Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~

Fearsome and disgusting monsters rushed to attack the St. Gallen army.

"Familiars of a vampire! Shake them off!"

"Damn, where are the priests! Do we have any priests?"

"Like hell I know, perhaps they are in the main camp, damn!"

"......Leave it to me! Flames..."

It was the elite St. Gallen army. Despite the confusion, they displayed their bravery when fighting monsters in an attempt to repel them.

Fire was the choice of magic as it was most effective. Familiars of vampires had the same properties of undead monsters. Therefore, they were more susceptible to fire magic than the animals they were originally created from.

"Giiiii…!?"

Apart from the wolves that could run quickly and the bats that flew through the air, the fire magic was exceptionally effective against the giant centipede that crawled too slowly. The flames spread out the grassland. The centipedes were suddenly surrounded in the blazes, and they could writhe in pain.

The other familiars were not safe either. The wolf was attacked when it jumped back predictably to avoid the fire, while the bat was knocked down by flying projectiles such as stones, arrows and spears. Even if they were monsters, they were still lowly ranked. They were no match for soldiers who had experience battling monsters.

"Aw~ my kin!"

The vampire girl bit her teeth as the pawns she had summoned were defeated with less effect than expected.

"Summon Familiar Depraved" was an alternative to the usual “Summon Familiar". It requires a contract with an individual and creates a disposable familiar with similar traits to its summoner. It could be reactivated to summon low grade monsters so long as the summoner had mana remaining. Even so, the sight of her familiars being defeated so easily was unnerving to the vampire.

The vampire, with her keen insight for battle, could grasp the situation. Only the tail end of the enemy army was fighting, while the rest were fleeing. If she continued like this, many soldiers would be able to escape. Yet her orders were to exterminate the enemy.

As the girl started to grow frantic, she suddenly noticed something beneath her.

That’s right, if she needs more firepower, she just needs to increase her kin.

"You guys, be my kin! —Greater Create Skeleton: Spartoi!"

The tattoos on the girl who called herself Vee started to glow again. Evil magic was activated and a miasma enveloped the corpses lying on the grassy field.

The white-boned corpses rose up.

"Oohhhhh.....!"

"Thirsty......pain......!"

"Give it to me...... Give it to me! Give me life!"

The skeleton warriors, filled with resentment for the living, picked up their weapons.

The soldiers who witnessed the summoning of the skeletons stiffened up.

"Huh? The captain and the others have become skeletons!"

"But they are just skeletons! It's painful for us since we know them, but this is—"

"No, it’s no good!"

The mage informed the soldier, with a pale face, that it’s only a low-grade undead in order to stay strong.

"That thing is a horned skeleton! It's a Spartoi, a higher-level species, with even more enhanced combat power than before it was alive. Don't let your guard down, it's an opponent that even skilled adventurers can't handle!"

Spartoi were skeleton monsters with horns on their heads. This legendary monster was said to have been born from the corpses of warriors who were made from dragon fangs and who killed each other due to their innate aggressiveness. Whether the myth was true or not is unclear, but it is certain that these powerful warriors were created after death. And in terms of threat in battle, they were obviously superior to ordinary skeletons.

"Go! Go on! Kill them!"

"Ohhhh...... Master......!"

"As you wish.......!"

The five Spartoi acted according to the wishes of the vampire, their creator.

The slaughter began.

"Woah!!"

"Flame! Ah, it’s not gonna make it!"

"Stop! Captain, it's me! Please don't do this......"

It was a corpse, an undead creature created from the body of the captain, an elite of the St. Gallen army. It was a different level than the low-grade familiars created by magic power alone. The mage had no time to even finish his chanting, and the soldier was cut down before he could even deflect the attack with his sword. The soldiers defending the rear of the St. Gallen's army collapsed in a matter of seconds.

However, the five undead and the surviving familiars had only overwhelmed the rearguard. There was still plenty of fighting strength from the remaining St. Gallen army.

"Fireball!"

"Gaaaahhhh......?"

The fire magic was unleashed, ignoring the possibility of allies getting caught up, engulfing the army of undead in fire. This was what the commander, expecting to be breached, made the mage do.

"Oh, it's hot! Oi, I’m an ally—"

"Tch......"

"Do not hesitate, mages! Keep firing! We are not killing our allies. This is about saving those who are behind us!"

The desperate cries of agony from their own soldiers as they were engulfed in the flames. The commander admonished the mages who were anguished at what they had done. The abilities of the enemy were so extraordinary to the extent that the soldiers left behind were crushed in an instant. If that's the case, they had to burn the undead as soon as possible even if there were allies in range. It was a ruthless decision, but it was a choice that had to be made in order for more of them to survive.

"I’ll cast again! Oh flames—"

"......Prepare yourselves! Don't let the undead go any further!"

"You've got to be kidding me! I don't want to die! No!"

"Damn it! Goddamn it! Just do it."

Some of the nameless soldiers abandoned their weapons and ran as fast they could, while others followed behind with tears in their eyes upon realising they were no match for the Spartoi. If they left behind any corpses, the vampire would take their souls and play with them like she did with these skeletons. Even in death would they not find salvation. Therefore, those who knew their injuries were fatal threw themselves into flames together with their enemies.

"Fireball!"

"Fireball!"

"Oh, shit...... Fireball!"

One by one, flowers of fire bloomed and fell on the fields, burning away the lives of the soldiers. All for the sake of buying a small amount of time against the unholy army.

A mad scene of humans ditching the lives of their allies, or crying out for their own lives. The vampire who called herself Vee clapped her hands and laughed at the sight of what was in some ways the most typical of battlefields.

"Hahahahahaha! Burn! Burn! Beautiful!"

The monster, which should fear fire and in particular, holy flames, grew ever more fascinated in the human barbeque.

In her joy, she was reminded of something.

Oh. She remembered seeing such a scene a long time ago. When was it that she witnessed a flame more beautiful than this? She must have had lots of fun and enjoyed herself then, but when was that?

And then, it came to her.

"......Me, me too! I can make flames!"

The markings on her fair skin blinked three times.

"Here I go! Ignis Fatasssssssssss!! (TL note: chapter 45-46 :

)"

Evil flames licked at the wilderness.

"Gyaaaaahhhh......?!!!""

The flame engulfed dozens of soldiers in a single moment. It was a flame that was unnaturally cold and yet, was bright. It was as if it were a jailer’s lantern that burned the souls of the living, guiding them towards the path to death and pain. Ignoring the physical flesh, the demonic flames burned souls that were offered to it.

Those who risked their lives in an attempt to slow down the enemy were crushed like wood.

However, the power of the flames wasn't the only thing that was horrific.

"Gohhhh, ohhhhh......!"

"Resentment, pain, and despair......!"

"More, more, more......!"

The horde of Spartoi that was supposed to have been destroyed by fire magic from the St Gallen mages. The skeletons, which should have turned to ashes, rose up again with a cry of joy. The bony bodies which should have cracked and fractured under the heat, regenerated like glazed pottery.

Miasma from the anguish of the living and their sorrow, infused the undead with vitality.

The damage inflicted from the sacrifice of countless soldiers came to nothing.

"N-No way……"

The next in line commander who had survived the attack fell on his buttocks. He was just outside the area of effect of Ignis Fatas, so he was not burned by it.

But what good would that do? Whether he was killed by soul-burning magic or directly at the hands of the undead, it led to the same path of agony and despair.

No, there was a way. The way to escape from the irredeemable end after death.

The commander drew his weapon from his waist. The dagger was supposed to be his backup weapon.

"Oh, God! Forgive me for not fulfilling the life I’ve been given......!"