The day has dawned.
But still, the time limit for ‘Selection and Concentration’ remains at 0 seconds.
It seems that I used my ability a little after midnight.
So, until the sun sets again and it becomes midnight, I’ll end up being like a flounder all day today.
Others wouldn’t know that, though.
Anyway, it felt like I should be cautious about my body today.
“Today, I will announce the agreement made between humans and elves!”
Early in the morning, Damien gathered people in the plaza for a major announcement.
It was a place to inform about the treaty signed today.
On the surface, it looked like the humans were the ones giving up a lot, making it seem like a losing treaty, but no one expressed dissatisfaction.
Maybe it was because they witnessed that attack by Tiltitz yesterday.
Knowing that there would be allies to confront such monsters made everyone think it was worth bearing a little loss.
No, it might even be that humans had been squeezing elves too much, so this return to normalcy might have been expected.
“I apologize for imposing and having to leave.”
The tribal leaders came to visit me once more.
It seemed they were thinking of gradually withdrawing.
“No. In the end, humans and elves have joined hands, so isn’t this also the intention of Lady Aigis?”
“Your Excellency… weren’t you an atheist…?”
“Who says that?”
“Uh, never mind! I based my judgment on my personal impression!”
It was true that I was an atheist, but it left me feeling a bit sour.
It’s already been several times I swore an oath to that Aigis guy.
I couldn’t help but wonder who would spread such malicious rumors.
I do have a suspicious woman in mind, but it’s only a hunch…
“Oh, Your Excellency. I have one last thing I want to say.”
“…?”
Just as I was about to turn away, Mahmed walked back towards me.
“Do you know what the elves have been calling you lately?”
“Could it be ‘Son of God’?”
“Ha ha ha! What a joke!”
“…”
I was serious.
Clearly, there were quite a few people outside the Empire who thought of me as the Son of God, as Aria once said.
Seeing Mahmed burst into laughter like he heard a funny joke made my back feel cold.
I guess he doesn’t believe what Aria says about the rumors.
Someone not knowing the realities of the world doesn’t surprise me because he is nobility.
“Then may I ask what they call you?”
“Ah, heh heh… yes. Of course. Recently, I have heard them referring to His Excellency Schlus Hainkel as a hero several times.”
“Hero?”
“Yes. A hero.”
Hero, Schlus Hainkel.
It felt quite awkward.
Isn’t the title of hero originally Gawayn’s nickname?
In the case of Gweyn von Schulzenburg, it was also set that the elf race started calling him a hero first.
After Gawayn’s death, there hadn’t been anyone referred to as a hero for a while.
It was a nickname that didn’t seem that special, but the strong association with Gawayn made it so.
Therefore, the reason I began to be called ‘hero’ may be because I was evaluated to have surpassed Gawayn’s stature.
“You must have had a tough time, making your subordinates say things they didn’t mean.”
“Yes? No, I didn’t order them to—”
“Go. Send my regards to Atatürk.”
“Ugh…”
Mahmed’s face turned pale.
Atatürk was said to have barely escaped from the desert development area.
Since he hasn’t been recaptured yet, I suppose the elf forces are helping him hide.
Of course, they wouldn’t know that they intentionally let Atatürk go.
“Ah, I don’t know what kind of message you mean.”
“It was a joke. I pray that everyone returns home safely.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
With that, I bid farewell to the tribal leaders and elves.
It was slowly time for us to return as well.
I couldn’t cause Damien any more trouble than this.
“Erica, Trie. Pack your things. It’s time to go home.”
“Really? Ugh…! The air here is so bad, I thought I was going crazy! My head has been so frizzled every morning!”
“I’m not sure about the hair, but it was hard to breathe. It was difficult to fight because my breathing kept being obstructed.”
Quickly, the faces of Trie and Erica brightened.
They hadn’t mentioned it, but it seemed everyone had a lot of pent-up dissatisfaction during their stay in the desert.
Now we could go back.
Just thinking about seeing Emilia again made my heart feel already in the institution.
Of course, I also wanted to see Iris.
I had received so much help from Iris this time…
“Alright. Let’s go now.”
As I stepped down from the platform, the crowd in the plaza moved en masse, clearing a path.
As I passed through, everyone bowed in respect.
Even after leaving the plaza, the streets were packed with people.
Regardless of whether they were human or elf, no one lifted their heads until I departed.
*Caution is advised. It’s the perfect timing for an ambush.*
Jin’s communication came through.
It seemed he was guarding us from afar.
I didn’t think we would be ambushed at this timing, but it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.
Even if it’s unfortunate, he was undoubtedly working as expected for the money received.
“Lord Schlus Hainkel! Thank you for protecting us! Thank you!”
“Oh! Please don’t come any closer!”
Just as I was thinking the crowd was surprisingly orderly, that order quickly collapsed.
An old woman charged at me, and others began to approach as well.
Thanks to that, the soldiers guarding me were having a tough time.
“Thank you so much! For protecting my son! Thank you…”
What a heartwarming scene… it was, indeed.
But my honest feelings were that I was annoyed I couldn’t advance.
Still, the soldiers were pushing the crowd away with their shields and advancing little by little.
At that moment, someone suddenly tapped my back.
“…?”
Someone wrapped in tattered cloth stood there.
From size, he looked like a young man.
The soldiers, realizing that they had allowed a breakthrough, were startled and reaching out to grab the guy.
Beside me, Trie’s eyes widened as she drew her sword.
*Crazy.*
Time suddenly felt like it was slowing down.
It was a sensation similar to when I used ‘Selection and Concentration’ on agility.
The difference was that my body felt slow as well.
I was definitely trying to extract Vafe by turning my internal circuits instinctively, but time was moving far too slowly.
[MADMAN]
[Species: MAJIN]
[Raging personality…]
A madman.
A Majin, madman.
Within the slowed time, I couldn’t change my expression, but I was sufficiently horrified.
A madman who despises humans is hiding among them, wrapped in tattered cloth?
A madman, who values fairness, is secretly ambushing from behind?
There were too many unbelievable things, but there was no alternative.
For now, I had to respond to the attack.
But interestingly, my body wouldn’t move at all.
No, it wasn’t that it wouldn’t move.
It was simply slow.
As Vafe barely began to ooze from my right hand, the madman had already reached out towards my chest.
*Thwack!*
“Ugh…”
Something pierced inside.
Then the time began to flow properly again.
Shakingly looking down, I saw the madman’s bloodied hand buried into my left chest.
My chest felt tight.
Something was caught in the madman’s hand.
*Crack!*
“…!”
With a horrifying sensation, my body jolted and trembled.
It burst.
What the madman was holding snapped with a gesture.
Along with the sensation of my whole body going numb, my vision turned black.
As I felt my consciousness fading, I barely swung Vafe.
*Swish…!*
“Ambush!”
“Erica! Set the barrier! Block the escape route!”
My vision gradually became blurry and narrow.
In my view, a madman with a severed right arm was fleeing into the crowd.
Trie darted out fiercely, but she couldn’t chase him while leaving my side.
“What should we do…! Stay calm! Schlus! Jevaar! Ughhh…”
Trie’s face, pressing down on my bleeding chest while tearing up, entered my view.
And with that, my consciousness sank into darkness.
.
.
.
“What were you doing not blocking the escape route! What good was that barrier, Erica! Tell me!”
“I couldn’t waste mana there.”
“Is that what you call a logical reason? Schlus was attacked, and if you don’t retaliate, where would you use your mana!”
“I need to use it to save Schlus! What’s more important than revenge!”
Crackling vision.
I could barely perceive the loud voices on either side.
I was alive.
While my body wasn’t responding at all, it was certain that I was alive.
“Schlus?! Are you conscious? Can you hear me?”
I heard Erica’s frantic voice.
I wanted to respond, but I couldn’t feel my lips at all.
I didn’t even know what I was saying.
Maybe I was making some strange noises.
Without the chance to hear Erica’s response, I lost consciousness once again.
