༺ Having Lots Of Fun During Exams (5) ༻
The demons’ nation, Pandemonium.
All of humanity on the continent of Pangaea united to subjugate them.
But the resistance of Pandemonium was fiercer than imagined, and at the heart of that typhoon-like blaze always stood the entities known as the three pillars.
The Witch of Obsession, Astaroth.
She was one of them.
The Wizard of Devastation, Valdes, and the Penitent Swordsman, Alcatraz were eventually subdued by the hands of the heroes, unlike Astaroth who survived.
I was curious about what she was up to.
It seems she had taken refuge in this closed Mental Science Research Institute in the Freesia Duchy.
“I am one of the three pillars of Pandemonium, the Witch of Obsession, Astaroth. And you are soon to be corpses!”
She was as enchanting in many ways as when we first met.
Long black hair, heavy makeup, tight black stockings, and high-leg armor made of black dragon scales.
There were so many eye-catching spots that it was hard to decide where to look.
So I just kept staring at the large chest when Cariote said.
“Dina!”
Who’s Dina?
It was a name I had never heard before.
Then Cariote whispered to me in a small voice,
“It’s my sister’s name. Somehow, this demon resembles my sister. Of course, my sister was much younger─.”
Cariote couldn’t finish her sentence because the Witch of Obsession began chanting a spell with her palm open.
“Thorns!”
Bababababababat—
The magic circle created from Astaroth’s palm shot out something like dark red icicles onto the ground.
Getting hit even once would leave us in the same state as a puppy that messed with a hedgehog.
Pat—
I decided to roll on the ground to dodge the attack and assess the situation.
First and foremost, I needed to save Cecily, who was struggling in the grasp of Astaroth.
“How ungraceful, rolling on the floor like that.”
Astaroth, laughing with a sultry and melodious voice.
Cariote cocked her crossbow with a click-.
But she seemed unable to shoot easily, perhaps because Astaroth was using Cecily as a hostage-cum-shield.
No, that might not be the only reason.
With Cariote’s skills, it easy for her to attack the adversary without harming the hostage.
“Is there a problem?”
I whispered softly.
Cariote clicked her tongue and whispered back just as softly.
“This scene, I’ve seen it before. Like the time when the Archdemon took my sister hostage. Both mother and father eventually died playing into his hands.”
An unpleasant story indeed.
Perhaps Cariote was overlaying her powerless past with the present.
Even the face of that Astarosa resembles her own sister Dina.
Maybe it’s best to exclude Cariote from this battle─as I was contemplating, an unexpected event occurred.
“Kyaaak!”
Astarosa screamed like a lady whose skirt was lifted.
Something fell from the floating Astarosa,
It was Cecily, her golden hair fluttering.
“This tiny wench! How dare she bite my finger!?”
So that’s it.
Cecily bit her finger.
I’ve been bitten before, so I know it really hurts.
But this situation was a rare opportunity for us as well.
“Cariote!”
“I know!”
I ran towards Cecily.
Agility stat of 20.
Moving with a speed that could even be described as godlike, everything around me seemed to slow down, then finally stopped.
“……”
A dreadfully quiet and silent world.
Only I could move through it.
I didn’t miss this chance and moved to grab Cecily floating in the air.
Embracing her, the world’s time accelerated again.
“Youuuuu─!”
Astarosa yelled, livid.
But she couldn’t attack me because the silver bolts that were fired at the same time I ran toward Cecily pierced through the demon’s wings.
Pababababat—
Eight arrows were fired in an instant, piercing through all eight wings of the demoness Astarosa.
Swift and precise shooting.
With her wings lost, Astarosa crashed to the ground like a moth consumed by flame.
“Guaaaak!”
Looking at that, I said.
“Isn’t it inelegant to tumble on the ground?”
“Damn youuuu…! I’ll kill you! I’ll tear you all to pieces and offer you as sacrifices for the revival of our lord…!”
Sling-!
The demoness’s nails elongated like blades.
Remembering the trouble those claws had caused Cariote also drew her shining silver blade.
Her expression was very serious.
“Cariote Iscariote joins the hunt.”
Cariote murmured as if self-hypnotizing.
Soon, the sharp claws rushed towards Cariote.
“Ten Blades!”
The blade that could tear steel like paper sliced through the air towards Cariote’s crown.
But Cariote effortlessly raised her sword to block the attack.
Clang—!
The sharp sound of metal shattering.
Sparks flashed, and I was slightly surprised to see it.
“Cariote, it seems your physical abilities have generally improved from usual?”
I thought I had a good grasp of Cariote’s skills.
Cariote’s level, which I had estimated to be in the early to mid-40s, now seemed to be in the late 40s, almost transcendentally strong.
Wouldn’t she be a good opponent for me now?
Soon, I was able to grasp what had happened.
“Aha, a vow and a restriction.”
Whoosh—!
Instead of replying, Cariote forcefully pushed back the demoness’s attack with all his might.
Demoness Astarosa’s body flew away like a baseball hit by a bat and crashed into a pillar.
Crash—
The crumbling pillar.
When Demoness Astarosa was no longer visible, buried under the debris, Cariote spoke.
“When facing demons, I become stronger. I’m normally restricted.”
I see.
As I suspected, Cariote seemed to have made a ‘vow’ with her soul.
So, that’s what happened.
Let’s say there’s a level 10 Naru, and when Naru eats strawberries, she becomes 1.2 times stronger─ that’s the vow, right?
Then, when eating strawberries, level 10 Naru could become as strong as level 12.
But normally, without eating strawberries, she would be restricted, becoming 1.2 times weaker, and dropping to level 8.
That’s a vow and a restriction.
Those who take on the risk tend to become stronger.
The reason Cariote didn’t perform well against humans was because of such a restriction.
She was a Demon-Limited Hunter.1Check out Demon-Limited Hunter.
Indeed, Cariote was currently overwhelming Astarosa, one of the three pillars that had once terrorized the world.
I didn’t even have a chance to intervene.
Crash—
Then, from the debris of the collapsed pillar, Astarosa rose again.
Her body glowed red like a furnace.
What’s this?
It’s a situation I’ve never seen before.
I don’t know what it is, but my neck tingled sharply.
The premonition of danger before something bad happens.
“Cariote! Be careful!”
I shouted towards Cariote.
Soon, Astarosa, who had been shaking off the debris, bared her fangs and laughed.
“It’s already too late! I haven’t gathered much Evil Karma─. But what I’ve collected so far is enough to bring you down!”
Roar—!
A massive light erupted from Astarosa’s mouth.
Destruction Beam?
It seemed best to describe it that way.
Although not certain, it was clear this place would be ruined if it burst.
Thankfully, to me, the casting appeared slow?
Enough to avoid it.
“……”
…No, I shouldn’t avoid it.
I would have if I were alone, but Cecily is here.
Then there’s only one option left.
“Cariote, take Cecily and escape! I’ll somehow block this!”
I decided to block the attack with my body to neutralize it-.
That was the conclusion I reached.
Fwoooosh—!!!
Finally, the beam of destruction spewed by the witch shone dazzlingly.
An agonizing pain as if everything was tearing apart.
“…Daaaad…!”
A voice unfamiliar yet somehow nostalgic resounded.
* * *
When Cecily opened her eyes one day, she was in the wide downtown of the Freesia Duchy.
“Then, I have to go to Ordor…! Eeeeh…, but how do I get to Ordor alone…?” (Naru)
“I will stay here. To be with Cecily.” (Hina)
In the downtown, there were children similar to Cecily.
Friends?
However, they all disappeared, and Cecily was quickly left alone.
Left alone, Cecily was hungry and cold.
“Cherry blossoms… Cherry blossoms…”
The only clear thing in her mind was the need to see cherry blossoms.
Wandering aimlessly, Cecily entered a street familiar to her steps and met the Ragdoll couple.
Afterward, Cecily was taken in by them and spent her days in relative joy.
But now.
A flood of memories came back to her.
━Escape with Cecily. I’ll block this somehow.
Familiar words.
It was the moment when the back of the man who had burned himself to save everyone emerged vividly in Cecily’s memory.
A back more honorable and dignified than any other.
At that moment, Cecily couldn’t help but cry out as she had done before.
“Daaaad…!”
Boom—!
A huge explosion soon overturned Cecily’s small voice.
The heavens and earth seemed to shake and flip, an utterly abnormal situation.
Tears streamed down Cecily’s face.
“Daaaad…! Where are you…!? Daaaad…!”
Partings hit young children with springtime tender hearts the hardest.
Cecily struggled to find that familiar back amongst the dust.
Of course, Cariote did not let go of Cecily.
It was too dangerous to let go of the child in a situation where nothing could be understood.
She thought it might render the man’s sacrifice meaningless.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
Shards scattered by the explosion settled over time,
Cariote, amidst the dusty haze, found the lantern the man had been holding.
Holding it aloft, she cast light in all directions,
A black shadow flickered into Cariote’s eyes.
An ominous shadow it was.
“Judas!”
Cariote cried out.
But as the dust cleared, what appeared were two horns and sharp fangs.
“Serves you right! Perish without a trace, Judas! Hahahaha, hahahahahahah…! I’ve avenged our Dark Lord! Hahahahahaha…!”
The woman, gasping as if her breath would soon be her last, continued to laugh.
But her laughter stopped when something writhed amidst the fallen debris.
“Damn, it’s chilling to the bone.”
Swish—
Through the destroyed ceiling, floor, and pillars, someone’s arm burst forth.
Soon, a shoulder and head, then the whole body emerged, standing tall enough to leisurely dust off.
Astarosa was aghast at the sight.
“How are you still alive?! How! Why!!!”
“Why─. That’s just the kind of irrational being I am.”
Swoosh—
The man already had a dagger in hand.
At that moment, sensing death, Astarosa’s loyalty to the Dark Lord spurred her beyond fear to move.
Astarosa aimed her fingertip to launch a last ray of light, not at the hated enemy Judas, nor the annoying demon hunter.
“Die─.”
Astarosa’s hand was pointed at a child.
A blonde girl who might live the longest life among them.
Thinking she could inflict an irremediable wound on both Judas and the hunter by killing the girl, she moved her hand.
A murderous intent borne of obsession with the Dark Lord, a madness surpassing fear.
However.
The black hunter moved first.
Rustle— Rustle— Rustle—!
Swoosh—!
Gyaaaaaaaak!!!”
Astarosa screamed as the tendons in her wrists and ankles were sliced, the pain searing.
Blessed silver.
More deadly to a demon than any poison, the short sword’s attack made Astarosa collapse disgracefully to the ground, unable to hold her bladder.
“…This time, I protected it.”
“Ughhh, uuuuughhh, uuuuuuh!”
As pain whitewashed her mind, Astarosa swallowed her regrets.
If only she could have stayed in this evil-filled place for 12 more years, or at least 6.
She would have turned everything upside down, bringing about the end.
‘I had only just managed to obtain the flute of the Demon Dragon King…’
It was a regret most lamentable.
Wanna read ahead? Buy coins You can unlock chapters with coins or rather “genesis orbs”
Wanna unlock all premium chapters? Check the Membership Chapters will seamlessly unlock no need to bother buying coins anymore.
You can also support us by becoming an exclusive member here
You can rate this series here
You can check our dɨşçöŕd for illustrations here
26
