14 CH 14: Maiden's love (2)

The goblins ran with all their might while carrying Enri.

They could already hear the sound of battle as they ran, this is no illusion but the forest seems to shake and vibrate as the battle continued.

Enri already could not see the forms of those adventurers who sacrificed their lives for her — especially the glorious form of Momon.

Her maiden heart seemed to have been pierced with something. The silly naive thoughts that occupied her mind for the rest of the days are now shattered by the harsh reality of life.

It's a defense mechanism after having that tragedy befell her village. The existence of her sister and Momon are the things that made it going for her, It's like an escape from reality.

But now, one of them might disappear.

'I-I will see Momon again, right?'

Tears welled up in her eyes again, this is the harsh reality, and she can not escape from it.

There are many scary things in the world that a mere villager like Enri will never know.

Their group then reached the outskirts of the forest but the goblins still didn't put her down and ran towards the village gate.

They finally reached the village and let go of Enri. The goblins are so tired that they are already laying on the earth.

The villagers of course saw this and can't help but worry. The villagers gathered around Enri's group and then the chief came moments later.

There are things they notice first; Enri is crying and their saviors are nowhere to be seen which worries them more.

"What happened?" The village chief asked.

"Hah. Haah. Hah. Ani-san(Momon) and his companions serve as our rearguard when the Wise King of the Forest came." Jugem said, Enri immediately realized what does it mean and can't help but cry out more.

If she just convinced Momon, to not enter the forest nor she accepted to enter it. This wouldn't happen in the first place.

'T-This is my fault.' She thought.

The Chief's expression changes so many times as if he could not process what just happened.

"Y-You all entered the demesne of the Wise King?"

"Y-Yes Village Chief, I'm sorry I can't st—" Enri replied as she wiped her tears off now.

Moments of silence passed by, it felt like an eternity for Enri. Then—

"No, En-chan, it isn't your fault. And look there." The Village Chief said with a gentle smile as he pointed behind something behind her.

The other villagers on the other hand have their eyes whole wide opened as they stared towards the direction where the chief pointed.

Enri slowly turned her head towards the gate and what immediately entered her vision is the sight of a Full-plated Black Knight.

Indescribable feelings welled up inside her, she only looked towards one person. She didn't even bother to turn her eye to the massive beast behind their backs.

'M-Momon...'

She then ran towards his direction, and her own feet seem to be running on their own. She didn't know why but she just wants to feel him and hug him to confirm if he is real.

She finally reached his place and the knight fell unto one knee. He opened his arms as if he's waiting for his wife's hug after months of not being home.

She hugged him. Even though he is inside the cold armor, she could feel his warmth as he hugs her back.

"*hic* M-Momon-sama! Y-You're alive!" She doesn't need an answer because she already knew it herself.

But he replied—

"I'm back and safe... Enri."

Momon's words bring calmness to the maiden's heart that is full of worry. Enri is relieved to find that the man she likes is fine, then­­—

Momon holds her chin and used a white handkerchief to gently wiped her wet eyes.

"Beautiful girls like you shouldn't cry…"

She could feel like he's smiling gently under the helmet. After wiping her eyes with care Momon then said—

"Anyway, that's a nice confession you got there earlier."

Enri face immediately became flushed after hearing what he said; of course, that's embarrassing now that she remembered what she had just done and she can't help but scream in her heart: 'Why are telling me about it right now?!'

But what came out from his mouth next will shock her to the core—

"Of course, I like you too Enri." The world for her seemed to stop the moment she heard that. Enri's brain is short-circuited if you will.

'L-Like… M-Me?!'

"W-Wawa… E-Eh, M-Momon-sama?"

Momon then removed his helmet and looked her straight to the eyes with his golden pupils. His handsome face and short-black hair are now available for everyone to see.

"Nee-san! Momon-sama said he likes you!" A familiar voice entered Enri's ears.

Enri then turned her vision behind her, to see the village is now surrounding them with the goblins — who are just dying trying to inhale some air earlier ago.

Everyone is smiling — except for a certain two people. The village people's faces are like those parents when they saw their daughter found their significant other or "The right man" as they say.

Her gazes then landed on the goblins, they have very proud expressions and muttering things like: "Ane-san did it…"; "As expected of Ane-san."; and so on.

She then turned to look to Momon, and then get surprised by the massive fur behind him. "The W-Wise King?!" Enri just noticed the famous magical beast of the legends. The people around them also got startled after hearing her.

"This one is once called the Wise King of the Forest, but now this one is Hamsuke, a loyal servant of Momon-sama!" The magical beast said proudly.

"Yeah right, I managed to made it submit to me," Momon added. Not only Enri but the entire village goes "OOh!" in awe.

"To think our savior managed to make one of the beasts of legends to submit to him!"

"As expected of Momon-sama!"

"Momon-sama you're amazing!"

The villagers voiced their opinions about their savior. Momon just smiled and turned his look to Enri.

Enri who still processing him defeating the Wise King of the Forest immediately blushed just from his gaze.

"Enri..."

"Y-Yes! Momon-sama!" Enri replied in a panic to his call.

"Did you remember what I just said earlier?" He asked.

"A-Ah yes! hat Momon-sama like—" Enri eyes widened as she realized it.

Enri got her mind occupied with a magical beast named Hamsuke; Completely turns off again for a few seconds.

Momon then embraced her again but now without his helmet on, and said close to her ear: "Yes. That's right. I like Enri." Enri faced turned red again, she felt like she might faint right now.

'M-Momon-sama l-likes me!' Enri still can't believe it but since Momon said it two times already. 'T-Then It's true!'

She could even feel the envious gazes of two people but she didn't mind it and continued enjoying Momon's embrace.

"I am happy for you Enri, I'm sure your parents must have been relieved for their daughter to be with someone strong like Momon-dono..." The village chief said.

"—Please take care of her Momon-dono." The village chief added which made Enri happy and embarrassed.

The goblin troop then walked towards Momon. The one leading them is Jugem. "Ani-san, please take care of Ane-san."

"H-Huh? Eh Jugem?!"

"Of course.." Momon replied as he smiled which made her blushed more. Then Jugem spoke:

"And we're sorry ane-san. We already knew that Ani-san will be fine..." Jugem said with the not-really-sorry face.

"What?!"

"Yes, Enri. Jugem already told us that Momon-dono's group will be fine." The village chief said, followed by the villagers and goblins sharing a loud hearty laugh.

"You guys too?!" Enri doesn't know anymore. It felt like she just got thrown under the bus — well, at least something the same to that phrase since busses do not exist in the New World — she instantly became dejected.

"Don't be like that to Enri..." Momon said as he chuckled, his words that entered her heart immediately made the dispirited Enri fully charged in an instant.

Then her sister, Nemu came close and said to Momon: "Can I call you onii-san?"

"Sure."

"Then I have a question Onii-san?~"

"Hm?"

"Will you marry onee-san now?" Momon froze after hearing Nemu's question as if he just remembered something.

'M-Marry? M-Momon-sama?!' While Enri on the other hand immediately imagined him and marrying Momon, and immediately blushes again. Unknown to Enri, all the people around could already feel two certain people's scary auras.

"*cough* I remembered that I have something to do, let's leave Enri here, she's in marriageable age after all." The Village chief said with the other villagers nodding and others saying they have something to do, etc, and walked out.

"Y-Yea, I remembered that we need to hunt animals for the village... Yeah yeah hmm." Jugem said as he grabs Nemu who is confused why she is getting drag away from the place with his fellow goblins.

Leaving a blushing village girl and his knight in the open close to the gate of the village —

Of course, Nabe, Gina, and the beast of the legends are still there.

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(E-Rantel)

Later that night in the fortress city of E-Rantel. To be specific, the cemetery.

E-Rantel has a huge cemetery, it was a place for the living to bury and mourn the dead. This was due to the result of countless human lives who have died on the battlefield at the Katze Plains between the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire. Even in times of war, the two nations would commonly agree together to hold a ceremony here to mourn those who died.

The burial ground is encased within walls in the outer district of the city. This wall served as the boundary line between the living and dead. While it was only four meters tall and could not compare to the city walls, it was wide enough for people to walk on top of it. The large doors set into its side were sturdy and could not be easily breached. There were staircases to the left and right of the doors, and watchtowers along the length of the wall. There would usually be guards who took turns observing the graveyard, in shifts of five men at a time.

Taking up to 1/4 of the external wall, almost the entire western wall was used to segregate the cemetery from the rest of the city. The huge cemetery was separated into four parts, north, south, east, and west, by partitions. The partitions were imbued with holy magic so if a large mass of undead surfaced, the sections would close-in on them, allowing each individual to easily fend off the undead. There were also shelters in each section which can be used as an escape route in times of emergency. According to the guarding cleric, the eastern section of the graveyard was being dug up.

The graveyard was lined with sconces enchanted with [Continual Light] spells, so there was ample illumination shining upon the darkest hours despite it being nighttime. Still, there were many shadowy places along the way, and visibility was even worse in those places blocked by tombstones.

But now —

"U-Undead! Lots of them!"

"What the hell is going on..."

The guards stationed now are shouting in panic as they saw the amassing of the undead. One of them is upstairs in the wall and is looking down there and he could only see an ocean of skeletons, there is other undead but the number of skeletons is numbered up to thousands and still adding up.

Then the guards saw an over 4m tall and made out of countless corpses. It's a Necroswarm Giant. Their faces turned pale, they can't possibly hold the wall and gate. There's just no way.

They already sent one of them to inform the people and the higher-ups and especially the Adventurer's Guild.

While they contemplate if they should run or not, the undead finally reached the gate and the wall. They could hear banging sounds as the undead tried to breach the other side full of hatred against the living.

There are also adventurers and guards patrolling inside the cemetery but they could not even think about them now, they might even be dead.

"Come on lads! Man the wall!" The shout of their squad leader pulled them from their thoughts and they have immediately gone upstairs to man the walls and started fending off the undead.

The undead climb with each-other desperately bearing their hatred against the living. The station guards desperately pushed them off with their spears and used maces to shoo them off. Skeletons are immune to piercing damage so the spears work like pushing sticks there.

"Squad leader! We can't hold it—" One of the guards said but his words got cut off as one of the guards got pulled down by the undead from the wall.

The squad leader immediately realized their impending doom and started shouting "Retreat!" as they ran downstairs and ran away from the cemetery as far as possible and got to the barracks and the adventurer guild.

Then sounds of bells rang down all over the city, this is only done when there's an emergency. What came after that are hundred of guards. There are the first-responders who came. Then some few adventurers.

Sounds of the bell rang out through the city the whole night.

The battle of E-Rantel has begun.