Chapter 6

"......So, why the hell are you and I paired up?"

The woman, who was looking to the side with an annoyed expression, ran her fingers through her fiery red hair. She occasionally clicked her tongue, displaying a very bad attitude. With her arms crossed, her ample chest was prominently displayed.

"I want to know that too. What will Master think of me being paired with a rough woman like you...?"

Standing next to the red-haired woman, the other woman was not one to be pushed around. She had a somewhat dull silver hair, which she elegantly curled.

Though she spoke in a mature manner, it was somewhat awkward. She also crossed her arms, but unfortunately, her chest was not as prominent as the red-haired woman's.

"Master will definitely sympathize with me. Being paired with someone who talks so strangely, it's a misfortune beyond measure."

"What do you mean by strange? I always talk like this..."

"Liar."

Despite breaking out in a cold sweat, the silver-haired woman refused to change her way of speaking. The red-haired woman sighed at the sight.

"Hey, what are you two chatting about so casually in front of us?"

One of the members of the extermination team, who had been silently listening to their conversation, spoke up with a flushed face.

"Do you understand the current situation?"

"Do we understand...? You're trying to do something as ridiculous as targeting the guild... and Master... I know that much."

The red-haired woman's provocation only fueled the men's anger further. However, she wasn't intentionally trying to provoke them; she was genuinely expressing what she felt in her heart. The idea of attacking Master was truly foolish.

"It's annoying, but Kuring is right. Master wouldn't lose to the likes of you, but by attacking, you become my target."

The silver-haired woman also taunted the men. Given Master's strength, there was no need for the 'Savior's Army' to protect him. However, anyone who became Master's enemy was considered a mortal enemy and had to be eliminated. The silver-haired woman, Crankheit, had come to this realization about the extermination team.

"Oh, you actually said something good for once, Crankheit."

"Adult women only speak when it's necessary, Kuring."

The red-haired woman, Kuring, praised the silver-haired woman, Crankheit, with a condescending tone. Crankheit, with a vein popping on her forehead, tried to suppress her anger. In her mental hit list, Kuring's name was at the top.

"The members of that dark guild! Don't be fooled by their appearance! Surround and crush them!"

The man from the Gray Guild, despite his rough words and attitude, seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. He recognized that the two beautiful women, who didn't look like they belonged in a noble's house or a brothel, were not to be underestimated and instructed his companions to be cautious.

Following his orders, the Gray Guild members surrounded Kuring and Crankheit. The kingdom knights, though somewhat reluctant, followed the strategy as it was sound.

"Oh, surprising. I thought you'd attack immediately."

Kuring looked around, nodding in satisfaction. She seemed to derive a sense of superiority from not being underestimated.

"But, unfortunately, you're also surrounded, you know?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

Kuring pointed at the men with a smug expression. They were supposed to be the only ones surrounding Kuring and Crankheit. Thinking it was a bluff, one of the men spoke up...

"――――!"

However, the men with combat experience could sense the presence of others. These presences were surrounding them in a larger circle, encircling the Gray Guild members who were already surrounding Kuring and Crankheit.

"Be careful! Something is surrounding us――――"

"Just a bit too late, don't you think?"

The man tried to warn his companions, but Kuring smiled slyly.

"Ah!!"

As she predicted, an arrow flew and pierced one of the men surrounding Kuring. More arrows followed, targeting the men.

"Damn!!"

Despite the arrows, the extermination team managed to defend themselves. Some were hit, but they quickly regrouped. Being experienced in combat, they found it relatively easy to block the arrows. Once they had a moment to spare, one of the men looked to see who was shooting the arrows.

"What!?"

The man was shocked. The attackers were not humans but goblins.

The man was not surprised that goblins were present and attacking them. Goblins were common creatures, living in most forests and often attacking humans. What shocked him was that the goblins were following the orders of a human woman.

"Impossible! Goblins following a human...!!"

The man, beads of sweat covering his face, growled. The attackers were the men surrounding Kuring and Crankheit, and Crankheit herself.

"Why am I...!?"

"Sorry, it was on purpose."

"Wh-What, you're not even sorry!!"

Crankheit finally showed her true self, desperately dodging the arrows. Kuring, with a mischievous smile, pretended to apologize, but even the men who didn't know her well could tell it was insincere.

"Well, let's end this. Goblins! Switch to close combat! Kill them all!"

The goblins responded to Kuring's command with a disturbing cackle. They discarded their bows and stones, switching to dirty knives and clubs, and attacked the extermination team.

"Damn!!"

A fierce melee ensued between the extermination team and the goblins. The men, being combat professionals, quickly dispatched the goblins. However, the goblins outnumbered them, and isolated members of the Gray Guild and the kingdom knights were overwhelmed and killed one by one.

"Is there any way... to land a hit on them...!?"

The leader of the extermination team clenched his teeth in frustration. Kuring watched the men bleed and die, and her supposed allies, the goblins, fall, with a thin smile.

If they didn't act, they would all be wiped out. He wanted to strike back, even if it was just once.

"――――Huh!?"

In his determination, he noticed Crankheit entering the fray, her silver hair flowing. Why was she entering the chaos? And why were the others not noticing her?

The man concluded that her entry was due to overconfidence, and the others were too focused on the goblins to notice.

This was a chance. He might be able to change the one-sided slaughter.

If he could take down one of their allies, the red-haired woman might be shaken, allowing some to escape. Though Kuring would remain calm even if Crankheit died, the man, unaware of this, clung to this small hope.

"Ooohhh!!"

He cut down a goblin with a single strike and charged towards Crankheit.

"What!?"

Crankheit, surprised by the man's approach, widened her eyes and raised her sword in a desperate stance.

"Wait! What are you...!?"

"Dieee!!"

There was no time for questions. The man, not one to be stopped by an enemy's plea, slashed Crankheit from the shoulder with his blood-soaked sword.

"Aahh!!?"

Blood spurted, and Crankheit screamed, falling to the ground, motionless.

"Haa... haa...!!"

The man, breathing heavily, tried to calm himself. His heart pounded with excitement, and his breath wouldn't steady.

He had finally taken down one of their tormentors. If his allies were killed, the red-haired woman would be affected. He looked at Kuring, expecting her to be shaken...

"What... why..."

"Nice hit! Taking her down in one strike, impressive."

The man, not looking at Kuring, stared in disbelief at the woman standing next to her. It was Crankheit, whom he had just cut down. So, who did he just kill...?

"You...!"

The man had killed one of his own allies from the Gray Guild. Though the ally was already dead and couldn't speak, his face was filled with confusion.

"Why...? I definitely cut down the silver-haired woman..."

"No, you were attacking that man from the start. I was also wondering why."

The man felt as if he were in a bad dream. His consciousness began to fade.

Crankheit, seeing this, smiled seductively, though somewhat awkwardly.

"Kyaaa!!? Crankheit! My goblins are being distracted by you! Get back here!!"

"One day, I'll use this magic to charm Master."

"Listen up!!"

Kuring, being chased by the goblins she controlled, had her ample chest bouncing wildly. However, Crankheit, lost in thoughts of Master, didn't feel jealous.

Imagining Master being captivated by her and ravishing her body made her body heat up uncontrollably.

Crankheit wore a dangerous smile. Incidentally, the extermination team was wiped out immediately after this.