My lady is considering something
It was the second day of training, and things had taken an unexpected turn for Maria and her group. They had been making steady progress through the forest when suddenly, they found themselves under attack by a horde of monsters.
"Damn it, how many of these monsters are there?" Leon grumbled as he swung his sword, barely having time to wipe the blood off it before facing the next wave of monsters.
"Quit complaining and focus on taking them down! 『Wind Blast!』" Julius, standing back-to-back with Leon, cast a spell that sent the approaching monsters flying. However, new ones quickly took their place.
Around them lay numerous monster corpses, evidence of their intense battle. Yet, the relentless onslaught of monsters showed no signs of stopping, and students across the area were engaged in their own battles, plunging the surroundings into utter chaos.
"There are too many of them! At this rate..."
Albert, who was at the center of the battle, protecting the wounded and giving orders to those around him, struggled to find a way to overcome this worsening situation.
Despite being apprentices, everyone here was supposed to be formidable magic users or aspiring knights. Under normal circumstances, facing this level of monsters wouldn't have been a problem.
However, this time, there were simply too many of them. It had already been three hours since the battle began. The endless fight was taking a toll on their bodies, and more and more students were getting injured.
Trying to escape from the monsters was futile. With creatures attacking from all directions, they had no idea where to run.
"Kyaa!"
"Maria!?"
In response to a scream from behind, Albert turned around and saw that a monster had sneaked up on Maria and her group, who were tending to the wounded. In the midst of the chaos, Maria stumbled and fell, possibly injuring herself. The monster, seeing an opportunity, leered with its grotesque face and aimed its sharp claws at her.
"Get away from her!"
Albert sprang into action, his enhanced leg strength carrying him swiftly to Maria's side. With his sword raised high, he swung it down, cleanly bisecting the monster that threatened Maria. The creature, along with its life force, a magic stone, was instantly severed in two. A wave of relief washed over the students who had been watching.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just a minor scrape."
Albert helped Maria to her feet, checking her for any injuries. It appeared she had only sustained a minor scrape on her knee.
"That's good to hear."
"More importantly, our potions..."
"You're right. Let's gather them up."
Just as Maria had suggested, their belongings were scattered around from the earlier attack by the monsters. Among the items strewn about were valuable healing potions.
"We can't just leave these here" Albert insisted.
As Maria and Albert gathered the scattered belongings, Albert's expression shifted abruptly when he picked up a small bag from the pile.
"This... there's no doubt about it. It's a 'Monster Attractor.' Why on earth would something like this be here?"
"What's that? I certainly didn't bring anything like that with me."
"Exactly. These items are strictly regulated and controlled by the country. It's odd to find one here."
If it was indeed a Monster Attractor, it could explain the unusual monster attacks. This item emitted a unique scent that agitated nearby monsters and lured them in. Typically, it was used by the Knights' Order to gather and eliminate large groups of monsters. However, due to its potential for misuse, it should have been closely monitored and controlled by the authorities.
"Ah, I get it now! It was probably planted on us by that pair who bumped into us before we left! When I packed our stuff, there was nothing like this inside" Maria said.
"It's likely Isabella's doing. Damn... going this far" Albert muttered.
Albert knew Isabella had a strong dislike for Maria, but he never expected her to go to such lengths. One wrong move, and not only Maria but everyone present could end up dead. The realization sent shivers down his spine.
"What should we do?" Maria asked.
"We don't have any evidence to accuse Isabella over this. Instead, we need to deal with the current situation. At the very least, if we get rid of this, the monsters should stop attacking us" Albert replied.
Yes, surviving was the top priority now. Since the monsters were attracted to this bag, getting rid of it should reduce the number of monster attacks on Albert and the others.
With their plan in place, it was now a race against time. They didn't know the exact range of the Monster Attractor's effect, but the longer they waited, the more monsters it would draw in, making their chances of escape even slimmer.
"Listen up, everyone! We're leaving this spot now. When I give the signal, break through the enemy's encirclement to the south. Don't lag behind!" Albert commanded.
"Got it! In that case, there's no need to hold back anymore. I'll blow them all away!"
"You're always so brash, and I don't usually agree with you, but for now, let's go with that idea!" Albert shouted, giving orders to the surrounding students.
As Albert's voice echoed, the students still in the midst of battle began gathering their magical energy, waiting for the right moment.
"3, 2, 1, now!" Albert counted down.
With the signal, Albert hurled the bag he held far away, and at the same time, the students unleashed a coordinated attack, exerting their final burst of power on the monsters gathering on the opposite side.
"No monsters are within our sensing range. It seems that was the last of them" a student on scout duty reported.
"Good... After we collect the magic stones, we'll depart. Hurry up" Milady ordered.
Having received confirmation that all the attacking monsters had been eliminated, the lower-ranking noble students rushed toward the lifeless monster bodies scattered around.
With knives in hand, they began dissecting the monsters, extracting blood-soaked, stone-like objects.
That stone was none other than the "magic stone" the source of the monsters' magical power.
It was a crystallization of magic within the monsters, essentially the same as the magic stones Milady and her companions possessed.
However, in terms of purity, it couldn't compare, being an inferior version. It took a magic stone the size of a fist to contain as much magic as a fingertip-sized magic stone owned by Milady.
Unlike magic stones, they could be collected in quantity, mainly used as raw materials for consumable items such as low-tier magic potions and magical tools.
The size and quality of these magic stones varied depending on the strength of the monsters. Collecting these magic stones as proof of defeating monsters was a common practice, just like what Milady and her group were doing now.
So far, Milady's group had been making good progress. They encountered monsters a few times, but the other students took care of them before Milady had to intervene.
(However... )
He discreetly observed Milady's condition as she waited for the magic stone retrieval. Despite her composed appearance, my experienced eyes couldn't be fooled. She was pushing herself through sheer willpower and mental strength, clearly exhausted.
Looking around, it was evident that the other students were in worse shape. They moved mechanically with lifeless eyes and lacked any noticeable energy. Among them, the Imperial exchange students, including Dixon, seemed to be holding up relatively well.
Most of the noble-born individuals, like Milady, were from the city and weren't accustomed to walking in the forest. Additionally, for this training, Milady had decided that their group would be the first to exit the forest, pushing them to walk almost non-stop since yesterday. Under these conditions, it was only a matter of time before someone collapsed.
"Eins, are you here"
"Yes, Sir Crow. I'm right here."
They moved a bit away from the others, and with a call into the void, Eins, dressed as a maid, silently appeared from the darkness. For this training, we had secretly brought Eins and her companions as additional safeguards for Milady.
Naturally, external assistance was prohibited during this training, but considering I wasn't a regular student at the academy, that was no longer a concern. Besides, if this matter were to be discovered, who could possibly reprimand the Duke's daughter, Isabella?
"Today, we'll let Milady rest. I'd like to know if there's a suitable camping spot nearby."
"In that case, if you move about ten minutes to the northeast from here, you'll reach a small river. It should be a suitable area for camping."
Upon hearing the information gathered from the surrounding reconnaissance, I felt relieved to discover that there was a suitable resting place nearby, much closer than expected. Being near the river meant we could secure water without using magic, and there was even a possibility of catching fish.
"I see... Understood, you can step back."
"Very well. Excuse me, Sir Crow."
With the necessary information in hand, I gestured for Eins to step back. She gracefully lifted her skirt, gave a courteous bow, and then seemed to dissolve into the darkness. I couldn't see when she disappeared.
Magic, as always, was incredibly convenient, and it never ceased to amaze me.
"Why should you be the one giving orders like this?"
After acquiring the necessary information and returning to the location where everyone had gathered, something seemed off. As I approached the commotion, I noticed Isabella, our Milady, engaged in a heated argument with a male student.
"Everyone is already completely exhausted. I'm simply suggesting that further exploration is impossible!"
"You have no right to make that judgment! I am the leader of this group. It is not allowed to go against my decisions!"
"That's just unreasonable!"
The one opposing our Milady was one of the Empire's exchange students, a guy named Luke, who was supposed to be Dixon's master. I wasn't entirely sure about the details, but it seemed like the two of them clashed over their opinions about this imprudent forced march.
"Crow, it's good timing. I was just about to come get you."
While observing the two of them, I was tapped on the shoulder from behind. When I turned around, Dixon was there, wearing a troubled expression.
"What's going on?"
"My lord went to propose to her that we should stop today's exploration, but it seems he ended up angering her somehow. I'm sorry, but could you please help resolve this situation?"
"I see..."
It's true that while students from the kingdom may find it challenging to voice their opinions against Milady, for Dixon, an exchange student from the Empire, it's a different story. He probably proposed this as their representative, taking these circumstances into account, but Milady strongly dislikes being told what to do by anyone. As a result, it appears he unintentionally touched a nerve with her.
It's truly troublesome.
However, I had intended to speak up regardless, so let's consider it convenient timing.
"Milady, I also support his suggestion. How about taking some rest for today?"
"Crow!? Why? I can still go on!"
As soon as I joined the conversation and expressed my agreement with the other side's proposal, Milady showed a surprised expression. However, she quickly turned that expression into anger, attempting to dismiss my opinion. Despite clearly being at her limit, she remained incredibly stubborn.
Nonetheless, I needed her to accept it at this point.
"While Milady might be fine with it, it's becoming challenging for me as a commoner."
"Hmph..."
She raised her hands as if to say she had no choice, and Milady slightly furrowed her brow, clearly expressing her displeasure.
Undoubtedly, that's the reality.
Although it may appear as if I'm just walking, there's a fundamental difference in physical abilities between me, a person without magical powers, and Milady. Despite my efforts to maintain composure, my legs were already trembling.
It seems Milady understands this to some extent, as she's showing signs of consideration.
"And besides..."
As a final argument, I approached Milady, leaning closer to her ear.
"Imagine this. If we were to continue through the forest as we are now, by the time we emerge, everyone will be barely standing due to exhaustion. Would you want to be greeted by the teachers in such a pitiful state?"
"Grr..."
Whispering about the future seemed to make Milady envision the situation, causing her beautiful face to contort as she let out a soft groan.
While I might consider it trivial, a person's dignity is of utmost importance to nobility. Especially for Milady, who exhibits this trait strongly. That's why I tried approaching from this angle, and it seems to be working effectively.
"If that's the case, let's take a break for today. It would be more fitting for an honorable noble to rest and prepare thoroughly before elegantly reaching our destination, don't you think?"
"Nghh.."
"Milady, please reconsider."
"...Very well. We'll stop the exploration for today. Let's rest if there's a suitable camping spot nearby."
With a pleading look, I gazed directly into her emerald eyes. After some growling and contemplation, Milady finally relented with a sigh, deciding to halt the exploration. At that moment, the collective sigh of relief from the surrounding students could be ignored.
"Thank you, Milady."
While everyone else prepared to depart for our destination, I lowered my head to Milady. Despite her ultimate decision, I had influenced her opinion. I was prepared to receive a few punches for it.
"Hmph... I don't mind, really. Besides, if you collapse, it'll be troublesome for me. After resting, you'll have to work for my sake again."
Contrary to my expectations, Milady didn't seem to mind much. In fact, she didn't show much concern at all. Instead, she smiled kindly at my puzzled reaction and then turned away to check on the other students.
".... Understood"
I reaffirmed my loyalty to Milady and nodded once more.
"Hmm... You're quite adept at handling that difficult girl."
Dixon, who had been observing our interactions, approached as I prepared to follow Milady.
"Do you need anything else?"
"No, I was simply impressed by your skill."
While my response to his comment, which could be seen as an insult to Milady, carried a touch of coldness, Dixon appeared unfazed, maintaining his usual carefree smile as he commended my actions.
"I see. Thank you. I'll take my leave then."
Dixon remained an enigmatic man, impossible to decipher. To avoid further interaction with him, I offered a brief nod and promptly followed Milady.
No comments:
Post a Comment