The Most Satisfied Reincarnate

Although the book didn't provide any information about the appearances of Dark Elves, Desmond couldn't help but speculate that perhaps they had darker skin. This assumption stemmed from his extensive exposure to novels, games, and films in his old world. As a result, he estimated the likelihood of Shelty being a Dark Elf to be a mere 1%, in his opinion.

*grumble*

At that very moment, the carriage came to a halt. Despite the presence of a shock absorption spell within the magical carriage, Desmond and Laura still sensed the subtle shifts in motion that indicated its movement or stoppage.

The carriage trembled abruptly, as did the ground beneath it. Simultaneously, the sounds of royal soldiers shouting filled the air. Instead of mere screams or regular shouts, Desmond perceived these vocalizations as more akin to war cries, traditional signals that precede the commencement of battle.

Following this thunderous shout, chaos erupted outside. People's voices melded into a cacophony of riotous commotion, intermingled with cries of pain and the resounding clash of swords and armor.

"It's begun," Desmond declared, setting aside his book and handing it to Laura. He straightened his posture, adjusting his attire. His tone turned serious, bearing a trace of coldness. "Laura, reinforce the defenses on the door and windows," he commanded.

"Yes, young master," Laura replied, her previous cheerfulness fading away. She placed the book on the shelf and positioned herself in front of the door, extending her arms forward. Engaging in an incantation, she muttered, "Basic Spell: Barrier!"

A transparent barrier materialized, seamlessly integrating with a section of the door. Resembling a honeycomb in shape, the barrier appeared minuscule, barely the size of an adult's palm. However, it possessed sufficient strength to withstand an attack from a second-class swordsman.

As the barrier merged with the door, the illuminated section repeatedly emitted a whitish glow, indicating its transparent presence.

Undeterred, Laura continued chanting the same spell, resulting in the formation of additional miniature barriers that fused with the remaining sections of the door. Gradually, the entire door radiated a whitish light in repetitive pulses. The glow, far from being harsh on the eyes, instead captivated onlookers with its pure radiance.

Exhaustion etched on her face, Laura let out a weary sigh as she concluded her continuous recitation. Clutching her chest, she could feel the draining of nearly half her energy, causing her head to spin slightly.

Laura turned around and noticed her young master gazing out at the view from the window. Curiosity piqued, she joined him and observed the unfolding scene outside.

"I've completed my task, young master," Laura informed him.

Desmond glanced at Laura, his eyes catching sight of her pale face and trembling hands and feet. These were unmistakable signs of a Wizard/Witch whose energy was rapidly depleting. Concern flickered in his eyes. "You've done well. You can rest now."

"Thank you, young master," Laura replied with a forced smile. She turned away and made her way towards her bed, longing for a moment of respite.

Desmond followed Laura's movements with his gaze until she reached the bed and drifted into sleep. His attention then shifted back to the carriage door and window. "I hope they're strong enough to withstand the impact," he murmured, shaking his head in uncertainty.

Despite the carriage being equipped with various protective spells, Desmond remained unsure about the strength of the specific spell guarding it. The doubts gnawed at him.

With Laura having completed her assigned task, Desmond redirected his focus forward and uttered an incantation. "Custom Spell: Barrier."

This spell was a combination of two basic spells: Extend View and Barrier. When Desmond had initially boarded the carriage, he had instructed the system to merge these two spells due to his foreboding intuition.

As anticipated, this new spell functioned similarly to a barrier, but with the caster having the ability to adjust its size. Moreover, its energy consumption proved to be more efficient than that of typical basic spell barriers. Desmond no longer needed to repeat the incantation repeatedly, as Laura had done.

While the effect resembled an advanced spell Desmond was acquainted with, he knew that its defensive capabilities paled in comparison.

As Desmond activated the spell, a sudden appearance of a transparent barrier enveloped the entire room. Just like when Laura had cast the Barrier spell, this new spell integrated seamlessly with each section of the room, emanating a flickering white light.

However, unlike Laura's spell, this barrier spanned the entirety of the room. If observed from the outside, Desmond's carriage would resemble a firefly, radiating a soft, intermittent glow.

After activating the spell, Desmond made his way to the window, his eyes fixed on the unfolding situation outside. The royal troops clashed with a group of individuals brandishing sharp weapons. Though the soldiers appeared adept at handling even two opponents simultaneously, their adversaries seemed taken aback, seething with anger.

Desmond assessed the skills of the soldiers engaged in the battle, speculating that they had all reached the pinnacle of the 1st Swordsmen class. On the other hand, the attackers appeared to lack a cohesive strategy, their strength hovering around the mid 1st Swordsmen class.

"Bandits," Desmond muttered in disbelief. He hadn't expected this group to fall prey to such a brazen attack by bandits. While he had heard news of numerous merchants and citizens being targeted by bandit groups during their journeys, he had considered it unsurprising, given their tendency to travel with minimal guards, essentially presenting themselves as defenseless prey.

However, in this case, the presence of the Guardians accompanying them added a puzzling twist. It seemed the attackers had recklessly chosen to assault a well-protected group.

Could it be that the constant onslaught from the Beasts Race had rendered their assailants' cognitive faculties useless? Perhaps they failed to comprehend that this was a suicide mission?

Just as Desmond intently observed the situation, a volley of thousands of arrows was unleashed from a distance. The arrows cascaded down like rain, poised to claim numerous lives in a single strike.

"Hmm... interesting. Let's test whether the barrier is strong enough to withstand successive attacks from 1st class swordsmen," Desmond mused aloud. Although the bandits had not drawn their swords, the arrows they launched could not be underestimated.

It was akin to a commoner without any combat training wielding a sword and attacking an enemy—the force and impact of the thrust would not match that of a seasoned swordsman.

However, if a swordsman held a bow, despite the ironic notion, the tension generated by drawing the string, coupled with the added force of the wind supporting the arrow, would result in remarkable speed upon release. Desmond recognized the potential danger even in this unconventional form of attack.