Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Second Guardian Spirit
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Dark clouds filled the sky, unleashing a torrent of heavy rain.
Swishhh—
A knight clad in silver armor cautiously searched for the porter waiting at the back gate of Strange Manor.
"Are you Cain?"
The old man in shabby leather armor bowed deeply in response.
"Yes, sir! I'm Cain."
"...Is everything prepared?"
"You bet. I've got a sturdy horse all ready."
"Good. Take this pouch and head east."
"East, you say?"
"Yes. When you reach the border crossing from the central region to the east, a knight order will be waiting. Find Knight Giselle there and hand over the pouch."
"Ah, got it."
"You must hurry."
"I'll do my best. By the way, what's in the pouch?"
As the old man cautiously inquired about the pouch's contents,
Shing!
the knight drew his sword and pointed it at his throat.
"Don't ask questions."
"A-ah, understood!"
"If you want to live, never get curious about that pouch. Just deliver it."
"U-understood."
A booming shout echoed from behind the knight.
-Grab him!
A voice so aggressive anyone could tell.
The knight who handed over the pouch shoved the old man's back.
"Hurry!"
The old man scrambled onto the cart and replied.
"Yes, sir!"
"If anyone catches you, say you're on a mission for the Strange Family."
"Got it."
"Mention Knight Giselle's name, and even the Glazers won't harm you."
"I won't forget."
"...Go."
The knight slapped the horse's rear with his palm.
Smack!
The horse neighed loudly—Hiiiing!—and began pulling the cart at full speed.
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
A massive explosion roared from the direction of the smithy.
Boom!
Looking out the window, I saw a brilliant flash piercing through the clouds into the sky.
Witnessing the scene, I bolted toward the smithy and called out to Siegfried.
"Master, it's time to greet Brunhilt."
Siegfried, who had been dozing while floating in midair, jolted awake and scowled deeply.
"Huh?! What're you talking about all of a sudden? Time to greet Brunhilt?"
"The Soul Stone has activated."
"Soul Stone?"
"Yes. Now it's her turn for the trial and contract."
It was ridiculous even saying it.
How oblivious was this guy that he hadn't even noticed the explosion just moments ago?
"No way! I'm not ready!"
"What do you need to prepare for, Master? Just loaf around like usual."
"Like usual?"
"Yeah, like peeping on Emma changing or picking your nose while badmouthing others."
"Hey, you punk. Is that how you see me, as some deadbeat?"
'Pretty much.' I answered silently in my mind.
Saying it out loud would just make him sulk and ignore me for a week.
Rumble—!
Thunder boomed loudly from the sky.
As if heralding Brunhilt's descent, the downpour intensified.
Her presence was so overwhelming that an emergency evacuation order rang out in the manor.
Guard Captain Bess bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Enemy ambush! First Guard Unit, check the smithy! The rest, seal the gates and bolster defenses!"
The knights scrambled into action.
I slipped through them and joined the guards heading to the smithy.
"This area's dangerous. Please withdraw, Young Master Din."
The square-jawed guard captain spoke firmly, but I shook my head and followed behind him.
"I'm fine."
"It could be a mage controlling the weather."
"Sounds good."
"...Good, sir?"
"Yeah, I've always wanted to see a mage up close."
He tilted his head, unable to comprehend my cheerful demeanor.
"If anything happens to you, we'll all lose our heads."
"That won't happen, so don't worry."
"......"
"Guard Captain, I'll take full responsibility. Let's go."
The guard captain glanced at Siegfried blazing behind me, swallowed hard, and nodded.
"Understood."
And so, I arrived at the wrecked smithy with the First Guard Unit.
There, amid the storm unleashed by the Soul Stone, lay the blacksmith flung aside and Rox buried under debris.
I rushed over and propped up Rox's upper body.
"The Soul Stone?"
"Soul... Stone?"
"Yeah, where's the Soul Stone?"
"Soul Stone... I had it in my hand... then suddenly a voice... urk!"
"A voice?"
Rox clutched the back of his head in agony. His palm was stained with blood.
'What the...?'
For Rox's body, unscathed even by sword strikes, to be wounded.
I quickly scanned the surroundings.
It didn't take long to find the culprit. The rain had soaked the ground, leaving clear footprints.
Someone had passed through unmistakably.
The shape indicated steel boots for sure. Which meant someone inside the manor knew about the Soul Stone and had stuck close to Rox.
'...This just got complicated.'
Did Gunter figure out my moves?
'Should've guarded the front of the smithy.'
Losing the Soul Stone would make things messy.
"Guard Captain!"
"Yes!"
"Form a defensive line around the smithy immediately and move the injured to safety."
The guard captain flinched at my gaze and bowed his head.
"As you command."
"No one gets near here. Not even Guard Captain Bess."
"Yes, sir."
"If there's trouble, use my name and carry out the mission flawlessly."
"Leave it to us, Young Master."
At the back gate of Strange Manor.
I found a knight at the end of the footprints starting from the smithy.
"A rat inside, huh. Where'd you smuggle the Soul Stone?"
"I know nothing."
"You don't?"
"No. Even if you ask what it is or where it went, you won't get an answer from me."
"Hah."
From the looks of it, the Soul Stone was already out of the manor.
This knight was probably left behind to buy time.
He stared at the ground in resignation.
I drew my sword, lifted his chin, and continued.
"State your affiliation, knight."
"......Third Guard Platoon, Charles Hamilton."
"Hamilton, is Gunter your master?"
"......"
The knight bit his lip hard and drew a dagger from his belt.
His next move was obvious.
Slash—!
He swung the blade at his own throat.
'Idiot.'
I extended my aura-wrapped hand and snatched his sword.
Thud.
Then crushed the blade with a flex of my fingers.
Clang!
"If you wanna die, I'll kill you."
"......"
"But you won't die easy."
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
A rickety cart that looked like it might fall apart at a touch barreled through the reed fields.
"Hyah!"
The old man in brown leather armor whipped the horse's rear, urging it on.
"Faster, faster!"
His voice was frantic, as if pursued by something. His eyes brimmed with anxiety, and his arms trembled like in an earthquake, betraying his state. What could be pressuring him so?
Swishhh—
The wind bent the reeds flat. For a moment, the view cleared, revealing beasts and monsters lurking nearby.
Goblins, rank-9 monsters called the forest's weakest, and packs of hyenas fighting over their rotten meat scraps.
"G-get lost, you filthy beasts!"
The old man pulled a club from his thigh strap and swung it in the air.
The enemies weren't even close yet, but he showed off needlessly.
As the wind died, the reeds straightened, narrowing his view.
At the same time, pattering footsteps approached from all sides.
At this rate, they'd be ambushed by beasts and monsters.
The old man, knowing full well, swallowed hard and gripped the pouch at his waist tightly.
"Damn it! Do something, anything! Or we're done for...!"
As if responding to his desperation, a blue light flashed from the pouch he clutched.
Swishhh!
A faint voice echoed in his ears.
The old man rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
But there was no time to think. The footsteps of his pursuers were already close.
"A-anything! Whatever you desire, I'll give it!"
[Is that so?]
"Yes, really!"
[Very well.]
Blue smoke billowed from the pouch, forming a beautiful woman.
Dressed like a mage, she raised her palm to the sky, gathering intense mana that warped the air.
Rumble—!!
Thunder cracked from empty air.
The old man clamped his ears in terror.
The woman in the blue robe slowly scanned the surroundings.
Soon, goblins emerged from all sides, screeching eerily as they charged the cart.
-Kikikikik!
They moved just like bandits ambushing adventurers or merchants.
Their gear was as well-equipped as any human adventurer's—who wouldn't fear a pack like that?
"Uwaaaah!"
The old man yanked the reins in panic.
Startled by the sudden attack, the horse reared up on its hind legs.
-Hiiiing!
The cart rocked violently, throwing the old man off balance and onto the ground.
Thud!
Hyenas hidden in the reeds pounced as if waiting for this moment.
-Kyaaak!
"N-nooo!"
The old man squeezed his eyes shut.
Up to that point, he thought he was dead.
No way he could handle this many monsters and beasts alone.
"...Huh?"
But when he opened his eyes, an unbelievable sight unfolded.
Crunchhh—
The whole world was encased in ice.
Reeds frozen blue, white snow pouring from the sky.
And not just that—the goblins and hyenas lunging at him were all trapped in ice.
"No way..."
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
As he looked around to grasp the situation, blue smoke gathered before him and spoke.
"You said anything, right?"
"...Yes?"
"Then undergo my trial."
"T-trial?"
"Yes. A trial."
"What's that?"
The old man stared at the blue smoke in fear.
The robed woman who materialized smiled brightly, spread her arms wide, and said,
"It's the process to see if you can stay by my side."