Chapter 13: Quest 6: Defeat the Bandits [Part 3]
“Running away now is still an option.”
Makoto only said it because killing them was a hassle.
“…N-No.”
One of the menāthe one who had been dropping his trousersāforced the words out.
“K-Kill him!”
“Uooooo!”
The remaining men charged with battle cries.
Normally youād run, Makoto thought as he leapt back.
For a bandit chief, the manās judgment was questionable.
Maybe he had only just taken over after the previous leader died.
Makoto kicked off the ground and closed in on the man at the edge.
As they passed each other, he punched him in the face.
With the momentum, the man spun one and a half times in the air before slamming onto the back of his head.
He collapsed.
The man beside him stared in shock.
His eyes clearly could not track Makotoās speed.
The man swung a hand axe upward in a diagonal arc.
Makoto ducked under it and kicked his knee.
Not a sharp kickāmore like a shove with the sole of his foot.
The knee bent inward unnaturally.
The manās body tilted.
He wanted to follow with a high kick or axe kick, but he was not confident in his flexibility.
“It hurts! My leg!”
The man fell and screamed.
“Fire Bullet.”
Part of the flame swirled and condensed into a black sphere.
Makoto tossed it at the screaming man.
The instant it touched him, it exploded outward.
Where did conservation of mass go?
“Giiiiiiih!”
The man writhed, flailing wildly.
The remaining men split into two groups and tried to circle around the flames.
“Ignition!”
Makoto swung his arm down as he shouted.
The flames surged and shot forward like a flamethrower toward one group.
The men froze in shock, eyes wide.
The fire swallowed them and roared upward.
“Hiiiii!”
“It hurts!”
“My bodyās falling apart!”
“Mom!”
They rolled on the ground screaming, but soon stopped moving.
Makoto turned to the survivors.
They flinched at his gaze.
They had to know the gap in power.
Yet they still refused to drop their weapons.
“Uwaaaaa!”
“No, just run.”
Makoto could not help commenting as they charged again.
He slipped past a downward slash and struck with the heel of his palm.
“Ignition!”
“W-Waitā!”
“P-Please stop!”
“Please!”
He bathed the remaining three in flame.
“…Feels like Iām forgetting something.”
“D-Donāt move!”
Makoto sighed and turned.
The bandit chief had the female swordswoman in a headlock.
She was nearly half-naked.
Up close, she was strikingly beautiful.
Sharp eyes that spoke of strong will.
A straight nose.
Thin lips that gave an impression of cool intelligence.
“D-Donāt move, or she dies!”
“Go ahead.”
“What?”
“I said I donāt care. I yelled earlier, but thinking about it, I donāt owe her anything.”
Makoto scratched his head.
Half truth, half bluff.
Of course he wanted to save her.
But if he caved now, it would validate hostage tactics.
“…Here.”
He formed a Fire Bullet and lobbed it casually.
The assist did not activate, and it traced a gentle arc.
The chiefās eyes widened.
“Damn it!”
He shoved the woman aside and dove away.
The Fire Bullet touched the woman and flared explosively.
Yet she emerged from the flames unharmed.
Makoto grinned and chased the chief.
He did not bother to cut him off for dramatic effect.
He simply kicked him from behind.
The chief flew as if struck by a truck.
He hit the ground on his knees, then rolled several times before stopping.
He did not move again.
“Are you alright?”
Makoto extinguished his flames and extended a hand.
The swordswoman flinched.
Her blue eyes were filled with unmistakable fear.
After the massacre he had just carried out, it was only natural.
She steeled herself, stood, and straightened her clothes.
“Thank you forā”
“How many people did you kill?!”
Yukaās voice cut her off.
She approached cautiously.
“Donāt look so scared.”
“Of course Iām scared! The fact youāre calm is whatās scary!”
“Itās not that big a deal once you do it.”
“Y-You murderer!”
Makoto scratched his head.
Suddenly, Yuka gasped.
One of the fallen bandits had grabbed her ankle.
“Let go!”
She tried to shake him off.
She was Level 72.
A bandit under Level 10 posed no threat.
She shook him off easily.
The problem was that she yanked her leg back too hard.
Crack.
The banditās head bent backward until it touched his back.
“…No way.”
Yuka stared in disbelief.
“This is a lie, right? I just tried to shake him off…”
“I know. You accidentally killed him.”
“It wasnāt on purpose!”
She raised her voice, but her panic did not seem rooted in guilt.
More like she was worried about appearances.
Maybe she too felt little actual weight.
“Welcome to the world of murderers.”
“I said it wasnāt intentional!”
“Sorry for cutting you off. Iām Makoto Ichijou. And this is Yuka Satou.”
The swordswoman straightened her back.
“I am Laura Cerberus, knight of Count Elway. Thank you for your aid.”
“It wasnāt much. I couldnāt save your partner.”
Makoto glanced at the bearded manās corpse.
He had died while they were bantering.
Lauraās eyes filled with tears.
“A knightās duty is to protect their lord. He died fulfilling it. He would be satisfied.”
“Your lover?”
“No. But we were not on bad terms.”
“I see.”
Makoto nodded.
“As apology, Iāll lend a hand if you ever need it.”
“Thank you.”
Her voice trembled.
Just then, the carriage door slowly opened.
Laura rushed to it.
A girlāno, a childāstepped out.
Soft honey-colored twin tails.
Refined features, slightly sharp eyes that gave her a brash look.
She stopped before Makoto.
“I am Christine Elway, Count of Elway.”
“…You say āIā like an old man.”
“Do you object?”
“Not at all.”
She glared at him.
“I witnessed your valor. Well done.”
“…Hmm.”
For some reason, it did not feel like praise.
Perhaps it was the archaic tone.
“…I have little to offer at present.”
“Lady Christine!”
Christine removed a necklaceāa silver chain with a ring threaded on itāand held it out.
Laura cried out.
It must have been precious.
“You refuse?”
“Yeah. Donāt need it.”
“Hey!”
Yuka smacked his arm.
“We donāt even have money!”
“Yeah, but taking jewelry from a kidās wrong.”
“What?!”
Christine stared.
“Itās important, right? Then keep it.”
“I see.”
She smiled and put it back on.
“…This ring belonged to my mother.”
“Then donāt offer it.”
“Reward and punishment are natural law.”
“Memories arenāt for selling.”
At least not while youāre still a kid.
Adults did not always have that luxury.
“Weāre broke though.”
“We can loot the bandits.”
“Have you no pride?!”
“If I wanted pride, Iād have taken the ring.”
“You could have just accepted it!”
“Iād accept cash. Who travels without money?”
“I deposit funds with the Church.”
So the Church functioned as a bank.
“You can withdraw anywhere?”
“Of course.”
“…Of course.”
Information sharing, apparently.
“Still, why are you broke? Someone that strong should be rich.”
“I woke up in a dungeon.”
“Oh! You are Visitors.”
“Visitors?”
“Those summoned from another world by Periolis.”
“I see.”
“Summoned into a dungeon is rare, but you will receive a bounty from the Church for defeating undead.”
“Without proof?”
Christine tilted her head.
“Perhaps they do not know kill counts are recorded.”
Laura said.
“Oh, thatās right.”
“Kill counts are recorded?”
“Yes. Monster defeats are logged.”
“Convenient.”
Yuka nodded in agreement.
“At least we wonāt have to camp.”
“Thank goodness.”
“Where are you headed?”
“A town, for now.”
“We go to Rockwell.”
“I want to return to the capital.”
Yuka cut in.
“…We hoped you might escort us to Rockwell.”
Laura looked at him earnestly.
“Which is closer?”
“The capital is ten days by carriage. Rockwell by evening.”
“Rockwell, then.”
“Hey!”
Yuka protested weakly.
“Weāve got no reason for the capital.”
“I need to rejoin my classmates.”
“Thatās your problem.”
“…Fine.”
She muttered.
“So you will escort us?”
“Yeah.”
“Excellent!”
Christine smiled brightly.
The air seemed lighter.
“Before we leave, we should handle the bodies. Iāll deal with the bandits.”
“Our guardās remains… will be collected later.”
Christine gazed solemnly at her fallen knight.