「Save Cheriu Village.」
[According to the man, Cheriu Village, where you are headed, is in a dangerous situation due to wraith attacks.]
[However, heading to a village filled with an unknown number of wraiths with just two people is reckless.]
[Returning to the castle to request reinforcements is the wisest choice, but the delay might mean no survivors remain.]
[The choice is yours.]
Meeting the man’s anxious gaze, Yuda nodded first to reassure him.
“Of course, we’ll help. But it’s definitely tough with just us.”
“Th-then what?”
“You head straight to Caora Castle to request help. Though, I’m not sure they’ll brave this rain to come.”
“They might not help… Wait, so you’re going to the village?”
“Yes. No choice. If we all go back to the castle, we don’t know if the village can hold out. But taking you with us, you’d be a burden.”
Mid-sentence, Yuda remembered something and pulled several bronze badges from his pocket, handing them over.
“Wh-what are these?”
“Badges found on the bodies of adventurers who died in this house.”
Taking the badges, the man flinched and scanned the house.
Ropes hung from the ceiling, and something seemed deliberately hidden in a corner.
Of course, he lacked the courage to check.
“What should I do with these…?”
“Take them to the Adventurers’ Guild in Caora Castle. Showing these might make them eager to help. If they ask who gave them, say ‘Yuda Arche.’ They’ll know.”
“That’d be great, but what if there are more wraiths on the way to the castle? It seems dangerous…”
Yuda shrugged.
“If you feel that way, you can come to the village with us. But going back to Caora Castle together would make this trip a waste.”
After a moment’s thought, he nodded.
“Th-then I’ll go to the castle for help. Please, I beg you. And—ow! Bit my tongue… Anyway, be careful!”
Stuffing the badges into his pocket, he said he’d leave first and ran into the rain.
“So, are we leaving now?”
“No.”
Watching the man flee frantically from potential wraiths, Yuda shook his head.
Jeanne tilted her head with a puzzled look.
“But didn’t you just say we’d help his village?”
“We will help. But let’s eat breakfast and wait until the sun’s up a bit. Take it easy. Rushing won’t help.”
Though displeased with Yuda’s lack of urgency, she saw his point.
They might walk for hours, then fight wraiths immediately upon arrival.
After rescuing villagers, leisurely eating in front of them would be impossible.
After brief thought, she nodded.
“That makes sense. Alright, we’ll wait.”
Despite saying so, they ate quickly with sandwiches to fill up fast.
With Demon Eye activated, minimal light sufficed for vision, so they left the dilapidated house immediately.
The village’s wraith attack seemed to be true as within two hours of leaving, Yuda and Jeanne were ambushed.
Yuda reacted to their silent approach, and Jeanne summoned her shield to block.
Yuda swiftly attacked, annihilating the wraiths.
As time passed, the attacks grew more frequent.
Dispatching the last wraith, Jeanne sighed.
Blocking unpredictable wraith attacks was exhausting.
Yet these chaotic battles helped synchronize their teamwork.
Fighting while trusting each other was a unique thrill.
After the battle, Jeanne caught her breath and desummoned her shield and spear.
“We must be close to the village. They’re coming in droves.”
“Hmm, yeah. What if the village has even more?”
Jeanne gave a slight smile.
“Will you run?”
“No way, right?”
“Then that’s fine. I trust you and myself. It’ll be tough, but if the wraiths are like this, we can handle it.”
Her words weren’t empty confidence.
During battle, she had accidentally taken a wraith’s hit.
But her high Magic Resistance kept the damage minimal.
Considering she wasn’t armored, it was quite manageable.
“Thanks for the trust. Alright, let’s move now that we’ve caught our breath.”
Seeing her nod, they pressed through the rain.
Cheriu Village was closer to the house than expected.
Wraith battles delayed them slightly, but a village appeared below the hill.
Dark clouds shrouded everything, but it wasn’t pitch-black like midnight.
“Luckily, the priest is holding up well.”
Hundreds of wraiths gathered around a central building.
A green barrier enveloped the building, firmly blocking wraiths, even those that could pass through objects.
Angered, the wraiths gnawed at the barrier.
「Save Cheriu Village 2.」
[You and your companion, just two, have arrived at Cheriu Village under attack by numerous wraiths.]
[Fortunately, you’re not too late.]
[The priest at the village hall is highly skilled, protecting it for nearly ten days.]
[But she’s reached her limit. The protective barrier will soon break.]
[The enraged wraiths will surely rush in the moment the barrier breaks, devouring the terrified people inside.]
[Hurry. Little time remains before the barrier collapses.]
While Yuda read the message, Jeanne finished battle preparations.
Shedding her robe and coat, she summoned silver armor to fully equip herself.
She fastened her coat to the armor’s cloak clasp.
Yuda had requested the coat be tailored for such use when gifting it.
“I’m ready, Yuda. I’ll take the lead.”
She spoke, lowering her helmet’s visor.
She looked ready to charge into the village, valiant.
Unlike her heavy, battle-ready demeanor, Yuda felt relatively lighthearted.
“It’ll be over quicker than you think, so don’t worry, Jeanne.”
“Quickly… you say. I hope so.”
“Let’s go.”
Yuda placed a hand on her shoulder.
Although it meant to ease her tension, it worked; as her rigid posture relaxed.
A chuckle came from within her helmet.
The clank of her armor wasn’t drowned by the rain.
Following Jeanne’s vigorous steps, as Yuda neared the village, a wraith noticed and screeched.
The eerie scream drew other wraiths’ attention, and all but those attacking the barrier turned their gazes toward them.
Hundreds of dark shapes staring in the grim atmosphere sent a wave of disgust.
They began lunging toward Yuda and Jeanne.
“They’re coming.”
“Don’t worry. It’ll really be over quick.”
Quickly?
Pressing her helmet down, she chuckled.
Killing about ten wraiths took around ten minutes.
But with dozens of times more wraiths visible through her visor’s slit, “quickly” seemed a stretch.
A joke, but she hoped it was true.
“Then, let’s send them to a nice place.”
Altemia appeared in Yuda’s palm.
On the way, Altemia had absorbed ample vitality.
Even if from bodiless wraiths, they undeniably possessed vitality.
──────!
The wraiths’ horrific screams as they approached chilled Yuda to the core.
Feeling sweat in his palm, he threw Altemia.
Thwack!
But Altemia struck not the grotesque wraiths, but the rain-soaked, muddy ground.
Thrown lightly, the softened ground swallowed the blade entirely.
“?”
Jeanne, shield raised and spear ready, frowned in confusion.
Her helmet narrowed her vision, but she hadn’t misseen.
Yuda’s dagger, never missing before, was lodged in the ground.
Did he miss from nerves?
As she thought so, her eyes widened.
The pooled rainwater where the dagger struck turned red.
It happened instantly, leaving no time to be surprised.
From the viscous blood-like water, dozens of spikes shot up like awls, piercing the wraiths passing above.
Fixed in place, unable to move, they screamed grotesquely as their souls were sucked into the blood-water.
“Y-Yuda…? What’s this?”
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