episode_0020

To be honest, the distance wasn’t long enough to build up much speed.

The romanticized image of Lance charging at full speed, rushing into the enemy camp and wreaking havoc, is simply unrealistic.

One might question if it’s even possible to inflict damage with just the speed of a bicycle.

However, what is often overlooked is the fact that humans are fragile beings who can die just by being hit by a bicycle.

“The door is open! Let’s go in!”

“Really? Let’s go… Wait! Wait!! Don’t push me from behind!”

“Why? Move aside, let me see ahead… Ouch!”

“Peekaboo.”

– Crash!

Especially if it’s a medieval sports car. The charge of a monster weighing up to a ton is like a running truck.

If lightly bumped, one could recover with some care, but a head-on collision would result in a cliché reincarnation in another world.

The thieves who were eagerly rushing in to loot were bounced out like bowling pins.

Indeed, it was more satisfying to charge forward once than to play with rocks on the wall.

However, that sense of liberation was short-lived, as a tingling sensation in the wrist came belatedly.

The lance, which was already in poor condition after the initial charge, was now completely useless.

It was also due to the fact that it was forced to be used inappropriately. Although there was a separate lance for combat, it was not in this situation.

“It’s broken.”

It had been used for a long time.

If it was used for charging, it was indeed used for a long time. I discarded the lance without any regrets and drew my sword.

It was long enough to be wielded on horseback and had its weight centered towards the wrist, making it easy to swing.

At this point, I had hoped that we could call it a draw and retreat.

After all, thieves were a group gathered to make some money, and money was more valuable than life. So, if we could push back once and negotiate, there might be a chance… I thought.

“As long as we take down that guy, it’s over. Don’t take a step back!”

“But…”

“Don’t we have something to take care of here? If we finish this well, that’s all that matters.”

Whether it was a thought of compensating for the loss or not, they did not retreat.

Thieves were gradually entering the village through the gate I had passed. Although there were guards trying to block the narrow passage, it was uncertain how long they could hold out.

Whether I could protect them or not, the self-doubt was meaningless.

It was something that had to be done, and it was something that couldn’t be done without me.

Regaining my composure, I was on the opposite side of the thieves who had broken through. They weren’t heavily surrounded, which was why.

I turned my horse’s head back towards the village. Since my stamina wasn’t enough to charge at full speed anymore, I had to go through a tedious process from now on.

“Here they come!”

“Get ready!”

I had to go through each one and take care of them, huh.

It was something I had done a lot before, so it wasn’t unfamiliar.

The sword blessed by the priest was faintly shining. The effect wasn’t permanent, so I had to quickly push away the surrounding thieves and head into the village.

I tightly gripped the sword, feeling a slight warmth. It was as good as my lifeline, so I couldn’t afford to let it go.

However, for some reason, I felt like the light emanating from the sword was getting stronger.

“…What’s going on?”

Perhaps it was a reflection of the moonlight or torchlight.

I gripped the sword and rushed towards the thieves once again.

*****

Licia woke up to the commotion, and instead of going back to sleep, she got up and looked around.

Normally, she would have gone back to sleep, but she could tell from the situation that things were not normal.

The girl with her head held high met someone who was by her side.

It wasn’t Lavender… The figure didn’t match, and the length of the hair faintly visible in the light shining from outside the window didn’t match either.

Did Lavender leave her because he was annoyed? Just like when he left her at the church last time.

…No, that couldn’t be it.

He had mentioned that he would go out for a walk if he wasn’t sleepy in the early morning, so it wasn’t strange for him to be absent. That must be it.

Feeling a slight sense of unease at being alone, the girl asked in a slightly trembling voice.

“……Who are you?”

Only then did the person turn towards Lycia.

It was a woman with a sharp face. Although it was a face she had never seen before, she might be a local in this village.

“Oh, you’re awake? Don’t be too wary, I’m not a suspicious person, I’m Amellia. The situation right now is a bit unfavorable, um……”

“What’s happening right now?”

The sound of metal clashing from outside, the tearing of fabric, and the faint sound of prayers coming from beyond the slightly open door were not unfamiliar sounds.

And it was definitely not something that could be easily forgotten. She had a guess about the situation, but she wanted confirmation.

“Don’t be surprised, come inside. Thieves have attacked the village. The priest asked me to look after you for a while.”

“Did you say your name was Amellia? Do you know the knight who was with me? What about him…?”

“If he’s a knight… Ah, he was heading towards the village gate with the priest.”

It was natural for someone who made a living out of fighting to go and fight together. But even a knight was not invincible. It would have been much more helpful if he were here. Lycia stood up and said.

“I have to go.”

“Just a moment. There was a message from the knight for you.”

“What was it?”

“He said he’ll be back soon, so don’t come out and hide safely. It’s dangerous outside right now.”

“Still, I have to go.”

“Alright then.”

“…Really?”

Lycia stopped in her tracks, momentarily confused and unsteady.

Didn’t the priest say to watch over her? Shouldn’t she be stopped at a time like this? Of course, if she was allowed to go, she would. The woman who called herself Amellia seemed to know Lycia’s thoughts and smiled silently.

Lycia prepared to leave, putting on her shoes and clothes lightly. And just as she was about to open the door to leave, Amellia said.

“Make a choice you won’t regret.”

She didn’t know what that meant in a sense. Lycia prided herself on being able to understand people’s hearts to some extent, but she couldn’t see through this person.

She was truly a strange person.

“…I don’t know what you mean, but I’ll do that.”

Lycia replied and opened the door, stepping outside.

The church was filled with people praying and seeking salvation and miracles.

It reminded her of her hometown.

But that didn’t mean she had to face the same fate here.

The villagers were too preoccupied with praying, and no one noticed as the girl quietly slipped out of the church, opened the door, and walked outside.

Even the streets weren’t much different. The guards and the residents who volunteered to fight were running around shouting, too preoccupied to pay attention to anyone else.

Thanks to that, Lycia was able to reach the point where she could see the village gate without being hindered.

In the distance, she could see the gate where the guards were stationed. And behind them, Lavender was getting ready to ride a horse and run out.

He hadn’t abandoned her after all. Even though he could have, he hadn’t abandoned this village either.

That was reassuring, and it was the first time in her life that she, who had always been shunned, was being protected by someone.

In the midst of emotions she had never felt before, or rather, the same feeling she had when he rescued her from the ruins, the girl with a cluttered mind stood still for a moment.

“Open up!”

“Yes!”

Just as he entered her field of vision, Raven dashed out before she could even try to do anything.

Going into the midst of thieves outside? She had heard that the knights fought in that way originally, but from the perspective of watching from behind, she wondered if it was really okay.

What should I do, what should I do.

She didn’t know any suitable offensive magic. She had seen healing magic before, so she could probably do that, but she had never seen offensive magic up close.

“Oh, a blessing!”

The alternative that suddenly came to mind was a blessing.

Not just a beginner-level blessing that wished for good luck, but a blessing that could have a significant impact on an individual’s combat power.

She had learned that it didn’t have to be close from the inn.

The girl closed her eyes and imagined Raven’s sword in her mind. And like the priestess Piffin had shown her, she cast a spell, wishing for more power and protection.

At the moment when everyone’s attention was focused on Raven rushing towards the thieves.

A bright light burst out momentarily, unlike anything she had tried in the inn’s blankets before.

Some who noticed the anomaly turned around, but since only the dark street was visible, they dismissed it as a mistake and erased it from their memory.

Licia gently opened her eyes. She had prayed harder than before, but did it work?

The girl looked at the door Raven had dashed out of earlier. It was still filled with incoming thieves, so she couldn’t see beyond it properly.

So, thinking she might see better if she got a little closer, she was about to take a step forward.

“Why did he suddenly- Agh!”

“Just because he’s a knight doesn’t mean he’s anything special! But what the hell is that!”

The thieves were all in a commotion, then scattered. Finally, Raven appeared beyond them.

Swinging his shining sword even in the darkness, he shouted at the thieves.

“What’s happening! What am I doing right now?”

“Get lost, damn it! Get out of here!”

“I’m sorry!”

Licia began to seriously suspect if her magic had a side effect of making people’s heads strange.