Otome Game no Heroine de Saikyou Survival (LN) - Book 5: Chapter 8

Twisted Event Third Part

「Er-sama-, look at that-, the mountain is visible even though it’s so far away-」

This time a field trip to observe the exercises of a knight order was being held for the new students of the sorcery academy. The crown prince Ervan received the task to supervise the new students and rode a carriage to head to the destination. A girl was also riding together in his carriage and she turned around toward him with a wide smile.

「Y-yeah……」

The girl was putting her knees on the cushioned seat while peering outside the window and rambling like a little child. Her behavior caused Ervan’s expression to twitch slightly while he replied to her.

Field trip to a national facility was held every year for the new students, but excluding the low ranked nobles, middle ranked nobles and high ranked nobles had the qualification to participate in this event was so they, the students who would become feudal lord or the wife of one in the future could learn what was important for the sake of managing the country and how the tax got used in order to do that.

In Claydale Kingdom, there were more than 6000 noble houses if the knight peerage was included. Among them there were 589 middle ranked noble houses, And then if the 35 high ranked noble houses also got included, there would be more than sixty students from middle ranked noble houses and above in just one grade year.

Just the effort to transport that many noble children was already a large scale undertaking. Because of that the crown prince who was a second year student had to come along as supervisor, but looking at the end result it turned out only around sixty percent of the new students participated in this field trip.

It would be a different matter if it was the usual field trip to an important facility within the capital, but this was a field trip to observe the exercises of a knight order that was carried out far away from the capital. The female students who had no interest in managing a territory tended to pass from participating in such event. In fact the number of female students who participated in the field trip this time was only five.

The students would move and do activity together to some degree when traveling with carriage for three days like this time.

Most of the times the high class noble would travel together with children from noble houses that were their dependent. But in case the number of female students was few like this time, there was an unspoken understanding that the young lady from high ranked noble house who could only bring one attendant with her would bring the young ladies from middle ranked noble houses in her carriage without regard of which region they came from.

But, the young ladies from high ranked noble houses and above who participated in the field trip this time were only the princess Elena and Carla from a house of count. Not a single person wanted to travel together with Carla, so two of the remaining three young ladies from middle ranked noble houses were riding in the princess’s carriage.

And then this girl who was the last female student refused to ride in a carriage that only had female students in it because of her past experience in the orphanage where she got bullied by her fellow female orphans. But even if she rode in a carriage of fellow dependents, she would be the only girl there while she also wouldn’t be allowed to bring any maid with her. There was no way they could do that. So in the end that girl asked to be allowed to ride together in the same carriage of the heir of Melrose House that was her house’s caregiver, which was this carriage.

*Geshi-*

The heir of Dandall House, Rockwell who was riding in the same carriage as a close aide of the crown prince wordlessly kicked the foot of Mihail, the heir of Melrose House who was also his friend who was sitting beside him.

「(What are you doing, Rockwell-)」

「(That girl’s house is a dependent to your house right? Shut her up already)」

「(You too are accompanying his highness the crown prince as his personal bodyguard right? Peel her off from Er already)」

「(I don’t wanna. That girl is troublesome. Besides I’m a bodyguard in case there is danger approaching)」

「(Even I find that girl troublesome. She won’t listen no matter what I say to her……)」

「Misha-sama-, Well-sama-, let’s talk together with us too-!」

「「Tsu!」」

The two who were busy pushing responsibility to each other in small voice also had their expression twitched when that girl──Alicia Mercis called them with “pet name” even though they hadn’t given her permission, just like Ervan. At the corner of their eyes, they saw Ervan sighing in relieve. It seemed that he had stealthily pushed that girl to them.

「Aa~……Lady Alicia?」

「What is it, Misha-sama-! You don’t need to be so formal like that with me, please just call me [Licia]. We are relative after all-」

「……Where did you hear that from?」

Mihail’s eyes narrowed when he heard what Alicia said. Even if noble house like Dandall could possibly learn the information that she was a princess who was directly related to Melrose House thanks to their information gathering capability, it was a matter that middle ranked noble house had no way of learning.

Even Mercis House that adopted her and the apprentice knight of black ops who was assigned as her bodyguard shouldn’t be so foolish to leak that information to her.

Then, who was it that told the girl about that? Mihail lowered his voice as a member of a high ranked noble house that was in charge of the black ops, but Alicia showed no sign of being bothered by that and tilted her head slightly while putting her fingertip on her lips with a natural gesture.

Her figure was like “a single painting” as seen by “someone” that got cut out from the frame and placed in the real world. Coupled with her lovely appearance, even they who didn’t have any interest at her unconsciously held their breath.

Alicia Mercis. She was a girl who possessed a mysterious atmosphere.

She was the only daughter of a lady from Melrose House who eloped with an apprentice knight and gave birth to her at a small city, then she lost both her parents because of an unfortunate accident, and then she spent her childhood in an orphanage that had horrible environment. Mihail’s grandfather, the current margrave of Melrose found her through his search and put her under his protection.

Her education as a noble was insufficient, so she was placed in a viscount house as adopted daughter instead of with a high ranked noble house, but in reality it was in order to ascertain whether she was really had the blood of Melrose House or not.

She didn’t have the “pinkish blond hair” that was the proof of being a direct descendant of Melrose House.

She didn’t look similar with the painting of the eloped lady that was still remaining with Melrose House.

Just those factors were enough for Mihail to doubt this “Alicia”. But behind that doubt was the feeling of idolization that Mihail harbored when he saw the dignified figure of that lady in the painting when he was still just a child.

That lady who was Mihail’s aunt excelled in martial art and horsemanship as a daughter of the family that was in charge of the black ops. When Mihail heard about that, he went as far as proactively learning those things too because of the adoration and ideal that he harbored for that woman and her only daughter.

But, what Mihail felt when he actually laid his eyes on the girl who was said to be his aunt’s daughter, what he felt was discomfort.

He couldn’t feel any dignity or strength of a Melrose from her. That girl had fluffy atmosphere as though she was born only for the sake of being loved. She was different from the image of “Alicia” that Mihail had formed in his mind.

Even Mihail knew that image was him simply him projecting his selfish ideal on someone else. But even so, each time he thought of that image, what came to mind was the 『adventurer girl he encountered at the capital』 who was now appointed to be the princess’s bodyguard.

Her blond hair had pinkish tinge as though she was loved by the rose of the moon(Melrose). Her strength and her dignified beauty were exactly like the picture of “Alicia” that Mihail formed in his mind.

But, the “Alicia” before his eyes was an existence that was the exact opposite of that.

Her speech and action were strange because she hadn’t received sufficient education as noble lady, but from her gesture and behavior, there was “perfected adorableness” as though she had spent many years copying the most commonly seen “perfect model” like how all noble ladies learned etiquette and manner from their instructor.

If there was a child who learned something like that not unconsciously but intentionally, that child must have something that surpassed mere desire, something that was close to an “obsession”.

The girl’s reddish dark blond hair rustled softly. Her appearance was still childish because of her low magic power, while the other three’s appearances had grown to make them looked like seventeen years old. Perhaps that was why she looked even more adorable when surrounded by them. Even Mihail who was feeling suspicious toward the girl had his gaze stolen by her for a moment.

「Nn~……」

Alicia tilted her head with that “perfectly adorable gesture”. Her eyes met Mihail’s and she put on a heartfelt smile that contained no ulterior motive.

「Licia doesn’t get it-」

「……Ha?」

Mihail was taken aback for a moment. Alicia leaned forward to bring her face closer to him.

「Because, any noble must be connected to each other by blood somewhere right? Misha-sama is my house’s caregiver, so I thought it wouldn’t be strange even if there’s familial connection there.」

「That’s……not exactly wrong.」

Certainly Mercis house that had been managing a personal territory of Melrose House was a branch house of Melrose House. There was blood connection between them.

But, this “Alicia” was adopted. Where did she learn that she had noble blood in her vein? If it was just that much then it wouldn’t be strange to hear it from gossip or something, but a discomfort was continuing to prickle Mihail somewhere in his heart.

「Don’t you think so too Well-sa……kyah」

*Gatan-* The carriage shook. Alicia who was looking for Rockwell to agree with her let out a small scream and fell on his chest.

「Oops」

Even so as expected from the heir of Dandall that was a noted martial family. He easily caught the petite girl’s body by simply reaching out his hand. He then warned her with a gentle tone.

「A lady must not move around inside the carriage. It’s also not good for a lady and a gentleman to call each other using pet name when they aren’t even close with each other, so can I ask you to please stop calling me like that?」

In respond to that chiding word, Alicia wrapped the hand that was holding her shoulder with her own small hand while smiling at him right from the front.

「Fufu, you will become a scary mister noble if you keep saying something like that you know? We are still students. There’s no law that say we cannot have fun just because we are noble.」

「I see……」

Rockwell’s gentle smile didn’t fall. Even though inside his mind was in chaos as though he was encountering a monster for the first time, he softly pushed away the shoulder of the girl who was snuggling on him and helped her stood.

But the words from that girl produced a ripple in someone else that those two who those words were directed at.

「So it’s also fine to have fun……」

Ervan who was watching the three muttered with a small voice.

The first queen who was a former viscount daughter was living freely experienced the harshness of the queenly education, because of that she raised her child on her own instead of entrusting him to the royal family’s education system. As the result Ervan couldn’t have the mentality of a royalty despite being raised to be the next king and longed for “freedom”.

Even so he kept putting in effort in his own way, but his little sister who should be attached to him was starting to radiate the majesty as a royalty, while the high ranked noble young ladies who became his fiancées consisted of an older young lady who was detached from real world, a stifling young lady who seemed to be constantly at her wits’ end, and a young lady who was dangerous in both appearance and behavior. For him who only had the resolve at the level of the average middle ranked noble, they were girls who he couldn’t comprehend.

Clara who was designated to be the first queen had become weaker mentally since she was bestowed with the Gift. Even Ervan now thought that she was lovely the way she was clinging dependently on him, but as a man Ervan hadn’t grown up to be that mature that he was able to support a woman who brought such heavy burden with her.

If Ervan was born as a heir of a middle ranked noble house instead as a crown prince, then surely he would become a feudal lord who was loved by his subject.

If Ervan who had experienced how it felt for other person to rely on him had ten more years to grow up, then he might become able to face Elena and Clara sincerely.

The love of the first queen who wished for him to be able to live freely could only make Ervan to grow up as a normal youth. The gap of mental age with his surrounding that was slowly widening as time passed was tormenting his mind. That exhausted heart of Ervan was jolted by the words of the girl who was raised as a commoner. Those words seeped into his heart like a sweet poison.

「You, it’s dangerous to stand like that. Sit down over here. Err……Licia?」

「Yes-, Er-sama.」

Ervan called the middle ranked noble girl with a pet name. The girl who got called Licia also noticed that and smiled widely while rushing to his side.

Seeing the crown prince’s action, the two who were accompanying him as [friend] and also [aide] and also [observer] exchanged glance with each other. Then they opened their mouth to chide that action, but before they could the carriage got shook hard and stopped moving.

「What happened!」

Rockwell who had the role of bodyguard stood up with his sword in hand. Then an angry yell came from outside the carriage.

『Get out of the carriage quietly! If not we’re going to set it on fire!』

***

「Get out quietly! If not we’re going to set it──」

In that moment, the carriage’s door was blown up and powerful flame burst out from inside the carriage. The man in leather armor who was speaking and his surrounding were instantly burned to their bones without even any time to scream.

Burning flame. The smell of scorching bone…….

An extravagant black carriage that had gone ahead from the crown prince’s carriage and in a distance about a half hour of travel was also similarly under attack. “A girl(Death)” clad in a mantle shaped uniform and light yellowish green dress appeared from inside.

Her jet black hair fluttered from the flame that was spreading through the forest. She swept up her messy hair with one hand while her sickly pale face with dark circles around her eyes was illuminated by the flame. That young lady picked up a carbonized bone and crushed it with her fingers while smiling like a flower toward the dumbfounded and flustered attackers.

「Did they burn well?」

The attackers were flustered by the flame that suddenly burned their comrades into charcoal instantly.

The flame of the burning carriage was dyeing the surrounding with the color orange. The men in leather armor were surrounding it. They were members of the branch assassin guild at the southern frontier. Their mission was to kidnap the fiancée of the crown prince who was passing through this route.

As long as she was captured alive, even if she lost one or two limbs she could possibly be of aid in negotiating with her father Count Lester──the chief royal sorcerer who was said to have a stance that was leaning to neutral the most among the royal family faction. But the priority for her capture was low. They were told that it was fine even if they killed her in the worst case.

This plan to kidnap Princess Elena and assassinate Crown Prince Ervan was concocted by the nobles of the noble faction and a part of the second knight order.

Originally it should be the central branch’s assassins who received the request about assassinating royalty.

But it became known that the central west district branch that was known as a warlike branch had lost several skilled assassins in these several years. The central branch that had the largest scale information network even through the whole assassin guild hesitated to accept this request considering the possibility that “Ash Crowned Princess” and “Thorn Witch” might be present.

The infamy of these two girls was so high at the north and central of the kingdom that the assassin guild and the thief guild that had deep connection to politic hesitated to accept the request from the nobles.

Of course that infamy had also reached the southern frontier branch, but one of their top brasses with martial disposition volunteered to accept the request due to the intermediation of a certain person.

Their true objective wasn’t something like the assassination of a royalty.

That top brass moved into action because he was in a romantic relationship with that person in the past, and that person wanted to clear up a personal resentment through this request.

They received the location of Count Lester’s daughter as a part of that job.

The top brass of the southern frontier branch was also aware that the girl was feared at the central as the [Thorn Witch].

But they didn’t put any effort to gather information about how strong a mere noble daughter could be. They thought that the reason why the girl was regarded as danger was related to her political influence as noble.

The daughter of Lester House, Carla Lester……the ”Thorn Witch” ──.

Those who were in the know feared the girl in all aspects, whether politically, or internally, or strength-wise. That girl with her sickly pale complexion crushed the carbonized bone in her fingers with a delighted smile like a craftsman who looked fondly at a well made coal that was his work.

「……K-kill herr!!」

One of the assassins raised his voice a bit shrilly.

Even if this girl was actually powerful, it shouldn’t matter seeing that she was a sorcerer and girl. Even her appearance was sickly. Sorcerer in general was estranged with close quarter combat. They would lose most of their means to counterattack once their opponent entered the blade’s distance.

Such common sense caused them to make the wrong judgment.

「Diee!」

They already gave up on kidnapping Carla after realizing that the info about her strength wasn’t exaggerated. Furthermore their instinct was telling them that they would be turned into lifeless corpses if they didn’t face her with the intent to kill.

The blade that was made from magic steel let out a dull glint. The assassin got close to Carla.

But, Carla wasn’t just a mere young lady.

「What-!?」

Carla softly jumped and dodged the assassin’s killing blade with a speed that was unthinkable coming from a person in dress.

Carla was born in Lester House that was a lineage of sorcerer and obtained all elements because of her father’s experiment. She obtained immense power while losing her future at the same time.

What was left for her was only “strength” and the “fearful gaze” of other people that reflected herself. That was why Carla continued to be fixated with strength.

In order to destroy her father and this country that ignored his outrageous act, Carla had pursued strength by continuously going into dungeon solo until now. She had trained her body strengthening and martial art in order to face multiple opponents on her own.

「──Air Curtain Rock Skin──」

She casted two magic simultaneously to deflect the arrows that were fired at her. Then she pointed one hand at the flustered assassin.

「──Ice Lance──」

She fired ice sorcery that was the advanced magic of water element. The assassin noticed that and tried to dodge but the big ice pillar flew at high speed and pierced his stomach.

But, in contrast to the high level difficulty of spell construction and her cruel appearance, the lethality of ice element sorcery wasn’t that high. The ice froze the wound and blood, so the victim wouldn’t die instantly. In some cases the opponent could even counterattack.

Even so high ranked sorcery still used ice element sorcery because the intense chill the ice radiated could be expected to slow the movement of the surrounding.

The movements of the assassins were clearly becoming duller. The temperature of the area was also decreasing. They couldn’t catch up to Carla even though they had the same level of body strengthening.

But there was no way Carla used ice sorcery just for her own safety.

*Crackle!*

Those who were knowledgeable about sorcery twitched in fear seeing the light that sparked out from Carla’s hand.

「──Dig Volt──」

Lightning filled the forest that was tormented by flame and ice with a flash.

The advanced combined sorcery of wind and water, Dig Volt burned the assassin that was stabbed with Ice Lance from within. The electricity then flowed through the frozen ground and paralyzed the other assassins with numbness.

And then Carla immediately produced flame from both her hands. Seeing that made one assassin who was in despair to come to a realization. Carla had no intention of running away from the start. She had no intention of letting even a single one of them left alive.

Her smiling face that hadn’t changed at all from the start told the man that Carla’s only wish was to kill them. Then the flame that was unleashed at the next moment burned his body while words of resentment leaked out from his mouth.

「Cursed devil……」

Why didn’t the attackers retreat at the moment their comrades were killed at the beginning?

From the start……they didn’t run away and attack the girl not because of their pride or even stubbornness as assassin, but because of the “fear” as a weakling encountering an overwhelming predator.

「Human dies. No matter who they are.」

Carla killed someone not because so she could survive. Carla killed because not even his life was important to her.

“Death” was always nearby ever since she was a child. Carla who obtained all elements didn’t think that she would be able to live a long life. Even her investigation from reading many books told her that there was no great person(human) who had all elements who managed to live until 30.

Carla killed human……Carla was trying to destroy this country simply to vent. She would drag this country to hell “together” with her who had lost her future and would die in the not far future.

For Carla who had lived like that since she was little until now, something like the worth of life didn’t even reach one bronze coin, including her own life.

She didn’t care anymore when she would die. But, until that time came she would bring as many humans as possible to accompany her to that world.

But, she wondered since when it started. Her objective that only consisted of killing others changed slightly.

It was since that day……when she met “her”.

The girl whose hair was dirtied with gray ash, who continued to fight against fate with the thick smell of “death” wafting around her just like Carla.

If she was going to die, she wished it would be by “her” hand.

That was why Carla didn’t wish to be killed by anyone else than “her”.

She would become strong in order to get killed. If it was for the sake of that, she would even accept a Gift that a few years ago she would laugh off as worthless and. And even then she still sought for even more power.

Carla had a dream. The two would fight to the death on a glamorous stage where many people gathered as audiences and flame was enveloping the whole place. There she would kill “her” and get killed by “her”.

Since that time, her wish to destroy this country and kill her father gruesomely on the worst stage was reduced into nothing more than extra content in order to make the girl get serious.

That was why right now, she was even considering seriously to ruin this country.

Everything was for the sake of making the girl became serious so they could seriously kill(love) each other…….

「Fufu……cough」

Perhaps because she obtained a Gift, just laughing caused her tiny stamina to decrease even more. Her hand that covered her mouth when she coughed had blood on it.

But everything including this was just what she wished for. She would decide on her own how to use her own life.

These assailants who tried to take her life too, if they were targeting Carla because she was a fiancée of the prince even though Carla herself didn’t really think much about it, then surely the royalties were also getting attacked. That was Carla’s guess.

In that case “she” would definitely appear. She would surely appear in order to kill everything that got in the way of her destiny

Carla looked back at the path where the crown prince and the princess should pass through after this. She seemed to sense something and inhaled slowly. Then she began walking toward that direction with footsteps that were skipping in joy.

「Aa……”death(Aria)” is going to come……」

***

「Who’s behind this!?」

Rockwell and Mihail stepped forward in order to protect the crown prince Ervan and Alicia who was hanging on his arm.

The attackers who stopped the carriage that was boarded by the crown prince’s group ordered them to get out and lined up in front of it. The royal guards that the crown prince brought and the black ops knight that Mihail brought were already killed.

Other than the royal guards, there was also a platoon of knights from the second knight order that was holding the exercise this time. But Rockwell who was the son of the supreme knight commander realized that this platoon was working together with the attackers and glared at the platoon leader while shaking.

「Rockwell-sama, I don’t have any grudge toward you and the supreme commander but, everything is for the sake of a just cause.」

「What kind of just cause can there be from something like this-! This country will fall into chaos once more if his highness disappear.」

「That too is a necessary pain. We can’t stop anymore.」

「You can say that only because it won’t be you who feel the pain but the people……」

In the first place their standing was too different from each other so there was no point to have this kind of argument. The end result that they were seeing was different from each other so they would never change their opinion.

「…………」

Mihail was thinking like that and left it to Rockwell to converse with the platoon leader while groping for a way to save at least Ervan from this predicament.

Ervan was standing in front of the girl called Licia to protect her, but from Mihail’s perspective, he wished the crown prince had the tenacity to survive even if he had to use the girl as shield.

That Licia too looked like she was scared in a glance, but there was no sign of fear in her face. He even suspected whether she really understood the situation or not.

「Allow me to give this offer for the last time, we won’t take the life of Rockwell-sama and the son of Melrose if the two of you side with us. We will need to restrict your freedom to some degree though. So what is your answer?」

「Both Mihail and I will never agree to that kind of offer-!」

Ervan turned pale and held his breath when he heard the platoon leader’s words, but Rockwell immediately refused the offer without even a pause. The platoon leader seemed to have expected that answer and raised one hand. The assassins who were wearing leather armor stepped forward.

「How unfortunate. Then I shall at least kill the two of you painlessly.」

The assassins drew out blades that were painted black at the same time with those words from the platoon leader. It was then──

*Rustle……-*

The animals inside the forest started making noises at the same time. Then something broke through the green curtain of the forest’s vegetation. A pink haired girl riding on a huge black beast appeared and lightly jumped over the head of everyone there who was looking up with astonishment while the girl muttered in a low voice.

「Nero, go wild.」

***

『GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!』

The black beast’s roar reverberated through the highway. Then Nero immediately assaulted the knights that were scattered at the surrounding.

「What is this monster!?」

「Calm down-, raise your shield!」

The knights immediately responded with their weapons and shields raised. But although it might helped if they were wearing full plate armor, their current light equipment couldn’t stop Nero’s attack and they were blown off their feet.

Because of its big body, Nero aimed at the knights at the outer circumference instead at the center where there was little space. From its back I confirmed crown prince Ervan’s safety and jumped down smoothly stabbing two assassins with the dagger and knife in my hands.

「Wha-, gah!?」

A man raised his voice seeing his comrade being killed, but I crushed his nose bridge with my elbow, Without pause I wrapped my arm around his neck and snapped it. The crown prince’s aide, Mihail raised his voice seeing the two of us suddenly appearing and starting to kill the enemies.

「Y-you are!」

「Get back a little.」

I said that to him while flapping my skirt and pulled out knives from the slit to throw at the approaching assassins. One person got his throat pierced by a knife while two others dodged. As expected from assassins that were targeting the crown prince, there was nobody here who was lower than rank 3…….

I dashed in that moment and pulled out the scythe type pendulum and tore the throat of a nearby man who was approaching me as we passed each other. Another man closed the distance and thrust his knife. I dodged by bending backward while somersaulting and kicking up the man’s jaw with the tip of my shoes. At the same time I threw the slashing type pendulum to tear his now defenseless neck, finishing him off.

「Hiuh……」

Splashing blood. Lives that were vanishing like plucked flowers. The girl who was clinging on the crown prince let out a stifled scream seeing my figure killing the enemies dispassionately. One of the assassins noticed that and started dashing to take them hostage.

「I won’t let you-!」

「Rockwell-!」

The other aide of the crown prince interposed himself between them. Mihail yelled the name of that youth.

The youth had a body built like a knight and he seemed to be well trained, but the person himself must have noticed that it would be impossible for him to stop a rank 3 assassin barehanded.

「Get out of my way-!」

Even so Rockwell wouldn’t move out of the way. The assassin brandished up a one-handed sword.

In that moment, I pitched forward while grabbing the ground with my nails and kicked on the ground to leap forward. I jumped on the assassin’s back from behind and used my momentum to throw him on the ground before breaking his neck with my knee.

His neck made a sound like a wooden branch wrapped in wet rag getting broken. The crown prince and his friends reflexively averted their gaze. Meanwhile I picked the one-handed sword the assassin was using and tossed it to the still dumbfounded Rockwell.

「You are her highness’s……」

「I accepted a reinforcement request from her highness the princess for his highness the crown prince. Don’t lose focus when there are enemies. Pick up a weapon if you still have the will to fight. You have something that you have to protect right?」

「Ye……yeah, that’s right!」

Rockwell took the sword and nodded strongly. Nero was taking on the second knight order’s platoon, so it would be fine to leave them to it.

.

When I drew out my black knife in order to deal with the assassins, I felt an intense killing intent in that moment and I jumped aside to dodge while throwing my knife to that direction.

*Gin!*

My knife that was thrown to the killing intent’s owner was deflected.

That man immediately threw something like a hatchet at me, but I sensed that I wouldn’t be able to deflect the hatchet that was approaching while making a roaring sound. I jumped to the side to dodge that attack, but that man approached me in the meantime.

*GOOOH!*

He unleashed a kick that caused a loud wind pressure. When I blocked it with my heel and kicked on it to take a distance, the man brandished his hatchet toward me who was midair.

「──Vorpal Blade──」

Multiple slashes were fired toward me in that moment.

「Tsu!」

I kicked on empty air to change my posture while twisting my body to dodge the blade waves. Then I fell on the ground and dropped on my knee. My gaze crossed with that man’s gaze.

「Hoo……to think there’s someone who can dodge this Battle Skill.」

「…………」

I couldn’t dodge them all. Blood trickled from my right cheek that got grazed and my side that got slightly cut. My hand was pressing on the wound on my side. Who was this person who used level 5 battle Skill just like that man who was my nemesis?

「Who?」

「Is there any assassin who will answer when asked for his identity? Is what I want to say but, I’ll tell you. I’m one of the leaders of the southern frontier branch, Gilgan-sama. Your appearance, your strength, I know who you are. You are “Ash Crowned” huh?」

.

▼ Gilgan Race : Human♂ – Assumed Rank 5

【Magic Power : 184/200】【Stamina : 402/410】

【Overall Combat Strength : 1344 (During Special Body Strengthening : 1712)】

.

The man with the rough appearance of someone at his forty laughed like a beast that was baring its fangs.

A leader of the southern frontier assassin guild branch huh……. It seemed they were very serious in their attempt to kill the crown prince that they sent someone at this level.

What was their true intention? Was it for putting Elena on the throne to govern this country along their wish just like that Joey said? If they were going to go as far as drugging Elena so they would listen to them, why couldn’t they do the same with the crown prince…….

I didn’t have enough information. I continued the conversation. I wasn’t good at it but, perhaps I would be able to draw out some info from him.

「Why do you think I’m that?」

Gilgan looked exasperated when I asked him that.

「Hah, I’ll go crazy if there are that many little girl in this world with combat strength like yours-. Me being someone from the assassin guild is already enough reason to realize your identity right? There are tons of guys who hold grudge at you.」

Before this I also got targeted near the capital by the remnants of the northern frontier branch, but it seemed that wasn’t the end of it. Gilgan grinned when he saw me reaching that conclusion.

「My past girlfriend asked me a favor to take care of you, but there’s also someone else. This guy told me about your appearance, your favorite tactic, the countermeasure for that, and even how the effective way to draw you out to the open is by aiming at the “princess”.」

「……What?」

「Information goes everywhere in the underworld. The average guys will flinch from targeting the princess you’re protecting, but it’s also natural that there are those who want to try to fight someone that strong that can do something like that right? When I got this information, that person told me to tell you about this if I run into you by some chance. Isn’t it an amusing story?」

「…………」

Targeting Elena was a shortcut to fight me.

I knew of someone else who also said something like that before. I also heard how this person was recently involved with the commotion in the capital.

Grave huh…….

I was convinced with this. That man was finally starting to take action.

I stood up while my hand kept pressing on my side. Gilgan kept his focus fixed on me while glancing at Nero.

「So that’s a Coeurl……it’s even more a monster than what I heard. But we are both rank 5. I’ll manage easily if I have several men with me. This great me will eliminate all of you together.」

Gilgan held a hatchet in each hand and smiled like a beast.

Gilgan’s fighting style was to hold one-handed sword in each hand. That reminded me of Grave.

The current me still wouldn’t be able to use Iron Rose for some time because of using mana recovery potion during the travel to this location.

Gilgan seemed worried of Nero’s interruption, but I had no intention of handing my enemy to Nero.

Even if I couldn’t use Iron Rose, even if the enemy was a veteran rank 5, I wouldn’t take even a single step back now that I had stood on the same stage with them.

I sheathed the black dagger and knife and took out the scythe and weight type pendulums from the Storage to my hands. I gave them a twirl.

Gilgan was rank 5 and I was rank 4. The difference between us wasn’t only in combat strength, there should also be greater gap in our actual strength and experience. But, in order to fight Grave who had the same fighting style, I had to defeat this guy by myself alone.

「……What are you doing?」

Gilgan frowned seeing me putting away my knife and dagger and readying two pendulums instead.

「You want me to fight “seriously” right? Is it your style to ask every single trivia in battlefield?」

Anyone could reach rank 3 if they spent time putting in effort. But to reach higher than that, “something” that no ordinary person had was required.

Human could obtain immense power by discarding something important to them as a human, whether it was because of madness, obsession, or an oath to themselves. That was exactly why between monster and human of the same rank, I was warier toward the human.

「Hah, you got that right. In that case──」

The moment Gilgan was talking, *Bam!* I kicked on the ground with body strengthening at full tilt right from the start. My foot left a crack on the ground and I passed one of the assassins who were moving to surround us. The scythe type pendulum tore his throat in my wake.

「……a?」

That man let out a puzzled voice while blood spurted out a moment later. I used that blood spray as cover for the weight type pendulum that I threw. It swung down on the head of another man nearby.

*Gokyu!* There was a sound like a pumpkin getting smashed with hammer. Before that man collapsed on the ground, I used his face as stepping stool to jump. I rotated midair while pulling out knives on my thigh from behind the fluttering skirt. They entered the eyeballs of two assassins who were staring at me dumbfounded, scattering their life.

「Ash Crowneddd!!」

There Gilgan who was planning to have a “duel” with me finally turned infuriated and threw one of his hatchets toward me.

Unfortunately, I’m not so chivalrous nor so audacious that I could fight a duel while being surrounded by enemies. Even if the opponent wanted to have a duel, who knows what his subordinates who were surrounding us would actually do.

Then what to do? The answer was simple. I just needed to kill the nuisances first.

The hatchet made a growling sound while rotating through the air. I bent diagonally while kicking up with the heel of my leather boot. *Gann!* The collision made a hard sound and the hatchet was deflected to the wrong direction.

The boots that I was wearing right now weren’t the adventuring boots that I received from master. That boots’ appearance wouldn’t match the academy uniform, so it would cause others to be on guard against me. That was why I usually was wearing the academy’s approved loafer, while right now I was wearing boots that had magic iron plate inserted on the heel and the tip.

「T-this damn brat!」

One assassin finally returned to his senses from being a mere duel “spectator” to being a participant standing on the “stage”. He pulled out a dagger from his waist and brandished it.

But that was a bad choice. Even though it looked like I was in an unbalanced posture after kicking up the hatchet, this was a battlefield that had “enemies”. Even if there was distance between us, I shouldn’t let down my guard for even a moment.

「──Gogah!?」

The weight type pendulum was swiveling and impacted the side of that man’s head just as he was about to dash forward. Blood burst out from the ear at the opposite side of the man’s head.

There would be no more moment of rest for all of you lowlifes. Multiple pendulum swiveled at my surrounding, forming “barrier of death” that served for both intercepting and attacking.

「Stop her-!」

Gilgan yelled at his subordinates and chased after me. This was a gamble where in the worst case he might take the crown prince hostage, but my first impression of him proved correct. Gilgan prioritized to fight me, the [Ash Crowned Princess] who had destroyed some assassin guilds.

「Guh!」

Gilgan tried to close the distance with me, but the third pendulum──slashing type pendulum passed right before his eyes in high speed. He reflexively put a brake on his dash.

I sheathed my knife and dagger so I could use four pendulums which was the most I could do right now. With my current skill level, it was necessary for me to keep both of my hands completely empty.

「Die, Ash Crowned-!」

The subordinate assassins who were ordered to [stop] me raised their weapons and blocked my way. In that moment, the scythe type pendulum that was whirling as a barrier of death gouged the forehead of the man at the forefront.

That man screamed. But two other men used him as a shield and closed the distance. That seemed like a cruel act but that was the right move. The man called Gilgan apparently ran a tight leadership over his subordinates despite his appearance.

It was hard to hit me with throwing weapons while I kept moving around. That was why their decision to challenge me in close range combat while I was focused on using remotely controlled weapons with no melee weapon in hands wasn’t wrong.

*Gakinn!*

「What-!?」

A spear swept at my landing spot, but I blocked it with the sheath that was tied on my calf and kicked back. It was a weapon that could block even an attack from rank 5 monster and wouldn’t snap even if it used to give such opponent a finishing blow. Even though it was kept inside its sheath, it could block any attack other than special killing move with no problem.

I attacked with both hands and blocked attack with my legs. My fighting style was putting away my weapons in order to fight multiple opponents instead.

「Enough playing around-! Fight meee!!」

Even so the attack managed to hold me on one place for a little bit. Gilgan deflected the scythe type pendulum that was swiveling in high speed using his hatchet while closing the distance to me until close quarter.

I kicked the face of the spear user with a heel of the leg that I used to block the spear. That heel had metal plate inserted in it. The kick crushed the man’s face. At the same time I sensed one other person attacking from behind. I made the weight type pendulum to turn and wrapped around his neck to strangle him.

I sealed the attack from behind. But, Gilgan was approaching from the front.

I strongly pulled the string that I directed to my back to strangle that man to death. At the same time I also used the recoil from pulling the string to take even more distance from Gilgan.

「Fight me properly, Ash Crowned-!!」

「I’m amazed you can say that after surrounding one girl with this many men.」

I dodged Gilgan’s pursuing attack while murdering the encirclement one after another. Then an assassin that I was approaching turned his back on me and ran away.

Don’t get scared even if you feel fear. Don’t run away even if you’re retreating. Fear will kill your heart you know?

The swiveling weight type pendulum grazed the head of the man who was seized by fear. It reaped his consciousness for just an instant. I leaped at him during that instant and kneed the back of his head. Without pause I wrapped my legs around the man’s head and I rotated. His neck was snapped at the same time with my landing.

「That is her highness’s bodyguard……?」

「……That’s right.」

Even though Rockwell was taking a fight stance with a weapon that was taken away from an enemy, he was unable to join the fight. Far from that, he couldn’t even take a step from where he was standing.

Rockwell had a margrave who was this country’s supreme knight commander as his father, and most likely he would succeed his father’s position in around ten or twenty years from now. Because of that he had been given the training within the best environment in this country to become the greatest knight.

Although the old Dandall Dukedom was absorbed by Claydale Kingdom due to the difference in national power, it was originally a military country. The bloodline of Dandall House that was the royal family of that country in the past was pushing up Rockwell to stand above everyone in his generations in the matter of strength.

His talent was the real deal as could be seen from how he had reached rank 3 while still enrolling in the academy. He had the confidence that he wouldn’t lose even against a royal guard if he had a sword in hand.

He would become the greatest knight in this country. And for this youth, the greatest knight also meant [the strongest knight]. But as he grew up, he noticed that what was sought from the person who would become this country’s supreme knight commander wasn’t individual might, but political power and leadership ability.

He wished to become strong. But as he matured his adult self soothed his childish self that just strength wouldn’t be enough.

But, the battle of the pink haired girl who was killing the enemies before his eyes as though she was dancing was in a different dimension. It completely destroyed Rockwell’s sense of value.

If he could be honest, he felt fear at the girl who was killing humans without showing any emotion. His legs were shaking and couldn’t move, and his hand also couldn’t let go of the sword handle in its grasp.

But at the same time, Rockwell couldn’t avert his gaze from the girl. The wish of wanting to become strong that he had sealed deep inside him until now was making his hand to clench on the sword handle with unusual strength.

「…………」

Mihail who replied to the muttering of such Rockwell just now was different from his friend. While his friend was watching with a yearning somewhere within his eyes, he was staring at the blood soaked girl with a pained gaze.

.

「Why……」

The crown prince Ervan who was being protected by those two was standing several steps behind them. He was staring at the girl just like the two, even so his complexion was pale.

It was the adventurer girl who he encountered several years ago when he sneaked out to the capital. When he met her for the first time, he naively idolized her for being an adventurer at such young age. He also harbored a feeling that surpassed mere interest when the girl who was living like that showed him her cuteness. But……

「Why, is she able to kill that easily……?」

Ervan’s mother, the first queen who was formerly a viscount daughter had been telling her son the stories when she still had freedom as mere viscount daughter even while enduring the tyranny of the high ranked nobles. It made him wished that he also wanted to live like that.

Because of that he wished to sneak out to the city. The girl who he encountered there was also like a symbol of freedom for Ervan who was tormented by his responsibility and heavy pressure.

But, that girl who became the bodyguard maid of his little sister the princess was becoming an existence that was far removed from that. Was this what it meant to serve the royal family? Was this blood soaked path the world that the royalty had to walk on? Ervan was staring at the girl with a feeling that was similar to despair.

A small warm hand softly wrapped around Ervan’s trembling hand.

「……Licia?」

「It’s alright Er-sama. This world isn’t filled with only scary things like that. There are a lot of beautiful things in this world. If you don’t want to look at the scary things, please look at me right now. I will smile forever for you.」

Licia said that and smiled sweetly. Ervan whose mind was driven to the corner finally put on a twitching smile as though he had found an escape path. He softly grasped the girl’s hand back……that act drove a wedge called “guilt” into the bond between Ervan and Clara.

.

『GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!』

Around that time, the mythical beast Coeurl, aka Nero were playing with several human knights.

It knew that even among humans there were particularly strong individual like Aria or the one that tricked it. Even so human was weakling for Nero. It was thinking that there was almost none of them who could defeat it by themselves.

For Nero, Aria was 『other』 who it got interested with for the first time. At first it was at her side in order to hunt their shared enemy together, but Aria’s eyes were constantly looking at the sky despite living in solitude just like Nero. Nero felt the “moon” that illuminated the endlessly dark night inside such Aria. It made Nero wanted to watch her life.

If she stayed like as she was, then there would also be times like this when it lent her a hand based on its whim. Human was weakling. But, Nero had also learned that they would be a threat to it if they grouped up.

Nero was playing with the knights as practice for that kind of fight. Then it suddenly leaped away and growled warily at the forest behind the knights.

The next moment──

『GOAAAAAAAAA!』

A bear monster appeared from the forest behind the knights. The knights hurriedly turned their shields toward it.

「What’s this thing-!?」

「Blue Shelled Bear-! Why is it in this kind of place!?」

Blue Shelled Bear was a monster that preyed on crab and took in their chitin to become a hardened part of its skin due to magic particles. It was a rank 3, but the hardness of its skin mde the adventurer guild to raise its difficulty level to rank 4. It was a powerful specimen.

Even so it wasn’t any threat for a mythical beast like Nero.

Then what was Nero being wary to?

That Blue Shelled Bear too didn’t come here to attack the knights. There were several parts of its body that had burn mark or gash.

The Blue Shelled Bear was running away from “something”. There was an existence that could corner the Blue Shelled Bear that had subjugation difficulty level of rank 4.

*GOOOOOOOOOOO!*

In that moment, several huge fire pillars burst out from inside the forest and pierced the bear’s back. The scattered sparks made two knights became enveloped with flame.

「My. There’s a kitty that look like it will give a lot of pelt from its body.」

While the Blue Helled Bear and the knights were being burned and screaming while rolling around on the ground, a black haired girl appeared as though she was oozing out from the forest’s darkness. She didn’t even glance at the burning victims and narrowed her eyes in delight toward the black mythical beast that was on its guard against her.

『Groowl』

The girl suddenly appeared from inside the forest and turned a Blue Shelled Bear and several knights of the second knight order into balls of flame. Nero sensed that she was the most dangerous thing in this place. It made its whip-like whiskers to sparkle while growling warily.

From what Nero saw, this girl’s strength might be about the same with the [pink haired girl] it decided to watch over it guessed? But, just like how that girl was hiding “strength” inside herself, Nero felt that this sickly looking girl was also hiding abnormal “strength” inside.

「Ufufu」

That girl──Carla flicked up her long black hair seeing Nero being on guard against her. She narrowed her eyes in amusement on her sickly face.

Carla had seen through that the beast before her was a Coeurl based on the vast knowledge that Carla had been accumulating since she was little. It was a dangerous mythical beast that was rank 5 and it had higher combat strength than her who was rank 4.

But, combat strength was simply an approximation. This monster had sufficient ability to test her sorcery that she had continued to train until now solely for the sake of killing others. The thought made a smile to form on Carla’s lips.

The Blue Shelled Bear was a monster that she found on her way here. It seemed to have this area as its territory and she attacked it. Its subjugation difficulty was high, a rank 4, but it was simply a foolish prey that couldn’t even gauge Carla’s true strength.

It was unclear why it was staying in this area but, that was why the appearance of Coeurl that had the intellect to be wary toward her roused her curiosity. She was delighted.

「Come to me, kitty.」

.

▼ Carla Lester Race : Human♀ – Rank 4

【Magic Power : 425/530】【Stamina : 34/52】

【Strength : 7 (8)】【Endurance : 3 (4)】【Agility : 12 (14)】【Dexterity : 9】

《Martial Art Level 3》

《Light Magic Level 3》《Darkness Magic Level 3》《Earth Magic Level 3》《Water Magic Level 4》

《Fire Magic Level 4》《Wind Magic Level 4》《Non-Elemental Magic Level 4》《Daily Life Magic×６》

《Magic Power Control Level 4》《Pressure Level 4》《Search Level 2》

《Abnormal Status Resistance Level 2》《Poison Resistance Level 1》

《Simple Appraisal》

【Overall Combat Strength : 1030 (Sorcery Attack Power : 1545)】

【Gift : Soul Thorn】

.

▼ Nero Race : Coeurl – Mythical Beast Rank 5

【Magic Power : 224/280】【Stamina : 465/510】

【Strength : 20 (30)】【Endurance : 20 (30)】【Agility : 18 (27)】【Dexterity : 7】

《Claw Attack Level 4》《Martial Art Level 5》《Defense Level 4》

《Non-Elemental Magic Level 4》《Magic Power Control Level 5》

《Pressure Level 5》《Stealth Level 4》《Night Vision Level 4》《Search Level 5》

《Abnormal Status Resistance Level 4》《Slash and Thrust Resistance Level 5》《Poison Resistance Level 4》

《Simple Appraisal》

【Overall Combat Strength : 2136 (Sorcery Attack Power : 2704)】

.

「T-this woman-!?」

「It’s Count Lester’s daughter-! Be careful, she’s──」

The surviving knights of the second knight order realized the true identity of the intruder and raised their sword, while Carla who saw that lightly waved her hand at the nuisances.

「──Hurricane──」

A level 4 wind sorcery was unleashed. The knights who got dragged into that whirlwind got carved apart by countless small blades and then they were blown away.

『GUAOOOOOO!!』

Nero who had been watching the situation swiftly leaped in that moment. It bared its fang toward Carla.

A monster like Nero didn’t use Appraisal skill but, in the first place Appraisal was a skill that turned what the user saw with their eyes, listened with their ears, and they felt with their five senses about the target’s ability into number. Who knew about the low ranked monsters but, the high ranked monsters were able to sense their opponent’s parameter to some degree without relying on skill.

With that, the mythical beast Nero was astonished by the amount of mana that it sensed from Carla, but her stamina value wasn’t any different than the average children of human race. Just a small graze from Nero’s claws would easily deal lethal wound on her──or that should be the case.

『GAH!』

「Fuh!」

A gust of wind wrapped around Carla’s body in that moment and it made her floated in the air. She dodged Nero’s claws like a fluttering leaf.

Body strengthening didn’t only enhance attack power but also defensive capability like the person’s endurance. That was because mana itself was covering the person’s flesh. With that it was possible to obtain resistance not only toward direct attack, but also attack sorcery.

Also high ranked sorcerer used body strengthening not only to dodge direct attack. They used an application of body strengthening to envelop their flesh with strong mana to raise their resistance to everything.

But there was limit to the mana of human. Even elf of fairy race that had long life span couldn’t rival the mana of low ranked spirit. Even if they could use magic power control, controlling mana while avoiding attack in battle was a feat that required abnormal courage.

By obtaining a Gift, Carla’s body that was used to vast amount of mana could maintain mana in the amount that surpassed the limit even in normal time. For Carla who regarded everything as enemy and had continued to fight by herself until now, she now became able to cover her whole body with vast amount of mana and even used it for moving by controlling it calmly even in the middle of battle.

But even with that, it would be next to impossible for a rank 4 sorcerer to dodge the attack of a rank 5 monster. But Carla used her exquisite magic power control to control wind which enabled her to dodge even Nero’s attack.

It was something that came from the strength of her heart and knowledge that didn’t show in the number of her combat strength.

「──Fire Javelin──」

Carla stayed floating in the air and unleashed sorcery to Nero who passed below her.

For Coeurl that had resistance against slashing and thrusting attack, it was attack sorcery that it had to be careful against. But it also had countermeasure against such thing as long as there was distance.

『GAAAAAAA!』

Nero’s whiskers scattered out sparks like electricity to obstruct the sorcery. The fired Fire Javelin was erased. The impact made Carla frowned.

*Gagaga* Nero planted its fangs into the ground, carving a scar behind it. Its body passed through like that before it turned around. At the same time Carla who managed to open some distance moved in the sky while firing another sorcery.

「──Ice Lance──」

Ice element sorcery would hinder the enemy‘s movement with its low temperature. Even so Nero dodged all the ice lances with only its physical ability and senses, but ahead of where it dodged, there was the Blue Shell Bear that had been turned into a mass of flame and currently going into a rampage.

『GAAAAAAAAAAAA!』

But Nero tore into the throat of the flame wrapped Blue Shell Bear with its fangs without even a single moment of hesitation. It then swung its head to break the neck of the Blue Shell Bear that was as big as itself before using its body as shield against the ice lances.

Nero then charged after using the bear as shield. Seeing such powerful enemy made Carla put on a gruesome smile that looked insane.

「──Soul Thorn──」

.

▼ Carla Lester Race : Human♀ – Rank 4

【Magic Power : ∞/530】【Stamina : 26/52】

【Overall Combat Strength : 1030 (Sorcery Attack Power : 2957)】

【Gift : Soul Thorn Exchange/Life Time】

***

「Ash Crowned-!」

I was dodging Gilgan’s fierce attack while killing his men. Gilgan yelled in anger seeing that.

His attack that was approaching me was gradually becoming sloppier from anger and anxiety. Even though Gilgan was aware that I was a dangerous enemy who could destroy a guild, it must still rankled him greatly that a rank 4 which was inferior to him could lead him around by the nose like this.

From my observation until now, Gilgan had the ability to lead his subordinates and the decisiveness to accept a request that the central branch of the assassin guild was avoiding. But seen from a different perspective, I felt rashness and arrogance from him that was unthinkable coming from a leader of the assassin guild who was entrusted with the lives of his subordinates.

That kind of human had low endurance with holding himself back. Their anxiety and irritation lowered the precision of their technique.

I dodged his swing that went too wide with an acrobatic movement to provoke him, but then my foot got slightly entangled in the hem of my torn skirt.

「This is the end for youuuu!!」

Gilgan saw that momentary opening and threw both his hatchets.

A knight or the average swordsman would never think about throwing their weapon even if doing that would land a finishing blow. That could become a fatal opening, but in this situation it became the perfect attack.

「What-!>」

I let myself fell to dodge that attack.

You had shown your technique too much. Just like how Gilgan threw his own weapons without any hesitation, I also gave it my all to dodge only this attack without considering how to dodge the next attack.

At this rate the assassins around me would target me. But, just like how I had noticed how rough Gilgan’s technique had become, his subordinates who were aware of his short temper feared getting caught in his attack and hesitated to move. Gilgan whose field of vision had narrowed from anger didn’t notice that.

「Gyaaaaaah!?」

Because I got down on the ground, the hatchets flew past me and hit Gilgan’s subordinate who was going to attack me. The moment Gilgan’s attention was stolen by that sight, I kicked toward the direction I fell toward and rolled. I used my fluttering skirt as blinder and threw the knife I pulled out from my calf.

「Tsk!」

*Kikin!*

Gilgan immediately returned to his senses and he barely managed to dodge the knife that was targeting his vital spot although it still grazed him.

In that moment I tore the hem that entangled my foot while rushing forward and swung down my scythe type pendulum. But Gilgan deflected it with the protector on the back of his hand while suddenly raising his voice toward me.

『AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!』

「Tsu!」

Gilgan suddenly let out a war cry and my body stiffened for a moment.

What!? This wasn’t Pressure. Most likely it was Gilgan’s trump card.

I assumed that it was a stun type sorcery skill that was similar to my Pain. In that moment Gilgan picked up a sword of his dead subordinate and brandished it high to the air.

「──Vorpal Blade──」

He unleashed the level 5 Battle Skill for the second time. Multiple invisible slashes approached me.

It was nearly impossible to dodge from this close. Of course Gilgan must be thinking the same. That was exactly why I too had predicted that 『the next time he used his Battle Skill would be in this kind of situation』.

The stunning effect of the [war cry] just now didn’t last as long as my Pain.

I recovered from the momentary stiffening and threw the skirt scrap that I tore just now to the front.

「──!?」

You let me too close. The small scrap blocked Gilgan’s sight. It was difficult to unleash Battle Skill to an opponent he couldn’t see even for rank 5.

In that moment, I crouched on the ground like a cat and dodged the Battle Skill’s slashes and launched a pendulum that was controlled using the string that was tied on my foot at Gilgan.

But──

『GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

Gilgan let out his [war cry] again. His whole body made snapping sounds as though his muscles were getting torn apart and blood spurted out. With that he forced his body to move and dodged the pendulum’s blade that was approaching his face.

「……Nice move you got there.」

「…………」

Gilgan bared his teeth smilingly with a face that was soaked with blood. Most likely he had a [voice] type skill. Even an attack that I launched at the risk of my life during a single moment of opening didn’t manage to defeat Gilgan.

As I thought, my finishing move was weak. I finished off his subordinates to create a situation where it was a one-on-one fight, and during the process I disturbed the enemy’s ability to focus and lowered the precision of his technique, but just that could only bring me to an equal footing with him, it wasn’t enough to finish him off.

(Then what should I do……)

.

*DODOOON!*

It was then, sound and shockwave that seemed to come from explosion of sorcery came from some distance away.

I sharpened my ears while keeping my eyes fixed on Gilgan. I could hear Nero’s roar and a slightly familiar voice.

「What’s that sound-!?」

「Who knows.」

I lightly replied at Gilgan who couldn’t understand the situation. Then without pause I rushed toward the location where Nero and that fellow were fighting behind me.

「Where’re you going, Ash Crowned-!」

Gilgan threw a throwing knife at me who started moving. I deflected it with weight type pendulum while dodging a “stray bullet” that came from behind. The Fire Ball landed between Gilgan and me and exploded.

The flame that was scattered to the surrounding burned Gilgan’s arm. Even so he dodged most of it and rushed forward. The Shield that I immediately put up also got smashed. I received damage from the heat and shockwave, but there I put away my pendulums and took out my black dagger and knife.

「This is our battlefield.」

I’ll show them my way of fighting.

***

「……I’ll go back her up.」

Rockwell hardened his grasp on his sword and muttered that. Everyone there including the crown prince Ervan gasped. They turned their gazes toward him in shock.

This was an assault from assassin guild that received a request from the noble faction and the insurrection of a part of the second knight order. In such dangerous situation, the adventurer girl who was dispatched by Princess Elena appeared here as reinforcement. She succeeded in diverting the attention of the attackers from the crown prince and other students.

As someone from the lineage that had produced a lot of supreme knight commander in this country, watching things unfolding until now must have made him felt conflicted. But, although Rockwell’s sword skill was excellent, it was only in [academy level] at the end. A careless interference from him might attract the attackers’ attention to them once more.

Even so as a knight and as a man, continuing to hide behind the back of a young maiden wasn’t something that Rockwell could consider as “right”.

「Then I’ll come with you. I’m no match compared to you with sword but, I should be able to be a bit useful with my sorcery.」

「Mihail……」

Mihail stood at the side of his friend who was going to head toward the fight. He turned a smile toward Rockwell even though it was just a bluffing one.

Mihail and Rockwell’s thinking were in the same direction though there was a small difference.

For Rockwell, his yearning for strength as a knight that he had been sealing inside his heart because of his standing as a high ranked noble had surfaced back after watching the pink haired girl. He wished to stand side by side and fought together with her.

But perhaps the reason he couldn’t accept letting the girl fought alone wasn’t solely because of his pride as a man, but also because of another feeling within him. Right now it was just a yearning but, that feeling that could grow into something else was directed toward a girl who was currently far away from here.

Mihail harbored an interest toward the adventurer girl who he encountered several years ago. This girl was like a completely different existence than the young ladies who usually swarmed around him. Inside her he saw the trace of the aunt that he idolized in his childhood, and seeing her aloof way of living, it made him wanted to save her from the darkness of solitude.

Mihail felt pity seeing her figure that continued to fight in solitude. He understood that it was just his haughtiness as someone in the blessed position as a noble. Even so seeing her made Mihail wished to become her support.

Even if the girl didn’t wish for that……even he himself didn’t understand whether this was a wish of supporting her like a family or it was a different feeling. But, just like Rockwell, Mihail couldn’t accept to continue hiding behind her back anymore.

.

But……the other friend was unable to understand their decision.

「What are you two saying! What do you think you we can do by going into that kind of dangerous battle-!? Stop saying something stupid like that. Remember what your role actually is-!」

The crown prince Ervan stopped the two from going toward the battle. Mihail and Rockwell exchanged glance for a moment.

What he was saying was rational. Their duty as high ranked noble here was to survive.

It was a battlefield where the girl who was a member of first class adventurer party “Rainbow Sword” was putting her life on the line. What could they whose strength was only at the level of slightly better than academy student could do by going out there? In the worst case they might only become a hindrance for the girl.

「……Please forgive us, your highness. We can’t simply sit still watching anymore.」

「Suppressing insurrection is a duty of high ranked noble. Even if our lives are snuffed out here, it won’t be any fault of that girl who came here to rescue us.」

「No way……」

Ervan was rendered speechless by Rockwell and Mihail’s determination.

Even though Ervan’s wording sounded like he was chiding the two, there was also fear inside him. The girl was killing other people one after another as though she had no regard about the weight of life at all. For Ervan who had grown up until now without possessing sufficient resolve as a royalty, that girl was becoming an existence that she was unable to understand the most.

Even his fiancée Carla who appeared here before he noticed started fighting the big black beast. The sight of her killing humans without regards whether they were enemy or ally looked like the scene of hell on earth to him.

Ervan felt like that fear of his had been seen through by his two friends. Seeing the two stepping forward as a noble and as a man made him felt like there was a distance between him and them for the first time. He turned a gloomy gaze toward cause of that, the pink haired girl who was continuing to fight at the distance.

「Please wait-!」

There was one other voice that called at them to stop. That girl that still had trace of childishness in her appearance placed her hand over the hand of the dejected Ervan, while looking at Mihail and Rockwell with sad looking eyes.

「There is no need for both of you to do something so dangerous! 『We are human』. Please treasure your life more than something like a noble’s duty! 『There are more important things than that』. It’s fine to leave the dangerous things to the brutish people!」

「「…………」」

The voice of the girl──Licia was pleading. But Mihail shook his head quietly in respond to those words, while Rockwell lightly tapped his shoulder and both them started walking toward the battlefield.

「Rockwell……Mihail……」

Ervan muttered the names of his friends who were walking away with a lonely look. Licia gently pulled his head on her chest in a hug. Ervan clung on the girl’s slender body to take solace on her kindness.

「Licia……」

「Yes, Er-sama. I will stay at your side no matter what.」

.

Licia patted the head of Ervan who was clinging on her chest like a kid with an expression that was filled with affection on her face. She did that while staring at the back of the other two youths in puzzlement.

(……Did I do something wrong?)

Even though she had used the “heroine” lines that she learned from that magic stone, the two still wouldn’t stay.

Her information was already differing bit by bit with reality. The existence of the heroine that vanished from the story before anyone knew it. She was aware that differences would appear in the situations with the disappearance of the real thing, but she also felt a clear difference from the behavior of two of the capture targets. She felt that she would need to gather even more information.

And then the girl who had forgotten even her real name and called herself as [Alicia] suddenly twisted her expression. She watched the pink haired girl and long black haired girl at the far distance with severity in her eyes.

(Thos two……are nuisances.)

***

Carla who suddenly appeared from somewhere was destroying the forest in her fight against Nero.

That power……that might be the power of the Gift I had been hearing about. Even my “eyes” couldn’t see the upper limit of her mana. But, I felt how the light of her life was weakening in terrifying speed.

Fire of hell that burned violently with your life as the fuel──was that the power that you wished for, Carla?

Carla was flying around using her bursting out mana while throwing herself into a fight against Nero who was in the top rank even among rank 5. No, if it was just based on her instantaneous destructive power, Carla’s strength could even be in the realm of rank 6.

Attack magic was a weak point for Coeurl whose resistance was for slashing and thrusting attack. But Coeurl also had the power to obstruct the sorcery itself.

The two possessed strong power and thing wouldn’t end up well if they were left alone, but affinity-wise it didn’t look like their battle would be settled quickly, so I guessed that neither of them would be in grave danger immediately.

The surrounding area became swallowed in flame from the stray bullets that Carla fired everywhere without any regard of the consequences. That was exactly why I chose this area as the place where I would settle thing with Gilgan.

「You bastard……tsu!」

Gilgan who got damaged from that stray bullet pointed eyes that were filled with fury and his sword at me. As expected from a leader of an assassin guild, his stamina was only reduced slightly even though his left arm got burned. His combat strength also didn’t decrease with any noticeable amount.

But that was fine. It would be pointless for me to lure him until “here” for a one-on-one fight if he would die just from something like that.

Let’s finish this. This is where you’re going to die.

「……Tsk」

I silently took a fighting stance with my black dagger and knife. Gilgan spat on the ground and raised his sword while lowering his stance.

*DOOOOONN!!*

Carla’s sorcery exploded nearby. That acted as the signal and Gilgan and I rushed forward at the same time.

*CLANGG!*

Sword and dagger clashed with sparks being scattered. The knife in my left hand weaved through that opening and rushed toward GIlgan, but he blocked it with a short sword that was held in his burned right arm.

It would be pointless for me to get into sword locking contest with my inferior physical strength. But perhaps the same also applied to Gilgan whose left arm was injured. He let out a kick while both of us were locking weapons with each other.

「Hah!」

「Kuh!」

I too immediately blocked it with my knee but my light weight made me got blown away. But I intentionally blocked the kick with my knee to open a distance and acrobatically somersaulted. I kicked a stone on the ground at the same time with my landing. It stopped Gilgan from chasing after me.

Here I finally became able to fight properly against a rank 5 like Gilgan after executing various tactics until now.

Even so it still didn’t change the fact that I lacked a finishing move because of the one rank difference between Gilgan and me. How should I fill that gap……I chose this place to finish this fight because of that. From here on victory and defeat would be decided by the difference in our ability to concentrate and determination.

*DOOOOOOOONN!!*

『GAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

「AHAHA♪」

Flame’s heat and explosion sound, insane laughter and beastly roar.

Gilgan’s focus was distracted for a moment by the heated wind and scattered rock fragments. I rushed forward while dodging only the fragments that would wound me lethally. My knife cut Gilgan’s shoulder and it was followed by blood spray.

「You madlad……」

「Naturally.」

There was no sane person who would turn the assassin guild into their enemy even though they were alone right?

I continued to swing my weapons even while blood trickled from my forehead that got grazed by a flying rock. Seeing that caused the color of fear to flash in Gilgan’s eyes for the first time.

「……aaAA [AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]!!」

Gilgan let out that yell to inflict stun on my whole body.

「Tsu!」

This technique that stopped the opponent just for an instant was different from <Pressure> or [Pain]. It was difficult to resist.

I endured that instant and readied myself to parry Gilgan’s blade. Seeing that Gilgan raised his sword and focused to unleash his Battle Skill once more. But suddenly “wind attack magic” that flew from other direction flew at Gilgan’s back and cut him.

「What-, the-!?」

Gilgan spoke in shock. There──

「UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」

*Dosu-!*

A young knight came charging and his sword tip stabbed deeply as though to gouge the cut on Gilgan’s back.

The two youths who served as the crown prince’s aides──the two successfully dealt a wound on Gilgan who lacked focus and turned his whole attention to me alone.

It was like my prey got snatched by someone else but, it was Gilgan’s blunder to loosen his vigilance to his surrounding just from this much. If he couldn’t do that then he should kill them from the start just like what I did.

Gilgan got wounded. But, it was still shallow.

「THIS DAMN BRAAATTT!」

Even with his back stabbed, Gilgan elbowed the young knight on his stomach, while his other hand raised a throwing knife to be throw toward Mihail who fired the sorcery that interrupted the fight.

「Shit-」

「Mihail-!」

Even this wasn’t enough to defeat a rank 5? Just a bit more? What was needed? Speed was needed. Speed that wouldn’t lose to anyone. I still couldn’t use Iron Rose. But I should remember. My body should remember it. Remember that speed. My body knew that speed.

My thought switched track in that moment. The world turned gray and quiet as though the flow of time had slowed down. I focused the mana flowing through my whole body into my two legs, and in that moment, my body flew like a flash of light that left behind even sound. The dagger that I just barely swung forward tore Gilgan’s neck deeply.

「UGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

Gilgan’s death throes resounded. I flew passed him and tumbled once on the ground. Even so I used both my hands to adjust my posture, then I cut in between one person and one beast who were about to clash with each other and released my pressure. The two objects caused dust cloud to rise up from the rapid break they performed. I pointed my knife and dagger to the foreheads of those two in the middle of that.

「You two should stop too.」

『Gaaaa……』

「Aria……you’re soaked with blood again.」

Carla whose white skin was covered with pattern of black thorn put on a faint smile while red blood trickled out from her lips.

「……kuhaha」

It was then, I heard the voice of Gilgan who should have been killed. I immediately pulled out a throwing knife from my thigh and readied it for throwing.

It seemed that I really overdid it with my movement just now. Blood spurted out from both my legs as though the capillary arteries there were going to burst. I kept kneeling on the ground while my legs convulsed without being able to move. But Gilgan’s wound was also clearly fatal. He stood still with blood leaking out like waterfall from his wound. Gilgan whose light of life was rapidly fading stared at me alone while lifting up the corner of his lips weakly.

「To think……I’m the one who lose. ……Ash Crowned. From where you stand, does it look like it was me who didn’t fight seriously?」

「…………」

The difference between Gilgan who was fixated with the fight and me who sought victory huh.

「It’s your win, Ash Crowned……but, don’t let down your guard. It’s not just one or two people who manipulate this attack from the shadow……. You are also there, aren’t you, Taba──」

*Dosu!*

In that moment, there was a faint whooshing sound that was accompanied by a black arrow that pierced through Gilgan’s head.

「Tsu!」

I immediately aimed my throwing knife at the direction the arrow came from while turning my gaze to there. On a tree that was at quite a far distance there, there were two people in black clothes armed with bow.

「「…………」」

Woman? I judged them like that based on their body build. Then the duo immediately turned around to escape. The moment they attempted that, Carla fired her sorcery to that direction.

「──Ice Lance──」

The ice spears shot through the air with unbelievable speed. The two women in black dodged it just barely.

But they were unable to dodge perfectly. One of them got grazed and black skin came into view……and then the other woman’s mask also got grazed and I could see the burned face of a woman who was looking at me with hatred in her eyes.

And then the two women vanished from view.

That skin color……? And then that woman with burned face…….

「……Tabatha?」