Chapter 15

After leaving Guild Master Act, Miria headed towards the mission to slay the Kirin.

In the grasslands outside the capital, the SS-rank monster Kirin had been confirmed.

"Target acquired. Guild Master, your orders?"

The female deputy, using her far-sight magic, spotted the Kirin.

Miria nodded and said to the elite members standing behind her,

"I'll cast my skill, [Bakugun], on you. After that, surround and annihilate it. Got it?"

"Understood!"

A new adventurer asked a senior,

"What is Bakugun?"

"It's the Guild Master's unique skill. Just by her participating in the battle, it significantly boosts our stats. Moreover, the more allies there are, the stronger the benefits we receive."

"Wow...! No wonder she's the top-ranked Guild Master of S-class!"

Impressed, he said, while Miria activated her skill.

Her body shimmered like stars, and with a wave of her right hand,

Particles shot from her fingertips, showering over all her allies.

"Go! Take down the Kirin!"

"Yeeaaahhhh!"

With their stats boosted by Bakugun, the guild members, under her command, cornered the Kirin.

The Kirin, sensing the human presence, generated lightning around it.

But their bodies, enhanced by Bakugun, remained unshaken even when hit by the Kirin's lightning.

"Come on...! Take this!"

The Kirin tried to deflect the weapon attacks with lightning.

However, due to the effect of Miria's skill, the enhanced attacks inflicted damage on the Kirin's body.

"Good. Keep it up."

"Understood, Boss!"

The Kirin moved at an incredible speed, launching lightning strikes.

But another party quickly caught up, surrounded it, and attacked.

Blood's Crown had many skilled members, and with Guild Master Miria on the battlefield, all her allies transformed into seasoned warriors.

Her battle prowess, befitting the top-ranked S-class Guild Master, was evident.

"Good job. At this rate, we can slay the Kirin. ...What bad timing. Look, we can take it down."

Just then,

A drop of water fell from the sky.

"Rain...? It doesn't matter. Finish it quickly."

The Kirin looked up at the sky and barked loudly, the sound echoing like an echo.

The clouds grew thicker and darker, and with a flash, a dragon of lightning descended from the sky.

The dragon, falling at high speed, opened its jaw wide and struck the guild members directly.

The powerful lightning strike created a large hole in the ground.

Following the light, a deafening explosion.

The guild members, unable to comprehend what had happened, were blown away.

Miria, caught in the shockwave, was thrown back violently.

"What... what is this...?"

The Kirin had summoned the lightning dragon to attack the guild members.

But it happened so quickly that almost no one could follow it with their eyes.

However, the deputy, who had a vision-enhancing skill, and with Miria's buff, could grasp the situation.

"Milady Miria... This is bad. We need to retreat..."

But before she could make a decision, the Kirin summoned another lightning dragon.

This time, it split into a thousand dragons in the air.

Like rain, the small dragons rained down, relentlessly attacking the guild members.

"A... Ah..."

Due to Miria's delayed decision, the guild members were all on the ground.

Without Bakugun, they would have all been long gone.

They were barely alive, but none could move.

"...It's my fault."

In her haste for glory, she had failed to research that the Kirin, a creature of lightning, could change its strength based on the weather.

The delayed retreat order had resulted in many guild members being injured.

"...Because of my inexperience."

The Kirin barked at the sky, mocking the fallen humans.

"...It's over. I'm sorry, everyone. I'm sorry, Act... for ignoring your warning..."

Just as the lightning dragons were about to strike from the sky...

The dragons vanished with a *bash*.

"What!? What... is happening...?"

"Milady! It's bad! Additional monsters are coming from the forest!"

*Thud thud thud*... The ground shook as high-speed monsters approached from the forest.

"What!? K, Kentaurs!?"

Half-human, half-horse, intelligent high-rank monsters.

A large group of them was charging towards them.

It was like adding insult to injury. She had completely given up.

However, the Kentaurs passed by her side.

"We, the Kentaurs, will assist you as per the covenant!"

Their leader said, and the Kentaurs simultaneously fired their arrows.

The magical arrows pierced the Kirin's body as if it were paper.

The Kirin, enraged, summoned lightning dragons, but the Kentaurs shot them down with their arrows.

"Amazing...! They're not even affected by the Kirin's lightning!"

While the Kentaurs cornered the Kirin, Miria was in shock.

They were high-rank monsters that lived in the forest, and they were not supposed to coexist with humans.

There was no reason for them to help Miria.

The Kirin, pierced by arrows, collapsed on the spot.

"Yeeaaahhhh! We've done it! Victory for Lady Miria!"

The guild members cheered. They had survived the battle thanks to the healing they received during the fight.

"Amazing, Lady Miria! To command the Kentaurs like that! Incredible!"

They all looked at Miria with admiration.

"Wha, no... it's not..."

"Again with the modesty! Didn't the Kentaurs say they were assisting you as per the covenant?"

Indeed, they had said that.

But she had no memory of making a covenant with the Kentaurs.

"Our plan was to weaken it, and the Kentaurs would finish it off!"

"You didn't tell us to keep the Kirin off guard!"

"To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies! Impressive, Lady Miria! No wonder you're the top-ranked S-class Guild Master!"

Everyone was convinced that Miria's strategy had led to their victory over the Kirin.

But she alone knew it wasn't her doing.

"Who... who did this...?"

The Kentaurs held a communication magic device in their hands.

"It's over, Act."

"Act...?"

The Kentaurs' leader said this clearly through the device.

"Excellent command. As expected. Yes, it was your request. I was happy to help. Yes, see you again."

The leader noticed Miria but only glanced at her before leading his group back into the forest.

"Our victory, Blood's Crown!"

"Long live the goddess Miria who brought us victory!"

"Long live!"

Amidst the praise from her guild members, she thought about the one who had saved them from this dire situation.

★

Later, in my room.

Miria came to me.

"Was it you who sent the Kentaurs as reinforcements?"

I spread out the newspaper I was holding.

It read that Miria and Blood's Crown had defeated the SS-rank monster Kirin.

"What are you talking about? You did it. The newspaper says so. That's impressive."

Miria glared at me and bit her lower lip.

"...This time, I lost. Because of my inexperience, many of my subordinates were almost killed. I caused you trouble... I'm sorry."

I sighed and said,

"What are you talking about? I don't understand a thing."

"You were the one who commanded the team that defeated it."

Miria's eyes widened, and she sighed deeply.

"...So, you're going to deny it, huh?"

She glared at me and declared loudly,

"I'll consider this a favor!"

"Favor? I didn't do anything."

"But! My guild will become even stronger! So strong that you can't catch up, so strong that we don't need any help, and we'll reach the highest peak!"

"Is that so? I look forward to it."

*Hmph!* She turned away and left the room.

"Truly impressive, Master."

Frederica, who had been standing behind me, said admiringly.

"To protect her, her guild, and her pride without anyone knowing. You are so kind."

"Don't misunderstand. I just wanted to create a debt with her. Blood's Crown will become a larger guild, and when that happens, I'll have them repay the favor."

"Oh? But Master, you didn't do anything this time, right?"

I spread out the newspaper, pretending not to hear.

Frederica said in a gentle voice,

"Really, our guild's unscrupulous Guild Master is so kind at heart."

【※To the Readers】

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