Volume 3 Chapter 45 (2/2)
The ammo I barraged the wall with is a special kind—armor piercing rounds.
The usual bullet cores were made of ersatz-lead, but this time the cores were made of ersatz-tungsten wrapped in ersatz-lead. A thin jacket is wrapped around it to make the cartridge.
Armor piercing rounds were built to punch through materials like iron plates.
No matter how “anti-magic” these bricks are, they shouldn’t be able stand against something that can go through iron plates. I made bullet holes around a section of wall about the size a person could go through.
“One-two!”
I covered my entire body in magic power for just 10 seconds and did a roundhouse kick.
The bunch of bricks danced in the air and fell down. The sound of the bricks falling was heard throughout the castle.
At this point I’ve used up half of my magic power.
I replaced the magazine and picked up the softball-sized sphere, then jumped out towards the castle walls through the hole in the tower. Snow was carrying madam. Deceleration and body strengthening had of course been handled by her magic.
It was dark down below, but the castle walls could be faintly seen, we then jumped on top of it. It wasn’t the time to be lingering about, but there were of course guards that were standing watch outside gathered beneath the walls.
It was obvious given the flashy way we made our escape route. This is where the ball I prepared comes in handy.
“Madam! Please hold your breath!”
Just before I jumped down the castle wall, I gave madam the signal. There were the guards on watch down below. I forcefully threw the ball in my hand at them.
The ball hit the ground and exploded. A huge cloud of smoke came out.
“A smokescreen!? This much is no big deal, I can… *cough*! *cough*!?” “M, my body…” 「これは銀か！？」 “Is this silver!?”
There was silver dust mixed in with the smoke. Silver is deadly poison to vampires. The silver filled their lungs by being breathed in.
The moment we landed, we swiftly ran amidst the confusion.
We headed towards the forest 1 km away. Once we reached that place, it would be our win. 500 meters remaining.
“!? Lute-kun! Get behind me!”
Snow’s warning. Flame swords, water spears, and lightning axes danced, blocking our way. Still holding on to madam, Snow hid me behind her back and opened a barrier. It blocked all the magic attacks.
Ten-odd men appeared out of the shadows where the magic was fired from.
*…tch*!? “I see, so the ringleader was Lute. I thought it was too cunning for Merry.”
It was the first time I saw him in months. Gigi-san’s figure almost hadn’t changed. He looked just like the time when he was happy about ojousama going outside in order to get over her trauma.
That Gigi-san who shouldn’t have changed pointed out my mistakes like he usually did.
“But you’re too naïve. You overdid the acting you used as diversion. Intelligence is best when you make them think and consider and find out about it. That’s because intelligence they happen upon by themselves is one that they would believe in the most.”
The men, mainly of the beast race, fanned out behind our back, encircling us. They were probably the men in Gigi-san’s direct command. Their eyes s.h.i.+ned with a hired professional’s light, absolutely not willing to let madam escape.
Under the lead of Gigi-san, they set about to block our way. Despite supposedly standing in front of me as enemies, I still considered that it might be a lie, that he might be a fake.
“…… Why are you over on that side, Gigi-san? For what reason did you betray master, madam, Merry-san and the servants, and Ojousama?”
The first words out of my mouth after several months were not ones of denigration, but questioning as to his motives. I was sure that he was forced into betrayal because there was someone he know or a friend being held hostage.
Though he was taciturn and looked frightening, Gigi-san treasured the Vlad house more than anyone. He crafted so many plans and chaperoned ojousama out of worry for her. No way that kind of person would truly turn traitor.
But his reply was as usual, unrestrained and indifferent.
“I don’t mind talking now, but are you sure? We’re not your only enemies you know.”
Gigi-san pointed behind me. The smokescreen had cleared, and vampires who weren’t swallowed by the fumes were closing in on us. Wolf in the front gate, Vampire in the back.
“Lute-kun…” “…. that’s right isn’t it. There’s lots to do before asking your reasons. First I have to safely get out of here and lead madam to safety.” “If you can, that is.”
Gigi-san and his men took a solid stance. Behind us there were the vampires who escaped the smokescreen bearing down on us.
Normally, one would think we had no way to escape.
However, I unhurriedly raised my left hand, waving it round and round, sending a signal.
The others besides Snow and I made dubious expressions, not knowing my intention.
“What’s this, signalling surrender? Then rather than that you should unhand the hostage and—gaaaah!”
There was a popping sound. At the same time, the beastman standing beside Gigi-san collapsed on the spot. There was a hole in his left thigh and blood splattering everywhere.
BANG.
“Gaaah!?”
Another man beside him collapsed in the same way, holding his leg. This time it was the thigh on his right leg.
“Snow!” “Got it!”
Only Snow and I was not bewildered and escaped the siege net through the hole created by the collapsed men.
“After them! Don’t let them escape!”
Only one, Gigi-san reacted to the sudden situation, and made the order to chase after us—
BANG.
A man who reflexively reacted to the order collapsed, holding his leg.
Another invisible attack.
Gigi concentrated magic power in his eyes, trying to firstly figure where the attack was coming from.
“!? Is that Ojousama!”
Then he noticed her a long way away, about 500 meters—on the boundary between the forest and plain grounds.
At that distance he couldn’t see her if it weren’t for the magical eyesight strengthening. Ojousama was standing on one knee, holding a long, cylindrical weapon.
It was the kneeling shot position. Every time she shoots, a [7.62mm×51 NATO round] came flying out at about 838 meters per second.
They didn’t know that. They were not aware what kind of terrible monster they were now standing before….
It was the moment for the trump card on our side—of Chrisse Gate Vlad to bloom—!
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