Chapter 41: Robbers ambush

It was yet another day of the travel, the only difference was that this time the weather was horrible.

The amount of rain that was pouring from the skies was comparable only to a waterfall.

It didn't bother Zombie in the least...

Cranberry was having an easier time falling asleep thanks to the sound of rain crashing against the carriage...

But those two were on the inside of the carriage.

The Dandelions, a team of four adventurers that was hired to safely escort them to the destination point was getting soaked to the bone been with all the preventing measures they prepared.

The coats, the oils, even Lairs's magic, nothing could withstand the three hours of the constant relentless downpour of mother nature.

Or was it mother nature?

"So... That's why the local fields have no irrigation system, huh...?"

Uresha tried to crack a joke but even she herself didn't sound joyful or interested in the matter.

"I fucking swear if I ever meet the fucking mages who agreed on such a stupid fucking deal, I'm going to personally fucking fireball them in the assess! Ha-kchia! Fuck!"

Lairs sneezed adorably and then cursed rudely which was the best summary of how she normally acted.

"...level the mages alone, the problem is with the landlord who came up with such a ridiculous idea as paying multiple mages to irrigate the fields with spell-created rain..."

Shanks shook his head and handed the mage the handkerchief that was just as wet as everything else on top of the carriage.

"...if you ask me, the problem lies with or current employer who refused to wait until the scheduled rainstorm will pass..."

Rotte grumbled.

The other dandelions looked at each other and nodded with a sigh in sync.

All four of them were huddled together like drenched birds looking for warmth.

"At least the main road is paved. Imagine how impossible would it be to travel in the mud!"

"No, fuck no, it would be fucking easier for us if we went slower actually."

"What do you mean?"

"This fucking spell is not a fucking large circular area of effect spell. This is a fucking wall of rain that only moves forward in one fucking direction, we are fucking literally traveling together with..."

"Do you think she knew that and ordered the departure on purpose...?"

"I fucking bet!"

Their voices were mixing together in the rain.

The rain wall finally left them alone when they entered the area with more orchards and even some wild woods here and there.

Even the sun came out was shining brightly.

"Fuck me, that was something else. Let's never fucking repeat that."

Lairs sighed, pulling her robe over her head and wriggling the water out of her hood, and pulling the robe back without ever taking it off.

"Yeah, I second that..."

Rotte agreed, pouring the water out of his boots while making a sour expression.

"Hey, Lairs, why don't you do that thing with the fireball for us?"

Uresha livened up and asked while still keeping her eyes on the road'

"The thing...? Ure-ure, what are you fucking... Oh! You want me to stack the fucking fireballs?"

At first, the mage couldn't understand what her friend mean but then she realized her intentions.

"Fuck me, why not. Shan-shan is keeping an eye on the surroundings so I guess I won't be needing the fucking mana anyway. How long to the next fucking inn?"

She shrugged and asked.

"Ugh... a good few more hours..."

"...!"

Rotte answer, while Shanks flinched and hurriedly activated the skills he completely forgot about.

Their carriage just so happened to enter the shade of the trees when Shanks's detection skill activated and his eyes and ears started shining.

"It's an ambush!"

In an instant, he became pale as a sheet, grabbed the dagger sheathed on his belt behind his back, and jumped out the carriage into the bushes.

"Fucking hell!"

Lairs shouted and laid down on the carriage roof preparing the offensive and defensive skills while Uresha and Rotte shielded up.

"They've noticed us! Screw it, attack!"

A shout from the shrubs reached them and a bunch of men with various equipment and weapons walked out on the road.

Obviously, not every one of the bandits came out, the ones with bows must have been still in hiding, not to mention the backup.

"An adventurers, huh? You must know the drill, right?"

The bandit with the best-looking equipment standing in the back spoke up with a nasty smile.

"Drop your weapons, get the wealthy clients out of the carriage and let us take everything of value, and we won't kill you. A failed mission is better than death, right?"

The bandit laughed and his comrades smirked at each other.

It was rather obvious that if the Dandelions did submit, they wouldn't be left alive at all.

"..."

Lairs chewed on the curse words that were forcing their way past her lips.

Although she never experienced it herself, she heard a lot of stories about what happens to the people of her race when they get captured by the bandits, so she just pulled the hood over her eyes and focused on preparing the strongest offensive spell she could muster.

"What, do you guys need time to think? The short guy that ran first had the right idea. Just follow his example."

The bandit laughed mockingly.

"..."

Uresha frowned and clenched her fist behind her giant shield.

"Hey, friend! Why all the backhanded threats? Who told you we aren't reasonable?"

Funnily enough, it was Rotte who was the most cold-headed in this heated situation.

"Oh? Then what is your proposition?"

The bandit snorted and asked.

"All of us will simply back off while holding on to our weapons and leave the carriage and the ones inside for you to deal with. If you think that our equipment is worth enough to risk your life, be my guest, but I reckon that my comrades and I will take out at least a few of you before dying. Why take the risk?"

Rotte asked casually and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh? We have more than enough archers in the trees to deal with you all without a problem."

The bandit laughed back.

"And we have a mage with the stack skill that will turn this whole forest into a blazing inferno. Hey, brother, how many fireballs did you stack already?"

The warrior asked looking down at Lairs while being clever enough to refer to her as a male to put as little attention to her as possible.

"Nine! A few more and all those fuckers will be dust in the fucking wind!"

Lairs shouted while making her voice sound as low and deep as she could.

"Tsk...! Of course, you have a mage..."

The bandit clicked his tongue.

The other bandits started murmuring amongst each other.

Mages rarely became outlaws since magic was sought after almost everywhere, so it was obvious that the bandits didn't have a counter to the spellcaster amongst their ranks and they didn't look wealthy enough to possess the anit-magic charms.

Some of them could have a high MDF but that wasn't the point.

"Well?"

Rotte asked with a wide smile.

"...fi-"

"Boss! Wait up!"

Right as the bandit leader was going to agree to leave the adventurers to go free, someone shouted from behind the trees.