The Battle at the Earl's Manor

The moon hung above the branches.

In the room at the highest point of the earl's manor.

Count Grausam was bound to a chair, with Linnie standing beside him.

Lügner looked out the window at the protective barrier, which was still active.

Demon mages devoted their lives to researching a single type of magic, such as the Man-Killing Magic, 'Zoltraak,' studied by Qual, the Sage of Corruption.

Thanks to their long lifespans, demons who specialized in a single type of magic grew stronger as the years passed.

But the world of magic had never lacked geniuses.

Magic from a thousand years ago could still surpass the magic of the present.

The protective barrier before him, for example, had been cast by the great mage Flamme a thousand years ago.

Even after a thousand years, it could still hold back the Seven Sages of Destruction and the Demon King's Army.

Lügner hated human geniuses. In a lifespan of no more than a century, they could create a protective barrier that endured for a thousand years.

It had none of the beauty that came from the accumulation of time.

Lügner looked at the weakened Count Grausam and said calmly, "Since I, a demon, was able to enter this city,

"that means the Granat Family, which has managed the protective barrier for generations, must have magic that can control it.

"Tell me, Count Grausam."

Granat remained silent. He was waiting.

Waiting for the elf who had escaped prison during the day, and for her companions.

Lügner looked at the silent earl and chuckled. "I can give you a little time. Think it over carefully."

With that, he left the room with Linnie.

In the corridor outside.

Lügner had not expected the earl to talk so easily.

"There must be a grimoire related to the barrier. Linnie, search the bedroom. I'll check the study."

Outside the manor, Fern had been waiting for a long time.

After sneaking into the earl's manor, the two had found a corpse in the guest room. Only after a careful search had they discovered that the earl was being held here.

Stark was hiding some distance away to avoid being discovered by the demons.

After sensing the demons leave, Fern and Stark discussed what to do.

They decided that Stark would rescue Count Grausam while Fern remained hidden and waited for an opportunity.

Stark entered through the room's side door.

Granat was glad to see him, but he still said, "What? So it's that adventurer kid from earlier."

Stark took out the dagger he carried and moved behind Granat.

"You're in bad shape. I'll untie you right now."

Struggling to keep his hands from shaking, he drew the blade across the rope, but it did not cut through.

Granat felt Stark trembling, and it brought back memories.

His son had trembled constantly before marching off to war, but that had not made his resolve any less real.

The adventurer who had risked coming to save him was the same.

"There's no saving me now. Go tell the people in the city to evacuate."

Granat had come to terms with it.

Though he had hoped they would come, he had hoped even more that they could get the message out.

"Without you, no one will listen to us." Stark was still trying to cut the rope.

Granat had thought of a solution to that as well:

"The emblem hanging around my neck is the Granat Family's crest. When the guards see it, they'll obey you."

"One more thing, kid. In this city, speaking disrespectfully to me is a serious crime."

Seeing that the dagger could not cut the rope, Stark silently put it away.

Granat noticed that Stark had stopped trying and felt somewhat relieved.

"That's right. I'll let you off this time. Hurry and warn the people in the city."

"Is that so?" Stark took the Poleaxe from his back. "Sorry, mister. I'm going to break this chair, and it looks expensive."

Just as Stark was about to act, the two demons who had been looking for the grimoire returned.

Linnie pushed open the door and looked at Stark, who was holding the Poleaxe. "Lord Lügner, there's a rat."

Lügner smiled as he walked toward Granat, paying no attention to Stark. "Count Grausam, is this someone you know?"

"No." Granat considered his options. "He's a companion of the adventurers who were arrested during the day. He probably doesn't know they've already escaped and came straight to negotiate with me. What a foolish kid..."

"Is that so." Lügner was noncommittal, but they had found no grimoire related to the barrier in the earl's manor. For now, they could only get the answer from the earl himself.

Only then did he look at Stark and say, "You can leave, kid. I'll let you off this time."

Stark looked at the demons before him. Though his hands were still trembling uncontrollably, he slowly stepped in front of Granat.

It was happening again. The same thing had happened when they met before. The demons before him did not take him seriously at all.

Lügner looked at Stark in puzzlement. "What? Get out of here. Keep getting in my way, and I'll kill you."

Stark let out a long breath. His hands stopped shaking, and he gripped the axe handle tightly.

"Then try it!"

With that, he swung his Poleaxe down at Lügner.

"So fast!" Lügner had managed to move his vital points out of the way in time, but he was still wounded.

And the magic he practiced was Blood Manipulation Magic.

The blood flowing from his wound turned into arrows that shot toward Stark.

Stark managed to evade the arrows, but Lügner's blood poured endlessly from the wound, forming a giant hand covered in spikes that struck at Stark.

Lügner caught Stark while he was still recovering from his dodge. The spikes on the bloody hand suddenly extended, stabbing toward Stark's heart.

This time, Stark reacted and blocked the spikes with his arm.

Seeing that Stark had protected his vital points, Lügner said calmly:

"Good reflexes."

"Whether human or demon, young people are always too impulsive, reckless, and rash."

"But your courage in challenging me alone is worthy of praise."

"Alone?" Stark braced himself against Lügner's attack and looked out the window.

If they managed to rescue Count Grausam, that would naturally be best.

But if they were discovered, that could also create an opportunity for Fern to strike.

This was the perfect chance. He trusted Fern to seize it.

Outside the window.

The moon shone brightly. Bathed in its light, Fern had already aimed her staff at Lügner.

Linnie's detection magic had not detected Fern, but the surging mana outside the window appeared clearly in his senses.

"Lord Lügner, there's a mage..."

Lügner sensed the mana as well and moved to dodge to the side.

But Fern's offensive magic came faster, blasting away half of Lügner's body and knocking him back against the wall.

Lügner was horrified. He had not expected a human mage to be able to evade Linnie's detection magic, and the offensive magic that had struck him...

"Lord Lügner, leave this to me."

Seeing Fern land in the room, Linnie stepped forward and stood in front of Lügner.

"Stop." Lügner paid no attention to his injuries and asked instead, "Little girl, what magic is that?"

"Ordinary Offensive Magic."

Seeing that Linnie had not attacked immediately, Fern answered calmly.

At the same time, she did not forget to signal Stark with her eyes to hurry and take the earl away.