Graf Granat Earl Territory

Stark's birthday party went very smoothly.

At least until the surprise was officially revealed, he was completely unaware of anything unusual.

Fern's gift was the amulet, Lorenzo's was the AZ0TH Sword, and Frieren made a large plate of hamburger patties for Stark.

It's quite unexpected that Frieren can make hamburger patties so delicious. Lorenzo has been traveling with her for so long and has never seen this elf make any decent food.

"It tastes just like the chef's!"

After taking a bite, Stark slowed down.

He looked down at the hamburger patty on his plate, seemingly reminiscing about the days he spent living with Eisen.

"The taste is still different, isn't it?"

Frieren didn't seem very satisfied with Stark's reply.

"I adjusted the recipe to my own ideas, and even added more onions and spices."

I see.

Although she got the recipe from Eisen, she ultimately made the hamburger patty herself.

If all she gets in the end is a comment like "It's the same as Eisen's," it's as if all the effort she put in went unnoticed, and the taster was just looking for a "meal substitute."

"Hmm, upon closer inspection, it does seem to taste different--"

Stark looked hesitant as he spoke, seemingly completely clueless.

If you show hesitation at this time, you will usually be asked a question that can "determine your life or death".

"So, which one tastes better, mine or Eisen's?"

They've arrived, just as expected.

Stark's hand, holding the fork, froze in mid-air.

Why do I have to face this kind of problem on my birthday?

"Lady Frieren, let's not discuss such strange topics at this time."

Fern immediately covered Frieren's mouth and pulled her aside.

"Now it's time to sing the birthday song!"

However, the Graf Granat Earl Territory, not far from here, is not so peaceful.

The city walls were brightly lit, and squads of soldiers patrolled back and forth in the night. Bows and arrows, rolling stones, and protective gear against True Magic had already been brought up.

Despite the defensive barrier left by the Great Mage Flamme, nothing is ever absolutely safe in war, and all necessary preparations must be made just in case.

Earl Guranat stood atop the city wall, gazing at the distant firelight in the darkness.

This is the umpteenth time Aura has led his army to this location.

While the hero Himmel was still alive, Aura disappeared for a long time, but after Himmel's death, the Demons, having lost their deterrent power, became active again.

At first, they only attacked caravans and remote villages, then gradually occupied the northern roads, until now, the army of Headless Knights has appeared openly outside the Earl.

Countless undead soldiers appeared from the horizon, but they could not cross the barrier left by Flamme. As soon as the undead army approached the city walls, the spell that enveloped the entire city would appear and block all attacks.

This is precisely why the Graf Granat Earl Territory has been able to survive to this day, even during the era when the Demon King's Army ravaged the north.

However, this time the situation seemed different from the past; Aura's army did not immediately launch an attack after arriving.

"It's already the third day."

Count Earl said in a low voice.

The Demons would never waste time pointlessly. Since they couldn't break through the barrier left by Flamme before, Aura must be looking for other methods.

As if to confirm his concerns, three figures emerged from the enemy's army formation.

They had horns and were undoubtedly Demons, but neither the soldiers on the city wall nor Earl Granat, who had been keeping an eye on the remnants of the Demon King's Army for many years, had any recollection of these three Demons.

They weren't the powerful Demons that had left records beneath Aura; at least, no one had ever seen them before.

"Prepare for battle!"

The Earl immediately gave the order.

The three Demons did not continue to approach, but stopped several hundred meters away from the city wall, and then stared intently at the activated defensive barrier.

A strong sense of foreboding enveloped Count Earl's heart.

"Quickly! Attack those three Demons!"

The True Magic, who was already prepared, raised his staff, and more than a dozen attack spells were unleashed in mid-air. The archers also released their bows, and for a moment, a dense rain of arrows almost obscured the sky above the three Demons.

But in that brief instant, the Demons standing in the middle slowly raised a hand.

A humming vibration spread throughout the entire city wall.

The previously stable defensive spell suddenly became incredibly bright, and countless pale golden True Magic characters appeared on the surface of the barrier, before rapidly distorting as if it had been interfered with.

"What's going on? The defensive spells aren't accepting our Mana!"

The True Magic responsible for maintaining the barrier suddenly changed his expression.

The techniques that form the barrier are collapsing on their own.

A tiny crack appeared in the center of the pale golden light screen, and then quickly spread in all directions. In the blink of an eye, the entire barrier was covered with cracks, just like glass that had been hit hard.

The True Magic in the city desperately poured magic into the Mana, trying to repair the collapsing spell, but the Mana vanished without a trace as soon as it touched the barrier.

"Stop supplying Mana!"

Earl Guranat realized something was wrong.

But it was too late.

A crisp cracking sound came from the sky, and the barrier covering the entire city collapsed with a roar, turning into countless golden shards of light that fell down.

At the same time, the explosion and flames instantly engulfed the location where the three Demons were, and the flying dust obscured everyone's vision.

Earl Guranat stared intently at the plume of smoke.

A moment later, a gust of wind blew across the wilderness, and three figures reappeared before everyone's eyes.

They were unharmed, and then Aura's Undead Legion swallowed up the three figures.

The Earl took a deep breath, drew his sword. The barrier had vanished; there was no point in trying to figure out how it had worked. The most important thing now was to hold the city walls and buy time for the residents to evacuate.

Nevertheless, everyone actually knew what was going to happen next.

Without the barrier left by Lady Flamme, the city's existing forces would not be able to withstand Aura's Undead Legion.

"Gentlemen."

Earl Granat spoke.

The noise from the city wall gradually subsided, and everyone's eyes fell on him.

"We'll probably die here; this is the fate that awaits us now."

"Soldiers entrust their lives to their lords, and in exchange, lords must do everything in their power to bring victory to their followers."

This is a matter of course, and it is a responsibility that the successive lords of the Granat Family have always upheld.

"But I must admit, we are destined to be outmatched in this battle."

They could not defeat Aura, nor could they eliminate the thousands or even tens of thousands of Undead outside the city, and they might not even be able to hold out until sunset.

All he could promise these soldiers was a battle they were destined to lose.

The Earl looked at the soldier beside him.

There were seasoned veterans who had fought many battles, as well as young people who had only recently taken up arms.

Some are already married, their wives and children perhaps waiting for them in the city; others haven't even left this land, their lives just beginning before they are forced to face their end.

Goddess, please hear me. If they are guilty, it is because they believed me. They have no choice but to follow me, and I am willing to give my life for them. So please tell me how to save them.

He couldn't help but pray silently.

However, as expected, the Goddess did not issue a divine decree.

"If you want to leave, then leave now."

The soldiers have done their duty; no one should be forced to die in a battle they cannot win simply because of a lord's order.

But these words were quickly swallowed up by the soldiers' powerful laughter.

"Earl Excellency, what are you saying?"

"I asked with a smile," an old soldier asked.

"You haven't left yourself, so why do you think we'd run away?"

"That's right."

The young soldier beside him gripped his rifle tightly; his legs were still trembling, and his face was pale.

"My parents are still in the city. What's the point of me escaping if those guys break through the city walls?"

"I haven't handed my tavern over to my son yet."

I just promised my daughter a few days ago that I would take her to the south after the war ends.

"If I die here, at least I can buy them a little more time."

Oh, I see.

"Excellent!"

Earl Guranat raised his sword high.

"Then let us hold these walls! To protect our honor, our courage, and our love, let us fight, fight, fight until our last breath!"

Even if victory is destined to be lost today, our battle is by no means meaningless. Overturning our corpses will surely bring victory to all those compatriots we have never met.

We will die here.

This is fate.

Earl Guranat had no doubt about this.

In a daze, he remembered his son who had long since died.

When the child was young, he and some friends saw several burnt-out stars on a hillside outside the territory.

Without hesitation, decisive and swift, a shooting star disappears without leaving a trace.

His companions viewed it as a fleeting sorrow, but he kept looking up in the direction where the shooting star disappeared.

There was no sadness on that still-childish face, only a calmness that seemed out of place for someone of that age.

"This body will probably end up like that star, burning out its life young and disappearing without a trace."

When he came to his senses, a smile involuntarily appeared on the boy's face.

That's good; it's a very good fate for a soldier.

The child had accepted all of this from a young age.

He indeed did not live to the age to inherit the title.

When Aura last attacked this territory, he led his soldiers to meet the attack, but by the time he arrived, the battle was already over.

All that could be seen were tattered armor scattered everywhere and the son's broken longsword. Even the corpse had vanished without a trace—the trace it left behind was as fleeting as a shooting star that streaked across the sky many years ago, but bright enough nonetheless.

And now, I have finally stood in the same position as him.

Time flies by so quickly, but there is ample time for reflection.

"I see--"

This is a place to seek death, a hell suitable for one's own end.

Goodbye, no, I should say we'll meet again soon, warrior from Granat. The happiness you dream of still lingers in the skies of Granat.