Pawahara Seijo no Osananajimi to Zetsuen Shitara, Nanimokamo ga Umaku Iku Yō ni Natte Saikyō no Bōke

[Unseen Problem]

“Oi, stop right there!”

“…Huuh?”

The Axe Saintess—Ophir pulled her reins and stopped the monster she was riding as we jumped in front of her.

From her appearance, she should be about Magmell’s age, I guess.

She was a beauty with fiery red hair and light brown skin.

“The hell ‘re ya guys? …Ah?” Ophir suddenly seemed to have noticed something; she laughed daringly. “Well, well, look who we got here. Yer a saintess, aint’ cha? Talk about rare encounter. I’d never met any other saintess than me.”

“Fumu, I’d also never met a barbaric saintess like you. Well, I do have met a sanctimonious one before, however.”

Hekuchi, I felt like I heard Magmell’s sneezing coming from the inn, but… well, it must be just my imagination.

“So, our high and mighty Saintess, ya got any business with me? I see yer bringin’ a man along. Don’t tell me you came just to tell me yer lovey-dovey stories.”

“Haha, that sounds like fun. Well, to put simply—I can’t tolerate your actions.”

“Hee, didn’t ya say something quite interestin’?”

Hop, Ophir jumped off the monster.

The monster stayed still on the spot even when Ophir had gotten off; it must be well-disciplined.

“So yer here to pick a fight with me, yeah?” Ophir looked at Arca in the face.

In terms of physique, Ophir clearly had the upper hand.

One of the merchants had ridiculed her as a Great Ogre earlier, but that might not be completely wrong.

Arca actually had a physique that didn’t lose out to Ophir’s since she was born in the village of female warriors, but if I had to describe the difference between them, then Arca was a speed-type warrior and Ophir was a strength-type warrior.

She had quite a rough temper, too. In the event of emergency, I must stop her even if I had to go all out.

As I held my breath in nervousness, Arca said with her usual cool face. “I have no intention of picking a fight with you in particular. Well, if that’s what you want, I don’t mind putting you in your place, even now.”

“Hah, so yer all talk and no bite. If ya didn’t come to fight, then what the hell ‘re ya’ doin’ here? Though I look like this, I’m not free, ya’ know.”

“I’ve said it, haven’t I? I can’t tolerate your actions. Why are you trying to disturb the peace of the town?”

“Ain’t it obvious? —‘Cause I don’t like this town.”

Upon hearing that, Arca sighed as if she was amazed. “Good grief, to act violently just because you don’t like something, you sure a handful one.”

“Hah, what does a newcomer like ya’ know. Y’all knows nothing. —Everything ain’t as it seems on the surface.”

“…Fumu.” Arca made a thoughtful gesture, seemingly had fallen into thought.

Ophir then got back on top of the monster and said, “Well, let’s just end this meeting as greetings between saintesses. As long as ya’ don’t get in my way, I’m not gonna make a move on ya’. Have fun playin’ with your man.”

“Fumu, that’s a really good suggestion… Last question. What are you planning to do to this town?” Arca asked.

Ophir proudly shouldered her Holy Axe and said, “Seriously, ain’t it obvious? I’m gonna… crush this town to the ground!”

◇ ◇

After a brief run of rampaging, Ophir and her gang of bandits left the town.

According to the story from the innkeeper I heard later on, they seemed to be making use of the ruins in the desert as their hideout.

Of course, I’d tried to stop the bandits as well, but at Arca’s suggestion, I’d decided not to interfere and just observe the situation.

As a result, I’d found something odd.

Ophir and her gang didn’t attack people indiscriminately.

They didn’t attack the weak such as children and the elderly; they had only gone for the merchants.

I wasn’t sure what was the deal with that, but the whole time, Arca’d seemed to be preoccupied in what Ophir had said: “Everything isn’t as it seems on the surface.”

“Please forgive me… if only I hadn’t gotten a heatstroke…”

In any case, back to the present. As we were finishing dinner, Magmell bowed her head.

Seemed like there was a stark contrast in temperature between day and night around here, and now it had become a little cooler.

“No, you don’t have to fret over it. More importantly, has your body gotten better?”

“Yes, I’ve become completely fine thanks to you. I’m sorry for the inconvenience I caused.” Magmell bowed again.

I gave her a relieved smile, before asking Arca who had been silent for some time. “Are you still bothered by Ophir’s words?”

“Well, yeah. She’s certainly just an annoying Ogre at first glance, but I noticed something from observing them.”

“You noticed something?”

“Ahh,” nodding, Arca confidently said, “they covered their faces, but those bandits—are all just kids who aren’t of age.”