episode_0013

Mirella was climbing the hill, humming a tune.

This was a rough field that could be found by walking along the northern road of the village.

It was a place where one could often come and play, as it offered a panoramic view of the surrounding scenery, including the village.

Here, Mirella planned to practice fighting with a lid opener.

Last time, her brother praised her when she defeated a monster at Mestophin’s garbage dump.

At that time, she felt so good and her body became strangely hot.

If she defeats another monster in the future, her brother will praise her and like her, so she must practice.

After climbing the hill, Mirella took off her coat, laid it on the ground, and raised the lid opener.

“Yahap!”

She shouted and fiercely struck the tree on the hill with the sharp lid opener.

“Yaaahap!”

Mirella struck the tree several times with the lid opener.

“You can’t properly exert your strength by just using your arms like that.”

Then, she heard a voice.

Someone was looking down at Mirella from somewhere around the middle of the hill.

A woman in armor riding a horse.

Judging by the armor, she wasn’t an ordinary person.

And judging by the expensive-looking armor, she didn’t seem like a wandering mercenary either.

Her face was so beautiful that she definitely didn’t belong in that line of work.

Moreover, she was riding a horse.

If she’s wearing expensive armor and riding a horse, she’s probably not an ordinary person.

And what’s hanging from the saddle? Is that a pillar?

Mirella carefully observed the thick, long object hanging horizontally from the horse’s head to its tail.

She saw a long hilt with elaborate patterns engraved on the scabbard, which seemed overflowing even when held with both hands.

Could that be a sword?

It looks longer than most people’s swords.

It would take ages just to draw it from the scabbard.

“When attacking, not only your arms but also your legs and waist must move together.”

“What?”

The Holy Knight Liberone moved her horse slowly up the hill, speaking.

After dismounting, Liberone stood in front of Mirella.

“Try hitting me.”

“What? With this? All of a sudden?”

“Yes, try. I’ll watch your posture.”

Hesitating, Mirella looked back and forth between the armor and the giant sword.

Well, if you’re so heavily armed, a little bat-swinging should be fine.

“Alright then!”

Mirella swung the lid with all her might at Reberone’s thigh.

“Agh!”

Reberone didn’t even flinch.

Instead, it was only Mirella who screamed as she missed swinging the lid due to the shock that transferred through her wrist.

“Ugh, what the… Are you human?!”

“I am.”

Picking up the fallen lid opener, Reberone lightly brandished it.

“That’s no ordinary wooden bat.”

“I got it from beating up a thug in the garbage dump.”

“A thug from the garbage dump?”

Mirella told Reberone about an incident involving a thug who used to claim the garbage dump as his territory and came to the village to commit robbery but ended up getting beaten.

“I see. You’re a brave kid.”

Handing over the lid opener, Reberone said, “Right now, you’re only using the strength of your shoulders and arms as a weapon. But no matter how much you train your muscles, the muscles of the upper body cannot keep up with those of the lower body and core. To strike effectively, the whole body must function.”

“Um, so when hitting, I have to use my arms, legs, and waist together, right?”

“Exactly. I’ll show you the technique, so follow along.”

Reberone spread her legs and made a swinging motion through the air.

When Mirella imitated it, Reberone showed the next movement.

Mirella followed suit.

“Now, connect these two movements and try using the bat.”

Recalling the recent movements, Mirella swung the lid opener.

“Ahh! What the?!”

Seeing a burst of red energy along the trajectory of the lid opener, Mirella screamed.

“What was that?! Just now, what was that?!”

But it wasn’t just Mirella who was surprised.

Reberone also looked astonished at what had happened.

“You’ve caused an aura. Is this really possible?”

“An aura? What’s that?”

“It’s the materialized inner power that warriors who undergo extreme training can use. It seems you have a talent bestowed by the gods.”

“The gods? Well, I’m not sure.”

“No, you were definitely born with it. If you meet a proper teacher, you will surely become an excellent inspector.”

“But I don’t want to be an inspector.”

In response to Mirella’s rebuttal, Reberone replied with indifferent eyes.

“Not unfolding your innate talent is also a sin.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It’s a sin against the god who gave you the talent and an insult to the many ordinary people who are frustrated by their lack of talent.”

“But I’m not going to be an inspector. I’m going to be the owner of our village potion shop.”

“If you’re going to be the owner of the potion shop, does that mean you’re going to marry the owner of the potion shop? From what I see, you still seem quite young to be talking about marriage.”

“Is age important?”

“I see. You’re right. There’s no age in love.”

Reberone agreed.

Looking at Reberone for a moment, Mirella asked, “By the way, who are you? Are you an adventurer?”

“I am a holy knight, Reberone.”

“A holy knight? What’s that?”

“A knight belonging to the Holy Knights of the Church, carrying out missions.”

“What’s the difference between that and just a knight?”

“We use divine power.”

“What’s divine power?”

“You don’t know what divine power is? Surely there must be at least one priest in the village.”

“We don’t have a priest. I heard there might be one in Odellin Siena far away.”

“There’s no priest? Not even a traveling priest?”

“I’ve never seen a priest in my life.”

Reberone was slightly shocked.

Wherever people live, there is always a priest.

For the sacred duty of service and to collect offerings.

But never having seen a priest?

Just how backward and isolated a place must it be?

No wonder someone claiming to be a god has appeared, causing confusion.

If there had been a proper priest, such a thing would not have happened.

It’s unforgivable no matter how you think about it.

It’s only right to punish those who deceive ignorant believers, masquerading as a knightly order and pursuing personal gain.

Surely they should be punished and the village restored to normal.

“But why did you come here? Do you have something to see in the village?”

“I heard there’s someone in the village who claims to be a god and deceives the innocent.”

“Huh? There’s no such person.”

Mirella answered without hesitation.

It’s a question that doesn’t even need consideration.

Who would call themselves a god unless they were hit on the head with a mace?

“We don’t have anyone like that in our village.”

Liberone thought to himself.

It seems the imposter has completely mentally dominated the innocent villagers.

Probably made some kind of advance arrangement to ensure that their existence is never exposed to outsiders.

“Then, is there such a thing as a knight’s order?”

“A knight’s order?”

In response to that question, Mirella fell into thought for a moment.

There is a potion knight’s order, but it’s not really a knight’s order; it’s more like a village self-defense force or volunteer organization.

It’s an activity where the poor gather together to improve our village.

Among ourselves, we call it a knight’s order, but if we were to say that to outsiders, it would be laughable.

“No? There’s no such thing.”

Liberone asserted.

The information from the institution cannot be wrong.

Clearly, there is a malevolent figure who has taken control of this village.

Finding that person and, if necessary, confronting them is my duty.

“Where are you going?”

As Liberone stood up, Mirella also rose.

“I’ve heard that someone in this village has called themselves a god and created a wicked group called the knight’s order. I came here to confirm it.”

“Oh…? It seems like you’re seriously mistaken about something…”

“Anyway, thank you, girl. From now on, I will save this village in the name of the divine. But first, I’ll take you home.”

“No, really, there’s nothing like that. I appreciate the offer to give me a ride, though.”

Mirella, who had never ridden a horse in her life, got on the saddle with a grin.

* * * * *

“Oh no, please get up and eat something, please!”

I shouted at the administrator who was kneeling in front of me, hastily drinking a healing potion.

While cleaning the hall earlier, I had told the administrator that if needed, they could come and drink a healing potion for free.

When the administrator’s depression suddenly worsened, pouring a healing potion down their throat would rapidly restore them.

That’s why they came today.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, and when I opened it, the administrator crawled in on all fours, begging for a healing potion.

As soon as I gave her one, she knelt down and started sucking on the bottle right there.

She was so urgent in eating that she was making a mess all over her chest, but that wasn’t the problem; the problem was her posture, which was very serious.

I was standing, and in front of me, the town official was on his knees, awkwardly holding the bottle with one hand while his upper body was swaying.

If someone else saw it, they would undoubtedly misunderstand it as “an act that should not happen in broad daylight in front of a potion shop.”

“You shouldn’t be seeing something like that.”

Sure enough.

Just then, a woman riding a horse passed by our shop, covering the eyes of the child in front of her and turning her head the other way.

“Of course, it’s a village ignorant and steeped in evil. A place where oral sex is happening in broad daylight in front of a potion shop.”

“That’s not it, hahaha….”

“Gulp! Cough! Ohh! Ogh!”

Just then, the town official, who had been silent, let out a loud cough.

“Ohhh! Ogh! Cough!”

“It’s really not that, hahaha…. We’re just drinking a potion….”

“Pheeew…. I’ve finished it….”

Watching the town official stick out her tongue and show the inside of her mouth with both index fingers, I let out a long sigh.

A crazy woman like this is the town official.

As I tried to forcibly lift the town official up, I suddenly looked up.

The woman on the horse was slowly moving away in the distance.

Is that the armor of the Holy Knights?

Is the redhead in front Mirella?

What’s going on?

* * * * *

“What’s wrong, what is it!”

It was only after we had moved quite far from the potion shop that Mirella, who had finally shaken off Riverone’s hand, turned around.

“It was nothing. The shop owner was just receiving oral sex from some woman.”

“Whaaaat?!”