Chapter 43

Akari and the others, taking precautions, spent the night at a campsite in the mountains. They could have reached the village by midnight if they had pushed on, but there was no need to rush. And then, in the early morning, they passed through a forest where not even the birds sang. After passing through the forest and entering the wilderness, Salehad finally came into view.

"---They're coming!"

Maxime deflected an arrow that flew at him and destroyed a fireball with his right fist. He was wearing a giant's glove on his hand. The women of the 'Attendants of the Moon Goddess' immediately responded to Maxime's voice, surrounding Akari to protect her, back to back.

＜Whirling Wall＞

＜＜Whirling Wall＞＞

A formation was instantly formed at Dianthea's command. Several arrows and mud balls passed through before the wind wall was activated, but the rest were deflected one after another. The arrows and magic that got through were cut down and repelled by Maxime and Dianthea. The sound of hooves echoed from all directions.

"Damn, even bandits are here."

Maxime took out a large shield and a long-handled hammer-axe from his back.

"I'll go ahead. Don't get too close."

Dianthea nodded at Maxime and chanted another spell.

＜Earth Piles＞

＜＜Earth Piles＞＞

The women's formation avoided Maxime and thrust earth piles, about knee-length, from the ground to surround the circle and the wind wall. This was a countermeasure against cavalry charges. Then, Maxime, without being hindered by the wind wall, charged out. The weapon he held was a giant hammer-axe, a massive and thick blade like a guillotine and a block of iron back to back. It was extremely unbalanced, and only a giant with strong muscles could wield it, even if they could hold it. Maxime, with Akari and the others in a circle behind him, charged forward. Two black-clad riders on warhorses charged at Maxime, but the others aimed for his back.

"They're after Akari. How predictable."

Maxime swept the strange pole weapon with one arm. A dull roar. The bandit on the horse that charged at Maxime was instantly knocked down with the horse.

"Know who I am, Maxime Dahl!"

Maxime's rough, loud voice echoed across the wilderness. The black-clad men were silent as they passed by Maxime one after another. However, Maxime would not allow it and swung the hammer-axe like a twig. With each swing, an attacker was thrown off their horse. Maxime, while swinging the hammer-axe, swept the attackers in a circle around Akari and the others. The black-clad attackers, forced to dismount due to the earth piles, were blown away as if in a joke. The heat of summer and the heat emitted by Maxime made the air around him waver.

On the opposite side of Maxime, Dianthea and the others were also fighting hard. They were protected by the wind wall and earth piles, but some managed to break through. They were taken down one by one with bows and throwing weapons. Dianthea's bowstring twanged again, and an attacker who was about to break through the wind wall was shot in the face and fell unconscious. Occasionally, some managed to get close even by dodging the arrows, but they were blocked by Manya's flames or the axes and spears of the other women. The attackers falling before their eyes. Akari clenched her teeth and watched them. People were dying to take her life. Even if it was their own fault, it was a sight that Akari, who had lived in modern Japan, found hard to bear. No bandits attacked the 'White Spear,' the royal kingdom's dedicated hunter. This was the first time Akari had been directly attacked by humans. Still, Akari had to live and could not die. Akari gripped the ice warrior's club, which she had shared with Zangiro.

An attacker suddenly charged at Akari, taking advantage of a momentary gap in the circle.

"Ah, Akari-san!"

Akari gripped the club with both hands, holding it high above her head. When she got the club, she asked Zangiro how to use it. He said:

---I don't know.

She was disappointed. But then,

---Just one thing. Imagine an enemy coming at you and 'hold it up high and swing it down.' If you do a thousand a day, it should be fine. It's not a bad idea to practice the basics.

She continued to do this. A hundred days of a thousand swings a day, a total of ten thousand swings.

So, it's fine.

Then, Akari, as Ophelia taught her, transferred magic power to the spirit entwined with the ice warrior's club. Her affinity with the ice spirit was not high, but Ophelia told her that it didn't matter much with this club.

An attacker came at her with a short sword. At that moment, Akari swung the club down as usual and conveyed her will to the ice spirit.

---Thud

Just before the short sword reached her, a blow that seemed impossible from Akari instantly took the attacker's consciousness. Dianthea and the 'Attendants of the Moon Goddess' women looked at Akari in surprise. There, Akari, with the ice-covered club, was breathing heavily.

Akari made the club larger and heavier with ice at the moment of the downward swing. The speed of the swing and the weight of the ice exceeded the attacker's speed.

"Akari-san, we can't lose to you!"

Dianthea's voice raised the morale of the 'Attendants of the Moon Goddess' women.

Maxime's strong arm and the 'Attendants of the Moon Goddess' defensive circle quickly repelled the attackers.

"Those who are still breathing are all here. Well, there's no one who can be identified, so they're probably hired assassins. Second-rate at best."

Maxime lined up the attackers. About ten had escaped, and forty attackers, including the dead, remained on the scene, with about five survivors.

Dianthea lined up the five survivors on the ground. They were blindfolded and gagged, so there was no risk of suicide.

However, this also meant that they could not be interrogated.

At the feet of the five, there was a magic circle.

"Then, let's have Akari-san check each face. There might be someone she knows."

The blindfolds were removed. At that moment,

The attacker tried to cast a fireball silently, transferring magic power to the spirit.

＜Release＞

Dianthea chanted softly at the same time.

The fireball the attacker wanted did not occur, and the attacker fainted without understanding what happened.

This happened four times.

Of course, Akari did not try to remove the blindfolds. Dianthea did it all.

"…What's going on?"

Akari asked, puzzled by the scene.

"This is a self-casting spell called 'Magic Release.' To be precise, it's a self-casting spell combined with spirit magic. Their magic power is almost depleted now."

Akari was still puzzled.

"Fortunately, there were battle horses left."

Saying this, Dianthea tied up the five survivors so they couldn't move and loaded them onto the horses.

"Let's hurry on."

The group started walking towards the village.

"'Magic Release' is a spell that uses the moment when the target transfers magic power to a spirit to have the spirit absorb the target's magic power. It was developed by the chief attendant to incapacitate targets like this."

"Absorb? Doesn't the life spirit resist?"

"It's triggered by the target's will. I think everyone has experienced this when they first started using spirit magic. When you first use spirit magic, your commands don't reach the spirit at all, and you just lose magic power and faint. It's the same thing."

"Oh, that. I lost consciousness instantly."

Akari recalled the early days and smiled wryly.

"Those who use spirit magic are made to experience this as part of their curriculum. Of course, it's under the supervision of an instructor—"

The group stopped, and Dianthea stopped explaining, looking ahead.

A similar group was galloping towards them. This time, they were sturdy men in matching metal armor. Zangiro was also among them. Maxime stood in front of the group.

"I am Aleksei Ivav Bragoy, the constable of Tansku. I received a report of a suspicious group outside the village and that I might have seen the wanted Akari Fujishiro."

A tall, fully armored man removed his helmet and faced Maxime. Under the helmet was a burly, gorilla-like middle-aged man with blond hair. The constable is a police-like figure responsible for maintaining the security of towns and villages.

"We were just attacked by these guys on our way to the village."

Maxime indicated the attackers on the battle horses with a nod.

"Is that so? You must have had a tough time. And did you capture Akari Fujishiro, who is wanted, as well?"

Aleksei smiled.

"Ah? Akari is going to receive a trial of fact. It will be after that."

"I don't know what a trial of fact is, but she is wanted. Hand her over."

Maxime moved to shield Akari from Aleksei's gaze, his face stern.

"No way."

"Are you, the captain of the 'White Spear,' going to protect a criminal? There will be problems."

Maxime laughed through his nose.

"Captain of the 'White Spear'... I just quit!"

Aleksei frowned.

"Are you trying to get away with childish behavior?"

"I've been thinking it's a hassle. This is perfect. Now I can beat you up without any complaints."

Aleksei smiled, looking amused.

"...So, you're going to fight. Capture them all!"

Maxime clicked his tongue and got ready. The constables, all wearing silver chest plates, raised their spears and surrounded Maxime. Aleksei cleverly moved behind the constables.

"So, you're going to fight me."

Maxime, still steaming, raised his battle hammer with both hands. The constables, intimidated, took a step back.

"What are you doing! He's a rebel!"

"---Hold it."

A woman's voice came from behind Aleksei.

Everyone's gaze focused on behind Aleksei.

It was Ophelia. Behind her was a middle-aged man.

"This is Ophelia-sama. However, I am on duty now. Please step aside."

His words were polite, but it was clear he was rejecting Ophelia's intervention.

"Akari's custody is in my hands. I request that you step aside."

Ophelia's gaze made Aleksei flinch. The chief attendant of the 'Attendants of the Moon Goddess' and the town constable were on different levels.

"You don't know, do you? This is Dorgon. Follow Dorgon's laws. And when did the 'Attendants of the Moon Goddess' start acting lawlessly? When did they gain such authority?"

Zangiro stepped forward to protect the constable.

"Akari is to receive a trial. It's not too late to find out the truth, is it?"

Ophelia said, trying to reason with him.

"I don't know what a trial of fact is, but no country recognizes such a suspicious thing. I don't have time to play children's games."

"The Western City State of Provence, Albaum, Insteka, Yurifranz, and the Ankwahl Islands Union have all agreed and sent envoys."

"---Our Erodorian United Kingdom has also officially decided to ratify the international trial treaty."

The middle-aged man behind Ophelia spoke for the first time.

"Who are you? If you say something ridiculous—"

"---I apologize for not introducing myself. I am Boris Egor Grink, a central government internal affairs inspector sent by the Erodorian Central Parliament to oversee this."

Zangiro looked as if he had found a pest.

"Those from Rolana. The Dorgon parliament was against the ratification of the treaty in the Central Parliament—"

"---Yes. However, after it was decided that Akari Fujishiro, the hero, would receive a trial of fact, the Central Parliament approved the treaty by a majority vote."

"Damn. But since no such notification has been sent to the Dorgon parliament, the treaty has not been implemented domestically—"

"---Yes, the law has not been implemented, so no notification has been sent to the Dorgon parliament. Therefore, as an extralegal measure, the Central Parliament has decided not to allow Akari Fujishiro to be detained until the trial of fact is completed. Unless she plans to flee, there is no such concern, as the trial of fact is a self-reporting system. As a precaution, we will assign a monitor."

Boris calmly and steadily refuted Zangiro's arguments without a smile.

Zangiro's face was twisted with hatred.

"Damn. Rolana's spineless bastards!—We'll take the attackers. I hope you're not planning to interfere with Dorgon's law enforcement—"

"---No, we have not been given such authority."

At these words, the constable ordered the constables.

The constables led the horses away.

Maxime looked at Ophelia.

Ophelia shook her head, as if to say, "Let them go."

"Damn. Hey, leave the battle horses. They're ours."

"These are the attackers' possessions. We will seize—"

"When you defeat bandits outside the village or town, their possessions are given to the victors. It's a remnant from the age of adventurers but is still valid. You should know that, right? Are you doing it on purpose?"

Zangiro clicked his tongue at Maxime's words.

"---Carry them."

At Zangiro's words, the constables lifted the attackers from the horses and carried them away in pairs of two.

"Remember this, you bastards."

Zangiro left, leaving a hateful parting shot.

"You're late, Ophelia."

"I'm sorry. Envoys from various countries arrived one after another, and I was dealing with them when Alie told me that Zangiro had led the constables outside. They were on guard around the village, so we couldn't get