“Hey, you! Looks like you can really do it if you try! If you can do something like this, then you should just do it from the start!”
“Y, yeah. It’s my first time fighting the Mazoku, so I’m still getting used to things.”
“Really? Is that why you were so stingy with your magic? Next time, just go ahead and wreck the things!”
“Haa…”
That ran completely counter to what Suimei intended, though.
Suimei gave a vague reply to the smiling adventurer, resulting in a surprised question.
“What’s up? Wasn’t that the first Mazoku you’ve ever defeated? Shouldn’t you be happier?”
“Hmm?”
“What’s with that response? You should be more excited! Don’t tell me you’re tired already!”
“No, I’m fine…”
“Is that so? Well, alright then… Do take care of yourself, okay?”
“W-will do…”
“Good. It’s goodbye then.”
The warrior adventurer seemed to have misunderstood something, convinced that he was a novice to battle. He cast Suimei one last look before rejoining his companions.
Sending him off with his eyes, Suimei sighed tiredly.
“…Whatever. Forget it.”
Left in a state where he didn’t know what to say, Suimei nevertheless didn’t really mind.
Somewhat dejectedly he scratched his head, before pulling himself together and turning in the direction the Mazoku had come from.
So this is a Mazoku, huh…
This was the subordinate of the one he’d been called to this world to face.
He’d originally intended to take the opportunity to properly gauge his enemy’s strength, but in the end, he’d been forced to crush it with raw power.
To be honest, it’d hadn’t been difficult in the least.
While it had indeed taken him some time, but that was all. In fact, before Suimei had even had a chance to reveal his true strength, his enemy had already been turned to dust.
However—
“…Even though I used the flames of Ashurbanipal, it still took about a minute for it to die…”
He’d destroyed the Mazoku with a fire magic. Of the five great elements, this was the element that he was most proficient in. He was naturally suited to these magics, the destructive power of these spells could be easily seen, and their incantations were relatively shorter when compared to other magics.
And yet, destroying the enemy with a spell of this nature had still taken a whole minute.
That was far too time-consuming. The vast majority of things lasted but mere moments in the face of such flames. The Mazoku, however, were clearly the exception. Even a small fry like that one had proven this difficult.
Suimei’s face was stiff, his consternation visible.
Suddenly, something came whistling toward him from behind.
“What—?!”
Suimei turned a moment later. What he saw was the figure of something just like what he had just seen.
A Mazoku that had been sent flying.
—More accurately, pieces of a Mazoku.
Two pieces. Three. A twisted arm, a broken leg, and a severed head flew in his direction.
What the—
Suimei stared dumbly.
Dropping to the floor around him were scattered parts of a Mazoku’s body. Following soon after was the figure of Lefille, holding her enormous sword with a single hand.
From the shade of the trees, the girl held her silver and scarlet blade aloft. The girl currently before him bore no hint of the gentle atmosphere that had accompanied her at their first meeting.
Leaning forward slightly, her eyes glittered with vermilion light. The arm holding her weapon was taut as a bowstring, her form that of a fierce god.