「Yes, our dear mother’s magic is the best. Even if they’re the comrades of the hero, they’re mere humans. Ye can’t defeat us!」


  The ogre on the side laughed. The other ogres were laughing along with him.

  「I see …… You guys are the culprits behind their disappearance. But, you better not make light of us. Even if it looks like this, I’m the little sister of my brother. I alone am enough to take on you guys.」


  Midou Kyouka hands started to shine. I could feel devastating power from her slender body.

  「Do you dare? The control of your own magic power doesn’t seem to be that good. You might kill the people here too, you know?」


  The female ogre laughed.

  「How do you know that?!」


  「If you understand your position, then be a good child」


  The female ogre said with an elated feeling.

  The ogres on the sides were coming toward Midou Kyouka who was shrinking back.

  I instinctively stood in front of her.

  「What do you think you’re doing!」


  The ogres were aiming for me.

  「Eh …… Ah, it’s nothing……」


  Now, I missed the timing to leave this place. Before I noticed, the king and the other people already took some distance away from the ogres.

  「You, what are you doing? What do you think you can do by stepping out like that! Step back, it’s dangerous!」


  Midou Kyouka was ordering me so with an angry tone. I don’t think I’m going to do what she said.

  「HAH! Acting like a knight protecting your princess, huh? Then, we’re going to eat you first!」


  The ogre on the left outstretched his hand to catch me.

  When his hand was about to catch me, I threw him flat on the ground in one revolution.

  「「「EEEEH?!」」」


  I could understand why the people around me were raising voices of amazement and surprise.

  「W-What happened just now……」


  「He tossed that giant ogre……」


  The people around us were clamoring.

  「R-Ringu!」


  The female ogre screamed. It seems the ogre that was flung is called Ringu.

  「W-What are you……」


  The king in the back also made a surprised voice.

  「That technique just now …… I wonder where I saw it before……」


  Midou Kyouka muttered to herself.

  To be honest, I didn’t want to do anything since I thought she could do something about this situation.

  But then, I never expected her to be unable to control her magic. Come to think of it, she was called “Exploding Princess”.

  「WHAT ARE YOU! WHY ARE YOU HINDERING THIS KUJIG! ANSWER ME!!」


  The screaming female ogre is called Kujig, huh? I got the feeling that things would turn out like this.

  In that case, I might be killed by Midou Kyouka later.

  「No, I have no intention of becoming a hindrance to your actions, but …… Uhm …… Could you guys back off for now? I’ll overlook this matter」


  I bowed my head toward the ogres as I said so.

  「Ha~h …… What are you talking about?」


  It seems Kujig was bewildered by my bow toward her.

  But, I was just as confused as her.

  Why did things turn out this way! I just came here today because I wanted to enjoy this ball with Kuna, and even that simple wish of mine was completely crushed now.

  「You …… Who are you? 」


  Even if Midou Kyouka were to repeat that question again and again, I had no intention to reveal my identity.

  「Just someone who happened to be in this place」


  Looking over my shoulder, I replied to Midou Kyouka.

  I didn’t want to do this, but it seems I have no other choice.

  I looked at the ogres.

  「If you guys don’t want to back off now …… I guess I have no other choice but to use a slightly forceful method」


  As I said, black flames erupted from my body.

  「HYIII!」


  Seeing my black flames, the ogres let out panicked screams.

  It’s time to beat these naughty little ogres.

  The ogres started retreating. It seems they are frightened.

  「Hyiii……」


  But, it looks like it was not just the ogres who were affected.

  The same thing happened to the people around me.

  Come to think of it, even the prideful demon race got scared of me.

  They became scared just like the ogres in front of me.

  I walked toward the ogres.

  「W-What are you talking about?! If you become a hindrance, I’m going to start the massacre from you!」


  The ogre called Kujig said so while wearing a frightened expression on her face.

  I had no intention to make you that frightened, though.

  A thunder snake appeared on Kujig’s arm while making a crackling sound.

  「O Thunder Snake, Strangle My Enemy To Death!」


  The thunder snake raised its head high from Kujig’s arm, but that level of spell can’t even be considered a threat to me.

  Because the power of the Thunder Dragon resides within me, this kind of attack won’t be able to hurt me at all.

  Naturally, this was the countermeasure to Sasaki Rino’s power. This was just one of the preventive measures for our probable second clash.

  There’s a thunder cloud that’s always swirling near the island located to the southeast of Nargol.

  The Thunder Dragon lives in that thundercloud that’s always swirling atop that island. Kuna and I went there to ask for the Thunder Dragon’s assistance while riding on Glorious.

  At first, I thought that it’ll turn into an epic battle, but the Thunder Dragon turned out to be a nice guy and easily gave its power to me.

  That’s why this level of thunder snake can’t even tickle me.

  The Thunder Snake fired from Kujig’s arm coiled its body around mine.

  「This isn’t even enough to tickle, let alone hurt me」


  I burned the Thunder Snake with the black flames that emanated from my body.

  「CEH! Then, how about this!」


  A bright red ball formed on Kujig’s hand.

  I knew she was going to use magic, so I couldn’t let her release that magic.

  「EXPLOSION!」


  「MAGIC ERASER!」


  I erased the magic that was about to be used by Kujig. I would have been fine even If I let her use explosion in this kind of place, but a lot of people would have died from it. That was why I erased that magic.

  「Kuh, my greatest magic …… YOU LOT! WHAT ARE YOU STANDING DUMBFOUNDED IN THAT PLACE FOR?! TAKE THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU AS HOSTAGES!」


  Kujig screamed at the other ogres.

  The ogres surrounding the venue then sprang into action.

  Oh crap!

  I have no magic that can pinpoint the targets for a swift attack. My high firepower kind of magic would inevitably involve the others. Even if I took them out with my sword, there was bound to be a victim before I took down all the ogres.

  Just when I was worried about what to do in that kind of situation, some sort of light shot into the venue.

  「DAMN IT!」


  「GAOOO!」


  The ogres suddenly screamed in pain.

  When I turned around, the limbs of those ogres were chopped to pieces. Though not fatal, it would hinder their movements.

  「O foolish Ogres. Can’t you guys not mess up my long-awaited ball?」


  It was an indifferent voice.

  When I looked at the origin of that voice, Kuna, already equipped with her scythe, was there.

  The one who attacked those ogres was naturally Kuna. The scythe can fire magic blades that can hit multiple targets within a fixed range.

  It seems that she was using her scythe to wound those ogres.

  「Now, let’s torment you lot to death」


  I could feel the powerful wave of magic power coming from Kuna.

  Maybe because even the normal people in the venue could feel her magic power, they were screaming in panic.

  「Stop, Kuna! Your magic will kill the people in this venue!」


  When I screamed like that, the wave of magic power vanished without a trace.

  「W-W-W-What, you are……」


  The female ogre was sitting on the floor.

  「Don’t tell me …… Crap, these guys are……」


  The other ogres were surrounding Kujig.

  「F*CK! You guys, leave this place immediately!」


  The ogres left the venue.

  Since I had no intention to kill them, I’m going to spare them this time.

  After making sure that they left, Kuna walked in my direction.

  「You saved me there, Kuna」


  「Kuroki, our long-awaited ball is……」


  Kuna seemed a bit sad when she said those words.

  「You’re right …… Well, there’ll be another chance for us to dance」


  I said so while patting Kuna’s head.

  Kuna’s mood became slightly better afterward.

  「It seems we have to leave for now, Kuna」


  To be honest, I was already itching to return to Nargol immediately. Even without those ogres, I should have left this place immediately so as to not accidentally meet Shirone.

  「Understood, Kuroki」


  Kuna was about to use transfer magic when……

  「PLEASE, WAIT A MINUTE!」


  Midou Kyouka called us.

  「I remember it now. YOU’RE THE ONE WHO GROPED MY CHEST IN THE HOLY REPUBLIC LENARIA!」


  Midou Kyouka said so while pointing her finger at me.

  「Kuroki …… Who is this woman? And what did she mean by GROPED, Kuroki? 」


  Kuna stopped her preparation to activate the transfer magic to ask that question. She seemed to be angry for some reason.

  「Moreover, I remember hearing the name “Kuroki” before. I definitely won’t let you get away!」


  Midou Kyouka was coming towards our position.

  「WHO ARE YOU? WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH KUROKI?!」


  Kuna was standing in front of Midou Kyouka, ready to brandish her scythe at any given moment.

  I embraced Kuna from behind to stop her.

  「Stop it, Kuna …… The ogres have left. Let’s leave this place, now!」


  「MY LADY――!」


  When I said so to Kuna, something fell to the venue along with that loud voice.

  「Shirone!」


  The one who descended was Shirone. The one who fell was a woman in maid clothes. She most likely came by being pulled by Shirone.

  I ended up thinking so. We have been staying for too long. It’ll be too late if we didn’t go back right now.

  「My lady!」


  The maid rushed in as soon as she found her master.

  「Kaya!」


  The duo embraced each other.

  「Everyone is safe!」


  Shirone said so while looking at the surroundings.

  And then, her eyes stopped in our direction.

  「Eh …… Kuroki」


  And thus, she saw us.

  「Why is Kuroki ……?」


  Shirone walked toward us while muttering those words.

  And then, her face suddenly stiffened.

  I was still embracing Kuna right now. Consequently, Shirone’s line of sight obviously stopped at her.

  「Kuroki …… WhOiSThATGirL?」[Ed: Unleash the kraken][TL : Quick spell, The Dark Side Rising!!]

  Shirone had a smiling face, but her eyes weren’t smiling at all.

  Oh crap, she’s definitely pissed off right now.

  「WHO ARE YOU?! WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT “MY KUROKI” WITH THAT KIND OF EYES?」


  And now it’s Kuna’s turn to point her scythe at Shirone.

  「My …… KuROki? YoU …… WhAt? CoULdItBETHaTYoUArE ……? 」[Ed: OH BOY!][TL : Unleash, the dark side]

  Shirone also set her sword to face Kuna’s scythe.

  「Stop it, Kuna! Let’s go back to Nargol」


  I embraced Kuna to stop her.

  「I understand, Kuroki……」


  Maybe because she could feel my desperate tone, Kuna agreed to my request and invoked her magic.

  「WAIT RIGHT THERE, KUROKI!」


  Shirone ran toward us but she was too late.

  「O Black Flame!」


  I tossed my black flame to disturb Shirone’s pace.

  「WAIT FOR ME, KUROKI!」


  Unfortunately, I couldn’t.

  The transfer magic had already been invoked.

  We were sent back to Nargol.