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Chapter 21 – Bastard’s Plan
Terrible words to make one anxious. On the other hand, I was starting to understand this man a little better.
And I could not help but scowl as a feeling of dread came over me.
“
So, that’s how it is. Now, can I ask you a question? Of course, you don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to. And I’ll just find a different way.”
I braced myself a little, and waited for him to continue.
“Why didn’t you use a weapon in combat earlier?”
He suddenly asked the serious question.
“You’re a warrior, aren’t you? After observing you, the way that you maintain a distance from the enemy is that of an advance guard, not a magician. And you’re too good at attracting attention. Hate. You are the most dangerous, but can give the enemy the impression that you are the easiest to defeat. No matter how much you may trust your comrades, acting like that without hesitation would be quite difficult. I suppose it has become a habit for you?”
“
You’re very observant.”
“Well, I am a support magician. Part of my job is understanding my surroundings.”
Too good.
I wanted to deny that part, but ignored it for now.
No matter how strong something was, if you know where the attack is coming from, then it wasn’t a threat.
And so I welcome it.
I put myself in danger’s way so that the attack would come towards me.
Loki was pointing out that this was how someone in the advance guard thought, not a magician.
“So, what is your answer?”
“I decided that it wasn’t necessary.”
“
Oh?”
He lifted an eyebrow in surprise.
“In other words, it’s because you determined that not using a weapon was the most sensible thing to do? It was not because you were injured, or had some trauma or any other reason?”
“
Ornest was nearby. So there was no reason for me to take out my sword and block it. He would do it for me. It was best that I focus on magic. That is all.”
“I see. I see. You really do know how to fight as a party. But that’s no good. It is too sensible, which is not good for tricking people.”
He said with a disapproving shake of his head as he made an ‘X’ with his fingers.

Before I knew it, the irritation gauge in me was rising.
“
Wait, Loki. Are you trying to make Alec the advance guard?”
“Oh. You’re very perceptive, Yorha.”
“
I knew it. But I can’t accept that. Skills aside, he doesn’t have the weapons.”
Yorha suddenly entered the conversation.
However, Loki seemed to like what she said, as he smiled. Though that didn’t last, as she then followed up with a rejection of his plan.
In general, you were supposed to have an ‘Artifact’ with you when traveling through the deeper dungeons.
The reason for this was that any other weapon was likely to break when facing the bosses of such areas.
When I was in the magic academy, they had made an exception and allowed me to borrow Artifacts temporarily, but this was different.
It wasn’t that man made weapons were especially brittle, but if you were fighting a boss on the lower layers, an Artifact was definitely necessary. And this also applied to weapons made with magic.
And so that was why Yorha was against it.
However

“Then what if I just happened to have such a weapon?”
Loki said with a mischievous smile.
“
If you had one.”
Yorha said, clearly annoyed. There was no point in talking about ‘ifs.’ But Loki continued to smile.
Then a certain idea flashed in Yorha’s mind and she looked at Loki with disbelief.
“
You-you’re not saying that you actually have one? You, Loki, have an Artifact for close quarters combat?”
“A shock, isn’t it? I do have one.”
But why did someone who could barely even use a weapon have one
? Yorha was stunned while Clashia listened quietly.
“Well, no one else wanted to use it, so it was a left over. And so the others gave it to me when I said that I would use it for a bluff. After all, it is my job to trick people, isn’t it?”
He said as he thrust out his left arm, showing off the silver bracelet.
“So. Can you wield a sword?”
His attention turned away from Yorha and back to me.
“
Well enough.”
“You say that. But what is the truth?”
He turned back to Yorha.

Then just ask her in the beginning!
I wanted to say, but it was me who had given a vague reply, so I just sighed and left it at that.
“I don’t know enough about Alec’s skill either, but judging by what I saw in the ‘arena,’ he was good enough with a sword to face the Guild Master.”
“Now that is significant. I have no complaints then.”
So saying, Loki removed the bracelet and handed it to me with a ‘here.’
“This is a sword Artifact. It’s called ‘Schwart.’ As the name suggests, it is very sharp. And should pair ridiculously well with magic. And so this should be more than enough.”
As someone who used swords, I was satisfied.
“
So, you want me to use it?”
“Yes, yes. And now, we can finally get to the main subject. When it comes to the floor boss we will be fighting, I want you to avoid using magic completely.”
“
Are you serious?”
Clashia had not reacted to his many comments up until now, but she could not help herself.
“The enemy is an Undead. And you’re saying he can’t use magic? Are you stupid?”
She continued to speak to him sharply after that.
And she was right.
Even if Yorha and I didn’t say anything, we agreed with Clashia.
“Now, now. Let’s try and listen until the speaker is finished, eh? I didn’t say he couldn’t use magic at all, from beginning to end. Besides, didn’t I say earlier that I want him to deal the finishing blow? I just mean that until I give the order, he should fight with a sword and not use any magic. That is what I meant.”

In other words, give the strong impression of a sword wielder. Pretend to be a warrior.
However, surely there was no point in such trickery? We were talking about a monster with low intelligence that acted based on instincts.
“I told you before. Play dirty and catch them by surprise. Well, it’s easy enough when fighting a dumb monster like the earlier one, but this full plated knight is a little different. That’s why I’m here, asking you for help. In any case, challenging it in an honest battle is out of the question. And so
 Well, from here, it is best if you see it in person. You probably wouldn’t agree no matter what I say, anyway
”
He grumbled, as if not fully trusting us yet. Yorha looked annoyed.
“
I heard that.”
“Then let me ask you this, if I told you that there is a floor boss with clearly expert skills with a sword, that is also intelligent, would you believe me?”
However, what Loki then said went against everything that was known about floor bosses up until now.