14 This time I won’t die!
Several days after she had stirred up the classroom, Adel was putting effort into her part time job at the bakery.
The bakery was opened on holidays due to a sense of professional duty although the sales had not been that good.
This was only natural though. On holidays most people did not need to work, including mothers who otherwise worked and could now cook all three meals of the day. And although bread was the staple food in their dishes, many had already bought it on weekdays or made dishes without bread. If you added the people who would bake bread by themselves if they had the time...
Of course, those who bought the bakery’s bread as lunch during work were also very limited on holidays.
Despite all these facts, the bakery didn’t close its door for the sake of those few who needed bread nevertheless.
And, yes, “the sales had not been that good” was in past tense.
Since Adel had started working there, the sales had slowly risen, reaching the level of a normal weekday.
The reason for this...
「Um, that one please!」
With rouge tinted cheeks, the apprentice of a nearby merchant pointed at a piece of bread.
Adel’s cute looks combined with her -for this world- unusually friendly service made the boys who were not used to girls think that “she likes me”.
And, although it had a lower status when compared with Adorei, Ekland academy was still admired by the common people. For a girl wearing such a prestigious uniform to work in a bakery could only mean one thing. Namely, that she was an extremely talented commoner who had entered via a scholarship. And as a fellow commoner, she was in the realm where their own affections could still reach her.
In front of me is a cute and smart girl who will bring in good money in the future. Furthermore, she always smiles at me. Faced with these impressions, there was no boy that wasn’t happy.
「Fufufu, Adel-chan really is a sly child...」
After the apprentice had left, an elderly woman from the neighborhood had decided to tease her.
「Obaa-chan, what rumors are you saying...」
Even though she had no good memories of her grandparents from her former life, in this world she could get along well with the elderly.
「It’s as she says. Like this it won’t be a problem to marry into a good family and have your own shop.」
「You too Jii-chan!?」
The bakery had also turned into a gathering spot for the elderly on holidays.
She was targeted by the lonely grandparents whose grandchildren had already left their homes. But it was no problem for Adel since she also enjoyed the company. It also helped that they dispersed the more aggressive men.
There was only one thing Adel had to lament.
Since lately there was no unsold bread left over by the time she closed the shop there were no leftovers for her.
As Adel had finished her work for today and was on her way back to the dormitory she noticed that a crowd had formed on the main road.
「Excuse me, could you tell me what is going on?」
「Ahh, yes, the carriage of the third princess is going to pass through here. Since we might get a glimpse at her highness it turned into this commotion.
If we get lucky she might even wave at us.」
The woman Adel asked explained to her.
Apparently the third princess rarely left the palace so there were not many who had seen her in person among the commoners.
(Since I’m already here taking a peek won’t hurt. There’s still more than enough time after all...)
Adel then made use of her small build, squeezing herself through the crowd until she reached the first row.
A short while after she had reached the first row, a convoy came into view at the end of the main road.
In the front were four spear wielding soldiers with swords hanging on their belts. Next were three mounted soldiers with lances. Behind them was an extravagant carriage followed by a similar arrangement of soldiers like in the front.
Since the carriage only moved along leisurely inside the capital, the footsoldiers who were most suited to paving the way and intercepting attackers were positioned to the front and back.
The convoy was gradually getting closer to her position, and when the foremost soldier was about to pass Adel a 5~6 year old boy was pushed onto the street by the crowd.
「Insolent rascal!」
The soldier in the front, whose way the boy had obstructed, brandished his spear and hit him with the bladeless end.
Receiving the hit squarely into his stomach, the boy was blown away and now lay on the ground silent and motionless. Since the boy was still in the convoy’s path, the soldier walked towards the child. His spear was readied to forcefully remove the obstacle.
(...he will die!)
Before she noticed it Adel had already left the crowd of people and was running towards the boy.
(Somehow this seems familiar...
Something like this certainly happened before. Will I die again this time...)
Despite being aware of this danger, Adel’s body didn’t stop and she covered the boy with it. Draped over him, Adel strongly imagined it.
(Lattice Force Barrier!)
Pling!
The soldier’s spear swung with his full power was deflected back by a semi-invisible wall around Adel.
Lattice Force. The cohesion energy that is released when gaseous atoms, molecules or ions condense into crystalline lattices.
Wanting some kind of barrier, Adel thought of something she had seen in an anime despite knowing nothing about how it worked. Since the nanomachines would do something even if she just imagined it, she wanted to make the image as strong as possible and searched her memories for a barrier-like ability. What sprung up was the term “lattice energy” that had come up in a book she had read for fun in her previous life.
Lattice. Cohesion energy. Blocky and rocky sounding words.
Even though she didn’t have the slightest idea what these terms meant, they gave Adel the feeling that they would somehow block the attack.
Since she had the word “lattice” in mind, the barrier didn’t turn into a smooth dome, but rather into something made of several straight glass panes.
「Wha...」
Raising a voice of consternation, the soldier repeatedly smashed the ferrule of his spear against the invisible wall without result.
「Stand down!」
At some point one of the mounted soldiers had dismounted his horse and was closing in.
Judging by his equipment and mannerisms his rank was above that of the soldiers. Since he rode on a horse maybe he was a knight...
This knight who had seen everything from atop his horse thrust his spear towards Adel. With the blade facing towards her.
Pling!
「Impossible.......」
(This is bad bad bad bad!)
Adel was totally in panic.
Of course picking a fight with royal guards was a problem, but the “Lattice Force Barrier” was a big one too.
Magic of this sort was, according to Adel’s knowledge, completely unknown in this world.
Magic used to cancel to magic attacks existed. Likewise, magic to raise an earth wall to shield against swords and arrows, as well as equivalent water and wind spells existed too. But a magic that could completely defend against physical attacks without a medium was unheard of even in myths and legends.
If such a magic can be used in an instant, victory in battle would certain. Since, when the enemy’s attacks are meaningless, you can just one sidedly attack them after all.
She would be taken to the palace without a doubt if she didn’t do anything.
...or she would be executed for attacking the princess.
(This is bad! Exposing my magic and the rudeness towards the princess’ group is a double disaster.
What can I do...)
While still covering the boy, Adel desperately tried to come up with a good idea. But in her nervous state her head was empty.
「Y-you, who are you! A demon, or even an devil!!」
Unconsciously taking a couple of steps back, a fearful expression had crept onto the knights face.
(....a devil? Even disregarding the demon comment, do those even exist... That’s it!)
Having found a solution to her predicament, Adel released the barrier.
With the sound of breaking glass, the “Lattice Force Barrier” crumbled into fragments that vanished shortly after.
Since she could easily block and grab the spear when she used her real strength, there was no real danger even if she released the barrier.
Adel then slowly rose up from her position, turning to the knight with an expressionless face.
「To think someone would dare to lay a finger on this divine vessel!」
「「「Eh?」」」
「We asked who dared to try to harm our vessel!」
((((Eh?))))
Completely baffled by what was going on, the soldiers, the knights, and the surrounding populace was left with confusion etched onto their faces.