Chapter 451 Second Day of the ‘Grand Market’ (Part VIII)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Shinobu’s POV)
”Mirage!”
I created ten clones and surrounded the enemy.
”Hah! Creating illusions is pointless, you know.”
”My mirage has breath, heartbeat, and presence… distinguishing them is nearly impossible──here I come!”
With the illusions, I charge all at once.
”In times like this, if you’re skilled like you… my attack will be the real one!”
The enemy swiftly moved and slashed me from behind with their hand axe.
It’s an angle that would be a blind spot for her.
(Good intuition… but──)
As soon as it was hit, the mirage vanished.
”──!?”
For a moment, the enemy showed a surprised expression before disappearing from in front of me.
(Have I entered the S-rank territory…)
I strained my eyes to catch their movement, but… before I knew it, all but one of the illusions were dispelled.
”Guess I won’t be able to keep up… it ended with them just slashing away with speed. …Well, I was caught off guard by how the real one came straight at me from the front. Good guts.”
The enemy twirled her hand axe, facing off against me.
──My ‘Mirage’ and her.
(I’ve been waiting for this moment──!)
I erased my presence and merged with the darkness──taking the enemy from behind.
Then, with my drawn katana, I struck at her neck.
”Wha──!”
In a scream of shock and a torrent of blood, the enemy should have collapsed then and there.
Perhaps the barrier broke… the surrounding darkness is clearing.
”Sorry~. If it weren’t me…”
”Gah…!?”
(My stomach… is hot…?)
It seems I was stabbed in the abdomen by the enemy who turned around.
In excruciating pain, I grasped my situation.
My legs gave out, and I knelt there… toppling forward.
”W-what… happened…”
”My barrier not only blocks the surroundings, but it’s also a convenient thing that ‘takes the damage I receive within the barrier as a substitute.’ It’s the first time I’ve taken damage strong enough to break the barrier, though.”
”S-such… magic…?”
The enemy looking down at me smirks.
”It’s not magic… It’s a technique I’ve been able to use naturally since I was aware of myself. I call it a ‘gift.’”
’An innate abnormality.’
(Like Otto’s ‘Magic Eye’…?)
In my fading consciousness, I reach out to the carriage where Lady Sasha is.
But that feeble reach is… trampled by the enemy.
”That was quite fun. It’s the first time I’ve been pushed against an A-rank opponent.”
Hahaha!
She laughs loudly and raises her hand axe.
(M-my life… is for Lady Sasha…)
”No! Stop! Ms. Shinobu, you can’t move anymore!”
In the distance, I hear Lady Romy’s scream.
Feeling the hot blood flowing from my abdomen in my palm, I…
* * *
(Romy’s POV)
”That’s enough! I won’t allow you to take Ms. Shinobu’s life!”
Did she hear my scream?
Ms. Sasha appeared outside the carriage.
A knife’s blade is pressed against her neck by her own hand.
”Hmm. It doesn’t seem like a pose. I can see you’re serious from that face.”
The woman puts away her 2 hand axes at her lower back.
I rush over to Ms. Shinobu, who is lying at her feet.
”I won’t kill you, so put away that knife. If you die, I’ll get in trouble.”
The woman, saying that, grabbed my arm, which was trying to stop Ms. Shinobu’s bleeding, and pulled me up.
”Come on, you’re coming too.”
”No! If this goes on, Ms. Shinobu will die!”
”If she’s lucky, she might be saved. You should be grateful I didn’t finish her off.”
I tried to shake off the woman’s arm, but not only could I not break free, I was being dragged further into the carriage.
”You too, head of the merchant. Instead of letting that guard slip away, you’ll come along quietly.”
The woman took my and Ms. Sasha’s arms and pulled us towards the vacant mansion where Bolt was hiding.
* * *
(Kazumi’s POV)
”Ms. Sasha and the others might have been kidnapped!?”
I heard the story from Hiroya and the others when we returned to the clan house.
”I’m sorry… It’s my lack of vigilance that’s to blame.”
My father-in-law, the lord, had a distressed expression as he sat at the dining table.
”Ms. Sasha, Shinobu, and Romy all have the ‘Clan’s bracelet’, so we can detect their whereabouts. ── Rena will check.”
Rena stood up and began meditating in the corner of the dining room.
She had likely been utilizing a wide-ranging ‘Detection’.
Rena had set up such mechanisms within the Clan’s bracelet.
”As soon as we find out their location, my dad and I will head out.”
Hiroya exchanged nods with the lord as they looked at each other.
”As for the other members who are out… Aluda, Eluda, Meluda, and Toldo are at the shop…”
”I’ll go.”
Dorothy responded to my murmuring and stood up.
”I’m going too.”
Martina next to her also stood up.
”Then I’ll leave that side to the two of you.”
Liz signaled Dorothy and Martina with her eyes.
”Ms. Carla too… She’s at the main store of the Zett Merchant Guild. ── Gorge, you and I will go pick her up.”
Asuka took the ‘Kansenmaru’ leaning against the weapon rack in the corner of the dining room and slung it on her back.
”My lord! Shinobu is outside!”
Lilith, who had somehow materialized, dashed towards the entrance.
Everyone present hurried after her towards the entrance.
* * *
”She’s seriously injured. I can’t believe she made it back here.”
We carried Shinobu, who had collapsed in front of the entrance, into the mansion, and Rena began treating her in the foyer.
”Please be careful… There is an S-rank enemy. Moreover, they possess a suspicious ability…”
”Don’t talk! You haven’t stopped bleeding yet!”
Rena is unusually shouting.
I called Mister Rudolf with ‘Telepathy’.
”The only one at home who can counter an S-rank is… Lord Hiroya…”
Gieze looks uneasily at Hiroya.
”If an S-rank can move nobility… then, it is likely that Marquis Bernard Bausnerun is behind this. And, his loyal Adventure Party is…”
”Without a doubt, it’s Giacomo Rultz’s party!”
A bright voice echoed in the entrance hall, interrupting the lord’s hesitant mutterings.
”I left the send-off of Viscount Königsberg to Bone and came to greet Shinji’s proud son, but it seems something fun is happening…”
A cloaked figure appeared at the entrance, pushing back their hood and looking down at the treating Shinobu.
”No… I’m sorry, that was inappropriate. It seems like a serious situation.”
A handsome young man stood there.
He gently placed his hand on Rena’s shoulder, who was using ‘Extra Heal’ on Shinobu’s wound, and crouched next to Shinobu instead.
He appears to be an acquaintance of the lord.
”Excuse me, but… who are you?”
The man, looking at Shinobu’s injury, raised his hand to silence my question.
”I’ll introduce myself later. ──For now, I must heal her.”
As he quietly chanted “Regeneration…”, not only Shinobu’s wound but also her clothes returned to normal.
”If she’s lost this much blood, this will be faster.”
The man stood up, wearing a relieved smile.
”Ultimate magic of Healing…!”
Next to me, Rena whispered in surprise.
”Sorry for the delay in my greeting. My name is Raincrist. ── I’d be happy if you call me Rain.”
”We’re fated to be together…”
The lord watched the man greet him brightly with a wry smile.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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