Master’s Smile

C122 – Inside the Light

“R-Ritter….”

With the light still not subsiding, Neena stared dumbfounded at the spot where Ritter had been standing.

Due to the beam that Lintz shot, Ritter’s current figure could not be seen.

Still, she would definitely not be unscathed.

Thinking of Ritter, who was her retainer and friend, Neena felt her heart tightened.

“My~ that was wonderful! I didn’t think it was possible to reduce the magic cannon into such small-scale damage…! As expected of Ritter-san who also possessed a demon~!!”

Wissen was honest in his praise.

If Lintz’s beam attack was received as it was, it would blow up a radius of several hundred meters.

Wissen was amazed by Ritter’s magic, Flood, which could lessen the power that had created a large crater and obliterated a portion of Neena’s estate.

If she had not fought Theldorff and was in perfect condition, Wissen might have lost if he was careless.

“I still need to do more research~! As an alchemist, I couldn’t be this happier!!”

Wissen was excited thinking about the future.

To begin with, the selection for the throne was extremely unimportant to him.

All he wanted was only to rise to the top as an alchemist and explore the unknown.

“Now then~, the prince still has a lot of use for me, so I would like to bring him back…, but, he won’t likely move from this spot unless he can do something about Princess Neena first~”

He glanced up to see Lintz focused his gaze only at Neena, who was still standing there stunned.

Lintz, who was determined to be a king, probably hated her for standing in his way.

In order to deal with Neena, he had even degraded himself to become a demon.

If even she died, it would truly be the end of Evans Kingdom.

“Well, I don’t really care about that, though~”

Wissen couldn’t care less what would happen to Evans Kingdom and its people.

‘Well, Prince Lintz, if it’s Princess Neena you want, then please, have it your way!!”

“Oooohh….”

Even with Wissen’s permission, for some reason, Lintz still wouldn’t make a move.

Technically, he could have attacked her without Wissen’s permission.

However, Lintz was frozen still and showed no sign of trying to do anything to Neena.

“…What’s the matter?”

When Wissen looked up at Lintz, his eyes were instead fixed on the spot where the light had finally begun to subside.

It was the place where Ritter had stood and she should already have been obliterated without a trace.

Wissen also looked at the spot….

“Wha-…!?”

The wind picked up and the light along with the smoke cleared in an instant.

He immediately looked to Neena to see what she had done, but she, too, couldn’t hide her surprise.

And the one who emerged out of the light and smoke….

“Master….”

It was Master, smiling calmly while holding Ritter, who was supposed to be dead, in a princess carry.

◆

“……didn’t work.”

Ritter gazed in an awfully reserved manner as her Flood was beaten.

There was nothing she could do anymore.

She, who still had a slight fever and had not yet fully recovered, could not leave her spot before the beam reached her.

“…I made it less powerful, won’t kill me.”

Due to the annihilation magic, Flood, the light magic cannon released by Lintz weakened its power considerably.

It would not damage Ritter, who was sturdier than a normal human being, enough to lose her life.

Though, she might get a fatal wound.

At worst, even if she were to die, she still has “that hand”.

With such calculations, Ritter was able to relax and look as usual even when a powerful blow was coming towards her.

“*Yawn~*….”

For some reason, being in front of the beam made her feel sleepy.

Since she no longer intended to run away, let alone prevent it, Ritter only shut her eyes to suit her desire.

And just when the beam was about to swallow Ritter….

ーーーーーーAre you okay?

“ーーー!!!”

Ritter’s drowsiness was suddenly blown away, and her eyes snapped open.

There was only one person that would make her act like this at the mere sound of his voice.

He blocked the incoming beam with one arm while giving a gentle smile that would put (some) onlookers at ease.

“…Master.”

Ritter muttered in a daze and he nodded.

Her master should have gone to the city to buy fruits for her selfishness.

“So why…?”, a normal person would think so, but for her, it didn’t matter.

It was enough that her master had rushed over and helped her.

“…Ahh.”

Ritter, who was gazing up at him, didn’t notice at first that the beam blocked by Master was grazing his hair just a little bit.

The beam didn’t annihilate her as he was hindering it, but she could still smell a little burnt scent.

As she frowned at this, Master made his move.

Saying “forgive me for a bit”, he then hugged Ritter.

“~~~~!?!”

For a moment, Ritter looked at him, not understanding what had happened, but when she realized that she was in her master’s arms, her cheeks turned bright red while her eyes and mouth moved rapidly.

She, who normally would maintain a poker face no matter what was happening in front of her, even when confronted with a direct blow from an attack that could endanger her life, reacted in a remarkable way.

“…Yesh.”

Master asked her to bear with it for a little while, and Ritter conveyed her consent even though her train of thought was still in disarray.

While being carried in his arms, Ritter then looked up to see a gentle smile.

She felt that inside his tenderness, there was also a somewhat dangerous gaze mixed in his eyes.

If this was a sign of anger for her sake….,

“……!!!”

Ritter gripped Master’s clothes tightly and buried her face in his chest.

Her slender body also began to quiver.

Ritter’s reaction made her master wonder what was wrong.

“Haaaahhh…”

ーーーーーー!?

Her face, which was then raised, was terribly debauched and lustful, bewitching enough to charm a man.

It was an afterthought, as Master saw Ritter’s eyes moistening and her face slowly coming close at him, he hurriedly tried to blow away the light and smoke around them.

In the light where Neena was despairing and where Wissen was laughing hysterically in triumph, Master and Ritter enjoyed their lovey-dovey, private space.