Lishia’s sudden question left even Jin at a loss for words. However, he soon recalled something the orphanage director used to tell him.
“Humans aren't creatures that can survive on their own. That’s why everyone lives by borrowing strength from others.”
“Yes... I suppose that’s true.”
Lishia nodded softly at his words.
“Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. There are things we can do, and things we simply can’t.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“So, isn't it enough to just focus on doing what you can?”
As Jin spoke, Lishia looked down at her feet.
“...What I can do,” she murmured.
Jin continued, “I’m not a noble, and I don't have any interest in governance. But you’re different, aren’t you, Lady Lishia?”
“Eh?”
“Speaking for myself, I’d hate to think that the people standing at the top are the kind who never question what they’re doing.”
Lishia fell silent at that, seemingly lost in thought. Jin said nothing more, content to watch the moon and stars in the quiet of the night.
Judging by the moon’s position, roughly two hours had passed. The pair headed back to the hut to change shifts. The men were sleeping in the common room, while Lishia had a private room.
Jin woke Jonas and Linus, who were snoring loudly in the main area.
“Nn... Ah, time to swap?”
“Yes, please.”
“Right, got it.”
Jin lay down in their place and, exhausted from the day’s journey, fell into a deep sleep almost instantly.
Lishia, however, found sleep elusive. Jin’s words continued to echo in her mind.
“What I can do... I suppose my immediate challenge is to find exactly what that is.”
＊ ＊ ＊
The following morning was unusually overcast. In the dim light, the group finished a quick breakfast and set off early. They emerged from the forest, crossed a bridge over a small brook, and continued across a wide plain.
“At this rate, we should reach Toka Village before nightfall,” Rock noted.
“I hope so,” Jin replied.
The handcarts rattled as they moved forward. Having finished lunch on schedule, they had about fifteen kilometers left to go—roughly a four-hour trek. The landscape began to turn into a rugged, rocky terrain.
“Once we clear these rocks, we’ll be able to see Toka Village!” Rock called out to encourage the men. “Just a little further, hang in there!”
It happened in that very moment.
“Waaaaah!”
Jan, who was bringing up the rear, let out a piercing scream.
“What? What happened?!”
“Wh-whoa, what is that?!”
The men spun around to see a grotesque figure closing in from behind.
“Is that... a Golem?” Lishia muttered.
“A Golem? That’s what they look like?”
It stood two meters tall, a humanoid shape that appeared to be clad head-to-toe in heavy iron armor. It looked incredibly formidable.
“Whoa, there’s another one over here!” Rock shouted.
An identical Golem was closing in from the front.
“Are they after the wheat? Dammit! Everyone, don’t do anything reckless!”
The wheat was precious, but they stood no chance against armored Golems. Rock’s agonized shout rang out across the rocks.
“I won’t let them!”
“Lishia, it’s impossible!”
Lishia, the only one among them armed with a sword, drew her shortsword. She jumped down from her horse—which was frozen in terror—and charged toward the Golem approaching from the front.
“It’s alright! I-I’ve studied swordsmanship! Haa!”
Lishia dropped her stance and slashed at the Golem’s leg. However...
“No way...”
Instead of cutting through the Golem’s limb, her shortsword bent limply into a curve.
“That’s why I told you to get back!”
Jin shouted as he ran toward her.
“I-I won’t! I may only be an apprentice, but I am a ritter! A ritter’s duty is to protect everyone!”
“Look out!”
“Eh?”
The Golem’s heavy fist swung down toward Lishia.
Jin was a Magi Craft Meister. As it happened, a Magi Craft Meister was incapable of using traditional offensive magic.
Even his healing spells were limited to fixing minor cuts and scrapes sustained while working. His magical aptitude was entirely focused on creation. Furthermore, his magic was restricted by the fact that it could not affect anything he wasn't touching.
However, being unable to use offensive magic did not mean he was unable to attack. A chainsaw is a tool designed to fell trees, but its blade doesn't only work on wood.
That was the logic Jin applied. He grabbed the leather water skin at his waist.
“Dammit! Make it in time! Water Jet!”
“Kya!”
Lishia felt a dull, thudding impact against her head. This is it, she thought, closing her eyes in resignation.
But then, the sound of clanging metal reached her ears. She opened her eyes to see the Golem’s arm tumbling across the ground.
“Ow...? My head...”
She fearfully looked up to find only the Golem’s lower half still standing. Its upper torso had fallen several meters away. The arm had been severed at the elbow during the fall—or rather, it looked as though it had been sliced clean off.
The severed arm lay in front of her. She realized the dull impact she’d felt earlier was the arm hitting her as it flew through the air.
“Th-that’s right, the other one!”
Remembering the second Golem attacking from the rear, she scrambled to her feet.
She turned just in time to see Jin slicing the second Golem apart with another Water Jet.
“Unbelievable...”
She had never seen magic like that before. It clearly used water, but the only water-based offensive spells she knew of were Water Stream, which pushed targets away with a torrent, or Water Ball, which struck with a heavy sphere of liquid. Both required a large, nearby water source to be effective.
“Lady Lishia, are you alright?”
After confirming no more Golems were in sight, Jin ran over to her side.
“Y-yes. I think I might have a bit of a bump on my head, though.” She rubbed the spot where the Golem’s arm had struck her.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was a fraction too slow.”
“Jin-san, what on earth was that magic?”
“Hmm? The Water Jet? It’s just Craft Magic I use for processing stone and iron.”
“Wh-what?! It has that much destructive power and it’s for processing?”
Jin ignored Lishia’s shock and turned his attention to the rest of the team.
“We can talk about that later. Lady Lishia, can you use healing magic?”
Jan, who had been at the very back, had been struck by a Golem and had a clearly broken arm.
“Ah, yes! Of course....‘O light that heals this person, be. Cure!’”
Lishia rushed to Jan’s side and held her palm over the fracture. A pale light bathed the injury, and the swelling began to recede before their eyes.
“Whoa! That’s incredible!” the men exclaimed, watching in awe.
“Thank you, Lady Lishia,” Jan said, followed by Rock.
“No, this is part of my duty,” Lishia replied with a smile, before turning the magic on herself to treat the bump on her head.