The Parmece kingdom´s soldiers are not idiots. This is not their first expedition. From the moment they saw the broken carriage blocking the road, they realized that they were being targeted. Even so, both decided to play along for two reasons:

Although bandits are usually weak compared to trained soldiers on the battlefield, that doesn't mean they can't be a nuisance. If they had killed Melody and her partner at the moment they found out they were bandits, that would have caused the gang they were a part of to have felt offended.

Bandits have a rare sense of honor. If they had ignored Zack's group after the death of two of his men, that would have caused them to lose respect to other bandit gangs in the area. That is why, if the soldiers had killed them, the group would have had to be in constant vigilance for the multiple and repeated assaults they would suffer throughout their journey for that group to recover to 'recover the honor'

The other motive is to avoid attention. Even if they had repelled the attacks of the first group, that would have drawn the attention of the other bandits in the area, curious as to the identity of the person protected by two such strong guards. Which could have caused more gangs to attack them mistakenly thinking that Zack was the son of a high-ranking nobleman.

Although bandits have a reputation as cowardly leeches, not all groups are weak. Some of the bigger ones have among their members, people with tier 2 classes. If they had caught their attention, they might have been in trouble. Fortunately, the group that ambushed them were nothing more than common bandits.

Suddenly, a very bright light illuminated the bodies of both guards, making them feel stronger and more capable. Even though this was the first time they had experienced it, they both knew very well what was happening.

Contrary to popular belief, not all magical spells have the ability to destroy. There is a whole category of spells dedicated exclusively to the support and improvement of the abilities of the allies, however, few are those who may have received such treatment.

There is only one way their bodies could glow in such a way: they were receiving spells from a wizard.

The guards who were guarding Zack had encountered two types of wizards so far: Combat Mages, and Traditional Mages.

Combat Mages are powerful and efficient allies to fight with, but unfortunately, they lack a wide enough repertoire to include such Spells.

As for the second type… the second one was the traditional magicians… There is nothing more to say.

When the spell ended, both fighters felt strong and refreshed like never before. With great energy, they picked up their swords and charged towards the bandits, spells constantly being fired from the rear.

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…

At the moment in which the soldiers got up from the ground as if nothing had happened, a chill ran down Melody's back. She couldn't understand how men who looked like they were about to die were on their feet in seconds.

The next thing she saw, the bandit next to her burned like a match, and after writhing in pain for half a minute, he fell to the ground dead.

Melody couldn't be sure how long she stayed watching what was once one of her colleagues, now reduced to a burned body. “AARRRRgggg!!!”

"Catch them!!!"

"MONSTERS!!!"

The screams of her companions woke her from her stupor, causing her to raise her head in the direction of the noise. Seeing how the two soldiers slaughtered the rest of the bandits without any difficulty. Seeing the cruelty of indifference with which they got rid of those who, until now, had been her colleagues, she was seized with a terrifying fear.

She fled.

Running away was a very serious offense, no matter where. From now on, if any member of her former group saw her, they would make her regret and probably wish she was dead. What bandits need is cannon fodder. Nobody needs cowards.

When she realized it, she was running in the opposite direction. She ran and ran with all her might, trying to get away from those murderous monsters.

Spells rained on the battlefield, hitting the close bandits. Seeing magic, a lot of them started to panic. In this world, mages were respected and feared, seeing one was almost a miracle. For most bandits, it was the first time they saw magic, but almost everyone had heard about the things they could do.

Not only Melody. She was the first, but multiple bandits also followed her, trying to save their life.

"Huff huff" Melody breathed deeply, trying to get a little more air into her lungs to run a little further. Just a little more.

BAM

Suddenly she collapsed to the ground. She had run out of stamina. Noticing this, a sensation of suffocation and fear ran through her entire body.

(I don't want to die) Melody thought while she tried to get up from the ground and run a little more, but it was useless. She was exhausted.

(How did I get to this?) Melody thought, immersing herself in her memories while she waited for her end.

The life she is leading is not the one she once wanted. She does not believe that there is a single child in the world who, when he was little, would have said: "When I grow up I am going to be a bandit"

No. As a child, she wanted to be a pastry chef, make lots of sweets, and eat them whenever she wanted. When her parents died she knew she would never make it.

She had no money, and no one to support her. Her parents' friends drifted away one by one, wanting nothing to do with a needy orphan.

As a last resort, she only had to start stealing. At first, they were small things to survive, some food and some coins, but little by little they became more complicated and their friendships more and more sinister.

Melody shook her head. That no longer matters, as much as she wants to change, she knows that people don't change that easily. She can only hope that there is nothing after death because she knows that even if there is, it won't be a good thing for her.

She closed her eyes, trying not to see what was going to happen and hoping it would be as painless as possible.

Seconds passed, and then minutes, but nothing happened.

Melody opened her eyes to see what was happening. No one was chasing her. She was alone.

At some point, she had strayed from the rest of the group and got lost in the middle of the mountains. That was not good. With her knowledge of this area, getting lost means being far, far away from her base.

Melody forgot the problems she had now and the difficulties she would have in finding a place to rest, but that could wait.

She curled up on the spot and began to cry silently.