Chapter 122: It Turns Out We’re Going to Fight After All

The wall is high enough that I, Lily, or Stevie could easily jump over it without a ladder. We’re not wearing armor, and the thieves certainly aren’t either.

"With the mansion guards on this side apparently defeated, they still have the luxury of ladders," Lily said. That makes sense. If the mansion side was the one being attacked and trying to escape, they wouldn’t have the time to set up ladders.

Wait... is the presence on the other side of the wall spreading? They’re scattering from the ladder?

"Lord Robby! Behind us!!"

I turned and got into stance. Two thieves had leaped over the wall and landed right in front of us, immediately drawing their swords.

Thieves had also landed in front of the security team. "Uwaah!" and "What the—?!" voices rose from there. Is the ladder being used as a diversion or to carry supplies?

One more thief jumped down behind the two in front of us. That made it three on three. I thought it would be difficult for Lily and Stevie to protect me while fighting. I also had to handle one of them. From the thieves’ perspective, two girls and one boy (or one girl and two boys) would probably look like weak opponents. I didn’t know if Stevie looked more like a girl or a boy, but either way I thought they’d see us as weaker than the security team. They were probably planning to finish us off quickly and then sandwich the security team from behind.

Lily and Stevie stood in front of me, protecting me. The three thieves who had jumped over the wall were slender and didn’t look muscular. They were holding swords with relaxed, casual postures. I thought they’d be underestimating us more, but when I saw Lily and Stevie’s stances, they didn’t seem to be letting their guard down. Still, the fact that they were standing in front of me instead of attacking directly told me they were planning to make my job harder.

The three thieves spread out into a right-angled isosceles triangle, with each thief at a vertex. As they widened their stance, Lily and Stevie had to be careful not to be pulled toward the ends.

The thieves slowly approached. On the left and right, two of them suddenly spread wide and attacked Lily and Stevie. Their sword tips were fast. Lily and Stevie were barely dodging. If I wasn’t here, they would have cut them down easily. The moment Lily and Stevie were drawn toward the ends, the third thief dashed straight at me.

"Lord Robby?!"

Lily and Stevie shouted. The third thief swung his large sword down. I can see it even in the dark. This was probably a benefit of having raised Sword Skill. I took half a step back and slashed at the tip of the sword as it passed my nose. I could see the thief’s face. As the sword dropped, his eyes changed expression. When the sword was fully lowered, I stepped forward. The sword I had pulled back slowly advanced with my movement and slid right into the thief’s neck like it was being sucked in. It felt almost too smooth.

But clack! The sword hit bone. It struck the thief’s neck bone and stopped. I got shaken and the angle changed a little. Then I couldn’t pull it out. Up until that point, the sword had gone in too smoothly, so even a little resistance threw off my balance. I didn’t push forward and instead jumped backward, still holding the sword. The thief was a beat slow to bring his hand to his neck, pressing on the wound. He was making gobo... gobo... sounds. It looked like his mind hadn’t caught up with the countdown of death.

With a wet gwa, the thief fell forward. I felt something enter me.

I stepped back, swung my sword once. It was messy — a little off. The blade is bent. I’m not carrying a legendary cursed sword, so this wasn’t a weapon meant for cutting people. I had to improvise. The backup sword in my mana bag was blunt, so I decided to use that instead. First I tried to sheathe the bent one, but it wouldn’t fit because it was bent. I probably can’t just throw it away. I’d have to use it a little longer.

While I was doing that, Lily and Stevie had already finished their thieves. They weren’t trying to protect me — they were just focusing on the enemies in front of them. They don’t think they need me to watch their backs, do they? I thought. They can’t handle three opponents on their own.

"Lord Robby, are you injured?"

Lily asked. Stevie nodded from behind.

"I’m fine. But the sword got bent. It hit bone in the neck."

"I see. Let me see."

Lily asked to see it. In the front, the security team was fighting the thieves. They were still holding their own, but they were being pressed hard. Several security team members had already fallen, but we were a bit farther back, watching my bent sword.

"The blade is also slightly chipped," Lily explained casually.

"So this sword is finished, then?"

"That would be a waste. If we take it to the blacksmith, it can be sharpened and made a little thinner, but it’s still usable. Lord Robby, please take good care of your sword."

Lily scolded me. I know that... Just as I was about to reply, Captain Copeland’s scream cut through the night.

"Help meeee!!"

What is this? The "pro" security team asking the "cheering section" for help? But on the other side, the security team’s arms were flying through the air and I could hear desperate shouts. If this kept up, the whole team would be wiped out, wouldn’t it?

Well, I can’t just stand by.

"Lord Robby, please be careful not to cut too deep. Aim for the tendons if you have to. Don’t kill them if you can help it — make sure they can’t move."

Lily gave me strict instructions. Got it. I won’t do anything stupid. I was still ten years old, after all.

"Understood. I’ll be careful!"

I cast Purity on my sword and charged toward the thieves.