The monsters’ tracking task was taken care of by Cluna and Clara.
But let’s be real, it was practically all Cluna doing the heavy lifting. So, why was Clara even here? Well, that’s because of Cluna’s educational policy.
The Royal Knights during their prime were undoubtedly the strongest order of knights, but now they were sadly past their glory days. So, it was time to start from scratch and replan everything.
Among those tasks, Cluna and Clara were assigned the roles of reconnaissance and rear support. Cluna immediately dove into training—tracking methods, how to shoot arrows well, and so on.
“Clara, didn’t I clearly tell you?”
“S-Sorry.”
“We should be using honorifics out there, right?”
“I-I apologize.”
“……”
But honestly, from my perspective, it felt a bit too strict. I mean, really? Just for one mistake, she’s coming down like a hawk on Clara? I wanted to intervene.
“Cluna, isn’t it a bit harsh to teach like this…?”
“No, it’s fine. Commander.”
“Clara?”
“Mom’s skills are legit. I want to be of help quickly.”
Well, she was already quite helpful. Despite being the lowest rank in the Royal Knights, Clara and Ruby were growing at a pace that might not be on Helia’s level but was still pretty fast.
Especially recently, they managed to take down Bayard 2:1! Of course, Ruby and Clara expressed dissatisfaction about having to team up with an annoying rival, but surprisingly, they were still going along with it. But come on, they were doing well enough already. Were they a little too motivated? At that moment, Clara opened her mouth.
“And if I learn a lot, I could replace Mom, right?”
“Oh my, you think a kid like you could take my place?”
“Why not, Mom? You could stop working and just enjoy traveling in your old age!”
“I can’t just leave a woefully inadequate you behind. The Commander’s going to be on my mind!”
“Hah! There must be another reason for that!”
What’s with the sudden arguing? Just last time they were a happy mother-daughter duo. But now, sparks were flying from their eyes, like we were watching a rivalry showdown.
“Teacher, are you having trouble?”
“Yeah, a whole lot.”
“I have a way.”
“What is it?”
Just then, I was mentally groaning, unable to stop the sudden mental war between the two. Helia, who had been my constant companion, tugged at my sleeve. I felt a little nervous, but I decided to hear her out. Honestly, in the past, she used to go on rampages due to her emotions, but she had improved a lot lately. Maybe she had a good idea this time…?
“Just kill them all off.”
“Okay, you go stand next to Bayard.”
“Yes, understood, teacher.”
With Helia mimicking cutting a neck with her thumb, I sent her right to Bayard. Thankfully, Helia listened obediently. Only then did I feel relieved.
“I thought she had definitely improved.”
Was that just my illusion? No way, she had shown signs of being better for sure. Anyway, having separated Helia from the mother-daughter pair, I immediately stepped in to mediate Cluna and Clara.
The fight calmed down, but little squabbles continued after that. Until the monsters popped up, of course. But when they did, it was like a ghost cooperating flawlessly.
In the end, I gave up thinking. They’ll probably handle it well on their own, right? The monster that flew away into the sky, but Cluna easily found its trace.
“Is there a trace?”
“Yes, traces of it resting or magical power left in the air are here. So many tracking possibilities!”
“Got it, that’s a relief.”
What if we couldn’t track it down? But that worry turned out to be unfounded. The monster was flying off to rest somewhere. That was the conclusion Cluna came to after looking at the trace.
And finally, we could discover it. It was resting with its huge wings folded, hanging on a tree. I clicked my tongue at the sight.
“Looks like a critter who doesn’t realize it’s about to die.”
“Commander, what should we do?”
“First, we need to block its means of escape. Clara, Cluna.”
“Yes! Commander!”
“Leave it to us!”
It would be a problem if it took off using its wings. So, I asked the archers to shoot at the wings, and our two excellent archers managed it easily.
Three and four. Seven arrows in total pierced its wings. Enormous holes were made, and thanks to that, it realized the attack and tried to flee, but could not take off into the sky.
“Finally, the stage is set.”
“……Thank you, that’s what it means!!”
“Huh?”
What are you blabbering about now?
*
“Finally, the stage is set.”
That must have been the Commander talking to me. Ruby completely believed it without a doubt and immediately grabbed a hammer and charged forward. There wasn’t a hint of hesitation.
Because she had been waiting for this moment. In the past, from childhood until now, that pathetic thing took away her mother and her family’s happiness. She had been cursing it non-stop.
Why is a thing like you my father? Why was I born into such misfortune? If only I had been born into an ordinary family like others, maybe I could have been happy?
As if to deny those thoughts, Ruby’s huge hammer came crashing down on its head. Kwaang! With a thunderous sound, it let out a horrific scream. It was a sound Ruby had never heard before.
“Gah?!”
Ruby’s movements momentarily froze from the unexpected attack. It seized that opportunity, brandishing its thick and sharp claws toward Ruby’s head.
She could block it easily. She was flustered, but she had enough skill for that. But then, someone else barged into the mix. Ruby bit her lip and called out to him.
“What are you doing right now? Commander!”
“……”
The one who intruded into the fight was none other than the Commander. To be honest, first impressions were not great. He was clad in some ridiculously shabby armor and had a helmet hiding his face.
But seeing someone like that insisting on being the Commander was absurd from the crowd’s perspective. However, he proved himself effortlessly and accepted us.
There was always a hidden meaning behind the Commander’s words, and there were those who realized that meaning and were saved. So, could it be that this time there was a hidden meaning too? Ruby soon understood that.
“Don’t let your body surrender to anger; fight calmly.”
“How can I do that? With this boiling rage…!”
“Cool your head and heat your heart.”
With that, the Commander stepped back. It’s easy to say, but how can I do that in front of my mother’s enemy? Once a gem among the four supporting the Dwarf Republic, but born from Ruby who had become practically known by name.
Even if she had nothing, surely there were happy moments in her past. But as time went on, things started going wrong little by little.
At first, it was simple requests. Things like fingernails and hair. Something easy to give. But as time passed, the demands grew fiercer and fiercer until it culminated like this.
When she returned from playing outside, her mother was missing. Instead, that so-called father was busy forging weapons. As Ruby searched endlessly for her mother and couldn’t find her, she asked her father.
[Father, where is Mother?]
[Isn’t she here?]
[What?]
[Look at this beautiful form. Isn’t it fantastic?]
Rage bubbled up. Thinking back on that time, there was no way she could let that trash die peacefully. Rage certainly made her strong, but it was also a double-edged sword that revealed her weaknesses.
Thanks to that, her movements became much larger, and she almost got hit fatally by its attack. Had the Commander not intervened, it would have surely been a lethal injury. As thankful as she was.
Ruby shouted back in anger. Of course, she knew. It was her own fault for spouting that nonsense. The Commander had only saved her.
“Stop saving me!”
“……”
“If I can’t win anyway… my life has no meaning…!!!”
Shwaak!
She had been thinking all along. If she couldn’t win, then maybe dying would be better. She thought she could win for sure. The monster had grown incredibly strong since transforming.
But aside from its annoyingly tricky maneuvers, it wasn’t that strong of a monster. Yet, she had nearly been killed twice by such a monster. If not for the Commander, she would have sustained life-threatening injuries.
The knowledge that fact, was something Ruby could not tolerate. So, without realizing it, she burst into unreasonable anger. In that moment, Ruby’s head turned.
“Just brushing against a person creates a bond. Let alone the bond we forged together until now.”
“……”
“Say it again.”
And Ruby saw it.
“Whose life has no meaning?”
For the first time, she was directing her anger not at an enemy, but at a comrade.
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