chapter 85

My consciousness was about to be blown away.

Was I caught the instant I had cast my magic?

I clenched my teeth so that the shock of the impact wouldn’t blow away my consciousness.

Since I had cast Safe Protection beforehand, the damage wasn’t that great, but if I were to receive it directly, I wouldn’t have been as lucky.

As soon as I touched the ground, I stepped back and once again cast Safe Protection upon myself.

Her father didn’t seem like he intended to attack from the other side, so I concluded that a long chant posed no problem.

「What’s wrong? I can’t hand over Lydia if you’re only at that level. 」

He said that and beckoned me toward him from the other side.

How am I supposed to deal with his speed?

Nonetheless, if he shows even higher speed, than the burden on my body will be too much.

While I was meditating, I was surrounded by thoughts, but it seemed like I wouldn’t have any chance winning in close combat.

I’ll try to mix magic here.

While running across, I cast Blue Bullet, and fired several tens of water b.a.l.l.s to a.s.sault the father.

Each of the water b.a.l.l.s’ hits were synchronized with the movements of Lydia’s father, and yet he narrowly dodged them all.

How does such a huge body move like that?

「Red Sphere, Lock」

I predicted where his movements would land, and laid a Red Sphere.

However, at the moment of the orb of fire’s impact, he had brandished his arms.

「Haa! 」

He knocked it back with all of the strength he possessed.

His fist broke through the flame and the ball was shattered right down the middle, completely disappearing.

His arm was a little burnt but there didn’t seem to be much damage.

Oi oi, breaking magic with the law of physics, isn’t that absurd?

I have seen skilled adventures who used a weapon to clear away magic, but this was the first time I saw someone do it with their bare hands!

I have been found out. I’m certain of it. Lydia’s father noticed me hiding in the shadow of the flickering ruins of the flaming Red Ball. It’s too late. In this moment, he is about to kick this area.

(Time Square!)

In an instant, time was suspended. I thrust my arm to his kick. I was lucky I made it with the timing of the kick. While I was being impressed, I chanted Sleep Code. The time suspension canceled, and his eyes became blank.

Sleep Code: a magic to forcibly bestow a sleep condition.

Typically, with this magic, you wouldn’t receive any effects unless at point-blank range, the person affected was looking at the caster’s eyes and hearing the caster’s chant. However, if the spell is cast against a person who doesn’t have any magical power, then it is certain that the person will fall into a sleeping state.

There are many weak points, but if I use Time Square, it’s possible to use this spell during actual combat.

While I collided with the wall towards which I was kicked, her father fell on his knees almost simultaneously.

When I pulled out my head, which was buried in the wall, fragments of the wall lightly fell around me.

「It’s Zeph’s win~!」

Milly raised one hand and proclaimed my victory.

「Iyaa! I lost! I lost! As expected of Zeph-kun, the man I antic.i.p.ated. If it’s you, then I can entrust Lydia’s safety to you with peace of mind! 」

Her father’s good mood was apparent. He was laughing lively. *Gahaha*

What?! I thought he didn’t want Lydia to go at any cost, but because I won, he was easily sending her out?

I don’t understand this guy.

「She’s in the room on the second floor, so do whatever you’d like. I won’t mind. 」

「We’ll be waiting downstairs. 」

Her father showed me a face with unknown meaning behind it. Although I had questions, I climbed up to the second floor and knocked on the door that seemed to be Lydia’s.

「Are you there, Lydia? I beat your dad. He has given you his permission to go to the capital. 」

「Eh, you beat my dad!? For real!?」

「Aah, it’s just as you said. He really was strong. 」

He was a formidable opponent. If I hadn’t strengthened my speed four-fold, I probably would not have been successful.

「Well now, what’s with standing around talking through the door? Can I come in? Lydia? 」

「Waa! No No NO! You still can’t enter, no~! 」

I could hear a noise from inside the room.

「What? Are you putting your room in order? 」

「You’re wrong, but… Uh~… It’s fine… Enter. 」

Lydia’s voice sounded like she had somewhat given up.

Which reminds me, her father did say that he had Lydia locked up, but is this related to that?

I opened the door without turning the key. Could it be that she’s tied up?

I opened the door and entered Lydia’s room. There was Lydia’s figure in the corner of the room, wrapped up in the futon and crouching.

Well, it’s not exactly a particularly strange state to be in.

Lydia looked at me with a troubled face, and laughed.

「Th… thanks for coming to rescue me… 」

「Of course I would. You’re our comrade after all. 」

「Zeph-chi… 」

「Hey, let’s go. 」

「It’s… it’s no good! I’ll go afterwards, ok? 」

When I approached Lydia after she said that, her face was bright red for some reason. She quickly rejected me.

「What could it possibly be? 」

「Don’t worry! I’ll come laterrr~ 」

「What are you so embarra.s.sed about? It’s fine, so come on. 」

「Wai…Kyaaaa!? 」

When I grabbed Lydia’s futon and forcibly pulled it up, Lydia instantly closed her eyes in resignation.

What came out after pulling off the futon was Lydia, wearing a pure white dress.

The dress had a long skirt arranged with shining silver ornaments. Around her neck hung a jeweled necklace.

Where did she get the appearance of a princess?

I was captivated by Lydia, who usually dressed in a totally different way.

「… It’s weird, right? That’s why I didn’t want to be seen like this. Dad… made me wear it… 」

Lydia turned bright red as she muttered these words.

「No, No. It’s not that strange. Rather, it looks good on you. You’re beautiful, Lydia. 」

「…Really? 」

Lydia looked like she doubted my fascination with her. She continued to stare at me.

Perhaps I sounded like I was lying, because Lydia seemed suspicious.

「I’m not lying. 」(Zeph)

「Muu… 」(Lydia)

As she wasn’t used to being told such, Lydia was still doubtful. She covered her chest with her hand and turned to the side to avoid looking in front of herself. Is simply wearing clothes that you usually don’t wear that embarra.s.sing?

However, she slowly became a little more accustomed to the idea and sat on the bed.

「My dad; He said that since Zeph-chi would come to rescue me, I needed to change my clothes and wait in my room just like a captured princess would wait for her prince…」

I began thinking back on what her father was saying before that I hadn’t understood. This is probably what her father was saying.

「Your father is surprisingly romantic, huh?」

「Aahaha! Maybe that’s true. He seems like he has a splendid romantic side. My mother died a long time ago, but he never chose to remarry. 」

While that may be true, making Lydia dress this way and locking her up is extremely bothersome.

「Still, I was watching Zeph-chi’s fight from up here, but I think I understand the sentiment. I’m… a little moved. It’s a joyful thing; a boy coming to rescue me. 」

「Don’t worry about it. Rescuing a comrade is to be expected. 」

「… Yeah, Zeph-chi is always like that. 」

I was a little embarra.s.sed by Lydia’s modest words.

In order to hide my embarra.s.sment, I turned my back toward her.

「Come on, let’s hurry up and go! I said that everyone’s waiting. 」

「That’s true. Ah, Zeph-chi, wait! 」

I turned around when Lydia called out, and felt a soft sensation on my lips.

Right before my eyes was Lydia bending down to match my height.

「…Thanks! 」

Lydia smiled sweetly as she thanked me, and went down the stairs.

Continuing with the story, while everyone was making fun of Lydia’s charming figure, her father brought me to an inner room and bowed his head.

「I entrust Lydia to you, Zeph-kun! She has an irresponsible side to her, but she’s a good daughter. 」

「I know, I’ll definitely protect Lydia, so rest a.s.sured. 」

「I thought you would say so! 」

*Gahaha* Her father laughed heartily.

Regardless of his antics, he’s a good person.

「By the way Zeph-kun, I wouldn’t mind if you called me “Dad.” 」

「…I’ll consider it. 」

Upon my reply, his giant hand slapped my back.