Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 14 - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Perfect Sync

A painful scream echoed down the corridor. Shiran whipped around to face the sound.

“Ah...”

She saw a knight entwined in spider threads falling to the ground. A spider larger than any normal human stood atop him, having sealed his movements. The torso of a woman sat atop the spider’s body. It was an arachne. Obviously, this wasn’t Gerbera. It was another monster entirely.

“Aaaah...!”

Unlike Gerbera, who was a high monster, the common arachne’s upper half also had a monstrous appearance. Its mouth split its face from ear to ear and was wide open. In the next instant, two fangs tore into the desperate knight’s upper arm.

“G-Gaaah?!”

Blood splattered into the air, and the knight dropped the sword he’d barely been holding on to. That wasn’t the end of the horrific spectacle. The arachne bared its fangs once more. Weakened, the knight had no way of doing anything about them. Even if she wanted to assist, Shiran was far away. At this rate, he was sure to meet a gruesome fate. However, before his end could come to pass, a sword sent the monster’s head flying.

“Hey, are you all right?”

The sword’s wielder was a large bald man with dark skin, the marshal of the Holy Order, Gordon Cavill. Having saved his subordinate’s life, he checked on the knight’s safety.

“Yes... It’s not a problem.”

The knight staggered back to his feet. After watching from beginning to end, Shiran let out a sigh of relief. The man was injured, but it wouldn’t pose a threat to his life. His fighting spirit still looked strong too. Such were the elites of the Holy Order’s Second Company she’d heard so much about.

“Good. That’s the last one.”

Gordon nodded to his subordinate, then took a look around. Shiran also turned her attention to her surroundings. There were enormous spiderwebs in the corridor. This was an arachne nest. The threads weren’t particularly dense, but the webs went on and on down this never-ending corridor.

“Sir Gordon, I have a suggestion. May I?” Shiran said.

“What is it?”

“I believe it would be best if I fought as well.”

Perhaps she was being too forward, but Shiran felt compelled to make such a proposal. Until now, Gordon and the knights of the Holy Order had been protecting her while on the move. However, she wasn’t some civilian who needed to be protected all the time. At the very least, she was capable of contributing greatly to the survival of this entire group.

“I can’t allow that, Lady Shiran,” Gordon said. This wasn’t a simple refusal: it was a decision made through calm judgment, solid conviction, and steadfast resolve. “According to you, we are the furthest from Mister Majima’s position. No matter how much we struggle, we’ll be the last to link up with them. As such, seeing as you cannot fight continuous battles, we must be the ones to protect you.”

“Sir Gordon...”

In a short battle, Shiran was capable of exhibiting power that surpassed the legendary Great White Spider of the Depths. However, to counterbalance this, she relied heavily on Majima Takahiro for mana, so she was weak in continuous battles on her own. In this situation, where it was unclear when she would be able to reunite with him, it was best for her to avoid fighting whenever possible. Gordon was right...if one ignored the safety of him and his knights as a factor.

“Our duty is to protect Mister Majima,” Gordon continued. “Things have devolved into this crisis. We must show that we can at least deliver you to his side. Otherwise, we have no excuses to make.”

Gordon’s voice was firm, and his subordinates nodded with determination. Their behavior didn’t show any care for the fact that she was an elf—and undead on top of that. They staked their lives on protecting what they were meant to protect. That was all she sensed from them. Beyond any doubt, they were knights. They devoted their swords to justice, even at the cost of their lives. Moreover, they didn’t do so out of desperation.

“Besides, we aren’t going to die that easily,” Gordon added.

In truth, they’d defeated around ten monsters over the course of several sporadic battles. During that time, not a single knight had suffered a fatal wound. They possessed more than enough strength.

“If you insist...”

In the end, Shiran accepted Gordon’s argument. She now saw that it was possible for them to hang in there until they found the others without losing a single knight.

“Let’s move after taking a short rest,” Gordon said.

“Very well.” Shiran nodded, then narrowed her eyes. “You’re all so strong.”

“That’s abrupt of you.”

“Sorry. The thought simply came to mind. It wouldn’t be strange for a normal knight to waver in such a situation.”

One of the saviors had taken hostile action against someone the Holy Church had decided to protect, forcefully throwing them into this strange place. Normally, it would be chaos. However, these knights stood firm. The way they kept their eyes on their duty was worthy of respect.

“That’s the celebrated Holy Order for you. I stand in awe,” Shiran said.

“Perish the thought. Hearing that from the famed strongest knight of the northern Woodlands makes me feel self-conscious,” Gordon said grimly, then knitted his thick brow. “Besides, now isn’t the time to descend into chaos.”

“Because of the threat of the Almighty Vessel Okazaki Takuma, you mean?”

“And probably Angel Puppeteer Ottmar. I don’t know what magic tools they’ve brought out, but they’ve made a real mess of things.”

Seeing Gordon’s righteous indignation on full display, Shiran recalled the events of the teleportation.

“Magic tools, you say?”

“Is something on your mind?” Gordon asked.

“I was just considering the possibility. Sir Gordon, I believe you remember as well, but the sound we heard right before being teleported...”

Shiran swallowed her next words. She turned on reflex, gazing beyond the spiderwebs that stretched across the corridor.

“Be careful! Arachnes!”

She wasn’t currently using her spirit. She noticed them relying only on her honed senses as a knight. The arachnes skittered closer on eight legs. Seeing how the knights were proceeding through an arachne nest, this was hardly a surprise. Everyone stood at the ready, but they’d made a miscalculation.

“Totaling...seven? No, even more...?”

Recognizing the signs of enemies down the corridor, Gordon groaned. Shiran and the knights had assumed there’d only be four or five arachnes in this nest. According to their experience, that would be normal. However, the number of enemies far exceeded their estimates.

“Sir Gordon! This is bad, there are more than ten enemies!”

All of the knights tensed upon hearing Shiran’s warning. Knights of the Holy Order were skilled, capable of fighting on equal ground against monsters one-on-one. What’s more, humanity’s greatest weapon was their ability to fight as a group. When these trained knights coordinated against small groups of monsters over and over, it was entirely possible for them to defeat dozens by the end of the day. However, the number of enemies here surpassed their estimates over twofold. This was an advantageous field for the arachnes, and the monsters outnumbered the knights. It would be difficult to handle. But this kind of situation happened too. Shiran immediately switched gears.

“Sir Gordon! I shall join the fray!”

Shiran gripped her sword. She’d intended to forcefully join the battle if it seemed like the knights were going to suffer casualties. Shiran was also a knight—one who wielded her sword for the sake of protecting others. She couldn’t stand back and watch in silence.

The current situation was bad enough that it wasn’t clear whether lending only a little assistance would help prevent casualties. Bearing that in mind, Shiran resolved to draw out all her strength. She was Majima Takahiro’s strongest servant. If she wielded the strength of her undead body and her powers as a spiritualist, she was capable of matching or even surpassing the average savior. That would exhaust her all the more, but there was no other choice. However, just as she made that decision...

“No, not yet.”

“Sir Gordon?! What are—”

Gordon shook his head. He’d also made his silent resolve.

“We still have some tricks up our sleeves. If we’re to play our trump cards, I believe it’s more appropriate to start with ours.”

“Wha...?”

Shiran gulped. She sensed a terrifying amount of mana from Gordon. The pressure she felt was in no way inferior to what she’d felt from Juumonji Tatsuya, the visitor she’d once crossed swords with. Gordon faced the arachnes who were still charging toward the knights, and made a declaration.

“I am the descendant of the heroic Radiant Wings, Gordon Cavill. The wings I’ve inherited from my ancestor protect all in their embrace.”

Wings sprouted from his massive armored frame.

They were pure white, so small, dainty, and beautiful that they didn’t suit his large body at all. Considering this was the manifestation of a past savior’s ability, perhaps that was only to be expected. After all, it was said that the savior extolled as the Radiant Wings in the legends was a delicate little girl. Although, how little it suited him had nothing to do with how much of the savior’s power he could reproduce.

“Ooh! The light from Sir Gordon’s Radiant Wings!”

“My body is brimming with power!”

Bathed in its brilliance, the knights raised their voices in joy. Saviors were known as those who took up the sword and stood at the vanguard, but that didn’t apply to a small number of them. There were exceptions who possessed support abilities and weren’t much help in a fight themselves. The savior known as the Radiant Wings was one of them—the savior celebrated as the wielder of the greatest support blessing in all of history. And that power was now made manifest.

“Let’s go!”

The battle against the arachnes commenced.

“Ooooh!”

Given strength by Gordon’s Radiant Wings, the knights’ movements were beyond recognition. Each of their individual prowess in battle now clearly surpassed an arachne’s. They blocked blows, launched counterattacks, and even as they suffered the occasional wound, definitively brought their enemies down. It was an astonishing sight.

“This is the Radiant Wings.”

It boosted physical abilities, strengthened the body, amplified magic, restored wounds, and raised morale. The scene before Shiran was right out of the legends of the Radiant Wings. Naturally, it wouldn’t be like this if not for the knights’ fundamental strength. This was the Holy Order’s Second Company led by Gordon Cavill. Shiran remembered hearing of their fame during her stay in distant Fort Tilia. The tales had been no exaggeration. Before long, the battle came to an end.

◆ ◆ ◆

“That was splendid.”

After the fighting ended, Shiran called out to the knights as they caught their breath. The wings of light had already vanished from Gordon’s massive back, but their beautiful brilliance remained seared into her memory. Having fought with his sword even after manifesting his power, Gordon looked somewhat tired. Still, he had plenty of fight in him, which was proof in itself that Gordon was an outstanding knight.

“It was nothing. My power is simply inherited,” Gordon said, the man in question remaining humble. “Those who are truly splendid are my ancestor the Radiant Wings and my men, who deserve to be rewarded for their efforts, not me.”

“What are you saying?” one of the knights cut in. “Your power is amazing, Sir Gordon. Even among the beloved of blessed blood, there are only a few who can manifest their power to a level that can be used in combat. Among all of them, you are the one and only exception who has achieved perfect sync through your devoted studies.”

“Perfect sync...?” Shiran asked, cocking her head.

The young knight nodded. “We have inherited the blood of saviors and can sometimes reproduce their powers. However, the degree to which this can be done varies. To reproduce a savior’s power perfectly requires endless devotion to one’s studies, tempering both mind and body, and for the state of one’s soul to approach that of the past savior. This cannot be accomplished easily.”

“And that’s perfect sync?” Shiran said, coming to an understanding.

“An overstatement,” Gordon said, shaking his head.

Despite this, Shiran sensed pride in him. A savior’s blessing—the inherent ability of a visitor—came from their wish. His having achieved perfect sync with a savior from the past gave a glimpse into Gordon’s way of life. Naturally, he wasn’t haughty about being such a considerable character.

“Besides, I don’t hold a candle to our marshal, Sir Harrison. He is what all knights aspire to be. I’m still far too inexperienced.”

“Sir Harrison Addington, you say?” Shiran said. She had of course heard of the current marshal of the Holy Order. “Many call him a knight among knights. I’ve only seen him once since coming here, but if you evaluate him so highly, I’m sure his reputation is no lie.”

“If we have the opportunity one day, please allow me to tell you about him. He is a magnificent knight.”

“By all means.”

There was something to be gained, even in this dire situation. Shiran was lucky to have been teleported with Gordon’s group during this incident. She had a synergetic affinity with them as a knight, and they’d managed to build mutual trust quickly. After overcoming this incident, said trust was sure to have a positive effect on the relationship between the Holy Church and Majima Takahiro.

“So that we may greet that day, let us overcome this,” Shiran said with a smile.

Gordon and his knights nodded back to her. Together, they could prevail—and just then, they all froze.

“It can’t be...”

They heard more skittering spider legs. New enemies appeared beyond the nest. It still wasn’t over. There were another ten arachnes, their intent clear as they rushed the knights.

“Second Company, to arms!” Gordon yelled immediately, deploying the Radiant Wings from his back once more.

There were just as many enemies as last time. They could manage. They could...

“How can there be so many?!”

The ten earlier arachnes could be summed up as a miscalculation. However, twenty in so short a time was abnormal. Shiran had never come across this, not even in the Depths. This was far beyond a miscalculation.

“What is this place...?!”

The situation seemed all the more dangerous now in Shiran’s mind. Her scattered companions were trying to link back up, but there was a gap in how strong each group was. If they were forced into fights like this, there were groups who could handle it much like the knights. However, there were those for whom this would be considerably difficult.

“Takahiro...”

So far away from him, the only thing Shiran could do for the boy who was so dear to her was pray for his safety.