Chapter 16
Five days have passed since Yuurai and Claire went to the Dungeon.
Regarding the suppression of magical power, Yuurai already possessed Concealment magic, allowing her to hide her magical energy. Thanks to that, Yuurai could now talk casually with anyone.
However, according to Claire, since Yuurai appears as a weak Monster to others, there's a chance she might be underestimated by those who don't know better. Whether this will become a problem is uncertain, so for now, they're just observing the situation.
They've continued exploring the Dungeon, having scouted up to the ninth underground floor. Their goals are to search for items within the Dungeon and to train in combat techniques. Especially for Yuurai, who is a complete novice in fighting, she's learning basic combat methods rather than relying on brute force with powerful magic.
The Monsters that appear up to the ninth underground floor are mere small fry to Yuurai. However, when fighting with restricted magic, it was by no means an easy victory.
Yuurai has been learning to handle a sword under Claire's guidance, but she's been told, "You're better suited to fighting with magic than with a sword." Since she lacks Swordsmanship skills, she might not be very suited for sword fighting.
Even without Swordsmanship skills, she can still wield a sword. However, she can't use specialized techniques like those with skills, and her growth rate is slower. Still, it's said that one might acquire Swordsmanship skills through continued sword practice, so Yuurai holds a bit of hope.
Claire's attitude remains the same as ever; they haven't grown particularly close, nor does Claire keep her distance.
Though it's not necessarily to become closer to Claire, Yuurai gave her a sword that Eleanore once owned. Yuurai would have liked to use it herself if possible, but her sword skills were so poor that it would have been a waste, so she passed it to Claire, who could wield it properly.
Claire knew Eleanore when she was alive and was aware that the sword was the Treasured Sword known as Elegant Flame, so she seemed quite humbled. Even so, she decided to use it herself, thinking it was better than letting it go unused.
Spending their days like this, as they prepared to head out for another Dungeon exploration in the morning, Yuurai spotted suspicious individuals infiltrating the town.
"That getup... are they Bandits? Rumors that the town of Grimoire suddenly became deserted must have spread to various places by now. No wonder Bandits would show up."
Yuurai and Claire are still at the castle in the center of the town. Since it's located at a higher elevation than the surroundings, the town can be seen in full view from the third-floor window.
"...Could I hire those guys? I really need someone to manage the castle and the town."
The town is still in the state of destruction Yuurai caused, left unattended. In other words, clothes and other items are scattered around the town and inside houses, completely uncleaned. With just the two of them living here, they can't manage everything at all.
Whether they'll continue to use Grimoire as their base is unclear, but Yuurai wanted to clean it up.
"Claire, do you think I could hire Bandits as cleaners?"
Yuurai asks Claire, who is beside her.
"I think it's difficult. Bandits are very self-centered and aren't the type to do honest work."
"I see... So if I want them to clean, I'd have to force them..."
Yuurai doesn't have a clear image of what Bandits are like in this world. She only vaguely thinks of them as dangerous beings.
"For now, should I try talking to them? I'm curious about what kind of people they are."
"...Bandits are no good. I think it's a waste of time."
"Well, well, maybe if I talk to them, they might turn out to be decent folks? I'm going to go check it out, but do you want to come along, Claire?"
"...Is that an order?"
"It's not an order."
"Then I'm not going. If it's to capture them, I'll go, but I'm against hiring them."
"...Claire, do you hate Bandits?"
"I hate them."
Claire shows clear disdain.
(The Bandits in this world must be pretty awful... On Earth, would they be like criminals who kill without hesitation...?)
"Got it. Then, Claire, wait here for a bit. We'll head out for exploration in about an hour."
"...Understood."
Yuurai descends directly to the ground from the window. Having become a Dark Lich, her physical abilities and bodily durability have improved drastically, so this poses no problem at all.
Using her physical abilities, Yuurai moves across the rooftops of buildings.
Arriving at the former bustling area of the Southern District, she looks down at the Bandits from atop a roof.
The Bandits haven't noticed Yuurai yet. The Concealment magic she constantly uses not only hides her magical power but also dulls her presence, making it hard for them to detect her.
There are twelve Bandits in total, with only one woman among them.
(Oh, and that woman is the only Beastkin. A wolf, maybe? She has animal ears on her head and a tail.)
She looks to be in her mid-twenties, with long black hair that seems a bit coarse. She's dressed in light, easy-to-move-in clothing, and despite the cold, she's somehow showing her navel. With an impressive chest, her outfit is quite sexy. She has two swords at her waist. Though her features are well-defined, there's a roughness typical of Bandits, and her gaze is sharp. Judging by her aura, she seems to be the leader of the Bandits.
"Boss, are you sure this is okay? A town where all the residents suddenly disappeared feels creepy."
"Huh? What are you scared of? If no one's here, we can steal whatever we want, right?"
"But... the town was suddenly enveloped in a black mist, and almost all the residents disappeared, right? There's even a rumor that the dangerous Monster responsible for it is still living in this town..."
"That's just a rumor, isn't it? There's no one here."
"That's true, but... even the Holy Knight Order from the Holy Capital failed to subjugate it... and others are too scared of that Monster to come near..."
"Quit your whining! If you can't listen to what I say, should I just kill you right here!?"
"Eek, s-sorry..."
"Shut up and go gather anything valuable! We'll hit the castle last, but there might be good stuff around town too!"
"U-understood!"
(An overbearing leader... or maybe not. Bandits are a bunch of thugs anyway, so using intimidation and violence to control them might be effective. Hmm... If I end up settling in this town, maybe I'll need someone with that kind of leadership. It's a strength I don't have.)
At any rate, thinking she'd try talking to them, Yuurai descends to the ground.
When she appears before them, even the Bandits finally notice Yuurai.
Yuurai smiles in a friendly manner and speaks to them.
"Hey, good mor—"
Before Yuurai can finish, the Beastkin woman's right hand twitches. In the next moment, a sword is deeply thrust into Yuurai's chest.