Our departure to Leshiana was early in the morning, before the sun had even risen.

There were not many people to see us off this time. It was nice to be alone with my family. The last night was more difficult than that.

I was going to take Elle with me this time, but I decided to take Lucia with me just in case. She probably couldn't stand the thought of having no one on her side, so when I told her I was taking her with me, she nodded obediently.

However, Tia began to object to the idea of taking Lucia with me. Apparently, she couldn't stand the idea of taking a newcomer to a place where she wasn't supposed to be. As for me, I wanted to leave Tia, whom I trusted the most, in the house where I would be away, but she didn't seem to change her opinion.

In the end, I kept attacking her on the bed until she broke down, but thanks to her, I'm not sleeping well today.

Unlike last time, this time there are seven members: three male heroes, Elle, Lucia, a maid who accompanies Alec, and a guide and guardian. In order to keep a low profile, we were all crammed into one carriage. Because of this, the space is quite small.

I was told that I should have a knight as an escort, but I told them that if we went with too many people, we might intimidate them, and that if I took an escort who was weaker than the heroes, he would not be of much use to me, so I asked them to refrain this time.

If the opponent is a magician, a large number of people will not work in your favor. If they attacked at range, the ones in the center would not be able to escape. And since most of the magicians who are capable of attacking us are capable of using ranged magic, guarding them is just a hindrance.

I'm also assuming that my magic won't work on them. If a large number of people go to the elves and they are hostile, there is no guarantee that I will be able to get them all out safely. If we're not prepared and we're attacked out of the blue, the most I'll be able to get away with is about 20 people.

I only hope that the elves of Leshiana are not on the side of the Demon Empire.

「Master, the town where we are going to stay today is coming into view.」

Elle, who was looking at the scenery ahead of us, reported this to me, but I wasn't interested, so I just waved my hand in return. The town we'll be staying in today is said to be little more than a village, so we can't expect much in the way of quality lodging.

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As I had expected, the inn was deserted, with only a poorly made bed and no services. In addition, for some reason, the window was blocked, so it was dark.

I had no choice but to head into town alone to buy some alcohol or something, but for some reason the liquor stores were closed even though it was still daytime. When I looked closer, I saw that most of the other stores were closed as well.

I had a hunch that something troublesome was going on. I was about to go back to the inn to stay in my room before I got involved, when an old man approached me.

「Traveler. That outfit, are you a wizard by any chance?」

The old man seemed to have figured out that I was a magician from my outfit and spoke to me. If this is the case, I should have dressed like a commoner.

「Oh, yes, but what do you want from me?」

「Ooohh, I knew you are! Thank you, God, for this meeting!」

I looked at the old man who looked happy at my reply and started praying to God. I sighed inwardly, thinking that it was the usual pattern again, and waited for his next words.

To be honest, I wanted to leave such a person alone and run away, but I couldn't act carelessly since it was known that my face was already known to people outside the royal capital. If no one saw me, I could just erase this old man's memory, but in this situation, I don't even know where or who is watching me.

「Please save this town, wizard!」

「...... Let's hear what you have to say for now.」

「Thank you very much. This town has often been attacked by bandits before. However, until now, the bandits were a small group that could be driven back by the entire town, so even though they were attacking, they didn't cause too much damage. But recently, a new wizard joined the bandits, and their magic has become so strong that the townspeople can't defeat them.」

「So it's because of them that you can't win again bandits? If that's the case, why don't you hire another magicians from outside the town?」

「I sent some of the town's people to the capital, but neither the knights nor the mercenaries showed up at all. Apparently, the people I sent on the errand were attacked on the way. ......」

「I see, so that's why you approached me when I happened to come by. So, do you know where the bandits' base is located?」

「No, we don't know that. All we know is that they are coming from the south. ......」

「...... I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'm taking on another job right now. I can't take on a job that I can't finish in one sitting. You'll have to look someone else.」

「No! Please don't say that! I'll pay you whatever you want!」

The old man slammed his forehead on the ground so many times that I thought his forehead would break and asked for a favor. If I refused here, I'd be recognized as an outsider. When I checked my surroundings to be sure, I saw that there were several people looking at me. It seems that everything I said earlier had been seen. I'm not sure I can get away with this.

「...... old man, look up.」

「W-Wizard-sama ......」

「I can't help it if you ask me that much. I'll accept that request.」

「Really!? I'm glad, this town can be saved!」

The people around us who were watching us were also happy to hear the old man's words. I hadn't even heard about the reward, but I felt like I couldn't say no to this unless the reward was worth it.

I couldn't help but wonder if it's a curse or something that I always get caught up in this kind of commotion.

By the way, as expected, I was offered an amount as low as tears. I tried to get him to raise the amount a little more, but the old man hit his forehead again and cried out, so I had to accept the amount in tears.

※

「I agree, it would be our duty to eliminate threats along the way and protect public safety. We're not that pressed for time. I think we have enough time to fulfill the old man's request.」

When I returned to the inn and told Alec and the others about the matter of taking down the bandits, Sagami seemed to agree.

「Wait a minute, an alliance with Leshiana is an important mission for this country. I think it's wrong to compare it to this one town. We should prioritize the king's order over this town. Why did you accept such a request in the first place, Yard-dono? Isn't it possible that you're a bit loose?」

Unlike Sagami, Alec seems to be against it. It seems that he's not going to help me, given that he's not happy that I've accepted it.

I had no choice but to leave it to Sagami to follow him and guard Lucia, and I headed for the forest with Elle.

※

It was difficult to walk in the dark and pathless forest, and it took more energy than expected, but Elle was walking as lightly as if she were walking on level ground. Once again, I was reminded that Elle was an elf.

「Master, I found traces of a person's passage.」

I checked the place indicated by Elle who was walking in front of me, but instead of human footprints, there was nothing different from the surrounding scenery, to the point where I wanted to ask herself how on earth she knew.

As I followed Elle's trail, I thought over and over again that it was the right decision to bring her along. Since a while ago, she has been detecting the presence of beasts and walking in a way that avoids dangerous places, as if she knows this forest inside and out. I wondered if this was another ability of the elves.

After following Elle for a while, we came to a place that looked like a cave. A man dressed like a bandit was standing around. He seemed to be on guard duty.

「What should we do, Master?」

「If we block the entrance, we're done, but we need to check inside to see if there are any other strongholds. ......」

「Why don't we just grab the guy at that entrance and bury the rest alive?」

「That's radical ......, but there might be people trapped inside. I reject that idea.」

As I was stumbling around, unable to come up with a good idea, the man on guard seemed to notice our sneaking conversation. He shouted something into the cave and then came towards us.

「No choice, it's a practical exercise. Elle, you take them all.」

「Yes, Master.」

Elle took her wand and began to draw a magic circle on the ground. At the same time, she released the ice statues to control them, trapping some of the first ones in the ice.

When the bandits realized that they were dealing with a magician, some of them ran away and others went into the cave. Some of the bandits ran away, while others went into the cave, probably intending to call the magician.

The bandits, now down to about half their number, were unafraid to charge in, but the ice in front of them prevented them from advancing as far as they wanted. In the meantime, Elle's magic circle seemed to have been completed.

As soon as Elle activated her magic circle, the bandits' feet shook and a tremendous amount of water spurted up from the ground. All the bandits who were unable to move because of the shaking seemed to be hit directly, and every single one of them was blown skyward. Not a single one of them could be saved.

Elle invoked a Type 4 Nature Manipulation Magic, <GeyserAquagazer>. This magic, which uproots underground water veins to simulate a geyser, not only causes a large amount of water to gush out, but also causes secondary damage in the form of land subsidence.

The ground shook violently, sinking rapidly from the area where the water had spouted. The entrance to the cave had not collapsed, but the inside would have partially collapsed. I told her not to collapse it, but she didn't keep her word. I don't know if the hostages would have survived that. I'll give her a lecture later.

Then, with a huge amount of water, the bandits that had been sent flying fell down. They crashed into the ground and all of them were in a state of shock. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Not a single one of them was still breathing, but that was to be expected.

※

「Who is it!? Who's attacking my house!」

With a shout, a woman jumped out from inside. Unlike the bandits, she was wearing a triangular hat covered in dirt and a magician's robe. Perhaps that was the sorceress the old man was talking about. Seeing that her ears was slightly more elongated than a human's, it seemed she was an elf.

「It's you guys! How dare you do this to me? Apologies in death! 『Wind, cut through』!」

She noticed us and immediately activated her magic formula.

Looking at the composition of the magic, it seems to be a magic that sends a blade of wind flying. It's invisible, but it's probably exactly what's flying at you. Elle hurriedly evaded, but she seemed to have completely forgotten that I was behind her, and all the bullets hit me.

（『First magic barrier, successfully defended. The attack magic has been successfully traced. It's assumed to be a type 1 natural manipulation system from a short distance.』)

It was all neutralized by the first barrier, so I was unharmed, but I had to remind Elle to look around a little more.

That magician, by the way, seems to be surprisingly talented. I've never met anyone who could use shortened chanting. It's a shame that it's not chantless, but it can't be helped because the only people I know who can do it are me and Elle.

The female sorceress was surprised that I was unharmed, but her expression quickly returned to normal.

「You guys must be the wizards hired by the people in the northern town, right?　You know I'm Adriana, the dragon-slaying wizard, and some of you are just plain stupid.」

I'm sorry to say that I didn't know the female sorceress who called herself Adriana at all. I've never even heard her name. Elle didn't understand her word, so she didn't respond to anything. She thought we were afraid of her because we didn't say anything, and she was smiling broadly.

「Um, you're the sorceress who attacked the town to the north, aren't you?」

「Elvish ....... What are you, a dark elf? That's right, the people of that town resisted our request to give them all the gold they had. I killed a few of them in return, and they all shut up.」

「I see. I see your point.」

Elle activated her Ice Statue without warning, and Adriana, who was caught off guard, was unable to avoid it and took a direct hit. Her arm only froze a little, so apparently her magic resistance was high.

「How dare you! The match haven't started yet!」

「This is not a match, but an extermination. It's worse for you to let your guard down!」

「So clever! That's why the dark elves are! You don't have the guts for a fair fight, but you're always making excuses!」

「I never thought I'd hear that from a bandit. So, we begin now.」

「!! 『Wind, Crush it』!」

Elle hits her with ice statue with a number of shots. She may have overtaken the resistance, but one of Adriana's arms is frozen and useless.

But Adriana didn't just take it quietly either. A gust of wind came from right above Elle, and she was knocked to the ground. Apparently, the strength of the magic was superior to that of her opponent. She looked no more than twenty years old, but she must have accumulated quite a bit of training.

As she hurriedly tried to stand up, Elle was hit by a wind blade, probably in pursuit. Maybe because she couldn't see it. As she rolled on the ground in an impossible position to avoid it, the ground Elle was on exploded. How could she have known that such an attack was coming?

「『Wind, cut through』! C'mon, c'mon! What's the matter!?」

「Kuhh! You're just a Wild Elf!」

It seems that Adriana is a Wild Elf or something like that. I know why her looks don't match her abilities. The name suggests that she is an elf who lives in the wilderness. But we're in the forest, right?

As I was thinking about such trivial things, before I knew it, Adriana had stopped moving. Thorny thorns made of ice were wrapped around her feet. Apparently, Elle had frozen her feet with the ice-bound thorns. They crawled up her body faster and faster, and in no time it was at her waist.

Adriana is pulling to pull her leg out, but it's not a magic that can be pulled off like that. Elle, too, has finally stopped the wind blade and is standing up, brushing the dirt from her clothes.

「This is why I hate dark elves, for them always use some nasty tricks up your sleeve.」

「I don't want to hear it from you, who simply blasts me with the wind!」

Adriana's body froze, leaving her head, and she glared at Elle in frustration.

Elle is giving her opponent a lot of room to maneuver since she has blocked her movement. However, Elle still has a lot of work to do. In a magician's battle, just sealing the body is not enough to feel safe at all. That'll be another sermon later.

As expected, Adriana had created one trap, but Elle hadn't noticed. By the looks of it, it's a direct hit.

「You fool, I've got you! 『Wind of Valor, bring them to justice』!」

Seeing Elle approaching, Adriana's frustrated expression changed to a grin, and she activated the magic circle carved into the ground with her wind blade.

Elle hurriedly tried to avoid it, but it was a little too late. She was caught up in the tornado that erupted from beneath her feet and quickly disappeared. Perhaps a blade of wind was cutting her up inside.

A few moments later, the tornado dissipated, and there was Elle, her whole body torn to shreds and bleeding profusely.

「I-I'm sorry. ......mas......ter......」

Elle looked at me with all her strength and muttered, and fell to the ground. The amount of blood that flowed out clearly indicated that her life was over.

「You fool, you're a dark elf, and you're going to pay for challenging me. Now, it's your turn.」

Adriana took a glance at Elle and turned to me. She has a relaxed expression on her face, as if she thinks I'm slowing Elle down because I didn't join her earlier. Apparently, she's forgotten about the fact that I disabled her magic just now.

「Adriana, you say? It's fine to show off your leeway, but I don't want you to get carried away just because you killed my apprentice.」

「Huh! You were her master!? So it's your fault that she's weak!」

「It's true that she was still in training, and her lack of practice was holding her back.」

「You think you can beat me? Don't be a fool! 『Wind, cut through!』」

She sent a blade of wind at me. I know something is hitting the barrier because I get a warning, but I still can't see the wind. The problem is that she's only using the voice element, but that magic is surprisingly useful.

「Tsk! Apparently it's true that you're stronger than that her. Then how about this! 『Wind, Crush it』!」

The grass around my feet was blown away all at once, with me in the center. But seeing that the important thing is that I'm not moving at all, Adriana looks as if she's biting down on a bitter bug.

She've unleashed a number of attacks, but they've all been nullified by my barriers. I've been holding back my attacks since earlier so that she can fire off a big shot, but she hasn't used the same magic that she unleashed on Elle.

I was expecting a little more variety in her magics, but apparently she can't use too many of them. I think it's my turn now.

「It looks like you haven't moved since a while ago, but all you can do is protect yourself!」

「What, can I move now?」

It was a little earlier than I expected, but no problem. So let's attack her too.

I quickly drew a magic circle on the ground and activated it immediately. Without even giving Adriana a chance to brace herself for my magic, the fourth type of spirit-sensitive magic, the <Astral Shift>, was activated.

※