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Chapter 245

There’re more than thirty Imperial soldiers at a glance . It’s clear that Minerva and the others are at a disadvantage considering they only got not more than twenty people .

「Ojou-sama, two more minutes is the limit! 」

「Understood! 」

Minerva understood as well that what they can do at this point is to only buy time for the others to escape .

Even if the guard captain of the Duke’s residency is skillful, with the fatigue of continuous fighting, there’s no guarantee that he won’t be overrun because of their numbers .

Moreover, more Imperial soldiers will arrive the longer they dragged on . However, if they can delay the Imperial soldiers even by a little, it means more citizens can escape .

That’s the reason why Minerva held her sword . It has that much value .

「What are you doing, quickly move already! 」

Behind Minerva who was going to fight against the approaching Imperial soldiers, an angry voice of the noble towards the coachman was heard .

While disappointed, Minerva wields a sword to hold back the soldiers ahead .

「But Danna-sama, there’re too many commoners around, the carriage can’t move! 」

While changing her position by a little and glancing at her back, something unbelievable came out of the noble riding on the carriage .

「Just run over those commoners! 」

「T-That’s surely……! 」

「Just do it already! The commoners are suitable meat shields! 」

Perhaps pushed by the noble’s threatening attitude, the coachman seemed really unwilling even as he started moving the carriage .

「Tch, that asshole! 」

Moore cursed as he noticed what was happening but, naturally his words wouldn’t reach the person in question .

Even if they want to condemn the noble, their hands are occupied with dealing with the Imperial soldiers .

Disregarding that there’re still people in their path, the carriage started moving . But the next moment, the carriage suddenly halted, its wheel fell and stuck in a gap .

「W-What! What happened!? 」

「T-The wheels suddenly……! 」

The surrounding escorts panickily reported to the angry noble . The wheels of all three carriages including the one the noble rode on were torn apart as if hit by a sharp blade .

Without wheels, a carriage is just a box . Even if horses are stronger than human, it will not move .

The two carriages at the back tipped over, and the expensive-looking treasures from within spilled on the road .

Seeing that, the Imperial soldiers’ eyes changed . Several of them immediately ignored Minerva and the others, dodging them and going to secure their spoils .

「Ojou-sama, let’s retreat! 」

「Yes! 」

Other than trampling on weaklings, looting is also something that soldiers on a battlefield pleasures from .

The two carriages that were full of treasures were probably more appealing to the Imperial soldiers than killing each other .

Minerva and the others slowly retreated, and the Imperial soldiers rather than pursuing prioritized the looting .

Although there were still few that didn’t change their mind, but if they dealt with those, then there will be no one remaining to chase the running citizens .

「Retrieve all of them! H-Hey, don’t run! 」

The noble was getting off the carriage screaming . However, the coachman had already escaped, and the several remaining escorts are fewer than the Imperial soldiers .

They got surrounded immediately and were getting cut down .

「I-It’s my assets! Bastards like you can never―― guhaa! 」

Getting off the carriage, the greedy noble that tried to scoop the treasures in his arm was easily stabbed by a soldier in the neck and collapsed .

「It’s a chance, retreat! 」

Seeing the Imperial soldiers gathering around the carriage, Moore instructed . The soldiers that are living in their dream as they fattened their wallet did not even glance at Minerva and the others or the citizens that were escaping .

As the result, there were few victims, they easily retreated sacrificing the noble’s assets with room to spare .

However, the Imperial soldiers are already all over the capital . Ahead of Minerva and the others that ran through the capital while being aware of any chasing Imperial soldiers, they found another group .

Rather, it was not just a group . To be precise, there were two, one standing with their back against the wall, and the other surrounding them .

The one surrounding the other are the Imperial soldiers . And the one having their backs against the wall are probably the citizens .

Seeing that they have no weapons in their hand, and their clothing all random, it’s obvious that they aren’t fighters .

「Captain Greystar . 」

「It’s not a problem if they only have that many people . We will get rid of them in one swoop . 」

As Minerva called out, the guard captain of the Duke’s residency had already laid out a plan .

「Sandwich them! 」

At Moore’s instructions, the guards jumped into the Imperial soldiers from both sides . There’re not even ten people on the Imperial soldier side .

Unlike just now, Minerva’s party had the upper hand, and the citizens that were cornered now can counterattack and pincer them .

「Do it in one go! 」

Moore’s voice motivated them . However, it’s an exchange near a wall . There wasn’t enough space for everyone to swing around their weapon .

While looking at Moore and the others slashing, Minerva at the back prepared to jump out in case anyone got injured .

「Shit――! 」

Did he go crazy realizing his disadvantage, one of the Imperial soldiers ignored Minerva and the others and instead slashed at the citizens . The sword on the soldier’s hand slashed one of the citizen .

「Dad! 」

A young girl ran to the collapsed middle-aged man bleeding .

「You too! 」

Just as the soldier’s fierce blade was about to slash at the girl, Minerva caught 『Something』 flying from the side .

The 『Something』 flew across the soldier’s arm, and in the next moment disappeared as if it was never there . Just as the something disappeared, something else dropped on the ground with a dull thud .

That was the sword that the soldier held, and also the hand holding it .

「Gyyaaaaa! 」

The soldier screamed in pain from the hand that got severed suddenly .

「Let me be of help! 」

Then following that, a willful female voice that was heard . Looking over there, there was one person that wore like a magician .

A face with slanted eyes, thin lips and small nose, fluffy hair of an orange tinge . It’s a face that is well-defined in overall .

Although her clothes and face was slightly dirtied because of dirt but, she still had a mysterious prestigious charm .

「Protect the citizens! 」

Minerva who judged that the girl was an ally immediately called out . They already had the advantage in numbers in the first place .

But Minerva and the others can’t reach the people on the other side of the Imperial soldiers .

If it’s a magician, then no matter the distance, they should be able to protect the citizens .

「The blessing residing in the nameless shield, the calming of blue――Fiel ・ Garos! 」(Physical Barrier)

The female magician immediately responded to Minerva’s request, deploying a barrier around the citizens . The speediness of the chant proved the female magician was quite experienced .

Of course, a physical barrier is not omnipotent but, it’s not breakable by normal soldiers that have only received some training .

If the citizens’ safety can be ensured, then the result is already set in stone . Without Minerva needing to fight, Moore and the others are slowly but surely neutralizing the Imperial soldiers .

Eventually, not even three minutes, every Imperial soldiers there were neutralized, and the guards then split up, some looking out for the surroundings and the others treating the injured .

「Stop the bleeding of the injured and……, please bring some medicine here! 」

The middle-aged man that was slashed by the soldier must be prioritized . Unlike Minerva and the others or the Imperial soldiers, normal citizens have no equipment of protecting themselves .

They are powerless in front of a sharp blade . Even if they treated him immediately, the chances of getting saved is very low .

If they had a high-grade medicine, then it could probably heal him easily but, Minerva didn’t have something like that now .

That’s why, the only thing that can be done now is to stop the bleeding, and get the medicine as soon as possible .

However, even though Minerva was impatient, hearing a voice from among the citizens, her worries dispelled .

「There’s no need to worry . His wounds are already healed . 」

Minerva looked over at the voice that seemed familiar . Several people who were blocking the line of sight avoided left and right to clear the way .

As the view became clear, there was the bloody middle-aged man and his daughter, and also another young female wearing a nun outfit .

The treatment is probably just finished . The female stood up from beside the middle-aged man, as Minerva at the same time called out her name .

「Solte-sama? 」

She was the famous figure in the capital that even Minerva was acquainted with . It was Sister Solte that was famous as the Saintess candidate .

「It has been a while . Minerva-sama . 」

Solte lowered her head, as her cherry blossom hair fell to the side . Minerva’s expression loosened at the unexpected encounter .

「Yes, it has been, Solte-sama . It was unexpected to meet you at this place . 」

「Me too . 」

Same as Minerva, Solte’s expression seemed to loosen as well .

Finishing up the joyous reunion that lasted for a few moments, Minerva immediately pulled back up and asked .

「Is he alright? 」

「Yes . It seems like his consciousness is stable now, so I think he’s fine . The others are not injured that much either . 」

Solte’s encouraging words answered Minerva who was worried about the middle-aged man .

「That’s great to hear . However, Imperial soldiers might come again . Please evacuate quickly . 」

Even though dodged a threat, it doesn’t change the fact that they are still in danger . Of course, no one would know where in the capital is still safe now .

「What is Minerva-sama going to do? 」

「We will go around the capital to find for others that have not yet escaped . 」

Naturally, Minerva is not looking to self-destruct either . Minerva herself, and also Moore and the other guards, considering their capabilities, she judged that it’s still within range .

Then, another voice interrupted Minerva and Solte’s conversation .

「Can I please follow along? 」

The two at the same time looked over at the voice .

「You are the one from just now……」

The owner of the voice was the female magician that used magic to support them just now .

「It is our first meeting . I’m Ellenoa ・ Milmeus . I’m very sorry for the rude greeting but, please take care of me . 」

Pinching her robe like a skirt, the female magician named Ellenoa lowered herself a little . Hearing the name, Minerva felt like she recalled something, and she asked .

「Milmeus……, could you be the daughter of Viscount Milmeus? 」

「Yes . My foolish father is the one with the title of Viscount Milmeus . 」

No matter how much the duke’s daughter ranks higher than the viscount’s daughter in the aristocratic society, Minerva felt uncomfortable at someone expressing her parents as foolish to others .

From Ellenoa’s words, it revealed her thoughts for her father but, it seems like her training as a noble lady made it not apparent on her face .

「I’m Minerva from the Nyrestia ducal house . It’s a little embarrassing to look like this but, please overlook it as the situation is like this . 」

The Minerva is now albeit dressed in high-end goods, it’s still a fighting equipment nonetheless . Not wearing a dress, she couldn’t greet properly like what Ellenoa did .

「The ducal house……」

Hearing Minerva’s house name, Ellenoa seemed surprised . After all, the two wasn’t acquainted in the first place, and Minerva hadn’t been interacting with the society very much in the past three years, there were only a few that knew of the Duke’s noble lady’s grown up face .

Although she knew that Minerva is a noble seeing the armed men’s behavior around her, she didn’t think Minerva was a daughter of a Duke .

「I apologize for my rudeness . 」

Although surprised, Ellenoa immediately apologized for her attitude and changed her wording .

「Rather than that, Nyrestia-sama . Let me help in evacuating the citizens too . As you might have already seen just now, I am proficient in magic to some degree . I will not be a burden like in the war with the Empire four years ago . 」

「That’s……」

Ellenoa who offered to follow caused Minerva’s mouth to tangle . Certainly, her magic skills are quite magnificent from what she showed just now .

The chant that had no wavering and the accurate aim was not inferior to magicians of the Royal Army .

In a fight, even if just one more magician, their effective power will raise by several folds . If just on the regard of fighting enemies, it’s more than welcoming .

「Do you understand the possible consequences? 」

「I fully understand . But that is exactly why we nobles should take lead in a dangerous situation . Nyrestia-sama is also of the same idea, thus holding a sword in her hands right now, right? 」

Those words were what Minerva always believes in . Seeing that someone having the same spirit as herself, Minerva forgot about the situation and became genuinely happy .

「Thank you Milmeus-sama, please do lend us a hand――」

Just as Minerva was about to reply with a smile, suddenly, a deafening explosion came from the center of the capital .

Hearing that, everyone on the spot looked over at that direction . The center of the capital, in other words, the center stake of the Nagras Kingdom, the royal castle .

「T-The castle is……」

A trembling voice from one of them . In the midst of everyone’s gaze, the castle that stood gallantly yesterday crumbled partly .