“A meteorite?”

“Does a meteorite scream as it falls?”

“Is… is that poop?!”

“Eek! A clump of poop is falling from the sky!!!”

As Earth-Earthy heard the unfiltered, mocking voices, his eyes welled up.

A clump of poop? He was the Great Earth Spirit, you insolent humans!

How did this even happen? He’d been free ever since escaping the little brat’s incantation. Sure, he’d gone through a lot, but he’d generously forgiven it all and restored their amicable relationship.

But now, what was this?! Why was he suddenly being hurled through the sky?!

He’d heard stories of low-level spirits being forcibly summoned by spirit callers, but this? This was new.

Usually, it was a quick poof and they’d teleport, right? So why was he the only one forced into this unexpected flight?! As he experienced his first airborne moment, Earth-Earthy’s scream echoed through the air.

[“AAAAAAAAGH!!!”]

Crash! With a thundering sound, Earth-Earthy struck the ground, leaving a crater. He rose, scowling with dissatisfaction.

“Wow, Earth-Earthy is so fast! I didn’t think you’d get here this quickly!”

[I didn’t come here by choice! I was about to eat a freshly made pizza when some unknown force pulled me here!]

“Hehe. So you really couldn’t say no to our request, huh? Thank you for coming, Earth-Earthy!”

[No! I mean, ack! AAAAAAAH!!!]

He was literally dragged here against his will! What nonsense was this kid spouting? He was about to rage, but Earth-Earthy froze, his anger dissipating as he saw Charlotte’s cheerful smile.

He couldn’t bring himself to yell at that smiling face. This one time, he’d let it slide and pretend he’d come on his own. Just this once!

“Thank you for responding to my incantation, Earth-Earthy!”

[Ugh! Think nothing of it! But what magic did you use this time?! How did you pull me across such a distance like that?!]

“Huh? Didn’t you fly here yourself?”

Yulia tilted her head, puzzled. She’d only asked him to come over, and when he arrived so quickly, she’d thought it was one of his own talents. But he hadn’t come on his own?

‘This is… an incredible ability.’

Aslan’s mouth slowly fell open. The incantation wasn’t just a means of communicating with spirits; it was also a magic that could alter reality.

Most spirit summoners only used incantations for commanding spirits, overlooking this power. But in special cases, incantations could achieve effects far beyond typical magic.

Earth-Earthy, unlike regular spirits, existed in a physical form. Instead of transferring an ethereal spirit, the incantation had physically transported his body across a massive distance.

It was an unprecedented case. Perhaps only Earth-Earthy, who preferred a physical form, could make this feat possible.

‘If used correctly, this could be like artillery fire.’

With his heavy, round form, Earth-Earthy would make the perfect projectile. Imagine hurling him at the enemy, retrieving him, and hurling him again—he could be a formidable weapon.

Aslan, staring at Earth-Earthy, licked his lips in anticipation. Earth-Earthy’s face contorted in horror.

[AAAAAH! I can see it! That’s the face of someone plotting to exploit me again!]

“How did you… Never mind. Earth-Earthy, I have a favor to ask. A horde of wyverns is approaching, and I want to set a trap to cut down their numbers. Can you help?”

[If you want my help, you’ll have to pay me a price worth more than the pizza I sacrificed!]

Earth-Earthy’s fierce demand for compensation surprised Aslan. This spirit, who once found it humiliating to take orders from a human, now naturally expected fair payment for his efforts. It seemed Earth-Earthy had become a valuable resource for the Vermont family. Aslan smirked in satisfaction.

“Have you heard of Hawaiian pizza?”

[Hawaiian pizza? What’s that?!]

“It’s a pizza topped with grilled pineapple. As it cooks, the pineapple’s tartness diminishes, amplifying its sweetness and creating an incredibly savory taste.”

[W-what?!]

Immediately, Earth-Earthy’s face scrunched in a mixture of intrigue and revulsion. Just a joke, really. Who’d want that?

He was about to propose a more serious offer when—

[AAAACK! Grilled fruit! I can’t imagine the taste, but it must be amazing!]

“….”

This was beyond salvaging. Aslan promptly swallowed any further comments.

At least he’d secured Earth-Earthy’s help, so it worked out well. When he turned, he saw Sylvia glaring at him with utter disdain. Well, it wasn’t exactly a lie. For some, Hawaiian pizza was a gourmet delight.

[What do you need me to do? Just say the word!]

“The plan is similar to last time. We’ll lure the wyverns with light underground and collapse the ground when enough of them are above it, burying them. The light will be an extra-bright flash spell, far brighter than torches.”

[So all I need to do is dig and collapse the dirt at the right moment? Hah! That’ll be a piece of cake!]

A simple task in exchange for a delightful new taste? This was practically a steal. Earth-Earthy readily accepted the proposal, diving into the earth and beginning his work.

The pit was to be dug in the plains outside the fortress walls. Despite the mana-laden, hardened ground, the Great Earth Spirit moved the dirt as easily as if it were sand.

“Dig a deep trench in a line before the walls. Leave the dirt beside it to cover it back up later.”

[Understood!]

Wyverns were notoriously dim-witted, often called flying lizards. Having mutated into monsters, their intelligence was even lower. There was no reason the trap, which worked for regular wyverns, wouldn’t work here.

‘A trap that usually takes ages to set up… and it’s almost ready in no time.’

According to reports, even a team of skilled mercenaries would take an entire day to construct a wyvern burial pit. Yet Earth-Earthy had already dug the first pit, so deep the bottom couldn’t be seen, and was well into the second one.

[Hey! There’s something weird here!]

“…?”

Midway through his digging, Earth-Earthy popped his head out and shouted. What could he have found in the ground?

Yulia approached the pit, peered inside, and gasped.

“AAAAHHHH!!!”

.

.

.

‘Whew. The carriages and drivers are all secure now.’

Closing the small bunker door, Yuri sighed in relief. The carriage she’d ridden bore the Vermont family crest. If it were damaged or, worse, taken by the enemy, the Vermont name would be severely tarnished.

Aslan’s instructions to Yuri had been clear: move the carriage to a safe location or, if that was impossible, destroy it and retrieve only the family crest. And above all—

‘If there’s a wyvern attack, abandon the crest and run for your life…’

The order was baffling. She was expected to give her life for the family and its head. Aslan Vermont knew that, and she’d accepted the harsh nature of such orders when she joined.

Yet here she was, being told to abandon the precious family crest and flee. Could it be that Aslan Vermont… wasn’t as ruthless as everyone said?

But as she recalled him ordering her to use her beauty to manipulate, all those thoughts shattered.

‘No. He’s definitely a terrible person. Infuriating. Absolutely maddening…!’

Ugh, she had to stop thinking about it. The more she dwelled on it, the more annoyed she became—especially because her beauty scheme had actually worked on the princess.

Gritting her teeth, Yuri exited onto the empty street. With her task completed, it was time to rejoin the group.

“Ah! Sir Yuria! You’re here!”

“L-Lady Merilda!?”

Hearing a voice she shouldn’t have, Yuri felt her hair stand on end. Turning, she saw Merilda, smiling sweetly and bounding over.

Is that the same princess who had looked at Aslan with a scowl the entire banquet? Why did her face light up whenever she saw Yuri?

Wait, why wasn’t she in the bunker? Realizing the evacuation order had been issued some time ago, Yuri was startled.

“My lady! Why aren’t you in the shelter?”

“I came out because I couldn’t find you there. And what are you doing here, Sir Yuria?”

“I… had an urgent task to complete…”

“Hehe. Isn’t one of your duties to protect me as well? Now that I’ve decided to accompany you to the capital, shouldn’t you be by my side?”

Oh no! This princess was going to be the death of her!

Recalling the Duke’s sharp glares from the banquet, Yuri felt a shiver run down her spine. No way would he have allowed his daughter to be out here. If he found out, and if Merilda were hurt…

‘I’m dead. Not even Aslan Vermont could save me.’

Execution would be certain. No matter her position in the count’s household, the Duke’s fury would ensure her end. She couldn’t let the princess get a single scratch!

As Yuri steeled herself, a piercing scream echoed from the wall.

“AAAAHHHH!!!”

“Yulia…?”

Recognizing the source of the scream, Yuri’s eyes widened.

“Your friend sounds like she’s in danger. Let’s hurry.”

“But, my lady, you should head to the bunker—”

“Look at the sky. There’s still time before the monsters arrive. And even if they do, you’ll protect me, won’t you?”

“….”

Why did this princess trust her so much?

Sighing, Yuri offered her hand.

“Hold on tight! Should I carry you, or will you hold my hand as we run?”

“Oh, my! Being carried might be too forward… Let’s just hold hands for now.”

“Understood!”

“Ahh!”

Merilda blushed, shyly taking Yuri’s hand, who firmly gripped it and dashed forward. The scream had come from beyond the wall. Yuri and Merilda quickly climbed the wall, peering over the edge.

“Don’t worry, Yulia! These guys are really docile!”

“Eek! No, no! I hate skeletons!”

“…?”

Inside a deep pit, an army of skeletons began climbing out in orderly rows, their numbers growing to dozens, then hundreds, as they lined up with eerie precision. Undead…?

Both Yuri and Merilda’s eyes widened in shock.