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Chapter 182: Revival

――A strategy to take down the Demon Lord’s Prince.

If such a thing existed, Barbara would cooperate without a second thought.

“B-but… what are we going to do?”

Thanks to Charlotte’s miraculous healing, Barbara could finally breathe normally. Taking in air greedily, she struggled to ask.

“We’ll use this.”

――Charlotte pulled something out of her pocket, treating it with great care.

Seeing that, Barbara closed her eyes for a moment as she listened to a simple explanation and an unimaginably straightforward plan.

As Charlotte said, it really was a gamble.

But… there seemed to be a slight chance of success by attacking head-on rather than relying solely on honesty.

“…Understood. Let’s do it!”

Suppressing her complicated feelings, Barbara tried to smile bravely, yet her expression looked painfully forced.

“Thank you.”

Charlotte returned a smile, but hers was just as stiff.

Both of them were putting on a brave front.

However――there were no other options left.

“Charlotte. Good luck.”

“Yes. Barbara, I leave the rest to you!”

As soon as Barbara’s treatment was over, Charlotte dashed forward.

――Towards the Demon Lord’s Prince.

While the Demon Lord’s Prince aimed to take down Master Lurol, the heroes desperately tried to fend him off.

Vines sprouted from the cobblestones, and magical chains intertwined, but Zilbagias easily brushed them aside and lunged with his spear.

Ah, yet another priest fell.

Master Lurol was on the brink of exhaustion from overusing his magic and barely stood, sustaining his willpower alone. Even so, he was still holding back Zilbagias’s curse.

But in just a few more seconds, even that feeble resistance would come to an end――and Charlotte’s group would be crushed by Zilbagias.

“――Ugh.”

Charlotte fought with all her might against the overwhelming urge to flee. An introverted merchant’s daughter like her was now standing at the forefront of this war against the Demon Lord’s army.

What’s more, she was about to challenge a monstrous Demon Lord’s Prince.

It felt like a bad joke. She wished it was all just a dream—if only it could all go away.

But this wasn’t a dream.

No matter how much she prayed, wished, or tried to wake up――the young man she loved, the hero, wasn’t coming back.

If she ran away now…

She couldn’t face him.

He probably wouldn’t blame her, and would likely be angry instead, yet still.

On the way, she picked up a bloody shield someone had dropped, bewildered by its heavy weight, and positioned it in front of her.

(――Mom, Dad, I’m sorry.)

In her heart, she apologized to her parents likely worrying back home.

(I’m going to die here.)

Gathering her resolve――she charged at the Demon Lord’s Prince.

“――Waaaahhh!!”

For the first time in her life, she let out an all-out roar, flipping with a mix of fear and panic.

Yet it was precisely because of that, the scream of a girl ill-fitting for the battlefield captured Zilbagias’s attention.

‘What could this weakling possibly do?’ —He seemed to want to say, as his crimson eyes fixated on her, and she fought the urge to freeze in place.

She ran.

She dashed forward.

“[Holy Light, come to my hands!]”

Surrounded by silver light.

Yet sadly, the power of Charlotte as a priest was merely mediocre, her light far too weak compared to the others. She was not skilled in combat and her physique was frail. Even the enhancement of her holy attribute barely helped.

If she took just a few more steps, she would easily be cut down by a spear.

That’s right.

――If she continued on like this.

(…Please… give me courage…!!)

She gripped tightly onto what she had hidden behind her shield.

(Some courage like yours…!)

What Charlotte held dear was――

A small jar.

The small jar that contained the ashes of her beloved hero――Emelgias, who charged into battle only to return with his head.

Since that fateful day he died, she had prayed every single day.

For months, without skipping a single day.

Continuing to pour her prayers into it――!!

Charlotte’s crystallization of anger and hatred towards the Demon Race, along with her love for the hero.

“I continued to pour my magical power into it, transforming it into a holy prayer.”

The secret plan she explained to Barbara. Although Charlotte couldn’t utilize advanced techniques like buff spells, this jar somehow contained power.

“Using this, for just a moment――I can envelop myself in powerful holy light.”

It would probably last less than the blink of an eye, but the ashes would release months’ worth of holy power. And since Charlotte was its creator, she should be able to reuse that power as if it were her own.

“I’ll continue to cast miracles of pain relief and healing on myself as much as possible.”

No matter how many times she was cut or pierced, she would cling to the Demon Lord’s Prince and disrupt his movements until her last breath.

“With the holy light and my body, there should be a blind spot. If I burn him from close range with the holy attribute, it should diminish his protective spells. So, after that――”

――Charlotte ran, grit her teeth, and glared at the Demon Lord’s Prince before her.

His expression remained expressionless, yet he narrowed his eyes slightly in pity. Meanwhile, the hero’s holy sword was snapped by a spear, striking down the adjacent priest in the process. The surviving combatants consisted of a severely injured Armed Priest, an utterly exhausted Master Lurol, and a Forest Elf Archer who had run out of arrows.

While the primary target remained the Master Lurol…

It would be a slight bonus if she took care of the other too.

As Zilbagias’s spear wavered, aiming towards Charlotte――

“――Demon Lord’s Prince!!”

Charlotte shouted as she unleashed the seal from the jar.

“This Demon Lord’s Prince isn’t the Demon Race that killed him” —she understood this, yet she couldn’t help but scream.

Pouring the contents of the jar everywhere, she drenched herself in the ashes of the hero.

The power of her prayers, accumulated over months――was unleashed.

In an instant, explosive silver flames erupted from Charlotte’s body. A part of the dark city was illuminated as if it were midday.

“Wha—”

Zilbagias opened his eyes slightly in surprise, but quickly pursed his lips and ruthlessly thrust his spear.

Straight towards the silver-shielded Charlotte.

The holy light dwelling in the shield showed a hint of resistance, yet it was crushed without ceremony. The spear’s tip sliced through her arm and buried deeply into her chest――!

“――Aaaaaahhh!!”

Yet, Charlotte wouldn’t stop. She gripped the spear trying to pull it out and pushed on.

An immense amount of holy attribute power forced Charlotte’s body to continue moving. Even with miracles of healing, the overwhelming pain and the vital heat flowing out of her body could hardly be subdued.

But still.

She wouldn’t stop moving forward.

“Ahhhhhhh!!”

Blood poured from her mouth. With every step, her vision went hazy.

But still, forward. Forward! Brushing against protective spells, she embraced the Demon Lord’s Prince, clinging desperately.

Even after all this, all Charlotte could do was interrupt.

After this…

(Please――Barbara!――)

In her fading consciousness, she called out.

Wavering through.

In the vanishing girl’s holy light.

A shadow emerged.

Zilbagias was caught off guard by the desperate interference from the priestess, snapping his head up in surprise.

In his widened crimson eyes,

A female Sword Saint with a pained expression raised her rapier.

“――Dieeee!!”

The swift blade pierced through.

Along with the entangled Charlotte, it struck Zilbagias.

The blade pierced through Charlotte’s body, radiating the power of [Hero’s Revenge] and glowing with the holy light she left behind.

This was Charlotte’s final secret plan.

――To turn Barbara’s rapier into a ‘Holy Sword’ using her own body.

The protective spell let out a shriek-like creak and shattered. A thrust bursting forth with holy flames. Zilbagias could neither dodge nor block it, as Charlotte’s corpse obstructed both――

“[――Cursed Blades shall not be drawn!!]”

――Within Zilbagias, the Demon God unleashed his full curse.

The vile magical power wrapped around Barbara.

Yet.

The silver light rising from Charlotte’s body enveloped the ashes of the hero.

Barbara, too, was adorned with it.

It released a warm glow――drawing a silhouette like a shield into the air. In that fleeting moment, the rampaging demon’s curse was partially held back.

That moment.

The swift thrust had more than enough time.

The blade tip reached Zilbagias’s neck――.

With a holy attribute-infused strike, it plunged deep.

A loud, explosive sound echoed that was far from conventional stabbing; Zilbagias’s neck was nearly torn in half, blood gushing forth like a fountain.

“Gah――”

Despite spitting blood, Zilbagias’s gaze was not dimmed. Usually, such blood loss would leave anyone unconscious.

His glaring red eyes captured Barbara.

The wound on his neck shimmered with silver light.

――The holy attribute glow.

Charlotte’s lifeless body continued to glare resentfully at the Demon Lord’s Prince.

So, while the term ‘holy attribute’ looks beautiful…

This was by no means something sacred.

It was a curse meant to harm and torment humanity.

And while the Transfer Spell was generally effective against simple external wounds――

It was not the case if it was cursed.

“Gahhh…!”

As if remembering something, the holy light scorched Zilbagias’s wound. No, it seemed the original pain from the now-tinged wound began to overcome the curse’s influence.

“……Kill her!”

Barbara, bleeding, drove her rapier in once more. Due to blood loss, her body had little strength, but if she felt like this, Zilbagias must be suffering even more…!

“……!”

Zilbagias, no longer able to voice his anger, staggered back to evade the rapier. Although he was too slow, the gauntleted fingers and spear’s shaft twisted together, forming a grotesque shield resembling a assembly of skulls, colliding with the protective spell that absorbed the thrust.

The skulls rattled ominously. Realizing a moment too late, Barbara recognized that all the pale material Zilbagias was wearing was human bones.

“You’re mocking me…!”

To the very end, against humanity! With rage boiling in Barbara’s head, her blood flowed even more profusely, but she did not care.

Before she collapsed, she would stop his breath!

“Uwaaaahhh!”

The heavily wounded Armed Priest shouted, lifting her spirits, and then dashed toward him. The Forest Elf Archer, Palm, also drew her knife and rushed forward in sheer desperation.

With thuds, they struck Zilbagias’s protective spells. Despite his ashen complexion from blood loss, Zilbagias desperately fought back against the holy attribute. A moment, he attempted to cast a spell, angering the Armed Priest and Palm with his vile magical power, but blood continued to drip from his neck――

“Get out of the way! I’ll smash that protection…!”

The Master Lurol shouted. Using his last ounce of strength, he nocked an arrow.

As Barbara and the others leaped out of the line of fire, the arrow was released.

――Zilbagias’s shield arm and the protective spell shattered into pieces.

The Master Lurol collapsed, losing consciousness, but that was enough; now――!

“With this, it’s over――!!”

Barbara aimed her rapier straight and stepped in closer.

Mocking Zilbagias, whose eyes were filled with agony and desperation――

“[――Transfer!]”

The voice echoed.

Not the same voice as Zilbagias’s.

With a splash, Barbara’s arms and shoulders were severed. Furthermore, a deep gash opened in her chest.

“Huh…?”

Blood gushed from her arms and chest. That would be her final blow, rendering her powerless, and Barbara collapsed.

She had no idea what was happening. With only her eyes moving, she looked and saw――

“Al, Bar…”

Zilbagias whispered with a hoarse voice.

“I’m sorry, my prince! I was unconscious!”

Checking the status of his newly grown arm, he rotated his shoulder nonchalantly.

A young demon with gray hair slicked back――rose as if nothing had happened.

 

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