122 The Protagonist of the Story

“Hah! Damn, there really are a lot of these things!”

“Don’t you dare let your guard down. I’m going to set some traps, just in case.”

We were currently standing on an open, straight road—the kind of place where peddlers usually traveled by carriage. Right now, however, we were busy exterminating a swarm of Goblins.

Duke was the first to charge in, mowing them down with reckless abandon, while Cynthia-san, Lilith-san, and I followed his lead to finish them off. Cecil-san and Shari remained in the rear, focused on support while keeping a sharp eye out for any other monsters.

“It’s strange for a swarm like this to wander so close to human settlements,” Cecil-san muttered under her breath.

I couldn’t help but remember. The Large-scale Invasion.

But no, there was no way that was happening here. This was a tourist destination; there were resident soldiers stationed nearby. In fact, it looked like they’d been called to assemble just before we left the city. They would probably arrive any minute now.

Well, it wasn't uncommon for Adventurers and soldiers to compete for the credit of a kill. Honestly, the more allies we had, the better.

The catch is, my Gift has a fatal flaw.

Depending on how much mana I pour into it, I’m hit with agonizing full-body pain and exhaustion the moment the ability ends. If I overdo it, my mana completely bottoms out for several days. Until recently, I thought it was fine as long as I could use it during crucial moments, but that kind of half-hearted thinking won't get me to the top of Noblesse.

That’s why I’ve been using it during special training whenever I have a spare moment. I’ve gotten better at applying it in different ways, but the trade-off is that my body is pretty much constantly in pain. If I told Duke or Shari, they’d just worry, so I keep my mouth shut—but man, the timing for this power is tricky.

“—Hah!”

With a final strike, Duke took down the last Goblin.

I really hate monsters. They slaughter people for no reason at all. A race like that... it’d be better if they were all wiped out.

With the fight over, Cecil-san and Shari scanned the perimeter with Mana Sense.

“I don't feel anything else nearby,” Shari reported.

“I agree. I think Shari-san is right.”

The two of them are incredibly skilled with Mana Sense. Duke and I, on the other hand, are pretty hopeless at that sort of thing. Yeah, I really need to work on that.

“Looks like our kill counts are tied. How disappointing,” Cynthia-san remarked.

“That’s only because your magic was so incredible, Cynthia-san!” Lilith-san added.

The Coordination between Cynthia-san and Lilith-san was getting better by the day. Weiss’s influence really was something else. ...I need to step up my game too.

Just then, the city's soldiers arrived. There weren't many of them—maybe ten or so—and they weren't wearing particularly heavy gear. I suppose they figured a Goblin report in a tourist town didn't require much more.

“What’s going on here?” one asked.

“Children? What are you kids doing—”

Cecil-san stepped forward to intercept them.

“Extermination is complete. There were eighteen Goblins total; no Special Individuals were present. We are students of the Noblesse Magic Academy, and we hold official Adventurer qualifications.”

The soldiers flinched at her clinical explanation and the mention of our school. She didn't hesitate for a second, even when dealing with adults; she really was impressive. Is it because I was born a commoner? Even though I haven't done anything wrong, I always feel like I'm the one who should be apologizing. I really... I need to fix that part of myself.

“Allen? What’s up?”

“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, you were amazing today, Duke. As usual.”

“Please,” Shari chimed in, “there’s no way we’d lose to mere Goblins at this point. We’re constantly fighting against classmates and seniors who are basically monsters anyway.”

“Ahaha, you might be right about that, Shari.”

It had taken a bit longer than I expected, but it looked like we’d be back before sunset—

“—Eh? Ugyaaaaah!”

“Aaaagh! You bast—aaaaargh!”

“H-Hieaaaaah!”

Screams suddenly ripped through the air. I looked ahead—and the world went still.

The heads of the soldiers standing right in front of Cecil-san were sent flying—one, then another.

I tried to chant a Shield for the remaining soldiers, but I couldn't keep up. The heads just kept falling in a gruesome, rapid-fire succession.

I can’t save them.

“Cecil-san!”

Magic Formulas have a built-in lag. I lunged forward, desperate to reach her.

The soldiers’ heads continued to pop off like corks. As the last one fell, I felt a surge of pure panic that Cecil-san was next.

But she managed to chant a Shield. At the same instant, Cynthia-san cast Ice Shield. The ground froze as the temperature plummeted, the magic gradually taking shape.

I couldn't see anything. I couldn't feel anything. But something was there.

I let my mana surge with everything I had.

The defense won't make it. I knew it instantly.

On pure reflex, I thrust my right arm out, shielding Cecil-san’s neck. But I was just a fraction of a second too slow in letting my mana peak.

—!!!!

“Allen!!!”

An unbelievable, white-hot agony exploded in my right wrist. Duke’s voice echoed from somewhere far away.

But because I stepped in, the Ice Shield finally formed in time to protect Cecil-san.

“Allen!!!”

“Allen-kun!”

Shari screamed my name. Cecil-san let out a cry of pure shock.

That mysterious attack had sliced through my mana, carved through my flesh, and crunched straight through the bone.

My right wrist went flying into the air, dancing against the sky in a spray of blood.

Something had just severed my hand.