Chapter 14 (Patreon)
Content
「So this is the tower of Alba Zack. What a gloomy atmosphere…」
Old Castles and Towers like this resembled those that can be seen in Europe. Well, that only what I think when upon seeing that. Also, it makes you think that something would come out.
The current time is still sun up. But the insides of the tower is dark, and it was confirmed that undead are prowling inside.
When we entered the cave south of Border Village, we used medicine that allowed us to see in the dark. In regards to that medicine, it was also something that is distributed in Varsa at a much higher price because of its usefulness. Although not very expensive, it’s price around 30% higher than the price in Border Village. It was a good thing that we kept some in reserve.
Even when I was in Japan, I would always prepare things and be sure to go shopping when there’s a sale flier distributed on supermarkets.
「Master, is OK for us to proceed just like this?」
Ente readies her weapon and was staring at the tower.
「I’m also ready anytime」
Jenny also proclaimed preparing her weapon
「I don’t seem to that useful this time」
Erina also prepares her bow but was slightly disappointed.
Well, since the area we are about to go into is indoors inside the tower, her attacks will definitely be hindered.
「Wait for a bit, I’m buffing us up with Blessings of Purification」
I invoked a protection special skill to a purification defense for everyone. I thought that Ente’s holy skills would be really useful, since our priority this time is to fight while searching for the shield bearer.
According to the information given by Gamund-san, it seems that their battle against the undead when they raided were successful because of Blessings of Purification, I thought that in this time’s exploration it will also be really effective.
But the main reason is, I also wanted to participate in the battle!
My party was then engulfed in a gentle light which increased their motivation.
From the beginning, Ente and Erina’s abilities are already perfectly suited for undead, but this is just for assurance. Adding to that will be the effect of my buff skill. We can expect more damage because of the further increase in power.
Jenny is also slightly advantageous against undead. But along with the effect of the buff, she will definitely become a more efficient attacker.
「This is… Master’s power… I feel like my body is being cleansed」
「I can feel being wrapped with a gentle power, so this is the power of purification…」
「I can feel Aruji-sama’s power penetrating into me……」
[TL: I’ll return Mi Lord/Lady to Aruji-sama for Jenny]
Hey, why are you acting in a strange way?
Why are you squirming about? Is the power of purification also purifying Jenny’s soul?
「Well then, time to raid the tower. First to enter should be Ente. Jenny I ask of you to guard our backs. I and Erina will be in the center for support.」
「Understood. Then, I’ll be going first」
Our raid of the tower begins now.
There were only undead roaming about in the tower, and it’s really stinky. Uhhh, when we get back to town I’ll be sure to immediately take a bath. No, maybe we could find a river close by to clean ourselves before returning. Undead monsters just kept on popping up. Most of them were skeletons and zombies. In 『ARMS OTOME』 this type of monsters are at the lowest tier of undead type demons.
Its upper level would be Bone Warrior and Ghoul I think. Yeah, I think it’s something like that… if I’m not mistaken?
It is kind of confusing because of the similarities, though their color should be different. But I didn’t expect that this place would be really wide. Judging from its appearance as a tower, I expected that the inner area would be narrow passages, but the inner area was the same as that of a building’s interior. There are staircases separating each floors and were exploring 1 floor at a time.
We don’t know yet where the Ghost Knight is located, so we continue our exploration. If that Ghost Knight is a boss of this Area, then it’s probably located on the upper levels just like how you find bosses in dungeons.
「Ojou-sama’s protection is really amazing, right?」
Erina speaks out her admiration while launching arrows non-stop at approaching zombies. Ah right, because the area is much wider than expected, she was able to fight with her full power without problems.
「With Erina’s Bow Power, I can’t even reach the target before it gets annihilated」
Or more like, it’s quite doubtful how she could draw her bow like that. Isn’t that already too overpowered!
「I’m envious of Ente and Erina. There are times when their weapon glows, is that the attack that is effective against undead that Aruji-sama mentioned? 」
Jenny muttered while pouting.
「I think Jenny’s power is also quite considerable you know」
To Ente, Jenny’s flashy thunder attacks is what she also envy. I also think that having a flashy attack was quite envious.
「Even if the both of you say that, I’m also envious of the two of you because you can fight and protect Ojou-sama from the front.」
Ah, Erina has also things she envies from the two.
「As for me, I envy the three of you since I can’t do anything on a fight…」
In our current line-up, I’m just nothing more than extra baggage. Ente too being overprotective won’t even let me step on the front line.
「Ojou-sama, you should just leave all the fighting to us」
「Sulking Aruji-sama, Cute……Kukuku」
This person! And also Jenny, what are you laughing out for.
Even though the conversation a while ago is already strange, now it’s going into an even stranger direction. I see, this place wouldn’t be bad if we turn it into our hunting ground.
Despite the uncomfortable atmosphere around here, it’s very rare for hunters to go to places like this. Since we don’t really care if we don’t get any loot, this is just the perfect hunting ground. I think I’ve just unveiled a wonderful hunting ground for us. There might be treasure chests around but most of them are probably emptied already.
「Nn? Strange, I can’t find any undead」
We have just finished searching the second floor and were now in the third floor, but we didn’t find any undead.
「Were they subjugated already?」
Ente said while carefully checking the surroundings.
There are many monsters in this world, but I don’t think they re-spawn just like the ones you find in games. The demons in this world also have their own ecologies, making flocks and setting up their territories. Such monsters are like the ones we encountered in the forests, and because of that, the forest area will be safe for quite some time because of us defeating the whole flock. Well, there wil probably be a few monsters that would settle down on the area in just a few days.
But Undead monsters are different.
They are born from strong negative energies that accumulate overtime in an area. Even if they are wiped out, if the area is not purified then they would just spawn again when the area accumulates enough negative energy. It also takes time to replenish of course. There are also exceptions like the ones Gamind-san fought. Such cases is where a Corpse User or Necromancer supplements the negative energy in an area, the undead would continue to resurrect as long as the user doesn’t run out of magic power.
In 『ARMS OTOME』 the resurrection would need to wait for turns to exchange, but this is how it is in reality. And of course if the user’s magic power runs out, they will not revive. It also won’t be a problem if the speed of subjugation is higher than the speed they are resurrected which would end up in the user’s ruin.
In the information about Alba Zac that I’ve found in the data room, the time for undead to revive in this place is around a whole day. That means that there was somebody who raided this place within this day right before we reach this place. They might have been people that were hired in order to subjugate the ghost knight. Hmmmm, I wonder if they have already subjugated that.
We continued our mapping but we didn’t encounter any undead until we reach the sixth floor. I certainly thought that this place was around 10 floors but when we reached the 7th floor, unexpectedly we encountered the rumored Ghost Knight.
「Master, is that undead… actually attacking other undead?」
Ente looks surprised. I’m also having the same confused look as her. On the seventh floor, that Ghost Knight, was killing zombies and skeletons that were wandering the floor and carrying its subjugation while leaving a gushagusha sound. It is really strange seeing an undead killing other undead. I have never heard of undead actually fighting other undead after all. If they are fighting with each other, then this would explain just what happened to the floors before we arrived here. Both zombies and skeletons were actually getting along quite well. Is the Ghost Knight a different entity? Feeling the hostility of the zombies and skeletons surrounding us, we also readied ourselves.
I then confirmed the Identity of the Ghost knight.
「That is……Certainly that’s Maevis」
The shield was pouring out an aura that goes into the Ghost Knight’s hand. It’s definitely the same Maevis Shield that I saw in 『ARMS OTOME』.
「Master, it seems like the Ghost Knight also noticed us」
The Ghost Knight that was slaughtering undead turned towards us.
「Guooooooooooooooohhhh…」
The scream from its head that was not attached to his echoes, this gives off pressure unlike any that we have faced before. This is definitely the strongest that we have faced since before.
「Guooooooooooooooohhhh…」
It raised a scream once more before rushing towards us.
「Everyone, ready. Ente attract the the enemy from the front. Jenny, find gaps on its side and attack. Erina, check the surroundings and attack whenever the two move away from the target」
The three of them moved quickly. Erina’s shining arrows were shot as preemptive strike that was aimed at the gaps of the armor.
*Gakkin!!
The arrows were blocked by the shield and wasn’t able to reach its destination. That reaction was fast! But even with that speed, it wasn’t able to block the next volley of attacks that followed.
The shots were aimed at the blind spot of the shield. But even if those attacks connected and broke parts of the armor, the Ghost Knight wasn’t fazed.
Ente engaged the front to take off the shield.
I don’t know if it was the shield that is operating the armor or if the armor is the one using the shield. Because the said armor doesn’t have a head, you can’t read any expression from it.
Jenny also moves in to attack. She finds timing just when the shield parried!
「Haaaaaaaah!!」
Her attack clad in lightning and was buffed with Blessings of Purification pierces through the gap in the armor.
「Guuuuuuoooooooohh!!」
That definitely worked hearing that screech. It can be noticed that a mix of agony was mixed in with the scream.
Ente also continues her attack on the shield, as for Jenny, she continues making sharp attacks in the when she finds a blind spot.
Even if her lightning enchant didn’t activate, the power of purification should be enough to deal damage.
Erina was also making sure that Ghost Knight would not be able to follow up by attacking when the two retreats. Because of that, the ghost knight was not able to move away from its place.
It should not take long before we defeat it… is what I thought but then the Ghost Knight suddenly roared.
Are these voices of sufferings? Then suddenly a response from a demon came! This presence is… from behind! What is that? Just like when a monster spawns, a new group of undead came out. What was mixed in that group was an undead that we haven’t encountered since we started the exploration.
There were seven bone warriors… and the other one was a Wight if I’m not mistaken. I remembered that unique red aura it emits. In 『ARMS OTOME』 it belonged to the same category level as Dullahan.
Why at such timing…
I then remembered that it responded to the Ghost Knight’s roar. An undead fighting other undead and now asking help from another undead. It’s confusing but the reality is we’re kind of in a pinch, and I’m keeping my emotions in check as I ask Erina our current status.
At the moment I tried to give new battle formations to the three, I noticed at the corner of my eyes that Wight was about to release a magic attack.
The target is --- Erina!
Erina didn’t notice the existence of the newly spawned undead. Even though she has high detection ability, she was not able to immediately detect it.
The Wight built up magic power in just a moment, and then released a big fireball towards her. At that moment she finally noticed it, but wasn’t able to react in time.
Before I knew it I already jumped to intercept. My body moved naturally filled with desire to protect Erina.
The next moment, my vision was filled with red.