Vol 2: Chapter 45
「You’ve grown bigger. It’s only natural since it has been four years.」
「…Dante-san.」
Dante-san patted my head, as we stood in front of Ouroboros’ skeleton.
「Reiji-kun!」
Mimino-san ran up to me from the side, and jumped me with a hug. Even though I have grown taller, it was only slightly more than Mimino-san.
「I’ve been searching for you for so, so, so long!」
「S-Sorry… I had to leave due to circumstances.」
I left Silver Balance without explaining anything. Of course I didn’t want to be ungrateful for all the kindness they’ve shown me, but at that time I just had to do that… to protect Lark.
Considering how much a 6-star skill orb is valued in the Kruvan Holy Kingdom, Lark’s【Shadow King】would have been just as invaluable in the Keith Gran Federation.
Haa… I wonder what you are doing right about now, Lark?
Anyway, I’m sure the Keith Gran Federation is still chasing the【Shadow King】skill orb even as of this moment, so I couldn’t reveal the information to the members of Silver Balance at that time. It would cause trouble for them if they were suspected of being accomplices.
「So, what do you do nowadays? Your clothes look top quality — Ah, are you injured!? You’re injured, right!? Look, you’re bleeding! Non, use【Healing Magic】immediately— Ouch!」
Non-san came from behind, and gave a chop on Mimino-san’s head.
「Reiji-kun is covered in blood, but there doesn’t seem to be external wounds. Correct, Reiji-kun?」
「Ah, yes–」
「Ufufufu. So, you can even use【Healing Magic】? It’s amazing to see how far Reiji-kun has grown in the last four years… Ufufufu.」
I’m scared of Non-san’s laugh!
「—Over there!」
「—Is the battle over already?」
「—Seriously. What’s that enormous skeleton?!」
Many armed adventurers rushed from across the street. When they learned that the battle had already ended, they seemed disappointed and also relieved at the same time, looking at the huge bones.
「Did you guys kill it?」asked an adventurer with a dual sword fastened to his waist.
Dante-san nodded in reply.
「Ah, man. Stealing a march is not fair, ya know?」
「Damn outsiders…」
Adventurers of this city seemed to begrudge Silver Balance for defeating the monster.
(Even if you got a head start, you wouldn’t be able to put up a proper fight unless you were at the same level as Dante-san.)
I was slightly offended. But Dante-san said,「We rushed here quickly, but adventurers usually gather in the guild before taking action. And also because evacuating the citizens was our top priority.」
「But how did you get here so fast, Dante-san?」
「Because Non insisted that we should go “right now”… She has a keen sense in times like these.」
「Ufufufu.」
Your laugh is scary, Non-san.
「—Captain, the monster seems to have been subjugated.」
「—What!?」
This time, it was Holy King’s Knights Order, consisting of 50 knights, rode in on horses from the opposite street.
There was a face I recognized among them—that is probably the 11th Unit.
「All troops, halt!!」the 11th captain ordered, looking down at us and the adventurers from on top of his horse.「Are you the ones who defeated this?」he asked.
「Yes, we defea–」Dante-san began.
「The credit belongs to the Adventurer’s Guild!」the man who talked to Dante-san earlier, cut him off.「You knights can’t arrive late and take the credit for yourselves!」
Following him, the other adventurers all said,「That’s right, that’s right.」
「Was it really you guys who defeated it? A monster that huge?」
「That’s right. The Knights Order should withdraw.」
「We can’t withdraw. This giant snake has caused massive destruction from the 2nd Holy District to all the way here. We will take over the materials.」
「What!? You can piss off! This is the adventurer’s share!」
「The Knights Order will retain it for the time being and then distribute it fairly.」
「That’s pretty much daytime robbery!」
「Just follow the order!」
The argument got heated quickly.
As for me, I was just looking at them silently. I was way too tired to care about any of that. Tension was at an all time high, and the lives of numerous people were at stake—and of course, my own life was in jeopardy, too. I couldn’t care less about who takes the credit.
「Mimino-san, Dante-san, Non-san. You will still be staying in this city, right? I am indebted to Earl Sillys, so I have to go back for the time being.」
「Is that so? An Earl House, huh? Hmm, Reiji-kun seems to be in a great place.」Mimino-san said.
「Reiji, we are staying in an inn called ‘Silver Citrus’. Be sure to contact us. Because I have decided not to die until I return the favor I received from you.」Dante-san said, tapping his left shoulder.
Since I saw him fighting earlier, the petrification seems to have completely healed.
「Okay, see you all soon.」
「Be sure to contact us, Reiji-kun!」
「Don’t forget, okay? Dad kept talking about how he’d do this and that and everything when he met you again, you know.」
「…Do you have to say that in front of him, daughter?」
Even I felt embarrassed hearing that.
I ignored the quarrelling knights and the adventurers, and jumped on Ouroboros’ skeleton and pulled out my short sword.
「Huh…? You… are the cleaner, right?」the captain noticed me.
「Yes.」
「I don’t think this is the case, but, perchance, was it you who dealt the finishing blow?」
「Ye–」
「Of course not! He’s just a kid! I saw the monster from a distance. It was a ridiculously big snake.」an adventurer interjected from the side.
Good grief–I overused this sword. While thinking I should get a new sword, I sheathed the sword back into its scabbard, and jumped off.
「I’ll see you all soon.」
「Yeah.」
「See you again.」
「Please make sure to contact us~ I’m only distrustful because of your previous record, okay~?」
「Ahahaha…(I am no match for Non-san).」
Thinking that, I turned my back to Silver Balance.
After that, it took me a while to return to the Earl’s residence in the 2nd Holy District. With Non-san’s【Support Magic】running out, my body became increasingly fatigued. My appearance looked pretty shabby after the battle, and I had dropped the polar tie clasp, which identified me as one of the Earl’s men.
But Zerry-san found it with her sharp sight, and returned it to me. She said, “With this, let’s consider all my debt repaid!” when she returned it. But that tie clasp is not that big a deal compared to the amount of debt I shouldered, isn’t it? Even so, I was so exhausted to the point where I considered reducing it by about 10%. Also, when I brought up the fact that she didn’t help me at all in the fight with Ouroboros, she said, “I’m not reckless enough to interfere in the battle between a superman and a monster!” with a really, really pretty smile.
When I returned to the Earl’s residence, the young lady was already at home. When she saw my current appearance, she rushed up to me worriedly. I told her that I did my very best, but sorry for not being able to protect everyone. Hearing that, tears started rolling down her cheeks nonstop from the corners of her eyes—even though she was desperately holding back the tears during the battle with the mediator, this was when she decided to let it all out— and held my cheeks in her hands.
「I’m such a foolish lord.」
The young lady’s hands were soft, smooth and warm.
「I almost killed you by giving out a stupid order.」
I wanted to deny it. The young lady is incredibly smart, courageous and cool for a 12 year old. Besides, I would have refused if I didn’t agree with the order, and working for the young lady is a lot of fun for me too. But I was pretty tired, and those warm and comfortable hands were holding my cheeks—so I ended up falling asleep right there, while thinking if the young lady’s magic eye was under control.
…I slept without knowing that another big uproar was occurring in the 1st Holy District and the Holy Royal Palace.
