“Haah, it’s over.”
Luchi retrieved his sword and glanced around.
There were easily over three hundred corpses of the Nol scattered everywhere.
It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t difficult either.
The Nol led by their leader were systematic.
The armored Nol drew attention at the front.
The ones with crossbows continuously harassed from the back.
In between, spears jabbed, rusty swords swung, arrows pierced, and maces struck.
Claws, fangs, bites, and even rocks.
The relentless attacks were soul-sucking.
If it had been anyone else, they would have surely been torn to shreds without a trace.
But Luchi and Heinzel were different.
I was different too… Hehe.
The two joked with each other like they were just out for some local fun while slaughtering the Nol.
Moreover, the Nol’s leader was cut in half by a single blow from Heinzel…
For sure, they were platinum adventurers facing a ‘Master’.
I wondered if I could defeat them if I fought with all my might.
Thinking of the earlier combat scene, I tried to picture it in my head.
Hmm… somehow, if I fought with gritted teeth, I could probably win with martial arts.
Yeah. Just with simple ‘martial arts’.
But if I used my ‘unique ability’… I definitely couldn’t win with my current self…
You could say that there’s no way an 8-year old veteran could lose to someone! But platinum isn’t platinum for no reason.
The highest rank achievable through hunting in the game was gold.
To reach platinum, you had to pass trials.
Once they passed those trials, different ‘unique abilities’ would awaken for each profession, and they would be promoted to platinum.
Of course, the game and reality might differ, but Luchi and Heinzel had unique abilities.
I had seen them in the game.
They were super cool.
Luchi would go whoosh-! and slash down monsters while screaming kuwahahaha!!
Heinzel would go thud-! and the monsters would go puwhahaha-, crushed.
But… it’s frustrating.
I was a veteran too…
I used to be able to do those kinds of things.
Even though it was in the game…
I felt a bit sour.
I thudded the Great Sword against the ground.
Of course, they had reached that level after brutal training and life-and-death experiences in reality…
Still… something…
“Sigh-”
As I let out a deep sigh, Heinzel approached while looking around.
“So, Luchi. How many did you kill? I forgot midway, maybe because I’m getting old.”
“Looks like your intelligence has disappeared along with your hair. I killed about 90.”
Heinzel said while rubbing his shiny scalp.
“I’m fewer than that, but since I got the leader… let’s count the leader as 20?”
“Ha! That’s nonsense. Do you know how much I spent on drinks?”
“That’s true…”
“But Heinzel. Didn’t we agree to call each other by our aliases?”
“Oh, right… weren’t you Latcha?”
“It was Leech, Leech! Ugh, I messed up this time… Hermila! Ahem! The client is going to be furious.”
“We might not even get paid properly…”
“Is money the problem right now? Ha, this is just ridiculous.”
The two exchanged trivial chit-chat while beginning to tidy their weapons.
I followed suit and checked the condition of my Great Sword.
“Haah…”
Now this was just a club. A simple, large club.
It wasn’t a Great Sword…
The blade had dulled to the point it was nearly gone.
The rattling hilt seemed on the verge of coming off…
And my body… wasn’t in good shape either.
I kept getting dizzy, and I felt blood rising up my throat.
I needed a walking potion… I needed Aileen…
Plus, with my body hurting like this, something.
I missed Hermila’s warm voice and Aileen’s gentle touch.
It felt like I hadn’t seen Aileen in just 20 minutes…
I slapped my cheeks.
Gathering myself, I looked around.
I wondered if there was a Great Sword among the fallen knights’ gear, but as expected, there was none.
It couldn’t be helped.
I grabbed a few knives dropped by the Nol and moved on.
Since I finished with the north gate, I had to head to the west and south gates.
“Hey, girl… where are you going?”
Heinzel turned to me and asked.
“To the west gate. They’re coming over there too. If we don’t go now, it’ll be too late…”
“You’re going to carry that gear? Ha, what a character…”
Luchi clicked his tongue as he scanned my Great Sword.
But what could I do?
I couldn’t repair it myself…
That’s why I took a few daggers.
I tapped the daggers attached to my waist.
“I’m, I’m fine… Ah, you gentlemen, can you go to the south gate?”
“Are they converging at every entrance?”
Heinzel looked toward the direction of the south gate.
“Yes. But only about 3 are left here. So…”
“You think we can handle it ourselves? Ha ha, those knights don’t even treat us as humans.”
Luchi sneered at the knights.
Heinzel too laughed as he mocked the knights.
They weren’t entirely unhelpful… but they weren’t a huge help either.
Roughly… Luchi killed 90, Heinzel 70, and I took down about 60.
I could’ve done better. What a pity.
Anyway, we together killed a total of 220.
Those nine knights killed around 80… just under ten for each head.
If it had been a cute newbie like Aileen, I would have laughed it off, but seeing the ones at the center of this fiasco like that irked me.
Thank goodness I had Luchi and Heinzel, or Aileen would have been in danger.
I could probably survive somehow on my own, but Aileen would… have died.
That’s why I hated those knights.
They didn’t even spare a glance.
Though their eyes were closed.
Let ’em eat dirt. Tsk.
“Anyway, head to the south gate… I’ll go to the west gate alone.”
As I was looking at them quietly, Luchi spoke.
“I’ll go with you. It’s fine to let that bald guy go alone.”
“This blind moron…”
If Luchi is coming with me… that’s a relief.
I was secretly hoping he would.
It would be possible on my own, but it felt a bit sketchy.
Heinzel probably would manage on his own too.
Anyway, since he’s offering to go along, there’s no reason to refuse.
“Then, the bald uncle will go alone, and Luchi and I will head to the west gate—”
“Noah. Where do you think you’re going?”
A familiar voice interrupted my words from behind.
The voice I wanted to hear the most.
It’s Aileen!
Filled with joy, I quickly turned around to face her with a bright smile… huh…?
Aileen looks extremely angry…?
“A-Aileen…?”
Aileen approached me, her robe pulled low over her face.
Scary…
“Noah.”
Cold sweat dripped down my back at Aileen’s sunken voice.
“Y-Yes…?”
Finally, Aileen arrived right in front of me.
If we were the same height, our noses would almost touch.
Is she going to cancel the request…?
I received 15 gold coins, so returning them would be the right thing, right…?
We had gotten attached in such a short time…
Moreover, just now… I was trying to protect Aileen…
My body hurts, my equipment is damaged, I’ve lost money…
And thinking about parting ways with Aileen stirred a sense of unfairness that welled up tears.
“Noah.”
“Y-Yes, hic- yes…”
I bowed my head and waited for Aileen to speak.
“What on earth is this situation? A girl like this… seriously…”
“Wh-What…?”
But contrary to my worries, Aileen enveloped me in a warm hug and started to stroke my back.
W-Why…?
“I’m sorry, Noah… I’m really late, right?”
“N-no… I… was supposed to stay in the room… but… um, but… if you do this, it’s… the blood will… it smells terrible…”
“It’s fine. Just hold on for a minute.”
As I tried to push Aileen away, she held on to me tighter.
Of course, I could throw her off if I put in some strength…
But I remained still.
The reason… I have no idea.
Maybe because it felt warm and soft.
As we hugged, Luchi and Heinzel turned their backs to us, staring at the knights.
What’s going on?
“Um, Aileen…? This is a bit urgent… I need to head to the west gate… so…”
Upon hearing my words, Aileen gently pushed me away.
For reasons unknown, a slight sense of regret lingered in my mouth.
Could it be… the chest…?!
Is a big chest the truth?!
“Now… you say that in this state? Are you trying to make a point? Do you want me to obsess over you, Noah? Hm?”
Aileen’s words began to hit me like arrows.
“Why on earth are you doing this? Last time you asked me to guide you to a quiet place, we went to the blacksmith instead. I thought you were teasing me. That’s why I got mad. And now that I’m looking back, I apologize for getting angry. Also, I’m sorry if that coffee I made was really disgusting.”
“Uh, uh…?”
“And the last time, you took down the black bear all by yourself. You went off alone from dawn! Covered in blood!! Even when it was coming toward us, you just went alone! Didn’t you?!”
“U-uh… that’s…”
I was feeling sluggish… plus…
It was my first time sleeping with others, especially girls, so… I had trouble sleeping…
I had run into the black bear while sleeping over there… well…
“And earlier, you took down so many Nol by yourself! So recklessly! You must have gotten immensely hurt! Blood was flowing everywhere, and you must have been in pain! And you’re breathing heavily… Hah-… Hah-…”
“A-Aileen… breathe. Breathe…”
“You were even bleeding from your nose earlier! And spewing blood from your mouth, and what? ‘Just cook at home’? Hey, Shin Noah! Are you insane?!”
“Uh… Huh…?”
“You’re hurt, struggling, and you expect me to just sit back? Of course I would help you, so if you say I’m just supposed to, shouldn’t I say, ‘Hey, you filthy adventurer. I paid you properly, so you handle everything and guard my precious body as well?’ Is that it? Answer me.”
“Uh, no… it’s not like that…”
“Well, we haven’t known each other long, and I tease you all the time, so do you think I don’t care? Do you think I hate you? No. I don’t! Even though you showed all those scars on your small body, and even through your expression that says it’s fine… do you think I wouldn’t care?! Do you think I hate you? If you dislike me, just say it! But I, I… sniff I just…”
“A-Aileen… don’t cry…”
I reached out to wipe Aileen’s tears away.
“Don’t touch me! I’m not crying! I’m not… so why… why are you fighting so fiercely? I’m here! I care about you! So why are you doing this…?”
Aileen, who was so furious…
Suddenly hugged me tightly…
Her anger gradually faded away…
Then she started shouting with a sharp voice…
And now, she’s crying.
But when I wipe the tears, she doesn’t push me away…
Um…
My head can’t keep up with the situation.
Wh-What’s happening…?
Luchi and Heinzel were still turning their backs to us, glaring at the knights.
The knights, unable to decide what to do, were pacing like puppies eager to relieve themselves.
I truly had no clue what was happening.
Even now, I was dizzy and felt like collapsing, and I was forcing down the blood bubbling in my throat from being so close to Aileen…
Monsters were coming from the south and west gates… with the scent of blood wafting, Carpen could awaken… it was truly, truly a perilous situation…
For now, should I soothe Aileen…?
What would be the best way to calm her down in this situation…?
Hmm… based on my experience…
“A-Aileen… how about we go to the south gate together? We can hunt Nol together… let’s have a contest! Who can catch more? That would be fun, right…? Hehe.”
Killing monsters is the best.
We can stop the Nol and clear our heads!
Of course, it’s not a game, and it’s reality… and our lives are on the line…
But since Aileen is behind me, there’s hardly a chance for me to die.
If anything, I could send Heinzel alone and go with Luchi!
As I basked in pride for coming up with a good idea, a smack- sound echoed from behind me.
Heinzel sighed with his hand on his forehead.
Ah right.
The south gate was Heinzel’s, wasn’t it?
“A-Aileen, I think we’ll need to head to the west gate… the bald uncle over there decided to go to the south gate.”
