Chapter 24 : The Attacking Knight

It had been less than half a day since they returned from the imp horde when Meira suddenly burst out of her room, where she had been meditating, just as EI was preparing dinner.

“EI! Something’s happened!”

“Hm?”

Pausing his movements, EI turned back. “What’s going on?”

“Our animal friends sent word— the Dragon Demon has led its followers to invade Belron Town.”

EI’s worst fears were coming true.

“How’s the situation?”

“Not looking good.” Meira shook her head, relaying the message from the animal messengers. “The Dragon Demon has already broken through the first two lines of defense and is now advancing on the last.”

“What about the mage?” EI blinked, immediately anxious. “Wasn’t the mage supposed to be there already?”

“Unfortunately.” Meira sighed. “The lady who cast the flame magic was defeated at the very start of the battle.”

“Damn it. I knew it.”

Dropping what he was doing, EI hurried back to his room.

When he reemerged, he was fully armed.

“EI, what are you—?”

“Sorry, Meira. I have to help my friends.” EI checked his gear as he headed for the door. “You’ll have to manage dinner on your own tonight.”

Meira wanted to stop him, but the desperation in his expression left her speechless.

After a moment’s hesitation, she made up her mind.

“EI, if you’re going, take me with you.” Meira’s face was resolute. “I may not be able to use much magic, but I want to help.”

Before EI could reply, Nia’s voice cut in from behind, interrupting their conversation.

Both turned toward her simultaneously.

“Miss, can you keep up with EI?” Nia approached, looking at Meira.

“With your stamina, it’ll be hard to keep pace. By the time you get there, the Dragon Demon might have already destroyed the town. And can you even use high-level magic right now?”

Meira pursed her lips, offering no rebuttal.

As a mage, her stamina was indeed inferior to Nia’s and EI’s, both of whom had undergone continuous training.

“But only mages can fight the Dragon Demon…”

“You forget, I’m a mage too.”

“But you don’t specialize in fire magic,” Meira said. “You can’t hurt the Dragon Demon without strong fire magic.”

“As long as I enchant my sword with flames and strike its weak points, I can still defeat it.”

Nia’s confidence made Meira hesitate.

She knew full well what kind of magical beast the Dragon Demon was.

Reason told her Nia, still recovering from injuries, shouldn’t take risks.

But emotionally, she couldn’t bear to let EI—who had helped them so much—go to his death in vain.

No one knew EI’s strength better than she and Nia.

Before reason and emotion could settle the matter, Nia had already made her decision.

“Please trust me.”

Nia’s words left Meira silent. After a long pause, she sighed resignedly.

“If you’re going, then take my blessing.”

Raising her hand, a stream of emerald light rose from her palm, transforming into stars that merged into Nia and EI’s bodies.

“Please come back alive.”

EI and Nia sprinted all the way, arriving at Belron Town an hour and a half after the animal messengers’ report.

Contrary to Nia’s expectations, even after losing one fire mage, Belron Town was still holding off the Dragon Demon’s assault.

Every city had a complete defense system, from towering walls to trenches for pouring boiling oil, and a continuous barrage of rolling logs and stones.

Even mighty Orcs feared human cities.

But human defenses varied in quality, and in Nia’s eyes, Belron Town’s was the weakest tier.

She had prepared for the worst before arriving, but was surprised to see the walls manned entirely by humans.

Sturdy male townsfolk held torches and farming tools, blocking the town’s only entrance.

From the shadows, EI spoke up, “We need to find a way inside the town first. Nia, can you do that?”

“Of course.” Nia surveyed the imp horde attacking below the wall, then turned to EI. “But you’re going to suffer a little.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Then hold onto my hand tightly.” Nia bent down and stretched her hand toward EI. “Ready? Let’s go.”

Without hesitation, EI grabbed her hand.

“I’m going up.”

Before EI could react, Nia enveloped them both in wind magic and dashed toward the wall, pulling him along.

EI struggled to describe the speed—it reminded him of the racing cars back home, yet Nia’s wind-enhanced pace was even faster.

She leapt and bounded through the imp horde, forging a path through them like a storm.

As they neared the wall, EI suddenly realized Nia’s other hand had grabbed him too.

“Watch out—don’t land on your face!”

Her warning came just as she lifted him higher.

When he snapped out of the dizzying speed, he was airborne.

The faces of those on the wall rapidly filled his vision.

He finally understood what Nia meant by not landing on his face.

Bang!

With a loud crash, EI landed face-first, smashing hard against the wall.

After his impact, Nia gracefully flipped over the imps, landing steadily beside him.

The sudden appearance of the mage caused the imps to momentarily cease their attack and fall back.

The townsfolk exhaled in relief.

The battle had momentarily paused.