Volume 2, Chapter 21 – Hunting Festival (4)

◆ Lumia POV ◆

“Everyone, run for your lives!”

“You idiot! Don’t come this way!”

“I’m trying, but I can’t do it anymore!”

After buying some time, I led the Goblins on a chase toward the town. Naturally, this was so the reinforcements could take them down for me.

I’ve been using the help of spirits to track the path that man named Zacks took, but there’s no sign of any reinforcements.

On the contrary, I’ve gotten closer to town than I intended, and now I’m dragging other participants into this.

The Goblin horde has gotten so large by now that it’s far too late to turn back.

“Why aren’t the reinforcements coming?!”

“Reinforcements? What are you talking about?”

The man running away from the Goblins with me asks.

“That rude guy named Zacks was supposed to call for backup! What is going on?!”

“Listen, kid, don’t take it out on me…”

“Just run!”

“But you’re the one who started talking to me…”

Ugh, this is the absolute worst! I even played the decoy to let them escape. I knew trusting humans was a mistake.

Whatever. Chris-san is at the venue, so once I get there, things will work themselves out. I don’t really care about anyone else.

◆ Protagonist POV ◆

“Alright, thirty minutes remaining! Any prey brought in after this will not have their purchase price announced! And, believe it or not, ten contestants have yet to return! There is still plenty of room for a comeback, but anyone who doesn’t return by the deadline will be disqualified! Now, what will happen?”

As usual, the announcer’s voice boomed across the venue without any amplification.

“Lu-chan is taking her time, isn’t she? I wonder if she lost a fight over prey with that Zacks-san from earlier?”

“Fiene-sama, what exactly do you mean by that?”

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“Eh? Oh, that arrow sticking out of the boar Zacks-san caught—that belongs to Lu-chan.”

“What… did you say…?”

“Saint-sama, is that true?”

“Yes, Mayor Guten. There’s no mistake. After all, I was the one who enchanted that arrow with Purification Magic yesterday. There’s still Mana remaining, and I wouldn’t mistake my own Mana.”

“Good heavens… I shall confirm this immediately!”

Mayor Guten rushed off, sprinting toward Zacks-san, who was drinking alcohol in a corner of the venue.

“Huh? Wrong. This boar is my prey. That brat had nothing to do with hunting this thing.”

“Then why is an arrow blessed by Saint-sama sticking out of your prey?”

“What?”

“For a previous champion to steal prey is a shameful act, is it not?”

“I told you, it’s not like that. I got hit by Friendly Fire while I was running away.”

“Running away? What do you mean?”

“Look, I’m telling you, I was attacked by Goblins in the forest, and while I was running—”

“Goblins?! Why didn’t you report this sooner! Where is Lumia-sama?”

“Dunno. She was shooting arrows from the top of a tree, so I figured she was fine.”

“Oh, for goodness sake. Saint-sama!”

Yep. I can hear all of that.

“Chris-san, I heard Lu-chan became a decoy to protect Zacks-san from the Goblins. Do you think she can escape on her own?”

“What! Goblins are pests; it’s said that if you see one, there are thirty. The forest is Elf territory, so I doubt she’ll be overwhelmed so easily, but we must dispatch a subjugation squad immediately.”

“Then, shall we go?”

“Eh, Fiene-sama, you’re going too?”

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“Well, if I don’t go, Chris-san won’t go, right?”

“That is… well, true, but…”

“Then let’s go.”

Just as we were about to leave the VIP room, someone came sprinting into the venue through the contestants’ gate, screaming at the top of their lungs.

“Help meeee!”

“You idiot! Don’t bring them here!”

“Please don’t tell me to go back into the forest! I’ll die!”

Ah, it’s Lu-chan. Looks like she brought the Goblins with her.

Also, so those green things are Goblins. Seeing them in person, they’re seriously gross.

“Ooh! What is the meaning of this! Multiple contestants have returned in a great panic!”

The announcer’s raw voice again.

“Wh-wh-what a turn of events! They’re being chased by a horde of Goblins! This is a crisis! How will the contestants overcome this peril?!”

Uh… is this actually part of the show?

“Saint-sama, please flee!”

The Mayor ran back to the VIP room.

“Um? This isn’t a performance, it’s an actual accident?”

“We would never use Goblins in a performance while Saint-sama is present!”

I see. So it really is an accident.

“Alright, Chris-san, let’s actually go this time.”

“Yes!”

Chris-san scooped me up in a bridal carry and jumped down from the VIP room into the arena.

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Eh? You say it’s pathetic?

If I jumped myself, I’d definitely sprain my ankle. Besides, Chris-san is my Holy Knight, so it’s fine. Right now, I’m a petite girl about the size of a middle schooler. Visually, there’s no problem.

In fact, I’ve gotten so used to this life that being a male college student in the real world feels more like a dream now.

“Lu-chan, are you okay?”

“Ah, Onee-sama! Listen to this! It’s terrible! I thought I had reinforcements coming, but nobody showed up!”

“Lumia, just get behind me, quickly.”

“Chris-san, thank you so much!”

Lu-chan quickly ducked behind Chris-san. Anyway, I’m just glad she’s safe!

“Leave the rest to me. Lumia, you did well.”

“Chris-san, can you handle this?”

“Yes. No matter how many Goblins come, they are no match for me.”

“Then, I’ll leave it to you. I think I’ll try out a Barrier.”

——A Holy Magic Barrier. I’ll make a dome and trap the Goblins inside so they can’t escape!

Using the Mana I’d recovered while resting, I cast a Barrier to prevent the Goblins from escaping into the spectator stands. If this works, I should be able to prevent any civilian casualties.

“Ooh! Look at this! Saint-sama has cast a holy Barrier to protect the people! This is amazing! Saint-sama has performed a miracle here in Klaubretz!”

The announcer began a play-by-play battle commentary, screaming the whole time.

With this commentary going on, it feels way too much like some kind of event.

“Now, fighting within the miracle Barrier cast by Saint-sama is the Holy Knight, Christina-sama! Incredible! One, two—her swordsmanship is a blur to the eye!”

Yep, Chris-san is as impressive as ever. There seem to be roughly thirty Goblins inside the Barrier.

Huh? Come to think of it, they said it’s the same as Gs… does that mean there are actually about 900 of them? Terrifying.

“Hey, Lu-chan, are there still more of those things?”

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“Eh? I think that was all of them. Why?”

“Well, if seeing one means there are thirty, I wondered if there were 30 times that many.”

“Onee-sama, that’s impossible. If there were 30 times that many, it would be a Monster Stampede.”

Thank goodness. In that case, Chris-san should be able to handle this on her own.

“Fiene-sama. It is finished. Thanks to the Barrier you cast, not a single one escaped. Thank you very much.”

“Not at all. Good work, Chris-san.”

While we were talking, Chris-san had already finished off all the Goblins.

As expected, Chris-san is reliable as long as the opponent isn’t a ghost!

“The terrifying Goblins that chased the contestants have been struck down by the exploits of Saint-sama and the Holy Knight! The miracle of Klaubretz is achieved here!”

This announcer’s professional spirit is amazing. By the end, it had become a masterpiece of screaming commentary.

Seriously, what is happening to that person’s throat?

“Ooh, as expected of Saint-sama and the Holy Knight!”

The crowd praised me and Chris-san, though the one who was actually amazing was Chris-san, who took down all those Goblins by herself.

“O God! We thank you for your guidance!”

The spectators simultaneously performed a “Boon” followed by a Jumping Dogeza.

Hmm, they weren’t in sync and the form was mediocre.

I want to give them a 5, but since the sheer number of people made it impactful, I’ll give them a 6.

“As is the will of God.”

I raised one hand and flashed my best business smile.

Good job, everyone.