That night, the party set up camp before the forest of Selsuru. Shakira’s hometown, Selsuru, would be right there if they went through the forest like this, but going into the forest after sunset—though there was a highway laid out—was akin to a suicidal act. The forest at night, where one wouldn’t know from where stray dogs, wolves and bears could appear, was a dangerous place, which even hunters would hardly set foot in unless there was a good reason to.
Besides, even if they went through the forest all night knowing the danger, it’d be before daybreak when they arrived at Selsuru. In that case, it’d be better to stay up all night here safely, depart early morning tomorrow and arrive at Selsuru before dusk; their fatigue would be mentally and physically lesser as well.
Countless tents were pitched in the surroundings of a huge and luxurious tent, which was rarely used, for the Crown Prince’s use. It looked just like a group of herbivores sleeping with their shoulders pressed against each other for fear of attacks from other beasts.
Fortunately, Dimitar who had undertaken the night watch duty last night was freed from that hard work tonight and could lie down at a normal time. The sense of security that the journey, which was full of nothing but worries, would finally be over tomorrow turned Dimitar’s tired feeling into a pleasant one.
Dimitar, who was lying down in the endmost tent of the group together with the other apprentices, crawled out from the middle of his sleep quietly and opened his eyes softly.
「……」
He could faintly hear the popping sounds of the firewood of the campfire mixed in with the breathing sounds and snores of his sleeping colleagues. Conversely, he could hear them only. Even though he could hear the hoots of owls and the sounds of insects before going to sleep, they had stopped now.
When Dimitar felt uneasy suddenly and tried to get up, a fire arrow penetrated the tent and flew in. A red flame rose up from the fire arrow, which had pierced the prop, and spread to the canvas.
「! It’s a night attack!」
Calling out to the surrounding apprentices, Dimitar tore off his blanket and stood up.
「Tsk… what are the night watchmen doing!?」
Dimitar hurriedly buttoned his shirt, grabbed just his sword and rushed out of the tent.
The members on night watch were moving about in confusion outside. Fire arrows were flying here sporadically from the other side of the darkness, but as the enemies’ figures couldn’t be confirmed, they were probably thrown into confusion. Approximately half of the members could act without being flustered. The horses had also become frightened by the sudden attack and were starting to neigh.
Honestly, he didn’t care what would happen to the members who had relaxed their guard, but if any harm befell even the Crown Prince and Shakira, Lucius’s position would become bad. Dimitar removed the scabbard, unsheathed his sword and ran towards the Crown Prince’s tent.
「Your Highness! Your Eminence!」
「Dii!」
Pieces of firewood scattered from the campfires that were kicked over, and among the members who were trampling them and running around, a voice responded to Dimitar.
「Lucius!?」
Lucius came from the direction of the Crown Prince’s tent and as one would expect, he was calm. While encouraging the surrounding members, he was giving them detailed instructions and trying to restore order.
「You’re safe, huh, Dii」
「Yes. …What about His Highness and Her Eminence?」
「They’re safe. His Highness is already leaving this place together with Her Eminence on a carriage protected by the members」
Lucius brushed his long silver hair away and sighed.
「—Judging from this half-baked night attack, it’s most likely the deed of bandits」
「Bandits?」
「Yes. I heard that the remnants of the bandits who were subjugated by the army a little while ago have been attacking the towns and villages of this area」
「I see… their total number shouldn’t be many, right?」
「Yes. I’ve issued instructions to every commanding officer to retreat slowly while making arrangements to guard His Highness and Her Eminence, …but you’re an apprentice whose attachment hasn’t been officially decided yet. You can do as you like. However, don’t die, all right?」
「I know」
Dimitar lightly grabbed back the left hand of Lucius who had patted him on the shoulder and turned on his heel.
The young members who still hadn’t got used to actual fighting were becoming restless in the first night attack of their lives, but the relatively experienced members were trying to retreat, though little by little, in the direction that the Crown Prince and the others had moved while drawing their swords and counterattacking.
His colleagues here probably didn’t need any help in particular. The ones who probably needed help the most now were the apprentices who had slept in the same tent as Dimitar.
「—I’m under no obligation to them in particular, but if I’m the only apprentice who survived, I’ll receive harsh treatment again」
Dimitar, who had come back to his tent, couldn’t help smiling wryly at the expected development.
The flame that had spread from the fire arrow to the tent coloured the darkness red, and ten or so men were fighting in front of it. To be more precise, the young men who had got cold feet completely were standing face to face with men who wore shabby leather armours. All the men had stubbly beards that looked dirty, and their appearances were certainly convincing if they were called ex-bandits.
「What are they doing—」
Dimitar laughed at his colleagues, who were on the verge of tears and swinging their swords blindly, and picked up a spear that was dropped on that spot.
「Oi!」
He simultaneously attracted the thieves’ attention and threw the spear at them.
「!?」
As if to restrain the thieves who had tried to cut down the young men in one breath, the spear pierced the ground in front of them with a heavy impact.
「—」
Not only the thieves but also the young men looked back at Dimitar and opened their eyes wide in surprise.
「Since I specially attracted the enemies’ attention for you, you should have escaped at this opportunity—stupid fellows are stupid through and through, good grief」
Shaking off the redness of the flickering flame behind his eyelids lightly, Dimitar ran. Moving his left hand according to a specific pattern while running, he poured magic power into the magic crestHieratika and excited the magic square for “Double Power”Force.
「—Move aside! Step back!」
Dimitar, who had accelerated to a speed that surpassed an ordinary person’s in one breath, jumped over the young men who still couldn’t move, and his sword flashed.
「Guga」
Flicking off the rust-covered sword of the thief at the very front greatly, Dimitar drove a front kick into his solar plexus like a stake. His leg strength, which had been strengthened by magic, most likely must have ruptured the thief’s internal organs in one blow.
No longer paying any attention to the thief who had vomited blood and collapsed, Dimitar spoke to the young men behind him.
「If you can’t fight well, take the horses and retreat! You’re in the way!」
「Ah, yes—」
The young members who were stunned by the shock of an actual fighting nodded at Dimitar’s threatening attitude, tumbled and ran away from that place.
The origin of the Seal Chivalric Order was said to be the eighty-nine warriors who had supported the “Lord of RedemptionReduntra” together with the twelve priests to seal the “DemonMaroudo”, rendering a meritorious deed. It was said that they were warriors as well as excellent magic warriors, and in imitation of them, one must be able to master not only the sword but also magic to join the chivalric order.
However, that was simply the official stance, and the members who had no magic talent weren’t few. For example, like those fellows who had ran away just now, the members who could neither use magic nor handle a sword well—without a single exception—compensated for their lack of talent with the economic power of their parents’ homes.
If he had to receive token support from such fellows who had no fighting power, it was much easier to fight alone.
「I can’t afford to even babysit green young men from well-to-do families, you know—!」
Dimitar spat out so and deeply slashed at the wrist of the thief who had lunged at him with a spear.
「O—」
In a one-to-many fight, he didn’t have time to finish the enemies off one-by-one. If he stopped moving even a little, he’d be surrounded and killed. Therefore, it was more efficient to not think about killing the enemy in front of him but inflict a wound on him and make him lose his fighting spirit for the time being. Fellows who hadn’t an ounce of sense of mission, like bandits especially, gave top priority to their own survival, so Dimitar didn’t think they’d continue to fight until they stopped their own massive bleeding.
「Go…, damn it—!」
When he had just cut off two, three little fingers and one wrist in the twinkling of an eye, Dimitar jumped back greatly.
At that moment, an intense pain shot through the back and upper arm of his right shoulder. He immediately understood that an arrow had flown from somewhere and pierced him.
「—!」
Although he staggered slightly, Dimitar didn’t stop moving. He immediately transferred the sword to his left hand and rushed into the group of remaining thieves. That he had purposely cut his way into the midst of the enemy was to prevent being shot by a second and third arrow.
「Gyaa!」
Biting his lip at the pain, Dimitar swung his sword. The thief who was cut lightly in the chest let out an exaggerated scream and rolled on the ground.
「…Tsk」
The fingers of his right hand didn’t move well. He could endure any amount of pain, but he couldn’t handle the sword well with this hand.
Dimitar had been training regularly so that he could use the sword with either hand on the assumption that there might be an unexpected situation, but not being able to use his right hand was a serious situation nonetheless. After all, he’d lose by misusing his powers and be at a disadvantage if he thoughtlessly went on the defensive, and the more time he spent, the slower his movements became due to the bleeding.
When Dimitar dodged the spear of the thief in front of him and conversely lunged his sword, he aimed and thrust at the joint of the leather armour.
「Gu, bu, o…!」
Putting his foot on the shoulder of the thief who fell forward and pulling his sword out, Dimitar immediately looked back and lay face-down instantly.
An arrow moving fast against the wind flew by close to him.
「…!」
Normally, fools who would shoot arrows when their allies were fighting didn’t exist. In other words, the one who had been shooting arrows since just now wasn’t a thief; moreover, they weren’t Dimitar’s ally either.
Some thieves were hit by the arrows from just now and fell. Perhaps they had lost their nerves seeing that, the surviving thieves who had each sustained a wound in their fight against Dimitar escaped towards the other side of the darkness that was flickering with flames.
While bending over, Dimitar ran with short steps and hid himself behind a tree. Furthermore, an arrow pierced the bark of that tree.
It had become clear with this. The arrows were obviously aimed at Dimitar.
「……」
The force of the flames that had turned the tent into black ashes wasn’t of the extent of spreading to the young tree. The flames gradually abated, and the surroundings fell into a deep darkness again.
Just before he jumped behind the tree, Dimitar had noticed that there were figures of people approaching, carrying a bow and arrows. He felt that there were three people at least.
「…Don’t tell me it was those green young men from well-to-do families? The one called Michel or something…」
As far as the people aiming for his life, besides the bandits, were concerned, he had no idea of anyone else but them.
「They looked like fellows who would run away first when we were attacked by the bandits though… or rather, were they late in running away?」
Although Dimitar smiled wryly, this wasn’t a situation where he could smile so. The fact that they suddenly shot arrows when he was crossing swords with the bandits meant that the other party didn’t care even if Dimitar lost his life—rather, they were probably thinking of killing him. Their intention to finish Dimitar off for certain could be felt from the fact that they appeared now when the bandits had fled.
Dimitar knitted his brows, looked at his right arm and gently pulled out the arrow stuck in his upper arm.
「…D, damn it—」
The blood flowing from the arrow wound soaked his shirt bright red. It might have ended with a bit slighter wound if he had worn an outer garment, but it was a misfortune that he had rushed out lightly dressed as soon as he got up.
「……」
When he listened carefully, battle cries could be heard faintly from the direction closer to the forest. While Dimitar was fighting alone, everyone was probably escaping safely in the direction the Crown Prince’s party had retreated.
Judging from the fact that the bandits had retreated unexpectedly easily, they might have mistaken their party for a large-scale caravan. Although the bandits had made a night attack thinking they were suitable preys, they received an unexpected resistance and ran away hurriedly—it was more or less something like that.
It seemed that the ones remaining here were Dimitar and the wicked assailants only. If those assailants with the bow and arrows were Michel Bolieiro and his followers, the number of people should be three, but in any case, they were troublesome opponents for the current Dimitar.
「…Good grief, increasing troubles for me…」
Dimitar swallowed a groan of agony and shook his left hand quietly. Containing a bluish-black brilliance, the magic crest drew the magic square for “TornadoRazor”.
「—Fu!」
He jumped out from behind the tree and released his magic power simultaneously. As expected, the number of enemies were three people. It seemed that they reacted to Dimitar’s movement and tried to shoot their arrows, but the wind blade reached them just an instant earlier.
「Giah!」
The sound of the bowstring of a bow being cut and snapping and someone’s scream were emitted loudly.
Dimitar pulled out the sword that he had thrust into the ground and ran towards the enemy immediately.
「Y, you—! I never like you guys!」
The one who had thrown away the bow of which its bowstring was cut, drawn a sword and come charging was a young man who had wrapped a bandage across the centre of his face.
「…As expected, it’s you guys, huh」
Confirming that it was the face of Michel Bolieiro—the other party whose nose he had broken last night, Dimitar clicked his tongue.
The current wounded Dimitar didn’t have the leeway to think about the other party’s position and go easy on him. If he prioritised his own survival, he might really kill Michel’s party. However, even though it was for self-defence, killing the heir of the Bolieiro House would become a big problem in the future. It was still fine if only he himself was blamed, but he wanted to avoid causing trouble to even Lucius and Orvieto.
While feeling slightly irritated, Dimitar crossed swords with Michel just as they were passing by one another. If he rashly did something like locking sword to sword and pushing, it was clear that Dimitar who could only use his left arm would be overpowered. He wanted to cast the “Double Power” magic again, but in this one-on-three situation, he couldn’t even take the time to do so.
A spear extending from the side attacked Dimitar who had turned around and tried to slash at Michel simultaneously.
「!」
The one handling the spear was a young man who was the only person whose face had no injuries. He was either Héctor or Hugo—he most likely must be Héctor. Dimitar arbitrarily assumed so.
「Die! Richternach!」
The tip of the spear that Héctor, whose face had turned deep red, was lunging in rapid succession extended towards Dimitar’s throat. Perhaps it was because he was kicked in the solar plexus and became unable to move first last night that his damage was consequently the smallest, his handling of the spear was strong and accurate.
「If you can do that much, you should just aim to succeed in life seriously though—」
Dimitar, who had spat out so inside his mind, cut off the tip of the spear while bending himself backwards and dodging Héctor’s offence.
「…! Y, you bastard—」
Without a pause, Michel and Hugo came slashing at him.
「You guys are an eyesore!」
Michel directly swung the sword he was gasping tightly with both hands downwards from an overhead position. Michel who came striking with his sword again and again, his face which was divided into top and bottom by the bandage flushing deep red, was comical and at the same time, bizarre as well.
「Just Lucius alone is already an eyesore, a, and yet there’s even you…! You Richternachs! Quickly disappear! Die! You’re a hindrance!」
「…」
Although he wanted to curse at Michel’s self-centred shout, Dimitar bit his lip and endured it. At present, he wanted number of hands more than number of words. He somehow parried Michel’s and Hugo’s weapons and tried to take a roundabout path to the side.
—However, just when he was about to do that, he was severely hit on the waist.
「Gu?」
Héctor recklessly brandished the spear that had lost its tip and hit Dimitar’s back again and again very hard.
「This guy—!」
Dimitar tried to slash at Héctor just as he was turning around, but his hand that was holding the sword was hit by the handle of the spear and he unintentionally dropped the sword.
「Daa—」
Hugo lunged at Dimitar who had tried to pick up the sword with his left hand, which had become numb. Although it ended with just his flank being slightly gouged out because of him twisting his body instantly, Dimitar got entangled with Hugo who had collided with him and fell over.
「…Ah」
The arrow stuck in his back snapped, and the arrowhead sank in even deeper. He somehow held back a groan of agony, but he couldn’t stop the new bleeding.
Michel kicked Dimitar, who had tried to stand up to protect his right shoulder, flying.
「—!」
Dimitar fell down to the ground from the back again, looked up at Michel, who had changed his sword to a backhand grip, and opened his eyes wide.
「Die…!」
「—」
Dimitar reflexively thrust his left hand out towards Michel, who had raised his sword overhead.
At that moment, a brilliant flame swallowed Michel up.
「Bo…a—」
Michel dropped his sword, protected his face and fell down. Burnt by the flame, the uniform made by the best tailor in Roma smouldered.
「…?」
After staring at Michel rolling on the ground struggling to put out the fire in a daze, Dimitar stared at his own left hand.
The sleeve of his shirt, which was rolled up halfway, had been carbonised in an instant. The skin from his elbow to the tip of his left hand was hideously burnt; however, a bluish-black flickering magic crest had distinctly emerged there.
「—!?」
Dimitar who had tried to hold his left hand in his arms grimaced at the heat. Although his left hand itself didn’t feel anything as if it was numb, hot air was still coiling about its surroundings.
「Michel! Oi, Michel!」
Héctor and Hugo were hurriedly trying to put out the flame that had spread to Michel. The field of vision of Dimitar, who had been looking at those figures and his own hand alternately, was suddenly dyed deep crimson.
「…!」
A red storm was swelling.
A woman who closely resembled Orvieto was putting her hands on Dimitar’s neck and crying.
Before he realised it, that place had changed into a room of a mansion where luxurious furniture was completely burnt by flames, and Dimitar who was looking at that had become a very young boy.
The woman gradually put strength into her hands, which were grasping Dimitar’s neck.
The suffocation dyed Dimitar’s field of vision even redder.
The inside of his nose was burning. The woman seemed to be saying something, but Dimitar’s ears could no longer hear any sound.
The flames burnt the dress of the woman, who was strangling Dimitar while crying, anew.
Nevertheless, the woman didn’t take her hands off him.
The pain was difficult to endure, and Dimitar finally shouted.
That night, the party set up camp before the forest of Selsuru. Shakira’s hometown, Selsuru, would be right there if they went through the forest like this, but going into the forest after sunset—though there was a highway laid out—was akin to a suicidal act. The forest at night, where one wouldn’t know from where stray dogs, wolves and bears could appear, was a dangerous place, which even hunters would hardly set foot in unless there was a good reason to.
Besides, even if they went through the forest all night knowing the danger, it’d be before daybreak when they arrived at Selsuru. In that case, it’d be better to stay up all night here safely, depart early morning tomorrow and arrive at Selsuru before dusk; their fatigue would be mentally and physically lesser as well.
Countless tents were pitched in the surroundings of a huge and luxurious tent, which was rarely used, for the Crown Prince’s use. It looked just like a group of herbivores sleeping with their shoulders pressed against each other for fear of attacks from other beasts.
Fortunately, Dimitar who had undertaken the night watch duty last night was freed from that hard work tonight and could lie down at a normal time. The sense of security that the journey, which was full of nothing but worries, would finally be over tomorrow turned Dimitar’s tired feeling into a pleasant one.
Dimitar, who was lying down in the endmost tent of the group together with the other apprentices, crawled out from the middle of his sleep quietly and opened his eyes softly.
「……」
He could faintly hear the popping sounds of the firewood of the campfire mixed in with the breathing sounds and snores of his sleeping colleagues. Conversely, he could hear them only. Even though he could hear the hoots of owls and the sounds of insects before going to sleep, they had stopped now.
When Dimitar felt uneasy suddenly and tried to get up, a fire arrow penetrated the tent and flew in. A red flame rose up from the fire arrow, which had pierced the prop, and spread to the canvas.
「! It’s a night attack!」
Calling out to the surrounding apprentices, Dimitar tore off his blanket and stood up.
「Tsk… what are the night watchmen doing!?」
Dimitar hurriedly buttoned his shirt, grabbed just his sword and rushed out of the tent.
The members on night watch were moving about in confusion outside. Fire arrows were flying here sporadically from the other side of the darkness, but as the enemies’ figures couldn’t be confirmed, they were probably thrown into confusion. Approximately half of the members could act without being flustered. The horses had also become frightened by the sudden attack and were starting to neigh.
Honestly, he didn’t care what would happen to the members who had relaxed their guard, but if any harm befell even the Crown Prince and Shakira, Lucius’s position would become bad. Dimitar removed the scabbard, unsheathed his sword and ran towards the Crown Prince’s tent.
「Your Highness! Your Eminence!」
「Dii!」
Pieces of firewood scattered from the campfires that were kicked over, and among the members who were trampling them and running around, a voice responded to Dimitar.
「Lucius!?」
Lucius came from the direction of the Crown Prince’s tent and as one would expect, he was calm. While encouraging the surrounding members, he was giving them detailed instructions and trying to restore order.
「You’re safe, huh, Dii」
「Yes. …What about His Highness and Her Eminence?」
「They’re safe. His Highness is already leaving this place together with Her Eminence on a carriage protected by the members」
Lucius brushed his long silver hair away and sighed.
「—Judging from this half-baked night attack, it’s most likely the deed of bandits」
「Bandits?」
「Yes. I heard that the remnants of the bandits who were subjugated by the army a little while ago have been attacking the towns and villages of this area」
「I see… their total number shouldn’t be many, right?」
「Yes. I’ve issued instructions to every commanding officer to retreat slowly while making arrangements to guard His Highness and Her Eminence, …but you’re an apprentice whose attachment hasn’t been officially decided yet. You can do as you like. However, don’t die, all right?」
「I know」
Dimitar lightly grabbed back the left hand of Lucius who had patted him on the shoulder and turned on his heel.
The young members who still hadn’t got used to actual fighting were becoming restless in the first night attack of their lives, but the relatively experienced members were trying to retreat, though little by little, in the direction that the Crown Prince and the others had moved while drawing their swords and counterattacking.
His colleagues here probably didn’t need any help in particular. The ones who probably needed help the most now were the apprentices who had slept in the same tent as Dimitar.
「—I’m under no obligation to them in particular, but if I’m the only apprentice who survived, I’ll receive harsh treatment again」
Dimitar, who had come back to his tent, couldn’t help smiling wryly at the expected development.
The flame that had spread from the fire arrow to the tent coloured the darkness red, and ten or so men were fighting in front of it. To be more precise, the young men who had got cold feet completely were standing face to face with men who wore shabby leather armours. All the men had stubbly beards that looked dirty, and their appearances were certainly convincing if they were called ex-bandits.
「What are they doing—」
Dimitar laughed at his colleagues, who were on the verge of tears and swinging their swords blindly, and picked up a spear that was dropped on that spot.
「Oi!」
He simultaneously attracted the thieves’ attention and threw the spear at them.
「!?」
As if to restrain the thieves who had tried to cut down the young men in one breath, the spear pierced the ground in front of them with a heavy impact.
「—」
Not only the thieves but also the young men looked back at Dimitar and opened their eyes wide in surprise.
「Since I specially attracted the enemies’ attention for you, you should have escaped at this opportunity—stupid fellows are stupid through and through, good grief」
Shaking off the redness of the flickering flame behind his eyelids lightly, Dimitar ran. Moving his left hand according to a specific pattern while running, he poured magic power into the magic crestHieratika and excited the magic square for “Double Power”Force.
「—Move aside! Step back!」
Dimitar, who had accelerated to a speed that surpassed an ordinary person’s in one breath, jumped over the young men who still couldn’t move, and his sword flashed.
「Guga」
Flicking off the rust-covered sword of the thief at the very front greatly, Dimitar drove a front kick into his solar plexus like a stake. His leg strength, which had been strengthened by magic, most likely must have ruptured the thief’s internal organs in one blow.
No longer paying any attention to the thief who had vomited blood and collapsed, Dimitar spoke to the young men behind him.
「If you can’t fight well, take the horses and retreat! You’re in the way!」
「Ah, yes—」
The young members who were stunned by the shock of an actual fighting nodded at Dimitar’s threatening attitude, tumbled and ran away from that place.
The origin of the Seal Chivalric Order was said to be the eighty-nine warriors who had supported the “Lord of RedemptionReduntra” together with the twelve priests to seal the “DemonMaroudo”, rendering a meritorious deed. It was said that they were warriors as well as excellent magic warriors, and in imitation of them, one must be able to master not only the sword but also magic to join the chivalric order.
However, that was simply the official stance, and the members who had no magic talent weren’t few. For example, like those fellows who had ran away just now, the members who could neither use magic nor handle a sword well—without a single exception—compensated for their lack of talent with the economic power of their parents’ homes.
If he had to receive token support from such fellows who had no fighting power, it was much easier to fight alone.
「I can’t afford to even babysit green young men from well-to-do families, you know—!」
Dimitar spat out so and deeply slashed at the wrist of the thief who had lunged at him with a spear.
「O—」
In a one-to-many fight, he didn’t have time to finish the enemies off one-by-one. If he stopped moving even a little, he’d be surrounded and killed. Therefore, it was more efficient to not think about killing the enemy in front of him but inflict a wound on him and make him lose his fighting spirit for the time being. Fellows who hadn’t an ounce of sense of mission, like bandits especially, gave top priority to their own survival, so Dimitar didn’t think they’d continue to fight until they stopped their own massive bleeding.
「Go…, damn it—!」
When he had just cut off two, three little fingers and one wrist in the twinkling of an eye, Dimitar jumped back greatly.
At that moment, an intense pain shot through the back and upper arm of his right shoulder. He immediately understood that an arrow had flown from somewhere and pierced him.
「—!」
Although he staggered slightly, Dimitar didn’t stop moving. He immediately transferred the sword to his left hand and rushed into the group of remaining thieves. That he had purposely cut his way into the midst of the enemy was to prevent being shot by a second and third arrow.
「Gyaa!」
Biting his lip at the pain, Dimitar swung his sword. The thief who was cut lightly in the chest let out an exaggerated scream and rolled on the ground.
「…Tsk」
The fingers of his right hand didn’t move well. He could endure any amount of pain, but he couldn’t handle the sword well with this hand.
Dimitar had been training regularly so that he could use the sword with either hand on the assumption that there might be an unexpected situation, but not being able to use his right hand was a serious situation nonetheless. After all, he’d lose by misusing his powers and be at a disadvantage if he thoughtlessly went on the defensive, and the more time he spent, the slower his movements became due to the bleeding.
When Dimitar dodged the spear of the thief in front of him and conversely lunged his sword, he aimed and thrust at the joint of the leather armour.
「Gu, bu, o…!」
Putting his foot on the shoulder of the thief who fell forward and pulling his sword out, Dimitar immediately looked back and lay face-down instantly.
An arrow moving fast against the wind flew by close to him.
「…!」
Normally, fools who would shoot arrows when their allies were fighting didn’t exist. In other words, the one who had been shooting arrows since just now wasn’t a thief; moreover, they weren’t Dimitar’s ally either.
Some thieves were hit by the arrows from just now and fell. Perhaps they had lost their nerves seeing that, the surviving thieves who had each sustained a wound in their fight against Dimitar escaped towards the other side of the darkness that was flickering with flames.
While bending over, Dimitar ran with short steps and hid himself behind a tree. Furthermore, an arrow pierced the bark of that tree.
It had become clear with this. The arrows were obviously aimed at Dimitar.
「……」
The force of the flames that had turned the tent into black ashes wasn’t of the extent of spreading to the young tree. The flames gradually abated, and the surroundings fell into a deep darkness again.
Just before he jumped behind the tree, Dimitar had noticed that there were figures of people approaching, carrying a bow and arrows. He felt that there were three people at least.
「…Don’t tell me it was those green young men from well-to-do families? The one called Michel or something…」
As far as the people aiming for his life, besides the bandits, were concerned, he had no idea of anyone else but them.
「They looked like fellows who would run away first when we were attacked by the bandits though… or rather, were they late in running away?」
Although Dimitar smiled wryly, this wasn’t a situation where he could smile so. The fact that they suddenly shot arrows when he was crossing swords with the bandits meant that the other party didn’t care even if Dimitar lost his life—rather, they were probably thinking of killing him. Their intention to finish Dimitar off for certain could be felt from the fact that they appeared now when the bandits had fled.
Dimitar knitted his brows, looked at his right arm and gently pulled out the arrow stuck in his upper arm.
「…D, damn it—」
The blood flowing from the arrow wound soaked his shirt bright red. It might have ended with a bit slighter wound if he had worn an outer garment, but it was a misfortune that he had rushed out lightly dressed as soon as he got up.
「……」
When he listened carefully, battle cries could be heard faintly from the direction closer to the forest. While Dimitar was fighting alone, everyone was probably escaping safely in the direction the Crown Prince’s party had retreated.
Judging from the fact that the bandits had retreated unexpectedly easily, they might have mistaken their party for a large-scale caravan. Although the bandits had made a night attack thinking they were suitable preys, they received an unexpected resistance and ran away hurriedly—it was more or less something like that.
It seemed that the ones remaining here were Dimitar and the wicked assailants only. If those assailants with the bow and arrows were Michel Bolieiro and his followers, the number of people should be three, but in any case, they were troublesome opponents for the current Dimitar.
「…Good grief, increasing troubles for me…」
Dimitar swallowed a groan of agony and shook his left hand quietly. Containing a bluish-black brilliance, the magic crest drew the magic square for “TornadoRazor”.
「—Fu!」
He jumped out from behind the tree and released his magic power simultaneously. As expected, the number of enemies were three people. It seemed that they reacted to Dimitar’s movement and tried to shoot their arrows, but the wind blade reached them just an instant earlier.
「Giah!」
The sound of the bowstring of a bow being cut and snapping and someone’s scream were emitted loudly.
Dimitar pulled out the sword that he had thrust into the ground and ran towards the enemy immediately.
「Y, you—! I never like you guys!」
The one who had thrown away the bow of which its bowstring was cut, drawn a sword and come charging was a young man who had wrapped a bandage across the centre of his face.
「…As expected, it’s you guys, huh」
Confirming that it was the face of Michel Bolieiro—the other party whose nose he had broken last night, Dimitar clicked his tongue.
The current wounded Dimitar didn’t have the leeway to think about the other party’s position and go easy on him. If he prioritised his own survival, he might really kill Michel’s party. However, even though it was for self-defence, killing the heir of the Bolieiro House would become a big problem in the future. It was still fine if only he himself was blamed, but he wanted to avoid causing trouble to even Lucius and Orvieto.
While feeling slightly irritated, Dimitar crossed swords with Michel just as they were passing by one another. If he rashly did something like locking sword to sword and pushing, it was clear that Dimitar who could only use his left arm would be overpowered. He wanted to cast the “Double Power” magic again, but in this one-on-three situation, he couldn’t even take the time to do so.
A spear extending from the side attacked Dimitar who had turned around and tried to slash at Michel simultaneously.
「!」
The one handling the spear was a young man who was the only person whose face had no injuries. He was either Héctor or Hugo—he most likely must be Héctor. Dimitar arbitrarily assumed so.
「Die! Richternach!」
The tip of the spear that Héctor, whose face had turned deep red, was lunging in rapid succession extended towards Dimitar’s throat. Perhaps it was because he was kicked in the solar plexus and became unable to move first last night that his damage was consequently the smallest, his handling of the spear was strong and accurate.
「If you can do that much, you should just aim to succeed in life seriously though—」
Dimitar, who had spat out so inside his mind, cut off the tip of the spear while bending himself backwards and dodging Héctor’s offence.
「…! Y, you bastard—」
Without a pause, Michel and Hugo came slashing at him.
「You guys are an eyesore!」
Michel directly swung the sword he was gasping tightly with both hands downwards from an overhead position. Michel who came striking with his sword again and again, his face which was divided into top and bottom by the bandage flushing deep red, was comical and at the same time, bizarre as well.
「Just Lucius alone is already an eyesore, a, and yet there’s even you…! You Richternachs! Quickly disappear! Die! You’re a hindrance!」
「…」
Although he wanted to curse at Michel’s self-centred shout, Dimitar bit his lip and endured it. At present, he wanted number of hands more than number of words. He somehow parried Michel’s and Hugo’s weapons and tried to take a roundabout path to the side.
—However, just when he was about to do that, he was severely hit on the waist.
「Gu?」
Héctor recklessly brandished the spear that had lost its tip and hit Dimitar’s back again and again very hard.
「This guy—!」
Dimitar tried to slash at Héctor just as he was turning around, but his hand that was holding the sword was hit by the handle of the spear and he unintentionally dropped the sword.
「Daa—」
Hugo lunged at Dimitar who had tried to pick up the sword with his left hand, which had become numb. Although it ended with just his flank being slightly gouged out because of him twisting his body instantly, Dimitar got entangled with Hugo who had collided with him and fell over.
「…Ah」
The arrow stuck in his back snapped, and the arrowhead sank in even deeper. He somehow held back a groan of agony, but he couldn’t stop the new bleeding.
Michel kicked Dimitar, who had tried to stand up to protect his right shoulder, flying.
「—!」
Dimitar fell down to the ground from the back again, looked up at Michel, who had changed his sword to a backhand grip, and opened his eyes wide.
「Die…!」
「—」
Dimitar reflexively thrust his left hand out towards Michel, who had raised his sword overhead.
At that moment, a brilliant flame swallowed Michel up.
「Bo…a—」
Michel dropped his sword, protected his face and fell down. Burnt by the flame, the uniform made by the best tailor in Roma smouldered.
「…?」
After staring at Michel rolling on the ground struggling to put out the fire in a daze, Dimitar stared at his own left hand.
The sleeve of his shirt, which was rolled up halfway, had been carbonised in an instant. The skin from his elbow to the tip of his left hand was hideously burnt; however, a bluish-black flickering magic crest had distinctly emerged there.
「—!?」
Dimitar who had tried to hold his left hand in his arms grimaced at the heat. Although his left hand itself didn’t feel anything as if it was numb, hot air was still coiling about its surroundings.
「Michel! Oi, Michel!」
Héctor and Hugo were hurriedly trying to put out the flame that had spread to Michel. The field of vision of Dimitar, who had been looking at those figures and his own hand alternately, was suddenly dyed deep crimson.
「…!」
A red storm was swelling.
A woman who closely resembled Orvieto was putting her hands on Dimitar’s neck and crying.
Before he realised it, that place had changed into a room of a mansion where luxurious furniture was completely burnt by flames, and Dimitar who was looking at that had become a very young boy.
The woman gradually put strength into her hands, which were grasping Dimitar’s neck.
The suffocation dyed Dimitar’s field of vision even redder.
The inside of his nose was burning. The woman seemed to be saying something, but Dimitar’s ears could no longer hear any sound.
The flames burnt the dress of the woman, who was strangling Dimitar while crying, anew.
Nevertheless, the woman didn’t take her hands off him.
The pain was difficult to endure, and Dimitar finally shouted.
