Chapter 79: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On IV (2/2)

「Agathion! Come back!」

「You’re using something interesting」

It was the voice of a young woman.

「Wait, are you……」

I could see the long ears peculiar to elves, dark skin, and eyes as black as night.

The returning Agathion tried to run her through. Just in time, the woman disappeared, leaving behind a residue of light.

「I’ll see you again」

Her voice came from the bottom of the watchtower.

Agathion chased after her again. This time, the woman disappeared completely from view.

I sheathed the magic sword that had come back.

I remained vigilant.

But why? Why did she target the horse?

I looked at His Majesty.

He had slaughtered all of the cavalry.

Soldiers who were driven by a desire to make their name were rushing towards His Majesty.

One swing, two swings of the sword, and a mountain of corpses was created. Even so, they didn't retreat, nor did they stop.

His Majesty was undaunted, but he had lost his steed, Verxina, and he couldn’t move because he was protecting that horse as well.

But,

Zamonglass burst into the fray. He too dismounted from his horse.

With a swing of his sword, he deprived the enemy soldiers of their spears, and then attacked them meticulously, aiming only for their limbs. He then made sure to let the fallen enemies scream as loudly as possible before killing them.

He kicked up and strew the corpses everywhere, raining entrails and blood down on everything.

His fighting style was rough, hardly what anyone would expect from an old knight, but it befitted a person called the Scarlet Knight.

Zamonglass acted as the rear guard, and His Majesty hefted Verxina onto his shoulders. While carrying the horse, which was as big as a small elephant, His Majesty dashed away.

Regure caught up with them and backed up Zamonglass.

Grabbing a large lance with her left hand, she threw it at the soldiers at close range. Five or six of them were skewered and sent flying.

The two of them were scattering the soldiers, but their frenzy didn’t abate.

I thought about sending Agathion to help them, but I needed it to keep shooters in check. The sniper from earlier could still be lurking around somewhere. There was a chance that two of them would be shot at.

Heads and limbs went flying.

Blood and guts soaked the ground, making steam rise from it.

I couldn't hear them, but Regure started laughing, and Zamonglass was drawn into laughing with her.

They had the look of beasts that menaced people.

Their crazed laughter washed over the soldiers and brought them back to their senses.

Paralyzed by fear, the soldiers stopped in their tracks.

It was then that the two of them went on the offensive for the first time.

Lances in hand, they proceeded to rip through the soldiers like they were paper.

Charging straight at the general at the rear.

Be it arrows or spears, nothing could stop them.

The two of them reached him easily.

Criss-crossing lances sent the general’s head flying. With a grim expression, it joined its companions among the heaps of corpses and rivers of blood.

His Majesty’s god-like strength inspires tremendous awe. Because of how tremendous it is, he makes armies retreat without a fight.

The strength these two possess is gruesome. They pile up a mountain of flesh, blood and excrement. Moreover, after being terrified, instant death awaits. It’s the strength of fearsome demons.

It’s a nightmarish pinnacle of human strength.

That's right. This is what a battle is like. I feel like I’ve been seeing the way His Majesty fights in my dreams.

I waited for them to leave the battlefield before relaxing my guard.

I descended the watchtower to see His Majesty checking Verxina’s wound.

It was a horse with strong life force. Despite taking a bullet to the head, it was still fighting to stay alive.

「Your Majesty」

「Souya, get the bandages. This wound is deeper than I expected」

「Your Majesty, it cannot be saved. Please put it out of its misery」

「Don't talk nonsense! Verxina is the finest among the finest horses that has supported me for half my life! A scratch like this is nothing to it!」

「It has been hit in the brain. The only way to remove the cause of the injury is to split its head open, but even if you do that, it will never run properly ever again. Please let it rest here」

With a sickening smell of blood wafting from them, Zamonglass and Regure returned.

「Zamonglass! Healing!」

「Yes, Your Majesty」

Zamonglass drew close to Verxina and examined the wound.

「This is…… Your Majesty, it's no good. There's something like an arrowhead embedded inside. I can close the wound, but getting it out is……」

「It’s fine. Do it」

Zamonglass did as he was told and chanted the healing magic.

The wound healed, but Verxina struggled and thrashed about even harder in pain. The bullet was pressing on its brain. It must be in a hell of pain. It was hard to watch.

「Regure, do you have any ideas?」

「Sorry, Your Majesty. There's nothing I can do」

With proper surgical equipment, the bullet could probably be removed, but even if it were to be removed, would magic be able to regenerate even brain cells, I wonder?

Either way, we don't have a choice. Letting it suffer any more would only tarnish the pride of this great horse.

「Your Majesty, I’ll do it」

When I pulled out Agathion, His Majesty grabbed its blade.

「Stop………………I’ll do it」

His Majesty drew the great-sword from his back, prayed, and then whispered, ”Forgive me.”

Verxina was decapitated in a single blow. It probably died painlessly.

His Majesty hugged Verxina’s head in his arms, and walked away with an unsteady gait. I thought of going after him, but Regure stopped me.

Both Zamonglass and Regure then poured water on themselves and washed away the blood that had splashed on them.

There wasn’t anything that I could do.

Wow, Dainsleif is Gladvain’s descendant. Sure, it’s only Souya’s theory, but I don’t think he’s wrong……

But yup, guns are back, ladies and gentlemen! And it’s a M1 Garand, the standard U.S. service rifle during World War II! And a dark-skinned elven sniper?!

Verxina~ It was only for a few short chapters, but I liked that horse…

And an apology, I said a few chapters back that it would be double releases till the end of the arc, but this chapter turned out to be longer than I had expected, and the next one is about the same, so I’m releasing them normally instead.

Anyway, it’s getting more and more interesting, isn’t it? Not just a can, but even a rifle has made an appearance now. Why is it in a dark-skinned elf’s hands? Are we getting dark elves? Stay tuned!

Happy Holidays!