A Rotting Colossus

Dragon Zombie.

Exactly what the name implied. A monster: a Dragon that should have been dead, reanimated by magical energy.

Unlike when it was alive, it couldn't use magic, but its sheer mass made it catastrophically dangerous as it rampaged.

Its body was dead and constantly decaying, spreading poison in its wake.

That thing filled me with a visceral terror… no, something deeper than that. A primal fear.

I heard a small scream nearby.

Apparently one of the soldiers had gone weak in the knees.

I couldn't blame them.

Anyone would react that way upon realizing a monster that enormous was bearing down on them.

Thank goodness Moomya had already sent the citizens back indoors.

If panic had broken out, fighting would have been out of the question. Our only option would have been to abandon the city and flee.

The purple sludge hit the ground with a wet splatter.

A hissing sound rose as smoke curled up from the earth.

The ground was corroding, bubbling and dissolving.

I didn't want to think about what would happen if a person touched it.

The smell of rotten eggs… according to Ramiza-san, the smell of a poison called hydrogen sulfide was growing stronger too.

"Snap out of it! Get bows ready and set up barricades! Remember your training!"

Moomya barked orders at the stunned soldiers.

They moved as instructed, though their actions lacked their usual sharpness.

Just not running away in a situation like this was commendable enough.

Perhaps it was because this was the land where they'd been born and raised.

The Dragon Zombie was still a fair distance away.

Its movements also appeared quite sluggish.

But each step it took was enormous because of its massive frame.

It would be at the city walls before long.

… Considering the poison it was spreading, the city would be in critical danger well before that point.

We had to do something while there was still sufficient distance.

The viscount came galloping up on horseback.

His face showed no composure whatsoever.

"What is the meaning of this?! Moomya, explain what's happening!"

"Your Lordship, a Dragon Zombie has appeared from the western mountains."

"That's… impossible. This has never happened before. Why now?"

"I can't say. What I can confirm is that it's moving toward the city. I've assembled the troops and we're preparing to intercept."

"C-Can you win? Surely you can handle a large monster?"

"… We'll do our best."

The viscount's shoulders sagged at that hopeless answer.

Then he noticed us and rushed over with quick, nimble movements.

"You'll help too, won't you?"

"Being here must be some kind of fate. That's our intention."

"I'll pay you handsomely if you deal with it! I heard you fought a Fire Dragon in the Empire! Kill that thing!"

I was impressed he knew about that.

But he didn't seem to know the details of that encounter.

It hadn't been a fight at all.

To the Dragon, it had been little more than idle amusement. Our strength hadn't worked against the Fire Dragon in the slightest.

If we were to face one now, I might manage to cut off a claw at least.

But I couldn't see us winning.

The only ones who could slay a Dragon would be Spartia's battle-hardened army, or perhaps that warrior who held the title of Dragonslayer.

"We'll do what we can. Beyond that, I can't promise anything."

"… That's enough. Please. I'll send a messenger to the Royal Capital requesting reinforcements. After that, I'll open the storehouses and provide every magic stone we have. If that's the price of protecting this city, it's a bargain."

"Your Lordship, while you're at it, could you gather people for me? Apothecaries, anyone experienced in compounding, as many as you can find."

"Why? You're the alchemist, aren't you?"

"This smell faintly drifting around is poison. If we don't prepare antidotes now, even if we manage to kill it, everyone will drop dead anyway."

"P-Poison?!"

The viscount clapped his hand over his mouth.

Nearby soldiers and knights flinched as well.

"It's still fine for now. But as the Dragon Zombie gets closer, the poison's concentration will increase and that won't be the case anymore. Also, think carefully before using fire. The gas is flammable."

"Understood. I'll gather people immediately. I'll open up my estate's kitchens as well."

"Thank you. If I provide guidance, I think we can manage. Well then, Azu-chan and company, I'll do my part over here, so I'll leave the big ugly to you."

"Got it. We're counting on you."

Ideally, I would have wanted Ramiza-san helping us too, but the antidotes were equally critical.

Her departure was unavoidable.

As she was leaving, Ramiza-san quietly whispered in my ear.

"The ring I gave you can neutralize this poison too. A Dragon Zombie without its poison is something you can handle. Try to remember what I taught you."

"Byeee～," Ramiza-san called out as she headed off toward the estate with the viscount.

Shortly after, several soldiers arrived carrying magic stones.

"Move freely as you see fit. We'll do our part. Just let us know before you try anything so we can coordinate."

"That would be best."

"Having you here is truly reassuring… We can't deal with that thing on our own."

"You don't have any mages, so focus on slowing it down as much as you can. And don't breathe in the poison."

"Understood."

Moomya and the soldiers began setting up barricades in the Dragon Zombie's path.

The poison in the air meant they could only attack from a distance.

In that case, it was better to have them slow the creature's advance even a little.

"So, what's the plan? Since it's a zombie, can't Elza-san just purify it?"

"That's a pretty rough order, Azu-chan. Purification itself would work, but… at that size, it'll reach the city before I can finish purifying it. We need to at least stop it in its tracks first, or break its body down enough that it can't move."

"So it's not that simple, huh."

If Elza-san could just pray and solve everything, that would be nice.

But it seemed we really did need to bring it down first.

"Then it's my turn. If I can use as many magic stones as I want, I don't need to worry about running out of mana. My arms are itching for this."

"Please. I'll charge in if we need to pin it down."

"Roger. I'll hold off on fire magic when you do."

"Please do. I'd rather not get roasted alive."

I had the soldiers fall back for now.

Alexia-san immediately picked up a magic stone from the pile.

A fire magic stone, naturally.

She flicked it into the air with her finger, then began her incantation as it spun.

The magic stone hung suspended in midair.

The ambient mana was sucked toward Alexia-san all at once.

As it did, the area was illuminated once more.

The Dragon Zombie's face came into view again.

Perhaps reacting to Alexia-san's mana, it turned to stare in our direction.

And it was trying to spew something again.

"I'm faster!"

Before the Dragon Zombie could act, Alexia-san unleashed a tremendous blast of fire magic.

True to Ramiza-san's warning about flammability, the air around the Dragon Zombie, which had grown as thick as fog with toxic fumes, ignited the instant the fire magic touched it.

The creature spat its purple sludge a beat too late, but it couldn't stop the flames.

The fire magic crashed into the Dragon Zombie like a tidal wave of heat.