"Ah, that's the map of the first floor! I saw Dad selling it to tourists!"
It seems that he is the son of the vendor who sells maps on the first floor.
The children looked at the map excitedly.
This is because Oscar's maps are like paintings, and he completed multiple exquisite maps at the same time under the cover of light sunlight.
"Here, do you understand? I've marked the shortest route to the exit with little arrows. Just follow them. If my brother gets lost, can you please tell him how to get there?"
"I, I won't get lost on the first floor!"
Ruth retorted with a blushing face, but when the children knew they also had a task, they finally drove away their uneasiness and showed fighting spirit.
"Children, Big Brother has another favor to ask of you. Do you see the other map behind the disc? It's the map from the tunnel exit to the Orcus workshop. I know you're eager to go home soon, but could you please go to the Orcus workshop first and explain what happened to a man named Kagu? In order to save the other children, I need you to help me notify him."
In reality, Oscar's goal was to ask Kagu to take the children in. Since the knights couldn't be trusted, then no government agencies could be trusted either.
It would have been fine if they had returned home directly, but if their family members informed the guards after hearing what had happened, it might have caused a lot of trouble, and the guards would have certainly contacted the church.
It is also not a good idea to tell parents through their children that "Guardians cannot be trusted" because since they cannot rely on Guardians, they will want to rely on the church, which is also human nature.
If we tell them that "the church cannot be trusted", of course no one will believe it, and it will only cause more trouble.
Therefore, the best way is to send the children to Kagu, a man who has considerable power and status in the capital and is willing to listen to Oscar.
If it was Kagu, he should be able to understand Oscar's intention and handle it properly.
Oscar, concealing his intentions, bowed his head and begged the children for help. Although Ruth seemed suspicious, the other children were immediately filled with enthusiasm, excitedly replying, "Leave it to us!" and "We will definitely tell him!"
"Thank you, you are all very brave."
The children were either proud or embarrassed by Oscar's praise. At Oscar's urging, the children rushed up the stairs with great momentum to complete the mission assigned to them.
Ruth was the last one to leave. However, it wasn't so much that she was the last one to leave, but rather that she had something to say to Oscar but couldn't bring herself to speak, so she hesitated and was left to the end.
"Ruth, hurry up and go. Whether it's the path on the first floor or Dad's affairs, Ruth should be the one who knows the most, right?"
"I, I know! But I... bro! Bro, actually—"
Seeing Ruth's pleading eyes, Oscar instantly understood what Ruth wanted to say and what she wanted to ask.
However, Ruth hadn't finished speaking yet—
"! Ruth! Get down!"
「!?」
Oscar yelled, cutting Ruth off as he tackled her to the ground.
The next moment, accompanied by a deafening impact sound, hot wind and shock hit Ruth.
Thanks to Oscar's instant opening of his black coat, he was unharmed. Raising her head from Oscar's arms, Ruth saw the tragic scene in front of her and turned pale with fear.
"W-What?"
"Although I had no choice for the sake of those children, it seems like it's taking too long..."
The staircase had collapsed and caught fire.
Following Oscar's stern gaze, Ruth understood what had happened and a look of despair appeared on her face.
"You are guilty of plundering the offerings made to God. You deserve death."
The sound of armor clashing rang out, and from the passage emerged the Knights Templar—about ten in number, one of whom extended a single hand toward them.
That person must have cast a fire-attribute spell. Fortunately, the children who had left earlier were running up the stairs and were out of the spell's range.
The knights formed a semicircle around the vault. Although the vault was just a depression in the rock wall, there was still no way to retreat. As long as the entrance and exit were blocked, there would be no way to escape.
Oscar glanced behind him. If he wanted Ruth to escape, he would first have to put out the fire, then create an entrance and exit. After blocking the entrance and exit, in order to make it difficult for the other party to create an entrance and exit, he would need to use the sealing stone at hand to process the wall...
"You think you can escape? Very well, if you think you can, then try. If you turn around, you're done for."
It seems that the other party will not give himself time to do those things.
Oscar was ready.
He had brought this upon himself. If he had considered the rationale, he should have left Ruth to burn; she wouldn't die anyway, and he could have treated her later.
Then find out where Dilan and the others are and rescue them all at once.
(But I can’t possibly do that...)
Oscar stood up with a wry smile.
All the Knights Templar had drawn their swords, and one of them pointed his glowing hand at Oscar. Judging from the power and effect just now, the magic he used was probably the intermediate fire magic "Scarlet Spear".
Its power is enough to easily damage the human body.
"Brother! No! Just, just an apology—"
Ruth clung desperately to Oscar's coat. He seemed to be saying that if he apologized, he might still be able to save his life.
He couldn't choose to fight. The enemy was the Knights Templar, a group of powerful warriors, and ordinary warriors would be no match for them. Perhaps Oscar had been hiding his strength, but that was purely the strength of an "Alchemist." He was, after all, just a blacksmith.
However, Oscar himself said:
"It's okay. I won't let them do anything to my beloved brother."
Oscar turned his back to Ruth and faced the Knights Temple without hesitation.
His back was so majestic that Ruth could only stare blankly at the back of her brother, who was supposed to be the "loser".
"'Don't let us take action'—you don't seem to understand your position."
There was a subtle hint of anger in the Temple Knight's tone.
Then, he looked at Oscar who was confronting him, and Ruth behind Oscar, and seemed to think for a moment.
As for what he was planning, it was clear from the despicable words that followed.
"I'll let you choose."
"choose?"
Oscar asked in surprise. The Temple Knight said:
"You attacked my fellow humans and even plundered offerings to God—your actions will undoubtedly be considered heresy, and it would be perfectly natural for me to inflict divine punishment on you right then and there."
"……so what?"
"Give up on him."
Oscar raised an eyebrow at the brief words, not out of confusion, but because he felt very unhappy to understand what the other party wanted him to choose.
"It seems that the child is your relative. Then give him up and beg for mercy. Offer your prayers wholeheartedly and show your devotion to our God. Then I may consider sparing your life. Now, choose: do you want to die now, or give him up?"
The shoulders of the Knights Templar surrounding them trembled subtly, but that was definitely not out of anger towards the Knights Templar who made the proposal.
They were enjoying this situation because they had an overwhelming advantage and held the power of life and death, so they wanted to see the inner struggles of the young man as he put his life on the line with that of the child, and what kind of nature he would ultimately reveal.
"...I can't stand it. The quality of the knights has really deteriorated."
"...What? What did you just say?"
Oscar shrugged and said, his voice showing no sign of hesitation or struggle, and it sounded particularly loud in the cave.
The Knights Templar clearly heard what Oscar said, but for a moment they seemed to not understand what Oscar was saying and could not help but ask because Oscar's reaction was so unexpected.
It was the Knights Templar who were shaken. Oscar showed an expression of awareness and determination, and gave the Knights Templar a thumbs up with one hand.
"The Church of Holy Light, the Knights Templar, the Clergy, and the great God of Creation, Lord Esid—eat shit."
He smiled broadly, his thumb pointing downwards.
“W-What! You heretic! Accept divine punishment! I will execute you! Die now!”
Anger was not enough to describe it. The Knight Temple was so excited that he couldn't speak clearly and immediately launched the "Scarlet Spear".
"Brother!"
Ruth cried out in a mournful voice.
As the name of the magic suggests, the darkness was illuminated by crimson light, and the spear of fire, carrying heat and impact, approached Oscar, intending to burn him to death with its intense heat.
"Why don't you just stop saying those unpleasant words and just call me like this?"
Oscar said nonchalantly.
“How is it possible…”
The Templar's tone revealed his hesitation.
The flames of the "Crimson Spear" dissipated, and they saw a strange scene.
That's an umbrella.
Oscar opened the black umbrella in his hand and covered the front like a shield, perfectly blocking the intermediate attack magic.
"First, a person."
Just as the Knight Temple was stunned by the umbrella's ability to block his magic, Oscar's words reached his ears. At the same time, with a whoosh, something flew out from the front of the umbrella at an astonishing speed.
“Guuuu!? It’s an arrow!?”
That's right, the object that flew out was a short metal arrow, which was stuck in the breastplate of the Temple Knight who fired the "Scarlet Spear".
“But this kind of thing—Uuuuuuuuuuuu!?”
The arrow had considerable power when it struck a knight's armor, but it was still not enough to cause fatal injuries to the human body.
Therefore, the Templar was about to say that the arrow was "meaningless", but before he could say anything, he was replaced by screams.
The metal arrow suddenly emitted a strong electric shock.
Even a strong temple knight would be vulnerable to the direct electric shock with a power roughly equivalent to that of intermediate magic.
“Ah… uh…!”
With a faint wail, the Temple Knight's body began to smoke as he fell to his knees helplessly.
Oscar's umbrella folded automatically and returned to its original light state.
After a moment of silence.
"Asshole!"
"You heretic!"
The Knights Temple attacked in groups.
An enemy known for his speed rushed towards Oscar first.
Oscar lifted the front of his black coat with one hand, revealing the scabbard on his thigh. He drew his sword and threw the flying knife in the scabbard at the same time.
The flying knives landed at the feet of the Temple Knights following behind.
"Idiot! I missed—"
The Templar laughed at Oscar, but the throwing knife exploded, and the impact of the explosion blew the Templar sideways.
——Artifact Small Magic Sword Explosion
The so-called magic sword originally refers to a magical sword with special effects that is worthy of being regarded as a national treasure.
Oscar has now thrown the magic sword away after using it. If someone who knows the value of the magic sword knew about this, they would definitely roll their eyes and faint.
However, it doesn't matter if it is lost. To Oscar, it is just a consumable item he made casually.
The knight in front was hit from behind and lost his balance slightly.
Oscar took a step forward and moved to the side of the knight.
"You forgot to watch your step."
He hooked the Temple Knight's feet with the U-shaped handle of the black umbrella and pulled it up hard.
“Wow!?”
The Knight Temple's face hit the ground and he fell heavily.
To rescue their companions, other Temple Knights rushed over.
The moment he turned his gaze towards the Knight Temple, Oscar's glasses suddenly emitted a strong flash! His glasses glowed!
——Artifact Black Glasses
These are magical glasses that are so high-performance that they are useless. Many convenient functions have been added to both the lenses and the black frames. The glasses worn by the man with glasses are not ordinary glasses.
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