CHAPTER 223 – 15-YEAR-OLD INGLIS AND THE EVIL HYRULE MENACE (28)

「…?!」

Inglis actually lost consciousness for a brief moment and was awoken from the shock of falling to the ground.
That…wasn’t due to the fatigue of firing the Ether Strike, for sure.
Inglis only fired a single Ether Strike to begin with, which was then amplified by the Hyrule Menace that was on her body.
And if that was all, then the toll on Inglis should only be equivalent to the toll of firing one Ether Strike.

『Fufu…How is it? Excruciating, is it not? This is the true form of Hyrule Menaces.
Do you know what is happening to your body?』

Tiffany’s callous tone echoed within Inglis’ head.

「O-, of course……Hyrule Menaces drain a factor that is apt to be called as life force out of their users, and burn it away……」

Inglis answered, still unable to bring herself to her feet.

『……You knew?』
「I’ve seen an instance of a Hyrule Menace’s weaponization before, you see…」

That was when Silva, a senior at the Knight Academy and a third year student with a Special Grade Rune, had weaponized Ripple for a short moment.
At the time, Ripple’s golden double rifle had overwhelmingly amplified Silva’s own power, but at the same time, she was sucking up Silva’s essence, or his life force, and dumping it to the surrounding area.
Inglis could feel it even from quite the distance.

Had he fought with Ripple in his hand for a long time, Silva would probably have lost his life by now.
Not wanting to let that happen for obvious reasons, Inglis hastily swooped into the fight herself.
She didn’t steal the spotlight from Silva just because she wanted to have her share of the fight.
Although, she couldn’t really deny that she did want the fight.

And that was when she realized it.
While indeed Hyrule Menaces have the effect to overwhelmingly increase their users’ power, they also have the effect to shave off their users’ life and discard it away, depending on how much power is used.
The two effects are inextricably inseparable, two sides of the same coin, literally a problem that has no solution.
Or, not exactly so.
The two effects are undoubtedly separate and independent from each other.

Inglis didn’t know all the technical details, but she was sure that there was a solution to this problem.

It was an intentional flaw, deliberately created and placed.
That’s what Inglis realized at the time.
In other words, Hyrule Menaces are as much of a Guardian Deity who drastically amplify the power of Holy Knights as they are Grim Reapers who rob the lives of those very same Holy Knights.

As for the reason why the Highland would do something like that, it is quite obvious once given enough thought.
It is to prevent the power of the Holy Knights and the Hyrule Menaces from being directed to the Highland.

The combined power of a Holy Knight and a Hyrule Menace is strong enough to destroy a Prisma, the strongest of Magic Stone Beasts.
One could even say that their combined power is the strongest force throughout Midland.
It would be a huge threat for the Highland to have such power being used against them.

For that reason, Hyrule Menaces were given a function that drains away their users’ life force, so that Holy Knights who use them to a certain extent will run out of strength on their own.
Should the Holy Knights and the Hyrule Menaces rebel, they only needed to wait until the Holy Knights fall and the threat will disappear mechanically.

The Highland gifted the Midland the power to protect themselves and a means to remove any possible threat at the same time.
Even if a Holy Knight fell after they fought against a Prisma, the Hyrule Menace could just be handed to the next Holy Knight.
For the Highland, it is convenient to have the countries of Midland stuck between life and death.

The idea of granting power to the Midland but not changing the power relationship between the Highland and the Midland seemed contradictory.
And the factor that made it possible was the Hyrule Menaces, beings who grant power to the Holy Knights while also taking their lives away.

Now it became understandable for Tiffany to say that Hyrule Menaces’ duty is just some nonsense.

「I’ve thought that that might be it, but……Thanks to you, my suspicion proves true.
Let me apologize on behalf of Rani for her discourteous words,I’m sorry.」

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Inglis said as she slowly brought her body up.
Rafinha said what she said only because she only knew one side of what it meant to be a Hyrule Menace.
Those words came out from Rafinha’s straightforward and pure motive as well as her strong sense of justice, and no way at all she meant it maliciously.

『……You really are full of surprises!』
「Did I say something wrong? I believe it is my duty as a Squire to apologize for my master’s rudeness, no?」
『This isn’t the time for that! Are you even aware of the situation you are in?! I can’t believe you let a Hyrule Menace equip herself on you despite knowing the price you’re paying for it!』
「Well, I have my own circumstances!」
『I don’t know what circumstances you speak of, but they are meaningless now! After all, you will have your life force sucked dry and become a relic of the past!』
「Well…」

Exactly, this situation was Tiffany’s ace up her sleeve, an attack of sorts.
She intended to attach herself to Inglis, forcibly draw out her strength, and shower her with the side effects of having her life force forcibly being reduced, all in order to take Inglis’ life.

In fact, as of now, Inglis was experiencing an abnormal level of feebleness and exhaustion that assailed her.
Is this what it means to be deprived of life force?