Taming The Villainesses

Episode 291.2

“That’s right. Sometimes, depending on the occasion, several or even a dozen or so of them will cling to the wall and climb. Of course, none of them ever make it all the way up here.”

With that explanation, Countess Redney picked up a small stone lying nearby.

He handed it to Marmar without further explanation, but we all instantly understood what she meant.

She wanted Marmar to try hitting the monster with the stone.

However, the monsters beyond the wall were part of the Shadow Army of Demon King Solomon. Marmar was an imp, and imps were Solomon’s subordinates.

So I was just thinking it might be a bit awkward for Marmar to throw a stone at the monster, when—

“Taste this stone from Marmar…!”

Without hesitation, Marmar dropped the stone toward the base of the wall. It fell freely and hit the monster’s head with a thud, echoing through the air.

━Uoooong-!

In the end, the monster let out a final death cry and fell from the wall, disappearing far below into the abyss. At the same time, the imps raised their hands excitedly, making a ruckus.

“Ah! Comrade Marmar has hit it with a stone! Truly a masterful throw befitting our great comrade!”

“Garrrrr, garrrrr!”

It seemed that the imps south of the wall and the monsters north of the wall didn’t get along very well.

When I asked why, Marmar explained.

“They’re all traitors who have lost their will! They have degenerated into real monsters! That goes against our beliefs.”

So that’s how it was.

* * *

The tour of the wall continued after that.

We looked at the giant catapults, ballistae, and devices that dropped boiling oil installed on the wall.

Because so many monsters climb the walls, they had all kinds of weapons prepared.

“This is the highest point, the Sandora Citadel, so there are fewer monster invasions here. In places like the Belves and Asterad Citadel to the west or east, the wall is only a dozen or so meters high. Monster invasions happen more frequently there.”

In such places, even now, monsters, adventurers, and soldiers must be locked in fierce battles. There would be no chance for a peaceful tour like this.

Meanwhile, what caught my eye most was a giant ballista fixed towards the sky, not the ground.

The arrow was a thick iron spear thicker than my body, but it was quite rusty as if it hadn’t been used for a long time.

What’s this?

Curious, I asked Countess Redney.

“Why is this fixed toward the sky instead of down the wall?”

“Because there’s a need for it. It’s the same reason the Sandora Wall was built at the highest altitude. Sir Theo, why do you think there was such a need?”

A quiz all of a sudden?

A high wall.

A ballista pointing towards the sky.

Those conditions brought one thing to mind.

─The humiliation of humanity being trapped in a cage.

“It’s because of giants. Is it because colossal giants target the wall?”

“……!”

At my question for the answer, the Countess’ usual cool expression greatly widened. Soon, she began to laugh like a kindergarten teacher who just heard an amusing story from a child.

“Colossal giants? Sir Theo has quite the imagination. But unfortunately, that’s not the correct answer. The answer is dragons. Well, a more ferocious monstrous reptile—a wyvern.”

Wyvern.

Mirna reacted to the strange name before I did.

“Wyverns are still alive? The wyverns of the Eastern Highlands wouldn’t be able to survive in the northern environment.”

“They’re the ones that Demon King Solomon modified. 13 in total, along with their riders. The so-called Death Riders—the amount of harm they brought to Sandora….”

Wild flying dragons.

If such creatures existed, no matter how high the walls were, people’s safety would be at risk. But Redney concluded her story with some reassuring news.

“But the last wyvern was shot down 20 years ago. With this very ballista. Its corpse fell onto the roof of Sandora’s main office. You can take a look at it in the museum.”

With that, we were preparing to descend from the wall.

━━━─!!!

Suddenly, a sharp sound rang loudly above our heads. It was a harsh, heavy noise, like two massive icebreakers colliding.

The first to react was Stella.

“That sound… it’s a wyvern….”

Stella unfolded the collapsible bow strapped to her back and spread it wide. After nocking an arrow, she started scanning the surroundings.

“Where is it, where…?”

Her serious expression made us tense up as well. In the case of imps, they trembled with their heads on the ground and their tails hidden between their legs.

“Hieek…! Th-this Marmar is not tasty at all…!”

Marmar, speaking in strange words like a terrified nymph, showed just how much she was mentally overwhelmed. And it made sense.

A wyvern was a flying dragon. Dragons were apex predators that dominate the food chain.

Just as animals instinctively tremble in fear when they hear a lion or tiger’s roar, the cry of a flying dragon terrifies small creatures.

However, Countess Redney remained calm.

“Bellhawk-yang, you’re overreacting. There are no more wyverns at the Sandora Wall. It’s probably just another monster…”

━━━──!!!

When the creature’s roar echoed from the sky again, I felt a sharp jolt at the back of my head, as if electricity had passed through it.

It was that thing.

The one that filled my head with its strange cries.

At the same time, Countess Redney’s composed expression vanished, and she shouted in all directions.

“Wyvern!!! Flying dragon!!! Sound the alarm!!! Light the beacon in Sandora!!!”