05-08 Raid

「Thief！？」

The party did not think that they would be attacked in such a place.

「This location shouldn’t be visible. We went down a steep pa.s.s, and it’s there’s the distance too, how did the guards not notice?」

Elsa made a calm a.n.a.lysis.

「It’s usually advantageous to attack from above, but we’re not armed. We can escape to the above, but the incline will make things difficult.」

「Is that so? I know of such a place being attacked.」

「Perhaps, in antic.i.p.ation of us making a round trip, they laid an ambush.」

When going to Port Rock, most trips will be along the same road. As Elsa had said, it would be easy to aim for.

「How many are attacking?」

At Jin’s question, Reiko opened the window a little and looked outside.

It’s easy for this carriage, but a Magic Formula was drawn to produce a barrier making it difficult to see.

「10 people, no 11.」

Reiko reported that they were being attacked by 10 people, while 1 stood in the back alone.

「Really? Oh, that’s right. With these circ.u.mstances, Elsa, take this.」

Jin takes a ring from his bag and presented it to Elsa.

「…..Jin?」

Elsa stared at the ring and looks at Jin with a dubious expression.

「Well, this is a ring I made, a Protection Ring.」

Saying so, he pa.s.ses it into Elsa’s hand.

「Anyway, please try it on.」

「Mm.」

After searching for a finger that the ring would fit on, it fits onto her ring finger. For some reason, Elsa puts it on with a joyful expression.

「It fits.」

「Ok, when you chant the keyword, [Barrier], it will activate and keep you safe from most attacks for one minute.」

「Eh」

「I don’t have time to explain it in detail. Reiko, [Peach Blossom]?」

「Yes, it’s in the luggage.」

A sword can’t always be carried, so it has been place in the storage area in the rear of the carriage.

「Alright, let’s go and meet the attackers.」

「Yes.」

「Jin, please wait here, we will deal with the attackers.」

Although Elsa said so, Jin shook his head in disapproval.

「I can’t do that, it’s an emergency. Everyone has to work together.」

With that, he went outside of the carriage with Reiko. A nurse was standing there, ready to protect the carriage with a short knife in hand.

「Everyone?」

「We can fight as well, we’ll help you.」

When Elsa is about to leave,

「My Lady, don’t go!」

The nurse tried desperately to stop her, then Jin

「Elsa, go inside. We need someone to control the carriages magic defenses.」

「…..Do you understand?」

「Ah, so the person who stays inside will be safe.」

But Elsa wouldn’t listen and jumped out of the carriage.

「My lady….」

The nurse’s eyes were already starting to water, but Elsa remains calm and…

「If we work together, I can use magic, so I’ll also help.」

Saying so, she looks down the hill.

One of the attackers appears to have come into contact with a guard already.

「You! This is the carriage of the daughter of a viscount of the s.h.i.+oro Empire!」

The butler shouted in a loud voice.

「I don’t know or care who’s carriage this is, it’s profitable for me!」

The leader of the bandits said so as he swung his sword with a forceful att.i.tude.

It was the escort who wanted to stroke Reiko who responded.

「Well, that was disappointing. If you want money, you’re going to have to pay with your life!」

The escort catches the opponents sword and after sliding down its blade, he sends his sword into the bandits heart. He goes all the way in to the hilt of his sword.

The only reason he didn’t cut the man apart is because he didn’t want to show Elsa a b.l.o.o.d.y scene.

「Gue」

The guard’s ability is certainly reliable, as he knocks out one of the bandits with a single blow.

「I won’t let you lay one finger on the young lady!」

On the other side, the butler was holding a stick like a police baton as he disarmed one of the bandits and struck them in the crown of the head, knocking him out.

The remaining servant was trembling while holding a stick. It appeared to be all he could do to protect the carriage.

Three of the four people break off and head towards Elsa.

「My lady! Why are you outside!」

Although the butler was screaming, Elsa wasn’t worried, as she held out her right hand horizontally. And,

「[Wind Bullet]」

She fired a large quant.i.ty of invisible bullets.

「Guh, what’s that?」

Unfortunately, one [wind bullet] wasn’t very powerful, and the bandits continued to approach while protecting their faces.

「Reiko, go!」

「Yes.」

Although he thought of leaving it to Elsa in the beginning, it was getting dangerous, so Jin ordered Reiko.

「Hm? What’s a little brat going to do?」(TLFalin: It said Chibiko (ちびっこ) which translates to little child, but I felt brat was more appropriate than child for a bandit)

The robbers were laughing at what looked like a 10 year old girl approaching them, but they quickly changed when they saw the [Peach Blossom] that Reiko had in her hands.

「W-what’s that?」

When one of the bandits struck their sword at [Peach Blossom], it disappeared at its base which was undamaged.

「W-wha!」

Two people swung two swords, and the swords of 3 people were cut, and the 4th person could barely take the back swing.

「Hiiii!」

As it was held over the bandits head, Reiko who jumped over his head also cut his sword, then…

「[Wind Blow]」

Elsa threw a magical strike.

「Gahaa!」

The bandit was blown away by the intermediate wind magic and couldn’t get up anymore.

「3 more people.」

When Elsa turned her eyes, the remaining 3 people had already been knocked out by Reiko.

「With this, it’s all right.」

Jin said and,

「My lady, please don’t act rashly just because you can use magic. This life of mine has been shortened due to fright.」

And the nanny, Mine said while trying to sooth Elsa.

「It seems the other side’s done as wel」

Jin muttered. Elsa also looks to the foot of the hill.

Thanks to the efforts of the butler and the guards, 4 of the bandits were already on the ground and the 5th person was about to fall at the feet of the butler.

「The butler is also strong.」

「Un, Adberg is also a master of martial arts.」

「Is that so?」

「And h.e.l.lman is a master of the knight style sword.」

The bodyguard seems to be h.e.l.lman. The 6th bandit was defeated now.

This leaves only the one who was watching from a distance.

The a.s.sessment was only a little different.

「Hya! Careless!」

Shouted 2 of the bandits as they ran from the top of the hill.

「Kyaa!」

Mine’s dagger was repelled by the bandits sword and blood sprayed. Mine was cut from the shoulder and fell down.

「Mine!」

「…..El…..escape…..」

And the other bandit attacked Elsa.

In a panic, Elsa forgot to use the protection ring and helplessly crouched down.

「Barrier」

To protect the crouching Elsa, Jin covers her and says the key word.

The sword which the robber swung down strikes at Jin in the next moment, but the sword is blocked by an invisible wall and never reached Jin.

「W-What?」

The battle hardened robber showed a face of disbelief, and the next moment was struck by Reiko’s sword. The other bandit’s had already fainted.

However, Mine was slashed by a bandit and had a deep wound.

「Mine! Are you alright?! [Heal]!」(TLFalin: Spells are always displayed like 『|治せ《ビハントラン》』, basically displaying how it’s said in the double arrows, and what it means to the left, however, in this case I couldn’t think of another way to say Bihantoran that made sense to me, so I went with just the translation of the j.a.panese, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.)

Elsa ran up and immediately applied healing magic, however, the wounds were deep and the blood didn’t stop easily.

「Milady….. thank you…. please stop already.」

Mine refused the treatment with a pale face, thinking it was useless.

「No! I won’t give up! [Heal]!」

Although it helped a little, the wound was too big. It was like dropping a heated stone into a bucket of water to boil it, the stone is too small and the bucket too big.

After Jin couldn’t watch any more, he ordered Reiko to watch their surroundings.

「Elsa, let me try a little.」

He said as he neared Mine.

「[recover]」

He invoked the magic in his bracelet.

Although it was intermediate magic, because the bracelet had the support of Jin’s great power, it was able to act at the same level as advanced magic.

The blood stopped and the wound closed while they were watching.

「It’s all right now.」

While listening to Jin’s words, Elsa who had watery eyes stuck near Mine.

「Mine is ok…..」

「Milady…..」

Looking at the two people, Jin is also relieved.

「Although it’s been healed, because the bleeding and wound were considerable, you shouldn’t push yourself.」

He said as he looked up.

Finally, the last bandit moved.