The Guild Master Whose Hobby Was Helping People Found Himself Surrounded by the Strongest, Overly Attached Members - 19

Chapter 19: Activate!

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When Envel Village came into view, I felt relief at the sight of its lights. But that relief did not turn into hope, because the doors of the church and several homes were left half-open.

We broke into a run at the same time. Something had happened. I sprinted with all my strength. The wind cut against my cheek, and the ground beat a rhythm under my feet. I drew my sword as I rushed into the church—only to find no one there.

“…It’s empty?”

Inside the small chapel, the chairs were out of place. Several candles from the altar had toppled over, spilling drops of wax across the floor.

“There are signs of a struggle…No, it looks more like they fled.”

Lisette observed as she checked the surroundings. The silence felt disturbingly unnatural.

“Is anyone here!?”

Sera’s voice rang out, but no reply came. Only the echo of her words was swallowed up by the emptiness. Without a word, I walked toward the small window beside the altar. I could see the outside. The plaza bathed in moonlight. At its center, something—someone had fallen.

“…!”

My chest tightened.

“Someone’s there… Someone’s lying in the plaza!”

No sooner had I spoken than I sprinted to the church doors and burst outside. The footsteps of three others followed behind me.

In the moonlit plaza, a brother and sister lay at the center. And above them, a dark mass loomed, about to strike. Claws dug into the stone floor. Twisted beastlike legs. A cloak of shifting shadows flowing like smoke across its back. Crimson eyes glowing like blood.

“Get away!!”

I raised my dagger and closed the distance in a straight line. The monster slowly turned to face me. Its eyes met mine. But it did not flinch. Its head tilted slightly instead. And by staring directly into those red eyes, I understood.

I can’t beat this thing.

Whether it was its natural strength or not, this monster had the power of an A-rank—possibly even S-rank. That was the weight of the pressure it exuded.

And because I had taken the lead, I would be dead in the next moment if I charged recklessly. But if I created even a moment of delay by hesitating, the siblings would be devoured before Ragnar or Lisette could act.

I have no choice but to draw its attention.

My hand instinctively touched the belt at my waist. I had thought to throw my dagger. But next to it—I remembered there was another weapon.

That’s right… I have this. I have no choice but to use it!

I drew the second dagger sheathed beside the first and raised my voice.

“—ACTIVATE!”

Tapping the rune on the hilt twice with my fingers, the blade vibrated, releasing a resonant metallic hum. Light burst down the center of the blade, swelling in an instant.

A platinum-white radiance illuminated the space, too brilliant for even a blink. It shone as though the moon itself had fallen to earth. The monster’s crimson eyes narrowed, and it froze in place. Then—it stepped back.

“Stay away, monster… If you try to eat them, I’ll cut you down.”

I raised the sword high, pointing it directly at the beast. The glow shining from the base of the blade radiated a palpable presence in the night air. The sword trembled in my hand. …No, it was me who was trembling.

In truth, this sword’s light should not be able to harm monsters. Because this was nothing more than the “Light Blade” I had once bought at a novelty weapon shop—nothing but a toy with a lighting gimmick.

A single tap on the hilt lit the blade, two taps made it shine brighter. That was all. Unlike the magic used by Leon or Iris, it carried no real power. But to the monster, the memory of a recent attack of light—Leon’s magic—was still fresh.

I gripped the toy as though it were a true blade. Its crimson eyes flickered uneasily, testing the light. 

Would it attack—or retreat?

For a single step, for a handful of seconds, I managed to halt its advance. Then, a voice fell from the darkness.

“…A guest. And a clever guest at that.”

The tone was casual, almost playful. Yet an eerie chill sank straight into my bones.

“No—actually, it’s perfect. More prey to feast upon.”

From the monster’s shadow, a man appeared. As Leon had described, he was a sinister figure, hood pulled low over his face. His very presence wavered, as if he was not quite real.

Well then, what now?

I steadied my breath, forcing myself not to look away from the monster as I assessed the situation. This was Envel Village. I didn’t know if the villagers had evacuated. A brother and sister lay collapsed in front of me.

Our opponents: a sinister monster—and an equally sinister man. On our side: me, a B-rank. Sera, an S-rank. Ragnar, with SS-rank strength. Lisette, an SS-rank. In numbers, we were overwhelmingly superior.

But in reality, Sera couldn’t be counted as a reliable combat power, and we had to ensure the safety of the villagers. Our advantage was much smaller than it appeared.

“…Lisette. How strong do you think they are?”

“The monster is S-rank equivalent. The man—about A-rank.”

Instant judgment. This was the keen eye of an SS-rank. What I could do now was gauge the situation and assign roles immediately.

What was the best move? If they fought far enough from me, I could consider entrusting one opponent to Sera. But if the battle dragged on, and she caught sight of me, the tide could turn against us instantly.

Thinking that through…

“Lisette, can you take on the monster?”

“Of course. If it is your command, Shin-sama.”

Good. That worked. For someone like Ragnar, who specialized in physical combat, the match-up would be bad. Lisette was the right one to fight it. She didn’t flinch before the monster’s crimson killing intent—that alone proved her power far outstripped mine.

“Sera, recover those two and fall back.”

When I glanced at her, Sera’s face tightened for a moment, but she quickly nodded.

“O-okay! Leave it to me!”

That left Ragnar and me. If possible, I wanted to leave the man to Ragnar. Creepy as he was, his strength was about A-rank. Ragnar could smash him down head-on.

…But that assumed we had secured a safe perimeter first.

Right now, there was no guarantee the villagers were unharmed. Some could still be hiding in the shadows of houses, underground, or deeper within the church. And the one who could protect people while fighting was—not me, but Ragnar.

“Ragnar! Check for anyone left behind and wipe out the surrounding monsters while you’re at it!”

“Understood!! As you command!!”

His voice cracked like thunder. The sheer force of it made the monster recoil slightly. Not in fear—but in a clear reflex of caution. Saving people—that was my specialty. But I remembered the tragedy at Wasarabi.

Just arriving late had led to that much disaster. So this time, I would put our surest strength into protection.

What I must do is hold them. For a few minutes… No, even a few seconds will do.

I had to hold on until Lisette brought the monster down and until Ragnar secured the villagers’ safety. I had to keep that man’s attention here, endure, and survive.

Can I do it? I can. I have no choice but to.

I sheathed the glowing Light Blade and drew my dagger once more. Then, I poured my resolve into its edge.

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T/N: That “ACTIVATE!” part was 100% unnecessary too