CH 96.1

Chapter 96.1 – Bonfire of Victory

When I went outside with Freed’s body in my arms, I found the super demon king Brynie that was covered in holes all over his body.

Both of his swords of darkness are gone which means the demon king’s cores have been destroyed.

「O…….ja……..」

Ria poured holy water over him to purify him and after a puff of purple smoke, Brynie’s body melted away.

I put my hands together and said go to the afterlife, Brynie.

「You’re amazing, Wake. You took care of the super demon king alone.」

「What’s amazing is this magic rifle. You and your sensei have made a terrible weapon.」

Wake, who looks happier than ever, strokes the barrel of the gun as if he was his lover.

Has the magic rifle amplified his shooting cheat?

「However, since Wake defeated the super demon king, you can be a hero too.」

The king of thieves Wake, who unites the thieves guild of the three kingdoms, is the most righteous thief under heaven.

Since he has defeated a demon king, all he has to do is to restore a city and a church and he’ll meet the condition to be a hero.

「Hero? Stop joking. I don’t want to be stalked by an interesting woman like that for the rest of my life.」

For a moment, Wake made a discouraged face while looking at Ria who’s purifying Brynie. After that, he chuckled.

Ria, I already told you earlier to get dressed…..

「In any case, you really saved us, Wake.」

「I just did the work equivalent to what I received. If you really want to thank me, you can thank your sensei for making me a good weapon.」

That said, Wake held up his magic rifle as if a child would do given a new toy.

Certainly, this weapon must be irresistible for someone like him who has a projectile cheat. For wake, it is a must.

Now, it’s time to settle things.

There’s still an ongoing battle. The battle between Herman Salzhorn, who’s holding a big orichalcum shield, and Louise, who’s wielding an orichalcum greatsword.

The battle between the strongest sword and strongest shield has already been expected to be difficult to settle.

「Hey, you two, the battle is over. Iron wall Herman, your general is dead.」

Hearing that, Herman quietly lowered his great shield.

Louise also lowered her great sword. The two stopped fighting.

I let Freed’s corpse go in front of Herman.

The big man, not lamenting nor crying, checked Freed’s corpse as if to make sure he was dead.

「Now, what are you going to do, Herman?」

「Silesie’s Hero-dono, if you permit me, I would like you to let me go. It seems like I’m the only one who can carry his highness’ remains.」

This is the first time I’ve heard Herman speak. His voice is cool, unlike his rocky physique.

I could have taken him as a prisoner but if I did, this honest-looking man would fight till his last breath.

I don’t want to risk any more sacrifices just to get the broken orichalcum armor and orichalcum shield.

「Alright, I’ll permit you to do so. You may deliver Freed’s body to the empire.」

「Thanks for your grace.」

Herman wrapped Freed’s corpse with Freed’s own purple cloak and carried him and his big shield down the Devil’s Mountain.

I wonder if he really intends to walk back to the empire.

I thought of writing him a road pass so he wouldn’t get caught along the way but there’s no time for that.

Well, there should be no one who can intercept that man aside from Louise.

Ria’s holy magic power seemed to have recovered so I had everyone’s wounds healed and rested.

There was a soldier who came to check on us and when I told him about our victory, he went down with great joy.

The Golden Lion has fallen! Silesie won!

The news was immediately circulated throughout the headquarters at the Devil’s Mountain.

The surviving Silesie knights and volunteer soldiers gathered their strength and built a bonfire.

TN: The bonfire here is not a campfire but a fire built on an iron basket(not a torch). There’s no direct English translation so I’ll just bonfire.

Soldiers with torches ran around the Devil’s Mountain in the dark night while shouting with joy.

The bonfire of victory was lit in the darkness of the mountain.

Those who don’t have bonfires gathered wood chips and dead branches to light them and there are even those who lit the straw they had used as bedding to celebrate victory.

Reports of victory, along with dozens and hundred flickering bonfires, reached the royal capital of Silesie and the fortified City of Ox, illuminating the cities.

From the summit, I watched the light of victory spread out into the darkness of the night and gasped at its beauty.

Queen Silhouette came and took my hand.

Without uttering a word, she gazed at the thousands of lights spreading out with a pensive gaze.

More beautiful than those lights are Silhouette’s strawberry blonde hair, shimmering with the light from the bonfires.

I thought of such a racy line but I decided not to say it.

It would sound cheesy if I put it into words.

Instead, I put my hand on her soft shoulders. She leaned against me and I stroked her hair.

「Today is the best day in this lady’s life.」

As I gently stroked her hair, Silhouette said that in a voice full of emotion.

A historic day of victory.

Perhaps the words this queen has uttered and the words I’m about to utter will also go down in history.

Thinking that I shouldn’t say something bad, I looked into Silhouette’s blue eyes and replied.

「Today is just the beginning, Silhouette. Let’s spend better days together from now on.」

「Takeru-sama……」

Silhouette looks up at me and closes her blue eyes.

Yeah? As I was thinking about what she was doing, Silhouette twisted around a bit.

Oh, I see, so that’s how it is.

I slowly brought my face close to hers and kissed her lips, which were small and lovely like cherry petals.

It was an awkward kiss because I’m not used to it but I managed.

If I failed to kiss her in the last scene, everything will be ruined.

I wanted to praise myself for getting it right on the spur of the moment.

To be honest, I will not tell anyone that I find this moment the most nerve-wracking one compared to any other battle.

All the people of Silesie who participated in this war were so exhausted yet so happy and excited about winning that they could hardly sleep.