CH 36

36 An interesting story

A specially large water sphere had struck onto the restrained Kuroinu.

The sphere that raised a large splash together with a thunderous roar, became ripples and rocked the surface of the muddy water.

“――――――You’ve put up with that rather well, didn’t you.”

“*heave*……*pant*……”

Kuroinu, who was supposed to be in the center of it, was safe.

She was considerably blown away from the place she had been standing some time ago, but she had no large injuries upon receiving the impact that could have crushed the human body without remorse.

Levia herself had put quite an amount of power into her skill, so she couldn’t hide her surprise about the fact she did not take her down.

(Ugh……！I put my <Water art> in effect at the last moment, so it went well ……That ended up taking away all my stamina……）

Just before Kuroinu collided with the water sphere, she narrowly invoked an <art>.

The skills she specializes in, <arts> like <fire art> and <water art> are so to speak magic for the purpose of opposing magic.

For instance, in contrast to the <Flame Lance> magic that shoots out a spear of fire, <Art> has a skill called <Fire Art・Sting> which would first produce the fire, alters it into the shape of a spear and then shoots it out.

What is important here is that in contrast to magic where two processes are required, which is producing a spear of fire and shooting said spear, <Art> requires three processes; producing the fire, shaping it to a spear and then shooting it out.

Looking at this, <Art> would not look superior.

However, <Art> has a strong advantage which is large enough to make it free from the handicap in that process.

That strong point is the fact that when the <fire> is operated……in other words just when <Fire Art・Sting> is shot, she does not have to use the fire she herself have produced.

If there is fire in your surroundings, it would be possible for her to manipulate that and produce a spear out of it.

And so, the magic shot by your opponent is no exception to that.

Such as manipulating her opponent’s flames and firing it back, letting the produced water sphere burst above her head, fighting back their lightning by letting them self-destruct; it’s an ability that demonstrates immense power against magic.

This time, Kuroinu used <Art> and succeeded in slightly shifting the water sphere’s falling point.

Although Levia’s skill was magic, it was an attack using the sea water ruled by her and as a result, she was unable to manipulate it perfectly and avoiding a direct hit was the best she could do.

After Kuroinu let her body accumulate damage from receiving the impact of the water rivaling that of an explosion despite it not being a direct hit, she somehow managed to stand up, gasping.

Her knees were shaking, but her eyes hadn’t lost her vigor.

However, it was still a fact that there was no way in avoiding her current state.

(Kuh……At this rate I won’t be able to receive the satisfaction in dealing with Shironeko, to say nothing of capturing that man alive in accordance to my liege’s commands……)

“I am a little peeved that you weren’t killed, but…… it looks like it is already over.”

Turning towards Kuroinu who didn’t move after standing up, Levia stuck out her hand.

A fine grain of water can be seen in the palm of that hand and she planned to shoot that to her heart.

“I am sorry to tell you this, but I won’t be doing something like not robbing someone of their life like Setsu does. So properly……die okay?

Drops of water rushed out, focusing on a single point.

Kuroinu slowly looked at those drops flying at high speed, like it was in slow motion.

(I have been defeated haven’t I……I can truly not move my body)

It was already too late for <Art> as well.

Without trying anything, she looked at the water bullets being sucked up into her chest.

“――――――Hey hey hey, don’t you get done in, you dog girl.”

“Wha-……”

Kuroinu raised her voice in surprise.

When she thought she had heard someone suddenly calling out to her, the water bullets approaching until in front of her eyes were knocked down to the surface of the sea.

Before they noticed, the owner of the voice had stood between the two, carrying a two meter long spear in his flank.

“You……why?”

“Heh, been a little while, oh great Sea god.”

Levia was surprised. That man called out to her like he knew her.

Which wasn’t surprising since, although he wasn’t well known to Levia, he was a man who was at the very least an acquaintance to her.

“I see……we were deceived, weren’t we.”

“Oh, please don’t call it something disgraceful like being deceived. I told ya the story out of kindness, ya know? You were able to save the two cat sisters thanks to that, am I right? And besides, I’ve only let ya stay in the inn after all.”

The owner of the inn――――――that man who had offered information to Setsu and Levia, was now standing in her way.

Due to him showing a bold smile, it made his uncanniness look better.

“So, does that mean you also came here aiming for Shironeko and her sister’s life? Depending on your answer, I shall submerge you as well, do you understand?”

“Ooh, scary! If the Sea god says it, then it won’t just become wordplay, huh……Well, don’t worry about that, my objective ain’t those cats.”

“What then?”

“Ya should have become aware of it a little right? ――――――It’s you, Sea god Levia.”

Upon hearing her own name Levia increased her wariness and glared at the man in silence.

“Ya seems to have seriously guessed it, seeing that ya ain’t surprised……Well, kind of obvious if ya understand yer own value.”

“……How much do you know?”

“Don’t have the obligations to tell ya but……I know as far as how to use yourexistences.”

Said the man, still showing a bold smile.

Levia glared at him and bit on her molars from seeing the bad situation.

“Well then……let’s have ya come with us if ya don’t wanna get any painful experience――――――”

“――――――That’s an interesting conversation you’re having. Let me in on it, will you?”

“!?”

The instant the man stepped forward to take Levia with him, a large splash of water rose up along with a black flash.

The man who instantly leapt away with a backstep succeeded in avoiding a direct hit of that something, but he took the splash of water with his whole body and his field of vision was blocked.

“Oh Cra――――――”

“Take this!”

A black ray that cut off the soaring sprays of water cut up the man’s body in surprise and made the splash red. He distorted his face in pain, but he took distance with another big backstep before the follow-up came.

“Tch……already done with her treatment?”

“Yeah, thanks to you”

Who stood there when all of the splashes fell down, was Setsu who was supposed to have gone to treat Mineko just some time ago.

Blood was streaming from the stomach of the guy who was the innkeeper.

I planned to cut at it a little deeper, but his physical ability was better than I expected.

He did get some damage, but he looks far from being incapable of fighting I guess.

“So you really were allies to those black robes, I couldn’t help thinking it was suspicious you know.”

“What was that? You want to say you were on guard since the beginning?”

“Yeah. Because your lines were simply suspicious.”

『At any rate, Shironeko won’t be able to taste freedom as long as she’s threatened by her――――――』

“The time we were listening to your story, we should’ve been talking about this unknown black robe and despite that you pointed out her gender to me. Of course you probably have checked her gender under some circumstances, but it was reason enough to be suspicious of you.”

To put it simply, it’s like that 『information only the offender can know』 thing from detective dramas and stories.

Talking too much so as to not make them turn doubtful eyes on you and unintentionally…

“To think he killed him by striking his head……”

…ending up digging his grave with something like that, something like that I think.

“Hah haa……so it’s like that. That was my bad……I should’ve been a little more careful with my talk. But what about it? Even if ya got cautious, ya let me get near ya didn’t ya?”

“It’s got nothing to do with that. Either way I’m smashing you here. Whatever happened, the result will be the same, you know.”

I swing Kuromaru two to three times and set it up in suspension with one hand.

I confirm that Kuroinu who got her stamina shaved off can’t move anymore and point the tip of my sword towards the man.

“Well then……come here”

This instance, in this instance I thrust the large sword Kuromaru and the man releases an attack, putting his weight on the spear――――――