I watched my mom, with only one arm left and being gradually covered by dirt, and made a vow.
I would protect my little sister at all costs.
“I, I will definitely protect you, Rubia.”
Even as mom rotted underground, time kept flowing.
My sister and I needed money.
“We, we don’t have any money. I’ll do anything…! If I can just feed my sister something… Please, I beg you.”
I let go of my pride.
With our mother gone, I appealed to our plight as orphans.
Maybe it worked in this small village.
I could take on various money-making jobs.
I was able to feed my sister warm soup.
“I’m sorry… I have to go to work now. Let’s play together next time! I promise!”
I abandoned my friends.
I worried about my sister being alone while I worked.
Would she be crying?
Would she be thinking strange thoughts, falling into despair?
Would someone bully her for being without parents?
So, I let go of the friends I was close to.
I distanced myself from the friends I had planned to enter the academy with.
Friends who used to enjoy strolling together disappeared.
“How much is all of this…? I’m planning to sell the house and move to a smaller place…”
I sold mom’s belongings.
I sold the house where we lived with mom.
I sold memories, recollections.
I sold my past with mom.
I wanted my sister to go to the academy, even if I couldn’t.
It made my sister resent me.
But my sister didn’t dislike me for such days.
She nodded, saying she’d go to the academy according to her sister’s wishes.
If she succeeded there, our mom in the sky would be happy.
“Then, what about my money…? What about the money for Rubia to enter the academy…? Please, just return half… I want it back!!”
I was scammed.
With scarce funds, the townsfolk agreed and invested in someone saying they’d expand the village’s waterways.
I got not a single cent back.
They said they couldn’t get permission from the empire.
But there were already many materials used.
Though I had forked over a lot, I got nothing back, having failed.
The villagers remained silent.
They had no choice but to be quiet.
They swallowed their anger inside.
Because the opponent was the empire.
This village, and we were left crushed due to our lack of power, capability, and resources.
“I’ll handle it myself, so just focus on your own work. Ah, by the way, I appreciated the gifts you gave me back then…”
I raised my defenses because I didn’t want to be deceived anymore.
I honed my senses to be cautious.
I used the weapons I had.
My looks, my figure, my pitiful aspects.
I extracted sympathy, interest, affection, love from others.
It was alright to be cursed at.
I didn’t mind being hit.
To protect my sister, I could do anything.
Yet, did I still have a hint of pride left?
I couldn’t sell my body.
“Rubia! Look! It’s already fall!”
Though my sister couldn’t go to the academy, she still trusted and followed me.
She had come of age.
She no longer complained about hardships.
She stopped talking about mom.
She wanted to forget the past.
“What should I wear this winter? I want the same clothes as you! What about you, sis?”
She listed the things that made her happy right now.
She painted futures related to tomorrow.
I too, matched what my sister wanted, buried the past, and envisioned the future.
I was happy.
I had to be happy.
How did I endure?
How did I get by?
I fought to the end to preserve what little was left.
Yes.
I had to be happy.
If my sister was happy, I was meant to be happy too.
I was happy.
Really.
*
Hah…
The hot air inside the makeshift tent welcomed my waking mind.
Maybe it was because I had an awful dream in a long time that I felt well-rested despite the heat.
I got up from my spot and looked around the tent.
Noah was nowhere to be seen.
I tucked in the ruffled fabric of my clothes and stepped outside the tent.
Huff… Did she close the door to assassinate me?
She probably closed it to keep the bugs out.
My sweat-soaked body felt refreshed by the cool breeze.
As I stretched, I noticed how different the place looked compared to last night.
I ate and went straight to bed, and now it’s all cleaned up.
The traces of last night’s barbecue had been completely wiped away, and on the table lay cut bread and what appeared to be salad vegetables.
Rustle, rustle…
“What is this… Hehe…”
The cut surface of the bread was rough, and the vegetables were sliced in a rather brutal fashion.
As an added bonus, cold coffee was also prepared beside it.
If she were here, she would’ve teased me.
I felt a little disappointed as I looked around.
In the corner to my right, I spotted some crumpled grass, with footprints stretching out in front of it.
Did she play around there, stepping on the grass?
I imagined Noah giggling while stepping on grass.
After a moment of thought, I closed my eyes and stepped on the grass.
Rustle, rustle…
“Mmm…”
I shook my head, sat down, and started eating the bread and salad.
“Wow… This really is bad.”
The salad with little sauce was truly the worst.
And this isn’t even salad dressing?
What the heck is this sauce…
I gulped down some coffee to wash down the grittiness in my mouth.
“Well, at least it’s a bit better than before?”
Still, it tasted terrible.
As I scarfed down the bread and salad, I pondered on how to ease this stiff atmosphere.
Though a week is short, it would be uncomfortable with this atmosphere.
Even though I had no intention of easing up on matters once we arrived at Cartia Village.
To switch things up, I recalled how I used to play pranks on my sister, teasing her a little bit.
But instead of getting mad, Noah simply kept bowing her head.
That look was so silly and cute that I might have gone overboard…
By the way, what is her true self?
The Noah I had researched was a talented adventurer who reached Silver rank in the shortest time.
Rumors suggested so.
What? Her hair perpetually stained crimson by monster blood, and those terrifying red eyes that would haunt your dreams?
“Surely rumors are just rumors…”
The Noah I actually encountered was… a local fool who couldn’t do anything by herself.
Having always been looked down upon, her self-esteem and confidence were shattered, making it hard for her to talk to others.
When I asked for a quiet place, she directed me to the blacksmith… well, it was quiet enough.
She had absurdly prepared a ridiculously large amount of luggage without even properly checking the list.
This was someone who couldn’t even light a fire nor had decent cooking skills—her capabilities were lower than your average person.
She was at risk of starving anywhere she went.
But what? The red beast that tears apart monsters?
I recalled Noah stepping on grass, giggling.
Hehe… How ridiculous.
To anyone’s eyes, she was an ordinary, pure girl.
Yes. Understanding everything until now can be grasped if you think of her as a blind person.
But she wasn’t just an ordinary blind person.
She was the adventurer who reached Silver rank in the shortest time.
A level so challenging that even those with no talent find it hard to reach, even with complete effort.
Thus, it was all the more puzzling.
I researched the ecosystem of adventurers, and it was quite harsh.
How did someone like Noah survive in such a place?
How did she rise to Silver rank without forming a party?
Moreover, given how out of place she was without a great sword…
I wanted to know; I was curious.
Just in case of unexpected situations.
Just in case she becomes an enemy.
And maybe, it won’t happen, but—
Just maybe, if she really became a true ally.
Regardless of whether her strength or weaknesses, there was anything I needed to know.
After finishing the dry bread and awful salad, I got up and followed Noah’s footprints.
*
Clang—
With a refreshing sound, the great sword cleaved through the black bear’s claws.
Flick.
Simultaneously, the great sword flew to the right.
I used that recoil to rotate my body.
From left to right.
The great sword dug into the side of the black bear, and when it got caught on the ribs, it came to a halt.
With all my strength, I kicked the blade upwards.
The kick with the maximum strength shattered the black bear’s right arm.
Grrr…
I heard its blood-curdling cry.
Without stopping, I rushed ahead.
I stabbed the great sword into the severed right shoulder joint.
With no tough skin, the great sword easily went in deep.
I twisted my body, yanking the great sword out.
As I withdrew, it shattered the black bear’s shoulder blade, with droplets of blood spraying everywhere.
Now, instead of its roaring sounds, only weak breaths could be heard.
I thrust my body around.
I swung the great sword, aiming it at the black bear’s head.
With the sensation of slicing a watermelon, an unpleasant liquid splattered across my body.
The feeble breath soon came to an end.
I retrieved my sword.
I kicked the black bear’s corpse lightly.
“Phew! Refreshing.”
I looked around.
Trees lay sprawled across the area.
The muddy ground squelched beneath me.
For having just caught one bear, the scene was rather brutal.
I moved deliberately but still…
Maybe it was because of the change of venue that my dreams felt unsettling.
Was it because I was headed towards the eastern ruins, reminiscing about the past…?
Whatever the case! Today, I’m mighty!
Just as I was about to turn and head back towards the tent.
“Noah?”
I heard Aileen’s voice from ahead.
“Ah… G-Good morning…!”
I awkwardly waved as I walked over to Aileen.
Then she started to alternate her gaze between me and the bear.
Um… Why is she looking like that?
Is she displeased because I had all the fun by myself…?
Even though it was a request, we’re still a party… Shouldn’t we have hunted together…?
Feeling guilty, I attempted to quicken my steps to apologize to Aileen.
But as I drew nearer, Aileen stepped away.
Have I upset her that much…?
No, then let’s go catch another one…
“S-Sorry…”
“A-Actually, wait. Stop right there.”
Aileen stretched out her hands and rejected me.
Was catching a bear such a big mistake…?
I hung my head despondently.
“No, that’s not it… I think you might not realize what you look like right now…”
“Huh?”
I cocked my head and looked at my body.
Other than a little blood stains, it was nothing…
Huh? What’s this?
I pulled out something round that was dangling from my pocket.
Oh, the black bear’s eyeball got caught here.
I looked at Aileen while holding the eyeball by the optic nerve.
Is this why…?
“Y-Yeah… Let’s head to the valley. But don’t stay too close, okay…?”
Aileen slowly turned her back and dashed towards the tent.
She must be weak-stomached since she’s at the back.
Really, Aileen. You’re younger than me.
Hehe.
With a winner’s smile, I followed Aileen towards the tent.
“The red beast that tears apart monsters…”
I heard Aileen mumble that, but since it didn’t seem directed at me, I just ignored it and kept walking.
Speaking of which, did I eat all the breakfast I prepared?
Breakfast is the most important thing.
