Chapter 28: This wasn't what I intended at All! -part 3-

// A flaw in the plan. //

Midday ----> Afternoon.

I made a fatal mistake.
I never reconsidered the weight of these puppets.
And how large this place was...
Now I feel completely drained.

"Hey... are you alright?" Ronald his little brother, gazed at me with a worried look.
His bright blue eyes and blond short hair, made me think of a smaller Leanne.
With a child face of a 10-year-old, who is slightly shorter than me, makes me feel like an older sister now.

"I'm fine, but I don't think. *huff*
I can keep up, controlling these many puppets."

As Estel was exhausted from following the thread which she tagged Leanne with.
She removes the string on the two knights.
Now, only one was left.

"Oi!? if more of them come out who will defend us?"
Lance asked with agitation.

Meanwhile, this ass-hat doesn't seem to understand,
How stressful it is to move three heavy armored puppets.
As I then retorted with annoyance.
"How about you try moving these armor for me?"

He flinched with an annoyed look as he gazed at me.
While I did the same, as both of us gazed at one another in agitation.

Roland who was worried about our situation then cried out.
"Now is not the time for this!"

Right now, Estel is guiding the two while being constantly attacked by the undead.
The palace right now, has been completely overrun by them.
As she rests on the side of the wall trying to catch her breath.

She then groaned while thinking.
[I had forgotten how huge this damn place is...
Mostly I remained in the outer palace,
and only entered the inner palace whenever I'm with Leanne.

But looking at our surroundings, there's no corpse nor any casualty.
It seems most of the servants and guards were able to escape.
If that was the case, why the heck are these two stranded in there?]

She then asked the both of them.
"Why were you two left behind exactly?
Clearly, the servants and guards were able to evacuated properly."

The two of them, then gazed at one as they fought in a game of rock paper scissors.
With Ronald getting the poor draw of luck as Lance won.
He then said with a shy look then answered.
"We were busy in a heated battle of chess battle of chess."
Lance nodded, as Estel could only give the both of them a wry smile.

"I'm pretty sure there were people knocking on your door.
Or at least screaming noises from the place?"

Lance then said with a tired and bitter expression on his face.
"We thought it was just our men screaming at the demon-kins so we ignored it,
but then when they started banging on the door.

The moment I came to open it,
I saw our own servants running away from the door  
while screaming "Behind you, Master!"
As I turned around, it was already too late.
A large horde of undead was closely approaching as I swiftly slammed the door shut and locking it.

After that...
My brother and I were stuck there  
until they started crawling inside through the walls while I cut them down.

Eventually, they managed to break the door..."

Roland then happily cried out.
"Then you showed up!"

[I see...
So... I was just in time.
Never expected to save prince douche-bag here.

But I surprisingly her little brother doesn't look too arrogant like the elder one.]

As Estel gave Lance an irritated gaze whenever he looks away.
She then fixed her expression whenever he turns.
Ronald could only give her a wry smile.

Lance then stood as he gives Estel his hand.
With a curious expression on her face, she then asked.

"What is that hand for?"

He then retorted.
"If we remain here, the undead is just going to surround us even more.
I know how poorly things ended when I fought alone.
Allow me to carry you so we can get away from this wretched place."

She blinked twice and thrice in disbelief.
As she then thought.
[Who are you? again.
If you had that kind of attitude from the beginning,
I wouldn't be in this kind of state.
Why did such a handsome man turn out into such a jerk?]

While deeply exhaling he then retorts in agitation.
"What's with that expression?"

Estel simply said with one eye open. "Nothing."

[Well what he said was true, the longer we linger.
The more dangerous this place seems to be-]

The moment Estel thought, she then noticed a dangerous presence right behind them.
She swiftly grabbed his hand as she stood on her own she then cried out.

"Something is coming!,
We need to hurry and run!" As she said, flickering her finger abandoning the last of her controlled puppet.

As Estel was the first to ran to escape,
The two in their surprised got a bit delayed from her reaction,
As they turned around first to see what she meant.

They soon saw a figure, seemingly look like a person walking in the ceiling with chains and cloth dangling downward. Their faces went pale as they saw how it disappears then moved a wide gap closer towards them.

"Hiii!" Both of them swiftly ran for their lives.

As they ran towards Estel who was ahead of them already feeling too weak to run.
Lance who saw her state swiftly carried her like luggage on his shoulders as they ran away from it.
Estel then looked behind as she saw the figure behind them.

"Hyaaaa!!?" she screamed in her horror.

________________________________________________________________________________

// This isn't looking too good. //

"They are relentless!" Lana cried out.

She had delayed their advance using ice magic but they seem to have no care for their own lives as they charge with relentless fervor the moment they noticed the presence of the queen.

Leanne then told her.
"We have a few knights ready to take your position.
Retreat if you can't handle it anymore."

Right now, Leanne and Lana are with the king and queen with the castle knights on their side.
They managed to barricade themselves in the knights training quarters, the moment the undead tried to pincer them on both sides with a sheer number.

The knight captain who noticed their presence decided to take a gamble and used a fire spell that incinerated the path leading to them. Lana who noticed his magic then swiftly put up a thick wall of ice, to shield them against it. Unfortunately, the guards fighting on the other-side were overwhelmed by their numbers only for them to be bitterly left behind as they ran for safety.

The Knight captain then said.
"Your, royal highness...
I'm not sure what is going on,
but the whole palace suddenly became infested by the undead.
Can someone explain to me what the bloody hell is going on?"

Lana then complained to the knight captain.
"You are aware you just tried to burn the king and queen to a crisp.
If I weren't there, you might as well have committed treason."

He then said with a bitter expression.
"If I didn't do that,
The king and queen could have been chow for the zombies like the few soldiers all of you left behind.
Besides, the moment I heard lady Leanne's screaming voice.
I knew you were there, so I took the gamble."

"You-"
With agitation, she was about to complain but Leanne then intervened.
She bowed with thanks to the knight captain as she pulls Lana away from him.

"As always you have quite a beef with that man."

"You know full well, what he just tried to do!"

"Even so...
His action just now saved us from being overrun.
So forgive him already..."  

Lana had a tired expression, as they soon turned to the king where he rested the queen in one of the soldier's beds.

"How is she?" Leanne asked.

The king said with a bitter expression.
"She's not waking,
but the markings around her body are somehow diminishing as if it was crumbling.
I'm not sure what kind of potion you two gave her but it's working.

Though, where is your friend?"

"Eh?" she said, then turned to Lana only for her to shrug.
[ESTEEEEEEEL!] she screamed in her mind.

_______________________________________________________________________________

// It's the demon-kins fault -part 2- //

"How many times do I have to tell you, idiots.
We are here to help!" As Esla calmly said, while raising an adult man with a single hand.
As she then lightly threw him as he slid to the floor.

The shadow knight captain, however, was cutting down any undead that came their way.

The shadow knight captain could only groan.
"Esla, don't let those fools ruin your clothes, alright?."

As she then retorts."I know... Mom..."

He then tilted his head in dismay.
As knights and servants pass by them,
Some of them bowed as thanks for their effort while they moved forward.

It was sooner they noticed its presence.
"Oi, do you feel that?"

Esla deeply exhaled with a tiresome look, as she noticed what kind of monster it was.
"You gotta be joking me...
What is an Arc-lich doing out here?"

"Should we retreat?
We don't have the right men or tools to put it down."

"If we retreat, it will look like it's our fault, won't it?
Don't worry, if things don't work out.
I could always turn into a dragon and burn this whole castle down with the lich."

The knight captain gave her a worried expression.
"Being reckless is not a way to win a fight.
Those things will just avoid your flames before it could rea-"

He then noticed the jewel in Esla's pocket glowing...
Signifying Estel's presence within the palace.

The knight captain then deeply exhaled.
As Esla with a worried look, then said.
"She's here..."

With a bitter expression he then said."Change of plans, we are turning that lich into stew."

________________________________________________________________________________

// Why is it after us! //

With Lance carrying Estel behind him, she then complained.
"Why the heck is this thing still after us!"

With a tired and frustrated expression, but simply kept quiet as talking would only tire him out.
Ronald did the same...

But as they ran they soon met with another trouble.
"This is... bad."

The pathway they were going towards was full of ghouls.
However, as they approached them.
They seem to not notice their presence.
The creature behind them was still coming closer towards them,
As they then heard the sound of battle from the other side.

Lance and Ronald were confused about what they should do.
The threat behind them was still coming towards them.
Estel then calmly said.
"Put me down."

As he did as told,
She then pulled out the pocket watch with a large jewel with the insignia of Carona.
"That insignia... you're from Carona?"

With a quick retort, she then said.
"Now's not the time to ask questions.
Both of you, cover your eyes."

The two did as she said, then conjured the spell.
『Holy Light』

A bright light was released in her direction,
As it extinguished the ghouls that touched it.
In mere seconds as though they were incinerated by its luminescence.

"A light mage?" Lance looks at her with a shocked expression as he said.

Ronald, however, was once again delighted to see her in action.
"So cool!?
what else are-"

As he was about to say those words,
Estel body then went limp as she fell...

Lance catches her with his right hand in response still aware of the danger, coming right behind them. As he pulls Ronald with his left hand in a desperate rush without looking back.

Because he knew...
That the threat behind them...
Were now dangerously close.

As the soldier in front of them were blinded by the light.
He then went pale as he saw the creature in front of him, conjuring a burning lance as he cried out.

"DUCK!" Flinging the lance directly at them,
Lance and Ronald then lowered their heads to avoid the lance.

As it struck the creature behind them.
Causing a mind-numbing echo as it writhed in pain.
[*Insert the screams of your girl/boyfriend here.*]

While the two heard its cries, they felt their eardrums about to burst.
As they turned towards the creature, it then slowly faded from sight while crumbling away.
The soldier behind them then swiftly dragged the two inside as Lance soon understood.
That they were now in the Knights Quarters.

________________________________________________________________________________

// Where does this things come from? //

They soon moved Estel to one of the empty bed rooms to rest.
As the knight captain, then soon complained.

"First ghouls, now a wraith.
What the hell is going on here?
It's like the whole palace turned into one of those ruins."

The knight captain cried out.

"Did you just say wraiths?
So... that's what they were." Lance said with astonishment.

"No.
That thing that just came after you wasn't just a wraith.
That was a damn specter,
Had you two stopped even a moment there...
It would have taken possession of any of you  
While trying to kill whoever is closest to them."

Lance gave the man a pale look.
But Roland was ecstatic.
"That sounds really cool!"

The two gazed at him, as they sighed.

"But to think, the young prince will save a girl...
Could the prince, perhaps be finally be having an interest in a girl?"

He then said with embarrassment.

"Shut up...
It's just myself repaying favors.
I don't have the slightest interest in this shrimp."

Estel then said while lying lifelessly on the bed.
"I'm still awake you know..."
Lance swiftly flinched the moment he heard her.

"Technically I can't move an inch, my whole body is currently limp."

She then moved her eyes toward the knight captain as she asked.

"Also...
Is Leanne here perchance?"

He nods to her.

"Good... so they made it." As she then deeply breathes in and exhaled.

"My only request, for now, is for you guys to discuss this outside.
It's hard to rest when people are yammering beside you."

The knight captain gave her a wry smile while covering the prince mouth as he tried to retort to her complaint. Pulled him away from her, she then closed her eyes to finally rest.

"You will never have a girlfriend like that you know.
I know how your own sister just ruined your social life.
But come on...

That doesn't mean you should hate every other lass you meet."

"Tch!" he clicked his tongue in response to the knight-captains word.
Roland, on the other hand, was helping mend the other soldier's wounds.
He then asked.
"How is she doing?"

"She's doing fine,
Actually fine enough to complain.
Go right ahead." As he opened the door for him.

The Knight captain blocked the doorway, then exhaled as he said to Roland.
"She's resting right now...
We aren't sure what is happening.
But we will need her help if we want to get rid of these things."

Roland then nodded as but still puzzled.

"Does anyone know where did these things come from?"

The knight captain shrugged his shoulders.
As it appears neither the king nor anyone else knows the reason.
Aside from Estel and her own people.