The maids began to ravage
In the underground hideout of the kidnappers, rows of cells were set up to hold the abducted goods.
Since the only light source was candles, it was usually dim, but now, the gloomy space filled with the sobbing of the abductees was brightly lit as if it were midday.
"Hurrah!"
In the center of it all, one of Crow's maids, Drei, with her fiery crimson hair, single-handedly charged at the men. As she raced through, surrounded by a radiant magical aura, she looked like a small sun.
"Ugh... Stop her!"
"With that strength, you think you can stop me?"
"Ughhhh!?"
It was a one-sided onslaught.
Drei moved freely through the narrow passageways, swinging her limbs wreathed in flames, systematically defeating the enemies one by one.
The men, unable to offer any meaningful resistance, could only watch in horror as their comrades were killed off. They stood frozen, hoping not to be the next victim.
"Damn it, they're doing whatever they want! Take this..."
"Whoa there, can't allow that. Confiscated—and you can die too!"
"Gyaaah!?"
One of them attempted to throw a bag containing magic-sealing stones in a desperate move. However, at that very moment, Drei appeared before him and swiftly took the bag. In return, she delivered a magically enhanced kick to his abdomen, causing the unfortunate man's body to split vertically, ending his life.
"Come on, come on, run, or you'll die."
"Eek...!"
With her considerable power, she could have easily wiped out everyone present. However, it was evident that Drei was taking pleasure in tormenting and killing the men. Driven to escape, the men hurried deeper into the corridor, but this underground prison was designed as a one-way path to prevent captured individuals from fleeing. Additionally, there was only one staircase leading to the surface.
Naturally, Drei had descended from above and was currently blocking the corridor. Right from the start, the men had no means of escape.
Those with magical abilities who attempted to resist were the first to be eliminated, and their hopes of using magical suppression stones were dashed as Drei promptly confiscated and used them to end their lives.
For the men, there were no alternatives but death.
"No, I don't want to die!"
"Hey, heeey! You've had your fun, messing around all you wanted up till now, right? It's about time to kick the bucket."
Drei slowly pursued the fleeing men, systematically dealing with those who couldn't escape.
Intentionally showcasing various gruesome methods of killing to her remaining comrades, like blowing off heads, twisting necks, or bisecting bodies, she wore an eerie smile as her maid outfit turned deep red with splattered blood.
"Hey, you there! Stop right there!"
"Huh? Who the hell do you think you are to boss me around? The only one I take orders from in this world is my master."
Drei, who had been gleefully carrying out the slaughter, suddenly became irritable when the men tried to stop her.
Though the men trembled in fear from the torrent of magic released alongside her anger, there was a certain confidence in their expressions.
"Are you okay with this happening to her?"
"Ugh, I'm sorry..."
Ignoring the agitated Drei, a man emerged from the back.
He held a young girl, whom he had taken from one of the cells, and a knife was pressed against her throat.
"You came here to rescue these guys, didn't you? Behave, or this girl loses her head."
"Oh, you mean that..."
Judging from the fact that the girl was wearing a school uniform, she was probably one of the nobles captured by this organization.
In other words, she was a hostage.
Understanding the situation and temporarily halting her movements, Drei was met with a smug grin from the man.
With this turn of events, Drei was suddenly in a precarious situation.
"Does it really matter? If you want to kill her, go ahead."
"...Huh?"
However, this was only the case in hostage situations where leverage mattered.
Drei, seemingly unfazed, casually abandoned the young hostage.
Whether it was an unexpected response or not, both the men and the hostage herself were left stunned.
"I mean, it's not like my master ordered me to rescue them. My orders are to destroy, kill, and ravage. If they die, so be it; it can't be helped."
"Don't think you can bluff your way out of this! We're serious!"
"I said, if you're going to kill her, do it quickly. That way, I can kill without any regrets."
In reality, they had come here for revenge against those who had attacked their Mistress. Since Crow hadn't mentioned anything about the hostage, Drei didn't pay it any mind.
In fact, she had completely forgotten about it until now.
In this slum, it was common knowledge that one's own life was their responsibility, so even if the hostage were to die, what did it have to do with Drei?
The anxious men continued to threaten, but Drei paid them no mind and even urged them to hurry up and kill her.
Their initial sense of superiority and victory crumbled as they realized that the situation had not improved in the slightest. Cold sweat ran down their faces.
"This girl's a noble!"
"Anyone can tell by looking at that uniform. You there, you weren't lucky today. Well, once this is over, I'll at least return your body to your family. Come on, are you going to kill her? Hurry up."
"W-Wait a minute! I don't want to die!"
The one who couldn't hold back her voice any longer was the hostage girl.
Just when she thought help had arrived, her rescuer was willing to abandon her. And not only that, instead of being sold off as originally planned, she was about to be killed, making the situation even worse.
It was just too much.
"Tell that to those guys over there, not me. I have nothing to do with it."
"What!?"
"Don't worry, I'll take care of the enemies first."
"But please don't kill me before that..."
"She's insane..."
Everyone present felt a chilling sensation when they saw Drei, her beautiful face covered in blood, smiling. Despite speaking the same language, it felt as if their words couldn't bridge the gap—a bizarre and surreal conversation, as if they were talking to a creature that spoke human language.
For those who came from outside, her values, shaped by growing up in the slums, seemed unusual.
"Say..."
"W-what's it?"
"Well, it doesn't matter to me, but..."
Out of nowhere, Drei spoke to the men who were desperately searching for another way to survive. The men tensed up, thinking she might finally come to kill them along with the hostage. However, Drei wore an expression that seemed more concerned.
"Are you guys okay with this situation as it is?"
"Huh? What do you... Gah!"
Confused by her words, the men's expressions changed to alarm as their heads were suddenly covered by water bubbles. They desperately tried to shake off the water, but it clung to their faces and eventually suffocated them all.
Left in the scene were Drei, the hostage girl, and one more person.
"Really... What are you doing?!"
"Ouch!"
As the men collapsed to the ground, a blue-haired maid named Zwei, who had appeared behind Drei unnoticed, slapped her on the back of the head.
"You, Zwei! What the hell are you doing?!"
Drei, who was suddenly struck on the head, winced in pain for a moment. However, she quickly recovered and, with a visibly throbbing forehead, confronted the other maid, Zwei.
"What's this about you rushing ahead on your own and trapping us with a hostage? Are you that foolish?"
"What? It's not such a big deal, and I was about to take them all out at once!"
"You can't just kill the hostage! Use your head a bit more! This is why you get into troubles with our Master!"
"Oh, come on...! That's not the point right now!"
"It's absolutely the point! Besides, you've always been..."
"What, huh? If you have something to say, then..."
The two maids continued their argument, completely disregarding the ongoing situation.
"Um... Excuse me."
Left alone in this situation, the bewildered girl couldn't do anything but stand there, utterly confused.
"Hey, you! Are you still here? You can go home now."
"Please, just keep an eye on the surroundings. I'm sorry, but she can be a bit rough, as you can see."
"Yes..."
With the argument between the maids momentarily settled, Drei finally noticed the girl's presence. She waved her off dismissively, as if trying to shoo away a stray animal. However, Zwei stepped in front of the girl, gently pushing Drei aside.
While the fiery-haired maid from earlier exuded a wild and aggressive demeanor, the bespectacled maid in front of her exuded a calm presence. The tension that had gripped the young girl started to dissipate.
"Um, Miss Zwei?"
"Yes."
"Thank you so much for helping me."
"I'm glad you're safe. Are you injured?"
"No, I'm not. So, who are you both?"
With her safety now assured, the girl's immediate concern was to learn more about the identities of the two maids who had bravely come to her rescue. They had defeated the kidnappers with such skill and grace, and she was curious to know who they were.
"Before we answer that, may I confirm if you are Lady Elina of the Campbell Baron family?"
"Oh, yes! That's correct but...."
Upon hearing her own name from Zwei, Lady Elina couldn't help but show a slight jump of surprise. She understood that her family, the Campbell Barons, were relatively unknown and of modest means among the nobility, making it rare for anyone to recognize her.
"That's a relief. We came to your rescue under Lady Isabella's orders."
"Lady Isabella!?"
However, upon hearing Isabella's name, Elina's previous thoughts were instantly pushed aside. Lady Isabella was the renowned daughter of one of the Three Great Dukes, the Valiaz family. She was also famously engaged to the Crown Prince. For someone like Elina, a lesser noble, Isabella was a distant and almost legendary figure. Their families belonged to the same faction, but their relationship had been mostly one-sided, with Elina being given various menial tasks to perform. Elina's image of Isabella was that of someone who would disregard even her own subordinates in a crisis. The fact that Isabella had gone to such lengths to rescue her personally left Elina wondering if she had misunderstood Isabella all this time.
"She acted upon a direct appeal from your close friend, Lady Nora. You have a wonderful friend."
"Nora, Lady Isabella..."
Despite the potential rudeness of expressing gratitude for such actions, Elina couldn't help but thank her dear friend and, at the same time, admire Isabella's generosity for granting such an audacious request. In her relief and gratitude, Elina's loyalty to Isabella took an unusual turn.
(If I make it out of this safely, I'll make sure to tell everyone how amazing Lady Isabella is!)
At that moment, overwhelmed by relief and admiration for Isabella, Elina's loyalty had veered into an almost comical extreme. Unfortunately, no one present was in a position to point out this sudden change.
By the way, her friend Nora had often warned her, "Elina, you trust people too easily, be careful!" But for now, it seemed that Nora's advice had little effect.
"Our comrades are waiting above, so let's go together."
"W-Wait, please! There are others who were captured with me!"
"Understood. Then, let's split up and rescue everyone else."
"Yes!"
Elina enthusiastically agreed and started rescuing the other girls who were imprisoned in the cells, following Zwei's instructions.
◇◆◇◆
"I understand. After rescuing everyone, please wait at your current location. I'll provide further instructions."
"Hey, hey, I'm the one dealing with you right now, you know? Ignoring me feels kind of lonely... Take this!"
"...!"
Eins, after ending her communication with Zwei, who had gone downstairs, deftly dodged the approaching fist, her skirt fluttering as she created some distance. As she turned her gaze forward, she faced a burly man who had recovered from his missed punch and was once again staring at her.
Following their infiltration of the enemy's hideout, Eins had been giving orders to her team members on the first floor, which they had secured after the initial explosion. During that time, this man suddenly emerged from a pile of bodies. Apparently, he had somehow survived the explosion and immediately launched an attack against Eins and her team.
"What's wrong? Are you surrendering after boldly launching an attack?"
"Do it."
Ignoring the man's words, Eins issued instructions to her subordinates around her. Eins' black-clad subordinates unleashed their magic in unison, and all of it struck the man directly. However, despite the intense barrage, he didn't sustain a single scratch.
"Do you really think these attacks will work?"
"I see. Then, how about this?"
"What?!"
However, Eins had anticipated this due to the man being unharmed by her explosion magic moments ago. Her true intention was the next move.
While his attention was on the magic, Eins maneuvered behind the man and swung down with the knife in her hand.
*Clang!*
"Huh!"
"Heyya!"
She aimed for his neck with the downward strike, but the sensation through the knife felt as if she had struck solid steel. With a dull sound, the knife was deflected, and using the recoil, Eins dodged the man's counterattack and created distance once again.
"Hmm..."
Upon closer inspection of the knife that she had swung at the man earlier, she noticed that its blade had chipped significantly. Despite her precise attack to the vital point, the man remained unscathed.
The knife was enhanced with magic using a rare metal, and it should have easily sliced through even steel. However, it was strange that her blade had chipped, while the man's side showed no damage.
Eins could tell that the man was undoubtedly skilled. His movements were far from those of an ordinary thug, suggesting that he might have been a former knight or something similar. However, his magical power was quite ordinary, and even if his talents were specialized in defense, it was still odd that he remained completely unharmed after taking such a relentless attack.
"......"
In that case, there must be some other trump card.
Eins observed the magical flow within the man's body. He noticed a different type of magic originating from an item at the man's chest before spreading throughout his body. Most likely, that item at his chest held the key to his secret.
"A magical tool... no, is it an artifact?"
"Oh, you recognize it?"
When it comes to tools for manipulating magic, magical tools are typically the first to come to mind. However, it would be challenging for a magical tools, which can only perform spells of a lower caliber than the originals, to produce such impressive effects. Additionally, magical tools don't require the user's own magical power.
Therefore, the only other option for an item that manipulates magic would be an artifact.
"This pendant he's wearing seems to have been used by knights from a long time ago. It's said that one of them used it to hold off an army of tens of thousands single-handedly, all to buy time for their lord to escape."
The man proudly displayed the pendant hanging from his chest to Eins. That pendant was one of the miraculous crystals created through the collective prayers of many people.
While the term "miracle" sounded nice, it was essentially a type of magical phenomenon created through the nature of magic, which allowed it to alter events influenced by human consciousness.
Even the unconscious minds of humans had some influence on the world. Individually, it might not have much effect, but when the numbers added up, the outcome changed significantly. In fact, it was a well-known fact that places like graveyards, where many people associated death, or battlefields filled with the strong grudges of those who died there, were more likely to produce undead monsters.
It's the power of magic stored in gemstones used as vessels, guided by the collective consciousness of people towards the idol of a hero, a figure created through their great deeds.
At this point, whether those deeds were factual or not doesn't matter. What's important is the fact that many people imagine it to be true, and artifacts created in this manner have the ability to reproduce the hero's great achievements and miracles just as people wished.
These various feats created in this way are all rare items that can't be reproduced with contemporary magic, deserving of the title of hidden treasures.
"When I raided the archaeological excavation site, I got my hands on this thing. Ever since I've had it, there's been no one who could beat me! You get it? No one, I said. In other words, I'm invincible!"
"This is troublesome..."
Eins analyzed while dealing with the man's relentless attacks.
Indeed, his defense was formidable.
Not only did it resist magic and physical attacks, but it also seemed to deflect all magical interference. Eins had been using various spells against the man, all of which had been deflected. Fortunately, the artifact seemed to enhance only his defensive capabilities, and his attack power and speed were unremarkable. Avoiding his attacks was relatively easy.
Originally, this man probably intended to attract the enemy's attacks while his comrades attacked. However, his comrades had already been wiped out by the explosive magical device, and Eins's team had conquered the other floors.
So, by evading his attacks and waiting for him to run out of magical power, the problem would be resolved—
"What's the matter? All you've been doing is running away. Women are just like this, after all. In the first place, women shouldn't be on the battlefield. Using a woman like you is a mistake. Your so-called master must be a cowardly and feeble fellow."
"....Silence."
"Ugh!?"
A chilling voice accompanied a powerful surge of magic, pushing through the area.
The man found himself struggling to hold his ground against the sudden torrent of magic. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he battled to maintain his footing.
"My apologies... It seems I was careless. Perhaps I got a bit carried away on my master's grand stage after such a long absence."
"What are you saying?"
Eins defined herself solely as a tool. Her mission was unwavering: to fulfill her master's desires. She paid no heed to judgments or insults from others. Her true value lay in her master's perception, and she cared for nothing else.
Her primary focus was on refining herself into the most effective tool possible, showing little interest in anyone else. But when her master was belittled, she responded differently.
Her master was her one and only, an absolute and supreme figure. Those who failed to comprehend this were, in her view, foolish and utterly insignificant.
"Step back. I will handle this."
Once the surge of magic receded, Eins, who had been at its epicenter, signaled her subordinates to step aside. She was implying that she could manage on her own.
The man, clearly stung by her dismissive demeanor, clenched his jaw but maintained a facade of composure.
"Oh, you couldn't even scratch me with a few of you, and now you think you can take me on all by yourself?"
"It seems you have a grave misconception, so allow me to correct it."
Eins discarded her knife and retrieved a chain necklace from her chest, along with a ring threaded onto it. She tightly gripped the ring, channeling her vast magical energy into the magic gem embedded within it. The amplification of her magic power activated intricate runes, forcibly altering the world around her.
"What...? I can't move! Why can't I move? My magic should be immune to this!"
"I've immobilized the space around you. Even if your magic is immune, I can handle something at this level."
The man found himself frozen in place as if sewn into the fabric of space. Despite his attempts to break free, he couldn't move a finger due to the powerful restraint.
Eins executed her spell with ease, but the world held no other individuals capable of deploying advanced spatial magic of this precision and speed.
"However, even if you've stopped me from moving, you still can't kill me!"
The man remained triumphant even in his immobile state.
He had an unwavering belief in his strength. His innate talent for defensive magic, coupled with the artifact he had acquired by chance, made him believe there was no one capable of defeating him. This unwavering self-confidence was the essence of his being.
"So, you still misunderstood something?"
However, such trivial pride was meaningless when faced with absolute power.
As Eins extended her right hand, magical energy gathered before her, gradually taking the form of a black mass.
"H-hey....What... is that...?"
Upon seeing the entity that had materialized, the man became aware of the trembling in his own voice.
It was an obsidian spear that seemed to absorb everything in its vicinity.
Slowly rotating, the mere presence of the spear caused the surrounding space to become entangled and contorted.
"In simpler terms, if your defense is high, I just need to attack with even greater firepower."
"Eek...!"
Unable to withstand the increasing strain from the spear, the man screamed as an eerie sight unfolded. Cracks and fissures appeared in the space with a series of cracking sounds.
The man, now fallen from grace, had once been a formidable knight serving a certain nation. He instinctively understood the perilous nature of that spear. Before it, any form of defense was futile. A direct hit from it would slice through the man and the surrounding space like paper, ending his life.
"...However, using something like this may not just endanger you but could obliterate this entire building."
"H-Haha... trying to intimidate me..."
Nevertheless, Eins didn't simply threaten the man, and she dispelled her ultimate strike. While such a monstrous attack would indeed send shockwaves capable of blowing away everything in the vicinity, the man exhaled a sigh of relief, recognizing that he had, for the moment, escaped peril. His bravado from earlier was nowhere to be seen, as he was overwhelmed by the demonstration of absolute power.
"So, I will use this."
"N-now what? You can't kill me with that beat-up knife."
From a tear in space, Eins retrieved a single knife. It had likely been a magical tool or something similar, but the blade was scorched black in places, and the inscribed magical symbols on it were partially broken. Although the magical gem embedded in the hilt still gleamed, it could hardly be considered a functional weapon anymore.
"Is that really so?"
"What...!?"
As Eins channeled magical energy into the magical gem, a far denser aura of death washed over the man than when he had been shown the magical spear earlier. His entire body seemed to scream in terror, and he instinctively understood its nature.
It was the nemesis of all those with magical power.
"W-What is that...?! Stop! Don't bring that thing near me!"
"Oh my, even someone with as little magical power as you can appreciate the splendor of this, can't you?"
With no room left for pretense and a look of agitation on his face, the man struggled to move away from Eins. However, the magical restraints binding him showed no sign of yielding. The obsidian blade, now dyed the same deep black as its original owner, ominously writhed and began to disrupt the surrounding magical energy. It was unlike sealing stones or overwriting with other magic; it was something else entirely.
"It's a blade that has tasted the blood of many nobles and even heroes in these slums. Normally, it's not something meant for someone like you, but today is a special occasion."
With an air of indifference but an eerie sense of satisfaction, Eins slowly approached the paralyzed man. With each step she took, the pressure emanating from the knife increased, causing the man's entire body to break into a cold sweat.
In the man's eyes, the maid before him seemed more sinister than even the grim reaper.
"Isn't it marvelous? All the prayers we've offered since that day have been worthwhile. To exhibit such power in an incomplete state, truly, our master is remarkable."
"A-aaahhh..."
That was no good.
If he was going to die anyway, the magic from earlier seemed a hundred times more merciful. It was certain that he would die either way, but that magic was still a relatively dignified way to go.
If he were killed with that blade, his soul would be erased, body and soul together. There would be no reintegration of the elements that had composed him back into the world. In other words, his existence would be utterly annihilated from this world.
Such an undignified death was unbearable to the man, and his body and soul cried out with all their might.
However, such cries held no particular interest for the grim reaper before him.
"Then... goodbye."
Eins, who had come right up to the man, swung the knife silently. The black flash not only severed the man's neck but also disintegrated his head into dust before it even hit the ground. The remaining torso, from the cut, crumbled into dust as well, and the artifact that had been around his neck slipped off. As it touched the ground, cracks ran through the earth-colored magic stone embedded in it, causing the artifact to shatter into pieces. Just like the man's body, the shattered fragments turned into dust, leaving only the clothes he had been wearing behind. Every trace of him vanished completely.
"...Now then, everyone, please resume your tasks as before."
After erasing the enemy and cleaning up, Eins put away the powerless knife carefully into another dimension. She then turned to her subordinates as if nothing had happened and gave instructions for them to continue their work.
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