Foreigner's Mistake

Book 7: Chapter 93: Magic Sword ~ 01

The figure was too publicly visible.

People passing by looked back one after another. It was no surprise. The figure in the shabby leather armor and tattered cloak, with a long sword at his waist, was that of a well-traveled adventurer. The cloak makes it hard to tell, but her body is that of a young woman.

Of course, if that were all, it would not be unusual, but there are two clearly odd features.

One is that her face is covered with a horrifying metal mask with rust floating on it.

Another unusual feature is that she is walking with a Gryphon, a rare beast in this region, which is probably four times her size.

The woman is walking proudly through the crowded streets of Ares, not heeding the unreserved stares she receives. She is heading for the Academy of the Wise, the highest academic institution in the world, located in the center of the city. She is accompanied by a gryphon, which is a dangerous creature by nature, so people do not approach her casually. There are knights in this world who sometimes walk with flying dragons, not to mention horses, so the city is never in an uproar, but it is still unusual to walk with a gryphon.

While many people were watching the woman's movements from afar, she was strutting around without a care in the world, but her movements were indeed stopped at the entrance to the Academy of the Wise. Normally, the academy is open to the general public, but dangerous people cannot be allowed inside the Academy of the Wise. A few patrolmen working as gatekeepers came up to her looking nervous. The woman, however, does not seem to be bothered by this and asks the gatekeeper, who approaches her timidly, spreading out a letter.

Is the High Mentor present?

Seeing the engraving on the letter, the patrolmen froze in unison. The beeswax imprint shown at the end of the letter was unmistakably that of High Mentor Graham Coogan. Moreover, it is written in his own hand for the utmost convenience of the bearer of this document.

After being told to wait a moment, the woman waited with the gryphon by her side. The gryphon calmly sat down on the spot. The gryphon should rarely be accustomed to people, but the gryphon is clearly obeying the woman's instructions.

Although she is only slightly taller than the average woman, her regal appearance makes her look bigger. The patrol, as well as magicians belonging to the academy and citizens of Ares who have come for business, look at her strangely, but they do not give her a second thought.

A woman with flaxen hair stood in front of the woman, who seemed to have come to meet her. Her white sheet metal, gold-rimmed metal armor, and crimson cloak are the official equipment of the patrol. After looking at the woman with her face covered by the metal mask without carelessness, the patrolwoman Sheryl Maylander condescendingly thanked the woman.

Does the head of the clan live by the sword?

Indeed

We have been waiting for you. Please, come this way.

It's just as I heard Sheryl mentally recalled. Her grandfather had told her that the heads of the Holy Sword Clan were covered with metal masks so that their faces would not be recognized. The metal masks are black and the paint seems to have peeled off in places, giving them a gruesome atmosphere. She thinks it would be much more conspicuous to wear something like that all the time, but she guessed it is not a question of conspicuous or inconspicuous.

Even so, although it can only be said because it is through a cloak, she has an unexpectedly young atmosphere. Also, she did not expect her to be a woman. She had imagined a big, rugged man who would not lose to Satoru.

Sheryl accompanied the woman and the gryphon to the Chalk Tower. The woman did not need to say anything, just held out her ring and said one of the words. In a flash, the gryphon becomes smaller. The ring is probably filled with grant-type Shrinking art. The gryphon seems to be accustomed to this and quickly jumps on the woman's shoulder as it becomes smaller. The fact that the gryphon was walking around the town without being reduced in size was probably also to intimidate. It is a measure to keep people away.

After a nod, Sheryl began to lead the woman to the office of the High Mentor, located on the fourth floor of the eight-story Chalk Tower. Two knocks at the heavy door.

High Mentor. The head of the Holy Sword Clan is here to see you.

Ohhh. Let her come in.

In response to a voice from inside, Sheryl opened the door and invited the woman inside. The woman nodded gracefully and entered with her sword. Normally, the High Mentor's office is not allowed to be entered with a weapon, but the woman does not seem bothered.

Excuse me.

High Mentor Graham Coogan, who was seated at the large desk in his office, stood up and bowed deeply before leading the way to the sofa beside him. The woman responded by removing her cloak and taking the sword she was carrying at her waist by the sheath and placing it at her side. Her face was covered with a metal mask, so her face could not be seen, but looking at the glimpse of her complexion, the High Mentor's thick eyebrows rose and fell.

...... You are young. With all due respect, you must be the head of the Holy Sword Clan?

Indeed. It was only last spring season that the clan replaced the predecessor.

High Mentor who breathes a sigh of relief. He doesn't know in detail the origins of the Holy Sword Clan, but he does know that the system is that it is passed down to one person from generation to generation.

And.

!!

Sheryl, standing diagonally behind the head of the Holy Sword Clan, had a sword suddenly thrust at her throat with its entire sheath. Sheryl is in a cold sweat as she is completely blinded by the movement.

How rude of you. You dare to probe my soul without telling me. The quality of the Academy of the Wise has fallen, indeed

Right. Sheryl tried to use Covert Soul-Search against the head of the Holy Sword Clan. From behind. But the art was never activated. Before she could, the sword was held against her throat, making it impossible for her to concentrate.

For a moment, the atmosphere was grim, but then the High Mentor laughed aloud and the grim mood eased, albeit slightly.

My apologies. I apologize for my rudeness.

It was the High Mentor who had ordered the testing of the head of the Holy Sword Clan using the Covert Soul-Search. To be able to sense the activation of a completely hidden type of art without even seeing it, without even having the power of speech, is indeed a feat for the head of the clan that defeated the Demon King. The woman, who was wearing a mask so she could not see her opponent's expression, nevertheless silently retracted her sword.

She looks like a simple light warrior. The sword that she just thrust at Sheryl is probably the Holy Sword, and the sheath that holds it is also decorated, but made of wood and leather, it is chipped and the paint is peeling in some places. It must have seen a lot of age.

On the contrary, that's all there is to it. There is nothing glamorous or divine about it. It is hard to believe that this is a Holy Sword, but there is nothing else to do but believe.

And He didn't think that the head of the current Holy Sword Clan was young, let alone female, but He's not so old as to be misled by appearances or gender.

Can we get right down to business?

By all means

Sitting down opposite her, the High Mentor placed a psychic statue stone from his pocket on the tabletop and caged it with magic. A large male and female figure emerge.

The target is him. He possesses a soul that cannot be measured by Covert Soul-Search. That person is our witness.

I have the blessing of the Holy Sword

The head of the Holy Sword Clan clanked her sword, which she had never let go of. Even the best of him doesn't know what the blessing of the Holy Sword is, but if she says it's nothing, he has no choice but to believe her.

Sheryl

Y-Yes

The High Mentor, with a reluctant look on his face, shuffled his chin at his own pretty granddaughter, who stood diagonally behind the head of the Holy Sword Clan.

Sheryl did not know what it was that the head of the Holy Sword Clan was talking about, much to the dismay of the High Mentor. No, she could guess to some extent since it was mentioned as the Forbidden Art of Magic Sublimation. If it is as Sheryl imagined, it must be a very dangerous art.

I have entrusted the investigation of this matter to this person. She will give you the details.

The High Mentor reluctantly agreed, and the head of the Holy Sword Clan also nodded her head. This meant that the contract to defeat Satoru had been concluded. The thought that perhaps she had become a witness to history flashed through Sheryl's mind.

Give us three days to launch the strike. Sheryl, in the meantime, you will be in charge of the Head Clan.

Yes, sir.

The other party is also a woman, and it is only natural that I, in my position, should take care of the head of a Holy Sword Clan, a clan with great power. Now that it is not convenient for her to go back to her father Edward's house, and she is also staying at the academy, she has no objection to it.

If you want to make a Reversal Magic Circle, you can't do it with a few simple skills. We must gather people

I don't mind

With her business done, the head of the Holy Sword Clan stood up and turned around to look back at Sheryl. There was no sign that she was angry with her for doing the Covert Soul-Search

You are Sheryl-dono, right? May I speak with you at once?

Of course. Now, please come this way.

Sheryl left the office of the High Mentor accompanied by the head of the Holy Sword Clan. The High Mentor may be considering the members to form a Reversal Magic Circle, buts he probably will not be one of them. If that is the case, then there is no telling what Sheryl can do here.

Sheryl led her to the women's dormitory at the Academy of the Wise, not far from the Chalk Tower. The High Mentor had arranged for her to have a room here since the other day. She will be living and sleeping with the head of the Holy Sword Clan for a few days, and the High Mentor has also instructed her not to have too much contact with other people, so he has sent her to this room.

Sheryl pointed to one of the two beds and said, "Go ahead," and Sheryl removed her own equipment. I know that all I can do is to make her comfortable until the moment of confrontation.

However, the head of the Holy Sword Clan, without any sign of relaxing, just took off her cloak and put it down, and turned to face Sheryl squarely.

And the current location of the target is...

Perhaps it's the idea of an ever-present battlefield, Sheryl thought with a small sigh and straightened her own residence.

The last known location was the center of the explosion. No response from there for the past two days.

Maybe he was blown up together?

Sheryl shook her head resolutely from side to side in response to the question from the head of the Holy Sword Clan.

The timing is different. Even immediately after the explosion, there was a reaction. It was not until a second after the explosion that the reaction disappeared.

I see. So you are saying that he was trapped in some kind of ward and could not be found.

Yes

Sheryl gave a small tilt of her head and spread the map on the desk. The map showed Satoru's movements to date as far as she had been able to detect.

The target is not aware that we are targeting Giant Killer for detection.

Sheryl explained the back and forth. She explained that the target had been crushed her sensing-type arts such as Distant View and Distant Hearing in the past and that the target had threatened the academy when he learned of this. If he had knowns that the academy was tracking him by Detection, he would have taken countermeasures earlier, and he have not responded to the academy despite his threats.

Sheryl does not know what caused the explosion. Derek, the deputy leader of the team, is currently scouting the area with a telescopic distant view tube and a calling stone, but he hasn't reached the site yet. He is riding his horse to the site, but it will probably be tomorrow or the next day.

At present, Satoru does not seem to be moving. If he had abandoned the Giant Killer or hidden it inside the ward and moved on, they would be in over their heads, but that seems unlikely from the way things have been going so far. Something must have happened to Satoru or those around him, which is also true. Thanks to this, they had the time they had hoped for.

I see. I guess he's right.

After listening to Sheryl's detailed explanation, the head of the Holy Sword clan nodded deeply, as if she was finally convinced.

Depends on when he makes his moves. ...... Do you honestly think he will come to this town?

Probably. When he was leaving the town, I told him to give us the items he found in the labyrinth when we made contact with him, so it is highly likely that he will be heading here to give them up.

He will also need to equip himself for the journey. We will be heading into winter. This town is the most suitable town in the vicinity for such equipment.

I see... ...... you're a woman of talent.

"Ho," cried the head of the Holy Sword Clan. Of course, these analyses did not come from Sheryl alone, but it seems that she was complimentary. After smiling wryly, Sheryl dropped her finger on the map.

The problem is that the target has a flying dragon and is moving. They don't seem to ride directly into town.

If they are going to travel by flying dragon, I'll manage...three days, the High Mentor said. If we start moving, it will be just in time.

And the gryphon on the shoulder of the head of the Holy Sword Clan makes a high-pitched cry. Sheryl smiled at the head of the Holy Sword Clan as the heavy atmosphere suddenly eased with the appeal of the beast tribe, as if to say, "Leave it to me".