Chapter 146: Raising The Curtain of a Great War

（Im… possible!）

Tama’s eyes opened wide in shock.

The reason was that the Shrine Maiden had come out of that onslaught unscathed.

Suddenly, Tama’s body shone.

His evolution got canceled, and he felt as if power was leaving his body.

「Nyaaa…!」

GIN――!

Narrowing his eyes, Tama looked at the Shrine Maiden.

Then, with his remaining strength, he invoked one of his 《Elemental Tail Blades》, 《Flame Edge》.

Even though his evolution had been canceled, he planned to fight till the bitter end.

【… You pass.】

「N… nya~?」

Hearing the Shrine Maiden’s voice, Tama couldn’t hide his surprise.

The Shrine Maiden approached the dumbfounded Tama and smiled for the first time since they had met.

She then snapped her fingers. The mysterious space suddenly broke, and Tama realized that they were already back inside the cave.

「NYAN(MASTER)!」

「Tama, thank god you’re safe!」

Tama hurriedly rushed as soon as he saw Aria.

Seeing her beloved pet(knight) running toward her, Aria welcomed Tama in her embrace.

「Shrine Maiden-sama, what do you mean by… pass?」

Aria asked while embracing Tama.

【… You two, didn’t give up, even after, you exhausted, your power.】

【… This is, not a test to see, your strength. It’s a test, to see your courage…】

Both Shrine Maidens spoke in turn while looking at Aria and Tama with fierce gazes.

「…」

Aria heaved a sigh of relief. Her round butt plopped on the ground as she embraced Tama.

（Humph! So that means Master also fought till a bitter end her trump card also failed to defeat the Shrine Maiden.）

Tama was right, Aria had gone all out and used 《Excalibur》 from the very beginning, exhausting her mana in the process. However, she still failed to defeat the Shrine Maiden.

Nevertheless, just like Tama, she didn’t give up till the end. She manipulated Tempest Bringer with her remaining mana and kept charging forward with her all.

「May I ask a question?」

【…？】

「Why is Shrine Maiden-sama staying in this place? I mean, there’s a huge fight happening outside right at this very moment. With your strength, you can stop that fight so easily…」

Aria couldn’t hold back from asking that question.

【I am, nothing more than the 〝Embodiment of Thought〟 created by people’s wills…】

【I am, nothing more than an existence, created to appease spirits. That’s why, I can’t leave, this place…】

The Shrine Maiden answered without beating around the bush.

「「…」」

Aria and Tama were at loss for words. Her answer was way beyond their imagination.

（I see now. An embodiment of Thought, huh…）

Tama understood the Shrine Maiden.

The reason Shrine Maiden didn’t shrink back from Tama’s attack was simply that she was the embodiment of thoughts; she had no physical body.

That was why no matter how powerful the attack they used, it didn’t work on her.

【… Then.】

【… The contract ceremony.】

The two Shrine Maidens spread their arms, ignoring Aria and Tama, who had yet to snap out from their shock.

Then, the silver-blaze-blue-green-black lights rose from their backs.

「That’s…」

【… Yes, the spirits.】

The Shrine Maiden gave a short reply to Aria.

The lights shone even brighter. The silver light went toward Aria while the other four lights went toward Tama.

「Light spirit… Light… ning?」

When the silver light entered her body, Aria spoke the words that appeared in her mind.

Tama underwent a similar experience.

Fire spirit Ifrit, water spirit Undine, wind spirit Sylphine, earth spirit Gnome, those four names appeared in Tama’s mind.

The next moment, both of them felt boundless energy filling their exhausted bodies.

【… The spirits, acknowledged, you two…】

【… With this, the contract, is complete…】

The Shrine Maidens quietly muttered.

Then, starting from their feet, their bodies began to disperse into light particles.

【… The spirits’ power.】

【… Please, don’t misuse it.】

The Shrine Maidens’ figures vanished after they left those parting words.

「Tama, let’s immediately go back!」

「Nya~n(Roger that, Master)!」

The two of them also left the sealed shrine.

◆

「They finally arrived, Mina.」

「Yeah, Ciel-sama…」

Ciel and Mina conversed in the plain on the outskirts of Horo hamlet.

Far in front of them was a wide cloud of dust.

Mina was rearranging the formation of the villagers’ volunteer army in this plain to set up an ambush for the Erebor tribesmen, who arrived faster than the prediction.

「A BIG BATTLE! I’ve been waiting for this!」

Battle maniac Stella let out a war cry in excitement upon seeing the incoming enemies.

「Let’s do our best till Aria and Tama return!」

「We won’t lo~se!」

Lily and Faeri were high spirited too.

Their faces held no trace of fear even after they saw Belphegor’s army marching toward them. The fairies’ current mental states were proof of their growth after the great battle in Lumilus village.

「I never expected that I would fight humans of another world…」

「It feels a bit complicated…」

Vulcan and May spoke in turn with helpless smiles on their faces.

「It can’t be helped. They chose to side with the Demon King after all…」

Cedric tried to ease their tension upon noticing their, especially Mai’s, mental states.

Contrary to the two girls, the villagers of Horo hamlet were doing warm-ups with cheerful looks on their faces.

It was somehow understandable since they were already in a hostile relationship with the Elebor tribe and the spirit Bolt, which had caused a great disaster in the past.

That was why it seemed natural for them to be in high spirits upon knowing that they were going to fight their nemesis.

「Patriarch! The vanguard of the Elebor tribe is charging forward!」

「AMBUSH THEM! VANGUARD UNIT, READY!」

Receiving the report, Mina gave orders to the army.

Just like the battle in Lumilus, Vulcan and Stella were participating as the vanguard here.

「CHARGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!」

Horo hamlet’s vanguard let out loud war cries as they charged forward to intercept their enemies.

Thus, the battle against the Demon King in another world, Arc, began.