As a matter of fact, Xi Wei was passive on this occasion.
Interference from the Demonic Roe could block the eyes of divine beings to a certain extent. After all, not even Aslan the Great Lion could see Zod back when he became the Tsujigiri, and that deity was much more powerful than Xi Wei.
That was why Xi Weixi did not notice the Demonic Roe hidden in Cecil’s possession, and could only assume that he could not spit in certain places in the castle no thanks to the divine power of Kratos, the God of War that shrouded it (but it was actually in Cecil room).
The fighting had already started at the main keep when Xi Wei finally realized that something wasn’t right.
Then, when he finally finished drafting the quest and assigned it to the Players, they had already understood what happened thanks to Kinley.
Then, even as Kinley was diligently squeezing out more tears, she realized that the Players who had been not at all interested were suddenly all-fired up. The looks on their faces were menacing, and were basically saying ‘got it, we are all now going to split some heads’ or ‘I have no idea what’s happening, or what plot is afoot, but we are going ahead for the slaughter’.
Just as the girl was left dumbstruck, her inward rating of Angora raised by a notch: most people would be absolutely petrified the moment they heard the word ‘monsters’, turning flustered and unsure what to do.
It was already good enough that anyone would calmly and quickly pack up whatever they could before fleeing, but none of Angora’s retainers were fearful. In fact, they were preparing for the counterattack.
Since Kinley herself had been handpicked as the continent’s number one alchemist, she was naturally good at reading people. She was positive that the looks on the Players’ faces were definitely not ignorance and brashness in the face of frightening monsters, but irrepressible excitement and a yearning for battle (EXP).
If she had to put her finger on it, a Sword Saint whom she once met in her mentor’s atelier had the exact same face upon learning that there was a powerful foe appearing in a certain place.
Therefore, she could imagine that even if this bunch were not formidable now, they wouldn’t remain average joes!
Moreover, given that Angora was able to control this fine crop of retainers, he just might have more depth than Kinley had given him credit for.
Be that as it may, the monster that Cecil had turned into was very different compared to magical creatures, and these people were definitely not going to survive brashly rushing into the battlefield.
Although Kinley’s looked absolutely flustered on the surface, she was calm and collected inwardly to promptly conclude all that.
Hence, she decided to leak just a little information about the enemy and have this bunch retreat in the face of danger—they didn’t have to fight anyway since it was a win to have them safely retreat, and leave the rest to the Brilliant White Church and the Temple of Glory.
“I-I once saw it in my mentor’s encyclopedia… Cecil might have become a mythical demon!” The girl made a panicking face. “No one other than Archbishops or White Bishops could win against it!”
Angora already nodded before the girl could say ‘we have to ask the Brilliant White Church for help!’, and said, “I know.”
It was not just Angora either. In the room, his retainers were showing looks that said ‘oh, demon’, ‘just demons, no need for panic’ or ‘well, we knew all along it’s demons’.
Question marks popped up all over Kinley’s head.
‘The heck you people know?!
That’s a f*cking demon!
‘Not some Sulfur Imp crawling all over hell! It’s a demon that could demolish a legion of a hundred soldiers at any given moment!
‘And how are they going to fight? None of them look like a cleric aside form that little missy (Jessica) carrying a cross with her! I don’t even know the Holy Water that I got from the continent’s top alchemist would work! Running is the only option, okay?!’
That being said, her soft-spoken, meek, and vulnerable image she kept up all along would crumble if she said all that.
“I think we should talk about this…”
Nonetheless, the Players were starting to head out for the castle’s main keep at Angora’s call.
“Let’s get going, people!
“Hooah—!”
Kinley felt her blood pressure shoot up in that very instant.
Listen to others talk, you lot!
And yet, it wasn’t as if Angora was being stubborn—his father was in danger, and so he naturally could not afford to ‘talk about this’.
Moreover, the System had already assigned a quest, not to mention that the enemy was merely a Demon Morph and not yet a full-fledged demon.
Therefore, the right thing to do now was to get rid of it.
***
Two walkways connected the outer building Angora and his party stayed to the main keep, but the main gates were the only point of entry into the Silver Eagle Castle. There might be a few secret passageways that exist for escaping, but Angora just wasn’t privy about it.
Initially, Kinley was planning to tie bedsheets or whatnot into a rope and escape from the window in the side building, but with Angora and his retainers heading straight for the main keep, it would prove troublesome to flee alone. Therefore, she followed them even as she was cursing away inside her head.
“Hostiles, watching the entrance to the walkway. What should we do?” Joe, who was walking ahead, had poked his head from the corner of a corridor, before turning back to ask the others when he caught sight of the Lemures nearby.
The walkway was too narrow—easily for defense and difficult to attack, and the Players could get trapped if they tried to break through. If nothing else, Cecil’s doom was certain when that happens, and should things drag on and Cecil is fully demonized, the players would have to send forth their GGs amidst their own jovial laughter.
“The entrance is so close… it would be perfect if we could lure away all the guards at once.” Angora mused, and thought of getting a few Players to offer themselves as bait for a diversion.
On the other hand, despite the Players’ weak appearance, Joe’s stunning suplex show at the fountain in front of the main keep meant that the Players might not catch the hostiles off guard if they went in. Even if they might leave the walkway and give chase, they could call up other hostiles to take their place at guard.
That was why they must send an absolutely expendable bait, one who the hostiles might assume that they did not even need help to instakill.
Still, that was a little difficult even if the guards were turned into Lemures and lost much intelligence.
“Leave it to me.” Eleena suddenly volunteered.
Then, the girl then drew a little white-red ball out of her flat chest and flung it on the ground. “Croakatoa, I choose you!”
With a puff of white smoke as the ball hit ground, Croakatoa, who had been having dinner back at the Frogmen Village appeared before them.
Eleena summarized what it had to do, and Croakatoa promptly flung away the smoked fish in its hand and saluted the girl. “Hakuna Macroakcroak! I shall fulfill my duty!”
Beside them, Kinley was staring blankly at it all.
What’s going on?
What just happened?
Where did that frog come from?
Wasn’t Angora’s fief supposed to be a remote border town?
How did the people over there come to learn such advanced alchemy?!
***
Two Lemures were chattering away in Hellspeak.
“Hello, guys~”
A scrawny frogman was standing at a nearby walkway and shaking its buttocks at them, showing off the tiny pattern that resembled a daisy behind himself. “Wanna check out my little flower?”
The lemures were speechless.
Ten seconds later.
Croakatoa was squealing, both hands raised as it dashed past the entrance into that walkway, with several lemures hot on his heels.
“There’s no one at the entrance! Now’s our chance!”
Hence, the players took the opening and slipped within the main keep.
Only Kinley was casting a saddened glance at the little frog that was fated to sacrifice himself…
