Ambush at the City (1)

(4 months and 28 days after Klada Disaster)

[Kyrielle's POV]

(2:06 p.m.)

"Phew... Teaching is really tiring..."

After about two hours of me helping the mage squad to train, it is afternoon already. The mage squad's training session has ended for today, that's why I can return to the inn to take a rest.

"(Hello, little miss.)" The inn keeper aunt greeted me as I head in.

"(Hi...)"

"(What's wrong, you looked tired.)"

"(Nothing...)"

"(I see... By the way, where's your travel partner? You know, that girl with white hair and pink eyes?)"

...it seems that she doesn't know about Lynn. The soldiers have done well to keep her existence a secret...

"(Well, she headed out of town.... Sorry but I don't feel like talking right now cause I'm a tired, I hope you understand.)"

"(It's okay, I understand. You can go take a rest.)"

"(Thank you.)"

I went upstairs and into my room. Immediately after I entered, I dropped myself on the bed.

'Thud!' It made a soft, cushion sound when I dropped on the fluffy soft bed.

"Sigh..."

Teaching is tiring... This made me respect every teachers a lot more now...

Thinking back on it, what happened to the school back at Klada?... The school is mostly made out of concrete, so it should be fine from the fire right?...

I really wondered what is Mom, Marielle, Richard, and everyone else doing right now? It's been so long since I last saw them....

"Sigh..."

I'm thinking of my past again now that I'm exhausted. Don't you just hate it when you'd feel down when tired, and then you start reminiscing on the past which make you feel even more depressed?

It's kind of lonely here in this city without Lynn around.... This must be what traveling alone feels like huh. Lonely and tiring. If possible, I don't want to travel alone.

My thoughts are getting slower... and slower... and I could hold my eyes.... I'm really tired...

"Zzzz...."

____________

(5:00 p.m.)

[Lynn's POV]

"(Miss Lynn, Lord Jern and  King Asmodeus, we have arrived.)"

"(Remember, it's 'Princess Asmedea' not Asmodues! You need to go along with the joke!)"

"(Understood, my Lord.)"

The door inside the carriage opened, we have finally arrived to the city after days of traveling inside a carriage.

"Nnn-!" As soon as I got out of the carriage, I stretched my back and it felt super comforting.

"Ah... I'll never get used to sitting inside a carriage for so long...."

"(Miss Lynn! Come on hurry up, the rest of us are waiting for you.)"

"(Right right...)" I said as I pulled up my white coat's hood and covered my head with it. I wore this white, thigh length dress again, from when I was first teleported here. With the hood on, I appears cooler, that's why I picked this dress to come to the castle.

Before I know it, I had made friends with King Asmodeus, who's now calling himself Asmedea while dressed in a princess's clothing.

She started calling me Lynn casually, and Jern the personal advisor for Asmedea is also a bit nicer to me now, not as cold to me as compared to three days ago when we first met.

The castle is once again a blue colored keep that looks a lot similar to the one that King Hal has. I suppose all the nine demon kings on this continent has blue color for their city wall and castle huh?

I stepped on the big stairs that leads into the castle. I walked together with Asmedea, Jern and the elite Royal Guard.

"(Welcome home, great king.)" (?x)

Inside the castle, a whole lot of royal guards lined up besides the hallway and bowed their head as the king entered.

"(Raise your heads.)"

As we walked, a royal guard from the bunch walked up to us.

"(My Lord... The ministers are about one day away.)"

"(Very well. We will prepare for the negotiations. Have the castle's stewards prepare all the paperwork. The maids will handle the decorations, we will hold the negotiation in the meeting room....)"

"(Understood.)"

"(Okay, what's next? I'm just so busy that I've forgotten everything!)" It seems that Asmedea is in a sense..... really busy. Jern who stood besides me, reach out and tapped her on her shoulder with his finger.

"(Mmn? What is it Jern?)"

"(My Lord... the Magic God...)"

"(The Magic God, what about her? Oh that's right.... Lynn, I'll have a maid bring you to your room. You should dress formally during the negotiations, so I'll have someome arrange your attire as well.)"

Ah, it is a shame I can't wear this dress to the negotiation, but it's a formal setting so I'll have to comply.

"(Very well, Princess.)"

"(Maids! Where are the maids?! Someone bring Lynn to one of the guest rooms!)"

"(My Lord, I'll take care of it.)"

"(Thanks, I knew I could count on you.)"

"(Okay Miss Lynn, let's go.)"

Together with Jern, we walked deeper into the castle following the hallway. Reaching the castle's main flight of stairs, Jern saw and called out to one of the maids.

"(Hey you, bring the Magic God to an empty room.)"

"(Yes, Lord Jern.)"

"(See you tomorrow, Miss Lynn.)"

"(You too, Lord Jern.)"

Jern turned around and walked back the way we came, likely heading back to Asmedea's side.

"(Lady Lynn, shall I carry your luggage?)"

"(Thank you. Let's go to my room then.)"

As we walked in the castle hallway, I started to think about how the negotiations would go.... Truth to be told, I'm not that good at talking, and I dislike politics as well.

If I remember correctly from Asmedea's lecturing, their conflict started out because of disagreements about how much control to be given to the monarch.

Apparently, the current prime minister used propaganda and false accusations on King Asmodeus to gather power and over throw the Monarchy.

Under the new system of the government, it dictates that the monarch shall be given no rights to gather military personnels except a squad of personal Royal Guards.

This policy is basically unheard of on this world, and as expected the civilians to the west are not happy with that. As the head of the country, if the king doesn't retain control over the military then they won't be anything more than a rich family, I can see why the people are not happy with that.

The election day came about last year, and since then the West and the East of the country was against each other. Two months ago when the giant rift appeared on Creimland, the king had wanted to send reinforcement troops towards there but the prime minister refused it for economic reasons.

The entire Continent had just made it pass the Rain Monsoon, and so sending so much soldiers over to the east would prove disastrous for the economy especially when the Monproximus country is so large that it extends out until the East Coast.

As such, tensions grew and grew until something happened which spiralled into this crisis. And as this happens, soldiers rised to defend the king, which some stood against the king, this entire war started just like that.

Sigh... Politics are hard man...

I really wondered if Asmedea's plan of using me as the tipping balance for this negotiation will work... Maybe if I took care of the problems in Creimland, they will be able to settle their difference and work something out to make peace. But that's just a big maybe...

One thing is known for sure though, this Prime Minister is definitely corrupted. That's because the majority of his votes are actually based on lies and hypocritical propaganda enacted on people to the east. It's just my personal opinion, but one should never break the rules that the country is built on.

Before I know it, we had walked up to the fourth floor of the castle already. It's design while different from the castle back on King Hal's castle, is still very similar.

"(We are here. This will be your room, Lady Lynn.)"

"(Thank you.)"

"(Excuse us, but if you need anything else you'll have to go and get it yourself. We are very under staffed because of the on-going war, so we don't have enough maids working in the castle.)"

"(I understand, you may return to your job now.)"

"(Yes, Lady Lynn.)"

I set my luggage down in the room, and sat down on the bed before I started day dreaming again.

It seems that they are really desperate to end this war huh? I also found it kind of funny how the Prime Minister didn't want to send reinforcements to Creimland because of economic reasons yet they happily starts a war, which is much much more economically damaging than just sending reinforcements...

But maybe this war itself is inevitable, and the controversies regarding Creimland is just the spark for this fire.

How ironic, demons are just like humans. In the past, humans have always waged war for stupid reasons like religion or some other differences. It was only recently that humanity had grown a bit more peaceful...

Well, a few wars are still going on here and there obviously. But last I heard, the civil war on Moonfall Continent had just ended a few months ago.... Perhaps the people there will be able to recover from the damages in this short time frame, and adventurers can head there once again just like 20 years ago before the war begun.

'Knock knock!' As I was absorbed in my thoughts, someone knocked on the door.

"(Coming.)"

I got up from the bed and opened the door. Who greeted me was the Elite Guard that was in the King's carriage, the one that I talked to.

"(I am sorry for interrupting you so abruptly, but I have an important news to give you. Princess Asmedea sent me...)"

"(What is the news?)"

"(...Exeter city was attacked about half an hour ago.)"

"(What's the big fuss? It was attacked a few times already right?)"

"(Yes... But this time we noticed a big problem. According to the reports, the enemy arch demon, a slightly below Saint rank enemy is currently attacking Exeter intending to take over it and all of our supplies in there.)"

"(The enemy general?... Exeter has really bad defense you know?! They wouldn't last long, and Kyrielle is still back at the city!)"

"(...I'm sorry, but we can't do anything.)"

"(...Its okay, thanks for the news.)"

As I am about the close the door, he blocked it with his hand.

"(What will you do now?)"

"(...Even if I rushed back at full speed, the battle would be long over before I can make it. The best I could do now is to hurry up with the Negotiations while Kyrielle buys time for the city. The sooner the truce was established, the safer she will be.)"

"(I see.... I wish your partner the best of luck as well.)"

"(...which one is it out of the 72 arch demons?)"

"(Gemory of the Blood.)"

"(Alright....)"

I slammed the door shut and then sat down on the bed. My hand is shaking, and my blood pumps from the adrenaline in my body.

I... I should've brought her along on this trip...! What was I thinking leaving her all alone?!

Last time I did so, she was attacked by 8 Drakes, and then there's the Imposter incident at the ball dance party as well back on Hal's castle....

Well, she's not a normal child is she? I kept forgetting about that fact, but if it's her... If it's Kyrielle, then maybe handling a Saint ranked Demon isn't entirely impossible.

It was a fuzzy memory, but I encountered her before back then during the Demonic War....

Back then, I was still weak and we were caught in an ambush by her... It was a disaster.

___________

(40-50 years ago....)

[Lynn's POV]

"Everyone hurry upe! My spells can't hold all those monsters back for long!" I yelled out, as my former party members retreated alongside about 50 soldiers.

My eyes stared up to the sky on a empty open battlefield full of corpses... A woman with large bat-like wings hovered above the battlefield, gazing down at us.

The entire sky was flooded with bats, crows, and all kinds of small flying creatures which occasionally flew down and harassed on the retreating soldiers.

It was pure chaos with how many monsters she could control.

"Lynn! What the hell are you doing?! We are retreating together!"

Gilles, a warrior with a big greatsword yelled out to me as a horde of monsters under Gemory's control rushed forward at me.

He ran up from my back, and then with just one hand he lifted me up, putting me on his left shoulder with my front facing his back, like I'm a child being kidnapped.

"O-oi! A monster is approaching!" I yelled out, as a dire wolf rushes forwars at us.

"Groo!!!"

"Hah!" Gilles swung his heavy greatsword at the dire wolf, decapitating it in just one swing.

'Slash!'

Immediately after he killed that monster with one spell, he started sprinting away with me on his shoulder.

"You pelt those beasts and that woman with spells while I run! It's more efficient!"

"I-I got it!"

"Roar!!!" (?x) The monsters from behind us roared out as they chased us.

"Upon this Armored Titan's command to kneel! Mud Puddle!"

Casting behind us a mud puddle as wide as about an entire house's area, I bought more time for Gilles to run.

Upon seeing me casting the giant Mud Puddle, Gemory raised her arm and gathering a group bats and crows before she sent them at us in a swarm after she swiped her hand.

"Shit! Let my voice change the atmosphere itself, creating a whirlwind that could level cities and blow away my enemy! Call of Tornado!"

Creating a tornado right on the group of monsters caught in the Mud Puddle, I intercepted Gemory's swarming attack using it to hinder all the flying creatures around.

The swarm of monsters was pulled right up from the ground by the enormous tornado tha I generated. The swarm of flying creatures that Gemory sent at us.

"And one last Fused Magic! Oh fire, may your way be guided by me and set alight my enemies with destructive force. Fireball!"

I hurled a ball of fire back at the tornado....

'Boom!'

The Fireball flew right into the Tornado, exploding after it hit something inside. The entire Tornado was immediately turned into a vortex of flames, burning everything that it sucked up inside.

"That was an insane spell, Lynn!"

"Shut up and run faster! That crazy woman can fly so we must be alert!"

"Leader! Hurry up!" One of my party member yelled out as they waited for both me and Gilles to arrive before they retreating together.

______________

(Back to the Present)

That was a long time ago, but it was one of the more dangerous battles I have took part in. Together with my party members we escaped out of there along with the main army.

We lost that battle because of Gemory's use of monsters by mind controlling them.... If she were to ambush Exeter then it'd be overwhelmed soon.

Kyrielle's up against a Saint ranked vampire lord... An A- ranked threat. But for some reason I don't think she'll lose if she faced off against Gemory because she's very well an A ranked threat herself with her dangerous fire spells...

With the skills that I taught her, she might be able to fight her and survive. And not to mention that the entire city has soldiers around as well who can help defend against the monster hordes that Gemory could mind control.

Don't you die on me Kyrielle! Use all your abilities and don't hold back, I'm sure you will be able to beat her if you use your wits to outsmart her!

__________________

[Kyrielle's POV]

"Zzzz.... Nnn..."

'Ting! Ting! Ting!' Sounds of the city's alarm echo'ed....

"Huh?!" I jumped up from the bed upon realizing what I just heard.

"....shit."

I slept so deep that the evacuation alarm didn't wake me up!... I didn't hear any explosions this time, so it should be safe right?... The fighting is usually done somewhere outside of the city so it should be safe....

I hurrily changed my clothes into my desert outfit...

I could see that the day is still bright through the half transparent window but damn, how long did I sleep through the alarm?

I quickly got out of my inn room, and the  wandered out of the inn itself. No one is in the inn, so everyone might have already evacuated to the government building....

Exiting the inn, something caught me by surprise.

"Hmm?"

At the distant, at the air above the city, I saw a humanoid figure. With bat like wings, a slender body and a lot of what appears to be... birds flying around her?

She's about 500 meters away up at the air. Not too far, not too close, perfect for spell attacks... Is she the enemy?

'Fwuoom!' A large swarm of flying creatures flew pass from the sky behind me, flying towards that flying woman.

"What the hell?!"

Those are bats! That woman with wings is controlling them and bloody hell there's a lot of them!

Almost the entire city's sky is filled with bats, and they blocked out a part of the sunlight which is why the sky appeared a bit dark.

The bats all gathered around her forming into a giant ball around her...

And then immediately after the bats gathered, trails of magic projectiles was shot at her from the ground. It seems that the mage squad is fighting her, and she is using the bat swarm to block the magic attacks.

The woman then sends out the bats again, towards the direction of the mages. After that, no magic projectiles was seen again, the mages that I taught personally are most likely dead...

I know at first glance that that woman is not someone I should mess with. She is an actual demon with how she controls those bats, possibly just as powerful as Aamon!

My head suddenly remembers the scenery that I saw in Klada.... where the city burns... and screams of terror and agony can be heard....

Fear starts to rise up from within me, like some invisible man is grasping at my heart....

"Hah!.... Hah!...." My breathing grows unstable, and my heartbeat accelerates....

I'm scared...!

Since she still haven't noticed me, I should take my chance to run to the government building where the rest of the people are!...

Sneaking on the street, I quietly walked towards the Government building as the demon up at the sky fought with the mages.

As I walked down the street I saw an injured demon who lied with his back on one of the house's walls.

He wore a set of armor, though it appears to be broken, and on his side is what appears to be a shield that is broken as well. He is likely a soldier or a guard who defended the city from being attacked.

"Cough.... Cough..." He seems to be bleeding out a lot, and he is going to die soon.

"(Hey, are you alright...?)" I quickly hurried to his side, and whispered to him in a silent tone to avoid detection.

"(You are... Cough!... that human mage.... Please help reinforce... the mages....! They are severely... outmatched.... We are losing.... the city!....)"

(Chapter end)