NOVEL NEXT Chapter 530
Chapter 530: Human Race Territory
Comic Volume 3 is on sale today!
“The Night Elf Prison arc, which was said to be impossible to adapt into a manga, or a media mix, is finally getting its manga adaptation…!”
Thanks to the support of our readers! Thank you so much!
In the crucial episode featuring Liliana, the harsh world of Zilbagias is intricately depicted, under the skilled hand of artist Nitra-sensei! You absolutely must check out the explosive power of this volume!
Thank you for your continued support!
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
…I wasn’t aware of it, but
I might have been a little excited, thinking that Adamas might be fixable.
The moment I realized this was when we entered the territory of Opsgaldia, under the dominion of the Feretoria Kingdom, and sensed a change in the air.
It felt like being doused with cold water.
The air was rough. The townsfolk were restless, exuding a palpable sense of unease, as if they were trying to maintain normalcy while simultaneously trying to avert their eyes from reality—
There was no doubt about it, the scent of the battlefield lingered.
—As we entered the capital of Opsgaldia, Galdia, we learned that the Demon Lord Army had invaded the Feretoria Kingdom.
“From the Holy Church, I’m Vampire Hunter Alexa. What happened at the front lines? I ran here non-stop from the east, so I don’t know the details.”
“Ah! Thank you for your hard work… Actually—”
Galdia seemed to be under wartime conditions, with checkpoints established, but it appeared the personnel of the Holy Church were out in full force, and holy inspections weren’t taking place. This was substantial, as it was clear the Night Elf intelligence network had been decimated.
As usual, I won the guards’ trust by showcasing my holy attributes to gather information… Every time I pull off this identity fraud, it feels indescribable, but I really didn’t know the details since I had been darting around the east, so I hoped for their understanding.
“—Spinethia, the Fifth Demon Lord Prince?”
“Yes, currently, it seems that the dwarf fortress at the front lines is under siege… We received the last message this morning, so we don’t know the situation after that. Reports say that Prince Sassen’s elite unit is defending it, so it shouldn’t fall too easily.”
“…I see.”
Spinethia. The face of my ‘sister’ with crimson-purple hair flashed through my mind.
The Sauroe tribe’s legion? They should be strong in siege warfare with a Hunting Area… The guards around here seem to think that the dwarves are still holding up well, but depending on the scale of the fortress and the number of the Sauroe tribe’s soldiers, it wouldn’t be surprising if it fell within today or tomorrow.
But wait… It’s strange… I thought that when engaging the dwarf kingdom on the northern front, the usual strategy was to seize the surrounding human and beastman territories first, then starve the dwarves of supplies instead of attacking the fortress head-on…
Did Spinethia try to impress the Demon Lord with a reckless attack?
“Is that Demon Lord really the type to appreciate such reckless assaults?”
No, that doesn’t feel right. There might be some demonic logic at play here that I can’t fully comprehend in my current state.
“How large is the invading force?”
“We haven’t been informed clearly. However, there are said to be no less than 2,000 beastman soldiers…”
I asked various other questions, but the guards (no offense to them, but they were at the bottom of the hierarchy) didn’t seem to know much. They weren’t sure about the exact size of the Demon Lord Army either. Frankly, I really wanted to know the number of demon race warriors rather than the usual forces like beastman soldiers.
The guards seemed to be reluctant to accept the possibility that their capital might become a battlefield, giving off a vibe of “well, the dwarves are really trying, so it should be fine for now.”
…In my experience, when reports from the front line stop coming in and those in the rear are overly optimistic, it rarely ends well.
We should hurry. No matter what we do next.
I thanked the guards and we made our way into the city, fighting against the flow of people. A considerable number of residents were beginning to flee to the eastern side of the kingdom, now that the Demon Lord Kingdom was attacking.
“Lily, is this the right way?”
“Just a moment!”
As we advanced through the unfamiliar stone-built city, I left all guidance to Odigos. Liliana, disguised as a regular staff, was rolling along, guiding us on which way to go.
…People passing by were looking at the divine beauty of the forest elf rolling her staff in the middle of the street with expressions like, “What is this person doing…?” Everyone was on edge due to the war, which probably made it all the more noticeable.
And here I was, a rugged swordsman, along with Orderju, an elderly elf, seriously guarding her, so it was no wonder we looked like an unusual group.
“Uh… I think it’s this way.”
Liliana led us with a furrowed brow. …We were definitely heading towards the center of town. As you’d expect, the streets became remarkably better and more beautiful compared to the outskirts.
“If we keep going like this, we’re bound to enter the noble district.”
No doubt, that craftsman was quite skilled, but I really hoped he wasn’t employed by the lord…!
If he was, that would make contacting him a huge pain in the neck!
Please just be a regular craftsman who happens to have business in the town center…!
“—Halt! No entry beyond this point for unauthorized personnel!”
As I prayed inwardly, a fully armored knight suddenly stood in front of me.
The noble district had another wall and even stricter checkpoints were in place…
“I’m Vampire Hunter Alexa from the Holy Church. I have urgent business with the craftsman Gon-Sphili. May I enter, please?”
Surely these holy attributes should be recognized…!
I focused my magical energy, causing a silver aura to flicker at my fingertips, trying to forge a legal path through.
“Hmm… So it is you, Vampire Hunter! However, if you wish to enter the noble district, I’ll need to see your permit. I’m sorry, but this is regulation.”
The knight, with a serious expression reminiscent of a middle-aged strict type with decades of loyalty in his eyes, firmly requested the permit, though he looked quite apologetic.
“A permit…?”
“Do you not have one? A document verifying your status as a noble or a relation to the lord—something like an ID, permit, or letter. Without that, I’m afraid…”
“No… I’m in urgent need!!”
I drew Adamas from its sheath at my waist. For a moment, the stern knight flinched, reaching for his sword, but when he saw the cracked and battered state of Adamas, he released the tension from his shoulders.
“…It’s terribly damaged.”
“Yeah, well… it got like this in a tough battle.”
I spoke through clenched teeth, filled with bitter thoughts.
“I can’t say it got broken while I was facing off against a legendary hero of the human race.”
I can’t say that…
“The one who forged this was Gon-Sphili! He’s the only one who can fix it! If this carries on, I won’t be able to fight against the Demon Lord Army!! Please let me in…!”
I desperately pleaded, but the stern knight remained unwavering, the iron wall of his stance still up.
“Well, rules are rules…”
Y-you’re not flexible at all! I get it! I know the importance of rules, especially military ones!
But can we figure something out…!?
“I could use my rapier in the worst-case scenario?”
From the rapier I carried as a backup, Barbara’s voice chimed in. Honestly, I’d be okay with that if we had no other option.
I was really hoping we could come up with something. At least send someone to call for that craftsman… But I couldn’t quite recall the first name of Gon-Sphili, so if they asked I’d be in a real bind… It’d be embarrassing if they said “Why don’t you remember?”
“You could just say you hit your head on the battlefield and forgot.”
…It looks like I might have to keep that in mind as a last resort…
“—In short, if you can guarantee your identity, that would suffice, correct?”
While I was lost in thought, Orderju rummaged around in his pocket and chimed in.
“Yeah, that’s right, Elder.”
“If that’s the case, how about this?”
Orderju presented a document and—a golden ring. The ring bore the emblem of a falcon.
“Th-that’s…!”
“This was given to me by Lord Valentius of Opsgaldia. The letter states… to extend the utmost convenience hereafter…”
…Ah, I remember now!
This was the item they received as a reward when Liliana and Orderju saved the young nobleman who was on the verge of becoming a vampire!!
“That long, flamboyant name of a guy, right?”
Valentius = (name cut off) = Lord Opsgaldia!
How about that!? I’ve got the desired noble letter and ring, don’t I!?
Can we get through now…?
“Oh! If you have that, then this should be straightforward! Please, right this way!!”
The rigid knight opened the way with a beaming smile, and I almost stumbled.
So loyal…! Too loyal to the regulations in every sense…!
Couldn’t he have shown a bit of doubt…!?
—And so, after some delay, we managed to enter the noble district without further issues.
“Thank you, Orderju. You really saved us.”
“It’s nothing. One ought to help others, after all.”
Orderju chuckled heartily. I also wanted to express my gratitude for Lord Valentius—if I remembered correctly, his nickname was Vals. He had given us that letter and ring as a reward.
“Well then, Lily.”
“This way!”
It seemed we no longer needed to tip over staffs; Liliana was leading us confidently.
…It’s close.
I thought we were at the lord’s residence—
But it turned out to be a modest building at the edge of the noble district—the destination of our guide.
Unlike a noble’s mansion, the building had several stout chimneys. This was definitely a workshop even though it was elegantly constructed.
A workshop within the noble district? You might think that, but this area was under dwarf influence. I noticed several other properties that seemed to double as workshops.
Well, if it’s a skilled dwarf, it wouldn’t be strange for them to receive noble status in human territory.
Especially if it was that craftsman who made Adamas.
“…But, it feels kind of deserted…”
Helena peered into the building’s gate with an anxious expression.
Yeah… I thought the same.
It felt dusty, as if there were cobwebs in the windows…
“Excuse me…?”
It seemed there was no servant around. Didn’t he rise to prominence…?
But I knew he was definitely here, right?
When I glanced at Liliana, she nodded vigorously. So he was indeed there.
With no other options, I opened the gate without permission (it wasn’t locked) and entered the front entrance of the building.
“Excuse me!”
I knocked repeatedly on the door knocker.
“Gon-Sphili!?”
Knock knock knock.
“…………..”
No response. Looking at Liliana once again, she vigorously nodded, also rolling her staff along.
Clink. It was undoubtedly indicating straight ahead from the entrance… just then, the staff bent slightly, almost as if it was lifting its neck, signaling “He’s here. No doubt about it,” and Odigos himself certified it.
I appreciated it, but please don’t drop the staff’s disguise out in public!!
“Gon-Sphili! I know you’re here!!!”
I pounded on the door with vigor. I strained to listen… I could sense someone inside.
“…This is! Perhaps he might be ill and collapsed!”
“What!? That’s serious!”
When I exaggeratedly raised my voice, Orderju smirked mischievously and chimed in, playing along in an overly dramatic tone.
“It might be bad if we just leave him like this!”
“If that’s the case, what should we do?”
“In this emergency, let’s break down this door—”
Bang! The door swung open.
“Shut up!! I said I’m not here!!!”
Although I was almost about to shout back that he hadn’t actually said that—
…Oh.
Standing there was a stout, short, stocky red-faced dwarf, and I couldn’t contain the nostalgia welling up inside of me.
“This guy is a sword that’s purely dedicated to durability.”
Exhausted but wearing a satisfied expression of having completed his work, he spoke.
“Sharpness, body enhancement, magic wards! Those are all secondary! What matters is that it’s tough! Unbreakable! It won’t betray your expectations or trust! That’s the kind of sword I made…!”
He’d proudly handed it over—
“I used an old term which means strong or unyielding.”
Now, it hung at my waist,
“—Adamas.”
On the other hand, the dwarf who opened the door stood frozen, staring at me as if struck by lightning.
“Alexa…?”
…That’s right. I currently have a visage that closely resembles what I looked like in my previous life. It’s to hide my identity as Prince Zilbagias.
So he likely recognized me at a glance.
“—No, it’s just… sorry, you’ve mistaken me. You look like an old friend of mine.”
It was as if he was encountering a ghost, reaching out toward me to ascertain my existence—but he quickly pulled back.
With an awkward expression, he stroked his beard while averting his gaze.
…Friend, huh. Did he think of me like that?
My chest swelled with emotion.
“…It’s been a while, Ainz.”
I remembered.
Seeing your face, your name naturally came to mind.
Ainz Gon-Sphili—that was the name of the one who forged Adamas.
“…!?”
Ainz looked at me with his mouth agape, stunned.
“No way, is it really you, Alexa?! Seriously!?”
He trembled and stumbled closer, grabbing my arms.
“Impossible… because you… in your letter…!”
Referring to the plan to storm the Demon Lord Castle, of course, I had also sent a farewell letter to Ainz.
“A lot has happened. Really.”
So much has happened. Really, it has.
“But…! No way, I can’t believe it!!”
Ainz was in utter turmoil. I gently pressed my hand onto his.
“Look at this,” I unsheathed Adamas from my waist.
“This is…?!”
The cracked and withered Adamas—yet any craftsman would recognize it at first glance.
“Oh… you…!”
Switching between my face and Adamas, Ainz—
—Suddenly, his face turned bright red.
A vein bulged on his forehead.
“It’s broken, isn’t it!?!?!??!?!”
With an explosive sound, I felt a jolt, and stars scattered behind my eyelids.
Before I even realized I’d been hit in the jaw, I collapsed completely.