Chapter 134, Ambush and Complaints

Translator: Barnnn

 

Once the flag was raised, there was no changing the course of the story.

They weren’t going to catch up to Gruash even if they rushed after him now, and they couldn’t very well break the flag themselves.

The only thing they could do was trust the measures they’d left in Gruash and Loudipa’s hands. Hopefully they wouldn’t be needed… but if the worst came to pass, they’d serve their purpose.

 

“Well, well, how WONDERFUL. Now then… how should we move next?” Hal muttered under his breath as he spread out a copy of the Lord’s manor’s floor plan across the table — one Gruash had entrusted to them.

 

The fact that he’d handed over such sensitive information only added weight to the possibility that Rossalie really was being targeted.

 

“Ize’s Perception, Fieda’s Overview, and my Eye of Appraisal… all of them should be useful in detecting enemies.”

“Kyokyo,” chirped Sato.

“Oh? What is it, Sato?” Hal asked, turning toward the leafy creature.

“Kekkyokyon, kyokke!” the little Mandragora squealed, shaking its leaves with energetic enthusiasm.

 

Quite apparently, it was trying to make some kind of point. Fieda squinted at it for a moment, then murmured, “No idea.”

Ize tilted her head in thought before crouching down to speak to it gently.

 

“Do you want to join in too, Sato?”

“Kekyo!”

“I see…” Hal nodded. “Then how about you guard the garden?”

“Kekyo!”

 

If it stayed hidden underground, there was little chance of anyone noticing it. It was easy to forget sometimes, but Sato was a proper Mandragora, capable of emitting a roar powerful enough to knock out even Mystic Beasts.

 

“Sato, if you find an enemy and knock them out, you need to go right back underground, all right? If you can’t promise that, I can’t let you help.”

“Kekkyon!”

 

With a firm snap, Sato gave a sharp salute, causing Hal to blink in surprise.

 

[When’d it even learn to do that…?]

“Aww, it’s so cute…” Ize whispered, utterly smitten.

 

Leaving Ize to her moment, Hal doodled turnips onto the garden’s flowerbeds. Or at least it was supposed to be a turnip; the results looked more like seaweed. Still, given the context, he was sure it was meant to be a turnip.

 

“Okay, that’s one trap on the outside. Now, what about the manor’s interior…”

 

As Hal mused aloud with a subtle tone of excitement in his voice, Fieda glanced at him with suspicion.

 

“Why do you sound like you’re enjoying this?”

“Oh, do I?” Hal grinned. “It reminds me of an old movie. A kid’s left alone at home and defends the house from burglars with all sorts of clever traps.”

“Oh, I know that one!” Ize lit up. “It’s a Christmas classic; never gets old!”

“Right? Just thinking about it got me fired up. Why not go all in and lay a bunch of traps ourselves? A full-powered trap course crafted by Heroes armed with modern-day knowledge!”

“No fatal damage, but enough to make them give up completely!”

“Exactly! I can make slippery ice just fine. Now if we could just find something like duct tape…”

“No fire indoors, though,” Ize warned. “Oh! What if something super smelly dropped right on their face?”

“Oof, that’s nasty… but approved!” Hal nodded. “What else? Something prickly on the floor… maybe an invisible tripwire on the stairs…”

“I want to try placing objects disguised with Stealth and Camouflage! Like making a window look like a door!”

“Gyahahaha! Ize, you genius! Approved!”

 

The tension that had hung over them initially was gone. The two threw themselves into brainstorming traps, their excitement rising with every suggestion. Watching them, Fieda found himself feeling a tiny bit of sympathy for the poor souls who would eventually walk into this madness.

 

◆

 

“Hyahahaha! Miss Rossalie, you nailed it!”

“Y-you think?” Rossalie turned toward Ize, flushed with pride.

 

It was nearing the final hours of the year. High-pitched laughter echoed in one of the manor’s rooms…

 

“GYAAAH!”

 

…Shortly followed by a deep, guttural scream from outside.

 

“That was perfect! No one could look straight at that!”

“Should we heal him, maybe?” Rossalie asked, glancing out the window with a worried frown.

“Aaagh! My eyes! My eyes!!” Another wail echoed up from the garden.

Ize shrugged, unbothered. “We can get to that later. Let’s go again!”

“Got it! Sorry, everyone! I’ll heal you later!”

“Okay, on three! Three, two, one…”

“ROSSALIEEE… BEAM!”

 

A brilliant flash erupted from the window, rivaling the fireworks in the night sky. But rather than a straight beam, the light twisted and rebounded in strange angles, blinding every intruder hiding across the manor grounds.

 

“GYAAAH!”

“GWAAAAAAHHH!”

“Hyahahaha! That’s incredible! Miss Rossalie, you’re a genius!”

“I’m glad I could help,” Rossalie replied with a radiant smile.

 

Ize’s laughter was contagious. Rossalie, so often reserved, now threw her head back and laughed openly, her whole face glowing with life. She often smiled with quiet poise, but this… this full-bodied joy was something so rare and wonderful.

It was clear she was genuinely enjoying herself.

It made sense, though. She’d once been a healer in the same adventuring party as the A-rank Gruash; this was far from her first brush with danger. When they’d warned her of a potential attack, she’d insisted on fighting alongside them. Hal hadn’t expected that from someone meant to be under protection, but since she would be with Ize anyway, it had worked out.

Together, she and Ize had devised an elaborate method of using light magic for defense.

 

“Using mirrors to reflect the light… that’s quite the idea,” Rossalie said in admiration.

“If we wanted the spell to hit someone far away, we’d have to crank up the power,” Ize explained. “But with mirrors, we can bounce the light without wasting any magic!”

“And we’re barely using any magical energy! We can keep this up all night!”

 

Their strategy was simple in concept but deviously effective: place mirrors at key points around the manor, then bounce beams of light toward invaders using pinpoint magic.

Neither Ize nor Rossalie could move around freely. But Ize’s Perception Map let her pinpoint enemies’ locations, and Rossalie could direct light spells with surgical accuracy.

Ize used her dark magic to fine-tune the angle of each mirror, while Rossalie fired beams that ricocheted across the property like a game of billiards.

Each blinding flash was followed by screams and the sound of intruders being apprehended by the soldiers.

 

“KYOOOOOO!”

“GAAAHHH!”

 

From the opposite side of the manor, a shrill shriek split the air.

 

“Oh, looks like Sato’s doing its part,” Ize said cheerfully.

“I hope their eardrums are intact,” Rossalie chuckled.

 

It seemed someone had wandered into Sato’s territory.

As the two women studied the Map and plotted their next move, a new barrage of noise erupted, this time from inside the building.

 

CRASH! THUD! Th-th-th-thump!

 

“Waaah!”

 

BOOM!

 

“Gah!”

“Take that!”

 

There was a moment of silence after Hal’s shout. Then the manor fell quiet again.

 

“What trap was set in that area?” Rossalie asked.

 

“I think… when you trip the string, a bucket is dropped on your head, then a gust of wind blows you down the stairs… or was that the slippery ice one?” Ize murmured, trying to recall which trap they’d put where. “We may have gotten a little carried away…”

“Either way, sounds painful,” Rossalie said with a wince, rubbing her lower back in sympathy.

 

As they spoke, Ize’s eyes remained on the Map, studying the clusters of red and blue dots.

Soon, a pair of blue dots moved in to retrieve an immobilized intruder.

 

“All right. Everything inside the manor is going smoothly. Now let’s see… one, two, three, four, five left.”

“That’s far too many,” Rossalie muttered. “Whether they’re here to kill or kidnap me, this brings the total to nearly twenty.”

“Do you think we’ll be able to get any information out of them?”

“I suppose that depends on the captain. We’ll have to leave it to him…” Rossalie murmured as she watched the captured assailants being gathered in one place.

 

The attackers had been unusually direct. Until now, their enemies had never made such overt moves. So why the sudden change?

 

“Why would Lord Loudipa’s return cause such a reaction…?”

 

Rossalie’s thoughts were drifting, and Ize gently guided her away from the window, sitting her on a sofa in the reception room.

 

“Hal said that the brothers might know something about it,” Ize said as she settled beside her.

“Those two?” Rossalie asked, raising her eyebrows.

“We haven’t been told much, but… the fact that they anticipated the attack means they must have some sort of proof or knowledge.”

“Yes… If they knew an attack was coming, they must understand the reason behind it as well.”

 

Rossalie’s voice softened, her expression dimming slightly.

 

“Are you feeling a little hurt that they didn’t tell you?”

Rossalie blinked. “Hurt…? Yes… maybe I am.”

“And maybe a little angry too?”

“Just a little,” she admitted, allowing herself a faint, wry smile.

 

Ize chuckled, eyes still half on the Map hovering nearby.

 

“I get it. Why do BOYS always feel the need to resolve things entirely on their own?”

 

“Exactly!” Rossalie said, her voice rising with exasperation. “They decide everything, handle it all in secret, and then tell you at the very end as if that makes it okay!”

“You’re talking about Lord Gruash, aren’t you?”

“Oh, Gru is the very embodiment of a nobleman. He always acts like ‘Well, it’s handled now, so no need to bother you with the details.’ And I always want to shout, ‘Then what am I here for!?'”

“I completely understand. Fieda used to be like that too; he’s gotten better now that Hal’s been working on him.”

“And Hal himself?”

“Hal always talks things through with me. He’s very… thoughtful. Like a teacher, almost.”

“A teacher?” Rossalie tilted her head curiously, a gesture that made her seem almost like a girl Ize’s age.

 

As the two women spoke, the mansion echoed with noise — shouts, the occasional scream — and the red dots representing the enemy slowly being rounded up, one after another.

 

“Yes,” Ize continued. “He lets me consider the situation, share my opinions, and he listens. He wants to hear what I think.”

“That IS a good teacher,” Rossalie said warmly.

“A very good one,” Ize agreed, her voice softening with a small, proud smile. Then, her eyes flicked toward the map. “Oh… Fieda’s fighting the last one. Do you think he’s all right?”

“I hear something from outside,” Rossalie said, standing up. Ize followed her back to the window.

 

The sharp clash of steel echoed clearly through the glass. Cheers followed.

 

“…Oh dear,” Ize muttered.

“Oh drear, indeed…”

 

Both women leaned forward, hands resting on the windowsill. In the garden, Fieda was locked in combat with the last of the attackers. Soldiers had formed a wide circle around them, shouting encouragement and jeering like spectators at a tournament.

 

“Poor guy,” Rossalie said, shaking her head. “Even if he wins, he’s not getting away.”

“This would break anyone’s spirit. Oh… Fieda just used a skill.”

 

A sharp clink rang out. The enemy’s sword flew from his hands and landed several meters away, nearly impaling the ground. A few startled soldiers scrambled out of its path. Then, before the attacker could move, several soldiers dogpiled him — perhaps more than necessary.

 

[Better safe than sorry, I guess…] Rossalie thought.

“He’s got too much energy for such a cold night,” Ize said, waving up at Fieda, who caught her gaze and gave a half-exasperated, half-embarrassed look in return. “Well, looks like it’s over. We can relax for a bit now.”

“Actually…” Rossalie turned to her. “Ize, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“Yes?”

 

◆

 

Rossalie’s request was that she wanted to thank the soldiers personally.

Ize agreed without hesitation, and as they walked through the mansion, they met up with Hal and stepped out into the garden.

Some of the soldiers had moved to oversee the prisoners, but a handful remained near the site of the last skirmish.

 

“Fieda! Great work out there! That last move was amazing!” Ize called out.

“Oh… hey.”

 

Fieda raised one hand, a bit sheepish but clearly pleased as Ize and Hal gave him a little round of applause.

 

“By the way,” Ize started, “Miss Rossalie wanted to say something to the soldiers.”

“They worked so hard on a precious evening like this — I’d like to thank them properly.”

 

Her words stirred murmurs among the soldiers. It wasn’t often that a noblewoman-to-be, possibly the future wife of Gruash himself, would come down just to give thanks.

But Ize, Hal, and even Fieda simply stood by her. None of them thought to stop her.

 

“Most of the squad will return soon,” one of the senior officers, likely the captain, stepped forward and addressed Rossalie. “They’ve just finished securing the prisoners. It’s cold, but could you wait a bit longer?”

“Of course. Thank you,” Rossalie replied with a slight bow.

 

The captain seemed caught off guard by the gesture.

A hush fell over the garden, despite the number of people present. The silence felt almost sacred.

 

“…Hey, Ize,” Hal whispered. “Let’s do a New Year’s light show.”

“A what?”

“A New Year’s… thing. You know, with light.”

“Aha…” Understanding dawned on her face. “Give me a second.”

 

With a wave of her hand, Ize summoned a glowing orb of light, which floated into the air and gently split into dozens of tiny luminous motes. They drifted softly over the garden, brushing against noses and foreheads. Soldiers laughed, swatting at them playfully or trying to catch them in cupped hands.

The lights darted through the air, weaving between soldiers and trees, forming a playful line that nudged people back. Then they swirled into a heart shape around two particularly startled men.

Laughter began to ripple through the crowd. Ize smiled. So did Hal, Fieda, and Rossalie.

 

“You’re amazing, Ize,” Rossalie said, her eyes shining. “It’s beautiful how you control light like that.”

“Thank you,” Ize replied a little shyly. “I’ve gotten better with magical energy manipulation. It lets me do things like this.”

 

She glanced at the Map to confirm that nearly all the soldiers had returned.

 

“All right, it’s about time I wrapped this up.”

 

With a sweep of her hand, she gathered the lights together into one final orb and floated it near Rossalie, drawing every gaze toward her.

The light burst softly, sparkling high into the night sky before fading.

And into the silence, Rossalie spoke,

 

“Everyone, thank you for gathering here in the cold tonight.” Her voice was calm and warm, carrying clearly across the garden. “On this final evening of the year, I’m truly sorry to have taken you from your families and the celebrations you deserve. But there is one thing I must say…” She turned slowly, her gaze sweeping over the soldiers. “To all the brave soldiers here. And to our guests… Mister Fieda, Mister Hal, and Miss Ize. Thank you. Thank you for protecting my life.”

 

And with that, Rossalie bowed deeply.

A moment passed in stillness.

Then came the sound of hands clapping — softly at first, then all around.

Rossalie raised her head and saw the smiles breaking out on the soldiers’ faces.

Relieved, she bowed once more, this time slower, deeper, and with all the gratitude in her heart.