Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN) - Volume 12 - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: 19

12-19 . The Gathering of Shiga Eight Swords

Still, I think it's rare for it to really become unrepairable as long as you don't give up .

◇

After returning from the tea party, I heard about Lady Karina's condition from Arisa .

It seems Arisa's blasting worked, and she's going to attend the dance party while still ghastly .

"What did you say to her?"

"Fufuhn, you want to hear? But, I won't tell yo~u . It's a girl's s-e-c-r-e-t . "

After waving her finger, 'chichichi', in front of her face, Arisa winks .

Her attitude is slightly irritating, but since it's thanks to Arisa that Lady Karina would attend the dance party, I'll forgive her by just pulling her cheeks .

"Leave the dance to me~?"

"Pochi also wants Master to look at the result of Pochi's special training nodesu . "

"Nn, dance . "

The youth trope are asking me to be their dance partner with sparkling faces, but I can't do that right now .

"I'm really sorry, I have to go with Liza now . "

I feel slightly guilty from seeing the dejected children, but since tomorrow I'll be free until evening, I promise to accompany them as much as they like .

Since Arisa said some unnecessary remark, "That sounds like a line from a father who won't keep his promise", this time for sure, I'm pulling her cheeks as a punishment .

I'm going to keep my promise . Absolutely!

"--Master, the preparation is complete . "

"Un, clothes like those also suit you well . "

I praise Liza who's unusually wearing a skirt, and escort her like a lady to the carriage going to Julberg-shi's mansion .

◇

"What the hell kind a warrior doesn't have their own weapon!"

In the meeting place at the top floor of Julberg-shi's mansion the servant had guided us to, an unfamiliar middle-aged swordsman suddenly chastised me .

--Who is this person?

"Excuse me . Nice to meet you for the first time . I'm Satou Pendragon, a retainer of Baron Muno . "

"Hmph, it's impossible for an upstart worthless noble like you to become a Shiga Eight Sword, keep that in mind!"

No no, I'm aware that you're angry, but at least do the greeting .

I look at the man who's raging by himself once again .

He's a rather high level warrior at level 42 . His age is also 42 matching the level, but it's probably a coincidence .

I think he's also a candidate of Shiga Eight Sword, but his affiliation is with Parion Temple, his place of origin is also written as Parion Holy Kingdom .

Apparently he's recommended by the temple, and not a holy knight or a Mithril explorer .

Matching that, his title is also [Temple Knight] . . . . But the titles seen even just on the AR are dangerous ones like [Murderer], [Assassin] .

He certainly has this somewhat edgy feeling that matches those titles .

Matching those titles, his magic sword also has [Energy Drain] and [Strength Drain] effects .

I'm slightly cautious about him due to his exceedingly suspicious origin and information, but he doesn't seem to be someone related to the demon lord believers [Light of Liberty] .

Liza who's standing beside me seemed like she wanted to complain while I was checking those information, but help comes before she could snap .

"Jizon-dono, stop being impolite to the guests I've invited . "

"Hmph, you were beaten by something like a demi-human cause you're saying such things . "

The one who interceded is the host, Julberg-shi .

However, this middle-aged man called Juzon changed his aim from me to Julberg-shi, and provoked him .

--He's like a mad dog .

He's forties already, I wish he's a bit more composed .

I wonder if the word, 'fuwaku', does not exist in this world . <TLN: Can mean 'past forty', or 'following the right course' . >

"Are you mocking me, brat . "

There's anger on Julberg-shi's words .

It seems most of the people here are hot-blooded, far from stopping the two, they look excited waiting for what'll happen next .

--These damn muscle brains .

Now then, since the mood has become threatening, I'll follow up .

If these two fight, we won't get to feast on the Oumi beef, spare me from that . The chef of this house is famous as the best in term of meat dishes in the Royal Capital, so I don't want to miss this chance .

I'll up my skill further here and treat our girls too .

"Fuhn, if you're a warrior, sooner than words--"

Using Ground Shrink, I approach the middle-aged man who's going to pull his swords together with his words, and hold down the pommel of the sword with the open palm of my hand .

These two were looking at each other, so my Ground Shrink shouldn't have been found out . They probably will interpret it as Flickering Movement or something along the line .

The middle-aged man still tries to pull the sword without minding me, but I suppress it with the overwhelming STR difference .

"This is a place for having pleasant chat you know . We can have the side show after the meal okay?"

The middle-aged man desperately tries to pull the sword, exerting his strength until his face is flushed, but the sword's pommel is unmoving .

" . . . . That's a good idea--"

The middle-aged man looks like he's given up trying to pull the sword and then relaxes himself .

Even though Crisis Perception doesn't kick in, I stop the middle-aged man who's trying to pull a short sword behind his body by stopping his other elbow .

That's obvious indeed .

"--Have I passed the exam with this?"

I ask while smiling at the middle-aged man who's groaning gununu .

Even though I've dropped the [exam] thing as a joke with much effort, the middle-aged man kicks at my foot . There's a hidden knife on the tip of his shoe .

I kinda expected it since I often dealt against surprise attacks from monsters I had seen for the first time, I trample the middle-aged man's toes to the ground, preventing the attack .

I held back, but I felt dull sensation from the sole of my foot . The bones of his instep might have cracked .

"An explorer's body is a weapon as you see . Have you understood?"

While relaxing the power on the place where I trample his foot, I smile at him .

Of course, with the help of [Poker Face] skill, I make it so my emotion isn't reflected on my eyes .

"Hmph, I withdraw what I said earlier . I'll have you fight with me after the dinner . "

"That sounds fun . "

I did not make a promise .

After the dinner, I'll leave the other candidates or Julberg-shi to be this battle maniac's partner and leave .

◇

There was a slight trouble, but this much shouldn't be enough to call off the dinner .

I'm glad that Julberg-shi is someone with a big heart .

Looks like we're the last ones who arrive at the meeting place .

In the meeting place, there are five Shiga Eight Swords, and the candidates: three holy knights, Jeril the Mithril explorer, and lastly, the middle-aged man earlier .

For some reason everyone is armed .

I tried confirming to Julberg-shi if we were really going to have a dinner, but there's no mistake about it . I'm relieved that it's not a battle tournament or something .

I'm afraid that this will become a tournament for Shiga Eight Swords selection .

We sit on our seats for the dinner, everyone besides us wears armor, subtly inviting some funny laughs .

Really, it'd have been dangerous if I didn't have [Poker Face] skill .

In addition, thanks to Julberg-shi's consideration, he made the middle-aged man from earlier sit far away from us .

I thought that there would be Hors D'oeuvre first, but the meat dishes enters the dinner from the start .

It seems each part will be cooked and taken out in turns .

"It's delicious . I feel it's a bit too soft, but this rich flavor tastes somewhat different from other meat . "

Liza speaks her impression with clear voice .

I'm aware of the presence of her tail behind the chair that's swinging happily .

"Even more than the meat, this sauce is superb . Julberg-shi employs some good chef . "

Jeril who's sitting in front of us expresses his impression to Sir Julberg the host .

On the other hand, other members only say "tasty", and concentrate eating the dish in silent .

Half of the people here are noble born, yet, the taste of the beef from royal farm is probably special .

I also enjoy the Oumi beef menu delightfully .

The grilling calculation is exquisite, but analyzing the pre-cooking sauce is difficult . I can't understand one of the ingredient used to bring up the subtle flavor no matter what . It's quite a difficult problem .

However, my Crisis Perception kicks in as if pouring cold water on this wonderful dinner .

I thought it was from the middle-aged man, but unexpectedly, it comes from diagonally upward . This room is on the top floor, so I wonder if it's from the rooftop?

At the same time with that, some luminous points that are quickly approaching here are reflected on the radar .

Looking at the movement speed, they're going to arrive in about 10 seconds . Judging from their trajectories and speed, they must be flying .

I choose the luminous points and open the information window .

The ones approaching are five flying monsters . All of them are Tamed monsters, but the people riding on them have the affiliation [Light of Liberty] .

Judging from their movement and the Crisis Perception, this mansion seems to be the aim .

Their method is a bit forceful, but I wonder if they're coming to erase Shiga Eight Swords and the candidates who are obstacles for their plan?

Or perhaps, since [Light of Liberty]'s base of operation is in Parion Holy Kingdom, they have some grudges against the middle-aged man from earlier, and so we're getting involved in it . He seems to be the type that makes many enemies after all .

Putting that aside, the monsters coming here are upper level 20s, so even if there are five of them, it'll be over in an instant with the people here .

--Five seconds until they come .

"Something is coming!"

Before I could speak, Heim-shi of Shiga Eight Swords spoke urgently .

He probably has Crisis Perception skill too .

Hearing the warning, the warriors pick their own arms .

Liza who doesn't have a weapon holds the silver knife she was using in the dinner earlier and stands up .

However, what are the anti-air defense of Royal Capital doing .

I wonder if it can only function to stop monsters that are trying to break through the outer wall?

--Estimated time of arrival, 0 seconds .

Huh? They're not coming?

When I chase the movement of the luminous points reflected on the radar, they pass through this mansion and make a turn in the sky .

Hyuru hyuru, so the sounds of cutting wind--

Damn, bombing huh .

I never would've thought that there would be aerial bombing in a fantasy world .

"Liza, upward . Magic Edge Cannon, maximum . "

"Understood . "

Liza moves without delay from my order .

--Perhaps it's due to the rush of adrenaline, I see the surrounding in slow motion .

Julberg-shi and katana-user Bauen-shi who take their weapons on their hands and be vigilant toward the things beyond the roof .

Heim-shi who gave the warning earlier, and the scythe-user Ms Ryouna are currently kicking the door, going to the balcony .

The old holy knight who went to the Duchy Capital with the third prince is attaching a shield on his arm .

As expected of Shiga Eight Swords, they're quick to act .

It seems the three holy knights still can't follow the situation, they're currently surveying the surrounding while standing up .

On the other hand, Jeril the explorer who's used with emergency situations is calmly eating some magic medicines . Those medicines have acceleration and physical reinforcement effects . They're expensive medicines, but your life is more important really .

And the last one, the middle-aged man looks strange .

He has drawn his sword, but for some reason his line of sights wander around the inside of the room .

His behavior is like there's an assassin who's aiming for him inside the room .

That thought stops with the sounds of collisions between heavy things beyond the roof .

Liza shoots the red light spheres on her hand almost at the same time the rock balls thrown by the tamed monsters destroy the roof .

The magic edge cannon smash the rock balls together with the roof .

The convergence was slightly worse due to her using a silver knife, but the magic edge cannon scatters red light, illuminating the room red .

--Thus, the long long night of the attack on the year-end Royal Capital begins .