Chapter 761

【Krrrrrrrr….】

We had exhausted a lot of our strength, and Nidhogg had grown even stronger than before. If we weren’t careful, we could all end up as bug food together.

And… the reason things had come to this was because of the fairies and the Dragonkin. As an unfairly sacrificed party, it was only natural and justified for me to blame them.

“If you guys hadn’t been so eager to get devoured, Nidhogg wouldn’t have grown so big. Right?”

“Grrrrrr…!”

Beherikes, having no rebuttal, let out a groan instead of answering.

He was all talk earlier, but now that he’s lost all his troops, he doesn’t even have the decency to open his mouth, huh?

“Well, I guess they were just subordinates of a spear-wielding idiot. They probably only knew how to throw their bodies around. I was too harsh. Your subordinates just acted as they were taught by their superior.”

“Grrrrrr…!”

Beherikes grabbed the back of his neck, staggering. His one remaining eye trembled, and drool even dripped from his twisted mouth.

Did he forget how to speak? That’s good.

I felt a strange sense of comfort and pride as I watched Beherikes, who had started spouting strange groans instead of coherent language.

Finally, the world felt like it was back in order.

A lizard with a tail and wings spouting human words—doesn’t that seem weird to you?

Lizards should act like lizards and just go “krrrr” or something.

Ah, Calix is an exception. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, so I’m a bit unsure, but that Dragonkin was friendly to the Empire.

It’s common sense that allies should be able to communicate, right?

“…That’s enough. This is hardly aesthetic.”

Macaoros, unable to bear it any longer, shook his head and interrupted our conversation.

“What?”

“Ah, the conversation of those who lack the virtue of elegance is truly painful to witness. It’s so vulgar that I can’t bear to watch.”

It wasn’t so much that he was defending Beherikes, but more like he was annoyed by both of us and wanted us to stop.

“What’s this pink-scaled brat saying? There’s nothing in this world more grotesque than your scales.”

Of course, a pink-scaled lizard spouting nonsense about elegance just seemed like a joke to me.

“What…! You can’t even appreciate the aesthetics of these scales? Truly, you’re as barbaric as you look!”

“I don’t care about your so-called aesthetics.”

A pink old man and a spear-wielding duo. Honestly, it just feels like birds of a feather flocking together.

—

“…So, what’s the plan now? If this keeps up, we’re all going to be wiped out.”

Tersillius, who had regained his composure, spoke to me in a reluctant tone as I glared at the two Dragonkin.

“Well…”

I hesitated.

Honestly, if we kept fighting among ourselves, all three races would end up as bug food together.

Originally, Nidhogg had only been targeting me, but now it had completely lost its mind and was glaring at both the fairies and the Dragonkin, radiating pure killing intent.

Well, I only verbally abused Nidhogg, but the others had torn its shell to pieces and shattered it.

Since I had been using Nidhogg’s shell as a foothold after my Up-hwa made flying difficult, the attacks from the fairies and Dragonkin aimed at me had only ended up smashing Nidhogg’s back, breaking its shell and burning its flesh and nerves.

Of course, Nidhogg probably saw this as a concentrated attack on itself.

A human who cursed its parents and other races who burned its back with hot irons. Which do you think Nidhogg would resent more?

Of course, the latter. If filial piety were stronger than the pain of a Malevolent Star, would it even be a monster? Even Spirit Beasts aren’t that extreme.

That’s why everyone was glaring at each other, engaged in a battle of nerves, but unlike before, no one was swinging their weapons.

They just couldn’t bring themselves to say it out loud, but everyone was probably thinking the same thing.

The only way to survive here was to form a temporary alliance and take down Nidhogg.

The problem was, none of us could bring ourselves to say it out loud.

Honestly, even I couldn’t feel at ease with the idea of forming an alliance with these brats.

It was obvious they’d stab me in the back mid-fight and try to save themselves.

I’d rather trust the drink Isabella gave me than trust these guys to fight alongside me.

Well, still…

…No choice, huh? I’ll have to say it anyway.

“Sigh… no choice.”

I scratched the back of my head and turned to Tersillius.

As he said, we couldn’t just keep glaring at each other like this.

“You guys and us, none of us can take that thing down in our current state, right? So… there’s only one way left, isn’t there?”

“…You mean forming a temporary alliance until we take down Nidhogg?”

“Yeah. That’s what I mean. You catch on quick, Bigheadius.”

I nodded, agreeing with his words.

Our group, the spear-wielding idiot and the pink lizard, Bigheadius, and Emi-less-nesia.

With this much combat power combined, we could probably take down Nidhogg.

What if they stab us in the back? Well…

…We’ll just stab them first, right?

—

“What about you? Are you willing to cooperate? One-armed guy, what’s your name… Emi-less-nesia, was it?”

*Crunch!*

Ereneisia nodded, her face twisted like a ghost, grinding her teeth.

At 1,500 years old, her teeth should’ve rotted away by now, but thanks to the Blessing of the World Tree, they seemed to be holding up.

“Good. You fairies are set… What about you, chicken-flavored lizards?”

After getting the fairies’ agreement, I turned to the Dragonkin to ask their opinion.

Well, the answer was obvious.

If we don’t cooperate, we’re all going to die. Who would refuse in this situation?

“An alliance with the fairies…? That’s overly naive and avant-garde thinking.”

…What is this guy even saying?

This pink-scaled brat was definitely speaking the Imperial Language, but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying.

With his twisted pronunciation, even normal words sounded questionable.

“Beherikes, must I cooperate with the likes of you…?”

Beherikes looked full of resentment.

Even though we’d only met less than two hours ago, he already seemed to hate me intensely.

Judging by the look of anger and disgust in his eyes, he was probably born a racist.

I should be grateful I was born in another world. If I’d been born in America, I’d have been shot and thrown in a dumpster before I even grew up.

“What can you do? That’s the only plan. Put aside your arrogance and prejudice and think about it. If you want to avenge your subordinates who became bug food, isn’t that the only way?”

I shrugged lightly, trying to persuade him.

“Grrrr…! How dare you say that so calmly…! My subordinates, because of you…!”

Because of me? No, that’s on you.

“Blaming others for your own incompetence isn’t very mature. Oh, are you not even an adult yet? With that wrinkled face, I thought you were at least fifty.”

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

Beherikes spread his one remaining wing and let out a shrill scream.

It seemed like his pent-up anger had exploded, as his roar was mixed with bright red blood.

And then.

“Seriously, are we cooperating or fighting? If you’re planning to fight together, shut your filthy mouth, will you?!”

Ereneisia, apparently annoyed by my tone, shouted irritably.

“What, missing your mom?”

“You damn—!”

Hah, such a hothead. How can someone over 1,500 years old be so hot-tempered?

Old maid hysteria?

Or is it her “day of anger” that comes every month?

Yeah, now that I think about it, her legs are covered in blood. Must be her day of anger.

I shook my head, sighing lightly, and looked back at her.

“You’re asking if I’m willing to fight together? You still don’t get it, do you? Of course—”

The reason I had been provoking them, keeping their attention on me.

“I’m not.”

I smiled, pulling the corners of my mouth up to my ears, and pointed to the golden wave charging toward the hill.

“The Astraea Holy Knights! All draw your swords! Protect Her Majesty Astika—!”

A familiar voice I hadn’t heard in months. The fairies and Dragonkin paled as they realized what it meant.

Yeah, now you remember.

The ones who headed to the Sky Mountain Range to subjugate Nidhogg…

Weren’t just the fairies, Dragonkin, and Empire.

“For the glory of Astraea!”

“Follow Sir Seilon—!”

The Holy Legion was charging in.

With the roar of thousands, radiating golden Divine Light.

—

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