“As I embrace my enemy with death – Flame Princess!”

As Miroslav unleashed her magic, bands of flame that resembled a woman’s arm flew through the air. They wrapped around their targets without fail, licking them with fierce fire.

The enemy – undead monsters, Alghoul, that suddenly appeared in Titis Forest.

They were known as a very troublesome existence among the immortal creatures. Their individual combat power was one thing, but the fact that high-ranking necromancers often used them as their minions was the reason for that.

Miroslav glanced around. This area was about to enter the deep zone soon, in other words, it was still the outer edge. It would be one thing if the beasts of the deep zone attacked in the aftermath of the Hydra’s appearance, but it was clearly unnatural for a large number of Alghoul to appear.

Speaking of unnatural, the attack that took place without warning was also so. By the time they noticed, Miroslav and Lunamaria, along with the Holy Kingdom’s advance team, were completely surrounded. It was obvious that they had fallen into someone’s trap.

Around them, the advance team was also engaged in a fierce battle. They cut or purified the Alghoul that pushed in, and returned the impure monsters to the ground. Their fighting style was worthy of being called elite, but there was a limit to defending with a number of people that did not even reach ten even if they added Lunamaria and Miroslav.

At this rate, they would eventually run out of strength. Miroslav thought that they should break through one corner of the encirclement and get out of the forest before that happened.

And there was someone else who thought exactly the same thing as Miroslav.

“Magician-dono”

The one who called out to her was one of the advance team members who was fighting near Miroslav. She was also the only female priest.

She had long flaxen hair, emerald green eyes, and porcelain skin. She seemed to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, but she might actually be younger because she only had a mature atmosphere.

Her refined appearance was like a sculpture made by a master craftsman, and there was no other way to describe her as beautiful even from the eyes of the same sex. Miroslav was confident in her own appearance, but she had no intention of competing with this girl. Her too perfect beauty was somewhat inhuman. The hard light that occasionally ran through her emerald eyes reinforced that impression.

However, the girl who had blood on her cheeks from the continuous battle felt much more human warmth than usual.

When Miroslav and Lunamaria agreed to guide them through Titis Forest, they were introduced to a middle-aged church knight as the commander of the advance team, but Miroslav guessed that this girl was the real commander. The reason for that was that the surrounding priests and church knights often acted in a respectful or deferential manner towards her.

Without knowing Miroslav’s inner thoughts, the girl tightened her expression and continued.

“We will concentrate our forces in the rear and break through the encirclement. You and the sage-dono stay by my side. We will take care of the vanguard and the rear guard, so please follow us without falling behind.”

And here, the girl shrugged her shoulders apologetically.

“I’m sorry, I’ve dragged you two into this.”

“…From your words, I gather that you have some idea who the attackers are.”

“Yes. There are only a few beings who can manipulate such a number of impure creatures.”

As she said that, the girl thrust her right hand toward the Alghoul in front of her and shouted. Then, not only the Alghoul in front of her, but also the ones behind them were blown away by the blast.

The girl used a basic holy magic that priests of any god, whether it be the law god, the war god, or the earth mother goddess, could handle. But it was difficult even for a priest-class cleric, let alone a priest, to blow away multiple Alghoul without concentration or scripture.

It was natural to wonder who she was. And Miroslav had some idea.

However, this was not the time to inquire about the identity of the other party. She put a lid on the speculation that crossed her mind and faced the horde of Alghoul again. She had no intention of dying at the hands of the undead in a place like this.

The girl’s plan to cut through the rear and get out of the forest matched Miroslav’s. She placed Miroslav and Lunamaria in the less dangerous center, probably because it would be difficult to coordinate the unit if they participated in the battle.

A discrepancy in coordination with a magician could cause serious damage to one’s allies. It was natural for the girl to be wary.

Miroslav also had no confidence in working well with people she had just met yesterday or today, so she had no intention of objecting to the other party’s decision.

However, she was not going to leave everything to others in a pinch. If it were just her own thing, she wouldn’t mind, but Miroslav was now carrying the banner of “Blood Spraying Sword”. An adventurer who escapes danger by relying on others is nothing but a disgrace.

――There was no way that the subordinates of the Dragon Slayer, who killed dragons, could expose such a shame.

“I understand. However, I will take the first strike. Even if it is an unexpected situation, I will be scolded by the master if I just run away and hide during the request.”

The girl seemed to want to say something back to Miroslav’s words, but she seemed to sense something from the magician’s eyes. She closed her mouth and nodded.

“Please.”

Receiving the girl’s reply, Miroslav opened her mouth vigorously.

“Luna!”

“Yes!”

As they were former party members, Lunamaria readied her longbow with a breath of harmony.

Immediately after, the bowstring rang out one after another, piercing through the Alghoul that were pushing in. Bows and arrows were not very effective against immortal creatures, especially Alghoul with iron-like hard skin, but Lunamaria succeeded in inflicting effective damage on the enemy by wrapping her arrows with fire spirits.

The horde that Miroslav and Lunamaria had been holding back stopped their feet by the barrage.

While Lunamaria bought time, Miroslav looked in the direction of their escape route and began a new chant.

“O little one, red heretic, what wings do you desire to spread in the south?”

It was a sixth-circle fire magic that she had newly acquired.

Normally, fire magic in the forest was a taboo. The caster might be caught in the fire, or even if not, it could lead to a large-scale fire.

Miroslav was aware of that, but she had no choice but to use it even if it was a taboo, facing countless Alghoul. It was not a situation where she could save her cards and get out.

“Flaming breath, blazing wings, the petals of the lotus are dyed in crimson.”

While being assaulted by the rotten smell peculiar to undead monsters, Miroslav wove her spell. Quickly, yet precisely.

The mana around her gathered to Miroslav with an astonishing speed.

“Now open, the vermilion gate. Now defeat, the hundred beasts of the south.”

The power of magic is proportional to the quality and quantity of mana gathered. Miroslav excelled in this skill from the beginning, and that’s why she was able to make a name for herself at a young age.

Miroslav had further enhanced and sharpened her strength, which was already her forte. She looked like a different person compared to half a year ago.

“Scarlet wings splendid. Their flapping is the tune of demon slaying – Vermilion Bird!”

The fire magic that she activated flew out of her hand like countless birds flapping their wings, making a clear flying sound as they rushed toward the horde of Alghoul.

The number of flame birds created was well over thirty. As they collided with the Alghoul, strong impacts and explosions attacked the undead horde. The raging fire turned the Alghoul into torches one after another.

The moment a clear hole opened in one corner of the encirclement, the girl’s command echoed.

“Charge Urt!”

Responding to the command, three church knights leaped into the midst of the enemy. They quickly expanded the hole that Miroslav had opened and invited the followers.

The girl, Miroslav, and Lunamaria followed, and behind them, priests and the remaining church knights followed as if to protect their backs.

The Alghoul tried to stop this movement, but the holy magic that exploded one after another prevented its movement. It was clear from this one thing that everyone who made up the advance party, regardless of whether they were priests or church knights, was a high-ranking user.

Thus, when it seemed that the party would succeed in escaping as it was, at that time.

“–As expected, the undead can only stop them at best.”

A very unpleasant voice shook the eardrums of those present.

As soon as she heard the muddy voice filled with dripping malice, Miroslav stopped in her tracks. If she went any further, she would lose her life, her instinct warned her.

A strong chill and a cold air that chilled her to the bone. The stench became unbearable, and her skin prickled.

Before she knew it, “it” was standing in front of Miroslav’s eyes. A skull monster covered in purple rags. It looked like a skeleton if you only looked at its appearance, but the density of the magic power that overflowed from the monster in front of him was not something that even ten Miroslavs could match.

There was no way such a monster could be a lower undead. Then what was it?

The monster uttered the answer itself–adding another fact.

“The Undying King Lich Shalamon has arrived. Offer your life to me, Pope Noah.”