What do you mean they’re responsible for your mother’s death?
Emilya asked, shocked.
— When they brought Mom home, I only got the chance to see them once.
There was a banner on their carriage: a decapitated wolf with crossed silver claws, she said with a distant look, as if she were reliving the moment.
Emilya genuinely felt sorry for her.
The bandits slowly began making their way down the hill.
They wore greedy expressions on their faces.
Maria remained in Emilya’s arms, trembling.
She looked completely terrified, her eyes vacant.
— Just when she was starting to smile again… Emilya said angrily.
— Miss, could I sit this battle out?
Melvis asked, exhausted.
— Huh?
Why?
— While you were asleep, I had to use magic to get us out of that mess, and my body still hasn’t recovered from the aftereffects, she replied.
— Alright, then rest.
It won’t take long anyway, she said as she climbed down from the cart beside Lucius.
She left Maria in Melvis’s care.
— And you, don’t move.
Don’t do anything.
You’re a walking hazard, so please don’t make things any more complicated than they already are, she said coldly to Lana.
The two of them stood in front of around twenty bandits.
— What do these brigands want with us?
Lucius asked.
— We’re not brigands.
We’re bandits, one of the bandits replied.
— Do I look like an encyclopedia about your kind?
I don’t care about the difference, Lucius said.
— It’s not the same thing.
Brigands are wild people who gather together, whereas we, the bandits, are— — Hey, when exactly did you not understand me when I said I didn’t give a damn?
Lucius interrupted, beginning to lose patience.
— Hey, Lucius, here, Emilya said, tossing him two swords.
This is what you need, right?
— But when did you even— — While you were talking to Rat Face, she said, cutting him off.
— Is she talking about me, that bitch?
the chief’s right-hand man said.
— What?
You dare insult me?
Emilya snapped furiously.
The chief, who was still at the top of the hill, started laughing at their exchange.
Emilya and Lucius looked up at him, wondering what was so funny.
He called over his right-hand man, the one Emilya had just nicknamed Rat Face.
They whispered to each other, their words barely audible to Emilya, who was too far away.
But Lucius, whose senses were enhanced, could hear their conversation a little better.
— I like the one with the black hair.
She has a look I like and a woman’s body.
She’ll make a good toy for my harem.
The blonde one looks a little young, but she’ll become a beautiful woman before long, so I want her too.
As for the little mage, she’s not my type, so I’ll leave her to you.
If you want, you can kill him.
I don’t care about him, the chief said with a smile.
— Yes, chief.
I’ll pass the information on to the others right away.
He used a telepathy spell to relay the orders the chief had just given.
As Emilya sensed the magic activate, she immediately understood what kind of spell he was using and went on guard.
A mage specialized in mental magic?
He’s going to be a pain, she thought.
— Watch out, Lucius.
That one uses mental magic.
Don’t let him— She hadn’t been paying attention to Lucius because she was focused on the mage, but he was radiating hostile, murderous energy toward the bandit chief.
He hadn’t heard the entire conversation, but he had heard enough to develop murderous urges toward him.
Without a second thought, he charged straight at him.
But he was stopped by a shield.
Emilya had cast it.
— Calm down!
she ordered.
— But you don’t know what he— — I don’t care what he said.
I know exactly what he’s thinking when he looks at me, but don’t you see that you’re walking straight into the wolf’s mouth?
she said, pointing toward the mage, who was about to touch Lucius, and then toward the archer on the other side, who was ready to shoot him.
He had been so blinded by anger that he hadn’t even taken the time to assess the enemies.
Emilya’s intervention had stopped him in his tracks and allowed him to regain some of his composure.
He took a deep breath and returned to his original position to discuss their next move with her.
— What a good little dog, the chief taunted him.
Lucius was about to lose his temper again, but Emilya stopped him.
— I told you to calm down, she said calmly, but firmly enough for him to understand that if he didn’t, things would go badly for him too.
He’s trying to provoke you, so don’t play along.
Lucius took a deep breath to regain his composure and refocus.
She even has tact.
I find myself liking her more and more, the chief thought, amused.
Emilya noticed the proud look on his face, and it irritated her, but she didn’t show it.
Otherwise, there would have been no point in telling Lucius to calm down if she couldn’t remain calm herself.
She merely sighed and looked away from him.
If I keep looking at him, I feel like I’m going to make a monumental mistake.
After all, caution is the mother of safety, she thought with a small smile.
She looked around, counting the enemies.
She now had a clear overview of their numbers.
As she thought about her strategy, she couldn’t help but smile even more.
— Alright, we’ll do it this way.
Lucius, I’ll leave their chief to you.
If I fought him myself, it wouldn’t be a fair fight.
I’ll take care of Rat Face and his lackeys, she said confidently.
— Wait, are you sure?
There are still around twenty of them, and that guy over there seems stronger than he looks.
— At least you know how to recognize my greatness, the chief’s right-hand man said proudly.
But Emilya and Lucius completely ignored him and continued their conversation.
— You think I’m that weak?
Let me remind you that I just had three fabulous nights.
I don’t see how I could possibly lose.
He found the words she had just used a little strange, but he said nothing.
Especially since she was saying them while looking at the chief, as though she were trying to provoke him in return.
— Alright, then I think it should work if what I did helped you.
Besides, this isn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, so I think you’d better get used to it, Lucius said innocently.
Hearing that, Emilya couldn’t stop smiling and wished Lucius good luck.
— Don’t lose your temper like you did before, and whatever you do, don’t respond to his provocations, she said.
— Thanks for the advice, he replied.
— You’re welcome.
After all, they don’t come for free.
Oh, and if he asks you any strange questions, either don’t answer or keep your answers vague.
That’ll teach him— — Teach him what?
he asked, intrigued.
— Nothing.
Just do what I told you.
Come on, let’s go.
The two of them took up fighting positions.
As the bandits began growing impatient, Emilya started chanting a small fire spell and launched it at the archer, who was perched in a position from which he could defend his chief.
— Go now!
— Try not to get hurt, he told her as he headed straight for the chief.
— Don’t worry.
That won’t happen.
Lucius charged at the chief.
He was somewhat stocky and a little taller than Lucius.
He fought with only one sword, unlike Lucius, who wielded two blades forged through Emilya’s magic.
They also possessed magical properties: they could freeze any organic matter.
It was a little extra Emilya had added when designing the two swords, though she had made sure not to tell Lucius about it.
— You and me, asshole.
Take back what you said about her, Lucius said, glaring at the chief.
— And what exactly did I say?
he replied calmly.
— Stop trying to be clever with me.
Unlike you, I actually went to school.
— You little brat… Tell me, what’s your name?
— Lucius.
— Very well, Lucius.
I’m Arcon.
Nice to meet you… before I kill you!
he said, charging at him.
Their swords clashed.
Since they were equal in strength, they both stepped back.
They stared at each other.
Then Arcon advanced.
Lucius remained on guard.
He rushed toward him, finally beginning their real fight.
They exchanged blows at high speed.
Eventually, they separated again, and cuts began appearing across their bodies.
— Not bad.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a fight like this.
I hope you can keep it up!
he said, throwing a piece of an arrow he had been carrying in his inner pocket.
Seeing the attack coming, Lucius deflected the arrowhead before noticing that there was some kind of black liquid on it.
Arcon continued throwing pieces of arrows at him.
Tired of having to deal with those little blades, Lucius decided to fight him hand-to-hand.
He dropped both swords and rushed toward him.
He landed a punch Arcon hadn’t seen coming.
Arcon was dazed for a moment, but quickly recovered.
He got back up and began attacking Lucius with his sword.
Lucius dodged every one of his attacks as though he were fighting a beginner.
He thought back to what Emilya had said earlier about how the fight wouldn’t be fair if she fought him herself.
And judging by the mediocre level his opponent had just displayed, Lucius could only feel pity for him.
— She was right.
Considering how little patience she has, you wouldn’t have lasted three minutes against her, Lucius said pityingly.
Arcon slowly began to laugh.
— Looks like you went before me.
So, what was it like?
— Well, it was difficult at first, but after that, it was fine, he answered seriously.
Hearing those words, Arcon felt more and more miserable without understanding why.
Suddenly, just as he was about to go back for his swords to deliver the finishing blow, he heard Maria scream.
Since he hadn’t been paying enough attention to what was happening behind him, he could only turn around to try to understand the situation.
Seeing this brief moment of distraction, Arcon took advantage of it and drove one of his arrowheads, coated in a strange substance, into Lucius’s leg.
He felt a searing pain.
Almost immediately, he felt the effects of the substance.
His entire body began to grow numb, first feeling cold, then hot.
His head throbbed, and he struggled to remain standing.
Eventually, he dropped to one knee.
Arcon drove his knee into him, attempting to finish him off.
Lucius’s nose began to bleed, and he rolled on the ground, clutching his head as though it were about to explode.
Arcon dusted himself off and slowly recovered from the damage he had taken.
He slicked his hair back and began to get back into the fight.
— I guess you could say I got lucky.
Thanks to that young girl for her scream, Arcon said calmly as he approached Lucius.
So, what do you think of my poison?
Do you like it?
It’s a gift from my right-hand man.
— P… po… poison?
Lucius muttered under his breath.
— You’re so young and naive.
I don’t understand how she could love you, but don’t worry.
Once you’re gone, I’ll take good care of her, he said with a mocking laugh.
I can’t fall asleep, or they’ll be in danger.
But with this madman around, I’m actually the one in the most danger right now, he thought as his eyes slowly closed.