The gauntlet of the opponent that hit my arm was hard and painful.
I was knocked away by the force, but before I could hit the ground, I was stopped by something supporting me.
“Are you alright? You’re a magician, aren’t you? …Why did you rush out?”
It was Zieghardt, the captain of the city guard, with golden-brown hair.
“…Thank you for your help. However, even though I rushed out, when you ask why, I can only say it was without thinking.”
His green eyes gently trembled. Then, he glared at the men causing trouble and put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Back again, you lot! Enough is enough! If you keep this up, I’ll take care of them!”
Are these habitual offenders…?
The men unsheathed their swords without hesitation and attacked Zieghardt.
“Shut up!! Don’t get all cocky, brat!”
The thick, heavy sword was swung down, but by the time it was about to strike, Zieghardt had already moved. He dodged to the side, striking the opponent’s side with the pommel of his sword.
“Ugh…!”
It seemed to hurt even through his leather armor, and a small groan escaped. As the man pressed his side, bent forward to avoid the blow, the second man raised a spear toward Zieghardt, who was stepping forward.
As the second man was dodged, another man lunged forward, and with several clashes of swords and a few more moves, the first man who had been struck also rejoined the attack.
The five members watched the battle of those stronger than themselves, seeming unsure of what to do since they were the cause of it. Reeni was worried about Esume, who had injured her arm, and stayed close by her side.
The sisters, Alesia and Kiara, watched with prayers in their eyes.
I noticed one of the men had moved a little further away. He was the one who had joined the fight first but had retreated, likely a magic swordsman. I could hear a sluggish chant coming from him.
“Left hand is wind, right hand is the seed of something…”
A Flame Sword, I see.
I wondered if he was really using it in battle. His magical crafting was so weak and slow that it took a long time for the magic to condense properly.
“Flame, dwell in my arm…”
It seemed that Zieghardt noticed it as well, but even with his strong arms, it appeared he couldn’t do much while dealing with both a sword and spear. If it were just to cut him down, it would be easy, but perhaps he hesitated due to being in front of civilians, especially young girls. Also, he was trying to avoid collateral damage, so I hoped the other guards would show up soon.
I began chanting too.
“Where there is light, there is shadow. The shadow, in union with me, forms two. Rise up and take shape, for time will stop it. Illusion Shadow.”
Finishing one chant quickly, I began the second chant while walking.
“Truth is unchanging, seeking it with the power greater than all things in the universe…”
Finally, the man seemed to finish his chant.
“Take this! Flame Sword!!”
“…Iriya , what are you…?!”
It must have looked like I had done nothing, just standing in front of him. Zieghardt, who had knocked the opponent’s spear aside, noticed me standing between him and the magician, looking stunned. The flame pierced through me and set me ablaze.
“Kyaaah!! Iriya !!”
That scream was from Esume. She’s a magician, yet she didn’t notice… How naïve. The men in the group seemed speechless.
The magician, despite his large build, seemed to be trembling. Maybe it was because of the public eyes on him and Zieghardt’s presence. Even so, for him to cast a Flame Sword from such a distance… It seemed too cowardly. The knights in the second brigade would have wrapped the Flame Sword around their swords and pierced the enemy with it, then released the magic afterward.
“T-This woman got in the way! I don’t know anything about it!”
“Such a playful flame, there’s nothing to say but that I don’t know anything about it.”
As I spoke, the figure that had been struck by the Flame Sword disappeared. At the same time, the flames vanished, and it seemed the magic was canceled.
The man turned around, and his eyes locked onto the red flame. The flame that was supposed to have been activated by the Flame Sword was flickering above my right hand.
“It’s Illusion Shadow. Didn’t you notice? What you attacked was just an illusion. And… this small flame is yours. I absorbed your magic with Mana Drain.”
He looked utterly incredulous. Zieghardt also seemed to be holding his breath.
Mana Drain is normally used to absorb magical energy itself. Once the magic is cast, the mana is converted back into its original form before it can be absorbed, making it highly inefficient. This technique is typically used only when there’s a large difference in power or when someone is confident in their own magic attribute.
In this case, the opponent’s casting was too slow, and I had plenty of time to convert his magic into raw mana. Even though his spell wasn’t fully formed as fire yet, I gathered that too and absorbed it. Then, I returned it to its fiery form in my hand.
Anyone who understands magic might question why I went through all that trouble. It might have been easier to just absorb it and avoid any risk of collateral damage. But then again, Mana Drain is an unpopular magic because it’s hard to control and inefficient. Few would use it unless they have an excess of magic energy to spare.
“This is what flames are like.”
I channeled more magic, causing the flame to swell several times in size. It shot upward into the sky, disappearing like an illusion.
“Th-the amount of magic… it’s incredible…”
Esume murmured.
The people at the stalls and the passersby must have been watching, but everything had gone silent.
“U… you noisy monster…!”
For reasons I couldn’t understand, the man, whose magic didn’t work, came at me with a sword. It seemed that Sieghardt tried to stop him, but he was a moment too late to notice, and by the time he moved, it was already too late.
“…This is my job.”
A shadow with red hair swiftly slipped past me.
The smile it bore was unmistakably that of a demon.
Just by raising a hand in front of the sword that was about to strike, it stopped moving right before touching me.
“Na… na… na…”
“Well then, time for repentance.”
Saying that, the demon snapped his fingers, and a wall of fire several meters tall formed in a cylindrical shape around the two men.
“Oi, Theo…!?”
One of the men who had been fighting Sieghardt reached out in an attempt to help.
Even a rough man seems to be concerned about his comrades.
…
Ah! Could it be that the wall was created to hide something bad happening inside? Could it be a massacre in the making…!?
I realized my mistake and started walking toward the wall of fire.
“What are you doing!? It’s dangerous, Iriya …!”
As usual, Laures , who tends to joke around, was worried about me.
But this is magic from the demon I made a pact with, Belial. It has a clause to protect me, so it won’t harm me.
As proof, the fire parted and created an entrance, inviting me inside.
“Belial-sama, this should be enough, don’t you think?”
What I saw was Belial effortlessly lifting a muscular man by the neck with one hand.
The man, called Theo, was crying in pain, begging for help.
“To commit such acts against my contractor is unforgivable.”
Belial’s red eyes gleamed with a cold, dark light.
“…And besides, it’s been a while since I had a proper offering.”
Ah, no. This is bad. He’s enjoying this. He’s about to start torturing him. I’m going to be an accomplice at this rate…
My contract with him has a clause that forbids him from killing anyone without my consent, but the first clause, which is to protect my life and livelihood, takes precedence. To put it bluntly, if anyone were to throw even a small stone at me, it would be considered an act of hostility, and without my consent, he could kill them.
I wonder why I have to beg for his life, but I can’t just leave it alone.
“I’m fine. Please lower your weapon. It’s troublesome if this becomes a bigger commotion.”
“…How boring. Very well, Iriya . If you can calm my flames, we’ll call it quits.”
“No second thoughts?”
“Of course not.”
After confirming, I stood in front of the flames.
“If you try to touch it, a small gap might form, but it will be quickly repaired.”
A challenging smile.
I know better than anyone that Belial’s hellfire, crafted by him, won’t easily disappear.
However, that’s the case with magic.
I gripped the ruby that contained Belial’s magic in my right hand and summoned the contract parchment in my left hand.
“…! Hey, wait! Isn’t that unfair!?”
It seems he noticed immediately.
When the man he had been holding up was released, he fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Theo’s companion couldn’t move, trembling as he sat down.
“I, Iriya , hereby invoke the contract made in the name of Belial, the King of Flames! By the first clause of the contract, this man’s power cannot harm me! Flames, vanish swiftly from before my eyes!”
As I stepped into the crimson flames, they all immediately vanished, and the surrounding scenery returned to normal.
Heh… I did it! Iriya , you did great!
In stark contrast to my joy, Belial looked very frustrated.
“Grrr… you little girl! Getting all clever now…! I helped you, and yet why do you interfere with me!”
Still, I have to explain this situation, don’t I…?
I’m feeling heavy about it.
I don’t want to face Sieghart ’s interrogation, and the five of Isashimu probably thought of me as a magical item artisan too…
