"Explosive Angel? What's that...?"
I covered my face with my hands while lying on the bed.
"More importantly, did you find Iris?"
"No."
I fell off the bed in shock.
"Eh?! Ehh?! I thought you took so long because you were trying hard to find her!"
"...I did manage to pinpoint the direction of the Saintly Sword. It's to the southeast from here. But I don't know if Iris is there."
"What do you mean?"
"I can somewhat detect the position of the Hero, and I can locate Saintly Sword users. However, it's hard to pinpoint a Saintly Sword user who is separated from their sword. I can tell if someone in front of me has the potential, but if I had to sense every person with the potential to become a Saintly Sword user, which there are many compared to the Hero, it would be too much for me."
"...So, you're saying if you lose the Saintly Sword, you can't locate its user?"
"Yes. Probably because Iris no longer has the Ice Sword."
Does that mean there's a high possibility that Iris is already dead and only the Saintly Sword was taken?
But considering that, it seems like it took too long for Holly to return.
".....Holly, by any chance, did you thoroughly search the surroundings?"
"Eh? Um...yes..."
Holly looked down, muttering under her breath.
"I'm sorry for not finding her..."
"...No, what are you saying? Just being able to grasp the direction of the Saintly Sword is a gain. Iris might unexpectedly be in that direction."
"But..."
"Holly, who's the one making unreasonable demands? Even if there were no results, I wouldn't blame you. Don't worry about it so much. It's unlike you."
"No, but there's something I'm really concerned about..."
"What is it?"
"The fact that I sense the Saintly Sword means it's currently in the hands of its owner. I can detect its location because the Divine Sword and its owner are together. However, the reaction isn't from the Ice Sword."
"...So you're saying there's someone else using a different Saintly Sword?"
It seems the situation regarding Iris's safety has become even more concerning. It's highly likely that she was defeated by another Saintly Sword owner and had the Saintly Sword taken from her. If that's the case, someone else might already be trying to execute our plan of "gathering the Saintly Swords and their users to form a force."
"Ugh..."
If it comes down to a contest for the swords, Instructor Cattleya's Blaze Sword and Safran's Vacuum Sword might be targeted. Naturally, being close by, I am in extreme danger. The more Saintly Sword users there are around, the greater the danger.
Come to think of it, I thoughtlessly aimed to gather Saintly Sword users, but if that plan succeeds, wouldn't it just intensify the vigilance and murderous intent from power-hungry individuals towards me? Well, many already want me dead.
"Hmm..."
I sat cross-legged on the bed for a while, trying to organize my thoughts.
An army with abnormally high morale that doesn't fear death, the reaction of the Saintly Swords.
Iris's absence, and the addition of Instructor Cattleya and Safran.
The Pegasus Sword Ramrei, which can freely soar in the sky, is now available for use.
The soldiers in this fortress, in reality, are not effective forces.
The reason the battle situation has become so unfavorable is almost certainly because the enemy is a Saintly Sword user.
The action I should take now:
No combat capabilities. No experience in leading troops.
There's nothing I can do.
I can't help but laugh at myself; there's nothing I can achieve on my own.
It's the same as when I was imprisoned and waiting for a death sentence.
That's why I have to rely on others to break through this situation.
Shion is absent.
But our current strength should be sufficient.
"Holly, let's organize the information. I've also heard some concerning details."
A person who perfectly understands both the enemy's and their own strength cannot be defeated.
It's a fundamental principle of warfare.
And I have Holly, the best source of information.
Using the information obtained from her, I will break through this situation.
(.......)
"......An army that doesn't fear death, huh?"
"Yes. It seems that they have cornered Iris with an overwhelming number. However, I have a feeling that a Saintly Sword user will never lose to anyone other than another Saintly Sword user."
"Your assumption is spot on. Iris was defeated by another Saintly Sword user."
I frowned.
She was supposed to have been defeated surrounded by countless soldiers. Yet she lost to a few Saintly Sword users?
"The countless 'fearless soldiers' you mentioned are probably controlled by a Saintly Sword. And that Saintly Sword is the Underworld Sword Sequence."
"What's its ability?"
"It can control corpses. In other words, it has the ability to command zombie soldiers. Moreover, the zombies under its control do not decay and become slaves that blindly follow orders, just like they did in life."
"Controlling zombies? That's a disturbing power."
"In terms of being unsettling, don't the other Saintly Swords match up?"
"Well, it's not that. Doesn't it seem like a power an antagonist would have rather than a weapon a hero's ally would possess? It's more like a power a Demon Lord's minion would have, right?"
The ability to control corpses.
I don't know how many corpses it can control, but if it goes to a graveyard or battlefield, it can replenish its forces indefinitely. Moreover, enemy soldiers killed by zombie soldiers can be turned into zombie soldiers as well. In a war, which is a group battle, it might be the most effective ability.
"But... the ability to control corpses? Why would a hero's ally need such a power?"
"It's very useful. When you kill monsters controlled by the Demon King, you can turn those monsters into allies."
"Allies? But they're still dead, right? That's creepy."
"Well, it's indeed a creepy Saintly Sword."
"How strong does the owner become?"
"The enhancement of physical abilities is on par with the Curtana that Safran has. In other words, in terms of strength alone, they are stronger than both Iris and Cattleya."
"They're formidable... The ability to control corpses combined with high physical abilities..."
At that moment, I realized a terrifying fact from the depths of my heart. The controlled corpses retain their combat power from when they were alive?
"...Wait, can it control the corpses of Saintly Sword users?"
"No, that's impossible. Saintly Swords draw on the magical power of their users to manifest their abilities. Since a Saintly Sword user turned into a zombie has lost their life force, they can't use a Saintly Sword."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
If my worst assumptions were correct, the user of this Underworld Sword would have killed all other Saintly Sword users and turned them into zombie soldiers under their control. Honestly, my worst predictions tend to come true, so it was unnerving.
However, this could mean that Iris might still be alive. Those who see the Saintly Swords as a powerful force would either try to eliminate them or make them part of their faction. If it's the latter, Iris might be alive and held captive.
"...Tomorrow, I'll use the Pegasus Sword to head in the direction where there's a presence of a Saintly Sword user."
"Eh? Aren't you acting as the supreme commander in this fortress?"
"I'll leave that to Instructor Cattleya... No one listens to me anyway."
For now, it's essential to find Iris.
The next morning, using the Pegasus Sword, I flew out of the fortress towards the direction Holly indicated. About thirty kilometers from the fortress was a castle said to have fallen to the rebels.
Of course, I wouldn't dare break into the castle.
Holly can't stray too far from the gem on the hilt of the Holy Light Sword I carry. So, I approached the castle and hid, letting Holly go ahead first.
This method might be similar to when I kidnapped Shion from a noble's mansion. In any case, my safety is the priority.
Before infiltrating, it's crucial to confirm whether Iris is there and the number of enemies present. Unless that's done, I won't make a move.