Chapter 38.4 - Volume 1 – Intermission Sword of Lightning IV (1/2)

—Laila—

「Bitch! Looking from the top just because you have a little bit of talent! Sarveria, if we sell this fucker to the slaver we should get enough to buy complete sets of equipment.」

「She has quite a face and skill, I think her price will be quite high. Also, underground organizations that will hire us as a first-class adventurer party are……」

While directing their scorning eyes to Armia, such conversation happened as Armia fell to the ground, unconscious.

「…Seriously, there is no helping those people.」

……Hearing that conversation, I muttered those words.

「……Laila.」

Next to me who muttered those in anger, Zieg called up to me worriedly.

We were currently lurking in the alley near Margulus and Sarveria, if we made too much noise then we might get found out by them.

However, even knowing that, the anger inside me couldn’t calm down.

—— I know this is a shameless request, but Leader and Sarveria-san is still my comrade.

I recalled Armia’s request as she lowered her head.

When she lowered her head, she felt extremely embarrassed, and yet, she still did it for Margulus and Sarveria’s sake.

……However, when I remembered a sense of impending crisis I felt from them, I asked for interest on their debt even after seeing Armia’s current state.

It was not an interest for Sword of Lightning, the condition was that Armia must be the one paying it.

—— Thank you very much!

Even so, Armia smiled when she heard my condition.

Without knowing how long it would take for Sword of Lightning to repay their debt would also mean the interest would uncontrollably increase the debt.

Even when she understood that, Armia still took the money without hesitation.

As long as Sword of Lightning can be saved, even at the expense of myself, she said.

…And yet, Margulus and Sarveria betrayed Armia’s feeling.

「… I’m sorry Zieg. I can’t stand it anymore.」

The scene in front of me told me the outcome loud enough, and I couldn’t suppress my anger anymore.

It was harder for me because I got an expectation that maybe, Sword of Lightning would reborn when I saw Armia’s figure.

「Kh!」

After I said those words, leaving the agitated Zieg, I left the alley and walked toward Margulus and Sarveria.

「What’s wrong Laila?」

「Actually, Armia is falling…」

Margulus and Sarveria were shaken for a moment when they saw me appeared out of nowhere.

However the next moment, they concealed the wound on Armia’s head and talked to me with an innocent look on their face.

Their acting was completely wasted on me.

After all, I saw everything from the start.

「You guys are-!」

「Agh!」

Along with my words of anger, I started running and swung down my staff toward Sarveria’s head.

My attack wasn’t strengthened by skill.

And then, maybe it hit a bad spot, but Sarveria fainted from that one blow.

「Wha-!」

At that time, Margulus realized that I was aware of what they tried to do.

And then, abandoning Sarveria, Margulus tried to run away.

「Too late.」

「Gahh!」

……However, even before he took the first step, Zieg knocked him down.

Apparently, Zieg moved closer in anticipation of danger that might befall me.

When I realized that, I thanked Zieg, then I turned my sight to Margulus and Sarveria who had lost their consciousness.

These two were attached to their title of the first-class adventurer, discarded their comrade, and in the end, they tried to join the underground organization.

「…If you work hard together with Armia, you would become a first-class party again.」

However, if they put everything on Armia’s shoulder, then the possibility to become a first-class party again would also vanish.

After another glance filled with neither pity nor disgust at Margulus and Sarveria who threw their responsibility away, I cut them off from my mind and walked toward Armia.

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「I think they should be reported as kidnappers in the capital city’s guild instead of in the labyrinth city’s one.」