「The truth is… there is no way for you to return.」
「Huh?」
「I’m so sorry! There really isn’t one!」
Marian slammed her forehead against the ground in a perfect dogeza.
「Hold on, what do you mean there’s no way to return?」
「I… cannot see it.」
「You can’t see it?」
「Yes. Even with my power, there is no vision of Yuuki-san returning to the future!」
「No way…」
My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor.
「Ah, but! My power only shows futures that are already fixed at this moment. So somewhere… there must be a reason why Yuuki-san and the others cannot return!」
「A reason we can’t return… meaning the trigger that decides the future, defeating the Evil God, hasn’t happened yet?」
「I’m sorry… I don’t know… But I will cooperate and observe as well!」
「Yeah… got it. First things first, we need to fulfill the purpose of the summoning.」
「Yes!」
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
When I opened my eyes, Amilia’s face was extremely close.
「Amilia…? Ow!?」
「Ahh! Sorry, Yuuki!」
Startled by my voice, she jumped up and accidentally dropped me.
She quickly reached out a hand.
「No, no, it’s fine, really.」
I took her hand and stood, brushing the dust off myself.
「So… we had a nice little moment together, but something’s come up. I need to share it with you.」
「A moment together!? Something came up!? W-wait, what do you mean!?」
Amilia’s face flushed bright red as she flailed in confusion.
「Amilia, calm down and listen. The thing is…」
I told her everything I’d just heard from the goddess.
「No way…」
「But the goddess said there has to be some trigger, some decisive event that fixes the future.」
「I see… Then let’s hurry up and finish it.」
「Yeah. Either way, what we have to do hasn’t changed.」
I smiled.
Amilia looked at me for a moment, then broke into a small smile of her own.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
「Alright then… let’s go!」
「「「「「UOOOOOOOOOHHH!!」」」」」
The soldiers roared in response to Amilia, who sat proudly at the front on horseback.
Though, to be honest, most of the enemies had already been wiped out by yesterday’s inferno. All that remained were the stragglers inside the castle.
「Okay, Yuuki! Give them a nice opening shot for morale!!」
「You got it! 『Takanashi Sword-Drawing Art Revised——Windshadow Slash: Heavenly Thrust!』」
I channeled magic power into my blade and swept it upward in a single, clean arc.
The strike was far stronger than during the last Evil God battle.
A shockwave of wind and force tore straight from the castle gate through the town below, splitting buildings and streets in a perfect line.
「Nnnaa…」
「Whoa…」
「「「「「………………」」」」」
Amilia and General Varicius stared in shock.
The kings and nobles were completely speechless.
「——Fuu… Alright, perfect! …Huh?」
Everyone had gone dead silent.
Did I… overdo it?
「Yuuki… that was way too much…」
They all nodded in unison, faces pale.
「R-right! The gate’s already broken! Everyone, charge!!」
Shaking themselves out of it, the army surged forward into the ruined city.
Most buildings were collapsed or charred black.
No enemies remained in sight.
Only the steady rhythm of marching boots echoed through the empty streets.
「My detection range isn’t picking up anything. We can keep advancing like this.」
I took point, walking calmly ahead.
The full army followed a little nervously, but no one lagged behind.
「By the way… it’s just you and me going after the Evil God at max speed, right?」
「Yes. Once you two set out, I’ll fall back to the rear.」
「Understood. We’ll move as quickly as possible.」
「I’m sorry for being so useless…」
「No, it’s fine. Your Majesty, please focus on staying alive. No matter what happens.」
As we spoke, the gate of the royal castle finally came into view.
「Here we are…」
「Finally…」
「From this point on, it’s our job! All forces, prepare to charge!!」
General Varicius raised his sword high, pointing toward the castle gate.
In an instant, tension rippled through the ranks of soldiers.
「Alright then, Amilia, shall we go?」
「Yes! I get to decide the timing, right?」
Amilia poured magic power into her sword.
I drew mine as well, channeling the same power.
「「『Sky Eater!!』」」
We both exploded forward, springing with every ounce of strength in our bodies.
The iron-barred castle gate shattered into fragments under our blades.
The upper part of the gatehouse collapsed in a thunderous crash, clearing the way.
「All forces! Chaaaaarge!!」
「「「「「UOOOOOOOOOHHH!!」」」」」
The signal bell rang out.
Soldiers surged forward, carefully flowing around Amilia and me as they poured into the breach.
「Alright! Let’s go, Amilia!」
「Yes!!」
Unmanned horses were led up from the rear.
We leaped onto their backs and kicked them into a gallop.
「「Haa!!」」
Our mounts thundered ahead, trampling lesser enemies underfoot.
The disorganized swarm couldn’t even slow us down, we simply rolled over them.
「Yuuki! We just jumped on these guys, but what happens to them now!?」
「It’s fine! The goddess said she’d take care of collecting them!」
「Then no need to hold back!!」
Amilia pulled the reins, swerving to avoid clusters while occasionally cutting down stragglers.
I followed close behind, extending my blade with magic power to slice through anything in our path.
「You’re incredible…」
I couldn’t help but marvel at her precise rein control as I kept pace, carving forward.
「Amilia, slow down just a bit! I’m going to blow the door!」
The royal castle’s main gate loomed ahead.
I began chanting.
Amilia eased the pace, pulling up beside me.
「Here it comes! 『Stone Bullet!』」
A one-meter-wide stone projectile formed in the air and smashed straight into the gate.
The massive doors exploded inward.
We charged through the debris and into the corridor beyond.
Inside, only a handful of enemies remained.
Most of the castle was eerily empty.
「Amilia! Let’s dismount here!」
「Got it!」
We slowed to a stop.
As we leaped down, Marian appeared before us.
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