55 Chapter 8 12 : How NOT to keep a low profile, part 10 (1/2)

The next day at dawn, we showed up at the Ascham mansion, where we almost immediately started to escort the Duke's carriage, along with those of a few merchants and their cargo which were coming with us. Unfortunately, some of the other nobles who'd come for the king's announcement of Haru's marriage were leaving at the same time and going the same direction, so we had to travel together. Fortunately, the Ascham lands were some of the closest to the capital, meaning we'd be leaving their group earlier than most, unfortunately, it'd still take four days, so their guards had time to have some... interesting things to think and say about how a relatively small number of rather young girls were guarding a large number of merchants and a duke. Since we were all together, the guards of some earl were the first to come over to us to laugh at us during the first midday break. They didn't do so for long, of course.

”Mind if I ask you girls a few questions? Oh, where are my manners. I'm Grant, A rank and leader of the Blue Spring Wave, a B ranked party. What's your name?” (Grant)

”Haru. Like you, I'm an A rank, one of the three in the party I'm a member of” (Haru)

”What party would that be? Like, what's the name, I mean” (Grant, already suppressing a laugh)

”The Demon Lord's Harem. If that's all, I'd like to continue eating” (Haru)

”What's with that name!? Some kind of joke!? And you're an A rank!? One of THREE!?” (Another in his party)

”Seriously, The Demon Lord's Harem? What kind of stupid party name is that?” (Yet another member)

By this time, we were drawing a small crowd, constituting about a fifth of the people in the group, but Haru, as well as the rest of us, just sat there calmly as we ate. We continued to ignore the people laughing at us, for a while.

”Oi, best b'careful 'f 'em! 'ey might call down de wrath o' de Demon Lord er som'n!” (Member of a second party)

”Yeah, or maybe those three A ranks might get mad and beat us up!” (Third party's leader, while giggling)

”Oh shit! Bozeus! You and your party shouldn't mess with them!” (Baron Istal)

”Eh, why not? They're just-” (Bozeus, presumably. Leader of a fourth party)

”Just an A ranked party that includes the third princess, her fiancee, and an SS rank” (Baron Istal)

”An S ranked party including two SS ranks, actually... Those two being Ryuu and myself” (Ver)

Considering that the two of us were the youngest-looking of the group, that does sound implausible, but... other things called for my attention, and I decided to make a show of it.

”By the way, there's a small group of trash mobs heading towards us from the southeast. I guess we'll take care of them, unless someone else wants to do it? The materials will only sell for a few large silver coins at most, and are bulky as hell. Not worth collecting for those without storage magic” (Ryuu)

”Eh, sure, go ahead. Kill those goblins or whatever. I don't care” (Most of the others who didn't want to watch)

I stood up, walked past most of the group, then we heard a scream.

”Argh! Ogres! Sixteen ogres from the south! We could use some backup here!” (Some other group)

”And there they are. Hmm... someone, name an element. Any element at all” (Ryuu)

”Ice? Just... get going!” (Grant)

”In that case, it'd be the Anthem of the Glacial Split...” (Ryuu)

”The fuck does that mean... uh... why's it getting so much... colder?” (Someone shivering)

”It's a spell. Just watch and listen... and don't disturb her” (Ver)

About two dozen large chunks of ice formed in the air, and one by one, they turned into spears that went through the skulls of the ogres. For every spear that fell, an ogre died. When all of them were dead, there were seven chunks left, which I just had fall into a different area to become a chilly powder on the ground. A few times a second for a while after that, one could hear the ice split further in a melodic rhythm, almost as if it was a song someone was playing.

”That... was... insane. She has that much control over her mana, and that much skill with ice magic?” (Grant)

”Not just ice magic. Still, listen to the sound of the ice...” (Char)

”I don't... wait... is that... the beat of The Royal Procession?” (Grant)

”Why yes, it is. I thought people would recognise it. Normally, I'd go for what I know better, such as 'March of the Dancing Shadows' or 'Firelight Flight' but you probably wouldn't get that very quickly, if at all, and neither of those fits the ice anthem well... though, neither does the royal procession, I must admit” (Ryuu)

”What would have happened had someone said 'void magic'?” (Grant)