The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills - Chapter 29

The Twelve Heroes

A few minutes later, we had defeated all the skeleton soldiers.

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I turned to Milfa and called out.

"Are you okay? Not hurt?"

"Y-Yeah. I’m fine."

Milfa exhaled deeply and met my gaze.

"You saved me again… thank you."

"More importantly, why are you in a place like this?"

"I'm a member of the Moonlight Brigade. I was searching for the survey team in this underground city when these things attacked me."

"You're with the Moonlight Brigade?"

"And you… with the Holy Sword group?"

"No, I’m part of a party that’s just tagging along. The leader’s an alchemist."

I pointed at Arumine, who was inspecting the corpse of a skeleton soldier.

"Were you working alone?"

"No, we were a team of three looking for the survey team’s trail. But we got attacked and separated."

"That was dangerous. These skeleton soldiers… they're not normal."

Arumine picked up a shard of the shattered red gem.

"Looks like they were enhanced with these gems for extra power and speed. Their weapons and armor are custom-made too."

"So someone must’ve enhanced them?"

I asked Arumine.

"That's very likely."

"Then it must be the demons."

Kinako spoke in a low voice.

"Demons have special secret arts they use to modify monsters. The curved swords the skeletons carry also resemble demon-forged weapons."

As she spoke, Kinako glanced toward one of the fallen swords.

The word demons sent a chill down my spine.

If demons are involved in the survey team's disappearance, then this mission is way more dangerous than we thought. I've heard that even S-Rank adventurers have trouble defeating strong demons...

"We need to be careful."

Arumine looked around the ruins of the city.

"For now, I’ll contact Mr. Frank on the surface using the long-range magic tool. That way the other parties will be warned too."

Just then, another skeleton soldier emerged from behind a nearby building.

It rushed at Milfa from behind.

Oh no! I need to materialize a paper wall—

But before I could, a bluish-white sphere of light struck the skeleton’s head. With the sound of shattering glass, its skull exploded.

The skeleton, now headless, slowly collapsed.

That was a light-element attack spell... but from who?

I turned my eyes toward the direction it came from—and saw a girl who looked about twelve years old standing dozens of meters away.

She had long silver hair in twin tails, and her pointed ears stood tall. Her sky-blue clothes were embroidered with gold, and a gold plate—the mark of an S-Rank adventurer—was fixed to her brown belt.

"Lady Sylphiel!"

Milfa ran over to the silver-haired girl—Sylphiel.

"You came looking for me?"

"Of course I did. You're a member of the Moonlight Brigade."

Sylphiel touched Milfa’s arm and turned her sharp gaze toward us.

"We also took care of the skeletons fighting Yuri and the others."

"Thank goodness. So they’re safe too?"

"Now… who are you people?"

Sylphiel’s eyes settled on me.

"They’re the party that saved me."

Milfa answered for us.

"...I see. So you were saved."

Sylphiel stepped toward me.

"Then I suppose I should at least say thank you. I appreciate it."

Her small lips moved gracefully.

"I’m Sylphiel. Leader of the Moonlight Brigade, an S-Rank magic warrior. And one of the Twelve Heroes of the Gem Continent. You’ve heard of me, I assume?"

"Yes. I don’t think there’s an adventurer alive who hasn’t. Your portrait’s displayed in lots of places."

I looked closely at her.

Her silver hair shimmered like moonlight. Her skin was so pale it seemed translucent, and her deep green eyes held the elegance of a noble’s prized doll.

High elves were known for their beauty—and their longevity. They didn’t age.

"So… you said you’re a party. That means you don’t have a support team?"

Sylphiel glanced around.

"No, it’s just the four of us."

"Then take this."

Sylphiel handed me a cube about three centimeters across.

"If you find yourself in serious danger, use that to contact me. Just once—I’ll come help you."

"Just once?"

"Yes. Because you saved Milfa. I always repay my debts."

Sylphiel puffed out her modest chest.

"Well then, be careful. This case does involve demons, after all."

"So it really is demons..."

"You say that like you already knew?"

"Yes," Arumine replied from behind me.

"We figured it was likely, since the skeletons were enhanced."

"If you're already that aware, you should probably head back to the upper floors. At least until I’ve dealt with the demons."

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