10 Years After – 22
The Illusionist
As we walked towards our destination, Serulis asked,
“Mister Locke. What kind of monster uses illusions?”
“I’m not sure. It’s not something you hear of often.”
“Perhaps something like a Nue?”
“Nues are mythological beasts. I don’t know if they even exist.”
“Really?”
Serulis tilted her head.
Nues were monsters that were featured in old stories.
They could control lightning and used strange illusions to scare the people of the royal capital.
It was part of the legend of a Hero who lived hundreds of years ago.
“Its face is supposed to be like a monkey or cat and it has the body of a tiger or raccoon or even a chicken. There are too many mysteries since the story got passed down.”
“So if it really is a Nue, it can be captured alive and sent to the researchers…”
“They would like that, I’m sure.”
“Alright!”
Serulis was excited. But I did not think that it was a Nue.
It seemed far more likely that it was a human illusionist.
“The guild should have added that it was likely a Nue on the notice.”
“Perhaps they don’t think it is a Nue.”
“Do you think so?”
It was more likely that they would think the villagers were confused.
A decent guild worker would have thought so, anyway.
“We’re near the place where it was first seen.”
“That’s right.”
“I wonder if it’ll come out?”
Serulis was having fun with this. I was a little worried that she wasn’t taking it seriously enough.
Maybe I should ask her.
“Aren’t you nervous?”
“I’m fine. I’m just really motivated.”
“I see. That’s fine then.”
After continuing a little further,
“GOAAAAAAAAAA!!”
An enormous roar echoed.
And then, out of nowhere, a giant dragon suddenly appeared.
As far as its size, it was as large as an elder dragon.
“Th-there it is!”
Serulis unsheathed her sword.
I looked at it calmly. I didn’t feel the same sense of overwhelming power that was typical in real dragons.
It was an illusion. However, it was a very good one.
Everything else about it was perfect.
Serulis was shaking at the knees. It seemed that she had forgotten that it was not real.
“Serulis. Go get it.”
“Understood!”
Serulis charged.
It was no lie that she was the equivalent of a B Rank. She was very fast. And she was very impressive with the sword.
The dragon’s tail swung in a broad swipe. Serulis jumped to the side and dodged it.
Next were the dragon’s claws. The sharp blow rushed towards her.
“What!”
Serulis blocked it with her sword. It was a good reaction.
One hit, two hits, three hits. She carefully blocked each one, but her stance was slowly breaking.
And then the dragon attacked with its tail once again. Serulis had no choice but to jump in order to avoid it.
And as if it had read her movements, the dragon unleashed its fiery breath onto her.
She wanted to move out of the way, but she was in the air. Serulis had no way of dodging it.
“Gaaaaghhh!”
She was covered in fire and fell heavily to the ground.
She writhed in pain and rolled on the ground.
Her brain was telling her that she had taken damage.
That was how wonderfully precise and expert this illusion was.
Koko wa Ore ni Makasete Saki ni Ike to Itte kara 10 Nen ga Tattara Densetsu ni Natteita
