Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Drip, drip, drip.
A dim underground prison where water fell from the ceiling.
Cracked walls and patches of mold blooming here and there created a bleak atmosphere.
At the end of the corridor, inside rusted iron bars, sat a muscular elf radiating a majestic aura.
The chains and shackles wrapped around the elf’s body looked as though they could break at any moment.
She exuded the overwhelming pressure of a strong being that made it frightening to approach, yet there were footsteps that advanced toward her without hesitation.
Knock, knock, knock!
The sound of dripping water remained the same. But this time, it was different.
If the droplets from the ceiling had previously fallen slowly due to the distance to the floor, now they fell at a rapid tempo.
“I found you. As expected, you were here.”
A refreshing voice that did not match the atmosphere of the underground prison.
At this, the elf lifted her head. Reflected in her eyes was a black-haired woman holding a blood-stained sword.
Even from a brief glance, the elf frowned at the woman’s spirit.
“Who are you?”
“You don’t need to be wary. I’m someone who came to get you out of here.”
“Hah! Humans imprisoned me here, and now another human comes to free me… what an amusing situation.”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me. Once I free you, my role ends there.”
“…It seems you truly came to save me. Whose order is this? Did my kin request it?”
“You can hear the details after returning to your homeland. I only carried out the task entrusted to me by my master.”
Swoosh!
Rin lightly swung her sword once, shaking off the blood before naturally sheathing it.
It was an ordinary sheathing motion, yet a strange light filled the elf’s eyes.
With that single sequence of movements, the shackles binding her body and even the iron bars preventing her escape shattered into pieces.
It was the moment she realized firsthand that her judgment of Rin’s presence had not been wrong.
“That’s it. You are free now. If you don’t know the way back, I can guide you.”
“…I don’t know who you serve, but I envy them to death. If I had someone as skilled as you under me, I wouldn’t have been captured in such a pitiful way.”
“Thank you for your high evaluation. But there is one thing you are mistaken about.”
“What is it?”
“My master is far stronger than I am. If I fought with everything I had, I might barely be able to take one of his arms, but in return, he would take my head.”
The elf found it hard to accept Rin’s words.
There were rarely beings beyond those already outside common sense.
However, perhaps someone came to mind, as the elf did not argue further.
The world was filled with strong individuals, and she considered her own level nothing more than a frog in a well.
“By the way, how did you end up imprisoned in a place like this?”
“I was kidnapped by humans.”
“I felt it when I saw you, but judging by your build, you don’t seem like someone who would be easily captured…”
“They tried to lay hands on my younger sister first, so I was taken in her place.”
“You must share a strong sisterly bond. I understand well the desire to protect your only sibling.”
“I won’t deny that bond. But I wasn’t captured to protect my sister.”
The elf smiled bitterly. Her eyes were filled with pity as she gazed up at the night sky beyond the bars.
Rin realized there was a story not easily told, yet her curiosity compelled her to ask.
“What kind of person is your sister?”
“A terrible monster lives inside her body.”
“A monster?”
“Yes. A power that no saintess in history could ever contain resides within her. My sister struggles every day to suppress that power.”
“Then the reason you were captured…!”
“It was to prevent that power from being released.”
A twin elder sister who sacrificed herself not to protect, but to restrain an uncontrollable power.
Even while imprisoned, her heart had been tight with worry for her sister.
“You said you came under your master’s orders, right?”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps he has already met my sister.”
An existence beyond common sense. Could he suppress her sister’s power?
Even knowing the chances were slim, the elf found herself holding onto hope.
“Yahoo!”
Clang!
Prah and an ice-forged sword collided, producing a sharp noise.
Despite the continuous strikes, the scruffy-haired man responded with all his strength, his eyes gleaming as he searched for an opening.
The moment he found even the slightest gap, he looked ready to pounce like a wolf.
And the one creating that gap was the bespectacled man.
“Blast Arrow.”
More than twenty wind arrows shot out from the magic circle.
I could dodge them, but if even one slipped through, it would strike Marianne behind me.
“Tch!”
In the end, I stepped back slightly and slashed through the magic in the direction indicated by my senses.
At the same time, I drew a magic circle and created a stone spike beneath the approaching man’s feet, disrupting his stance.
I aimed to cut his throat in that brief opening, but he twisted his trajectory using wind in an incredible maneuver.
The two men who came to kidnap Marianne were seasoned veterans.
“This is fun! To think someone could handle both of us at once so calmly! That last attack gave me chills!”
“Don’t let your guard down. You might end up dead like just now.”
“I won’t. It’s just a shame. If he were in proper condition, this fight would be even more enjoyable.”
“Ugh…!”
A groan came from behind. Marianne must have felt guilty, thinking her presence was a burden.
Protecting someone in battle was always difficult. Especially against two experienced opponents.
But it didn’t matter. The person I had possessed was Bern.
His swordsmanship might seem focused on killing, but that wasn’t its true nature.
Bern had developed Aegis swordsmanship, a style meant to protect others.
A culmination of countless deliberations. It shone brightest in situations like this.
“There’s no opening. If we want to take the saintess, we’ll have to defeat him.”
“No choice then. I don’t like it, but let’s cooperate.”
“Agreed.”
The two kidnappers abandoned their formation and began drawing magic circles side by side.
They were layering magic upon magic.
They intended to overwhelm with raw firepower.
[Contractor, wouldn’t it be time to make use of my power?]
‘No. It’s still too early. And we’re not even in a crisis.’
[But that combined magic will be difficult even for you to block.]
‘Difficult?’
I smirked.
Prah wasn’t wrong. In terms of firepower, it exceeded anything I could produce.
The temple might even collapse from the aftermath.
But any result requires a process.
And that process must proceed smoothly.
In other words, if they completed the combined magic, they would gain the upper hand.
If they could complete it.
“How cute.”
I rushed forward and swung my sword at their necks.
“Ugh…!”
“Hey, don’t panic! We stacked plenty of defensive magic!”
Thud!
My blade bounced back.
I swung again. Same result.
Not completely brainless, it seemed.
But still foolish.
To make such a choice after seeing me use magic.
‘Dispel.’
With a magic circle drawn on the back of my hand, I reached toward them.
An invisible barrier blocked me, but I forced my hand through it.
Once it was deep enough, I clenched my fist.
“Did you really think you were safe in there?”
Rip!
I tore away their protective magic in an instant.
Their final defense gone, fear filled their faces.
Ignoring it, I swung my sword.
The bespectacled man barely dodged, but the other lost his head.
“You’re not a swordsman?”
Déjà vu.
The same words I’d heard when I punished a thief before.
This time, I didn’t respond and raised my sword to finish it.
“It’s over—”
At that moment, an unbelievable sight entered my view.
The headless man’s body.
He should have been dead, yet the magic circle on his hand was still glowing.
And it was aimed at—
“Damn it! If you’re dead, stay dead!”
I turned and rushed to Marianne.
Holding her, I reversed my grip and drove my sword into the ground to block the impact.
‘Prah…!’
[Do not worry. I will endure.]
The runes on the blade lit up as I braced myself.
Then, flames engulfed my back.
It was hot. Painfully hot, but bearable.
Prah was blocking most of it.
“B-Bern…!”
“It’s fine. Just stay still.”
Marianne looked at me with trembling eyes, moisture forming within them.
This is bad. I’m weak against a beautiful woman’s tears.
“Ugh…!”
Soon, the heat faded.
My back was scorched, but not burned thanks to Prah.
I should thank him, but—
“It’s over…!”
“Of course you wouldn’t stay still.”
The bespectacled man seized the chance and aimed a magic circle at me.
With Prah gone, I was in checkmate.
I’d have to sacrifice an arm.
Just as I resolved myself—
“…I think I can trust you.”
“Huh?”
“Please take care of me.”
Before I could understand, Marianne was gone.
She slipped out of my arms without me noticing.
“W-what…?! Aaaaargh!”
Crunch! Crack! Snap!
A series of indescribable sounds erupted behind me.
I turned slowly.
“…What?”
The man lay crushed beyond recognition.
In front of him stood Marianne.
Then, a gust of wind blew, revealing her back.
A pure white back like a blank canvas.
And the well-defined muscles I had never noticed before.
The character for wood burned vividly blue across her back.