Knights of Tristein (4)

‘You’re here?!’

Kleio turned on his Perception as Promise flashed before him.

[Young Pyton

—Category: Demon

—Level: 5]

He let his milk tea clatter to the ground as he jumped up. The students were quick to take out their swords, taking up the formation they had discussed at night. Cel and the twins distanced themselves from Isiel and Arthur, covering Kleio, who quickly pulled out bronze from his subspace wallet. The beast Pyton approaching them now was an opportunity.

Shaaaa.

The children’s hair and Kleio’s coat fluttered in the strong wind, whether it was caused by a beast or just a whim of the mountain weather. Kleio was held tightly by Cel. Her sturdy and warm arms supported him. The black snake, mouth wide open, was flying towards them. Sharp teeth flashed inside its open mouth, and the claws of its front and hind feet were threatening to tear through their flesh easily. Despite that, Kleio felt a strange sense of stability in that situation of crisis. Perception always made the passage of time feel slow, but it wasn’t the sole reason for it now, as he could feel Cel’s warmth through his arm. The twins with their rapiers and short-swords in hand were forming up around him.

‘…To think I’d be relying on these kids.’

It was an odd yet tickly feeling. In his previous life, there had been no need to rely on someone else. Life was something to be held alone, both his difficulties and his family’s wills. Here, however, he was the second son without any expectations and no responsibility. Everything he did was extra activities and not a part of some duty he was obliged to complete. That miserable life wouldn’t continue even if he failed to achieve the author’s purpose. The narrative would end completely if it went wrong, the thought of which somehow served to make him feel lighter.

Shaaaaaaa!

His etheric vessel, which had been steadily increasing and circulating, began to pour out magic all at once. A blinding golden light manifested around Kleio, engraving itself in the eyes of those near him. It was new magic created by a combination of four magic formulas [Attribute Amplification][Tracking][Throwing][Acceleration]. A lump of bronze ore was thrown toward the sky as Kleio recited a new mantra that all the children near him could hear.

“[Or view the Lord of the unerring bow,

The God of life, and poesy, and light—

The Sun in human limbs arrayed, and brow.

All radiant from his triumph in the fight.] 1)”

An arrow, cloaked in ether, flew its course as Pyton tried to turn hastily, finding purchase through the cracks of its scales.

Kiiiiiiiii!

A few drops of blood stinking of rotting grass splattered below. Pyton began to twist and descend, the arrow stuck in its back, while Arthur spurred off the ground with all of his might. The soil was dug out as he propelled himself off the ground with a great force. It was Arthur’s first chance at action since the final exam, but he hadn’t been neglecting his training during vacation.

Kwaaaah!

Arthur managed to grab onto Pyton’s tail. Unexpectedly, the demon was only about twice the size of an adult man. The extra weight of Arthur hanging from its tail was enough to cause it to lose balance, and it began to plummet. Arthur kept hold, however, even as he was shaken around enough to make Kleio want to vomit. Blades and scales sparkled in the light as Arthur managed to get in a couple of jabs as they fell, cutting off a few of the beast’s belly scales.

Kiiiiiiii!

With the scales cut, Pyton began to wriggle intensely to shake Arthur off. Isiel, who had been watching until then, jumped swiftly after them. Her sword wrapped in ether, displaying a keener sharpness than she had even in the final exam.

Fuuuuu!

Isiel’s sword was deeply embedded between the scales the prince had damaged.

Kiiiii!

Pyton screeched as he bucked in the air. Arthur, unable to hold on anymore, rolled off the beast. Meanwhile, Isiel squeezed her sword tightly and began to tear through the beast’s belly bit by bit. Purple blood began to pour oak, soaking Isiel’s torso as her sword was yanked free. Kleio quickly applied the [Deceleration] magic to soften her landing. As soon as she landed, Arthur jumped up again to slash once more at the snake’s open stomach. He grabbed onto the demon’s body and drove his sword toward its heart. The beast let out a deafening roar as its wings began to buffet them.

Kuaaaaa!

When Pyton tried to claw at Arthur with his sharp hind claws, the short-sword Lippi threw, caught it in the left paw.

“Its claws can’t reach you!”

Leticia blocked the movement of the right paw a second later with her own short-sword, showcasing the twin’s hunting skills. The demon struggled to pull out the swords embedded in its legs, but Cel had already jumped off the top of the moat.

“Lippi, Leticia! Take care of Kleio!”

Pyton was descending the moat. The moment the beast, who had managed to gain some control of its flight, turned, Cel was already moving toward it. Leticia shouted out.

“Be careful!”

Sliding onto the back of the beast, Cel grabbed onto it with all her might. She jammed her sword into the demon’s open mouth, wedging her sheath in so that it couldn’t snap its jaws shut.

Crack!

Cel’s sword shook as it would break quickly, and the sheath was already forming serious cracks. Cel managed to force about a third of her blade into his back, aiming at the same spot where Kleio had hit earlier with an arrow. The beast’s claws had finally broken free and were now scratching Arthur’s back. If he weren’t [Strengthened] with ether, it would’ve been enough to cleave through his spine. But Arthur didn’t stop pushing his sword toward Pyton’s heart as the beast’s blood poured down like rain over the moat.

Kiiiiii!

Sharp scales sprang up from Pyton’s wings, drawing countless lines across Cel’s arms and back. As the demon spiraled to shake her off, turning his stomach to the sky, Arthur pushed down into the demon’s belly and dragged his blade down. The sword’s path staggered slowly forward as Arthur’s arms were heavily scratched up. It was clear that his defense was weakening due to the concentration of ether in his sword. Kleio prepared himself to activate additional attack magic, worried that Arthur would be seriously injured. Perception informed him of the light footsteps of more knights approaching.

‘It’s important they know how great a swordsman Arthur is, but what’s the use if he dies?’

Pyton flew wildly in and out of Kleio’s circle. Finally, as Arthur’s own wounds began to deepen, the demon finally began to fall.

Kiiiiii!

Cel and Arthur dropped with the demon, their swords still embedded in the monster. Kleio let his magical attack drop and instead performed the [Deceleration] magic as fast as he could. Light wrapped around the two warriors as the demon turned to black ash. Now, only Arthur and Cel lay at the bottom of the moat. Kleio used [Leap] to reach them in an instant, immediately performing [Hemostasis][Cure] on them. It sounded like he was rapping, given how fast he mumbled the urgent mantra.

Shuuuu-

Their injuries were deeper than expected, causing Kleio’s knees to buckle as his ether was worn away. Isiel, quickest to notice, quickly grabbed onto him before he could collapse. The magic circle finally extinguished as their wounds were healed. Cel and Arthur, gasping for air, began to laugh as they rolled around, covered in sweat and blood.

“It’s useful to have a wizard on our team! It’s so cool!”

“I think the rest will have to take care of the moat?”

Arthur and Cel shouted at each other, both a poor sight to behold.

“Don’t be so proud. Even if you’ve been healed with magic, you have to be careful to keep your ether stable and tidy. Don’t run wild!”

“Ah! Okay, wizard.”

“And Isiel! You stand here too.”

“My injuries aren’t deep.”

“No.”

Kleio, measuring the remaining amount of his ether, grabbed Isiel, who tried to escape and unfolded his circle. The wounds caused by the demon’s claws were surprisingly deep, as his ether lingered on her shoulder wound.

‘Not deep? Something’s wrong with your head, apparently.’

It was only when the treatment was concluded did the knights and soldiers reach the site of the battle.

“Are you okay?!”

“The kids are fighting an evil spirit!”

“Call the others!”

The knights staying in the dorm were injured, so even though they were skilled knights, they had been slow in reaching the moat. They ran here as fast as possible, but there was a limit to the speed of injured knights laden in iron armor.

“Keep on the lookout for more beasts.”

“Did you bring a medical kit?”

“Here!”

All of the people in the castle who had seen the fight wore serious expressions. A knight with a cut running down his face and neck pulled over an apprentice wizard to Arthur and Cel. It seemed that the peculiar smell from the beast’s blood nauseated the apprentice, who wavered in front of them. After a moment to hold back the desire to vomit, the wizard began to look over Arthur and Cel as the knight urged him on.

“What about their wounds?”

“…Wait.”

The wizard spoke up in a trembling voice to ask for patience. Isiel clearly thought the process had to be gone through, even though this apprentice was clearly unreliable. Nevertheless, the apprentice continued to tremble anxiously as he worked. His expression turned joyous, however, once the examination was done.

“That…”

“Answer quickly. Depending on the type of wound, we may have to amputate.”

“There are no wounds. All three are fine.”

“What?!”

1) 「Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage」, GB Byron, edited.