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.

obviously did not sit well with

is it this

was starting to get

apologized. But even as he did,

apologize, but we have to

"Be quick!"

leaned back on his chair. He was obviously not pleased with being stopped from eating, but since that

it and proceeded to

on the device, a red glow soon enveloped the whole table. The device not only checked if the food had poison, but it also confirmed whether the tableware and glasses were hygienic

the only means

Ding! Ding—

wasn't long before the results

out clean, Angus finally

there is no poison in the food. Thank you

"Tsk."

Jomnuk picked the tableware and finally started

it in a single bite lacking any reserve. Chewing on the food, he looked at Waylan and loudly asked, almost spitting

is the situation

a napkin, Waylan inquired, "Upstairs? Do you mean the

that." Jomnuk waved

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

under control as of

"I see."

the meat,

saying that, for now,

barrier is slowly running out of

it last?

about six to eight more

"...Mhm."

grumbled, frowning deeply while

time than I expected. From my

there are a lot stronger than we initially anticipated," Waylan

original estimates, the troops sent by the demons should've been a

demons had sent a tougher

pulling any

Because of it, the barrier has been set up prematurely

The demons weren't dumb.

barrier was set up, they instantly attacked it with all their might in

got disrupted, making it consume more energy to stabilize. Thus, it would last a lot less

things kept going that way, there was a very real possibility

meat, Jomnuk muttered in

room as each individual present couldn't help

couple of minutes, no one

till Jomnuk finally broke the silence by

"Hmm! I'm full."

far from Jomnuk, showed a

person in the room was a little grossed

by everyone, taking a toothpick, Jomnuk asked the rest, "Now that I think

at the food on the table, Jomnuk flashed

still

"No sir, we can't—"

cut off by Jomnuk. The latter glared at him,

"Enough!"

rough voice echoed throughout the whole

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

replied quietly. He lowered his head, not wanting

it and it's going to waste, let

table, Jomnuk looked at everyone in the

There's plenty for all

"Don't mind me."

one to move was Ren who

he leaned forward and stabbed it towards one of the dishes, much to the surprise

the fork in his mouth, Ren smiled

"Not bad."

good, I

others and pointed at Ren in a

like this human over here is the only

"Don't mind me."

no longer stand it

Waylan looked towards Angus and helplessly

it go, Angus. Why don't you have something to eat as well? Eating won't hurt them much. I'm here, nothing will

at everyone eating joyfully at the dinner table, Angus eventually gave up and sat down, joining