Chapter 31. A disgusting bastard.

“Ugh! What a truly disgusting bastard.”

I was a mess. The muscles all over my body trembled as if in a pain competition, each one vying to hurt more. I was covered in scrapes, cuts, and bruises. The Brave Flame in my hand was snapped in half, no longer a sword.

“Hoo.”

I rested my head against the rock I was hiding behind and tried to steady my ragged breath.

“Kraaaang!”

The Devil Bear stomped its feet irritably and let out a piercing screech.

I grimaced and peeked my head out to check on it. The other half of Brave Flame was embedded in the Devil Bear’s chest.

“Shouldn’t it be dead and gone with something stuck that deep? No, this thing is just way too tough.”

A sigh escaped me.

When the Devil Bear’s chest had opened, I hadn’t missed the fleeting opportunity. I had thrust Brave Flame upright into its open chest with all my might. Naturally, the Devil Bear had writhed in agony. It had tried to swat me away, beating its own chest with its short front paws.

I had done my best to hang on and rip its chest open, but…….

“I really didn’t expect it to slam its body against the wall.”

Thanks to that, we were both battered. Me, and that thing too.

Kwoong!

The Devil Bear was smashing any wall or rock in sight, trying to find me. At this rate, it probably wouldn’t attack the blacksmith's forge just because it couldn’t see me. Even as the remaining guards scattered in all directions, it was only looking for me. In a different sense, it was truly persistent.

“He’s here.”

I felt Bethel’s mana.

Paaak!

I heard the sound of a thick wall crumbling.

Catching my breath, I looked toward the sound. Bethel was wringing out his power to restrain the Devil Bear’s movements.

“Set up multiple layers and fall back!”

There was no need to clash with it recklessly.

“Your Highness!”

Bethel, having noticed me, moved exactly as ordered. He confirmed the Devil Bear’s vision was obscured and then came over to where I was.

“Are you unharmed?”

“As you can see.”

Hearing my answer, Bethel took a ragged breath and looked me over.

“Are you able to move?”

“For now.”

As long as I had mana left, even running was no problem. I didn't know what would happen later, though.

“What happened to Adellian?”

“She came with me.”

Bethel smiled a healthy smile I had never seen before, as if proud that he had not betrayed my trust.

“Klaus too?”

“Yes, he came as well.”

Just as I expected. If I could just hold out until Michelle came out, I could move on to the next step.

That aside…….

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Do you have a spare sword?”

“What? No, Your Highness’s sword was huge and brutish… where did it go? The sword?”

To answer his question, I held up the broken sword. Then I pointed to the Devil Bear, which was breaking through the wall and advancing.

“Ah, no…….”

Bethel, flabbergasted and amazed, gaped as he looked back and forth between me and the Devil Bear’s chest.

“What’s so surprising?”

“That jet-black thing doesn’t get a single scratch no matter how many times you slash or stab it, does it? But Your Highness’s sword is stuck in there…….”

“Because it’s me.”

Because I am a knight of the Mana Heart, not a Mana Circle. Because I am the only one who remembers the old stories you have all forgotten.

“Then shall we move on to the next chapter?”

At the words ‘next chapter’, Bethel tilted his head. In the meantime, the Devil Bear had shattered all the magically created walls and was right in front of us.

“I’ll run toward the blacksmith's forge. You follow me, creating obstacles.”

“What? Lady Adellian is there, and so are Michelle and Elliot…….”

“Klaus is there too.”

Klaus would surely be hesitating to step forward after seeing the Devil Bear. He was someone who prioritized Adellian’s safety above all else.

Bethel seemed to understand my meaning, exclaiming, ‘Ah!’ and nodding.

“Then now, let’s switch swords.”

“What?”

“It’s the one you bought at the market last time. I’ll buy you a better one later, so don’t be stingy and give it to me.”

“No, Your Highness’s sword is heavy and broken…….”

“I’ll be running in front, won’t I? Will it chase me, or will it chase you?”

Bethel looked up at the Devil Bear with a sullen face. Then he let out a short breath and glanced around. It seemed he was looking for a replacement sword since Brave Flame was so heavy.

‘If there was one, I would’ve picked it up and used it already.’

I was asking to switch because there wasn’t one.

“Your Highness…….”

“Quickly. There’s no time.”

Bethel grimaced as he handed over his sword.

“Heok!”

Bethel staggered as he took the sword, letting out a cry.

“Stop exaggerating.”

“It’s not an exaggeration… You fought while holding this?”

“Very hard. So follow me with all your might.”

“No, this is. It’s too heavy…….”

“It is heavy. I ran just fine holding it. So do it. If you want to live. But instead of charging in yourself, just create obstacles. So that it can’t move easily.”

It would be difficult to hold it up for long, but if I could slow it down even a little, that would be enough.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Once I start running, you move after three seconds.”

Bethel nodded.

I gripped the sword and took a deep breath. I circulated my mana, revitalizing my body. The trembling muscles quieted down. They would scream bloody murder later, but now was not the time for that. I launched myself toward the blacksmith's forge. Perhaps thanks to the much lighter sword, I was faster than when I held Brave Flame.

Kwajik!

I heard the sound of a huge boulder crumbling. It seemed it was crushing the stone wall Bethel had created by stepping on it.

Kwaaaaa!

A wave of heat rushed toward my back.

I threw myself to the side. Arrow-like flames scorched the spot where I had been standing black. It had been a close call.

As I got up, I looked at the Devil Bear. Our eyes met.

“Kwaaaang!”

It let out a monstrous roar, as if cursing me.

Go ahead. I can’t understand you anyway.

But you’ll understand this.

“Klaus!”

When the face of Klaus, who was standing beyond the blacksmith's forge window and looking outside, became clear, I shouted his name.

Kung! Kung! Kung!

The Devil Bear chasing me sped up. Bethel, unable to keep up, shouted, ‘No!’ and collapsed. It seemed he had surpassed the limits of the mana he could use. As a Circle user, he wouldn’t die, but he would probably suffer greatly for a day or two.

“Klaus!”

I shouted once more. Then Klaus saw me. In addition, Michelle, who had gotten up from her spot, also saw me. The two of them hurriedly began to grab their weapons.

In that case, I should probably stop running now.

“The kids who want to see you will be out soon.”

I faced the Devil Bear and flashed it a bright smile. As if it liked the smile, it stopped moving, shook its head, and bared its yellow teeth.

The distance between me and the Devil Bear was 30 paces, within its range.

“Krrrrk.”

It was glaring at me, drool and blood dripping down. But it couldn’t attack recklessly. A choice made by instinct. It thought I was running away, but I had turned around and gripped my sword. And not just anyone, but the one who had stabbed a blade into its chest. So it would be reluctant to attack blindly.

‘That’s a relief.’

It would have been quite dangerous if it had charged with determination, but it didn’t. I was just thankful for its instincts.

Ping!

An arrow flew past my head toward the Devil Bear’s eye. The arrow was imbued with the power of Benetuo, the God of Wind.

Michelle was back.

Teong!

The Devil Bear twisted its body, deflecting the arrow. At that moment, a fireball struck its head.

“Was this your plan from the beginning?”

A voice filled with displeasure pierced my ear. It was the one who had thrown the fireball, the one I had been calling for so earnestly, Klaus.

“I don’t know when the ‘beginning’ was, but no.”

I thought of it after seeing the Devil Bear.

I spread a good-natured smile and pointed at the Devil Bear. A single fireball couldn’t take down the Devil Bear, so it was a very kind gesture telling him to focus on it.

“I will ask you again after we take care of that monster.”

“Do as you wish.”

Klaus ground his teeth and charged towards the Devil Bear.

I let out a ‘Hweeyooo’ and approached Michelle. She was nocking a steel arrow on her bowstring.

“Not now.”

“Why? Shouldn’t I shoot now while we’re pushing it? It has something stuck in its chest, right?”

Michelle tilted her head and pointed to the Devil Bear’s chest.

“The muscles there are clenched tight, so it’s even harder than other places.”

That’s why it ate up Brave Flame.

“So what do we do now?”

“We need to move the battlefield. To a place where we can kill it.”

“Where to?”

“Over there.”

I pointed to the abandoned castle fortress where Bethel and I had set up the net.

“Aha.”

Michelle nodded with a blank expression. After dying and coming back to life once, the kid had become even more dazed.

“Klaus!”

I called out to him as he was dodging the Devil Bear’s attacks here and there. He looked my way with a scowl on his face.

“Lure it!”

I signaled for him to move according to my will. Klaus, not being brainless, moved immediately.

“What on earth were you thinking, doing this?”

Klaus quickly caught up to my side. He bluntly brought up what he couldn’t finish saying earlier.

“To save the town.”

“Is this how you save a town? Didn’t you just put us in danger as well?”

“Then should I have just watched it kill people and destroy houses?”

“Couldn’t you have requested reinforcements?”

“To where? The capital? Or the border? And if you request reinforcements, do they arrive overnight? They’d all take at least 3 or 4 days, wouldn’t they?”

“Can’t we just hide until they arrive? Is there a need to do something this dangerous?”

“Ah, so we can just hide. Even if the town is destroyed and people who couldn’t escape die.

As long as those who can hide are safe. I didn’t know that?”

“……”

I scoffed. The utterly aristocratic way of thinking, with no regard for the commoners, infuriated me. It was even more so seeing a world where the commoners paid taxes and did the work, yet weren’t even protected from monsters.

Carrying the awkward silence, we ran frantically and finally arrived at the castle fortress where the net was laid.

“Great Count. If you don’t want to hurt the noble lady, do as I say.”

“……Yes.”

He still seemed uncomfortable about our earlier conversation, but he didn’t give up on fighting together.

“Ready!”

I gave a signal to the top of the castle wall where the net was placed. The guards who were already there moved diligently to their positions.

Michelle also took her position inside the fortress. She prepared to shoot her bow at any moment.

“Pray to Ignia. Ask him to lend you some strength.”

I said to Klaus, readjusting my grip on the sword.

“I am praying hard. But where should I attack? I couldn't even scratch it earlier.”

“The chest. Heat that chunk of metal stuck in it until it's scorching hot. Scorching hot.”

“I thought that metal chunk was part of its body, will heating it change anything?”

“I’m the one who stuck it in there. It’ll change if you heat it.”

“……?”

Klaus looked at me with the same expression as Bethel.

“Focus. It’s coming.”

The approaching Devil Bear roared and threw its body forward with all its might.

Klaus gathered mana in his sword and unleashed a flame.

A brilliant blue flame heated the air as it flew towards the Devil Bear’s chest.

“Kuaaak!”

Along with the Devil Bear’s disgusting scream, the fur on its chest and belly was scorched black.

“One more time!”

Accepting the command, Klaus swung his sword and sent an even hotter flame. It aimed for the Devil Bear’s chest. The piece of Brave Flame, hit by the fire, glowed red-hot.

Now.

Kaang!

I kicked off the ground and struck the piece of Brave Flame. With a dull metallic clang, the heated blade dug deeper into its chest.

The Devil Bear, feeling the pain, spread its wings.

“Now!”

The guards moved at the signal. The hidden net revealed itself, snatching the Devil Bear that had leaped into the air.

“Michelle!”

Michelle held her breath. Her gaze was fixed on the Devil Bear’s navel. The fingers pulling the string were released, and the arrow was shot. The power of wind glittered, parting the air.

The arrow flew faster and sharper towards its target.

Pak!

With a sharp sound, the arrow pierced the Devil Bear’s navel.

Klaus, who had been shooting fire at the Devil Bear, clenched his fist and shouted, ‘We did it!’.

The guards also cheered with shouts of ‘Uaagh!’.

But… was it really done?

The look in the Devil Bear’s eyes was the same. Usually, with an attack like this, it should lose focus and go limp, and its breathing should slow down…….

“Get back!”

The creature raised its remaining claws and began to breathe fire, scorching its own face.

The net holding the Devil Bear was completely burned away. A nearby guard was caught in the Devil Bear’s struggle.

“You truly disgusting bastard!”

The Devil Bear, which had fallen to the ground, charged at Michelle, drooling fluid.

“Klaus! Fire!”

I shouted, pulling out all of my remaining mana.

The flustered Klaus hurriedly shot five fireballs.

The Devil Bear swatted away two fireballs, swallowed one, and took another with its back.

And the last one it took to its chest, to the spot where the piece of Brave Flame was embedded.

Hit by the fireball, the piece of Brave Flame turned from red to blue.

“Your Highness!”

Klaus shouted at me.

My body was already flying towards the Devil Bear’s chest.

“Just die already!”

I shrouded my sword with my remaining mana. The Devil Bear flailed its front paws, trying to strike me down. Hot air and sharp winds brushed past my face, my chest, my arms.

Kwaang!

The sword struck the piece of Brave Flame.

The hot chunk of metal began to shift its position.

A long line formed on the Devil Bear’s chest, and from between it, dark red blood trickled down.

Koong!

Finally, the Devil Bear collapsed. And on top of it, I collapsed.

Its belly split open, and the organs inside spilled out. Thanks to that, I was covered in its blood.

“Aigoo, I’m dying.”

Sitting down in the pool of blood, I looked around with half-lidded eyes. The humans who had fought alongside me were shouting something as they came towards me. And a little distance away, Adellian stood with her mouth agape. She seemed quite shocked too.

Anyway, where was the most important thing, the Devil Bear’s heart?

Took.

A round, purplish-black object, carried by the flowing blood, touched my foot.

“So here you are.”

All that trouble just to get this one thing…….

My eyes grew heavy as the tension left me.