Chapter 49: After the Battle

“Running your mouth but you couldn’t even lift a finger, you dummy, dummy!”

“Who are you calling dummy?! You’re the real dummy! And that’s just cowardly—come out here and fight me fair and square!!”

“Why would I leave my safe zone? Are you dumb? Oh wait, you are dumb, you’re just a brat!”

“Grrrrrr!!”

Leaving the little girl stomping her feet in frustration at my ranged attacks, the duel between Kasai-san and Ringlet Curls was already reaching its climax.

Ringlet Curls fought in a classic fencing style, launching a flurry of thrusts at a speed that even my eyes struggled to follow. Yet, Kasai-san stayed perfectly calm, shifting his body to deflect the lunges with his sword.

With Kasai-san keeping his cool and Ringlet Curls visibly flustered, the gap in their abilities was obvious. Cheaters really are terrifying, after all.

And then there was Master—on a whole other level of brutality. The very first strike from his flaming magic sword snapped Slitted Eyes’ blade clean in two, followed by an uppercut with the hilt to the jaw, then a spinning kick, enhanced by magic, straight to the now wide-open torso.

While Slitted Eyes was sent flying, Master raised his sword overhead and shouted, “Blazing Phoenix Slash!” Flames took the form of a bird and exploded outward, sweeping away not just Slitted Eyes but all the surrounding knights in one massive blast.

That was the first time I’d seen one of those Holy Sword Techniques, I think. Guess he was angry enough to finally use it after being too embarrassed to show it off before. Honestly, seeing Master’s attacks aimed at Slitted Eyes take down a bunch of bystanders too… it’s almost pitiful how unfair it is.

Seconds later, Slitted Eyes came crashing down onto the snowy ground, charred and smoking. His battered face twisted in fear, but Master, completely expressionless and silent, raised his palm, magic circle forming in his hand.

“Gah… kuh… th-this… can’t… be… I—!”

Before he could finish his sentence, another explosion burst forth, launching Slitted Eyes skyward once again. Master remained silent, not even blinking.

“Y-your boyfriend’s scary… even Sturm got turned into a rag…”

“I’m a little scared too, and also, he’s not my boyfriend.”

The brat who had been taunting us from behind her barrier was now pale as a sheet, watching Slitted Eyes get beaten into the dirt. Honestly, the only one who’s been able to put up a fight has been Ringlet Curls against Kasai-san. It’s pretty grim for the rest of them.

“Haaaahhh!!”

But even Ringlet Curls’ sharp lunge fell short. Kasai-san sidestepped smoothly, bringing his sword down to shatter Ringlet Curls’ rapier, driving the hilt straight into her solar plexus.

“Ugh…”

With a short gasp, Ringlet Curls collapsed forward. Slitted Eyes had been launched through the air enough times to not even scream anymore, and the knights were completely wiped out. The fight was clearly over.

“So, what now, shortie?”

“I surrender, okay? No way I’m fighting that… But don’t get the wrong idea! It’s not like I lost to you, pointy-ears!”

“Ohhh? Sour grapes? Sounds like sour grapes. Are you frustrated? Are you gonna cry? You looked tough but turned out to be a total weakling, huh? Acting all high and mighty, but so cute when you lose!”

“Forget it! I’m fighting to the end after all! I’ll have you thrown into an orc pit!!”

You couldn’t even scratch Master’s barrier and you’re still acting tough? Go ahead and try, it’ll be fun to watch!

---

“……”

“…I let my guard down…”

Before us were three attackers tied up tight with ropes. Ringlet Curls was unconscious, Slitted Eyes was a battered, burnt mess, completely out cold. The only one still able to talk was the little girl, who Master had captured without a scratch.

The knights had all been tied up and sealed inside a large-scale barrier.

Lulu had finished her treatment safely and was escorted back to the main house by Yuria. Kasai-san went along as a guard, and Chris and Fere joined them too.

Master and I stayed behind to interrogate the brat, who was sitting formally on the snow. Staying close to Master was the safest place to be, after all.

“So, what was your objective?” Master asked, arms crossed as he looked down at the little girl. She, despite being tied up, twisted her lips into a smug grin and snorted.

“Are you stupid? Like I’d tell you anything.”

“Master is definitely stupid, I’ll give you that, but you’re going to talk, little gremlin.”

“Why are you butting in? Get lost, you flat-chested twig!”

This brat really pisses me off… maybe it’s time to remind her who’s in charge.

“Just hurry up and talk, okay? This Master of ours has no issue making little girls call him Master, and he’ll do things—unspeakable things—without hesitation. He’s a true degenerate.”

“Wh-what… seriously…?!”

“Dead serious. You’d better spill while you’re still in one piece.”

It seems she realized I was telling the truth, turning pale and starting to tremble. Took her long enough to figure out her place.

“……”

Suddenly, I felt a firm grip seize my head from behind. Turning around, I found Master staring down at me with his usual blank expression. Did he need something? I was this close to getting her to spill everything, so I’d really prefer not to be interrupted.

“…You’re getting punished later.”

“Why me!?”

Why was I the one getting blamed here!? This was completely unreasonable—absolutely tyrannical!

“…I’ll talk, okay? Just… let me go. In exchange, you can do whatever you want with that pointy-eared monkey.”

“Why are you trying to sell me out when you’re the enemy!?”

No way I’m letting that nonsense slide!

“Oh, so you’ll talk if I agree to that?”

“Huuuuuh!?”

I opened my mouth to protest Master’s complete lack of sense, only to have it clamped shut before I could say a word.

“F-fine… I’ll talk…”

And so, trembling in fear, the little girl began her story.

Apparently, that young man among the refugees was the elder brother of the current king, the one who was originally meant to inherit the throne. However, four years ago, after the previous king passed away from illness, this young man mysteriously fell gravely ill as well. It was a debilitating disease with no known cure, leaving him bedridden. In the end, his healthy younger brother was chosen as the heir.

Then, just before the coronation, this sickly elder prince supposedly plotted a rebellion to usurp the throne for his own selfish desires, going so far as to attempt to assassinate his own younger brother.

However, thanks to the courage of a certain noble, the scheme was exposed and thwarted, and the prince vanished from the royal castle with a few attendants.

“That’s the gist of it,” the girl concluded.

When I asked what happened after that, she explained that the prince had been hiding in a beastman village, shacking up with a former slave who had rabbit ears. She finished her explanation in one breath, letting out a heavy sigh.

“I see…”

With her story apparently over, Master finally released his grip on me.

“Phew… So, basically, it goes like this—the idiotic younger brother wanted the throne so badly he orchestrated his father’s and brother’s deaths, only the elder brother barely survived.”

“Summed up, that’s about right. Now he’s burning through the national treasury to gather as many cute, tiny girls as possible for his personal pleasure. Honestly, the guy should just rot and die already.”

Wow, even their own people hate the current king. Can’t really blame them after hearing that. Master was grimacing too. Though honestly, when we were still in the country, I didn’t notice politics being in such bad shape.

“He’s a hopeless idiot and pervert, but he’s just capable enough to be dangerous.”

“Sounds just like Master…”

The only differences being a conscience… and, well, combat strength, I suppose.

“……”

And Master, please stop glaring just because I said the truth.

“…Anyway, we need to have a proper talk with them at least once.”

Seems like the prince was responsible for most of the trouble, but considering we got dragged into this mess, I can’t just ignore it either.

“Agreed. We should bring Riara-san along… Wait, where is Riara-san?”

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t seen her around. Maybe she went back to the village with the beastfolk?

“Oh, her—”

“Fuh… kuh… kuhahaha…”

Just as Master was about to answer, a twisted laugh suddenly rang out from Slitted Eyes. He raised his deformed, now unrecognizable face—poor guy, he used to be somewhat handsome.

“Ka…kh… d-don’t get cocky… koff… there’s still… troops waiting… at the edge of the forest…”

Uh… I could barely make that out, but sounds like he’s trying to say there’s another force waiting at the forest entrance? Like, don’t get smug just because you won here, they’ll crush us with overwhelming numbers next?

I glanced toward Master. His expression had shifted slightly—he’d been interrupted and, judging by that sadistic smile, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.

“At the entrance to the forest, she’s out exterminating the rats.”

At that very moment, a high-pitched gong sound echoed through the air, like the ringing of a massive bell, and a towering pillar of light came crashing down on a section of the forest. As I stared in surprise, Slitted Eyes—his swollen, bruised face turning deathly pale—glanced in the same direction.

“Guess they’re wiped out?”

“I doubt they’re dead.”

It wasn’t just about avoiding needless slaughter. Master clearly had his reasons for keeping them alive, judging by how everyone here had been captured rather than killed.

Not that I was planning to tell him to go around murdering people anyway. It’s not like we’re bloodthirsty or anything.

---

◇◆ADVENTURE RESULT◆◇
【EXP】
NO BATTLE
◆【Sora Lv.88】
◆【Lulu Lv.36】
◆【Yuria Lv.35】
◇―
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
Sora Lv.88 [887]
Lulu Lv.36 [366]
Yuria Lv.35 [351]

【RECORD】
[MAX COMBO]>>34
[MAX BATTLE]>>34

【PARTY-1(Main)】
[Shuuya][Lv95] HP2100/2100 MP3460/3460 [Angry]
[Sora][Lv88] HP42/63 MP1253/1253 [Annoyed]
[Lulu][Lv36] HP60/835 MP40/40 [Injured]
[Yuria][Lv34] HP1840/1840 MP89/89 [Normal]
[Fere][Lv30] HP282/282 MP1030/1030 [Normal]

【PARTY-2(Sub)】
[Makoto][Lv66] HP3450/3450 MP150/150 [Normal]
[Chris][Lv13] HP200/200 MP20/20 [Normal]
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
【COMMENT】
“What was the point of the group battle again?”