“Aria!”
I threw a knife to block the female clerk’s hand reaching for her. It didn’t pierce her hand, but both of them turned around at the same time. The blonde girl—Princess Elena—called my name.
“Hee… I thought it would take you more than ten minutes to catch up. Did you perhaps come through that hole?”
“…………”
I didn’t answer, but instead readied my Black Knife. The female clerk didn’t get angry; instead, she clapped her hands and rejoiced with a laugh.
“I like this maid! I never thought I’d meet two cute girls who are anything but ordinary in a job like this! That’s why working with nobles is so interesting!”
While watching the strange woman, I gathered the necessary information.
She looked to be in her mid-twenties, with dark red hair and brown eyes. Her features seemed well-defined, but her overall impression was faint, and I felt like I’d forget her face if I looked away.
She wasn’t particularly tall, and her build was as slender as I expected. Perhaps because she had stopped acting, I could see the supple muscles beneath her clothing store uniform as she moved.
Considering those characteristics, she was probably a scout type. Was this kidnapping a trap set up in that store all along, or did she make it easier to impersonate people by placing individuals with faint impressions in various locations?
The woman was acting alone, but considering those factors, I sensed an organized background. If that’s the case, I can’t let her escape here. If she gets out of the city, I won’t be able to track her.
Even so… what does this woman want? I expected her to resist or run away like a kidnapper, so I couldn’t help but frown at her unexpected reaction. Elena, in the carriage, gave me the answer to my question.
“That woman is a Thief from the Thieves’ Guild! Be careful of poison!”
When Elena revealed her identity, the Female Thief looked at Elena with a wry smile and shrugged with a theatrical gesture.
[Female Thief] [Race: Human Female]
[Mana Capacity: 175/180] [HP: 145/155]
[Overall Combat Strength: 388 (Body Enhancement in progress: 440)]
“…………”
A Thief, huh… Better than an Assassin, but she still has Castro-level combat strength.
But indeed, while her combat strength is high, her Mana Capacity isn’t that high. I recall Viro saying that Thieves have high Stealth skills and Martial Arts abilities, but very few specialize in combat.
Assuming this Female Thief is the same, with this level of Body Enhancement… I felt that her close combat ability was equivalent to Level 2.
If it’s Level 2 Dagger Arts, I might be able to fight her depending on how I do it. But if her combat strength is this high with Level 2 close combat, then perhaps… I should assume that the Earth Magic she used to dig the hole is at least Level 3.
A Rank 3 Thief, huh… Normally, she’s not an opponent I could fight, but I can’t back down here.
Elena seems unharmed but can’t move. Her words were also slightly strange, so I can’t expect her to escape on her own with Magic. I have to do something about this alone.
“Release Elena-sama, and I won’t pursue you.”
“Are you trying to make a deal? I want to say you’re still a child… but I don’t feel like playing along to stall for time. I don’t usually kill as part of my job… but I can’t promise I’ll be able to hold back.”
“Tch!”
I felt a momentary Killing Intent and dodged to the side as if recoiling. A thin knife flew past my side.
Like Castro, there was no preliminary movement. I’ve been practicing, but I’ve only been able to use it well a handful of times, including that time with the Hobgoblin.
But even without time for such analysis, I felt Mana Particles of an earthy color swelling up from the Female Thief. I jumped back instinctively, and at the same time, the Female Thief unleashed her Magic.
“—[Pebble (Stone Bullet)]—”
The moment I heard those activation words, earthy Mana Particles spread around, and several Pebbles flew towards me from the ground.
“Damn!”
Using Body Enhancement and Martial Arts, I twisted my body to dodge the Pebbles. I retreated further, putting one hand on the ground as if crouching.
“Amazing! I didn’t think you’d dodge that!”
“…………”
A streak of blood trickled down my forehead and flowed onto my cheek. …I didn’t dodge everything. At least one grazed my forehead, and I took one on my shoulder. My HP has decreased a bit, but it’s not enough to use [Heal] yet.
Is this attack Magic… It’s the first time I’ve actually seen it, but if I were hit, it could incapacitate me in one shot.
Is she using Throwing Knives as a feint to buy time to cast Magic…? I’ll learn how to use Magic in combat and memorize the enemy’s Magic usage patterns.
My shoulder, which was hit by a Pebble, can still move… If the blood from my forehead isn’t flowing into my eyes, I’ll leave it as is and brace myself. The Female Thief, who I thought would follow up with an attack, was shivering as if enduring something, hugging her own arm.
“Good, good, Maid-chan. The bright red blood flowing down your pretty, young face… That’s why I’m not suited for killing. I get more excited by suffering faces than by killing, and I end up tormenting them… Especially cute kids like you.”
…I see, a pervert. I heard that Thieves don’t kill ordinary people, but there are some who just aren’t suited for killing. But knowing that doesn’t give me any reassurance. Elena’s face was so pale that she couldn’t even make a sound.
“Now, shall we begin?”
The woman drew a Dagger and smoothly moved it to her right hand. I, with my Knife ready, also started walking in the same direction without a sound.
Perhaps due to her perverted tastes, the Female Thief seemed to desire close combat without using Magic. It’s much better than having her use Level 3 Magic, but I couldn’t let my guard down because she might use other attacks as feints to cast Magic like before.
Even if she only has combat strength of about Rank 2 in simple close combat, that combat strength is not just for show, and if used as a trump card, it could kill me in one shot.
“Tch!”
Clang!
We slowly approached each other, then we both jumped out at the same time, and the Dagger and Black Knife we unleashed simultaneously sparked.
But due to the difference in Skill level and physique, I was knocked back several steps. Not missing that opening, the Female Thief slashed with her Dagger. In response, I released a Throwing Knife with my left hand, but the Female Thief seemed to have anticipated that, changing the trajectory of her Dagger to deflect the Knife.
“—[Dust (Dust Cloud)]—”
She must have been chanting while moving. The Female Thief used Magic, and at that moment, a cloud of dust blew towards me.
This is bad. In my case, where I see Mana Particles by color, my detection ability is drastically reduced when my vision is blocked.
I hurriedly tried to create distance, but the range was wide. Is it Level 2 Magic? I resigned myself to taking the attack and closed my eyes, trying to hide my face. The next moment, I felt an impact on my abdomen and was blown away several meters.
“Aria!”
I heard Elena’s scream. But having been kicked in the abdomen, I couldn’t move immediately.
“…cough”
As I rolled on the ground, I coughed involuntarily from the pain. The sound of approaching footsteps, which had been silent, became slightly louder.
“Good, good! I’ll properly carve you up this time!”
That voice told me the Female Thief’s position and distance.
Whoosh!!
“What!?”
The Female Thief’s surprised voice. I also stopped the [Heal] I had been chanting during the battle, just like the Female Thief. While channeling Mana into the string in my hand and pulling it closer, I now opened my eyes wide and threw the “Blade” at the end of the “string” at the Female Thief.
“What is this!?”
The Female Thief, unable to understand my “attack,” hurriedly created distance from me.
But she couldn’t dodge my attack with a half-hearted distance. While pulling the “string” again, I threw the Blade in a large arc. The Female Thief created even more distance, and my thrown Knife pierced the arm of the Female Thief, whose attention had been drawn there.
“Tch!”
I quickly pulled the “string” and hid the “Blade” in my sleeve. The Female Thief and I faced each other, keeping our distance and being wary, just like at the beginning.
But the Female Thief no longer had the mocking smile she had at first.
“…What was that just now? Your Magic?”
“Who knows?”
The weapon I just used was a new weapon I made instead of a rope dart.
I’m using unbleached cotton thread. By soaking it in my blood and channeling Mana through it, I can move it to some extent with my will, just like my hair.
The Blade at the tip is a Copper Coin that I no longer use for the rope dart. This time, instead of using it as a weight, I patiently hammered and shaved it with a flat stone, grinding it until it became a Blade.
Half of my lack of sleep is because of this, but thanks to that, it’s difficult to see a coin moving horizontally at high speed due to centrifugal force. It’s too light to deliver the finishing blow, but the damage isn’t light enough to ignore, making it a perfect weapon for feints.
“…You’ve done it now.”
The first strike grazed the Female Thief’s cheek. As the blood flowed, her expression changed, and she threw off the red-haired wig, revealing short, dull silver hair that shimmered.
Magic or a Skill-based disguise… she must have been using her thieving skills to impersonate the shop assistant.
Her features hadn’t changed much, but to think she could transform into a completely different person just by changing her makeup and mannerisms… Thief-type Skills are not to be underestimated.
Finally, my opponent was getting serious. Normally, it would be better to lull them into complacency, but I find it easier to fight an opponent I can calculate than one I can’t.
It was the same during my mock battles with Theo; I’m bad at dealing with opponents who use unconventional tactics. So, I’d rather force them to get serious and then calculate every millimeter to pave the way to victory.
As I tightened my grip on my Knife, the Female Thief narrowed her eyes slightly.
“I knew you weren’t just a child… who are you?”
“…………”
There’s no point in leaking information. But to focus the Female Thief’s attention on me, I’ll play along with her banter.
“I’m… just an orphan, just an Adventurer…”
I glanced briefly at Elena, who was staring at me, and quietly readied my Black Knife.
“I protect that child and kill enemies, just a… ‘Combat Maid’.”
The combat is still plain as ever.
Next time, it’s finally a deadly battle with the serious Female Thief.
The next update is scheduled for Saturday.