Vol 1 Chapter 16 (1/2)
Chapter 16
Bandit Group
The guild that found the bandit hideout decided to carry out the extermination operation three days later
There were explanations frouild and cooperation between the parties was set up
That being said, under these hurried circu terrific
Atthe hideout from the east and another from the west
So on the escaping bandits
That's it
All in all, there are sixteen parties participating in the bandit extermination
On the other side, we still don't know the exact number of bandits, partially because we don't want our moves to be noticed
From the size of the hideout, they are assumed to be around thirty
If they escape it's h people, they'll turn the tables on us
——it's quite a dangerous quest
Still, they do a lot of da Rinnal to the nearby cities If nothing is done about them, it will become a hindrance to the citizen's everyday life
Merchants wouldn't want to take these roads
Following that, the toould decline
You could very well say this situation is graver than it looks
If you go to the royal capital, there seeht order, but they move too slowly to be relied upon
If you put in a request and go through all the required paperwork, they will coood enough for the people
”Hey, shi+on You sure about letting Alice participate?”
Before heading out for the operation, while checking our equipment at home, Uncle spoke up
shi+on, having looked at her oord, thrust it into her sheath while turning around toward Uncle and clearly nodding
”This is what she decided As an adventurer”
”I know, but still”
Uncle's face was full of worry as he looked at me
well, it's not like I don't understand how he feels
Ibut cause worries for them
”Nichol-san, I' to do what I can, so”
I' to force my limits——
——is what I really wanted to continue with but nobody knohat's going to happen in the actual battlefield I shut up
”Uhhhuh If it gets dangerous, think about yourself first and run away, ok, Alice-chan?”
”I know”
That's a lie
There's no way I can
If it gets dangerous?
Our party obviously consists of Uncle, shi+on-san, and myself
shi+on-san's group takes part somewhere else this time, so it's a party of family members only
A situation where I, forer I don't even want to think about it
”——alright, let's go”
I stiffly nodded at shi+on-san's words
Before leaving for the capital, I want to give so back to these people, if only just a little
I can attack at range I'm sure I can be of use in a party with shi+on-san and Uncle who both use swords
For the sake of the people in this town, too, I will strike the bandits
I don't have to think about the opponents
I can do that later just fine
Seen off by Aunty, we began the operation————
The bandits' hideout is on the other side of town, opposite fro toe advanced while staying clear of the road
On the appointed day, we left early in thebefore
The groups left town at so different tiet into position
Whether it helps or not, the goal is to trick the bandits at least a little bit
Because we're not oal is to take part in surrounding the hideout and take on the escaping bandits
However, there's a good likelihood to run into a lookout or so to be outside, so it cannot be called safe
”We're al a s
Next to the river flowing continuing on to Rinnal, just outside the forest
The operation begins when the sun has reached its peak
With watches, it would be noon exactly
And that time is soon
” I hope the people assaulting the hideout directly are fine”
”There's six groups of six veterans each But we can only pray”
”Yes”
As expected, shi+on-san was just as tense as myself
Her eyes were attentively scouting our surroundings
And Uncle, too, was leaning against a rock sized just right to sit upon, his eyes closed
He
As forof foreboding assaulting me
Our current mission was to wait, but I was restless if there wasn't so we should do
I was restless in the truest sense of the word
It wasn't the atmosphere to talk to shi+on-san or Uncle, so for thethe water in the canteen
I went over to the river and sub the old water
By the way, the canteen is of course no bottle
It's a leather bag
”Hmm?”
While sub the water bottle in the river, I inadvertently looked to the other bank, and noticed so was off
The river was around tenrock on the other side shi+ne weirdly
Was it some reflection?
No, these light particles!?
”MAGIC!!”
I at once shouted to the others
Too late!
”Freezing breath, change to dancing blades——— Blizzard!!”
Thehis incantation
Theindeed turned into blades and poured towards us
His target was———all of us!?
There is area of effect ic!?
From above our heads, icen blades rushed down like hail
That's not soe
”———”
To at least protect my head, I crossed my arms before my face
Then I got skewered—— is the worst case I expected, but the shock I received was not that much of a worst case
It washit my normal hail pebbles
Of course, it still hurt
But that was it
At ht leave some bruises?
Why?
But looking atlike a thin filht
Before the ice projectiles hit ht and lose their power
”So ic defense—— comes from Mind!”
Which means that the least injured in this place is me with my Mind 5
On the other hand——
”Onee-chan!! Nicholl-san!!”
Especially shi+on-san, she has Mind 0!
The moment the ice projectiles finally stopped, I turned around in horror
”I'm fine!”
Without a single scratch on her body, shi+on-san drew her sword
Eh?
Not a scratch?
”Eh?”
No away
She dodged all of them!!?
”Are you a monster!?”
”Why are you insulting ht?”
While glaring towards the opposite shore, shi+on-san called out to Uncle
”Yeah, this is nothing”
Uncle slowly got up with his shi+eld
——but
”——your leg!”
An ice blade was sticking in his leg!
Uncle was laughing that it was nothing, but he wouldn't be able to move like that
Heal!
No, wait, the enemy on the other side of the river came first?
Without time to ponder, the situation evolved
A group of people, probably bandits, came out of the forest
Five people from the forest, a total of six with the man on the other side of the river!
”Tsk!”
They were a er than the man on the other side of the river
shi+on-san was rushi+ng towards the bandit group
Three of them had swords
Two spears
One e on the other shore
They had thought this through!
Thinking about cast tie, this was the optimal setup
Supposing we didn't have anyone capable of ranged attacks, it would be onesided
””
”I know!”
Before attacking the eneave me one look
I clearly nodded at the signal in that look
shi+on-san made a small smile in return
When I looked back to the other shore, theanew
Like I'd let you!
”You're slow! Split the heavens and becoht, to strike my enemies——— Thunder!!!”
I instantly fired ic
One serious strike with chanting the incantation at that
Seeinge on the other side of the river e
That probably ic defense
The file whatsoever
The result gave made me shudder for a second—— but
That could come later!
Stopping hts, I rushed to Uncle's side
”The wound oh my God!”
Uncle was drenched in cold sweat and the blade of ice was still stuck in his left thigh
This went beyond painful!
Even the blood flowing out was on the verge of freezing, this ht lead to frostbite
”H-hey, you're a, Alice-chan Nice skills!”
Come on come one!
”That doesn't matter in the least!”
What should I do?
Even if I use heal, I think I should pull the ice blade out beforehand
But won't he bleed out then?
But either way, like this he'll get frostbite
”Give me that, please!”