Chapter 174
The torrent of silver and gold light rushed toward the Spirit Turtle.
Perhaps deciding it couldn't harden in time, the Spirit Turtle opened its mouth and tried to intercept the torrent with its breath.
But the Spirit Turtle's breath couldn't hold back the torrent of silver and gold light.
The torrent swallowed the Spirit Turtle's breath in an instant, then continued onward and swallowed the Spirit Turtle as well.
The Spirit Turtle tried to endure it with its famously tough body, but with its hardest shell already damaged, enduring the attack was impossible.
"Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"
Its death cry echoed through the area, and the Spirit Turtle disappeared into the light.
The Spirit Turtle, too, was completely swallowed by the light.
But that wasn't the end of it.
The silver and gold torrents mingled and continued onward beyond it.
This time, Orihime's barriers intercepted the torrent of light.
Each collision with a barrier produced a dull boom, while each barrier that broke made a high-pitched sound like shattering glass.
But the torrent of light gradually began to lose momentum.
And then.
"Has it stopped...?"
I muttered with a sigh of relief.
I'd gotten carried away and unleashed a full-power attack with Erna, but it could have caused more damage than the Spirit Turtle. I owed Orihime my thanks.
"Of the twelve barriers, we only managed to destroy ten..."
"Stop being shocked that you couldn't destroy them all..."
As I chided Erna, who wore a look of disbelief beside me, I looked around.
The Spirit Turtle had been completely annihilated, and I couldn't see any other monsters.
It was probably safe to say it was over.
Just as I was thinking that, Erna quietly sat down where she stood.
"What happened?"
"I'm tired."
"Even you get tired?"
"What are you saying to a delicate young lady?"
"I'd like to know by what world's standards you're considered delicate."
"This world's, obviously. Hurry up and open a transfer gate. I can't be bothered to walk."
"There sure are some selfish heroes in this world."
Muttering in exasperation, I opened a transfer gate toward Orihime. Egor would probably be there too.
Once we regrouped, we'd head over to where Leo and the others were.
Just as I thought that, Erna promptly entered the transfer gate.
I followed her and found Orihime wearing a smug expression on the other side.
"Hmph! It has been proven that my barriers are the finest!"
"Say what you like. I'm not energetic enough to argue with you."
Still looking truly exhausted, Erna sat down again.
Seeing her unexpectedly muted response, Orihime's eyes widened.
Egor then peered out from behind Orihime.
"Sorry for making you play the decoy, Silver."
"Likewise. But as expected of the Sword Saint. I never thought you'd actually cut through the shell."
"I never expected you to use two grand spells in succession, either. That's Silver for you."
We exchanged compliments while maintaining a suitable distance.
As if to show Orihime what adult behavior looked like, Egor slowly approached Erna.
After asking permission, he placed a hand against Erna's right side.
"Hmm. You really went all out. Five ribs are broken. This will hurt a little."
"Yes..."
Egor shifted the hand he'd placed against Erna's right side. It was only for an instant, but he had probably put her broken ribs back into place.
"The rest should heal quickly once healing magic is used. Silver, why don't you try it?"
"Unfortunately, the magic I use is a large-scale barrier type. It would be a waste to use it on one person."
"You're the worst..."
"If there were one more injured person, I might have used it, but using it for just you is a bit much."
As I said that, I opened a transfer gate to the city where I'd sent Leo and the others.
Among the knights Leo had brought were Imperial Guards. Some of them could probably use healing magic.
We should leave Erna's treatment to them.
With that in mind, I sent the three of them through the transfer gate to the city.
■■■
After returning to the city, things were hectic.
Once we reported the Spirit Turtle's defeat, the entire city erupted into a festival, while Leo and the knights were busy preparing to send the people who had fled from Lostock back home.
"Prince Leonart, I apologize for troubling you while you're busy, but I have something to ask."
"What is it, Silver?"
Erna had been treated with healing magic, but she still looked extremely fatigued, so I decided to take her to the Imperial Capital.
But before that, there was something I had to ask.
"Two small children should have arrived here through a transfer. Did you take them into your care?"
"We did. They're sleeping in another room."
It wasn't Leo who answered.
When I looked over, Sonia was standing there.
"You're... if I recall, Prince Gordon's military adviser. The one who attacked Gels."
"I'd rather not be remembered that way... Besides, I'm no longer that man's military adviser."
"My apologies. What did the children say?"
"...They said that when they asked a large group of soldiers for help, they were told to go toward the forest. It must have been the monitoring unit led by Prince Gordon."
Beside me, Leo was momentarily wreathed in anger.
Erna still looked exhausted, but she was frowning as well.
"The soldiers who were supposed to protect the country and its people refused to protect civilians...?"
"Gordon's excuse would probably be that he told them to join the unit in the forest because the unit I led was there. Even so, he should have sent an escort. If he wanted to prioritize reporting to the main force, he could have sent a messenger. In the end, he just wanted to leave the battlefield. That's the kind of man he is."
"Against the Spirit Turtle, a mere monitoring unit wouldn't have stood a chance. I can't say I don't understand the decision, but I'll never be able to accept it."
"We won't let this end here. It's unforgivable for a member of the royal family to abandon the people."
Leo muttered, looking unable to tolerate it.
Indeed, we couldn't let things end this way.
But no matter how much we protested, it was also true that it would amount to nothing more than a military officer's error in judgment.
The question was whether he had known that the Spirit Turtle had already begun moving. If he had, it was deliberate; if he hadn't, it was a mistake. And even if we claimed the former, we had no way to prove it.
The retreat itself had not been wrong. It could even be considered a rational decision to avoid needless deaths.
It would be difficult to corner Gordon over this incident. I could damage Father's opinion of him, but making the matter bigger for that alone would carry too many disadvantages.
"Hmm... Prince Leonart, would you entrust this matter to me?"
"...What are you planning to do?"
"Nothing more than a little harassment. I'll make a little use of your older brother, if that's all right."
"If my brother agrees, I don't mind."
"Then I'll take charge of this matter. Don't worry. I'll merely lodge a protest in my capacity as an adventurer."
With that, I took Erna through the transfer gate and moved to the Imperial Capital.
■■■
"Welcome home."
"Yeah."
Sebas greeted me when I returned via the transfer gate.
I changed out of Silver's clothes and sat in a chair.
Erna had ridden a carriage from the Adventurers' Guild back to the House of the Duke of Valor.
She seemed tired, but there was no cause for concern if that was all it was.
"That was a pretty close call..."
"Even so, the fact that you came through it safely is splendid."
As he said that, Sebas poured me some tea.
As we exchanged a few words, Sebas suddenly noticed something and smiled faintly.
"It seems I would be intruding. Please excuse me."
"Huh?"
Sebas abruptly vanished from in front of me.
What does he mean by intruding...?
While I was thinking that, the door opened without even a knock.
Erna was standing there.
"Erna!? What's wrong!?"
"I came to see Al because I'm tired."
"If you're tired, go sleep at home... Since you've come back, can I assume everything ended safely?"
"I suppose so. We defeated the turtle. I was tired, so I returned with Silver."
As she spoke, Erna sat down on the sofa.
Then she made a displeased face and patted the spot beside her.
"What is it?"
"Come here."
Since her tone left no room for refusal, I reluctantly sat beside Erna.
Then Erna smoothly lowered herself and used my lap as a pillow.
"Hey."
"Didn't I tell you? I'm tired. The turtle bullied me."
"Isn't 'I bullied it' more accurate?"
"How rude... I worked hard, so don't be mean to me..."
Saying that, Erna pursed her lips in a sulk.
Seeing that, I sighed and placed a hand on Erna's head.
"Wouldn't it be much better to rest at the estate?"
"If I go back, everyone will worry and won't let me rest. I feel at ease here."
"I see. Then do as you please."
"Okay. I will."
With that, Erna immediately closed her eyes and settled down to sleep.
That's quite a switch.
Well, she was a knight. She had to rest whenever she could.
Thinking she was going to fall asleep right there, I stroked Erna's head.
She'd worked hard as a knight, so I could indulge one selfish request.
"Good work. You did well."
"Yeah... I worked hard."
Saying that, Erna quietly closed her eyes and soon began breathing evenly.
Her sleeping face was very peaceful.