Chapter 1130: Cat-Eared Priestess Captain
「Look! They’re surrounded!」
『So that Avenger guy was telling the truth.』
「Nn.」
We immediately headed to the fort in Raydoss after hearing about the situation. By the time we arrived, the battle was already underway.
Kranzel’s forces were under attack from three directions, putting them in a very disadvantageous situation.
Just like we heard, the Red Knights were there too. They were currently engaged with Forrund, but it seems not even he could pull off a win.
What can we do to save the Kranzel army? Rus.h.i.+ng in without a plan won’t be sufficient.
As we were considering our options, something incredibly strange occurred.
A white light enveloped all the adventurers, as well as a portion of the knights. I sensed a healing mana from this light, so it didn’t seem to be an enemy attack. It came from the area where many adventurers were huddled together.
The source was a single ogrekin man. He was the one radiating this revitalizing wave of mana. The man’s long, thick horns and huge body reminded me of Ashwrath. I felt quite a powerful aura, even though I was viewing him through the Farsight skill.
Did Alessa have an ogrekin as big as him? Maybe he came in from another branch?
No, wait. His face… Donad? Is that guy seriously Donadrond?
How did he change so much in such a short period of time?! His entire body had grown immensely, including his horns. Not to mention how his mana signature underwent a complete 180.
However, the sudden confusion overtaking the entire battlefield also gave us the perfect opportunity.
『Fran, let’s go save Forrund first.』
（Got it.）
The young sorcerer facing off with Forrund must be with the Carmine Flame Knights we heard about earlier. He’s apparently very powerful, but Fran and Forrund should be able to win if they work together.
According to the info we have, he’s kinda like Izario except way weaker.
Besides, we brought additional reinforcements alongside our squad. Sending them to eliminate the undead will allow us to rescue the adventurers at the same time.
In other words, it’s not too late to turn this around.
「Oi, fleshbag.」
「At your service! What is it, my priestess?」
Fran’s words were directed at the undead running behind us, a pack of ghouls emitting an evil aura. Yeah, this was the Genocide Ghoul commander who tried to steal me earlier. The other Genocide Ghouls were all following us too.
The ghoul working for the Black Skeleton Corps, known as Avenger, had started obeying Fran for some reason.
A few hours earlier.
I activated my Evil Conquest skill, which worked successfully on the Genocide Ghoul.
Freeze. Obey. Cease fighting. I sent those commands as I manipulated the evil energy inside the ghoul, and to my surprise, he actually did slow down.
『Use this chance to take him down! Slash away at his evil energy with everything you’ve got!』
「Nn! Haaah!」
「d.a.m.n YOU!!!」
Fran infused all her power into Evil Crusher and swung down at the ghoul with the intent to kill. However, her blade paused before reaching him.
「Priestess! My priestess! I was wrong! Forgive me, please!」
「?」
『Huh?』
The ghoul suddenly dropped to his knees and slammed his forehead on the ground. The piercing killing intent directed at us only a few seconds ago vanished as if it never existed.
「Priestess?」
「Yes! I have received a revelation from the G.o.d in the divine artifact telling me to serve you!」
The other ghouls also gathered around Fran and dropped to their knees alongside the leader, aside from the few that had already been slain.
Did he mistake the effect of Evil Conquest as the Evil G.o.d Fragment’s will? If this works out, we might be able to get everything he knows and completely neutralize him.
As I was planning our next move, the Evil G.o.d Fragment inside me stirred. Though not quite as powerful as last time, I felt a dense cloud of evil energy overflowing out of me, as if blessing the ghouls.
「Ahh! Ahhhhhh! My G.o.d! Yes, I understand completely!」
「「「 Ahhhhhh! 」」」
The ghouls roared with joy. If they had working tear glands, I bet they’d be crying right now.
They remained on their knees and bowed to Fran in wors.h.i.+p, repeatedly pressing their forehead against the earth.
「Priestess! Truly, you are our one and only priestess!」
「Priestess!」
「Guide us!」
Is it my imagination, or is the Evil G.o.d Fragment radiating an aura of smugness right now? Either way, my Evil Conquest combined with the Evil G.o.d Fragment’s meddling was apparently enough to subdue the ghouls.
With the ghouls suddenly dropping everything and surrendering, Maleficent and the soldiers were at a loss for words. Even Persona was visibly stunned.
Well, I can’t blame them, since the ghouls really started wors.h.i.+ping Fran out of nowhere. Moreover, it seems Maleficent managed to sense the evil energy from the Evil G.o.d Fragment acting up.
「Black Lightning Princess-dono? What is going on here…?」
「…It just kinda… happened.」
「Uh-huh. Is that sword safe? I believe I sensed a great deal of evil energy coming from it.」
「Don’t worry. It has a power to control evil energy, and that made these guys friendly.」
「Well, I do suppose you do look fine. I guess I have no choice but to accept that explanation.」
Maleficent followed the unwritten rule that adventurers shouldn’t ask too many questions about each other, not pressing the issue any further.
The reaction from the soldiers was much more simple. They all gazed at Fran with eyes of adoration, after watching her take control over top-tier undead.
「C-Captain, you’re amazing! Curry!」
「Priestess! Wors.h.i.+p the Cat-Eared Priestess!」
「Yeah, the Cat-Eared Priestess! That’s our captain! Curry!」
「Priestess! Her black cat ears hear the words of G.o.d, pa.s.sing them onto us!」
Uh, is everyone aside from Maleficent and Persona kinda wors.h.i.+ping Fran now?
『I guess we should hear what the ghouls have to say first.』
「Nn.」
I hope they have some intel on what’s going on in Raydoss.