The Battle at Kathe’s House

  I looked at Eric and Goran, who were talking as if relieved.

  But in spite of their words, their guard was completely up.

  Their sharp eyes scanned our surroundings.

  However, Kathe stomped towards me and said happily, “It looks like the wind breath was very effective against those machines!”


  “If anything, I think it was almost too effective.”


  “GAHAHAHA! Do you really think so? You are probably right.”


  The magic machines had strong magic defense for both fire and wind.

  And her attack had gone straight through it all, so there was no questioning its power.

  In any case, Kathe was too relaxed.

  “Kathe, it’s too early to celebrate. Keep your guard up.”


  “Oh? I think it is alright now?”


  “No, there are probably still enemies in your house.”


  “But you burned them all away, Locke! Though, I am very anxious about my furniture…… But there should not be any more enemies.”


  Kathe was born as the strongest of living creatures, and so she had an optimistic view of it.

  I was still worried, and so I said to her, “Maybe the goblins and low-ranking vampires are dead, but there could be Archs and Lords.”


  “No, Locke. I doubt even Archs and Lords could have survived that.”


  “I agree. Kathe may be too optimistic sometimes, but you are too pessimistic, Locke.”


  I understood what Eric and Goran meant.

  But any enemy who couldn’t survive that fire was not very strong.

  I could take them down with one hand behind my back.

  On the other hand, anything that did survive deserved to be taken seriously.

  “Kathe, aren’t you forgetting something? There are Evil Dragons, aren’t there?”


  “Oh, that is right. But I don’t sense their presence.”


  “They could be sleeping deep inside.”


  “I do not think that even Evil Dragons would sleep while fire is blazing around them.”


  But them being awake didn’t mean they would come out.

  They could be lying low and waiting for us to come inside.

  “Well, let’s go in. Kathe, you take the rear.”


  “Alright.”


  “And don’t use your breath in there.”


  “I know. My claws and fangs are strong enough.”


  And so we cautiously made our way into the palace.

  As the paths were wide, I, Eric and Goran could walk side-by-side.

  “There is the toilet!”


  “I see.”


  “And there is the kitchen!”


  “Alright.”


  Kathe explained as we walked.

  Still, it was possible that there were enemies lurking in the toilets and kitchens too.

  And so we had to check.

  “It doesn’t seem like the fire did much damage.”


  “Well, it is a dragon palace, after all.”


  “Ah, here’s a medal. A Vampire Lord must have died in the fire.”


  We found the occasional medal and pile of ash, but that was all.

  There were no moving enemies.

  “Maybe they really did die then?”


  “I hope so. Kathe, where is this trash can?”


  Philly, the genius Alchemist, had suggested that this trash can was creating the magic machines.

  “Oh, that trash can is just around the corner.”


  “Alright.”


  I walked a little faster but remained cautious.

  Just as we were about to turn the corner, a blade came swinging towards my neck.

  I quickly bent backward and out of its path.

  It was a Vampire High Lord.

  His sharp sword slashed at all three of us at once.

  From behind him, an additional five Vampire Lords were charging at us.

  “So they survived the fire!”


  Eric sounded very happy.

  Maybe these vampires had been strengthened by the Evil God.

  “Don’t underestimate them, even if they are just Lords!”


  “I know!”


  Eric and Goran swung their weapons, not holding back even a little.

  Given their number, each of us had to take down two of them.

  Still, Eric and Goran were doing very well.

  And so I fought with the Devil King Sword.

  When in a party, my main role as a Sorcerer was defense.

  Especially when indoors.

  There weren’t many opportunities to burn all opponents to the ground with overwhelming firepower.

  You had to control it carefully.

  But given the circumstances, it was much better to leave it to Eric and Goran.

  “I, I……”


  “Kathe, watch our backs.”


  “I know that!”


  Like Sorcerers, Kathe was not able to live up to her full potential while indoors.

  Her attacks were too strong and had too much range.

  As I traded blows with one of the Vampire High Lords, his eyes began to flash.

  It was Charm, a skill that vampires were very good at.

  The other five vampires’ eyes flashed as well.

  They were pooling their power together to enhance the effect.

  “Six or not, don’t think such a cheap trick could ever work on us!”


  “Hmph. As if Charm would have any effect!”


  “Hah, you almost made me dizzy for a second!”


  Eric seemed quite fine. But Goran had me sweating for a moment.

  He was probably joking, but I wished he wouldn’t do that.

  “Goran, hold yourself together!”


  “No, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”


  While he was high in level, Goran was a Warrior. He had the lowest magic defense out of us three.

  Even then, the power of five High Lords doing Charm together should not affect him.

  Still, there was always a one in a thousandth chance.

  “Maybe we should have brought an item to raise magic defense.”


  I muttered as we fought. That’s when it happened.

  –GGGOOOOARRRRHH!!

  A blast of wind breath hit us.