"……oh."

I opened my eyes.

Ahh, I see.

I was brainwashed.

That explained everything.

“Ugh…… ”

I couldn't hold it, so I vomited.

“Augh!　How disgusting! ”

“Guh! ”

The thief kicked me in the stomach. I was slammed into the wall and rolled on the floor. Where is this place? Is this the thieves' hideout?

“Hey, don't damage our precious products.”

“She's fine, it was just the stomach, the stomach.”

“Then it's fine. Hahaha! ”

What an a.s.shole.

While lying in pain, I remembered my past, almost as if it were a distant dream.

…………Everything was a convenient delusion.

Only once was I stroked by Lucisama. And I distorted it to make it seem like it happened every day.

A gentle smile?　That kind of smile only happened once, in the last moments, when Lucisama turned it at me.

A mother-like figure?　What kind of mother uses her child as an a.s.sa.s.sin?　There's no way I could ever forget those brutal days of killing.

Why did she turn me into a slave?　Why did she brainwash me?　Why was I the only survivor?　Why?　Why?　WHY!?

“Why?!　Why-?!! ”

“Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong? ”

“Did she break? ”

I can't stop my tears.

I was…

I was…

Not loved by anyone.

The only thing I believed was love, was fake.

What should I do?

What should I do!?

“It'll be a problem if she bites her tongue.”

“You want me to shut her up with a rope?”

“Hey, open your mouth! ”

What should… I do…?

The five thieves and Yukari entered a hideout inside the forest.

Two of them were guarding the gate. It is unknown how many people were originally inside. There seems to be no back door.

If possible, I'd like to settle this before dawn.

I grabbed my bow, and after setting an arrow, I slowly pulled the string.

I moved to the side of the hideout so that the two people will overlap in a straight line.

“…………”

It's over if I hesitate.

I can't afford to let go of this excellent future Blacksmith Master that I went to great pains to get.

I combined 《Lance Archery》 and 《Knight Archery》.

The moment it was ready, I let go of the arrow.

Along with the sound of cutting  wind, the arrow flew and pierced the head of the first man and blew off the neck of the second one.

Without even being able to utter a sound, the two men fell down. They were certainly dead. I had killed them.

I rushed out and approached the entrance, taking a glimpse at the inside.

“Hey, did you hear something just now? ”

“Let's go check.”

I heard such a conversation.

I switched from my bow to my sword and concealed my breath next to the door.

As soon as the door opened and the two thieves came out, I slashed at one of them diagonally using 《Silver Swordsmans.h.i.+p》.

There was the sound of entrails splattering on the ground.

“Eh, wh-!? ”

When the other one tried to speak up, without holding back, I slashed at his neck using 《Soldier Swordsmans.h.i.+p》.

Quite easy.

I stepped inside their hideout with my sword ready.

The number of rooms was small. There were no signs of people in the rooms that looked like the kitchen and storage room.

But many voices could be heard from the innermost large room.

While preparing 《Gold Swordsmans.h.i.+p》I broke the door of the room.

“Hey, what's wrong!? ”

“Ugh!? ”

《Gold Swordsmans.h.i.+p》is a ‘range attack to all directions'. The three thieves that tried to surround me were all blown away by the slash, and while scattering their blood, they died instantly.

“Y-you should be dead.”

They died with a surprised face.

There were three more thieves.

Yukari was gagged and rolled on the floor next to one of them. The other two unsheathed their swords and came attacking.

I retreated two steps diagonally to the right and activated 《Bishop Swordsmans.h.i.+p》. Its effect is ‘quick and strong piercing attack'. It's the most useful 【Swordsmans.h.i.+p】 skill for interpersonal combat.

The two thieves came at me in a straight line like idiots. Unleas.h.i.+ng 《Bishop Swordsmans.h.i.+p》, it penetrated the first one in the torso and cut off the wrist of the second thief.

“Ahh-AAAHHH! ”

The thief who lost his hand panicked and shouted. Soon after, I dealt with him using 《Soldier Swordsmans.h.i.+p》.

“Hey… what the h.e.l.l is this… are you a monster…?”

Muttered the man next to Yukari. Most likely he was the leader of the thieves.

While lying on the ground, Yukari looked over here with tears in her eyes.

I couldn't sense any vigilance or hostility from her eyes anymore.

Nice!　Seems like the brainwas.h.i.+ng is crumbling!　What great luck……！

“Hold on!　Don't move! ”

The leader drew his sword and pressed the blade on Yukari's neck. He was taking her as a hostage.

“Hey, drop your sword now! ”

I faithfully obeyed. I held the sword in front of my chest with both hands, then I released it.

“Good, now――”

In the next moment, a 《Fire Attribute・First Form》 spell hit his face head on, and while making burning noises, it burst into flames.

He was so distracted by the sword falling on my feet that he didn't notice the spell.

“Uwaa!? ”

The sword moved away from Yukari's neck.

In that moment, I stabbed the leader with 【Magic Swordsmans.h.i.+p】, using a combination of 《Silver Swordsmans.h.i.+p》 and 《Water Attribute・Third Form》. Receiving a stab with Third Form right in the chest, his torso was blown off due to the water pressure. The fire on his head was also extinguished before it could spread, so it was killing two birds with one stone.

———————

“Are you alright? ”

After checking that there were no other thieves, I freed Yukari from her bonds.

“…………”

There was no vigor in her eyes.

Her feelings appeared to be all over the place, and she was just shedding tears.

“……Let's go. The air in here is bad.”

I couldn't find the proper words to call to her, so after saying that, I stood up.

Yukari followed after me silently while still crying.

And so, the morning of the fourth day came.

Thank you for reading.

＜Status Details＞

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

Swordsmans.h.i.+p

s.h.i.+eldmans.h.i.+p

Archery

They use the “Form” or “step” system of martial arts. From lower to higher.

From lower to higher, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade.