Vol 1 Chapter 29 – It Stinks, It Really Stinks

The assassins were blown away.

They tumbled out of the inn, rolling across the ground before springing back to their feet.

Spica’s blow should have been lethal, yet—testament to their skill—none of them died.

Even so, they hadn’t escaped unscathed; several were plainly injured.

But that was fine. It wouldn’t stop the mission.

If anyone could no longer move, he’d sacrifice himself, create an opening in Spica’s guard, and let his comrades kill both him and her.

“Pretty slick… Looks like a real professional hit squad. Ugh, how annoying.”

Spica crashed down in front of the assassins with a resounding “Zudon!”.

Her gigantic maul looked capable of reducing a human to powder in an instant.

That she could even swing such a thing made the assassins’ eyes widen.

“……!”

A sharp sword flash from behind.

The assassins sprang back just in time.

Standing there, swaying like a ghost, was Ruru.

“Let me tell you what I hate most: anyone who interrupts my sleep, nya.”

“Why do you look so serious while saying something so dumb?”

Ruru brandished the Holy Sword with an angry “Bun-bun”, her fury plain to see.

Sleep was her greatest joy; anyone who interfered deserved no mercy.

She’d rip them to shreds.

“So why are real pros coming after our lives, anyway? Did we do something?”

“Who knows? As far as I’m concerned, there’s almost no reason to target me. How about you, Ruru?”

“I’m the Hero, so sure, I’ve made enemies… but it’s mostly demons who hate me, nya.”

These assassins were highly skilled.

Hiring such an elite guild required serious power and money.

Asked whether either of them had angered someone like that, they could think of a few possibilities—but nothing that truly fit.

“Even if I ask your goal or your client’s name, you won’t tell us, will you?”

“……” Instead of answering Spica, they drew their blades and charged.

“Aaah, how tiresome, nya!”

◆

The fight between Ruru, Spica, and the assassins had become a perfect stalemate.

A sword-wielding Hero and a knight of monstrous strength—
Even against women who ranked among the world’s very best, not one assassin had fallen back or fled. Their ability was astounding.
There were reasons.
It was after midnight, and neither Ruru nor Spica had much experience fighting at this hour; their eyes hadn’t adjusted.
They had also just woken up, which only made it worse.
Assassins, on the other hand, thrived in the dark; this was their home turf.
They also outnumbered the pair and moved with flawless coordination.
As one team they hunted their target: someone pinned the foe down, another pressed in for close combat, while others hurled weapons from afar.
Their seamless cooperation left no openings.
Spica, a trained knight, knew some team tactics, but this was her first time fighting beside Ruru—
And Ruru acted on whims, so coordination was hopeless. Both of them struggled.

“Tch, what a pain, nya.”

Ruru couldn’t help letting it slip.

Normally she wasn’t bloodthirsty, but these people had interrupted her precious sleep, which made them unbearably irritating.

In other words, she was dying to kill them.

“Then how about we strike a deal, mighty Hero and noble knight?”

The assassins’ assault halted at once.

A single man stepped forward, clearly their leader.

“And you are?”

“I am Rudo, master of the assassination guild Vortex—well, of one branch, anyway.”

The man—Rudo—bowed theatrically.

Ruru frowned at how freely he revealed that information.

“Wow, you gave that up quick. Did you tell us because you don’t plan to let us live?”

“No, the opposite. Think of it as good faith to open negotiations.”

“Opposite?”

The word deal made Ruru’s face cloud.

You tried to kill us and now you want to talk, you bald creep?—she nearly said.

“That’s our proposal. We withdraw without killing you, and in return you don’t stick your noses into what’s about to happen.”

“And what’s that supposed to be?”

“Kidnapping. A human girl named Hannah.”

Rudo hid nothing; there was no point anymore.

He was showing sincerity to make them back off.

“We judged you two would get in the way, so we tried to eliminate you. Ideally we’d have waited for you to leave first, but… our client is impatient.”

The Hero and the knight wouldn’t stay here forever, whereas Hannah lived in the village.

If they’d attacked after those two left, the abduction would have been easy.

But their client, Taris, couldn’t wait.

Ever since the Demon Lord’s Heavenly King Ludrick had failed, Hannah had dangled before him like a carrot—so close yet unreachable.

Now the carrot swung right before his eyes; patience was impossible.

“Keeping this up helps no one. Neither side can land a finishing blow. A fight that never ends is meaningless.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“Hey, Knight, why are you so ready to cut a deal?”

Ruru leveled a frosty glare at Spica.

Yes, they were stuck in a deadly stalemate.

But letting Hannah be kidnapped? Not a chance.

“Remember, I’m a Hero too. If someone declares they’ll harm an innocent, I can’t just shrug it off, nya.”

“…I see. Pity.”

Rudo truly did look regretful—then shook it off at once.

Either outcome had been fine.

Since killing them wasn’t possible, he would pin them down instead.

They still had numbers on their side.

“You lot, keep them busy. I’ll grab the girl.”

“Not happening!”

With beast-folk speed, Ruru closed the gap in a heartbeat.

Even the assassins—even Rudo—couldn’t react.

Her Holy Sword sliced through his body—
—or should have. It passed right through.

“What!?”

Impossible. Ruru’s eyes went round.

Rudo, who should have been impaled, simply smiled.

Infuriating. She wanted to smash his face in.

“I’ll be going now. Ta-ta.”

You can’t stop an enemy your attacks can’t touch.

Hero and knight both watched as Hannah was about to be taken—

“――――――It stinks. Stinks, I say. For trash to reek like this in the middle of the night…”

A horrible voice cut through the quiet night.

It came from behind one of Rudo’s men.

No one had sensed the approach.

They turned in panic—too late.

“Funn!!”

Alvarado swung the Holy Sword—still crusted with rubble—straight down.

“Gucha!”

The details must be spared; suffice to say, it was a “Gucha”.

“Uwaaah…”

“…Who the hell are you?”

Ruru recoiled.

He… really did that.

What kind of Hero bludgeons an assassin to death?

Rudo barked the question, wary; Alvarado answered proudly:

“I am the embodiment of absolute justice.”

“No, you’re not,” muttered the Holy Sword’s spirit, half-asleep after being rudely awakened.