Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 208

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 208 – Battle of Heim’s Capital Part 7

“Well, it doesn’t matter. No matter what happens, there’s no way my mother won’t love the stronger me.”

Ed suddenly returned to his senses.

He had been acting as if he was in agony, but suddenly, he reverted to his earlier behavior.

“I didn’t tell you, but there was a healing potion made from the material of the healing bird.”

Lloyd spoke to the two of them while staring at Ed, whose demeanor had changed.

He was clenching his hands tightly, preparing himself for the battle that was about to begin.

“This has also been refined by Majolica-dono. It’s rare and valuable, so there aren’t many of them, but I can make some concessions.”

Chris and Lili looked at Lloyd.

They imagined what he was going to say and watched him with bated breath.

Then Lloyd spoke with a reassuring look on his face.

“I will be the wall. Even if I can’t win, I’ll at least do enough to hurt him badly.”

Chris and Lili nodded solemnly at his words, ignoring the possibility of returning alive.

“If what he says is true, we can’t let him go where Ain-sama is either.”

“I guess so… Let’s do our best.”

Maybe they’re just putting on a brave front.

The two reply with determination, but somehow, they don’t seem as energetic as usual.

However, the three of them make up their minds to face the strengthened Ed.

“Then―let’s go!”

Lloyd took the lead and started running.

Ed, who had calmed down and was acting calmly, looked at Lloyd.

He held the spear in one hand and reached out to meet Lloyd head-on.

“If you are the true Demon King, then I might be lucky!”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Lloyd slashed Ed down the middle.

The same blow that split the lamprey rabbit in two hits Ed.

The hardest blow…or rather Lloyd’s reckless, muscle-powered blow, sent Ed reeling backward.

“I can do what our first king did! There is no greater joy than this…!”

“Haha, with that guy?!”

“What’s so funny?!”

Ed’s body must not have calmed down yet.

Lloyd’s desperate punch continued to put a lot of pressure on Ed’s hand as he caught it.

Even though he was surrounded by a red aura, his veins stood out clearly.

“You want to do the same as the man who killed his family? You were barbarians!”

“His Majesty the King, Mark, killed his family? What are you talking about?”

“Ah, this story hasn’t reached Ishtalika yet? I see, I see…! Oops!”

Ed’s spear cut through the air.

Standing nearby, there was a tension in the air that could cut you.

But at the right moment, Chris and Lili pounced on Ed as well.

“Ed, are you holding out on us?”

Chris pulled her sword out of her pocket and attacked Ed’s body.

“I felt the same way! Just as I thought, you’re only halfway there!”

They realized this when Lloyd and Ed clashed.

If Ed had really evolved… no matter how desperate Lloyd was, he would not be chased away.

Looking at the ground, the two shoe prints were still clearly visible.

“What are you saying? That’s disrespectful. All right, I’ll start with you two…”

Ed changed his stance and started to circle around, preparing to attack Chris and Lili.

…But then there was a sudden change.

“What? My crimson…?”

The red aura Ed was wearing.

As that red aura began to contract, the tip of the spear began to tremble slightly.

“Hah!”

“What… what’s happening…!”

Chris thrust her spear at him without missing a chance.

Finally, Ed’s body was wounded for the first time.

“I’m here too, you know!”

This time, Lili attacks with a dagger instead of throwing it.

It’s a slightly tentative attack, still wary of counterattacks.

However, after Chris, Lili’s attack also wounds Ed’s skin.

“What just happened…? No, first we have to attack!”

Lloyd then swung his greatsword at Ed as well.

Confused, Ed used Lloyd’s power to intentionally get blown away while catching the greatsword.

“Chris. Lili. What the hell just happened?”

Lloyd asked as the distance between them widened a bit.

“I don’t know. When the red aura suddenly became unstable, Ed’s movements slowed down.”

“Well, I don’t really understand either… but the attack came so easily that it was frightening.”

“I see. It certainly looks like the red aura has subsided.”

Hearing her words, Lloyd turns his attention to Ed.

But instead of the red aura subsiding, his limbs were shaking slightly.

“I can’t say for sure that he’s become a demon king, but it’s true that that red aura is a symbol of Ed’s power.”

Chris opened her mouth.

Sweat was pouring down her neck, and Chris’ proud blonde hair was all over her face.

“Maybe he’s run out of fuel… or maybe he’s run out of stamina or something.”

“Ah… I see… so that means…”

Hearing this, Lili understood.

Lloyd also nodded with a startled expression and then smiled a little at the corner of his mouth.

“If we’re talking about a magic stone furnace, that means he’s run out of magic stones, right?”

“Yes. I think that’s probably the situation…”

“So… should we try to buy some time?”

Lili suggested buying some time.

But Lloyd shook his head quietly.

“No good. There’s no way that man won’t notice this―look, see?”

Ed, who called himself a skilled fighter.

There’s no way he wouldn’t notice his body.

He clicked his tongue loud enough for Lloyd and the others to hear, showing more fighting spirit than ever.

“I’m sorry, but I have something to do. Let’s finish this stage.”

“Something came up. Oh, I understand. That’s what I wanted.”

That was the signal.

As soon as the two exchanged words, Ed appeared in front of Lloyd the next moment.

“S-so fast―this is…!”

Unable to defend himself in time with his great sword, Lloyd blocks Ed’s spear with his right arm.

Thanks to avoiding the tip of the spear, he doesn’t get cut―but the blow Ed unleashed was too heavy.

The next moment, a sound like something being dropped from a great height onto the cobblestones echoes around them.

“L-Lloyd-sama!?”

Chris was startled by the sound of shattering bones.

“This is nobody else’s problem, you know?”

“…So fast!”

As the roar echoed, Lloyd was blown several feet away.

Chris called out in concern for Lloyd, but the next moment, Ed was right in front of Chris.

“Just as I thought, you react, don’t you?”

Chris quickly backed away, and the spot where Chris had been standing was deeply gouged.

“I find our compatibility difficult.”

“Thank you for that. I’m very grateful!”

Chris slashed at him with her rapier, moving nimbly, but Ed didn’t show the same kind of opening as before.

He parried Chris’ attack with a surprisingly cautious yet powerful move.

“So let’s get this over with quickly.”

“…What?”

There was no need to get involved in the same ring as Chris.

Ed threw away his hesitation and thrust his spear at Chris with all his might.

“As expected from a self-proclaimed demon king…!”

“Has it been decided that women must be flirtatious in modern Ishtalika?”

Ed’s mouth hung open.

But he didn’t pursue it further. He had come to settle the game quickly because he had sensed that something was clearly wrong with his body.

“Your swing is getting weaker and weaker…! Have you lost your mind, Ed!”

The red aura began to fade―Chris’ arm was nearing its limit, but she said this in a strong tone.

“I’ve just relaxed a bit. Don’t worry.”

One swing, then a second―with each successive swing, Chris’ stance collapsed.

“N-not yet!”

This went on for a few more times, and Chris repeated her defense with unsteady legs.

But Ed, who had not yet lost his strength, was still strong.

“Come on, step back.”

The sound of metal tearing through the air―and the sound of it piercing Chris’ armor―echoed, and Chris fell to the ground, gasping in pain.

The spear pierced her side, and as she fell, she lost a great deal of blood.

“Phew… hha… ah…”

She repeated her breath irregularly, and as she lay on the ground, she stared at Ed.

But Ed, who was completely unconcerned, lost interest in Chris and turned his hatred towards Lili.

“You’re going to die soon anyway. Now it’s your turn.”

“Hah… hah… no, I won’t let you.”

Just as he was about to attack Lili, a greatsword was swung from behind Ed.

Even as he gasped in pain, Lloyd had not lost his fighting spirit.

“O-oya… why can you move…?”

“I’m the marshal. Of course I can, right?”

“That’s not an answer.”

“L-Lloyd-sama! Are you okay…?”

His arm must have been shattered beyond repair.

And yet, Lloyd swung his greatsword down in one powerful motion.

Ed looked at Lloyd in amazement, and Lili called out to him in concern.

“Ah, I’m managing somehow! Thanks to Majolica-dono, I’ve managed to survive somehow!”

He must have used the magic tool from the Heal Bird.

However, it seemed that it was not enough to completely heal the broken bones, and Lloyd’s face had turned pale, with sweat pouring down his face like a waterfall.

His voice was also quavering in places, and you could tell he was desperately holding back the pain.

“Well, that’s good. Then let’s continue…”

With Chris still bleeding at her side, the three of them resumed their fight.

The strengthened Ed was still full of power, and his attack came at her early to decide the match.

…Using his damaged arm to swing his sword―leaving Lloyd’s one arm in tatters.

Lili also fought desperately with her dagger, but since she was a stealthy type, Ed’s attacks were too heavy for her.

Ed’s pressure gradually faded, but it took far too long to disappear completely.

The wound was not fatal, but Lili was pierced through the shoulder by Ed’s spear, and Lloyd also lost strength in the hand holding the sword.

The thought crossed their minds that this was really the end.

But they both managed to escape with their lives in the nick of time.

“…Hmm?”

Ed’s red aura was now only faintly visible.

Still, the game was almost decided… but then Ed suddenly stopped.

“…..”

Unable to say anything else, Ed stood there looking frustrated.

He stuck his spear into the ground and looked into his arms, furrowing his brow as he thought.

“L-Lloyd-sama… Ed’s arm…”

Lili held her shoulder down and opened her mouth with a heavy breath.

With trembling fingertips, she pointed to Ed’s body and spoke to Lloyd in a desperate voice.

“…Is he withering?”

If it had to be compared to anything, it was as if his arms had suddenly become those of an old man.

The skin was etched with deep wrinkles, and the joints were accentuated.

Then, the red aura that Ed wore faded as well.

As Ed’s appearance changed, as if withering away, he clawed at his chest in pain.

“Not now…!”

With a furrowed brow and wide-open eyes, he looked alternately at Lloyd and Lili, who were still conscious.

Whispering to himself, “What should I do, what should I do…” he turned his back on them, looking as if he had given up.

“I have to get the stone back to the castle… but if I keep fighting like this…”

It seemed that Ed’s body was also suffering from fatigue more than Lloyd and the others realized.

Perhaps it was the price of using so much power, but he pulled the spear out of the ground with a heavy step.

After pulling out the spear, he walked away, using it as a walking stick, and then climbed onto a nearby horse, surrendering his body to it.

“Run! To where my mother is waiting for me!”

He grips the reins in frustration.

He kicks the horse hard in the side, and Ed leaves in a hurry.

“W-why didn’t he finish us off…?”

Lili spoke to Lloyd, holding back the pain.

“I think he’s completely out of fuel. He was using the spear as a stick, so he probably didn’t have any power left in his body.”

“Well… does that mean we won…?”

“It’s more like a forfeit, which is as close to a loss as it gets. We’re lucky that he’s still incomplete. If it had been complete, it would have undoubtedly killed us.”

But the situation was still hopeless.

Because Chris was lying there bleeding, Lloyd and Lili were not able to handle their weapons well. In a sense, they were one step away from total annihilation.

If Ed’s power had lasted even ten more seconds, they would certainly have lost their lives.

“Chris… Chris!”

As Ed left, a wave of exhaustion washed over their bodies.

It was a kind of weariness that made them want to smile and pretend it wasn’t there, but Lloyd ran over to Chris, who had collapsed to the ground.

Holding his arm, which was barely moving, he ran over to him, enduring the pain.

“Hey! Hey!”

He turned Chris, who was lying face down, back over, but of course, there was no response.

“It’s okay. I think she just fainted from losing too much blood.”

Lili was limping, holding her shoulder as she walked because of the rock that hit her kneecap.

She knelt down in front of Chris, who was lying on her back and checked her pulse by putting her hand on her neck.

“Her complexion is terrible, but if we hurry and treat her, we can still make it.”

But this was a battlefield, not Ishtalika.

Without satisfactory facilities, it would be difficult to treat Chris.

“If Varra had come―no, there’s no way we could treat her satisfactorily on the battlefield. But… that’s right!”

After thinking for a moment, Lloyd came up with an answer.

“Lili, you are the same, aren’t you? You can’t fight satisfactorily anymore.”

“No, no, this Lili-chan can still go on.”

“Don’t try to be tough. You know that you are even dragging everyone down, right?”

“…Is that what you think, Lloyd-sama?”

Indeed, Lloyd’s one arm was no longer usable.

However, thanks to the use of the Healing Bird’s magic tool, out of the three of them, Lloyd had the most remaining strength.

“Anyone! Get a horse! Get a horse!”

Lloyd shouted at the top of his lungs to the Knights of Ishtarika.

Then, a knight who had been watching the situation appeared and stopped his horse in front of Lloyd.

“Ha!”

“I’ll borrow your horse.”

After borrowing the horse from the knight, Lloyd lifted Lili with one arm and put her on the horse.

“Huh? H…hey, wait! Lloyd-sama!”

Then he picked up Chris and placed her in front of Lili, securing her with a strap.

“The Leviathan will soon arrive at the port city of Roundheart. Go there and have Chris treated. The Leviathan is equipped with many of the latest magical tools.”

“I-I see! That’s right, the Leviathan…!”

Lili regained her energy after finding hope.

“Ah, but what about you, Lloyd-sama?”

“I’m going to follow Ed and march on the capital of Heim. It’s about time―and don’t forget to get treated, Lili.”

Compared to before the battle with Ed, the battlefield scene near the capital changed dramatically.

It was clear that the Ishtalika side was in the lead, and many Heim forces had fallen to the ground.

“Lloyd-sama! Here’s your horse!”

“Ah, thank you.”

Lloyd took the horse from the late Royal Knight and mounted it, enduring the pain.

“I have a report on the state of the battle.”

“I’ll listen to it as I ride. Our goal is the royal capital! Let’s go!”

“L-Lloyd-sama! Please wait! Lloyd-sama, your body is…”

“If we want to defeat Ed, now’s our chance! You saw how weak he was! Follow me, Ishtalika’s knight!”

To avoid a major obstacle, Lloyd decided to go after Ed.

Meanwhile, Lili, who was left behind, saw Chris in her arms.

Thinking of Chris’ injuries, Lili rode her horse toward the port city of Roundheart.

“Good luck, Lloyd-sama.”

＊＊＊

It was about the time Ed had begun to awaken with the black stone.

Even from a short distance on horseback, the dramatic confrontation was about to begin.

“Ain-sama…”

“…It’s about time…”

The momentum of the two armies clashing against each other did not stop, and many corpses piled up.

In the midst of this, a change came to Ain and Dill, who continued to fight the Heim soldiers.

“…If you don’t mind, I’ll take care of him.”

“No. I’ll take care of him.”

The shifting battle situation finally brought the commanders of the two armies close together.

In other words, Ain and Logas stood at the same distance as during their verbal battle.

“Can’t you trust me after my defeat the other day?”

Dill said about his defeat on the day of the meeting.

However, Ain denied this by patting Dill on the shoulder.

“What are you talking about? There was never a day I didn’t trust you, Dill.”

“So then! Why did Ain-sama come himself…!”

“Well, no matter how rotten he is, he’s still my father.”

Ain looked pained, and his emotions were hard to read.

“Suuhh… hahh…”

When he was young.

When he faced the royal knights―he gradually stole their refined skills.

When he faced Chris―he desperately tried to catch up to Chris’ speed.

When he faced Lloyd―he worried about how to respond to Lloyd’s power and fighting style.

After he grew up,

When he faced Cain, he overcame his shortcomings and learned the strength of an absolute champion.

And when he faced Marco, the man of loyalty, he brought to life the power that lay dormant in his body.

“I can win. I won against Marco, but losing to Father… Logas… Marco-san, no… Cain-san would be angry with me.”

Ain restrained himself like this, even though his pulse was racing with a strange feeling of tension.

“Ah, but fighting between commanders isn’t something to be praised, is it?”

“…If we win, the morale of the enemy soldiers will probably be at its lowest. So I don’t think everything should be denied.”

“I see. That’s good.”

“But that’s assuming that the commander is a general… not a member of the royal family like Ain-sama.”

“Ah… that hurts to hear.”

As usual, Ain was light-hearted.

When he laughed, like when they’re joking around in the castle, he scratched his cheek shyly.

“Dill.”

“Ha!”

Ain changed his voice and called out to Dill.

“I’m going to kill the great general Logas, and then we’ll march on the royal capital. I’m also curious about King Ralph, but first we’ll take Anon’s head.”

“Yes, as you wish, Your Highness.”

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