My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's

"By the way, is the 'divine inverted barrier' Ria used an application of Crow's extra skill 'reversal'? Or are they similar but fundamentally different?"

I asked the question that had been nagging at me the whole time, while we were on the royal family's dedicated transport ship.

As befits a vessel reserved for royalty, the ships ahead made a point of giving us way.

Thanks to that, the boat sailed leisurely down the very center of the waterway.

We were in what was probably a suite only royalty were allowed to use. Amelia fit right in, but I felt completely out of place.

Like a lone soot sprite lost in a glittering room.

Well, at least the served tea and pastries were delicious.

I hadn't had a chance to ask Ria about the barrier since the last time—when I passed out at Crow's house.

If I remembered correctly, the guardian profession specialized in defensive magic like barriers, and among them the "divine barrier" boasted the highest defensive power of all known barrier magics.

In practice, it felt more solid than the advanced light magic barrier 'Sanctuary' that Commander Saran used in the Cantinen Labyrinth, and it had a sort of divine aura to it.

If it couldn't be easily broken even on the lowest floors of a labyrinth, that meant it was genuinely powerful...

"Ah, no, they're similar but different! I did base it on an image of Lord Crow's 'reversal', but his 'reversal' really is instantaneous and impossible to replicate. In fact, my barrier was broken right away."

Indeed, Mahiro had broken it.

But Mahiro is the second-in-command of the Demon Clan. That's not exactly a fair comparison.

"So, Crow's 'reversal' can completely invert individual spells, but Ria's 'divine inverted barrier' just reflects attacks as they are?"

Ria's barrier was probably like a mirror.

In Crow's case, if he wanted he could not only neutralize an attack but add an extra offensive on top of it. Ria, on the other hand, could only bounce attacks back like a mirror.

Still, as we saw in the Brute Labyrinth, Ria's barrier is very handy when dealing with large groups.

"That's right. Also, because my barrier uses divine power, it's more of a brute-force sort of thing. If I were not a guardian and just an ordinary barrier master, I absolutely couldn't do it."

Ria said she didn't consciously decide how to return each attack; the barrier handled everything.

I see. They are indeed similar in concept but fundamentally different.

"By the way, why do you ask?"

I told Ria that Amelia was learning Crow's extra skill 'reversal' from him.

The moment she heard that, Ria's whole body trembled.

"W-what did you say?!"

I could literally see her scream building as she took a big breath, so I covered my ears, but Amelia took it full on.

"...Akira."

Amelia, with a resentful expression, clamped a hand over her ear and glared at me.

I offered a sheepish apologetic wave.

"Lady Amelia, are you really being taught 'reversal' by that man!?"

"Y-yeah."

Even Amelia, impressive as she was, took a step back from Ria's intensity.

Ria probably realized she'd gone too far and immediately pulled herself together.

From one point of view it did look like the Beastmen princess was intimidating the Elf princess.

Despite both being princesses, Amelia was the princess of the entire Elf race, whereas Ria was the princess of a single Beastmen nation.

And Ria was an adopted princess.

Who was superior here was obvious even to an idiot.

"...Ahem, pardon me. I momentarily lost my composure."

Ria said, embarrassed.

I suppose it was that shocking to her. Between the 'divine inverted barrier' and all, she seemed to respect Crow in some way.

"Let's talk about that properly later. ...Right now we're heading to the Royal Castle."

Ria straightened up and said.

"The Royal Castle? Does that mean they've invited us?"

Amelia asked, and I wondered too—was it really okay for a suspicious guy like me to be included along with her?

"Yes. My stepfather, the king, wants to greet Lady Amelia. ...And he also wishes to meet Lord Akira."

I tilted my head.

The king of the largest Beastmen nation wanted to meet me, a mere adventurer?