“I’ll be back, so wait quietly.”

Wendy recalled Tristan’s words from the morning.

It was the same as usual, but today he added the word ‘quietly.’ Maybe that’s why it felt unusually heavy.

She had a foreboding feeling that something would happen, but Wendy forced a smile and saw him off, not wanting to cause unnecessary worry.

Unfortunately, her premonition was correct.

“Count…”

Wendy looked at the castle walls with anxious eyes. Under the bright moonlight, the guards and magicians on the walls were moving frantically. Beyond them, the shouts of soldiers and the clashing of weapons reached her.

As the mysterious demon had warned, the demons had launched a simultaneous attack.

Tristan and the other commanders immediately led the soldiers out of the castle to counter the assault.

“Don’t worry. This was expected. We just need to wait quietly here.”

“Master…”

Myohail, nestled in Wendy’s arms, yawned. As a sage, the pinnacle of magicians, he remained calm as if the battle before him was someone else’s problem.

But Wendy couldn’t hide her anxiety.

The thought of Tristan fighting right in front of her made her heart race.

The opponents were demons, beings said to kill dozens of humans single-handedly. And not just one, but hundreds, no, countless monsters were swarming in.

She wanted to run to him immediately. But she knew she’d get scolded if she did. Plus, it was obvious that Myohail, the sage she was holding, would stop her.

Wendy bit her lip in frustration.

“I’m so frustrated…”

“Huh? Why is that, my disciple?”

“Why can’t I be of any help here…?”

She had followed him to this war-torn battlefield, swarming with monsters, vowing to protect Tristan.

Yet here she was, unable to participate in the battle, forced to wait quietly inside the castle.

Of course, she understood why. If she were in Tristan’s position, she would have done the same.

Still, being safe alone filled Wendy with guilt.

She thought of the lemon-colored coin in her pocket. With this miracle coin given by the gods, she could take on the form of a hero and unleash her power. Yes, if she used it, she could surely help everyone.

Except, Tristan had warned her not to use that power recklessly in front of others.

“Sniff…”

All Wendy could do now was fret here.

Myohail, sensing her feelings, spoke up.

“My disciple.”

“Yes…”

“If he needed help, he would have asked me. But he didn’t. Do you know why?”

“Huh? Uh… No…”

Come to think of it, Myohail was a sage. If he exerted his power, sweeping away a horde of monsters would be child’s play.

Tristan knew that too, so why hadn’t he asked Myohail for help?

The answer was simple.

“Because he doesn’t need my help.”

“Huh? He doesn’t… need it?”

“Exactly.”

Myohail jumped out of Wendy’s arms and stretched.

“Ugh… The Count is a meticulous and resourceful man. As I said earlier, this situation is likely within his expectations. Naturally, he would have prepared. Isn’t that why the castle’s defenses were ready before the monsters arrived?”

“Y-yes…”

“In short, he’s confident he can handle this himself.”

“Ah…”

Wendy finally understood why Tristan had told her to stay quiet this morning. He had vaguely anticipated today’s events and had earnestly advised her.

“So the Count…”

“At least from what I’ve seen, he’s not someone to worry about. Oh dear… They’re already here.”

A transparent butterfly, as clear as glass, landed on his palm. After a moment, Myohail chuckled.

“Hoho… Quite the bold one, isn’t he?”

“Huh?”

“Instead of seeking wisdom from a sage, he thought to use me first.”

The butterfly, reflecting the moonlight with a mysterious glow. Wendy knew it.

An artificial spirit Myohail had created using a magic formula, like a messenger pigeon. The butterfly shimmered in Myohail’s hand before dispersing into the air.

“Don’t worry. There will be no failure. I am already part of his plan.”

*

“Ugh! I’ll cut them all down!”

Leon’s massive mace struck the skeleton horde head-on. Despite his words, the skeletons were crushed by the shockwave from the mace’s impact. The monsters, swinging their swords moments ago, turned to snow and ice, vanishing instantly.

After seeing the white shadows of death approaching the castle, we immediately led the soldiers out to counter them.

“Hahaha! Look at you! Skeletons!”

Leon’s destructive power at the forefront was unmatched. Swinging his flaming mace, he plowed through the skeleton horde like a raging storm.

“Damn. These weaklings are only good in numbers…”

Meanwhile, Patrick swung his sword at the approaching skeletons, then switched to punches and kicks to take them down.

His lightning magic felt insufficient against the skeletons compared to fire magic.

“Brother. Aren’t you the head of the Wolfbert family? Is that all you’ve got?”

“What?”

Thud—!

With a sound of tearing air, a group of skeletons flew past Patrick, encased in ice shields.

He had channeled his magic into his fist, releasing it explosively in an instant. It required immense speed and destructive power, impossible without precise magic control.

The one who pulled it off was Helga, sneering at Patrick.

“Your brute strength is still as crude as ever, Helga.”

“Tsk… And you’re still as powerless as ever, brother.”

The siblings were as fiery as ever.

Normally, I’d intervene, but with more skeletons swarming in, there was no time to spare.

“Push forward!”

“Keep cutting them down!”

“Ooh!”

The Imperial Army, high on morale, steadily eliminated the skeletons. Low-level monsters like skeletons, lacking intelligence, were no match for the Imperial Army.

But their numbers were nothing to scoff at.

The horde of skeletons, emitting cold air as they advanced toward the castle, resembled a blizzard. It was hard to believe that one person, Aaron, had summoned so many.

In the original story, when Aaron appeared before the protagonist, I thought he was a ‘Winter Knight,’ like a Dullahan or Death Knight… But in reality, he’s a Lich.

Aaron’s swordsmanship, honed in life, was threatening, but even more so was his ability to summon an overwhelming number of skeletons. He was essentially a walking army.

The 100,000 Imperial troops I had prepared were meant to counter Aaron’s skeletons. Of course, that was just enough to ‘handle’ them. In a prolonged battle, we’d inevitably be overwhelmed. Unlike humans, skeletons don’t tire and keep regenerating.

In short, the only way to win was to take down Aaron quickly.

I paused on my horse, spotting a transparent butterfly fluttering before me.

“……”

It was an artificial spirit sent by Myohail.

As the butterfly fluttered past my ear, I received the information I needed.

“General Leon. Turn northwest immediately.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It seems the enemy leader is there.”

“Ooh! Understood! Everyone, head northwest!!”

Leon bellowed, leading the soldiers.

The cold air and snow from the skeletons made visibility poor. In such conditions, Myohail’s information was invaluable. Though he didn’t participate directly, he helped by locating Aaron and relaying his position to me.

That alone was a great help, but the rest was up to me.

“Ahh!”

“Kyaaah!”

“D-demons! Demons!”

Screams erupted as I looked toward their source. There, demons with striped bodies appeared.

“Tigerkin!”

“Shoot the arrows!”

A top-tier combat species in the Demon Forest’s food chain. The soldiers tried to respond with arrows, but the Tigerkin’s sharp claws and overwhelming strength made it futile.

If this continued, casualties would mount.

I didn’t hesitate to give orders.

“Helga. Blanshe.”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

“I leave them to you. Take the Aslan knights and root them out completely.”

“Of course. But what about you, Count?”

“I’ll follow Leon. Their leader is likely there.”

“Then we’ll finish here and follow.”

“No.”

I shook my head at Blanshe’s words.

“You stay here and protect those in the castle.”

“Huh?! Then who will protect you?”

“Right now, protecting the castle is more important. I’ll take care of myself, so don’t worry.”

“No! Blanshe can stay, but take me with you!”

“Helga…”

“I’m your only bodyguard knight…”

Helga looked at me with pleading eyes.

But behind her, the Tigerkin were rampaging.

They seemed to have come from a different direction than the skeletons, likely aiming to strike the castle’s weak point. Their strength was no joke. That’s why I needed both of them.

“…There’s no time. I leave the Tigerkin to you.”

“…Understood. Good luck.”

“Wait! Blanshe! How can you let the Count go so easily?!”

“The Count has requested it. We must honor his request.”

Blanshe was always quick to understand. Without being told, she held Helga’s shoulder, preventing her from chasing after me, and gestured for me to go quickly.

I nodded to Blanshe and turned my horse toward Aaron.

“Count!!”

Leaving Helga’s cry behind, I gripped the reins and headed for Aaron.

*

“…That’s why I’m feeling so down… Sob…”

Helga, having poured out her grievances, blew her nose with a handkerchief.

“Is she crazy…?”

“What do you want us to do about it?”

The Tigerkin, having inadvertently listened to her complaints, were naturally dumbfounded. Or rather, they were too stunned to do anything else.

“Sigh… This is how I live… Really…”

“Hey… What does that have to do with us…”

They had come to fight, but this woman started lamenting her life out of nowhere. The Tigerkin had no idea how to respond.

The soldiers around them had already backed off, keeping their distance. They had realized the Tigerkin’s strength and didn’t dare approach.

The Tigerkin, aware of their own power, were relaxed even in the midst of battle. They were confident they could escape this encirclement easily.

“To stand me up like this… Sob… Trampling on a woman’s pure feelings like this…”

“Helga. I understand how you feel, but it’s time to get to work.”

Blanshe interjected calmly, but Helga shook her head.

“Ah, I’m not in the mood to fight today…”

“Huh? What do you mean…”

“I feel so empty…”

“Wait, Helga! Hold on!”

Despite Blanshe’s protests, Helga trudged toward the Tigerkin. Her slumped shoulders showed no sign of fighting spirit.

“Hey. Where do you think you’re going, human?”

“You think you can just walk past us Tigerkin?”

“I don’t want to fight you.”

“Hah! That’s your problem—Oof!”

The next moment, a burly Tigerkin clutched his stomach and collapsed. Helga’s fist had struck him squarely.

“W-what?!”

The Tigerkin, who had been relaxed until now, bared their teeth and surrounded Helga.

“You crazy woman! You said you didn’t want to fight!”

“That’s right. I don’t want to fight you.”

“Then what’s this?!”

“I just feel like being violent…”

“…What kind of nonsense is that?!”

With a strange sound of rock splitting, a seasoned Tigerkin warrior was slammed headfirst into the ground. It was as if he’d been hit by a giant hammer.

“Don’t act like amateurs. Fighting and violence are completely different.”

Helga lifted her fist, which had just smashed the Tigerkin’s head, with a disinterested expression.

Sparks still crackled from her magic-infused fist.

“Violence is one-sided, you see.”

The Tigerkin, faced with overwhelming violence, instinctively lowered their stance and prepared for battle. It was absurd for multiple Tigerkin to be wary of a single human woman. Yet, no one could help but be cautious of her.

Crackle—

The magic power flowing from her body began to far surpass that of an ordinary human.

Helga brushed her hair back with one hand and looked at the Tigerkin.

“You think bugs like you can be my opponents?”

Her left eye flashed with a sinister light.