Mistress Of The Evil Forest

Case 103: Advent – Speedrun.

January 12th, 1835, in another corner of Astra.

Roughly fifteen minutes before Valstein's descent.

With each passing second, Chloe feels as though a whole block has passed by. This is only natural—she is a superhuman right now, after all. Her legs are light, her veins are overflowed with vitality, and her senses are vividly enriched.

The sensation of omnipotence.

Even after several months in this body, Chloe is still not fully used to it.

''Turn left in fifty, My Lady.''

''Okay.''

Trailing behind Chloe are three knights clad in silver belonging to her private military unit. As soon as the crisis begins, she, with all the experience of the original game, organizes her force to swiftly deal with the looming threat.

In the game, it is explained after finishing the chapter that Valstein has scattered his people across the capital and used them as the medium for the formation instead of magical paint.

'Fucking Valstein at this time...'

If the monster beyond this summoning ritual actually descends, there will be virtually no way of defending the capital with it and Valstein as the assailants. Thus, Chloe has to destroy this formation no matter what.

In a few hours, the ritual will be completed.

It's a race against time.

However, the capital is vast, and a few dozen people can't possibly make a meaningful change. 

'I need to drag the imperial knights into this...'

Even if it risks their suspicion, Chloe needs it to be done. If it's Aurora, she would surely tell the knights to scatter.

''Let's go.''

Turning into a dark alleyway, the four quickly navigate through the piles of garbage and seemingly deliberate obstacles before reaching a certain source of light.

Glowing purple, three robed figures can be seen lying on the ground while another one stands guard.

''Huh? What—''

SWISH—!!

In an instant, Chloe's cold sword rips through the guard's neck, cleanly decapitating him. The other three are also swiftly taken out by the experienced knights. They nod to each other once before jumping into the wall nearby, scaling between the buildings to reach the top.

Soon enough, they find themselves standing on top of a relatively tall structure, overlooking the entire scene. At this point, the evacuation effort is still underway, and chaos has spread across the city.

It's an especially concerning situation since the population here is quite overbearing. At this point, there is no way everyone will make it.

''Let's continue.''

'''' Yes, ma'am! ''''

As Chloe prepares to dash off again, something in the corner of her eyes catches her attention. Someone wearing a rather luxurious black robe lurks nearby, barely concealing their presence for her alone.

''...You three,'' Chloe speaks up. ''Go ahead without me. I'll follow soon.''

The knights appear puzzled, yet they act right away.

Jumping down from the rooftop, Chloe quickly enters the second floor of a house, where she feels the presence.

''Skely.'' Chloe sighs. ''You're finally here.''

''Greetings, Lady Chloe.'' An unimaginably deep voice sounds from the skeleton. ''May I know the exact situation?''

''Direct, I like it.'' The blonde beauty chuckles. ''Ravenous Moon has planted a sacrificing formation, one of city-scale.''

''Demons, perhaps?''

''Yeah. A ridiculously strong one. We need to nullify it in around two hours.''

''Do you have the checkpoints mapped?''

''Only the big ones—roughly. They have thousands. Focus on breaking these first.''

As Chloe hands him a map, the former archmage takes it and scans through the marks.

''I... will have to call upon Orcinus Nova's army for help,'' Skely says. ''Please tell your troops not to attack the marine.''

''Of course. We'll handle the West and North.''

''Understood. Then, I wish you good luck.''

''You, too.''

Just like that, the brief meeting between the two ends, and they immediately separate. Skely teleports to the plaza for his report while Chloe continues her so-called speedrun.

Believing in her subordinates' capabilities, Chloe decisively skips the next checkpoint that she has mapped and runs right to the one after it. There, she finds her three trusted knights tackling a giant beast the size of a house.

With a huge body and sharp claws, the colossal bear violently destroys the surroundings on the way, shielding its body from outside attacks. Seeing this scene, Chloe sets her blade ablaze. She condenses her mana into the tip of her sword, then aims it right at the creature's huge head.

''Die.''

A plasma ray shoots toward the beast, piercing through its skull, and instantly kills it. As the bear's body drops onto the ground, Chloe lightly lands on its head and scans the surroundings. Roughly ten more figures remain, including the guards and the mediums.

Which means ten more beams.

''Let's aim for a headshot streak...''

For a while, only helpless screams echo through the area. Taking the faint scent of blood in the air, Chloe lets out a sigh. When she turns to the side, the three knights have already lined up, waiting for her command.

'...No wonder Amelia got arrogant.'

Having a private squad of this caliber is bound to affect one's pride.

''Oh.''

Suddenly, a deep shade falls onto her. Amidst the muddy air, Chloe gazes toward the sky to find a terrifying monster looming over the capital, quietly observing the ground with its oversized eye.

The eerily human-like pupil darts around constantly, arousing an infinitely unsettling feeling.

Simultaneously, a thick, nasty mana presence is felt toward the center of the capital, signaling the descent of a calamity.

''My Lady, it's too dangerous. Should we retreat?''

Hearing the voice of concern from her knight, Chloe quietly shakes her head.

''If we don't stop the calamity here, it will inevitably target Luminous Duchy next.'' She firmly says. ''Think of it as protecting our hometown. Besides... there is someone capable there already.''

''Grandmaster Graham, you mean? I suppose if it's him...''

Not bothering to address the misunderstanding, Chloe shrugs and continues her mission. 

''Lady Luminous!''

''Hm?''

Along the way, her group encounters a unit of knights clad in black—as she has expected. Not letting the captain speak, she resolutely intervenes.

''You. Help us sabotage the summoning formation.''

''But... what about the evacuation? Do you know how to sabotage it in the first place?''

''Evacuating won't make it in time. The formation will consume all of them.'' The blonde beauty shakes her head. ''Follow this map and eliminate the cultists. Do as I say. I will take responsibility.''

On the grand scale, a duchy of the empire is essentially a kingdom. Thus, Amelia Luminous holds a position similar to that of a royal princess. Upon her insistence, the knights eventually yield, following her order.

''Hey, take these as well. Tell the others to cooperate, and don't bother touching the West and North.''

''Huh? Is there a reason—''

''Hurry up. Don't ask questions.''

Right then, all light in the immediate area—no, in the entire capital collapses. A pitch-black curtain falls, enveloping everything in darkness. Mere moments later, light resumes. Some can't even get to react.

It feels like a moment of natural wonder, a brief glitch in reality.

Yet, when the people look at the sky, the calamity has vanished entirely.

''What...''

Civilians, soldiers, fiends—they all halt their chaotic movements and simply watch, stunned at the impossible sight.

''Hah...''

With her blonde hair fluttering in the air, she grips her sword tighter.

'Trust me, Aurora. I'll definitely finish this speedrun.'