Chapter 8
Morning.
Under the still dim sky, we departed from the manor.
In the carriage were simple luggage, food, and the three accompanying girls—Lisa, Serena, and Miria.
“What kind of place is the forest?” (Lisa)
“There are many animal trails and monsters inhabit it. It’s dangerous for those who aren’t trained.” (Miria)
“But if I’m with Yuma… it’ll be alright, right?” (Serena)
Wait a minute, why are you using me as a source of reassurance? I’m the least trustworthy.
Around noon, we arrived at our destination, the Northern Forest.
The trees grew densely, and even though it was daytime, light struggled to penetrate, making it dim.
There were almost no bird songs; only a cold wind blew through.
“…Looks dangerous.” (Miria)
“I’m scared…” (Lisa)
Lisa’s hand tightly grasped my sleeve.
Seeing that, Serena’s expression turned complicated—
“(Ah, come on… why does it always get like this around me…!)”
Suddenly, a low growl echoed.
—Grrrrrrr.
From the shade of the trees emerged a giant wolf.
No, not just one. Pack after pack appeared, surrounding us.
“Th-they’re here!” (Lisa)
“Yuma, stay back!” (Serena)
“…It happened just as I expected.” (Miria)
Miria readied her sword, and Serena gripped her staff.
As for me—
“No, no, no, no! Don’t make me fight!”
One of the wolves leaped at me.
Without thinking, I stepped back and tripped on a stone on the ground, falling over.
—Clang!
With that impact, the luggage on my back exploded outward.
The dried meat inside scattered in all directions, and the wolves pounced on it.
“Huh…?”
“No way… you distracted them with food…!?” (Serena)
“Was it calculated…?” (Miria)
“As expected of Yuma!” (Lisa)
No, that’s wrong, I just fell!
A boss wolf, exceptionally large even among the pack, appeared.
Its fur was pitch black, and its eyes glowed red.
Its mere presence froze my entire body.
“H-eeeeeek!”
In a panic, I swung my wooden sword.
Then—
—Crack!
I broke a tree branch, and it struck a large nest directly above.
A swarm of angry bees flew out and swarmed the boss wolf.
“Gyaaaaaa!”
The wolf, pursued by the bees, fled into the depths of the forest.
The remaining pack also scattered in haste—
“……We won?”
“Yuma, you’re amazing…!” (Lisa)
“It can’t be mere coincidence…” (Miria)
“You truly are the ‘chosen one’.” (Serena)
No, no, no!
The crisis had passed.
We breathed a sigh of relief and emerged from the forest onto a meadow.
“I’m so glad you were here, Yuma…” (Lisa)
“If you hadn’t been here, we would have been in danger.” (Serena)
“…In the end, it’s true that we were saved.” (Miria)
The three’s words made me clutch my head.
“…I told you, I didn’t do anything…”
However, my evaluation among them had already continued to rise.
Dusk.
On the way back to the manor, I let out a sigh.
“…Why can’t I just remain a ‘supporting character’?”
Every time I was treated like a hero, I desperately denied it.
But the more I denied it, fate ironically pushed me to the center.
There was nothing else to call it but “buffs.”
And, without realizing it—I was being drawn into an even deeper narrative vortex.
