By which I mean the helmet I’d taken from the pile of armor left behind by the knight I’d teleported earlier.
✦ ✦ ✦
I didn’t know what kind of monster had really been under this armor, but the suit didn’t smell like an animal, so maybe he’d been more human than one might have expected. The armor was a little big for me, but it wasn’t like it was so heavy that I couldn’t walk.
“Ooh, your killer move! What is it? A beam? Are you going to use a beam weapon this time? Or… Don’t tell me! Will you use my party tricks?!”
“The hell I will. Just pipe down and get ready. And hit me again with that great-performer magic. As for me… Heh-heh-heh! It looks like the time has finally come for me to use…this.” With my most villainous smile, I took out the poisoned potion I’d gotten from my good friend the assassin back in Axel.
“Kazuma… Um, Kazuma? I’m not sure a hero destined to defeat the Demon King should be using something like that. My goddess instincts are crying out for me to purify that potion…”
I practically had to force Aqua away. “H-hey, back off. I’ll be honest with you. Even I’m not sure about this. But the assassin who taught me this killer skill said I should take one of these, too. I’m willing to get my hands dirty if that’s what it takes to keep this world safe. For my friends, for everyone, I’m not going to leave anything off the table. I don’t want any regrets.”
I dipped the tip of Dust’s sword into the potion.
“You seem to think you can talk your way out of this, Kazuma, but I can tell you’re straying further and further from the hero’s path. You have to be careful of the company you keep, you know?”
“Considering that I live with the incarnated deity of the Axis Church, I think it’s a little late for that. Hey, stop that—that potion was expensive! Don’t try to purify it!” I hurriedly slid the potion-coated sword back into its scabbard. “Okay. Ready to go? Let’s get moving.”
“I’m ready anytime. Say, Kazuma, don’t hit me too hard, okay? If you get a big head about this, I’m not going to just play along, all right? I don’t mean to brag, but I’m not very good at keeping a stiff upper lip.”
Yeah, thanks, I figured that much after a lot of firsthand experience.
Wearing the black armor, I opened the door to our room. Then I called in Nos’s voice:
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“Hey! I found the intruders!!”
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Aqua and I were surrounded by armored monsters. A particularly large one carrying a two-handed ax shook his goatlike head. “Damn shame about Logia, getting sliced up like that. The guy who ran away and left this woman here must’ve been quite a fighter. Look at Logia’s wound. It’s a clean cut, like they got him in one hit while he was completely defenseless.”
Well, it looked that way because that was what had happened. Goat Head’s take on the situation seemed to really upset a lizard-headed monster who had his weapon drawn on Aqua. “Dammit! I want to get them back for Logia! Let me chop our captive here into a million pieces!”
“Wh-what, you want to fight? I’ll have you know I’m very strong! I haven’t been collecting the Axis followers’ faith for nothing!” Aqua acted like she was ready to fight, trying to intimidate Lizard Head, but the monsters encircling us jumped back.
“Axis followers! Did you hear that? She’s an Axis believer! Oh, shit!”
“Oh, crap, I talked to an Axis believer!”
“Unclean! Unclean!”
“Aw, man, I don’t wanna have anything to do with any Axis believer!”
“Ugh… Look at that blue hair. She’s Axis, all right!”
They backed away even farther, muttering to one another.
“…!”
“Dammit, Nos, hold her back already!”
“That was a close one! I almost got touched by an Axis follower!”
Aqua looked like she might just jump at the mouthy monsters; they all took another step back at her threatening gestures. But I had the mad Axis dog (that is, Aqua) by the neck, my Bind rope wrapped around her throat like a leash. Aqua herself had felt that would be better than having her hands and feet tied up and not being able to move.
“Hey, Nos, do us a favor… Take her outside the castle and get rid of her. Man, too bad you don’t have brains to match your brawn. You know she’s an Axis follower, right? Aren’t you scared of her? Do you even know what an Axis follower is?” asked Goat Head. He was keeping his distance, just like the rest of them, but he seemed to be the spokesperson for the group.