No problem. How about over there?”
“*The invaders have been subdued. The Marquis’ household will handle the rest.*”
“Got it. Can you help with this now?”
“*Understood.”*
A large number of monsters were swarming the southern side of the city, but for now, the outer wall seemed intact. I noticed some people were unleashing flashy spells. Occasionally, a monster would leap over the wall, but soldiers or adventurers would promptly deal with them.
“*Alright, let’s get started.*”
I channeled magic into the ground to connect with the underground spells. There were some gaps, likely due to the impact of other people’s magic. They must have gone all out. Well, this much shouldn’t be a problem.
“*[Sword Mountain]*”
“””Whoa!!”””
“””Graaah!?”””
[[Taa-ma-ya!]]
A multitude of [Earth Spears] sprouted across the southern area of the city. Not all the monsters were killed—some survived by being between the spears or not receiving fatal injuries—but the others could handle those. And to the spirits: this is bona fide earth magic, not fireworks, alright? Don’t get mad.
“Unbelievable…!”
‘Next up, [Landscaping].’
“””Whoa!”””
(Note: The “whoa” one is like, you know that sound Japanese make that sounds like “oooooo” when they are suprised and impressed at something)
The [Earth Spears] disappeared instantly with the next spell. Leaving them in place would be a hindrance. Perfect aftercare, right?
“Alright! Time to go wild!”
“Don’t fall behind! Charge!!”
”””Uooooo!!!”””
As soon as the [Earth Spears] vanished, Karna charged in. She must have been holding back a lot. Oh, Cain and the others followed shortly after. Ah, the protagonists are here too. Do your best, everyone.
Magic and arrows flew in sync with the frontliners’ movements. This should help push back the monsters considerably. The next task is to take down the Mother Chimera.
“*Nord, I’m heading out. I’ll just head back over there, so I’ll leave the rest to you.*”
“Hey, wait!”
Sorry, but I’m in a hurry. It’s definitely not because I’m avoiding the troublesome stuff…! So, please don’t say things like “you’re just like Arlight…” Seriously.