Part One, Section Four: “The End And the Beginning”
Chapter Forty-two (Mia’s POV)
“We need to create a barrier quickly! Even a double one… is easily to break, but…”
Aunt Hilda and I were prioritizing areas with a high concentration of demons to set up barriers, but places we couldn’t suppress kept appearing, and unfortunately, numerous demons had managed to invade the country.
Protecting this country with our soldiers alone was no longer possible. Aunt Hilda and I were also feeling the pressure, but there were limits to what two people could do in setting up barriers. Furthermore, demons were not holding back and were attacking us as well.
“Fire Art…!”
Himari, a ninja, spewed flames from her mouth to turn the oncoming demons attacking me into ashes. I didn’t really understand ninjas, but they were amazing…
“I won’t let them touch even a hair on Lady Mia!”
With his impressive sword skills, Pierre overwhelmed the demons, steadily amassing piles of their corpses… Both of them are firmly protecting me. I was also able to set up barriers one by one with confidence…
But even so… demons’ numbers grow even faster… We felt hopeless against the endless hordes.
Furthermore… powerful upper-tier demons like dead wolves, evil grizzlies, kong emperors, poison snakes, and others have started to appear in our vicinity… We could feel the Demon Realm’s approach right on our skin.
Once again, I realized the greatness of Sister Philia. Regardless of the strength of demons, my sister managed to neutralize them. Now that we had seen the limitations of our traditional methods for setting up barriers, we had re-acknowledged her exceptional ability to swiftly devise new approaches.
However, we couldn’t ask for the impossible. It was not within our reach. We must do everything we can to hold back demons… We must find a solution…
“The Parnacota Knights have arrived!”
Someone among the soldiers shouted about the arrival of reinforcements. It was much faster than expected…
I’m sure it’s thanks to Sis… She must have believed I would bring down His Highness Julius.
I knew about the Parnacota Knights even though they were from a neighboring country. The public peace there was mostly maintained by a saint and knights. The battle-hardened knights were renowned as the world’s most formidable elite force.
“Incredible… All those demons that were there are being defeated one by one…”
“Every one of them has the might of a thousand men. Until Lady Philia came, they protected the demon-ridden kingdom of Parnacota after the previous saint passed away. It’s to be expected of them.”
Himari proudly described the Parnacota Knights.
My sister’s other guards said to have skills on par with the knights and Himari. It seemed like she was being treated with care, which was a relief…
“Great, with this, we might be able to make it through.”
“Yes, thanks to reinforcements from Parnacota.”
Girtonia’s soldiers were filled with hope, but at that moment, a dark, colossal mass came into our view. It was in the spot where I had intended to cast the next barrier.
A black, writhing mass accompanied by the earth’s tremor… could it be…?
“It looks like… a horde of demons…”
Even Himari had a shaken expression for once.
The sheer numbers were on a completely different level from before. Ten times more, no, twenty…? This was beyond anything we had heard of. It was completely impossible to deal with that many demons…
Not too long ago, I thought I could have a typical life, with love and marriage.
I’m sorry, Sis… You lent me your strength, and yet…
Today, I will die here.
It was frustrating, but I was at the point where I had to give up on life now…
So, I…
I would be a saint to the very end.
Until the end, I would be aiming to be like my beloved Big Sister.
Until the very last moment… I will fight. Until this body is reduced to ashes…
“Ugh, it’s impossible. Such a huge horde. There’s no way.”
“W-We have to run.”
“Idiot! There’s nowhere to run!”
The soldiers of Girtonia had begun to give up hope. The Parnacota Knights were also taken aback by the multitude of demons.
A saint must continue to inspire hope until the very end. Yes, we will fight. Let’s brace ourselves…!
“Uwaaaaaaahhhhhhh!”
I stopped creating barriers and activated an anti-evil spell. I channeled all the magic power I had, summoning countless gleaming silver “Anti-Evil Daggers,” and released them into the horde.
The daggers penetrated the demons and made them vanish.
I directed all the magic power I had reserved for barriers into the attack as well. I would protect every last person I could!
Once more. I still have power left. I’ll squeeze it all out. I can still move… I’ll bury as many of them as I can even if it costs me my life—!
“Ahhhhhhhh!! Vanish! Vanish! Disappear!”
Screaming until my throat felt torn up, I encountered the massive demon horde with all my might. No matter how many I had taken down, more demons poured out, but I didn’t think I was accomplishing nothing.
Even a weak saint like me, if I burn my life…
“Lady Mia… such incredible spirit!”
“We can’t let her die!”
“We’ll protect Lady Mia! And our Girtonia!”
““Oooooooooohhhh!!””
Hehe, it seems Girtonia’s soldiers have been inspired. That’s good. I’m glad I could act like a saint until the very end…
My strength… has already started to… fade away… So I’m really… glad…
I collapsed right onto the ground… Because, well, I just couldn’t muster any more strength…
It was so cold… My body was as cold as ice… I couldn’t even move a finger…
I wonder… did I do well…? Will Big Sis praise me…?
Goodbye, Sis. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect our homeland…
I was certain I would die… and started to slowly close my eyes…
“…Huh!? Th-the ground is glowing…”
The earth began to emit a dazzling golden light… Did all those demons suddenly cease their movements…?
How that happened..? What’s going on?
“Huh? My body is warm again…”
Before I knew it, my body temperature had returned… and my strength had come back. I wonder if someone used a healing spell…
Right then… I couldn’t believe my ears.
Because I heard a familiar, gentle voice…
“Mia, I’m relieved that you’re safe…”
That voice was the one I had wanted to hear the most… I opened my eyes wide.
I guess that prince's horse is really the fastest, even with two people on it. They arrived just a little later than the knights, even though knights were near the border.
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