Helheim.
Helheim is the realm ruled by the goddess Hel in Norse mythology. Originally, Helheim was also called "Hel."
To avoid confusion with the goddess Hel, the name Helheim was added later, and the game Etius also adopted this setting.
The word "hell" that we commonly use originates from Helheim, but it's not actually a place like the hell we typically imagine, with boiling lava or eternal suffering. It's simply the place where the dead reside, the afterlife.
When it comes to the afterlife in Norse mythology, "Valhalla" is famous, but Valhalla is where warriors who died in battle go, and everyone else goes to Helheim.
In other words, it's not specifically a place for sinners. Therefore, it's a much more livable place than the hell we generally imagine, and there's a separate place that truly deserves to be called hell.
[Frondier, I found a fragment of Helheim.]
"Good work."
I heard Gregory's report in my room.
By the way, training was on hold. It wasn't my decision; upon hearing the news that monsters were gathering in front of the barrier, all the knights and soldiers had rushed towards it.
Naturally, I was confined to my quarters due to Enfer's house arrest order. Well, it's not like I couldn't leave if I really wanted to, but there were so many eyes watching me that it was figuratively true.
[It was enormous. They weren't kidding when they called it a lake. Can your artifact really hold all of that?]
"You'll have to trust the Professor and Edwin on that one."
And Daud, too.
But the crow, having finished his report, kept tilting his head in a rare display of unease. He seemed anxious and restless.
"What's wrong, Gregory?"
[It feels wrong to doubt your father, but while searching for the Helheim fragment, I saw the scale of the enemy forces.]
Ah, so that's why.
"How bad was it?"
[Honestly, I'm worried whether the barrier will hold.]
For Gregory to say that, it must be an overwhelming number.
[The Outside monsters alone are far more dangerous than the monsters within the Empire, and on top of that, black monsters keep emerging from the fragment. Just considering that, their forces have multiplied several times over. And furthermore,]
"Furthermore, they're not just attacking blindly, they're gathering their forces."
[That's right. It's not something those extremely self-centered monsters would do. They should be rushing towards the barrier impatiently.]
If the monsters continue to amass their forces without recklessly diminishing their numbers and then charge all at once, it's clear that the Yeranhes side will suffer immense losses.
There's only one thing that could enable the monsters to behave like this.
"A god is involved, after all."
[Could it be that they've already descended?]
"No, even if they haven't fully descended, they could still exert indirect control with the power of worship they've accumulated."
Even Edwin, a human, was controlled by Hephaestus. If it's just giving simple commands, a god should be able to control a large number of monsters.
Back during summer vacation, at the Tyburn, the lake witch Nimue did something similar.
But she merely informed them of the timing; how they attacked was up to the monsters, and in the end, they acted on instinct.
This time is different. An attack by monsters completely controlled by a god. And using the black monsters, no less.
[Shouldn't we leave now? With your abilities, even if we're a little late, you can still significantly reduce their forces.]
"Did you forget? I already gave Fabric of Penelope to Selena. Right now, I can only protect myself."
I can't do things like throw 'bombs' with Excalibur or call down lightning with Mjölnir. Those are only possible with the combination of Dragon Heart and Fabric of Penelope.
Well, if I were willing to risk my life, I could swallow Dragon Heart and do something similar for a short time, but I'd definitely die afterwards.
[Even without going that far, can't you still fight? I know you used various weapons to shoot down the airborne ones.]
As Gregory said, it's not like I'm completely useless right now. I was active at the Tyburn even without Dragon Heart.
However.
"It's okay. I just have to wait."
[But what if Yeranhes falls before Selena returns...?]
"Hahaha."
I laughed at Gregory's words. But Gregory seemed surprised that I laughed. The crow's already round eyes widened like full moons.
[Frondier, is that something to laugh about,]
"It's okay, it's okay. You just don't know."
[I don't know?]
"Right."
Yeranhes falling?
If I had considered that possibility even 1%, I wouldn't have come up with this plan.
"You don't know who Enfer is."
Those who only stay in the central part of the Empire always have doubts about Enfer.
Isn't the Empire being too good to someone who's not even a Zodiac?
Enfer, who ignores the Empire's requests to come to the central region and insults other nobles and knights, does he really have the ability to do so?
As they question, Enfer is not a Zodiac. And from what I've seen, the fact that Enfer is not a Zodiac is proof that he knows himself very well.
Enfer is not a Zodiac. He's not someone to be confined to the position of a Zodiac.
The alias "Iron Wall."
Once you witness Enfer's power firsthand, the term "Iron Wall" feels excessively trivial.
* * *
At the moment when the sun was at its highest, the monsters began to move.
It wasn't like before, when they would start running as soon as the barrier came into view. They formed ranks, maintained their battle lines, and walked forward at a steady pace.
That alone was enough to make the people on the barrier frown, but.
"...What is that."
A more horrifying sight left them speechless.
"It doesn't end...!"
The procession of monsters marching forward in formation.
Behind the monsters were more monsters, and behind them, even more.
The massive, long line of them, advancing to overcome the barrier, to slaughter humans, showed no signs of ending.
'This is the Outside monsters trying to 'win'...!'
The knight who had heard Sylvain's story gulped. He was still somewhat less shaken because he had heard about it beforehand. The knights around him had already turned pale.
"Prepare to fire!"
Sylvain's shout, imbued with aura. With a rustling sound, the arrowheads of the archers all aimed at the approaching monsters. Most of these archers weren't just any amateurs gathered from anywhere.
Each arrow they shot would pierce through the monsters' aura and tough hides, straight into their foreheads.
"......!"
But the archers' eyes wavered for a moment.
There was a change in the monsters' ranks. The Outside monsters infected by the jet-black monsters, those stained black, stepped forward to the front of the formation.
'...That blackness, could it be.'
Everyone had a similar thought. Sylvain was no different.
But to know for sure, they had to confirm it.
"──Fire!!"
With Sylvain's shout, arrows were released all at once, flying towards the monsters.
If the front line collapses, it will affect the lines behind it. It's not just about slowing down their advance; the formation itself will be disrupted, they'll obstruct each other's paths, and they'll become overly concentrated, making them easy targets for the mages.
However.
Thwack! Thwack!
The arrows, aimed precisely at the monsters, some pierced, some bounced off.
'Bounced...!'
With this, the soldiers and knights were convinced. The blackened parts boasted considerable strength. They had directly faced arrows shot in a straight line, imbued with aura, and bounced them off. Some did pierce through, but that meant their strength was at least comparable.
"From now on, archers aim for the sky! Don't let the winged ones cross the barrier!"
Sylvain immediately changed tactics and issued instructions to the archers.
There were no airborne creatures visible yet, but even with just their eyes, they could see wyverns and harpies waiting behind the monsters' procession.
They were ready to take flight at any moment, waiting for an opportunity. And to create that opportunity, they were still waiting in the back.
'The enemy's forces are too numerous. Rather than being attacked from all sides...'
Sylvain drew his sword. Seeing that, the eyes of all the Roach knights changed.
"Knights, follow me!"
Sylvain, at the forefront, raised the sword in his right hand high. He led his horse towards the entrance of the barrier.
As he rode, Sylvain inadvertently glanced at his right hand.
- Commander, have you ever tried holding a sword with your left hand?
He remembered the words the Lord's son had suddenly spoken a few days ago.
Sylvain had been startled by those words, and they still lingered in his memory, for reasons unknown.
"Sylvain."
At that moment, a voice broke his train of thought.
"Lord!"
Enfer, mounted on his horse, came up beside him.
Enfer had already drawn his sword, Gram.
"Lead the knights to the right flank. I saw their forces gathering there. Disrupt their formation, and if possible, block their assembly route. Find out where they're coming from."
"What are you planning to do, Lord?"
In response to Sylvain's question, Enfer pulled the reins firmly once.
The horse's head turned to the left, opposite to the direction he had instructed Sylvain.
"I'll take care of the rest."
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