Chapter 101: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces’ Escorting Directive (9)

「Kgh……!? You little!」

Ripple countered the incoming bullets by shooting bullets into them. She managed to repel two of the three, but——the last one will hit me!

「Hup——!」

She was left with no choice but to leap away. In that slight moment, her rapid shooting had to stop. She didn’t have any intention to take her eyes off Inglis, even so——

「!? She’s gone……!」

The moment that thought came up, Ripple’s field of vision caught beautiful, silvery threads fluttering nearby. It was the sight of Inglis’ swaying silver hair.

That meant——she was already up close. She sneaked into my reach!

「!」 「HAAaaat!」

DOON!!

Riding the momentum, Inglis slammed into Ripple with her shoulder.

「UWAaahh!?!?」

Ripple’s light body was blown quite far away by the force of the impact. She flew towards the barrier in the Principal’s direction. However, defying Inglis’ expectation from the pinging sound of the collision, Ripple was actually not repelled by the barrier and landed quite softly. Perhaps, it was Principal Miliera who set up the barrier this way.

「Ouchie-chie-chie……That’s some rammin’. Packs quite the punch. Also, I didn’t think you’d send my bullets right back at me. You’re becoming more of a(n) hentai abnormality, girl. First time this has happened to me.」 「Tentatively, rather than close-quarter combat, swords are my specialty, you see——」

Although, Inglis actually wanted to push through from the front even if Ripple used two guns. Having to resort to projectiles was a bit unsatisfying. As expected of a Hyrule Menace, she was strong and wouldn’t let things go Inglis’ way.

And, Ripple should also have an ace she didn’t show yet. A special ability that made her able to ignore distance and leap over space, much like Eris and Cystia. That was why Inglis still couldn’t say she had seen all of Ripple.

To say further, a Hyrule Menace’s strongest potential wasn’t fighting in their human form, but rather when they transformed into a weapon and were wielded by a Holy Knight. It was said that only Holy Knights equipped with a Hyrule Menace could rival the strongest of all Magic Stone Beasts, Prisma.

Rather than fighting Prisma, Inglis wished they would fight her with such a combination instead. Of course, Inglis would also defeat the Prisma while she was at it and that meant she would get to have double the fun.

——For the time being, let’s continue the match. It’s not over yet, and I don’t want it over yet.

「Now, Miss Ripple. Let’s continue——」

It was then, Ripple turned to Miliera who stood behind her.

「Thanks for catching me with the barrier, Miliera. I didn’t need to go through the second hurt after that ram for that.」 「No…… I didn’t do anything, though? When you clash and the barrier makes the piing sound, the barrier then vanished as if it was sucked into you, Miss Ripple?」

Lost in confusion, Principal Miliera craned her neck then took a look at a ring on her finger. It was perhaps the Artifact that put up the Barrier. As expected of the Principal, she had a lot of Artifacts on her person. As she was a Special Grade Rune bearer, that meant that she wasn’t restricted by any attribute and could wield any and all Artifacts.

「But what does that——You mean your mana is being sucked away? Miliera, are you sure you’re not doing it on purpose?」 「Yes——I didn’t.」

It seemed like Special Envoy Theodore had caught onto something, he fell into deep thought. Inglis could feel that things didn’t look so good for her.

「Umm, the continuation……」

However, nobody lent her an ear. The flow of things implied that their match had naturally come to an end.

Even though nobody says that it can end yet…?

「……Can someone else please try activating an Artifact? Anything that isn’t offensive, since it’s dangerous——」 「Then, let me.」

It was Liselotte who raised her hand. Her Artifact gave her a pair of pure white wings with the ability of flight, so it wasn’t a directly offensive ability.

「Then, please.」 「Yes—— Is this enough?」 「Thank you. Then, Miss Ripple, please try touching the wings.」 「Yeah, got it.」

As instructed, Ripple repeatedly touched the wings on Liselotte’s back.

「Excuse me……! The match hasn’t ended— hey……nggh!?」 「Okay, okay, you shut up, Glis. We’re having an important talk here.」

Rafinha covered Inglis’ mouth. After which, the important talk continued.

「Do the two of you feel anything out of ordinary?」 「I don’t feel anything weird.」 「Yeah. It’s just normal.」 「Then, Miliera. You try borrowing and use her Artifact.」 「A-, angel’s wings, is it. Looking at my age, it’s not exactly befitting——」 「Well, these wings are only allowed for the young and pretty. Up to the early twenties, right~?」 「Uuu……」 「Fufufu. Here, please use it well, Principal.」 「Miss Liselotte! You must know that you can only laugh for now. After all, you will soon reach that age too!」 「Y-, yes……?」 「Miliera, it’s no time to trouble your student.」 「Yees. Then——Eei!」

The pair of wings also appeared on the principal’s back.

「I just need to touch them like before, right?」

As Ripple’s finger reached to the wings——

Vwoom! As if they were sucked into something, the pair of wings vanished.

「So it sucks the mana, after all——and only Miliera’s……!」 「……Is it because Hyrule Menaces are designed only to accept a Holy Knight’s mana?」 「Yes. Miss Ripple’s weaponization function that only invokes by taking in power from a Holy Knight has been corrupted. It absorbs Miliera’s mana as a Special Grade Rune bearer without her intention. And, once the amount of mana has surpassed a certain threshold——」 「AH……kgh!?」

WHOOOSH!!!!

Ripple’s body was enveloped in the black sphere. It was the advance warning of the Magic Stone Beasts’ emergence.

「I knew it…… it summons Magic Stone Beasts!!」

Theodore hardened his expression.

「S-, sorry, Inglis——I leave the rest……!」

Leaving those words behind, Ripple lost consciousness and limped down. Before she could hit the ground, Inglis lifted her body up.

「Leave it to me. With our match getting interrupted, I am not having enough of my fill at all.」

Nodded Inglis wholeheartedly then readied herself for the appearance of the beast. But, it was then when——

「S-, sorry, I’m at my limit!」

Leone who had been concentrating to hold onto the subspace declared as such. As it seemed to have placed quite a burden on her, she was sweating buckets.

The scenery before their eyes changed, and they returned to the Principal’s Office. Then, the Magic Stone Beast made its appearance from above.

BAAAMM!!!

It crashed into the principal’s desk!

「AAAaaahh!!! My desk!!」

Screamed Principal Miliera in grief.

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