7th squadron member. Level: 21.》Hmm.
They’re a little stronger than our knight escorts.
Dad going forth might also be because he thought that the knight escorts were no match for them.
Dad is such a cool guy.
The skills of the men in black were very much the same as the two we fought before.
The leader (it was something like Lucretio, but I’m not inclined to remember his name at all) seemed a little more able than the Black Garb leader from the other day.
As for Dad, his level was 40 and his skills were also enriched.
All that’s left is to see how Dad will handle this 3 vs 1 battle with a disadvantage in numbers.
However, to have faced us, who annihilated the black-garbed men near Riverette Village, was a little―― no, seems rather out of their depth……?
“――Julia, you understand, right?”
“Of course.”
Dad and Mum whisper in small voices.
This married couple seemed share some kind of understanding, but I couldn’t follow them at all.
Mum, secretly looks back at me and winks, taking care so that the men in black don’t notice.
――So it’s like that.
“Now, let’s test your ability.”
Facing Dad who had readied his spear, the men in black moved.
Despite the lack of signals or anything, the men in black parted to the front, left, and right and throw their blackened daggers at Dad at practically the same time.
――Fast!
The attack at the cave was a surprise attack so we didn’t have a chance to see their abilities, but I didn’t think they would be this skilled.
I might have underestimated them a little by just looking at their levels.
Dad only repelled the front knife with his spear handle and then safely dodged the remaining two.
One of the knives strayed this way so I attempt to catch it with [Physics Magic].
I use [Appraisal] on the knife which had a black l.u.s.tre.
《〔Stainless Steel〕Knife. Coated with Tajicalis.》
What!?
I just used [Appraisal] on it innocently but what became apparent was a surprising piece of information.
This world has stainless steel!?
I don’t have any grounding in it so I’m not too clear about it but I think stainless steel started being used on Earth after we entered the 20th century.
I can’t say I’m certain about the level of the technology in this world, but judging from the quality of the metal goods I’m familiar with (such as tableware and cookware), it’s hard to say it’s high by any standards.
――That is to say, there might be someone who brought the knowledge of stainless steel to this world.
In my mind, I have a flashback to the scene of “that day”.
The slasher who I accidentally stabbed to death had been carrying several knives.
The knife I s.n.a.t.c.hed that day and the knife thrown by the man in black were obviously different articles, but it might be because the material properties are the same that I feel they are similar……
Now then, Dad’s battle had started while I was preoccupied with the knife.
Dad sidestepped the men in black who came rushing in from three sides with only a single spear, and reduced the distance to the men.
And then, in the blink of an eye, he reversed the situation and put the three men at a disadvantage.
Each time Dad’s spear swings pointedly, red streaks appear on the black-clad men’s arms, legs, bodies, and faces.
Each one was only a shallow wound, but the three men’s movements slowly but surely falter.
――Without letting his opponents get inside the spear’s range, he caused a stalemate, inflicted minute wounds on the opponents and was gradually weakening them.
It might certainly be an ideal fighting method to face multiple opponents with a long weapon.
If I were to face this kind of fighting method, I would probably get irritated somehow and try to forcibly attack.
And then, I would no doubt suffer damage when the opponent, who had been waiting for a chance, took the opportunity to attack.
He looks to be a man of delicate features, but Alfred-tousan’s fighting method is actually both reliable and cunning.
However, Dad’s three opponents showed no signs of impatience.
……I already understood the reason for that.
The black-clad leader clicked his tongue lightly.
That was probably a signal, because the three men in black jumped back a great deal――
“”””――《Fire Ball》!””””
Suddenly, fire magic came flying from within a grove of trees on the left, right, and behind us.
But they had been naïve!
“乙卜(Circle Flame) ―― 《Flame Wall》!”
The wall of flames produced by Julia-kaasan scattered the fireb.a.l.l.s that came flying at us.
“――What!?”
The men in black were disturbed.
In that time, I had already finished making a move.
――Thud thud.
From the gaps between the grove of trees on the left, right, and rear, two men in black collapsed on each side.
Embedded in their throats were fragments of a crystal-like object.
Naturally, it was what I had done by combining [Shuriken Techniques] and [Physics Magic].
Some of the guys had been hiding in a blindspot of this area, so I altered the trajectory of the fragments with [Physics Magic].
It was semi-guesswork but everything seemed to hit splendidly, which was the best outcome.
The objects were only crystals so it might be hard see them come flying.
I think the men’s surprise only lasted an instant.
Nevertheless, that instant was more than enough of an opportunity for Dad.
Dad’s hands seemed to blur, and in the next moment, two of the men in black had their windpipe’s slit.
The remaining man had, not his throat, but his shoulder pierced by the spearhead, which sealed his movements.
The one Dad left was, naturally, the leader.
The black-clad leader was, with his shoulder still pierced, glaring at Dad with a fierce look.
Having seen the situation, the subordinate knights approach the black-clad leader at Dad’s signal.
“――Ugh……so this is the end!”
The man in black opened his mouth with a crazed look.
――Not good!
Dad was unable to move due to him piercing the man in black in the shoulder with his spearhead.
I promptly send a pebble that was lying on the ground flying with a kick, accelerate it with [Physics Magic] and fling it into the man’s mouth.
――Crunch……!
A terribly unpleasant noise sounded.
He probably tried to bite the poison in his molars but it seems like he put in a great amount of strength into closing his jaw.
……Well, if it was a poison that could be broken easily, then there would be the possibility of it breaking unnecessarily.
From the mouth of the man in black who fainted and collapsed from the shock, a blood-covered, white something came falling out.
Somehow, I don’t really want to imagine such a thing……
“……Ed, you did well.”
Dad says, and pats my head.
“――Let’s take this guy to Fauno City. We can decide what to do after that.”