“Wow. So the demi-dragon transformed into a human?” Although I myself am drowning in a pool of despair, I don’t sense even the slightest change in Creio’s tone. Toudou’s courage goes without mentioning, but his mental abilities in this situation also seem to transcend those of ordinary people. I’m back at the village inn. After a hot shower, I’ve managed to calm down, but I’m still in a terrible mood. It’s been a few hours since the incident. Just thinking about all that has happened gets me agitated. Just when I thought it was over, the instant I finally started to relax—that’s where it took a turn. I nearly fell out of that tree. Amelia is still with the party, and according to her, the dragon girl has been cooperative so far. I’d like to think that she wouldn’t go berserk in this town full of mercenaries, but…is it really safe to bring a dragon here? “Stay with Toudou for now. The dragon is docile for the moment, but if something changes, I want to know.” I was aware of demons capable of changing into humans, but I don’t ever remember hearing about a dragon doing so. Because she’s an unidentified creature, I wanted to get her away from Toudou. Unfortunately, he’s been leading her everywhere by the hand, so it’s tough to separate them. We might be screwed on this one. This is a pretty risky situation, but no matter how we decide to handle it, we need a plan of action. For the moment, I just want information. Creio thinks about it for a while. “…I have heard about dragons that can transform into humans.” Seriously? …Well, I suppose it would be stranger if he hadn’t. After all, it unquestionably happened right in front of me today. “Ares, are you aware of the dragon knights from Lemwraith Empire?” “…I am.” Most kingdoms have a group of royal knights, but none are more famous than the Dragon Knights of Lemwraith. As their name indicates, their defining characteristic is that they ride dragons. Dragons won’t ordinarily submit to humans, but the dragon knights have established command over them and are able to wander the skies as they wish. Using their unique battle strategies, the dragon knights are the strongest of all royal knights. I wait quietly as Creio continues. “I’ve heard that the dragons of Lemwraith have a habit of taking human form. But as you know, Lemwraith is not under our jurisdiction.” The method of taming dragons is kept secret in Lemwraith, and no other country has ever been able to accomplish it. The frustrating part of this is that the official religion of Lemwraith is not the Church of Ahz Gried. Not that there’s any quarrel between us. It’s just that the followers of their church are different from the followers of Ahz Gried, so it may be difficult to circulate information. I see what Creio is getting at. I chew my lip in agitation. “The fact that he was able to recognize something unusual in the dragon could be considered proof of his divine blessing. You yourself, lacking understanding of the Three Deities, couldn’t accomplish such a thing.” “Why are the gods such a damn hassle…?” “…Oh, come now. You should have a little more respect for the gods.” Then, finally revealing his true intentions, Creio’s voice shakes with strained laughter. “If we can win over Lemwraith, we may gain an advantage there. It may be dangerous to keep the dragon girl around, but taking risks is a necessary part of the battle to defeat the Demon Lord.” “…I see your point.” I need to change the way I’m thinking about this. Having a dragon in the party could be an excellent form of security. The dragon knights’ home ground is in the sky, and the girl most likely can return to her dragon form. “What do you think of keeping her with the party?” “…I think that if they’re going to have a dragon, it would be ideal having one that can fly.” After all, we’re talking about a glacial plant, which is a type of demi-dragon. It hasn’t necessarily been decided that the dragon girl will stay with the party, but if she does, one ought to consider that she may end up out of her depth. Can she even level up? Creio suppresses a laugh at my comment. “Heh-heh. These kinds of things are partly why I chose you.” “Is that so?” “May Zion protect you. I’ll see if I can get any more information, but don’t get your hopes up.” The transmission cuts out. I stand there for a little while. Another hassle to deal with. This certainly isn’t in my wheelhouse. Now, what should I do…? The primary attribute of the god worshipped in Lemwraith is love. He is one of the three supreme deities, the god who bestows love onto every living thing, human or monster. The God of Love, Zion Gusion. This is the god the Lemwraith Empire serves and one of the three gods who bestowed diving blessings on Toudou. He’s also the god worshipped by fools who try to tame monsters. If I’m being completely honest, my thought when Creio first told me about Toudou was that he might actually be able to overcome the Demon Lord. That judgment was based on the divine blessing he received when he was summoned. There are many gods and spirits in this world, but the blessings he received from the Three Deities and Eight Spirit Kings are especially powerful. On rare occasions, there are those who receive protection from more than one god, but it is unheard of to receive it from all the Three Deities, the most powerful gods in this world. Namely— He who has the most followers in this world and governs the holy arts, Ahz Gried, God of Order. He who promises certain victory to warriors and is worshipped by many mercenaries and monster hunters, Pruflas Wrath, God of War. And lastly, Zion Gusion, God of Love. As the God of Order, Ahz Gried bestows the power to exorcise darkness and subdue chaos. As the God of War, Pruflas Wrath gives the strength to destroy any obstacle you may face in this world. The power of Ahz Gried has many uses, and the power given by the God of War is necessary to break through the impenetrable prism used by the Demon Lord and his followers. But I have never known what power Zion bestows on his followers. I guess I assumed he didn’t really have anything to offer. Actually, in terms of followers, the God of Love has only a fraction of the number of the other two gods. Whatever the blessing of Zion is, if it has an effect on Toudou, I had better make sure I know about it. While eating my first decent breakfast in a whole day, I listen over transmission to Amelia’s report. “—We are currently at the inn. Our plan for the day is to purchase some clothes for Glacia and then report to the village headman.” “Glacia…?” “Yes. We can’t just call her ‘the dragon’ forever, so we chose that name.” Glacia from glacial plant… That’s simple enough. “Is she behaving?” “For the time being, yes. She is still highly wary of us, however, and doesn’t show any sign of speaking. I don’t know how long it will take for her to let her guard down…” I want to say, It ain’t gonna be so simple, but I let it go. “And Toudou?” “…Toudou doesn’t seem too concerned about her. His perspective is that she just needs time to get used to everything. Aria, on the other hand, has been keeping a close eye on her.” I think on this while cutting the meat on my plate with the silver knife. I don’t think Toudou will try to leave Glacia behind. Now that Amelia will be leaving the party, it would make it easier to gather information if we could somehow control Glacia and keep her with them. The problem is, how do we get Glacia to understand this…? I mean, I already nearly killed her (?) once. That alone makes this pretty difficult. Whether she ultimately cooperates or not, I need to talk to her as soon as possible. “I want to get in contact with her. Can you get Glacia alone?” “…That may be difficult. We have made it a rule not to leave her alone.” Perhaps that means they understand the danger in a dragon that can transform into a human… Or maybe they’re just afraid to leave her alone? “Later some of us will be going to buy Glacia’s clothes, and at that point, there will be fewer people watching her…” “That’s convenient… How many will stay behind at the inn?” “…How many do you want to stay behind?” Amelia implies that she has some level of control over it. That’s promising. “As few as possible. If you can manage it, I’d like to have Aria and Toudou out of there.” I can handle Limis. It would be ideal if just Amelia and Limis could stay behind. But if I were in Toudou’s place, I wouldn’t leave a mage and a healer to monitor a dragon. Anyway, if it doesn’t work out the way I want, we can improvise. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to abduct a person or two. “…Understood.” I finish my breakfast and set down my fork and knife. Just as I’m standing to leave, Amelia asks another question over the transmission. “…By the way, Ares… Do you know why you were given this mission?” “Sure I do.” The question is a bit unexpected. I take a small knife out from my bag. The knife is a rare item, its dark-green scabbard ornamented with patterns in gold and silver. At a glance, it may look ceremonial, but in fact, it is one of only a few magical tools that I possess. After a silence, Amelia continues. “I think what you assume to be the reason…may actually be only one part of the whole.” “…What do you mean?” She hesitates to reply. Regardless of the reason, what I can and will do on this mission remains the same. She finally responds just as I’m heading out of the inn. Recently, we’ve had a lot of bad weather, but today, without a cloud in the sky, the sun shines brightly. “Ares, the purpose of this mission isn’t just for you to support Toudou. It is also…for you to overcome your own weaknesses.” “My…weaknesses?” I can think of a lot of weaknesses that I have. My magical energy is low, for example. I have very little divine protection. But what Amelia says isn’t anything I’d considered. “That’s right. Ares, your shortcoming is—it’s that you try to do everything alone. It isn’t in your nature to rely on others, so you take on everything yourself. To the leaders of the Church…this is a great weakness.” I don’t rely on other people—that much is true. I understand what Amelia is saying but am unable to offer up a response. No, it’s not that… It gets me thinking about how these things Creio views as my weaknesses may influence our current circumstances. I’ve been reporting back to him, and I’ve adapted to the people involved in this mission. But I don’t think that’s the kind of thing she’s talking about. Amelia continues matter-of-factly. “Fundamentally, you have no expectations of me. Wouldn’t you agree, Ares? As an example, even when you learned that I can use magic to send transmissions, you didn’t ask me to handle the reports to Creio. You’d rather just do it yourself.” “…” …She’s paying close attention to these things. It is true that I have basically no expectations of her. The important thing on a mission is the results. I can determine my own actions, but I have no control over those of others. What Amelia does already is sufficient. The rest I can accomplish myself, one way or another. Amelia continues her analysis in an unwavering voice. “From your perspective, this mission is your responsibility in all respects. I am only an assistant, bearing no responsibilities. You are very specific with your instructions, and you never forget to consider the outcome should I fail. You might think of this as being practical, but in the end, it goes to show that you fundamentally have no confidence in me.” As a matter of fact, all of that is true, and I am perfectly aware of it. I look down at the black ring on the ring finger of my left hand. The ring is proof of rebellion against God. It is a symbol of those who revoke the teachings of Ahz Gried and strike down the enemies of God as crusaders. Which is why, even if Amelia points these things out, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. “So what do you want me to do?” “I ask that you make some adjustments. My assignment is to support you in your mission, and I don’t want to do my job halfway.” Make some adjustments, huh? I think about what she says—halfway—and picture her frozen in the middle of a road, when she says: “This is my business.” There’s almost no one around the rear of the inn. I pull my hood over my head and lean my back against the wall. “Aria and Toudou are gone.” “Got it.” I’m used to stealth operations. A high level translates to a high amount of life force. A high amount of life force translates to being able to do more than others with lower life force. When I hold my breath and focus my mind, I can sense all movement around me. I know for certain they’re gone. I could sense Toudou’s and Aria’s presence through any number of walls. When I look up, I see a small window that has been left open. The party is on the third floor of the three-story inn. I move silently to a spot underneath the window where I can sense Amelia. The window is large enough for me to fit through. I feel the wall with the palm of my hand—it’s almost completely flat. There is no sun on this side of the building, so the wall is pleasantly cool to the touch. I scratch the surface with my fingernails. “Okay, Ares.” Amelia signals that the coast is clear. I breathe in and kick off from the ground. Digging my fingernails into the wall, it takes me only a few seconds to climb up to the window. I grab on to the ledge and peer inside. In the room with Amelia are Limis and the dragon girl. Supporting my body with my right hand, I use my left to withdraw my knife from my pocket. I hold the scabbard between my teeth and unsheathe it. The knife is a magical tool that causes its target to faint. Being only level 17, Limis will have no defense against it. I want to do it without her seeing me. I have made my presence undetectable and should be able to get it done quickly. I dive into the room. I already know the arrangement of the furniture. I quickly survey the scene. The dragon girl is wrapped in a black cloak, lying motionless on the sofa. Limis’s body is collapsed on the table in much the same way. They appear uninjured. A leather-bound book lies open by Limis’s feet. Amelia, the only one standing upright, watches the door. I unmask my presence, and at the sound of my footsteps, Amelia whips around. The quick motion is a little amusing. I go over to Limis. Her breathing is calm. She isn’t dead—just sleeping, as is the dragon girl. “What happened here?” “How…how did you get in…?” Amelia mumbles, looking toward the window in surprise. “…Well, I never said I was coming through the door.” “You didn’t say you’d be coming through the window, either…” I peruse the room once more and ask Amelia again, “What’s going on here?” “I put them to sleep.” “How?” “With magic.” Put them to sleep with magic, huh? That isn’t as simple as she makes it sound. Dragons and mages both have high resistance to magic—not just anyone would be capable of putting them both to sleep like this. I wish she’d have told me in advance that this was her plan, because I can’t agree to something I don’t know about. Still, this method doesn’t pose any problems. Amelia locks the door and turns to face me. “What do you intend to do now?” How long before Toudou returns, I wonder? We should have at least ten minutes. Maybe twenty? Or thirty? It should be enough. I go over to Glacia. She shows no signs of waking. She may be in a deep sleep. “I’m going to interrogate her. Any danger Limis might wake up?” “No, as long as we keep our voices low, it should be fine… But interrogate? Not negotiate?” Negotiate with a monster? I have plenty of experience with interrogation—but not so much with negotiation. We don’t have a lot of time, and I absolutely want to avoid being discovered by anyone in the hero’s party while cross-examining her. I look down at Glacia. Her straight hair is a deep-green color, and from the little bit that I can see under the hood of the cloak, her skin is so white that it practically shines. With her eyes closed, she looks almost angelic. I would never think she was a dragon if I hadn’t witnessed her transformation. But looking at her now, I know it with certainty. From this close, I can feel her life force. It’s not as strong as when she was in her dragon form, but the amount of life force coming from this skinny little girl is way beyond Toudou’s. She’s dangerous. Her left arm is folded across her body. I grab hold of it, wondering how much physical strength she has, and sit her up. The cloak that had been covering her falls to the floor, exposing her dazzling naked body along with the rising and falling of her chest. “Wait… Ares, what are you—?” “Wake up!” Disregarding Amelia’s attempt to hold me back, I give Glacia a slap on the cheek. Unsurprisingly, she awakens at this provocation and stirs slightly, her eyelids slowly blinking open. Her gaze wanders around blankly before finally stopping on me. Her face twitches. Her pale lips open. Her throat expands. Her chest swells as she inhales deeply. Without any hesitation, I drive my right fist into her stomach. “—Guh?! Wha—?” There’s a brief shriek, followed by the sound of Glacia’s arm cracking as I grab it. She doubles over, her eyes wide and face contorted in pain. She coughs up warm spittle that soaks the floor beneath her. Using the remaining feeling in my right hand, I take note of her current form. Soft yet strong. A normal human’s abdomen would be ruptured and their arm torn off by now. In any case…I don’t know how her form changes, but at the moment, she’s no different to me than a sandbag. Glacia continues to cough and splutter. I force a finger into her mouth and grab hold of her tongue. Her mouth is cold, unlike a human’s. She desperately tries to cry out as I drop my voice down to a whisper in her ear. “Scream, and I’ll kill you. Lash out, and I’ll kill you. And if you don’t answer my questions, I’ll kill you.” Toudou’s intentions? Divine protection from the God of Love, Zion Gusion? I don’t care about any of that. If she makes so much as a peep, I’ll deal with her—I’ve got no choice. No longer attempting to cry out, Glacia instead begins convulsing. I can clearly see the terror in her eyes. She desperately tries to free her tongue, but my grip on it is so strong that it’s pointless. “A-Ares… Isn’t that a little…much?” “It’s no problem. I can use holy techniques to heal her.” Sure, I’m about to pummel Glacia’s face in and rip off one or two of her arms, but otherwise, she’s the same as ever. “N-no, that’s not what I meant—” We can’t let our guard down. Even though she’s taken a human form, this kid is still a monster. I peer wordlessly into Glacia’s eyes, into the depths of her deep-green irises, the same color as her hair. An icy chill fills my brain. Squash the risk. For the sake of this world, just die. After waiting a few seconds, once I’ve registered the terror brimming in her eyes, I begin my interrogation. “Answer my questions when I ask. Say anything else, and I’ll kill you.” She understands human speech. Her lips move slightly in an attempt to speak but then close. So she also understands…threats. I release Glacia’s arm from my grip, and she crumples onto the sofa. “Tell me why you transformed,” I demand, glaring at her. That’s where we need to start. I need to know how she did it, why she did it, whether she has any ill will toward us, and why she came out of the depths of the woods in the first place. Her eyes widen at my question. Her throat moves weakly, but no words come out. Tears in her eyes, Glacia shakes her head. This isn’t defiance. Even if she can’t say the words, I understand what she was trying to communicate. “So you don’t know? You’re not lying?” “…” Furiously shaking her head and her hands side to side, she scoots back into the sofa. She wouldn’t lie under these circumstances, and I’d considered that a possibility. I move on. “Next question. Do you have any intention of harming Toudou—the black-haired human—or the other humans with him?” Dragons are destructive animals. Most of them are threats to human life. I don’t mean to get into the controversy of good and evil. Dragons eat humans, and humans slaughter dragons for their life force and the raw materials they can get from their bodies. We’re mutual enemies. The dragon girl’s body resembles a human, but what about her mind? How dangerous is she? There’s only one way to be absolutely sure. Glacia looks frightened by my question. But somewhere in the fear, I can sense that she’s waiting for an opportunity. She pulls up the corners of her lips, imitating a smile. Reinforcing my words and gaze with murderous intent, I lightly press my knee into her stomach. She jumps with a start. “If you put a hand on Toudou, I’ll kill you. Anywhere you run, I’ll find you. But I promise that if you follow my orders, I’ll let you live.” “I—I…,” she stammers, speaking for the first time. She has the voice of a young girl, unlike her voice as a dragon. I was prepared to crush her throat if her voice was loud, but it comes out like a whisper. Her lips tremble, and her breathing is rough. Her complexion is so deathly pale that it looks like there’s no blood in her at all. This is no act. The trauma and my superiority made an impression on her, so I know I did my job adequately. “I…promise.” The words are understandable but not quite clear—she’s not used to speaking yet. But I can tell from her voice that she intends to cooperate. I slowly let go of her. Her whole body gives a shake, as if releasing tension. “This is…a contract.” If things had gone any other way, I would have dispatched the girl immediately. She trembles under my gaze. “Ares…,” says Amelia. “I’ll hear your objections later.” I check the clock on the wall. It’s already been ten minutes. Before Toudou and Aria come back, I need to get out of here, and Amelia will have to wake up Limis. There isn’t much time. But there is one more thing I want to confirm. This is the big question. I look back at Glacia, collapsed on the couch. “Glacia, why did you come out of the deep parts of the woods? You were out of your territory.” This was the second report of an appearance of a glacial plant. Just once could be considered happenstance, but a second time indicated cause. At my question, Glacia makes a sound in her throat like a hiccup. Then, with trembling lips and fearful eyes, she manages to say, “Demon—appeared—in woods.” Her response confirms the bad feeling I had. Problems tend to breed more problems. You need to dispel disaster before it takes root. Amelia looks at me, her shoulders shaking slightly in shock. But I’d already predicted this. No matter what happens, I need to accomplish my mission. I’m prepared to handle anything. Demi-dragons don’t often show themselves, and two had turned up in a short amount of time. Soon we may have one or two demons on our hands. “Yes, that’s right. A demon. Its class and type are unclear, but it was powerful enough to drive out the demi-dragon, and I think you’d have to be around level fifty to defeat her. On the other hand, apparently the demi-dragon felt that if she built up enough strength, she might have been able to defeat the demon, so it could be comparable to her in strength.” Leaving Amelia to handle Toudou’s party, I report to Creio while examining the outer wall surrounding Vale Village. I’ve collected all the information I need from Glacia. It appears that she was living modestly in the depths of the forest, when one day, a powerful demon suddenly appeared and forced her out of her territory. In order to take her revenge on it, she went to the shallow part of the forest to increase her strength by devouring other monsters, and it was there that she evolved to her new form. We didn’t know anything about the first glacial plant, but it could have been in the same situation. A demon. One of the many beings that live in darkness. A natural enemy of humanity, demons have an aptitude for magic in addition to their intelligence and great physical strength. Even low-class demons are so strong that an ordinary human can do little to hurt them. The wall around the village isn’t just a wall. It is also a boundary designed to keep monsters away. In the holy arts, boundary techniques require a particular level of skill. The boundary surrounding Vale Village was put in place by a talented priest, and although years have passed, there are no major tears in it. However, this barrier was made with the monsters from the Forest of the Vale in mind, and its ability to defend against the followers of darkness that do not inhabit those woods most likely is not very high. I take a small pouch out of my breast pocket. It contains highly valuable mythril shards. While checking a map, I walk around the perimeter of the village and bury the beads in the ground. Using the mythril as a medium for the boundary will make it strong enough to hold off demons, if only for a little while. The possibility of a demon attacking at this stage in the game should be low, but I want to be absolutely sure the village is prepared. It’s widely known that there are highly powerful demons in service of Demon Lord Kranos. I knew we would have to face them eventually, but this is much sooner than I had anticipated. Hearing this news, Creio seems soberer than usual. “A demon… Perhaps the hero has been discovered?” “I don’t know, but it seems unlikely. If they’d found out about the hero, you would think they would do something more drastic than setting a demi-dragon on him.” Looking at the past, the appearance of the hero has always ignited a fierce struggle with demon kind. If they believed a hero had appeared and had discovered his whereabouts, there would already be a powerful demon targeting him directly. Plus, assuming the demon first appeared around the same time as the first glacial plant, that would mean that the demons had discovered the hero significantly earlier than the estimated one month. “Hmm… It could be that they suspect it but are not certain of it yet.” The same thought had occurred to me. I finish up laying the prism, then lean against the wall and catch my breath. “At any rate, the best thing to do now is capture the demon and interrogate it. Can you dispatch a crusader?” “What about the hero?” “You must be joking—he isn’t ready for that. He won’t be until he reaches at least level sixty.” If Toudou is going to have a go at a demon that drove a glacial plant out of its territory, I’d like him to be at least level 60…although 70 would be better. Generally, you can sense a demon’s life force as you get closer to it. When I was searching the woods, I didn’t sense anything that could have been a demon. If one is still lurking in the Forest of the Vale, it must be considerably far in. “A demon, a demon… I don’t have anyone available for this.” “You said Gregorio is available, didn’t you? He would be fine for this.” He has a lot of experience, and he’s sufficiently competent. My only concern is that he might finish the demon off before he has a chance to interrogate it. “…I thought you didn’t like him?” says Creio, sounding surprised. “It’s not that I don’t like him. He’s just hard to deal with.” He is by no means a man of the Church, but I can’t deny that he’s an outstanding solider. It makes me wonder why he chose to become a priest rather than a mercenary in the first place. Above all, regardless of whether the opponent is a demon or the undead, he’ll be able to destroy it without any trouble. If they request Helios’s assistance as well, he’ll have an even higher chance of success. “It’s settled, then. He happens to be at headquarters on standby right now, so he should arrive there in two or three days.” “I’m going to go on ahead with the hero’s party to the next town, so I’ll leave the rest to you.” “…You’re leaving? What about leveling up?” “It will be faster and safer to level up in another town, rather than staying here when there’s a demon nearby.” Considering that it’s possible the hero’s whereabouts have been discovered, it’s risky to stay in one place. Not to mention that Golem Valley, where they’ll be going next, is much more open than the forest, which will make it easier to follow them. “They’ve taken Glacia into their group, so I intend to control their movements through her.” Perhaps lost in his own thoughts, Creio is silent for a while before finally sighing deeply. “…Understood. We’ll do something about the demon.” “Got it. If anything else comes up, I’ll report back.” Well then, all that’s left is to guide Toudou where I need him to go. We have to wrap things up here and move on before we step on any land mines. “…All right. Thank you for your report, Sir Toudou.” “Uh…yeah…” The Vale Village headman bows at Toudou’s report, his expression somehow tired. The headman’s request was that they defeat the glacial plant. Due to unexpected circumstances, they weren’t able to achieve that goal. Having expected that the village headman would voice some complaint, Toudou is surprised by his short reply. Standing nearby is Glacia, wearing the dress they just bought for her, looking nervously at her surroundings. Toudou shows Glacia to the headman as proof that the dragon transformed into a human. They had expected him to be suspicious of this explanation, but he doesn’t question it. “Um…we haven’t exactly defeated the dragon. You don’t have any issue with that?” The headman’s eyes wander around the room, as if looking for someone. His eyebrow twitches, and he looks at Toudou with a smile that seems somehow bitter. “…No, no issue. The problem no longer has any effect on the village, so from my point of view, there is nothing more to say.” “…Sir, are you…all right? …You’re kind of pale,” says Limis with familial concern for this man around her grandfather’s age. “Y-yes, I’m fine. I’m just—just a bit…tired. Yes, I must be tired.” “…Is it that you’ve been worrying over the incident with the mercenaries?” asks Toudou, a guilty look on his face. Toudou is referring to when he impulsively attacked the mercenaries at the tavern. The headman, however, is preoccupied with our last encounter. I still remember the dumbstruck look on his face. The village headman, flustered, quickly shakes his head from side to side and waves his hands. “No, no, no—most certainly not! It has nothing to do with you, Sir Toudou… It is a personal matter.” “…Well, all right…” Toudou tilts his head slightly to one side, puzzled by the change in the village headman’s demeanor. The old man seems frightened; usually one would expect a village leader to be confident. Despite being his age, he’d previously had an aura of cunning seemingly immune to the hero’s party. Now, the village headman regards the Holy Warrior warily, almost like a frog being stared down by a snake. Disquieted by Toudou’s stare, the village headman asks in a high-pitched voice, “W-well then, Sir Toudou, where will you be going next?” “Actually, I haven’t decided yet…” Because of all that had happened, Toudou hadn’t leveled up at all in the past three days. After the quick change of subject, he looks at the village headman suspiciously. “I’m thinking of spending a little longer in the Forest of the Vale—” “Actually, Sir Toudou,” interrupts the village headman. He puts a hand to his forehead and closes his eyes, choosing his words carefully. “I’ve decided to close off the forest for a while.” “You’re closing it off?!” The village headman stammers awkwardly in response to Toudou and company’s shocked expressions. “Um—well, actually, there is a dangerous monster in the forest, as you said yourself…and until it is defeated, I have decided to prohibit entry…” “I’ve never heard of such a thing…,” remarks Aria suspiciously. Forests are, by nature, home to monsters. You enter at your own risk. When a dangerous monster appears, it’s typical to dispatch the royal knights to defeat it, but it’s not common practice to prohibit entry to the area entirely. The village headman looks to Aria, straight-faced. “Considering the amount of danger posed by this particular monster, it was decided that special measures need to be taken. Not to mention that the monster has been very active.” “…It did seem to be quite powerful…” Limis’s face turns red as she recalls the howl of murderous intent and how it paralyzed her legs. Toudou cocks his head skeptically. “We only just reported the monster to you now, and you’ve already decided to close it off?” “…No, no, the decision wasn’t made because of your report, Sir Toudou. I heard from another source…” “…Another source?” “Yes… I can’t expose this individual here, but I have another source,” he responds with finality, closing his mouth. Though they may have questions, he clearly intends to say no more. Toudou opens his mouth to say something but quickly reconsiders. Maybe he recalls the howl in the forest. For him to challenge an opponent that he realized only this morning is way beyond him would be an act of suicide. He understands clearly that no matter how prepared he is, he is no match for it. Aria, who had been watching Toudou apprehensively, breathes a sigh of relief. “We don’t have much time, so that makes things a bit difficult for us…,” says Toudou. “How long do you think it will take for it to be defeated?” “I’ve been told it will take two or three days for the hunter to reach us. I think you can expect it to be over in a week, all told.” “A week, huh…?” The one-month marker is coming up fast. It’s not like they can sit around doing nothing. As Toudou mulls it over, the village headman suddenly claps his hands together loudly, almost to snap him out of it. “I’m aware that you don’t have much time, Sir Hero. I would suggest that you head for the next level-up area.” “The…next level-up area?” “That’s right.” He produces a weathered parchment from his desk drawer. It’s a map of the territory within Ruxe Kingdom. It’s covered in markings and notes. “Our current location is here,” he says, putting his finger on a large wooded spot on the right edge of the map. From there, he drags his finger across the map, over the grassland and prairie that extends east of the royal capital, stopping at the foot of the mountains. “Golem Valley,” says Limis. The village headman nods and readily launches into an explanation. “Yes, Golem Valley. In the mountain region, which is inhabited by golem-type monsters that have high life force, the valley is the foremost place to level up in Ruxe Kingdom. It should be much more efficient to level up there instead of in the Great Forest.” “Hold on a minute,” Aria jumps in, sternly objecting. She glares at the village headman. “That area is recommended for those level forty and above. The average level of our party is not even thirty.” Toudou is 27, Aria is 25, and Limis is 17—all below the recommended minimum. On top of that, they don’t have a priest. Aria stares down at the map, roaming her finger around it. “For leveling up, we should go somewhere more suitable for our level… Hmmm, let’s see… I think the area around the Great Tomb would be a good choice, as it is about the same level as the Forest of the Vale.” Toudou’s gaze follows the path of Aria’s finger, which stops at an area far at the bottom of the map called Yutith’s Tomb. It’s a grave site known for being home to many undead-type monsters. While an undead king is thought to live in the depths of the tomb, the area near the entrance is populated by low-class monsters that can be easily defeated in large numbers. It’s for this reason the tomb is famed as a hunting ground. The village headman explains his opposing viewpoint. “Going into the Great Tomb without a priest is like walking to your death. Its reputation is as a place good for priests to level up, you know. Because the undead have so little life force, you need to take out large swaths of them to level up by attacking. And the further you go into the tomb, the more monsters there are that can cause paralysis or poison. What’s more, the grave is filled with miasma. Sir Hero should be safe from it with his holy armor, but Miss Aria and Miss Limis—I don’t think you’ll be able to stand it very long. It will also be difficult for Miss Limis to use her fire magic, as the area is all underground. Overall, I wouldn’t say it’s your best option.” Aria stares wide-eyed at the bearded man’s explanation before speaking. “…Sir, how is it you know so much about our party…?” “…O-oh… These are just guesses, only guesses. I would be honored to know so much about the hero.” He averts his eyes and looks down at the map, tapping his finger on Golem Valley. “Compared to all the trouble of the tomb, the golems in Golem Valley are an easy fight. Typically, they will not approach you and attack, and you can obtain a fairly large amount of life force from each of them. Their offensive and defensive power are both high, but their movements are slow. If you attack them at their core, they are easily defeated. Also, because the area is in open air, Miss Limis should be able to burn the golems to ash with her fire.” Limis had been listening quietly, but now she nods emphatically. “Okay, let’s go there, then!” While Aria and the village headman are locked in a stare-down, Toudou thinks it over, his head inclined to one side. “From my point of view…either would be fine,” he says. When it comes down to who Toudou trusts more, it’s unquestionably Aria. There is also the consideration that the village headman is acting strangely—he knows all kinds of information about them that they never shared with him. Under Toudou’s suspicious gaze, the village headman starts sweating. After being silent and motionless through the entire exchange, Glacia suddenly chimes in. “Goh-lem Val-lay!” “…Huh?” This is the first time she’s spoken in front of them. They certainly can’t ignore it. Toudou hastily looks around and then directs his gaze down at the dragon girl standing at his side. Paying Toudou no mind, Glacia repeats herself, her pronunciation still strange. “Go to Goh-lem Val-lay!” “…What are you saying? I mean—you—you can talk?!” Ignoring Toudou’s confusion, Glacia repeats it again, like a broken toy. “Goh-lem Val-lay! Goh-lem Val-lay!” At first, Limis is completely shocked by the unexpected support, but she quickly reevaluates. “Oh, see—see, Glacia agrees! Golem Valley! Golem Valley!” The two of them start chanting it together. Aria looks exasperated. “No matter how you look at it, that’s a dangerous—” “…It appears that a decision has already been made, hasn’t it!” “?!” The village headman’s interjection cuts Aria off. He turns to Toudou and speaks quickly, trying to end the discussion as soon as possible. “If you’re going to leave the village, it’s better to go sooner rather than later. When the hunt for the monster in the woods begins, we will be prohibiting departure from the village.” “Wha…? So soon?!” says Toudou. “Goh-lem Val-lay! Goh-lem Val-lay!” shouts Glacia persistently, as though it’s her duty. “Golem Valley! Golem Valley!” continues Limis. “What in the world…?” says Aria, her lip quivering in frustration. Aria and Toudou watch in confusion as this unexpected turn of events continues to unfold. Then the village headman takes three large bags out from behind his desk and sets them at Toudou’s feet. “I’ve put together supplies for you. Everything from food and potions to things like spare bullets.” “…What?!” “You can take this map with you, too. I have prepared all these things for you, Sir Hero. Please do not hesitate to accept them.” He thrusts the map toward Toudou, practically forcing him to take it. “N-no, really, I haven’t even decided what I want to do yet—” “Come now, please hurry, Sir Toudou. Your time is limited. I am so grateful for all of your help. So sad to see you go, but that is the nature of those who journey. After you’ve defeated the Demon Lord, please do me the honor of visiting Vale Village again. You’ll receive a grand reception!” “Wait, hold on—” The headman puts the three bags in his hands and pushes him out the door before he can ask any questions. The man is so aggressive that, even as the hero, Toudou can’t manage to get a word in. Once he’s pushed them all the way out of the house, the village headman stops Toudou. Raising his eyebrows, he says in a low voice, “Sir Hero…I think you need to get yourself a priest.” “Huh…? Uh, wh-what?” Toudou is lost. As he frantically tries to wrap his head around all of it, the village headman closes the door in his face. Everyone is quiet except for Glacia, who continues chanting the same thing again and again. “Goh-lem Val-lay! Goh-lem Val-lay!” “What just happened…?” asks Aria. “Uh, yeah, that’s what I want to know…,” says Toudou. The sun has completely set, and only a small sliver of moonlight filters through the window. Amelia’s expressionless face is reflected in the glass. She ends the transmission with Glacia and looks over to Ares, who sits sharpening his knife. “Ares, I have Glacia’s report. It seems the party has decided to head to Golem Valley.” “Have they? That’s good news. What’s their schedule?” “They plan to leave tomorrow morning.” Their decision is as expected. Ares puts away his knife and breathes a sigh. “All right. Somehow things seem to be going according to plan so far.” “Indeed. Our method was a bit heavy-handed… I wondered if it would work.” They’d convinced the village headman to cooperate and had coached Glacia on what to say as well. The execution was clumsy enough to make anyone suspicious. Ares stands up straight at Amelia’s reproachful tone. “Don’t overthink it. As long as we achieve our goals, who cares about the methods?” The transformation of the glacial plant into human form had certainly been a shock. There’d been no warning it would happen—the most unexpected of unexpected circumstances. Witnessing it happen right before her eyes, Amelia had felt as if she was having a bad dream. After spending an entire night preparing Glacia and the village headman for that meeting, Amelia doesn’t understand how Ares can be so flippant. “…Ares, don’t you take this seriously?” “Do I look like I’m not taking it seriously?” The crusader responds by turning up the corners of his mouth slightly into a sarcastic smile. He looks like he isn’t taking anything seriously at all, but Amelia forgoes pointing it out. If that mind-set lightens the load on his shoulders, she can let it be. “…Well, would you say we’ve done all we can for now?” “Yeah, I’d say so. We asked Helios to assist with the demon, so that’s done… Now we have a little free time until tomorrow morning.” In spite of his casual tone, Ares’s expression is grim. He doesn’t seem relaxed. Amelia and Ares have known each other for a long time. They first met more than five years ago, when Amelia started as an operator, but they have hardly spent any time face-to-face. Amelia herself is still shy around Ares, as if he were a stranger. Ares sits facing away from her, his arms crossed, looking deep in thought. As Amelia hazily observes him, it suddenly occurs to her to invite him for a meal. But as soon as she opens her mouth to ask, she hears him thinking out loud. “Right now, Toudou lacks fundamental knowledge… I wonder if there’s someone I could ask to join up with him, teach him a few things…” Then he takes out a bundle of paper and unrolls it on the table. “Um…Ares?” “Hmm… Yeah, what is it?” he asks without looking away from the pile. In a pitch slightly higher than her usual, Amelia asks, “Um… How about getting some dinner? Neither of us has eaten anything today, right?” “Hmm… Yeah, feel free to go get yourself something. I’ve still got a few things to do.” “…Are those things you need to get done today?” “No, not really.” Ares takes out a pen and starts writing a letter. Amelia takes him by the shoulders and looks at him. “We’ve done all we need to do for now, haven’t we?” “Yes, I guess we have.” “…So will you come to eat? A lot has happened the past few days, and it’s good to give yourself a rest every once in a while.” “I still have things to do. It’s perfectly fine with me if you go.” “…But are those things you need to get done today?” “…No?” He remains focused on the letter. Amelia frowns, saying nothing for a while. Then she asks cautiously, “Ares…are you really this much of a workaholic?” “No, I’m not really…,” he says, his pen not stopping for even a second. Watching him, Amelia remembers something the cardinal told her. Amelia, he’s excellent at what he does, but if left alone, he never stops working. He casts holy techniques on himself to keep going, which doesn’t always have good results. Try to get him to rest when you can. …He’s worked this hard and still feels he hasn’t done enough? Looking at Ares’s face, Amelia can see the weariness in his eyes. It makes sense that he would be tired. As far as Amelia is aware, the only time Ares has rested in the past several days was that few hours in the woods. Looking at him now, she’s not even convinced he rested then. Making up her mind, Amelia reaches around Ares from behind and covers his eyes with her hands. “Ares! Can you please stop working and rest for a while? You’re going to work yourself to death.” “No…I’m fine.” “?!” To Amelia’s surprise, she can still hear the pen scratching the paper. She peeks down and observes that he’s writing properly, not just scribbling. Even with his vision completely obscured, he doesn’t stop. Then Amelia can hear him whisper, “You can’t stop me from working just by covering my eyes.” “You’re—you’re focusing on the wrong thing, here!” she shouts, reaching out and snatching away the unfinished letter. Ares looks up at her, surprised, as she protests firmly, waving the paper in the air. “Ares!! This is not something you need to do right now, is it?” “Oh, right. If there’s something else you think should be prioritized, I’ll take care of that first,” Ares responds, oblivious to her point. Amelia glares at him icily. This guy is a lost cause… If left to his own devices, he really would never stop. She regains her composure and chooses her words carefully. “…Actually, there is something I would like to discuss with you.” “Discuss? …What is it?” “It’s a little difficult to explain here… Can we talk while we eat?” “…Yeah, sure.” He finally puts down his pen and heaves a quiet sigh. Later, during their meal, Ares still can’t seem to think of anything but work. It only reinforces what the cardinal told her. Although it is called Vale Village, from Toudou’s point of view, the hustle and bustle feels more like that of a town than a village. The look of the streets and houses is very Western, and although it isn’t modern, having just graduated high school and not knowing much about Western history, Toudou thinks it is sophisticated in its own way. This world is entirely different from his world. The culture is different. There are beings with intelligence equal to or greater than humans, and there are spirits, magic, and all kinds of mysteries that could only exist in daydreams in Japan. The first time Toudou witnessed the use of magic, he was dumbstruck. Even now, there are still times when he feels like he’s in a dream. Somehow, the other world already feels so far in the past. Toudou sighs. “I guess the only thing that doesn’t change is human emotion…” Joy, sadness, anger—these are the only things that remain the same in both worlds. The Vale is far from where the war is raging. Looking at the peaceful landscape, you wouldn’t think the Demon Lord had invaded. But that doesn’t change the fact that he continues to take more and more victims. Toudou feels an ache in his arm. His chest feels tight, and his heart pounds loudly. Naotsugu Toudou’s purpose in life has always been carrying out justice—even before he was summoned to this world as the hero. But before, he had no power. Now, he does. The question is, does he have the determination to follow through? As Toudou stands there in a daze, he hears Aria’s familiar voice from behind him. “Sorry to have kept you waiting, Sir Nao.” “Ah, no… Not at all.” As he turns around, his expression changes, and a gentle smile comes over his face. He looks at his two companions—the two he must protect. “I think we should go while the sun is high,” says Aria. “We need to cross the prairie. If possible, I would like to reach our destination by this evening.” “We need to start leveling up as soon as possible,” Toudou says. “Yes,” Aria agrees, nodding soberly. Her fortitude and dignity remind Toudou of the knights of legend. “We might have trouble with the monsters of the prairie, as most of them travel in large groups. I think it best to pass through as quickly as we can.” “But…Garnet could scorch the entire prairie,” says Limis. “Yes, but it’s best not to underestimate monsters that travel in packs,” counters Aria. “If they sense the presence of magic, they will undoubtedly target it. Of course, I would do my best to protect you, but if we end up surrounded by dozens of monsters, the battle may become extremely difficult. Not to mention—” Aria pauses, glancing behind her. Glacia is looking here and there around the room, examining everything with childlike interest. Even smaller in stature than Limis, Glacia has a fragile figure and long green hair, looking almost like a sprite. It’s still uncertain why she changed into this human form, but as she has no intention of returning to the forest, they felt they had no choice but to take her along. Toudou reaches his hand out and smooths her long green hair. Glacia looks up at him sadly and mumbles, “I’m…hungry…” Aria sighs. “…It seems our food expenses are going to increase substantially.” Although her physical body is much smaller, somehow there is no great change in Glacia’s appetite—she seems to eat as much as a dragon. Their bill at the inn was more than twice what they expected. Toudou smiles wryly and takes his hand off Glacia’s head. “Ah-ha-ha… We’re going to need to prepare a lot of food.” “Well… If she’s going to eat so much, I wonder if she can at least help us in battle…?” muses Aria. “But can she even fight? She’s so little…,” asks Limis, staring down at the only party member smaller than herself. “…We’ll find out soon. Seeing as she is a dragon, I don’t think she’s incapable of fighting…,” says Toudou. Even Aria, who comes from a highly educated family, had never heard of a monster that could take human form. Limis eventually loses interest in staring down at Glacia and looks up. “Anyway, let’s leave for Golem Valley right away! I want to show you guys what I can do.” “Yes, I’m looking forward to that,” says Toudou. “Let’s head out…after we’ve put in the report to the Church, I suppose?” “Ah, right. I forgot about that,” says Limis. Then Toudou’s party starts out toward the church to fulfill Ares’s request. The father who governs the church is in the farthest room in the back. When Toudou enters, he is arranging some sort of tools on his desk. He turns to face Toudou, and a thin smile comes to his lips. “I say, if it isn’t Sir Toudou…” Helios still has his usual taunting smile. He slowly gets to his feet. “I came to report… I think Ares will have told you I’d be coming.” “Yes…naturally, I have been informed.” His smile broadens as he claps his hands together. Limis looks casually at the table, and her eyes widen when she sees the variety of tools all lined up. There’s a silver cross and several silver stakes ten-odd centimeters in length. There’s a bottle filled with a glittering, transparent liquid and a silver staff with a rounded tip. There are also several other strange tools, their respective uses difficult to guess. “What are these…?” “Ah, these… They are tools I will use to defeat the demon, Miss Friedia.” He casually picks up one of the stakes and, holding it between his fingers, gives a flick of his wrist. The stake makes a soft sound as it shallowly pierces the wall. Ignoring the surprised looks on their faces, Helios pats the stakes with his hand, as if they are precious. “These stakes are not actually very sturdy, so they may not be useful against an ordinary monster. However, demons are weak to silver that has been blessed.” “You’re going to fight a demon?” asks Toudou, suddenly looking up from the tools on the table. “Is it the demon in the woods?” “Ah, you know of it?” he says, narrowing his eyes. “Demons are an enemy of the Church… I intend to cooperate with the Church and fight it to the best of my ability.” “A priest going to fight a demon…?” “Indeed… We possess techniques for the eradication of evil spirits.” Toudou’s eyebrow twitches at the mention of these techniques—the only ones he hadn’t learned, thinking they were unnecessary. “Naturally, eradication techniques would be effective against demons… Sir Helios, will you fight it alone?” asks Aria. Seeing her serious expression, Helios waves his hands in an exaggerated gesture. “No, no… I am only going along to support. We have called in an expert.” “You have requested the royal knights…?” Aria asks. “No, a specialized priest from the Church.” “This expert is…also a priest?” “Yes. We should have this foolish demon terminated within a few days.” “…Isn’t it dangerous to fight a demon with only priests?” Helios chuckles, not at all concerned. “Heh-heh-heh… We are well aware of the danger. One cannot overthrow an enemy of God without taking some risks.” Smiling, Helios goes to the wall and removes the silver stake. After purchasing the necessary supplies, Toudou’s party confirms that they haven’t overlooked anything and heads for the village exit. On their way, they pass by the mercenaries who were involved in the incident, though Toudou doesn’t realize. The mercenaries, on the other hand, do notice Toudou and jump back in surprise at the sight of him. Saying nothing at all, they quickly hurry out of sight. When they nearly reach the gate, Toudou calls out to Aria. Since they left the church, she seems to have been lost in thought. “Did something happen earlier?” “No… Nothing really happened. It’s just…,” Aria mumbles and glances back in the direction of the church, now out of view. “Was it something in that conversation about the demon in the woods?” “No…it isn’t that… Well, yes.” She tries denying it at first but gives up under the pressure of Toudou’s stare and relents. There are more people than usual crowding around the village gate. It seems it will take time for them to be let out. Glacia is still looking around restlessly, and Limis holds on to one of her sleeves, supervising her. Toudou glances at them, then looks back to Aria. “…Is there something that concerns you?” he asks quietly enough that the others can’t overhear. “…Yes,” Aria answers in a low voice. Aria had been contemplating whether or not she should say it. She remembers Toudou’s reckless actions in the forest—if she hadn’t been able to stop him from fighting, what would have happened? But Toudou is the hero. They’ll be together for a long time on this journey, and she shouldn’t start keeping secrets from the leader of the party. Honesty is a principle of the House of Rizas. Aria may have changed swordsmanship schools but has no intention of casting away her family’s principles. She examines Toudou as she reaches her conclusion. He’s the Holy Warrior. She’s supposed to trust him. He’s the one who will save the world. “…Sir Nao… Do you remember the cry of murderous intent that assailed us in the forest?” “…Yes… That isn’t something I would forget.” “The owner of that cry…was not a follower of darkness. Not a demon.” “…What?!” Being from a family of warriors, Aria has a certain amount of learning about monsters. “The presence of a follower of darkness brings with it a unique sensation. A certain fear that is hard to express in words, a feeling that the darkness is seeping into your body, down into your gut. But when we were in the woods…I didn’t sense that.” Aria’s expression turns more serious. “To begin with, followers of darkness do not inhabit the Forest of the Vale. That cry we heard must have been a plant-type or beast-type monster.” “…A plant- or beast-type… Does that pose some kind of problem?” Aria stares silently at Toudou and breathes a heavy sigh. “Eradication techniques are only effective against followers of darkness. Sir Nao, those priests who go to fight it will surely be—defeated.” “…Defeated?” repeats Toudou, his voice dry. It takes him a moment to fully understand. Then Toudou’s pupils dilate, and his gaze pierces Aria. “You’re saying they’re going to lose?” Hearing the emotion in Toudou’s voice, Aria feels a pang of regret. But in the end, she is the one who decided to join him on this journey. Her role is to follow him where he chooses to go and support him until he defeats the Demon Lord. “But they said they’ve called in an expert.” “That will be an expert in demon hunting. In this kingdom, monster hunting is handled by the royal knights, who are under the jurisdiction of the School of Swordsmanship.” In fact, the powerful monsters that invade the kingdom are defeated primarily by the royal knights. Of course, priests are also dispatched from the Church, but their primary role is to heal and cast buffs. Toudou whips his head around, looking back toward the church. He doesn’t have much good will toward Helios, but he certainly doesn’t hate him so much that he would be glad to hear of his death. That would be contrary to Toudou’s ideals. Then, Toudou realizes something. “Wait…,” he says, looking back at Aria. “Why didn’t you say that to Helios? If you had told him—” “Because…it wouldn’t change anything.” “What? What do you mean…?” They are nearing the front of the exit line. The mercenaries queued up behind them inch forward, pressing them onward. “When the Church dispatches a priest on a mission, that is considered an order directly from God. To them, completing their mission is top priority. Even if he didn’t stand a chance, I don’t think that priest at the church would withdraw from a battle.” Toudou is taken aback by this information. Aria continues. “This also applies to a specialist dispatched from the Church. Sir Nao, don’t you remember when Ares proposed we consume monster flesh? He would break his creed as a priest in order to defeat the Demon Lord, to accomplish his mission from God. That…is how many priests are.” Listening to Aria, Toudou recalls Ares, a severe man who would sacrifice anything to defeat the Demon Lord. If what Aria says is true, it explains Ares’s actions as well. Aria remains silent for a while, observing Toudou’s expression and his shallow breaths. This is how she expected him to react. As the hero, of course he doesn’t want to let that happen. He is in pursuit of higher ideals and doing what is right, so he cannot choose to ignore this. He is the type of person who readily makes the choice that an ordinary person could not. “Sir Nao, I…didn’t want to say it, but…I think we have two options.” Toudou listens to Aria with a grim expression, biting his lower lip. “Ares, that was Toudou’s party confirming that they have exited the village,” Amelia reports, just returning from outside. “Oh, they have?” Instead of her normal priest’s robe, Amelia is wearing a more comfortable white jacket and pants. The only remaining evidence that she is a priest are her earring and her ring. If she didn’t have them on, you wouldn’t think her a sister. She is a bit of a…free spirit. Perhaps a little too free. Amelia notices me looking at her and makes a little twirl. “Does it suit me?” “…It does.” Although my response is mild, a slight smile comes to Amelia’s face. It isn’t clearly defined in the creed, but normally priests always wear their robes. I try to wear mine pretty much all the time. But I suppose things could be different for holy casters. This job can be such a burden. They should at least let us wear what we want—it’s not like our clothes affect our work. “Let’s leave here around the same time that Toudou arrives in the village at the halfway point. I’d like to avoid running into each other.” We’ve already made all our preparations. That being said, there isn’t much prep needed for the road to Golem Valley. We’ll be crossing the prairie, which is quite a distance, but the monsters there aren’t strong, and we have a means of transportation. I flip through my bag, confirming that I haven’t overlooked anything. Amelia observes me while fiddling with her bangs. “Amelia, today we’ll be traveling through the night,” I tell her. “You should get some sleep while you can.” “…I could say the same to you,” she says, her tone almost admonishing. “I can fight without sleeping for three straight days.” One of us needs to stay awake in case something happens. No matter how coolheaded Amelia is, she’s still a woman. Human men are biologically predisposed to being physically stronger than human women, and on top of that, my level is much higher than hers. Amelia sighs uncharacteristically. Maybe she doesn’t believe me? “I actually have done that. One time, there were three towns overrun with the undead, and I handled all of them alone.” “…Are you some kind of tireless golem?” “I mean, that was an urgent situation. Naturally, I’d prefer not to work under those circumstances, but I could do it again if I had to.” That was about three years ago. If it had been only undead, I could have wiped them all out pretty quickly, but demons were also involved in that incident. “I’m just going to say it,” pronounces Amelia indignantly. “If you don’t rest, neither do I.” What’s the point of saying a thing like that? Our personalities are just too different. I stare into Amelia’s face and consider how to dissuade her, but eventually, I give up. It’s a waste of time. Anyway, although we’re traveling at night, I’m really the only one who needs to stay awake. It would be fine for her to sleep. Maybe feeling a little awkward because of my silence, Amelia claps her hands together and changes the subject. “Now then, until nightfall we have spare time.” “Don’t forget about the periodic reports.” At seven AM, seven PM, and noon, Amelia checks in with Glacia. It’s a job only she can do. “I know,” Amelia says curtly, no change in her expression. “You don’t have any more work tonight, Ares.” “There’s nothing I need to do, but there are things that I can do.” “Right… There’s something I want to discuss with you.” …Yesterday she also said she had something to discuss, but in the end, there wasn’t anything at all. She pays my suspicious look no mind and says coolly, “Let’s have a drink first. Helios sent over a nice bottle.” “…Are you actually a priest?” Alcohol isn’t specifically prohibited by the creed, but it should be consumed in moderation. There are many devout believers who don’t drink at all. Actually, neither of my parents were fond of alcohol. What a strange girl. “You’re aware it’s still the middle of the day, right? You want to start drinking now?” I point to the window. It’s just past noon. There probably aren’t even that many mercenaries who would start drinking this early. Not at all concerned by my comment, Amelia pulls a bottle of alcohol out of nowhere and shows it to me. “Can I pour you a glass?” It’s no use—she isn’t getting the message at all. Looking as disagreeable as I can, I ask her, “Can you even drink?” “Of course. I’m no lightweight.” “…Is that so?” …Maybe she’s just really stressed out? What an absurd situation. It’s not that I’m opposed to drinking during the day, but is it really part of my job to keep people company? I sigh and concede to Amelia. “All right, after we check our preparations one last time.” “Got it.” …Who is this person in front of me? I thought Amelia said she’s not a lightweight. “Areeeees, are you liiistenin’?” “I’m listening, I’m listening!” Talking to her when she’s sober, I couldn’t have imagined her being so inarticulate. She plops her glass down on the table. There’s a little red in her white cheeks, and her indigo-blue-colored eyes are hazy. Observing her, I take a swig from my glass. The strong, sharply flavored alcohol makes its way down my throat. Amelia might feel like she can hold her liquor, but all it took for her to come this far was a few sips. Once she’s sobered up, I’d like to ask what makes her think she’s a strong drinker. Paying no attention to my stare, Amelia lifts her nearly full glass to down it in one go. A few drops dribble out of her mouth and roll down her neck, and some spills on the table. When we started drinking, she took off her jacket right away and tossed it on the floor. Now she’s down to a thin light-blue shirt. Some alcohol spills on that, too, and the bra beneath it is visible in places. Some “bride of God” this chick is. “…You’re drunk already?” “I toldja, I’m not drunken!” Amelia says, frustrated, shaking her head side to side. Not drunken! No sober person would say something like that. I extend my hand to use a holy technique on her, but she dodges it with surprising agility. Holding the bottle in her left arm, she jabs her right index finger at me. “Occashonally, it’s fine, right? Ares, ya gotta lighten uuup!” It’s hard to lighten up when a person is transforming before your eyes! “Are you…stressed out by the job or something?” “Nooot reeeeallyyy? I mean, I wanted dis job, ya know?” Then what the hell prompted this shameful display? I’ve drunk with a lot of people before, but this is the first time I’ve seen anyone this far gone. Amelia looks at me with cloudy eyes, clinging to the bottle with both hands, childishly, like she thinks someone might take it from her. Her current state is so completely opposite her normal self… Alcohol’s some scary stuff. “I mean, we’re not on da job, riiiiight? Like, offishally?” “…All right, I get it. It’s fine. Drink to your heart’s content.” When it comes time for the evening report, I’ll be able to return her to normal anyway. I can’t tell if she’s aware of this or not, but she breaks into a big smile at my reply. “Yaaaay! Yer da beeeest, Ares!” She carefully sets the bottle on the table, and then throwing her arms open, she dives at me in a tackle. I quickly alight from my seat and dodge her. There’s a clatter as Amelia falls to the floor, knocking over her chair in the process. Is she really this kind of drunk? What a pain in the ass. Amelia rolls over on the floor and looks up at me resentfully. “…Dat was ruuuude.” You’re the rude one here! I’m sure Creio has never seen her in this condition. I frown and raise my voice to scold her in an effort to sober her up. “Sisters shouldn’t be going around jumping at men in the first place!” Seeing a sister, expected to be modest and pure, getting drunk like this is a little jarring. I’m not sure if she understood what I said or not, but Amelia starts to get up and then plops into a seated position on the floor. She says only, “…It’s…it’s hawt in here.” She sighs loudly and pulls at the buttons of her shirt with unsteady fingers. I stare at her in shock. She looks up at me, red-faced, swaying side to side. …Thank God. Thank God she didn’t join the hero’s party. If she had, she would have lost her holy techniques in no time. I wonder if she’ll remember any of this foolishness when she sobers up. As I begin to stand, Amelia starts undoing her buttons so forcefully it looks like she might tear them off. This is really too much. “This is the last time I let you drink,” I announce while glaring down at her, aware that she may not remember it when she’s sober. I check the clock again. There’s still time before she has to collect the report, but I think this needs to be taken care of now. If I let things continue, she might end up naked before long.
Chapter 11
61 min read