We returned to the Sanctuary after sheltering the Mermaids from Samandour Kingdom. They numbered slightly over 200 people.
The Sanctuary barrier had expanded greatly, which of course extended seaward as well. Its radius is now 15km and what was previously 200m from the beach is now over 800m within the barrier’s range.
The stationing soldiers of various countries were gradually being moved by Gnome so that they wouldn’t notice, but as expected, it seems they have. That said, they still can’t do anything about it.
The Mermaids’ houses were under construction near the beach, and I think they’d be able to fish and whatnot in safe waters that monsters wouldn’t approach.
The Sanctuary barrier blocks monsters but lets fish pass through. The sea that predators can’t approach had become a bountiful fishing ground.
Dwarves also increased, with some being retired craftsmen and their spouses, and were working energetically. It doesn’t feel like they’re past their years because, although not to the extent of the Elves, the Dwarves were also a race of longevity.
The Elves multiplied as well. I am told that Princess Mimir brings along young families that want to immigrate from Yggurle Kingdom. I later heard “Don’t mind it” from Undine and Sylph. It’ll probably be fine if the they were people that have passed the Great Spirits’ check.
I’m not the supervisor of the Sanctuary though.
And even the Cat Siths had increased. It seems the Cat Siths of this continent were heading to the Sanctuary. According to the Great Dark Spirit Nyx, the race known as Cat Sith were virtuous and gentle, so they had no choice but to live in hiding in this world. “That’s why basically all Cat Siths will be accepted”, is what I was told.
Still, as I said, I am not the Sanctuary’s supervisor though. Of course, I wouldn’t be.
If people continue to increase, I’ll have to think of a way to maintain the order in the Sanctuary…………….
It’s already the size of a big town.
I came and went from Volton and the Sanctuary, continuing a busy lifestyle for some days. And so, this is a rare occasion that I’m walking alone in town.
Zashu
Intense pain ran from my side.
Hearing continuous sounds of cutting wind, I endured the pain and jumped sideways. The next instant, a drawn sword glistened in the spot my neck was at.
The pursuing sword tip shaved at my upper arm.
I took quite a large distance to reorganize myself for a moment.
「Kyaaaaaa!!」
Screams were raised from the surroundings at the criminal act done in broad daylight.
I promptly used chantless 【Heal】 several times. I then dodged the sword that chased after me, but my body’s movements were strange. It felt numb and I was hit with dizziness.
(What’s this? My wound should have been healed…………poison!?)
I hurriedly cast detoxification magic on myself, and just to be sure, I also used purification magic. Once the numbness and dizziness subsided, only now did I have the room to check the assailant.
The assailant was a man wearing normal clothes you’d find anywhere. Not even an adventurer’s clothing, nor the clothing of the zealots, his clothes looked like a common villager’s clothing. However, the speed at which he wields his sword was unnaturally fast and sharp for his poor skills.
「Who are you?」
「………………」
So I could calm down, I tried asking for his identity since I didn’t have anything to lose, but the assailant stayed silent and kept on waving his sword.
In fear of the assailant brandishing his sword in town, the surrounding people began fleeing.
The assailant’s body balance and weight transfer were all over the place but the speed of his swings didn’t fall as he continued flailing the poison-coated sword at me.
While avoiding the sword he slashed diagonally from his shoulder, I closing in on my opponent then I swept my left hand towards his sword-wielding hand to repel it, and from there, with flowing movements, I drove my elbow into his solar plexus.
「Guu!」
The assailant’s body bent at the hips like a less than (<) symbol, making a small groan and collapsed.
「Fuu.」
Letting out an involuntary breath, I approached the collapsed and unmoving assailant while remaining vigilant.
It was then that the town’s patrolling soldiers ran up.
「Ah, if it isn’t Iruma-dono! Wha?! You’ve been injured! Are you alright?!」
Coincidentally, the leading soldier was a knight I’m acquainted with. If I remember correctly, we’ve talked several times at Margrave Volton’s place. He was surprised seeing my bloodstained shirt.
「No, my wounds are alright now. When I was walking in town, I was caught by surprise but I immediately used recovery magic.」
「Such misfortune.」
「Captain!」
「Mm, did something happen?」
When I was talking to my acquaintance knight, the voice of the knight who went to arrest the fallen assailant called him.
「No, this man who assaulted Iruma-dono is already dead.」
「Eh?! My attack shouldn’t have been that strong though…………」
We approached to check on the fallen assailant and sure enough, he was no longer breathing.
As I was in town, I didn’t use my sword or spear to figure out the connections behind the attack, so I intended to go easy with a non-lethal attack.
A quick on-the-spot examination showed that the muscle and bones on the man’s entire body was tattered beyond the damage my attack had dealt.
「If we consider the poison-coated sword he was using, there is no doubt that it was a crime targeting Iruma-dono. What we are unaware of is the why his body is all tattered though……」
「It certainly felt out of place. His swordsmanship skill and body skills were bad, and yet his sword speed was pointed and his movements were fast.」
I then tried remembering the assailant’s movements, but I could imagine that the burden on his body was great from his irregular movements. But could a human move beyond their body’s limits?
And above all, had this been a first-class warrior that took me by surprise, would I have been fine? When I thought so, I felt a cold and unpleasant sweat run down my back.
「Iruma-dono, please follow us to the Order’s station for the detailed account for now. It would also be necessary to investigate this attacker fully.」
「Yes, I understand.」
I headed to the Knight Order’s station in Volton town.
The result of examining the attacker’s body was that he didn’t have anything relating to his background in his possession. We don’t even know if he was a citizen of Valkyra Kingdom. If he was a citizen of another country, he should have had identification papers, and yet he only had a little bit of money and the poison-coated sword so we didn’t learn anything.
It seems the poison was also unique. Because I had resistance to poison and status abnormalities, I had enough time to cast detoxification magic. It would have been checkmate if I didn’t have Light attribute magic.
The man’s cause of death was speculated to be damage caused by the continuous movements that exceeded his limits. His entire muscular system sustained damages, and many of his parts brutally snapped apart. The bones of his hands and feet were in tatters.
「Iruma-dono, we will investigate a bit more on the man’s corpse, but perhaps nothing more will emerge. We will provide an escort until you reach your mansion today, so please wait a while.」
「Thank you very much.」
I likely wouldn’t be attacked multiple times in one day so I thought that a guard would be unnecessary, but I quietly accepted their good will.
The thought that Sophia and the girls would probably be worried left me dejected. We didn’t discover a single thing about the attacker either. The only thing I know is that it was an attack that targeted me.
With a knight on either side, I returned to my Volton mansion from the Knight Order’s station.
Seeing the torn and blood-stained shirt, as if a matter of course, I was surrounded by Sophia and the girls.
It was a storm of scoldings.
……it wasn’t even my fault.
Afterwards, I was prohibited from going out alone for a while.
***
Assailant