"Why is the shield breaking?"
Tremious looked outside the window before glancing back at his palm. No mana flowed from his body, so it was unlikely that he was the cause.
I turned toward Stanislaus. She looked just as lost as the rest of us. Fear spread through the people of Taroukasin at the thought of another dragon approaching.
Who would tell them that the dragon was already standing beside them, flapping his wings over a woman?
Kim Soo-Hyuk mentioned demonic energy…but who could it belong to?
(Tomb, do you sense anything?)
[Yes, Tael… but it's vague.]
(So there's a possibility?)
[Yes]
After hearing that, I scanned the surroundings. The closest place to Taroukasin was a small nearby village.
The people could evacuate now, but if demons arrived, they would reach those villagers in no time.
Not to mention, they would come in numbers.
To them, it would be like walking into a buffet.
I stepped outside Taroukasin and closed the door behind me. My eyes wandered across the town square. Only a handful of people looked capable of defending themselves.
Oh?
***
Aniel's eyes caught a spectacular sight.
The people here were incredibly creative with their hands- just like the old man riding the strange motorbike.
She noticed workers gathering ember salts and storing dozens of crates inside unfinished buildings.
The alchemy shops were overflowing with the same material.
Boxes upon boxes of ember salts.
Instantly, she connected the dots.
She barged back into Taroukasin, drawing everyone's attention to herself.
Then her performance began.
Aniel strode toward Stanislaus and glared at her before speaking coldly.
"Start doing as I say if you all want to live."
Her sudden declaration caused her companions to stumble in confusion. Dermis awkwardly approached and nudged her several times, trying to understand what she was doing.
Yet her expression remained unchanged.
The stubborn woman scoffed, veins nearly popping from rage. Feeling challenged, she rose to meet Aniel at eye level.
Kyoko quickly stepped between them to stop the argument, but Aniel's gaze only sharpened with every passing second.
Ororon immediately fled behind Tremious out of instinct, gripping the back of his trousers tightly while peeking out with only half his face visible.
The only person who remained calm was the false-named jester, casually playing with his mask as he watched his beloved.
"I'll ask again," Aniel warned. "Do as I say, or watch your kingdom fall."
The moment those words left her mouth, Stanislaus nearly snapped.
She gritted her teeth and grabbed Aniel by the collar.
Still, the elf refused to back down.
Tremious was already gathering mana into his palm, but Aniel signaled for him to stop.
***
(Tomb, get ready.)
[Understood]
A swirl of sparkling wind and razor-like dust enveloped my body.
It was the dramatic return to my elf form.
As my pointed ears emerged and my eyes regained their glint, I could feel the confused stares of my companions.
The people of Taroukasin gasped and immediately prepared themselves to strike me down. Fathers with their baby bumps panicked while mothers stepped forward protectively.
The reversed roles were almost amusing.
Stanislaus finally released my collar, though the scowl on her face remained.
Honestly, what else could I expect from her?
I turned toward my companions and spoke with a reassuring smile.
"Trust me."
They hesitated for a moment before finally dropping their disguises and standing there awkwardly.
Another louder gasp echoed through Taroukasin.
I couldn't tell whether they were terrified by our overwhelming mana or blinded by our beauty.
Either way, I spoke again.
"You humans stand no chance against demons. We are your only hope. And I swear to you- we will not harm a single strand of hair on your heads. Let us help you, and we will leave afterward."
"Shut up!" someone yelled. "You monsters are no different! Just leave us alone!"
"Yes! Leave us and our children in peace!"
"Leave!"
"LEAVE!"
Their desperate cries filled the room, making our bodies tense from the hostility.
"Enough!"
The entire hall instantly fell silent.
It was the old man's voice.
He slowly walked toward me, his face woven with fear and despair.
"What you say…" he muttered. "Will you truly protect us?"
I paused for a moment before smiling gently.
"You have my word."
The old man forced out a weak smile before turning back toward his people.
"As the elf said, they are our only hope. Let us place our trust in these creatures one last time. If they betray us, I will take responsibility."
"But Uncle Gemis!" someone shouted. "The lives of our children are at stake!"
"Then what do you want us to do?" he snapped back. "Wait for the demons to slaughter us? These beings are stronger and wiser than any human here!"
"Uncle Gemis…" a large man spoke quietly while caressing his baby bump "You know what elves did to us."
"They are not the dragon who cursed us," the old man replied sharply.
Oh…
That is the dragon, though.
I shook those thoughts away.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw hesitation in the faces around me.
My lips curved into a faint smile.
"We will keep our word."