Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

"Ah Shit." Kaede grumbled, as she followed behind Acer.

"What, what is it?" Kirara asked.

"We can't go yet. The camp is probably looking for us." Kaede answered.

"Oh yeah, those guys." Kirara dropped her fist in her palm.

Kaede sighed, running a hand through her hair as she glanced back at the direction they'd come from. "We've been gone long enough for them to assume something went sideways. If we leave without at least checking in, they'll think we're dead or worse."

"I don't know, isn't that a good thing?" Kirara murmured. "I mean, they can't control us if they can't find us."

Kaede turned to Kirara. "You wanna escape?" "Don't you?" Kirara shot back

"What about Shogo and Kyoya? We would be leaving them behind." Kaede asked.

"So? They're boys, Kyoya is too shrewd to let anything happen to him, and Shogo is Shogo. He's too strong." Kirara crossed her arms.

Kaede sighed, staring at the sky for a full minute. "Okay fine." Kirara instantly had a bright smile on her face, but Kaede continued. "But it can't be now, They'll know to look for us here. And since I need to stay here lest I die, we can't have that. How about when we reach the castle, then we leave."

Kirara groaned in frustration. "But now's the only time we can do it. That's the whole point. This is the only time we're free from their control. Once we're back in the castle, it's back to being watched 24/7 and I won't be able to use my skills again."

"Think about it. Razen is definitely too smart to just let us go out of the castle without a plan in place if we try to escape." Kaede explained. "However, he wouldn't expect us to do so from the castle itself."

"But that's impossible!" Kirara yelled. "Thanks to the curse, I can't use my skill in the castle, and you have a shield."

Kaede shot her a tired glare. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. Look, just trust me okay?" She turned to Acer, who was quietly scanning the forest, its glowing eyes sharp and alert. "Hey, buddy, can you stay by yourself without me?"

Acer tilted its head, emitting a soft hum before crouching down. Like a dog that had been told to stay.

"Good girl. Have you regained enough strength to protect yourself?" Kaede asked again and Acer nodded her head.

Kirara blinked. "Wait, what? You're leaving it alone in the middle of nowhere? That doesn't seem smart."

Kaede crouched down, meeting Acer's gaze. "Acer's strong, but I need you to stay here. Stay hidden."

Acer tilted its head, emitting a soft hum of confusion.

Kaede placed a hand on its vine-like arm, her tone firm but gentle. "It's not because I don't trust you. It's because I do. If anyone tries to hurt you, defend yourself, but don't move from this spot unless it's absolutely necessary. I'll come back for you. I promise."

The plant creature hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding, its vines tightening slightly, like a child reluctant to let go of a parent's hand.

"Good," Kaede said, standing up. "Artificia, you're sure this area's safe for now?"

Kaede nodded, satisfied. "Alright, Acer. You've got this. Stay low, stay quiet." She turned to Kirara. "So here's my plan."

---

Kaede and Kirara made their way back to the camp in silence, the tension between them thick but unspoken. The forest around them buzzed with the soft hum of insects and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

As they neared the camp, the distant sound of voices reached them, faint but growing louder with every step. The soft glow of campfires flickered through the trees, signaling they were close. Kaede straightened up, pushing aside her fatigue as she prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

The two of them stepped into the clearing, drawing immediate attention from the group gathered around the central fire. Ordric was the first to spot them, his tall frame silhouetted by the flames. His face lit up with a mix of relief and irritation as he hurried over.

"Kaede! Kirara! Where the hell have you guys been?" Ordric barked, his voice low but sharp. "You've been gone for a whole day! We thought you were dead!"

Kaede sheepishly rubbed her head. "We uhh- got lost?"

Ordric sent her a deadpanned look that said he didn't believe a word she said. "You... got lost."

"Yeah. But hear me out... We found the bandit leader." Kaede raised her hands in a placating gesture.

"Oh?" Ordric raised an eyebrow. "Well where is he?"

"The first thing you need to know is, he wasn't human. At least I don't think he was." Kaede started. "He was purple skinned, and he had a black horn on his forehead."

Ordric had a look of thought on his face. "An Ogre? Leading a bandit group of humans." He turned to Kaede. "Did he have a name?"

Kaede thought for a moment. "No. No he didn't introduce himself."

Ordric studied Kaede's face for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "So not a named monster then, still, an ogre leading a bandit gang… That's unusual, they're usually just mercenaries. Ogres aren't known for mingling with humans, let alone leading them."

Kaede shrugged, her exhaustion weighing heavy on her. "Unusual or not, that's what we saw. I'm very strong, but he could keep up with me."

Kirara nodded emphatically, backing Kaede up.

Ordric's eyes flicked to Kirara, before turning back to Kaede. "And you're sure he's still in the area?"

Kaede hesitated, considering her next words carefully. "He wasn't following us when we left, so I'd say it's likely. But I wouldn't recommend sending anyone after him. You'd need a full squad at least, and even then, there's no guarantee they'd win."

Ordric rubbed his chin, the flickering firelight casting shadows over his thoughtful expression. "A full squad, huh? That bad?"

"Worse," Veeno joined in the conversation, her tone serious. "Ogre's are generally B+ranked monsters. To be able to lead an entire bandit group, he's probably much stronger."

The other adventurers around the campfire muttered among themselves, various whispers of agreement.

"Alright," Ordric said finally, crossing his arms. "We'll report this when we get back to Falmuth. The general will decide how to handle it. For now, you two need to rest. You look like you've been through hell."

Kaede nodded gratefully, though she noticed Ordric's sharp gaze linger on her for a moment longer than necessary. He didn't fully believe her story, but for now, he wasn't pushing the issue.

---

Kaede and Kirara settled into the corner of the camp, away from the prying eyes of the other mercenaries. The flickering light of the campfires barely reached them, leaving their little corner dim and relatively private.

"You think they bought it?" Kirara whispered, her voice low.

Kaede leaned back against a tree, letting out a quiet sigh. "For now. Ordric's suspicious, but he doesn't have enough to go on. As long as we don't give him a reason to dig deeper, we're fine."

Kirara didn't look convinced, but she didn't argue. Instead, she pulled her knees to her chest, her eyes distant. "So… what's the plan now? You've got me all hyped up about escaping, and now we're sitting here pretending everything's fine."

Kaede glanced at her, her expression softening. "I know you're impatient, but trust me on this. If we run now, we'll just get caught. Patience is my forte."

Kirara sighed, resting her chin on her knees. "Fine. But you'd better have a damn good plan by the time we get to the castle."

Kaede smirked faintly, though her mind was already working on the details. "Don't worry."

---

The next morning came too quickly for Kaede's liking. The soldiers and adventurers were up at dawn, packing up the camp with practiced efficiency. Kaede and Kirara were given the task of helping with the supplies, though Ordric kept a close eye on them as they worked.

Kaede could feel his gaze on her as she hefted a bundle of firewood onto the cart. She forced herself to act natural, keeping her movements steady and her expression neutral. The last thing she needed was to give him a reason to dig deeper into their story.

By the time the camp was packed up, the sun was well above the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Ordric called the group together, his voice cutting through the morning air like a whip.

"Listen up! We're heading back to Falmuth. Stick to the formation, and don't wander off. Apparently, we're in ogre territory, and I don't want anyone getting picked off because they decided to take a detour."

The group murmured their understanding, and soon they were on the move, the forest closing in around them as they made their way back toward the castle.

Kaede walked near the middle of the group, her shield strapped to her back and her eyes scanning the trees. She could feel Kirara's presence beside her, the girl's nervous energy practically radiating off her.

"Relax," Kaede murmured, keeping her voice low. "The more anxious you look, the more suspicious they'll get."

Kirara huffed quietly. "Easy for you to say. You can do anything."

Kaede smirked faintly. "Not really."

Kirara rolled her eyes but didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the path ahead.

---

By the time they reached Falmuth, Kaede's body was screaming for rest. The journey had been grueling, and her magicule reserves were still dangerously low. But she forced herself to keep going. She couldn't afford to show weakness now.

A few hours, and Razen was waiting. The chief sorcerer stood in the center of the main room of their suite, his piercing gaze sweeping over the both of them as they entered. Shogo and Kyoya were nowhere to be found. Kaede felt his eyes linger on her, and she forced herself to stand tall, meeting his gaze with a calm, steady expression.

"Welcome back," Razen said, his voice smooth but cold. "I trust your mission was… enlightening?"

Kaede nodded respectfully, choosing her words with care. "It was... unexpected. The leader of the bandits wasn't human. He was an ogre apparently."

Razen's sharp gaze remained locked on her. "An ogre? Leading human bandits, no less? That's highly unusual. Did he give you a name or any indication of his goals?"

Kaede shook her head, keeping her tone calm and polite. "No. He didn't introduce himself, and he didn't stay long enough to ask. He was strong... Probably as strong as Shogo."

Kirara chimed in quickly, her voice tinged with nervous energy. "He didn't seem like a random monster either, old man."

Razen stroked his chin thoughtfully, his expression betraying nothing. "A named ogre, perhaps? And yet he didn't even give a name. Named monsters are known to be quite proud about their names. Especially Ogres and their supposed 'honour' bound traditions."

Kaede hesitated but decided it was best to be honest. "We're not sure, sir. I don't really know about any magic or abilities that would indicate a monster was named."

Razen paced slowly, his robes swishing faintly as he moved. "And I wouldn't expect you to." He stopped and looked at them both. "Was there anything else of note? Any information about the bandit group itself?"

Kaede exchanged a glance with Kirara before answering. "The bandits seemed loyal to him, sir. After taking out two of their bases they didn't run, and according to the general, they instead bought time for him to escape. Now knowing he was a monster, it all makes sense now."

Kirara nodded vigorously. "Yeah! They weren't acting like normal bandits either. They were way more organized than we expected."

Razen's eyes narrowed slightly, but his voice remained steady. "That's troubling. If the bandits are under the control of a strong monster."

Kaede inclined her head. "If there's anything else we can do to help, sir, please let us know."

Razen studied her for a long moment before giving a small nod. "Your willingness to serve is noted, Kaede. For now, get some rest. You've both earned it."

Kirara let out a quiet sigh of relief, but Kaede remained composed, bowing slightly before responding. "Thank you, sir. We'll be ready if you need us."

Razen turned away, already lost in thought as he strode toward his study. Kaede and Kirara exchanged a brief look before retreating to their quarters.

---

Kaede's room was large and comfortable, with a big bed pushed against the wall. Kaede dropped onto her bed with a weary sigh, her body aching from the journey. Kirara sat on the bed, her expression a mix of exhaustion and frustration.

"That went better than I thought," Kirara muttered, running a hand through her hair. "Still, I hate how calm he always is. Makes me feel like he's one step ahead. Creepy."

Kaede glanced over at her, her tone gentle. "He's just doing his job. Besides, it's better than him being too suspicious, right?"

Kirara groaned, flopping back onto her bed. "I guess. But now what? We're back under lock and key, and the escape plan is starting to feel more impossible by the minute."

Kaede stared at the ceiling, her mind already churning with possibilities. "We'll figure it out. For now, let's me rest a bit."

Kirara didn't respond, but the tension in her shoulders seemed to ease slightly. Kaede closed her eyes, letting the quiet of the room settle over her. Nighttime couldn't come any sooner.