“…What is this?”
Rubia, who hurriedly ran after finishing the barrier enhancement, asked.
“This is a video broadcasting artifact that I poured my heart into creating,”
Ser, with a confident expression, shrugged her shoulders while watching the floating image in the air.
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Then, are you asking about the content? Alright, kind Ser will explain everything one by one. Here, the scene unfolds where the lovely Noah is crouched down chatting with Cartia. Oh, look, a tail has appeared! It’s so cute as they cuddle and rub their cheeks together. Speaking of which, it’s really amazing. Weren’t they enemies with Carpen? They seem to have become friends quickly. I should check on that next time.”
Just as Ser said.
Various images of Noah were being broadcasted in the square where the villagers had gathered in retreat.
“…No, seriously… why are you doing this…?”
“Eldern started the filthy fight, so I had no choice. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; if they forge, then so will we.”
Ser’s voice, which had shown a mysterious smile while looking up at the images, suddenly turned somber.
“And above all. Heroes must be remembered.”
Hearing that, Rubia sighed softly and approached Ser.
Then, with genuine sincerity, she whispered.
“…Thank you.”
“Of course, you should thank me, but you should thank Noah even more. This reckless act likely stems from not wanting to see you suffer, Rubia.”
“That’s true, of course.”
Nodding, Rubia unleashed her divine power to signal Noah.
In response, a thin thread emerged from the tip of her gathered power.
“Look at that! Just moments ago, he was sulking with his back turned, now he’s suddenly laughing and chatting away. I don’t say this often, but… he’s really cute.”
“Huheh… My Noah is indeed very cute.”
“Seeing that makes me wonder if I truly regard him as a hero. Perhaps my calculations were wrong after all.”
The villagers watching the video still had dazed expressions, but both Ser and Rubia wore content smiles.
Their ears flapped with emotions, hugging the fluffy tail as Noah laughed in a carefree manner while chatting with Cartia, an utterly trivial and adorable sight to call a hero right before confronting the Monster of the End.
The villagers felt an increased sense of dissonance and were thrown into confusion.
Just as the murmuring grew louder.
“Hmm, I was too engrossed in Noah’s appearance.”
Ser snapped her fingers.
“I’ve worked tirelessly for two days straight for this, so I hope you appreciate it.”
And then, the video changed.
“…What is that? Ah, Ser, what the heck-”
“Shh. Just watch silently.”
Ser, with a playful smile, covered Rubia’s mouth.
“It’s forging with forging. It’s a way to smack the back of Eldern, who dared designate our friend as a heretic.”
The image of Noah was minimized and shifted to one corner.
The newly emerged fake video created by Ser showed a suspicious figure standing on a quirky magic circle.
A wizard draped in the robes of the Eldern cult.
The wizard began dragging the corpses of villagers onto the magic circle, stacking them up neatly.
The villagers’ murmurs grew even louder.
“Do you see it, everyone?”
Ser’s voice rode the winds of the elemental spirit, reaching even the farthest corners.
“Do you see that heinous act?”
The figure in the video began to cut open the corpses’ bellies to extract their innards and draw out blood.
Screams, nausea, despair, sorrow, fear, distrust, disgust, anger.
The cries of mixed emotions from the villagers started to fill Cartia.
“That is the true nature of Eldern.”
At that moment, a woman with dazzling silver-white hair appeared, walking through a river stained with blood.
The sight of the shaman, whose white robes were stained with blood and tears, was pure and noble enough to mend the crumbling hearts of the villagers.
“…Isn’t that me?”
Eventually, as the white in the woman’s robe disappeared,
She knelt down and began to pray.
“Insane…”
Suddenly, the radiant aura emanating from her body killed the wizard, purified the crimson blood transparently, and transformed the scattered corpses into particles of dazzling light, sending them up to the sky.
“That shaman you see is here to punish those heretics tainted by that evil. Your heroic shaman has once again returned to save you.”
Finally, clear tears streamed down Ser’s cheeks.
That very sight was broadcasted in one corner of the video depicting the shaman.
“I too… was saved by the shaman.”
Shuddering breaths.
“Will you still believe in Eldern after this?”
Another video.
Images upon images.
Killing, grinding, tearing apart.
Watching those images, Ser shed tears.
“Will you still just watch?”
Again, clear tears rolled down—
“Will you continue to stay… hic… stay still!”
An intended slip-up.
Silence reigned over the villagers.
“Stand up!”
And then.
““Aaaaaaaah-!!!””
A roar erupted, shaking the sky.
“Goodness… insanity…”
As Rubia heard the roar that echoed through the sky, she pressed the spell-disrupting robe deeper onto herself.
“How does it feel? The power of our honor, fame, and authority.”
Even in the chaos, Ser’s words reached Rubia without missing a beat.
“So… what do you plan to do by igniting this fire with these people? They can just… stay in safety.”
“Isn’t it too wasteful? There are certainly some strong ones mixed in there. Just trust me.”
Just moments ago, wearing a smug smile, Ser turned her head to the villagers before shedding another small tear.
Then, the video changed once again.
Not the same fake video as before.
But a real video showing Eldern’s fanatics.
“Do you see? There are still those tainted by evil residing in this city. They are targeting you!”
The fanatics, as Ser said, ran toward the squares where the villagers gathered.
“So, stand up! Stand up and fight back!”
At that moment.
A humanoid spirit descended from the sky, reaching out toward the fanatics.
Then—
Boom-! A sea of light from the spirit’s hand swept over the fanatics, causing a fierce wave.
And again.
The video changed, showing Noah now standing up.
“Fighting for peace is like having sex to keep purity. So please, do not fight for peace.”
A line was drawn in the sky.
The thin line gradually intertwined, split, and thickened to form the shape of a door.
Boooom-! A sinister bell echoed, reminiscent of an impending doom.
Slowly, from behind the opening door emerged,
A giant beast clad in black armor, riding a massive steed.
Valoran revealed itself.
Just as the villagers were about to turn their gaze towards it.
Thud-! Ser stomped her foot roughly, regaining their attention.
“People, fight for yourselves!”
Tens of thousands of spirits filled the sky.
“Fight for your hero!”
Crackle-! The air twisted as the highest-ranked spirit walked forward slowly.
“Come with us!”
Roar-!
Along with Ser’s voice soaring high atop the winds,
The image of Noah, deflecting Valoran’s great sword, appeared.
As if that small girl had cleared the end of the world.
The villagers’ minds captured that image vividly.
“Fight for tomorrow!!”
““Aaaaaaaah-!!!!””
A riot of colorful magical power engulfed the villagers’ sight.
Roaring cheers.
Passion, anger, hope, determination.
A great flame began to ignite the villagers’ hearts.
Seeing that spectacle, Ser playfully smiled at Rubia.
“Quickly, go! I’ll handle the rest and catch up. For now… it’s best to go with my spirit. It may take a while.”
The supreme spirit behind Ser nodded and approached Rubia.
“Ser, what… what are you planning…”
Rubia’s mind swarmed with questions, but swallowed them all and turned her back.
For now, Noah was more important.
“…Hurry back. Don’t get hurt.”
Her steps shook off everything and moved towards Noah without hesitation.
Confirming Rubia’s disappearance, Ser closed her eyes and gathered her breath.
Now she had to do what Sirin had passed on to her.
While Noah faced Tylant in Ursphere, it was Ser’s turn to take on what Sirin had secretly done.
“Whew…”
Facing the genuine master sent from the Eldern side.
Even if it was just one, she must prevent anyone from getting past her to reach Noah.
That was the second task handed to Ser by Sirin.
Taking out the communication crystal connected to Hermila, she quietly whispered.
“I will arrive within an hour.”
-…Understood. Please be careful.
“Haha, unnecessary worries. The enraged spirit mage Ser is very terrifying and powerful. So don’t worry.”
As she finished speaking with a small smile.
Ser crushed the crystal in case of any unforeseen circumstances, then set off.
In her sight was the scene of Valoran engulfed by the fierce fire demon.
“Ah. From a friend’s perspective, I hope Noah remains unharmed. This feeling is new… it’s quite an odd emotion. Hehe.”
[You have changed.]
“Is that so?”
[Yes. Now you don’t kill my children as much.]
“If I could, I’d like to pop them right now between my fingers.”
As Ser gazed at her palm, she smiled.
“But since my ‘friend’ told me not to, I will hold back.”
[Ah… I see.]
“And ten years is… sufficient time for a human to change.”
[Indeed, for humans, ten years is a long time.]
“That’s right. You were just lying there and snoozing for that long. And listening to your voice, it seems you slept quite soundly.”
The smile vanished from Ser’s face.
“Very good morning. And it’s been a while. Spirit King.”
