Volume 6 Chapter 81, Shock ~ 21
「......Will Satoru be all right?」
Rico muttered to herself as she listened to Minerva flap her wings. Her eyes were fixed on Reine's house. There was a man with a bow at the ready, apparently keeping an eye on her, and she could not approach them without hesitation.
『Danna-sama will be fine, because he's strong Rico.』
「...... yeah」
She hear Minerva's 【Telepathic】 encouragement.
Neither Minerva nor Rico are worried about Satoru. Perhaps their swords will not be thrust against Satoru. However, that is not the case for Reine and Liz ― that is what she was worried about.
Even if Satoru is safe, if something happens to those two hostages, Satoru will probably suffer a severe shock. That would break her heart.
Rico gritted her teeth and continued to stare at Reine's house from the back of Minerva, who was circling the sky at a distance from the house.
Just then, a small pop sounded behind Rico. She rushes to turn around.
「Solor!」
「I've been instructed by Leia-sama to stay here.」
Solor announced nonchalantly, placing her hand on Rico's shoulder to maintain her balance. Rico was impatient, but convinced.
「I-I see. Leia's there, too. ...... It's all right.」
Rico was more than a little relieved that one of the insane beings in Satoru's shadow came this way. For there is still one expert in sorcery lurking inside Satoru. Don't worry, I'm sure it will be all right──Rico kept praying in her mouth for everyone's safety.
Minerva continues circling in the sky above at a certain distance.
A moment later.
Reine's house glowed, and a blast of tremendous pressure was released.
「W-What's going on!?」
「Not good! Minerva-sama, use 【Hardening】! "The shield shall separate all"!」
As soon as Solor quickly use the magic, a tremendous amount of heat struck Minerva and the two riding her.
「Kyaaaaaa!!」
Rico's scream echoes. Rico closed her eyes involuntarily, but when the expected shock did not come for a long time, she opened her eyes thinly, half expecting to see it. What she sees is an image of an invisible shield in the shape of a hemisphere holding back the tremendous heat of the explosion.
「A-A magic shield ......?」
With her eyes widened, Rico looked around her. A tremendous amount of pressure is blowing Minerva's huge body apart, but the direct force of the explosion is not reaching her due to the magic shield. A high-pitched "kyiin" echoed from Minerva's skin. It was caused by the 【Hardening】 art.
Rico hurriedly turned her attention to the magic doll behind her, the one that had protected her and Minerva, which had been made by the ancient magical kingdom. Solor's normally expressionless face became gritted expression.
「It's a tremendous amount of heat. ...... My apologies Rico-sama, Minerva-sama, even my magical power won't last long.」
「Eh ...... does that mean...」
Rico was horrified when she understood the meaning of Solor's words. The defensive magic that Solor was releasing would be interrupted, which meant that she would be caught in the torrent of this explosion. Even now, she could feel the incredible pressure being applied. Minerva's huge body is being blown away, even though it is being held back by defensive magic.
『Rico, hide behind Minerva's back! Don't ever get out!』
「O-okay ......, Solor is in danger too!」
If a person runs out of magic, he or she will loses consciousness. It is the same with the magic doll Solor. If she loses consciousness, of course, she will not be able to maintain the balance that supports her body, and she will disappear as soon as she leaves Minerva's body, whether she is protected by it or not.
「I am a servant of the master. I don't care what happens to me.」
「You idiot! That's not the point!」
Rico shouted at Solor's mutterings. She lightly changed her position and went behind Solor herself to regain her grip on the reins. She took a leather strap from her backpack and wrapped it around Solor's waist.
「...... what are you doing?」
「I'm trying to make sure that if Solor uses all your magic and passes out, we won't get separated! Just shut up and concentrate on your art!」
Rico's stern voice flew at a somewhat flustered Solor. Bound together at the waist with a leather strap, Rico's hand reached out to embrace Solor from the shoulder. Certainly this would keep Rico from leaving Minerva unless her consciousness flew away, but Rico is smaller than Solor. How much longer would she be able to endure?
―If that were the case, the possibility of Rico's survival would be much greater if she were to abandon me and run for her own protection.
But, as expected, Solor could not say that. She was too pressured by Rico's fierce attitude to say anything. So, instead, she said
「.......thank you very much」
Yes, a short word of thanks. Rico's arms tighten as she embraces Solor.
Solor calmly realized that her magic power was rapidly diminishing. The force of the explosion is not going to subside yet. She turns her attention to Minerva, who is stiffening slightly.
「Minerva-sama, the magic shield will be cut off in a few seconds. I think it would be safer to not try to resist and just let you blow away, but the power of this explosion is extraordinary. So prepare yourself.」
『Minerva will definitely endure it! Solor too must endure it! Not only Minerva and Rico, but also Danna-sama will be sad if we lose Solor. So don't say you don't care what happens!』
「Okay」
Minerva's 【Telepathic】 voice sank into Solor's heart. Whether it was Rico or Minerva, they were doing their best to care for Solor. What is the name of the emotion she is feeling now?――Solor thought of that in a corner of his concentration. If I could wake up again, I would ask the Master or Leia-sama.
The leather strap that connected Solor to Rico was tied around the reins as well, and then Rico nodded her head.
「...... Minerva, sorry! I'm counting on you!」
『Leave it to Minerva!』
In this situation, Rico had no choice but to leave the matter to Minerva. Rico is tormented by a sense of helplessness, but the only thing she can do is to trust Minerva and hold Solor, who is about to lose consciousness.
Amidst the roar of the magic shield releasing in contact with the pressure, an apologetic Solor's voice echoed.
「Also, three, two.....」
Minerva curled up and positioned herself so that her back was not facing the direction of impact. Rico, too, closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact.
「One, zero.」
As soon as Solor's strength left her body, a torrent of enormous magical power enveloped Minerva's huge body.
「Kyaaaaaah!!」
Rico's scream can be heard, even with the benefit of the 【Hardening】 and the equipment that Satoru had applied the art to, the impact was still greater than that.
Minerva gritted her teeth as hard as she could at the sensation of her skin being burned and blown away. A tremendous impact that she have never felt before. Every part of her body was screaming. Minerva felt as if her body was being spun around, and while enduring the pain, she spread her wings to keep it from happening.
『Gughh!!』
Immediately, with a bushu, unpleasant sound, her own right wing was torn off. Minerva felt unimaginable pain. Her consciousness wavered. But not yet...!
『Minerva......, will not lose!』
Only she can protect Rico and Solor, who's in her back. This sense of mission barely held her consciousness together. But it was worth the cost of one wing. Her own body, which had been on the verge of spinning, straightened out, and she was blasted head-on by an enormous torrent of energy.
(Danna-sama ......!!!!)
In her distant consciousness, Minerva contemplates the face of her beloved Lord. Without realizing how far she had been blown away, Minerva finally let go of her consciousness.
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