Chapter 85 - Rift in the Capital (3)

Katya Heinkel Craven was absolutely furious.

And Reaver, who was carrying her, clearly felt much the same.

"You know, doggy."

["I am not a doggy."]

"The Lionhearted and my friend went on another date, doggy."

["... I said I am not a doggy."]

As their bizarre conversation continued, neither paying the slightest attention to what the other was saying, Reaver raced across the rooftops with terrifying athleticism, carrying Katya on his back.

Really, the fact that they had the leisure to hold such a casual conversation was impressive in itself. Especially considering the horde of magical beasts pouring down on them.

There were so many that they filled their entire field of vision. Talons and beaks continually slashed, pecked, and dug into their bodies.

Yet even as her body was destroyed and regenerated from moment to moment, Katya's mind was clearly fixed on one thing.

"It's just too much. He's never once asked me to go on one of those."

She didn't know what a date meant or why people went on them, but she thoroughly disliked being left behind while he spent time alone with the Lionhearted.

The divinity streaming from her hands made her feelings perfectly clear.

Disaster gathered at her fingertips and rained down in every direction.

Reaver, whom she was currently riding, had deflected attacks like these before. But as a born mass of divinity, every attack she unleashed was essentially a natural disaster. Each burst she fired in every direction created dozens, even hundreds of piles of ash, as though she were setting fire to a swarm of insects.

The number of magical beasts she and Reaver were burning away at every instant was staggering. Noel and Aiden, who otherwise would never have dared move at all, were probably heading for the Central Spire while attention was focused here.

Still, Katya didn't look particularly pleased.

'... There are way too many.'

She had no idea how many she'd killed, but they simply kept coming. She seemed to be accomplishing what Aiden had asked of her, but this wasn't quite enough to get him inside the spire.

She needed to burn them harder, and more spectacularly.

["Katya, please keep it up just a little longer!"]

... But when those words came through the communicator hanging at her chest, Katya's mouth stiffened.

They reminded her that the man speaking was with the Lionhearted right now, rather than her.

"... I don't have the energy."

["What?"]

The reply was bewildered, but to Katya, her reaction was only natural.

'... I can help. Of course I can help.'

But she felt hurt.

It felt as if she was always the one doing the hard work.

"The Lionhearted matters more to you than I do anyway, doesn't she? All I ever do is cause trouble. I'm not really important to you—"

She knew this wasn't the right time to say such things, but she couldn't keep the words from spilling out.

Her relationship with Aiden Kellermain was always her highest priority.

Nothing else mattered.

In that sense...

["But I always put my faith in you, Katya."]

"..."

The mere fact that he could casually say something like that and soften her mood made her wonder whether she was far too easy.

["Have I ever once said my friend wasn't important to me?"]

The rigid corners of Katya's mouth softened in an instant.

Well, you know.

If he was going to put it that way, staying sulky would be rather—

'... No, wait. Hold on.'

Katya widened her eyes and fought to keep the corners of her mouth from relaxing.

No more getting all giddy over sweet talk. She needed proof that this man would take responsibility for his words.

For instance, it would be nice to have something that only the two of them shared, something the Lionhearted didn't—

["More importantly, I'll help you right now."]

"... Huh?"

["I'm asking because it's you, Katya. This is a technique I've never even tried on Dame Noel."]

"..."

Well, that counted.

Katya cleared her throat, no longer even thinking to hide the corners of her mouth, which had gone beyond relaxing and were now quivering.

"Well, I suppose it can't be helped, then. I'll give it my best."

["... Pathetic."]

"Will you shut up, doggy?"

["..."]

"What's your problem? This is a wholesome exchange of friendship between friends."

As Katya spoke, "something" immediately flowed into her body. She couldn't see it, but she sensed it instinctively.

She didn't know what had entered her or how.

But since that man said he'd done it for her, she simply trusted him.

Whatever Aiden Kellermain said or did was right. No matter what it was.

That was Katya's firm conviction.

"... Oh."

And soon, she instinctively understood roughly what had flowed into her.

When she experimentally released a little divinity outside her body, it emerged as...

Flame infused with "color" and "brightness."

Divinity was normally an achromatic flame, devoid of color. Only its temperature determined its strength.

It was as though the properties of other supernatural powers had been mixed into her existing divinity.

"..."

She grinned.

She didn't know what it was, but she could feel its power.

Power far greater than anything she could ordinarily wield. A gift that man had bestowed upon her.

"I'll have to—"

In that case...

"—live up to his expectations."

All she had to do was put it to the best possible use.

Then, from the center of the sky, brilliant flames swept outward in every direction.

▣

Come to think of it, he'd been too busy to properly check the effects of the skills he'd gained by raising Noel's affection.

Starting with the Lord Protector-related skill, which had been his most important immediate objective...

-Skill Info

◆ Remnant: Lord Protector – Resolve

A will that reaches the heavens is material from which miracles can be made. A great being watches over you.

▶ Embody the target's "essence" as a skill and wield it.

▶ Exercise caution when using this skill.

... Honestly, he had no idea what that meant.

The explicit warning to exercise caution certainly suggested that its effect was anything but ordinary. But exactly how it worked or what it did was a complete mystery.

Fortunately, though, there were the effects of the skill that had been the "prerequisite" for unlocking it.

-Skill Info

■ Omnipotence [ Stage 1 ]

.

.

.

■ Origin [ Stage 1 ]

Interact more deeply with targets affected by "Weaver of Fate."

▶ Skill is at Stage 1. You may transfer 1 skill to a target. Cooldown is one day.

▶ Targets who feel affection toward you may awaken new skills through your influence.

■ Spirit Invocation [ Locked ]

To view this information, advance both "Omnipotence" and "Origin" to Stage 2.

... This was absurd.

Given the situation, he didn't have much time to dwell on his amazement. Even so, a glance was enough to understand just how effective this skill could be.

Never mind the second effect. The first alone was enough.

'I can transfer skills?'

Considering the caliber of the people he could copy skills from, the value of a Unique Skill that let him interchange those skills hardly needed explaining.

It would be an enormous help in getting through his current predicament.

Just look at what was happening in front of him.

"... Wow."

Aiden's jaw dropped involuntarily at the sight unfolding before him.

The pillars of fire Katya had been continually raising over the capital already possessed terrifying destructive power in their own right.

But now, it was like...

'The sun.'

That description wasn't remotely out of place.

The firepower was so ridiculous that, with a little exaggeration, it felt as though a volcano had actually erupted.

He'd given Katya Guardian’s Flame, a skill optimized for firepower. Once transferred to her, however, it mixed with her existing divinity, sending its power to utterly insane levels.

'Good.'

With this, he concluded, they should be able to approach even the Central Spire, surrounded by the thickest concentration of magical beasts, without much trouble.

"Dame Noel, let's go now!"

Noel, who was carrying him on her back, nodded quietly and moved. It was rather absurd that by now, both of them seemed to find traveling this way more comfortable.

"..."

"..."

... But something felt a little off.

"Dame Noel."

"..."

"... Dame Noel."

"..."

Aiden narrowed his eyes at her when she refused to answer.

"Her Highness was sulking, wasn't she?"

"..."

"I had to say that much to cheer her up."

"... I'm confident I could do a good job too, if you asked me."

"..."

"... I don't know what it is, but why are you leaving me out?"

... What was he supposed to do if she started sulking too?

▣

It didn't take them very long to reach the Central Spire. Given Noel's monstrous physical capabilities, that was only natural.

"—This is so damn irritating!"

The problem was that another obstacle awaited them, big enough to make even Noel blurt that out.

Her eyes twisted with a terrible expression at the sight of two giants guarding the spire's entrance, each holding a club of flesh.

They'd just broken through all that, only to find two more enormous magical beasts. Even someone with severe paranoia wouldn't arrange this much security.

"... What are those supposed to be?!"

"Colossal magical beasts. This is going to be a headache."

They weren't Top-Tier Magical Beasts like Reaver, but they were particularly unpleasant opponents to encounter when time was this tight.

Most colossal magical beasts were nasty pieces of work, but these were especially bad.

⊙ Flesh Tearer [Colossal Magical Beast]

A flesh giant that enjoys eating humans. Possesses powerful regenerative abilities.

Weakness: Sluggish movement.

... Well.

They might be slow, but there were two of them. They were so huge that there wasn't enough room to simply slip past.

That meant fighting their way through, and the problem was that these creatures had powerful regeneration. It was bound to eat up time.

Frowning, Aiden activated his communicator.

"Your Grace, I'd like your advice."

["What is it? Have you run into an obstacle?"]

"We've encountered two Flesh Tearers at the Central Spire. I'd appreciate some help on how to deal with them."

["... Two colossal magical beasts? That damned prince, just how much has he prepared—"]

["I'll come help you right away, Lord Aiden!"]

Before Grand Duke Aslan could finish his sentence, that voice burst in.

It was Liza Aslan.

Her voice sounded rather shrill.

Like a teenage fangirl meeting a celebrity...

"..."

The situation was extremely urgent, but he wouldn't be satisfied unless he at least asked about that troubling form of address.

With that thought, Aiden cautiously spoke.

"... Did you call me 'Lord' Aiden, my lady?"

["Yes, I did! It expresses how I feel!"]

"..."

The way Noel's expression was cracking beside him was ominous. Breaking into a cold sweat, Aiden asked again.

"Why would you call me that...?"

["Because Sir Aiden Kellermain is my savior!"]

"... Aha."

["You may ask for anything in repayment. I've prepared myself!"]

"... Aha."

["I-if you don't mind, I'd love for you to visit my territory again! I'll do my utmost to make you welcome! I-I'm confident I can treat you even better than the Lionhearted...!"]

"... Hmm."

Aiden let his reply trail off vaguely over the communicator.

Noel's face, which had been merely sullen and sulky earlier, was now positively demonic.

And as he watched her, a window suddenly appeared before his eyes.

-System Message

▶ Target "Noel Astria Seamus" is enraged beyond her limits.

▶ Unique Trait "Origin" takes effect.

▶ "Noel Astria Seamus" awakens the skill "Twisted Rage."

▶ The angrier the target becomes with you, the stronger she grows!

"..."

Ah.

So it could activate like this, too.