Chapter 93

: Encounter
『Red Oath』continue going further in the forest for several hours.
They follow the planned route of the investigation team received in the Hunter Guild.
Since the primary purpose of this request is to search the investigation team, they have no other options.
No, actually it’s free request that they can decide to quit anytime. But 『Red Oath』promised the Guild master「That wish … we have heard it! 」
There’s no need to protect such forced oaths or promises.
The girls can just ignore it.
But promises based on faith must be kept. No matter what happens.
Even if the probability of survival is really low,
even if they can only find a part of a body or a piece of artifacts, they need to take it home.
The girls  have such a firm belief.

「… It’s decreasing」(Mile)
「Ah…」(Maevis)
Just as Miles and Maevis say, the number of monsters has decreased.
Which means …
「They came! 300 m ahead, their number are eight!」(Mile)
Yes, that was because something that can defeat the monsters is close.
「They are not monsters like goblins or orcs. They are non-human being …」(Mile)
That was Mile’ report. Mile can know it because the reaction from search magic is a bit different from humans.
Rena also thought so, she didn’t care.
「We will intercept! Their numbers are higher than us.
Our enemies seems intends to surprise attack.
But on the other hand, they don’t know that we already know and ready to intercept their attack.
The surpise element is on our side, not them」(Rena)
Somewhat a pessimistic word.
If their enemies are the devil who appeared in the fairy tale or an old tale that Rena had heard from her father when she is still small back then, their winning chance is small.
In the woods, we need to have much better physical abilities than our enemies to shake the enemies who accustomed to the terrain.
We will get surprise attacked by the enemies and then they will escape. They will repeat it to exhaust our strengh or they will be finished us one by one.
With surpise counter attack, let’s hope to thin out their number or their power. And the rest will play it by ear.
Afterwards, it will be good if we can live and return home.
Zaa~! (SFX) (Roar)
Suddenly, two shadows that came down from the trees.
「… Earth pillars!」(Rena)
「Water spear!」(Pauline)
Gan~! (SFX)
Doshi ~yu! (SFX)
Do sari~! (SFX)
The enemies seemed trying to disable the rear guard magicians in a blink of an eye, they quickly descended from the trees to jump to Rena and Pauline.
One crashed into the earth pillar made by Rena magic and felt to the ground.
And the other hit the spear of water cast by Pauline also dropped to the ground.
Even the spell name water spear, It’s not water but ice spear.
The speed of enemy descent was also added to the momentum of the ice spear and stabbed the enemy.
「Huh…?」(Rena + Pauline + Mile + Maevis)
Although the girls can accurately grasp the timing of enemy raids with Mile’s detailed detection report.
It was too easy for the enemy to collapse.
And they didn’t use the magic that should be their force but went into a melee fight.
The girls can’t help but surprised.
And when they tried to check the state of the enemy that fell on the ground.
「Freeze!」(???)
Looking at the voice’s direction, there were four enemies there.
Perhaps the other two are hiding.
And, the 4 enemy who revealed are…
Having standing cat ear, falls and hangs dog ear, fox ear, rabbit ears.
… And the fluffy tails.
「B… Beastkin?」(Rena + Mile + Pauline + Maevis)
Yes, they didn’t look like devil.
「If you don’t want to get hurt, stop resist and throw down your weapons」(Beastkin)
Certainly, if they were going to kill from the beginning. The first attack would have been a throwing spear or bow and arrow rather than descent from the tree.
Even now, they still try to threaten instead of attack right away.
For sure, they are just trying to capture us.
However, even if capturing is their primary purpose they might not harm us while capturing but that woundn’t guarantee the safety afterwards.
Either they will torture us until get the information or sacrifice us to the evil spirit.
Besides, there was no reason to get caught in the first place.
Now that we know that the other party isn’t devil, 『Red Oath』 have a large margin to fight.
Even beastkin’s physical ability is superior to a human being, they are still inferior to magic beasts.
So, their plan are disable the magicians at first, but that plan was failed.
Perhaps, the breatkins still think that『Red Oath』are inferior in physical ability.
Even though they saw that two of their fellows were defeated in front of their eyes.
They still thought that they can handle it if they are careful enough.
「If you don’t resist, we will not kill you. Lie on the ground and turn your stomach up」(Rena)
「WHAT …」(4 beastkins)
The beastkins are angried with Rena’s words.
It is unreasonable. It’s the most humiliating 「pose of perfect obedience」for beasts.
And even worse, it was a weak human girl that telling them do that.
Of course, Rena knowing was aware of it.
That was clearly a provocation.
Taking a prisoners in such a place is troublesome and Rena also knows they won’t obediently listen.
So, She tried to bring it in a quick way, that is, to fight. 「Because the opponent has attacked first, we have the right to defend」
It isn’t Rena’s idea alone.
It’s a pattern that the girls thought of for such cases when they need to report.
Of course, the Rena doesn’t intend to kill the beastkins. Rena decides to use this plan after the girls know their enemies aren’ devil.
「This … this girl … how dare you …」(Beastkins)
Four beastkins are clearly angry at Rena and seem like ready to jump at her at any moment.
They have some weapons in their hand but not a sword.
Perhaps it’s not primarily for battle but a tool to act in the forest.
Mile is definitely stronger than enemies.
Maevis will also have no problem if she is careful and use「true god sword」mode.
And while Pauline and I will need to protect ourselves with the staff. We can’t use powerful magic but short casting magic which can shoot quickly.
In some case that we can afford it, we may be able to use more powerful magic.
And both I and Pauline already finished chanting in our head without casting. We are putting the activation on hold and ready to cast anytime.
Mile are supposed to grasp the two enemies who seem to be hiding. So, no problem.
Rena thought so, protruding her left arm, with her palm facing upward and raised her middle finger.
Yes, that gesture was the sign of the provocation for any worlds or any races