Guisarm crumbled into dust and vanished.
As I watched him fade, a voice suddenly reached my ears.
"Thank you. Please... look after Ren and the others."
It was a soft, gentle voice.
"What’s the matter, Master Lloyd?"
"Ah, no. It’s nothing."
The spatial transfer spell formula I had absorbed with my Sword of Magic Absorption—it had felt somehow kind.
Despite its complex structure, it was remarkably easy to read and exceptionally clear. It was a formula that was kind to the reader. It was precisely because it had been crafted with such care that I’d been able to decode it in such a short time and construct a counter-formula to match.
To think he constructed a formula like this... That was Jade, I assume. I would have liked the chance to talk with him at least once.
While I was lost in my thoughts, I noticed a commotion outside.
"Master Lloyd! Things have gotten crazy out there, ssu!"
Crap. Come to think of it, I’d left those fleeing Majin soldiers to their own devices. They were probably fighting Ren and the others. If so, the guild would be hopelessly outnumbered; I had to do something fast.
I hurriedly leaned out the window.
"...What in the world is this?"
Below me, a rain of fire was pouring down upon the Majin soldiers. A few dozen knights I recognized were launching an assault on the panicked Majin. Every time they swung their blades, flames danced and lightning struck.
"Go! Do not let the enemy escape!"
The one shouting those valiant commands was Albert. The weapons the knights held were the magic swords I had created.
"Fire!"
At Albert’s command, the knights swung their swords down in unison. A coordinated volley of magic fell from the sky, incinerating the Majin soldiers.
The power was staggering. I’d already proven through Synthesis Magic that when spells are released simultaneously, their potency doubles or triples. The same principle naturally applied to magic swords. The combined power of an entire squad’s magic swords was exactly as overwhelming as one would expect.
Flames and lightning rained down, sending the Majin soldiers flying, leaving them broken and battered.
"Hey, Grimo, those guys are technically Majins, right? I thought magic wasn't supposed to work on them."
"They’re only Tenth Grade, the lowest rank of Majin, ssu. On top of that, they’re using human bodies as bases, so even a regular sword could kill them. They don’t stand a chance against magic like that, ssu."
I see. Even among Majins, their strength varied wildly depending on their grade. They were likely stronger than ordinary humans, but they were no match for the Magic Sword Squad led by Albert.
"Damn it! Target the commander! Get that pretty boy!"
Slipping through the gaps in the fire, several Majin soldiers charged toward Albert. But just before they reached him, a gust of wind swept through the area.
A thunderous crash echoed as the Majin soldiers were sent flying. Standing in the clearing dust was Tao, her fists raised.
"Master Albert, that was a close one, aru!"
"A-Ah. Thank you."
"Hehe, Master Albert really is a hunk, aru. It was worth forcing my way along. If I sell him a favor like this, maybe I'll get appointed to his Personal Guard...! Then I can finally marry into the elite! ♪"
Tao was smirking with a truly wicked expression. She’d probably run into Albert by chance when he was leaving the city and forced him to let her come along. She certainly was resilient.
"Wooooooooh! Get blown away!"
A vortex of flames rivaling Great Magic rose into the air. That was Dian. I wasn't sure why he was here, but he was swinging a magic sword I’d made.
"Go, Ril!"
"WoOOOoon!"
With a howl, the silver wolf sprinted across the battlefield. Every time it moved, soldiers were tossed aside. Riding on the silver wolf’s back was Alieze.
Good grief, why were those two here as well?
"Master Lloyd, are you safe?!"
I turned toward the voice at the door to find Sylpha. Beside her, Shiro came charging in at full speed.
"Arf! Arf arf awoooo!"
"Whoa!? H-Hey, Shiro!?"
The dog pounced on me with everything it had, pinning me to the floor.
"Whimper... whimper..."
"Hey, stop, that tickles."
I managed to sit up while my face was being licked. Shiro stared at me with round, wide eyes, panting heavily.
"Did you track my scent all the way here?"
"Arf!"
Shiro barked loudly, as if to say, "You bet!"
"Yes, that is exactly what happened."
Sylpha walked toward me, glaring. She was terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
"This morning, Shiro practically dragged me out of bed. When we reached your room, Master Lloyd, it was empty. I hurriedly reported it to Master Albert. We searched the entire castle but found no sign of you. During all that, Shiro never stopped barking toward the south—straight toward this location. Master Albert concluded that something must have happened and prepared to deploy his squad. Then, Master Dian and Lady Alieze insisted on joining the mission..."
"So that's how it went..."
I’d messed up. I should have at least left a clone behind. I hadn't expected things to take this long. When I get absorbed in my work, I tend to let other things slip. Reflection, Lloyd, reflection.
"Honestly, I thought I understood you, Master Lloyd... but this situation has far exceeded my expectations. Hehe, hehehehe..."
"S-Sylpha...?"
Oh no, I was in for it. I instinctively closed my eyes as Sylpha stepped closer.
"You are truly magnificent, Master Lloyd."
Contrary to my fears, Sylpha’s words were full of praise. I timidly opened my eyes to see Ren standing behind her, her eyes brimming with tears.
"I have heard the circumstances from this girl. It seems these people heard rumors of your greatness and came to petition you in the middle of the night. As subordinates of the Lord of Lodesto, they realized their master was planning an uprising and begged you to stop it. You accepted their plea and stormed this mansion. However, the one who appeared was a demon wearing the lord's face—a trap to lure out dissidents. And yet, you managed to strike it down brilliantly... I, Sylpha, am profoundly moved."
"A-Ah... well, you know..."
A strained laugh escaped me. It seemed that after I let her escape, Ren had gone to find help. She’d run into Albert and the others, and it had turned into this. Still, that was an incredibly convenient excuse for her to have come up with on the spot. It looked like Ren had covered for me.
"Lloyd... hic... you're safe... uuu..."
"Hey, Ren...?"
"I... I was so desperate... I saw these people and asked for help... hic... I'm so glad... you're not... dead..."
...Never mind, there was no way she could have explained anything in that state. Sylpha must have pieced the story together from fragments of her sobbing. Thanks to her, I’d managed to avoid trouble, but I couldn't help but feel there was a massive misunderstanding brewing. Well, all's well that ends well.
"To think a demon killed the lord and stole his body... to have defeated such a creature single-handedly, your growth has far surpassed my wildest estimates, Master Lloyd. Not only that, but to think Master Albert, Master Dian, and even Lady Alieze would risk their lives to rush to your side—your charisma is truly exceptional. Oh, it’s simply wonderful, Master Lloyd...!"
She was muttering to herself with an entranced look on her face. It was creepy, so I decided not to look her in the eye.
"...Let's go home."
"Arf!"
With Shiro giving an energetic reply, I finally left the mansion behind.