“Tek here, after I became a working adult, I have had very few chances to go to a zoo or an aquarium--even though they are good places to take a date--and are cheaper than most restaurants.”

 

The Demon that has appeared in Gururian City is of the same level as the one from Muno City. It’s the same species: Short Horn Demon, level 30. Its skills are: Strength, Hard Body, Transformation, and Flame Palm. It has no Magic Skills--it’s totally suited to be a vanguard.

 

Nevertheless, I am certain that there was no Demon there when we entered the city--or rather, I could affirm that there was no Demons in the whole Dukedom. It doesn’t seem like the Demon has any teleportation ability, so it’s likely that someone sent or summoned it.

 

I leave the horses and wagon to Lulu, Nana stays behind to keep Lulu safe--Mara wants to join the fight, though she is only level 7, but with her strengthening Skill should help her.

 

While we’re moving towards the Demon, I tell everyone that it isn’t Monsters, but a Demon--as well as its level, skills, and things to be careful of during the fight.

 

Mara doesn’t have a weapon. When I ask what weapon she likes, she said either a two-handed hammer, or axe. Quickly making sure that no one was watching, I take a two-handed axe from my storage and give it to the Dwarf girl, who gives it a few swings, a smile appearing on her face.

 

Occasionally, coming from the direction of the Demon, people get sent flying into the air. Even though the Demon seems to have no Magic Skills, it doesn’t seem to be weak. When the crowd finally clears, we can see the Demon.

 

The Demon looks different from the one from Muno City, having a bigger build, and six arms--it looks like a mutated gorilla. The only common point between the two are their short red horns.

 

Warriors surround the Demon, trying to fight it. There are several destroyed carriages scattered around, along with corpses, and heaps of rubble.

 

Oh?

 

It seems that there are some survivors inside one of the carriages.

 

Many holes have been opened in the buildings that face the street.

 

Near the Demon is a soldier with heavy armour and a blue shell-shield, he is doing very well against it--his level is 29.

 

I guess that there may not be any need for backup?

 

As I have that thought, the Demon swings its strong arms, blowing some people into the air--their course, was directly towards us.

 

Moving quickly, I dash forwards and catch one of them--casting Cube to decrease the momentum of the remaining two, which will ensure their survival.

 

“Pleas don’t be so rash, Karina.” I talk to the person in my arms.

 

Yes, the reason why we take action so conspicuously is because this girl is near the Demon.

 

“Eh, eh? Te--no, Sir Felspar.” Despite seeming confused when she sees that I am the one to catch her, Karina calls my name.

 

I know that her speech is a little faltering, but what kind of ritual is she following when she joins and separates her hands, with fingers outstretched, in front of her breasts--I think she’s embarrassed. Yes, it’s obvious that she’s embarrassed, but it’s so cute when compared to her normal behaviour that my mind tries to escape reality.

 

Furthermore, while still in my arms, she’s muttering with a crimson face, “To be hugged by someone other than father.”, “He’s unexpectedly strong.”, and “The honeymoon should be in the Royal Capital.”--her monologue begins to veer off in a worrying direction.

 

It seems that she’s not accustomed to having contact with the opposite sex--so cute, so innocent--

 

Even though Karina has Raka’s protection, she still has lost around 20% of her health, so I ask Arisa and Mia to heal her.

 

When I put Karina down, she keeps holding my sleeves, it seems that she doesn’t understand why she did that--the action seems to be  completely subconscious.

 

“Master, the front line has collapsed, I will assist them.” Liza declares, and it about to head out to the battlefield--I stop her with a raised hand, before taking her spear out of my storage and tossed it to her. She caught it with a slight smile, her tail beginning to sway, she seems to have missed it.

 

When I give her a nod, she heads off towards the Demon.

 

Pochi, Tama and Mara all follow along after Liza--I ask the two Beastkin girls to protect Mara.

 

Since the Demon is going to counter Liza’s first attack using triple punches, which I intercepted with three Short Stuns, aiming for each fist.

 

As the Demon’s arms fly back, Liza darts in and her Magic Spear pierces the defenceless Demon’s body. She has activated Magic Edge. While her attack only decreases the Demon’s health by 5%, it’s amazing when compared with the total accumulated damage that the Demon has currently incurred.

 

Pochi and Tama attack the knee of the Demon’s left leg simultaneously, while Mara swings at the right. The damage isn’t even 1% of its health, but the attacks seem to be incredibly painful, since the Demon screams and swings its tail towards Tama and Pochi.

 

I quickly kick a helmet, that happens to be resting near my foot, towards the Demon’s abdomen. It’s so troublesome that I have to fake chant whenever I use Magic, since the peanut gallery is watching.

 

The helmet slams into the Demon, breaking its posture, and the tail attack loses strength. Pochi raises her shield, braced by Tama from behind, and redirects the course of the attack into the sky. The two then make use of the original force of the attack and jump back, taking a distance from the Demon.

 

Mara retreats as well, but she takes the chance to swing at the Demon one more time, leaving a shallow slash in the thick skin of the Demon’s back.

 

Looking around at the battlefield, I see that the heavy soldier has fallen near the Demon’s feet--the thick metallic armour of his chest armour is dented, and blood is coming from his mouth.

 

“Pochi, Tama, take the soldier to the Safe Zone, when you have the chance!”

 

“Aye!”

“Roger!”

 

I launch another Remote Stun at the Short-horn Demon.

 

During that chance, Pochi and Tama swiftly and adroitly dart forwards, grabbing the soldier and dragging him over to the Peanut Gallery. Mara grabs his shield and takes it with them--she looks like the combat is scaring her.

 

“Master--I think I may have changed my mind. When in Labyrinth City, I want to stay in a workshop and make armour--fighting is scary!” She muttered as she ran past me and back towards the Demon.

 

I smiled reassuringly at her when she glanced back--I actually felt proud of her, that she could fight even when scared. I feel that if I was in a situation like that, I would at least hesitate--she hadn’t been ordered to fight, she just wanted to help her new companions.

 

“Before, it was the Intermediate-Grade Great Hammer, and just now it was the Advanced-Grade Divine Hammer spells--he must be the Black Gale, who is currently ranked first in the First Preliminary Round.”

“No, Black Gale should use Shadow Magic alongside his Wind Magic. He must be the Magic Warrior, Red Demon.”

 

The Peanut Gallery are commenting, trying to guess who I am--they are currently hiding in a building not too far away. I wouldn’t be able to hear them if I didn’t have Skills enhancing my hearing, because of the loud battlefield.

 

“*^*< <*<* ^^, Shield!” My fake chant makes both Mia and Arisa flinch and look at me with an almost pitying gaze.

 

The Magic Shield stops a blow from the Demon that has recovered its stance and attacked. It’s an unexpectedly prolonged punch--no, that’s not a metaphor, the Demon’s arm extend over five meters as it hurtles towards my face.

 

Hmph--if it stretches again, I will tie it up, like in a cartoon.

 

“Over here, you gorilla!” I take the chance and use the Provocation Skill and keep its attention trapped on me. Now, it shouldn’t change targets, even if Liza and the others attack it.

 

I move forwards, standing in front of the Demon, swaying and stepping as I dodge its attacks.

 

“I will assist you! Sir Felspar!” Karina calls out my name in a loud voice, as if she’s advertising to the watching Peanut Gallery.

 

Please stop it.

 

Before she manages to make it all the way to the Demon, Arisa’s and Mia’s Magic hit it first. Arisa’s Magic, Flash, burns the Demon’s eyes. Mia’s attack, Mustard Mist, roasts the Demon’s lungs.

 

Mia, you could have roasted my lungs too you know?

 

I look back at Mia, who turns her head away--I think my fake chant annoyed her a little.

 

“It’s prohibited to look away while in a battlefield.” Karina, who deliberately jumps between me and the Demon, intercepts its punch--getting blown away as a result.

 

Raka shone just before the large fist impacted her, and multiple small shields made from blue light were stacked up to defend her--this caused her to take almost no damage.

 

I wonder if it’s possible to replicate this automatic defence that Raka uses? I want all my girls to have that added to their armour, by all means.

 

Accompanied by more fake chants, I invoke five Remote Arrows and launch them--causing the Demon’s health to reduce by 30% in one go. Well, since the Demon is that type that specializes in physical combat, its Magic Defense is probably weak.

 

“Arisa, please cover me with attack Magic--Mia, please attack using Water Ball.”

 

“’Kay~”

“Nn.”

 

Arisa casts Light Dagger towards the Demon, but the Spell gets destroyed with a single swing from the Demon’s arms--the Water Ball that comes a little later, only wets the Demon.

 

Ahh, so it isn’t weak to normal Magic.

 

I really need to learn the common sense of this world--

 

“Well now, Low-Grade Magic like Light Dagger won’t be effective against a Demon.”

“But, the Magic Arrows just now worked, right?”

“That was either Intermediate-Grade Javelin or Advanced-Grade Multiple Javelin.”

 

The Peanut Gallery becomes loud again, since ten men and women with matching uniforms have joined them--they seem to be apprentice Mages.

 

I fake the chant for one of the Intermediate-Grade Ice Magic Spells that I had seen, and use Freeze Water on the Demon. Of course, I aim for the places where Mia’s Water Ball wet it.

 

Liza attacks the frozen sections almost instantly, causing one of the Demon’s arms to break. Pochi, Tama, and the revived Karin all throw small barrels of water--which I intercept and cut open using the Fairy Sword, splashing even more water all over the Demon.

 

Alright, all I need to do now is freeze the Demon, and have Liza knock it down--ending the fight.

 

***

I wonder if the temperature dropped too low, the section that Liza smashes with her spear crumbles and scatters away. The tiny fragments disappear into black smoke.

 

The lower part of its body remains, but a Magic Core peaks out of the remains of the upper section.

 

Liza casually collects it.

 

I feel my Danger Sense start to react to something, and when I look, I see that it’s an item called a Short Horn. It’s explanation is written in the Demon Language, but since I knew the language already, I could read it. Unlike the Description of Human’s Magic Tools, it wasn’t distorted.

 

‘Transform an intelligent creature into a Demon.’ A simple explanation--and this explains how a Demon suddenly appeared inside the city.

 

Quickly checking to see if there are any Short Horns in the city, I see that there don’t seem to be any. When I try to search the entire territory, the map glitches for the first time, making the noise of an error. I also know that I can’t search inside Item Boxes or Holding Bags, this is only for my peach of mind--it may also be better than not doing it at all.

 

I put the Short Horn into my storage and begin helping the injured people.

 

***

First, to the luxurious carriage which contains four survivors.

 

There’s a cart on top of the overturned carriage--but since it’d be too conspicuous if I manually lift it off, I carefully blow the cart away with Short Stun, while secretly holding the carriage’s body to make sure it doesn’t shake or get blown away as well.

 

When I get on top of the carriage and look inside, I can see that all the occupants seem to be unconscious--there are a boy and girl with black hair who seem to be around 10 years old, a woman in her twenties who is wearing the clothing of a civil official, and a 15 year old girl with neon-pink hair.

 

The pink-haired girl seems to be waking up, though she seems to feel hazy, “Black hair? He-ro?”

 

She fainted again after managing to murmur those two words.

 

This is my first encounter with the Princess of the small Kingdom called Rumooku, Menea.

Author's Note:

I don't think I explained it too well--but Mara gets scared during the fight and is starting to doubt her wish to fight in Labyrinth City. Though she is willing to fight to protect her companions if necessary,  she will want to stay in a forge and make armour to keep them safe--possibly to sell as well.

I'm trying to do it in a way that doesn't make her seem like a coward, or indecisive.

Not all the girls will be fighters.