Episode 148: Guerrilla Captain vs. Royal Guard Knights Commander

　The battle between Fen and Karlheinz was just as intense and brutal.

　The stage was a wide back alley a little off the main street. There, the two clashed fiercely in combat.

　Around them, the beastkin and the Royal Guard Knights were locked in fierce combat, but everyone was too occupied with their own fights to spare any help for the two.

　Fen used her agility as a weapon, darting around Karlheinz in all directions and attempting attacks with her dagger.

　However, all of them were blocked by his ironclad defense.

“Hah hah hah! What’s the matter? To think you can’t even land a single scratch on me… huh!”

　Karlheinz was covered head to toe in armor, with a steel helmet and a visor-like faceplate protecting his head and face. On top of that, he held a shield in his left hand, fully equipped in heavy gear. Moreover, he was mounted on a horse, which should make quick maneuvers difficult.

　And yet—he was completely keeping up with Fen’s nimble movements.

“Don’t you get it by now, you inferior race? With your power, defeating me is utterly impossible… right!”

　Karlheinz wasn’t just focused on defense. The moment Fen’s movements slowed even a fraction, he immediately switched to offense.

“How about you give up already… huh!”

　He urged his horse forward with momentum and mercilessly swung down his broadsword. Fen dodged it by a hair’s breadth, but the sword shattered the wall of the building behind her without mercy.

　If it had hit her directly, Fen’s body would have been cleaved in two with a single strike.

“Damn…!”

“In the end, all you can do is flit around me like a fly. How about you surrender already… huh!”

“Don’t spout such nonsense.”

“I’m not joking. If you surrender to me, I’ll guarantee your life. And not just that—I’ll promise to give you a wonderful position… you know!”

　Karlheinz pushed up his faceplate, flashing a grin with gleaming teeth.

“I’ll welcome you as a slave serving my Reinefeld ducal house. You’ll get to be a slave to one of the Five Great Nobles. For an inferior like you, that should be an honor, right?”

“…What?”

“I’ll keep your comrades as slaves too. You see, as the kingdom’s highest noble—I truly pity the current state of you beastkin. Due to cultural differences, you keep clashing with humans time and again. To end that tragedy, all of you should be placed under our management… yes! Of course, slavery is banned by the Eastern Nations Treaty. I know there’ll be voices of criticism. But—swearing on the pride of my Five Great Nobles status, I’ll welcome you all as ‘official slaves.’ That is precisely—the noblesse oblige of the highborn… yes!”

　His smile was laced with absolute conviction in his own words.

“All you have to do is obey my commands! As long as you do that, you’ll never want for food or shelter. That’s nothing short of happiness for you. Don’t you think that’s far better than fighting under Count Kreving… huh!”

“…You’re disgusting.”

　Fen spat out the words like venom.

“Steal our freedom, our pride… and tell us to live as your slaves? And call that happiness?”

　Fen and her fellow gray wolf beastkin had once nearly been reduced to slaves by Patrick.

　But—Fen thought the man before her was even worse than Patrick.

　Patrick had simply tried to exploit the beastkin for his own selfish desires.

　But Karlheinz—he proclaimed it as good, with straight, unwavering eyes.

“Our happiness, our way of life… we’ll choose and seize it for ourselves. I have no intention of going along with the crap happiness you imagine!”

　With that shout, Fen kicked off the ground and charged at Karlheinz.

“You’re a hopeless fool…!”

　Karlheinz lowered his faceplate and calmly assumed a defensive stance.

　After unleashing several feinting slashes, Fen leaped onto the mounted man and grappled him.

　Her aim was Karlheinz’s faceplate. She pried at the gap, forcing her dagger infused with all her magical power into it.

　Just one more push, and the tip would reach his throat—at that very moment.

　Karlheinz pressed his shield against Fen’s body and channeled magical power into it.

　—A dull, heavy impact.

　The sound shook the air around them.

“Kah…!”

　The impact that struck Fen’s body was like being hit with attack magic. Her body was mercilessly blown into the air.

　This was the true specialty of Karlheinz, known as the ‘Kingdom’s Radiant Shield.’

　A unique technique where he infused his shield with magical power and released a shockwave from it.

　And this time, he had used the immense magical power derived from Lugdura.

　For an ordinary person, it would be powerful enough to cause instant death.

　Fen had sensed the killing intent in time and pulled back slightly, avoiding a fatal wound. But even so, the damage she took was severe.

“Unfortunately, it seems you didn’t reach my body… huh!”

　Karlheinz quietly steadied his breathing.

　Releasing Lugdura’s magical power put a considerable strain on him as well. Still, he was certain the fight was over—at that moment.

　A single arrow sliced sharply through the air.

　The arrow hit its mark without fail, striking the dagger still lodged in the gap of the faceplate—and pushing the blade deeper.

　Fen’s dagger finally pierced Karlheinz’s throat.

“Gu…”

　Beneath the faceplate, Karlheinz let out a small groan.

“How does it feel to be wounded by someone from the inferior race you look down on… huh, kingdom’s highest noble?”

　In the hand of the fallen Fen was a small bow. The arrow had been fired from it.

“You bastard…”

　Karlheinz’s face twisted at the foreign sensation of the dagger stuck in his neck.

“For a mere inferior race… to dare wound me. But do you really think that with something like this, you can defeat me, who bears the power of the ‘Seven Great Calamities’…?”

“…Yeah, I do think so. With this—it’s my win.”

“What?”

　The next instant, an unpleasant sensation welled up inside Karlheinz.

　And then—.

“Gah… haa…!”

　A large amount of blood leaked from Karlheinz’s mouth, spilling out.

(What is this… what in the world is…!)