Grandeur Fantasia

Chapter 46.2 ~ Conspiracy

AN: Hey guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry for being a little late. Without further ado, here goes the chapter~

"W-Who are you?"

She heard the "bandit" leader's shaking voice and tried to open her eyes.

What she saw in front of her was darkness. Perhaps because she hunched back due to her exhaustion and she was too close to it that she could only perceive darkness. As she stepped back, the figure of a young man in black overcoat filled her sight.

"I am an adventurer."

His gentle voice penetrated through her body. She didn't know if it was a sense of reassurance or relief. And although she was still confused, she allowed the warmness of his voice envelop her body. Unknowingly, her body was on the ground but her head landed on something soft.

As she shifted her sight from the young man up, she saw the face of her mistress.

"You've done a good job holding out this far, Iris. Thank you."

She was surprised to find the princess who was supposed to be hidden in the carriage besider her. Her head was on her mistress's lap and although she wanted to move, she was forced to stay by the princess's hands holding her down.

Her mistress wouldn't be able to overpower her normally, but she couldn't do anything against her right now. It just shows how exhausted she was from the battle.

"Move aside, adventurer. We have no business with you."

The "bandit" leader, although startled, did not show any agitation. If anything, there was relieve in his voice. Iris moved her sight towards the "bandit" leader's hand and saw the sword he wielded was missing more than half of its blade. She realised that the clang she heard earlier was the sound of that sword being cleanly cut.

She couldn't believe it but that was the only explanation. Assuming that the young man was the one who did it, she moved her sight back towards him.

In front of many enemies, the young man didn't even flinched and stayed calm. He stood in front of her, and although he was only slightly taller than her, his figure now was imposing, giving her a sense of security and relief.

On his hand was a crimson sword. It was mesmerizing and the magic power it exudes was unlike anything she had ever seen. It surpassed her "Silveria", and even "Aurum" by far.

"I decline. Judging from the situation, you are planning to forcefully capture that lady am I correct?"

The young man's voice caused Iris to look at his imposing back. She realised that not only his overcoat was black, but also his hair which was not common.

"What of it?"

"Seeing as how the knights were fighting their hardest until their last stand, I assumed that lady was regarded highly by them. As such, I believe that I have the just cause to protect them."

"..."

The "bandit" leader went silent but began talking once more.

"You are correct. We are the ones in the wrong. However, we have our duty to fulfill. There is no other way for us. If you will not move, then we shall remove you by force."

With the "bandit" leader's words as signal, the ten bandits which surrounded Leon, Iris and the princess started attacking Leon.

However, Leon was able to defeat all ten, which gave Iris a hard time, without even breaking a sweat.

Every slash was countered. Any openings made by the bandits became the reason of their defeat. It wasn't even a fight.

The bandits who were fighting the knights got distracted by the absurdity of this scene and showed an opening for the knights to counter attack and managed to defeat them.

"Magicians! Fire your spells!"

The "bandit" leader shouted his orders, but no spells flew towards Leon.

Turning one's sight away from the enemy was the epitome of stupidity in the battle field. However, the "bandit" leader needed to know why no spells were casted despite his order.

What he saw was the figures of all eight magicians laying on the ground.

He turned back towards Leon who was standing still after defeating waves of bandits without even moving from his position in front of Iris and the princess.

Leon could've killed him the second he looked away. But he didn't. And although the "bandit" leader was confused, he didn't questioned it. Or rather, he didn't have time to question it. He was running on borrowed time even now.

The remaining bandits fired off their hidden crossbows. However, that too was repelled. Not by his sword, but by an unknown crimson lightning which surrounded the young man. Drived into the corner, the "bandit" leader clenched his teeth and resolved himself. He threw away his broken sword and took a new sword from his fallen subordinate. With a battle cry, he rushed towards Leon and brandished his sword towards him.

However, before he could even get near him, a lightning bolt struck him out of nowhere. It wasn't powerful enough to kill, but it could surely rob the man off his consciousness easily. The "bandit" leader fell limp to the ground as he looked at the figure of the young man in black and fell unconscious.

No one, except for Leon, heard the "bandit" leader's words of gratitude.