The Girl Under Attack

Vim and Hana sensed the anomaly.

It was a testament to their skill that they could pick up on such a faint scream. Perhaps it was a sense unique to beastkin for Hana, but in Vim’s case, he had his Presence Detection magic active at all times, allowing him to notice irregularities instantly.

“Over that way.”

“Looks like it.”

They headed toward the direction of the disturbance. They turned off the main street and went deeper in. The atmosphere there was clearly dangerous. It wasn’t quite a slum, but it was what you’d call a “black spot.”

“Kya! Stop! Let go!”

The voice reached Vim’s ears clearly.

“Hey, doesn’t this one have a nice body?”

“Looks like we could do whatever we want to her and no one would find out.”

“She looks weak. Think she’ll make some good sounds for us?”

Three sleazy men had grabbed the arms of a girl dressed in shabby clothes.

“Stop! Let go of me!” the girl cried out, raising her voice.

“You can scream all you want, nobody’s coming.”

“Yeah, yeah. Why don’t you have a little fun with us?”

“We won’t do anything painful—”

The men surrounded her. Vim saw a single tear roll down the girl’s cheek.

“Sorry to interrupt your ‘fun,’ but I’m going to have to ask you to let her go.”

A spark of rage ignited in Vim’s eyes. Once he reached this state, no one could stop him. Hana simply wore a look of resignation.

“Hah? Who the hell are you?”

“Vim Abel. If you recognize that name, vanish this instant.”

He deliberately gave his name. If they knew who he was, they would run. After all, once they realized their opponent was an S-rank adventurer, they’d know they stood zero chance of winning.

“Never heard of ya.”

The men ignored him and lunged toward Vim.

“It seems talking is a waste of breath.”

“Agreed.”

“I’ll take the two in the back. Can you handle the one in front?”

“Roger.”

With that, Vim burst into a sprint. He drove his knee into the first man. It hit the solar plexus perfectly; the man fainted while writhing in agony.

“Sorry about that. I couldn’t quite hold back. But it’s fine, right? You can do whatever you want to scum like you.”

Vim let a dark smile spread across his face.

“D-don’t come any closer!!”

Another man pulled a knife from his pocket and held it up in front of Vim’s face. The tip of the blade was trembling slightly.

“Shall I teach you how to actually use a knife?”

Vim spoke in a low, menacing tone.

“Don’t mock me!”

The man swung the knife down at Vim. Vim caught the blade by pinching it between his index and middle fingers.

“You’ve… you’ve gotta be kidding.”

“I told you. I asked if you wanted me to teach you how to use a knife.”

With that, Vim grabbed the man’s wrist and threw him. The man slammed hard against the ground, foaming at the mouth as he lost consciousness. He clearly didn’t possess the skill to break his fall.

“Good work.”

“You were impressive as always, Master Vim. You aren’t just about magic, are you?”

The one Hana had been dealing with was also face-down on the ground. Anyone who underestimated Hana because she was a woman was in for a world of hurt. In terms of pure martial arts and swordsmanship, Vim wasn’t even sure if he could beat her.

“Are you okay? Can you stand?”

Vim gently reached out his hand to the girl they had rescued.

“Th-thank you.”

The girl took Vim’s hand and stood up.

“It’s dangerous around here. Let’s go to the Guild together.”

The Guild was connected to orphanages and could protect children with no relatives. They would handle the paperwork for the orphanage on her behalf. The girl stared intently at Vim’s face.

“Sorry. I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Vim Abel, an S-rank adventurer.”

Vim pulled his S-rank guild card from his pocket.

“If you’re still worried, look at this.”

He then pulled out the card bearing the royal crest.

“That’s… the Royal House…”

It seemed she had at least seen the royal crest before. Living in the city, she likely encountered it occasionally.

“The Royal House guarantees my status. If anything happens, I swear on this card that I will protect you.”

The Royal Card wasn’t just a sign of royal backing; it was proof that the crown itself vouched for Vim’s identity.

“What’s your name?”

“Mei.”

“I see, Mei. That’s a lovely name.”

The girl named Mei seemed to let her guard down just a little bit.