“It looks like things aren’t over just yet.”
Her gaze sharp, Lefille’s comment filled the others with anxiety.
The magician girl’s gaze followed the direction that Lefille had pointed in.
“L-Lefille-san is right. They’re coming this way! And there’s more than last time…”
“Are you serious?”
“Damn! There were people hurt in the battle just now. We don’t have enough people!”
The young girl’s words sent the bodyguards and adventurers into a frantic clamor.
The reality of the continuation of their battle with the Mazoku was evidenced by the presence of additional presences. Moreover, not only had some of their number been injured in the previous battle, but there were even more Mazoku than the last time. Things had taken a turn for the worse.
Given the above, that they felt shaken to their cores was only natural.
A step later, Suimei began to focus on reconnaissance. Closing his eyes in order to shut out unnecessary information, he activated his magician’s sixth sense.
There’s what, ten? No, about twenty. Just like they said, there’s more than last time.
Just like the previous time, the presences were headed straight for them.
The strength of the presences felt roughly on par with those from the previous battle. These were likely the same kind of Mazoku—
As Suimei was staring off into the distance, the bodyguards lamented their situation bewilderedly.
“…What do we do now?”
“Do you even have to ask? We meet their attack! There’s nowhere to run, after all!”
“Listen up! Everyone hurt in the last battle, pull back! Everyone else, prepare yourself!”
Roared commands overlapped, serving only to further deepen the already disorganized atmosphere. Very soon their enemies would arrive.
They’d won fairly handily the first time around, but that was only because they far outnumbered the enemy. Now that their numbers had lessened while their enemies’ had grown, fear had them in its grip. Terror and unrest had seized a hold of this battlefield.
Galeo, who had hidden in the cargo wagon along with the other merchants until now, stepped out.
He walked into the midst of the bodyguards, who were busy with preparations.
“I-is the battle not over yet…?” Galeo asked in a shrill voice, his face ashen.
As a noncombatant, as far as he was concerned, the Mazoku were solely an object of fear. From the actions and words of the others, he seemed to have noticed the situation.
One of the escorts answered him.
“Yes. Please continue to wait, it seems there are more Mazoku headed this way.”
“W-what? Are we going to be okay?!”
“…That, huh. Well, from what was said, it seems there are more than last time and we don’t have the time to heal those who were wounded. Things might not go so well for us this time.”
“How could this happen… Are you telling me we’re going to die?!”
“No, we’ll protect you with all we’ve got. It’s just that…”
“What?”
“In a worst case scenario, our defense will collapse and some of the guards might flee.”
“—!? …I-I see. How did it come to this…”
“If it comes to down to it, before our defense collapses completely, please take the other merchants and escape.”
His voice low and soft, his expression serious, and his face grave, the adventurer informed Galeo of the possibility that some of the guards might run. As he’d said, one’s life was something irreplaceable.
Here solely for the money, there was definitely the possibility that some would run, prioritizing their personal safety.
If such a thing were indeed to occur, it was best to make plans for their own escape, the adventurer seemed to be saying.
Despairing, a strained look appeared on Galeo’s face. He’d originally thought that this was going to be a smooth trip, that they’d reach the empire without any difficulty. However, just before the finish line, something like this had happened.
Not only had the Mazoku suddenly appeared, but now they were attacking in an endless stream. Why they had gone to such an effort to target a small caravan and a few escorts was incomprehensible.
Thoughts raced through his mind.
As Galeo groaned in frustration, Lefille – the first to notice that a second round of battle was about to begin – walked over.
Her confident posture seemed ever so reliable.
“—Please don’t worry, Galeo-dono. I won’t leave a single one of the incoming Mazoku alive.”
He raised his head.
“I-it’s Gurakis-dono… Although your words certainly seem very confident, but against the Mazoku, a young girl like yourself…”
“It can’t be easy as you make it out to be,” he seemed to want to say, but he avoided being so direct.
From his eyes it was easy to see that in her he saw only a frail young girl, leaving him both puzzled and disbelieving.
He had not witnessed her earlier might nor was he aware of her efforts in the forest.
In light of that, he couldn’t really be blamed for his skepticism…