True Strength of a Child

Part 1:

「Trina's pretty late.」

「Yeah!, and she told us that we'll play today」

Where is that idiot!?

Even though she promised to play with us..

It's getting darker and..

「Guuuuuys!」

「Trina!」

Ugh she's finally here!

How long are you planning to make me wait!?

「You're late!」

「Sorry but please help me!」

「What?」

「You're this late and you're already asking us a favor?」

Though then again she doesn't ask us much.

「Please! just for this time!」

「I-If you ask us that much ..」

I offered her some juice and she drank it up quickly.

.. now that I got a good look at her she seems different.

「So?, what's the problem?」

「Thank you!」

We listened to Trina's story and we were shocked.

.. though many thought she was lying.

「Are you sure this happened?」

I asked in a low voice.

「Yes Sarah, please believe me!」

Her eyes are serious.

I also know that she hasn't lied.

「So we just need to tell the adults that there's danger?」

「W-What happened to the new kid?」

「Leon's still in the forest.」

「.. waiting for us!」

「Okay then let's do this!」

The stupid boys at the back shouted.

.. they are stupid.

「Thank you everyone.」

「Why are you crying?」

「B-but you all believed me!」

「I-I thought you wouldn't」

「S-so thank you.」

「We're not actually believing you-」

「We're believing in Leon!」

「Hmph!」

「Thank you.」

「Still don't you have to go somewhere first?」

「Mrs. Martha was worried sick and went to our homes.」

「Mom!」

「Yeah, yeah.」

「We'll handle this so you can just go home.」

「Thank you everyone.」

「I love you guys!」

Trina was shining..

「Why are you blushing?」

「B-but you're blushing too!」

.. boys are stupid.

Part 2:

Ah, I'm so worried.

Where could they have gone to?

Normally Trina will stay over at Sarah's house.

But she was there when I asked...

Please be safe Trina-

「Mom!, I'm home!」

「Trinita!」

「Thank goodness you're safe!」

「Your father and I was worried sick.」

「I'm sorry Mom.」

「As long as you're okay.」

「Where's dad?」

「He went to the 'West Forest' earlier to-」

「Oh, no!」

「What's the problem dear?」

「There are bad people in the 'West Forest'!」

「That can't be possibly be -...」

I knew it..

The 'Wall' ..

It had been passed through.

「Wait!, are you telling me the truth!?」

Trina frantically nods.

「We need to inform the others about this!」

「Don't worry about that Mom, I got Sarah and the others to help.」

They're not going to believe the children.

I must explain to them that the 'Wall' has been passed.

「But what happened to that 'child'?」

「Leon is sick.」

「I left him in the west forest.」

I hope that he's still fine.

「Mom, I need you to listen to me.」

「You may tell me not to go anymore, but I'll still go.」

「Please let me be selfish just for this time.」

「I'm not going to stop you dear.」

「Really, mom?」

「Yeah, but please promise me that you will go home with all your friends.」

「And use this.」

...

「This is!?」

「Is it really okay to use this?」

「You're not the one using it.」

「That 'child' is the one capable of using it.」

「I understand.」

「Be careful Trinita!」

「Yes mom!」

Please protect your granddaughter ..

.. father.

Part 3:

「Why won't anybody believe us?」

「Not that I trust what she told us.」

「What? Why are you saying that?」

「Remember when she made us look for the 'Dragon Blood'?」

「..Yes?」

「My dad told me that it was all just a fairy tale」

「.. and if it was true then they would have already found it.」

「B-but still we promised Trina that we will warn everyone!」

「We have already warned them ..」

「They just didn't believe us.」

「Well, well.. what are a bunch of brats doing here?」

「The bandits!」

「Ohoho, so you have already heard of us?」

「That makes things so much easier.」

「Everyone run!」

Oh?

I should kill one just to make an example.

「Jun!」

「So if you don't want to end up like your friend here.」

「Stop running.」

Well, it doesn't really bother me if they ran.

「Chasing them down is better.」

「Stop it with your weird tastes.」

「So, we'll just gather these brats and go back to base?」

「Is this everybody?」

「Bleeeh!」

「You can't insult anyone while crying you know.」

「Jun..」

「Is that the name of your friend?」

「We're not going to hurt you if you just answer our questions.」

「So, these are all your friends already?」

「Y-yes.」

「Here is your reward for answering!」

As I stabbed the brat for lying.

「S-Sarah!」

「Heh, we can do this all day if you want.」

But for a big town they only have these children? ..

I approached another brat and asked.

「Are these all your friends already!?」

Part 4:

「Haah- Haah」

I rushed to the town after Trina left.

「The town's too quiet..」

After I said that I immediately hear people shouting.

「All the children went missing!」

「Hey do you think what they were saying was true」

「About the bandits?」

「There's no way for the bandits to go inside the 'Wall'」

「B-but you heard the rumors of a new kid that they found?」

「You mean the someone from outside?」

「That's right.」

「Martha?」

「You were housing the outsider brat!」

「Isn't it your fault that our Chamy is missing!?」

「「Yeah, yeah!」」

「You can blame me all you want but doing so will not help find them.」

「We need to search for the children!」

I shouted loudly for the first time.

No .. I pleaded for them to believe.

「T-That's right we search for them!」

「And prepare weapons!」

「Because if what they were saying was true.」

「There might be bandits.」

Part 5:

「Leon, you're awake!」

「Ughh..」

I feel violated..

.. I tried to stand up but my legs gave up and I immediately fell down.

I feel that this is happening to me more recently.

「Mornin' Trina.」

「It's not morning at all!」

「Oh, really?」

「Anyway hurry up!」

「The bandits kidnapped Sarah and the others!」

I immediately recall the events that happened.

「Huh!?」

「I saw them on my way here.」

「They were surrounded by those bandits!」

「I ran as fast as I could when I saw them.」

Argh!

Why do I keep involving everyone!

In my anger, I punched a nearby tree.

.. then, a stick with a rusty point falls down ....

「What kind of person keeps a spear on top of a tree!?!」

「Calm down Leon.」

「Calm down?, I am calm.」

「Except for the reason that they've captured everyone, I'm perfectly calm.」

「Do you know where they are right now?」

「No- but I think they're going back to their hideout.」

「Let's go then.」

「N-No!」

「Why not?」

「You know how strong they were.」

「We need some kind of plan if we want to defeat them.」

「Especially that Registo person.」

「Yeah, but I don't see any plan we can use except for going up to them face to face.」

W-why are you making that face?

「Calm down Trina.」

「Calm down?, I am calm.」

「Except for the reason that they've captured everyone, I'm perfectly calm.」

「「...」」

「I was going to say something.」

「But never mind!」

「I know but I only have my body.」

「But what can children do against them?」

「You underestimate the power of what imagination can do!」

「So, what do you suppose we do?」

「Let's think first.」

「I'm not good with this .. 'Thinking'」

「I knew you'd say that so leave it to me!」

「First, They have our friends so we can't do anything like throwing a big rock then make it explode.」

「We could have done that before if a certain someone wasn't so rash in charging them right in the front.」

「S-sorry.」

「What's done is done.」

「.. Next the area is spacey so we can't sneak in from the back to save everyone.」

「Tell me something I don't know.」

「What!?, you knew that already?」

「Well, sorry for being so stupid.」

「Jokes aside.」

「You were joking!?」

「We could use a teleportation spell to get in and out.」

「But we don't know where the guys are..」

「Wait.」

「You could perform a large scale teleportation spell?」

「Yes.」

W-w-w-what!?

Are you on the level of some great archmage or something?

Don't mind the legendary 'Dragon's Blood' you're already on the level of legendary yourself!

「Then why don't we teleport each and everyone in the tents to different locations?」

「We can do that.」

「But there's a problem.」

「The teleportation spell takes a really long time to cast」

「If we want to move all the people it may as well take me as long as to cook three meals by myself.」

Considering how long Trina cooks.

It really does take a lot of time.

Wait? since when did I know how long Trina cooks a meal.

「So what do we do?」

「Are you prepared to be with me until the very end?」

「Ofcourse!」

「I promised mom that we'll go back together in one piece.」

「Come with me.」

As Trina held my hand I notice that she was shaking.

I want to protect her..

No, I need to!

Part 6:

「We're here.」

Trina said in a cutesy voice.

「HUH!?!?!」

「Hey, Trina.」

「Yes, Leon?」

「Can you please explain to me what we're doing here?」

「Just protect me Leon.」

「Okay?」

Hnnggghhh if you just weren't this cute ...

「It's not like I have any choice do I?」

「Thank you Leon.」

...

「Hey boss.」

Punches grunt

「What?」

「Can't you see I'm busy?」

「B-but boss.」

「Shut up and leave!」

「Hehehehe」

「You're pretty good kid.」

「Ahh, yeah.」

「That's the spot.」

「Why don't you go faster.」

「Ahh!-」

*rustle rustle

I sneak in the tent and immediately hid behind some barrels.

Looks like Chamy is massaging the big old idiot.

「Sarah!.」

Someone was trying to get my attention from the nearby cages.

「Shh!.. Don't yell my name idiot.」

Aren't boys so stupid?

So their cages are separated and some are only bound by rope.

「B-but aren't you supposed to be dead?」

「Don't go off and kill people idiot!」

「That guy who tried to kill me, did this on purpose.」

「What?, you mean?」

This guy is not really a fighter, but someone who knows how to cast illusions.

「Yeah.」

Even if he's a criminal and a poor excuse of an adult.

He still won't kill a kid.

「I-I'm sorry kids.」

「If only I had ran faster.」

「I could have informed everyone and none of this would ever have happened.」

「You worry too much librarian.」

「Just continue what you're doing and we'll definitely escape this place.」

I said in a low voice.

「Got it!」

「Huh?, Why did you get even better at this all of a sudden kid?」

「No particular reason sir.」

「You're a good kid.」

「You even know your manners.」

「Please, stop flattering me sir.」

「Hahahaha!, I like kids like you!」

「Please, stop.」

「Want to be my daughter?」

「But sir, I'm a guy.」

「Oh I see..」

「Hah, is there ever a god in this world?」

「Surely you would agree, of what irony would have brought such beauty into this world that has been given to a hands of a man.」

「We agree with you sir!」

Even to this level!?

Boys are idiots.

Part 7:

「Okay..」

We're in the middle of the enemy camp and I'm protecting Trina ..

I'm surrounded with no way out.

「Hey, Trina?」

「How long 'till you cast your spell?」

「He has a mage!」

「Find the mage first!」

Oh crap, they heard me!

All of a sudden a hole appeared on the ground and the bandits including me, fell..

「I don't suppose you can give me a handicap.」

「Heck no!」

「Even if you are the Don's kid we're not letting you go so easily.」

「Leon, catch!」

Trina throws something at me.

「Hm?, a fishing pole?」

This looks like a weird pole with a ball attached at the end.

Wait this is the thing I saw in the dining room yesterday!

「No, silly!」

「That's my granpa's secret weapon!」

「Use it to your liking and defeat all of those bandits」

「I'll go back to get you later!」

「Okay?」

Trina is posing and holding two fingers up to represent victory?

.. weird but cute.

「「...」」

The guys are stunned due to our exchange.

「I don't suppose you can give me a handicap.」

Haah- I don't even know how to use this but let's try.

I swiped the pole to the approaching bandit and the ball at the end flew?

「Eh?」

After hitting someone behind him, the ball returns?

「You brat!

Another one approached swinging a club.

I jumped to avoid it and did an overhead strike.

As I did so, the ball flew and striked him.

I-I see how this works now!

「That was easy!」

I said after defeating all the minions.

「But」

「How do I get out of here!?」

...

「Haah, haa」

I should've given Leon the Yoyo stick before I casted the spell.

B-but it's faster to cast the spell using it.

「Now.」

I need to check which tent has everyone..

「E-eh?」

Wasn't that Sarah?

「Sarah!

She's holding a finger on her mouth..

Oh! I have to be quiet..

I see Sarah point at the tent on the left side.

I point back to where I left Leon.

「I hope he's doing fine」

I sneak to the the tent and saw everyone.

It looks like their mouths are bound by a cloth ..

「Teleporting everyone here.」

As I was preparing to cast the spell.

「Well, well.」

「If it isn't the young lady that was accompanying Leon.」

A big fat man appeared behind me.. it was Registo.

「How?」

「Hahaha」

「Such spells remind me of my Daughter.」

「You are definitely suited to be her vessel.」

I jumped back cancelling the spell.

「Never!」

「If you agree, I promise to let go of all of your friends that are still alive.」

「Still alive!?」

「Well, we've killed nearly half.」

「Better to have something than nothing right?」

「Y-you murderer!」

「No, no young lady.」

「I prefer it if you called me a man with a mission.」

「Staring at me like that won't bring back your dead friends you know.」

「If you don't want to get hurt, become my daughter!」

He's approaching me slowly and I feel his killing intent seep through my core.

「N-never!, Leon promised that he would protect me!」

I shouted as a last ditch effort.

「Hahahaha!」

「That weak boy?」

「It will be a miracle if he's still alive after taking a poison which can kill in a few hours.」

Eh?

So that wasn't a fever but he was poisoned?

「I guess you want to be hurt then?」

「I don't have a hobby of hitting weak little girls.」

「But this will be the only exception!」

I was kicked and thrown away.

Only stopped by a soft cloth behind me.

「Hah, Haaah」

「Don't make it hard for your self, little girl.」

「A small kick like that.」

「Huh?」

「What did you say!?」

「A small kick like that」

「Is nothing compared to what he's gone through!」

「Haaaaa!」

It may not be enough, but I need to get out of here!

「Explode!」

Smoke rises due to the short range spell I casted.

「Haah- haah-」

I'm feeling mana exhaustion..

.. any more of this and-

「E-eh?」

Not even a single scratch!?

「Fire wall!」

Ah..

Nothing came out..

It seems lik-

*Thud

「Feisty little lady.」

「.. Really, like my little Ami.」

Part 8:

「Trinita..」

「.. Please be safe.」

I need to find -

「Wait a second there young miss.」

I heard a snarky voice behind me.

「You flatter me.」

「.. but I'm already married!」

I jumped to the side to dodge his charge.

「I guess you can't really judge a book by it's cover huh.」

「I think so too.」

「Now if you will excuse me.」

I need to hur-

「Wait just a damn second!」

「My!」

「You should learn your manners young man.」

「You have a nice body for a married woman.」

「I think I'll be taking it!」

I tried to jump away again and-

*Bonk!

「Dear!」

「What are you trying to do!?」

「Taking another man's wife is not MANLY!」

「Not bad old bastard!」

「But let's see if you can get past us!」

「Us?」

「Hey Ron what's taking you so long!?」

「Guys, look at what I found!」

「Woah, Just my type!」

「I found her first!」

「You just keep yapperin' about somebody else's wife!」

「Now feel the wrath of her husband!」

I can't help but feel embarassed even in this situation.

Part 9:

I'm running to the direction Trina pointed earlier.

「Woah!」

I almost fell in this hole!

I survey the hole and there are alot of fainted people here.

「Leon!」

「Who?」

「Looks like you are safe!」

「Where is Trina and the others?」

Worrying about others when you are in quite a situation?

「I'll get you up first」

I look around and luckily I stumbled upon a tent that contains some of the bandit's supplies.

.. There are weird marks around the place.

「Climb here!」

「Thanks!」

「So- where is everyone?」

「Trina is in the tent where everyone was captured!」

*Boom!

We hurried to the tent.

「Hurry up Leon!」

I'm worried about what that stupid Trina will do.

「T-tha-!」

「That sounded like Trina's magic!」

「Magic?」

Whose magic?

「Yeah.」

「Let's go!」

I pointed to the specific tent.

「Over there!」

「Didn't you know that Trina can cast spells?」

「H-Huh?」

Spells?

But thats-

「You don't look so good.」

「N-No!」

「I-i-i-i'm okay.」

My mom told me that people who use magic are dangerous.

「You should go back to town and let someone look at you.」

「I said I'm OKAY!」

B-but Trina is my friend!

That girl is not dangerous!

「Huh?」

「Ah.」

「Umm.」

I will trust Trina and Leon.

I know that we will be able to bring everyone back!

「I'm sorry.」

「I didn't mean to shout.」

E-eh?

He's smiling?

As I thought boys really ar-

「Do you know how to fight?」

「I practiced a little-」

「Here use this spear.」

「Don't engage, just poke from afar」

「Alright?」

「B-but what are you going to use?」

「I'll be fine using this.」

Looks like a weird stick from Trina's house.

「Are you sure?」

「Don't worry-」

「I can handle them no sweat!」

「I-if you say so.」

「Let's go!」

As we entered the tent.

We were suprised to see that -

「Where is everyone?」

「They were here a moment ago!」

「Calm down」

「They couldn't have gone far」

It shouldn't had been that long since I passed Trina.

But looking around, it doesn't look like the small cages earlier were moved.

「Do you know anything?」

I got taken aback when Leon suddenly closed in on me.

「Umm」 ..

「There was these markings.」

I want to push him away but his serious face is staring intently at me..

「Markings?」

「Y-yeah, when I was looking for some rope to get you out.」

「Though I'm not sure what it's for.」

「Where was it?」

Stop shaking me!

「Huh?」

「B-but.」

「It's okay.」

「I believe in you so..」

「E-eh?」

W-why are you telling me that!

You idiot!..

「It was there.」

「Wait!」

Leon rushed to the supply tent and stood on top of the marking I saw earlier.

I chased him and then-

「Sorry!」

I closed my eyes due to the sudden light.

And when I opened my eyes-

「Leon's gone?」

That idiot!

Trina and Leon!

「Why did you have to leave me..」

No, there were other markings here.

I'll help as well!

「Here it is!」

「Don't come crying to me when you need my help!」

A bright light suddenly appeared and I closed my eyes.

「.. idiots!」