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Chapter 57 Part 3 – One of the Seven Phantoms, Addis the Faceless in hot pursuit!! Oh no, you pervert!! As we are cornered by invisible attacks, that guy appears before us for the first time in a long time.

「…… It’s all right. There is no …… blind spot in my plan!! …… Oeup ……」

Like leaves being sucked into a whirlpool, the trajectory of arrows flew toward Addis.
Even a lion can’t cope with this simultaneous, multi-pronged attack.
Even with a short bow, this would normally be a victory. But

「…… You can’t run away, you know? You said that to me, didn’t you? How dare you say that!? Nuahahaha!! Nuahahaha!! This is ridiculous!! I’m furious. I’ll make sure to cut you apart!!」

Addis started laughing like a madman.
Oh no!! That guy’s killing intent is swelling ……!!

「…… Thanks for making me laugh!! In return, I’ll let you taste all of your arrows on your own face!! You can’t even see through my『real skills』and yet you’re attacking me with arrows, how ridiculous!!」

He did it again!!
Addis just spun his body to the side and grabbed all of mother’s arrows!!　
Eight arrows at once!? That’s impossible!!
And just now he said 「real skills」. There’s definitely a trick!!

「…… Nuahahaha!! I’ll return this back to you!! Once again, the married woman will be stabbed to death!! Fools never learn.」

「…… I wonder which one of us is the fool who can’t learn. You’ve already fallen into a trap …… Ufufu ……」

I snickered at Addis, who was so proud of his apparent victory.
I can’t back down. In a fight, the one whose heart is scared loses!

「…… A trap? There’s no way that’s possible. What else can you do, make me close my eyes from the scene of you vomiting ……?」

At Addis’s question, Bradd freaked out and his shoulders trembled as he carried me.

「…… Munchkin …… What a horrible thing you are planning to do ……!! I’m a little nauseated …….」

…… Like hell I’d do that!! Way to have the mood ruined!!
Before the issue of victory or defeat, I won’t let my dignity as a maiden shatter to pieces!!

「…… I can’t …… break through all your tricks!! Upu. But I don’t need to do so!!」

Umm, I’m not making this 「Upu」 chuckle. Just to be clear.
Text-only expressions can be easily misunderstood.

「…… What are you talking about? …… Nuohh!?」

Before Addis could fire the arrows, a black net descended from overhead and engulfed his figure.

「…… Because it doesn’t matter whether you have tricks up your sleeve or not when you and the whole space around you will be engulfed in the trap. You were so focused on staring at me because of my attractiveness, that your feet …… I mean, that you didn’t pay attention to what’s above your head!! …… Upupupu ……」

I struck a pose.
I somehow managed to look like I’m smiling, but actually I’m struggling to contain my nausea.
I wanted to declare that it all went according to my plan, but unfortunately I had to cancel that because I needed to swallow down the hot urge that was rising up inside my throat. Otherwise, a rainbow-colored mosaic would have hung from my mouth to the ground and a halo of vomiting lady would have shone brilliantly above my head.

You’re wondering what had just happened?

Actually, the〈Lawless Crew〉have been hiding in the trees, waiting for the moment when Addis would grasp the eight arrows. Then, taking advantage of the opening when Addis concentrated his attention, they will cast a net …… 「Spider Haze」 to surround him from above his head. My middle finger pose earlier was a signal for this.

…… That vulgar gesture had a proper meaning.
We have a number of secret signals that we use in preparation for an attack.

I exchanged a thumbs-up with the〈Lawless Crew〉as they descended from the trees.

There is no escape from this net. Although Mr. Queer Witch escaped with a dummy and was unharmed, but originally, once a person is entangled in the net, it will instantly tighten and deprive the prey of its freedom. Even if the captured person forcefully moves his wrist and cuts the net in several places, it is impossible for the net to loosen because of the special weaving method.

「…… You guys. You’ve been training such a great coordination technique behind my back? Eh, Mrs. Cornelia also knows about this. I’m the only one who’s left out.」

Bradd was discouraged as he looked at the apologetic expression of my mother and the Lawless Crew.
I patted Bradd on the back even as I was still being carried on his shoulder.
Okay now, calm down.

「…… Sorry, it was all my idea. You know what they say, ‘To deceive your enemy, start with deceiving your ally’.」

It’s a secret that the members of the〈Lawless Crew〉here were deeply impressed by Bradd’s remarkable growth and so they specially trained because they wanted to 「surprise the young master」. I love that kind of aspiration!!　

Don’t feel so disappointed. I’ll give you a kiss on the cheek as an apology.

「…… No, I don’t really want that. It kind of smells like vomit ……」

Bradd hurriedly shook his head and declined.

「What!!! How can you say that about a maiden’s kiss that is greater than silver and gold …… uwah ……!?」

My resentful cry was cut short.
It was because Bradd along with my body were suddenly pulled backwards.

Mr. Queer Witch had wrapped vines around Bradd’s torso.
This was the same technique that Mr. Queer Witch used earlier in his emergency retreat.
The rapidly shrinking vines sent us soaring backward through the air, the momentum was as if we were bungee jumping but horizontally. I hurriedly clung to Bradd’s maid uniform. Hang in there!! My grip strength!!

「…… Hey, what are you doing ……!?」

Bradd, who no longer considered Mr. Queer Witch to be an enemy, was not at all alarmed by the vines coming from behind and was completely caught off guard. He asked that question with a surprised tone.

「Why are you standing there dazedly!! The seven phantoms are all monsters!!　That is not enough to defeat Addis!! The princess was nearly killed just now!!」

Mr. Queer Witch replied with a hoarse exclamation.

You’re overreacting, Addis is right there lying immobilized on the ground, I thought, but then I shuddered when I saw my own bangs fall off with a snap.

Hiiieeeee, my body instantly turned stiff like a wooden doll!!

This means, if it wasn’t for Mr. Queer Witch’s pull, my neck and torso would have been sliced apart!?

「…… That’s impossible …… He couldn’t have launched any attacks ……」

Bradd’s face turned pale in shock.

「What the hell is that guy ……!?」

The net burst open with a bang.
The Addis the Faceless brushed the fallen leaves from his white ceremonial outfit and looked around at the stupefied group of〈Lawless Crew〉.

「……I’m getting tired of playing tag. Come on, attack me all together. Or could it be that the famous〈Lawless Crew〉is just a group of incompetent people who would stand like deer-in-the-headlights and do nothing once their surprise attack is broken? That’s exactly why your ancestors were banished in disgrace.」

Everyone from the〈Lawless Crew〉was offended by Addis’s taunting.
This old tale was one of the greatest insults to the〈Lawless Crew〉, and even the people who are usually mild-mannered became furious.

「You bastard!! I will not let you leave here alive!!」

「Behold the exquisite skill of our 〈Lawless Crew〉!」

「Secret technique,『Black Spider ……!!」

However, the people of the〈Lawless Crew〉that rushed toward Addis were not able to release their hidden technique.
They were all blown away as if caught in an invisible explosion.
Those tough guys were knocked unconscious and were slammed to the ground helplessly on their backs.

Bradd gasped in surprise.
We heard a familiar sound of impact.

「…… That bastard, he can use the techniques of the〈Lawless Crew〉. Moreover, at a ridiculously high level of mastery.」

「…… Nuahahaha!! After becoming furious, the result is only that all of you are full of openings!? You are not crazy enough to master it. Are you underestimating the art of combat? You people who can only bluff, good night. …… Oh, is that a new little fly? You guys are a little too persistent.」

Addis held out his hands and struck a helpless pose.

「…… Don’t let him go!! Imperial guards, ready the Trident formation!!」

「Charge!!」

「Yes!!」

The imperial guards, who had been waiting for an opportunity to charge, attacked in a group of three knights with the sound of the horses’ hooves beating.

Addis leaped over the knights on horseback, and then came to rest in mid-air with a snap. His white outfit swayed above the heads of the royal guard, as if sneering at them.