Chapter 156 - Chapter 18: "Right Now! Fire the Cannons—!"
The one who came isn't the one I wanted! It's not Keeb, it's Chesta! It has been a long time since I've been this disappointed!
"Why isn't it Keeb?!"
"Hahaha, that's harsh."
"Chesta! Help me!"
"See, it's my turn after all."
Well, I suppose having him here is better than nothing! Yes!
Chesta immediately moved to assist Doran. Specifically, his role was to unleash attacks on the monster while Doran intercepted its strikes.
...But Chesta is ignorant of magic. Against an opponent maintaining a perfect defense through sorcery, wouldn't he be useless?
"Hah-hahi-hyahaha! It doesn't work at all!"
See! Just as I thought, not even a fragment of his attacks is working! He's useless!
"Hey, wouldn't it be better if Doran did the hitting?!"
"I've got my hands full!"
Naturally, since each of Doran's blows is heavier, it would be better if he were the attacker... but right now, Doran is acting as the shield against the monster's onslaught, so he has no such leeway.
Originally, Chesta's strengths lay in his high volume of attacks, his light body, and his unique, hard-to-counter fighting style using the knives and other hidden weapons from his prosthetic arm—first-time-kill armaments. And above all, his strength comes from his drug-addict-like, reckless offensive and his refusal to take a defensive stance.
Therefore, he is surprisingly well-matched against opponents who die in a single hit. For example, a human dies just by being stabbed with a knife, so that's that. Furthermore, a dead opponent cannot counterattack, so an all-out offensive approach is fine. The logic of 'just kill them before they get you' is simple yet strong.
...However, that only applies to opponents who actually die from being stabbed.
The current opponent is a monster, isn't it? And a ridiculous one at that, seemingly reinforced by magic. As for whether Chesta can leverage his strengths against such a foe... that is absolutely not the case—!
"Damn, it got stronger again...!"
It seems Doran is reaching his limit as well. The strategy of intercepting the attacks seems to have hit its wall here.
The monster's body was once again creaking and transforming.
Becoming more hideous. More robust. That was the impression it gave. Truly, what on earth is happening...
"Ah, damn it! You're pissing me off, hey!"
Chesta, sounding irritated, picked up a stone rolling at his feet—specifically, a large fragment of shattered marble—and threw it at the monster. By the way, I've been throwing them for a while now!
...However, since I have studied throwing, I can hit with a certain degree of accuracy, but Chesta... he's hopeless! His throws have been flying off in completely wrong directions for a while now! Does he even have any motivation?!
"Even stones don't work?!"
"In the first place, yours aren't even hitting!"
"Damn, you guys look like you're having fun!"
Even Doran is throwing sarcasm at us. Yes. That's how pathetic Chesta's throwing skills were.
"Ah, damn it, throwing doesn't suit me!"
I know that!
Chesta quickly gave up on his lack of ability and went back to fighting with the knives from his prosthetic arm.
But... as expected, it didn't look like it was having any effect.
I could see the knives being repelled just before they struck the monster.
However, it was at that moment.
"This monster is no good. Punching, cutting, throwing stones, nothing has any mean—whoa?"
...Oh?
Chesta's startled voice was understandable.
"Guh... Curse you, you mere commoner...!"
In a soft-looking part of the monster's flank where the skin hadn't hardened, Chesta's knife was stuck.
The attack... it went through, didn't it...?
I wonder what this means?
"More power... give me power...!"
"No good, we're pulling back!"
Immediately after Doran leaped away, the monster's body transformed yet another stage.
With creaking sounds, bones groaned, skin stretched to its limit and tore, and the meat peeking through bulged... its appearance became increasingly distorted and hideous.
But at the same time, the feeling of magical power became even stronger.
...This is bad. Even with Doran's strength, we can no longer stop this thing.
In that case... if only I could understand what happened in that moment just now when Chesta's attack went through...!
And if I'm to solve a magical mystery... it has to be Keeb!
"I felt a strange magical presence and came to check, but what is this situation?!"
"Aaaaaah! I've been waiting for you—! You're the one I was waiting for—!"
It's Keeb! It's Keeb! Keeb has come for us—!
"I've been waiting! As you can see, the situation is dire! We're in a huge pinch!"
"Why did you go out of your way to get into a pinch?! You should have brought me from the start, right?!"
"Because! I thought someone like the King would be an easy win—!"
In fact, if he hadn't used such bizarre magic, the King's head would have been displayed in the castle square long ago!
"I guess that's true... so, what on earth is that?"
"That's what I wanted you to see..."
For now, we know that he's likely been turned into a monster reinforced by magic, and whether it's a byproduct of that magic or a separate spell, some kind of shield-like thing is being generated by magic.
Incidentally, that shield-like magic vanished for just a moment earlier...
When I roughly explained this to Keeb, the King was already growing larger again with more creaking sounds. Truly a man with no sense of restraint! Why can't he show a little moderation?!
"...For now, Chesta's attack went through for a second, right? What was he doing just before that?"
"He was throwing stones."
My throwing was perfect, and Chesta's throwing was pathetic. Yes.
"Stones, huh... with the floor this broken, it probably isn't a magic circle... but with this much output, it's not the power of just the King alone, is it?"
...The moment Keeb said that, I remembered.
Yes. That's it. Since that incompetent King has gone this far, there is no doubt that something other than the King is involved.
After all, that King is a weakling who can't even fight on his own. At the very least, if he hadn't used that incomprehensible magic, I would have blown his head off and been done with it by now.
...Yes. The magic currently turning the King into a monster. Naturally, that also requires mana. A far more vast amount than what Keeb or I possess.
He's doing something that reckless. And following that recklessness, he's still growing larger. There must be a strain showing somewhere. It would be strange otherwise.
I believe it. That the King is incompetent.
I believe that there is absolutely some pathetic trick to this magic.
Because it's magic used by that King! Absolutely! There must be a hole!
Therefore... I will trust Keeb's eyes!
"Now, Keeb! From where is that rotten King being supplied with mana?!"
Unlike me, who poured most of my mana into poison and poison resistance, Keeb should be able to see it clearly!
From where is the magic being provided! Keeb will surely see through the trick of this magic!
And so, I shall devote myself to buying time!
"Violia! I can't be a wall anymore!"
"Yes, I know! Just don't let him get near Keeb! If he's taken out, it's over!"
"I know, I know. If someone's gonna die, I'll go first."
"Yes, that's right! Work yourself to death! But I'd really rather you didn't actually die!"
Doran and Chesta seemed to have changed their policy, deciding to dodge all of the monster's attacks.
Since Doran won't be intercepting them, I must also brace myself accordingly!
Even so, I should have brought a bow instead of just a sword...
If I had, I could have unleashed a barrage of attacks from a distance. I thought a bow would look a bit unsightly for a raid, so I came with a single sword... hmm, that was a mistake.
By now, the height of what used to be the King had long since surpassed Doran, and his appearance had become such that one could only say it was fortunate this throne room had a high ceiling.
I have no desire to engage in close combat with such a giant. Having no choice, I decided to do what Chesta was doing earlier: pick up stone fragments from the floor and throw them as attacks.
...Of course, none of the attacks are going through. I can see my perfectly accurate throws being repelled just before they touch the King.
Well, I didn't think they would go through in the first place. Chesta's earlier success was likely just drug-addict luck, and I'm not dreamy enough to aim for such a fluke.
This is merely for the purpose of making the monster slacken its attacks by not slackening our own.
This is to buy time. It's only until Keeb finds a solution, so this much is enough!
...Or so I thought, until something rather incredible happened.
"Ah, right."
Just as I heard Chesta's absent-minded voice, he began fiddling with his prosthetic arm.
I know that knives and spikes come out of there, but... oh?
"I had Contraus install this, didn't I?"
...Isn't that a gun barrel peeking out from Chesta's prosthetic arm?
The next moment, there was a roar.
Yes. It was the sound of Chesta firing. Yes!
"Ah, no good, it's not working. Is it finally over? Man, what a pain..."
"Chesta—?! What was that just now?! I haven't heard anything about this!"
"That's 'cause I didn't tell you. So you wouldn't have heard. Hahaha."
"And what is that?! Is that a rapid-fire gun?! What is the meaning of this?!"
"I told you, I didn't tell you, right?"
What an infuriating response! If we weren't in this situation, I'd be teaching him a lesson! Grrr!
"Well, whatever. One more shot..."
"You're missing—!"
And to make matters worse, Chesta is incredibly bad at shooting! Truly a waste of a treasure! Gold coins to a cat! Pearls before swine! And a Fortesia-made gun to Chesta—!
...However, it wasn't as if it had no effect at all.
"Wh-what is this sound...?"
The monster actually stopped moving.
"Oh, he's scared, he's scared. Ah, maybe this is fine, using it like this."
Infuriatingly, the monster seems more frightened by the roar and gunpowder smoke than by the lead bullets flying from Chesta's arm... Yes. In a sense, it's effective as a distraction...
What is this? This...? The way he's using the gun is completely wrong...? But if it's effective, is it effective...?
N-no! This is just a mess!
After that, Chesta seemed to start finding pleasure in firing the gun. For now, he was just scattering lead bullets that weren't really hitting anything, showing the face of a drug addict.
...I wonder if Chesta will be able to return to a life without firing guns after we subjugate the King? Perhaps being drowned in drugs was actually better?
"Chesta! Aim for the feet!"
"I know, I know! Hyahahaha! Come on, be scared, be scared!"
Incidentally, Doran had also switched to a gun before I knew it. Or rather, how should I put it...
"Doran. Isn't the size of your gun a bit strange?"
"I asked Contraus. I told him I wanted one that fits my physique."
...So Onii-sama did it for him? Yes. That makes sense.
Since it's a gun that Doran holds with both hands to fire, well, if I tried to fire it, I'd probably be blown away by the recoil. Yes.
Because of that, its power is immense. The ground at the monster's feet is being gouged out with incredible force.
...Even for a monster, as long as it's walking on the ground, it will lose its balance if the ground collapses. Anticipating this, Doran is aiming for the floor at its feet. Incidentally, Chesta isn't aiming at all. He's not aiming anywhere anymore. He's completely gone off the deep end. Yes.
And then, it happened.
"Guh?!"
The monster groaned.
...With blood spurting from its leg.
"An attack went through again...?!"
It must mean a bullet broke through the magic, but what on earth...?
"I've got it! Violia! Over here!"
While I was confused, Keeb called out to me. Leaving the monster to Doran and Chesta, I returned to Keeb.
"I saw where the magic is coming from! Over there!"
The direction Keeb pointed out to me was...
"...Ah, so that's how it is."
Thinking about it, it was a simple, easy-to-understand mechanism.
The direction Keeb was pointing was where the princes and princesses had been trembling and cowering earlier.
...And now, it's behind the throne, where the seemingly maddened princes and princesses are gathered, isn't it?
"I think the magic is being exercised by gathering the power of all the royalty present here. Aren't the princes and princesses having their mana drained?"
I see. If that's the case, I understand.
...Though the princes and princesses seem to have completely lost their minds, they show no sign of coming out from behind the throne. Some kind of magic might be at work there as well.
And looking at the state of the princes and princesses, this magic was indeed a failure.
After all, this magic was likely originally intended for royalty to win wars decisively. If the heirs, the princes and princesses, all became lunatics, the royal line would have died out long ago.
"Well, fine. So, if I just slaughter those lunatics over there, it's over?"
But well, now that I know the source of the mana, this is the end. I'll slaughter the princes and princesses and end this revolution quickly!
I raised my sword and headed toward the princes and princesses!
Killing those who are too mad to even run or hide should be effortless!
...Or so I thought.
"Oh my..."
"...Could it be that they have the same magic as that monster?"
My sword! It was repelled! Grrr!
"Take this! And this! Just hurry up and die!"
"Wait, calm down."
"I understand! I've calmed down!"
If Keeb tells me to calm down, I will! I have no choice!
"Look. Even they aren't invincible. Just like that monster earlier, there are moments when attacks go through, aren't there?"
Looking where Keeb was pointing... oh.
"This one isn't mad, he's unconscious."
One of the princes was completely out cold.
"See? And this one is bleeding. From the look of it, it's a bullet wound, right?"
Furthermore, it seemed one of the princesses had been hit in the shoulder by a bullet.
...Ah.
"Are these the victims of Chesta's pathetic throwing and pathetic shooting?"
"Probably."
I see... it seems Chesta's attacks missed the monster and hit the princes and princesses over here. Truly, how much of a lucky drug addict is he?
"The problem is where the magic cuts out. For both them and the monster, the magic cuts out for even a second, and that's when Chesta's attacks are getting in..."
"The second time was likely Doran's bullet. That got in. So, there must absolutely be some kind of trick..."
...Here, I think.
I think and think. Yes.
What I must think about is the mystery of this magic.
Now that I've seen as much as I can, the rest will surely work out if I just think.
I don't intend to leave everything to Keeb from here on. If I can't even wipe my own backside, the name of Fortesia will be disgraced!
First, there are two points of concern.
One is that the timing of the attacks hitting the monster and the attacks hitting the princes and princesses coincides.
The attacks that hit the princes and princesses were due to Chesta's unfortunate throwing and shooting, respectively.
In other words, the time when Chesta was throwing stones and the time when he started firing the gun randomly. Don't those match the two moments when attacks hit the monster?
And the other point is that the attacks that flew toward the princes and princesses, though they must have been very few, 'luckily' went through.
...It's not as if Chesta was aiming to hit the princes and princesses. Yes. Those were definitely 'misses' that just happened to fly this way.
And those 'happened' to perfectly slip through the magical wall protecting the princes and princesses? No matter how much of a lucky drug addict that fellow is, that's too much of a coincidence.
...The attack on the monster went through when the attack on the princes and princesses went through.
And the attack on the princes and princesses 'happened' to go through...
On the other hand, 'accidental' attacks weren't even being made against the monster in the first place, were they?
I've got it.
This magic... it reacts to 'intent to attack', doesn't it?
Unconscious attacks... stones that unintentionally fell due to Chesta's pathetic throwing, lead bullets that unintentionally flew due to Chesta's pathetic shooting—against such things, the defense doesn't work!
And since the princes and princesses are the keystone of the magic, if they are injured, it means the monster's magic wavers!
That's why the attacks on the monster only went through 'during the interval after an accidental attack hit the princes and princesses and before the magic could be restored'!
I've got it! All the mysteries are solved!
In that case, things will be quick! There is only one thing I must do!
I shall leave the throne room! Run straight! And from the atrium at the end, I shall tell Onii-sama in the entrance hall—!
"Onii-sama—! Right now! Right now, please fire the cannons—!"