Published: September 9, 2025
This chapter is written in third-person perspective.
Correction of typos made on 2014/10/13.
An excerpt of character introductions has been added in the afterword.
At the end of the year, the Royal Capital was engulfed in chaotic hellish screams.
"Damn it, my steel sword’s edge chipped!"
"Tch, my javelin too."
Unlucky Guards patrolling the Royal Capital had encountered monsters and were fiercely fighting.
They first came into contact with a gigantic cricket monster, as large as an elephant, bursting through the cobblestone pavement.
Though heavily armored compared to usual, the Guards, who normally excelled against criminals, were overwhelmed, and the tide favored the monsters.
However, just as they were about to be overwhelmed, saviors appeared.
A group of about thirty people emerged from the other side of the street and leapt onto the monsters.
"We're here to help! Leave the monsters to us!"
"Ah! Thank you, knights!"
The knight captain charged at the monster’s face with a mithril alloy lance held in one hand.
The attack was blocked by a red membrane forming on the monster’s surface, but unlike the Guards’ swords, the lance’s edge did not chip.
After a brief stalemate, the red membrane shattered like glass.
Yet, due to the membrane’s resistance, the lance slid off the monster’s head in vain.
"So this is the Red Rope!"
The knight dashed past the monster’s side with that momentum.
The remaining knights began their charge, following their captain.
But the monster wasn’t just waiting to be killed.
Previously fighting with its antennae and front limbs, it now charged at the knights with its whole body.
Like arrows shot from a bow, the monster jumped, knocking several knights away.
More than half of the knights were thrown aside, some falling from their horses, but protected by thick armor and well-trained muscles, none were killed.
In the blood-stained, fallen knight's blurry vision stood a town girl, frozen in front of the monster.
"Ughh, monster! You're dealing with me now, you filthy bug!"
The knight summoned all his willpower, stood up, and shouted provocative words at the monster’s back with all his soul.
The monster, which had its antennae pointed at the town girl, shifted its attention to the knight.
"Good boy, as expected of a man. I'll help you here, so take a little break."
The town girl said to the knight as if advising a child, twirling the broom in her hand.
Apparently, the town girl decided to fight the monster.
The monster’s antennae lashed like whips, but the girl skillfully parried left and right with her broom.
She even nimbly dodged the monster’s front limb strike by hopping aside.
"R-Run! This isn’t someone you can handle with just a broom."
"It’s okay~ Leave it to me."
The girl gave a peace sign to the knight; her face was veiled by a recognition-blocking veil like a disguised noble.
With the broom handle in hand, she flicked the monster’s head upwards from below.
The monster’s head snapped back violently as if hit by a giant’s hammer.
"Wh-What?!"
The knight muttered in disbelief at the surreal sight that seemed straight out of a hero’s tale or comedy.
Then the girl delivered a triple jab with the broom to the monster’s lower jaw.
The monster collapsed onto a nearby house, turning the building into rubble and dust.
"Uh-oh, I wonder if I'll be asked to pay for this."
Ignoring the girl’s out-of-place worry, the knights gradually stood up and raised their weapons against the monster.
Though battered, they could not let women fight alone and maintain their knightly dignity.
"Even if times change, the soul of the knights of the Shiga Kingdom remains strong."
The girl crossed her arms and nodded arrogantly.
Buried under the rubble, the monster skillfully swung its antennae to attack the knights. Every time the knights blocked with their swords or shields, sparks flew.
"Alright, a present from me! I rarely do this kind of service."
The girl waved her broom hand, and the knights’ swords began to glow with light.
If anyone with appraisal skills were here, they would recognize it as the advanced arcane magic “Divine Light Dagger (Divine Blade).”