"So... are there any other dangers like the Black Dragon I should be worried about?" I ask Ellie, who was held in my arms.
Tapping my shoulder, I adjusted my hold on her so that she could face me and answer the question.
"There is one, but you are not strong enough to fight it yet." She says resolutely.
"Really? Even using Nike's Sword?" I ask.
"While I don't know what power a divine weapon can bring, I doubt it. That thing... only a team of level 8 and higher adventurers could dream of finishing it off." She answers.
"But your Papa's quite strong, you know." I say with a smirk.
"But not strong enough. Now hurry up, else my foolish siblings get too far ahead." She responds.
Following her order, I hurried my pace a bit to catch up to the three.
Since I had learned about my kids' truth, I wish I could say nothing had changed, but that would be a lie.
Though, it wasn't necessarily a bad change.
The kids, especially when they were alone with me, acted more... mature.
Or perhaps 'real' would be a better word.
Stella would sit down and read a book without a care, even if it was advanced for her age, and Ellie would rest in silence as if meditating.
Things like that which don't suit the activities of normal children.
Though... not much had really changed, now that I think about it.
They were always little oddballs.
I guess I was glad they had always acted themselves, but was I really this oblivious before?
Even after all those fantasy stories I read?
Ah well, not like it matters much.
The biggest change, though, would have to be moments like these, where we could converse and talk about serious topics.
With things like this, as well as their now obvious maturity, I couldn't help but see them as more like teenagers or something similar.
But still as my children regardless.
But at the same time... I couldn't help but treat them, my daughters, especially, as the babies their physical bodies were.
I wanted to hold them and snuggle them and all that stuff.
I mean, could you blame me? They were cute.
Doubly so when they acted their mental age.
Like when Ellie pouted at Alea's antics... hehehe.
"Papa. Stop smiling like that. It's bothersome." Ellie snaps.
...Yes... things like that.
It was currently dusk and we were on our way toward Maria's orphanage, slowly navigating the convoluted roadways of Daedelus Street.
As for the reason, it was quite simple.
I wanted my children to get more exposed to kids their age.
Even more so after learning about their reincarnation.
While they might find it annoying to hang around kids much less mature than them, I wanted them to have friends their age as they grew older, and not be outcasts just because they're a little smarter and more mature than the rest.
Though it's not like I would force it on them.
Even if they couldn't make any friends, they would at least be able to have fun playing soccer or something.
"Anyway, about that looming disaster... there is no need to worry. Zald and I sealed it years ago, so it will not be a problem for a while. For now, you should focus on clearing the dungeon." Ellie suddenly says.
"If you're sure... I was gonna be starting my dungeon diving again anyway. But I've only been to floor 60, so there's still a bit of work to do before I can challenge floor 100 and clear the dungeon." I say.
"100? Why are you so confident that is the end of the dungeon?" She asks in confusion.
"Well, it's a nice number to end it on, is it not? Very cliche." I say with a smile.
But I only get a dull stare in response.
"You are... quite the simple man, aren't you, Papa?" Ellie eventually says.
...Why do I feel like I have just been insulted?
"That's rude, Ellie! Papa is a very complicated person!" Stella says.
Thank you, my sweet daughter... but that didn't make me feel any better.
We eventually reached the orphanage and I was able to see a familiar face.
"Ah! Sirius! What are you doing here?"
The rascal that was the best friend, at least outside the Familia, of my two wives.
Syr Flova.
"I should be asking you that. Don't you have a job to be at?" I ask.
It was almost nighttime, so wasn't that the most important time for a waitress to be at a bar?
"Hmm~ Well, I suppose you're right. But could you keep a secret? For me? It was pretty difficult to avoid all their eyes, you know?" She says with a sly smile.
Come to think of it, the presences I could normally sense around her were nowhere to be seen.
Or rather, nowhere to be sensed, but you get my point.
I would say I'm curious... but I'd rather not disturb anything.
As the motto for my very being goes: Not my problem.
"I don't mind. I was just here to drop off the kids, and to give the orphanage this." I say before showing her my basket full of bread.
"Oh my! You guys just came back from saving the north from Dragon Valley, and now you are doing such acts of charity? As expected from the Familia of justice." She says with a smile.
"...Yep! We aim to please!" I say with a tense smile.
I'll keep the fact that this bread was only being given away because Maryuu forgot we had rations to finish off and decided to go on a baking spree to myself.
"Mmm... indeed you do..." She says while staring at me, her cheeks growing redder with each passing second.
An awkward silence ensues before Syr eventually breaks it.
"Well, while I said it before at the Hostess of Fertility, congratulations on your successful quest. See you later! Ah, and you too, cuties!" Syr says happily.
She then waved to me and my children before heading off to... her job, I hoped.
Letting the kids go play, I decided to pass my time talking with Maria and giving the orphans a check-up with Aqua Corona, fixing any cuts and bruises they might have had.
"I must thank you for doing all this, Sirius. It's a little difficult to have the kids visit the hospital for trivial injuries, even if it hurts." Maria says.
While talking with the lady, I was shocked to learn she was already 30, and for someone that wasn't an adventurer or an Elf, she looked damn good for her age.
Still not as beautiful as my wives though.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just glad there are some kids around to play with my babies." I say lightheartedly.
Looking at the small field, I watch as Ellie kicks the ball with all her might, sending it soaring through the air and right into Leo's face.
"Ow! That hurt!" He exclaims.
"Tsk. Then why didn't you dodge, oh wise one?" Ellie retorts.
"I'm the goalie, so I'm kind of meant to not dodge." He says.
"Yes, but I think you're meant to block the ball with your hands and body, not your face. Though with your track record with women, I wouldn't be surprised if you do not care for the state of your visage." She says with a smirk.
"I was damn handsome back then, and am now. Old hag."
"What'd you say!?"
I then watch on in disappointment as they begin to scuffle on the ground, raising a small cloud of dust with their falna-enhanced bodies.
Haa... were they really adults in there?
When they kept on squabbling like this, I couldn't help but doubt them.
Well... at least my other two weren't as... moody.
"Fina! You have such beautiful hair, it's an absolute sin to dirty these golden locks!" Stella says.
"Yeah! Here, let's give her a French braid!" Alea says.
"What's a 'French braid'?" Stella asks.
"I'll show you!"
Those two were having their own fun, and specifically not dirtying their clothes while doing so.
Speaking of...
"Alright, you two. That's enough. Now how about your old man here show you how soccer is-"
Just as I start heading toward them, I feel a deep sense of discomfort.
A churning feeling of anxiety.
One of danger.
What?
I hadn't felt this way in the city since the Knossos stuff.
Turning my head toward the feeling, I watch as a young boy, no older than six, slowly makes his way down the street, his feet bare and clothes in tatters.
"Oh my! Child! Come-"
"Stay there. All of you." I interrupt Maria.
The source of this discomfort... it was from this kid.
My hand resting on my sheathed sword, I slowly make my way toward the boy.
The air was still.
So tense that you could taste it.
This atmosphere... I didn't like it, not one bit.
Walking across the stone road, the sound of my steps echoed through the street.
Was it my super-focused state? Or was it really that quiet?
I didn't know, but I had a feeling it was a mix of both.
Just as I'm a few steps away from the boy, two things happen at once.
First, the boy starts running toward me.
And second, five hooded figures jump down from the rooftops, with their daggers drawn menacingly.
Who the hell were these guys?
Those robes... Evilus?
But weren't they all cleansed from Orario?
Well... it didn't matter, at least right now.
Raising my hand, I gather stellar magic on the tip of each of my fingers, before firing, sending five golden arcs through the air that penetrate each of their heads, instantly killing them.
As their bodies fall to the ground, I feel the impact of the boy running into me as he wraps his arms around me.
Despite killing the five attackers, my sense of danger hadn't subsided.
If anything, it had only amplified.
And I knew the cause.
Evilus... while I hadn't encountered them directly, I had heard stories about them and the vile tactics they used.
City ambushes, traps, hostages, and most notably... suicide bombers.
Crouching down, I focused on Magic Sense to see if there was anything I could do, and instantly, I felt a large sphere of magic that was swelling with every passing moment.
A sphere that was inside the boy's chest.
I wasn't an expert on magic tools, much less those relating to explosions, but I knew...
I couldn't do anything to stop it.
Sending my hand to his chest, I try inserting stellar magic and then pure magic power, but both are repulsed as soon as they make contact with the boy.
...As I thought, it was hopeless.
I had to leave.
No, considering the imminent explosion, I needed to toss this kid into the air to protect the city from any damage.
But...
"Mr Adventurer... I'm sorry." The boy says.
I couldn't.
Or rather... I wouldn't.
I could feel him trembling, eyes teary with fear and guilt.
He was scared.
I didn't know this child's backstory, but I knew that right now, he was scared... terrified of what was to come.
I was no hero.
I didn't complete any feats deserving of it, nor did I have any foolish ambitions to be one.
But the Astraea Familia... the Familia of justice... would never abandon a scared child like this.
Ever.
And while I was not proud to be a hero, I was proud to be a member of my Familia.
And as a father... I couldn't help but imagine this boy as one of my kids.
So while I couldn't save him, I would at the very least ensure he didn't feel alone.
Summoning all the stellar magic I could to coat my body, I wrapped the boy in my arms, ensuring he felt safe and secure.
"It's alright. I forgive you." I say calmly, masking the current state of mind.
Time comes to a stop as the boy's body begins to glow.
My heart beats painfully in my chest, my pulse pounding against my neck as my body tensed in preparation.
Being in a similar situation, I couldn't help but wonder... was this the cause of Ardee's downfall?
She had been tricked by a kid just like now during the Great Feud, leading to her death, but was that really the case?
From what Ryuu and Alise told me about her, she was one of the kindest girls they had ever met.
So rather than being tricked and not realizing that the child she held was an enemy, perhaps she just didn't care.
Perhaps... she just wanted to make the child feel safe in their final moments.
The world set alight in a burning glow that seeped through my eyelids, and a deafening boom resounds from my grasp.
Disoriented, I fall onto my now empty hands, staring down at the crater in the ground, stained red.
My hands clench into fists as my lip trembles.
Slowly getting to my feet, I look down at myself, only to notice the horrid state of my clothes.
Everything was in tatters, and cuts along my arms were oozing blood that collected at my fingers before eventually dripping to the ground.
The smell... there was nothing.
And I could only taste the bloody phlegm that was stuck in my throat.
Right... right, I needed to cast Aqua Corona.
An attack from Evilus wouldn't end with just this-
"Oh? You survived? Even after doing something so stupid? As expected of the famed Celestial Sword, I guess."
Hearing an annoying man's voice, I'm broken out of my dazed state by... something.
Something hot.
Something that seared through my veins with each beat of my heart, so fierce and intense, it made me dizzy in its own way.
Rage.
Pure, unbridled anger and fury that threatened to rip itself out of my body.
But in the next moment, it cools.
Not disappearing by any means, rather, it increases even more, but now tempered and controlled.
I wanted to kill them in the most painful way possible, but that would just be succumbing to my emotions.
Rather, I need to end them efficiently and calmly, so that they can't escape and hurt another soul.
Looking up, I assess the situation.
The city was... not in shambles.
It seemed that this was a targeted attack.
At the orphanage?
Possibly, but unlikely.
It is more reasonable to assume the target is me or my children, considering our Familia's relationship with Evilus.
The question of how Evilus was here crossed my mind, but it was ultimately useless.
They were here now, so I needed to solve this without any-... without anymore, casualties.
Further analysis could come after everything was over.
Looking around, I'm able to put a face to the annoying voice.
He was a human man, looking to be in his late 20s, had short, dark red hair, thin closed eyes, and was wearing a black overcoat with a gold trim.
But past his physical appearance... the feeling he gave off was disgusting.
Like black sludge, his aura was vile, distorted, broken...
What a detestable scum.
And he felt strong.
Not strong compared to me, of course, but strong in terms of the average adventurer.
Level 4? 5?
Something around there.
And he wasn't alone.
Behind him was a collection of Evilus thugs, all dressed in hooded robes and with daggers and other weapons drawn.
They were much weaker than the disgusting man, but Evilus' power was never in individual strength, but rather in their tactics and numbers.
But it didn't matter.
Whether it was a beetle or an ant, a bug was still a bug.
All that was left was to crush it beneath my feet.
"That's quite the glare you have there." The disgusting man says before continuing.
"Well... while you couldn't save that kid, maybe you could save these ones?"
He then flicks his wrist, sending a barrage of needles toward the group of kids, both mine and those from the orphanage.
I leap forward, landing in front of the kids in the next moment.
I was slower than usual...
"Gospel!" Ellie shouts, sending a shockwave to block the approaching attack.
But it wasn't strong enough.
She was no longer Alfia the Silence, but a two-year-old child with the body of a five-year-old.
No way would her magic be able to block the attack of a level 4 or higher, no matter how flippant.
But that was fine.
Because I was here.
And while it would be a little messier than usual, no way would I let a single projectile pass me.
Unsheathing my sword, I unleash a slash that tears through the air, forming a gust that sweeps away all the needles.
But I was negligent.
Or rather, I was still disoriented from the point-blank explosion.
Even if I had formed a barrier to protect myself and the surroundings, the concussive forces were still too great.
And so... a needle slipped past and embedded itself in my side.
But it was fine.
I had a high level of Abnormal Resistance, so poisons were ineffective against me.
Or at least... that should be the case.
So why had I fallen to my knees?
"Ah~ You know, I really do admire heroes. The way they cleave through the injustice of the world with their pure might. But you know... they're too predictable." The disgusting man says with a sneer.
Shit.
I felt weak.
Like that magic tool that guy used in Knossos, but much worse.
"Always doing the 'right thing' makes you quite easy to read, you know. Just point your sword at a rabble of civilians, and off you go to protect them. Haa... how simple. But you already know, don't you? You should've just aimed to kill me." He continues.
Much much worse.
As if... as if my entire status had been removed.
The magic power that dwelled within me was still there, but it was... locked.
I couldn't even move it around my body.
"You made quite a mess of my lord's plans, but without the blessing of a God, you are but a mortal man." The man says, drawing his sword.
So I was right.
Somehow, this bastard had sealed my status.
And the blade in the disgusting man's hand... it felt... wrong.
An ominous presence that claws at the back of your throat.
A cursed weapon, I presume?
That sounds about par for the course for these fucks.
This... was not a great situation to be in.
"You still have some fight left in you? Well, I can't say I'm surprised... Now come! My name is Vito! Now watch closely as this hero falls from grace!" The now named Vito says with a smile.
Nope, not a great situation to be in at all.
"S-Scoundrel! You dare! Gos-"
"Stop, Ellie. All of you stay back." I interrupt her.
Right now, the kids weren't targets, likely because they were seen as weak and powerless.
If they started attacking them now... that might change.
Getting up to my feet, I tighten my grip on Infinite Eclipse.
"Stay back and let me handle this." I say resolutely.
Because while I was now without my falna... that didn't mean I was helplessly weak.
And these vermin in front of me... I would kill them all.
"So... are there any other dangers like the Black Dragon I should be worried about?" I ask Ellie, who was held in my arms.
Tapping my shoulder, I adjusted my hold on her so that she could face me and answer the question.
"There is one, but you are not strong enough to fight it yet." She says resolutely.
"Really? Even using Nike's Sword?" I ask.
"While I don't know what power a divine weapon can bring, I doubt it. That thing... only a team of level 8 and higher adventurers could dream of finishing it off." She answers.
"But your Papa's quite strong, you know." I say with a smirk.
"But not strong enough. Now hurry up, else my foolish siblings get too far ahead." She responds.
Following her order, I hurried my pace a bit to catch up to the three.
Since I had learned about my kids' truth, I wish I could say nothing had changed, but that would be a lie.
Though, it wasn't necessarily a bad change.
The kids, especially when they were alone with me, acted more... mature.
Or perhaps 'real' would be a better word.
Stella would sit down and read a book without a care, even if it was advanced for her age, and Ellie would rest in silence as if meditating.
Things like that which don't suit the activities of normal children.
Though... not much had really changed, now that I think about it.
They were always little oddballs.
I guess I was glad they had always acted themselves, but was I really this oblivious before?
Even after all those fantasy stories I read?
Ah well, not like it matters much.
The biggest change, though, would have to be moments like these, where we could converse and talk about serious topics.
With things like this, as well as their now obvious maturity, I couldn't help but see them as more like teenagers or something similar.
But still as my children regardless.
But at the same time... I couldn't help but treat them, my daughters, especially, as the babies their physical bodies were.
I wanted to hold them and snuggle them and all that stuff.
I mean, could you blame me? They were cute.
Doubly so when they acted their mental age.
Like when Ellie pouted at Alea's antics... hehehe.
"Papa. Stop smiling like that. It's bothersome." Ellie snaps.
...Yes... things like that.
It was currently dusk and we were on our way toward Maria's orphanage, slowly navigating the convoluted roadways of Daedelus Street.
As for the reason, it was quite simple.
I wanted my children to get more exposed to kids their age.
Even more so after learning about their reincarnation.
While they might find it annoying to hang around kids much less mature than them, I wanted them to have friends their age as they grew older, and not be outcasts just because they're a little smarter and more mature than the rest.
Though it's not like I would force it on them.
Even if they couldn't make any friends, they would at least be able to have fun playing soccer or something.
"Anyway, about that looming disaster... there is no need to worry. Zald and I sealed it years ago, so it will not be a problem for a while. For now, you should focus on clearing the dungeon." Ellie suddenly says.
"If you're sure... I was gonna be starting my dungeon diving again anyway. But I've only been to floor 60, so there's still a bit of work to do before I can challenge floor 100 and clear the dungeon." I say.
"100? Why are you so confident that is the end of the dungeon?" She asks in confusion.
"Well, it's a nice number to end it on, is it not? Very cliche." I say with a smile.
But I only get a dull stare in response.
"You are... quite the simple man, aren't you, Papa?" Ellie eventually says.
...Why do I feel like I have just been insulted?
"That's rude, Ellie! Papa is a very complicated person!" Stella says.
Thank you, my sweet daughter... but that didn't make me feel any better.
We eventually reached the orphanage and I was able to see a familiar face.
"Ah! Sirius! What are you doing here?"
The rascal that was the best friend, at least outside the Familia, of my two wives.
Syr Flova.
"I should be asking you that. Don't you have a job to be at?" I ask.
It was almost nighttime, so wasn't that the most important time for a waitress to be at a bar?
"Hmm~ Well, I suppose you're right. But could you keep a secret? For me? It was pretty difficult to avoid all their eyes, you know?" She says with a sly smile.
Come to think of it, the presences I could normally sense around her were nowhere to be seen.
Or rather, nowhere to be sensed, but you get my point.
I would say I'm curious... but I'd rather not disturb anything.
As the motto for my very being goes: Not my problem.
"I don't mind. I was just here to drop off the kids, and to give the orphanage this." I say before showing her my basket full of bread.
"Oh my! You guys just came back from saving the north from Dragon Valley, and now you are doing such acts of charity? As expected from the Familia of justice." She says with a smile.
"...Yep! We aim to please!" I say with a tense smile.
I'll keep the fact that this bread was only being given away because Maryuu forgot we had rations to finish off and decided to go on a baking spree to myself.
"Mmm... indeed you do..." She says while staring at me, her cheeks growing redder with each passing second.
An awkward silence ensues before Syr eventually breaks it.
"Well, while I said it before at the Hostess of Fertility, congratulations on your successful quest. See you later! Ah, and you too, cuties!" Syr says happily.
She then waved to me and my children before heading off to... her job, I hoped.
Letting the kids go play, I decided to pass my time talking with Maria and giving the orphans a check-up with Aqua Corona, fixing any cuts and bruises they might have had.
"I must thank you for doing all this, Sirius. It's a little difficult to have the kids visit the hospital for trivial injuries, even if it hurts." Maria says.
While talking with the lady, I was shocked to learn she was already 30, and for someone that wasn't an adventurer or an Elf, she looked damn good for her age.
Still not as beautiful as my wives though.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just glad there are some kids around to play with my babies." I say lightheartedly.
Looking at the small field, I watch as Ellie kicks the ball with all her might, sending it soaring through the air and right into Leo's face.
"Ow! That hurt!" He exclaims.
"Tsk. Then why didn't you dodge, oh wise one?" Ellie retorts.
"I'm the goalie, so I'm kind of meant to not dodge." He says.
"Yes, but I think you're meant to block the ball with your hands and body, not your face. Though with your track record with women, I wouldn't be surprised if you do not care for the state of your visage." She says with a smirk.
"I was damn handsome back then, and am now. Old hag."
"What'd you say!?"
I then watch on in disappointment as they begin to scuffle on the ground, raising a small cloud of dust with their falna-enhanced bodies.
Haa... were they really adults in there?
When they kept on squabbling like this, I couldn't help but doubt them.
Well... at least my other two weren't as... moody.
"Fina! You have such beautiful hair, it's an absolute sin to dirty these golden locks!" Stella says.
"Yeah! Here, let's give her a French braid!" Alea says.
"What's a 'French braid'?" Stella asks.
"I'll show you!"
Those two were having their own fun, and specifically not dirtying their clothes while doing so.
Speaking of...
"Alright, you two. That's enough. Now how about your old man here show you how soccer is-"
Just as I start heading toward them, I feel a deep sense of discomfort.
A churning feeling of anxiety.
One of danger.
What?
I hadn't felt this way in the city since the Knossos stuff.
Turning my head toward the feeling, I watch as a young boy, no older than six, slowly makes his way down the street, his feet bare and clothes in tatters.
"Oh my! Child! Come-"
"Stay there. All of you." I interrupt Maria.
The source of this discomfort... it was from this kid.
My hand resting on my sheathed sword, I slowly make my way toward the boy.
The air was still.
So tense that you could taste it.
This atmosphere... I didn't like it, not one bit.
Walking across the stone road, the sound of my steps echoed through the street.
Was it my super-focused state? Or was it really that quiet?
I didn't know, but I had a feeling it was a mix of both.
Just as I'm a few steps away from the boy, two things happen at once.
First, the boy starts running toward me.
And second, five hooded figures jump down from the rooftops, with their daggers drawn menacingly.
Who the hell were these guys?
Those robes... Evilus?
But weren't they all cleansed from Orario?
Well... it didn't matter, at least right now.
Raising my hand, I gather stellar magic on the tip of each of my fingers, before firing, sending five golden arcs through the air that penetrate each of their heads, instantly killing them.
As their bodies fall to the ground, I feel the impact of the boy running into me as he wraps his arms around me.
Despite killing the five attackers, my sense of danger hadn't subsided.
If anything, it had only amplified.
And I knew the cause.
Evilus... while I hadn't encountered them directly, I had heard stories about them and the vile tactics they used.
City ambushes, traps, hostages, and most notably... suicide bombers.
Crouching down, I focused on Magic Sense to see if there was anything I could do, and instantly, I felt a large sphere of magic that was swelling with every passing moment.
A sphere that was inside the boy's chest.
I wasn't an expert on magic tools, much less those relating to explosions, but I knew...
I couldn't do anything to stop it.
Sending my hand to his chest, I try inserting stellar magic and then pure magic power, but both are repulsed as soon as they make contact with the boy.
...As I thought, it was hopeless.
I had to leave.
No, considering the imminent explosion, I needed to toss this kid into the air to protect the city from any damage.
But...
"Mr Adventurer... I'm sorry." The boy says.
I couldn't.
Or rather... I wouldn't.
I could feel him trembling, eyes teary with fear and guilt.
He was scared.
I didn't know this child's backstory, but I knew that right now, he was scared... terrified of what was to come.
I was no hero.
I didn't complete any feats deserving of it, nor did I have any foolish ambitions to be one.
But the Astraea Familia... the Familia of justice... would never abandon a scared child like this.
Ever.
And while I was not proud to be a hero, I was proud to be a member of my Familia.
And as a father... I couldn't help but imagine this boy as one of my kids.
So while I couldn't save him, I would at the very least ensure he didn't feel alone.
Summoning all the stellar magic I could to coat my body, I wrapped the boy in my arms, ensuring he felt safe and secure.
"It's alright. I forgive you." I say calmly, masking the current state of mind.
Time comes to a stop as the boy's body begins to glow.
My heart beats painfully in my chest, my pulse pounding against my neck as my body tensed in preparation.
Being in a similar situation, I couldn't help but wonder... was this the cause of Ardee's downfall?
She had been tricked by a kid just like now during the Great Feud, leading to her death, but was that really the case?
From what Ryuu and Alise told me about her, she was one of the kindest girls they had ever met.
So rather than being tricked and not realizing that the child she held was an enemy, perhaps she just didn't care.
Perhaps... she just wanted to make the child feel safe in their final moments.
The world set alight in a burning glow that seeped through my eyelids, and a deafening boom resounds from my grasp.
Disoriented, I fall onto my now empty hands, staring down at the crater in the ground, stained red.
My hands clench into fists as my lip trembles.
Slowly getting to my feet, I look down at myself, only to notice the horrid state of my clothes.
Everything was in tatters, and cuts along my arms were oozing blood that collected at my fingers before eventually dripping to the ground.
The smell... there was nothing.
And I could only taste the bloody phlegm that was stuck in my throat.
Right... right, I needed to cast Aqua Corona.
An attack from Evilus wouldn't end with just this-
"Oh? You survived? Even after doing something so stupid? As expected of the famed Celestial Sword, I guess."
Hearing an annoying man's voice, I'm broken out of my dazed state by... something.
Something hot.
Something that seared through my veins with each beat of my heart, so fierce and intense, it made me dizzy in its own way.
Rage.
Pure, unbridled anger and fury that threatened to rip itself out of my body.
But in the next moment, it cools.
Not disappearing by any means, rather, it increases even more, but now tempered and controlled.
I wanted to kill them in the most painful way possible, but that would just be succumbing to my emotions.
Rather, I need to end them efficiently and calmly, so that they can't escape and hurt another soul.
Looking up, I assess the situation.
The city was... not in shambles.
It seemed that this was a targeted attack.
At the orphanage?
Possibly, but unlikely.
It is more reasonable to assume the target is me or my children, considering our Familia's relationship with Evilus.
The question of how Evilus was here crossed my mind, but it was ultimately useless.
They were here now, so I needed to solve this without any-... without anymore, casualties.
Further analysis could come after everything was over.
Looking around, I'm able to put a face to the annoying voice.
He was a human man, looking to be in his late 20s, had short, dark red hair, thin closed eyes, and was wearing a black overcoat with a gold trim.
But past his physical appearance... the feeling he gave off was disgusting.
Like black sludge, his aura was vile, distorted, broken...
What a detestable scum.
And he felt strong.
Not strong compared to me, of course, but strong in terms of the average adventurer.
Level 4? 5?
Something around there.
And he wasn't alone.
Behind him was a collection of Evilus thugs, all dressed in hooded robes and with daggers and other weapons drawn.
They were much weaker than the disgusting man, but Evilus' power was never in individual strength, but rather in their tactics and numbers.
But it didn't matter.
Whether it was a beetle or an ant, a bug was still a bug.
All that was left was to crush it beneath my feet.
"That's quite the glare you have there." The disgusting man says before continuing.
"Well... while you couldn't save that kid, maybe you could save these ones?"
He then flicks his wrist, sending a barrage of needles toward the group of kids, both mine and those from the orphanage.
I leap forward, landing in front of the kids in the next moment.
I was slower than usual...
"Gospel!" Ellie shouts, sending a shockwave to block the approaching attack.
But it wasn't strong enough.
She was no longer Alfia the Silence, but a two-year-old child with the body of a five-year-old.
No way would her magic be able to block the attack of a level 4 or higher, no matter how flippant.
But that was fine.
Because I was here.
And while it would be a little messier than usual, no way would I let a single projectile pass me.
Unsheathing my sword, I unleash a slash that tears through the air, forming a gust that sweeps away all the needles.
But I was negligent.
Or rather, I was still disoriented from the point-blank explosion.
Even if I had formed a barrier to protect myself and the surroundings, the concussive forces were still too great.
And so... a needle slipped past and embedded itself in my side.
But it was fine.
I had a high level of Abnormal Resistance, so poisons were ineffective against me.
Or at least... that should be the case.
So why had I fallen to my knees?
"Ah~ You know, I really do admire heroes. The way they cleave through the injustice of the world with their pure might. But you know... they're too predictable." The disgusting man says with a sneer.
Shit.
I felt weak.
Like that magic tool that guy used in Knossos, but much worse.
"Always doing the 'right thing' makes you quite easy to read, you know. Just point your sword at a rabble of civilians, and off you go to protect them. Haa... how simple. But you already know, don't you? You should've just aimed to kill me." He continues.
Much much worse.
As if... as if my entire status had been removed.
The magic power that dwelled within me was still there, but it was... locked.
I couldn't even move it around my body.
"You made quite a mess of my lord's plans, but without the blessing of a God, you are but a mortal man." The man says, drawing his sword.
So I was right.
Somehow, this bastard had sealed my status.
And the blade in the disgusting man's hand... it felt... wrong.
An ominous presence that claws at the back of your throat.
A cursed weapon, I presume?
That sounds about par for the course for these fucks.
This... was not a great situation to be in.
"You still have some fight left in you? Well, I can't say I'm surprised... Now come! My name is Vito! Now watch closely as this hero falls from grace!" The now named Vito says with a smile.
Nope, not a great situation to be in at all.
"S-Scoundrel! You dare! Gos-"
"Stop, Ellie. All of you stay back." I interrupt her.
Right now, the kids weren't targets, likely because they were seen as weak and powerless.
If they started attacking them now... that might change.
Getting up to my feet, I tighten my grip on Infinite Eclipse.
"Stay back and let me handle this." I say resolutely.
Because while I was now without my falna... that didn't mean I was helplessly weak.
And these vermin in front of me... I would kill them all.
