Volume 1 Chapter 5 Please Do Not Mistake Me for a Bandit
Traveling through several towns and streets, as well as villages, sometimes there isn't a convenient checkpoint along the way.
As evening approached 5 days after leaving Bechmer, I decided to suggest camping to I'mLene.
"Yes, it's about time we prepare for camping before it gets dark."
Lene agreed with me.
Luckily, there is a forest spreading out just outside the town.
I need to gather some dry branches for the campfire while I can.
"...Huh?"
Just as I was about to take action, Lene, noticing something, stopped and cupped her hand behind her long ears as if she was picking up sounds.
"...What's wrong?"
I asked in a low voice so as not to disturb her.
With her eyes still closed, Lene was listening, but when she removed her hand from her ear, she pointed toward a spot slightly ahead in the forest.
"It sounds like someone is arguing near that slightly red tree, and there's the sound of metal. I couldn't catch the conversation clearly, but it sounded like bandits."
I was surprised; the spot she indicated was about a hundred meters away.
It seems she was able to catch fragments of the conversation from that distance.
I've heard elves have good hearing thanks to their long ears, but I didn't expect it to be this sharp.
bandits and the sound of metal, huh?
That suggests the possibility of a violent encounter.
This isn't just someone else's concern since we were about to camp here.
"I don't know who they are, but if Lene says they're bandits, we might be targeted as well. Let's go help. We're up against bandits, but can you fight too, Lene?"
Although I usually fight against monsters, it's a different story when it comes to people.
Since it involves killing, many hesitate.
However, it seemed Lene understood what I was trying to say and nodded firmly.
It appeared to be an unnecessary worry.
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's hurry."
After organizing our belongings so we could move quickly, we gripped our weapons tightly and rushed to the scene where the sound had been heard.
* * *
At the scene, there were indeed men who looked like bandits attacking a certain group.
However, I probably wouldn't have expected it, nor would Lene.
That group consisted of a woman, who appeared to be wearing a black cloak and a hood, and 4 knights clad in the armor of the Beistein Kingdom, likely her guards.
The knights were composed of 2 men and 2 women.
However, the fact that they were being protected by knights indicated that whoever was wearing that cloak held a very high status.
"Damn it, a new wave! There's even a magician!"
One of the knights, a younger man, shouted as he saw us.
While I was unhappy to be lumped together with the bandits, given the situation, it was understandable if he made a mistake.
Well then, let's work to clear up that misunderstanding.
"Arrow of flame, pierce the enemy before me and blaze forth, <Fire Arrow>!"
With a short incantation, a fire arrow rose before me and struck one of the bandits in the side of the face, igniting.
The bandit, whose face was set ablaze, panicked and rolled around, causing trouble for his comrades.
It was a novice spell, but in this chaotic battle, it served its purpose well.
"You! Who the hell are you?!"
Three of the bandits charged at us with shabby swords in hand.
It seemed I had successfully drawn their attention.
I easily deflected the attacks that looked like they were from a total amateur with my staff, countering with kicks and subduing the bandits one after another.
Compared to Minori's sword skills, this is hardly even child's play.
"Watch out!"
A woman in a cloak shouted towards me.
Six bandits who had been targeting the knights switched their aim and charged at me as a group.
But there was no way I would just let them hurt me.
This was within my expectations.
"Repel the force of evil that would harm me, <Anti-Magic>!"
Following the plan, I deployed a barrier that nullified the attacking magic only around me.
By the way, this barrier obviously couldn't stop attacks from weapons.
At first glance, I looked defenseless, about to be gruesomely sliced by 6 swords.
However, those swords were repelled with a high-pitched metallic sound one after another.
In the end, not a single weapon managed to leave a mark on my body.
"Electric net, wrap those guys up! <Spark Web>!"
Right after the bandits' weapons were bounced off by the invisible barrier, an incredibly bright net suddenly spread out from me at Lene's command, ensnaring the bandits like butterflies caught in a spider's web, leaving them powerless to even scream as they were electrocuted and exhausted.
As for me, since I was deploying <Anti-Magic> to nullify magic, I was unscathed.
If I had the <Magic Stone of Anti-Magic> with equal effect, I wouldn't need to use it, but it's stored in the back of my magic bag since it interferes with the <Magic Stone of Diamond>.
"So... amazing..."
Thanks to my good skills, I received praise from one of the female knights.
But I want her to tell that to Lene, who cast the net and caught them all.
After the light net disappeared, I released the magic barrier and took care of the remaining bandits along with the knights.
I showered the fleeing ones with fire arrows from behind and finished them off while they were rolling on the ground.
Honestly, I feel a bit hesitant about killing so many, but I've learned from my travels that showing mercy to such scum will only lead to regret later.
So I won't hold back.
After everything was over, I signaled to the hidden Lene by bending my right fingers a few times, saying, "It's safe now."
Only then did she finally reveal herself.
The reason I couldn't even find her until then was probably due to the skills of the elf people.
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