How to Survive as a Princess in a Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 226

—If the bond is particularly strong, yes.

Even so, until it disappears…….

Suddenly I recalled what Vita had said about the spirit screaming. It really must be burning everything it has to protect.

—So to forcibly cancel that, a spirit of equal or higher rank must come. But there’s no one here who can do that.

“Wouldn’t several mid-level spirits work?”

—The rank difference between spirit levels is very large. To stop a high-level one, you’d need about… eight? Ten mid-level spirits, I think.

“There really is a big difference.”

—It’s not for nothing that barrier lasted for so many years. Thanks to that, safety was guaranteed all this time, but…….

Natura trailed off. Since the barrier that had protected the elves for so many years was about to break because of Meliana, he must be confused.

‘It’s no different from a disaster.’

No matter that it would have broken someday, how frightening it must be to think that what they expected could hold for several more years would break overnight.

—Anyway, it’ll break soon. I’d like to check the plan again.

“Let’s do that.”

I and everyone else readily nodded. So we reviewed the plan again.

“When the barrier breaks, Killis and Meliana will immediately deploy a barrier. Then the black smoke layer will rise up and the clear air layer will come down below.”

—The Nex will step on the barrier and follow the path where we placed Arbor’s essence, right?

“Yes. Going all the way down like that, when they reach the very end, the ambush team will deal with the scouts.”

Here, the ambush team referred to Isaac, Reno, and the other elves.

After checking the plan once more, we watched the barrier tensely from a tree trunk a little distance away from it.

How much time passed like that?

—It’s breaking.

As soon as Natura finished speaking, cracks appeared at the edge of the barrier. The cracks that started slowly from the edge spread rapidly and simultaneously from a certain point. And then it shattered as if exploding.

—Kiiaaaagh!

—Kyaagh!

With a horrific scream, the pitch-black smoke and heat that had been trapped inside surged out.

“Second Princess Your Highness!”

“I know!”

As soon as the spirit’s barrier broke, Killis and Meliana together deployed a barrier with magic. The black smoke that hit the barrier rose upward, and only the clear air layer came down below.

It was a very close timing. If we had been even a little late, we too might have been caught up in the smoke and heat.

What came down wasn’t just the air layer. Bug legs quickly passed over the barrier.

As hundreds, no, thousands of legs quickly stepped on and passed over the barrier, fierce vibrations rang out.

“Ugh…….”

At that, Meliana bowed her head with a pale face. Whether it was because it was hard to endure, or because the bug legs were disgusting, was unclear.

Maybe it was both.

‘It would have been good if I could use magic too.’

No matter that this was the result of Meliana’s accident, such thoughts naturally arose as I could only watch from the side without being able to help. Meanwhile, the Nex moved quickly across the barrier.

Thud thud thud thud! Fierce vibrations kept coming. Only after the last one stepped on and passed over the barrier did the barrier disappear.

Then Killis and Meliana collapsed with a thud.

“Hah, haah…….”

Leaving the two gasping for breath behind, I looked down below the tree trunk.

At the same time, I flinched without realizing it. The swarm of bugs that had been hidden by smoke was quite disgusting as they swarmed below.

I wanted to turn my head away right then and there from the discomfort, but since I had to check the Nex’s movements, I forced myself to watch that scene.

As expected, that they would be tempted by the essence of the World Tree, they rushed toward the essence of the World Tree while making spine-chilling sounds.

It was smooth movement. Like this, when they reached the final location, if the ambush team just played their role well and withdrew, it would be over…….

“Huh?”

That’s when it happened. The Nex that had been steadily charging down toward the essence of the World Tree suddenly changed direction.

We had originally intended to make them turn, but it wasn’t at the intended point. Then they all began jumping down toward the very bottom floor.