0 - prolog
--I don't want to die.
With that one thought in mind, the girl ran.
Just running in the wide wilderness to escape from the approaching death.
Her breathing is labored, and her side is slowly becoming painful.
The girl frowns at this fact and feels uncomfortable.
Unlike most noble daughters, I train reasonably well.
A former adventurer hired by my family trained me and gave me some self-defense skills.
I am sure that my physical strength is more than that of a normal person.
But the reality is that the girl's body is approaching its limits.
"Why ......!
He swore uncontrollably.
The unnecessary consumption of oxygen has further disturbed his breathing.
Even his legs were beginning to complain of rest from the exhaustion.
But there was no
This is a scam, the girl rages, but this is a very common result.
No matter how much training is done every day, it is still a menu for a girl who is not even an adult. In addition, training is just training.
The girl's mind, suddenly forced to engage in an unexpected "real battle," was hardly at peace, and her disordered spirit was relentlessly chipping away at her limited physical strength.
Still, she could not stop.
She must keep running.
She must run from the oncoming "enemy.
Once they catch up with her, she is doomed.
But...
"Oh, too bad. It's a dead end this way, sweetheart."
A man easily came around and appeared from behind a rock, blocking the girl's way.
The girl stopped, scuffing the ground with the soles of her boots.
Quickly, she turned around and tried to escape from the man in front of her, but he was coming after her from the left and right, not to mention from the rear.
--There was no way to escape.
Within a few seconds, the girl was surrounded by the men. The girl was unarmed. The men were mercenaries with appropriate equipment.
"I guess the chase is over. No, no, I think you're doing a great job, young lady. The other day the Viscountess fell down within two minutes of starting to run. You've been running away from us for five minutes.
I guess this Viscountess is no longer with us.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wish she had died an easy death, but I know that this is a wish that will never come true.
Men with vile smiles on their faces.
Looking at their faces, it is not difficult to imagine that she must have been devoured by them before she was killed.
"Now that we're done with the preparation, let's get to work. ......, but first..."
The man who had been speaking - probably the chieftain of the mercenary group - jumped on him.
"...... d*mn it!"
The girl tries to avoid it as quickly as she can.
But her legs, shaking with fatigue, get caught in a tangle and she falls to the ground.
The chieftain man covers the girl's body and holds her down on the ground.
"Well, let's have some fun. The last time your daughter came around here crying and begging for her life, what about you, little girl?
The girl is the only daughter of the Gardiner family.
As such, she cannot die here.
I have a mission.
It is an oath that must be kept by my family.
That's why I can't die.
I cannot die here.
So the girl trembled with fear and spilled out her words.
"Please help me. ......"
"Oh? Excuse me? I can't hear you very well.
The chieftain asked back in a tone similar to that of an animal that is taunting its prey.
Regardless, the girl shouted.
"Help ......! Somebody, help (・・・・・・)!
The girl called for help.
She screamed for someone (・・・・・・・・・) who was not here.
Instead of begging for her life from the men in front of her, she chose to ask for help from the outside.
The girl may be young, but she is a proud member of her blood.
There was a judgment that the chieftain would not help her if she begged for her life, but most of all, the girl's <
However, it is also a fact that we cannot escape from the current situation by our own strength. That is why the girl, as much as she could do at this moment, asked "someone" to help her.
But...
"Pfft ...... gahahahaha! Hey, hey, did you hear that? He said, "Somebody help me!"
The chieftain, who had the girl in his arms, laughed hysterically.
The mercenaries gathered around the girl are also laughing at her in a truly funny manner.
But even so, the girl continues to call out for help.
"You're making me laugh to no end, little girl. Who in the world is going to come to our rescue in the middle of this vast wilderness?
The chieftain is right.
We are in the middle of the wilderness.
There is no one around us, and no matter how much we shout, our voices will never reach anyone.
Even if it should reach someone's ears, there is no way that a drunken maniac would rescue a strange girl against a group of more than 20 mercenaries.
However, the girl understands this and still continues to scream.
Even though she knew it was futile, it was the only resistance she could make now. The Gardiners do not have the word "resignation" in their vocabulary. That is why the girl does everything she can until the very end.
"Well, it's more fun than having a girl who doesn't respond to anything anymore..."
The chieftain leaned down and forcefully ripped off the fabric of the girl's chest as she continued to scream.
Her small breasts were exposed to the air, forcing a sensation similar to a chill.
A sound escaped from the girl's mouth in a reaction similar to a physiological phenomenon: "Hiccup!
"Oh, you've got a nice expression on your face, don't you?
The aggressive attitude you had before may have been bad enough, but this is much better, young lady. If I had to give it a title, I'd call it
The chieftain smirks and gives a sneering smile, as if he is enjoying himself.
No, he is actually amused.
His face is contorted with the emotion of amusement.
It is like an animal licking its tongue in front of its prey.
The chieftain's hand is on the girl's traza.
Once pulled down, the girl's body will simply tumble down toward the "end.
As a last stand, the girl screamed with all her might.
Somebody, somebody help me! Please, help me, please, help me, ----!!!!"
The screams were released with all my might, my voice withered.
It gradually faded into the wilderness, and just before it disappeared completely, it reached the ears of a drunken maniac.
"---- what?"
Who released that dazed voice?
It could be a girl. Or it could have been the men surrounding them.
But I am sure it was not the chieftain who was leaning over the girl.
Because the man had already turned into a corpse with his head popping like a watermelon.
What in the world had happened?
Neither the girl nor the men could recognize what was happening, and all they could do was freeze.
Then...
<<--What are you so stupid? Now get up! >>
A desperate tone of voice echoed in the girl's head.
She looks around in a panic, but the only people around her are mercenaries who have no idea what happened. The owner of the voice was nowhere to be found.
From the mercenaries' appearance, the girl guesses that she is the only one who can hear this "voice".
<>
A voice like a slap.
A voice so loud that it makes you frown.
But still, the girl hears the words. And she is repulsed by the angry question.
I don't want to die. I don't want to die. That's why I asked for help. I don't want to die here.
The owner of the voice, who may or may not have heard the girl's thoughts, gives her a series of cries.
I reacted as quickly as I could.
He pushed away the body of the chieftain, which had lost its strength, and stood up.
Her chest was still exposed to the air, but she had no time to hide it with her hands, and she ran as the owner of the voice shouted.
On her way, she sees mercenaries blocking her path.
Still, the girl trusts the owner of the "voice" and runs straight ahead.
Suddenly, the mercenary's forehead bloomed in red. A cavity about one centimeter in diameter opened up in the mercenary's head, and the bloody contents spilled out of it.
Slipping through the side of the mercenary, who falls forward, the girl escapes the encirclement and runs toward the setting sun.
"What--what the hell was that?
Sniper!
Their heads!
"You idiot, he's already dead! It's more like a woman, she can get away!
The girl runs as fast as she can.
But her strength is still at a low ebb.
Her slender, overworked body pleads with her host to let her rest.
But she keeps on running.
Because someone's "voice" cries out to her to run if she does not want to die.
However, in reality, the difference in physical ability between the girl and the men following her is obvious.
The men are following the girl and closing in on her back.
In another ten seconds, they will catch up with her.
And if they catch up with her, this time she will be finished.
The men had already given up on "tasting.
Their faces were now those of professional mercenaries, dedicated to their work.
They will kill the girl as soon as they catch up with her and leave this place as fast as they can.
And that's the end of the story.
Someone has interfered, that's for sure. But, as expected, they would not be so crazy as to start a new business with a group of mercenaries after they have lost the target of their rescue.
It was a common sense in this wilderness and a common understanding between the girl and the mercenaries.
<......Lieve, get ahead of them!
Rescuing the girl is our top priority. ---- Fine! That's an order! Go, go, go! >>
A voice delivers a cry of urgency.
It is not directed at the girl, but at someone else.
The meaning of the words is unknown. I do not understand why I hear such "voices. In the first place, the girl had no energy left to try to understand.
It is hard to breathe.
My legs hurt.
My lungs feel as if they will burst at any moment.
And yet, she just won't stop running.
The Gardiner blood will not give up until the very end.
This pride drove the girl's body.
But it will end now.
A mercenary was catching up with the girl.
The girl hears the breathing of someone else.
That's how close they are.
The mercenary puts all his strength into his legs.
A dagger in his right hand.
His posture is that of a leaper.
The eyes are filled with the will to kill.
The mercenary leaps forward, ready to thrust the dagger into the back of the defenseless girl... and then his life is over.
"...... you're just in time."
A figure fell from the sky with the force of a comet.
It was a tall woman with silver hair and eyes like a wolf.
With the force of her fall, she kicked at the mercenary pursuing her, crushing his head like a pomegranate.
Suddenly an intruder appears.
The other mercenaries are frightened by the unbelievable power of the intruder.
The girl who was being chased looks back at the woman who stood in her way, blocking her pursuers.
Her tone of voice is similar. But she is not the owner of the "voice. Because the "voice" she heard had the tone of a man. Not a woman.
"Girl! By the command of my Lord, I protect you."
A curt tone.
The tall woman said nothing more and took a stance to face the mercenaries.
Where is this woman coming from?
"No, it's more like this guy, he just hit that bastard James with a single blow ......!"
"Body enhancement magic? But I don't see a catalyst. Is it a grimoire?
But he's alone. We still have a chance!
The mercenaries regained control and surrounded the woman.
The mercenaries had the advantage of numbers.
After all, even though they had lost two men, they still had a large number of men left.
As long as the girl is not an asset, the ratio of the two forces' numerical strength is 23 to 1.
It is impossible to win this battle.
The violence of numbers is so great in all ages.
No matter how superior the tactics or how solid the position is, it is a matter of principle that no matter how strong the numbers are, they will be swallowed up and lost in the muddy waters of overwhelming violence.
However, there are exceptions to everything, and this world in particular is full of such exceptions.
And the fact that the woman who suddenly appeared was also one of those exceptions was a blessing for the girl - and a curse for the mercenaries.
"BUGH!"
One of the mercenaries let out such a voice.
He was the vice-chief of the mercenary group, who was standing at the far end of the group.
He examined his own body, wondering why he had let out such a voice. ...... and died as soon as he found a huge cavity in his abdomen.
"What ...... just happened?
Another mercenary, who was standing closest to the vice chieftain, shouts in astonishment.
No, he was about to shout.
However, the woman's kick had already penetrated the man's torso, and the next moment, the man's body was launched 30 meters above the ground. It may have been a blessing in disguise that the man was able to die before crashing to the ground.
Witnessing this scene, the mercenaries standing in line take a step back in agitation.
"This woman ......!
You made the wrong choice.
The woman in front of you is not someone to fight.
Rather, she was a monster who should have fled at once.
By the time the mercenaries realized this, it was too late.
The woman's fists and legs are her deadly weapons, and she is unrelenting in her attacks on the mercenaries.
And they were equally wielded against those who tried to flee the scene.
Some of them tried to resist, but they were no match for the women, who could not even catch them in motion.
--For convenience, 20 seconds.
In less than one second per person, the woman single-handedly destroyed the mercenaries.
Then the woman observes her surroundings for a while without letting her guard down, and after confirming that she has definitely destroyed all the enemies, she walks up to the girl.
The girl looks at the tall woman in a daze while she regulates her bouncing breath.
She could only stand there, unable to take in the reality before her.
But still, the courtesy that she had been taught as a noblewoman was a half-conditioned reflex, and demanded the girl to stand up and thank her.
So she did.
"Thank you for joining us at ....... You have saved my life."
Curtesy with her left hand on her chest.
She was dressed in her traveling clothes, so there was no hem to be picked, but the girl's gesture was nothing to be ashamed of as a noblewoman.
If you want to thank me, do it to my master, not to me. I would not have abandoned my guard duty to help you if it were not for the Lord's order."
The tall woman replies curtly.
The girl's answer was .
Perhaps the owner of the voice she had heard earlier was her master.
"Please wait a moment. In a few moments, ...... will be here. There he is."
The woman points to a towering cliff.
I wondered if she had come down from there, and as I looked in the direction she pointed, two figures leaped into the air from there.
"What the ......?
Throwing oneself.
The word popped into my mind reflexively.
However, the figures did not plummet, but rather slowly lowered their altitude as if they were feathers. Then it landed softly on the ground without making a single speck of dust.
The two figures descending from the sky were a woman and a man.
The man's face was obscured by a hood over his head, but the woman's face was very well formed.
Good looks is the word that comes to the girl's mind. Her body, including her well-developed body, would attract the eyes of the opposite s*x if she went out in a social setting.
The girl tries to resist the temptation to be attracted to her.
Since there is only one man in the room, he must be the owner of the "voice".
I must start by thanking him.
"I am glad you are safe. I am so glad you made it in time.
His voice is surprisingly calm.
It sounds the same as the "voice" that had just reached my head. I have no doubt that he is the owner of the voice.
However, perhaps because of the difference in the emotions contained in his voice, his voice was so soft that it was almost as if he were a different person when I heard it in my own flesh.
He smiles as he pulls up his hood and speaks the next words.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier, even if it was on the spur of the moment. I apologize."
No, it's nothing at all.
I cannot thank you enough for your help.
I cannot reward you for your work at this moment, but I will be sure to send you something that will be a just reward when I return to my country.
......I was supposed to reply with something like that.
But the girl's mouth stiffened at the sight of the man's face hidden by the hood, and she was unable to utter a word.
The girl was so surprised that she forgot to cover her bare breasts and stood there in a daze.
The man's face was quite ordinary.
He was much younger than she had imagined, no older than 20.
His eyes were a little sharp, but otherwise he was ordinary, with a face that could be described as that of a common man anywhere.
However, if we ask him if he can blend in with the crowd of ordinary people, he is definitely not.
The man - the young man - had a feature that stood out too much.
It is the color of his eyes and hair.
"...... black hair, black eyes?"
Jet black.
The black of her eyes is deep and absorbing, and the black of her hair reminds one of the color of a raven's wet feathers.
It is a special color for this world.
It was never a color that just anyone could have.
"Oh, ...... by the way, that, that, that ...... you're dressed like that, is a bit of a sight for sore eyes."
The young man walked up to the girl and tried to hand her the cloak he was wearing.
However, the girl was not interested in that.
She was just gazing at the color of the young man's hair and eyes.
Then, perhaps he became impatient with the girl who did not accept the cloak.
While making an effort to take his eyes off the girl's bosom, the young man took one more step toward her.
The young man's face came close to the distance between her eyes and her nose.
Even at such a close distance, the color of the young man's hair and eyes did not seem to be colored. At least from the girl's eyes, the black hair and eyes seemed to be natural.
Therefore, the girl asked the young man a question as her heart desired.
"-Can you tell me your name?
Suddenly, a word was uttered by a who-knows-what.
The young man responds in a short answer, while putting a cloak over the girl whose breasts are still exposed.
I am Helian.
That was the encounter between the girl and the young man, Helian, King of All Evil.
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The story goes back two weeks to October 14, 997, the year of the Holy Calendar.