Chapter 49: Sasaki Aya meets her bitter enemy again
-From the Harpy’s Nest-
(There’s something outside.)
(What were the lookouts doing?)
Harpies may be monsters, but have high intelligence, and are good at acting in groups and in techniques to protect themselves.
The harpies that were at the entrance of the nest soon noticed the abnormality and looked outside…to be shocked.
A light that’s strong enough to think that morning had come, and the moment they noticed that it was a spell that was aiming to attack their nest, they were swallowed.
The nest crumbled tragically.
Burned by magic, their comrades were being crushed by the falling ceiling.
But there were some who managed to escape and fly away.
As long as they manage to escape into the air, there’s no one who can attack them!
((((EH?!))))
The flock of harpies that were flying in the air were suddenly swallowed by water.
Harpies are bad at swimming.
They don’t swim normally after all.
((((What is going on?!))))
They continued to fall without being able to make calm decisions.
And the harpies were slammed into the underground lake.
?? -Sasaki Aya POV-
“Sasaki-sama!” (Nina)
“Yeah, Takatsuki-kun and Lucy-san have succeeded!” (Aya)
We were hiding at the back of the waterfall, but the ceiling was crumbling with a thunderous sound, so we jumped outside.
The hated harpies were raining down together with the ruins of what was once the nest of the harpies.
Drowning in a massive amount of water.
“Lucy-sama’s [Multi-Elemental Magic: Shooting Star Meteors] and Takatsuki-sama’s [Superior Rank Magic: Water Dragon]; what a scary combo.” (Nina)
“The underground lake has the Sea Serpent and the King Crocodile.
They should definitely think of the harpies as food.” (Aya)
“They are being attacked already.” (Nina)
The splashing sounds of harpies trying to run away were being made, but it looks like the water monsters had the advantage.
“Take that!” “Hoi!”
At times, Nina-san and I would slam the harpies trying to escape back into the water.
The harpies were being dragged underwater among screams.
This is for my family!
Like I will let a single one of you escape!
“Haah…Haah…is there no one else?” (Nina)
“Next is to find where the Queen is…” (Aya)
I try to search for her, but I can’t find her.
Did she escape?
“Ooi, Sa-san, Nina-san.” (Makoto)
After a while, Takatsuki-kun and Lucy-san floated down towards us.
In his hand there was a small umbrella-like item.
It is apparently called Fall Umbrella.
It is a magic tool that when opened, even if you were to fall from a high place, you fall down slowly.
Fujiwara-kun has some useful items.
“How is it?
Was the Harpy Queen defeated?” (Makoto)
“Not yet.
I don’t know if she was within the ones who fell.” (Aya)
“Makoto, what about your Detection?” (Lucy)
“There’s so many that it is impossible to pinpoint.” (Makoto)
Where is it?
Where is the boss of the enemy?
The noisy dungeon slowly went down in volume.
It looks like most of the harpies have been defeated.
“It was anti-climatic.
Let’s celebrate once we get back.” (Lucy)
“Oi, Lucy, saying that is a flag, you know?” (Makoto)
“Lucy-sama, you must not lower your guard.” (Nina)
Lucy-san was already in victory mode, and Takatsuki-kun and Nina-san rebuke her.
I was also a bit drunk in the victory.
The harpies that I was unable to put a hand on no matter how much I tried, we managed to make short work of them!
At that moment, we heard singing.
A low singing that would be easy to miss.
What is this?
It is kind of a pleasant song…
It doesn’t fit a dungeon.
“Hm?
Don’t you hear something?” (Aya)
“What is it…?
I certainly do hear something.” (Nina)
“Me too…” (Lucy)
We look around.
“Here she comes.” (Aya)
And then, she appeared.
We all turn at the same time.
Beautiful face and dazzling light brown wings.
The Harpy Queen was there.
The Harpy Queen was singing while speaking.
What a skillful monster.
“Could it be a siren song?!” (Nina)
Nina-san shouts flustered.
“Eh?
Is she not the Harpy Queen?” (Lucy)
“She must have evolved and obtained the abilities of a siren!
Her voice can charm men.
Takatsuki-sama, you must not listen to her song!” (Nina)
Takatsuki-kun was looking at the Harpy Queen with a slightly surprised expression.
It doesn’t matter!
I will kill her because she gets us!
Thinking this, I tried to approach her, but…
“Is it okay for the male mage to die?”
The Harpy Queen grins.
“Male mage, put your dagger on your own neck!”
Takatsuki-kun followed those orders and brought the dagger to his own neck.
“Shoot!”, Nina-san shouts.
“M-Makoto”, Lucy-san was holding her staff with both hands and going ‘awawa’.
“Fufu, my voice works especially well with male humans.
You were out of luck the moment you had a male companion.”
“The singing of sirens can charm men.
The human that attacked your family must have been controlled by her too.” (Nina)
Nina-san says this in anguish.
So that’s how it was…
“I was wondering who it was.
So it was the lamia girl that I thought I killed at that time…
So you were alive.”
She glared at me with hatred.
I also glare back at her with killing intent.
“Your whole family has died.
Serves you right.” (Aya)
“Harpies can come back as many times as we want as long as I -the Queen- am alive.
Too bad for you.”
She says this as if mocking me.
Damn it!
That’s true.
Us lamias are already done for because Mother-sama was killed.
“You must not move.
The human man there, slowly come to me.
If your female companions attack me, cut your own throat.”
Takatsuki-kun nodded lightly as if obeying her words.
“N-No way…”, Lucy-san raises her voice.
“…”, Nina-san was looking for a chance and couldn’t move.
(What should we do…?) (Aya)
With Takatsuki-kun as a hostage, we can’t move carelessly.
I look at the Harpy Queen and then at Takatsuki-kun, and then…
I noticed.
(Takatsuki-kun?) (Aya)
He is supposed to have been charmed by the Siren Song, and yet…he was looking intently at me.
His eyes were clear, and it doesn’t look like he is charmed at all.
(He is not being controlled?) (Aya)
Takatsuki-kun slowly approaches the Harpy Queen while looking here.
It was as if his eyes were trying to tell me something.
(Alright.) (Aya)
I gather strength into my right hand.
The so called [Action Game Player: Charged Attack] Skill that I did unconsciously before.
Of course, even if I were to attack right now, it wouldn’t work.
“The women, stay here.
You are lucky.
If my children were here, I would have turned you into their meal.
I will be taking the male human.”
I trust in Takatsuki-kun and continue gathering strength.
It is okay, I am sure.
“Human men are truly stupid.
They apparently see me as a Goddess when they hear my voice.
There’s some that even go down to their knees the moment we meet.”
Her face as if she won is pissing me off.
“Here, want to lick my feet or something?
It is the feet of a Goddess, you know.”
Maybe she is letting it get to her head, the Harpy Queen pushes her feet out to Takatsuki-kun.
She is extremely annoying, but she does have enough beauty to charm men.
“M-Making Makoto lick your feet…I am jealou—how horrible!” (Lucy)
“Uhm, Lucy-sama?” (Nina)
Nina-san retorts.
Let’s question that statement of Lucy-san later.
Takatsuki-kun slowly bends to let his face get closer to the leg of the Harpy Queen, and…
“There’s no way these damn dirty feet are the feet of a Goddess.” (Makoto)
“Eh?”
The ankle of the Harpy Queen was cut off!
“Gyaaaaaa!!”
The Harpy Queen raised a scream, and her eyes had things like icicles pierced in them.
Did he use magic at the same time he cut her with his dagger?
At what moment did he activate it?!
“Sa-san!
Now!” (Makoto)
Takatsuki-kun shouts.
Right, this is my only chance.
I use Dash and close the distance in an instant.
So to not lose that momentum, I smashed my right fist that had been Charged into the enemy’s body.
“Gahah!”
A big hole opened at the stomach of the Harpy Queen.
My fist pierced her body.
“D-Damn it…you bastard!”
It is ridiculous, but it seems she is still alive.
The claws of the Harpy Queen try to cut me.
*Swish*
Takatsuki-kun’s dagger cuts off the head of the Harpy Queen.
Her head falls dully onto the ground.
Isn’t the sharpness of that dagger way too incredible?
“T-Thank you, Takatsuki-kun.” (Aya)
“You have avenged them, Sa-san.” (Makoto)
The tension that was straining inside me diffused, and I fell right onto Takatsuki-kun powerlessly.
(Ah, I am dirty from the blood.) (Aya)
Without worrying about me who was trying to separate from him, Takatsuki-kun caught me, and hugged me.
“Good work.” (Makoto)
“…Yes.” (Aya)
(I have avenged you, Mother-sama, older sisters, my siblings…) (Aya)
I place my head on Takatsuki-kun’s shoulder and close my eyes.
