The Author's POV

[Northern tower.]

"How long do you think they will keep the barrier this time?"

Leopold asked Ava, standing next to her. He glanced at her for a moment, wondering what was going through her mind.

"I don't know."

She replied in a soft tone, her eyes transfixed, gazing into the distance. She seemed preoccupied, an endless stream of thoughts rushing in her head.

From time to time, ripples would appear on the barrier. Whenever that happened, waves would form around it, enveloping the mountain.

Ever since a week ago, the situation was getting more and more out of hand.

The attacks of the demons were more ruthless and relentless than ever before. The lower-ranked demons even threw themselves at the barrier, turning into a mush of blood and gore. It was honestly gruesome.

If not for the barrier that had been activated, things would've been extremely dire for everyone.

"Are you going somewhere?"

Hein asked from the side.

Lifting her head and looking at Hein, Ava nodded.

"Yeah."

"Where are you going?"

"To fix this."

Ava lifted her hand, in the middle of her palm lay a pale green flute.

"You're fixing that?"

"Yeah."

It became apparent to her from the last fight that the flute had some serious flaws.

If she did not fix it, once the barrier stopped functioning, she would be in big trouble.

"Great, I'm coming with you, I've got to fix my shield too."

He raised his shield, showing it to Ava.

"Oh, wow. You fought with that?"

She was surprised to see it. The state of the shield was quite bad. Not only was it filled with cracks, but it was also marked with numerous indentations.

In its current state, Ava wouldn't be surprised if it would break at a simple touch. It made her wonder if buying a new one would be better.

Putting the shield away into his dimensional space, Hein looked towards the barrier in the distance.

"Yeah. I need to get it fixed before the barrier goes down."

"You guys planning on going to the utility center?"

Disrupting their conversation was a familiar, tired voice.

"Hua~ If so, I'm coming too."

Yawning, Leopold walked over to them and flashed his gun.

"I've run out of bullets."

***

"Ah, I'm starving!"

Sitting on a round table, Jomnuk, alongside Waylan and a few other individuals, stared at the beautiful dishes presented in front of them. It looked sumptuous, to say the least. Meanwhile, Ren remained standing. He kept his back straight and stared intently at the food on the table.

"Shall we get straight to eating?"

Pulling his sleeves up, Jomnuk eagerly looked at the food in front of him. His eyes shone brightly. Picking up the silverware beside him, Jomnuk prepared to dig into the food.

"Please wait, sir."

But just as he was about to eat, he was once again stopped by Angus, one of the dwarven guards assigned to him, and the one that had previously checked up on him.

not

is it

was starting to

he

have to

"Be quick!"

obviously not pleased with being stopped from eating, but since that was something he

Jomnuk's behavior, Angus didn't mind it and

table. The device not only checked if the food had poison, but it also

food wasn't the only means to poison

Ding! Ding—

long before the

came out clean, Angus finally took a step

like there is no poison in the food. Thank

"Tsk."

the tableware and finally

any reserve. Chewing on the food, he looked at

the situation going

a napkin, Waylan inquired, "Upstairs?

that." Jomnuk waved

knew the code that granted access to the defensive system's main database, Jomnuk held some curiosity for the

under control as of right now. The dwarves

"I see."

the meat,

for now, things are still

on reports, the barrier is slowly running

will it

Douglas said, about six to eight

"...Mhm."

grumbled, frowning deeply while

time than I expected. From my initial

there are a

the troops sent by the demons should've

that turned out to be wrong. The demons had sent a tougher task

weren't pulling

also the problem with the weather. Because of it, the barrier has been set up prematurely and an extra bit of

The demons weren't dumb.

the barrier was set up, they instantly attacked it with all

of that attack the barrier got disrupted, making it consume more

that way, there was a very

of the meat, Jomnuk muttered in

as each individual present couldn't help

the next couple of minutes, no one spoke

broke the silence by putting his cutlery down and burping out

"Hmm! I'm full."

not far from Jomnuk, showed a displeased expression at

person in the room

look given by everyone, taking a toothpick, Jomnuk asked the rest,

the table, Jomnuk

my fill and there's still enough food, why don't you guys have

"No sir, we can't—"

by Jomnuk. The latter glared at him,

"Enough!"

voice echoed

a while ago you've been constantly annoying me. Is that your new

quietly. He lowered his head,

it and it's

towards the empty seats at the table, Jomnuk looked at everyone in

Eat. There's plenty for all of

"Don't mind me."

Ren who sat down on a seat close to

it towards one of the

the fork in his mouth,

"Not bad."

Good, good, I like

and pointed at

human over here is the only one that

"Don't mind me."

stand it and similarly sat down,

the food, Waylan

don't you have something to eat as well?

eating joyfully at the dinner table,