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「Haat!!」

Inglis stepped forward and thrust her ice sword towards the monster’s thick chest. She was so fast the Magic Stone Beast couldn’t even move a step before it received the attack.

CLANNK!!

With a clear, solid sound, the beast bent backwards. It was overwhelmed by the force of the sword, yet the sword itself was repelled with its tip chipped, while the tough chest of the beast was left with only a small dent.

With the speed and the force behind it, it shouldn’t have been weird for Inglis’ sword to pierce straight through the beast. And yet, the monster was ‌uninjured for some reason —

「Glis! Attribute, you forgot the attribute!」

The color of the Magic Stone Beast’s gem was blue. In other words, it had a high tolerance towards ice-affiliated mana. If the gem was red, the Magic Stone Beast would be strong against fire-attributed Artifact, and if it was green, it would be wind. Beasts that had multiple colored gems embedded within their body were a high-ranked species that could resist multiple attributes.

Therefore, it was only a basic strategy to bring a lot of Knights with varying Artifact attributes to combat the various resistances. Rafinha’s light attribute and Leone’s darkness attribute were the rarest and most superior attributes, and there were only a few cases of Magic Stone Beasts that had the same affinity as theirs. Hence, Knights with those two attributes were said to have the makings to stand second only to the Holy Knights.

While the ice sword Inglis produced was not an Artifact, it was still of ice attribute.
Because of the bad affinity with the Magic Stone Beast in front of her, most of her impact was canceled.

「Yeah, Rani. I’m fully aware.」

However little it might be, Inglis still damaged the beast. Since the opportunity allowed, what would happen if mana of the same attribute clashed? She wanted to test it out. If the attribute was the same, would the attack be completely nullified? If almost all of the impact would be dampened, would it still show some effect? The answer leaned to the latter; it seemed.

「If you’re aware, then you need to attack with a different attribute——」
「No, I won’t. Look, I managed to hurt it a little.」

If so—

「—I just need to win it with numbers! 」

Inglis then unleashed a succession of thrusts that aimed only at one point. The rapid attack was so fast that in the eye of the others, it looked like her arm and sword split ““““““““““into hundreds.

DOGAGAGAGAGA!!!

It sounded like a chisel forcibly carving into a boulder. The ice sword precisely drilled into a single point on the tough chest of the Magic Stone Beast until, before they noticed, the wound grew deeper and larger.

「Ooh……! Good going, Inglis……!」
「She’s not pulling all stops yet, you know. However, I can see for sure that her skills have grown——!」

The two Hyrule Menaces evaluated Inglis’ movements so.

「HYAAAaaaahh!!」

She took a large step forward and released her final thrust that pierced through the Magic Stone Beast. The huge body that had lost its strength collapsed on the spot with a thud. It was a swift end for it.

「Honestly, Glis…… You just pushed through with nothing but speed and power.」
「You just ignored the fundamental strategy to fight against a Magic Stone Beast. Even though it’s just the basic to avoid attribute resistances……」
「I believe it’s most important to purposely beat your opponent at their own game. And it’s tougher that way, after all.」

Whatever battle it might be, I want to use it to elevate my growth even for a little.
If so, then I need to win after my opponent displayed enough of their strength. That is the most efficient training there is.

「That sounds just like you, Glis…… Well, if it’s me, I’d just use a different attribute to defeat it. Like normal.」
「I’m with Rafinha, I guess——」
「But it’s a fantastic way to train, you know?」

The two of them didn’t seem to understand the charm of it.

「—That’s the last, it seems.」
「Thanks, Inglis. You saved my hide.」
「No, it’s a fine exercise for me too. Rather than that, how are you feeling now, Ms. Ripple?」
「Yup, it’s getting better now~ I’m good, goodest good.」

She still didn’t look like her best, but she waved her hand vigorously.

「I see then. However, just where did that Magic Stone Beast come from?」

Inglis directed her gaze upwards, but there was only the clear sky stretching above.
It was completely ordinary, nothing particular of note.

「It suddenly fell from above, right?」
「Yeah. Really took me by surprise.」

Rafinha and Leone also looked at the sky.

「A beastman Magic Stone Beast isn’t a dime a dozen. After all, even the beastmen themselves are on the verge of extinction now——So, it must have something to do with me, after all……?」
「We still know nothing yet. We need to investigate deeper——Let’s just wait for a new envoy from the Highland to arrive.」
「Yeah, let’s.」
「By the way, Ms. Eris and Ms. Ripple, why are the two of you here? We’re waiting for big brother Rafa, you see.」

Rafinha asked the most natural question.

「Yes, about that. Raphael is stuck on some urgent mission.」
「And so, we’re here to inform you girls and deliver the money for your dresses. You girls are buying a new dress for the new envoy inauguration party, right? Here goes.」

Having said so, Ripple handed Rafinha a leather bag with gold coins in it.

「Wah! Thank you very much!」
「We’re sorry for the trouble.」
「To think he sent Hyrule Menaces for an errand like this——」
「Iz fine, iz fine. We’re the ones who insisted. In return, you girls will let us go shopping with you, mkay?」
「Eeh? Hold on, Ripple. I thought you said we’re going back as soon as we’re done?」
「What’s wrong with that? We’re just blowing off some steam. We’ve been tense as a brick since we clung to Prisma for a long time, so why don’t we do some girls’ activity once in a while? It’s fine to have fun if it’s with Inglis and her group, right?」
「You’re not feeling well, aren’t you? You need to rest, not play.」
「Sickness comes from the mind! I’ll be all healed when I’m having fun.」
「You’re being unreasonable——」

Eris sighed deeply.

「…… Ms. Ripple sounds like Rani somehow, huh? I’ve always been pushed around by her too.」
「Haah?? I’m sorry, but isn’t it me who keeps getting pushed around by you, Glis?」
「Well, everything Inglis does is flashy after all, in a lot of meanings……」
「I’m not a battle freak like you, okay?」
「Ahahaha, I think Eris is just as tomboy as Inglis though.」

While no one agreed with Inglis, it was decided that they would go shopping with the two Hyrule Menaces in tow.