The Branded Female Fencer

"Jake, come here -"

Ultina missed an enemy moving around at high speeds, but Jake was tailoring him faster than he could speak. Jake's movement was tremendous, and his work since entering the hall was surprising even for the top warriors of the Temple Knights. Even Ultina, who doesn't usually fight together, can tell. Jake's movements were a complete departure from the areas he would gain from his age and experience.

Jake struck a stubborn blow at the demon he hit at his feet.

"Is this all of it?

"For now"

"This demon... it's a mosquito, right?

"Similar, but don't be a little too huge. If you suck so much blood, you'll lose all your blood."

The knights talk to each other. Demon raids were sporadic even before entering the hall, but since entering the hall, demons had struck in a proper herd. Obviously, he's about to leave whoever broke into the hall. The shape of the demon was close to the worm, but none of it had ever been seen. It was thought to be the Demon King, but it seems a little different.

Each of the Temple Knights was discussing reasoning.

"What is this demon?

"I don't know. I don't know, I just know it's pretty dangerous and fierce. I might have an unknown poison, and I'd like to move on with defensive focus."

"You're a little different from the bugs that were in the Yae forest. This type of demon has not been confirmed. Summoned from an unknown location?

"Or is this castle connected directly to an unknown realm, right? When it comes to summoning all this demon, it won't be very, but it won't have magic. It's more reasonable to think of it as the latter."

"But the experience of the Octave Forest is alive. It's not as fierce as it was then, and the worm bump is low on the wrong steps. This one also lacks the strength, but wouldn't it be okay to proceed with caution?"

"Even if it's forbidden to be alarmed."

"Jake, what do you think?

One of the Temple Knights asked Jake a question. Then Jake was answering without staring.

"Probably the same as the Hachi Forest - if you look at this hall in a large nest, the demons protect it from one realm to another. If you control one area, I think you'll be safe for the moment.

It's just that if there's no such thing as a demon that travels between realms, "

"So you think we should take a little pause?

"No, let's keep going. I'm not willing to camp in a place that might be in the middle of enemy territory. If there is no obvious damage, I thought we should proceed at once."

"Come on, I have the same opinion. Where's Lord Ultina?

The knight suddenly spoke to Ultina, but it was an implicit intimidation that he trusted Jake more than Ultina. Not uncommon on a separate assignment. The pilgrimage is only for troops directly under Miriazal, whose authority is often stronger than that of the Knights of the Temple. Peripheral Knights can be placed under the umbrella by the former and, depending on the circumstances, the Temple Knights as well. But the Knights of the Temple are nominally the highest of Arnelia and many are proud. It is also understandable to Ultina that it is not funny that it is used in the jaw for pilgrimages taking up the task behind it. Even if that's not what you're saying.

Ultina told him pale, trying not to change his expression as much as she could.

"Of course there are no objections, let's move on. Awkward than slow. I was wondering if marching speed matters now. Prioritize safety and proceed to the next location with a defensive formation."

Copy that.

Except for bad orders when it comes to being just as Knights of the Temple, I honestly obey, but there were things that didn't work out that way in the Knights of the Perimeter either. Not once or twice have we made extra sacrifices because of some soldiers who disobeyed orders. Ultina's hard work accumulated each time. Unless there's so much going on nowadays, I'm not on the task of putting the others under distribution. My powers are easy to get around, and I'd rather not have the same amount of skill.

So in this request, Marduk and I were eventually going to put a piece on it. But the key Marduk went somewhere, and I was the end of being pushed by Jake and the knights. Even though it is common for me to be pushed through trouble when I'm on assignment with Brandio, not until Marduke. Ultina was cursing her own misfortune to see if she was born into such a touring star.

And in doing so, I went out to a big place. The decorations are gorgeous, but all the paintings hanging on them are terrific. A painting of a woman enjoying hanging a man. A man delighted to have his burnt iron mark pressed against his thighs. A boy with dead eyes who is weirdly placed in a small vase against his head. A middle-aged, fat man who sits great in a chair made by a girl who is not even old enough to sit on top of it and get in trouble. Torture or unseen emotional paintings adorned the area.

No, it wasn't just decorated. There was a line of de facto torture tools. There is a pointed chair with a hammer beside it. The dance floor obviously has equipment to light it from below. There are countless needles on the inside stuffed in boxes small enough for people to put in. It was like a market for nauseating tools just imagining what to use it for.

When the knights became silent, not just because of the tension, it appeared.

Continued