In the duke’s mansion training grounds, Inanna stretched her body, glanced at the Puchis behind her, and took two deep breaths.
“This time it’ll work!”
She raised the staff embedded with a large A-grade magic crystal.
“Puchi Carrying Technique!”
Though she called it that, what emerged from the staff was still a water snake.
But under Inanna’s will and with [Elemental Spirit’s Favor], the water snake underwent a strange change.
It first wrapped around her waist, mouth to tail, becoming a floating liquid hula hoop.
Then over a dozen water threads extended from the ring, binding the surrounding Puchis one by one.
Unfortunately, after binding thirteen Puchis, no more threads could split off.
Still, Inanna was satisfied. At least it hadn’t broken like the previous attempts.
Then she began running. The Puchis trailed behind her like kites; not from wind, but lifted by the water threads.
Until Inanna tired, the Puchis never collided.
When she stopped to catch her breath, the threads gently lowered the Puchis.
Inanna tried having one Puchi run far away. The thread stretched, reaching nearly ten meters before the Puchi was yanked back “whoosh,” landing on the water ring to cushion the impact, unharmed.
Seeing this, Inanna couldn’t contain her excitement. She jumped and shouted toward the training ground edge at the butler. “Eric! Did you see that just now? I did it! I created a new spell!”
Eric nodded with gratification and encouragement, not explaining the actual criteria for a “new spell.”
Namely: a new spell must be universally learnable by anyone with the corresponding magical affinity.
What Inanna did, relying on the cheat-like [Elemental Spirit’s Favor] to twist any magic however she wanted, didn’t count as a “new spell.”
Eric naturally wouldn’t dampen the young lady’s enthusiasm, but…
Looking at the Puchis floating behind Inanna, Eric rubbed his brow.
Puchis again…
At first he thought the young lady’s need for Puchis was just trauma from the dungeon, needing them for comfort. She’d recover with time.
But as time passed, Inanna spent almost all her time with Puchis.
When going out, more Puchis escorted her than guards. At home, she only played with Puchis. The personal maids her age could only watch from afar. She even hugged Puchis to sleep.
Now even studying magic was just to better run around with Puchis, compensating for their short legs…
Eric was beginning to regret somewhat indulging her. He wondered if he had been wrong.
After all, recent intelligence suggested these Puchis were probably more than simple variants.
The unknown meant potential risk. His most important duty was protecting the young lady’s safety.
External dangers were easy to handle. After purging spies and replacing mansion staff, he was confident no one could sneak in to harm her.
But… changing the young lady’s own mind was too hard.
Like taking a child’s toy without making her cry. Eric didn’t want to handle this by making Inanna sad; it wasn’t that urgent yet.
So he had been troubled lately.
He was equally troubled by the front-line situation. Yesterday’s scheduled contact with the duke had failed. Combined with the duke’s prior reports, Eric could only pray it was just damaged communication equipment, not High Fort fallen.
Suddenly, a badge in his breast pocket vibrated; incoming signal.
Glancing at Inanna still playing happily in the training ground, Eric turned and hurried off.
In the communication room, he received the second-worst news: High Fort fallen, Duke Alama gravely wounded!
It’s over!
Having handled rear affairs for Duke Alama, Eric knew the current situation well.
Before, High Fort and Threehill City had supported each other, each blocking a demon army.
Now High Fort lost, demons could rest briefly, combine forces, and wipe out the army still in Threehill City.
Worse: Threehill City was already at a disadvantage, relying on the grand array to burn mana and hold. They had no ability to retreat; practically doomed.
If the Sword Saint, Brennus, and now-arrived Archbishop Ditas at Threehill Fort, plus the army, were all wiped out by demons…
Not just loss of strength; morale would collapse.
Humans had almost no good life under demons. Even conversion to vampire rarely included family slots. And demon dukes reneged on promises occasionally.
For many reasons, most would fight to the death for kin and compatriots behind them.
But if hope vanished, many choices would change. Their desertion would only hasten the kingdom’s fall.
Eric quickly thought what he could do.
He had recently recruited more Puchi masters, but they weren’t trained yet. Probably no time for that now.
High Fort just lost; front-line supplies likely short. Though not mentioned in comms, he had to prepare early.
High-tier weapons and gear in storage should come out. Better to use them for a little more fighting power than let demons take them.
And…
And Inanna!
He had to prepare for the possibility of the kingdom’s total defeat.
As a kingdom duke, Alama’s choice wasn’t his to worry about. But he had to protect the young lady.
The kingdom was no longer safe. Dwarves were in chaos too; they’d probably be next after kingdom defeat.
West could meet demons any time; archipelago route unsafe.
After thinking, the only suitable place seemed the Elven Forest.
But elves were famously isolationist. Getting the young lady in for protection would cost dearly…
Through the corridor window, Eric suddenly spotted Inanna in the courtyard.
She stood blankly hugging a knight Puchi, seemingly spacing out.
Another habit after spending so much time with Puchis, but now wasn’t the time to worry about small things.
“Butler! Butler Eric!” A guard ran toward him in panic from the corridor end.
At the same time, Inanna noticed Eric through the window. She turned, raised the knight Puchi high, eyes determined. “Eric! I’m going to save the old man!”
Eric was momentarily stunned, not understanding.
Save? The young lady knew about the duke? How did she plan to save him?
The guard finally reached him, reporting breathlessly, “Butler, hurry! Look!”
“What is it?”
“Puchis! So many… so many Puchis! The mansion is surrounded!”
(End of Chapter)
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