After leaving the Momentum territory, I headed toward the next town along the highway—this time on foot.
The reason was to complete the Adventurer's Guild's standing requests for monster subjugation.
I was still Iron rank, so if I didn't periodically take on requests, they'd revoke my card.
Along this highway, the targets would be Murder Rabbits, Killer Wolves, Poison Slimes, and the like.
Naturally, they were no match for me, so I just casually took out whatever I happened to come across and stashed the drops in my magic bag.
Once night fell, I set up camp.
Along the highway, there were occasionally slightly open areas with spots designated for camping.
Naturally, I had to supply my own provisions, but I'd already bought camping-grade magical tools back in the town of Momentum.
I'd purchased a tent and bedding, but I didn't have a bed.
I didn't want to sleep on the ground, so there was only one option—learn earth magic. [Reverse]!
I reversed my aptitude for earth magic!
And what I learned was [Rock-Iron Magic].
You solidify earth, and it becomes stone or iron... is that how it works?
So, in a corner of the clearing, I activated [Rock-Iron Magic] and constructed a makeshift cabin with brick-like walls.
I was about to eat a warm meal I'd pulled from my magic bag and go to sleep when [Presence Detection] picked up something.
It seemed like two groups were clashing with each other.
And gradually, one side's numbers were dwindling.
If this was monsters versus humans, and the humans were the ones being wiped out... the thought of stumbling across their corpses when I set out tomorrow made it hard for me to just ignore.
That sort of instinct—I suppose it was a leftover from my previous life.
In another world, you'd just leave them be—or more likely, you'd be thinking "Let's wait for them to die and then loot the corpses."
When I used shukuchi to reach the scene, I found an overturned carriage surrounded by several knight-like corpses and five hulking orcs.
The last remaining knight was protecting a girl.
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"What am I going to do, Natalia... Am I going to die here...?"
"Your Highness, you must not give up! I, Natalia, swear to protect you to the very end!"
That said, the female knights—the Princess Guards—who had been protecting the princess had already been beaten to death by the orcs, with Natalia the only one left.
And for good reason. Their opponents weren't just ordinary orcs, but Royal Orcs, the highest tier of the orc species.
They fought back valiantly, but the Royal Orcs possessed what seemed like inexhaustible stamina.
Even the Princess Guards, who could brush off ordinary monsters without breaking a sweat, couldn't hold their own. One by one, they were losing their strength.
The Royal Orcs closed in, breathing heavily.
Judging by the twisted expressions on their ugly faces, they seemed intent on toying with their final prey for sport.
The Royal Orc at the front raised its club and swung it down.
"Gh—parry!"
Natalia used a sword deflection technique to try to absorb the club's momentum, but she was already completely exhausted—she couldn't block it in time, and the sword flew from her hands.
The Royal Orc grinned.
"Fire Bullet!"
A flame projectile, fired with the last dregs of her mana, struck the Royal Orc square in the face.
"Bwoooooah!"
Reacting to the searing pain, the Royal Orc wildly swung the club, and it came crashing toward Natalia.
With a hideous crunching sound, the silver-white armor caved in, sending Natalia and the princess flying backward together.
For a brief moment, Natalia lost consciousness. When the pain dragged her eyes open once more, she could see the Royal Orc—its face scorched from before—stumbling toward her in a rage.
"Ngh…"
I have to protect the princess, even if it's only her.
But even that was no longer possible.
Her insides must have been in shatters—she could barely breathe.
After it kills me, it will probably beat the princess to death too.
The princess, who had been given an unreadable, useless skill by the gods and treated unjustly despite being royalty—what a wretched end.
Just as the Royal Orc's club was about to come crashing down upon her skull, a gust of wind swept through.
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Skills: [Reverse] [Divine Eye] [Sword God] [Phantom Thief Gentleman] [Dark Magic] [Rock-Iron Magic]
Rank: Iron
Thank you always for reading!