「Your Excellency. I’m terribly sorry. As you can see, apprehending the Special Envoy would be impossible now.」
「No…… Don’t be, it was inevitable. You did great.」
The moment the Prime Minister said so, some segments of the floor and the ceilings of the cabin were destroyed.
「Mu……!? What is it now!?」
From up and down, what seemed to be thick, black insect legs were growing out, crawling in.Lumps of what looked like hard gems were buried all along the appendages.
Then, as the creatures’ body parts appeared, they revealed to be giant spiders.
They were Spider Magic Stone Beasts with exoskeleton harder than metal armor.
「Those are——Magic Stone Beasts!!」
「Even though there wasn’t any Prism Flow! We’re in the sky, even!」
「This must be the Ironblood Chain Brigade’s handiwork…. right!?」
「Yeah. The brigade has Prism Powder in their possession——they should be able to create Magic Stone Beasts.」Their involvement was already guessed and rumored at a lot, and it seemed like they had the intention to do just that.
「The spiders, they just keep coming out!」
Rafinha shot an arrow of light from her bow Artifact.
The arrow pierced through one of the Magic Stone Beasts with a disgusting fleshy sound, its body stopped moving afterwards.
「Just take them down!」
Leone’s black sword Artifact stretched out long enough to cover and smash a handful of those spiders in a single swing.
Their strength is real, Magic Stone Beasts of this level won’t outdo them. I’ll leave this to them. Besides, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to show off Leone’s participation to Prime Minister Althea. Thought Inglis, as she approached the Prime Minister, asked him a question.
「Your Excellency. What should we do? Should we abandon the negotiation and escape?」
「…… It would be ideal if I got a deal out from a Highlander representative first, but——it seems like we have to clean up the mess.」
「So, shall we go around and subjugate the Magic Stone Beasts abroad?」
「That would be great.」
「Understood. However, if it is possible, I require your Excellency to step out of the ship for a little while.」
「…… Of course. I’m sure you and your group can fight easier that way.」
「If so, let us retreat to the Flygear Carrier beforehand.」
「Good idea! Make haste, Glis!」
「We’ll defeat the ones in here!」
Just then, Rafinha and Leone combined strengths to finish cleaning the first wave of the beasts.
「Yeah. Then, Mister Faris——」
Inglis called out to Faris.
「Hm? What is it?」
「…… Don’t you think it’s already well arranged? I believe now is the time for it.」
「——! Fufu. I see what you did there…… As expected of you. You’re right, it’s about time.」
「Eh? What do you mean, Glis?」
「What are you two talking about?」
Rafinha and Leone looked very puzzled.
「Well, in short——」
Before Inglis could say anything, a Highlander official stormed into the cabin with his face twisted.
「Lord Myynti! Emergency! Magic Stone Beasts are pouring out from Lambert Firm’s cargo! UGaaahhh!?!?」
He screamed as the sharp legs of the Magic Stone Beasts pierced him from behind.
Following him, another batch of Magic Stone Beasts showed up.
「No way——So, Mister Faris did all this……!?」
「You’re the Ironblood Chain Brigade’s agent……!」
「One is right, one is wrong. Indeed, I brought the Magic Stone Beasts here, but I am not affiliated with that brigade at all. See——」
With that statement, Faris ripped off the bandana on his head with one hand.
On the exposed forehead——was a Highlander stigma, proof of his identity.
「H-, Highlander!?!? Then that means there’s no way you’re from the Ironblood Chain Brigade. The brigade is an organization that actively hunts Highlanders after all……!」
「B-, but why did a Highlander do such a thing to another Highlander……!?」
「The Highland isn’t united either, remember?」
Faris himself said it before.
「Just out of curiosity…… When did you notice?」
「From the first time we met. I believe I invited you to join in the fight that night?」
At that very moment, another Magic Stone Beast leapt at Inglis, sticking out its blade-like legs.
Inglis grabbed them without even batting an eye.
She pulled the legs in a single swing and threw the beast at Faris.
She did it offhandedly, but the speed was abnormally fast.
And yet, Faris didn’t twitch. He punched the beast off the air, making it bounce back to Inglis.
——And his power was not ordinary.
「But since you pretended to be powerless, I guessed that there must be something going on. I couldn’t have imagined that your true identity was that of a Highlander.」
As she spoke so, Inglis also kicked back the body of the Magic Stone Beast that flew at her.
「I’ll be damned. You’ve seen through me since the beginning. Aren’t you quite the ill-natured girl, acting stupid and letting me swim along.」
Faris once again bounced back toward the Magic Stone Beast.
Inglis hit it back to him again. And so did he.
They continued conversing while exchanging the body of the beast, casually.1
「…… I will always accept anyone’s challenge. However, I have no intention to force anyone to fight me. I’m just waiting until your preparation is ready.」
Winning when my opponent isn’t at their best is just a colossal waste of potential, and it’s not fun at all.
Playing by my opponent’s rules, doing what they want me to do, giving them what they want, then take the win afterwards.
That is how you can expect to get the most growth out of it.
You have to make the most of the opportunity you have.2
「I see now. I’m still a Highlander Knight, one of the few people specialized in battle. You’ve saved me the trouble of killing Myynti, so for that favor, I won’t disappoint you.」
The speed of the beast exchanging between them gradually increased.
It was like a competition of stubbornness.
「Thank you very much. I look forward to it.」
Using the momentum of Inglis’ last return, Faris’ shot was just slightly missing its target.
The Magic Stone Beast broke through the wall and vanished into the sky.
「Kgh……! I missed.」
「I can’t measure your strength if that’s all you’ve got. Please, by all means, come at me.」
Rallied Inglis with a smile.
