Bordering the Great Jura Forest, was the Count territory of Falmas Kingdom.
On this frontier existed those willing to protect the area.
Their main forces consisted of a knight order under the control of the Count.
Although the members usually only consist of 100 people, the Count declared a state of emergency. Those who had retired were recalled, and the numbers were now nearly three times than the usual, with 284 people.
The next largest force here was the Adventurers from the Freedom Association.
They had taken requests to hunt monsters threatening the land in the vicinity.
However, this was not an urgent matter. And, naturally they finished the request without any difficulties.
To serve as lookouts around the Countās territory, mercenary were hired.
Although some were talented, many were still just novices. Thus,when the monsters started to move, they all were employed to scout the surroundings.
However, in reality, they didnāt treat their work seriously. The main cause of which being the fact that Count Nidol Maigam had been stingy with money used to employ them.
So, who can subdue the monsters if the Free Association didnāt take the request?
Normally, it was the job of the Knights.
However!
āFools! When the Knights leave the territory, there is a chance for the cities to be attacked?!!! Who will protect the Town?!!!ā
So, the frightened Count did not permit their dispatch.
Money was a problem. Moreover, The Knights could not move in order to protect the town.
Further, complaints came from villages.
They complained about damage caused by monsters that neither the adventurers nor Count did anything aboutā¦
However, the Association in this case, canāt receive a subjugation request due to a single rule.
The circumstances involved did not allow it to so easily accept.
After all, if you going to hunt for rank āB+ā monsters, multiple adventurers of the same rank are needed (At least 3 or more people).
Even if 10 adventurers with rank B tried to subdue it, even if they were successful, there would surely be casualties.
Furthermore, just because a sighting was confirmed, it didnāt mean that the subjugation can be begin immediately.
Normally, there was not many rank āB+ā Adventurers stay at the frontier; the problem was that monsters would appear too frequently.
Thus, they were unable to effectively move between requests.
Theyād receive the request, subdue the target, and then come back. The time involved between each step became a problem.
To patrol the village, an organization responsible for subjugation was necessary.
In response to these circumstances, reluctantly the Count Nidol Maigam set up an organization.
He called it, Frontier Garrison. Its member consisted of 30 people.
Moreover, they mostly consisted of criminals charged with trespassing on private property, disorderly behavior, or small-time violent crimes.
So, itās actually a facility for small miscreants. A correctional institution.
They were servants of the Knights, at times; and, they served as opponent for the Knights mock battle.
Thus, their service was meant to rehabilitate them. They choose a person among them as their captain (or rather, they were forced to choose), and were sent as guards of villages.
For Count Nidol Maigam, the plan looks appealing because it not only can solve the villagesā problem.
Even if they had died, his wallet wouldnāt suffer.
Itās the extent of his plans that he doing, butā¦..
āFumu, sly dog. Well, to gain our freedom, we should accept it graciously!ā
The man named Youmu said.
Due to his appearance,
Originally, he had not wanted to merely end up as a small miscreant.
He hoped he can become the boss of the back streets/slums, but it seems the world didnāt let this man take the center of stage.
Later, the Frontier Guards led by him showed a remarkable results, and he became the frontier villagesā savior.
Fuze.
Belonging to a small kingdom Burmund, he was the Freedom Association Burmund branch guild master.
His former ability as Adventurer was upper rank āA-ā. He was a remarkable Adventurer.
As he promised to Baron Belyard, he immediately, conducted his own investigations.
As a result, in response to a report from the information section, it seems there were no movements in the Empire.
But it didnāt mean that the Empire wouldnāt move laterā¦ā¦..so he had concluded.
Thus in the future, they should continue observing the Empire.
Itās not work that they normally do, but there was no other choice. Itās his decision.
Then, the news from the Investigation Team was received.
When he entered the room, he slowly sat on the sofa.
Their confidential discussion was set to be held in the drawing room.
On the sofa facing him, sat there three peopleātwo men and a woman.
They were Adventurers with a B rank.
Excelling in covert operations, Gido.Ā Ā With his job as āThiefā, is a man with excellent information gathering skills.
Outstanding in defense, Cabal. With his job as āHeavy Warrior (Fighter)ā, his role was that of the tank. He enjoyed goofing off, but was polite when working.
Specializing on particular magic, Ellen. With job as āMagic Spell User (Sorcerer)ā, Skilled in diverse magic, but excellent with Movement-based magic. Carefully providing support in order to increase the survival rate of the Party. They were all noteworthy individuals.
They were the team that was ordered to inspect the cave where Veldora was sealed.
His first thought was, please come back safely!
To begin with, the proper level of that cave was rank āA-ā.
Actually he wanted to do it himself, alone. But, because of his responsibilities as the guild master, he cannot move freelyā¦..
Meanwhile, the other rank āB+ā Adventurer were not asked to inspect the current situation of Veldora.
The reason they were requested was because of their high survival rate and high information gathering capabilities. Rather than during subjugation, if they were sent to collect information while avoiding battle, their abilities surpassed those of other rank āBā Adventurers.
However, if something were to happen to them, it would be his fault.
It was an obvious violation, since him as the branch chief himself had ordered them.
But, it was absolutely necessary for them to check.
That is why, the one who most pleased with their return, was Fuze.
āLetās hear the report.ā
Fuze, never showed emotion in discussion ordering questioning.
He was grateful in his mind; but he didnāt express it in words.
The trio were familiar with this trait
āAll I hear is āWasnāt it tough?āā
āI want to quickly take a bathā¦.ā
āIt was tough; it was hard to mediate the quarrel between Danna and NÄsan, I thought I would be easily trampled to deathā¦.ā
That was their typical reaction when reporting their findings.
However, their faces were serious.
And then they started the report.
Battle with monsters in the cave.
The guardian, having deceived the Storm Snakeās (Tempest Snake) senses, they removed the seal on the door and entered.
Confirmation of the disappearance of Veldoraā¦
Inside the door, they investigate for about a week, but could not confirm the presence of any living thing.
And, the most curious detailā¦..
āAnd, that. After we concluded the investigation on the inside, the Storm Snake was nowhere to be found!ā
āThatās right! Since I canāt use any withdrawal type magic indoors, I spent many hours planning our escape from the Storm Snakeā¦ but it was all pointless!!ā
āI was just thinking that Iād be able to mix illusion magic and heat manipulation as a decoy! But, noā¦ On a serious note, I worried that although we were able to get here, we wonāt be able to get out, butā¦ā Thatās what they reported.
Heck, what was that thing? That was a monster of rank āA-ā. It was the strongest presence inside the cave.
Probably, I would not win on my own against that monster.
That was precisely why; the probability of success in this mission was greatly reduced.
Fuze thought so.
Again, what is happening in the land? At the moment, that was not something to think about. So Fuze concluded.
āWell you guys. Have a nice break for three days. After that, once again, I want you guys to investigate the forest!This time, it is not necessary to enter the cave! I want you guys to investigate the surroundings thoroughly, and carefully! So, go!ā
āIāll go! See you!ā
āWhat? Three days!!! Give me more rest please~!ā
āHey heyā¦.. Anyway, I guess it useless no matter what I say?
Although they said those things, Fuze did not care.
It was more important to organize the information they brought.
Heck, what was happening in that forest?
Fuze was deep in thought
When he opened his eyes his mood changed, He glared at the three people.
āWhat you guys doing? Get out!ā
Saying that, he drove off the trio.
Sakaguchi Hinata was bored.
Assigned to guard the inside of the palace of the Holy Ruberion Kingdom, She was her private chambers, alone.
This world was boring.
When she first came to this world, Hinata was still 15 years old.
On the day of her first year high school entrance ceremony, she was on her way home but didnāt particularly want to come back.
When she passed by the shrine she always stopped by, a strong wind suddenly blew throughout it.
The wind forced her eyes shut.
Once she opened them, an unfamiliar scenery had spread before her.
Hinata rejoiced.
Her mother was a religious addict, and now she had been released from it.
Her father, had long ago ādisappearedā.
He lost great sums on horse races, and left them with an enormous debt.
Mother fled to religion because she couldnāt withstand the beatings from father.
After careful planning, Hinata killed her father as to help her mother and receive life insurance moneyā¦..
After a bit more, the insurance money would be paid out.
The secret had not been exposed.
Thus, her father was treated as a missing person. Thank goodness.
Oh well, if you think about it, in this state it seems necessary to commit another murder.
To murder the zealot who pushed her mother into religion, and sooner or later, end her own mother.
Hinata was calmly analyzing the situation.
Thatās why, she didnāt want to stay at homeā¦..
In this place, there was no need to kill anymore. She thought soā¦..
āOi! Thereās one here!ā
āOh! A young woman! Good job!!ā
āBefore we sell her, how about we have a taste first?
While speaking such words, some men had surrounded Hinata.
Ahā¦.., even in this place, there is a need.
The world was full of despair.
So she thought.
The world was full of ugly people, that kind of world, I shall destroy it!!!
I, shall take it. I will surely usurp it all!!!
I am righteous. There are no faults in my calculation. There never have been!
That will never change.
Suddenly, my vision became clear. My hazy mind cleared and my mind got sharper..
In front of my eyes was someone that wanted to steal from me; Iāll steal from them instead. Their life!
Thus, a slaughter took place.
By the hands of a girl, the time she took to kill the three men didnāt exceed 5 minutes.
The physical abilities of the girl who just got her powers, was still not really high.
With cold eyes, she evades the opponentās attack with minimal movement.
She grabbed the collar of her opponent, and without hesitation gouged out the opponentās eyes.
Hooking her finger in his eye socket, she pulled the legs of the groaning man down and slammed his head on the ground as he fell.
She pulls out the knife from the fallen manās waist, and stabbed his throat.
Now, one person down.
The other men were stunned by the situation; and, without waiting for them to put their guards up, she grab sand and threw it at them.
The sand entered their eyes, causing one man to momentarily go blind, she landed a kick on him.
The man fainted.
Without a second glance, she went around behind another man, and shoved the knife through his back, into his heart.
As intended, it pierced the heart through the gap between the ribs. She pulled out the knife, and gushing blood taintedHinata.
Pleasant warmth of blood.
The men, of course, could not comment, being dead.
But, there was one who was still alive.
Hinata approached the fallenman and squatted down near him.
He was terrified, but still alive.
Still, there was a possibility that they had more companions.
She grabbed his hair and lifted his face upĀ Ā Ā Ā .
And used the Unique skill [Usurper].
Memory and techniques. All of it was taken from the remaining wreckage of a man.
Hinata glanced at him, and stabbed the knife into his neck.
Even she though she kills, she knew basic mercy.
It was her first murder in this world.
From the people she killed from then on, she took their knowledge and techniques.
Now, with the techniques as the foundation, she became a strong person in this world.
From then, 10 years had passed.
Other than that, she didnāt remember the people she had killed.
Good guys, bad guys, Hinata killed them equally.
Because everyone were equal in front of God.
Ridiculously, over here she can kill all of them.
So, over here, she was no longer a normal girl.
Completely remembering the murder.
āLeader of the Imperial Guards under the Popeās direct commandā, she was a beautiful woman that holds the title of Holy Knights leader.
Thatās why, it now became impossible for her to move as she wanted.
Please someone, raise a rebellion somewhere.
She thought such a thing.
And then, someone knocked on her door.
āExcuse me, His holiness Cardinal Nicolas Schpeltas came to visit you. Do you wish to meet him? What should I tell him?ā
Nicolas?
Sure, he was attached to meā¦ā¦
āLet him in.ā
Hinata decided to meet Nicolas.
She was going to kill some time with her faithful dog.