Humans are creatures capable of understanding each other through dialogue and communication. After a long period of persuasion, Friede finally managed to understand the usefulness of this breastplate.
It wasn’t so much that I had a talent for persuasion, but rather that even Friede could see there was no other option.
A situation where Valkyria spirits didn’t attack even when we were openly walking on the road.
In other words, now that it was half certain we had eliminated most of the spirits, we couldn’t hope for a spirit we barely encountered to drop a rune engraving circuit.
Rather than that, we needed to get the helmet. I came here to hide my face, not my chest, right?
It’s encouraging that we’ve obtained all the parts except the helmet, but if we don’t get the helmet, my situation won’t change much.
Ah, it would change a little bit.
I’d be treated as an ‘extremely dangerous top-class vicious criminal’ instead of a simple vicious criminal. Because I’ve become a bit stronger. Than before.
There was a very significant gap in skill between me at the time my identity was discovered by my old party members in Vespian, and me now.
A gap so large that even if there were three of me from back then, they couldn’t defeat the current me.
Growth in capability and skill. Strengthening of traits and even new equipment. Thanks to all the elements that make up a warrior’s strength having clearly progressed compared to before.
To put it simply, back then I was about upper silver token adventurer level… but now I’d be among the top gold token adventurers in name and reality?
In terms of kingdom knights, it would be equivalent to the level of a squad leader of a small squad consisting of 5-10 knights.
I think Brunhilde before the possession was exactly at that level.
The martial prowess and position that even talented individuals born into noble families and raised as knights from childhood could only reach after turning thirty.
Achieving such at the mere age of twenty was the core reason Brunhilde was selected as a member of the hero’s party, with her genius talent.
And now, I’ve barely reached that level of skill too. You could say I’ve finally reached the starting line?
The fact that the result of all sorts of hardships over several months is merely returning to the starting point might be something to laugh at in a way…
‘Honestly, this much is pretty good for someone like me, isn’t it?’
A modern person who had lived a life unrelated to combat was suddenly thrown into this kind of world, forced into actual battles without a master to teach swordsmanship or time to build basics.
Yet I’ve survived without dying away from home and obtained enough martial prowess to be called an elite knight, so shouldn’t this deserve applause rather than ridicule?
I guarantee that only about one in ten Earthlings would be able to survive even if they possessed Brunhilde’s body.
Three would fall into Gunther’s hands from the start, another three would be caught off guard in places like slash-and-burn farming villages, and the remaining three would be captured by bounty hunters while wandering aimlessly.
So I’ve done pretty well. I’ve even surpassed the original Brunhilde. She completely ruined her situation by getting involved with Gunther.
Yes. I’m doing well. So…
I’ll have to keep working hard from now on too.
“Phew…”
After taking a short breath and steeling my resolve again, I earnestly searched for an ancestor who would gift me a helmet, wandering the ruins with Friede.
“…It’s not coming out.”
“You’re right…”
Even after wandering around aimlessly for about thirty minutes, the Valkyria spirits showed no intention of ambushing us.
At first, they gathered on their own without even being invited, but now they wouldn’t appear easily even after searching for a long time, which was honestly a bit annoying.
“Um, that, maybe… it’s just a thought, but. Could it be that we’ve already eliminated all of them…?”
Friede glanced up at me and carefully voiced her speculation. The speculation that we might have already completely annihilated all the spirits.
“…Nah, no way.”
I rubbed the back of my neck with my left hand and broke out in a cold sweat. It was an expression of anxiety. I thought it unlikely, but the possibility wasn’t entirely zero.
“It can’t be. Surely not. It won’t be.”
“Y-you think so?”
I forcibly pulled up the corners of my mouth and tried to deny the creeping anxiety. Telling myself that at least one must still be left.
…What if there really aren’t any?
I felt like the three pairs of greaves I had collected unnecessarily might suddenly become as hateful as a mortal enemy.
* * *
“Systur okkar…”
Our sisters…
There it was.
“Over there! There’s one over there! We finally found it!”
“Thank goodness!”
The Valkyria spirit we finally discovered after searching while even eating meals of soggy rations. Friede and I literally brightened up and charged towards it.
“Come on, helmet, helmet…!”
Helmet, helmet, helmet, helmet, helmet!
That was the only thought in my head. If this one spat out greaves or something, my heart might break.
The composure from the beginning had long since disappeared.
Given that this might actually be the last spirit, if a helmet didn’t come out here, there would really be no answer.
“A throwing spear is coming, right?!”
“Probably! You deflect it! I’ll grab it in that time, and leave the finishing to you!”
“Yes!”
An exchange of opinions made in an instant.
Cancelling out its throwing spear with mine was out of the question because it would hurt my arm, and me finishing it off was also to be avoided because greaves might come out.
So this is the best plan.
There’s only one enemy. Friede will cancel out the incoming throwing spear, so I just need to run at full speed without worrying about anything else.
Come on, raise your spear and throw it, spirit of the Valkyria! That moment will be your death anni―
“Kuuuu…?”
That’s when it happened.
The Valkyria, whose eyes met mine, looked me up and down, then as if utterly shocked, suddenly turned its body and started rapidly distancing itself.
“Huh? What’s that, it’s running away?!”
What’s with that guy? Why is it running away as soon as it sees me? Isn’t it supposed to throw a spear or charge at us?
“Herra Valfreyja…!”
The Valkyria spirit fleeing in a hurry while calling out Valfreyja’s name. It was a reaction I couldn’t have imagined.
“I’ll chase it!”
Unlike me, who staggered for a moment in disbelief, Friede pursued it without a moment’s hesitation, further increasing her speed.
Oh, right. We should chase it. I also increased my speed.
While I might understand if it was creating distance for an attack, I had never seen a Valkyria that just ran away out of the blue, but whatever the case, we couldn’t let it escape like this.
Well, since we’re a bit faster anyway, no matter how far it runs, it will eventually be caught…
…Wait a minute.
“That bastard, don’t tell me…!”
The moment I confirmed the spirit’s escape route while running with my head up, I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide in shock. It felt like my heart skipped a beat.
Because,
“Friede! It’s the castle! It’s running towards the castle right now! We have to stop it!”
It was heading towards the inner castle on the hill, the forbidden area we absolutely must not approach under any circumstances.
“The castle…! Ah, the place you said we shouldn’t go to?!”
“Yes! We must stop it before it gets there…!”
It was truly shocking.
If it just hid quietly in the inner castle, we would have no choice but to let it go like dogs chasing chickens.
‘No, it’s not just that.’
Something, something felt terribly ominous.
Is that spirit really just heading to the inner castle to escape from us?
If so, that would be fortunate… but what if it’s not?
If there’s some other reason?
It might be an exaggeration, but what if it’s heading to the castle to awaken its lord, like a messenger reporting the fact of an attack?
And.
If, in the unlikely event, it could actually wake them up?
A premonition that couldn’t be overlooked.
It was a spine-chilling speculation.
“We have to stop it now! Can you shoot it down with a slash?!”
“That’s…! It’s a bit too close!”
An answer saying the distance was too close, making it uncertain if the slash would reach.
As soon as I heard that answer, I quickly looked around and ran towards the nearest long spear lying around.
“Just shoot for now! I’ll aim for it too!”
“Okay, got it!”
Friede nodded and gathered light in her holy sword. I also raised the spear I had picked up over my shoulder and pulled, gathering the power of Iron Arm to the fullest.
“Hyaaaah!”
“Reach iiiit-!”
A throwing spear shot with all my might, stomping the ground with my left foot as if shattering it.
Bwoooong!
The somewhat old long spear soared towards the fleeing Valkyria’s back with a sound like a cannon. It was literally at the speed of light.
And.
Pweeerk!
The long spear, filled with such strong power that a cracking sound burst from my arm, and the amber-colored slash Friede shot, burrowed into and cut through the Valkyria’s back.
More precisely, the throwing spear first pierced through its spine, followed by Friede’s slash barely separating its upper and lower body.
“Kyaaaaaak…!”
A perfect hit. The Valkyria, split in two, falls powerlessly while letting out its death throes. Among the disappearing upper body emitting steam, a black-gray helmet was particularly distinct.
A situation where it would be appropriate to shout hurrah.
However, my gaze was fixed not on the helmet the creature spat out, but on the empty space behind it. I couldn’t help it.
Shweeeeek!
The throwing spear, into which I had put too much power, didn’t stop at piercing through the Valkyria but continued to fly like an arrow beyond it.
Following the same trajectory that had aimed for the Valkyria’s back, soaring diagonally upwards.
“Huh…? Miss Hilde, if that keeps going…?!”
In other words… towards the amethyst above the inner castle.
“…This is crazy.”
I just closed my eyes. It was already too late to stop it. There was no way to stop it either.
The next moment, Eisenstein’s spear collided with the seal container where Valfreyja was sleeping.
Crackle!
The long spear shatters from the impact beyond its limit. Among the scattered metal fragments, purple pieces resembling glass sparkled beautifully, scattering light.
Should I be relieved that only the part where the spear hit was slightly chipped off?
Unable to even think of taking a breath, I stood frozen, just staring intently at the amethyst above the inner castle.
Hoping, hoping that this hadn’t broken the seal.
And.
【 I can see you. 】
Into my mind, emptied with shock, someone’s voice seeped in as if humming.
A voice like that of a professional serial killer who seems to have killed hundreds of times more people than meals eaten in a lifetime.
Valfreyja Eisenstein.
The monster inside the amethyst spoke to me.
【 Young and weak Valkyria. Our fallen descendant and servant. 】
Looking at me with blue eyes burning with ghostly light through the gap in the amethyst cracked by the throwing spear.
“…Phew.”
I felt relief for now.
The fact that it was speaking to me while hiding in the seal with just its eyes wide open was proof that it couldn’t break the seal and escape on its own.
It had awakened but couldn’t break the seal and come out, that is. If that weren’t the case, wouldn’t it have jumped out immediately?
So I couldn’t help but feel relieved. At least, it meant I wouldn’t be instantly killed on the spot.
Wow, really, I’ve aged ten years. My heart almost jumped out of my chest.
Not as a figure of speech, but literally.