The dry scent filled the air, not the damp smell I had been dealing with for the past two days.
“Let’s be careful from now on.”
“…Yeah.”
Just in case, we decided to get off our horses and walk.
Step- step-
Small pebbles scattered and rolled around.
“It’s strangely quiet here…”
Aileen mumbled as she held the reins in her left hand and looked at the map with her right.
But wait, has Aileen been here before?
“Um… have you been here before?”
“Ah, yes. I passed by here briefly a while back.”
“Why go here…? It’s dangerous…”
“I just had some things to take care of, you know?”
Did our party accept a quest or something?
I nodded, thinking so.
“Then, have you been here, Noah?”
Of course.
I’ve been here more times than I can count with all my fingers and toes!
I shook my head vigorously.
“Ah, no…!”
Phew… That was close.
If I said I’d been here before without even being able to ride or knowing what supplies I’d need for a long journey…
Ugh… just imagining it makes me dizzy.
“Is that so…? Aren’t you scared?”
“…? Scared of what?”
“Just… going to a place you’ve never been is a bit scary, right?”
“Hmm… I’m nervous, but…”
This nervousness isn’t from fear; it feels more like excitement.
Sure, imagining waking up Carpen or being surrounded by a bunch of monsters is super, like, really scary.
But somehow, if I grit my teeth and fight, things should get resolved somehow…
So my excitement is greater than my fear.
It’s a world I loved.
It’s a pity I can’t see it with my own eyes…
“Huh… I see. That’s unexpected.”
“Yeah…? What’s unexpected…?”
“Hehehe… Never mind. There are no monsters around, right?”
“Well, there are some… but… at this distance, it should be fine, right…?”
I sensed three monsters grouped together slightly less than 20 meters away.
But their sense of smell isn’t that great.
We’re not going that way, so it’s no problem!
“Noah, can you sense people besides monsters?”
“Um… detecting?”
Aileen nodded.
“Hmm… that’s right? But… if they’re too far, I can’t tell who they are…”
“Can you tell who they are?”
“Umm, if they’re someone I know…?”
Aileen fiddled with her lips.
“Then there’s no one except Hermila, right?”
Er… that’s right?
But hey, that’s a bit extreme!
“Ah, that’s not true.”
“Is there someone else? Oh, don’t tell me.”
Hah…
Hey!
You don’t tease someone who’s as friendless as me!
It hurts, for real…
“…there is, you know?”
“Who?”
Who do I even have as a friend in this world…?
Er… well, at least there’s Hermila and Aileen, who I’ve talked to a bit…?
Two people max.
I’m going crazy.
I made one friend in a month.
Wait. Is it better than my previous life?
“Um… Herm, Hermila and… ah… Aileen!”
“Pfft…! And?”
“I don’t have anyone else…”
Aileen’s shoulders shook violently.
Seriously… this is just too much…
I wanted to make friends too!
But! But!!
It’s only hard because my social stat is at 0!
If I just had a proper fight like a man.
Then smoke a cigarette after!
I don’t smoke, but…
That’s how I could have made friends!
But no one ever bothered me…
Well, anyone who would bother a blind girl under 150cm is crazy…
Ah… but I did have someone.
That guy who tried to take my weapon on the first day…
But he didn’t show up after the next day.
Maybe he went somewhere far like me?
But for that, he sure didn’t show up for two months…
Well, he’s an adventurer; he probably went to another village.
Anyway.
Aileen, your words were a bit harsh.
“Then, Aileen, do you have… friends?”
I said this while trying to sound defiant.
You look like you don’t have any!
Your personality seems terrible.
You must not have any friends like me in your past life.
“Hmm? We’re not talking about people we know, we’re talking about ‘friends,’ right? Then, you think of me as a ‘friend’?”
Aileen’s response was… quite different from what I expected.
“No… No! It’s just… only Hermila!”
That was the loudest I’ve heard in the two months!
Maybe I’ve grown a bit…?
“Um… so I’m not a friend?”
Aileen said in a sulking voice that conveyed her whole body.
You… you wanted to be my friend…? For real?
Then you should say something!
I thought you hated me since you were always angry!
“Uh, um… we’re, um… friends… right?”
“Really?”
Nod-
“Then can I ask a favor from a friend?”
“Yes…!”
“Then, please call me ‘sister’ instead of Aileen. Because we’re friends, right?”
“Y-yes…?”
Sister? No way?!
I can’t do that!
My pride would never allow it! No way!
Not “older sister” or “brother,” but “sister?!”
I can’t believe I’m hearing this. tch.
“I can’t do that…!”
“Sigh… I see… You’re a friend who doesn’t grant your friend’s wishes, huh?…”
She sulked even more.
No way. Don’t change it. Go back.
No, this just absolutely cannot happen.
“And… friends shouldn’t use… those kinds of titles.”
“But I’m older than you, so if I don’t call you sister, what should I call you?”
“How old are you, Aileen?”
“I’m 25 years old.”
Oh? We’re the same age?
You look really young, huh?
“How old are you, Noah?”
“Me? Um…”
Er… well… I said I was twenty at the adventurer guild.
In reality, I’m 25, but… I still look younger than that…
“Twenty…!”
“Yeah? Twenty? You?”
Aileen cupped my cheek.
“Wow, you really look young…? Your behavior doesn’t seem like it’s from a twenty-year-old…”
What?!
I swatted Aileen’s hand away.
“What’s wrong with what I’m doing…!”
“Yeah? Oh, no… it’s just… it’s a bit cute.”
Cute?!
Oh boy.
“I’m not cute.”
“Right. Then I’ll have a not-cute Noah. But then that makes me your sister, right?”
Er… that’s technically true.
But… I’m a guy…?
There’s no way I can call you “sister.” My pride absolutely won’t allow it, not at all.
“Um, just… let’s stick with Aileen for now… I’ll call you Aileen…”
Zing-
“Wait.”
I drew the Great Sword strapped to my waist.
“Monsters, twelve of them. They’re coming from the right turn. The remaining distance is… 20 meters.”
“Twelve…?”
“And.”
Usually, monsters like these act in packs.
The ones coming now are all armed with close-range weapons.
So that means there’s a rear guard.
I expanded my sense.
“The rear guard is… twenty-four.”
“Twenty-four…? N-Noah, let’s fall back for now…”
I could hear Aileen’s trembling breath.
My duty is to guard.
I have to protect Aileen.
I hid Aileen behind me.
“It’s okay. Just stay behind me.”
5.
I tightened my focus and channeled my concentration.
4.
I targeted the two in front for the first strike.
3.
Then the three behind.
2.
The rest.
1.
I’ll leave it to instinct.
Rrrr—
Grr-…
The two leading monsters showed themselves.
“Aileen. I’m counting on you. Hwaah-!”
After delivering a short message, I charged forward.
I combined the force of the charge and my Quick Draw.
The Great Sword swung down.
With a swoosh sound, the two heads burst apart.
I spun my body right away.
The Great Sword followed my movement.
I didn’t restrain the recoil; instead, I put more strength into it.
Blood sprayed and the Great Sword swung again.
The bodies of the three monsters who were following behind were torn apart.
I extended my senses again.
The rear guard is about 15 meters back.
An improvised group.
They have no leader.
This is doable.
“Noah!”
“Please support me.”
In my mind, I pictured the alley where monsters were charging from.
It wasn’t wide enough to swing the Great Sword.
Instead, I thrust.
Starting with one.
I stood the Great Sword upright and dashed forward.
The monster’s belly burst open.
A mace swung in from the right.
I twisted the handle of my sword and blocked it.
I shoved a monster running at me to the side with my shoulder.
I kneeled the mace-swinging monster right in the gut.
I thrust the Great Sword into the face of the monster right before me.
I swung my right hand.
I struck the charging monster in the gut again.
Crack- The monster’s ribcage shattered.
“Noah!”
I felt Aileen’s spirit.
I withdrew my swinging right hand and gripped the Great Sword with both hands.
I stretched my left hand out and grabbed the monster’s neck, dragging it toward me.
“Aileen!”
I ducked down.
With a sound like the wind tearing apart, the two monsters before my eyes exploded.
I stabbed the Great Sword into the heart of the monster I was holding onto its ribs.
I took a breath.
Three front monsters left.
I pulled out the Great Sword that was stuck inside.
The terrain isn’t ideal.
I need to push forward.
Aileen has about 10 seconds left to prepare.
Time is tight.
“Aileen. Get ready again. Aim for the monster in the rear. Use the one with the widest range.”
Grrra-!
The monsters charge in.
It’s far too narrow to use the Great Sword.
I sheathed my sword at my waist.
I checked the two potions in my pocket.
Charging at the monsters unarmed.
I gripped my sword handle with my right hand.
I reached out with my left and grabbed the monster’s chin.
With that, I swung my left arm towards the ground. Crack- the monster’s jaw was ripped off.
I gripped the sword handle with my left hand.
I slammed my right hand upward on the charging monster’s jaw. Then I turned my body and shoved the monster to the left.
Just a bit more.
I stomped down on the neck of the monster that was left woefully groggy. I felt the satisfaction of its vertebrae breaking.
Just as I turned my body to face the monster I had just shoved.
The monster’s fangs sank into my left arm.
Too late.
My left hand still grips the sword.
I pulled the hammer I’d hung on my thigh with my right hand.
I swung it down on the monster’s head, which was still biting into my left arm.
It wouldn’t let go. Again.
Again. Again. Again.
The monster’s eye popped out.
Its brain splattered.
My left arm’s muscles tore apart.
My left hand went limp.
The monster’s jaw remains intact.
Again. Again. Again. Again.
Again. Again. Again. Again.
Again. Again. Again. Again.
The monster’s head crumbled.
There lay its broken fangs, embedded in the ground.
I tore the broken fangs out with the meat still attached.
I pulled out the potion I had tucked into my pocket and poured it on my left arm.
With the feeling of burning flesh, the bleeding stopped.
I widened my senses.
Once I turn the corner, I’ll be directly facing the rear monsters.
Aileen is ready.
“Aileen. Follow carefully.”
Aileen nodded.
I tried to move my left arm.
It hasn’t recovered all the way to the muscle yet.
Still…
I can make it through.
I will protect Aileen.
I have to do this.
Gripping the sword handle with my right hand.
I charged out toward the alley.
Under the warm August sun, in a corner of the eastern ruins…
Brilliant red flowers bloomed in full splendor.
