Chapter 20

　　Piercing through the explosions with a single strike to decisively sever the Witch’s neck. That was Lumen’s plan. The barrier blocking the attacks acted as a protective shield for the Witch as well, so for a flawless execution, it was better off gone. Therefore, Lumen had proposed a strategy where Van would withstand all the blasts while his own attack was being prepared.

　　It was a plan predicated on one side’s unilateral sacrifice, but Van accepted it immediately. Not because he trusted Lumen, but because if the barrier protecting them was withdrawn, Cadel would be free to protect himself. It was for that simple reason.

　　Of course, to Cadel, watching this unfold was an absurd and infuriating sight.

　　Are you crazy! If you just weather the explosions, you get a wide-open window to land a hit! Why can’t you wait? Why pull this bullshit!

　　When Cadel ignored their request to drop the barrier, the two of them simply stepped outside it entirely. They ignored his shouts to hold out just a little longer for an opening. Even when he shifted the barrier’s position multiple times to protect them, they kept throwing a fit, leaving Cadel with no choice but to drop it.

　　It felt like leaving the game on auto-battle to grab a bite, only to come back and watch his characters do nothing but stupid things and self-destruct. Cadel kept a close eye on them, anxious that his precious knights might die a senseless death.

　　Once that area-of-attack phase passes, there’s a free damage-per-second window. Usually, you just hold out until then and finish the boss off… Damn it, what happens if you attack before that?

　　Since it was an early-game boss, he couldn’t remember clearly. Only the feelings of extreme annoyance and surging rage remained distinct.

　　He looked at Van, who was swinging his Sword Aura to cleave through the explosions, and Lumen behind him, who had his hand on his hilt, initiating his quick-draw technique.

　　Something… something bad happened…

　　As he fumbled through his past memories, the color suddenly drained from Cadel’s face.

　　Damage Reflection!

　　He abandoned the unconscious believer and sprinted hastily toward the two.

　　“Stop!”

* * *

　　Lumen blinked blankly at the light weight that had just tackled him. He had definitely finished preparing Moonlight Swift Sword and reached the very beginning of the technique.

　　Moonlight Swift Sword was a quick-draw technique where the initial momentum itself served as the starting point of the attack. Although still incomplete, it was the strongest strike he could boast right now. Yet, that attack had been thwarted, not by the enemy in front of him, but by this scrawny mage.

　　“What the hell…!”

　　As his sense of reason came back to him, he was about to curse the mage pinning him down, but a fierce pain suddenly seized him as if his internal organs were being wrung out.

　　He gasped in pain.

　　“Phew, you almost died.”

　　…Almost did what?

　　He wanted to ask, but what came up his throat was a mouthful of blood. He hurriedly covered his mouth and hunched over. Cadel clicked his tongue in annoyance and stood up, looking down coldly at Lumen, who was bewildered by the inexplicable internal injury.

　　“I told you over and over. Don’t let your guard down. Wait for the opening. Both of you… sure have a knack for ignoring me.”

　　The moment he heard that sarcastic voice, Lumen realized he really had almost died. He didn’t know what kind of threat had been waiting, but because this mage forcibly stopped his attack, he had gotten off with only this level of internal injury.

　　As he braced himself against the ground, enduring the convulsive pain in his organs, Cadel reached out a hand. Lumen took it and barely managed to stand. Coming to his senses, he saw that Van, who had been cleaving through the explosions, had also been pushed back.

　　Blocking his path was Cadel, who had generated another barrier. Van was hovering around Cadel, restless as a scolded puppy.

　　“C-Captain…”

　　“Stop pacing around and step back. Don’t tell me you can’t hear me telling you to step back either? I’m saying it right to your face.”

　　“I wasn’t ignoring you, Captain…!”

　　Lumen watched with interest as Van displayed an attitude completely opposite to his usual insolence. Meanwhile, Cadel, whose initial sly demeanor was nowhere to be found, replaced with a cold expression.

　　“If you had just listened to me properly from the start, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

　　He could tell from the mage’s voice that he was quite angry… but honestly, it lacked a sense of dignity. That was Lumen’s current state of mind.

　　He had joined the mercenary group solely by weighing the pros and cons. It was only natural that he neither knew Cadel’s true capabilities nor saw any reliable traits to inspire loyalty.

　　Just a somewhat pretty-faced mage. He seemed to have a decent head on his shoulders and a fair amount of ambition.

　　Van Herdos, was it? Despite his personality, his skills didn’t seem bad. What about that pale mage had attracted him enough to volunteer as a subordinate? Unlike Lumen himself, Van seemed to possess immense loyalty. Lumen felt nothing beyond these passing impressions.

　　Even from the start, he hadn’t wanted to serve a superior weaker than himself. He had left his family to build his own faction, not to join someone’s shoddy group. Had those pessimistic doubts been too obvious?

　　“No matter what anyone says, I am your Captain. So burn that into that insolent mind of yours.”

　　With that declaration, Cadel dropped the barrier. The explosions should still be ongoing. Dropping the barrier at such a close distance meant taking the attack with his entire body. Cadel’s scrawny frame would collapse before enduring even a single blast.

　　Or so Lumen thought, as he wiped the blood soaking his lips.

　　The moment the barrier disappeared, a massive pillar of fire shot toward the Witch with a loud swoosh.

　　The smooth pillar of fire opened its snake-like jaws wide and began to devour everything in its path. Lumen was momentarily captivated by its massive, majestic form.

　　A second spell right away without an incantation…? What about the explosions? Were those massive blasts entirely swallowed by those flames? He can use magic that strong?

　　Not a single strand of mana leaked out from the flames Cadel had created. Only the fiercely blazing red pillar of fire, looking as if it would swallow everything, brightly illuminated the forest.

　　The pillar of fire soon dissipated. In the revealed wreckage, the Witch was nowhere to be found. All that remained was a burnt pile of ashes and sparse fragments of bone.

　　Lumen’s mouth fell open. Even if she had just been endlessly exploding in place, the mana contained in those blasts must have been significant. Lumen’s attempt to draw the strongest weapon he currently possessed to finish her off hadn’t been mere showboating.

　　And yet, Cadel had taken care of it this easily?

　　It was completely unbelievable, but the result in front of his eyes was completely undeniable. Meeting the indifferent gaze looking back at him, Lumen unconsciously clenched his fists.

　　This is… definitely unexpected.

* * *

　　Did they see through my act? Probably not, right? I intentionally covered it up right away so they wouldn’t see that the explosions had stopped.

　　Meanwhile, Cadel, who had put on a bit of a bluff to discipline his disobedient knights, was busy managing his facial expression. After creating a barrier to obscure the Witch, he had aimed for the exact moment the explosions stopped and fired off a flashy-looking spell for show.

　　It was a purely ostentatious pillar of fire, its size inflated using wind magic. Since the Witch’s body was significantly weakened during the free DPS window, he could easily kill her using only that level of magic.

　　[Congratulations! You have cleared the main quest “The Woman in the Temple”!]

　　[Attribute points have increased by 10.]

　　[Reputation has increased by 15.]

　　[You have acquired a new title, The One Who Stopped the Black Shadow.]

　　[You have acquired a high-grade item, Witch’s Bone Dust.]

　　Skimming through the system windows announcing the successful quest completion, he inconspicuously glanced at his knights.

　　Well, looking at those expressions, I guess I didn’t get caught.

　　Setting aside Van’s awe-filled gaze, Lumen, whose inner thoughts were usually unreadable, was also unable to hide his surprise. He felt a little guilty for the deception, but finding the perfect timing to blow the enemy away in one strike was undeniably his own ability. Of course, if Van and Lumen had properly heeded his orders from the start, he wouldn’t have needed to do this.

　　I can understand Lumen, but I didn’t expect even Van, whose loyalty is over 70, to disobey me. Just how am I supposed to train them?

　　Shaking his head to himself, Cadel turned around, still maintaining an expression that exuded the ‘dignity of a captain.’

　　“We’re pulling out. Van, grab the believer.”

　　“Yes, Captain!”

　　“Lumen, drink this.”

　　Cadel took out a recovery potion he had purchased just in case and tossed it over. Lumen’s expression was peculiar as he caught the small vial. He drank the potion without delay, wiped his mouth, and asked, “Just now, how did you know, Captain?”

　　“Know what?”

　　“That I could have been killed if things went wrong. There was no sign of a counterattack at all…”

　　“Because I’ve fought them a few times.”

　　“…You mean Witches?”

　　“Witches, Demons, whatever.”

　　When he deliberately replied with indifference and started walking, Lumen didn’t pry any further.

　　He had faced enemies of all sizes and types that existed in this world. He might not know the story, but he was more knowledgeable about enemy attack patterns than anyone else. But if someone were to persistently dig into that fact, it would become difficult to explain. The enemies he had faced were all characters in a game. He’d never be able to give an explanation that satisfied their curiosity.

　　After Cadel confirmed that Van had put the unconscious believer on his back, he began to retrace his steps.

　　If the rewards are good, maybe I should get Lumen some better gear. His affinity might go up if I give him a gift.

　　He had safely resolved the quest this time as well. A pleasing sense of accomplishment welled up at the decisive victory. A smooth future seemed to be smiling warmly with open arms right in front of him.

　　But unfortunately, that gentle sense of accomplishment didn’t even last ten minutes.