1002. Fight, sword, fight, sword
Trimache imbued her arrows with the essence of the wind. If the fairies of the continent wielded the essence of the four seasons, the fairies of the empire were slightly different.
‘wind.’
She visualized the scene, gathered her strength, and channeled power into the arrow shaft. It was an arrow drawn from beside the quiver strapped to her side.
The essence of wind made the arrow sharper and faster.
Besides these, there also existed the energies of fire, water, and earth; the essence of earth suited heavy weapons, while the essence of water, when applied to swordsmanship, was perfectly suited to a flowing style.
The essence of fire was the power to explode, burn, and scorch. It could be imbued anywhere, yet it was an energy difficult to handle.
She pulled the bowstring and aimed. It was an action she took the moment she confirmed the Coffin of Silence. She
couldn’t just leave that alone. Her purpose for stepping forward here and now for today’s task was clear.
Killing the Death Knight Fairy.
The fairy leading the bandits is a real headache. Yet, we couldn’t simply call in the Imperial Knights active in the Northeast. We had previously brought in a knight to chase them, but hadn’t the Spirit Fairy, the ringleader of the bandits, erased all traces and gone into hiding? We went
through all the trouble trying to find him, only to end up losing our forces in the Northeast. Since
the fairy riding the Warhorse of Hell had deliberately fled, we would need to bring in a legendary Pegasus to catch him.
Of course, we could just bring in one of the Empire’s top knights, but what about the resulting loss of power?
Ultimately, what is the best course of action? We must trick them and kill them. That is why we needed a unique face, and those mad knights served as the perfect trap.
But to let them get caught right from the start?
That can’t be.
Wind gathered around the arrow filled with energy, accompanied by a whirring sound.
The projectile thrown by the barbarian had just exploded the enemy’s head, and while this was surprising, Trimache focused on his task even in such a moment.
Order first.
She was just about to draw the bowstring, the thought having crossed her mind. Previously, the Black Monster mage belonging to Astrail had mimicked the Golden Word spell, the Crown of Silence, upon seeing it; that was the Black Monster Crown. Had he
simply dodged it back then?
Naturally, Trimache was unaware of this fact. All she could see was a blue line drawn horizontally across her eyes, followed by the crown being severed.
‘… … Huh? Can it really be cut like that?’
Mastering all four major spirits is a requirement for a Fairy Knight. For that reason, Trimache was a Fairy Knight.
That is why he knows just how nonsensical that act is right now.
Order Murder?
That was a feat even Bram Ritzer couldn’t easily pull off. Of course, one might wonder if there is anything he can’t do if he sets his mind to it.
Encred, having burst forth from the split line, charged at the elf on horseback.
It looked just like a powerful fish leaping out of a deep blue river.
he-
It was before the Hell Horse could even breathe fire and lift its two legs. His sword struck the horse’s head first.
With a passing, almost flicking strike, the Hell Horse’s head split open. That was the end of it. The summoned creature vanished in an instant, emitting blue flames.
The Bandit Fairy did not simply accept defeat. Leaping into the air, she spread ten fingers downward.
Black arrows appeared in front of her, matching the number of fingers. They were the length that would fit perfectly on a short crossbow. Ten bolts made of spells flew
toward her. The human named Enkrid nonchalantly swung his sword ten times, shattering the ten short, spell-made arrows.
Jjeojeong.
Fine dust scattered through the air like shattered black glass. Amidst the dust, the Bandit Fairy drew the sword from her waist and swung it.
The Commander Fairy leading the bandit group was, of course, of knight-class caliber. Otherwise, she would not have been the subject of a wager.
The Bandit Fairy’s longsword fell with a thud. The sword of the human from the continent danced to parry it, deflected it, and extended straight forward to pierce the Fairy’s heart. The
layers of monster hide and magic-infused armor shattered and were pierced by a single thrust. As soon as she was struck, the Fairy kicked the face of the one who had stabbed her, while Encred blocked the blow using his left arm as a shield.
With a thud, the Fairy was sent flying backward using the recoil.
“Cough!”
The fairy who had fallen to the floor rolled backward, then bounced up and knelt on one knee. Blood streamed from her mouth.
“You’re going to betray the clan’s history in the end?”
She spoke.
Encred couldn’t understand the words, but Trimache knew what they meant. After
all, the Bandit Fairy must be a member of the Heritage Society.
They are people who value the past and their lineage. Those who deny everything that has come into being since the integration of different races that shaped the present, and who insist that they must return to the past.
These people are no different from devils.
Trimache sees it that way. Because what they desire is precisely a life living intermingled with the demonic realm.
“Damn Emperor, what do you desire standing on that throne? Dream of slaughter. For everything must return to the beginning.”
The bandit fairy muttered, then lowered his head. He had died after throwing a fit while kneeling on one knee.
Trimache released the life force stored in the arrow. They had ended the fight while he hesitated for just a moment.
The man who had initially thrown the leather strap with a “whoosh” sound, spun it exactly two and a half times, picked up his axe, kicked off the ground with a thud, and sliced to death those blocking his path; meanwhile, the wizard snapped his fingers a few times and reverse-summoned the creature another had called upon, obliterating it.
Trimache was not unfamiliar with spells, so he knew just how formidable this feat was.
Wasn’t it akin to dyeing another’s color with one’s own, then declaring that the painting was now his and that he would burn it?
Naturally, the owner shouldn’t have meekly accepted it, but the owner of the painting had been pierced through the heart and died. Though, he hadn’t had a chance to intervene.
Even so, it’s not an easy task.
It was a moment that revealed the witch’s greatness. That was not all. Yongin, who was thought to be merely watching, defeated several members of the bandit group with a pure white sword, and Sinar, a fairy like himself, slit the throats of three bandits targeting Encred’s rear with a concise sword strike while walking.
The energy being handled is different.
Trimache certainly saw the difference between the skills possessed by the continental fairies and those she possessed.
Everything flashed by like lightning. The bandit group that had been evading them until now was finished.
Trimache put the arrow back in her sheath, but she did not untie the bowstring yet.
What is the Emperor thinking?
A question suddenly crossed my mind. What was I thinking sending them? A bet? That can’t be the whole story.
Are you trying to make them fall out with the Heritage Society?
If that were the intention, there were many more effective targets to strike even if not here. So, that couldn’t be it either.
Along with being curious about the Emperor’s ulterior motives, I was also curious about the true intentions of the man from the continent.
What is that man thinking?
Shall I try using Synchronization? Trimache used the Fairy’s mental imagery technique. It is a skill that allows one to peek into an opponent’s mind. It is similar to the Dragon People’s mind reading, but differs slightly in that it involves directly entering the opponent’s mind to scan it. It is a
technique developed and passed down by the Emperor. Trimache closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated. As
she closed her eyes, the people spread out in all directions felt like balls of light. She pulled her light directly to the location where the human named Enkrid had been.
That connected them. She could see inside the opponent. It was his will.
‘Is this the end? Is that all? I haven’t even warmed up yet.’
‘This is fun. Swordsmanship.’
‘I want to fight more.’
‘I need an opponent.’
‘Fight.’
‘Sword.’
‘Fight.’
‘Sword.’
In the midst of this, deep blue eyes stared at her. Trimache opened her eyes in terror. The figure in her mind had recognized her and was staring intently. A cold sweat ran down her back.
What is that?
Is it a Balrog? Isn’t it no different from the one called the Demon of Conflict? To think it even acknowledges and watches my sympathy? If I had let my guard down even for a moment, I would have suffered a blow to my mental strength, but the opponent let me off the hook. I felt it vividly.
“Do not peek. The fairies of the Empire certainly possess extraordinary talents.”
A voice flowed into Trimache’s ears. A fairy and a dragonman of the continent stood before her. A human named Encred looked at her from a distance, while Rem and the witch ambled back as if nothing had happened.
I have no insidious intentions, but I am full of suspicion.
Yongin figured out her true feelings.
“Leave him alone. Don’t bother him.”
The man representing them approached and spoke. He took a cloth from his bosom and wiped the blood and oil off the sword.
Are you taking care of the cleanup yourself?
He asked. Trimache nodded.
‘danger.’
The fairies of the Empire perceived their very existence as a threat. The reason? Does that matter? Those possessing such military power crave battle. That in itself is the threat.
Lord Donapa was right.
Then is the Emperor wrong?
That doesn’t happen.
Conflicting thoughts tormented her. Instead of contemplating, Trimache spat out the Emperor’s words.
“The King of Naurilia won the bet.”
“Isn’t that obvious, considering the person who was supposed to participate in the bet didn’t even show up in the first place?”
“It was quite a headache trying to catch the bandits. If they had let them get away, His Majesty the Emperor would have won.”
Did he save the ability to catch them if he missed them here?
Well, he hadn’t really thought about it deeply, but Encreed remembered that the two knights he had encountered when he came here were absent.
The Empire always needs knightly power.
I don’t know the reason. But looking at the way things are going, I understand. The people I met and competed against on my way here were all people who had taken the time out of their busy schedules to come.
The party of knights accompanying Count Coty didn’t even show their faces.
Did they do that because they weren’t interested? There might be some who are, but surely there are others who aren’t?
The conclusion is this: I don’t know the reason, but Imperial Knights have a lot to do.
For that reason, the male and female knights I saw before must have come with a clear purpose.
So, the purpose wasn’t just for me to see.
It was a simple deduction. Well, it might not be a simple reasoning for some people, but it was easy for Encred.
Not that there was any need to say this, though.
“Is this the end?”
I asked because it felt like something was left unfinished.
“That is interesting. If you ask that, Mother the Emperor told you to look around a bit; would you really do that?”
It felt like he was playing right into the palm of the Emperor’s hand, but Encred didn’t mind. His suspicions grew stronger. It seemed like there was a hidden motive, but he couldn’t quite figure it out. Encred simply nodded and replied.
“I will.”
Everyone remained silent. Only Sinar issued a warning in a serious tone.
Don’t do that again.
Trimache nodded, realizing that the fairy Sinar was warning about ‘synchronization’.
“Okay.”
Trimache nodded and pulled a small mirror from her waist. One of the most fascinating things about coming to the Empire was that glass and mirrors like that were common here. The manufacturing techniques were clearly more advanced than those on the continent. It seemed that almost everyone passing by carried one.
Among them, the one Trimache possessed was even more special. As soon as she took it out, Esther approached. She came within arm’s reach and stared intently.
Trimache flinched but went about her business. She placed her thumb on the mirror and spoke.
“I’ve eliminated the bandits, so come clean up.”
“Object.”
It is what Esther says as if asking.
“……That’s right. Do you covet it?”
“Yeah.”
It is an answer that never declines.
“Why don’t you suggest it when you get back? It’s not that valuable of an item.”
The small mirror previously made for Encred was disposable, but the mirror Trimache brought out now was a reusable item. Since it
was based on a spell that communicates through a water mirror, its form naturally became a mirror.
Trimache took the lead, walking along the road as if running.
Whether it was good luck or bad luck,
the western part of the capital was plagued with various problems in addition to the bandit gangs. The party encountered the traces left by the second of these problems.
A caravan had been attacked. The Empire is peaceful, but that is limited to only a select few. Because the Empire is vast, many were sacrificed and died within it.
“who are you?”
Among them, a living child saw the group and asked. White smoke was rising, and overturned carriages, dead horses, and tents set up in between were visible.
“Ugh.”
There were many who groaned with bandages wrapped around their legs or faces. The only unharmed person was the child I had just spoken to. The Empire is vast. It was a moment when Seriana’s words were deeply etched in my mind.
On the face of the child, who was not even fifteen and covered in soot, two lines ran downward. They were where tears had passed.
“What happened?”
Encred asked. The child did not cry. He merely looked around and spat out bitter words.
Are you blind? We fought. And many died.
Was there resentment in that audacious tone? No, rather than that, it was an expression of the will to live with wariness.
“I am Trimache of the Imperial Knights.”
The fairy of the Empire stepped forward with an indifferent attitude.
Encred looked around. The size of the caravan was not small. More than ten people were dead, and all the armed ones were dead. There were only three survivors, including a child. Two of them were groaning in pain from severe injuries, and more than ten were dead.
