I was in a town near King's Landing



Demons!　A demon is coming...!

　A guard shouted at the watchtower.
　Spotting the shadow of the demon, the guard struck the bell to announce the enemy's attack.
　After ringing it three times, there was a pause and then three times again.

　It was a sign that "a threat too great for the soldiers to handle" was approaching.


All the residents are in the building!　Soldiers, gather on the walls...!
''Do you have a sorcerer who belongs to the 'Magic Guild'!　 Give me a hand!
"We're dealing with a flying man. But ... does the arrow go through?　That guy.


　The soldiers run around town.
　Preparing lunch. Shopping. Work - catching the residents who were outside and evacuating them into the buildings.
　Once that was done, the soldiers took their weapons and ran up the city wall surrounding the town.

　On top of the wall there is a large strong crossbow (ballista).
　It is a fixed-type large bow that draws a string by the principle of leverage. After checking the operation of this long unused bow, the soldiers set the arrows.


　Gun Gun Gun Gun........


　Again, the soldiers in the watchtower ring the bell.
　It is a signal that the enemy is approaching.
　The soldiers on the ramparts draw a strong ballista with several men and take aim.

　The appearance of the enemy was already in sight.

"....Huge.
''........What is that thing? Is it really a demon?!
"...where do you come from?　You're telling me you came out of a myth!


"Keeeeeeeeeeeeee!


　The demon's screams made the city walls tremble.
　From the soldiers' vantage point, a huge demon with wings spread.

　The demon snapped its huge beak to threaten the soldiers on the wall.
　The eyes of an eagle were gazing at the soldiers.

　Its wings are as wide as a dozen or so buildings.
　Its claws could skewer several soldiers at once. Its body is in the shape of a lion. The fact that it is flying in the sky makes it an immeasurable threat.

　That demon - the giant gryphon was ten times larger than normal.


''Geeeeeeeeeeaaaa!
Unleash...!

　At the captain's signal, the soldiers simultaneously fire a strong bolt (ballista).
　Iron arrows fly towards the gryphon.
　It is sufficiently attracted. The target is also large.
　It was not supposed to miss, but--


"Giye?


　Buh.


　The griffon's huge wings flapped and a storm occurred.
　The arrows that were caught in the backwind deflected and fell. The arrows that were lucky enough to reach the gryphon were already powerless.
　It was played by the demon's skin and fell down.

''Don't flinch!　Keep firing the arrows...!

　The soldiers set up arrows in the strong crossbow (ballista) again.
　In the meantime, the soldiers with their bows ready to fire their arrows.
　The timing is close. The griffon didn't have time to flap its wings and took a decent hit from the arrows.

　But it had no effect.

　Most of the arrows were bounced off the gryphon's skin without piercing it. Even the ones that stung didn't penetrate the skin and had no effect whatsoever on stopping the gryphon's invasion.
　However, it had the effect of making him angry.

''Kyiee!

　The gryphon changed course.
　From the front of the town, where soldiers were concentrated, to the relatively paltry side of the town.

''──Chi!　All hands to the west!　Focus your attack!

　The captain of the soldiers clicks his tongue.
　The side from the gryphon's point of view - the western wall has few soldiers.
　In order to counter the huge demon, they had no choice but to concentrate their soldiers in one direction.
　On the flanks, they gathered soldiers who are not good with bows and made them hold up their shields. It's a huge shield (Great Shield) made of iron.
　It was intended to be a wall to keep the demons from entering the town, but how far will it get through...


"GIGAAA!


　Boom.


　The gryphon's hind legs, which had come around to the west, kicked the city wall.
　The entire rampart trembled and the soldiers screamed.
　The giant gryphon remains intact...


"Kye ..........


　He ducked down and left the town.


'....e...


　While the dumbfounded soldiers look on, the giant gryphon flies away.
　

''It escaped.........''
Ours, our victory!
'Wait!　He's heading towards King's Landing. Give me a message at once!

　The soldiers put down their weapons and shouted in their mouths.
　All of them are elated with the joy of having defeated the demons.

　So they didn't notice that there was a cavalryman who had sneaked through the street near the city walls - the opposite side of the street from where the gryphon was rampaging.





''We've cleared the last town. All that remains is the royal city.

　The lead cavalryman said.
　An answer of 'Roger' echoed inside his helmet. The people around them already understand the plan.
　The armor they are wearing is a replica of the 'Lord's Armor'.
　However, they specialize in persistence, durability and communication ability rather than instantaneous combat ability.

　Thanks to that, they were able to get here from the border in a short period of time.

''I'm concerned about the fact that you and that person (...) were separated, but that person is from the imperial family. He cannot understand the high mindedness of our 'Sanctuary Church'.
"But is there any danger of him losing his 'Lord of the Rings'?
''That's not a problem either. ''The early types of the 'Spirit King Rider' and 'Beast King Rider' are no match for that 'King Rider'.''
"...for sure.
At best, you can make a move. He just wants to fight a strong man. This is something we don't understand...

　The cavalrymen looked up at the giant gryphon.
　The potion they brought from the Empire seemed to have worked beautifully.

　The 'Sanctuary Church' that ruled the 'Ancient Magical Civilization (Elysian)' 200 years ago found a potion to strengthen the demons in the fifth underground level.
　Demons who took it into their bodies would grow to become huge and follow the instructions of the person who gave them the potion. This was used 200 years ago in The War of the Eight Kings.

　Of course, it's still used today.
The demons that appeared in the 'Torrius Territory' and the border region were also strengthened with this potion.
　However, the stock has already been used up. It was one of the last things I gave that griffon to drink.

Therefore, we must break into the royal capital and reach the fifth underground level at all costs. That place should still be there. The rest of the potion and the system to create it...

"...I understand.
"...and our luck is good, sir.
''──that's right. We were able to pass through the side of town without being noticed, and we got that gryphon.''

'Yeah. Yeah.

　The cavalry captain nods back at his subordinate's words.

''──But I have a question.''
That's right. Why was there a gryphon in that forest?

''I have an idea about that. As I recall, a man named Kachel-Miegen, who was under the control of the 'Sanctuary Church', used gryphons as his errand boy. It is said that he had several of them as his messengers. It must have escaped and taken up residence there.

　It seems that Kachel-Megen is now in prison. I've heard that he tried to kidnap the princess and failed, and then used an unworthy spell that shredded the flow of magic in his body and sent him to prison unconscious.

　Although it's unbecoming, the cavalry captain still gives thanks to Kachel-Migen.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that we've got the giant gryphon in our possession.

'We will continue on to King's Landing. "We will continue on our way to King's Landing and invade the city while the guards are distracted by the gryphon. You know the plan, don't you?
"...I understand.
"...when you get close to King's Landing, you'll wear the armor of the Liestier Guards...
"─ ─ Afterwards, while the gryphon is rampaging through King's Landing, we raided the 'Magic Guild'. According to the map, you will head to the fifth level...

　The cavalry captain nods in satisfaction at his subordinate's words.
　He pats the horses teasingly. There is still plenty of room for the horses that have been given ample rest on the way.
　One of them should be able to reach the fifth level of Elysian.

　We know how to get into and out of that dungeon without being noticed.

''Even though I've been managing it for nearly two hundred years, neither the Liestier Kingdom nor the Magic Guild, for that matter, have understood the essence of that 'Ancient Magic Civilization'. That dungeon is alive (...)...

　The cavalry captain murmured.
　There is no reply from his men. I guess they still don't understand the nature of the situation either.
　That's natural. It's because what the cavalry captain is talking about is information that has only been passed on to the high ranking people in the 'Sanctuary Church'.

　The giant dungeon 'Elysium' is alive just like them.
　So it also changes. There is room for those who know it to enter.

'Watch. Those who took 'Elysium' from our 'Sanctuary Church'.

　The cavalry captain drives his horse, gritting his teeth.
　At the end of the road, he can faintly see the royal capital.
　There is a forest nearby. The information should have said 'Black Forest'. A giant gryphon is flying near it.
　There are no enemies in the vicinity. There was nothing unusual about it.
　The only thing I can say is that there are strangely (...) many (...) bats.

"-What are you playing at? A griffon.

　The bats are clinging around the giant gryphon.
　They keep their distance and chirp as if to provoke you.

"Why don't they just get rid of the bats?
"Keeeeeeeeeeeeee!

　The captain's voice is heard, and the griffon descends towards the bats.
　The frightened bats scatter and flee into the forest.

　The griffon stops before the forest. With its huge body, it can't get into the forest.
　Rather, there would be no need to chase it - the captain decided that - when


　Boom.


　A spear of rock that flew out of the forest pierced the gryphon's wings.

''──What!

　Then fireballs, stone gravels, ice spears - all sorts of attacking magic rushed the giant gryphon.

''Geeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

　The gryphon screams.
　The cavalry captain realizes. He said that there was an army of sorcerers hiding in the forest.

''But how did they know our path?''

　The response is too quick.
　The griffon was caught near the town earlier and made into a giant with medicine.
Even if the "Magic Guild" noticed its existence, it shouldn't have been able to come here.
　As long as you're not experimenting with magic by accident in that forest..............


"Gear!　Geeeaaaaah!'
'Oh ... the gryphon ...'

　The gryphon falls off, its wings shredded.
　The griffon manages to land, but it can't fly anymore.

'It's not over yet!　And anyway, we're heading to that forest. Defeat those sorcerers hiding in that place!
"'Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!'

　The horsemen change course into the Black Forest.
　If the enemy is a sorcerer, they have a chance to win. Their armor is a replica of the 'Royal Horseman'. Although it's inferior to the original, it has some magic resistance. It should be able to block the 'Ancient Magic'.

"The enemy is a magician. I'm not going to let them get away with it. But leave a few people behind. They will be used as hostages.

　The cavalry captain's words are answered with a 'Yes, sir'.
　The forest gets closer. The griffon that fell to the ground is a bug's breath from the barrage of magic.
　Furthermore, the sorcerers are coming out of the forest.


''──This is the Liestier Kingdom 'Magic Guild', the A-class magician Curtus-Zamel!


　Suddenly, a voice rang out.
It was as if the voice was being magnified by "Ancient Magic".

"Yesterday, we received word from the border that a mysterious cavalryman has entered the country. Is that you guys?　Or are you riders of the Kingdom of Liestia?　Answer me!　Answer me or I will attack you!

Leave it alone!　Stomp it out!
''Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!''

　The cavalrymen increase their speed.
　The sorcerer ahead of them - an old man in white robes - shrugs his shoulders in dismay.

　The distance is getting closer.
　We're close to crushing them.

"Oh, dear me........you really are the enemy. Odette Slay. Your words were right.

　The old man called out.

Then allow me to use the full power of that armor. I'll cover you and you can try to do what you want!



"Thank you. Mr. Zamel.



　I heard a voice.
　


''──What!

'What's this weakness....my body....doesn't move!
Magic. It's absorbing its magic. That's why the replica load is functioning....

A ray of magic-eating light, no way!

　A chill runs down the cavalry captain's spine.

''Totally........I can't even explore the dungeon in a daze. I was going to surprise you with my accomplishments before that man returned.''

　Slowly, a gray armor emerges from the forest.
　Its size is about twice the height of an adult.
　It is characterized by its long arms and two thin arms sprouting from its back.
　Where once they were just arms, they now have a huge shield attached to them. That is a shield that nullifies magic. The cavalry captain is well aware of that.

　That 'Royal Horseman' was originally the property of their organization.

''No........That──that should be useless due to the high consumption of magic power. Don't tell me........do you mean to say that you've broken the seal?
I don't give a shit.

　The gray armor looked at the cavalry captain.
　At that moment, he knew that the difficulty of the operation had jumped.

　They were terrified.
　If they didn't defeat this original 'King's Horseman' - the 'Spirit King (Lord-Of-) Horseman (Phantom)', they wouldn't be able to get to the royal capital.

''If possible, please surrender?''

The "Spirit King Rider" moves an auxiliary arm on his back.
　That arm is the launching point for the ray of light that takes away magic power. All of the horsemen are already within its range of effect.
　The bodies of the horsemen begin to tremble.
　Looking at them, the person inside the "Spiritual King Horseman" said...

'I'm meeting my friends' maids for tea today. I'd like to make it quicker if I can.

　He murmured such things in a tone of voice so gentle that it was out of place.