kscans

Chapter 109 - The Battle on the Ship and the Goddess Summon

I took another look around. The air was thick with arrows from both sides. We were surrounded—one ship behind us, two on our flanks. Even hiding behind the shields, we were taking fire from the rear. Fang had stopped attacking and was now using his axe as a shield, deflecting enemy shots. It was thanks to him that we weren't taking more hits. Our own volley had clearly diminished. The number of injured was rising, and Myra and Aira were frantically dashing across the deck, staying behind shields as they administered healing.

Amidst the chaos, Wake continued to fire with an unnerving calm. He would hide behind a shield, nock an arrow, then stand and shoot. He must have been using his special skill to predict the future, taking actions that would ensure he wasn't hit. Marmi, protected by her own magical barrier, was calling out enemy positions to him. They were a well-coordinated team. I wondered if she had combat experience; even in this situation, she showed no signs of faltering.

Avea was also fighting valiantly, but she had taken several arrow wounds. The enemy was concentrating their fire on the most skilled archers. Cecily continued her surveillance of the enemy. It seemed she didn't have the luxury of dropping her defensive barrier to cast an offensive spell. The enemy knew from her appearance that she was a mage and were targeting her relentlessly.

"Don't let the enemy ships get any closer! Keep firing!"

The battlefield was a cacophony of noise, but the captain's roar cut through it all. In response, our side's return fire momentarily intensified. He clearly had a knack for command.

"You know, maybe I should have taken it after all,"

Cecily said, approaching me.

"Taken what?"

"That thing you made to boost your ego. I feel like I'm about to die. But then again, I'd hate for that thing to be my last memento of you..."

She had seen right through the fact that I'd made it a little bigger than life.

"Don't worry. A thousand years from now, the river will change course, and future generations will excavate it. I'm sure it will be praised as a work of art."

Cecily sighed in exasperation.

"If you spent as much time thinking about me as you do on such stupid things, we could have a much more enjoyable time together."

"Don't be ridiculous. I think lewd thoughts, therefore I am,"

I replied glibly.

"Stop talking nonsense. But... you seem to be okay, so that's good."

Cecily sniffed. Her attitude was brusque, but she had been worried about me. I took her hand and stood up. A volley of arrows flew towards us, but we were inside her magical barrier. It was like being surrounded by a wall of glass. The arrows were deflected, never reaching us.

"This barrier is incredible. Did you learn how to do it after leveling up?"

It lacked its previous instability. Cecily shook her head.

"Mo taught me in exchange for teaching her the full-body wash spell."

"Really?"

"Yeah, thanks to that, we've become friends. Thank you, Mash."

"Getting thanked so directly like that is kind of embarrassing."

"Sh-shut up! Don't say things like that, you'll make me embarrassed too."

Cecily's cheeks flushed red. "The only problem is, while the barrier is up, I can completely block attacks on the level of their arrows, but I can't do anything from my side either..."

It seemed being unable to attack with magic was stressing her out.

The enemy ships were now only about ten meters away. Several grappling hooks with ropes attached were thrown, catching on our ship. The ropes were pulled taut, drawing us closer to the enemy vessels. Our sailing ship was now completely captured. As expected, they weren't trying to ram us. Their goal was to secure our cargo and Marmi. If they sank us, they wouldn't achieve their objective. More importantly, they were confident they could overwhelm us in close combat. They intended to capture the entire ship.

Many of our crew members were now hiding behind the fixed shields, holding their breath as they swapped their crossbows for melee weapons. The enemy soldiers were doing the same. The arrow fire was now just a diversion for boarding. The enemy galley ships had three tiers of rowers. The top tier was on the deck, and those rowers had joined the fight with crossbows. The middle and lower tiers were below deck, their rowers out of arrow range and not participating in the battle. Now, the numerous oars that extended from the enemy galleys had been pulled inside the ships. Since they no longer needed to pursue us, the rowers from the middle and lower tiers would likely come up to the deck as warriors for the impending close-quarters battle.

For a moment, a strong gust of wind blew, causing the ship to lurch. Tied to the enemy galleys by ropes, we couldn't steer or change course. We were simply drifting downstream. I could see figures on the decks of the three galleys waving flags, clearly exchanging signals. They were likely deciding on the timing to board our ship. Our crossbowmen fired, but their shots were blocked by a magical barrier. Of course, the enemy had mages and clerics too. The captain was looking at me with a resentful expression. I couldn't blame him. We were completely cornered. Even if we fought them in close combat, we wouldn't be able to change the outcome. We were at the stage where we had to consider surrendering to minimize casualties.

I had wanted this situation. Our side couldn't escape, but the enemy couldn't easily get away either. And the pirates were now all gathered on deck. In this situation, the only ones who believed in our victory were probably the members of Levante. Only Mizuki looked at me with an uneasy expression. The decks of the enemy ships were overflowing with soldiers. There were over a hundred on each ship. It was time. I slowly raised my hand.

"Goddess Summon!"

As I shouted, a dazzling light enveloped our surroundings. Within the brilliance, a goddess appeared, sitting on a floating spear in mid-air. She was clad in a rainbow-colored celestial robe, her serene features looking divine. Her long golden hair flowed in the wind, its luster like the light of pure gold itself. The crews of both friend and foe stared, dumbfounded, at the descended goddess. Her presence silenced the din of the battlefield, and a hush fell over the area. The gazes of everyone present were fixed on Laciel. The aura emanating from the manifested goddess overwhelmed everything.

"...It really is... Lady Laciel..."

Marmi murmured. Her small voice spread like a ripple across the battlefield, transforming into a massive cheer.

"It's Lady Laciel!"

The crew members on our side, who had been despairing at the state of the battle, roared with joy as if they had been brought back to life. It seemed to me that Laciel was watching the scene with an unhappy expression.

"You're as popular as ever. Still not satisfied?"

"Mash, this isn't what you really want to do."

Her voice lacked its usual playful lilt.

"You think so?"

I replied, feigning ignorance.

"I'm always watching you. What you're about to make me do is not like you either."

Her tone was noticeably more subdued than usual.

"Not like me, huh. You have too much time on your hands."

"Have you forgotten? I am your lover!"

Laciel took a breath. "But are you really sure about this?"

she asked. She had seen through me—that I was fighting a battle I didn't want to fight, to achieve a result I didn't want.

"This is something I should be doing with my own hands, but I don't have the power. I'm sorry for relying on you, Laciel."

"I am merely wielding your power as you wish. No matter how many residents of this world die, I will simply see it as a necessary choice you have made. I will not feel the same conflict you do now."

I gave a bitter smile. Wasn't she a god who had saved the human race from ruin? Yet she said she felt no emotion at their deaths. I glanced at Myra. She was staring at us intently, as if not to miss a single word of Laciel's. I wondered how Laciel's last words had sounded to her.

"Actually, besides these guys, there are about five hundred others I can't let live."

Laciel sighed and turned her gaze to Famu. It seemed she also knew that I couldn't forgive the ones who had attacked Famu's village.

"I don't think that's what she would want."

"I'm the one who can't forgive them."

"If that is the case, then it cannot be helped. However, you must never let your heart be captured by death."

"I think I understand that now. That's why I want to move forward."

I took a deep breath.

"Laciel, bring a rain of retribution upon these pirates!"

She gracefully floated up into the sky and raised her right hand. As if time had started moving again, angry shouts erupted from the enemy galley ships. Countless arrows were fired at Laciel, but she paid them no mind, and every arrow lost its momentum and fell before reaching her. Arrows were fired at me as well, but Cecily was protecting me with her magical barrier. Several demons tried to jump over from their galley, but Wake and Avea shot them down. Laciel swung her hand down. From out of nowhere, a countless number of arrows appeared and rained down on the enemy galley ships. I could see the demons running around in confusion. Laciel's arrows pierced their backs. The demons fell without a sound, and did not move again. Some tried to defend themselves by raising their shields, but the arrows pierced through the shields as well. The enemy soldiers rushed towards the stairs and doors leading to the lower decks, trying to escape into the cabins. Laciel's arrows fell upon them without mercy. It was a one-sided slaughter. The scene was so gruesome it sent a chill down my spine. Just as I had planned, all the enemy ships were within her range. And because of the ropes they themselves had thrown, they couldn't escape. Even those who jumped into the river were shot.

I continued to watch the scene without looking away. With this, we had dealt with the three galley ships. Now it was just a matter of what the two galleys hiding at the sandbank and Joe's group, who should be following behind, would do.

A pain shot through my head. I pressed my temples. It was the usual dizzying sensation. My mana was running out. I realized Laciel had finished her sweep of the pirates and had descended back to my side. The crew on our ship were raising cheers, either a cry of victory or just a roar of joy, at the dramatic turnaround. It was a stark contrast to the silent decks of the enemy galley ships.

"I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Next time, just the two of us, somewhere with no enemies... oh, Mizuki-san can be there too."

Laciel glanced at Mizuki. I wondered if Mizuki, who had been treated so terribly last time when her mana was drained and she was knocked unconscious, would agree.

"...Alright. I promise."

Laciel smiled.

"Laciel..."

I felt like I was about to pass out. I desperately squeezed out the word, trying to hang on to consciousness.

"What is it?"

"I met Akitsuki Uta. I found out that Otherworlders can only stay in this world for ten years. Please, just save Mizuki. I'm begging you."

I tried to look at Laciel's face, but my vision was distorted, and I couldn't make out her expression. Then, I heard someone's footsteps.

"Don't be ridiculous! There's no point in just me being saved. It's meaningless if I'm not with you, Mash!"

I thought I heard Mizuki screaming, but it sounded distant, as if from far away. My head was spinning. A hand was placed on my head, and it gently stroked my hair.

"It will be all right. Someone like you will surely..."

I couldn't catch the last words. My consciousness faded away.