「Kabai-san, we’ll take care of the rest, you go ahead」

The Resistance scatters.

「Wait!」

The Knights are about to make their move, but the leader of the group wins them over.

「It is futile. Now that this has happened, it will be impossible to catch them all. Then we should concentrate on the opponent in front of us」

It would have been easier for us if the Knights had dispersed, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

「But…」
「Then, with the manpower reduced, you would deal with the 2nd Princess Vice Commander? Can you do it?」
「That’s…」

It appears that he knows Snow-san.

「I didn’t expect to find the Vice Commander of the 3rd Order of Prince Orstia in such a place. Or should I call you Azul, the Magic Swordsman?」

It seems that Snow-san also knows the person she is dealing with.

「Whichever you like. It’s the end of the line here anyway. This is high treason, you know?」
「Oh, I was just rescuing women who were imprisoned in the basement. I think you are in a worse position than I am?」
「I just happened to drop by this city to greet the lord, so I had nothing to do with the series of incidents」
「As always, shameless」
「I’m just stating the facts」

I could tell right away that they didn’t think well of each other.

「Be careful, even that one has a certain amount of power」

Perhaps that is the man that Tori was talking about, the one who is an expert. Snow-san said he was a magic swordsman, and I could feel the magic from the sword in the man’s hand. A magic sword is a kind of ancient magical tool, a weapon excavated from ruins and made with lost technology. Various magic swords have been found to have some effect on the magic sword itself, such as automatically healing the user’s wounds or being able to cast or release magic without using magic power.

「You guys stay there and watch」
「Are you sure?」
「Yes, one is enough for these little girls」

Looks like he intends to deal with us alone.

「I will make you regret your arrogance」

Snow-san swings the sword held in her right hand from left to right at Azul.

「You’re not stepping into it」

The man easily caught the sword swinging horizontally across his torso and pointed out Snow-san’s shortcomings as if he were provoking her. But that is not Snow-san’s only attack. She turned her wrist, put her left hand on the sword, and went straight for the thrust. A flowing sequence. But Azul caught on to that as well.

「That’s the extent of it?」

He did not avoid it, he received it. It would be quite difficult to catch a thrust. If the angle changes even slightly, the part that catches the thrust will slip, and the thrust will strike as it is. It requires discernment, the guts to do it, and the skills to make it possible.

「Vanish」

While Snow-san was attacking, Shia-san was also moving.

「It’s sweet」
「…… ?」

She disappears, and struck a blow from behind. But Azul catches even that and repels it. Moreover, his gaze remains fixed on Snow-san. Shia-san tilts her head in response. She seems to have noticed something. Shia-san, who has had her sword repelled, does not look surprised and waits at close range for the man’s attack.

「What’s wrong?」
「What is it?」
「Just attack」
「Yes, I will!」

Shia-san caught the attack with her right hand and slashed Azul with the sword in her left hand. I thought he would be able to defend and attack at the same time, and would have a perfect counter, but he forcefully moved his magic sword to catch Shia-san’s attack as well.

「all right」

Shia-san moves away from Azul and stands next to Snow-san.

「Auto defense」
「Ho~, you noticed that?」
「Yes. Excellent defense thanks to the magic sword」
「Yes, Azul has a defensive sword, which is how he rose to the rank of vice commander」

I see. It is not simply a matter of skill. It was the effect of the magic sword.

「It’s okay. His attacks weren’t that big of a deal」
「That’s fine. The Knights will gather at the right time. That’s all for now」

The goal seems to have been to buy time from the beginning. It seems that the reason he fought alone is to avoid causing more damage. Though, it felt more like he wanted to fight alone… But it is an effective strategy because it is troublesome when the Knights gather together.

「Shia, it will take two of us to do it」

Shia-san and Snow-san attack from the left and right sides flanking him.

「Ho~, this is…」

It is quite a coordination. The slashes are almost simultaneously. Since there is only one magic sword, they cannot be prevented at the same time.

「Ku, he’s dodging this too」
「Movement, weird」

Shia-san is right. He moves in some kind of a twitching motion. It’s as if his joints can move freely.

「Is the magic sword a good match for me?」

While turning his upper body to avoid Snow-san’s attack, he catches Shia-san’s attack with his magic sword. There is a creature called an octopus that can be caught in the sea, and he moves in a squishy way like an octopus, which is really creepy.

「Kiara-chan」
「Yes, what is it?」
「What do you think?」
「It’s disgusting」

Kiara-chan shared the same opinion. Shia-san and Snow-san are doing their best, and we are just watching them. At best, we can only check the other knights’ movements.

「No, it’s not about his movements, no, it’s the movements, something doesn’t seem right to me 」
「It’s weird in a disgusting way」
「Hmmm. That’s not what I meant. Isn’t something strange?」
「It’s strange」

Mumumu…… I can’t explain it well! Evidently I’m not even capable of explaining combat!

「What can I say, sometimes there is a delay in reaction!」
「Reaction?」
「Yes… look, it’s delayed now」

Shia-san is not only skilled with a sword, but also with physical skills. There are times when she is able to parry a sword, and when she launches a kick at the moment of separation, she is not using her sword, but her body to defend herself.

「Kiara-chan, could you please shoot this arrow for me to test it?」
「Okay, I understand」

I gave Kiara-chan an arrow that was not made of iron, but had a tip made of animal bone. It is cheaper than iron. As the two were fighting near Azul, Kiara-chan carefully took aim… and instead of taking aim, she immediately fired an arrow.

「Ku」

Perceiving the arrow, Azul rolled to avoid it, and the two of them both kept their distance. However, there was no way the two would miss the opportunity to change their stance, and they quickly closed the distance.

「Ah, I see」
「Yuan-san, did you figured out something?」
「Yes, I’ll be off in a bit」

If my prediction is correct, maybe it will work.

「Vanish」

It’s the same magic as Shia-san’s. I can use it too. I used to use it a lot because I was often conspicuous by my appearance. I sneak up on the three people fighting.

「Snow, leave once」
「Understood」

Shia-san seems to have noticed me. Since Shia-san and I are connected by contract, we somehow know each other’s location.

「What’s the matter, giving up already?」
「There is no need to give up. You’re done」

I sneak around behind Azul.

「You sore losers, yet you guys still…」
「Ei!」
「Gugoo」

Approaching, I swung my staff down with all the force I could muster. On Azul’s head. No matter how powerless I am, the force of the staff, which acts as a blunt instrument, is still there. Azul fell to the ground after becoming dizzy.

「Shia-san!」
「Okay」

Shia-san kicks away Azul’s fallen magic sword and thrusts her sword into his back.

「Um…」

Snow-san is confused. Azul, who could not be defeated no matter how many times she attacked, was brought down by one blow from me.

「Kiara-chan, please help with the capture. Snow-san and Shia-san, the remaining knights!」
「O-Okay」

Bewildered, Snow-san and Shia-san stand in front of the knights who are about to move when Azul is defeated. In the meantime, Kiara-chan and I tie Azul up with a rope.

「He’s not squishy」
「Yes, we can tie him up」

It seems that the true nature of Azul’s movement was the effect of the magic sword. Now that the magic sword was not at hand, it was easy to tie him up. His white eyes are peeled back, though, and it’s a little creepy. Is that a bit much?

「Yuan-san, what did you do to Azul-san?」
「I didn’t do anything. I just looked at him and figured it. I thought that it was strange」
「I’ve been asking the whole time, what was strange about him?」
「Yes, he handled Shia-san’s and Snow-san’s swords easily, but he couldn’t handle Shia-san’s physical skills. So I wondered if there might be a condition for the automatic defense」
「Condition?」
「Yes. I think it is reacting to swords or the iron and other materials used to make them」
「That’s why the arrow was made from bone」
「There aren’t many weapons made from bone」

As a result, he was unable to react to the arrow fired by Kiara-chan and had to avoid it in an exaggerated manner.

「My staff is made of wood. I thought it would work」
「Big sis Yuan, you’re amazing!」

Kiara-chan praised me. But I’m not a big sister. Please keep that in mind. Besides, the cause of Azul’s loss was just pride. If he had led his knights and paid attention to us instead of being preoccupied with vanity, I don’t think this would have happened.

「What’s all the fuss!」

As we finished tying up Azul, we heard a dignified female voice from behind us.

There, in white armor… dress armor, were Knights.

Author-san

The end is in sight!
As usual, I am not good at describing battles.

I’m pleased to announce that we’ve now surpassed 100 bookmarks!
I am really happy.
I will do my best to keep updating this novel, and I look forward to your continued support.
Thank you very much.
It would be further encouragement if you could also give me your feedback and evaluation, if you don’t mind.