“Why are you working so hard while getting hurt like this? You should think about your age, Dad. Scars… Ugh, what is this…”
“Uh-haha! A man can get hurt a bit, right? And scars? They’re marks of glory. Tsk.”
“Still, you should be careful. Honestly… I think your life is the priority. And that won’t change in the future either.”
“Yeah, right. But Noah, look closely.”
Dad rolled up his sleeves to show me the countless scars I had always seen before.
“What do you think when you see these scars? You?”
“I just… think they’re scars. I wish you’d be more careful.”
“When I see these scars, I think of the people who are living well because of me. Going to school, succeeding and failing in jobs, having new marriages, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing… People living their ordinary lives.”
“… I know. You say that all the time. But don’t you get scared jumping into that inferno?”
“Of course, I get scared. I’m not Superman. But even if I’m scared, when I look at these scars, I get the courage to jump in. I gain confidence that I can save someone.”
Dad paused for a moment and opened his wallet wide.
“And when I see this photo, I feel responsible. A sense of responsibility to protect and to return home no matter what.”
Inside the wallet was a faded, yet still clear, photo of our family.
“… I think it’s time to change this photo. What’s up with the color?”
“A photo? What’s wrong with it? It’s cozy and nice. Oh, that reminds me of your mom…”
Dad raised his other arm in front of my eyes.
“Look! This is the scar I got when I was saving your mom. If I didn’t have it, then you wouldn’t be here, Noah!”
“Ugh… I know. But you have to think about those waiting for you… Take care of your body. As I just mentioned, think about your age too.”
“Ha ha, you little… I told you just now, I always think about these photos. You and your mom, that’s how I can always return home.”
There was no rebuttal to Dad’s words.
I could only shut my mouth and gaze into his determined eyes.
“Anyway, son. Don’t worry too much. I’ll make it back, no matter what. I’m going to protect our family.”
Dad’s hand patted my head.
“So Noah, I hope one day you’ll become a hero who saves people, just like your dad, and just like your name.”
“… I’ll try my best.”
“Uh-haha! Good. If you understand, put some more ointment on here. Mom’s going to yell at you later.”
“Dad, next week… I have a day off. Let’s go take a photo together with mom.”
“Sounds great! Let’s go and have some soju together after a long time!”
“I can’t drink because I have work the next day. Just… let’s have a meal. Please buy beef.”
“Well, since it’s work… okay. Let’s just have a meal, son.”
I applied ointment to Dad’s back where the scars were.
I hoped that the ointment would stay a little longer.
That these scars wouldn’t get infected.
That they would disappear.
If they didn’t disappear,
I hoped they would remain as Dad’s glory for life.
*
“Noah.”
Aileen’s cold voice pressed down on me.
“Y-yes…?”
“Do you not know that pouring potions like that leaves scars?”
“Y-yeah…”
“What would happen if a girl did that? Look at these scars.”
“Th-these are… glory scars…!”
“Stop saying weird things. And I was right behind you.”
“But, there were monsters in front of us…”
“The priority was healing.”
“There were… too many…”
“Haah…”
Aileen’s voice, which had been subdued, carried some warmth.
“… Why did you do that?”
“I-it was a request…”
smack
“Eek! Ouch…!”
“If you had just waited a bit longer, I could have handled it with my… abilities.”
“… Yeah.”
“If things got hairy, we could have just run away.”
“… Y-yeah…”
“But really… why did you do that?”
“She, she said it was urgent… That she couldn’t even take the carriage…”
I don’t blame Aileen.
It’s just…
Just, I couldn’t think of any excuse other than this.
“Noah, what are you? Invincible? Don’t you die? You’re not, so please… don’t do that next time…”
Aileen’s voice, softly wet, reached my ears.
“Look… look at this. How much it must hurt… It burns, and it’s hot…”
It hurts.
My left arm, which was bitten by a monster, still throbbed, and my shoulder, which was hit by a mace, along with my leg where the crossbow bolt was lodged.
The rusty sword had dug into my side, and the flame arrow hit my waist.
Nails and toenails that had been ripped out.
The left arm where the bones had been crushed, among others.
Aileen’s healing and potions had somehow healed all the wounds, but it’s… how should I say it…
Phantom pain? Is that what it is?
So how did I even win after being pummeled like this?
I don’t know!
When hunting, it’s all those hormones like adrenaline or dopamine.
Those hormones make it feel like no pain!
In fact, it feels like adding more heat to my body!
But when I relax, it really hurts to the point of almost fainting.
Right now, I want to cry so badly because it hurts…
But what can I do?
I have to fight.
Today, I must survive to have tomorrow.
Of course, I want to fight without getting hurt.
I usually try to avoid as much fighting as possible.
But just now, I had no choice…
There were many attacks that could have hit Aileen instead of me…
So I took the hit as the front-line!
Tanking is part of the front-line’s role!
Of course, hunting is also part of the front-line’s role!
The cowardly ranged dealer should just watch from behind.
If they don’t like it, they can fight as a melee dealer. Tsk.
Anyway.
It’s painful, scary, and tough, but it’s fine.
I saved a person named Aileen.
So I said,
“I’m not hurt at all…”
I patted Aileen’s hand and gave her a big smile.
Aileen looked at me blankly, then poked my left side with her finger.
“Gyaah?! Why, why?!”
It hurts! It hurts! Too much pain!
It hurts even while I scream!
It just hurts!
“You said it doesn’t hurt.”
“W-well… if you poke me like that… how can I not…!”
That’s the spot where the spear went in!
You cruel woman…!
“Does it hurt or not?”
“It, it hurts but… it’s bearable… Let’s just get up… The reinforcements should be coming.”
Monsters usually move in groups.
They’re definitely going to come.
The group led by the leader monster.
With even more numbers than before.
“That’s true, but… No, that won’t do. We need to go back to Albia Village. Let’s go and—”
Listening to Aileen, I took a deep breath and shouted.
“NO!”
For the first time, I interrupted Aileen…!
I really mustered my courage.
“… Why?”
“Let’s do it Aileen’s way. I, I’m really fine.”
I can’t go back just two days after leaving home, it’d be embarrassing to face Hermila…
I just said goodbye while crying!
There’s no way I’ll go back!
And, I need to get 15 gold…!
“Don’t be stubborn. How could you go back like this…?”
I gathered my breath and looked straight at Aileen.
Please. Please let my firm resolve be conveyed!
Please don’t let me stutter again!
“Aileen. I’m really fine. Let’s go. To Cartia.”
Yes!
I didn’t stutter!
I spoke really well!
“Y-yeah?”
Aileen’s body leaned back a bit.
Now’s my chance!
I held Aileen’s body, pulling her back in front of me.
Then, holding my breath and opening my eyes,
In the firmest tone I could muster,
Though she couldn’t see it, I met Aileen’s gaze and mimicked her way of speaking to open my mouth.
“Response.”
“Ugh… Th-then… I-I understand. But, promise me one thing.”
I tilted my head.
I was worried that if I said any more, I would stutter again, so I just tilted my head…
And Aileen, covering her mouth, turned her face aside.
“Phew… There’s a small village near the entrance of Halbion Plain. Let’s just rest a bit there. It’s a quiet village… It shouldn’t be too bad.”
Nodding, I released Aileen’s body that I was holding.
Finally, I had won against Aileen for the first time!
“Wheehee.”
“Hah… You’re truly unpredictable…”
While basking in my victory and smiling goofily, Aileen’s annoyed voice reached my ears.
I reflexively shrank back.
Is this some kind of Pavlov’s conditioning or what?!
“W-what are you talking about…?”
“You. You. I can’t gauge what kind of person you are.”
“Y-yeah…?”
Sweating, a soft hand wrapped around my cheek.
“You’re usually so… silly and stupid, cute and goofy, yet at important moments, you become a completely different person…”
“I-I’m not silly at all… Not stupid… and not cute… I’m not goofy either.”
“Pfft- What does ‘not stupid’ mean?”
“Ugh… Ah, anyway!”
I shook my head and dropped Aileen’s hand.
“W-we don’t have time for this. Let’s move quickly.”
“Okay… But are you really okay?”
“Yes. I’m really o—”
Even though my body screams for mercy… I have to move somehow.
If I run into reinforcements like this, even I, an 8-year veteran, can’t guarantee anything.
And.
The Great Sword’s blade is heavily damaged.
The handle creaks.
The hammer has long been wrecked.
The condition of my gear is desperate.
But I can’t just sit here and repair it.
Of course, I can’t do that…
From now on, I need to avoid fights as much as possible.
I can do this.
I’ve faced countless such situations in games.
No matter how real this is, I have enough experience to handle it.
Steeling my heart, I grabbed Aileen’s hand.
So I wouldn’t lose her.
I interlocked our fingers tightly.
“Let’s go, Aileen.”
No matter what, I’ll find a way to save her.
You trust me, right?
I turned to Aileen and smiled.
“Uh… Yeah, let’s go.”
slosh— slosh—
I stepped onto the blood-soaked ground of the monsters and walked forward.
Heh, I saved Aileen.
Of course, if I hadn’t been here, she would have run away right away…
But! If she ran away, time would run out, plans would go awry, and all sorts of problems would arise!
So! I definitely saved Aileen!
“Wheehee.”
“Noah…? Why are you smiling like that?”
“Just… feeling good.”
I wonder what kind of expression Aileen has right now.
Is she smiling? Or worried?
What does it matter?!
I’m alive!
I want to see it one day.
Aileen’s expression.
Her ordinary life.
Slurp— Slurp—
“Ugh, ugh! I’m eating the monsters… Hey! Uh… what’s your name… I don’t know! Stop! No! That’s a herbivore…!”
