Published: September 10, 2025
“Kiraaan”
On top of the rock, the purple-haired little girl Arisa struck a pose and made a sound effect with her mouth.
“What, just a kid?”
The men, who had been on high alert due to the unexpected intruder, relaxed with a look of amusement.
—Now.
Short Stun Bullet.
I selected a single-target attack spell from my magic slots.
Perhaps because I was facing a life-threatening situation and pushed past my limits, this time the spell was cast successfully without fail. An invisible shock projectile struck the face of the man pinning Liza down.
“Uwah!”
The man screamed, clutching his face, and in that moment, Liza broke free of her restraints.
“Tch, so you still had a scroll, huh?”
The leader of the men said with annoyance, glaring at me with his harsh gaze.
“Chance! Take this—Fear!”
A chill ran down my spine.
Pochi and Tama clung to my legs, digging their claws in painfully.
Liza must have felt the same, because she rushed to my side, her face pale.
But there were others who reacted even more dramatically than us.
“Gugyaaaaaaaah!”
“Nuoohhhhhhh!”
“Don’t come any closer!”
The men screamed, scattering tears, snot, and drool as they fled.
Desperately running as if to escape something terrifying as far and as fast as possible.
“…What’s going on?”
I muttered without thinking, but from the cause and effect, it was clear that Arisa had done something.
“Looks like I scared them a little,” Arisa said as she slowly walked over.
“It’s alright now. Are you hurt?”
Her words brought a sense of relief, wrapping around me.
What a remarkably nurturing little girl.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something flicker.
My log window.
I switched it from single-line display mode back to the normal display.
] Acquired skill: Lightning Magic.
] Failed to resist mental magic "Fear".
] Acquired skill: Mental Magic.
] Acquired skill: Mental Resistance.
] Failed to resist mental magic "Calm Field".
] Failed to resist mental magic "Comfort Field".
…Interesting.
◇
“These are just scratches. Master, are you injured?”
“I’m fine. Liza protected me.”
Once dawn breaks, we’ll have to go into town to buy potions, ointments for minor wounds, and disinfectants.
“Thank you, young lady. Thanks to you, we managed to drive off those villains.”
“I’m glad I could help. I’m Arisa—”
After introducing herself, Arisa made a mischievous face and continued.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Satou.”
“Ah, nice to meet you too. But it’s not Satou, it’s Satou with a long ‘u’ — Satou.”
I realized then that Arisa had just spoken Japanese.
She muttered “I thought so” after hearing my reply, then continued in our language.
“Come with me. It’ll be bad if those guys come back.”
Saying that, Arisa beckoned us over.
“Master, let’s go. It’s dangerous to stay here.”
“—Alright.”
I hesitated a moment about following this suspicious little girl, but I decided to listen to Liza’s advice.
Arisa’s destination was surprisingly close.
On the opposite side of the hill, their carriage was parked.
“Arisa!”
A black-haired girl speaking with a middle-aged man noticed Arisa and called out.
Her bangs hung down to around her nose, hiding the top half of her face, but her jawline and mouth hinted at considerable beauty.
“Geez! I was worried.”
“Sorry, sorry. I’m back, Lulu. Did you make Nidoren worry too?”
“Thought you’d run away. So, who are those boys and demi-humans with you?”
Arisa talked casually with the middle-aged man (Nidoren).
According to the AR display, Nidoren was a slave trader.
“This is Mr. Satou. He saved us when some weird guys tried to kidnap us while we were out picking flowers… you know, to use the bathroom.”
Arisa said the opposite of what really happened.
We were the ones who had been saved.
“I-is that so…”
“And he’s someone who might buy me and Lulu.”
“You and your sister?”
Nidoren looked at me with a puzzled expression.
—No way, I have no such plan.
As if hearing my inner voice, Arisa trotted over and whispered in Japanese into my ear.