The peaceful journey was over in no time; the next enemy was waiting.
Could the man standing before us really be the next assassin? But he was different from any Dark Elf we had encountered before. For one thing, he wasn’t carrying any weapons. His clothes were also plain, and he didn’t look like someone who had come for a fight. No, what we should be wary of is that our actions have already been foreseen. To be marked even across worlds, I’ve really become quite famous.
The man asked if we were the hero’s party. But there was no way we could just say “yes” here.
“No, we’re not,” I replied simply and walked past. It’s best not to say anything unnecessary and leave. Everyone followed behind me.
“Oh, my apologies. Arisugawa Hiroaki-dono.”
After we passed each other, I had no choice but to stop. He knew us. It seems he had no intention of letting us go. I turned back and stared at the man’s retreating back.
“You know me.”
“Of course, I do. Arisugawa Hiroaki, a human male. And also the sword user Philiana, the rogue Sharin, and the dagger user Nina.”
He seemed to have us all figured out. I was surprised by how much information had spread, but it must mean they are a powerful organization. The man slowly turned back towards us.
“Forgive my late introduction. My name is Gadou. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
We were silent for a moment. He was clearly different from any enemy we had faced before. They had never introduced themselves before attacking. Perhaps he had come for a different reason?
“Uh, likewise. So, what do you want with us?”
“I have been ordered by my master to delay you here. However, if you’ll excuse me, you are a group of amateurs and girls. I have no taste for laying hands on such individuals. Therefore, I ask that you refrain from any actions that would interfere with us.”
I see, but we couldn’t back down now. My companions didn’t seem inclined to either. Nina glared at the enemy.
“You’ve been thoroughly troubled by these ‘amateurs and girls,’ haven’t you? If you want a fight, I accept. By the way, are you alone? Are you underestimating us quite a bit?”
Everyone nodded at Nina’s words. Her cute girl’s face transformed into that of a warrior.
“…I see. What a shame. I truly didn’t want to do this. I am a servant of my master, and if commanded, I will resort to underhanded tactics. Are you still okay with that?”
“Hah, now? You’ve been doing underhanded things all along, so I’m not surprised anymore.”
As she replied, Gadou left, vanishing into the forest after saying we would meet again at sunset. After the man left, everyone looked puzzled. Philiana put a hand to her chin and tilted her head.
“He was quite different from the Dark Elves we’ve met before. I wonder what his objective is.”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? He came to interfere with us again. But he wasn’t carrying any weapons. Perhaps he’s planning something by sunset?”
That was a possibility. Perhaps a large number of them were already hidden, and he came alone to make us complacent. Until sunset, we decided to set up a makeshift camp nearby to prepare for the next battle and rest.
