Roughly 125 kilometers away from the Axevaria Kingdom, a large group was gathered.

It was a full company, comprising approximately 5,000 troops, carrying a banner emblazoned with a large eagle and a shield. Among them were about 500 knights, mounted on well-built warhorses, while the remainder were foot soldiers marching on their own legs.

Each soldier wore full plate armor, enduring the oppressive heat as if they were oblivious to the weight of their gear.

Their weapons varied, from simple swords to long halberds, each adorned with crystals embedded in specific locations. A cursory glance revealed that they were a dangerous bunch.

In the center of their formation was a convoy of carriages.

Most of the carriages were for transporting supplies—food, tents, reserve weapons, and armor. However, one carriage in the very middle carried a particularly special passenger.

"Rico... Are we not there yet?"

A woman, fidgeting with her auburn hair out of boredom, asked for the umpteenth time.

She wore a simple dress that prioritized ease of movement over design, complemented by a silver necklace shaped as two wings clasped together, resting against her chest. Despite this simplicity, her attire was far too elegant for a battlefield, making her appear as if she were off for a picnic instead.

"Y-Yes, your mamamajesty... Princess Sophia..."

The man seated in front of her stuttered as he checked the map, adjusting his glasses.

"W-We're a huhuhundred kilometers away f-from our de-destination. At our current pace, it will take ten more days..."

"Ten more days?" Princess Sophia grunted. "If I had known it would take this long, I would have stayed behind in the castle..."

This journey began when Rico detected a sudden burst of mana weeks ago.

Such powerful bursts of mana were unlikely to be manmade, and Princess Sophia was convinced they originated from a powerful artifact somewhere. As the Mad Princess of the Great Alcott Empire, she felt it was her duty to "collect" the artifact for preservation and safety.

Of course, this was done in a rather high-handed manner.

She didn't consider that it might belong to someone else or that it could be protected by someone or something formidable. She was certain the artifact was rightfully hers!

"We even detected consecutive bursts of higher mana on several days, across a couple of weeks, so the artifact must be in a volatile state now," she whispered.

These bursts were not from the same "artifact"—Eve's sniper rifle—but rather from a certain brute who couldn't control his magic well. But of course, they had no way of knowing.

"We can't delay any longer. Command the soldiers to double the speed of the march!"

Her command was essentially law.

No one could dare object, lest they face punishment—something worse than death.

"I-I'll go and relay your mamamajesty's orders..."

Rico bowed before heading out of the moving carriage. Despite his stuttering, his movements were quite nimble; he didn't even stumble as he landed.

"If he could just fix his stuttering, he'd be perfect…" Princess Sophia sighed, leaning deeply against the carriage's seat.

However, about fifteen minutes later, things changed.

The carriage screeched to a stop as a messenger horse rushed to them; the knight riding it seemed half-panicked.

"Y-Your Majesty! Please turn back!" he shouted. "Gargoyles… We encountered Gargoyles ahead! We'll delay them as much as possible, so please escape!"

"Gargoyles?!"

At the mention of that name, Sophia's face paled.

Among the monsters that brought much of the world to ruin, Gargoyles were probably one of the most irritating. They're stone monsters, with varying appearances and sizes, and they're immune to physical attacks!

The only way to hunt them down was with magic—but given their speed, it was hard to even aim!

"What the hell!" she spat. "Why are Gargoyles appearing here?! Shouldn't they be further to the north?!"

"We don't know, Your Majesty. However, please escape while we still have—!"

But the man couldn't finish his words.

A shadow swooped down, covering him for a brief moment. When the shadow lifted, the knight was rendered headless, tumbling from his horse like a broken puppet.

Seeing this, Princess Sophia felt her blood run cold.

"T-They're here…!" Rico shouted, standing up and gripping his staff. "Your mamamajesty, please stay d-down!"

The next moment, the carriage shook as something heavy landed on the roof. Then, a pair of sharp claws tore through the canopy, rending the waterproof cloth away like blades.

"La spiera irà sol ma! Flame Spear!"

Thankfully, Rico's response was quick.

He aimed his staff at the claws and cast a spell, chanting loudly without stuttering. In an instant, flames manifested, molding into three burning spears behind him, which flew straight toward the target.

The canopy of the carriage was burned away, but the gargoyle trying to get in was reduced to ashes within moments.

"…!"

At the same time, they were able to see what was further above.

In the sky, a swarm of gargoyles circled, resembling a flock of ravens. There were at least hundreds of them, each bearing a grotesque appearance with blood-red eyes and teeth stained with the blood of knights they had encountered.

They were nightmares made flesh.

"T-Too many…" Rico gasped, his face paling slightly.

Sophia hadn't anticipated that they would be facing monsters immune to physical attacks. Rico was the only mage among them, while the others could only use basic physical enhancements and could not cast true spells.

As dread filled him, Rico turned to the liege he's sword to protect, and found a spark of courage.

"P-Princess… When this battle ends, I…" he began.

But Sophia cut him off. "Fuck this!" she growled. "I won't be dying in this hellhole, not today…!"

In an instant, she pulled the necklace from around her neck. It was no ordinary accessory; it was one of her prized artifacts.

"Activate! Sanctuary!" she shouted toward the sky, raising the necklace high above her head.

Without delay, a burst of mana light radiated from the necklace, enveloping the entire carriage. A barrier of holy light formed, preventing any impure beings from passing through.

As if testing the barrier, one gargoyle clawed at its surface—

But upon contact, the creature erupted into blue flames, turning to ashes as quickly as the other one had when struck by Rico's spell. The barrier not only shielded her but also retaliated against any enemies that dared to attack!

Moreover, this artifact was linked to its counterpart back in the Empire, held by the King. Activating it sent an SOS signal that was received by the other half without delay!

Sophia's plan was clear: hold out until help arrived!

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