Chapter 73

The skirt, flapped by R-chan's wind magic, danced gracefully, exposing itself to the people on the main street (mostly men).

It might have been exposed for only a brief moment, but to me, it felt like an eternity.

“Kyaa!”

Shelka, instinctively covering her face with her arms, let out a short scream and belatedly pressed down on the hem of her skirt.

The main street of the capital is always bustling, but at this moment, a silence fell.

Shelka, who had exposed the underside of her skirt to a large crowd, sent her gaze around and rapidly blushed, her face and ears turning red.

It happened so suddenly.

Then she released her hands from the hem of her skirt and lowered her head.

Her expression was hidden by her bangs, but she was probably filled with embarrassment.

As for R-chan, she was observing Shelka's reaction with interest.

“...What?”

Shelka, trembling, said in a small voice.

“‘Huh?’”

Was she addressing me and Eric?

“Did you see it?”

“‘...’”

If I asked what, I felt like I would get scolded. I needed to choose my words carefully. My intuition told me that choosing the wrong words would lead to trouble.

Eric, too, seemed to sense this, as cold sweat was visible on his tense face.

The fact that he could sense this meant he had experienced something similar before.

“You saw it, didn't you!”

Perhaps her silence had irked her, and Shelka, with her hair in disarray, screamed hysterically.

“‘We didn’t see it!’”

Eric and I, deciding that we needed to respond, answered immediately.

“My blue panties, didn't you see them!”

“‘No, they’re pink!’”

“...”

“‘...Oh...’”

Damn it! I ended up nitpicking! What a blunder!

Shelka had lied about the color being blue, and I had revealed the true color.

Still, to become hysterical and try to provoke us like this, what a terrifying woman.

The fact that Shelka's anger hadn't exploded yet was even more terrifying for us.

I wanted to run away from here immediately, but I was afraid of the consequences if I did.

Firstly, it was R-chan who had lifted the skirt with the wind. We had no reason to be scolded.

This was a sisterly quarrel, and it had nothing to do with us.

Still, as men, we should apologize for having seen. That's what a cool guy would do.

Alright, if Eric and I apologize, everything should be resolved smoothly.

Eric and I exchanged glances.

—We'll apologize. That should resolve everything.

—There's no other way.

After a brief exchange of glances, we approached Shelka, who was standing silently.

“Sure enough, the magic Al taught me! I've never seen my sister make such a face before!”

“Wait, Eric! Where are you going!”

“L-let go, you! I don't want to die because of your involvement! Damn it! Where did you get such strength!”

It was the power enhanced by my full magical energy. There was no way Eric could break free.

“Hey, you! Look over there!”

“I won't fall for that! I won't let go!”

“No, if we keep this up, we'll really die!”

Trying to distract me and run away was futile. But saying we would die was probably an exaggeration. Seeing Eric's desperate state, I turned around.

“‘I seek the burning crimson...’”

By the time I turned around, the magic was already eighty percent complete, and eight flames resembling short lances were floating around Shelka.

This was a far more aggressive magic compared to the gust R-chan had used. Moreover, it wasn't just a fireball but a form with enhanced penetration.

The people around us, surprised by the fire magic, moved away or hid behind walls, but they didn't run far. They watched us with excited expressions.

‘It’s the magic academy students again.’

‘Today’s a particularly cute girl.’

The citizens of the capital seemed quite tough. Or perhaps the education at the magic academy was questionable.

“Is Shelka really going to cast magic on the main street?”

“Fire magic is no joke!”

Eric and I groaned and slowly retreated.

Shelka, still not suppressing her magical energy, had a determined look in her eyes.

“‘Don’t get mad just because we saw your panties!’”

“‘Sharp flames!’”

Shelka's eyes widened, and she swung her arm.

Sharp, pointed flames locked onto us and attacked.

“Try to at least suppress the penetration!”

“What’s wrong with those sisters!”

Seeing this, we started running as if we were jumping.

Flames pierced the ground where we had been standing.

“Wait!”

“Oh, she’s really aiming to hit us!”

“Yeah, she’s serious.”

“Especially Alfried, I’ll burn you thoroughly so you don’t remember anything unnecessary!”

Damn, she’s still holding a grudge about that. But that was Shelka’s own self-destruction.

“...Hey, how about we split up and run from here?”

“What are you talking about? It’s better to run together, right?”

I pulled Eric, who was trying to run into a side street, and stopped him.

I wonder if this guy’s soul is rotten.

Well, either way, I’ll run in the direction Eric is running, so we’ll end up together.

I smiled, and Eric gave a strained smile.

Trying to escape the blame alone isn’t going to work.

As we were talking, another spear of fire flew from behind.

‘What’s happening?’

‘Hey, the magic academy students are causing trouble again!’

‘Again?’

People on the road we were running on split to the sides in surprise. They seemed quite used to this.

But more importantly,

“Eric, look! The magic is coming! Cut it down quickly!”

You’re my shield, so you need to do this much to be worth running with.

“S-stop joking! It’s impossible to cut down magic!”

“Hey! Don’t lie! My sister can cut down anything, whether it’s fire or water, with a wooden sword! And with magic and fists, she can knock it down!”

Elinora can cut down anything, whether it’s fire or water. I think she can even deflect wind. Lightning might work because of the electrical current.

“Is your sister even human!? I can’t do it!”

“This guy is useless! ...‘Shield’”

I defended the flame that flew towards my shoulder with a shield of minimal size.

A small shield, compressed to increase its defensive power, consumes less magical energy. I didn’t want to waste it by making it unnecessarily large.

Well, with my magical power, it’s not something to worry about.

“Why can you use such precise magic!?”

The dangerous-looking woman behind me shouted and swung her arm.

I defended the four flames released simultaneously with a small shield, just as I did before.

“I don’t understand! ‘I seek...’”

Perhaps because she had exhausted the spear of flames, she was now chanting while running. Chanting while moving is difficult.

She must be quite talented to be skipping grades.

“Hey, Eric. We’re too close. Move away.”

Eric, who had been trying to stay away from me, suddenly got close.

I don’t need this guy who can’t even cut down magic. He’s making it hard to run and is in the way.

“We’re running together, right?”

Eric said with a sly smile.

This guy is relying on my shield. He’s trying to get under the protection of my shield by getting close. What a despicable person.

If I think about it, I could have just entered a side street and teleported away on my own.

I shouldn’t have stopped Eric out of fear of Shelka’s pressure at first.

“Anyway, we need to lose her. You know the area, right?”

“Yes, losing Shelka is easy. She’s just a lady and won’t enter suspicious alleys. But the defense is up to you.”