Master and Slaves

[A/N: Added the character of Hiroyuki, Muriel and Tiria, hype them up by adding popularity to it :D]

Hearing Muriel’s reply, I went back the way I had come.

"Heeey! Riiinaa!"

I walked the streets while calling Rina in a loud voice.

"Excuse me, have you seen a girl about this size?"

"Aahn? ...Hah, L-Lord Hiroyuki! I-I have not seen her! I-I’m sorry!"

I asked a soldier I passed, but his first casual attitude suddenly straightened, he bowed his head, and he walked away quickly.

"H-hey, isn’t that Hiroyuki the ogre-killer?"

"They say he killed more than ten by himself."

"A-amazing!"

"What, it’s just a rumor, right?"

"Even so, even by a low estimate he killed several by himself."

"S-still, amazing!"

Here and there soldiers were whispering rumors while looking at me.

If you’re going to gossip, do it so I can’t hear.

...And I defeated eighty-two.

While thinking that inwardly, I searched for Rina.

...Huh? Where is this.

Did I perhaps get lost...?

When I looked around restlessly, there was no one left.

In front of me there was a building like a church.

At the peak of the spire, not a cross but a monument that seemed to embody something stood on a pole.

It was a black round thing, but... it somehow felt ominous.

The door was open, so unable to win against curiosity I peeked inside a little.

"...Rina!"

Inside, like an ordinary church, long benches were lined up facing the back on both sides.

In the aisle between those benches, Rina was standing.

I entered the church and walked up to Rina.

"Rina, what are you doing in a place like this?"

"...To meet... a person..."

"A person? Is there someone you know?"

"..."

What’s going on? ...She doesn’t seem normal.

"Anyway, let’s go back..."

"Gyaa!"

Just as I tried to take Rina’s hand, a scream-like voice could be heard outside.

"What! Rina, stay here!"

I left Rina there and leapt outside.

There... no one was there.

However, for an instant a shadow fell over it.

Looking up, several dozen gargoyles were flying in the sky.

"The enemy...?"

Those gargoyles were holding something round.

When a gargoyle dropped that round thing, the moment it hit a building it exploded.

...Bombs!

The so-called aerial bombing.

They seemed to be shooting arrows from a distance, but the gargoyles were too high and they didn’t hit.

They also seemed to be firing magic, but there were few of those on this side.

The gargoyles leisurely dropped bombs one after another.

And the gargoyle directly above me also dropped a bomb.

It hit the church’s spire... this is bad!

Looking inside, Rina was standing there looking this way.

From above rubble was collapsing.

I ran from that spot immediately.

I wasn’t thinking anything.

Just saving Rina.

I tried to carry her to the other side just like that, but the fallen rubble blocked the way.

At this rate I might not make it.

I pushed Rina down on the spot.

Then I planted both knees and hands and shielded Rina from the rubble.

Rubble rained down on my back one after another.

That impact was accompanied by considerable intense pain, but... I was fine.

I was also carrying the greatsword Destroyer on my back.

I could endure this much.

The moment I thought that, an intense pain incomparable to until then assaulted my left side.

"Guaah!"

From too much pain my hands and feet could no longer endure.

"Gii!"

However my limbs did not collapse.

No, they could not.

Further intense pain assaulted my side.

I braced my limbs and took a posture that would make the pain as little as possible.

"Haa, haa, haa, kuuu."

Even so it only became somewhat better.

For now, Rina was...

She was making sleeping breaths with a peaceful expression.

Apparently she was all right.

Next I checked my own condition.

I couldn’t see above, but countless pieces of rubble were probably on my back.

And...

"U..."

When I looked at my own side from below, an iron rod was growing from there and was stabbed into the floor.

It had probably pierced through.

This was... I couldn’t move.

Even if I tried to call for help, intense pain ran through me so I could not raise a loud voice.

"Nn... nnn... where is this..."

When I was at a loss as to what to do, Rina woke up.

Light was coming in somewhat, and I could see Rina’s expression clearly.

"...! Kyaaaaaaahhh!!!!"

The moment she opened her eyes and confirmed it was me, she let out an ear-splitting scream.

Apparently she had mistaken it for me attacking her.

Then she flailed her body.

"Stop... stop it... stay... still..."

Because my side hurt, rather than speaking I admonished Rina as if groaning.

However it didn’t seem to reach Rina’s ears; far from stopping her movement she increased its intensity.

She struck my chest with both hands, and then...

"Uguu!!!!"

M-my crotch...

Rina’s knee kick had apparently landed splendidly in my crotch.

I-it hurt...

I wanted to crouch just like that, but the rubble on my back and the iron rod piercing my side would not allow it.

"Guu, gah!!"

As I was writhing without being able to even stir, Rina, who had apparently finally calmed down, spoke to me.

"W-where is this?"

She was looking around again.

"Gu... this is... inside the... rubble..."

I answered Rina as if groaning.

"W-what happened...?"

Perhaps because she saw my pained face, Rina seemed to be worrying about me.

"More than... that... raise your... voice... gu... call for... help..."

Rather than that kind of back-and-forth, calling for help came first.

I judged that and said that to Rina.

"Eh, but..."

"Just call! Guaah!!"

"...S-someone! Help!"

Rina’s eyes went wide at my angry voice; she nodded up and down over and over and began calling for help in a loud voice.

"Is anyone... is someone there? ...Lady... Rina...?"

Immediately a reply came back.

This voice is... Cathy!

"Cathy-san?!"

"Lady Rina! You’re there! I’ll save you immediately. Everyone! Lady Rina is here!"

When Cathy raised a loud voice, other voices also began to be heard noisily.

"Rina! Is Master, is Master there!"

A voice that sounded like Muriel asked Rina.

"He is. Master is... Master... hii!"

Rina looked at my face, then lowered her gaze as if checking my body, and let out a short scream.

"W-what’s wrong? Rina!"

"Master is..."

"I’m... fine..."

"Master..."

Apparently she had seen the iron rod growing from my side, dyed bright red with blood.

I somehow soothed Rina, who seemed about to panic.

"A-anyway, let’s remove this rubble."

"Then leave it to me."

Following Muriel’s voice, Sophia’s voice could be heard.

"I’ll make this rubble lighter, so everyone remove it."

O that which draws all things. Reduce the force that reaches that thing!

"Decrease Weight!"

Sophia’s voice chanting a spell could be heard.

"This should be good."

Together with Sophia’s voice the other Dules’ voices could also be heard.

"This one over there!"

"What do we do with that?!"

"Remove that first!"

Under Muriel’s direction the Dules seemed to be working together.

"Master, are you all right?"

"Yeah, for now I’m somehow fine."

To reassure the worried-looking Rina I put on a bit of a brave front.

That said, it had already gone numb, and I was in a state of somehow maintaining consciousness, let alone the pain.

"What should we do with this?!"

"That should be lighter too!"

"Then let’s pull it out!"

I could hear the voices of the work outside.

Sara, Sophia, Muriel, perhaps.

The moment I confirmed that, intense pain ran through my side.

"Guaah!!!"

"Don’t! Don’t touch that!"

Hearing my scream, Rina shouted.

"What’s wrong?!"

"Just don’t!"

"Understood! Don’t touch that! Let’s go from the others!"

While in a dubious tone of voice, Muriel changed her instructions.

"Master, are you all right?"

"Yeah, the pain is gone."

It was still throbbing, but I answered Rina with a smile.

...It might not have become a smile.

...

"Lady Rina!"

After a while most of the rubble had been removed, and Cathy stuck her face out from the gap.

"Cathy-san!"

"Come, quickly!"

Cathy held out her hand to Rina.

But...

"No! Master is..."

"Master?! Where is Master?!"

Cathy asked Rina in an anxious tone of voice, perhaps having her anxiety stirred by Rina shedding tears.

"Master is..."

While that was going on, the rubble on my back had apparently all been removed.

My back was light.

"! ...Priestess Broich! Please come immediately!"

I heard Cathy’s voice calling Rosina.

Apparently Rosina had come as well.

We’re saved.

The moment I thought that, my strength left me.

"Gah!"

At that moment the iron rod that had pierced my side was pulled out with force.

"""""""Master!!"""""""

Hearing the Dules’ screams, my consciousness sank to the bottom...

...

"Nnn! Still. Stronger. Kuu! Stronger, stronger."

A modest scream and voice could be heard.

"But, already..."

A modest, pained voice could also be heard from this side.

"I’m fine, I’m fine so..."

This voice is... Helma, perhaps?

I slowly opened my eyes.

And what I saw right in front of me was Helma looking at me with teary eyes.

"Master!"