*Interlude*

*This incident happened few hours before Ekirschteria the purple knight arrived at the warehouse.*

"We're being... watched?"

Sylphie looks confused as she says that.

Then Ekirschteria pulls out paper and quill pen from the gap of the arm's armor. Then the knight writes so quick that she immediately shows it to Sylphie after few seconds.

"It might have been related to our mission in retrieving the relics..."

After reading the paper, Sylphie looks at Ekirschteria again before talking.

"But... what are you going to do? It would be a crime to assault the locals here without any evidence..."

Then Sylphie suddenly sees Ekirschteria's right hand being raised upwards.

*flash!*

At the back of Ekirschteria's hand, the crest of purple shield half-enveloped with black curtain glows with purple-coloured light.

"!? W- wait! Don't tell me-!?"

The shining crest shoots a purple light from Ekirschteria hand upwards passing the ceiling without making a hole.

It continues flying to the sky until it shines even brighter and a giant Ekirschteria's crest appears at the sky.

Most of the locals including the person watching Sylphie is surprised by the crest and its purple light shining on top of the whole village. And the crest's size is still getting larger and larger.

Back in the inn's room, Sylphie looks at the giant crest in the sky from the window with pale face.

"Using your Crest Force in the middle of the city... What are you thinking?!"

She says that while turning her towards the purple knight behind her. But the purple knight just opens the door and left without hearing Sylphie's words.

"Wha... Eki!?"

Sylphie says that as she runs to follow Ekirschteria.

Outside of the inn, the hiding ox-type beastman spots Ekirschteria and Sylphie leaving the inn.

He immediately takes out the Tele-Stone from his pocket and tries calling Nelsia again. However, there is only buzzing sound from the stone implying that the Tele-Stone is not working at all.

Ekirschteria and Sylphie quickly walk to the stable besides the inn.

Both of them approach the two white horses that pulled the carriage. But the horses are currently separated from the carriage inside the stable. Now they only have saddles equipped on them.

They quickly ride the horses and get out from the stable while riding the horses.

The white horse that Ekirschteria is riding has blue-eyes while the horse that Sylphie has red-eyes.

Amidst the confused people in the village looking at the large purple crest in the sky, Sylphie and the purple knight quickly leave the village.

"Yves! Zeus!"

Sylphie quickly shouts those names right after leaving the village.

Both horses red and blue-eyes shine in response to Sylphie's shout. And at the same time, both of them sprouts a pair of light near their front legs.

Then both horses take flight surprising many people who happen to see them.

While flying, Sylphie takes a glance at the enlarging giant purple crest above the village before looking at her front.

(With Pentagon's Crest Force power, all types of communication magic in the area below it will be rendered useless...)

As Sylphie thinks that, she starts talking to the purple knight besides her.

"After this, we need to apologize to Orna's Guild Master..."

Sylphie says that but does not expect Ekirschteria to reply since both of the purple knight's hands are holding the reins of the winged white horse with blue-eyes.

.....

....

...

After around few hours, both of them finally arrive at their destination, the city full of dwarf.

There is a big steel sign on the entrance with the name of the city: 'Bajiuelle'.

Sylphie sees a white half sphere covering the whole city.

(That's the city's barrier...)

After thinking that, Sylphie talks to Ekirschteria.

"Let's land and go through to the entrance first."

However, right after she says that, the city's barrier suddenly fades.

"!?"

Sylphie is surprised seeing the fading barrier that is covering the whole city.

In a certain building not too far from the attacked warehouse, two male dwarves can be seen standing near bloody corpses of four other dwarves.

One of the standing dwarves is touching a big white floating gem in front of him. The dwarf quickly lets go of his hand and escapes out of the brick room together with his accomplice.

Back to Sylphie who is riding a winged white horse, the purple knight suddenly rushes towards the city from the sky.

However, she suddenly hears a man's voice shouting from the city.

"Who the hell are you?! Stop!"

The one who shouts those words is a dwarf standing on a brick watch tower at the corner of the city.

Since Ekirschteria does not show any sign of slowing down, the dwarf pulls out his bow and shoots at the purple knight.

Ekirschteria evades the arrow with ease and quickly fly past the watch tower.

Sylphie gets surprised again by the purple knight's action and quickly fly past the watch tower as well.

"Eki! Get back! You can't just enter without permission here!"

Ekirschteria clearly hears Sylphie's words but shows no sign of stopping.

Both of them soon can see the warehouse area in the city together with the battle that is happening near it.

"W- what's going on here..."

Sylphie says that while looking at the one-eyed goblin and Nelsia wrecking the entire dwarf army. She is really shocked by the scene of carnage in front of her.

Ekirschteria jumps down from the horse.

While falling, Ekirschteria draws out the sword from the sheathe at the hips.

Ekirschteria lands on the shoulder of a steel golem. Then the purple knight notices that a group of dwarves is about to be shot down by the one-eyed goblin.

Ekirschteria jumps straight to that group while Ekirschteria's crest force on the back of the right hand starts shining together with the 'BLASTER' name carved on Ekirschteria's sword.

The moment Ekirschteria arrives at the front of the dwarf group, the edge of Ekirschteria's sword also shines with orange light.

Ekirschteria swings the sword at the incoming red-coloured double beam shot.

*boom!!!*

As the smoke disperses, the one-eyed goblin and Nelsia are shocked by Ekirschteria's appearance.

"... no way."

Nelsia says that while looking at Ekirschteria.

Not missing the chance, the dwarves behind Ekirschteria starts running away.

The one-eyed goblin's attention is now fixated towards the purple knight.

"Tch!"

The one-eyed goblin clicks his tongue as he shoots at the purple knight.

Ekirschteria jumps backwards and let the double shots blasts the ground instead.

While the black smoke starts rising from the ground again, the one-eyed goblin shouts at Nelsia who is just standing on the ground.

"What are you doing! If we don't kill that knight, we will be the ones who get killed instead!"

"!"

Nelsia with green aura looks hesitant for one second but decides to rush towards the black smoke with 'DIVIDER' spinning chainsaw.

The black smoke quickly disperses revealing Ekirschteria who is about to swing the 'BLASTER' sword.

*crackle!!!*

Sparkles of fire can be seen the moment Nelsia's chainsaw clashes with Ekirschteria's sword.

While Ekirschteria is fighting, Sylphie worriedly looks at the battle from the sky together with both of the white winged-horses.

Sylphie's left hand holds the rein while her right hand is holding a wood staff with a white orb on top of it.

Then she notices a white feather falls down passing Sylphie's face.

Sylphie looks up towards where the feather falls from.

Up there, she can see a masked female wearing a red and white dress with a big cloud above her. Upon closer look, the masked female has white wings spread behind her back.

As the cloud shadows the masked female, her pink eyes shines even brighter making it easier for Sylphie to notice her eyes.

(Those shining pink eyes... don't tell me... demon...?)

As she thinks that, her heart starts thumping as if she instinctively knows that the masked female is looking for an opening to kill Sylphie.

Few seconds feels like an eternity for her as she continues to stare at Bion.

She can't lose sight of her. Because the moment she does, her life would be in grave danger.

The cloud slowly moves away from Sylphie's sight revealing sunlight.

Surprised by the sunlight in her sight, she blinks for a bit only to no longer see the masked female within her sight.

"!?"

Sensing a great danger, she uses her left hand to pull the rein of the white horse so that they can quickly move away.

The white horse moves it's body backwards for a bit and then a water spear magic quickly passes in front of Sylphie's face from Sylphie's upper right side.

"!"

Realizing that she just avoided that water spear out of fluke, she quickly flies to her left side.

The masked female starts chasing Sylphie while aiming the blue magic circle using her right hand.

However, the winged white horse with blue eyes that has no rider flies towards Bion.

A white magic circle appears in front of the white horse's head and it shoots a light horn towards Bion.

Bion evades the horn and shoots the water spear at the white horse with blue-eyes. But the targeted white horse avoids the water spear as well.

Realizing that the other white horse starts fighting Bion, Sylphie talks to the white horse she is riding.

"Yves! Help Zeus!"

The white horse with red-eyes acknowledges Sylphie's command and change its flight course towards the other white horse.

(Demons... beings that threaten the world. I must stop them at all cost!)

Sylphie thinks that as she joins the other white horse to fight against Bion mid-air.

Back at the warehouse area, Ekirschteria swings the 'BLASTER' broad sword at Nelsia.

*crackle!!!*

Nelsia guards with 'DIVIDER' chainsaw but gets thrown away by the impact.

"Ugh!"

Nelsia says that as she quickly lands on the ground while preventing herself from falling.

"Eiiii!!!"

With that shout, the one-eyed goblin shots another red beam at the purple knight.

Ekirschteria evades the double beam shot by dashing to the right. At the same time, the purple knight pointed the 'BLASTER' sword at the flying one-eyed goblin.

The 'BLASTER' sword's blade splits into two within the same hilt.

*reference to how the 'BLASTER' sword opens up*

The sword immediately shoots a red beam blast towards the one-eyed goblin.

"!?"

The one-eyed goblin manages to raise his altitude to evade the blast despite his surprise.

"What the hell!?"

Right after saying that, the one-eyed goblin continues to avoid consecutive shots from the purple knight.

Nelsia with green aura tries to close in but Ekirschteria shoots a beam blast at her. Nelsia manages to avoid it due to Accel magic but decides to take cover at a fallen steel golem.

"Pant... pant...!"

Nelsia starts panting out of exhaustion behind a fallen steel golem. The green aura covering her also fades indicating that her Accel magic is no longer in effect.

(This is bad... at this rate, we will run of mana soon.)

Nelsia thinks that as she looks at the one-eyed goblin and Ekirschteria shooting at each other.

(According to Firth-sama, that Royal Knight connects his relic with his Crest Force instead of Astral Body. And Brahmastra Kingdom's Crest Force is something like a secondary Astral Body that draws out mana from leyline.)

As Nelsia thinks that, she notices incoming steel golem behind her.

She avoids the golem's punch to the ground by hopping to the back of the golem's hand. And she follows up by jumping towards the golem body and use the 'DIVIDER' chainsaw to split the golem into two.

(It would be too difficult to defeat an enemy that has infinite usage of the relic with only two of us. Where is Bion?!)

Nelsia looks up searching for Bion while thinking that.

Back in the sky, the white horse below Sylphie opens its mouth.

A red magic circle appears from that white horse and it shoots a fire ball.

Bion evades that fire ball with ease once again and flies upwards.

(That eagle familiar is too fast...! On top of that, she is carrying one of the relics!)

Sylphie thinks that as she looks at the white eagle attached to Bion's back and the mechanical shield on Bion's left hand.

Bion flies towards a big cloud. Zeus, the white horse with blue-eyes, wastes no time no chasing her.

"Wait! Zeus!"

Despite Sylphie's shout, Zeus enters the big cloud as well.

Before Sylphie enters, she hears a slash sound and Zeus is thrown out from the cloud.

Zeus no longer have its wing so it continues falling. There is also a wound on it's right side of the neck.

"Zeus!"

Sylphie flies towards the falling white horse right after saying that.

However, Bion quickly emerges from the cloud with a drill-like spinning water covering her right hand.

Sylphie realizes that Bion almost attack her from behind. The orb on her wood staff shines with white-coloured light and the staff is quickly covered in white aura.

Sylphie turns her body a bit and block the stabbing drill-attack from Bion with the middle part of Sylphie's wood staff. Thanks to the white aura, the staff does not break.

However, Bion's attack is so strong that Sylphie needs both hands to hold her attack. Sylphie is still getting pushed back despite her effort.

Yves, the white horse below Sylphie, creates a red magic circle in front of its mouth and shoots fire ball near the masked female.

Bion lets go of the clash and increases her altitude to avoid the fire ball. Then she quickly uses an overhead chop attack with the same drill-like water magic on her right hand towards Sylphie's head.

Sylphie quickly raises the staff over her head with both hands to guard against Bion's right hand.

The wood staff and Bion's right hand clashes again.

However, as if Bion already predict Sylphie's movement, she kicks Sylphie's stomach.

"KYAA!?"

Sylphie shouts that while falling from her white horse.

Right after kicking Sylphie, Bion slashes Yves' body causing the white horse to fall at different direction than Sylphie.

Back the ground, Ekirschteria realizes that Sylphie is falling. The purple knight stops shooting and runs towards Sylphie.

"Got you!"

While saying that, the one-eyed goblin aims his 'BOOSTER' barrel at the purple knight.

"!?"

However, he suddenly feels dizzy and grab his head using his right hand.

(Dammit... I used too much mana...!)

The one-eyed goblin's begins staggering mid-air while thinking that.

Nelsia also tries to chase after Ekirschteria.

But Ekirschteria also shoots a red beam blast at Nelsia causing her to jump back to avoid it.

Then Nelsia points her left hand towards the purple knight. A green magic circle appears in front of her left hand and it shoots wind slash out of it.

The wind slash hits the running Ekirschteria but it does not pierce Ekirschteria's armor or even flinch the purple knight.

Ekirschteria then shoots another red beam blast at Bion who is chasing after the falling Sylphie.

By the time Bion realizes the beam blast, it is too late for her to avoid it so she uses the shield relic on her left hand to guard against the beam blast.

Right before the beam blast makes contact with Bion's shield relic, the name 'ABSORBER' carved on it starts shining and immediately opens the outer part of the shield revealing its inner machinery with mechanical hole. The mechanical hole immediately absorbs the beam blast.

Not missing the chance, Ekirschteria jumps and catches Sylphie while Bion's 'ABSORBER' shield is still absorbing the beam blast.

Right after the beam blast is completely absorbed into Bion's 'ABSORBER' shield, the shield's outer parts closes itself.

"! This is our chance! Have Bion cover us while we escape from here!"

Nelsia shouts at the flying one-eyed goblin.

"You want us to run away!?"

The one-eyed goblin shouts angrily at Nelsia. However Nelsia quickly shouts back at him.

"Do you want to die here?!"

".... grr...!"

Not being able to reply, the one-eyed goblin flies towards Nelsia.

Nelsia then raises her right hand. The one-eyed goblin grabs Nelsia's right hand using his right hand and lifts her body up together with her relic.

At the same time, Sylphie opens her eyes while she's being carried by both of the purple knight's hand even though the purple knight's right hand is still carrying the seemingly heavy 'BLASTER' sword.

"T- thank you, Eki..."

Ekirschteria puts Sylphie down and then shoots a red beam blast at the flying one-eyed goblin.

However, Bion gets in the way and let her 'ABSORBER' shield absorbs the beam blast once again.

Right after absorbing the red beam, Bion escapes the warehouse area together with Nelsia and the one-eyed goblin.

No one is chasing them as the dwarf army is no longer in the condition to fight.

Sylphie stands up, but the pain on her stomach makes her lose balance.

Ekirschteria prevents Sylphie from falling by grabbing her body.

"I'm alright... but Zeus and Yves..."

Sylphie says that while trying to stand on her own.

Ekirschteria then holds Sylphie's left hand and help her walk with the knight's shoulder.

As both of them walk, Sylphie looks at many destroyed buildings and many gruesome corpses of dwarves scattered around.

"...!"

Sylphie slowly lowers her head while walking and tries her best to not cry at the cruel sight of reality in front of her.

*End of Interlude*