Boukensha Ni Naritai To Miyako Ni Deteitta Musume Ga S Rank Ni Natteta Chapter 25

New week! New chapter! I hope you enjoy it!! Translator: Roblag Editor: H.K.Glenstid

It's within one of the second-floor rooms that a certain Count Malta was lost in thought. Due to the damages, the Bordeaux mansion suffered from the magic beasts, the man was forced to reside in this miserable place. Not only were the main clientele of this inn adventurers, merchants, and travellers; the d.a.m.n place was a pig's den in terms of standard.

His current residence has only one bed, one table and a couple of chairs. There are no ornaments, no decorative furniture; not even a simple bed stand. Not to mention the excessive creaking from the d.a.m.n floors from just walking! A h.e.l.l hole like this wasn't appropriate for someone of Malta's prestige.

Count Malta roars, griping the table in front of him and flipping it over. Empty bottles smash against the wooden floor. He turns to point at Charlotte who is still sitting in her chair.

"Why is Helvetica still alive?" he yells. His hands are shaking with fury, his cheeks steaming with heat. "You had one job! Just one! And that was to make sure the s.k.a.n.k was dead!"

Charlotte growls. She crosses her arms defensively. “Don't you start yelling at me! How was I supposed to know there were adventurers at the mansion?!”

"Y-You d.a.m.n—"

Byaku calmly watches the argument between the two from across the room. Leaning against a wall, he yawns, slipping a hand into his pocket.

“Shut up Malta,” the boy says, his tone bored and emotionless. "Or do you plan to yell your plan to the whole world?"

“H-How dare you!" Malta fumed. He storms across the room and pokes his finger at the boy. "Do not forget your place boy! You both work for me! I demand that you both show some respect!"

"'Do not forget my place' was it?" Byaku asks curiously, placing his hand on the Count's shoulder. The boy's cold and calculating crimson eyes pierce into Malta's. "Is that how n.o.bles talk to their business partners?"

Malta freezes for what felt like an eternity. A cold s.h.i.+ver goes down his spine. Growling, he ignores the sensation, smacking Byaku's hand away. He was after all dealing with a child.

"Bah! What's the use of being allied with Solomon? Each and every one of you is useless!”

At his words, Charlotte's face grew stormy. It takes all her will to sit still and remain silent. Count Malta starts to pace back and forth.

“Sasha is incompetent when it comes to politics. Selen is smart and has potential, but right now she is too naive. Neither of them can replace Helvetica. She just needed to die…”

It would have been so simple. The city in disarray, overrun and on the brink of being destroyed. Malta would save everyone and be welcomed as a hero. With poor Helvetica unfortunately killed by the magic beasts, the city would look to him for guidance. After that, he would benevolently give some power to his allies, and finally, the Bordeaux territory would be his. And if it was necessary.

Selen and Sasha could be taken care off afterward.

Getting rid of political enemies was the norm among the n.o.bles of the Capital. If someone with power used the pretext of wanting to imprison or censor another person…well, accidents were bound to happen.

But all his efforts were in vain. The n.o.bles who support Malta cannot make their moves if Helvetica remains in power. Worst-case scenario, after the news gets out of her survival there's a possibility that his allies will turn on him, and ally with the Bordeaux household.

Count Malta curses aloud.

“d.a.m.n it all! This can't be happening! Not to me! You're incompetent, the lot of you!”

Byaku raises a questioning eyebrow. “We advised you to wait patiently. Without those S Rank adventurers, our plan would have been successful. So may I ask, who is incompetent again?”

The Count's face turns so red that it looks like it's going to explode. He struggles to catch his breath, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Growling, the Count takes a bottle of wine by the door and chugs it down. Drops of the red liquid escape from the corner of his lips and trails down his neck.

The fact that they have no choice but to cooperate with such a despicable man makes Byaku furious.

“It's not over yet," Charlotte says, everyone turning to face her. They stare at her like she grew another head, to which the girl just sighs. "It'll all work out if we kill Helvetica, won't it?”

Malta pauses. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

“That is…true."

He puts the bottle down, a grin slowly coming to life on his face.
"Wouldn't it be such a shame if Lady Helvetica is attacked again tonight,” His eyes gleam. A mad grin threatens to split his face.

Byaku looks at Malta with a cold expression. The boy was disgusted by the absolute greed of the man. Much less his lack of ability to know when he is at fault. The boy lets Malta to his mad ramblings, leaving the room quietly. Charlotte follows suit.

Outside, the inn is lively and noisy. The adventurers celebrate in the tavern on the first floor.

"I'll tell yah what. Those harmless looking girls? They truly live to their reputation as S-Rank alright!"

A chorus of cheers and agreements soar through the air. "d.a.m.n right they are! So drink while you can lads…oh, and ladies, can't forget about them now can—Oi! Stop throwing forks at me! I'm doing a speech here!"

"Get off the stage yah drunken idiot!"

A chorus of laughs erupt.

Charlotte looks downtrodden as she listened from the shadow of the stairs. “…They should be talking about Solomon's miracle.”

Byaku halts. He turns around to look at the girl. “It's useless to worry about that. These people have their own miracles and doctrines.”

“You mean the Vienna Doctrine? Hmm…That's stupid.”

Charlotte grinds her teeth in annoyance. She remembers Helvetica's face clearly, despite only having a short glance. Who could forget the attention she commanded when she appeared?

“I. Hate. All of them." the girl growls. Charlotte looks to Byaku, her eyes reflecting her will. “We need to create a scene. I'll leave killing Helvetica to you, Byaku.”

Byaku closes his eyes without saying anything.

○

The scene is almost unbearable. The carca.s.ses of the undead, the strong odor of rottenness, and the fact that the corpses were originally human do not help much when cleaning the mansion.

However, the servants and guards of Bordeaux were resilient and good people.

They cleaned up the remains of the undead, gathered the bodies of the fallen guards in a suitable place and dedicate some prayers to them. They do all this in silence, in the span of one night.

By now it was very late into the night.

Helvetica and a few others are discussing some issues in another room.

Angeline is fast asleep. The moment her body hits the bed the room is filled with snores.

Anessa and Miriam brought a couple of chairs to the room to watch over their companion's rest. But the late-night and the tiring events of the day soon catch up to the girls, as they soon found themselves in the land of dreams.

Belgriff managed to recuperate in the same room. He lets out a sigh of relief. His whole body is sore, his joints creaking and muscles practically screaming at him to rest. Although it was an inevitable situation, he might have pushed himself just a bit too hard.

If he decided to lay down in bed, he's sure his body will refuse to get back up. That's why he's also afraid to fall asleep. He's afraid that if he does, he won't wake up again.

Belgriff instead opts to sit by the window, looking out into the peaceful night. The moon was beautiful in the sky, a gentle smile graces the old adventurer's lips.

Then someone knocks on the door. The spell breaks for Belgriff, as his head snaps to the bedroom door. "Come in."

The door opens, and Ashcroft pokes his head in. “Ah…sorry to disturb you Mr. Belgriff."

He quickly shuffles in, closing the door quietly. Ashcroft looks at the girls asleep in bed.

"How's Angeline's condition…?”

“She's just asleep. She'll recover completely after a good night's rest.”

“I'm glad to hear that…you all fought to keep the Bordeaux territory safe. I can't thank you enough.”

“You're giving us too much credit. The town adventurers also fought well.”

“No Mr. Belgriff, you don't understand. If you hadn't returned to the mansion. Lady Helvetica, Lady Selen, everyone…we would all have…”

Ashcroft is unable to say it. The thought alone scares him. Belgriff realises this and places a gentle hand on his shoulders. "It's alright. I was glad to help."

“R-Right," Ashcroft nods. He pulls out a small bottle and offers it to Belgriff. "This…This is my way of saying thank you.”

“Huh?”

“This is an elixir from the Elves. There isn't much, but it works very well on fatigue and wounds. It's even better than the healing potions from the Capital.”

Elven elixirs weren't only just a rare sight everywhere. The price was almost unimaginable. Only a few high-ranking adventurers and n.o.bles even know of its existence, let alone have seen one.

Ashcroft had saved this elixir for a time of great crisis.

Knowing the weight that the item carried, Belgriff shakes his head, clamping Ashcroft's hand closed.

“Something like this is too costly…my wounds will heal with a little rest. Please save it for an emergency.”

“I can't. I would like you to have it. I don't think it's enough to thank you for everything you have done. But it's the most sincere way I can thank you.”

Belgriff stops and thinks. This item was too much for him, let alone as just a thank you gift. But with Ashcroft being so sincere, it would be spitting him in the face if he didn't accept his gift.

“Is that so…” says Belgriff as he scratches his cheek. "Thank you, Sir Ashcroft. I'll be honoured to accept your gift."

Ashcroft's expression relaxes, and he lets out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. He had feared that the old adventurer would refuse his gift. A smile of relief appears on the butler's face. Then he bows his head low and leaves the room.

The room is quiet. Anessa and Miriam are completely asleep in bed. Angeline continues to snore loudly.

Belgriff grabs the bottle and looks at the liquid it contains. It looks pretty thick and with the bottle being blue, it was quite difficult to see it's colour. He opens the lid and smells the contents. The old adventurer expected the liquid to have a strong medicine like smell, but is relieved to actually find it refres.h.i.+ng and somewhat nostalgic. Its aroma was like the pleasant smell of the forest, and just by the smell, Belgriff already feels his fatigue dying away.

At that moment, Angeline begins to murmur in her sleep. Curious, Belgriff approaches the bed. Angeline tosses and turns, her face distorts…like she was in pain.

Belgriff slowly reaches out his hand and rests it at Angeline's forehead.

No fever.

Like a spell, Angeline's expression relaxes upon his touch. Belgriff looks at the elixir in his hand.

“This is a precious thing…but….”

Belgriff shakes his head. Gently he tilts the bottle and lets a drop of the elixir fall into Angeline's mouth.

Her eyebrows furrow, and a moan escapes. Belgriff wonders if the elixir has a bitter taste, but the effect is immediate. His daughter's complexion improves visibly and her expression relaxes completely. She soon buries herself in the quilts, like a coc.o.o.n.

'The effect is incredible. Thank you Sir Ashcroft,' Belgriff smiles, playfully ruffling Angeline's hair.

“…I don't want to be bedridden either.”

Belgriff drops an elixir drop on the back of his hand. The liquid is amber in color and its viscosity is similar to honey, but it is smoother than that. The old adventurer carries the back of his hand to his mouth and licks the drop. Contrary to what he imagined, the taste is insipid. But the delicate scent of gra.s.s reaches his nose.

He immediately feels the pain and heaviness of his body disappear. It's as if the elixir travels through his body with each beat of his heart. The heat returns to his hands and feet which until that moment have been very cold.

A relieved sigh escapes the retired adventurer's lips. “Ahhh…that feels great…”

Belgriff places the bottle on the table, and leans completely on the chair and closes his eyes. It is as if the tiredness had waited for this moment. However, in a corner of his mind, there is something that has not yet calmed down. In this state of semi-consciousness, Belgriff slips into the world of dreams.

It's incredibly comfortable.

○

Sasha moves through the house without a sound. She throws on her brown cloak and secures her beloved sword tightly by her waist. The explicit orders from her sister were still clear and focussed in her head.

Keep an eye on Count Malta.

The Count is said to be on the second floor of a common inn. There is no way that man will deign to partic.i.p.ate in the night watch.

Sasha has no intention of forgiving the rapacious man. He who hates the Bordeaux Family and despises the common folk.

She double checks that her scabbard was tight, and lets out a tired sigh. Her fingers hover around the hilt of her sword.

'I know I shouldn't kill him. But I could probably get away with breaking an arm or two…or maybe three, right?', Sasha thinks to herself. She pauses and tilts her head. “Wait… He doesn't have three arms!”

She snorts and giggles quietly to herself. Remembering she was alone, she blushes and clears her throat before leaving the room.

The Bordeaux mansion is a short distance from the city. The house itself is a building worthy of a n.o.bleman, but its surroundings look like the land of hardworking farmers.

With a lamp in one hand, Sasha arrives at the barn on the outskirts of the garden. She makes her way to her horse, gently patting it. It nudges its head into hers and Sasha giggles. It doesn't take her long to slip the saddle on, securing it tightly.

"Hyah," she gallops the horse into the night, lighting her way with her lantern.

Above Sasha, a cloud looms, slowly covering the moon and stars. Sasha rides quickly, getting a sinking feeling in her stomach that something was wrong. It was halfway on her journey she crosses paths with two people.

Sasha reigns in her horse immediately. "Halt!"

With her lantern out, Sasha s.h.i.+nes it on the two people, illuminating them.

“My name is Sasha Bordeaux. State your…oh! Pardon me. You are the one who vanquished those dark creatures earlier, aren't you?”

Charlotte courtesies, letting out an adorable smile. “It's an honor to be remembered by someone like you, my Lady.”

Sasha smiles and waves it off. “There is no way I can forget the person who has helped us so much. If I may ask, what are you doing here so late?”

“I thought I should visit Lady Helvetica. I overheard that the mansion was going to be attacked, and that worried me quite a bit. I hurried to come even though it was so late,” Charlotte says innocently.

Sasha pauses. She peers at the girl's companion, a boy roughly the same age as Charlotte. He was mostly hidden with his cloak, but he kept his head low and out of the light.

"I see," Sasha states. "Well, there seems to be a mistake. I just left the mansion and can a.s.sure you that no attack will come tonight, Miss…Charlotte, wasn't it?"

"Yup."

"Miss Charlotte. So I'm sorry to have wasted your night like this, but you may return to town now. I'm just on my way there myself and can accompany you if you wish."

"I'm sorry Lady Sasha, I cannot do that," Charlotte shakes her head. "There is still the possibility of an attack, so I must see Lady Helvetica."

Sasha's eyes narrow. It's true that she's the one who killed the magic beasts, but it's a little unusual that she so happened to be working for Count Malta. Sasha slips off her horse without breaking her friendly att.i.tude.

“It's a welcomed offer. However, our people are still very busy, and we haven't finished cleaning the mansion. We are not in a position to be welcoming new guests.”

“Don't worry. I'm a traveler so I don't mind a little dirt.”

Sasha pauses. “I'm sorry, but the prestige of our Family is also at stake… Besides, it's not long before dawn and it's been a very long and tiring night for everybody. I hope you understand."

Smiling, Sasha's fingers subconsciously slip to her sword hilt.

Perhaps this girl was even more dangerous than Count Malta. The girl's att.i.tude and words are delicate and elegant. But it was far too b.u.t.tery.

Sasha may not be as intelligent or educated as Selen and Helvetica, but she has the intuition she has cultivated for years as an adventurer. She has seen her own share of fools that believe a few flowery words could get them anything they want.

"Actually Miss Charlotte," Sasha says, pulling out her sword. "I apologise, but I would like for both you and your companion to come with—"

But the moment Sasha draws her sword, a cold chill runs down her spine.

Sasha's instincts scream at her to move. She rolls to the side just as a loud explosion is heard. The ground where the swordswoman was only a second ago was shattered and torn.
Sasha's horse panics, turns around and flees at full speed.

“Byaku!” shouts Charlotte. "That wasn't part of the plan!"

“She wasn't falling for it,” Byaku says simply, lowering his finger. "I'll kill her quickly. Just keep out of it and we'll be on our way in no time."

The hood on his head is thrown back and the boy's raven black hair is out in the open for the world to see. The boy's gaze falls on Sasha, his intimidating red eyes hold her still.

“I ask that you stand down or I'll be forced to retaliate!”

She sees Byaku points his finger at her, and she dives away once more. The place where she was once again shattered. She skids a couple of feet, gracefully rolling to her feet.

“d.a.m.n it. Have it your way."

This wasn't a favourable situation for Sasha. She has seen Charlotte's power, and now she can't even see this boy's magic. That only left one option to possibly tip the scales…

Sasha throws the lantern in her hand. Byaku's simply raises his hand and an invisible force bats it aside. The object shatters on the ground, and the surroundings immediately turn to darkness.

A foggy breath escapes from Sasha's lips, her chest rising and falling in overdrive. Her heart pounds when she scans her dark surroundings. The swordswoman closes her eyes, taking calming deep breaths. She surrenders herself to her other senses, trusting it to guide her after years of honing and experience.

At first, she can only hear the wind caressing the trees, the absolute dead silence of the night. But then she hears it. Two sets of footsteps barely making a sound against the ground; one extremely nervous and shuffling, the other striding with confidence.

Sasha feels the intense magical aura approaching. She breaks into a cold sweat, quietly regripping her hold on her sword. She licks her lip and waits patiently. Her first strike cannot be rushed. It'll decide her next strike, the one after, and so on, ultimately deciding the fight.

She raises her sword as the presence moves closer. Her body itches to lash out.

'Now!'

She kicks off the ground, lunging forward with a deadly strike. Her sword flies true, but at the last moment, something repels her attack. Despite not being able to see it, Sasha knows it is a Magic Bullet. The deflection had caused a ripple-like mirage; the telltale signs of the spell.

Her eyes narrow, just starting to finally adjust to the night. Sasha swings her sword once more, once again feeling it being parried. She continues forward relentlessly, keeping her opponent on the defense. She can't have the boy go on the offensive without knowing what his capabilities are. She can't afford to be distracted for even a second, or she will die.

The next time Sasha is blocked by the boy, she is sent reeling backward from the force. Falling to her knees, she crouches to catch her breath. She keeps her head down, sword loosely gripped for the boy to see.

To Byaku, her guard was down.

'Just another step…closer.'

Sasha grins triumphantly, grabbing a handful of dirt and throwing it into the boy's face, blinding him. Byaku mutters an inaudible curse.

Sasha takes this opportunity to bursts forward. With all her strength, she'll finish this fight in one clean strike.

'I got you now!', Sasha thinks triumphantly.

But the sword stops in the air before it reaches Byaku's body. A golden geometric pattern erupts to life, s.h.i.+elding the boy protectively.

Sasha's eyes widen.

“Wha—”

"You think I'll fall to a petty trick like that?" Byaku growls.

Suddenly, Sasha is flung to the side like a ragdoll. The unexpected blow is so strong that it sends Sasha careening into the air. She crashes heavily into the ground, skidding a few metres.

“Argh!!” she cries out in pain, a solid crack sounding.

A sharp pain screams from her left arm. Sasha peers at it, seeing it bent in an unnatural direction. It refuses to move. Groaning, she carefully rolls onto her back. She hears the footsteps stroll towards her.

'I have to get up!' she screams silently.

Although her mind understands what she has to do, her body does not respond.

Byaku appears above her and stomps his foot into Sasha's right arm. The young woman screams. In the darkness, Sasha can feel the boy points his finger towards her head.

'Is this really the end?' Sasha thinks, grinding her teeth. 'What an unfortunate mess I made…I've failed you master…I'm sorry my dear Selen…Helvetica.'

“Goodbye, Lady Sasha."

Sasha closes her eyes…and a barrage of Magic Bullets erupt from the darkness.

Byaku's eyes widen as he raises both his hands to disperse and deflect the oncoming attack.
Sasha takes this opportunity to roll to her feet and dash away. Seeing her trying to flee, Byaku launches a magical attack in Sasha's direction, but she barely manages to duck, shattering the treeline behind her.

Another flurry of magical bullets causes Byaku to curse and focus on defending once more.

“Lady Sasha!”

Sasha sees Ashcroft and Elmore come running along with a group of soldiers with lanterns in their hands.

“Ash…Elmore, why are you—" she suddenly feels her legs give way, and for Ashcroft to catch her gently in his arms.

“Your horse returned to the mansion without you. I figured something was afoot,” the butler quickly explains. He turns to the soldiers. "You three! Take Lady Sasha back to the mansion as fast as possible, she needs medical attention!"

Watching his injured mistress made Ashcroft feeling a deep boiling anger rise from within. Never before had he seen Sasha in such a state. A stormy gaze turns to stare down Byaku, who is emotionlessly matching his stare.

“You…Don't think you'll get away with this!" Ashcroft kicks off from the ground, charging forward.

Byaku steps back from the strike, but panics as the blade comes back at faster speeds. The boy growls.

“Your presence is unwanted, butler.”

The boy flays his hands forward. Ashcroft doesn't know what struck him, but he feels a heavy blow to his gut sending him sliding backward. He manages to keep upright, but a cough of blood slips out from his lips. Surprised, he continues to cough into his sleeve, his ribs groaning.

"Definitely a broken rib or two," Ashcroft curses. "Careful Guild Master, he's more dangerous than he looks."

“I see…but how peculiar. I've never seen this kind of magic before…” Elmore says with a puzzled expression.

Seeing the old Guild Master lost in thought, Byaku charges. Elmore quickly points a finger at him and sends a flurry of Magic Bullets, but the golden translucent geometric pattern appears once more.

Byaku leaps into the air, raising his fist upon Elmore. "If all you're going to do is cheap tricks old man, you can just die!"

The Guild Master raises a questioning eyebrow. “Old age may be catching up to me…but I am far more than cheap.”

Elmore raises his hand into the sky, instantly an intricate blue pattern comes to life. Byaku's fist collides with it, and an exploding shockwave erupts, shaking the earth. The barrier remains strong.

Byaku leaps back. But Elmore doesn't give him time to rest, he sends another volley of magic bullets. The boy bats them aside and charges forward again. The old Guild Master raises both his hands towards the sky, a ball of blue magic coming to life within his fingertips.

He casts it at the charging boy causing a ma.s.sive explosion. Everyone is thrown back by the force, the surrounding trees shake from its power. The ground tears, throwing dust clouds into the air.

Satisfied with his work, Elmore turns around. "Alright, it's been a long night. Let's get Lady Sasha ba—"

"Elmore!" Ashcroft yells.

The Guild Master spins around quickly and instantly creates the blue defensive spell, barely blocking Byaku's fist once more. Another shock wave erupts from the sheer force of the blow, but once again the spell remains strong.

A maniacal gleam is in the boy's eyes. But what's more, his normal black hair has turned an ashen white.

"Young man," Elmore states. "I advise you to stand down."

Byaku ignores the Guild Master's warning and continues to attack relentlessly. Punch after punch, each increasing with strength and power.

Everyone watches as Elmore is soon forced to take a step back. Then another. The old Guild Master breaks into a cold sweat as he is forced to his knees, his barrier cracking.

With one final punch, the defensive spell shatters. Elmore is struck and sent flying, careening into Ashcroft, sending both men flying back. They both collapse, no longer moving.

Sasha, Ashcroft, and Elmore are all well known for their skills and unmatched prowess throughout the Bordeaux territory. It's for this reason that the soldiers begin to panic when they see the three of them defeated by a single enemy.

Byaku turns his maniacal glee to the soldiers. His red eyes reflect a madden flame.

“And so the fodder remains. I can't have you escaping from me now can I?” the boy says casually strolling towards the soldiers. He suddenly falters slightly, shaking his head, trying to maintain his normal emotionless expression. “No…I-I can't…I mustn't…let it…come out …ANYMORE!”

With a yell, his hair slowly starts to turn back to its original black colour. The crazed smile has disappeared and he goes back to his cold emotionless expression. Byaku's cold blood-red eyes however still continue to haunt the soldiers.

The soldiers are rightfully scared. But they still raise their weapons with the intention of defending Sasha, ready to put their lives on the line for her.

“You idiots! Don't stand there! Run!” Sasha yells with the last of her strength.

She can only watch in helplessness as Byaku extends his finger at her. The landscape distorts like a mirage and a huge ma.s.s of magical energy—much larger than any from before—hurls towards her.

Sasha lowers her gaze, resigned and frightened. However, the impact never comes. Terrified, Sasha raises her gaze slowly and in front of her, she sees…

A familiar sword.

Angeline had arrived.

The Team's Corner *Translator notes: I enjoy translating chapters like this one!! I have to admit, Byaku is much stronger than I thought, and now he has to face Angeline!!! Well, I hope you liked it as much as we (translator and editor) did. If you have any comment or suggestion, let us know in the comments. See you soon!! *Editor notes: Oh boy, I can't wait for the next chapter's fight scene XD. This chapter was fun to edit, trying to make Byaku as intimidating as possible. For this chapter and the previous one, I actually added a few sentences to hone in some characterisation, to make it more expressive. I also don't know what colour Byaku's eyes are, but I a.s.sumed they were red because of the way his character is portrayed. Thought it could be really intimidating with his eyes being red, but that's just me XD.