83 - Episode 9: Richter of the Afterglow
According to Refill, the god, that thing was the guardian and administrator of the system. However, perhaps because it had only recently come into existence, it lacked sufficient experience and abilities, and its ego was intended to grow along with this world.
"I do not know the cause, but that is roughly how it is for now,"
This world was a prototype created for a god to face the trial of becoming a god. For that reason, much of it was done by trial and error, and an irregularity like that thing had been born.
If that was the case, would it not be better to erase it? That thing thought.
"I would do so if it were a world to be submitted to the Highest God. But this world is the first one I ever created. Therefore, I have an attachment to it──── and the same goes for you."
Please do not say such lonely things, the god said with a wry smile. That thing recognized that it had been permitted to exist by the god's mercy.
"That is right. Since we are at it, I shall give you a name. Let me see... you are a being who will eventually overcome the final wall. Therefore────"
And so, that thing received a name.
●
Idra Pass is a mountain pass connecting the Barony of Okido and the Viscounty of Hall. Currently, because a tunnel through the mountain was built nearby, it is a road used only by locals, but it is still maintained enough to be usable.
The four girls had chosen that road, however────.
"Yo.────I've been wait-ing for you."
Halfway up the pass, their path was blocked by an armed group.
Silver armor, and the insignia indicating the Albestein Knights. The large, black-haired man standing at the lead said so with a look of boredom, a spear in one hand.
"Do you have some business with us?"
Latia asked as she reached for the magic gun at her waist, but the requirement was already known. She was gauging how much they could bluff, or where she could find an opening.
"Hand over the princess. If you do, I will let you girls go."
"What are you talking about?"
Kazuha played dumb to buy time for vigilance and situational assessment, but the black-haired man waved his hand dismissively, not bothering to engage.
"Yeah, yeah, no need to play dumb. We have Mule here. You under-stand, right? Princess."
"....................Yes."
"Hey, Lumilia!"
"No, Lilitia-sama. It is impossible now that things have come to this. The First Knight Commander, Richter Centaur, and his direct subordinate, Mule Grey──── he possesses the Mystic Eye. I cannot escape from his gaze, even while in my fairy form."
When Lumilia, who had been hidden in the nape of Kazuha's long hair, revealed herself as if resigning herself to fate, the knights stirred and each drew their weapons.
"Richter, why are you here..."
The large man──── Richter Centaur, who raised one hand as if to restrain them, shrugged and joked as he looked at Lumilia resting on Kazuha's palm.
"I do not think it will do you any good to know. Simply put, I just increased the number of checkpoints and intentionally created gaps to guide you, so I did not do anything major. Then, I just cast a net at the place where you would likely arrive last."
"Then, those numerous checkpoints were..."
"Decoys. This was the real deal. Well, among the many options, I did not think you would actually come my way. That part was just luck."
We both have quite poor luck, Richter said with a wry smile. Then, his center of gravity shifted slightly.
"Now then, surrender quietly. You girls as well. You look like adventurers──── if so, you can read strength, right?"
"...!"
In that instant, the three girls envisioned themselves being pierced by the spear he carried.
In reality, he had not moved. It felt as if his back had curved just a tiny bit──── that was the only change. He had not even entered a combat stance.
And yet, the three girls sensed that the air had clearly changed.
The three girls in the Serious Breakers occasionally did combat training with the Three Idiots. Especially during close-quarters combat, they often faced Later──── and this was a bloodlust that reminded them of the seriousness he had shown once without the Holy Scripture.
The shift between a warrior's stillness and motion.
The more one becomes a genius or a veteran, the more natural it becomes. Not a click, but a slide, switching over in an instant, like a creature mimicking protective coloration. In terrible cases, the match is decided the moment you recognize it.
"I see. If the three of us work together... perhaps it would be a good fight?"
Latia gave a wry smile, but this was a bluff born of stubbornness. If they wanted to aim for victory within the Serious Breakers, they would have to bring in at least Marianne for it to even be a conversation. Even she, who claimed to be bad at close combat, had enough skill to roll the three girls around with one hand.
Even if the three girls bundled together, the most they could hope for was to manage a single counter-strike──── Richter likely sensed that judgment. He let out a low sound in his throat.
"You have good eyes. I agree. At the very least, it would be difficult with just these ones."
"Commander! We will not fall behind such young girls...!"
However, the subordinates behind him did not seem to think so and raised their voices in protest.
"Hey, Mule. I told you before, right? Estimate your own strength two levels lower than others. You rely too much on the Mystic Eye that can read mana. Look. These girls are young, but they have eyes that have been through their fair share of battlefields. If you underestimate them────"
While offering a word of caution, a slight wind arose.
"You are the one who will die. Like this."
By the time everyone present recognized that slight breeze, Richter's spear was pressed against the neck of the youth called Mule.
The three girls gasped. Because the blade turning toward them in earnest next felt more real than the knights turning pale or Mule collapsing to his knees.
"The princess knows, right? I am the third son of the Centaur family, and before my older brothers died, I was an adventurer and managed to reach Gold rank. Persuade them for me, the girls."
"...It is a fact. A practitioner of the Albert Style, Centaur School, and a former Gold rank adventurer.──── He is the highest combat power in this country."
"That is how it is. One step before the monster Platinum. The highest point a commoner can reach. I do not know the ranks of you girls, but I have accumulated a fair amount myself.──── There is no reason for me to lose to three young girls."
The three girls widened their eyes at the title of former Gold rank adventurer.
Since Platinum above that is the class of heroes who leave a mark on history, the strongest in the field are generally Gold rank. As a barometer, it is roughly the level of being able to hunt Earth Dragon class with reasonable ease, and in fact, the Three Idiots also fall into that category.
However, as mentioned before, Platinum above that is the class of heroes who leave a mark on history──── or more accurately, a title given to people who have caused or solved some major incident. Paradoxically, there are many cases where Platinum-level adventurers who do not encounter such incidents remain content with Gold rank.
Though few in number, the Gold rank layer is thick.
Turning back to Richter, how was he? His pressure as a vanguard was on Later's level. And considering he likely dropped out of adventuring early to inherit the family headship, it was unlikely he was a Silver rank adventurer who somehow stretched himself to reach it. In any case, in terms of experience, he far surpassed the three girls.
"I suppose so."
"Basically the same as Big Sister and the others."
Therefore, the three girls exchanged glances. They decided it would be difficult even if they struggled while holding Lumilia.
"Well, if you behave quietly, I will not have to do anything rough────"
And so.
"Lilitia-sama!"
"Eh? Ah! Wait! I am not mentally prepared yet...!"
Kazuha grabbed Lumilia, who was resting on her palm, and passed her to Lilitia. Then, Lilitia, having received Lumilia, wound up a great swing.
"Go──── forth!!"
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"
────She flung her far into the sky.
"Glass Steel──── Link!!"
Furthermore, Kazuha threw a talisman and activated two barriers independently.
One created a spherical shield to protect the flung Lumilia, and the other trapped Richter and the knights. It would likely only buy time, but considering the survival rate of themselves while delivering Lumilia to the Radock Territory, this method was the best.
"Wait wait wait wait... she is royalty, a princess of a nation, right? Normally, you do not just fling her without hesitation."
"Too bad. I am, despite this, a Saint of the Refill Church, and my international standing is equal to that of a monarch of a nation."
At that dynamic international problem, even Richter was speechless, but Lilitia declared triumphantly.
"....................Seriously?"
"Seriously."
It was serious.
Lumilia was the last royal of the Albestein Kingdom, but for a certain reason, she had not yet been crowned. Therefore, while she had the right of succession, she was treated as a princess of a nation and was not yet the ruler of the country.
On the other hand, Lilitia──── or rather, the position of a Saint, was internationally on the same level as the Pope of the Refill Church, and in public, she was treated as an equal to a monarch.
In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to call her the queen of the continent's largest religion, so her international standing was actually much higher than Lumilia's. In reality, she was a runaway Saint pointing a massive arrow at some idiot, though.
"Why is Lilitia Harvard in a place like this!? I was thinking that in the worst case, I could just kill her in a surprise attack!!"
"If you kill me, the whole world will be your enemy next, right?"
At Lilitia's nihilistic smile, Richter held his head in his hands.
The situation was already precarious, on the verge of civil war, and a maximum-scale international problem (landmine) had been buried in the wild, so it was only natural.
In principle, there is only one Saint per era.
Unless the person retires or dies, there is no change in generation. The selection and the determination of life or death are performed using a divine artifact, so if Lilitia were killed here, Albestein would be suspected──── Richter was wary of this.
In reality, Lilitia's presence in this country was a complete coincidence──── or rather, the product of an accident. So even if she were killed, the Refill Church would not be able to grasp it, and it would take the form of the Saint going missing and dying in a ditch somewhere, but there was no way he would know such detailed circumstances.
"Sigh, what a pain... So? What are you guys doing?"
"N-no! This barrier is, you see...!!"
While Richter was holding his head over the source of the headache that had suddenly appeared, the knights were flustered behind him. Apparently, they had tried to chase after the flung Lumilia, but they were unable to proceed, blocked by the barrier Kazuha had deployed.
"Can't be helped..."
Normally he should scold them, but since the fact that they tried to take immediate action in response to the flung princess was commendable, Richter lethargically readied his spear.
"!?"
With a single thrust, he shattered the barrier. The barrier of Kazuha, who had held back that swarm of Earth Dragons for a whole week.
"Now go. I will handle this place alone, so make sure you catch the princess."
"Yes!"
After seeing off the subordinates who immediately set out to pursue Lumilia with a single salute, Richter stared at the three girls.
"Now then, as for the treatment of you girls, I wonder what to do..."
He hesitated to kill them. But he could not leave them alone either. In that case, naturally.
"Well, I will think about it after I beat them down."
The three girls felt the change in Richter's atmosphere on their skin.
"The First Knight Commander of the Albestein Kingdom, Richter Centaur... no, that is right. Following the way of you girls (adventurers)────"
Only now did Richter Centaur lower his hips and ready his spear.
"Former Gold rank adventurer. Albert Style, Centaur School, Secret Technique. Richter of the Afterglow──── I shall come at you."
To be continued next week.