Weiss And Leopin (17)

Until now, Weiss had slipped through many desperate situations with bluffs.

Saving Leopin when he was about to be beaten by his classmates at Vice Principal Mothers’s instigation had also been a bluff.

By taking the upperclassmen he had beaten up with a surprise attack to the classroom and throwing them in, he made his classmates misunderstand him as a master of fighting.

He had made his classmates back down by making them think there was no way they could fight such an opponent and win.

It had been the same when the alchemist presented the two potions to him.

Because he had the all-purpose medicine called an elixir hidden at his chest, he had been able to act that boldly and fearlessly, and move the woman’s heart.

For such a Weiss, the leader of the “Saint Hunt” became an unexpected strong enemy.

He saw through Weiss’s bluff through situational analysis, logical thinking, and his experience as a gardener.

The underlings, who had been ready to flee until a moment ago, completely regained their spirit.

They slowly edged closer to Weiss, narrowing the encirclement.

For Weiss, it was a desperate crisis.

However, he never lost his composure.

If he showed even the slightest agitation, they would simply rush in after that.

That was precisely why Weiss even showed a smile.

“If you insist that much, I shall show you… Do not regret it.”

Thanks to him maintaining that bold fearlessness, he barely managed to prevent them from charging in all at once.

Weiss put his hand into his pocket with a natural motion.

He was a master of bluffing, but at the same time, he was also a user of various items.

Wondering whether there was anything he could use, he desperately rummaged through his pocket like the frantic kicking feet of a swan on a lake.

His fingertips touched cloth with a cold sensation.

—The Evil Remains Cloth is already just a piece of cloth…!

-Even if I could use it, the moment I take it out, the trick behind my disappearance will be exposed…!

-If that happens, it will also become clear in a chain reaction that I cannot use magic…!

His fingertips touched a bottle with a cold sensation.

—The elixir…!

-Even if I hand this over, they will take it and try to kill me anyway…!

-Even if I fight while drinking it, the result is as clear as day…!

Something cold ran down Weiss’s spine.

—Ch… checkmate…!?

-Is there no longer any way to escape this crisis, no matter what I do!?

“Oh my? Lord Sage, your complexion seems rather poor, doesn’t it? Would you mind showing us your specialty magic soon? Surely you are not going to say that everything until now was all a bluff, are you?”

Seeing the boy’s face beginning to be dyed with despair, the leader teased him.

However, in the next instant, he was countered by the finest smile.

“Heh…! If you insist that much, I shall show you…!”

…Whip!

The boy raised the right hand he had thrust into his pocket high into the air.

And then,

…Snap!

he snapped his fingers.

The instant the dry sound echoed through the night forest,

…Boom!!

explosive flames surged up from his fingertips.

“Wh… whaaaaaaaaaaatーーーーー!?!?”

Due to the sheer impact, the bandits surrounding him fell over one after another like blooming flowers.

“Wh-what, wh-wh-wh-what was that just now…!?”

“He just snapped his fingers, and flames came out!? And insanely huge ones at that…!”

The leader did not fall over, but his legs were shaking completely.

“N-no… n-n-n-no way…!? Was that ‘chantless casting’…!?”

“You know it well. It would be a waste to leave you as the leader of kidnappers,” said Weiss.

“‘High-speed chanting’ merely speeds up the chant. The chant itself must still be performed. But with ‘chantless casting,’ one can use magic merely by thinking…”

The bandits stirred.

“N-no way!? There’s no way such a dangerous power should exist!”

“But Boss knew about it too! And he just pulled it off right in front of us!”

“If he can use magic just by thinking, then isn’t he basically a human weapon!?”

“Correct,” said Weiss.

“However, I am still very inexperienced. I cannot control my power well. Because there was a possibility of dragging Leopin and Teacher into it, I could not use attack magic.”

“But,” he said, taking a step forward.

“Now I can test my power to my heart’s content…! After all, there are so many guinea pigs here who do not mind being turned to cinders…!”

“Hi… higiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiーーーーーーーーーーーーー!?!?”

The leader finally fell on his backside, and the underlings began hugging each other in fear.

They saw the shadow of a demon in the grinning boy, could not bear it, and begged for their lives.

“W… W-W-W-W-Weiss-sama! P-p-p-please forgive our rudeness!”

“Ah… a-a-a-ah, we were only forced to obey because Boss ordered us to!”

“P-please, please go ahead! If it is this man, roast him as much as you like!”

“Y-you bastards!? You betrayed me!?”

“We never had any loyalty to a man like you from the start!”

“Yeah, yeah! We were only with you because we could make money!”

“In that regard, Weiss-sama is wonderful! We will follow Weiss-sama for life!”

Weiss looked down at the bandits, who had become as docile as kidnapped cats, and snorted.

“Hmph. When the time comes, you cherish yourselves and sell out your comrades… People like you are not even worth turning to cinders. But that does not mean I can overlook you. You will properly atone for your crimes.”

“Th-that’s too cruel!? If we atone for our crimes, it’ll definitely be capital punishment for us!”

“Do not trouble me too much. Quietly tie each other up and walk to town. If you do not want to…”

Weiss snapped his fingers in front of the bandits’ noses and scorched their noses.

“I can also send you straight to hell with my magic and let the devils judge you.”

“Hi… higiiiiiiiiiiiiーーーーーーーーーーー!?!? W-we’ll atone for our crimesーーーーーーーーーー!!!!”

The bandits began tying each other up as though competing to be first.

Seeing that, Weiss secretly felt relieved.

—I won…! With this, everything is over…!