Vol 3 Chapter 61 – The Party Without Roy【Empire War Arc】

A report came in that a subspecies of Snow Wolf had appeared near Eiden’s location, and Ange’s group headed to the site separately from Roy.

They took on this case both to build connections with the Guild and to help Roy improve his Guild Rank.

“I’m E-rank, and everyone else is D-rank… I’m sorry. We were so close to raising our party rank to C—”

Ange was naturally starting from scratch, which couldn’t be helped. Being former royalty didn’t grant her special privileges. But Manabu stepped in to reassure her.

“Ange-san, don’t worry about it. Everyone starts from the bottom.”

“You’re so kind, even with that mushroom-shaped haircut.”

“—Bwaha!”

Sarina, who was keeping watch in the rear, burst out laughing while Manabu protested, “Hey, why are you laughing, Sarina?” To Ange, who had lived in the royal palace, this scene seemed just a little dazzling.

“You know, adventuring with people my own age is actually pretty fun. I mean, these people were always nearby…”

Ange’s group was traveling in the “automobile” that Manabu had created. To conserve Palco’s magic power, they were driving at low speed, with the former Royal Guards walking in formation on both sides.

(Everyone kind of picked up on what that meant.)

Screech!

During their conversation, the automobile suddenly came to a halt. Palco turned around from the driver’s seat.

“Young ladies, I’ve found Snow Wolf tracks. Your Royal Guard fans are already in search formation. I’ll wait here, so feel free to go ahead with peace of mind!”

Ange, Sarina, and Manabu exited through the rear door.

“Let’s search the eastern area.”

“By the way, what does the subspecies look like? We don’t even know what a regular Snow Wolf looks like, so we won’t be able to tell if it’s a subspecies.”

“Um, sorry. I don’t really know the details either…”

The reason this case didn’t become a regular Guild quest was partly due to the lack of information. Apparently, a hunter in a certain village in Ignia territory was attacked, and though treatment was attempted, it was already too late.

The subspecies’ existence was revealed through the hunter’s dying words.

“It was… about the size of a cow and very fast, right?”

Sarina confirmed. Everyone nodded at the information they’d heard beforehand.

“Well, shall we go?”

Ange’s group entered the forest. Powder snow was constantly falling, but this was apparently “clear weather” for this country. The imperial capital further north had snow falling half the year, and this Ignia territory near the Kingdom’s border was relatively warm by comparison.

Ange showed off her proud knowledge of the Empire—having been royalty, she’d read quite an extensive library.

“Well, actually walking through it is completely different from reading about it in books.”

“Is that so—ah, there are larger tracks mixed in here.”

Manabu noticed that among the tracks he’d been following, there were some much larger ones. Sarina joined them and ruffled Manabu’s hair.

“You did it! Let’s wrap this up quick and head home.”

In response, Ange said, “Right, let’s call for reinforcements first,” and used the magic tool “Torch” to shoot a light into the air. As if in answer, a ball of light shot up nearby, and footsteps gradually approached.

The magic tool “Torch” shot balls of light into the sky. It was useful precisely because the perpetual powder snow made it dim year-round.

With Ange’s fans gathering, they were ready to press the attack.

“Young ladies, I’ll continue waiting with the vehicle.”

“Understood. We’ll proceed north from here.”

In the snowy forest lined with countless dead trees, forcing their way through would alert the Snow Wolf subspecies. Not only that, they might attract other monsters… they should avoid risks as much as possible.

Leaving some people around the automobile, Ange’s group headed north.

Thirty minutes after heading north, it appeared.

Black fur, the reported size of a cow, red eyes, sharp claws. Surrounding it were regular Snow Wolves serving as its underlings.

It had already noticed their presence and was beginning to spread its encirclement. Like the wolf monster it was, it seemed intent on hunting.

Ange gave orders to her former Royal Guard fans.

“Spread out! Sweep away the small fry!”

“Yes! We will trample Ange-sama’s enemies!”

Abandoning the Kingdom’s traditional black knight garb, they followed their lord’s commands as common adventurers. They had cast aside their Royal Guard positions to follow into the depths of hell for the lord they believed in.

Following their lord’s orders, they wielded their weapons against the Snow Wolves.

“Now then, shall we strike at the main target?”

“Ange… are you a princess? Or an idol?”

At the Ignia estate, they did things unbefitting of Royal Guards—like everyone dancing in praise of Ange. So Sarina and Manabu wondered if she might have an idol-like side too.

“I don’t know what an idol is, but probably both! More importantly, it looks like they can’t wait any longer.”

The golden-haired, blue-eyed former princess with a figure rivaling Yukino’s pointed forward with her thumb—the picture-perfect image of royalty.

Grrrrr…

The black Snow Wolf began growling, ready to pounce at any moment.

“Okay, I’m vanguard, Sarina mid-guard, Manabu rear guard. Let’s go!”

“I’m not a fan of that thing.” Sarina charged in as well.

“It’s different from the boss… I’m not a fan either.” Manabu charged last.

The party without Roy was different in character, leaving them bewildered. Their battle had only just begun.

Vol 3 Chapter 62 – The Black Snow Wolf【Empire War Arc】

Ange drew her beloved sword Celestial Blade and stood before the black Snow Wolf. Her golden hair and golden longsword mesmerized Sarina and the others. Combined with her personality, they could understand why the Royal Guards were so fanatically devoted to her.

Celestial Blade was an A-rank treasure. While it was a golden longsword, its special feature was “spell placement.” This was why earth-attribute magic activated from beneath Ange’s feet without any preparatory motion when she sparred with Haruto at the palace.

“Okay, here I go!”

Ange began running around the black Snow Wolf before it could even attack. The black Snow Wolf swung its sharp claws down at Ange, but she dodged them.

After some back-and-forth, they both took distance and faced each other again.

“Grrrrrr…”

Facing the black Snow Wolf, both waited for an opening. Suddenly, Ange snapped her fingers.

Snap!

With the sound, small orange magic circles deployed in a circle around the black Snow Wolf, and countless “Stone Lances” began converging on it at the center.

As long as her magic power lasted, small magic circles were placed wherever Ange walked, and she could activate basic spells at any timing.

“Gyaaa—!”

“Rock Flower! Just kidding.”

Dust clouds rose. But immediately, the black Snow Wolf burst out from within them and leaped straight at Ange.

“Garrrrr!!!”

Clang!

“—Whoa, that was close.”

Ange managed to block with her sword and backstep to create distance. Beside her, Sarina held her spear ready.

“Don’t let your guard down.”

“Sorry, sorry. I thought that might finish it, but no dice. Are you ready yet?”

“I’m good to go. Manabu’s still not ready, but he should make it by your next exchange.”

“Got it, I’ll do my best tanking!”

Saying that, Ange stepped forward again. Even for a monster, its habits were similar to a beast’s. It paid no attention to the two preparing their big moves behind it, focusing its hostility on Ange right before it.

“Come on, puppy, play with me a bit longer.”

Ange began defending with the skill “Phantom Sword.” A swordsman’s skill that created brief afterimages through varied movements and magic particles. Since most sword-based Jobs learned this skill, Ange had naturally mastered it too.

She dodged claws, slid in with a sliding motion while placing magic circles, then activated them after passing through. She heard flesh being pierced by Stone Lances behind her, but she stood up and created distance with a step.

The black Snow Wolf turned back to Ange with a growl. Despite bleeding from its abdomen, its calm gait made Ange’s shoulders slump. But during the battle, Ange noticed something.

“That black aura clinging to the wound’s surface… I see, it’s slightly healing the injury. I thought about slicing it into a blood mist, but my magic power would run out first.”

The black Snow Wolf, having healed enough to move, swung its claws down at Ange, then followed up with a body slam combination. She easily avoided them with Phantom Sword while glancing at her companions.

(The situation was worse than expected.)

Fighting in an unfamiliar snowy terrain, they were starting to get pushed back over time.

(I need to finish this quickly or things will get bad…)

Manabu’s magic circle was already filled with magic power and ready to fire. Sarina had similarly lowered her stance with spear ready.

All that remained was to seal its movements one more time for their victory—

Ange focused on evasion tanking with Phantom Sword, watching for an opening from the black Snow Wolf.

But even with perfect dodges, the black aura swirling around its claws became blades that gradually wounded Ange bit by bit.

So Ange took a gamble. She canceled Phantom Sword to place magic circles, then dodged the black Snow Wolf’s wide swing in her base state before immediately activating the spell.

“Stone Lance” thrust up from below to pierce the black Snow Wolf’s jaw. However, it couldn’t penetrate the bone and only succeeded in lifting its head up greatly.

“It’s a bit tough for me right now, but… Tempest Blade!”

Ange used a speed-focused skill to slash through all four legs’ tendons. The black Snow Wolf couldn’t help but howl loudly.

“Now!”

At Ange’s signal, Sarina charged. The former relic-class weapon had lost its blackness and become a silver spear. Sarina poured all her magic power into it. The spearhead crackled with electricity, and Sarina had “speed” granted through lightning magic essence, moving far faster than normal.

“Lightning Strike!!”

Sarina’s lightning-charged full-power thrust struck the head directly, blowing it away. All the flesh was charred, and the neck area was so burned that regeneration would be difficult. Ange caught Sarina, and after confirming they landed safely, Manabu activated his spell.

“Rock Rain!”

Rocks incomparably larger than basic-level spells appeared above the black Snow Wolf. The multiplied rocks rained down one after another.

Within the dust cloud, sounds of something being crushed and something shattering could be heard.

(The dust cloud gradually dispersed.)

The rocks that had finished their duty turned to sand and disappeared, revealing the black Snow Wolf. Holes riddled its body, its head was completely blown off, and the neck area was burned and crushed.

Seeing this, Ange’s group sat down with a plop. The other members had defeated the regular Snow Wolves and were beginning to collect magic stones.

“I’m so tired~” Ange fell backward.

“Wait, Ange-san! I can see!” Manabu, who had joined them, panicked, and Ange quickly pressed down her skirt.

“Hah… hah… using this every time… just how high-performance was that weapon…” Sarina gazed at the plain silver spear.

Its name was Meteor Spear. It looked like a somewhat expensive spear and was formerly the dark weapon Keraunos. As Keraunos, she’d used “Lightning Strike” casually. But now that it was fully purified, she mainly used the attribute-less “Ether Strike.”

Having had her stats stripped away, Sarina had been practicing in her spare time to see if she could somehow use her old skills. According to Sophia, people in this world didn’t have stats, but they still gained “experience points” internally by defeating enemies or practicing.

Relic holders simply displayed strength as stats and gained experience points faster. Of course, regarding dark weapons, they converted corruption directly into experience without purification, causing contamination.

And now it was just a sharp spear that tingled a bit… or so she thought. While fighting alongside Roy, she noticed that when she put force or magic power into it, the lightning grew larger.

So this time, she tried using a big move for the first time.

The result was success. By pouring in most of her magic power, she managed to recreate the skill she’d used with Keraunos. Sarina’s heart was filled with satisfaction.

“You know… getting stronger through effort isn’t so bad.”

Ange and Manabu, sitting beside her, smiled at hearing that.

And just as the black Snow Wolf’s magic stone was being collected, it happened.

“■■■■■!!”

It, having lost its vocal cords, stood up while shaking the very space around it.

“It’s moving again!”

“Why!? We collected the magic stone!”

Ange’s fans immediately left the area. Ange’s group stood up and entered battle stance as well.

But Ange quickly realized something and stopped them.

“Wait! Without its core magic stone, it’s finished as a living being. Approach slowly and investigate!”

As Ange said, the black Snow Wolf was in its death throes, and something was forcibly moving it in place of the magic stone.

Since the black Snow Wolf’s movements were slow, they applied multiple layers of restraint magic, then robbed it of mobility with paralysis poison.

Then, among the fans, one well-versed in magic used “Analysis Magic” to investigate.

“Ange-sama, the cause is unknown. However, there’s an area in the heart region that cannot be analyzed.”

“Understood. Mark that location, and I’ll cut it out.”

“Yes!”

The fan withdrew, and Ange quickly cut open the marked area.

Looking inside, she found a black ball-like object embedded in the heart area, and each time it glowed black, the heart would pulse.

“What in the world is this…?”

She dug it out with her sword and held it. The black glow began fading.

(And then.)

Crack!

“—Huh!?”

Cracks spread rapidly, and it crumbled to sand and disappeared.

“Ange-sama! The monster’s form!”

Looking where indicated, what had been the black Snow Wolf had returned to white, and its size had reverted to the same as other Snow Wolves.

　☆☆☆

While everyone stood dumbfounded, another black Snow Wolf suddenly appeared from within the forest.

“…Grrrrr!”

“Everyone! Prepare for battle!”

Sarina, Manabu, and the others braced themselves.

“Awoooo!!”

“—Wh-what!?”

The newly appeared black Snow Wolf’s surface flashed purple for an instant, then it turned on its heels and ran away.

A fan skilled in reconnaissance ran to Ange.

“Report! The direction that monster fled appears to be toward the mine where Eiden-sama went for inspection!”

“Damn! This is bad… Let’s get back to Palco immediately and chase it by automobile!”

“Yes!”

Following it blindly would attract other monsters, so Ange’s group decided to retreat once and take a detour route to pursue.