Chapter 177 : Chapter 177
Chapter 177: Will of Steel (3)
Gabriel and Raphael also decided to follow us to rescue Johannes.
They said that while they trust Miki and us who helped Miki grow, they cannot let only us shoulder the burden.
"Permission will be needed to cross the wall."
As Gabriel said.
Crossing the wall was by no means an easy task.
It was the same from the inside as well as from the outside.
Permission was needed.
Moreover, in a situation like now with the Demon King's Army right under our noses, even more so.
Even if we were allies of Stout, Daian, and Kapers, it wasn't a place one could cross easily like crossing the wall of one's own house.
Simply saying that beyond is dangerous is also dangerous, but the possibility of 'collusion' cannot be ruled out after all.
Of course.
"It is okay. Because I have already received permission."
"...Pardon?"
It was a story irrelevant to me who had prepared in advance knowing this.
The reason I went to Stout's military camp to meet Sapphire wasn't just to meet the connection I got to know (even if not seen directly) in Stout because I was glad to see her.
"I asked for a guarantee from Sir Sapphire, the Commander of the Stout Knights."
It was to obtain the single word 'These people can be trusted' from the Stout Knight Commander respected by people.
Of course, it was also to pass the troublesome procedures for opening the gate of the wall to the knighthood side instead of handling them directly.
"So if you are ready, we will be able to depart immediately."
Because we had already prepared.
***
Etian intended to use Johannes as a tool for negotiation to put a leash on the Irons.
To do that, he has to keep him alive for now, so he won't harm him right away.
Of course, it seemed inevitable that Miki became somewhat anxious about the situation itself where his father was in the hands of a 'devil'.
Miki showed a somewhat anxious appearance after hearing the news of Johannes, although it was obvious he was trying not to show it for no reason.
If the two brothers were existences like giant mountains to Miki, his father Johannes was the sky.
Although this perception partly stemmed from Johannes' strict attitude, which was hard to call a 'friendly existence' unlike the two brothers who cared for Miki from the same position as brothers, fundamentally, it was due to ability.
Because Johannes was stronger than the two brothers.
Probably he would be strong even among all Halflings.
So, to Miki, the concept that such Johannes loses to someone was hard to imagine.
But such existences usually end up losing.
That's how the world works.
...It would be a lie if I said I didn't think of a bad joke like that.
But I wasn't out of my mind enough to crack such a joke openly in front of Miki who was making that kind of expression just to lighten the mood.
Instead, I could give him 「Encourage」.
"Don't worry too much, Miki."
Sitting next to him, I could play a song to boost his courage.
"Father will be safe."
Of course, this time too, there was no need for that.
Because Gabriel, who also noticed that Miki was anxious, approached first and spoke in a calm tone.
"Devils' contracts are thorough. If that guy is using Father as a card for negotiation, paradoxically, it means Father is still safe."
It was a correct statement.
As I said earlier, he won't lay a hand on Johannes for now.
Of course, if he finds out the fact that we intend to rescue him while pretending to respond to the negotiation, the story would be different then.
But that's for later.
"You think too much."
Before long, Raphael also approached Miki, tapped his back lightly, and said.
"With us three, and even your companions, crossing the wall, storming into the base of one Corps Commander, causing a mess, and bringing Father back? Not even that difficult of a task."
This was also correct.
Raphael probably intended to lighten Miki's burden with an attitude of 'what's the big deal' rather than sincerely thinking so.
"I wish Rapha had half as much thought as you though."
"No, seriously, Brother."
That intention worked accurately.
Because Miki smiled.
"But Brother Rapha's reckless appearance is something I dare not imitate."
"...Is he perhaps saying in a roundabout way that I am thoughtless?"
"Come to think of it, I heard from Mr. Bin just now. You returned the shield you usually used to the Stout side?"
"Ah... Yes. That is, it was damaged a while ago..."
As Gabriel said, we had just returned the 「Shield of Water's Protection」 to the knighthood while visiting Sapphire again to hear the result of the 'permission'.
Although there was no big problem with the function, it was dented after all.
We are going to meet opponents stronger than Kurt from now on, and since it was damaged once, there is no guarantee it won't be damaged again.
Actually, having used the artifact obtained in the early part (Stout) until the battle with Kurt, in a way, it suffered an honorable death (?) as a shield.
However, Miki, who naturally couldn't think like that, bowed his waist continuously saying sorry while returning the shield.
─ Hahaha!
Do not mind it, Sir Miki.
Isn't a shield originally an object made to block?
Sapphire showed an appearance of not minding at all, laughing heartily at Miki's apology.
─ This shield must have been honored to be able to protect an excellent knight like you.
A scratch like this is an honorable medal.
Considering Sapphire's personality, it was surely not empty words said on purpose to comfort Miki but words spoken thinking so sincerely, but even so, Miki's bowed head did not lift.
Because he was so ashamed at the thought that he damaged the holy relic with his own hands (strictly speaking, it was by Kurt), he continued to apologize saying sorry until the moment he left the military camp.
Anyway.
For that reason, currently, Miki had no shield.
To put it in game terms, the shield slot in the 'item window' was empty.
"Miki."
And just in time, in Gabriel's hand was a shield that Raphael handed to him just a moment ago while approaching.
"You wouldn't not know what this is, right?"
Brought for Miki.
"...!"
As soon as he saw that shield, Miki caught his breath for a moment.
"T-This is...!"
Then he started looking at the shield with wide eyes as if he couldn't believe it.
"Ah, 「Shield of Irons」...!"
The legendary shield passed down through generations in the Irons family, like a treasure.
As a shield used by the first generation who founded the Irons family, it possessed the symbolism that 'only the strongest Irons can use it', so it was a shield that only a single Irons could use.
So usually the Head of the family used it, or.
"Before the expedition, I received it from Father while leaving home."
The strongest member of the Irons family recognized by the Head used it.
"...! As, As expected! Brother has the qualification!"
Seeing Miki rejoicing as if it were his own business at the fact that he received Johannes' recognition, Gabriel smiled faintly.
"──No."
Holding out that proof of recognition toward Miki.
"This is your shield."
"──Pardon?"
It took some time for Miki to accept what that meant.
"It is you, Miki. You are the strongest Irons."
Only after hearing Gabriel's words, lifting the shield slightly as if telling him to take it quickly since there is no other owner of this shield but him, did Miki seem to finally understand.
"Take it quickly."
From the side, Raphael nodded showing he completely agreed with his brother's words.
"I, I... this shield...?"
Miki muttered in a tone still not realizing it, looking down at the shield handed over to him bewilderedly as if pushed.
If it were like usual, surely around this point, he would have shown a humble... or rather burdened reaction like saying he doesn't have the qualification to hold this shield, or this isn't his item, or how dare he receive this.
However.
"──I understand!"
Miki, who soon gripped the shield tightly, eventually didn't do that.
As if he wouldn't let the recognition and expectation of the two people who handed him this shield be in vain.
"Thank you, Brothers!"
He willingly accepted the 「Shield of Irons」, which he would surely have tried not to hold somehow if it were before, and the responsibility of being the 'Strongest Irons'.
Because it wasn't only Miki's level that grew.
Gabriel and Raphael showed gratified smiles at such appearance of Miki, without one being first.
***
Six of our party, and two Irons.
Although they are elite members who can survive enough even beyond the wall called 'Demon's Den', eventually, it was a few elites.
It was impossible to deal with the Demon King's 'Army' that started setting up camp beyond the wall with only eight people.
The problem was, the tower where Etian detained Johannes was a place impossible to reach without breaking through the army that set up that camp.
Therefore.
"We should drag him out."
This was the only method.
"Please send a reply. That we should meet near the wall."
First, pretending to respond to the negotiation, make him bring Johannes out of that tower.
Naturally, he will bring soldiers.
Especially picking strong elites to come out.
But no matter what, isn't it much better than the army that set up camp?
"Will that devil respond to our condition?"
"He will."
Because Etian would be thinking that two sons of Johannes pose no threat to him, who has already defeated Johannes.
And this wasn't particularly carelessness.
Because it is actually true.
For him, it was a situation where he couldn't even imagine losing.
But as I said earlier, existences who can't imagine losing usually lose.
That's how the world works.
Because there is one variable he is not thinking of at all.
"At that spot, we catch Etian together."
Us.
Right.
That guy is not considering the variable called our party even a little bit.
Because he doesn't know our existence itself.
This wasn't just him, but most existences on the side of the 'Demon King's Army' beyond the wall were like that.
Because Luce hid it.
Luce's plan was to guide us, strictly speaking me, to the Demon King's Castle beyond the wall to make me defeat him, and at that moment, strike me from behind and take the power of the 'Beginning' which finished 'tuning' as his own.
Simply put, it meant using our party as assassins to kill the Demon King.
But what use would it be if the existence of the assassin is caught?
Moreover, the doll he siphoned off by modifying to his taste, sealing the 'Primordial Demon King' inside.
Naturally, he hid it tightly.
Intentionally hiding our existence, making us not noticeable to other executives.
Thanks to that, the existences beyond the wall still didn't know about our existence.
Although Luce exited much earlier than planned, we still had that advantage.
That guy is dreaming not knowing the fact that we will cross the wall and come to find them.
"And if we rescue Mr. Johannes, you all can take him and return to the wall."
"...Are you not returning?"
──Of course, he will know soon though.
"Yes."
That the Champion of the Malevolent Star has come.
"We go to the Demon King's Castle as it is."