c23 (1/2)
CHAPTER 23: THE SPIRIT’S SWORD
“It looks like things aren’t over just yet”
Her gaze sharp, Lefille’s comment filled the others with anxiety
The aze followed the direction that Lefille had pointed in
“L-Lefille-san is right They’re co this way! And there’s more than last time…”
“Are you serious?”
“damn! There were people hurt in the battle just now We don’t have enough people!”
The young girl’s words sent the bodyguards and adventurers into a frantic clamor
The reality of the continuation of their battle with the Mazoku was evidenced by the presence of additional presences Moreover, not only had some of their number been injured in the previous battle, but there were even s had taken a turn for the worse
Given the above, that they felt shaken to their cores was only natural
A step later, Sui his eyes in order to shut out unnecessary inforician’s sixth sense
There’s what, ten? No, about twenty Just like they said, there’s more than last time
Just like the previous tiht for them
The strength of the presences felt roughly on par with those from the previous battle These were likely the same kind of Mazoku—
As Suiuards lamented their situation bewilderedly
“…What do we do now?”
“Do you even have to ask? We meet their attack! There’s nowhere to run, after all!”
“Listen up! Everyone hurt in the last battle, pull back! Everyone else, prepare yourself!”
Roared co only to further deepen the already disorganized atmosphere Very soon their enemies would arrive
They’d won fairly handily the first time around, but that was only because they far outnumbered the enemy Now that their nurown, fear had therip Terror and unrest had seized a hold of this battlefield
Galeo, who had hidden in the cargo wagon along with the other merchants until now, stepped out
He walked into the uards, ere busy with preparations
“I-is the battle not over yet…?” Galeo asked in a shrill voice, his face ashen
As a noncombatant, as far as he was concerned, the Mazoku were solely an object of fear From the actions and words of the others, he seemed to have noticed the situation
One of the escorts answered him
“Yes Please continue to wait, it seems there are more Mazoku headed this way”
“W-what? Are we going to be okay?!”
“…That, huh Well, from as said, it seems there are more than last time and we don’t have the tio so well for us this time”
“How could this happen… Are you tellingto die?!”
“No, we’ll protect you with all we’ve got It’s just that…”
“What?”
“In a worst case scenario, our defense will collapse and soht flee”
“—!? …I-I see How did it come to this…”
“If it comes to down to it, before our defense collapses completely, please take the other merchants and escape”
His voice low and soft, his expression serious, and his face grave, the adventurer inforht run As he’d said, one’s life was so irreplaceable
Here solely for the money, there was definitely the possibility that so their personal safety
If such a thing were indeed to occur, it was best to make plans for their own escape, the adventurer see
Despairing, a strained look appeared on Galeo’s face He’d originally thought that this was going to be a smooth trip, that they’d reach the empire without any difficulty However, just before the finish line, so like this had happened
Not only had the Mazoku suddenly appeared, but now they were attacking in an endless streaet a small caravan and a few escorts was incomprehensible
Thoughts raced through his mind
As Galeo groaned in frustration, Lefille – the first to notice that a second round of battle was about to begin – walked over
Her confident posture seemed ever so reliable
“—Please don’t worry, Galeo-dono I won’t leave a single one of the inco Mazoku alive”
He raised his head
“I-it’s Gurakis-dono… Although your words certainly seeirl like yourself…”
“It can’t be easy as you make it out to be,” he see so direct
From his eyes it was easy to see that in her he saw only a frail young girl, leaving hi
He had not witnessed her earlier ht nor was he aware of her efforts in the forest
In light of that, he couldn’t really be blamed for his skepticism…
The adventurer who had previously spoken to Suireat confidence
“No, it’s not like that at all! Lefille is strong, you know! The Mazoku from the battle just noere pretty much killed by her alone!”
“Yeah! And Lefille-san even has the skill to kill a half-giant with one strike! That’s why you don’t need to worry yourself toothe warrior adventurer’s words
Compared to the other adventurers, this pair was farby Lefille’s side in the past Their words caused Galeo to stare at them and Lefille with surprise, as they were able to keep their cal circumstances
“Is that really true…?”
“Absolutely So don’t worry”
Though it wasn’t that loud, Lefille’s assertion was nevertheless filled with confidence Perhaps because he hadn’t felt the slightest hint of weakness in her words, Galeo finally calmed down
When it calehandedly defeated all the Mazoku in the battle just earlier, perhaps the Mazokumore than ants
On that note—
“…You sure are trusted”
The battle scene fro left a deep iirl watched Lefille with ad eyes
These words ca to their worshi+pful expressions
“…P-please don’t say that, Suimei-kun I was pretty nervous myself, you know It isn’t like how it sounds,” Lefille countered, embarrassed
“You ht say that, but there was quite the expression on your face at the time, you know?”
“…O-oh”
Suis of e for an unbearably cute impression
Having listened to the pair’s advice, Galeo turned to Lefille
His gaze still half-disbelieving, he coughed, and doing his best to control his feelings, spoke
“…I understand I look forward to seeing what you can do”
“Sure I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations,” Lefille said,his business-like manner with modesty
Their conversation over, Lefille turned to Suimei
“Suimei-kun”
“Hmm? What’s up?”
What’s this all of a sudden?
Her voice serious as she called out to him, Suimei turned to face Lefille
“I apologize if I’ happened in that last battle, please don’t force yourself It’d be best if you pulled back with the others,” she said solemnly
She’s bringing this up becauseon the Mazoku, huh
Indeed, froician, it was best to avoid troublesome battles Perhaps it would be best to leave this to the others That hat the others see as well, after all
However, there were too many enemies In a situation like this where their safety couldn’t be guaranteed, he wouldn’t stand by and do nothing
“No, it’s fine”
“Are you sure?”
Just as Lefille asked this, the male adventurer echoed her question
“Yeah, are you sure you’re okay? You used quite a few ics back there Are you not tired?”
“Oh, no I’m fine Room to spare, really”
” ‘Roo overly confident in your abilities is a mistake with consequences that you can’t take back later, you know?”
“I appreciate the warning”
Suimei’s response was cold, but polite Their words had been said out of concern for his welfare, after all, so he wouldn’t directly contradict them
He nodded his head to indicate a superficial agreeaze, not entirely believing
Lefille spoke up once more
“But Suiic doesn’t seem that effective on the Mazoku?”
“Oh, that I’ll think of so”
“Do you think you can do it?”
“My ic isn’t liic system doesn’t work, then I’ll just have to s until I find so behind his confidence
Lefille frowned, as if son to her
“…? A ‘system’ that works? Not an element?”
“Oh, I see, um, how do I put this… It’s complicated”
Her confused look clearly embedded itself in his vision His ansas nevertheless rather evasive
While the ic he had used previously had definitely demonstrated less-than-ideal results, it was nowhere near life-threatening
Back in his world, “systeic
This was evidence that in
Although their world was one in which science had spread throughout society, leaving end, even in such a world, there were countless exa
In addition to astrology, the Kabbalah, and hexes, there was also witchcraft; the ever-faics; Vajrayana Buddhisest systeic, senjutsu
Just the types that were known and classified already surpassed thirty in number
If these were further subdivided by ele number of types
Simply put, the world he was from was home to a diverse array of mysteries
Even if you were to exclude , as well as those that he had learned but that he had not yet fulfilled the require effective a those that remained
Exorcisic, for example
Either way, the fact that his ic was less effective than noric of this world Even if he failed to find a system that worked even after repeated tries, then he could simply crush his enemy with raer as he had done earlier
—Whether ten Mazoku or twenty, as long as he matched their number with spells of his own, there would be no problem
If there was anything at all that he was concerned about, then it was that he ht have to reveal what he was truly capable of in order to deal with the enemy
If it did cos secret would have to fall second to the safety of the group
Although it’s a last resort, but if worst co to have to activate my mana furnace
If the danger they faced were bad enough, he’d have to exert himself to the utmost Were he to miserly hold back his power, and were they to be forced into a crisis as a result, then all that would await hiret
That was not a mistake he could afford to make
Aht
“Just like earlier, you sure are cal, people would be just as frantic as the other guards in this kind of situation”
“Didn’t those two just say that there was no need to worry?”
Suimei’s mouth twitched at her words
“You’re different from them I don’t feel any hint of unease at all from you”
“I don’t know,on a brave front?”
“Again with the shameless deception”
It seenizing this, he answered seriously
“—Letmy calm”
“Does that mean you’ve encountered crises like this before?”
“More or less Even though I look like this, I have a lot of experience surviving life-and-death battles”
“Like what?”
“That’s a secret”
Even though his evasive ansas slightly disappointing, Lefille nevertheless continued brightly, “You sure are a strange person You’re a pleasure to speak withto reveal any of your secrets”
“That’s what it ician”
“If you keep it up, I’ to pull off that mask of yours sooner or later”
“—Oh? And how do you plan to do that?”
“Haha I’ve always done things the same way – with my sword”
“God forbid… You sure are scary, Lefille-san”
Suimei met Lefille’s humorous, if audacious, words with his own As the two joked with one another, Galeo, worried, interrupted
“…Gurakis-dono Do you not need to prepare?”
“Yeah, I’ood”
“Yakagi-dono, I agreed to take you along because you’re proficient with healing ic Please don’t push yourself”
Suimei scratched his head aardly in response to Galeo’s concern