26. Dad is Peerless?

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26. Dad is Peerless?

As we were preparing to leave Trenadette Village, a knight turned up at the village chief’s house.
This implied that Alfred-tousan would be arriving soon.
And not even 30 minutes after that, Dad arrived.

“――Julia!”

“――Al-kun”

Mum and Dad embraced each other tightly.

It has been a little over a month since the incident at the fortress.
They’re as lovey-dovey as usual.

I’m sure the room next door will be noisy tonight.
I look forward to Steph’s reaction.

“Hey~ Steph. What are Mum and Dad doing?”

I want to ask such a thing.

I didn’t ask though, because she would feel embarrassed every time she returned home (to the village chief’s house).

――Now then, after pleasantly reuniting with Dad, we had an early breakfast at the village chief’s house and then departed from Trenadette Village.

The members of the party of Viscount Chrebl’s happy companions were as follows:

Alfred-tousan.
Julia-kaasan.
Me.
Steph.
And Melby.
Furthermore, there were also a few of Dad’s subordinate knights.

Melby had also been introduced to Dad.

Dad, although unable to see Melby’s concealed figure itself, seemed to know that there was something there.
Whether that was a trait of the Half-elf race or it stemmed from the instincts of an outstanding knight, even the person himself didn’t seem to know for sure.

Mum was able to see Melby even if she concealed herself, as seen during that one incident in Riverette Village.
This was probably an effect of the [Magic Perception] skill, but it also appears to be related to her disposition as well.
According to Melby, who used [Faery’s Eye] to observe Mum, she was “a person as pure as a little girl”.

It seems that Steph’s perception was similar to Dad; she could sense Melby there somehow.
This was because she was close to the upper limit of the usual age one can see faeries at.

By the way, if Melby were to hide seriously, I wouldn’t be able to see her figure at all, nor would I know where she was.

Why is it that only I can’t see her despite being the one whom Melby is following…..
I suppose I can’t see faeries because of my dirty soul that is mentally 30 years old.
Won’t I appear strange to Dad, Mum, and Steph for being unable to see Melby despite being the youngest?

As far as it goes, I should “normally” be able to manage to perceive Melby when she concealed her figure, so during our trip I will practice seeing faeries using [No Fatigue].

……Come to think of it, the aforementioned Black Garbs―― <Yatagarasu>’s assassins possessed a skill called [Farsight].
It would be useful if I mastered it, so let’s aim to practice that too.

In my previous life, my eyesight wasn’t that great because I was always gaming.
Due to that, I feel like being able to see far away is a dream.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Being able to notice the black figures blocking the road was thanks to the [Farsight] I quickly learned.

I was the first to notice, then Melby noticed, and Dad noticed after that.

Melby was a faery so her eyes were good from the start, and apparently Dad has good eyesight as it was a trait of a Half-elf.

Dad sat in the driver’s seat along with Mum, and they were discussing about the Black Garb men who had been abducting the children with serious looks on their faces.

I was about to inform Dad about the figures, but Dad gave a pointed glare at the road in front before I could, then he pulled at the reins and stopped the carriage.
At the same time, he gave an order for the subordinate knights surrounding the carriage to stop.

“Speak of the devil.”

Dad mutters.

The dark figures on the road ahead were pure black, with no exaggeration.
Their bodies were covered in pitch black outfits that reminded me of ninjas, and they stood spread out along the width of the main road, blocking our route.

When they realised that our carriage had stopped, the men approached while swinging the daggers they had drawn and stopped when they were approximately 10 metres away from the carriage.

“――What do you want?” Dad asked as our representative, “We are in a hurry, despite how we may appear. It would help if you obediently make way for us.”

Ignoring Dad’s query, one of the black-clad men blocking the road questions.

“……How much did you learn?”

The one who replied to this was Mum.

“Now then, what might you be referring to? We won’t know if you don’t speak clearly――
Dear assassins from <Yatagarasu>?”

“――!!”

They emit something that could only be called bloodlust.
For a moment, I wondered how Mum could recognise them without [Appraisal] but it wasn’t a very complicated.

Mum also heard the Black Garb men talking at the cave, so it wasn’t strange for her to hit upon the <Yatagarasu> that was rumoured to have ties with <Black Wolf Fang>.

Rather than that, it was a leading question.

As expected from a former A-rank adventurer, she’s reliable at times like these.

“……You’ve gotten so roused up, but I’m sorry,”

Alfred-tousan says,

“Won’t you leave everything to me this time?”

Dad said as the spear in his hand gently knocked against his shoulder, making a tapping noise.

“I didn’t have much of an active role at the fortress, you see.
As a husband and a father, I have to show off some of my strong points.”

As he says that, Dad grins.
Unlike his usual smile which looked like a thin line, this one was a broad smile.

The escorting knights who had their respective swords and spears drawn were also ordered to stand down by Dad as he walked straightforwardly towards the men in black.

“Any support?”

“No need.”

Giving a short reply to Mum’s words, Dad confronts the three men in black.

I think it should be fine because the person himself says so, but let’s use [Appraisal] on the men in black.

《Borio (ボリオ): <Yatagarasu> 7th squadron member. Level: 27.》
《Lukretio (ルクレツィオ): <Yatagarasu> 7th squadron leader. Level: 33.》
《Dawson (ドースン): <Yatagarasu> 7th squadron member. Level: 21.》

Hmm.
They’re a little stronger than our knight escorts.

Dad going forth might also be because he thought that the knight escorts were no match for them.
Of course, the knight escorts being protected by the subject they were escorting was like putting the cart before the horse, so it was likely that used those words in consideration of their feelings.
Dad is such a cool guy.

The skills of the men in black were very much the same as the two we fought before.
The leader (it was something like Lukretio, but I’m not inclined to remember his name at all) seemed a little more able than the Black Garb leader from the other day.

As for Dad, his level was 40 and his skills were also enriched.
All that’s left is to see how Dad will handle this 3 vs 1 battle with a disadvantage in numbers.

However, to have faced us, who annihilated the black-garbed men near Riverette Village, was a little―― no, seems rather out of their depth……?

“――Julia, you understand, right?”

“Of course.”

Dad and Mum whisper in small voices.

This married couple seemed share some kind of understanding, but I couldn’t follow them at all.

Mum, secretly looks back at me and winks, taking care so that the men in black don’t notice.

――So it’s like that.

“Now, let’s test your ability.”

Facing Dad who had readied his spear, the men in black moved.

Despite the lack of signals or anything, the men in black parted to the front, left, and right and throw their blackened daggers at Dad at practically the same time.

――Fast!

The attack at the cave was a surprise attack so we didn’t have a chance to see their abilities, but I didn’t think they would be this skilled.
I might have underestimated them a little by just looking at their levels.

Dad only repelled the front knife with his spear handle and then safely dodged the remaining two.

One of the knives strayed this way so I attempt to catch it with [Physics Magic].

I use [Appraisal] on the knife which had a black lustre.

《〔Stainless Steel〕Knife. Coated with Tajicalis.》

What!?

I just used [Appraisal] on it innocently but what became apparent was a surprising piece of information.

This world has stainless steel!?

I don’t have any grounding in it so I’m not too clear about it but I think stainless steel started being used on Earth after we entered the 20th century.

I can’t say I’m certain about the level of the technology in this world, but judging from the quality of the metal goods I’m familiar with (such as tableware and cookware), it’s hard to say it’s high by any standards.

――That is to say, there might be someone who brought the knowledge of stainless steel to this world.

In my mind, I have a flashback to the scene of “that day”.

The slasher who I accidentally stabbed to death had been carrying several knives.

The knife I snatched that day and the knife thrown by the man in black were obviously different articles, but it might be because the material properties are the same that I feel they are similar……

Now then, Dad’s battle had started while I was preoccupied with the knife.

Dad sidestepped the men in black who came rushing in from three sides with only a single spear, and reduced the distance to the men.

And then, in the blink of an eye, he reversed the situation and put the three men at a disadvantage.

Each time Dad’s spear swings pointedly, red streaks appear on the black-clad men’s arms, legs, bodies, and faces.

Each one was only a shallow wound, but the three men’s movements slowly but surely falter.

――Without letting his opponents get inside the spear’s range, he caused a stalemate, inflicted minute wounds on the opponents and was gradually weakening them.
It might certainly be an ideal fighting method to face multiple opponents with a long weapon.

If I were to face this kind of fighting method, I would probably get irritated somehow and try to forcibly attack.
And then, I would no doubt suffer damage when the opponent, who had been waiting for a chance, took the opportunity to attack.

He looks to be a man of delicate features, but Alfred-tousan’s fighting method is actually both reliable and cunning.

However, Dad’s three opponents showed no signs of impatience.

……I already understood the reason for that.

The black-clad leader clicked his tongue lightly.

That was probably a signal, because the three men in black jumped back a great deal――

“”””――《Fire Ball》!””””

Suddenly, fire magic came flying from within a grove of trees on the left, right, and behind us.

But they had been naïve!

“乙卜(Circle Flame) ―― 《Flame Wall》!”

The wall of flames produced by Julia-kaasan scattered the fireballs that came flying at us.

“――What!?”

The men in black were disturbed.

In that time, I had already finished making a move.

――Thud thud.

From the gaps between the grove of trees on the left, right, and rear, two men in black collapsed on each side.

Embedded in their throats were fragments of a crystal-like object.

Naturally, it was what I had done by combining [Shuriken Techniques] and [Physics Magic].

Some of the guys had been hiding in a blindspot of this area, so I altered the trajectory of the fragments with [Physics Magic].
It was semi-guesswork but everything seemed to hit splendidly, which was the best outcome.

The objects were only crystals so it might be hard see them come flying.

I think the men’s surprise only lasted an instant.

Nevertheless, that instant was more than enough of an opportunity for Dad.

Dad’s hands seemed to blur, and in the next moment, two of the men in black had their windpipe’s slit.

The remaining man had, not his throat, but his shoulder pierced by the spearhead, which sealed his movements.

The one Dad left was, naturally, the leader.

The black-clad leader was, with his shoulder still pierced, glaring at Dad with a fierce look.

Having seen the situation, the subordinate knights approach the black-clad leader at Dad’s signal.

“――Ugh……so this is the end!”

The man in black opened his mouth with a crazed look.

――Not good!

Dad was unable to move due to him piercing the man in black in the shoulder with his spearhead.

I promptly send a pebble that was lying on the ground flying with a kick, accelerate it with [Physics Magic] and fling it into the man’s mouth.

――Crunch……!

A terribly unpleasant noise sounded.

He probably tried to bite the poison in his molars but it seems like he put in a great amount of strength into closing his jaw.

……Well, if it was a poison that could be broken easily, then there would be the possibility of it breaking unnecessarily.

From the mouth of the man in black who fainted and collapsed from the shock, a blood-covered, white something came falling out.

Somehow, I don’t really want to imagine such a thing……

“……Ed, you did well.”

Dad says, and pats my head.

“――Let’s take this guy to Fauno City. We can decide what to do after that.”

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