How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 285

Chapter 285

To Reclaim 317 (9)

The point of this battle isn’t ‘how many we annihilate.’

It’s how long we endure.

If that difference isn’t understood, we’ll be swept away by the enemy’s offensive and annihilated in an instant.

“There’s no need to defeat them unconditionally! Just buy as much time as possible!”

Third Prince Avil repeatedly emphasized this to ensure the fighting citizens didn’t forget.

Fighting indoors has both disadvantages and advantages.

They ignored what was above them, barricading themselves with walls on all sides, focusing solely on holding back the encroaching enemies.

In effect, a siege.

And what makes it possible is the desperate fight of some powerful helpers.

“Sweep them away!”

At Lucel’s gesture, two high-level spirits emitting flames and ice appeared beside her.

The highlight for a high-level spirit caster is a powerful, wide-ranging attack that cuts off the enemy’s advance.

Powerful cold freezes the red skeletons’ feet, icing their joints and halting their movements.

And into the rear ranks of those immobilized foes, Lucel’s fire spirit hurls a massive fireball.

Thwoooom!

Even though it landed quite far away, the heatwave was powerful enough to buffet the allied stronghold.

“Yes!”

Lucel clenched her fist, seemingly pleased with the power.

“Lucel, you crazy thing! Are you trying to roast me alive with that fireball?”

“Hmph, you always dodge it just fine anyway.”

It might seem like she’s treating her comrades too harshly, but there’s no choice.

If she only attacked sparingly, the enemies would swarm them.

“Honestly, I’m the only one doing all the hard work.”

Alnix thrust out his spear, as if parting the incoming heatwave.

“Hoo!”

The aura-clad spear created a sharp aftershock, tearing through the skeletons charging at him.

“Not enough yet!”

He retracted the spear, simultaneously stepping forward with one foot, shifting his weight.

Those skeletons are tough.

Simply striking them won’t easily shatter them.

In that case.

“Just get smashed to bits!”

Crack.

He poured immense power into the spear, enough to crack the floor, and thrust it forward with all his might.

Clang!

The emitted aura soared as if to pierce through space itself, consecutively piercing the skeletons charging at him, shattering them into pieces.

A vertical gap opened, and the surrounding skeletons were pushed back and fell from the aftershock alone.

“Haa… Tch… Is that all?”

It’s enough to stall them for a moment, but not enough to wipe them out.

But it doesn’t matter.

This isn’t about annihilation, but about holding the line.

“Push them back now! What are you dawdling for!”

At his violent shout, the citizens who had only been watching his performance finally grabbed their weapons and shields and pushed forward.

As they thrust out spears, the shockwaves emanating from them pushed back the skeletons.

And following behind, men carrying large shields slammed them down! As they slammed the shields down, a bluish light emanated from the shields, forming a barrier.

“…Hmph, this should hold them for a while.”

Alnix watched the scene, catching his breath.

The reason they can somehow follow Alnix and Lucel’s lead in fighting.

It’s thanks to the magical tools they have.

Magical tools that Cruise Elfament, Ailen, Lucel, and others barely managed to equip while pressed for time.

At best, they emit a shock when swung or struck.

Or, when installed on the ground, they create a temporary, sturdy barrier.

But it’s enough for them to exert their strength once and buy enough time to catch their breath.

In the meantime, those in the rear will be busy moving.

“There’s no time!”

“The injured, line up here quickly! Those who can’t move, have those with remaining strength carry them!”

They busily moved around with potions and bandages, providing minimal treatment to the injured.

And for those who couldn’t move due to injuries, or those who had exhausted their strength.

“…This way! Come this way!”

Ernil personally stepped forward to cast healing abilities on them.

She was born with the ability to heal others.

She heals the injuries of the target by paying a small amount of her mana [magical energy].

According to Ailen, it also has some mana recovery effect, so he said that if taken with a potion that amplifies it, they could continue fighting.

“Unbelievable. If there’s a chance, I’d want to enlist her in the Imperial Army.”

Even Third Prince Avil sincerely said this about the usefulness of her power.

Of course, Ailen ignored him, and Sylvester glared as if telling him never to say that again.

“Ernil, can you help me for a moment too?”

Alnix shook off the fragments stuck to his spear and asked Ernil for healing.

“Alnix… Are you hurt?”

“Hmph, it’s nothing. Just a scratch from pushing myself too hard.”

Alnix drank a potion that amplified the mana recovery effect and sat down roughly on the spot.

His arm was half-torn from pushing himself to increase his power earlier.

Normally, it’s an injury that would require nearly a month of recovery.

Ernil seriously used her ability with a stern face.

White butterflies spread around her, gathering as if to envelop Alnix.

“It’s a strange ability every time I see it…”

And the butterflies gathered on Alnix’s wounds, becoming light and seeping in.

Surprisingly, all the wounds disappeared.

A healing power that even high-ranking priests of the church couldn’t imitate.

In fact, the reason they can endure now is thanks to this amazing ability.

“…It’s still bearable. Heh heh. How troublesome. To think I’d have to hold out in a place like this.”

Third Prince Avil also sighed after calculating the current situation.

“Hurry. I’m sick of just waiting.”

At the end of that sigh, the corners of his lips faintly turned up.

However, at least here, no one recognized his face.

* * *

Huh?

I was sure.

The Empress is dead.

‘Could it be? It shouldn’t have been an injury that would kill her?’

Does that mean someone eliminated her?

I don’t know who, but they’re doing unnecessary things.

Well, it’s not like I can’t guess.

It must be that damn bastard.

Moreover, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the battle just now was quite an experience, and some stats have also increased to some extent.

In the current situation, anything is an advantage.

‘Well, whatever.’

It was time to move on to the next action.

I had already decided what to do next.

Let’s think about what request I received in the first place.

“Shall we come out now? The situation is over for now.”

“I-Is it over?”

I called out Yoon Han, who I had hidden nearby, and patted him on the back, urging him forward.

“Now we have to do what we have to do, right?”

“Of course.”

He nodded seriously and immediately spoke about what to do next.

“Now… we can rescue Princess Resilia and the other Highnesses.”

Well, that’s right. I almost forgot, but the reason I was called here in the first place was because of his request to save her.

It was time to do that.

* * *

A few days ago, around the time of discussions for reclaiming the capital.

First, I had a little discussion with Yoon Han and Third Prince Avil.

“…But is Her Highness really safe?”

Yoon Han asked anxiously about that first.

He seemed quite frustrated that he couldn’t move immediately to rescue her, even after coming to the capital.

“There’s a high possibility.”

“I have no choice but to agree with Ailen’s opinion. Unfortunately.”

Both I and the Third Prince agreed.

Before that, ‘Unfortunately’? He’s your brother, even if you have different mothers.

“I believe we can rescue at least the other hostages, even if we can’t guarantee the Emperor’s safety.”

“I can only give the same opinion on that as well.”

…Could this prince just be latching onto me and pretending to know something?

He’s been agreeing with me the whole time. Seriously.

Leaving aside the suspicion of that prince vaguely going along with me.

“There’s a basis for it.”

I don’t give words of hope without any reason.

“First of all, if they were moving for complete annihilation from the beginning, they would have attacked more aggressively.”

“…It was aggressive enough.”

“If they wanted to, they could have wiped out the Imperial Palace itself without a trace from the beginning.”

I have grasped the specs [specifications or capabilities] of those villains.

Their tendencies and goals.

“They’re probably putting off dealing with the Imperial Family.”

There are quite a few who have grudges against the Imperial Family.

Whether many or few, they have positions and goals that are hostile to the Empire.

They must all be sharpening their knives.

“Would those kinds of guys be able to relieve their resentment by killing them in an instant?”

No way.

“By nature, resentment is something you want to slowly and carefully unravel.”

“Hmm… That makes sense.”

Seriously, Third Prince, can you give a proper opinion?

I sighed and continued.

“Anyway, it’s not too late to achieve the goal of saving them.”

“You’re saying that with quite a bit of confidence.”

“Think about it? Would those guys with such deep grudges feel relieved if they harmed them in a place where no one else could see?”

I confidently asserted that there was no way.

“If they’re going to do it, they’ll either publicly execute them, or they’ll do it after achieving their goals and then show it off.”

“…Hmph, not very efficient.”

“It’s probably more about feeling good than efficiency.”

Isn’t that especially the tradition of villains?

They’re the kind of people who are itching to brag and boast about their plans.

More than anything, the reason I’m confident about that is because I’ve repeatedly reviewed the contents of the original work and confirmed their behavior patterns.

“It’s just that they’re not dead, so I can’t guarantee what else might have happened to them.”

“…Please don’t say ominous things.”

Yoon Han shuddered as if he didn’t want to even think about the worst-case scenario.

Well, I don’t think there’s a very high possibility of that happening.

“Anyway, the best time to save them would be on the day of the counterattack. Um, anyone have any complaints?”

If there’s no response, I’ll assume there aren’t any.

* * *

Anyway, saving them is my responsibility.

And while I was fighting, Yoon Han, who had a relatively lower presence, was the only one who could find out the location of the hostages.

“So, Mr. Yoon Han? You came back with proper results, right?”

It doesn’t matter even if he didn’t find anything.

I had enough leeway since I had defeated the Empress.

“Of course. …I just discovered a passage that the guys had blocked off.”

Yoon Han, as an Imperial Knight, was mostly familiar with the structure of the Imperial Palace, so it wouldn’t have been difficult to identify places that felt out of place.

“Unlike other places, they had guards stationed only there.”

“You didn’t touch them, did you?”

“…It’s frustrating, but I’m not sure if I could even break through with my strength.”

It can’t be helped.

The guards here are probably mostly the Empress’s Crystal Soldiers or the undead summoned by Kmel.

“Well, you’ve done enough just by saving me the trouble of finding the way.”

“I feel a little relieved that you say that, but I’m still ashamed.”

“Um… You have to do what you can. If you dwell on what you can’t do, you won’t live long.”

I gave him some appropriate advice and gestured for Yoon Han to guide me there.

“I’ll lead the way.”

As Yoon Han led the way, I sensed a large number of presences in the passage leading to the basement of the Imperial Palace’s annex, as he had said.

“There’s no reason to deploy them in a place like this without a reason, so it’s probably right.”