Chapter 81: Fate's Conclusion

“Gotcha! Caught in my [Dark Jaw (Yami no Agito)]!”

[Dark Jaw] is a ‘Gift’ of the Trap God. It can be set up in advance, concealed and invisible from the outside. When prey enters that spot, sharp jaws bite the prey. It takes time to set up, only one can be set at a time, and its killing power is low—a ‘Gift’ with many flaws, but if used correctly, it can surely entrap the opponent.

“Kuh…!”

Moving it causes intense pain; only the right leg cannot be moved from the spot. The biting black jaws are digging into Ritsu‘s ankle as if about to bite it off—girigiri.

“Relax. I’ll sell the Simurgh for a high price.” “You heretic…! Disgrace of the Nanane…!” “Kuhaha! Say whatever you want! Listen well? In this world, the one who survives till the end is strong! You guys! Kill her!”

Following In‘s order, three men attack Ritsu. Ritsu fired the water gun containing habanero and chili pepper extract taken from the pouch on her back at the three men’s faces repeatedly.

“UgyaaaaAAAAAAAA!?” “My eyes!? My nose!?” “Gihiiii!?”

Men collapse on the spot covering their faces, writhing as if rolling. Something she received when exterminating Golden Bugs, but Ritsu thought it was good she kept it. She shoots one more shot aimed at In in succession, but it doesn’t reach him as he jumped back in a panic.

“Poison…! Doing such cheap tricks…!”

Actually not poison, but Ritsu has no intention of correcting him. If he thinks it’s poison and becomes wary, it becomes somewhat advantageous.

“Doesn’t seem like instant death poison but… Oi, you guys! Kill her without getting close!”

Receiving In‘s order, the remaining men in black throw star-shaped throwing weapons they held.

“Kuh…!”

Even with the right leg fixed, moving her upper body to dodge, she deflects several shurikens with the short sword held in her right hand. But the shuriken Ritsu dodged hit Oboro behind her.

“Kuaa…!” “Oboro…!”

With this, unable to dodge carelessly, Ritsu was forced completely on the defensive. Ritsu wanted to defend with magic somehow, but the only magic she can use is wind magic, and her magic amount isn’t that large. Actually, she used up almost all her magic with the [Air Sphere] used when jumping off the Spirit Tree earlier. With remaining magic, blowing away one enemy with wind is the limit. It won’t be a means to break this situation. Against one-sided long-range attacks, a young child cannot endure forever, and eventually signs of fatigue appear.

“Guh!?”

A star-shaped shuriken hit her right arm, and Ritsu finally dropped the short sword.

“Now! Kill her! With this, the head of Nanane is mine!”

With high laughter, In raises a shuriken and throws it at Ritsu with full power. Is this it? A feeling of resignation floats in Ritsu‘s heart. Frustrating. Even though I finally took back Nanane from Uncle’s hands, is it to be stolen again? Even though I finally found a master to serve, is it to end without doing anything?

“Gh, don’t screw with me…!”

I won’t let it end in a place like this! I’ll defeat at least this man absolutely. Even if I have to take him with me…! Ritsu throws the water gun held in her left hand, shooting down the shuriken In threw. The water gun shattered into pieces, and the red liquid inside scattered around. In that gap, picking up the dropped short sword, she swings it to sever her right leg caught in In‘s ‘Gift’. Even with one leg, if she jumps with full power, the blade might reach. Just as Ritsu was about to make an all-or-nothing bet, In‘s black ‘Gift’ shattered into pieces.

“Wha…!?”

Losing balance due to the suddenly released right leg, she falls to her knees on the spot. Looking up while on all fours, there was the figure of her own master straddling a pure white tiger.

“Lady Sakuraile…!”

◇ ◇ ◇

“You did quite as you pleased with our maid.”

It would have been dangerous if I hadn’t chased riding Kohaku-san. Because when I asked Kohaku-san after that out of concern, he said Oboro might be getting beaten by a group. I chased in a panic. I want you to tell me such things earlier. When I arrived, Oboro was trapped in a net, and Ritsu was being bitten by something weird. Immediately drew the [Holy Sword] and slashed it. Some kind of ‘Gift’, this is.

“Ritsu, who are these guys?” “Uncle’s son… In and his subordinates.”

Ah, that traitor Uncle who I returned the curse to. So that means that is Ritsu‘s cousin. I turn my gaze to the man acting important alone, with a pigtail and snake tattoo on the side of his head. Bad taste.

“This maid and that Simurgh there are under the custody of the le Philharmonie Ducal House. Is this violence knowing that?” “le Philharmonie Ducal House!? Like I care! That guy is my old man’s enemy. Unrelated people back off!” “Oh, is that so. Then I become your enemy too. Since I’m the one who reflected the curse to your father.”

No matter how I look, that’s not a face wanting to avenge his father. It’s the same face as scum adults often seen in the slums, wanting to torment unable-to-resist children to vent frustration. I hate this kind of people.

“Shut up! If you get in the way I’ll kill you too, damn brat!”

In or whatever throws a shuriken at me. I cut it down with the Holy Sword—supat. Since I’m not using physical enhancement, this much won’t cause muscle pain.

“Kohaku-san, can you blow them away all at once?” “Umu. No probl──” “Please wait!”

When I was about to ask Kohaku-san to eliminate these annoying fellows, Ritsu stood up staggeringly on her injured right leg.

“I will deal with that person. I wish to sever the evil fate myself.” “No, but──”

I start to say but shut my mouth. Because I saw an unyielding will in Ritsu‘s eyes. For Ritsu, they are Nanane‘s shame. If even the cleanup is done by me, she won’t have face as the head. It must be Ritsu’s own settlement. But it’s dangerous. I think that type of fellow has many dirty tricks. If it can be settled safely, that’s definitely better. If I say one word ‘Stand down’, Ritsu will follow that order. But I intuitively felt that as Ritsu‘s master, that is something I shouldn’t say. Sighing—haa, I dismiss the Holy Sword, take out a healing potion from the pochette, and throw it to Ritsu.

“If it gets absolutely dangerous, I’ll intervene, okay?” “Yes!”

Ritsu took the lid off the handed healing potion and drank it in one go—gokuri. Injuries on the right leg and right hand heal in an instant. As expected of Leon’s special healing potion. Effect is outstanding. I’ll have Kohaku-san suppress his companions so the duel isn’t interrupted.

“Wagging tail to a noble of another country. You’ve fallen low, Ritsu.” “Return those words right back at you. I have no reason to be told by you who degraded into a mere bandit. Just like your thoughtless father who dabbled in curses and died miserably by having it returned.” “You!”

In throws many shurikens taken from his bosom at Ritsu. Ritsu knocked down all flying shurikens with the short sword in hand.

“Why don’t you slash at me? Ah, because the ‘Gift’ trap set in front of you would be exposed?” “Tsk…!”

Apparently, that man set that bear trap-like ‘Gift’ from earlier in front of himself. If exposed, the trap’s effect is halved. Perhaps knowing that, In drew the katana at his waist, and this time slashed toward Ritsu.

“Nanane is mine! Drop dead, damn brat!” “Do not speak of Nanane. Makes me want to vomit.”

Ritsu took ‘that’ out from the waist pouch and threw it at In with full power. Without knowing what was thrown, In reflexively slashed it with the katana in hand. The next moment, hot water scattering from the slashed teapot rained down on In‘s body.

“Gua!?”

Arisa-san said having a tea set ready at any time is a maid’s taste, but to think she really carries it around. Ritsu closes in with full power on In flinching from hot water, and slashes with the short sword. Perhaps trying to block it, the moment In held out his left hand, that black bear trap appeared from that left hand and bit onto Ritsu‘s right arm—gaburi.

“Guh!?” “Caught again! My [Dark Jaw] can be set on my own body too!”

When the trap set on the ground was exposed, did he immediately cancel and reset it on himself? Ritsu‘s right arm is fixed by the bear trap emerging from In‘s left hand, sealing her movement. Something like a black chain extended from In‘s left hand, connecting to the bear trap. Ritsu‘s weapon is sealed, but a katana is still gripped in the opponent’s hand. Is this bad?

“Won’t let you escape anymore. I’ll torment you until you beg for your life!” “Not letting escape applies here too! [Blow Wind, Soaring Whirlwind (Whirlwind)]!”

Dodging the swung-down katana, Ritsu, having gone behind In, chants a spell. Centered on Ritsu and In, a whirlwind—Gou!—arises, and the two, still connected, are blown about ten meters into the sky.

“What…!? You, don’t tell me…!”

Changing posture in mid-air, Ritsu clings to In‘s back and forcefully pins his arms with her own arms. And falls headfirst just like that.

“St, stop! Let gooooo!” “Nanane Izuna Drop!”

In, clung to by Ritsu, falls on his neck with a Gokya! sound. Ritsu, smaller than In, had In as a cushion and was unharmed. The black bear trap disappears, and In collapses on the spot—batari. Eyes rolled back completely, but seems not dead. Because it wasn’t that high? I stop Ritsu who picked up the dropped short sword and tried to walk up to In.

“Sorry, wait on killing. Have to extract various information, and there might be more comrades. Don’t worry, attacking a Ducal House member and pointing a blade at its daughter means undoubtedly ‘Gift’ sealing, and this guy gets sent to the mines for life.” “…Yes.”

Relieved Ritsu obeyed somehow. Noticing, the remaining attackers were also all defeated by Kohaku-san.

“Lady Sakuraile!”

Turning to the voice, Bianca leading elf guards was running toward us. The elf people Bianca brought tie up the fallen men with ropes one after another. Eventually Estelle and others also arrived and were casting healing magic on the injured Ritsu. Oboro was also released and rejoicing in safety with Ritsu. Good grief, glad it didn’t become a major incident.