The next day I returned to the unoccupied house together with Crescent Moon.
　The five men, Gyan and company, were getting ready and waited.

“Oh, Akatsuki, Crescent Moon, we waited for you. Are you ready?”

　Gyan greeted us liked nothing happened.
　As one would expect he doesn’t even lose a word about the person he made us trail yesterday.
　Though we pretended not to notice him and shook him off.

“Yeah, we are well prepared. Domur, I’m sorry about yesterday.”

“N, no, that was my fault, don’t mind it.”

　When I spoke to Domur he wore a fake smile on his face.
　Looks like my medicine worked better than I thought.

　We went to our destination on the horses they prepared.
　We hid in a less popular place in Braham in a grove next to the road and waited.
　Of course, everyone was wearing a mask to prevent their faces to get known.
　Next to mine and Crescent Moon’s mask they look kind of idiotic.
I hid together with Gyan and Crescent Moon.

“The carriages will pass here soon. Domur, you’ll block the front, we’ll attack from behind.”

“What about the bodyguards?”

“Kill them. Just let one person escape so that they can report it was a kidnapping of the Highway Thieves.”

　Gyan gives us instruction like it’s nothing.
　He’s a guy who can say gruesome things calmly.
　Compared to him my seniors are completely amiable.

“It came, that’s it.”

　After less than an hour a carriage passed the highway.
　Three bodyguards were protecting the considerably luxurious carriage.
　They seem rather cautious, constantly looking around like that.

“Stop! We are the Highway Thieves! We have some business with that carriage’s content. Come out quietly!”

　At the moment Domur shouted this four people jumped in front of the carriage.
　The three bodyguards hastily pulled out their swords.

“Akatsuki, we’ll also go out!”

　According to Gyan’s words, we also jumped out.
　The other four people are already battling the three bodyguards.

“Hehe, This is an easy victory – – What’s this?!”

　After the smiling Gyan turned around, became stiff and his eyes were wide open.
　When I also turned around I saw a cavalry group emerging from the dust behind us.

“You people over there, wait! We are the Imperial Guard Order’s first corps! Surrender quietly!”

“****, were we caught in the Order’s patrol? You guys, scatter!!”

　Gyan hastily shouted and we got on our horses to run away but our opponents were knights who received training so they were faster.
　They caught up to us in the blink of an eye and a battle broke out.

“Damn it, we don’t have any other choice but to do this. You guys, open up an escape route no matter what!”

“Yeah!”

　The knights who chased us were five and in the front was Lunos.
　Together with the bodyguards they even outnumbered us and the skills of an Imperial Guard Order’s knight is on a completely different level.
　Everyone got into battle.

“Hmpf, it’s 10 years too early for you knights to be this awesome me’s opponent!”

　Even though Crescent Moon is fighting against a knight she is in no way inferior.
　I don’t have to worry about her.

“****, I won’t be done in, in a place like thiiiiis!”

　Domur was fighting the knight in front of him but he seems to get by.
　The problem was lying with the remaining three people.

“Guhaa!”

　First, one of the guys battling a knight was pushed off his horse and somersaulted on the floor after having his shoulder slashed.

“Waaaa!”

　A different man who tried to run away in a panic was about to be cut down by two bodyguards.
　Looks like his back got cut while he tried to run away.
　He fell from his horse and didn’t move an inch anymore.

“Shiit……Gah!”

　The knight who cut down the first man proceeded to cut down the next from the side who was fighting another bodyguard.
　He was the one who pushed around his bodyguard opponent but was completely helpless against the knight’s surprise attack.
　He got his neck cut, blood came spraying out like water and then he fell down.

　Three people were cut down in no time and the men remaining were Gyan and Domur.
　Looks like Gyan was fighting with Captain Lunos.
　Lunos who was once called Braham’s strongest attacked him inexhaustibly.
　Gyan desperately tried to block him but in this situation it’s only a matter of time for him to get killed.

　Not to mention, while our numbers decrease their numbers increase.
　If I don’t do something our annihilation is inevitable.

“Uoooo!”

　I swung my great sword down on the knight in front of me.
　The knight attempts to block it with his shield but got blown off of his horse from the shock.

“Gyan, are you okay?!”

　I entered Gyan’s and Lunos’ fight.
　It became a two on one but as one would expect Lunos wasn’t daunted by this at all.
　He skilfully blocked my great sword with his shield and attacked Gyan with his sword.
　I blocked Lunos’ sword with my great sword.

“Hoh, who’s the one going against this Lunos?”

　As one would expect, Lunos noticed my skill.
　But I can’t afford to have a fight with Lunos here.

“I’ll do something about this fellow. Run away!”

“Sorry, you should also run away!”

　Gyan found a gap and ran away.
　Looks like Crescent Moon helped Domur and they also ran away together.
　I waited while being surrounded by Lunos’ knights until those three people had ran away far enough.

“Sorry, but I don’t plan to be your opponent. I’ll leave”

“I can’t let you do that. Let’s have you slowly tell me on whose order you’re acting, shall we?”

　As the knights gradually approached I took one hand off of my sword.
　I call the salamander spirit, Reus in my mind.

“Do you want to surrender? What a good attitude.”

　While Lunos approached me I formed a seal with my left hand without being careless.

“Firewall!”

　A wall of flames instantly emerged from the ground and formed an obstacle between me and the Order.
　I used that chance to ride my horse and somehow succeeded in escaping.

　I just rode for a while and returned to the town through another gate after I checked for pursuers.
　I went to the unoccupied house where just Gyan was waiting.

“Akatsuki! Are you fine?!”

　Like I thought Gyan returned earlier.

“See, I told you he’d be alright. Akatsuki isn’t the type of guy to be caught at a place like that.”

　Domur and Crescent Moon came together.

“You really saved me there a while ago. If you weren’t there we surely would have been annihilated.”

“You’re amazing. How did you get away from them?”

　As Domur asked I chanted the aria for the light ball spell and let some fireballs float in the air.

“As you can see, I am able to use fire magic. I made a flame wall and blocked them. Well, it’s my trump card.”

“What a guy, can use magic and swing that great sword. Amazing, you’re too amazing……”

　As I laughed fearlessly Domur seemed surprised from the bottom of his heart.
　Well, I guess the author correction had time to shine today.
　I’m really sorry for cheating.　

“But why were the Order Knights at a place like this?”

　Gyan said this in vexation.

“It’s like you said yesterday, I guess, their vigilance became stricter. Isn’t it that?”

“I see, that’s why they were patrolling. Damn it.”

　It seemed like they were convinced by Crescent Moon’s words but both Gyan and Domur are frustrated because their comrades were killed.

“What are we going to do then? Is this the end of the job?”

　As I asked Gyan looked troubled for a while and then opened his mouth.

“I can’t decide. I can’t tell you that either. I guess I have to talk to the boss but if I go alone I might be killed to take responsibility. Akatsuki, I’m sorry but could you go with me to explain what happened? I would feel safer.”

　Okay, there it is, there it is.
　Looks like he completely believed I was a comrade.
　But I can’t get impatient, careful.

“To be honest, that’s rather troublesome for me. Well, I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing you got killed, there’s also something I want to say about the reward. So, can’t be helped, let’s go.”

“Thank you, Akatsuki. I’m very grateful.”

　Now it’s time for the wire puller to finally appear.

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