Volume 1 - CH 6

"*pant*, *pant*, *pant*, *pant*, *pant*"

"Nnnhh! Hhmm! Nnhh!"

"Meena, you need to lift your arm more."

"Y-yes!"

"Good."

"Soiya!!"

"Mmm!"

"Here we go! Come on! Don't stop! Baroouu!!"

After having breakfast with Meena at the inn, I went to the Welbard Kenjutsu Dojo to learn how to use a sword.

But at this stage, it seems to be just bare fencing. It's boring. Also, my arms are so tight.

I thought I was going to have terrible muscle pains, but surprisingly, the fatigue in my arms is gone after I sleep.

"I see, It's come out again..."

"Blood Shadow...right"

Welbard, Fritz, and Ione were whispering to each other with dark faces. I wonder if a strong monster has sprung up. I'm curious.

"Did something happen?"

I asked Ione when she brought me some bread for lunch.

"Ah…"

Ione wondered why Billy was off to the side.

"There's a gang of bandits coming to town and they're ravaging."

Billy said, but I see, they're not just bandits, they're probably the ones who rape and kill.

"This is the royal capital, right?"

I thought the security system was pretty solid.

"I've heard that when the soldiers rush in, they've already escaped, so they're having a hard time. Maybe they have some skills."

Ione said with a difficult face.

"Ahh..."

That's a pain in the ass. I'd like to have copy some of their skills if they're useful.

"Well, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it when I find them."

Billy said cheerfully.

"Stop it, Billy, they're very tough. Don't try anything by yourself, call an adult."

Ione said in a stern voice, as if she feared for Billy's safety.

"What? I'm on my own now."

"What are you talking about, you're just a beginner who has only mastered the basics. Okay, if you beat me, I'll recognize you as a full-fledged expert and so let's have a match."

"Wait! No, there's no way I can beat Ione."

Billy says in a panic. Welbard, who was watching the exchange, says.

"Fufu, well, it's going to be tough to beat Ione. Yeah, you'll be on your own when you get your rank C promotion. Billy needs a little more training."

"What? A D would be fine..."

"No, there are D ranks all over the place, maybe even bandits have them."

"Damn it. I'm not going to lose."

"Hmm, well, there's nothing wrong with confidence, Billy, but you might want to try have a match with Meena."

"Oh, yeah? If I win, I'm on my own."

"If you win, yes."

"Hey, Father."

"It's okay. So, Meena, will you have a match with him?"

"Yes, sir"

"No need to go easy on her."

"Come on, I'm not gonna let a three-day-old beat me."

Well, I'm not so sure about that.

The result was a close one, and Billy lost. His moves and techniques weren't bad, but Meena was more agile and had more power than that.

"Damn it! I lost to a newbie!"

"You undestand it right? You're still a beginner, Billy."

"Damn it. I can't take this shit!"

"Ah! Billy!"

Billy threw his sword on the spot and walked out. He's a kid after all.

" Goodness, he's insufferable, too."

Fritz shrugged his shoulders, but it always seemed to be the case. Then he'll come back even if we leave him alone.

"I'm very sorry, sir."

"No, don't worry about it, Meena. If you don't beat him, he might go up against the bandits on his own."

Welbard said, but he was probably right. I think Billy is being a bit naive.

"Well, then sensei."

"Humu, good luck with your adventure."

Learn to use a sword in the morning, adventure in the afternoon. That's about right.

As usual, I went to the adventurer's guild and looked at the parchment on the bulletin board.

"Master, there's a bounty on the bandits, right?"

"Ahh. A thousand gold. That's very subtle."

It's a lot more than the reward for killing an F-rank monster, but it's not very attractive to me since I've already made a fortune with the jewel.

"Subtle, is it..."

"Think about it. Multiple bandits are a nuisance in themselves. They can surround you and take you by surprise."

"Yes..."

Meena seemed to be thinking of exterminating the bandits, but it was too risky. The bandits in this world, the ones that run rampant in the royal capital, are probably high level.

"And it's hard to find them."

"Yeah, that's right."

I'm sure Meena's sharp nose will come in handy, but even so, we need to go see the site where the bandits ravaged.

Don't we have any soldiers with a a sense of smell?

I kind of doubt it. Oh well. We're hunting monsters. It's easier if we know the level of the monsters and can take them on alone.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Ione arrived in her armor, though she hadn't promised to do so.

"Ahh, let's go, then."

"Yes."

The three of us headed out of the city. Ione stopped in the middle of the street.

"What's wrong?"

Ione held up her hand to me as if to say, "Shut up". She seemed to be paying attention to the far side of the street. I wait.

"I think I heard a scream in the back street here."

"Hmm? Yeah."

"Let's go."

"H-hey."

Before I can stop her, Ione is running towards the back street.

Damn. Well, with Ione as a full-fledged swordsman, it won't be so bad.

I don't want to go, but if I abandon her, Welbard will be angry, and Fritz will be angry too.

Oh, man.

Reluctantly, I went after her.

When we turned the second corner, Ione stopped to look for signs of life in the house.

"Master, there are four or five of them, and they seem to be having intercourse. And also there are the smell of blood."

Meena whispered.

"I see. What do we do now, Ione?"

"It's decided. Haah!"

Ione swung her sword at the door of the house and hit it with her body. The door goes inward without making a sound, but it's amazing.

"Murrg! Who the hell are yoy!?"

"No questions asked!"

"Meena, stop."

Meena tries to get inside the house, but I stop her.

"But..."

"We might get in the way. Anyway, we're beginners, and your job is to protect me."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry."

"Gyaahh!!"

The man screamed, but Ione seemed to have cut him off. I am relieved.

"Tsk, let's get out of here!"

A man in leather armor came out of the door. Meena braced herself, but she followed my instructions and didn't slash at him.

"Kuugh! I lost him! Muurgh!"

Ione, who are the one who come out next, glanced at us with a reluctant look on her face, but she didn't complain.

"My bad. We don't know how good they are. And we're still beginners."

"Yeah, I know. He was quite skilled. For a thief, though."

"So..."

"I'm going after him. I'm sorry, but I need you to call the soldiers' quarters."

"I got it."

I'll have to take care of that, otherwise it won't look good. But it's too much trouble for me to go.

"Meena, do you know where the soldiers' quarters are?"

"I'm fine. I'll be there."

"Ahh."

It helps that she's a quick thinker.

"Ugh..."

I heard a woman's voice moaning inside the house, but mmm, it seemed that the rape victim was still inside. Ione also seemed to be preoccupied with chasing after the perpetrator. I had no choice but to call out to her.

"Hey, are you okay?

I'm not going to jump in. I've just been mistaken for a rapist once before.

The woman in the room gulped a little and looked nervous.

"Don't worry, my buddies just went to call people to the soldiers' quarters. Help will be here soon."

"Uhh...Uuuuhh."

She didn't respond properly, as if she was badly injured or in shock. I got worried and looked inside.

Ugh, damn it, that thief's been killing too.

A man in plain clothes, probably the owner of the house, was lying bleeding. Beside him, a half-naked woman was crying as if clinging to the man. Good grief....

I don't have that kind of NTR attribute.

I thought I'd wait for the soldiers to arrive, so I backed away from the doorway and turned around.

There was Shiraishi.

"Uwooo!"

I shouted.

"Hmm?　What were you doing in that house?

"No, no, no, wait, don't misunderstand me. Oh, hey!"

Shiraishi walks past me and enters the house.

"Wha!"

"Stop! Whoaa!"

It seems that Shiraishi thought I was the culprit and suddenly pulled out her longsword and slashed at me!

I tried to defend myself by drawing my sword, but Shiraishi was too fast for me, and the small shield on my left arm failed to protect me.

There was an impact on my left arm, and I felt a gouging pain.

"..!!"

"You sick fuck!

"That's why you misunderstand me! Damn it!"

This time I finally managed to pull out my sword and catch Shiraishi's sword, but damn it, she's trying to kill me.

"Listen to me first."

"I don't want to listen to you!"

Although she has slender arms, but her level is probably higher than me. She's pushing me and I'm afraid I'm going to have to run.

"I'm not letting you go."

"Uwaah, shit."

She seemed to have read my thoughts, and in no time at all she had me spun around and standing in the doorway.

"Hey, the woman over ther, tell her what's really happened. Kughh!"

"Are you threatening her? I won't let you."

The idiot waved her sword to restraint me.

"Hyaah! What happened to Erwin and the others!?"

I can't talk sense to her. I looking around searching for Shiraishi's companion.

"Muurgh.....That doesn't matter now."

"Hmm?"

Something's going on. Is she break up with group? But why at this timing.

The pain in my arm got worse, so I looked at my left arm, and there was blood dripping all over it.

This is a seriously dangerous.

"I'm not the culprit. Meena is calling the soldiers now. Wait a minute."

"With such a lie――"

"I'm not lying. Just wait. I'm not gonna run and hide."

"Then, why were you trying to run away?"

"That was just because I couldn't bear to look at her naked."

"What? He's the killer, isn't he?"

The woman didn't respond, as if she was grieving.

"Over here! Ah!"

Meena came back with a soldier. Fuu~, I was saved.

"Mmm."

"W, wait, wait. That's not him."

The soldier also misunderstood for a moment that I was the culprit and was about to slash at me, but Meena quickly stopped them.