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 sit well with

is it this

was starting to

he did, he chose not to stop

we have to do our

"Be quick!"

back on his chair. He was obviously not pleased with being stopped from eating, but since that was something he had gone

didn't mind it and proceeded to take

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

the only means

Ding! Ding—

long before the results

came out clean, Angus finally took a

like there is no poison in the food. Thank you for

"Tsk."

the tableware and finally started to

large piece of meat, Jomnuk devoured it in a single bite lacking any reserve. Chewing on the food, he looked at Waylan

the situation

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

that." Jomnuk waved

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 have currently set up the barrier, and so, for the moment,

"I see."

of the meat, Jomnuk

for now, things are

reports, the barrier is slowly running out of

it last?

what Douglas said, about

"...Mhm."

grumbled, frowning deeply while chewing on the

my

a lot stronger than we

to original estimates, the troops sent by the demons

demons

weren't pulling any

it, the barrier has been set up prematurely and an extra bit of energy was used during that

The demons weren't dumb.

the barrier was set up, they instantly attacked it with

barrier got disrupted, making it consume more energy

way, there was

bite of the meat, Jomnuk muttered in a

shrouded the room as each individual present couldn't help

minutes, no one spoke a word. Everyone

the silence by putting his

"Hmm! I'm full."

from Jomnuk, showed a displeased

every person in the room was a little grossed

taking a toothpick, Jomnuk asked the rest, "Now that I think about it, you guys also seem to be

the table, Jomnuk

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

"No sir, we can't—"

promptly cut off by Jomnuk. The latter glared at him, seemingly

"Enough!"

rough voice echoed throughout the whole

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

replied quietly. He lowered his head, not wanting to

you've checked it and it's going to waste, let

at the table, Jomnuk looked at everyone in the

plenty

"Don't mind me."

move was Ren who sat down on a seat close to

one of the dishes, much to the surprise of the

the fork in his mouth, Ren smiled

"Not bad."

I like

and pointed at Ren in

over here is the only one that has

"Don't mind me."

longer stand it and similarly sat down, much to

the food, Waylan looked towards Angus and helplessly shrugged

go, Angus. Why don't you have something to eat as well? Eating won't

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