Chapter 218: Morning Comes, a Friend Departs, and Longdagger’s Heart is Soaked 2
Having finished my night watch, I was in top form from the morning.
Erica, first thing in the morning, was abnormally cute.
Erica, who greeted me with a “Good morning” while glancing my way with a bashful face, was so cute it was almost no joke.
The world is overflowing with iniquity, but it’s also overflowing with an equal amount of cuteness (Erica).
My spirits soared from the morning high, making my heart feel light.
“Masked Man! Preparations are complete!”
To Yuunou-san’s voice, who had been checking on the Villagers, I raised a hand in reply.
Jen, who gave me time; Erica, who said nothing until I recovered; Shara, who got angry on my behalf; Beardy, who shared my indignation; and Yuunou-san, who remained calm.
If I were still dragging my feet after a whole night with all this support, I’d have to quit being an adventurer.
I retightened my sword belt and steeled my resolve.
＊
Terio Oscor was a serious villain.
Born and raised in the Royal Capital of the Faltar Kingdom, he became a villain with extreme smoothness.
Once he discovered his advantage—the lack of hesitation in using others for his own benefit—he became a villain with such ease.
He did so because he believed it would be most profitable for him.
He wasn’t good at rough stuff, but he had no trouble outsourcing it. There are many fools in this world.
The sheer number of fools who possessed talent that could be managed with a little ingenuity, yet ruined themselves, exasperated Terio.
Despite him having no talent himself, only the ability to use others. The majority of those with talent were nothing but fools.
They’d easily ruin themselves by clinging to things like money, family, or lovers, which they should have just trampled on or cut ties with.
It was unpleasant, especially since he himself had no talent.
Harboring such pent-up feelings, Terio steadily climbed the ranks of Faltar’s underworld.
It was also a form of retaliation, showing that even someone talentless like him could achieve this much.
Even without talent, he could use fools to rise. That felt incredibly good to Terio.
There were times he suffered bitter defeats, but they never reached him personally.
Even when the little girl from Pantile crushed nearly eighty percent of his organization, Terio remained calm.
In fact, it was even a source of pride.
Even those with talent and the intelligence to fully utilize it couldn’t reach him. Terio’s heart danced at this thought of himself.
How about that, look! Look at me! You geniuses who can’t reach me, the talentless and incompetent!
Everything changed for Terio just a few months ago.
The first anomaly was an increase in subordinates suddenly disappearing.
It was a common occurrence, so Terio hadn’t paid it much mind, but when even some of his close aides went missing, he thought something was amiss.
And around that time, strange things began happening to him as well.
He could hear a voice, a sweet, gentle voice consoling him. Telling him that his circumstances were mere misfortune, an unjust unhappiness, and that it wasn’t his fault.
That someone, something, had failed, and he was paying the price. That he was being made to pay the price.
This was something Terio had always thought.
He was constantly being made to pay for something, for someone else.
He, who had nothing to do with it, who had done nothing wrong, was being made to pay.
That quiet anger had always driven Terio.
The voice told Terio that he had been right.
He hadn’t been wrong.
The voice is right; therefore, he, who obeys the voice’s commands, is also right.
Terio, along with his subordinates who could also hear the voice, departed from the Royal Capital of Faltar. Towards the City of Hecate, in the Margraviate of Makikomarkrow, Orclaugh Kingdom.
“Ah, yes, that’s right. I am the source of your happiness. That’s why I’m so angry at your misfortune, at how unjust it is. You can’t forgive it, can you? I cannot forgive it.”
The terribly gentle voice was like that of a young girl, and also like that of a mother.
＊
Due to my report, the formation was changed.
It was decided to place Erica and me, who can use the Presence Detection Skill, at the rear and front of the formation, respectively.
Since Jen-san refused to move to the safest middle part of the formation, Erica, inevitably our strongest asset, would be by Jen-san’s side at the rear.
And I was assigned to guard the head of the formation.
The combat members are me, Beardy (Drim), and Yuunou-san (Maricia).
To be honest, I still don’t know Beardy’s combat capabilities, but from his demeanor, I somehow feel he’s become significantly stronger than when we met in Noel Jeun.
As expected of Beardy.
In this case, should I be praising Yuunou-san?
When I muttered, “As expected of Yuunou-san,” Yuunou-san looked at me as if I were something disgusting.
When I tilted my head, not understanding, she sighed.
Beardy, who had tensed up whenever he recalled the annihilated village during the night watch, seemed to have regained his composure after a night, seeing the Villagers before him. There was no darkness on his face, only resolve and determination.
Nice, Beardy. That’s really good.
Our job as adventurers is to punch iniquity in the face.
I felt happy, thinking, “Sasuga Beardy.”
We were blessed with good weather and steadily progressed on our journey to Loakum.
It was truly smooth.
“Masked Man, were those the last of the Monsters?”
Yuunou-san returned, swinging her warhammer with a hyun sound to shake off the blood.
The sun was at its zenith; it was probably about time to let the Villagers rest while we had lunch.
“At least, there are no Monsters within my Presence Detection range.”
Yuunou-san had told me, “Masked Man, you’re the reserve. Don’t move, got it? Don’t move!” So I obediently stayed at the head of the group with Beardy, minding the fort.
Since we set out, we’ve been attacked by Monsters about twice, but Yuunou-san handled both.
Unlike Faltar, they don’t line the roads with Monster-repelling Magic Tools here, so when you get attacked, you get attacked.
Twice is probably a small number, considering we’re leading a large group of people.
“It would be easier if our field of vision were a bit wider.”
Yuunou-san said, looking around.
A forest spread out, flanking us on both sides.
It’s the same forest we passed through on the way here, but at our current speed, we’ll probably be in it for another two or three hours.
The road itself is quite wide, so it doesn’t feel dim, but the poor visibility to the sides can’t be helped. My Presence Detection Skill tends to be imprecise, so I can’t let my guard down.
“I wish I could use the Presence Detection Skill too.”
Beardy said, stroking his chin through his Mask.
“Presence Detection is all about spirit, Beardy.”
I passed on the advice I once received from a badass old lady Assassin to Beardy.
Surprisingly, Presence Detection really could be managed with spirit. I never thought a Skill, called a gift from God, could be handled with mere spirit.
“Spirit, huh… Presence Detection with spirit…”
Beardy’s earnest voice was clear even through his Mask. Yuunou-san spoke up, as if to cover it.
What’s she flustered about?
“For now, the Masked Man’s Presence Detection is sufficient! It’s a great help! Masked Man!”
Praising me that much won’t get you anything, you know?
“Putting that aside! We need to let the Villagers rest soon, or it’ll be bad, Masked Man.”
Yuunou-san suddenly changed the subject, but I agreed with her, so I went along with it.
“Yeah, I think so too.”
I think so, but—
“We can’t exactly let them rest in the middle of the forest.”
Yuunou-san must know that, I thought, as I made the obvious point. Then she said something truly competent.
“There’s a small clearing a little way ahead. Let’s rest there.”
Was there such a place? My doubt must have shown on my face, because Yuunou-san sighed.
“There was, Masked Man. It’s understandable for Drim, who was desperate just to keep up, but for you, Masked Man, who was running comfortably using Physical Enhancement, it’s a lack of observation.”
“It was too close to the city, so I wasn’t thinking about rest stops.”
To my honest excuse, Yuunou-san grumbled, “This is why you’re so unconventional.”
Why?! You wouldn’t rest in a place you’re just running through, right?!
While I was thinking, “I’m not quite convinced,” Yuunou-san was calling out to the Villagers, “We’ll be resting in just a little bit, so hang in there!”
Yuunou-san is seriously competent.
And so, we took our first break since setting out.
At the academy, we were taught to take short breaks and long breaks when marching in a group, so walking non-stop since morning without even a short break was an unconventional course of action.
Since Jen-san was letting the elderly and children with weak legs ride in the carriage, we, wanting to cover as much distance as possible, decided to push ourselves.
At this pace, it would probably take about another day and a half to reach the city.
Considering that the kind of people who would massacre all the villagers are wandering about, I still think it’s slow, but the Villagers are doing their best.
“We’ll only light a fire here! Those who want hot water, please line up here!”
Yuunou-san is efficiently giving instructions to the Villagers.
As for me, I was once again told by Yuunou-san, “Alright? The Masked Man is the rear guard, okay? I need you to stand watch here. Got it? You’re the rear guard, okay? Don’t move, alright? Drim and I will handle the miscellaneous tasks, okay? Don’t move, alright?” so I’m keeping watch on the surroundings.
If Yuunou-san emphasizes the importance of the rear guard to me, I have no choice but to obey.
To be honest, I’m bored.
“Hey, hey! My friend! How are you? You’re doing well, right? Of course you’re doing well!”
Jen shows up there.
From our perspective, we’d really like Jen, who is our top priority for protection, to stop moving around so casually, but Chako, who is by her side, doesn’t seem to have any intention of stopping her master.
Well, since Erica is by her side, there’s no doubt she’s in the safest place in the world.
“Can someone tell me how to make you behave?”
“If you’d hold my hand, I’d behave.”
Jen, laughing at my sarcasm, approaches while wiggling her fingers as if wanting to hold hands.
Should I grip it hard enough to make her scream?
Just as I was thinking that, a hand reached out from the side.
It was Erica.
Before I could even think, “Huh?” Erica grabbed Jen’s hand.
“Will this do?”
“Hmm? That’s not what I meant, but… I see, this in itself is ‘that kind of thing,’ and it makes my heart flutter, doesn’t it?”
Jen, whose hand was taken by Erica, looks at me and smirks.
“Are you envious, my friend?”
I scoff at Jen’s provocation.
I’ve even been carried princess-style by Erica. I’m not going to get jealous now just because she’s holding hands with Jen in front of me.
Don’t underestimate me, my friend.
I move to Jen’s other side.
“Pya.”
Erica hiccups.
I grabbed Erica’s hand.
That’s right, I’m a man who has even been carried princess-style by Erica. I won’t hesitate to hold Erica’s hand now.
If Erica makes a disgusted face, I’ll commit seppuku on the spot.
“I’ve been carried princess-style by Erica twice, you know? Did you think I’d hesitate to hold my wife’s hand now?”
“What’s this intensely interesting story you speak of?”
See! Right now! Even if it’s just for the setup, I’m Erica’s husband! I have to appeal! I have to appeal to Jen!
As I was desperately appealing in my mind to Erica, “This is the reason I’m holding your hand, you see?” Erica suddenly collapsed to her knees.
Since Jen and I are holding Erica’s left and right hands, the three of us look like a somewhat strange sculpture. Huh? Wait, it’s enough to make her collapse to her knees? Just committing seppuku might not be enough, will it?
As I was wondering what percentage of my neck I’d have to offer Erica to be forgiven, I saw Shara approaching, weaving through the Villagers.
She was holding a packet of portable rations in her hand.
“Ah! There you are! …What are you all doing?”
Shara tilted her head, looking at us who had turned into a strange sculpture.
“It seems they wanted to express the concept of ‘a complex form of love’ through physical representation.”
Chako, maintaining a deadpan expression, answered Shara’s question that way.
Come to think of it, Jen already knew the circumstances, so there was no need to make her believe the setup about me being Erica’s husband, I thought, as I nodded back at Shara, who tilted her head and asked, “Is this some kind of noble’s art?”
Let’s just go with that.
＊＊＊＊Afterword＊＊＊＊
Erica… Gushaaa!
Thanks to my humble work being displayed on the banner of Kakuyomu’s top page, many people have read it, and I’ve even received comments, so I, the author, am ecstatic.
I haven’t been able to reply to comments at all, though.
I’m grinning at every single comment.
For a long time, despite updating weekly, I’ve been in a sorry state of only around 2000 characters per update.
With prospects for the Dragon Novels contest entry looking up, I feel like I might be able to increase the word count a little.
Promotion
Currently, I am participating in the 7th Dragon Novels Light Novel Contest.
It’s a novel where the protagonist, shipwrecked in space, crash-lands on a fantasy planet with elves and dragons.
The protagonist, who can no longer leave his cryogenic sleep pod, and an AI that’s a bundle of sarcasm, go on a rampage while having lively conversations.
If you like cute elf-san who spew profanities like “kusofakkin,” please give it a read.
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622172432682281