Wizards of the Otherworldly Court: Five, Twenty-three, and Twenty-nine Years

Chapter 5.3 Ronald's Collection: Protecting the Duke from Bandits - Shock

Azhure: Weeks ago, for some reason, my Patreon page got un-launched because I had no patrons since creating it. Well, I managed to relaunch it just yesterday, so it should work now. Anyway, enjoy.

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For years it was always the Willow who did the necessary. Now was time for the Ruzic Bell to do the same.

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CRACKLE CRACKLE

"...Ah? ...Aargh!"

It took a good couple of seconds for the frontmost bandit to realize that he had been set ablaze. With his blade sinking into the ground, the burning bandit screamed, stepping back while shaking his body violently in an attempt to douse the fire before falling over.

His fellow bandits, naturally, were taken aback, startled by the sight of their comrade rolling his body on the grass in flaming agony.

"A-Aah! W-What in the spirits just happened!?"

"E-Egor just burst into flames!"

"D-Did he do that? He pointed his hand at Egor. Was that a spirit art that bastard used!?"

"No! There are no fire spirits here! Besides, we didn't even hear him say a request. He must be using a talisman!"

"But did you even see him use one?"

Amid the bandits arguing among themselves, the burning bandit, Egor, realized that he shouldn't just sprawl on the ground and reached his hand to his comrades. "H-Help... me..." he croaked, catching their attention which broke their bickering.

It was the burning bandit's last cry, however, with none of his comrades moving in to help him in time - much less being able to with the raging fire enveloping him nor say anything else. Ceasing to move, either from the fire or the smoke, the flames vanished into red motes afterwards, leaving behind a charred mess that was Egor over the grass.

And the rest of the bandits can do nothing but worldlessly stare in horror.

1 bandit killed, ??? remain as the state of the battle made it impossible for a headcount.

"By the greater spirits..." A gasp came from behind. Ronald presumed it was from one of Illyer's knights who had witnessed the horrifying display in front of them.

Taking advantage of the pause on both sides, Ronald took a brief look to his sides while feeling a nudge behind his foot. He found three more bandits dead aside from the one he burned. The knights probably fall back after dealing with these men to regroup and not get separated into the enemy, Ronald thought, rationalizing the distance between the knights and slain bandits.

He didn't start the headcount before the landing since the living bandits were much more important than those defeated by the knights in the battle that has just begun.

3 bandits killed, ??? remain. It's always a drag to count defeated enemies.

"Everyone! These men are here to help us!" Another shout was heard. It was the duke. "Let them assist!"

And at his declaration, the bandits' argument started again.

"W-What!? The duke hired a fire spirit art user!? I-Is this what they can do!?"

"Dammit! Talismans are nothing compared to the real thing!"

"Hey! Didn't we just agree there are no fire spirits here!"

"And we don't even know if he's even using a talisman! He might have a named fire spirit with him!"

It's about time, Ronald thought while maintaining the dull face behind his mask, watching the murmurs of confusion from the bandits. By now, the knights behind him should have already regained composure and move to take out the unknown element entering the fray if the duke didn't shout.