Completely weaponless, she was nonetheless able not only to survive against the creature but gain the upper hand. And it wasn’t long before the beastman fell; taking advantage of an opening, Alice leaped around to its back and wrapped her arms around its neck. Soon there was a crack like a snapped twig. Alice had broken her foe’s neck.
“Haah… Haah… M-Master…!”
Alice collapsed onto her backside and looked over at Leon, a sparkle of hope in her deep, green eyes.
I did it, Master. Did you see that, Master? What do you think of that, Master?
Say something nice to me.
…Leon could not understand. Before he could answer her, he had to voice his own doubts.
“How…did you do that?” he asked.
“Um…well, I’ve been a hunter ever since I was a little girl. I guess I just kinda—”
“No. That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about your courage. Where does it come from?”
“H-huh? Erm… Th-the power of love! …I guess? Ahahaha!”
Alice laughed. A nervous laugh that barely concealed her embarrassment.
Leon noticed his fists were tightly clenched. He thought of Claire and Rheinhardt. Her answer was the same as theirs.
“So…you love me? Is that what you’re trying to say?”
“Hwa?! W-well, I… I…er…”
Her cheeks, as smooth and scarlet as apple skin. Her waving hands, her stumbling lips.
They were all so hard to look at.
“…If love can surpass all limits. If love can be a source of courage, then…”
Perhaps I never loved them after all.
Perhaps he was right after all.
“M-Master?”
“…It’s nothing. That’s enough training for today.”
Leon turned as if to flee from that old memory, and the pain it brought.
“Listen to me. This is a simple payment. Don’t read anything more into it than that.”
He walked over to Alice…and gently stroked her hair.
“Hweeeh…”
She beamed, and her expression relaxed. It looked like she was in heaven.
There was a part of Leon that wished he could simply stop everything and admire her. But that feeling had much to contend with in the maelstrom of his heart.
I thought she was just like me…but I was wrong. She’s more like Master and Rheina. But how? How could someone as cowardly as I am…end up like that?
In the end, Leon’s question was never answered. Instead, a new one presented itself.
Was our meeting really just a coincidence?
No…it was surely the Lord’s will. A sign.
But…even if it was, I cannot let her stay.
I like her. That I can’t deny. That’s why I need to let her go. I’m not capable of protecting anyone.
If Alice stayed by Leon’s side, only tragedy awaited her.
Leon could not let that happen. But nor could he find a way to shake her off.
So for the time being…it looked like the two would be living together.
I’ll do what I can to keep you from dying in that time.
And to make sure you stay safe even after you go…
Leon came to a decision. He removed his hand from Alice’s head.
“Go have breakfast,” he said. “We’re heading into town again.”
“Yes, Master,” she replied. “To the guild again?”
“No. We’re going to see an old friend of mine. A blacksmith.”
“A blacksmith?”
“That’s right. My arm requires maintenance. And we also need to order you some custom equipment.”
To any fresh-faced adventurer, obtaining a set of custom equipment was a proud moment. And for that to come from the master she held in such high esteem…well, suffice to say Alice found herself in very high spirits indeed.
“Custom equipment ♪ that Master gave to me! ♪”
She skipped through the streets merrily. Leon glared at her sharply.
“…You seem to be missing the point here,” he said. “Listen to me. The only reason I’m doing this is that I recognize your talent and wish to nurture it. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Master!”
“I have no particular fondness for you, and this doesn’t make you my apprentice. Understand?”
“Yes, Master!”
“…Are you even listening to me?”
“Yes, Master!”
Leon sighed deeply and glanced around. Out on the streets, the people’s gazes were as cold as ever. That wouldn’t have posed a problem had Leon been alone, but Alice was with him, and despite her sunny disposition, she had attracted some icy stares as well.
At this rate, Alice won’t just have to be wary of fiends, but of her fellow man as well. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. What’s the best way to get her to leave…?
But Leon was unable to come to any decisions on his walk, and soon the pair arrived in front of their destination: a small weapon shop with a snug little storefront. The sign out front proudly displayed the store’s name: UNBREAKABLE.
Leon entered the building and headed straight to the back, where he found a mousy-looking girl with raven hair sitting quietly on a stool behind an accounting desk, apparently tending the store.
“…Welcome,” she said.
“So quiet!!”
“You’re keeping shop today, I see,” said Leon.
“…That’s right.”
“Where’s the boss?”
“…In the back. Asleep.”
“Mind if we pay her a visit?”
“…Go ahead.”
Leon walked around the girl and through a door that led to the backyard. It was full of smithing tools and facilities, all crammed around a central kiln. It seemed the mistress had been hard at work only a few minutes before, as the air was still hot.
Sleeping on the ground in the middle of it all was an adult woman.
“Get up, Emilia. I have a job for you.”
The woman’s eyelashes softly fluttered open.
“…Oh, fuck, I’m tired…”
She sat up, her green eyes weighty.
“Got a big pile of orders that never seems to go down. That’s life, I guess. Been a real shit show these past few weeks, though.”
She scratched her head, looking up at the sky. Her long scarlet hair was dirty and unkempt. It looked—and smelled—like she hadn’t bathed in a while.
Then Emilia finally acknowledged Leon’s presence.
“So, what does a rotting ghoul want with someone missing three nights’ sleep?”
“I need my arm looked at…and I’m here to make a custom order.”
“Custom equipment? You got plenty in that arm and leg o’ yours, don’tcha?”
“Not for me. For her.”
He turned to Alice, and so did Emilia. For some reason, upon seeing the girl, she grew even grumpier.
“Who are you supposed to be?” she growled.
“U-um…pleased to meet you. My name is Alice Campbell.”
“Right. And why are you with Leon?”
“W-well, I just became his top apprentice, you see.”
“…What?”
She wasn’t just grumpy anymore. She looked like she might leap up and try to kill someone at any moment.
“Leon? What the hell were you thinking?”
“…Tell me about it,” Leon muttered, turning away awkwardly. Emilia continued glaring holes through his skin for a moment, and then…
“Hmph. Whatever. It’s no concern of mine. So, custom equipment for the young lady, is it? I assume you’ve got the goods?”
“Yeah. Here.”
Leon reached into a pouch at his waist and pulled out the Testament Stone from the ogre in Karna Village.
“Huh. Class Two, I see. Bet the young miss didn’t get this herself, did she?”
Emilia turned her prickly gaze on Alice. Nothing escaped her dark green eyes. Alice couldn’t even bring herself to make eye contact.
“No novice adventurer’s worth deckin’ out in custom equipment. It’d be like sending a mannequin into battle with silver armor.”
“It’s better than sending her out with nothing,” Leon replied.
Emilia clicked her tongue, the most fed-up expression imaginable on her face. But she didn’t try to reject Leon’s order. Instead, she stood up and walked over to Alice.
“’Scuse me.”
“Hweh?”
Without reservation, she began running her hands over the girl’s body.
“Wh-what are you…?!”
“Just takin’ some measurements,” Emilia replied. “An’ tryin’ to figure out any peculiarities. Speakin’ of which, your bust is pretty small. Aren’t you fifteen already? I wouldn’t hold out much hope for a last-minute growth spurt, if I were you.”
“Th-that’s not…”
“By the way, that rotting ghoul over there likes women with big racks, not washboards like you.”
…Alice turned and gave Leon a look that said, “Say it isn’t so.” Leon ignored her.
“Hm. Well, I think I get the gist. Village girl, I assume? With pretty barren land, judging by your arm muscles. No crops, so you were brought up hunting. Good with a bow, and not bad with a knife either.”
It was all 100 percent correct. The woman, in addition to being a big-breasted harlot, must have been some kind of master detective.
“Figure I can hammer out something special in about ten days or so.”
Saying this, Emilia turned to Leon, casting an appraising eye over his prosthetics.
“How have you managed to get them so beat up already? Here, I’ll check out the arm first. Take it off.”
As instructed, Leon disconnected his right arm and handed it to Emilia. She set it down on a small desk and, pulling over a toolbox, got to work.
“Hm, hm. Needs a tune-up, like usual. You’ve been using Number Three a lot; that causes the power to drop, you know.”
“…I didn’t notice anything.”
She sighed. “No, I bet not. I’m surprised you’re still alive, Leon.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Emilia.”
“Hah! You’re damn right it is.”
Alice found herself drawn in to their peaceful chat.