Chapter 9

“Sir Toudou,” says Helios in a gentle voice. “This is the cost of holy techniques. This is the evidence that you have exhausted your holy energy.” “My holy energy is…gone?” “Yes…” Amelia steps out from behind Toudou and touches his head to conduct a holy energy transfer. The palm of Amelia’s hand glitters an amber color, and moments later, Toudou manages to stagger to his feet. He opens and closes his hands, making sure that his power has returned to him. “Although your holy techniques are powerful and demonstrate the strength of your divine blessing from the God of Order,” continues Helios, “this alone is not sufficient.” “Not sufficient…?” Toudou’s face twitches as he looks at Helios’s fixed smile. “The number of times that you were able to perform the miracles was exceptionally low. To become a class-five priest—that is to say, to be recognized by the Church as a priest—you must be able to perform all the basic techniques twice consecutively, at the very least.” “Hold on… You’re saying he failed the examination?” asks Aria, glaring at Helios. She may not have been expecting him to fail. Helios, unbothered in the least by Aria’s cutting glare, starts a slow clap. “Correct. Well, there were no problems with the results of the miracles themselves. They were brilliantly done. I award him the Prize for Fighting Spirit.” Sure enough, at the blatant ridicule by this outsider, Limis lashes out furiously at Helios. “What the heck?! Are you mocking him?!” “No, not at all, my dear mage. It is undoubtedly a great achievement to have learned the miracles of the Church in only ten days.” What Helios says is true. The speed at which Toudou learned is excellent, his divine blessing is strong, and his natural ability is outstanding. What he lacks simply comes down to time and effort. Those techniques are usually learned little by little over time. “So…there’s no way…I can pass today…?” murmurs Toudou dejectedly, almost imploringly. “Indeed. Please accept my sincerest apologies, great hero. A human life can be saved or lost by virtue of the holy arts, and the exhaustion of holy energy can endanger the life of the priest himself. It is impossible for me to compromise on this point,” says Helios, adding a logical explanation after the ridicule. It’s unlikely that Toudou will insist now that Helios has brought human life into the conversation. His own sense of righteousness is both his strength and his weakness here. Limis’s face reddens, but she says nothing and trembles in anger. Helios reaches out to touch Toudou’s shoulder, as if to console him. Toudou reflexively takes a step away. Helios withdraws his hand and continues, still smiling, as if it never happened. “…Sir Toudou, do not lose heart. What you lack can be gained with time. If you practice your techniques in repetition and increase your holy energy, you should be able to pass the exam very soon.” “Time is…running out… We don’t have time to just…stand still.” His voice is frail, but I can sense that his will is absolute. A touch of doubt appears on his face. So then, why did he kick me out of the party? It’s bizarre. It’s truly bizarre. He’s a principled person with a sense of duty, and although he’s impulsive, he isn’t stupid. Our relationship wasn’t so bad, and there weren’t any signs that he intended to get rid of me. And that’s why I insisted on prioritizing leveling up. Is he just the type of person who discards a party member solely because of gender? I strain my eyes to examine Toudou’s profile but discern nothing from it. Suddenly, Toudou looks behind Helios to Amelia. He takes a step toward her. “H-hey… You there—will you join my party?” “…Me?” It won’t work. It won’t work. It didn’t work even when it came as an order from her superior. But I desperately want her to agree to it. Even at this abrupt scouting, Amelia’s expression doesn’t waver. She looks at him, straight-faced as always. It’s not the kind of expression that gives a favorable impression, but Toudou doesn’t seem to mind. “Yes,” he continues earnestly. “Due to some unavoidable circumstances, my party is without a priest. If you would be willing to join—” Say yes, Amelia! I’ll report it to Creio! Go save the hero! For the first time ever, Toudou and I want the same thing. Amelia tilts her head slightly and just barely moves her lips to answer. “No.” A one-word rejection. Toudou, Aria, Limis, and even Helios are taken aback by the shortness of the reply. Who cares if it’s a lie—for God’s sake, give them a reason! “There were no shortcomings in the techniques themselves… He certainly possesses a powerful divine blessing,” says Helios, putting a hand to his chin. Toudou has left the church. Helios speaks of him as if truly impressed. “If he focuses on his offensive strength…it may be within his reach to become a holy knight.” Holy knights are specialized warrior monks of which there are only a very small number in the world. I give Helios a meaningful look and take a deep breath. “He can use magic, too.” “Oh dear, what a hero indeed…” Holy energy and magical energy are oppositional forces, and to develop both simultaneously is very difficult. I’ve said it before, but in terms of potential, there probably isn’t anyone superior to Naotsugu Toudou. But that isn’t what I came here to talk about. There is something I wanted to confirm. “How did you find out about the hero? The presence of the Holy Warrior is supposed to be secret.” “Who can hold people’s tongues? The circumstances of the war are unfavorable, and furthermore…the movements of the saints who perform the summoning are easily tracked.” “…Tsk.” He disregards my glare and answers me readily. A shrewd man. It can’t be helped that he found out about the hero. I may as well make use of it. “Any demons sighted in this area recently?” “No. For the time being, we are at peace.” We’re at peace for now, but the Demon Lord is cunning. As time passes, the traces of the summoning will most definitely be discovered. Just for the sake of it, I ask Helios a question. “Helios, can you fight demons?” He laughs softly. “I can handle the lower-level ones.” Helios pulls his lips into a wide grin. In his eyes, I catch glimpses of a craving for violence. That first impression of him has solidified into a certainty. As I thought, this man is no ordinary priest. “…Were you an exorcist?” “…I have retired, and now I am just myself. But I could defend against a demon if the situation called for it.” Defend, huh…? That works. If a demon appears, I need to consider above all how I’ll get Toudou out of harm’s way. “If you happen to sense the presence of any demons, could you report it to me?” “I certainly will. What will you do now, Ares?” I look to the exit through which the hero recently departed. “It’s a lot of work, but I intend to put all my efforts into this.” Amelia is outstanding. She’s high level, she has guts—not to mention her looks. But above all, her most valuable characteristic is that she’s a holy caster. She’s an operator and a mage, and she’s even able to send transmissions to distant locations without a tool. It appears that magical tools used to send transmissions were created based on the transmission technique itself, and the unique magic Amelia uses doesn’t require a tool for herself or for the recipient. I had been puzzling over a secure means of conveying information, so to me, this was a turn of good fortune. Just as I leave the church, I get a transmission from Amelia. She’s been following Toudou and investigating his comings and goings. “Ares, I have information on Toudou’s party.” “You do? Nicely done.” I already have a general idea of their next move, but I wait to hear her report. “They intend to go to the tavern in search of a new party member and then return to the forest to continue leveling up.” As I expected. This must have been Aria’s suggestion. They are most likely looking for someone for the front line. The easier it is for them to defeat monsters, the less they’ll need to heal themselves. At the very least, it’s more sensible than just the three of them going out to level up. But there’s one problem with this plan. To begin with, it will be fairly difficult to introduce a new party member while still concealing that Toudou is the hero. It’s been two days since I was dismissed from the group. I think Toudou is probably realizing all the problems that are coming up as a result. I look at the sky. The wind is strong, and there is a heavy gray cloud cover as far as the eye can see. It may rain again tonight. Not that I believe in these kinds of superstitions, but it’s almost like an ill omen of what’s in store for Toudou. “It seems like the time has come for Toudou’s fate to be tested…” “Fate…?” There are several taverns in the village, but if they’re looking for someone really strong, they’ll end up at the tavern where I recruited the party to defeat the glacial plant. That tavern also isn’t far from their inn. I head in that direction at a leisurely pace. The road is crowded with hunters and merchants. People with food stalls, people buying and selling monster parts, people shilling charms of questionable effectiveness, and people who’ll sing your praises if you cast buffs on them for cheap. Toudou— How many of the people here do you think will accept your black-and-white morality? The sword Ex becomes more or less powerful depending on the strength of the wielder’s willpower. So when you grasped the harsh reality of this world, when you realized that things don’t always go as you want them to, did your sword lose some of its strength? It’s not all smooth sailing, even for champions. Or perhaps I should say, one becomes worthy of being called a champion only after experiencing suffering and overcoming hardship. The first owner of that sword also faced countless hardships. And he overcame them. The trials you’ve faced since we went our separate ways are only the prologue. When I arrive at the tavern, it’s in total chaos. Red and black fill my field of vision, and the floor is covered in a pool of blood. A man whose face is deathly pale hunches over a table, and another who has lost an arm writhes around on the floor. The man bent over the table convulses intermittently, and his eyes roll back in his head. Groans of pain and angry cries echo throughout the room. The place is filled with the wounded. Some without legs. Some bleeding from their feet. Warriors lying on the ground with their steel armor ripped open. The wounds take a variety of shapes—but all were clearly made from slash attacks. There are priests kneeling in front of the injured, hurrying to heal as many as they can. But the priests in this village don’t have the abilities to recover lost limbs, and if they attempt to heal every injured person here, they’ll exhaust their holy energy. There is terror and despair in the wails of the wounded. I check around the room for Toudou and the others, just in case, but they aren’t here. “Pant, pant, pant… Ugh… The blood… Urgh…” “…So that’s how it went,” I mumble to myself. Toudou certainly is causing a lot of trouble. This is the guy we’re stuck with as the hero? …On the other hand, I suppose this particular issue isn’t such a big problem. Toudou’s role is to defeat the Demon Lord, and mine is to support him. I walk through the pool of blood and lean down next to the white-faced man bent over the table. The lower half of his arm is gone. I examine the wound. It’s been severed in one clean strike, but I don’t get the impression this was done intentionally. Not much time has passed since it was lopped off. I was right to come directly here. I quickly survey the room, and it appears no one was killed. For all this, Toudou may as well have just killed them and taken their life force to level up…but I suppose if he went that far, he couldn’t really be called a hero anymore, could he? I didn’t hear even a single person call out the name of the man responsible for this terrible spectacle, but I’m convinced. You owe me one, Naotsugu Toudou. I throw off my hood. As I breathe in, the metallic smell of blood fills my nose. Then I pray. The tavern fills with light, and the cries of misery throughout the room suddenly cease. This is the class-one holy technique full area heal. My prayer invokes a miracle, and all wounds are healed. Limbs that had been severed are regrown, and all scars vanish. The eyes of all the mercenaries gather on the source of the light—me. “Can anyone tell me what happened here?” The man who’d lost an arm, now restored, expresses his gratitude. He weakly embraces me, his face soaked with tears. What I want right now isn’t gratitude. His words are interrupted by sobs, but I manage to gather some information from him. He explains that a black-haired man accompanied by two women came through about ten minutes ago looking for another companion to add to his party. He asked for a woman around level 30 who could fight on the front line. This unfamiliar party comes in looking for a mercenary, and not only are they looking for a woman (which is hard to find in the first place) but have additional conditions to boot. Mercenaries are unusually sensitive to risk. Highly advanced warriors will deeply understand the importance of a priest in a party. The mercenaries have no obligation to him, he has no authority over them, he offers no money, and there is no priest in his contingent. There’s no reason anyone would want to join a party like that. Toudou, not understanding a mercenary’s good sense, probably thought they would be able to pick up anyone looking for work. When he was laughed at, Toudou’s face turned red, but he seems to have resisted reacting angrily at that point. And that’s where the problem came in. One of the mercenaries, teasing the ignorant newcomer, grabbed Toudou by the shoulder. In an instant, Toudou had cut the man’s arm clean off. The other swords for hire tried to stop the violence but were unsuccessful. At this point in his explanation, the man’s tone changes from angry to fearful, and his voice gets shaky. “That son of a bitch… He just drew his sword without any warning. If I ever see that bastard again, I’ll kill him.” Meanwhile, listening to him, I feel relieved. No one died, and those who sustained serious injuries were mercenaries. Had he attacked ordinary citizens, it would have been tough to keep it quiet. It doesn’t take long for word to spread in a small village like this one. I take a breath and say to the poor guy in front of me, “So what you’re saying is, you lost.” “…What?” I can’t allow this to damage the hero’s reputation. I need these guys to keep quiet about it. But I’m not concerned. I’m sure they’ll be reasonable. The man’s eyes widen with surprise as I press him. “You taunted him, grabbed his shoulder, and he cut off your arm. That’s what happened, right?” “Uh… No, no—” “You were careless, and you lost to an amateur. You let him cut off your arm. And on top of that—” I look around at our surroundings. A broad-shouldered man who looks like a swordmaster is wrapped in bandages, and a thin man, looking up at me, rubs a leg that has just regrown. The blame here is entirely on Toudou. These guys were just messing around, like they would normally, with no intention of causing him harm. But the point here isn’t who’s at fault. I need Toudou to defeat the Demon Lord, and I need these guys to hold their tongues. Right now, they’re an obstacle to be dealt with. “—even though you had him totally surrounded, you still ended up like this? Are the mercenaries of this village really so pathetic?” Dumbstruck by the unexpected criticism from the priest who just saved them, the men exchange confused glances. “…Huh? Wh-what are you—?” “It’s pretty shameful that you’d be done in by a level-twenty-seven swordmaster.” The mercenaries here are probably higher level than Toudou. But the outcome was what it was. No one in this place could have stopped him. He isn’t just a level-27 warrior—he’s a level-27 hero. The men look astounded. “Did you say…level twenty-seven? W-wait—how do you even know that…?” “Nothing happened here.” “…Huh?” I ignore the dumbfounded man before me, narrowing my eyes and looking around the room. “There was a scuffle, but hey, these things happen all the time. A newcomer caused a little trouble, and you veterans let it go. There were a few injuries, which the church sent a priest to attend to.” I pat the shoulders of the man in front of me. In these situations, it can be useful to have an intimidating face. Your opponent will willingly concede without much convincing. “It’s simple, right?” “Uh… Y-yeah…,” says the man before me, nodding slightly. His face has turned pale. Perhaps he understands that this isn’t something he should challenge. The others wear similar expressions, and all nod in agreement. I pull my hood back over my head and cast a glance about, meeting their eyes. “You had some bad luck today. Might want to head back to the inn early and get some rest.” “…Yeah…” “Remember—nothing out of the ordinary happened here. You didn’t see or hear anything. Don’t cross me. I won’t go easy on you like that guy did.” “…Yeah… G-got it…,” someone says hoarsely. If I push them this far, they’ll have put the whole thing behind them by tomorrow. I throw the door open and look back over my shoulder one last time. I always take care to settle my affairs and destroy any evidence. They say word gets around quickly, but these guys are smart—they know that dead men tell no tales. They won’t go looking for trouble. As I close the door, I can hear a person behind me gulp and say, “Is that guy…actually a priest…?” Mind your own business. Outside the tavern, I find a familiar figure peeking in through the window. A petite girl holding a staff with a large gemstone—not someone I would easily forget. I walk up to her and grab her arm. “Hey, what—what are you doing?!” she demands. “…What are you doing?” “…Th-that’s…not important!” I drag Limis by the arm and move away from the window before the guys inside notice us. Why the hell would she be snooping around outside? And what would she do if they found her? One of the companions of the guy who’d just gone in there lopping off limbs…and what’s more, a dainty little girl. That undoubtedly would not have gone well. I walk far enough that the tavern is no longer in view, and Limis shakes her arm to escape my grip. “…Let—me—go!” “Fine.” “?!” When I release her, she teeters backward and falls to the ground with a cry of surprise. I notice that Limis looks tired, and her skin is pale. It gives me an idea of what might be going on in her head. “Urgh… Wh-what’s up with you? Why are you even here?!” “I healed all the wounded. No one died.” “O-oh…really?” Limis lets out a sigh of relief. At this rate, Toudou is going to end up proclaiming to the entire world that he’s the hero. We can control the information spread about him to an extent, but if he doesn’t exercise some common sense, there won’t be anything we can do to help him. “I did you all a favor. They told me what Toudou did. If I hadn’t just happened by the tavern, people might have died.” “R-right…” Limis looks down as if to hide her feelings at my emphasis on the word died. It occurs to me that it would be a pain if Toudou and Aria witnessed this scene, so I get straight to the point. “Limis, I just want to know—why’d you come back to the tavern? Did Toudou tell you to?” “Wha…? N-no—” “Never mind.” Regardless of whose idea it was, it was a bad one. But what’s done is done. Limis starts to stutter a reply, but I cut her off. “Just tell Toudou to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. This time, I was able to cure the injured and prevent any casualties, but those mercenaries will be holding a grudge. These things make the Holy Warrior lose face.” “…B-but…but it’s not like Nao did it on purpose—,” she blurts out in his defense, then shoots me a cold look. Not on purpose? He butchered a bunch of mercenaries, but not on purpose? Anyway, it doesn’t really matter whether he did it intentionally or not. In the end, he’s still a wild, dangerous person. I have to wonder why the summoning chose him. Then again, there have been other heroes in the past who had similar issues. If he can defeat the Demon Lord, all will be forgiven. “I have only two things to say: First, don’t let it happen again. Second, if it does, make sure the witnesses keep their mouths shut.” “…What? Keep their mouths shut…?” This certainly isn’t something she’ll receive well, but it needs to be said. Limis and Aria should be prepared in case this kind of thing happens again. They should also be able to restrain Toudou. “What is the point of your status, Limis, daughter of the Prince of Friedia? At least within the Kingdom of Ruxe, your father’s name holds weight, doesn’t it?” It’s not something they can do again and again, but if they use the names of the Prince of Friedia and the grand swordmaster, they should be able to exert some influence. It’s bad news for the mercenaries, but sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. Registering my meaning, Limis’s face starts turning red. “Y-you’re telling me to—to dishonor my father’s name?!” “I’m saying it’s something you can use. When someone’s arm is cut off, walking away isn’t an acceptable way to handle it.” A mercenary makes his living using his physical strength—he wouldn’t just keep quiet about that. If you don’t deal with the issue now, it will come back and haunt you later. “If you don’t want to play that card, all you have to do is stop Toudou before it becomes necessary. Your job isn’t just to follow Toudou around.” “I don’t need you to tell me that…,” she says feebly. To be fair, this incident was totally unexpected for me, for Limis, and possibly even for Toudou. I can get a situation on this scale under control, but anything worse, and they’ll need to completely destroy the evidence. There could be times when they have to terminate everyone involved. I want to avoid any needless killing, and naturally, it would be a problem if the hero himself were killed. Limis finally recovers her composure and looks at me. “…What have you been up to?” she asks disappointedly. “Straying from the priesthood.” “…I see.” She once again goes silent, as if she has nothing more to say. I consider Limis. She couldn’t be a spy, could she? She probably doesn’t have the right personality for it, but if I say it’s a request from the Church, she might go along with it. The Church isn’t Toudou’s enemy. I put the thought aside and say instead, “While you’re here, let me ask you—can you tell Toudou to periodically notify the Church of his whereabouts?” “His whereabouts…?” I checked with Amelia, and apparently, her transmission skill isn’t something she can use at any time. “Yes. I was doing it before, but the Church needs to stay informed of the progress of the mission to defeat the Demon Lord. Your current circumstances, your levels, your future plans, any problems you’re having—things like that. If you keep the Church up to date, there may be things they can do to help.” “…Oh… Right, I understand. I’ll tell him,” agrees Limis seriously, nodding. My explanation must have been believable enough. And then suddenly, as if she just realized something, Limis turns her face to me. “Oh, that’s right! Ares, we can’t find a new priest—do you know of anyone?” I’m taken aback by her lack of empathy for my situation. How can she look me in the eye and ask me that? I suppose that kind of egocentrism isn’t entirely a bad thing. It’s a talent, in its own way. “I asked around but couldn’t find anyone. Sorry. The Church is shorthanded, and there are very few female priests with combat skills.” “…Yeah. Yeah, that’s true.” She sighs deeply, puzzling over it. That’s when it occurs to me. They need a healer for the party, but there may be another way besides finding a new priest. “Limis, if the party still hasn’t found a priest, you could temporarily fill the role.” “Me…?” Priests are essential to a party, but there are mages who can take their place. As a priest, I don’t understand the finer details, but I’ve heard there’s a type of magic called sprite magic, which can be used to heal wounds and create something similar to a prism. I explain this to Limis, who frowns. “But I’m not a druid…” “It’s not like there’s a rule that says elementalists can’t use druid magic.” There are mages capable of using several types of magic. They’re different fields but similar in that they both use magical energy. If they’re going to fight the Demon Lord with a small party, it’s essential that the party members be versatile. Even if a priest eventually joins them, Limis’s efforts won’t be for nothing. It’s good to have a lot of options. Though resistant at first, Limis eventually starts coming around. She sighs, then mumbles timidly. “…All right… I’ll try it. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it, but…” “I’ve never seen another mage manifest a spirit at level ten. I think you’ll be up to it.” Limis looks a little surprised. I said it because it was true and not necessarily because I wanted to cheer her on, but she fidgets with her fingers and sheepishly mumbles, “Th-thank you.” “Don’t thank me, just hurry up and defeat the Demon Lord.” We’d ended up talking for a while. Toudou and Aria must be worried about her. “All right, I’ll be going, then. Please tell Toudou what I said about reporting to the Church.” I turn away and take a few steps before Limis calls after me. “Ares!” I look back over my shoulder. It’s hard to see her face clearly in the bright sunlight, but she seems overcome with emotion. “Thank you! Don’t worry, we will defeat the Demon Lord… You just get yourself to church and pray!!” “…Will do. It’s all up to you now.” I watch her as she turns and runs off, her small, quick steps reminding me of a cat. The journey to defeat the Demon Lord. It will probably span at least a few years. The thing that makes me an asset to them right now is my high level. My actual abilities aren’t anything special, which is why my help will benefit them for only so long. In the latter part of the quest, I could even have become a burden, as I lack the divine blessing of the hero. Without it, you can’t battle the Demon Lord. Limis slowly disappears out of sight. If I could help them with just prayer, I’d spend all my time praying. But right now, there are still concrete things that I can do. I can help to make their journey progress as smoothly as possible. I think about the future and take another deep breath. Just then, a voice reverberates through my head. “Ares, I have a report.” It’s Amelia, a sense of urgency in her usually calm voice. Suddenly, I get a sinking feeling. “What is it?” “It appears the village headman has made a request of Toudou.” …What? An image of the bearded village headman flashes through my mind. The nerve of this guy, coming around and causing problem after problem. “…Tell me.” “Apparently, a monster called a glacial plant has appeared.” When I hear this, I can feel something snap inside my head. This again?! Of course, I can’t blame Toudou for being asked, but why does he commit to these things without properly thinking them through? I’m not saying he shouldn’t accept any requests. I’m saying he should choose battles where the odds are in his favor. Throwing yourself into a skirmish where you’re not confident of the outcome isn’t courage. It’s recklessness. I hurry over to the village headman’s home, and he comes out to meet me, his face beaming. “Well, well, if it isn’t Ares! How can I help you?” “Don’t give me that crap.” I take a deep breath and get my thoughts in order. When I look at the man’s good-natured expression, I get so enraged that I could kill him. “I heard you made a request to Toudou.” “…Ah, yes. Is that what you’ve come about?” He sighs worriedly while scratching his beard. “These things don’t usually happen often, but it seems another glacial plant has come out of the depths of the forest…” I suppress my rising irritation as I listen to his explanation. The issue itself isn’t complicated. To summarize, for whatever reason, another glacial plant turned up, and since Toudou happened to be in the village, the headman asked him if he could defeat it. Toudou accepted the task gladly. There was a reason why I refused him the first time, so what is this man thinking asking the same thing again? Glacial plants live in the deepest parts of the Forest of the Vale, and it is certainly a rarity for them to venture near the forest perimeter. After the appearance of a second one, I can understand his concern. But in the end, this is his problem, and his solution shouldn’t be to push it off on someone else. I should have warned Toudou about this kind of thing the first time it happened. This is my mistake. “That being the case, why didn’t you dispatch the royal knights?” “Well…” The Kingdom of Ruxe has its own set of rules. Usually when these kinds of extraordinary situations arise, the next logical step is to request that the capital dispatch the royal knights. The first incident could have just been a random occurrence, but when it happens twice in a short period of time, it can be considered extraordinary. Coming up with a strategy to solve these problems is one of the responsibilities of the village headman—and not something he should foist off on the hero. “Did you inform the royal capital?” “Y-yes, of course,” he says, his shifty gaze giving him away. I take a step forward and press him further. “This isn’t the first glacial plant; it’s the second. Isn’t that right?” A little of the color goes out of his face. After a moment, he finally admits, “W-well, I…haven’t informed them quite yet.” “Why not? After a second instance, you should have requested a team to investigate the source of the problem.” The village headman reflects on it. “…You are exactly right. Do you think I could ask that of the hero as well—?” You’ve got to be shitting me!! I had reflexively thrown my hand in the air, and I bring it down to touch my forehead, casting the technique tranquility to calm myself. Dammit, why is everyone around me such a pain in the ass? “Quit screwing around. You should know that the hero doesn’t have time for that.” “…If you say so, Ares.” As I desperately attempt to maintain my composure, a dry smile comes over the headman’s face. “But you’re not a member of the Holy Warrior’s party anymore, are you?” …All right—that’s the last straw. Is this asshole toying with me? I can’t take it anymore. What happens now, he brought on himself. I take a deep breath and clench my fists. Giving him no warning, I hurl my fist toward his house a few meters in front of me. A shock passes down my arm and shoots through the air, hitting the wall and causing the building to shake violently. There’s a thunderous roar like the sound of an explosion. Shelves and decorations within fall from the walls and crash to the ground. “Wha—?!” The headman crouches down and presses his hands over his ears. When the building finally stops shaking, the wall that I struck with the shock wave has entirely collapsed, revealing a hallway filled with debris. Kicking pieces of the crumbled roof out of my way, I approach the village headman, who is curled up futilely on the ground. I grab his arm and force him to his feet. “Just like you said, I’m not a member of Toudou’s party anymore.” I wish I could have dealt with this guy like this from the beginning. If you’re going to do something, then do it thoroughly. Monsters and demons are neither the hero’s only adversaries in this world, nor are they mine. Meeting the headman’s trembling gaze, I continue matter-of-factly. “But as a priest of the Church, it’s my duty to use any means necessary to aid the Holy Warrior in his mission. I’ll eliminate any road blocks in his path. It makes no difference whether you’re a human or a monster—anyone who obstructs the will of God is an enemy of God.” In the Church, there are those called exorcists. They’re the priests who cleanse the world of the followers of darkness—the devils and the undead. So what’s the difference between them and crusaders like me? One simple thing. A crusader’s enemies are not limited to the followers of darkness. I stare venomously into his eyes. I try to soothe my thoughts, suppress my anger, manage my impulses. “The second time. This is the second time. And this is the last time that I tolerate this.” If a village leader could resolve this kind of problem without having to enlist the help of the kingdom, that would of course be a notable achievement. But this—this way of handling things is unacceptable. And I won’t let it slide next time. I sure as hell won’t. His self-serving behavior is a threat to God’s will, and it can’t be allowed to continue. I catch sight of my face reflected in the village headman’s eyes. There’s no anger; it’s emotionless. Yes, I am calm. “So tell me…,” I say soberly. “Are you an enemy of God?” The village headman says nothing, his face pale, and like a poorly made puppet, he shakes his head side to side. It can’t go on like this. As things are now, Toudou is throwing himself headlong toward certain death. When I return to my room at the inn, I set down my bag and remove my cloak. I wore the cloak only for the purpose of concealing myself, and it has no defensive power. Now I need to change into proper battle attire. “What do you intend to do…?” asks Amelia over the transmission. “I’m going to let Toudou get a taste of what a tough battle is like.” I check that there is no break in the blessing applied to my mace. In place of my mythril knife, which has the power to cleanse darkness, I arm myself with an orichalcum knife with high physical-attack power. I hang five glass bottles filled with highly potent holy water and five with restorative medicine onto my belt, so I can access them any time I need them. I put on my specially made gloves. “No matter how much I do to make things easy for Toudou, his current way of operating isn’t going to work.” I’ll let them come close to defeat in this battle. Up until now, Toudou has been butchering monsters with hardly an effort at all. While that is admirable, he also needs to understand that there are much more powerful creatures in the world, and he needs to know his place among them. Toudou is still no match for a glacial plant, but even so, there may be a way to accomplish it. “Let’s think positively. This is an enemy with high offensive-attack power that is far beyond Toudou’s level. It’s the perfect way to break his aggressive spirit.” Also, if Toudou is able to throw the final blow, he will level up. And if it seems like he might lose, I can just cast buffs on him. “I’ll weaken the glacial plant to a level where Toudou can just barely manage to defeat it, after a bit of struggle.” I have to do whatever is necessary. The fate of the world is resting on this guy’s shoulders. I quickly finish up my preparations and throw my bag over my shoulder. “Ares, I’m going to go, too,” says Amelia decisively. “…Where are you now?” “I’m at the church. Toudou came with a letter of referral from the village headman saying he wanted to temporarily borrow a priest. He’s talking with Helios now.” I see… I guess that means the village headman isn’t so stupid that he would send them out to kill a dragon without a priest. I can feel things falling into place. There’s a chance this could work… “There’s no need for you to come with me. For now, all I’d like you to do is stall Toudou. Keep an eye on him.” I walk quickly toward the village gate. Amelia hesitates in silence for a while. “…Understood. How long should I delay them?” “A day… Or at least a half day would be good. I have to find this dragon before I can fight it.” That being said, dragon types have an enormous amount of life force. When I get close to it, I’ll undoubtedly be able to sense it. “…You intend to fight it alone?” Unexpectedly, Amelia’s tone is almost reproachful. “It won’t be a problem. At my level, I should be able to weaken it without difficulty.” Thomas and his party were able to defeat one, which means there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to handle it. Over the transmission, I can sense Amelia’s skepticism, but at last, she says simply, “Good luck.” “Thanks.” If you’re going to be wishing people good luck, say it to the guy who actually needs it, I think, but it’d probably be inelegant to point that out to her. When I get to the gate, I find a few familiar faces. It’s Thomas and his party, going through the entrance procedures. Thomas wears a grim, serious expression on his face, and Marina stands next to him with her arms crossed in front of her testily. Their equipment looks battered. “…What happened?” “Well… Oh! If it isn’t Ares!!” Thomas looks up at me, and his expression changes completely. The sun has set, and there are no signs of life around. The entrance to the woods that I’ve passed through so many times before, now enveloped in darkness, looks like a giant creature’s open maw. Humans aren’t meant to be traipsing around at night. Most monsters (not to mention the followers of darkness) are nocturnal. When I listen closely, all I can hear is the wind. The usual sounds of insects and of bird- and beast-type monsters are absent. Monsters rely on instinct, and their senses are sharp. Monster hunters can even learn a thing or two from them. I think back on the unexpected tidbit of new information I received from Thomas and his group: “Stay away from the quiet places.” Apparently, this glacial plant is stronger than the last one they fought. They ran into it by chance while they were hunting in the woods. He said they had leveled up and purchased new weapons and armor after their last battle, so they thought they could handle this one. But they were defeated. Fortunately, they were able to get away with their lives, but some of their new weapons and armor were destroyed. I recall Marina’s overwhelming resentment as she explained this. The eyewitness report was extremely useful to me as I headed to the forest in search of my target. My opponent is a flightless demi-dragon that is several meters tall. It shouldn’t be too difficult to track. I enter the woods. The chill air doesn’t bother me, but the forest’s dim fog could make things difficult. I feel the pre-battle nerves. As I breathe deeply into my lungs, all my senses become sharper. For just this moment, I’m able to get Toudou completely out of my head. I move forward through the fog in silence. Even as I go deeper into the woods, I hardly hear any noise at all. I didn’t see Thomas’s party battle the first glacial plant—I saw only its carcass. But it didn’t seem to have been weak. Which means this second specimen must be particularly strong. Of course, the strength of a young dragon and a full-grown dragon will differ, and among full-grown dragons, each individual is unique. Glacial plants were an advanced enemy for Thomas and his party to begin with, so it’s not entirely surprising that they lost to one when they challenged it without buffs. But would veteran monster hunters like them misjudge their own ability to win a battle? About an hour has passed since I entered the woods. The fog is thick, and though there is no moonlight, I can see clearly in the dark. I feel a presence. Something so huge that it gives me goose bumps over my whole body. It’s close, without a doubt. I try to breathe without making a sound. I lick my dry lips. I walk toward the presence, heading off the road. My surroundings are surprisingly quiet, and there are no signs of any other monsters, which isn’t uncommon. I grasp my mace tightly in my hand. After a while, I arrive at a clearing. Or no…it isn’t a clearing. The trees here have been crushed. Countless trunks have been smashed by sheer brute force and trampled into the ground. There are large indentations in the earth from the giant thing that passed through, and scattered branches and leaves are all covered in an icy frost. A bitter cold rises off the frost, and I pull the collar of my coat in tightly around my neck as I step into the path left by the monster. “…It’s tiny.” I survey the monster’s damage. The path it left is only about three meters wide. If this is a glacial plant, it’s smaller than the remains of its predecessor. Generally, the larger a monster is, the stronger it is. I feel uneasy but try not to worry too much about it and resume tracking the monster. Once I find it, this will all make sense. After another ten minutes, I finally find it. The glacial plant is about ten meters away from me. The first thing I see is its enormous tail scraping against the ground. Concealing myself in the trees, I examine my target. In the darkness, I can just barely make out its dark-teal color. It has a long, flexible tail, and gnarled branches protrude from its back. The leaves falling down from the trees freeze in midair around it and shatter into tiny fragments before vanishing. Just being near the creature, you can feel the destruction it is capable of. This one looks far more threatening than the one Thomas dragged back. It’s clear to me why it bested Thomas—even from a distance, I can feel the dragon’s vast amount of life force and magical energy. As soon as I see it, I understand. This one is different—it’s no ordinary glacial plant. This is an evolved form. Toudou really has a talent for trouble, doesn’t he? Glacial plants are demi-dragons, which are entirely different from other dragons. The glacial plant that Thomas brought back was enormous, but really, it was more like a wild boar than a dragon. The one in front of me is clearly more of a dragon. “This one was stronger than the first one.” I frown as I recall what Thomas said. This one isn’t just stronger—it’s clearly at least twice as dangerous as the first. There’s actually a wide spectrum of creatures called demi-dragons, but essentially, the closer they are in physical form to a dragon, the more power they possess. Why hadn’t Thomas said more about its appearance? …Well, maybe it isn’t that he chose not to say. He’s an experienced hunter and not the type to conceal information for the sake of his pride. It could be that when Thomas encountered it, this was just a normal glacial plant. Humans aren’t the only ones who can enhance their abilities by increasing their life force. Every species can change form after amassing a set amount of energy, and some species are capable of evolving to a superior form. “…Has it molted, too?” This timing is really bad. Demi-dragon evolutions are rare. Taking into account his divine blessing, his armor, and his combat experience, I estimated Toudou’s ability to be about a third of a glacial plant’s. If you add in the fact that he’s level 27, that’s actually pretty exceptional. But the beast in front of me is…different. When a monster evolves to a superior form, there’s usually a huge spike in its abilities. However, it’s possible that if it just leveled up, it’s not used to its new power quite yet. That might be a weak point. Even so, this isn’t a good situation. Without voicing the words, I move my fingers and self-cast several holy spells. Full Regen. Full Cold Resist. Full Vitality. Full Concentration. I finish casting, set down my bag, and quietly step halfway out of the trees. The temperature is already below freezing, and as I emerge, the wind that whips around me is colder than any winter gale. Dragons usually have a keen sense of perception, but the glacial plant shows no sign of turning its attention to me. Maybe it doesn’t see me as a threat? I take a step closer on the frozen ground. I dash toward the glacial plant and, without losing my momentum, use my mace to strike with all my might at the side of its towerlike trunk. Then time slows down, and everything seems to happen at half speed. My mythril mace bends against the dragon’s body, the thorns digging into its stonelike flesh. The dragon convulses from the impact of the hit. And then—the energy is released. I feel the shock of the hit move through my hand, my arm, my body. The dragon’s huge bulk flies into the trees and mows them down. The frozen ground makes loud cracks as it fragments. The wind blows away the fog. In front of me stretches a new path of demolished trees, a wide-open space. The dragon was thrown so far that I can’t see it. I put down my mace and rotate my arm a few times. A sticky brown liquid clings to the mace’s thorns—the demi-dragon’s thick blood. The dragon wasn’t in a defensive position, so it was definitely a critical hit. But I don’t get the sense that the battle is over. It certainly took some damage but not a fatal wound. With my heel, I flatten the cracked ground underfoot as I stare into the darkness. This dragon might be too strong. “Even if I weaken it, Toudou still might not be able to finish it off…” As I stand there in amazement, suddenly the dragon’s cold breath, littered with icicles, comes at me out of the darkness. Level 60—after a few minutes of combat with this target, that’s where I estimate you need to be to defeat it. I use my mace to repel the daggerlike thorns it rains down on me and then send my own dagger flying back at its throat. The dragon’s roar, a cry of rage, echoes through the darkness. My first strike was hard, and I could feel that its skin, flesh, and bones were remarkably tough. Its icy breath is mostly an annoyance, but the trickiest part of fighting a glacial plant is the chill that envelops you when you’re near it. When you go in for close combat, it can sap your strength and severely limit your mobility. This enemy isn’t such a big deal for me, but Toudou, Aria, and Limis might have a pretty hard time. Just from the one hit, my mace is coated with ice. I swing it through the air a few times. If I was using a sword, the ice would dull the blade, but a mace is a blunt-force weapon—a little ice won’t weaken it. A strong wind blows out from the darkness in front of me. A sign that its breath is coming. I step into it, unconcerned. I gather my coat to shield myself and bend down, pulling my body into a bullet. I don’t look away. The wind, cold enough to freeze you to the bone, is filled with icicles that I bat away with my mace. One icicle scrapes my cheek, and the regenerative spell I cast before the battle heals it almost instantly. It’s like walking through an ice storm. I head toward the emerald eyes glittering in the darkness. Not losing my resolve, I jump toward the dragon and swing up at its chin, throwing its head back. Then I drive a kick into its exposed chest. The dragon flies backward again, and I chase after it, continuing with a series of attacks. Its bark-like skin peels away in places, and brown blood scatters. The dragon screeches, and the hide on its back makes a strange, crackling noise. It has wings. Wings that look like they’re made of bark, small compared to the rest of the dragon’s body. They open and shudder. I plant my feet into the icy ground and brace myself against a fierce blast of wind. While I’m rooted for that moment, the dragon swings one of its front legs at me. I react quickly and meet the blow with my mace. Its thorns pierce the leg, but the dragon shows no signs of slowing down. At this close distance, my eyes meet the dragon’s. I can see the relentless fighting spirit in those twinkling emeralds. Having taken a number of hits, the dragon surely understands the difference in our levels and abilities, but for some reason, it doesn’t try to flee. Maybe it’s pride? Anyway, it’s convenient for me—it would be a pain to have to chase it. As the dragon leans into its clawed foreleg with all its weight, I channel strength into my arm and push back. This is a head-to-head battle of strength. What I lack in size and weight, I make up for in strategy and the merits of my higher level. I shake my mace free, throwing the foreleg out of the way, then take a hard swing at its jaw. The dragon’s thunderous roar rips through the shrouded silence, and the strange black birds that had been hiding in the trees suddenly flap their wings and disappear into the night sky. During the battle, I turn some things over in my mind. The dragon’s hide is sturdy, but a holy sword shouldn’t have any trouble cutting through it. Then the only question is, will Toudou be able to get close enough to hit it? The dragon might freeze him before he gets there. I suppose this may not be the best time to be thinking about this. Without warning, white flakes start floating down from the sky. The wave of cold brought on by the dragon must have caused it to snow. The falling flakes look just like cherry blossom petals. I close my fingers around one that lands in my palm and start walking toward the dragon. It lies still on the ground, catching its breath and releasing a cry that echoes in the pit of your stomach. I stand in front of it, and from up close, I can see the rage in the dragon’s cloudy eyes. The wind throws itself at my side. The dragon swings a claw toward my neck, and this time I have to stop the blow with my bare hands. My mace is out of reach, and the pointed claw makes a sound like a shriek. At that moment, that burning desire to kill in the dragon’s eyes falters for the first time. Maybe from surprise or maybe from fear. “SKREEEEEE—” It must understand that it can’t win this battle. My intention was just to weaken it, but for an opponent this strong, that may not be enough. The glacial plant opens its jaw wide. What comes out isn’t a roar or its icy breath—it’s a hoarse cry, almost like language. “SKREEE…GRAAAH…” I can’t make out words, but there is certainly meaning in the sounds. I was aware that there are some dragons that can understand human speech, but for a demi-dragon, it’s completely unheard of. I don’t concern myself with that. So the dragon can talk? Then I’ll have to cut its throat, because it might communicate something of this to Toudou. I smash its legs, its wings, and its throat. That’s as far as I go. After my first battle in a long time, there’s a lot of adrenaline running through my veins. I realize my heart is beating furiously. Sometimes violence can give you a sense of satisfaction. It’s important to exercise restraint. I feel my pulse beating in my temple, and taking my blood-soaked mace, I swing it through the air a few times. Silence has fallen again in the forest. “Hey, I’m finished. I’m waiting nearby.” “Understood.” Leaning against an ancient tree, I catch up with Amelia. I’ve already taken care of things. After crushing the dragon’s wings, legs, and throat, I pierced it with a halberd I found in the woods. The glacial plant has lost stamina, and the cold it brings with it has weakened. If he has Amelia’s support magic to assist him, Toudou should be able to handle it. Now I just need to wait for Amelia to lead Toudou’s party to it. It’s half-dead already, so this won’t exactly be a struggle, but just coming in contact with a monster so overwhelmingly beyond him should be enough of a wake-up call for Toudou. “Ares, are you going to take a rest?” “No, I don’t need it.” The battle didn’t exhaust me or leave me injured. Although it’s an evolved form, it’s still a demi-dragon, so it didn’t present any unexpected difficulties. What I do need to do is cool myself down. I’m so worked up from the battle that I might not sleep well tonight. Through my transmission earring, Amelia speaks to me in an unusually forceful tone. “…You need to rest. If you don’t do it now, you may not have the energy when you need it later.” “…I’m not so tired that I’m less capable of doing my job. Plus, I can use holy techniques to recover from the fatigue.” “But you can’t use them to recover the mental fatigue.” My impulse is to come back with an excuse, but I manage to stop myself. I close my eyes and slowly take a deep breath. A chilly, murderous intent swirls around in my head, and I have trouble finding my center. Amelia’s probably right. There will be another battle soon enough, and it’s best to take a breather when you can. “Please leave the rest to me. It would be good for you to get some sleep.” “Yeah. Yeah, you’re probably right…” “After all…you’re not working alone anymore.” There is truth in that. I slowly lower myself, leaning back against the tree trunk. Right—I’m not working alone anymore. That…hadn’t really occurred to me. There are benefits to having multiple people sharing the responsibility of a mission. “Got it—I’ll take a quick break. I’m leaving the rest to you. If anything comes up, contact me.” “I will.” “And also, let me know when you’re about to enter the forest. Before Toudou reaches it, I’ll go back and check on the glacial plant.” She responds, seemingly surprised at my insistence. “Understood… I see you’re the type who worries about everything, Ares.” “…Maybe so.” Honestly, for the first time, I am actually worried. But I suppose there’s no point in that. Toudou completely betrayed me, and now he’s like an insect flying into the fire. And he isn’t just flying into a fire that was already burning—he lit it himself. Anyway, I’ve done everything I can for now. All that’s left is prayer. For now, I need to rest. “I’m going to sleep.” “Good night.” I might be overthinking things. Am I really so fainthearted? No matter how much I dwell on it, I don’t have an answer for myself. And then—the worst possible thing happens. From my vantage point hidden among the high branches of the trees, I wait with bated breath as Toudou rushes over to the half-dead dragon. He crouches down next to it and mumbles something, but I can’t quite hear him. “How cruel… Amelia, could you heal it…?” At this stage in the game, I’m not even surprised. I’m almost impressed. Ah, so this is another way to handle this situation. Sure, sure, I see… Huh?