Quest for Hikari - Episode 19: Royal Chaser

[ ~ Chapter • START ~ ]

With the Princess and her personal Kunoichi on the hands of the headmaid Maris, who was currently fleeing forward quickly, I kept Sill on my arms as she reflexively held on to my nape with her two hands while I chased after them

I didn't have to look down to her to notice that she was blushing, though focusing on where Maris was going, as I noticed their figures going to the left.

While we followed them, I saw light from a distance away, and they exited from there. When we were near the exit, I stopped and put down Sill.

"Sill, use magic to support me soon, I feel like we're approaching a very serious battle that might cost both of our lives. For now, we have to prepare." I spoke, taking off the backpack I have been keeping for a while.

"Un!" She nodded, before she looked down at herself.

"Master Rance, what about my normal clothing?" She asked, while I searched for a wand inside the backpack.

"Hm? We can take them back later after this. If not, we're buying new clothing for you. Also, here's your wand we use inside our adventure." I replied, before I pulled out a wand that was half the size of my arm and lent it to her.

That wand, is just a wand that assists her in using magic by not just assisting her in control, but also increases her magic's effectiveness, whether Offensive or Support, Intel or Divine Magic.

In fact, she could use rudimentary, basic and intermediate ranked spells with ease, and advanced rank spells with some concentration, but she could barely use Unmatched spells which require intense effort and concentration.

Maybe later, she wouldn't use that wand anymore.

After looking through my backpack once again, I wore it again, before gesturing Sill to follow me outside.

When we came out, there were ruins at noth our front and side.

This might be the old Leazas Castle, or maybe a part of a former Toushin Toshi Island.

"Master, there's footprints down on the ground!" Sill alerted me, as when I looked down, there were trails of footprints going somewhere. Because they were new, I figured they were from Maris and Lia. Kanami probably doesn't have footprints because she was a Ninja or maybe she was still being carried by Maris.

"Lets track 'em down!" I said, immediately jogging forward as Sill followed me.

There was nothing but us and the calm ruins, and a few monsters we avoided since we tracked the footprints.

Until, we came across a bright area. There was dirt and manmade structures turned ruins around us, though the scenery looked like a courtyard that was no longer used.

Hmm...

"Master, look..." Sill pointed at the gate leading out of this courtyard, lowering her tone.

Although the gate looked normal, it suddenly moved, slowly.

"Stone Guardians, huh? It's fists could crush an average person with it's massive fists and could heavily injure people around Levels of 15 and above.... " I said, lowering my tone as Sill did.

The more we looked, the more possible it was not going to it's sleep mode just yet. Although that's bad, I figured there's only one solution.

To describe the Stone Guardian, it is a stationary monster without a lower body, however, what's practically scary about it is that you cannot flee from it if once you are in it's sights unless you die or defeat it. They're also an artificially created race of monsters as what I knew about them, so it's fully possible that somebody did manage to create them.

"It's a good thing I only have one more smoke grenade, seems like a waste of energy for both of us fighting something powerful like a Stone Guardian." I said, taking out the last Smoke Grenade I have in my backpack and making Sill sigh in relief.

She knew of these R Grenades around three months ago, and that I definitely began creating these a day after I bought Sill.

Anyways, we passed through the Stone Guardian without sweat, even though I already began planning on making a powerful guardian that can walk to defend my house alternatively.

Hm, a very good idea, yet I and Sill still have something else to do.

And so, we proceeded through the ruins.

[ ~ Line • Breaker + PoV Switch ~ ]

(Meanwhile....)

"Maris, Kanami, can we take a rest near that rock? I'm tired from all that walking...." Lia irritatedly called to her attendant and ninja as she was becoming tired, her legs were beginning to ache.

Maris looked at the princess who sat down on a rock, and then to the no longer bound Ninja that was behind them.

Once they get back to the castle, they'll have Rance removed, completely. Not a trace, not even in the Free Cities Alliance, even though that might take a very long while.

"Hey, Maris. Bring me something cold, will you? Don't worry, Kanami will guard me as you bring me something, so that would be good enough." Lia asked, as Maris immediately did as told.

Kanami, knowing what to do, proceeded to take out her tanto and guard Lia from Rance, who might arrive any moment soon.

"Kanami.... hey, Kanami...." Lia spoke, looking down below, on the slightly wet underwear her ninja has. And not to forget the fact that she had reddened buttcheeks earlier that were from Rance.

"Yes, your highness?" Kanami looked at the princess, who pointed at her panties with a playful smile.

".... Ehehe~.... That guy, Rance did something to you earlier, didn't he? Ah, that's really bad, Kanami... I might punish you later when we go back to the castle..." Lia spoke, making Kanami feel quite humiliated, and then more horrified.

"...Tch.... Damn him...." She gripped her tanto, glaring at the recently open gate, or more specifically at the approaching figures of Rance and Sill, actually, more like she's glaring towards him than the pink haired girl.

They were already becoming closer each second passing.

"Yo! Short time no see!" Rance said, with a mocking grin, forcing Kanami to grip her tanto even more tightly.

"Uh, hello again!" Sill followed up, waving her hand.

At this moment, Maris had came back with a canteen full of water, as she had a short trip nearby.

"Your highness, here's your water. We'll finish this quickly." Maris spoke, before calmly giving Lia the canteen and walking right towards Kanami's side with spear in hand.

At this point, Rance had already unsheathed both his swords, ready for the upcoming combat.

{ Rance and Sill Plain }

{ Versus! }

{ Maris Amaryllis and Kanami Kentou }

{ Duel 1! Fight! }

{ Cue BGM: Infinite Chaser (Rance 01) }

"[Sudden Rance Twin Attack]!" Rance immediately slams both the Rance Sword MkIV and the Ghost Buster Sword down to the ground, creating a powerful shockwave that blew away Kanami and Maris away, even Lia was almost blown back, however, sensing that she might die if she watches them longer, she immediately ran away to safety.

Back at the battle, Kentou and Maris did an aerial maneuver to land safely on the ground, even though a few cuts appeared on their bodies, that didn't stop them from fighting.

"[Fire Arrow]!" Sill shouted, firing a bolt of flame towards Maris, who destroyed the bolt with ease and threw her spear to Rance with enough force to pierce through several buildings, yet with quick reflexes, Rance crossed his swords to block her spear, pushing him back a feet away before he swatted her sword off him.

Within that instant, Kanami charged in to try stabbing Rance's chest, yet Sill casted a barrier spell that blocked her tanto and giving Rance a chance to straight up headbutt Kanami down to the ground.

Yet that was just her clone as the real Kanami was above him, her leg already beginning to come down to Rance's neck.

The only problem was Sill already cast another spell towards Kanami, blasting her off.

"Hmph.... shes tough." Rance commented at Maris, charging straight towards Kanami before dropkicking her on the face, knocking her unconscious.

After that, he looked at Maris.

"Hmm, you are hiding from us, aren't you? You're beginning to drain a lot of mana, and you're not using any other spells, why?" Rance asked, still in alert as Sill walked to his side, a little tired.

She might need some more cardio soon enough.

"....." Maris was silent, dashing forward to her spear and gripping it tightly.

".... Well, no choice then.... You wanna know what would happen after I defeat you? I'll go to Princess Lia, and punish her hard for hours until I'm no longer pent up! That was the promise I made to Lavender, you know? I'll do the same to you.... and her, too." Rance said, as Sill looked at him questionably, and Maris began to tense up.

"Master-?" Sill wanted to say something, yet Rance bought a finger to her face while the Ghost Buster Sword he formerly held was planted on the ground.

"Shush, I'm monologuing for her to bring up her trump card." He whispered, before sighing.

"I totally mean what I said, you know?" Once he spoke that, even more mana began raging around Maris.

Technically, Rance lied as he spoke to provoke Maris, putting a bitter truth should be enough for his lies too.

"I see.... so you leave me no choice, huh!?" She shouted angrily, as Rance's smirk didn't even budge one bit.

"Fine, I'll use the strongest spell on my arsenal, though it may drain me of my life force, it doesn't matter, I'll do anything for Princess Lia's happiness!!! [Healing Nine]!!!!"

{ BGM End }

A massive, dark aura began to spread from Maris the moment she used [Healing Nine], as her skin began to change from fair to dark, veins appeared on her body, and her clothing burst open from the aura she was releasing.

Rance can tell Sill was becoming scared the moment Healing Nine was casted, as she might have the knowledge to it.

The battle was just truly beginning.

[ ~ Chapter • End ~ ]

Extra Information:

Sill Plain, the Slave of Rance

Age: 16

Gender: Female

Born in: GI1000

Race: Human (Hidden Affix: Protagonist Race)

Class: Mage

Level: 26

Level Cap: 37 (Current, will rise the more both her and Rance proceed further to their adventures.)

Spare EXP: 1,705

Skills: [Magic Level 1], [Divine Magic Level 1]

Extra INFORMATION II:

R Grenades - Rance has several different cylindrical containers that varies in length that are completely filled with magic by Rance. They have various types, such as a grenade used for freezing an area, for blasting an area with poisonous water, for powerful electric blasts (electric), for miniature nuclear blasts (fire), turn things to stone, including smoke grenades and flashbangs.

He has several dozens of those stored in his basement, locked away using several layers of magic.

He also has special R Grenades that can be used for defense.