Chapter 194
“W–wait! Stop! I won’t go after you anymore! So please—!”
I drove my fist into the chest of a warrior wearing slightly better equipment than the others.
Of course, a single blow was enough—but the moment my killing intent connected, [Extermination of the Weak] activated perfectly.
Instant death by probability—and the greater the difference in power, the higher the chance.
Compared to dying slowly in agony from crushed organs, losing one’s life in an instant is surely kinder.
“Oh, don’t think you can escape! You’re just thugs tempted by big money from some illegal contract, aren’t you? Filthy humans who planned to kill for coin! Vile beings—just like me! And so, we must kill each other fairly!”
I caught up with a fleeing man and slammed my fist into his back.
Apparently, he died instantly even without the skill triggering—his upper body was blown clean off.
In that case, the previous man must’ve been wearing some remarkably good armor.
Looking toward the direction the last one ran, I saw him already impaled on a spear—
his body lifted and swung before being hurled into the river.
Hmm, as expected, Furerika is strong.
If she hadn’t been the one to wield Silent’s power, defeating her would’ve been difficult indeed.
Betraying her own country just for the thrill of fighting one of the Thirteen Knights…
I can’t say I dislike that kind of person—someone who commits evil purely for the sake of their own desire, their own conviction.
“Are you finished over there too, Furerika?”
“Yeah… Still, I thought you were a mage?”
“Oh, I make my living killing people with my fists. Heh—care for a spar?”
“Spare me. I don’t stand a chance.”
“Wise decision. …Now then, have you realized who these attackers really were?”
I asked her that.
Why had the pursuers she thought were from the guild increased in number since coming to this continent?
And why had they come from the direction of the hideout we were heading toward?
“…So I’m being erased, huh? You’re here to make sure of that too?”
“And if I said yes?”
“…Then I’d just think it’s ironic—that I’d get to fight a true powerhouse for my final battle.”
Saying that, she swung her blood-stained spear hard, flinging the crimson droplets away.
Her stance, filled with resolve, radiated genuine fighting spirit.
“Excellent! As expected of the berserker who betrayed her nation! Ah, but don’t worry. My business is with Hus. I’ve no intention of doing anything to you.”
At that, the tension in her body eased just a little.
“…I’ll believe you, Still.”
“Please do. I only kill those who need to die. And I have no reason to kill you.”
“…I see. But Hus probably plans to erase me, doesn’t he?”
“Most likely. Simply put, you’re someone who failed your mission, got captured, and escaped alone. And in a way that allowed the guild to ‘let you slip away’ on purpose. I’d wager there’s another watcher assigned to you.”
If they were observing us somehow, that actually worked in my favor.
It meant I could send the message: ‘The mysterious third party, Still, has crossed to another continent.’
Ideally, I want Hus’ group to recognize my presence here as well.
…Though I’m not holding my breath.
“Now then, let’s keep moving. The hideout might still hold some useful information.”
“Yeah… I thought I’d finally found a place I could settle down.”
“You don’t need that, not with your temperament. Just fight freely as you please.”
“Heh, maybe you’re right. Still, you’re planning to stay here long?”
“No. I’m just a temporary ally. Once the time’s right, I’ll vanish too.”
“I see… then how about teaming up? We could work as explorers together—”
“Mm, I’ll have to decline. Sadly, I’m not that free—and there’s no benefit to it.”
“Blunt as always. But I figured. Alright, let’s go.”
We followed the river upstream.
Behind me, the sound of her drop-candy tin rattled softly.
Well, if it’s still early, licking one won’t keep her awake all night.
…And she’s not biting it either. Good, good.
Eventually the river narrowed, and the riverbank became a harsh rocky path.
We moved into the forest, climbing the slope—until at last, a mansion came into view on a distant mountainside.
I’d half-expected the “hideout” to be a myth, so seeing an actual, well-built manor was a surprise.
“That’s it, huh? Didn’t think it’d be that grand.”
“Agreed. Either some noble’s extravagant villa… or one Hus’ people had built.”
“Let’s go. If it’s that big, there might even be a caretaker.”
She wasn’t wrong—but there was another possibility.
A group powerful enough to start wars wouldn’t hesitate to build and abandon hideouts like this.
I activated [Divine Guidance], checking for anything suspicious as we approached the mansion.
The mansion perched on the mountainside made it immediately clear—it was never meant to be a “normal villa.”
There wasn’t even a proper road leading to it.
An ordinary person couldn’t reach this place without climbing dangerous cliffs; it was obviously designed for access only through “nonstandard means.”
Once, Hus had used a teleportation-like spell to escape with a female student right before me.
This place must have been built with such supernatural users in mind.
Well, Furerika and I managed to get here anyway—leaping and dropping across the cliffs with strength far beyond human.
“Alright then, let’s storm the place—”
“Wait.”
We’d reached the front of the mansion and were deciding what to do when the reckless woman tried to step forward.
I grabbed her by the collar and yanked her back.
“Guh!”
“This is… quite the luxury. Pardon me, Furerika, but—excuse me for a moment.”
“Eh!? W–wait, what are you—!?”
I pulled her close.
Switching our positions, I turned my back toward the mansion and pushed her away from it.
Too late.
To think the trap would trigger just by approaching… even my eyes hadn’t caught that.
I activated protective magic just in case, shielding her in my arms—the one who was becoming more of a liability than help.
A deafening roar shook the air, rattling my brain.
“KYAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!??”
“How noisy…”
Her screams confirmed that my eardrums survived that massive explosion intact.
What a careless fool… approaching the mansion like that, risking being erased—it’s astonishingly reckless.
“…Seems like that was quite a large-scale explosive spell, yes? It triggered because you approached carelessly. Clearly, Hus and company intended to ensure your death. If I hadn’t been your shield, you wouldn’t have escaped.”
“W–what… is this!?”
It wasn’t just the mansion in danger—the entire mountainside had been heavily carved away, mansion and all.
Even from afar, you could see that the shape of the mountain had changed.
More precisely… everything outside the area I protected with magic had turned into scorched earth.
“W–why are we alive…?”
“Because I’m strong. Don’t move; if you do, the footing might snap beneath us.”
At this point, the only safe area was the small zone covering just the two of us.
From the remaining rocky pillar, I leapt while holding this liability, kicking off steep slopes and cliffs until we managed to hide ourselves within the forest.
“Most likely, the mansion was being observed from a distance. That explosion meant your death, after all.”
“…So… my employer must have valued me quite a bit…”
“You’re resilient, after all.”
“Not as much as you… wait—are you unharmed?”
“My finest outfit burned away. My back feels exposed.”
“…How are you alive with just your clothes gone…”
My own clothing was supposed to be top-tier equipment.
For it to disintegrate instantly… perhaps this explosion spell wasn’t just designed for her, but for an even more powerful enemy?
“…Hmm. Perhaps there are spies hidden within the Guild as well.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Never mind. Now, for all intents and purposes, you’re practically dead. What will you do next? Change your face or hair and go undercover?”
The spell aimed at Furerika was extreme overkill.
There must be someone who knew her connection to me, and anticipated that only a spell of this magnitude could kill her.
That someone is me. Our only point of contact was the one time I treated her within the Guild.
So only the Guild members would know this.
It seems the top ranks of the Guild aren’t involved, but perhaps some low-level staff were mixed in—maybe the person who asked me to treat Furerika?
“Right… if I hide in the shadows a bit, I could probably find such magicians or doctors… I suppose that’s best. I’m attached to myself, after all, and rather fond of my own being.”
“Good. Likely, those from the Guild chasing you have already given up. Judging by this mountain range, once you cross it, you might reach a neighboring country. You should leave the country for now.”
“Right… then this is the end for me as Furerika. Still, you saved me earlier, and I’m truly grateful. Honestly, I wouldn’t have grounds to complain if I were killed, so this has been quite a valuable experience. I’ll miss it… probably won’t see you again.”
“Well, you’ve gotten attached rather quickly. I just thought it’d be a waste if a life I saved went unused. If you stop wielding your weapon recklessly, I won’t go hunting either. Farewell, Furerika.”
“Yeah… I can’t promise anything, but goodbye, Still.”
As she headed toward the mountain peak to cross over, I gave her a farewell gift—a drop-candy tin, completely free of traps this time.
“Take it. It’s a rare item; savor it.”
“Th-thanks. Bye!”
This time, I watched her disappear into the mountain’s depths.
No pursuers appeared, suggesting they only observed the explosion from afar—or perhaps… they had shifted their focus elsewhere.
“Well then… I also need to disappear for a while.”
I cannot remain here in a form that shouldn’t exist. Returning to the appearance the master used is out of the question.
Perfect. ‘That form’ should suit the master’s convenience.
I descended the pathless mountain, searching for a convenient hiding place somewhere below.
“Somewhere near moderate human traffic would be ideal… this might be quite the challenge.”
Surveying the vast mountains and forest, I felt slight awe at the majesty of nature, though the immense distance I would have to cover was daunting.
“…First, I need to change clothes.”
Fortunately, I had multiple sets of the same gear.
I’m thankful for my habit of keeping hold of the master’s things.