Lack of sleep is not good. Because it makes people short tempered.

「Are you insulting the knights of the Saint Knight Kingdom—— Gafuu!!」

The bearded knight, Johann, who had already dismounted, pulled out the sword on his waist – at which time I used【Wind Magic】to send him flying back.

His armor was designed to disperse mana, so the impact seems to have been significantly reduced. So, before Johann’s body fell to the ground, I fired about 3 more shots to render him unconscious.

Aah, maybe I overdid it a little..

I regretted it for a moment.

「A magic-user? His invocation time is pretty quick! Get off your horses!」

Wilhelm jumped off his horse while saying that. The other knights followed suit.

That was a quick judgment. It is true that horses are highly mobile, but when dealing with magic users, they cannot make tight turns. And if the horse is hit by magic, there is a danger of falling off your horse.

「To think there is a magic user in House Border Earl Mule.. Times sure have changed!」

「I don’t know why everyone regards that House so highly–」

Two female knights lunged at me at the same time.

「Huh!? Stop! Both of you!」

Wilhelm called out to stop them, but he was too late.

One of them had already lunged close towards me. I waited until the very last second and sidestepped to dodge her. Immediately following, the second woman came right at me. So I ignored the first woman and responded to the second.

Her sword was thin and specialized for thrusting.

「UOOOOHHH!」

The sword cut my clothes and grazed my skin slightly. However, I grabbed the second woman’s arm, turned my body around, and then threw her over my shoulder with the one-armed shoulder throw judo technique.

「Wha— gaha!」

She slammed onto the ground without being able to slow her fall.

「Kuh!」

「Too slow.」

The first woman tried to turn around and unleash her next attack.

「Hah!?」

I kicked her back before she could turn around, causing her to fall face first on the ground.

「........」

「N-Not yet!」

The female knight, whose face was covered in mud, got back up. Right then–

「Enough, Hannah. It doesn’t matter if your opponent didn’t land the finishing blow. This is a mock battle, and you have lost.」

「B-But..」

「Don’t make excuses, knight.」

「..Yes, sir.」

The female knight who was called Hannah nodded reluctantly and went to nurse her fellow knight whom I slammed onto the ground.

I see.. Wilhelm was watching me carefully.

「..So, do you still want to continue?」I asked.

I have learned a few things in this short time.

The knights were far inferior to the Border Earl’s vassals. The vassals were also blown away by my first【Wind Magic】 shot, but they corrected their posture in midair and when I fired follow up shots, they knocked it away with their bare arms with a grin. Simply remembering that scene makes me tremble.

Without【Support Magic】, my physical attacks would have no effect on the muscular vassals. But I was able to easily throw around these knights.

「Amazing.. So this is the power of House Mule, which is feared as the “Border Tyrant”..」

Well, I’m not really from House Mule, you see. Though, if I say that out loud, it would contradict my previous statement, so I won’t say it.

As I was wondering if Wilhelm would stand down or not, he pulled out his sword.

「At the very least I want to see your sword technique.」he said.

Did losing to magic and bare-hands hurt his pride as a knight?

「If that would be enough for you.」I said.

Sword technique isn’t really my specialty, but.. I have no other choice. I recalled the time when Joseph-san trained me at an adventurer’s guild training ground in Achenbach Dukedom a few years back.

At that time, I was over reliant on the【Sword Technique】skill.

But now, I know that I am good at using skill orbs. I haven’t been properly trained to use a sword, but I have learned how to survive.

「——KIEEEEEE!!」

「!!」

There was quite some distance between us.

However, that distance was shortened in an instant. As if he teleported, Wilhelm’s sword was right at my nose tip.

(Are you trying to kill me!!)

I twisted my neck, but my cheek was still slashed. My mind started racing.

While using【Healing Magic】subconsciously, I tried to thrust my dagger into Wilhelm’s body.

「THAT’S ENOUGH!!」

My body stopped moving as a loud voice suddenly echoed, as if I was hit on the head with a bat. Not only me but Wilhelm as well. As if the momentum and vigor that fueled my movement suddenly disappeared, my body simply stopped.

While thinking it must be some kind of skill, I took a distance from Wilhelm. I turned to look at the person who emitted the voice.

「Referee-sama..」Wilhelm muttered.

..Referee?

I was inwardly confused.

「The match ended when Wilhelm’s first strike was evaded. Both sides should lower their swords.」

The old knight had swept back white hair and sideburns from both sides connecting to the beard on his chin. He approached us while galloping on his horse.

**

Apparently, this man is a lieutenant general of Saint Knight Kingdom, who spearheads the current expeditionary force.

He seems to be called “referee-sama” by the knights because he acts as a “referee” in a fair sword fight. He said his real name is Otto, but I don’t care about that.

(That voice ability.. Is it something like a【Voice Technique】skill? I have never heard of it. Well, there are all kinds of skill orbs, after all.)

I still kept my guard up. After the referee convinced Wilhelm to stand down, he faced me while on horseback.

「Sorry, our esteemed guest. Wilhelm isn’t a bad guy, but he has the temperament to challenge strong opponents.」

「........」

「No need to be so wary.」

「Anyone would be wary if they are surrounded by 10 horses.」

The referee brought 10 horses, and they were deployed around me.

「Ah, these are to conceal you.」

The referee said with a hoarse and astringent voice.

「Conceal me?」

「Since you stand out in this grassland, I am concealing you with the horses.」

「........」

「Hmm, you are still on alert, I see. I just want to welcome you as our “guest” because I know you are the young boy who was involved in the midst of the civil war in the Kruvan Holy Kingdom and demonstrated fine abilities at a very young age, Reiji-dono.」

「!」

He knows about me?!

Well, I certainly didn’t try to hide things while doing this and that in the Holy Kingdom. The thing that occurred at the Holy Royal Palace might still be a secret, but the battle against Ouroboros is being sung by bards all around.

「That surprised look.. so you are Reiji-dono, after all.」

「..You got me. You tricked me into revealing the truth.」

「I’m sorry, I didn’t have any confirmation.」

The referee nimbly got off his horse.

「If you continue with that appearance, you won’t be able to get close to the Empire’s “Queen of the Night”. For the past few days, security has been tightened even more after the “Heroic Gear Disappearance”. If Reiji-dono wants to meet with Earl Sillys, it will be far easier if you stick with us.」

「....」

It’s not really about meeting the Earl. I just want to meet Lark and solve the Redgate issue. Though I suppose since he knows my identity, he would naturally think that I would want to “meet the Earl”. He couldn’t have heard my conversation with Wilhelm at the start, could he?

The referee extended his hand with all smiles.

「And wouldn’t it be useful to you to learn more information? Guest-san.」

I reluctantly took his hand.

I am not good at dealing with cunning old men.. I get swept up by their pace.