Chapter: 572
As I may have mentioned before, the dark god is a pretty tricky boss to deal with.
A being that erases both vision and sound is an opponent that you can’t defeat without a specific method.
Most people would choose to illuminate the darkness in response, but not the rotten waters.
Some entity that has been stagnant for so long it doesn’t even remember its original color chooses to memorize perfectly what lies beyond the darkness.
The reason is simple: so it can move forward faster.
From my perspective, where I just blunder on without a single strategical plan, watching the grown-ups fight felt as frustrating as a total newbie charging in without a clue!
I mean, seriously! I had to drag this dying body up just to not fall over!
Not to mention that, by all logic, these humans should have completely overpowered the resurrected dark god and wiped the floor with him! It’s driving me insane!
Pitter patter. Tsk tsk. Grrk. Ahhhh…
“Ugh!?”
Maybe it’s because I became the sickly Lucy thanks to the miracle, but I spun a bit when I got mad.
Forcing myself to hold my crumbling body together, I took a deep breath and lifted my face.
[Are you really okay?]
“I’m fine. It’s not like I’m heading to the front lines. What’s the big deal?”
My condition was miles better than when I just used the purification miracle. The fairies buzzing around me were giving me their strength.
Having just escaped from the dark god’s grasp, they couldn’t completely restore me, but…
So what? I’m going to fight from the player’s perspective now.
[However…]
“Grandpa, I’ve got quite a bit of business to settle with that jerk, don’t I? We should totally get even!”
[…Yeah. That makes sense.]
Convinced of my reasoning, I turned my gaze to the fairies fluttering around me.
The fairies here were the odd ones out, having escaped the queen’s command.
While other fairies fought desperately alongside their mother, these ones flitted about me, worried.
Thinking about the perverts that had settled nearby made me a little uneasy, but at least they was following my orders. That was something to be thankful for—especially now.
Straining to lend strength to my trembling legs, I headed toward the battlefield where darkness and humanity were locked in combat.
To the place where black sought dominion over the forest while green defended it fiercely.
In my current state, where even my holy powers were on the fritz, being surrounded by wild beasts would spell doom, but fear didn’t grip me.
Here stood knights ready to sacrifice their lives for my protection, a fox who’d go to any lengths to prevent my injury, and friends who would risk their lives for me.
“Lucy Alrn!? Has your health returned!?”
“Is there no place in His Highness’s flesh for me to serve?”
“Why are you even here? Go back! We have no strength left to protect you!”
Ignoring Arthur’s whining about wanting guidance, I shoved him into the middle of the monsters, wanting to grab Joy’s neck to pull her closer from the sideline as she supported friends with her magic.
“Eek!?”
Instead, I got dragged toward her.
Ugh, being in a sickly Lucy state is genuinely awful. I never thought I’d be outmatched by an idiot.
“L-L-Lucy!? Why are you here!?”
“I came to give you an opportunity to work for me. Isn’t that exciting, you idiot?”
“If Lucy asks for help, I’d be happy to oblige, but for now, you really need to step back! This place is too dangerous!”
As she spoke, she turned her gaze to the side and shot a burst of flames into the mouth of a monster opening wide toward her, before looking back at me.
“It’s dangerous!”
“I’m fine. I won’t take long, right? Or is it too long for an idiot…?”
“That’s exactly it! Argh! Just tell me what to do!”
“Just add one magic spell to each of these bugs.”
With my current state, directing the fight on the battlefield was impossible.
Even if I were feeling okay, I’d have to grit my teeth to stay in that monster fight. In this state, charging in would undoubtedly get me killed.
So, I’d opt for a different approach. Instead of diving in myself, I’d make use of the fairies. They would follow my lead and act in the battlefield.
“…Do the fairies listen to Lucy?”
“Of course! These pedo bugs prefer their young ones over the older ones.”
– That’s right! I love Lucy!
– Lucy is so pretty!
– I want to stay with Lucy forever!
Seeing the fairies chattering away just because I looked at them made Joiy’s eyes go wide, and then she gave a quick nod before conjuring a magic circle before them.
“My magic is also running thin, so this spell won’t last long.”
“It’s fine. I don’t expect much from an utterly useless buffoon.”
“…Argh! Got it! I’ll pour everything into it!”
Where the heat was coming from, I had no idea. Joy pulled out the gem I had given her long ago, using the magic inside it to replenish her spells.
Not that I meant to push her that way.
Hmm.
Well, as long as the result is good, it’s alright.
“Okay, bugs. I’ll make you cute little slaves. You happy?”
– Wow!
– Yeah! Overjoyed!
– What can we do?
Though I felt a pang of guilt seeing the delighted fairies after telling them to take up arms, I did my best to ignore the ache of conscience and spoke.
*
“Hahaha! Is this all you got? Is this all you’re capable of?! Pathetic!”
The man, whose body had already exploded dozens of times, just laughed bigger as time went by.
It seems that talk of not knowing death wasn’t just bluster; no matter how many times they killed him, he revived again.
If this immortality was a trait of the power of darkness, then the moment Erginus took the power, the outcome should come, but at this rate, night would fall even faster.
Ah! Talk about a predicament.
Here I am walking confidently because of my daughter!
At this rate, I’d be a useless father!
It’s so irritating, but that doesn’t mean a solution just magically appears. If I can’t nullify a god’s power, it won’t help to blindly unleash my strength.
…Given the circumstances, should I pull a gamble? If I burst this darkness wide open, that guy wouldn’t be able to resurrect, right?
[Hey, stupid papa. Weren’t you saying you’d be done soon? ‘Soon’ by your pathetic standards means?]
“I’m sorry for being a useless papa! Lucy! I have nothing to say! But just wait a little! Huh?”
[Hahaha! Just now, you looked like a dumb orc!]
Turning my head at Lucy’s laughter, I blinked at the fairies who were giggling.
[With all these fools that age and still act like dummies, it’s making me feel like going crazy! So now I’ll take command instead of those rotting geezers!]
Having encountered Lucy’s powers on the path to defeating the god of fire in the past, I nodded in agreement with her words.
[So, just play soldier without thinking too much. What good would it do to bother that tiny brain of yours?]
“I’ll gladly do that.”
[Good. Silly papa. I don’t expect a lot from a dumbass. Just blow everything up.]
“Hahaha! That’s what I do best!”
*
Ugh. What a nuisance, what a bore. I hate these attrition battles.
Should I just charge in ignoring any system or order?
If I keep slashing at their necks every time I recover, it’s bound to end eventually.
[Why’s the lady since you haven’t run into things with your chicken brain? Feeling rush with the dummy papa struggling?]
“What nonsense…! A fairy?”
[Look over there. You want to show papa a dazzling spectacle, right? You want to help in making papa make a fuss while everyone struggles? So you can brag about how well you collaborated later and have a good night together.]
“What do I need to do? I’m supposed to be desperate here!”
[What can a senile maiden who only knows swords do? Besides cutting.]
*
The goddess informs me about the dangers, but that doesn’t change the fact that I can’t do much.
My powers from the goddess are remarkable, yet here I am, a weak human that can’t shake off this darkness.
If night falls, it’ll truly become dangerous. In the worst-case scenario, I might have to ask the goddess for help.
[Hey, perverted apostle.]
“Lady? Already… Ah. Borrowing the body of a fairy, huh. I see. This reminds me of the beautiful sight of you dancing among the fairies. More blossoming than flowers.”
[Ugh. Shut your disgusting mouth. You don’t need to say anything. A dog on a leash doesn’t speak.]
“Ah, indeed. I understand. Please, give me your orders.”
[Tell that perverted crow to grant a miracle. Then later, I’ll take my revenge on him.]
“…Are you saying that revenge will come through me?”
*
The moon hangs full in the sky—a wolf’s hour—but against the overwhelming darkness, it feels quite trivial. If this continues, we’ll surely lose to this war of attrition.
sigh I didn’t expect it would come to this; guess that’s what being a god is all about.
Fine. So be it. From the moment I decided to repay the favor, this life became nothing.
Willingly sacrificing myself for that being.
[Hey, mutt. Why are you sitting there silently when you should be barking? Are you already tired? Out of stamina?]
“Lady Alrn. You don’t have to participate. I can handle it.”
[Why would a silly pup speak like a person? Bark. Bark like a dog. I’ll let you know what needs to be done; you just charge in. Don’t interfere.]
“…Understood. Apostle of the God, please give your orders.”
*
“Lady Henhouse. Is your body and brain rotting, or is that why you only do stinky things?”
“Apostle of God, are you feeling okay?”
“I’m better than that lady’s rotting face.”
“It doesn’t seem like you can move just yet.”
“What self-respecting lady would help that pathetic virgin crying for help?”
“…Excuse me?! No, I… that.”
“What? Were you disgusted with him? Did you toy with that virgin’s pure heart? Hmph. Guess it’s rotten inside as well as outside?”
“That’s not it! I really like Erginus! I like him for real! …Ugh. Ugh.”
“Ki-heh. Hey. Make sure to keep that up later. If that nerd gets too happy, he might just ascend.”
While Lucy was laughing heartily at the beet-red fairy queen, the dizziness hit me, and I leaned against her.
“You know how much I’ve suffered because of just you, right? If you don’t show up in one piece, it’ll be a problem. I need you to laugh at me for that.”
“…I-I’m sorry.”
“Forget it! Just give commands to that bug! You should be able to perform parrot duty even with that rotten brain!”
“What should I do?”
“Just do what those foul bugs love to do for fun.”
*
Here it comes.
Night is coming.
The cursed sun fades, and it’s time for Armedi’s moment. My time finally arrives.
The time for me to pass judgment on those vermin has come!
Bring on the struggle!
No matter how they fight, the darkness will only grow thicker!
– Why is he laughing?
– Does he think he’s cool or something?
– Is it cool to just keep getting hit?
– No idea.
– Poor guy has to imagine he’s accomplished something.
– No wonder he’s lost his mind.
“Hah! Talk all you want, bugs! It won’t change a thing…!”
The man’s voice cut off as his head lifted from his body and fell away from gravity.
In the spinning chaos of his vision, the man caught sight of the darkness that had ripped through the forest behind him and felt a chill run down his spine.
Something was going wrong.
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