I barely managed to hide my expression, but DeB looked as if he had just seen a ghost.

The Berserker scratched her cheek with an awkward demeanor.

"Um, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to startle you..."

'... H-How creepy. Just a few days ago, she flipped her eyes and charged at me, so why now...'

'A-Actually, maybe not? Is it a completely different person? Now that I look at her, she seems a bit different...?'

"Get lost."

I issued an eviction order to the person who spoke to me, conveying a slight amount of annoyance. Of course, even in this situation, I took a closer look at her appearance.

Because I was curious if she was the real Berserker or not.

And what I observed was as follows.

As if to prove that the Slender race could also become burly, a body thickened with muscle, a massive physique beyond that, and skin the color of ebony wood caught my eye.

The platinum blonde hair, which looked white when hit by the sunlight, was let loose to slightly cover her neck, and her amber eyes held a passage of time greater than the wrinkles etched around her mouth and eyes.

Right, that was the issue. Every point mentioned earlier was exactly the same as the Berserker's, but the eyes alone made her impression entirely different.

"Y-Y-You... No, N-Noonim, how did you..."

"My younger sibling headed in this direction, so..."

"Obviously so, but...! Wait, by any chance, is the reason that punk isn't coming... Noonim, did you already meet that punk?!"

"No, not yet. My sibling sent a letter, but I haven't seen her face since arriving."

"...!!"

Meanwhile, Kankan, who was conversing with the Berserker(?), screamed soundlessly. The expression that embodied shock and terror was quite funny.

"W-When was this letter..."

"I think it was sent about half a year ago? Since it was sent from the North, the time the letter arrived would be more recent than that."

"...!!"

At her response, Kankan tore at his hair. His pale face clearly revealed the depth of his panic.

"Then the contents were..."

"Um. It was nothing special. She just simply wrote that she was coming to ask the meaning behind something he said a long time ago."

"... Something he said?"

"That punk told my sibling that one day she would end up falling flat. She ignored it back then, but looking back, she must have been curious about why he said such a thing. For the record, I tried to stop her."

"... He's been acting so out of control because he received a letter like that...!"

'I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but it seems the reason the Martial King has become sensitive to the point of madness has just been revealed. I have no idea what kind of letter he received to make him rampage to the point of killing people, though.'

"Umm... Who might you be? You don't seem to be the same person as the one we know..."

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm from the same hometown as Kankan. Um, if the person you know is the Berserker, I'm not her, for starters."

'Judging solely by her body, she looks like she'd live without using her brain, but seeing wisdom and prudence radiate from her eyes and gestures makes me feel truly strange.'

'I can accept that she's not the same person, but, t-the cognitive dissonance from the image that's already stuck in my head is real.'

"It's the truth."

"... I s-see?"

"Yes."

"Then why are we..."

"As I said earlier, I came to apologize."

Saying that, she gently scratched the back of her neck. Her two softly curved eyes were filled with embarrassment.

"It seems my younger sister, I mean the Berserker, has caused you too much of a nuisance."

'... I thought they looked too similar, and it turns out they're family!'

DeB must have had the same thought as me, putting on a face of immediate understanding.

'Right, whether they're sisters or twins, it wasn't remotely strange for blood relatives to look exactly alike. There are many families in the world who don't look alike, but there are also quite a few people who look like they were cast from the same mold.'

"I will not say it twice."

'It's just that my concept doesn't seem like the type to accept a family member's apology.'

'Apology or not, wouldn't he be offended if someone with the exact same face as the punk who messed with his temper hovered around him? In my interpretation, he would.'

"... Um, it seems you're angrier than I thought."

She scratched her cheek once more and raised her hand. It seemed she intended to back off this time.

"This won't be the only opportunity. I'll take my leave now. I said I was going to the restroom and slipped away for a moment, so I think it's about time I get back."

'Whether regular army, adventurer, or fighter. We were told not to move from our assigned positions without permission, which explains why someone I didn't see during the deployment arrived here.'

'If you get caught doing that in the military, it's grounds for disciplinary action, but I guess it's fine for adventurers or fighters?'

"Ah, right. This is just out of personal curiosity, but have you ever received formal education? From you, the Eastern side's..."

'Still, if you slipped away saying you were going to the restroom, then hurry back! I thought this one was a bit normal, but she's exactly the same as her sister when it comes to acting out of line!'

I didn't speak at length. Instead, I slightly drew the longsword—a cheap one—that I had spent a day walking around to obtain from its scabbard.

"... Um, understood. I'll apologize once again for my sister's actions. Goodbye then."

She immediately caught the hint and backed away.

"... Man, no matter if they're family, it's been a long time since I've seen people who look that much alike. Are they twins?"

After she retreated, DeB rubbed the back of his neck with a dumbfounded face.

I felt the same. I was somewhat relieved after finding out they were blood relatives, but still, the Berserker's image had been too strongly ingrained.

Seeing her act completely differently with that face made it impossible to adapt. Honestly, it felt like being possessed by a ghost.

"They're... not twins."

Just then, Kankan, who had barely collected his wits, opened his mouth.

"Although they do look like twins."

His eyes had already sunken deep, taking on a profound gleam.

"Come to think of it, she said you were from the same hometown. Do you know her well?"

"It's ambiguous to say I know her well... It's just that their side was unilaterally famous. In reality, we're just on nodding terms. The younger sister's personality is a bit... you know."

"It certainly seemed that way. Considering how she picked a fight with the Boss out of nowhere."

"...! You already met her? No, more than that, she picked a fight? You guys didn't fight, did you?"

"We did. It wasn't me, but the Boss who fought her, though."

"And yet he's still alive?!"

'What, why, what. Do you have a problem with me being alive?'

"It seems you're stronger than I thought, you."

Facing his newfound gaze on me, I crammed the words 'get lost' into my eyes. Catching the meaning, Kankan quickly turned his gaze away.

"I guess she's strong?"

"She's strong. Having grown up without a single guardian in a hometown where the rules are the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, and winner takes all, she swept up not only the position of Great Warrior but also the titles of Weapon Master and Berserker, honors bestowed only upon the absolute best of the era."

"Oh..."

'Wait. Weapon Master? The Berserker must be the one who charged at me, so the Weapon Master has to be the Noonim I just met.'

'Did the sisters each take a different advancement branch? If so, who is the one going to join the party?'

"Of course, their heads are a bit messed up... so a lot of people hated getting involved with them. The older sister is somewhat okay, but the younger sister is beyond the level of being described as 'belligerent'."

'Don't tell me it's both of them? That would be a bit...'

"That punk also throws a fit just at the sound of the 'B' in Berserker because of that..."

However, my thoughts, and Kankan's words, could not continue to the end.

BWOOO! BWOOOOOO!

The ram's horn trumpet sounded.

"...!"

"This sound is...!"

"It's the demons!"

"Everyone, get ready!"

The relaxed atmosphere reversed in an instant. It was only natural, as that signal meant the demons had begun to move.

It goes without saying, but everyone around us began to prepare one by one.

Since we were staying put at our assigned positions not knowing when a fight would break out, there wasn't much need to move in a rush. We had also spent all day yesterday maintaining our equipment.

"Fire the catapults!"

Thanks to that, unless it was someone's first time in battle, very few people acted cluelessly.

As a flare signaling the start of the battle, boulders began flying toward the demons.

CRASH!!

"Nice, that was nice! Smash them all to pieces!"

There was no need to worry much about the catapults' abysmal accuracy. Wherever they landed was exactly where the enemies were.

"A magic signal is coming!"

"Ready the arrows!"

Subsequently, the desert sand heaved.

RUMBLE!

The result was a tectonic shift as if the earth were exploding, indiscriminately scattering spikes across the outside of the castle walls.

In an instant, hundreds of demons were turned into skewers and perished.

"It seems Sir Mage has stepped up."

It certainly looked like it. Of course, the Archmage wouldn't have done that alone... but he must have taken the lead. As expected, a Mage is the best when it comes to AoE damage.

"Fire!"

However, there were still many demons left. Next, arrows were fired. The main targets weren't the ones walking on the ground, but the flying types coming through the air.

"Oh, God!"

At that moment, the Inquisitor over at the priests' side shouted thunderously.

A soft light originating from her silver-blue armor mingled with that of the priests, becoming a massive beam of light.

Since they were a group that needed to move fluidly, they were positioned high up on the castle walls, making it easily visible.

"Wicked things persecute your lambs. Grant me the power to destroy them and protect the living. Use me as a stake and make this land a sanctuary!"

A blessing of immense divine power seeped between the castle walls. I didn't know the exact effect, but it certainly wouldn't be a bad one.

"We can win!"

"Kill them all!"

Morale boosted drastically at the feat of the hero—though she isn't known as one. I felt a bit awkward about it, however.

"Boss!"

"...! What are you doing?!"

'Still, it's good for the others.' Thinking so, I placed my hands on the hole. Thank goodness the hole was large enough for one person to pass through.

"Again, you're doing it again!"

'No, Meat Dumpling. When you say it like that, it makes my concept feel like a hopeless person. You're not wrong, but still, isn't that a bit harsh?'

'It's not like I'm doing this because I'm actually crazy; it's just that I can't fight properly inside the castle walls where it's enclosed on all sides.'

'I also considered the existence of the Martial King and his lackeys, but staying here just to block them is a bit...'

'Getting stabbed in the back by them would hurt, sure, but I can't just take a sledgehammer straight to the face while worrying about a backstab that may or may not come.'

"Sir Mage told you not to go out!"

"That crazy—!"

'Ah, don't worry. I'm not going out, I'm not. I'm not going "outside" the castle walls.'

SLASH!

After slicing down the bastard running toward the hole I was in, I vaulted onto the roof.

Strictly speaking, this would also be 'outside', but the meaning of 'outside' the Archmage mentioned surely meant the desert beyond the castle walls. In that regard, I hadn't broken my promise.

I'm going to fight here.

KREEEE—!?

SLICE!

A few flying types that hadn't been hit by arrows tried to brush past me, only to be cleaved in half. Slashing was always good.

SWISH.

Furthermore, the magic spears I gained this time were also the best.

Slashing can target multiple enemies at once, but they have to be in a straight line, and the larger the scale, the more mana it costs.

On the other hand, magic spears can accurately shoot down one enemy per 20 mana. The lack of raw damage is meaningless since a clean headshot means instant death anyway.

The slight problem is that I have to wrack my brain to the limit... but ranged attacks are still the best. Always new. Thrilling.

"Victory to my sword, glory to the heavens..."

Since I've obtained magic spears, it'll be easier to beat down the bastards passing by. For the first time in a while, I offered a prayer with proper etiquette.

Even in that moment, all the flying-type demons attempting to fly past me plummeted with holes in their heads.

The days of having to run around frantically because I had no way to catch things in the air were now goodbye.

"Death to those insects...!"

'Ahahaha! I love magic spears so much!'

* * *

Deathbringer lamented. His past self, who thought that man would just stay put, was an idiot.

"C-Can we live...?"

"Damn it, keep drawing 'em fast, bro!"

"Kill that one, kill that one too!"

At the same time, he also felt a sense of bitterness. Even if the Demon Knight had been someone who could be reasoned with, there would have been no way to stop him.

His current performance proved that fact.

"C-Cyclops app... Ah! It has been killed!"

A demon as notorious as the Patchwork Golem, said to bring down castles every time it appeared, died in a single strike.

"Tarasque killed!"

"Manticore shot down!"

The demons that were subspecies of dragons, which supposedly required accepting hundreds of casualties to kill, weren't much different.

The Demon Knight butchered the demons faster and more effortlessly than those who had survived here for a long time building up experience.

Naturally, the resulting casualties decreased as well. Although there were occasionally people who died from demons crawling up, judging by the soldiers' attitudes, this seemed to be a level of loss not even considered true casualties.

It was something easily noticeable when compared to other sectors. Since the situation was what it was, it couldn't be measured with precise numbers... but the replacement of personnel here was slower compared to other places.

That meant fewer deaths were occurring.

And all of that was fully thanks to the Demon Knight.

With what excuse could anyone stop someone like him from stepping forward? Especially when, in that man's mind, he was likely restraining himself even doing this?

If it hadn't been for the Archmage's earnest request, he would have jumped down beneath the castle walls and wiped the bastards out. He could be certain of it. If it was the Demon Knight, it was possible.

And if he had done so, casualties would have been reduced even further. Though the Demon Knight's life would have been in greater danger.

"Is this really okay..."

Deathbringer continuously fired arrows to at least pull his own weight, suppressing the thoughts that kept popping up.

It was true that the Demon Knight was strong, but did that mean it was right to leave him out there alone?

It was said that the Great Demon might have targeted him, so was it okay for him to be in such a conspicuous spot?

... Would the seal they had spent a mere ten days making truly not break until the very end?

The Demon Knight, who hadn't even used it when hunting the dragon, had started using the technique only utilized by the demon who had seized control since that day. Was he really...

"Arrows...!"

Along with running out of arrows, his distracting thoughts faded. Deathbringer hurriedly reached to grab more for himself from the spare bundle of arrows.

"...!"

Then, a highly suspicious scene caught his eye.

Far away, a person of massive build was approaching the praying priests. With a weapon raised, no less.

Even upon threat of death, It was absolutely not a friendly vibe.

"This is driving me crazy. To think my worst suspicions would actually come true."

He had memorized the entire list of people the Boss had deemed bothersome, including the Martial King. Beyond their physical descriptions and personal information, he had memorized exactly where they were deployed on the battlefield and what roles they were assigned.

"Were they really traitors...!"

He had done so out of a mindset that he shouldn't discard the one-in-a-million chance and due to the Archmage's request, but as expected, the affairs of the world were unpredictable.

To think this would actually happen.

"More importantly, it's not like the humans here collectively lost their eyesight."

Crushing the Martial King who hadn't arrived yet or all the bastards in his memory could wait until later.

For now, he sprinted toward the insidious hand reaching out for the priests.

Right, she was an incredibly infuriating, stubborn wall, but she was still the hero, and the others were the healers who would save the injured, weren't they? If he noticed it, that was reason enough to move.

"They can't see that!"

In his hand, a blade harboring impurity carried a gruesome sharpness.

Blood splattered violently within the castle walls.