I Said Make My Abilities Average! (LN) - Volume 3 - Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

The Counterattack 

“Pauline will probably try to say something like, ‘This is a matter for me to settle on my own,’ but now, it’s become a problem for all of us. Even if we hadn’t been attacked…” 

“We’re allies, bound to the soul!” 

At Reina’s prompting, Mavis and Mile chimed in to complete their motto. 

“That’s right, the ‘Crimson Vow’!” 

The conference of three determined, as a party, that they were set on invading Pauline’s home. Even if Pauline were to object, these group decisions were a matter of majority rule, so there could be no arguing it. 

It was after this that they began to interrogate the bandits. 

Mile used her magic to heal all of them—including the three who had become human torches—just enough that they could talk. The greater the number of bandits they could interrogate, 

the greater the likelihood that one of them would betray the others. 

“First off, are you truly all active hunters? Or might you be disgraced, former hunters?” 

As Reina questioned them, Mile stood beside her, toying with a fireball and red waterball, which floated above each of her palms. Since she and Pauline had thought up the “Ultra Hot” spell together, she naturally knew how to use it as well. 

This sight sent a shiver down the men’s spines, and they thought hard. 

They had lost their weapons and armor, they were tied up tight, and in a few hours, a wagon with other hunters would be coming to the girls’ aid. It was unlikely that they would be able to escape their bonds at any point before then. Furthermore, even if they did manage to work themselves free, three of their companions were no longer able to fight. Given that they could not fight with their full forces, there was no way that they could win. 

Seeing that there was no longer any means of counterattack available to them, the men had no choice but to think of some way to lessen their eventual punishments. At this rate, even if they were to escape hanging, the next-best scenario would be indentured servitude, as they worked out the rest of their lives in the mines. Of course, “the rest of their lives” might not be long, given the harsh conditions and strenuous work they would face day in and day out. 

However, if they stayed on their best behavior, it was possible that they could receive a shorter sentence, in a less harrowing position, where they would be released after several years. And, if fortune was on their side, getting out of this with only the punishment of being stricken from the guild roster was not an impossibility. 

If they could somehow pin all the blame on their employers, claiming that they only took the job not knowing much about the circumstances and that they had been deceived… 

Realistically, there was only the smallest chance that anyone would ever buy such a story, but the men lacked the luxury of choice: they had no options now but to gamble. They would wager on that distant hope and pray that they could appeal to their captors’ good will, if even a little… 

The criminals who had attacked the girls needed to engender good will among those same girls. 

It was a hopelessly reckless experiment. 

And so, their depositions began. 

“W-we still have our hunters’ certifications! We’re all C-ranks…” 

The questioning continued until the escort wagon arrived, the findings being that all the men were active C-rank hunters, and while they were already in their forties, they had not put much savings away. Now that their bodies were weakening, they were doing anything they could in the time that they still had to save some funds—including taking on illicit jobs, outside of the guild. 

Of course, taking a job from outside the guild was not necessarily illicit in and of itself. It just meant that, should anything go wrong, they would not be able to receive the guild’s aid. 

What made it illicit was what they were actually doing. 

It was a job that asked them, among other things, to be murderers, abductors, and attack young girls in a way that would make them unsuitable for marriage. The main objective of this job—a family’s request to bring their daughter back—was not inherently illegal. It was the how of this request that presented the problem. 

They were going to attack and harm young girls, injuring them so badly that they could no longer work. And then they were going to capture another girl and drag her home by force, against her wishes. Furthermore, these girls were citizens of the capital, so this was an attack on citizens under the direct rule of the Crown. 

According to the men, their intention had been to ignore the details of their employers’ instructions so long as they achieved their objective—they had planned only to threaten the other girls a bit, maybe inflict a bit of pain by kicking them around, but not to put them through anything particularly horrible. Of course, whether or not this was true was incredibly dubious… 

“It’s true!” the men desperately pleaded. “That’s why we spilled the whole truth and didn’t hide anything from you! We thought if you knew that our employer was the father of your friend, you could bring it to the attention of the guild or the town guards, and disavow yourself of the girl who brought this plague down on you… Really, we took this job out of good intentions! If we hadn’t taken it, some dastardly criminal might have, and things would have turned out very poorly…” 

Yet there had been that detestable, vulgar laugh that the man had let out earlier. If that was acting, then he’d have had better luck making his living on the stage. 

The men were able to confirm, once more, that the one who had requested this job was in fact, Pauline’s father, the head of the mid-scale mercantile operation known as the Beckett Company, which was based in the lands controlled by Viscount Boardman, some four days’ distance from the capital. This man was known for placing various unlawful job requests through back-alley means, and he didn’t care if people made a mess doing them. As long as they didn’t get caught, they got paid. 

“I’m begging you, tell one of the higher-ups in the guild or the city guards! We were going to let you get away with just a few blows! I mean, honestly, we truly didn’t lay a finger on you girls. We were just on a job, a job from a father who only wanted to see his daughter back home—and that’s not such a strange request, is it? We’re all hunters here, ain’t we? You gotta help us out! Like, someday, when you girls get older, you might find yourself anxious and without savings, and then you might have to take some jobs outside of the guild! C’mon, please, give us a hand here…!” 

All three of the girls’ responses were cold. 

“If I’m not mistaken, it wasn’t that you didn’t lay a finger on us—it was that you couldn’t ,” said Reina. 

“And also, there was that opening move, where both of you attacked me at once. That was clearly intended as a killing blow, yes?” asked Mavis. 

“We don’t know what the truth is here, so we have no choice but to defend ourselves. Therefore, we’ll only be telling them the facts as we saw them. Feel free to present your own defense to the guild and the guards. We won’t be the ones to decide your charges or your sentence,” Mile concluded, as plainly as the other two. 

“Th-that’s…” 

The men’s faces were steeped in despair. 

“If all that you’ve told us is true—and if, furthermore, you’re able to prove it, then you’ll probably get a lighter sentence. How nice for you, to get off so easily…” said Mile. 

She was grinning. 

Naturally, she was being sarcastic. It was rare for her to show true anger like this. 

“Mm-hm. I’ll be sure to honestly attest to the skill, speed, and strength with which you both simultaneously swung your swords at me. Don’t you worry about that.” Mavis was angry. Very angry… 

“Well then, until Pauline gets back with the wagon, how about we drink some tea?” said Reina. 

Mile and Mavis nodded. 

By the time Pauline returned, with a wagon and several knights on horseback in tow, it was nearly midday. 

Considering the time it would have taken to get to the guildhall, explain what was going on, and then acquire the wagon and all the necessary people, this was actually quite speedy. 

“Mavis, are you all right?!” 

The first to leap from the cart was Ewan. 

“Third Brother…” 

Mavis gave a pained, troubled smile and Ewan rushed to embrace her. 

Guess she can’t deny him… the others thought, looking on. 

“So you’re the fiends who attempted to harm my dear Mavis?!” 

As this noble-looking young man began to question them, the men sputtered an apology. 

“N-no! We were just trying to scare her a bit…” 

“What?! You were threatening my Mavis? I’ll see you hanged for this!” 

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!” 

Ah, of course… 

Just as they thought. 

The girls all nodded in agreement at Ewan’s completely natural response. 

Mile and the others greeted the hunters and guild employees who climbed down from the wagon along with Pauline, then watched as the criminals were loaded on. 

“By the way… why weren’t you at the inn this morning, Third Brother?” asked Mavis. 

“I went out first thing to request a courier to send the letter that I penned to Father last night. When I returned to the inn, you were gone, so I rushed to the guild in a panic, but…as there was nothing I could do, I decided to remain at the guild and await your return. Then, suddenly, I overheard that demon…strably useful lackey of yours telling the guild staff that you had been attacked…” 

Though he had stopped mid-sentence and quickly tried to disguise his insult, his correction was just as rude. Plus, he was speaking only to and about Mavis. He apparently didn’t care a jot for her companions. 

“I-Is that so…?” 

For some reason, Mavis was still hanging her head, shifting her weight back and forth. In truth, she was mortified that she had doubted her brother, even if it had only been for a moment, and she was standing there wallowing in shame. Ewan, of course, knew nothing of the circumstances, and assumed, Ah! She’s so happy to see me, she’s gone bashful! How precious! 

“Mav—guh!” 

Ewan tried to embrace Mavis again, but the other three girls, now very irritated, grabbed him by the collar, throttling him, and instead he could only let out a cry of pain. 

As they walked alongside the wagon, which progressed at a leisurely pace, the Crimson Vow discussed what to do going forward. 

“We have to go to Pauline’s home,” Reina announced, to Pauline’s bewilderment. 

“Huh…?” 

“What are you so surprised for? Isn’t that obvious?” 

“B-but, this is a matter for me to settle on my own…” 

“There it is!” Mavis and Mile both spoke immediately. The response was just as predicted. 

“Huh?” 

Pauline still seemed perplexed. 

“In any case, your father was the one who hired those guys…” 

“Huh? But, the president isn’t my father.” 

“What?” all three asked. 

“I told you when I first introduced myself. My mother is the lover of the head of the Beckett Company, a mid-sized mercantile operation. Just his lover. I never said a word about the president being my father.” 

“Wh-what are you saying?!?!” 

A shocking truth had come to light. 

And so Pauline began her tale. 

Pauline’s parents had managed a shop. 

Her family consisted of four people: a pair of loving parents; Pauline; and her younger brother, four years her junior. The shop was moderately sized. Beneath the head clerk, there were several regular, full-time employees, as well as a healthy number of interns, drivers, and door-to-door salesmen on the roster. Her father was sweet-tempered with his wife and children, but when it came to his business he was stern and steadfast. He never showed any greed in his transactions. Perhaps because these were such valued qualities in a merchant, the business thrived. Until one fateful evening… 

On the night in question, the shop was ransacked by thieves. 

The thieves bound Pauline’s family and their overnight employees, stole the contents of the safe, and murdered Pauline’s father. 

Then, as Pauline’s mother sat, stunned with grief, the thieves shoved a single piece of paper her way: a “Transfer of Shop Ownership.” 

This deed, in her husband’s name, would turn over all the assets of the shop to the head clerk. 

Everyone thought there was no way this could work. However, the officials deemed the document valid, and the clerk took everything. 

All the long-term employees who protested were let go, and various people to whom the clerk had taking a liking were hired on to fill in the gaps. 

And then, the clerk said to Pauline’s mother: “Become my mistress, if you don’t want to see your children lost somewhere off the side of the road.” 

And so, her mother agreed. 

When Pauline berated her mother for accepting the clerk’s proposal, her mother had said only, “My duty as your father’s wife has ended. Now, as a mother, my duty is to raise his children. Once the two of you are all grown up, then…” 

A harsh smile spread across her mother’s face. 

“I’ll fulfill my final duty as your father’s wife…” 

Pauline’s brother was only eight years old at the time. For a single mother without a cent to her name, scraping out a living for two young children, let alone raising them both right, would be quite an ordeal. Furthermore, if she refused the clerk’s proposition, there was a chance that some harm might befall her daughter and son. 

And so, she chose the path of vengeance. 

It was in the time after this that Pauline began to pour herself into practicing and studying. 

She had no doubt that, when she became an adult, the clerk—no, the man who had now become the president of the Beckett Company—would likely sell her off as a bribe to some noble or wealthy merchant somewhere. 

She would have to escape before then, and amass her own money and power to launch a counterattack. At the very least, if she could get herself married off to someone with as much influence as possible, she could sway her new husband into launching a takeover of the Beckett Company on her behalf. 

In order to do that, she had to become the most valuable commodity possible. 

Thankfully, she had some talent as a magic-user. She would cultivate that talent. She needed to know about commerce as well. And she needed a heart as cold as ice. 

In this way, the meek and personable little girl who had lived a carefree, happy life, surrounded by her family’s love, vanished. On the outside, she appeared the same, but inside her, a beast was born. A “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” some might say… 

Pauline was twelve years old at the time. 

“………” 

The other three were speechless. 

In that silence, Ewan, who had also been listening, spoke. “The evil of men gives birth to demons of vengeance…” 

Was he talking about Pauline’s mother? Or about Pauline herself…? 

“It’s time to launch our counterattack,” said Reina. 

Mile and Mavis nodded silently. 

*** 

When the wagon and its escort arrived in the capital, they proceeded to the hunters’ guild. Upon arriving, they were received by the guild master, the rest of the guild staff, most of the other hunters, and the capital’s city guards. It seemed they had all heard the news and come running the moment the procession made it through the gates. 

“You girls have done well. Is anyone hurt?” 

After tending to the Crimson Vow, the guild master addressed their would-be attackers, who were brought down from the wagon. “I hear that you are active C-rank hunters. Is that true?” 

After briefly confirming the circumstances of the incident, one of the riders had gone ahead as a messenger and informed the guild master of at least that much. 

Once the men had confirmed this information, the guild master said to them coldly, “Though you may be hunters, your criminal acts were conducted outside the auspices of the guild. Therefore, you will not receive any support or backing from the guild in this instance. Furthermore, you launched an attack on hunters affiliated with the guild, and by extension, on the guild itself. Therefore, you will be permanently banned and turned over to the city guard on the charge of attempted murder. Any questions?” 

“W-wait! It’s true that we took on an illicit request—there’s no doubting that! And of course, it’s only fair that you would expel us. But we weren’t going to kill them! We were just threatening them. C’mon, you all tell them it’s true!” 

They were pleading desperately with the Crimson Vow, but the girls only shrugged. 

“You can tell that to the guards. Once we hand you over, the guild has no hand in this matter. The long and short of it is that you laid hands upon young girls who are citizens of the royal capital, a region that is directly under the rule of His Majesty, the king. I’m sure there’s a strict interrogation and punishment awaiting you. Now then, we’re handing over these criminals. Please, take them away!” 

The guardsmen nodded in acknowledgement and pulled the prostrate men to their feet. 

They would, of course, be expecting a testimony from Mile and the others, but that would come after their preliminary investigation, as a means of verifying whether or not the men’s claims were true—likely the next day, or the day after. 

“Now, would all of you please come to my office?” 

And so, once again, the Crimson Vow received an invitation to the guild master’s chambers. 

Upon entering the room, they were directed to sit down and served hot tea straight away. 

“I’ve already heard the gist of the situation from this young lady. Now, you all aren’t thinking of doing anything strange, are you?” 

“Strange? Why, no! We would never think anything like that!” 

While the other three averted their gazes, Mile looked the guild master straight in the eye and added, “Just a little counterattacking, revenge, overthrowing, and annihilation! That’s it! Nothing strange at all!” 

“……” 

The guild master slumped back at this setback. 

“The guild is ready to assist in the current matter. An area merchant has picked a fight with the capital branch of the hunters’ guild—we can’t possibly keep silent about that. We need to teach them what it means to mess with our people.” 

Indeed, if anyone picked a fight with someone associated with the guild, it was as good as picking a fight with the guild itself. If the guild let itself be trifled with even once, there was no turning back. This incident was not something they could overlook. 

Even the fact that the captured men had been handed over in front of the guild, rather than being taken straight to the guard’s holding cells, had been for the sake of putting on a show for the other hunters. The implication was, “If you take on illegal requests, this is what will happen.” There was no better way to reiterate the fact that it was much safer to only take on jobs through the guild. 

If they went outside the guild, the guild wouldn’t be there to help them when they got in trouble. 

“There’s no point in trying to stop you, is there?” 

The girls shook their heads. 

The guild master sighed, resigned. 

“I guess it can’t be helped… Just promise me this: when you go, please take just one person from our ranks with you. They can serve as a witness afterward, and they can negotiate for the cooperation of the guild there. Plus, if the number of people in your party is different, it will be easier to deceive your opponents, which should give you an added advantage.” 

While Mile worried over a reply, Reina spoke up in her stead. 

“I suppose we have no choice…” 

Thus, it was decided that the Crimson Vow would take a “plus-one” along with them on their trip to Talwess, the capital of the lands under the control of Viscount Boardman, and the home of Pauline’s family. 

“We can take a scheduled carriage toward Talwess three days from now. Until then, we should prepare ourselves and lay out a battle plan,” Reina proposed on the way home from the guild. 

Of course, it wasn’t smart to say much more than that while they were still on the road. The rest, they would discuss back at the inn. 

On their return, Mile headed to the reception desk to inform little Lenny of their upcoming absence. 

“Oh, Lenny, in three days’ time we’re going away for a little while. Have you managed to find a mage who you could ask to run the baths?” 

“Whaaaaat?! Not yet! I’ve gotta hurry up and look then! Mommmm!!!” 

The news was received with panic. 

*** 

And so, three days later… 

The Crimson Vow stood waiting at the passenger carriage station, along with a girl who appeared to be around fifteen years old. 

She wore a fluttering skirt and a loose jacket, with the buttons undone. Otherwise, the girl who greeted them looked just like any normal townsperson. 

“My name is Theresa. I’m from the guild. I’ll be working with you on this operation. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

“Oh! Pleased to meet you, too. Since we’ll be party allies for the time being, would you mind telling us what your specialties are?” As the party leader, Mavis had to ask this necessary question. 

“Ah, of course. I’m a C-rank, backline fighter—a knife wielder.” 

“Huh?” 

Three of the Crimson Vow tilted their heads in unison. 

It was fine that she was a C-rank hunter. If she had started as an F-rank at ten years old, and she had the aptitude and worked hard, then reaching a C-rank by the age of fifteen wasn’t all that strange. The Crimson Vow were C-rank hunters of about the same age, after all. Perhaps Theresa had even graduated from the prep school, too. 

What they found troubling was that she was both a backline fighter and a knife wielder. 

How could she fight on the backline while using a weapon with such short reach? 

Normally, a knife was a supplementary or backup weapon, something used for cutting up hunted prey and the like. Its reach was short, and if you threw it, you wouldn’t have a weapon anymore. Therefore, a hunter whose main weapon was a knife was more or less unheard of. 

“A knife? Are you s—ow!” 

Just as Mile started to ask an innocent question, a kick in the leg cut her off. 

“Wh-what was that for, Reina?! That hur—eek!” 

She turned to complain to Reina, who had struck Mile with the toe of her boot, but when she saw the terrifying look on the other girl’s face, she let out a small shriek. 

“N-never mind…” 

Mile, who had raised her voice more from surprise than hurt, quickly withdrew her question. 

“My primary function will be to act as an observer from our guild, as well as a liaison with the higher-ups at the guild branch in Talwess. Though I’ll be pretending to be a member of your party, I won’t be participating in any battles, nor accepting responsibility for any actions that you take. In exchange, I will not make any move to stop you all from doing anything that you choose to. You are free to act however you like,” Theresa explained. At this, the other four nodded. 

They were most grateful to hear that she was acting primarily as a witness and would not interfere with any of their plans. 

After that, Theresa excused herself to find a restroom before their departure. When she was out of sight, Mile asked Reina, unhappily, “What was that about earlier?!” 

In a hushed voice, Reina replied, “Quit asking about her profession. It’s pretty clear what her job is if her main weapon is a knife, isn’t it?” 

“Huh?” 

“Just think about it. What kinds of circumstances would allow a girl to earn her keep as a knife wielder?” 

Mile thought hard. 

“Umm, you could sneak into places while pretending to be a normal girl, or secretly work as a guard, or assassinate someone… Or assassinate someone… Assassinate… Oh…” 

Earlier, when Theresa had announced her specialty, Reina had been the only one not to tilt her head in confusion. This was because, of course, she had already pieced it together. 

“Got it? So don’t go nosing around. Both because that’s the unspoken rule of being a hunter, and also because it might help prolong your life a bit.” 

Mile, Mavis, and Pauline nodded, all looking slightly queasy. 

After a short while, Theresa returned, and they all boarded the carriage together. Just behind them, a man boarded as well. 

“Third Brother…” 

No one at all was surprised. 

Of course he would follow them. Everyone had expected this. 

So that they did not stand out as a party of all girls, followed by a single man, they reluctantly elected to pass themselves off as “a party of six, with five women and one man.” It was a one-time party for a temporary gig. Unlike Theresa, Ewan would probably be participating in battle along with them, so they needed to let him in on their plans. 

When Ewan wasn’t busy pouting, he was, in fact, a full-fledged knight. It was likely he was genuinely talented, and observing a real knight’s strategy and fighting style from a close proximity would be a useful tool in their own growth. When they thought of it that way, perhaps Ewan’s presence wasn’t such a raw deal after all. 

As the carriage traveled on, the Crimson Vow chatted inside with Theresa. Naturally, Ewan elected only to listen, wary of cutting into a conversation between the girls. Of course, because other passengers were present, they could not have a particularly in-depth discussion—they were limited to “girl talk” and other general topics. 

“So Miss Theresa, did you attend the Hunters’ Prep School as well?” 

“No, when I graduated to a C-rank, the prep school still had yet to be established.” 

“Wha…?” asked a perplexed voice. 

“I was promoted in the normal progression, starting from F-rank.” 

“Huh?” joined another. 

How odd. 

Even if one were to join the guild proper as an F-rank hunter right at ten years old, it would still take at least four years to make it to a C-rank, no matter how much of a prodigy you were. Yet somehow, when she achieved that rank, the prep school hadn’t existed? The same prep school that had been established a full six years ago? 

It didn’t add up. 

“When my children were born, I retired as a hunter and started working as a member of the guild staff.” 

“Whaaaat?” three voices chimed in. 

“And then my husband became the principal of the school, which had just been established.” 

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!” came the full chorus. 

It couldn’t be. She was Elbert’s wife?! 

“W-w-w-wait a minute! If that’s true, Miss Theresa, just how old—” 

“Asking about a hunter’s private life is against the rules!” 

“Bu-b-b-b-but…” 

As Mile wailed in confusion, behind her, Ewan, his face pale, crossed himself for safety. 

*** 

It was the first night of their carriage journey. 

Mile and the others had already more or less established their plans, but now that Theresa and Ewan were in the mix, they would need to go over everything once more. 

As always, this took place inside the tent that Mile carried with her. Just in case, Mile put a sound-dampening magic around them as well. 

“…In any case, we first need to establish what the charges are. We need to confirm whether or not what those men said was the truth. Even if they weren’t lying, they might still have taken the job from someone pretending to be associated with the company, so we’ll need to collect evidence regarding that as well…” 

As Mile went through her re-explanation, Reina grumbled that it shouldn’t matter, since they already knew they were bad guys. But in her heart, she understood this as well. She had raised the same complaint during their initial discussion, but eventually consented to Mile’s way of approaching things. 

Furthermore, it shouldn’t take a particularly substantial effort to confirm the details of the job request. The incident of long ago involving those thieves was one matter, but with a little questioning it should be fairly easy to confirm whether or not someone had hired those C-rank hunters. Instigating the abduction and murder of citizens from the capital was enough of a criminal act in and of itself, so if they could establish at least that much, there should be no difficulty convicting the parties involved. 

Naturally, they would ask the authorities to give them the third degree, in the hopes of getting them to confess to crimes from the distant past while they were at it. 

Theresa had no intention of interfering with the girls’ plans, and so she positioned herself to listen only as a precaution. For his part, Ewan agreed that it was necessary to undertake a thorough preliminary investigation, so there were no objections from either of the pair. 

And so, on the fourth evening of their journey, the carriage finally arrived in Talwess, the capital of the lands of Viscount Boardman and the town of Pauline’s birth. 

Though Talwess was the capital, this was merely owing to the fact that it happened to be the largest in the territory, and one that the main highway passed through. In truth, it was only of moderate size, and one would be hard-pressed to really call it a city. 

“Well then, we had better find ourselves somewhere to stay,” said Reina, taking the initiative as always. 

After a brief rest, they headed toward an inn. 

Pauline had recommended the place on the basis of it being “the sort of inn where the clientele isn’t so great, so even if you’re sort of suspicious-looking, you won’t stand out.” There, they would rent one four-person room and two singles. 

“Do you have a four-person room and two singles available?” Reina asked the man at the reception counter. 

The man’s eyes opened wide in shock. This inn was not the sort of place that young girls stopped by very often. However, the rooms were cheap, and it was a place where slightly suspicious-looking people would be able to stay without hassle, so now and again they did receive female guests. Yet what the man was most shocked by was not the fact that these new guests were a party of young girls, but rather, by the appearance of the young girl behind Reina. 

Short black hair spilled from the edges of her hooded visage, with only a pair of eyes peeking out from the gaps between the bandages that covered her face. Even for a receptionist accustomed to suspicious customers, this one was exceptionally suspicious. Perhaps even the most suspicious he had encountered this entire month. By a landslide. 

However, this man was a seasoned veteran of his profession. While he was a tad surprised, he quickly collected himself, and replied, “We have the rooms. How many nights are you planning to stay?” 

“We aren’t sure. We’ll let you know the day before we plan to leave,” Reina informed him, after which they discussed the lodging rate and amenities, and he handed over the key. 

The black-haired girl, of course, was Pauline. 

Her hair had been colored since before they boarded the carriage, but she had waited until after they disembarked to slip into the shadows and wrap the pre-prepared bandages over her face. If she had worn them from the start, she would have attracted far too much attention from the other passengers while they rode—something that would have been both inconvenient and unbearable, in light of Pauline’s shyness. 

She could have used magic to color her hair, but this came with concerns about the spell’s longevity, so instead she decided to use dye, which was convenient and had a proven track record of being secure and combat-proof. Using dye had the potential to damage one’s hair, but Pauline, at least, would be able to repair—that is, heal—it easily. Any change in color could be mitigated by using cleaning magic to break down the components of the dye as well. 

The Crimson Vow headed straight to their room to rest until dinnertime. They had done nothing but ride in the carriage, but between the harsh jostling of the road and the stress on their aching backs and bottoms, they were exhausted. Ewan seemed to be heading off to his room to rest also. 

Theresa delivered her luggage to her room, and then set out again to make an appearance at the guild. 

The next morning, after breakfast, they all set out together. 

It would be conspicuous for a group of six to move as one, so they split into three pairs. Today’s mission was mainly one of reconnaissance, so by splitting up, they not only stood out less, but would also be able to gather more information. 

The first team consisted of Mavis and Ewan, who likely would not have consented to teaming up with anyone else. Pairs two and three were Reina and Theresa, and Mile and Pauline. 

As they still had yet to make a move, the chance of danger befalling anyone but Pauline was low. Therefore it was decided that she should be accompanied by Mile, who, among the other three, was the most self-sufficient. Furthermore, it would be unwise to place Theresa—who had come with the intent of having the smallest possible role as an active party member—with Pauline, as she was perhaps the most belligerent. Even the notion of having any other team arrangement was unthinkable. 

As someone who was their senior had been dispatched with them, it would be questionable if that person were not treated as their leader for the duration. Therefore Theresa, though she was similar in appearance to the Crimson Vow, was selected for this role—in such a way that she would neither stand out nor truly take the initiative, remaining on the sidelines. Still, there was no sense in pairing her up with the leading actress in this production. 

Theresa seemed as though she wanted to team up with Mile, but it was not her place to make that decision, so she kept her mouth shut. 

And so, the three teams set out to their designated destinations to investigate. 

Team Reina headed for the guildhall. Team Mavis turned toward the area where the merchants congregated. And Mile, along with Pauline—her eyes to the ground and her face hidden deep within her hood, completely obscured by tightly wrapped bandages—headed toward the residential district. 

That evening, after each team had concluded their investigations, returned to the inn, and finished up their dinner, the whole group gathered in the largest bedroom. 

“All right, let’s go over what everyone found out.” 

As always, it was Reina who kicked off the discussion. 

“First, let me give a rundown of what we learned at the guild: Apparently, the five-man band of C-rank hunters, employed now and then by the Beckett Company, hasn’t been seen around town in about ten days. The Company often employs them for tasks outside the guild, when they need someone to do work that seems shady. Judging from their names and appearances, there is no doubt that those are our guys. On an unrelated note, it turns out that the Company often hires people without hunters’ certifications to serve as their bodyguards. These are folks who specialize in guard work and nothing else.” 

“What we found out in the commercial district follows what Pauline told us to a “T.” The Beckett Company is known for its forceful business practices and near-criminal tactics—which is to say that even when they do things that are blatantly illegal, they always manage to play the victim when the authorities get involved. There are quite a few other merchants who the Beckett Company has made trouble for, or who otherwise hold grudges against them. My brother here was able to get a lot of information out of the female shop employees.” 

At Mavis’s explanation, Ewan looked rather proud of himself. The four other ladies listening noted the fact that Ewan had only interviewed women. 

As Mile and Pauline had concentrated their energies on paying a surreptitious visit to Pauline’s mother and brother, they had nothing in particular to contribute to the report. 

“So far it seems that the testimonies of the men being held back in the capital haven’t changed. If there were any new contradictions in their stories, the guild master would contact me without delay. It’s been approximately seven days since they were handed over to the city guard. On a particularly fast horse, a messenger could reach here from the capital in about a day and a half. In other words, we know that nothing has changed in five and a half days, at the very least. They don’t seem like the type who could stand up to interrogation from the guardsmen for very long, let alone withstand the techniques of the palace’s own information extractors.” 

Theresa’s report clinched it: there was no possibility that the captured men had falsely accused the company president. 

At first, the girls considered getting themselves into the employ of the president, who would no doubt be irritated that the men he hired had yet to return. However, as they discussed the specifics of passing themselves off as down-on-their-luck hunters willing to take on illegal work, one look at each other’s faces assured them that this would never work. So, they rethought their plan. Clearly, they wouldn’t be fooling anyone. 

Well, Mile thought, the justice system here was different enough from that of modern-day Earth that even circumstantial evidence should be enough to convict them. 

She had proposed frightening the man and beating him within an inch of his life. However, everyone else had declined this offer. In order to preserve the business and let Pauline and her family take back possession of the shop, they couldn’t simply fell the bad men with some pseudo-assassination. 

It was a sound argument. If they went about this poorly, then they would be deemed criminals as well. 

Their goal was not merely to take down the president and his crew, but to see Pauline’s family’s honor restored. 

The members of the Crimson Vow racked their collective brains. 

*** 

The next morning at 9:00 AM , just after the Beckett Company had opened shop for the day at the ringing of the second morning bell, four figures appeared outside their door. 

They were four girls. From among them, the smallest, a girl of around eleven or twelve, produced a simple-looking item. 

Bwooong! 

Suddenly, a loud and unusual sound rang out, and the people around stopped in their tracks, turning to look at the girls. 

Bwong-bw-bwooong! 

After the sound had rung out, the girl cried out, “Vengeance is nigh! Vengeance is nigh! A young girl’s father was murdered, her mother and brother and the shop her father built were all stolen away! Now, her vengeance is nigh! All ye gathered, please take care not to stand in the way, nor take injury from the fearsome spells that will soon fly!” 

The forty-seven ronin (minus forty-three) were making their stand at the lord’s mansion. There was no snow on the ground, but it was at least the early morning. 

The spectators’ eyes were sparkling. 

This was a world of few amusements. The citizens of this town scarcely ever came across interesting events, let alone ones that they would be able to tell others about for decades to come. Furthermore, the stars of the show were a group of lovely young women, and their foe was an unscrupulous merchant, steeped in infamy. It took very little effort to guess which party was in the right, and which was in the wrong. 

People began to gather around, and by the time the merchants stepped out to see what was going on, a sizable crowd had surrounded the Beckett Company headquarters. 

Reina, meanwhile, muttered to herself, “What does ‘nigh’ even mean, anyway?” 

“What is going on out here?!” 

Perhaps having been informed by his employees about the commotion outside, the president of the Beckett Company—in other words, the very man who was Pauline’s sworn enemy—stepped out of the door with some fellows who looked like bodyguards by his side. What he saw was a crowd surrounding his shop and four young girls standing before them. 

“P-Pauline!” 

Indeed, there stood Pauline, the dye cleansed and the brown of her hair restored with magic. Her bandages had been removed, and her face was plain to see. 

“You’ve come back on your own! What is the meaning of all this?!” the president demanded, looking out over the crowd. 

“This is your audience. They’ve all come to bear witness as you are captured and brought to justice…” 

“Wh-what are you saying?!” 

The president was stunned at these unexpected words from the usually meek and mild Pauline. 

“Two and a half years ago, you hired bandits to kill my father and took over our shop using forged documents. I won’t let you dare say that you’ve forgotten that! Furthermore, you have committed another crime, and this time, there’s no hiding it: you attempted to harm citizens of the royal capital, which is under the direct control of His Majesty, the king himself. This is an attack on the king’s own ground—an act of treason!” 

At these wild accusations, shouts of anger began to rise from the growing mob. 

“I-I’ve no idea what you’re talking about! What proof do you have…?!” 

The president panicked to hear such things said before so many people. 

However, Pauline coolly continued, “Proof? Didn’t you think it peculiar that you hadn’t seen any signs of the men you hired to attack my friends, and that those same friends are here with me? That’s right, your hunters have been captured and are being questioned by the palace guard. Or, perhaps I should say, they were being questioned. They’ve already confessed everything, and right about now, the guards from the capital are probably headed this way…” 

“Wh…” 

Upon seeing his reaction, the crowd knew at once: Everything the girl said is true. 

Pauline had purposely linked the crimes of the far past to that of the present, in the closely held hope that as long as there were witnesses to the present events, those of the past might be proved just as easily. 

The president, meanwhile, finally realized that by remaining speechless, he had sealed his own fate. However, it was already too late. The recognition of his guilt had begun to spread throughout the crowd. There was no choice but for him to quash this by force. As long as he could root out the main offender in all this ruckus, he could deal with all the residual effects later, somehow or other. He had connections just for circumstances like these. He’d paid bribes just for circumstances like these. 

“Seize the ones spreading these hideous rumors!” he shouted as he signaled to his guards, falling back. 

The sign he had given was one that he had used many times before: Kill them. 

The five bodyguards gave small nods and stepped forward. Four of them drew their swords, while one stood just a little behind them, brandishing a staff. 

“Oh, so they intend to kill us to silence us! The man has as good as acknowledged his sin! Since they have drawn their blades to slay us, we haven’t a choice! To battle we must rise! We act now in self-defense!” 

As Mile shouted this long-winded explanation of her actions, she drew her sword. The other three drew their weapons in turn. Reina and Pauline had already begun preparing their spells. 

The bodyguards forwent any sort of needless shouts, such as, “Die, you wretches!” or, “Prepare yourselves, knaves!” Instead, wordlessly and immediately, they launched their attack. Unnecessary chatter was reserved for third-rate killers or worse, and these men appeared to be second-rate fighters at the very least. Reina and Theresa had heard that these men did not possess guild certification, but this certainly was not for lack of ability. There must be some other reason at hand. 

As the battle began, Reina and Pauline concentrated all their energy on the enemy mage. As they were unaware of their enemy’s capabilities, this was a standard precautionary measure. Moreover, this was the first time they were able to take full advantage of their absolute faith in Mile and Mavis’s ability to completely shield them from the four swordsmen at the front. After all, if you were set upon by your enemy’s forward guard while keeping all your concentration on the backline, you would be killed for certain. 

The two had finished their spells now, their proverbial fingers on the trigger, waiting to speak the final, simple words that would release the attacks. And then the swordsmen moved their way. 

Each of the four men aimed for one of the four girls. They intended to render the girls defenseless in one blow, with their mage as a backup precaution. Clearly, they were vastly underestimating the rage, swordsmanship, magical attack power, and casting speed of these young ladies. 

Nonetheless, Mavis and Mile handily took on two of them apiece, stopping the ones who had aimed for the backline fighters as well as their own opponents. They swung upward to block the attacks coming their way, then back down to disarm the ones headed for the backline, stopping the men in their tracks. In the over half a year that they had spent together, they had practiced together a fair bit. This level of synchronized movement was no sweat for the party. 

Seeing this, the enemy mage panicked, and released the trigger on the spell he had prepared, letting it fly toward Mavis. It was an icicle javelin. 

As they were fighting in close quarters, it was crucial that he select a spell that would not affect anyone but his intended target. Thus, a spell like this was ideal. Furthermore, because it carried its own innate kinetic energy, the icicle could easily pierce through any magical protection that might be enacted. 

However, in this case, it was the wrong move. 

Even if the enemy mages were kept in check, aiming at the frontline fighters, rather than the mages, left them completely free to attack. 

If these were your average, garden-variety novice hunters that the men were facing, this likely wouldn’t have been a problem. For a magic-user who was confident in his skills, who had plenty of experience in combat and specialized bodyguard work, it would not be difficult to defend himself against the spells of novice magic-users even after they had already been let off. However, while Reina and Pauline were certainly “novices,” one might only call them that while mentally appending “somewhat out of the ordinary.” 

“Earth Shield!” 

“Icicle Javelin!” 

Both of their spells were set into action, the icy spear that had been flying Mavis’s way crashing into the wall of earth that had suddenly risen from the ground, and the blunt end of another ice javelin flying toward the enemy mage. 

By the time the icicle spear—or rather, the blunt icicle rod—struck the enemy mage in the gut and knocked him to the ground, the four enemy swordsmen were all rolling on the ground. The crowd cheered in a frenzy, while the president went very pale. 

Just as Pauline moved to try to question the man again, a voice came from behind her. 

“Well, well, what’s all this commotion about?” 

The girls turned to see a hunter, who looked to be in his thirties, standing by. Judging by the sword sheathed at his waist, he was a frontline fighter. He had wily good looks that gave the impression that he would have been quite popular with the ladies back in his day, but he had a quiet demeanor and seemed to have aged gracefully. The few blades of stubble that remained unshaven from his cheeks lent him a rugged, pleasant look. 

He was a veteran hunter, one who had worked his way up from the bottom. This was something you rarely saw. 

Seeing this man, the hope of salvation appeared in the president’s eyes. This look told Mile everything. 

I bet he’s going to say something like, “Master, please help me!”… 

“Master, please help me!” 

Yep, there it is. 

“You girls look like hunters, but what’s going on here?” the man called Master asked. He did not seem as intent on obeying his employer’s orders as on ascertaining the circumstances of the situation. 

And interestingly, he had not asked the question of his employer. Did he not trust the man? Or did he merely think it would be faster to inquire of his opponents themselves? 

“We’re apprehending a criminal.” 

“A criminal, you say?” 

“That’s right. This man hired robbers to kill this girl’s father, then stole his business using forged documents. Later, he illegally hired a group of hunters to murder us—citizens of the royal capital—which is an act of treason,” Reina explained. 

Hearing this, the man turned to the president, who was shaking his head wildly, and asked, “Is this true?” 

“Sh-she’s lying! This is all slander!” 

“Well, sometime in the next few days a guard wagon should be arriving from the capital, so you’ll see soon enough. What would you like to do until then?” Reina asked the hunter, casually ignoring the president’s desperate denial. 

“Unlike those goons writhing around there, I was hired officially through the guild. Therefore, if you were all government officials or soldiers—or, if you were under the orders of an employer or the Crown, I wouldn’t do anything. Since that doesn’t seem to be the case, I have no choice but to keep guarding the man I’m contracted to. You’re all hunters, so you understand, don’t you?” 

“I guess it can’t be helped. However, since it’s four against one, would you like to take this opportunity to surrender?” 

“I can’t do that. I’m a B-rank hunter. If I surrendered to a group of four rookies, my reputation would be ruined, and I can’t allow that. In any case, I can’t exactly see myself losing.” 

“I see… Well then, let’s do this.” Reina sighed, moving to brandish her staff. 

Just then, Mile interjected from beside her, “Reina! This is a real match!” 

“Huh???” 

The other three, as usual, were stunned at Mile’s strange words. 

“This isn’t a story tale! No matter how much we fight in the name of justice, bullying a weakling in front of all these people wouldn’t feel right! Plus, it wouldn’t be any fun at all for our spectators to watch!” 

Seeing how the other three nodded silently in agreement, the crowd suddenly understood. 

“Gotcha. Well then…” 

“Wait! Wait wait waaait! What on earth do you mean ‘in the name of justice,’ and ‘bullying a weakling’?! What does that mean? Do you think I’m the problem? Are you saying I’m a ‘weakling’?!” 

“Huh? You aren’t?” Mile asked, clearly perplexed. 

The hunter roared, “Of course I’m not!!! I already told you, didn’t I?! I took this bodyguard job officially through the guild! If you all were working officially, through the appropriate channels, I would just shut up and hand him over. However, all I know is that you’re a bunch of random assailants acting independently on a grudge. So, I have to follow through on the job I was hired to do and defend him! Furthermore, all of my companions are off in other towns on business. I took this job on independently just to kill some time, but I’m actually the leader of a B-rank party. My individual rank is close to an A-rank! Do you understand? I’m not lying, and I’m certainly not a weakling!” 

“No, the way you have to insist on that just makes you seem even weaker…” Mile said suspiciously. 

“I’m NOT!!!” the B-rank hunter screamed, red in the face. 

“Well now, it seems like this crowd is really heating up, so…” 

“You did that on purpose!” 

“Your opponent now shall be Mile, the average magical knight beauty…” 

“Where?” 

“Huh?” Mile, intending to ignore the hunter’s complaints and continue her spiel, let out a small sound of confusion. 

“I’m asking, where is this ‘beauty’ who I’m supposed to be fighting?” 

The hunter looked around theatrically, a faint smirk upon his face. 

You jerk… 

Mile sighed. It was her own fault for getting too into it and slipping that ‘beauty’ comment in there. However, there were plenty of people in this world who would refer to themselves as something like the “beautiful knight” or “brilliant magical beauty”… weren’t there? Even when it came from something like the “Headless Killer-Beauty Incident,” you still got from it that she was a beauty, regardless of the fact that she was headless, right? That was the sort of thing Mile had been going for. 

It was the kind of declaration everyone made! You couldn’t just jump right into battle! Was this his revenge for making fun of him?! 

At the thought, Mile was grinding her teeth internally. 

She would harness this rage, and… 

“I’ll do it.” 

“Huh???” 

“This should be my fight,” Pauline said, taking a step forward, while the other three looked on perplexed. 

“Pauline…?” 

“It’s fine. Despite how I may look, I too am a member of the Crimson Vo—” 

“EH-HEH-HEH-HEM!!!” 

Mile, Reina, and Mavis all let out a loud and rather forced-sounding cough, interrupting Pauline’s words. 

Indeed, they had already decided ahead of time that this job was not one being undertaken by the “Crimson Vow,” but rather by “Pauline and her delightful companions.” They didn’t want word getting around that the Crimson Vow had been involved in an operation that resided in such a grey area. This was not a real job, but rather a member’s individual undertaking. 

Pauline swiftly recalled this and tried to change around her words to cover for her mistake. 

“…I too am thirsty for blood, as a member of the Order of the Crimson Blood…” 

The other three were stunned at the overcorrection. 

The crowd recoiled. 

“J-just what kind of party are you all?” 

The other hunter was taken aback as well. 

“Today has nothing to do with our party. We aren’t here together as party members—they came here of their own accord to aid me in a personal battle. They’re just my friends… no, they’re my best friends!” 

The other girls realized something: Pauline’s words were suddenly much simpler than her usual manner of speech. Someone who had never met her before would scarcely notice, but for her friends, who had known her for so long, it was clear. Furthermore, they understood what this meant. 

“My name is Pauline. I have risked everything to take vengeance upon my father’s foe. And as thanks to the friends who have put their lives and their futures in my hands for the sake of my personal vengeance…” 

Pauline was not speaking to her opponent. She was reciting words that she had rehearsed in advance. As she spoke, all the resources of her brain were focused on a different task. 

“Go!” 

As Pauline raised her staff, the hunter gripped the handle of his sword to draw it. 

“Owwwwwww!!!” 

The hunter screamed, pulling his hand from the handle. His palm was dripping, red with blood. When he looked down to the still-sheathed sword, he saw that the handle was suddenly covered in thorns. 

“Wh-wha…?” 

He reeled for a moment, but anyone who could truly be caught off guard by such a simple thing could never be called a B-rank hunter. 

“Damn it! You’re a shadow-caster?! And you cast a high-level spell silently in your head, while still speaking normally?!” 

As he spoke, he quickly glanced to his backup shortsword, glad to see that nothing was sprouting from that one. He swiftly gripped the handle of the shortsword and drew it. 

“Hooooooooot!!!” 

And with as much force as he had drawn it, he flung the shortsword forward. 

“Secret technique, ‘Heat Blade!’” 

Pauline shouted the name of her technique (read: spell) with a satisfied look. 

Indeed, as the hunter had guessed, this was shadow-casting: a high-level technique by which one secretly cast a spell without an incantation while talking about something else and pretending not to be doing anything magical. Naturally, this was difficult to achieve while speaking to one’s opponent normally, so Pauline could only do it while mechanically reciting words that she had prepared ahead of time. Even so, it was an impressive feat. 

Incidentally, the “Heat Blade” spell was a reference to the weapon used by a giant golem in one of Mile’s bedtime stories, though she had it a bit backwards as to which part got hot—the blade or the handle. As Mile heard the name that Pauline gave it, she thought to herself, Shouldn’t she be calling this “Heat Grip” instead? 

“D-damn it! Well, at least I can still use my fists.” 

As he spoke, the hunter tried to throw a punch Pauline’s way, but just then, he fell to his knees on the ground. 

“Uh… huh? What? Why am… I…?” 

And just like that, he collapsed on the ground. 

“I never said that the handle of your sword was the only thing I had raised the temperature of. By slowly raising the temperature of your body bit by bit, it seems you’ve fallen right to pieces as well…” 

“Gaaaaaah! Water! Someone, please dump some water on his head! He’s gonna diiie!” 

At Mile’s desperate cry, several of the nearby spectators rushed over to draw water from the emergency reservoirs in front of the shop and douse the man with buckets. If she had thought about it, this would have been much quicker for Mile to do with magic, but she was too aghast for this to occur to her. When, after a short while, the thought did cross her mind, she hurriedly used some cooling and healing magic on him. 

Yet it was unclear whether healing magic could restore one’s mind and memories to normal after something so traumatic, so she was rather concerned. This hunter was just trying to perform the duty he had been hired to do, after all. He wasn’t a particularly bad guy. 

In other words, they were the ones, in this case, who would be the villains in the eyes of the law. 

“Wh-what…?” 

As his final lifeline was severed, the president fell into despair. 

However, fate smiled on him once more. 

“Clear the road!” 

Several riders on horseback and a single carriage approached, with several dozen foot soldiers proceeding some distance behind them. 

“Bwahaha, you idiots! I can’t believe you fell for all that stalling! The lord and his soldiers are here. It’s the end for you! You better get ready!” 

Reina, Mavis, and Pauline were floored. 

Huh? they thought. Really? What’s going to happen now? Will we be all right? 

Mile, meanwhile, looked completely unconcerned. 

It’s all going according to plan… 

“What is the meaning of this? Explain yourselves!” 

“…And you are?” Mile asked of the man who had just stepped down from the carriage. 

One of the soldiers, climbing down from his horse, answered in the man’s stead. 

“Insolent child! This man is the lord of these lands, his Excellency, Viscount Boardman!” 

The president leapt in. “Your Excellency, these scoundrels have falsely accused and attacked me!” 

“What? False accusations, you say?” 

Mile, of course, chimed in to answer this. “Ah, yes! This man hired thieves to murder the owner of this shop, then took control of it using forged documents! Whoever approved these obviously fake papers must have been an accomplice of his as well, so we’d like to see them brought in together and executed! I wonder who around here would do such a wicked thing? Their superiors clearly must be investigated as well!” 

As Mile spoke in a booming voice, everyone in the crowd grimaced. 

“Wh-what are you shouting about?!” The lord tried to silence Mile in a panic, but she had already finished all that she had set out to say. 

“Yes, we beg you, your Excellency—please apprehend this criminal!” This time Reina jumped in, shouting just as loudly. 

“Sh-shut up, shut up, shut up! You wretches are causing a public unrest in my city! You’re the ones who should be arrested!” The lord shouted back at them, conscious of the crowd around him. 

“Oh? Now isn’t this strange? How could you decide which of us is in the wrong without conducting a proper investigation? It’s almost like something an official who would approve falsified documents would do, passing a judgment without an investigation, in spite of public protests. How very peculiar… Wait—could it be…?” 

This time it was Pauline, whose ponderings grew bolder and bolder. 

“D-didn’t I tell you all to shut up?! You lot, seize them immediately!” 

“I can’t let you do that.” 

From out of the crowd, a woman stepped forward. 

“Who are you?!” 

“My name is Theresa. I’m a representative of the capital branch of the hunters’ guild.” 

“How is this the business of some little girl from the guild?!” 

“Yes, well, that merchant is a criminal who ordered the murder of these young hunters, who are citizens of the capital, so I’ve come here to follow up on that incident. Those girls there are the wronged party, and as recently as a few minutes ago, that man once again ordered them to be killed by those men rolling on the ground there. I cannot allow someone who appears to be in cahoots with these men, such as you, your Excellency, to take custody of these girls.” 

“Wha…?” 

Theresa ignored the lord, and turned to the president. 

“Outside of individuals caught in the act and other wanted criminals, the hunters’ guild does not have the authority to apprehend those who are not members of the guild. However, you directed your underlings to kill a group of guild members. The guild therefore recognizes that act as a clear attack on the guild itself. Following this, it has been officially deemed that, from here on out, no requests to the guild shall be accepted from your company, your business partners, or anyone else who may associate with you. This shall be the case in any branch, in any country. No bodyguards, no caravan escorts, and no orders of materials. 

“Furthermore, your involvement in the attempted murder of our guild members has already been reported to the city guard in the capital. What you’ve done is an offense against citizens of the capital, and thereby an offense against His Majesty himself, and so, regardless of your status as the constituent of another lord, the capital city guard has the authority to apprehend you. I believe the guards charged with that duty have already departed the capital, so they should be arriving very soon. 

“Thus concludes my statement from the hunters’ guild, capital branch.” 

“Wh…?” 

The president and the lord were both stunned into silence. 

The president had, just earlier, heard from Pauline about these guards from the capital, but he had yet to think anything of them. He had simply planned to shut the girls up, choose an appropriate merchant as a scapegoat, and assert, “He faked his identity to try and sully my name!” As always, he would wait for the lord’s underlings to capture the man, torture him, then claim that he had confessed everything before killing himself. For the president, it would all be just as it had been so many times before… 

Furthermore, even if the capital guards were able to collect the appropriate evidence and witnesses, he presumed that they would not be able to lay a finger on him, the citizen of another lord’s lands—no matter if they were from the king’s jurisdiction. No matter if they had evidence, witnesses, or testimony from criminals. The lord could attest to his innocence, after all. 

Yet the guild was a problem. 

The guild was not bound to the orders of any noble, nor even the Crown. 

Furthermore, the guild chose whether or not to accept jobs purely at its own discretion, and beyond that, the guild was not even duty-bound to produce proof of wrongdoings in order to refuse an enemy service. The guild merely had to declare, “This person is our enemy,” and a hunter would never work for them again. It was as simple as that, and no one was granted the right to protest it. 

On top of this, it would not only be his shop affected by this ban, but also anyone who did business with his shop. This would mean the end for him. 

Escorts for their caravans. Orders of supplies and goods. Hunters would refuse to have anything to do with anyone who associated with him. For a merchant, such a wound could prove fatal. 

For his business partners, the means to avoid such a fate would be simple: They would merely need to cut all ties with the Beckett Company. And so, who in their right mind would possibly continue to do business with him after that? 

Besides, he wouldn’t be able to send out wagons with goods from his shop, nor order any new materials gathered. 

He was ruined. 

“Y-your Excellency,” the president pleaded desperately. “You must apprehend these fiends and execute them! There’s no way such a young girl could be a representative of the guild! They’re trying to deceive us!” 

If the girl from the guild was dealt with, the president would have time to select a scapegoat to throw the soldiers from the capital off his trail and avoid punishment from the guild. 

The lord had the same thought. It certainly was peculiar that such an important task would be left up to some fifteen or sixteen-year-old rookie. Furthermore, it would be a problem to allow this commotion to go on any longer. They had to hurry and apprehend everyone, select some thug to take the fall, and prepare the scapegoat to be handed over to the capital guards. 

If they did not, the president of the Beckett Company would be seized and hauled away by those same guards, and if he began to flap his gums while being questioned, then the lord would be put in a sticky position, too. To date, he had granted the Beckett Company a number of “advantages,” which in turn saw a number of returns come his way. Put simply, all it would take was a single breath for his entire house of cards to crumble. 

Moreover, this group of young ladies made quite an attractive set. Their bodies were… well, they were still somewhat lacking for his tastes, but they would do. 

As the lord pondered this, his foot soldiers finally arrived, and he issued his command with a smirk: 

“Seize those girls! But don’t hurt them too much.” 

Even if they were hunters, they were still a group of young girls between ten and seventeen or eighteen years of age. There was nothing that they could possibly do against a group of over sixty soldiers. 

And so the soldiers drew their swords and began to advance on the girls, menacingly. 

Ka-blam! 

The lid was blown off. 

“There you have it, they’re approaching with their swords drawn: a clear declaration of attack. We’ve just been granted the grounds for some justified self-defense!” 

“Huh????” 

The lord, as well as the crowd around him, raised their voices in confusion. They had never heard of such a term as “grounds for justified self-defense.” 

In any case, this granted the Crimson Vow the right to launch a counterattack on anyone who showed even the slightest hint of trying to harm them. They could look further into the circumstances once their opponents were felled. If they did not do so, then they would never survive, no matter how many lives they had. 

In a world like this one, even the slightest show of malice, such as brandishing a weapon, was sufficient grounds for at least a little retaliation. Really, strictly seeking out a “grounds for justified self-defense” as one might on modern day Earth was nothing more than a means of satisfying Mile’s sensibilities. 

“Pauline, Reina, if you would.” 

Mile was wiped for the time being, and of course it would be impossible for even Mavis to fight this many soldiers head-on, so now, it was up to the other two. 

From the beginning, this had been Pauline’s fight, and Reina, whose father had similarly, been killed by thieves, had her own small stake in this, too. It would be dangerous not to let the two of them let off a little steam. 

There were no magic-users in the soldiers’ ranks. 

There were few people around who could use combat magic of any sort, but mages who also had the tactical sense and level of ability to utilize combat magic in organized warfare were a rare breed indeed, and they were always well-salaried. It wasn’t as though they lived in the lap of luxury, but their pay certainly amounted to that of several average soldiers combined. 

The shop employee who had been dispatched to send word to the viscount had assumed Mile was a sword-wielder, and had reported that there were only two young rookie mages amongst the group. So, it was deemed that even if they did have mages in their midst, a group of rookie hunters would be helpless against a band of soldiers many times their number, and the lord elected not to dispatch the scant number of mages within the regional troops against a few young girls. 

In other words, there was no one to stand up to the pair. 

“Flare!” 

The spell Reina let off was but a simple thing, a flame that would only graze an enemy, not explode or pierce or anything like that. Put simply, she was holding back. However… 

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!” 

This momentary flame had almost no effect on the soldiers’ weapons or the parts of them that were covered by armor. However, their exposed skin and hair was not so lucky. 

Their skin was all right. It was red on the surface and stung badly, but in medical terms, they had received only a first-degree burn. In a week or two, they would be right as rain, without even aches or scars. 

Their hair, however, was singed. To a crisp. 

Ignoring the flailing soldiers, Pauline now turned to another group, and let off a spell of her own. 

“Ultra Hot Mist!” 

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!” 

A red mist rained down on the soldiers. 

Once again, the “hot” used here did not mean thermal heat, but rather, spiciness. This was the mist version of the “Waterball: Ultra Hot” spell she had used before, when capturing the robbers. 

“Eughaaaaaaah!!” 

Unfortunately, it seemed that a portion of the mist had drifted onto the soldiers whose scalps Reina had already burned with magic. A scream the likes of which had never been heard in this world rang out. 

“Wh-wha…?” 

These young girls, of whom they had thought so little, had rendered nearly a quarter of the troops incapable of fighting in an instant. The lord was shocked. However, they were still fighting these enemy mages at point-blank range. Both of them had just finished casting, so it would take time for them to incant their next spells. 

“Now! Before they finish casting their next spells!!” the viscount screamed, but Mile and Mavis had each already taken a step forward. 

When it came to magic-users, it was not so strange to find someone of formidable skill, regardless of their age. However, when it came to the sword, this was not the case. 

In the world of swordsmanship, the difference between someone of 45 years and someone of 50 was little, but the difference between 15 and 20 years old was an insurmountable wall. Such was the way of the weapon. Facing seasoned soldiers, a little girl of around ten and a young lady—who was older, but likely not even twenty—could easily be kicked aside, allowing for the mages’ capture. 

So thought the viscount, and thus, he felt relief, until suddenly a voice came from the crowd. 

“Could you wait a moment?!” 

Naturally, there was not a soldier around who would halt in the middle of a skirmish just because the voice of someone they didn’t know asked them to. Several of the men swung at Mile and Mavis and were just as quickly blocked. The brief time it bought them was long enough for Reina and Pauline to complete their spells. 

“Firebomb!” 

“Slippery!” 

Reina’s fire magic—whose power and scope she had initially held back, in light of their surrounding environment—exploded. Immediately after this, Pauline let off her original spell, “Slippery,” to halt that same fire’s spread. 

Several of the soldiers were blown away by the explosion, and those remaining fell into a great panic. 

“E-everything’s slippery! I can’t grip my sword!” 

The fearsome magic of “Slippery!” 

How fortunate that there were no female soldiers present. 

“Now then! Didn’t I tell you to wait?!” 

While the battle was put momentarily on hold, the owner of the voice that had called out before emerged from a gap in the crowd. 

No matter how you looked at the man, it was clear he was a noble, and he was flanked by several knights, positioned around him like guards. 

“Viscount Boardman, pray tell what it is you intend to do to my daughter.” 

“F-Father!” Mavis shouted. “And Third Brother…and First Brother…” 

Indeed, Doting Daddy and the SisCons had just made their stage debut. 

Since the morning following his first encounter with Mavis in the capital, Ewan had penned letters to their father every day, collecting the details he learned. One of these letters had even been written the day the plan to travel to Viscount Boardman’s lands was made. 

Each one, he sent by dragon mail. 

Of course, dragon mail did not actually go by dragon. It was merely an express relay system, where horses and messengers were changed out at every station, so that a letter seemed to travel as though on a dragon’s wings. After all, one could not put a price on assuring Mavis’s safety. 

Naturally, upon receiving Ewan’s information, their father was indignant with rage. 

“Someone tried to a-a-attack my dearest daughter, who is the spitting image of my beloved wife in her younger days…?!” 

Not an hour after he received the letter, their father had set out toward the viscount’s lands, along with six of his subordinates and his eldest son, who entrusted all his official duties to his next-youngest brother. 

“Wh… C-Count Austien? Why has the Count himself suddenly appeared in my capital, without sending even a messenger…?” 

Viscount Boardman apparently knew the face of Count Austien, who was not only an influential nobleman, but also a powerful player in military circles. Not yet grasping the situation at hand, he was incredibly confused. 

“That girl there, Mavis, is my beloved daughter. Now then, might you care to offer an explanation as to why you are attempting to protect the offender who had my daughter attacked in the capital? Depending on what you say, this may not end well for you,” said Count Austien to Viscount Boardman. His face twisted in loathing, and he tried to mask the way that his arms trembled in rage. “I—no—we, the entire Austien family, shall assume the responsibility of sending the man who appears to be your ally—the man who attempted to bring harm upon Mavis von Austien, our family’s crown jewel—straight to the depths of Hell…” 

Viscount Boardman was white as a sheet. 

A lord could do as he pleased with his own citizens. He could threaten them and increase their taxes and kill them or their friends or families—anyone who did not follow his commands. Many of the hunters, as well as the employees of the local guild branch, were citizens of his lands, too. There was not an idiot around who did not know that if they made an enemy of their lord, then a harsh fate awaited not only them but everyone they associated with. 

However, the Count was a problem. 

The fact that the Count held a higher station was a problem enough in itself, but the Austien family also had great influence over the Crown and other noble families, and furthermore, they were renowned for their militaristic bent. While their regional troops did not greatly outnumber that of other lords’ territories, their strength was widely acknowledged. 

If such a noble were to level his power and hatred at the Viscount, rally the aid of other influential nobles, and perhaps even involve the Crown… he would not stand a chance. 

“Y-your daughter? Whatever could you be talking about? I came out here merely because I heard that man over there, who happens to be a merchant in my city, was being attacked. In any event, this is a problem for my territory. You may be a count, but you have no right to meddle in my affairs!” 

The viscount tried desperately to gloss over the incident, but Count Austien was not ready to abandon this battle so easily. 

“Oho! Well then, I suppose there is no reason a viscount should be meddling in my affairs either—I, who came all the way here because I heard that my daughter and her companions, young girls who are all citizens of the capital, were being attacked. If my family’s only daughter, as well as citizens of the capital, a place under the king’s direct rule, are involved, then this is a problem for me and His Majesty.” 

“What frivolous chatter is this? It would be one thing if you were His Majesty himself, but for a noble to be butting into another noble’s affairs—even if you are a count—is simply—” 

“If you require His Majesty’s seal as proof, then will this do?” 

“What?” 

Count Austien and Viscount Boardman both turned in surprise at the voice that came suddenly from beside them. They saw a man in his mid-thirties, who looked like a knight, standing there. A sword was fastened to his waist. 

“My apologies for cutting in. I am Santos, of the second division of the royal guards. Recently, His Majesty received a missive from the guild master of the capital branch of the hunters’ guild, stating that some personages under His Majesty’s own watch had come under attack. Moreover, the letter explained that those selfsame individuals were now undertaking an investigation into the situation on their own behalf. I am the one who was directed by His Majesty to confirm the aforementioned circumstances. I come as the forbearer of an approaching unit that will apprehend and transport the wrongdoers. As this is a matter concerning an offense against His Majesty’s people, and ergo, well within His Majesty’s jurisdiction, I have been granted the authority to apprehend the offenders in His Majesty’s name. 

“Count Austien, you are a faithful retainer of His Majesty. Furthermore, these young women of the Crimson Vo… ahem, the Order of the Crimson Blood, received half a year of tuition-free education at the Hunters’ Prep School and are associates of the capital branch of the hunters’ guild. In the name of His Majesty, I request that you confirm the identity of the mastermind behind these offenses, as well as all those who have interfered in this investigation.” 

“Wh…?” 

Viscount Boardman was speechless. The crowd’s gaze shot back and forth in bewilderment as they followed every new sally in this ping-pong match. 

Though the girls of the Crimson Vow had considered the possibility that Mavis’s family might get involved, even they had never imagined that the king himself might take an interest in their affairs. 

The viscount was sweating bullets. If he handled this poorly, it could spell doom for him. He thought desperately and reached a conclusion. 

“I-I suppose, in that case,” he announced, “I have little choice. Until the guards arrive to apprehend him, I shall deal with that merchant myself.” 

The merchant, whose expression had been utterly grim, appeared relieved. Perhaps he thought that the viscount was coming to his rescue. 

However, at that very moment, Pauline called out in a flat voice, “What are you looking so happy for? Doesn’t that just mean he’s going to murder you to shut you up and then, when the guards arrive, tell them you killed yourself because you realized no escape was possible? That way you can’t cause any trouble for him…” 

The president went pale once again, his knees knocking and teeth chattering. 

“Wh-what are you saying? You have no basis for…” 

“If that is the case, then I shall be the one to handle that merchant.” 

The viscount glared at Santos, the knight of the royal guard, who had interrupted him. 

At this rate, it was certain that the president would be taken to the capital and questioned, encouraged to spill everything he knew. There was no way that this man could stand up to a palace interrogator. And in any case, he had no reason to put himself through that much to protect the viscount. In fact, there was a relatively high probability that he would pin all sorts of wrongdoings on the viscount, once his gums got flapping. 

Even if he was the rightful head of a noble family, they were still a lower-ranking clan. And if all of his past wrongdoings were to come to light, the king might seize his estate, or place him under house arrest and set up his son or some other relative to rule in his place. 

This was bad. This was very very very very bad! 

“All right now, what tomfoolery is this?! Am I to believe that His Majesty would take an interest in such unimportant little girls as these?! Or that this rookie hunter is truly the honorable Count’s daughter? If you hope to deceive me, you are going to have to be a little more convincing than that! These miscreants have used a noble’s name in vain and sullied the reputation of His Majesty—kill them!” 

Kill them. That was his solution. As long as all relevant parties were eliminated, he could make some excuse for it later on. 

They had attacked him suddenly, unprovoked. 

They had demanded bribes and sullied His Majesty’s name. 

They had colluded with the merchant and conspired to overtake his lands. The fellow from the royal guard was in on it as well. 

As long as everyone was dead, he could say whatever he wanted. He could do whatever he liked. 

Viscount Boardman had no choice but to believe this. 

Given how poorly everything was going, he had no real reason to believe this plan might work, and yet he had no other option. 

On the viscount’s command, the relatively few remaining soldiers, along with the knights that had accompanied him from the start, brandished their swords. 

Mile thought, This is the last ten minutes of the episode, isn’t it…? 

And Pauline thought, Why did he put so much emphasis on “received half a year of tuition-free education at the Hunters’ Prep School”? Does that mean that they’re going to start working us for free now? What a miser! The king is so cheap!