Part 1

This isn’t funny.

There are over 50 men charging towards us!

I know many spells but most of them are “Area-attack spells” meaning that my allies would be caught in the attack as well.

Of course, I have spells other than Area-Attack spells, though I can tell it’s not enough to hold back 50 or more men charging at you at a seriously fast pace.

We were at the forest trail.

After Justice Girl idiotically ran out, Aerich and I followed her.

Surrounding us were dense trees, Ariel was hiding in one of the bushes.

Of course, the men were surrounding us too!-!

“Ark!”

Aerich put up quite a fight.

His form was prim and proper and he slashed the attackers with aggressiveness and ease.

His eyepatch was becoming loose though that didn’t hinder his ability.

Because of his constant training, he was able to handle this type of attack.

He took down about twenty of the attackers.

As a result, some people on his side dispersed and went onto another…

That is, the side where Justice Girl was fighting or… Struggling.

“H-Help me!”

Justice Girl was grabbed from behind and dragged out.

…We’ll just ignore Justice Girl’s pleas.

“[Wind Bullet]!”

I shot an Intermediate-Class spell at the grabber.

“Agh! That hurt.”

After falling onto the floor, Justice Girl kicked him off and ran behind me, grabbing my shoulder.

I could feel her cold fingers that was drained of any blood.

She was also shivering.

This might teach her some reality.

“[Wind Bullet]! [Wind Bullet]! [Water Wave] [Scorch]! [Wind Bullet]!”

I cast multiple Intermediate-Spells at the attackers who were hit and fell back.

They fell back with previous wounds, the [Wind Bullet] spell was quite scary.

If you get hit by it, a hole appears in your body.

“[Flame Swing]!”

Following this, I cast another Intermediate-Class spell.

The group of men caught up in it screamed as they were burnt alive.

Some of them didn’t hear even wear shirts…

And then, I noticed a man dropping onto his knees and falling onto the ground.

“Hey, that hurt.”

The man had a huge clean slice from his upper shoulder to his wrist.

It was so clean that I compared it to cutting open a steak with a knife.

It looked like Aerich did this to him.

But even so, the man who got cut didn’t sound like he got hurt. He said “that hurt” in a very carefree voice.

Rather, he grinned.

“Aaah… You guys are seriously really tough for children, what a pain.”

The man stood up, drawing another sword from his waist, weilding two.

“Stop right there. Don’t move.”

Aerich pointed his blade towards the dual wielding man.

“Right, right. I’ll stop.”

After hearing the reply from the man, the men attacking us stopped.

They formed an even tighter circle around us.

The man holding dual blades wore a straw hat and a black cloak. Underneath looked like shoulder armour and a leather breastplate. He had tired black eyes and a barely shaven beard.

His clothing suggested that he favoured mobility.

Radyn told me to be careful of these types of opponents.

“I’ve never heard of a kid that could cast Intermediate-Spells or a kid who is High-Class in Sword style, though unfortunately for you, you’re up against me! Aethet Mort! The High-Class Dualist!”

“-Go boss! You got it!”

“-Beat them like you did to the others!”

“-They have nothing on you, boss!”

The surrounding men cheered on as Aethet introduced himself.

…Who is Aethet Mort?

I never heard of him.

What’s more important is what he is.

A High-Class Dualist.

A Dualist is from the Dual Style, wielding two weapons. They are said to be faster than the other styles excluding the Assassin Style or the Thief Style.

An early class Dualist was more primed on dexterity with both weapons and concentration of your speed and mobility.

But if someone of High-Class was a Duelist then it’s their strength their focusing on because they’ve already mastered their speed and dexterity.

It’s at this point where they could be considered super-fast-swordsman with two blades than just a fast fighter.

The inexperienced Aerich, who is an High-Class swordsman with little to no experience would have trouble fighting him.

Also, he seemed to have quite the track record.

He is very experienced with things like this.

Even though Aerich injured him, Aethet showed no signs of being hurt.

After he made that declaration, Aerich seemed to sense something.

I did too.

This man, Aethet, was undefeatable with our current abilities.

No, I should say with our current experience.

“What are you doing here? Why do you plan to destroy the villages?!”

I shouted a question towards Aethet.

Hearing my question, Aethet covered his jaw. Contemplating a reply.

“Hm, though normally I wouldn’t discuss the details of my employers, I don’t really like them. Well, it’s not going to hurt me to tell you since you’ll be sold as slaves soon so…”

Aethet’s expression turned into a face of a man who was overloaded with work, sighing as he spoke the next few words:

“I don’t personally hate this region, I was hired by the Tyrat House to destroy the villages here and then attack the nobles of the Osoric Estate. And while I was at it, might as well take some slaves to sell. I don’t know the reasons why the well-reputed Tyrat house would do this but I’m sure it’s to-“

Before Aethet continued, I saw someone from his side punch him.

“Oi oi, what are you doing spouting out information like that. Did you forget that I, a Tyrat supervisor, is here? Say anymore and I’ll have to cut half of your pay.”

“Ow, sorry. That hurts, fine. Just don’t cut my pay, okay?”

The Tyrat House?

If I recall, that’s a rivalling noble house beside the Cinage House.

I heard both heads and the people of the opposing houses have a bad relationship with each other.

But why would the Tyrat House attack the Osoric Estate? The weakest branch of the Cinage House?

Well, it’s simple to work out now that he told me.

It’s because the Tyrat House plans to rebuke the Osoric Estate for their failure of protecting the villages of their region, and to do this they would have to pillage the villages themselves.

And by rebuking the Osoric Estate, the Cinage House which is the main family would be directly affected.

Which would therefore ease the power struggle and weaken the Cinage House’s power.

Giving the Tyrat House more leverage to strike back at the Cinage House.

And the reason why they would aim for the Osoric Estate is because they’re the weakest out of all the branches of the Cinage House.

Making it the easiest target.

See? It’s easy to work out if you have the information.

If anyone couldn’t work this out just by hearing Aethet’s information and connecting the other pieces of the puzzle, I’d give them a good stern talking to.

But this is part of a power struggle in the Kingdom’s politics, this dosen’t relate to us at all.

“That’s enough jokes, capture or kill them now.”

The one who introduced himself as a “Tyrat Supervisor” ordered.

“Alright, then.”

Aethet redrew his dual blades and rushed towards Aerich, who had recovered from his prior attacks.

Well, he wasn’t recovered. He just stood back up ready to fight again.

“W-Wait!”

“Young Lo-!”

He had stabbed Aerich with both blades.

“Aerich-!”

Coughing out blood, he couldn’t do anything but squirm around the area.

Two blades were completely lodged into his chest and stomach.

All the way in.

You can see the ends of the blades protruding out from his back.

Those very ends were covered and dripped with dark red blood which permeated the soil.

“…”

…?

A-Areich?

Wait, no.

What happened?

Aerich!

Get up!

Even though I was thinking of useless things, I knew full well what two blades lodged into both your chest and stomach means.

Death.

It means death.

Yes sure, there was Healing Magic but even Healing Magic is useless if you don’t heal at the correct time.

Yes, I know Exquisite-Class Healing Magic, but Exquisite-Class Healing Magic can’t heal ruptured organs or a stabbed heart!

Exquisite-Class healing magic is used for flesh wounds and poisons!

We need someone of at least High-Class Healing Magic to heal this!

You can’t just get stabbed all the way through both your chest and stomach and expect to be completely healed a few hours later.

You’ll die before seeing the proper Healing Magician.

And the closest proper Healing Magicians here is Radyn, who is Saint-Class in Healing Magic.

He’s going to die.

No, that’s not possible.

Aerich can’t die, no…

What do I do?

I can’t think… Think!

Think of the spells you learnt during class! Come on! Why isn’t there anything popping into my head?

…! …

I-I don’t know what to do…

I’m not a genius.

I’m not a genius at all.

Who were the people who called me a genius?

I’m no prodigy.

How am I a genius if I can’t even think of anything to do now?

“Alright then, you’re next.”

Then, without a warning Aethet appeared behind me.

…What am I supposed to do?

“You Tyrat dogs!”

I didn’t have time to look behind me, but I heard the sounds of two blades screeching.

“[Tornado Blade]!”

The person behind me cast a spell.

[Tornado Blade] was a particularly strong spell, belonging to High-Class.

As a result, Aethet’s arm was cut.

“Aaaaah! That hurts!”

He fell back, contorting his face, dropping his blade as he held onto his amputated arm.

I couldn’t think of anyone else who could cast High-Class spells in this area.

It was Radyn.

Seeing Aethet fall back, the men surrounding us charged.

And then Radyn cast another spell.

“Earth: Death Cage.”

From the ground, pillars of earth surrounded the men, the nearby trees connected with each other and flew towards the pillars, strangling them.

They connected with each other as if they were vines, forming a cage.

The men surrounding us were trapped inside the cage. The imprisoned men banged on the wooden bars, prying and bending it as they struggled to get out.

But think of it this way: Is it possible to bend a tree trunk?

But before they could do anything else, the second part of the spell was activated.

It wasn’t just a “cage”, there was also “death”.

That’s why it was called “[Death Cage]”.

The wood surrounding the cages grew and twisted invertedly, pointing between the bars and towards each person. The tips of the wood looked polished, the sun reflected on it.

You could peel and sand a wooden log for a year and not get the same quality of the pike-like tips that were seen here.

That same pike-like tip was pointed towards the now-prisoners.

And pierced the inside of the cages.

The men died.

The smell of iron and blood permeated the area.

They were massacred.

“Aerich!”

After casting that scary spell, Radyn completely ignored me and ran up to Aerich.

Radyn pulled out a scroll and placed it on Aerich’s chest.

The inscriptions on the scroll lit up and disappeared into the air.

And with that, Aerich reopened his eyes.

He sat up, he looked around before catching the eyes of his father.

“…Hm? U-Uhm! F-Father! W-We were attacked a-and-“

“You don’t have to say anything. I understand what’s happening. It’s those dogs… the Tyrat House.”

Radyn gave Aerich a reassuring pat as he pinpointed his murderous killing intent towards the dead men.

Part 2

“Awa… Awawa…”

There was one lonely figure hiding in the bushes.

She was pretty scared.

“Awa…- Awawawa.”

“There there, we’re safe now.”

I comforted Ariel and walked with the also afraid Justice Girl along the road.

Justice Girl was wordlessly clinging onto my arms, refusing to let go.

She hasn’t said anything, in contrary to her personality.

Well, I don’t blame her. Rather, I’m the one who needs the comforting.

People died.

People had died…

This is nothing like how it was when I read the novels.

When someone died in the story I was reading I was hurt, though it didn’t really affect me.

But seeing it first-hand and in front of me, it felt completely different.

It hurt in a different way.

It felt like something had disappeared from me.

Maybe my innocence?

I don’t know how to explain it but it can be said that if you didn’t experience the death of people in front of you yourself, you wouldn’t understand this feeling.

Also, I’m not a genius.

No matter what anyone says, I will never consider myself as one.

A genius should be able to think a way out of that situation, especially if they have a vast arsenal of spells.

I’m just a fool.

A huge fool that got too overconfident about his magical class.

“There’s no time, we have to return to the Osoric Estate. An attack has already been launched there.”

“What do you mean?”

After interrogating the “Tyrat Supervisor” that was left alive by Radyn, he got some information regarding the attack force and their plans.

Also, Aethet Mort was still alive, left unconscious by the forest trail.

Still, why was Radyn here? If the Osoric Estate was being attacked, should he not be over there fighting with Papa?

The reason is really simple after you get all the information.

As a result of the Osoric Estate being attacked, Papa himself must have commanded Radyn to find Aerich and I just in case.

Luckily, Radyn found us in the nick of time and saved us.

I’m confident we would have died if he didn’t come.

Right now, Ariel was in the hands of Aerich.

He was princess carrying her.

And Justice Girl was still behind me, holding onto my arms.

Her mask was still on though.

Anyone would be traumatised when faced with the immediate death of about 50 people in front of you.

Even right now my legs were trembling.

“Juliette, Ariel. You’ll have to forgive me but you have to return to your homes, Reign, Aerich. You follow them.”

Radyn seemed to plan to go to the Osoric Estate himself and help out Papa.

“Of course, father.”

Aerich steadily replied.

“…Mm.” X2

Justice Girl and Ariel nodded.

Thus forth, we ventured towards their home village.

—

After a while, Justice Girl and Ariel recovered from the initial shock.

I mean, Radyn did kill about 50 people with one spell earlier.

“That was scary, the servant of Justice saved us. As expected of Justice Man’s servant!”

“Mhm! He was so cool.”

Justice Girl recovered? How fast.

Though she was still delusional, so maybe she hadn’t recovered? Just kidding.

Time really does heal all wounds.

Ariel had also recovered.

…Although it’s only been about twenty minutes.

What’s with this?

I looked to the ground, thinking about what had happened earlier.

I didn’t know, but Justice Girl turned back and pat me on the shoulder.

“Reign and Aerich, thank you for helping us.”

I wasn’t asking for comfort.

After walking for a while, we reached the village.

I say village but it’s basically about 4 - 7 houses with huge wheat fields.

People were gathering outside, having some sort of discussion.

“Mother!”

Ariel called out and ran towards a woman.

She had similar features as Ariel.

The same happened for Justice Girl, instead she approached two little children.

“I’m glad you’re safe, older sister!” x 2

The two little boys with silver hair replied, they looked like twins.

The same silver hair like she had, so her silver hair really is genetic.

Looking at the two boys, I’m sure they’ll be real lady killers when they grow up.

“Thank you very much! Yules, Kevin! Rather look at this, these two are the people I was talking about.”

Justice Girl returned to her normal self and pointed towards Aerich and I.

“H-Hey.”

“Good afternoon.”

While I meekly replied, Aerich choked out a very cool-sounding reply.

“Hi! I heard from older sister, are you her justice servants?” x 2

…What the hell did she tell them?

I looked over to Justice Girl.

She turned her head away, avoiding my gaze.

She was still wearing her mask so I couldn’t tell her expression.

Though I sensed that her face was red.

“Uhm, that dosen’t matter. Rather, what’s happening now?”

Aerich stepped up and asked the twins a question.

“We were suddenly called outside after hearing the magical alarm bell, someone from the mansion came down and started talking to the adults. I don’t know what’s happening though.”

“I see, then, I understand the situation.”

Aerich muttered under his breath, turning to me.

“What are we going to do?”

“There’s nothing we can do, we’re children after all. All we can do is wait. Father, Lord Lukyus and the combat house servants must be fighting the intruders as we speak, we just have to wait for them.”

Right now, as Aerich recounted, people were attacking the Osoric Estate, Radyn left us here to return over there and aid in the battle.

If we followed him, there would be trouble.

And Papa would be very angry.

And so we waited.

As we waited we played with Justice Girl and Ariel, brightening up their moods.

I explored the village, walking around the ponds and visiting the livestock.

I ate some bread I don’t usually eat.

I said hello to the other villagers.

I climbed the trees with Justice Girl.

As us children were playing around, the adults too were slowly calming down, sensing that all they needed to do was wait until further notice.

But they didn’t completely let their guard down.

What if Papa and Radyn lost?

Although that’s impossible, they still had it in their minds.

But that dosen’t really matter for children like us, so we continued to play.

Revisiting the pond.

Jumping in the pond with Ariel, Justice Girl and Aerich.

It was fun, very very fun.

I loved it.

And as I slept on the lap of Ariel, exhausted from playing around for hours:

I heard the sounds of horses galloping.

“Young Master, the battle is over. But the mansion is destroyed, we’ll have to find another place to sleep for the night.”

Radyn had returned along with other attendants, though I couldn’t find any signs of Papa.

I got up from Ariel’s lap and looked over to Radyn.

“Where’s Papa and Mother? No, are you alright?”

“Thank you for your consideration but since I am also a Healing Magician I’m definitely alright. Lady Ari was safety retreated. Lord Lukyus is still at the Osoric Estate, investigating details and interrogating the assassins.”

Radyn relayed the details.

I understood, though it’s sad that the house was destroyed.

There were so many books I still wanted to read.

Maybe I should have saved some of them outside somewhere in case something like this happened.

But I’m glad Radyn is alright, along with mother and Papa.

The sun was setting after we played for hours, we really had to find a place to sleep.

“Puawawah! To expect for you to rely on me, how pitiful. Fine, I’ll allow you to sleep over at my place!”

No one asked you.

Over hearing our conversation Justice Girl appeared.

She stood over Radyn and myself with her hands on her hips.

It looked like she was posing as a superhero.

Though she looked just a tiny bit different now.

She wasn’t wearing her mask.

Well, that was only natural. It’d be tough even for me to wear a mask for almost an entire day.

Her face was as I saw many times before.

A cute girl.

But most importantly, that annoying smile.

That so very annoying smirk.

Her silver hair flew in the wind as her cocky expression glared at both of us.

“Well then, Young Master. If you know her well then I won’t object. You’ll be sleeping at her house today. I have to return to Lord Lukyus’s side, I leave Aerich to you.”

W-Wait, why aren’t you objecting?

“As expected of the servant of Justice, you’re not only very strong but smart.”

Justice Girl ran towards me and grabbed me by the arms.

P-Please, I don’t want to…

“Well then, let’s go!”

“W-Wait for me!”

Justice Girl dragged me towards her home, Ariel fell behind shortly.

“W-Wait, can’t just I stay at Ariel’s house? I mean-“

“Why? What’s the difference? Our houses are the same.”

I didn’t have much knowledge about villages, so I couldn’t retort.

She dragged me into her home, it wasn’t a rich or large one.

It was enough to fit about 2 seperate rooms, all in one.

The walls were made of stone with wooden foundations, the roof was completely made out of some sort of hay.

It didn’t look comfortable but what surprised me is the moment I stepped inside, it felt warm and cozy.

The entire floor was made out of wool.

“Then, there you go!”

“Whaa-?!”

I was thrown into a fluff of fur.

It felt… Comfortable.

“Older Sister! What are your two servants doing here?”

From the inside, one of the twins pointed his head out from a wall.

Aerich naturally followed me inside, standing behind Justice Girl the entire time.

He sat beside me.

Ariel also stood by the door, reluctantly walking in.

“Eh? They’re sleeping here today, Justice Man’s house was attacked and destroyed. So they need a place to sleep for a while.”

“Ah, if it’s for Lord Lukyus.”

“Yes, it’s fine if it’s for Lord Lukyus.”

The two twins nodded as if it was only natural.

Papa really was respected in the Signe Region.

The twins returned to their rooms.

It looks like they shared a room together, that’s as expected of twins.

Looking outside the window, the sun was setting.

“Then, I’ll go make dinner~”

Justice Girl hung her mask and put on an apron.

It’s pretty talented for a 10 year-old to know how to cook alone without any assistance.

Where are her parents?

Maybe at work far away?

I’ll greet and apologise to them the moment they return.

I felt a little tired today, so I shuffled over and slept.