Rit and I walked together through the trees on the outskirts of town.
The gentle rays of the springtime sun shone through the leaves, and a gentle floral
breeze wafted.
Seeing Rit smiling happily, I couldn't help grinning, too.
It was a peaceful moment in time.
"We sure picked a lot!" Rit cheerfully carried a basket filled with fairy apples in both
hands.
Normal apples were picked in fall and winter, but the fairy ones were spring fruits.
They looked and tasted a lot like regular apples, but they were grown from a
completely different species of plant. The name came from someone who found the
bright red fruit growing out of season and reasoned that a gluttonous brownie must
have tricked the trees into producing apples.
These fruits tasted a bit sweeter than regular apples and could be eaten fresh, made
into jam, or even fermented into cider. They were a common treat during spring in
Zoltan.
"There weren't any fairy apples in Loggervia, so I can't wait!" Rit beamed as she looked
at the contents of her basket.
I'm going to have to make some dishes to live up to those expectations…
My mind was hard at work devising all the ways to use fairy apples in dishes.
Apple pie, apple potage, maybe a meat dish to go with some apple sauce…
Having survived its first war since its founding, Zoltan returned to its rightful place as
a boring backwater.
Following the conflict, merchant ships had come to port quite frequently, but that had
since died down. Now it was back to the regular humdrum.
People giddy over the taste of victory swiftly forgot that passion as spring arrived and
their workloads increased. They returned to their usual balance of responsibilities
and procrastination.
I even saw a man sitting and smoking in front of a field that he still hadn't touched.
It looked like he'd decided that making it to the plot was enough for today. He could
always start working properly tomorrow, after all.
I wasn't a smoker, but seeing him resting there, exhaling cheerfully, I felt a bit of the
appeal.
"He's slacking off. That's just like Zoltan," Rit remarked, nodding to herself.
Considering that I lived with Rit, and we planned to have children someday, I didn't
think smoking was a great habit to pick up.
"I'm happy enough having you here with me."
"Wh-where did that come from all of a sudden?" Rit blushed. "You have a habit of
saying strange things out of nowhere… But I'm happy to have you with me, too."
Rit concealed her happy grin behind her bandana.
Zoltan was peaceful and happy.
The next day, I went to Ruti's plantation carrying a jar filled with fairy apple jam.
"Big Bro Red!"
"Hey, Tanta."
The half-elf boy had a large bag hanging from his shoulder as he waved at me.
Carpentry tools?
"Morning, Big Bro!"
"Good morning. Are you headed over to Gonz's place?"
Tanta flashed a toothy grin.
"That's right! Starting today, I'm going to be working at his place every day!"
"I suppose it's about time for that. Congratulations, Tanta."
"Heh, thanks!"
Last spring, Tanta had been on the verge of losing his eyesight to white-eye. After being
kicked out of the Hero's party and settling down here in Zoltan, I pushed myself to the
limit for the first time in a long while to cure him.
I remembered sprinting along mountain paths using Lightning Speed in the dead of
night while the fire caused by Albert's battle with the owlbear raged. Tanta had needed
medicine made of blood needles, and I gathered as many as I could.
It was actually a pretty close-run incident. If Tanta had contracted white-eye even a
day later, or if Gonz had gone to someone else for the ingredients, all of the blood
needles would have been destroyed in the fire, and Tanta would have been left blind.
"See you, Big Bro! Don't forget your duties at the shop!"
"Hah! How strict. But I've already decided to take things easy in life."
"You're a natural Zoltani!"
Tanta waved and then dashed off.
"So, Tanta's old enough to start working, huh?"
Take your eyes off them for a minute and children grew up quickly.
Tanta had gotten a bit taller. Traces of the handsome half-elf man he would become
showed on his face.
He ran jauntily with the bag of tools over his shoulder.
Knowing that I could see Tanta like this because I was able to help him last year filled
me with pride.
I was truly grateful I'd been there to get him what he needed.
By reflecting on that event, I realized that it had led to me getting the shop of my
dreams. That day had marked the start of my new, easy life.
We were at Ruti's farm.
"It looks delicious."
"Is that apple jam? I can't wait to try some."
Ruti and Tisse were eyeing the jar I'd brought.
"I'm glad you're both excited for it."
"Your food is always delicious, Big Brother, so of course I'm happy to get some as a
gift… We can have a jam party today."
The girls appeared pleased, although it only barely showed on their faces.
The former Hero and a fearsome assassin—regardless of power, they were still girls
eager for a tasty snack.
Peering out at the plantation, I said, "You've got a lot of herbs growing here now."
"Mhm, we worked hard just like you taught us."
"We'll have to try getting you some customers lined up soon."
"Customers…"
Ruti was growing a wide variety of seasonal medicinal plants on her farm. In a few
days, it would be time to harvest.
"Naturally, my store will be first in line. Once you have your herbs gathered, I'll be glad
to buy some of your stock."
"Mhm…"
Ruti smiled, yet I noticed there was something different in her expression. Perhaps it
was a sense of achievement. She was pleased to earn her way via a job she'd chosen
herself, rather than as the Hero.
In other words, she was living her life as Ruti, the individual.
"You get in contact with the Merchants Guild, the clinics in Zoltan, and the traveling
vendors going around the villages," I advised.
"Mhm… Will you come with me?"
"Sure, I'm a member of the Merchants Guild, after all. Plus, I'm your mentor when it
comes to living a slow life in Zoltan."
"Mentor Big Brother."
Ruti seemed to enjoy saying the title.
"'Mentor Big Brother'…that has a ring to it."
It must have struck a chord with Ruti, because she kept muttering it to herself.
"Oh, right." Suddenly, Ruti's expression grew serious. She spun around to face Tisse.
"U-umm, yes, Ms. Ruti?"
"Tisse."
"Yes?"
"Thank you. Things only went so well because you've been here to help."
The assassin looked surprised for a moment but quickly smiled.
"Of course. Running the plantation together has been great."
"Mhm. It's fun."
Ruti and Tisse spent their days tilling soil instead of brandishing swords.
I decided to stop by one other place: the hospital in the center of town.
"Him? I imagine he's exercising in the park."
After thanking the nurse at the reception desk, I left.
The park in the center of Zoltan was well maintained, setting it apart from the wild
forest in the lower part of town.
Anyone who took an adequately maintained park for granted didn't know Zoltan.
Slacking off wherever you could was the local pastime. This park only stayed in such
pristine condition because the one who oversaw it had developed a passion for the
job.
Children were playing tag, and there were no large stones on the ground that they
might trip and hurt themselves on.
Zoltan was held together thanks to those few passionate individuals who stuck to their
work.
"There he is."
Danan the Martial Artist was near some shrubbery that was not especially popular,
practicing techniques with calm, slow movements and a quiet expression that belied
his usual stentorian nature.
"Looks like you're in pretty good form."
"Yeah."
Danan's movements rapidly accelerated.
He planted a foot with an audible thud as he thrust his left fist forward.
Even though I knew it wouldn't strike me, I still felt a chill run down my spine.
"About eighty percent, maybe? Well, the rest will come back with fighting."
"Are you seriously telling me that's not your full strength?"
What a crazy pugilist.
"Danan, I made some fairy apple jam. Want some to go with the hospital food?"
"Ohhh, that'd be great. The food you make is always the best. It's a shame I'll have to
give it up soon."
"Yeah, I guess you won't be in Zoltan much longer."
The heavy wounds Danan had suffered during the fight with the Asura demon
Shisandan had nearly healed. Once he was fighting fit, there was no reason for him to
linger in the middle of nowhere.
"It'll be lonely without you," I said.
"Then come with me. We can have fun murderin' the demon lord's armies."
The fact that he could state something like that so breezily was proof that this man
wasn't the sort who understood the idea of a slow life. While I chuckled wryly, I didn't
think his way of living was any less wonderful than mine.
"I've decided to remain an apothecary here with Rit."
"That's a shame."
Danan didn't comprehend the path we'd chosen, but he was the sort who
acknowledged different values, even if he couldn't understand them.
"Then after I kill the demon lord, I'll swing by again. Drinks are on you when I do."
"Yeah, I'll get you the best booze in Zoltan."
"Ga-ha-ha… Hmm…"
The burly man's expression turned unusually severe.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Well, if there's some incredible liquor in Zoltan, then I wanna try it before I leave.
Otherwise, I'll be wondering about it forever."
"Ahh. In that case, why don't we get a drink to celebrate when you're discharged from
the hospital."
"Now that's an idea! I haven't had a drop since I was admitted, so I could really go for
some alcohol!"
"…I'm not nearly as rich as I used to be, so keep it to normal booze for the second half
of the night."
"Ga-ha-ha! C'mon, man, live a little!" Danan slapped my back as he laughed.
That hurts. Don't you know how to hold back?
"Also…," Danan began.
"Is there something else?"
"Yeah, there's one thing I have to do before we go our separate ways."
"What?"
Danan looked me straight in the eyes. "Gideon, I want you to spar with me one final
time."
"And you accepted?!"
"Yeah."
Rit's eyes were wide in shock.
I couldn't help but think how cute she looked when she was surprised. To thank her
for watching the shop while I was out, I poured her some tea and set it on the table.
"Here you go."
"Thanks."
Although not as potent as a medicine crafted using a skill, the brew was made with
herbs that helped relax the mind.
Rit exhaled and her shoulders eased up. "Your tea is always tasty."
"Because it's filled with love." Despite saying the words myself, I felt embarrassed.
Maybe I should have phrased it a little differently.
"Still though, you and Danan sparring…"
"He insisted we face off one last time before he leaves. It's the least I can do… He's a
friend."
"As long as you aren't forcing yourself, I guess it's fine… But do you even stand a
chance?"
Danan the Martial Artist.
He was the obvious choice for second strongest in the Hero's party.
The man overwhelmed Shisandan alone, and were it not for Ares's interference, he
would've won.
Theodora, Ares, Tisse, or I couldn't have done the same.
The Asura demon we fought in the ruins was just that strong.
"If we're talking winning and losing, there's no way I'll come out on top."
"Ugh, yeah…"
"However, sparring with Danan isn't a fight to the death or a competition match. He's
not after a victory."
"What does he want, then?"
In this world controlled by Divine Blessings, death matches were an everyday affair.
Excluding young children whose blessings were yet to awaken, there were few people
who'd never killed.
The carpenter Gonz, the furniture craftsman Stormthunder, Dr. Newman, Oparara at
the oden stall… All the people living quiet lives had killed monsters to raise their levels.
And that was all the more reason I believed there was something important to be
gained from sparring. If you didn't kill, your level wouldn't increase. A fight like that
had no effect on your blessing. There were many warriors who believed that if you
had time for a meaningless bout, you were better off leveling up hunting monsters.
"Fighting techniques don't exist solely for Divine Blessings," I said.
"I understand that much. Master used to say there was a philosophy to the sword."
Gaius, the captain of Loggervia's royal guard, had been Rit's master. He'd been
entrusted with both the leadership of Loggervia's elite warriors and Rit's education
and training. Undoubtedly, he'd been a preeminent swordsman.
"I would have liked to spar with him once."
"Hmph… Then why not go a round with me?"
Rit leaned over, bringing her face in to mine. My heart skipped a beat to have her
beautiful sky-blue eyes right in front of me.
"W-with you?"
"I don't think we've ever dueled before."
"That's true."
"You've sparred with everyone else in the party, right?"
"Ares only used magic, and Tisse joined after I left, so I never had matches with them…
but I did fight everyone else."
"Then spar with me, too!"
"But…"
I groaned a bit.
Typically, mock fights were conducted using the spell Merciful, either directly or in
potion form. The magic was for catching another living creature without hurting it. By
applying it to weapons and yourself, it was possible to keep from injuring another
person. This made it possible to fight against a friend at full strength using real
weapons.
While Merciful kept attacks from injuring your opponent, the blows still inflicted pain.
An otherwise lethal blow wouldn't kill you, but you'd still pass out from the agony.
It could get so intense that those with weak constitutions perished from shock.
Merciful stopped physical wounds, but was I truly prepared to hurt Rit?
"No, there's no way."
"Whaaaat?"
Rit pouted and tried to argue, but I refused to budge.
"I can't raise my sword if it means hurting you."
"Hmm… When you put it that way, I guess I'd have a pretty tough time doing the same
to you. I'd likely end up hesitating."
"Back when you were Rit the hero and I was still a knight, we probably could have
gone at each other full force."
"But it's hopeless for us now."
We smiled awkwardly at each other.
Rit and I lived in Zoltan not as warriors but as peaceful lovers. The sort you might find
anywhere in the world.
If I truly meant to spar with that manifestation of martial arts, I couldn't afford to rest
on my laurels.
I stood in the yard, holding my bronze sword.
Imagining Danan's figure before me, I sharpened my senses, loosing several
techniques.
"Hahhhhh!"
I accelerated while shouting.
I gritted my teeth as I reached the limit of my speed, pushing myself to go faster and
strike before my mind could process the motion.
"…Kh!"
My blade came down clean and quick.
Sweat shone on my body, a response to the heat that had built within me.
"I've gotten rusty…"
Living so far removed from battle had led me to neglect daily training. Naturally, my
abilities had suffered for it.
"At this rate, I'll end up disappointing Danan."
I didn't like the idea of that.
I took a mouthful of water from a bottle, swallowing slowly.
"There aren't many days left… I have to practice."
I raised my sword again and began another technique.
The next day, morning.
"Good morning, Red!"
The door to the shop opened, and a bright, beautiful voice rang out.
"Good morning, Yarandrala."
The high elf entered and immediately approached me.
"Wh-what is it?"
"I heard from the forest trees! You're going to fight Danan?!"
"There's no hiding anything from you."
Yarandrala had the power to control plants.
To keep something a secret from her, you had to make sure there was no flora nearby.
The bout with Danan wasn't classified or anything, though.
"In that case, you're going to need my help."
"Huh?"
Yarandrala grabbed my shoulder, her eyes gleaming. "If you want to regain your
combat instincts for your fight, then some special training with me is the best way!"
"Oh… It is?"
"Of course!"
Rit gently pulled Yarandrala away from me. "Your blessing is Singer of the Trees,
though. You know more about spirit magic than melee battle. How will that help?"
Yarandrala grinned broadly at Rit's question.
"Heh-heh, despite appearances, I happen to be the founder of a certain style of martial
arts."
"A style of martial arts? No way. Sure, you've lived a long time, but…"
Rit's confusion was understandable. Yarandrala's usual demeanor made it difficult to
believe she'd created one of the continent's major fighting styles.
"It's true. Yarandrala is the creator of the Lotus School of staff techniques."
"Whaaaat?! I've heard of that one!"
Rit gawked at Yarandrala, stunned. She'd never guessed that a martial artist hid
behind that friendly elf's smile. Rit looked like she expected one of us to tell her this
was a joke.
But it was true.
The Lotus School's style had been made public. It was widely practiced around the
continent by adventurers and village militias. If you included the offshoot branches, it
was a contestant for most popular martial arts school on Avalon.
Because it required only a single wooden staff, the practice was comparatively easy to
learn, and any knowledge gained transferred well to spears and two-handed swords,
making the discipline a foundation for military training.
It was an equitable martial art that allowed anyone to get stronger, something that
existed in stark contrast to Danan's style, which mirrored his own desire to surpass
all others and become the strongest in the world.
Such was the form that Yarandrala had created.
"Huh, that's surprising." Sitting in her chair, Rit looked genuinely stunned. "I didn't
know you were so famous, Yarandrala."
"Leading a navy, establishing a band of mercenaries, writing a book on medicinal
herbs… Yarandrala's really done a lot."
The elf puffed her chest out in pride.
"I simply did all the things I wanted to, and I happen to have a bit of a perfectionist
streak."
"Calling it a perfectionist streak after having achieved a half-dozen things that will go
down in history is the kind of humility that makes others feel bad."
"Hah-hah… So, getting back to the topic at hand, let's do some crash-course practice
to get you back in shape for sparring with Danan!"
As expected of someone who created a whole school of martial arts as a hobby,
Yarandrala loved special training sessions.
"Special training, huh? I suppose coaching from a powerful opponent is the best way
to get my fighting instincts back. There's probably no one better suited than you," I
said.
The duel with Danan would likely be nothing more than sword and fist—no magic or
ranged combat.
"Mrgh. I'm training with you, too!" Rit declared, pouting. "I can't fight you, but I can
give you advice and wipe your sweat and all sorts of other things!"
"It'll be reassuring to have you with me. Even rough training will be fun with you at
my side."
"That's right! Okay, it's decided! Eh-heh-heh."
Rit's joyful grin had me feeling happy, too.
"Mhm, I had a feeling you'd say that." Yarandrala nodded as though satisfied. "I think
it best if we make this a training camp excursion in the woods outside of Zoltan."
"A trip, huh? That brings back memories of field drills when I was with the knights."
"What you need right now is to hone your mind. Reforging techniques that have dulled
from a peaceful life won't happen in a day, but your spirit carries a different sort of
strength now than when you were Gideon."
"Right. There are lots of things I've gained since becoming Red. Oh, Gajasura said
something like that, too."
The Asura demon I'd fought during Queen Leonor's attack had lived in tranquility as
a human prince, yet he'd still grown stronger.
"Returning to how I was as Gideon still wouldn't be enough to best Danan. So why not
train with the goal of showing him my strength as Red?" I suggested.
"That's the idea! You've got to aim higher than before!"
In this world, strength was determined by blessings that only grew when you slew
opponents. Out of all the foes I'd encountered during my journey, Danan was the most
beloved by his blessing, and he loved it in return.
Overwhelming enemies with superior blessings despite bearing the unremarkable
Divine Blessing of the Martial Artist was proof of how suited Danan was to the route
Demis had set for him.
The man was the epitome of his kind.
As for me, my Divine Blessing was Guide. The blessing carried no redeeming features
save for being strong early in life. Without any inherent skills, it didn't matter if I fit
the blessing's role or not.
However, my time as a guide still had value. Rit had assured me of that.
Gajasura's words and Rit's: an enemy and the woman I loved more than anything.
Both had acknowledged my strength as a person, not the might of my blessing.
"Thinking back on it, I've gone through a lot since arriving in Zoltan."
I still couldn't picture myself triumphing over Danan. However, I wanted the strongest
Martial Artist in the world to know Red of Zoltan's power.
Two days later, morning.
I woke up early and hung a sign on the door.
"'We will be taking a three-day break.' That'll do."
"I'm ready over here, too."
Rit had finished packing the tent and the rest of the things into her item box.
"It's nice being able to take a few days off from the store without any hassle."
"Yeah, everyone already uses the excuse that the weather's too nice to work during the
spring anyhow."
"In any other town, we'd probably get complaints, but in Zoltan, people will laugh it
off as a matter of course. 'Nothing to do about it if they don't feel like working.' I was
shocked by it initially, but it's really grown on me."
After Rit and I shared a laugh, we headed to the meetup point to link up with
Yarandrala.
"Red!"
The elf was already waiting for us in the plaza.
"I thought we were early, but I guess you beat us here," I greeted.
"Yeah, I've been waiting since last night."
"Huh?"
Yarandrala didn't sound like she was joking.
Maybe one night of waiting just doesn't feel like that much to a high elf?
"I was really looking forward to this, after all."
Yarandrala flashed a cheerful smile. Not long after, two more people arrived.
"Big Brother."
"Good morning, Red, Rit, Yarandrala."
"Morning Ruti, Tisse."
Ruti and Tisse were both dressed for outdoor activity.
Ruti hurried to my side.
"Were you waiting long?" she asked.
"No, we just got here."
"Nnh." Ruti nodded as though she was pleased to learn that.
Evidently, she'd planned to get here right after Rit and me because she wanted to ask
if we'd been waiting for a while.
Did she read that in a story or something?
For her to be able to predict my movements down to the second…
It's adorable how much she loves her big brother!
Tisse watched me with a bit of an odd expression, but there was no denying the fact
that Ruti was adorable, so I didn't see any issues.
"I'm looking forward to practicing with you."
Ruti and Tisse were joining us for the special training camp.
When Ruti learned that we'd be gone for three days, she refused to be left out.
"Wanting to do combat training with Ms. Ruti… You are quite brave, Red."
Tisse was impressed.
Ruti was humanity's strongest. Even if she fought with only a sword and didn't use
magic or any skills from her New Truth blessing, she would undoubtedly win.
"I was the one who taught her how to use a blade. A master has to be able to train with
his student, right?" I replied.
"Right. Big Brother is my master. I'm strong because of him."
Ruti was prouder of that than I was.
"It's true that your style and Ms. Ruti's share some similarities, but the theories behind
them differ significantly."
"Well, Ruti's a genius, after all. She took the Bahamut Knight techniques I taught her
and made them her own."
I still clearly recalled instructing her on how to wield a sword.
Despite never having held a weapon before, Ruti absorbed everything I taught her like
a sponge.
As an officer in the Bahamut Knights, I'd instructed plenty of recruits, but no student
took to the art as well as my little sister.
Teaching her something once was enough for her to grasp the fundamentals. After a
second time, she could apply the knowledge to real-world situations. And by a third
lesson, she could point out her instructors' shortcomings.
Our battle with the demon lord's army had already begun when I started giving her
lessons. When Ares joined us and we left the capital, Ruti was a master who could have
opened her own dojo and no one would have batted an eye.
"I remember every word and every moment with you. So all the things you taught me
are very easy to understand."
Ruti looked proud of that.
So cute.
Tisse pursed her lips.
"Ah, looks like the last person's finally here," Rit observed, pointing.
Turning around, I saw a big man who, even at a distance, was clearly well-built. His
right sleeve fluttered in the breeze.
"Heya."
Danan grinned.
"To think the guy you're supposed to spar with is going to be joining us for practice…"
Rit sounded amused.
We'd decided to hold our bout in the woods on the final day of the training camp.
Perhaps it was odd to invite Danan along, but the goal wasn't to win by outwitting him.
There was no purpose to keeping things secret.
"Morning, Danan. Congrats on getting out of the hospital."
"Thanks. And I appreciate the invite. A little exercise will do me some good after
getting rusty in that hospital bed." Danan flashed a toothy grin. He looked positively
overjoyed.
Yarandrala was a fan of intensive special training sessions, but there was no one who
liked the idea of them more than Danan.
To that living embodiment of martial arts, they were not just a path to greater strength
but also the ultimate pastime.
Danan was the sort of crazy guy who'd go on an intensive regimen to refresh himself
even when he was exhausted.
"All right, everyone's here, so let's go."
Yarandrala grinned as she addressed us all.
We walked along the road with Zoltan's gate at our backs.
The green fields were filled with a myriad of colorful flowers blooming under the
spring sun.
They didn't bloom as large as flowers selectively bred for display, but they were
beautiful and filled with vitality. The morning dew clinging to petals shone gold.
"You found a spot for us to train, right, Yarandrala?"
Walking at the head of our group, Yarandrala bobbed her head in reply to Rit's
question.
"I did. There's a nice, comfortable place in the forest just a short trek away. It's next to
a brook, and the trees are sparser there. It's perfect for moving around and exercising."
"I wonder if it would be good for a picnic lunch."
"Of course! It's perfect for that!"
Because the objective was to get in some serious training, I wanted a place where we
could avoid drawing attention. Seeing former members of the Hero's party going all
out would be too much for the average person.
"Don't worry, it's plenty far from any village. The Queen of the Forest resides there,
and anyone who knows about her will keep away."
"Queen of the Forest?"
"Meeting her will be fun. We should greet her once we're set up."
Yarandrala sounded like she was having fun keeping a secret from us.
The Queen of the Forest?
Were she a ferocious monster, there probably would've been an Adventurers Guild
quest to dispatch her. I hadn't heard anything like that, however.
Which would mean that she was someone who was not going to cause harm to people.
Will this be like the undine we met before?
"She can be a little bit moody, but she's a good girl at heart. It's just a little bit of fun."
"Guess I'll look forward to it, then," I said.
A little bit of excitement to go with my slow life.
This was our first trip in a while, and I was certain it'd be a great time.
We set up our tents alongside the stream babbling through the woods.
Rit was humming as she worked with the tent poles. "Hm-hmmm ♪"
She's in a good mood.
"All right, done over here."
"I'm good, too."
We both beheld the ten-person tent we'd erected with a sense of accomplishment.
"Was there any reason we needed one this big?"
"Tisse, Danan, are you done gathering firewood?"
"Have a look for yourself."
Tisse was carrying a backpack filled with timber, and Danan was hoisting a threemeter-tall tower of wood with a single finger. His pile wasn't even tied down with
rope…
"It's good training for balance and controlling your strength. And if you drop the pile,
you can pick it up and reassemble the logs to get your blood pumping."
"How very Danan-esque."
"Got that right."
Perhaps he was a bit drunk on all this activity after spending so much time
incapacitated. His quirks were a bit more intense than usual.
"Big Brother."
"Ah, Ru… ti…"
My little sister was balancing towers of wood on every one of her fingers—ten times
what Danan was carrying.
"Look, I can do it, too."
I couldn't begin to understand the physics at play keeping the logs from collapsing.
"You're amazing, Ruti."
"Heh-heh."
Ruti giggled, managing to keep her ten stacks impossibly stable.
"That's the Hero for you. Oh, I guess you're not the Hero anymore, though, huh? Well,
that's Ruti for you."
Danan grinned, clearly impressed.
"Okay, I'm gonna go fetch some more firewood!"
"Wait! We've got more than enough already!"
I hurried to stop Danan before he could race off again.
"All right. The tent is set up. Seems about time for lunch."
Our shelter was ready; a small fire burned strong enough not to die out too quickly,
and a pot was set over the flame.
There was a brook only steps away, so water wouldn't be an issue.
We had enough food for about three days: meat, vegetables, eggs, and the like.
I intended to supplement that by catching some fish and frying them for one of our
meals.
That could wait until tomorrow, though.
"Okay, our first training camp meal will be a picnic."
""Hooray!"" Rit and Ruti both cheered.
"Your cooking, huh? There's enough for me, right?" Danan asked.
"Of course," I answered.
"Perfect!"
I laid out a cloth on the ground and set out the boxes on top of it.
"Today's menu is bread, sausages, a raisin-and-carrot salad, grilled shrimp, saute ed
duck, and chocolate cake for dessert."
"Talk about luxurious! Why didn't you make anything like this when we were on the
road in the old days?" Danan questioned.
"That would've been impossible. I can only manage all this because we're eating it the
same day I made it."
Plus, I'd gotten much better at cooking since then.
During our days traveling as the Hero's party, I labored to prepare food that tasted
good while constantly suffering from a lack of ingredients and prep time.
Now I could indulge a bit and give a meal more than the bare necessities. Ultimately,
the goal was always to make things that Rit and Ruti would enjoy. The frontier didn't
have much in the way of goods for trade, but between the rivers, ocean, and
mountains, Zoltan had an abundance of food to choose from.
If people learned how to make ships like the Vendidad that can safely cross the more
dangerous parts of the sea, would Zoltan have a boom in trade?
Regardless, an advent like that was still in the distant future, so there wasn't much use
in considering it too much.
"This salad is great!"
"What is this paste below the shrimp? It has a wonderful flavor."
"Your cooking is always delicious, Big Brother, but this meal is really, really good."
"You used coconut oil for the bread, right? It's a neat taste; different from usual."
Rit, Tisse, Ruti, and Yarandrala all enjoyed the fruits of my labor. And seeing their
pleased reactions made me happy.
"It's been a long time since the Hero's party was assembled like this." Danan seemed a
bit moved as he chowed down on a sausage.
"Ares and Theodora aren't here, though."
"Well, Ares is dead… Oh, that reminds me. Did you see the newspaper?"
"Yeah."
A mysterious mercenary named Escarlata had defeated Altra, the demon lord's
heavenly king of the water, in single combat. Altra had survived but was grievously
wounded. The demon forces had no choice but to retreat.
"That's gotta be Theodora," Danan said.
"You think so, too?"
News was slow to reach Zoltan.
The battle had happened two months ago, during the winter, yet it had only been
printed in a Zoltani paper two days ago.
The masked knight Escarlata, a mysterious female warrior who used a spear and
clerical magic.
"I can't imagine anyone else on the continent capable of beating one of the heavenly
kings. Any spear user that proficient would've made a name for themselves long
before now."
"I would've followed any rumors of a person like that to see if we could invite them to
join our party."
"Having a member who could beat a heavenly king definitely would've made things
easier."
"Yeah, we always set our sights on battles no one managed to win."
"The first one against Desmond was really, really rough. How many times did we have
to run away and regroup before we finally sent him packing?"
"Three. It was on our fourth attempt when we froze all the earth around him that we
finally beat him."
"Retaking a country occupied by the demon lord's army, defeating one of the heavenly
kings, finding a legendary holy sword—we were the first bunch to do it all."
Our journey had been filled with previously impossible feats.
Winning against an invincible enemy, exploring untouched ruins, finding treasures
thought lost forever…
"It's going to change going forward, I'm sure, but right now, Theodora and I are the
only ones who can stand up to one of the heavenly kings one-on-one. Excluding Ruti,
of course."
"I saw heroes from every country back when I was with the knights, but you and
Theodora are way beyond the rest now. By the way, Escarlata has a follower, a
swordsman with a prosthetic right hand. It has to be Albert."
"Him, huh? I never did get to thank him properly."
"For saving you when you were dying after the fight with Ares and Shisandan?"
"He was way outta his league, yet he stood his ground. His strength ain't much, but
he's got some serious willpower."
It's already been more than half a year since I fought Albert in Zoltan.
He'd made a deal with the contract demon that had taken over Bighawk. However, he'd
since reformed after meeting Theodora.
"It's not just that."
"Huh?"
Danan shook his head.
"I don't know what sorta man he was in the past, but from what I heard, he changed
before Theodora got to him. Losing to you was what started it."
"…I see."
"Victory becomes the strength to keep going forward; defeat becomes the strength to
find a new path."
"It's weird to hear that sort of expression from you."
"I used to be a dojo master, after all. I know what to say to teach people."
Danan laughed heartily and then stuffed some of the saute ed duck into his mouth.
"This really is great!"
"Glad you like it."
I took a bit of the salad. It had a nice sour bite to it that really hit the spot.
"Once I leave Zoltan, the first thing I'm going to do is go after Theodora." Danan
clenched his fist. "I haven't thought about much beyond that. There's not much I know
besides beating the enemy in front of me. If she's planning to go finish off the heavenly
king of the water, I'll gladly join in."
"As strong as you are, I'm sure you'll be able to make an impact anywhere you go."
Such was the fate of humanity's strongest Martial Artist.
Actually, since Ruti's chosen to live as a normal girl, Danan is probably humanity's
strongest warrior, period.
Staying behind and living my slow life in Zoltan meant never knowing what battlefield
Danan might find himself on, but no matter where he traveled, he'd be the mightiest
person in the fight.
The sight of one with such a common blessing would undoubtedly have a significant
impact. It would inspire hope and courage in many.
"Oy! Danan! Are you going to eat all the duck before I get to have any?!"
"What? Early bird catches the worm!"
Yarandrala and Danan were getting into a jousting match with their forks over the last
piece of duck. However, before their duel could be decided, a fork flashed like a
lightning bolt and stole away the final bite.
"Delicious."
""Ruti!!!""
Yarandrala and Danan looked stunned for a moment, then looked at each other and
laughed.
After we finished our fun little meal and washed the lunch boxes, Yarandrala led us
into the woods.
"The Queen of the Forest is here. As long as we give a proper greeting, we can avoid
any pointless quarrels. Paying adequate respect is important in all things."
"The Queen of the Forest, huh?"
As we walked through the woods, I felt something was off.
"Hey, Red, there aren't many large animals or monsters nearby."
"You noticed too, Rit?"
"Yeah. There're definitely a few, but…"
She was right; there were plenty of smaller animals like mice, but there were hardly
any wolves or monsters to be found.
Yarandrala forged a path to guide us, and I noted along the way that there weren't any
animal trails.
No beasts large enough to cut any such route through the forest lived here.
"And there are lots of plants."
"They're a bit different from Zoltan's other forests, too."
The climate here was no different from any other place in the region. Which meant…
"Does the Queen of the Forest possess some power that's affecting these woods?"
"Heh-heh, you'll see soon enough."
Yarandrala seemed to be enjoying herself.
"Can you feel anything, Mister Crawly Wawly?" Tisse whispered.
The spider on her shoulder looked all around, hopping.
"Oh? So it's nothing too serious?"
"If he says so, then we've got nothing to worry about."
Mister Crawly Wawly was a reliable spider.
"We're almost there. She won't do anything unless provoked, so no one attack."
"Got it."
Yarandrala broke through the undergrowth first, and the rest of us followed after.
And when we did…
Bzzzzzzzzz.
…the noise of countless beating wings filled the air. Dozens of honey bees as large as
medium-sized dogs were flying all around.
"Giant bees!"
These creatures were large-scale insect monsters closely related to normal bees.
Large-scale insect monsters varied in mass depending on the species. For example,
there were some giant spiders as little as small dogs and others as massive as
elephants.
Famous examples like the drake-eater mantises, titan centipedes, and destroyer
beetles, despite possessing mere Warrior blessings were recorded as fearsome
threats no different from dragons or giants. And it was all because of their size. They
were among the most powerful monsters on the continent.
"Remember, don't attack," Yarandrala gently reminded.
Each of us was a hardened combat veteran. We weren't going to panic over the sound
of some giant bees buzzing around.
"There's a kind of spring feeling to this."
"They're cute and fluffy."
Tisse and Ruti seemed to be enjoying themselves, watching the giant bees go about
their tasks.
"I wonder if they would share some honey?"
Rit was seemingly wondering about getting her hands on something sweet.
Considering how large the bees were, perhaps they'd be able to share a jar's worth of
honey.
With a skill or magic to communicate with insects, we could strike a deal.
"Do you have any spirit magic for talking with insects, Rit?"
She shook her head.
"No, I can only use spirit magic connected to the four elements."
"It's okay, I can do it. I'll ask if they're willing to part with a bit."
"Hooray."
Rit smiled cheerfully at Yarandrala's answer.
After another ten minutes of walking, we came to an immense hive.
"The Queen of the Forest is in here."
"So we're to meet the queen bee, then."
"It's my first time entering a beehive."
"Mine too."
Between my time as a knight and Rit's time as the hero of Loggervia, we had gone on
all sorts of adventures, but neither of us had seen a beehive large enough for a human
to walk around in.
We climbed up the characteristic hexagonal spaces.
"Living in a house like this would be fantastic exercise."
I shook my head and laughed wryly at Danan's comment. "Don't get any ideas."
This was a nest for creatures that could fly. There were no stairs or ladders, so we had
to leap from one chamber to the next to reach the queen.
Anyone other than us would have found it an irksome challenge.
Yarandrala, still leading the way, jumped into a room clearly larger than the rest, and
we all followed.
"Have we reached our destination?" I muttered.
The Queen of the Forest was far larger than I'd imagined.
"She's… really big."
A queen bee typically dwarfed her drones but didn't look too different. However, the
Queen of the Forest sported a body nearly four meters long.
Her brown-striped stomach lay on the ground, and she was covered in an armor-like
shell, peering down at us with round, black eyes.
Giant bees fed on flower nectar, which wasn't enough to grow truly massive, but
evidently, a queen could still become considerably sizeable.
"She's exceptionally large. For as long as I've lived, I've never seen a queen giant bee
that's matched her." Yarandrala approached the great insect. "Good afternoon, Your
Highness."
There was a rustling sound from the shell, and the queen bee's face drew near to
Yarandrala's.
I heard Rit gasp.
I'm sure it will be fine.
I relaxed and observed the queen bee from close up.
This wasn't the sort of creature you'd find anywhere else, even in Central's zoo.
Witnessing a rarity was part of what made a trip enjoyable.
"Yes, I breathed some life into the plants of the forest. We are staying beside a small
brook and harbor no intention of harming any of you."
A green vine extended from Yarandrala's hand to touch the queen bee's feelers.
Apparently, that was how she was communicating with the insect.
Mister Crawly Wawly cocked his head and felt himself with a foreleg.
Is he trying to imagine what her feelers are?
Tisse looked amused by Mister Crawly Wawly's confusion.
"Also, could you please share just a little bit of your honey with us?" Yarandrala sang,
her voice at a whisper.
"This is great," Danan said. "Traveling with you guys always means something new. All
sorts of adventures no one's ever had before."
"Yeah."
"…I always had fun."
"Yeah, it wasn't all bad… I enjoyed it, too."
"Heh-heh," Danan laughed after hearing our replies.
Our meeting with the Queen of the Forest concluded, we returned to camp.
"All right, finally time for some training."
Danan was rotating his arm, raring to go.
"Shall we start with some practice swings?"
Everyone nodded at my suggestion.
"Okay, how about three sets of ten thousand for a warm-up?"
"Sure, let's start with that."
We all spread out to give one another room and readied our weapons.
"Everyone should keep to their own pace, but let's start together for the first swing."
We all assumed our stances.
"Right, then… One!"
I brought my sword down as I shouted, and I heard the air whistle from the others'
movements.
I felt my spirit sharpening, and my grip on my sword's hilt tightened. This was the first
time I'd trained with so many heroes in a very long time.
There was a charm to Rit's blade. Every little move was beautiful, possessed of a
flowing rhythm that connected all of her attacks. It exuded a heroic quality that was
strong and captivating.
Ruti's sword moved perfectly, precise and mighty, with no flaws to criticize. None
could stand against it.
Tisse's sword was prodigious. The motions were only practice swings, yet she wove in
countless feints and head fakes. Each time, her blade ended where a vital point would
be on a person.
Yarandrala's staff surpassed all limits. It moved with a technique that had been built
over decades of practice.
And Danan's fist was martial arts embodied, containing every aspect of the discipline.
There was also a faith in himself to overcome all obstacles in his way with nothing but
his prowess.
Danan believed that if he raised his discipline to greater heights, he could win the war
against the demon lord's army. Such a notion was laughable ordinarily, but he trusted
his power absolutely. That was why Danan was humanity's greatest pugilist.
Around an hour later, we'd completed the three sets of ten thousand reps. We were all
sitting to drink some water.
"You really are amazing, Gideon," Danan suddenly praised. "No one else is here, so it's
okay if I call you by your old name, right?"
"I guess that's fine…"
"I can see your enemy in your sword."
"Enemy?"
"Yeah, by watching your practice swings, I'm able to envision the sort of opponent
you're striking."
"Well, I do picture certain foes when I swing."
"Human, elf, monster, demon. The sort of armor, the size… Even though it's always a
slash from the same middle stance, I can clearly recognize a different enemy each time.
That's how solid your knowledge is."
Getting complimented by the greatest fighter in the world wasn't a bad feeling at all.
"I see. Thanks."
"I can't wait to spar with you."
It was clear from Danan's expression how sincerely he was looking forward to our
bout.
The training continued after that, until it started to grow dark. Dinner was bacon soup
and bread with some honey.
After eating, I went off alone to wash off the sweat and dirt and then sat down to
observe the nighttime forest scenery.
When we traveled as the Hero's party, camping was our life, and the dark woods had
become a familiar backdrop. However, I hadn't seen anything like this since my easy
life with Rit began.
The giant bees had driven off all the larger herbivorous animals, and with no prey
around, the larger carnivorous animals left soon after, so the forest was quite peaceful
after dusk.
Surrounded only by birds and other small creatures, I thought about the duel with
Danan that awaited at the end of the training camp.
"Red."
"Rit? What is it?"
Looking over a shoulder, I saw her standing there.
"You were taking a while, so I wondered if something happened."
"I thought I'd take in the scenery after I finished bathing."
"Um… Do you mind if I sit next to you?"
"Help yourself."
"Yay."
Rit dropped down next to me. "This really is a nice place. Leave it to Yarandrala to find
the loveliest spot in the woods."
"Yeah, it's perfect for training. No monsters or other people to disrupt things. In the
Bahamut Knights, we covered the basics in a busy training ground, but we did all the
higher-level practice in a place far from any towns or villages."
"Oh? In Loggervia there're lots of stories about warriors going off to train in the
mountains alone. I guess that idea's pretty universal."
"Seems that way."
We sat together, watching the woods. Glowing insects danced above the water,
shedding faint light.
"Say, Red, why don't I give you a massage?"
"Huh? Where did that come from all of a sudden?"
"This is the first time you've really exerted yourself in a long while, right? You don't
want muscle aches holding you back when you spar with Danan, do you?"
"Mm… I guess not. Then could I ask you to help me out?"
"Of course!"
Rit had a towel to lay on the ground for me, so I could lie down without getting dirty
again.
"Pardon me." Rit gently straddled my body. "Here I go."
Her fingers touched my back. I twitched just a little bit, prompting a giggle from her.
"All right… Hmmm…"
Rit muttered a bit to herself as she placed a palm against my back.
"This sort of feels like a real massage."
"Eh-heh-heh. Actually, I studied a bit before we left. I wanted to help you out some."
All that time as an adventurer had given Rit better knowledge of the human body than
most, so it must have been easy to learn about massaging. And since she dual-wielded
swords, her finger control with both hands was top class.
"Around here…?" Rit began to rub my body gently. "And the goal is to help improve
blood flow, so I shouldn't put too much strength into it."
"Nnn…"
"How's that?"
"It feels really good."
Her massage was nice and comfortable.
The technique was competent, and it was made even better because I felt the love in
Rit's fingers as she carefully worked over my back.
Tension eased from my body and mind, and I left everything to Rit.
"So, do you think you can win against Danan?" she asked while I closed my eyes and
relaxed.
"Danan really is strong. And training with him only makes it clearer just how
incredible he is."
"Yeah. If I had to guess, I'd say that Danan is the strongest person in the world, other
than Ruti."
"He's the embodiment of martial arts."
"But you're still going to fight him, right?"
"Of course. He's an old comrade."
Danan didn't understand the concept of living slow and easy.
Undoubtedly, he was struggling to comprehend why Ruti and I elected to remain in
Zoltan.
I would have to convey the life I chose through battle.
To bid an ally and friend a proper farewell we could both accept, that was the least I
could do.
Two days later, just as the sun began to drift from its peak in the sky, Danan and I stood
opposite each other.
My sword and Danan's fist had both been doused with Merciful potion.
Hits wouldn't leave any wounds, but we'd still feel the pain. A direct hit from Danan at
full strength was liable to knock me out.
"Hahhhhh…"
I let out a long exhale, honing my senses.
"…"
There was no smile on Danan's face, only the expression of a warrior about to face a
serious battle.
"Okay." Ruti stood between us with her right hand raised. If something dangerous was
about to occur, she was the only one who could stop our fight. "No grudges."
She looked to both of us. Danan and I nodded.
"All right… Start."
The moment her hand came down, Danan kicked off the ground. He closed a distance
greater than five meters in a single stride.
"Red…!" I heard Rit gasp.
However…
"Tch?!"
…Danan slipped past me to the right. My sword came up, slicing through the space
where my opponent had been an instant earlier.
"Martial Art: Trampling Kick!"
A backward spinning kick from a dodge.
Martial Arts had set motions, and they typically couldn't be employed without first
returning to a neutral stance. Danan had studied and trained his movements to loose
them from any position, however.
The man was a definite musclehead, but when it came to fighting, he learned and
experimented constantly.
The first time I heard him speak about complex theories on techniques, I was stunned
by the discrepancy between his typical demeanor and his studious nature regarding
combat.
Had I been ignorant of his abilities, I would never have been able to evade that kick.
"Gh!"
My sword hit Danan's leg.
The limb was protected by energy from Danan's martial art, so my hit didn't do much
damage, but I'd managed to land the first blow.
"Hrahhhhhh!!!"
Danan hurled a series of attacks my way.
Each had the force of a knockout. Taking one hit would spell my defeat.
"Amazing! How is he dodging?!" Yarandrala exclaimed as she watched from the
sidelines.
I was parrying, evading, leaping back, and slipping away, using every defense
maneuver in my arsenal to survive Danan's onslaught.
"…There!"
Threading the needle through his barrage, I thrust my sword at Danan's chest.
"?!"
To my surprise, the blade was deflected, knocked into the air.
Not good!
"Hiyahhhh!"
Now that I'd lost my weapon, Danan went straight for me.
"Martial Art: Rockbreaker!"
His attack closed in.
Instead of dodging, I grabbed Danan's arm and redirected the force of his Martial Art
to throw the burly man behind me.
Danan's body was hurled upward, but he adjusted his posture and landed cleanly on
the ground.
My sword finished its arc and stuck itself into the soil next to him.
"…"
He glanced at the blade, then walked over and picked it up.
"It really is just a bronze sword."
Danan tossed the weapon to me. I caught it with my right hand and reassumed my
stance immediately.
"I should be way stronger than you, but you manage to overcome my attacks and
counter."
Danan's serious expression gave way to a smile. "You really are fun, Gideon."
"…Knowing you, I'm sure you've already figured out how to win."
"Well, yeah. You can handle my attacks because you predict what I'll do."
"That's right."
Danan's fist came faster than I could defend. Reacting didn't give me enough time. Yet
no matter how swift a move was, it was easy to parry if you acted first.
I'd fought back-to-back with Danan many times during our journey. To survive, I'd
learned everything that my comrades could and couldn't do.
I understood his thought process and could deduce what he'd try next.
"In other words, if I try things I never have, hold back just a little, then I'll win."
"That's right. If you don't go all out, I won't be able to anticipate your actions… Is that
what you're going to do?"
"Of course not. This isn't a death match. It's sparring. I'm fighting you with the best
that I can muster—my ultimate self. There'd be no point if I reined it in."
"I figured you would say that."
"Heh-heh."
That was the sort of man he was. That was the man I had come to trust and respect on
my journey, the world's strongest pugilist.
"Let's do this, Gideon! If you can see through me at full power, then I'll have to show
you an even stronger version of myself!"
"Hah. So intense!"
"Fighting a guy I respect who possesses a deep understanding of my art? How could I
not get fired up?!"
"Bring it, Danan! I'll match your strength with the experience of my own life!"
Danan dashed forward.
I readied my defense, focusing on his movements.
My mind clear, I saw countless techniques that Danan might utilize. As he drew closer,
infinite possibilities were reduced to just one:
an overhead thrust into Martial Art: Ax Kick. A stomp as a follow-up into a middle
attack from close range.
I evaded by leaning forward, hurled a kick of my own, then leaped back while aiming
for Danan's leg with my sword to halt the stomp, following up with an upward cut
while his momentum stalled.
"…Gh!"
Danan just barely avoided it by the skin of his teeth.
I would've liked to have followed up, but stepping in was dangerous. It could have
easily turned things against me.
We both stopped moving for a moment and then leaped back.
When I awoke, I was buried in broken stones by the side of the river.
"Hahhh…"
Three hours and twenty-seven minutes had passed since the beginning of the bout.
We'd fought the whole time without a break. Ultimately, I'd taken a punch from Danan,
gone flying, and lost.
"Owwww… Guess I was right about not being able to endure a direct hit."
I would have died for sure without the Merciful potion.
Danan really is strong.
"Gideon." Danan offered his big, rough hand to me. "Thanks. It was fun."
"Yeah, it's been a while since I enjoyed a fight like this."
I grabbed his hand, and he pulled me up, flashing a big grin.
"You really are strong, Gideon."
"There's a solid level gap between us, but it seems like I didn't disappoint you."
"Of course not. Since the day we met, I've always respected you."
My legs were still unsteady. I could only manage to walk by leaning on Danan's
shoulder.
"You know, I…" Danan was looking ahead. "I didn't get this whole slow life thing at all."
"I figured."
"That was why I wanted to fight you. It's all I know."
"Have you learned anything about the slow life?"
"Nope. It still doesn't make any sense to me," Danan said, beaming. "But I know now
that you didn't stop fighting because you believed you were weak."
"…"
"And that's enough for me. You're still the same strong man I respect. You just chose a
different path, is all."
"Things were different during my first days in Zoltan. My whole life had been spent
trying to support Ruti. When I first arrived here, I was a weak person."
"Ha-ha, well, it's good you improved. I might have killed you without thinking if I'd
seen you like that."
"You really are a scary guy sometimes!"
I can't tell if you're joking or serious when you say it so earnestly!
"Yet as beaten down as you were, you managed to become the man I respect again.
This slow life thing must be a form of strength."
Danan was trying to understand me in his own way.
"Now I can leave Zoltan without any regrets."
"That's good."
"Gideon…"
"What?"
"Live your life how you please. If taking it easy here is what gives you power, then do
it like your life depends on it."
"What's that even supposed to mean?"
"Leave the demon lord's army to me. I'll crush all of 'em with the same left arm that
hammered you."
"…Thanks, Danan."
"I don't need gratitude. I fight because I want to. That's who I am. I'm the kind of guy
who can't do anything else… That's my pride."
"Yeah, I always respected that unwavering strength of yours."
"Heh-heh…"
"Ha-ha-ha…"
Our laughter rang out in the quiet forest as we stood there leaning against each other.
Time flies when you are having fun.
My match with Danan had concluded, and our group was on the way back to Zoltan.
"You okay, Danan?"
"Yeah, today was the best."
He was trembling because Ruti had asked for a bout after the fight with me.
Ruti was revved up to get revenge for her big brother, and Danan was amped for the
chance to battle the strongest person in the world. Ultimately, he was literally sent
flying.
"It reminded me how amazing you were to conduct practice matched with Ruti during
her training," Danan said.
"Those were more about checking each other's techniques than defeating each other,"
I replied.
"Still… Damn. How do I win?" Danan had a serious look on his face as he considered a
way to defeat Ruti. He was probably the only person in the world who'd dare to try
such a thing. "I wanna rechallenge you after I murder the demon lord."
Ruti nodded. "Sure."
During our travels in the old days, she'd never shown any interest in Danan, but things
were different now. There was a slight trace of a smile on her lips.
And seeing that made me really glad.
"Hmm?" Ruti looked to the north, as though sensing something.
"Brother, a village is being attacked."
"What?"
Looking in the direction she was pointing, I spied smoke rising in the distance.
Rit cast a tailwind magic on the two of us. "You and Ruti go first, we'll follow after!"
"Got it! Let's go, Ruti!"
"Mhm."
I accelerated in the blink of an eye using Lightning Speed. Ruti added another spell to
increase her speed and ran after me. It took the two of us a couple of minutes to reach
the distant village.
"Goblins, Big Brother."
A band of the monsters was attacking the little settlement.
"There's an awful lot of them. Did this group migrate from somewhere else?"
There were over thirty goblins armed with crafted weapons. They even lobbed
firebombs made using oil in jars.
"Did some noble train them as a mercenary force? Maybe they were abandoned after
the noble realized they couldn't be employed as first hoped."
"A nuisance."
"Yeah, it sure is."
We attacked the goblins from behind.
"What?!" one shouted with a strong goblin accent.
It tried to fight back with a spear, but this was nothing compared to sparring against
Danan. We ran through the creatures, defeating all of them without giving any a chance
to counterattack.
"There should be more within the village… But it looks like they're already down."
This settlement seemed to be home to a pretty competent fighter. The fight deeper in
had already concluded.
"What?!" Upon seeing the two who'd been fighting, I couldn't stop the word from
coming out.
One of them was Bishop Shien, the head of Zoltan's church who'd gone to Last Wall
fortress to deal with the incident with Veronia. The other was a gallant young man
swinging a sword with his left hand.
"Albert."
"It's been a while, sir."
Albert's proud, strained demeanor was gone, replaced by a modest earnestness.
The Champion Albert Leland.
Zoltan's former hero.
"Thank you for your help."
"With that many goblins, we wouldn't have been able to prevent some damage to the
village."
"It's lucky that we happened to be nearby."
Ruti and I were talking with Shien and Albert in the center of town.
The goblins had been slain. Two buildings had been razed, but no one had died. A
couple had injuries, but Shien was tending to them.
It was fortunate for a place with no soldiers to survive a goblin raid of that scale with
so little damage.
"We were returning to Zoltan from Last Wall fortress when we saw the goblins
marching here. Surely, this is God's mercy."
Shien signed a holy symbol and offered his thanks to Demis while Albert picked up
where the older man had left off.
"We ran to the village and protected the people before the goblins arrived. Thankfully,
you two came along shortly after." Albert's tone was softer. As if his old prickly tone
had just been a lie.
"Our friends should be here soon. Danan wants to thank you, Albert."
"Me?" Albert looked shocked, and his face turned red. "That is an honor."
Anyone who knew the old Albert and saw him now would surely be surprised.
"Bishop Shien, how did negotiations with the church go?" Ruti asked.
"Oh, this is excellent timing," Shien replied. "Let's head over there to talk a bit."
"Big Brother?"
"Sure, go ahead. I'll chat with Albert a bit."
Ruti and Shien headed over to the village elder's house.
The bishop had gone to negotiate a nonviolent resolution to the Leonor incident to
keep the church from going to war with Veronia. Judging by his demeanor, he'd been
successful.
"Sir," Albert stated.
"I can't quite get used to all this polite speech from you." The first time I'd ever spoken
to him, he'd demanded I show him respect. The memory was almost nostalgic.
"Ha-ha. Back then, I never would've dreamed that one of the heroes I idolized was
living in Zoltan."
"I thought you went off with Theodora to fight the demon lord's army. What are you
doing heading back to Zoltan with Bishop Shien?"
"In part, I'm acting as his guard, although my greater purpose was to tell you and Ruti
something… Theodora is coming to Zoltan."
"She is?!"
"Yes… I came to explain the situation before her arrival." Albert looked serious.
She's coming to Zoltan?
To find out she was coming to Zoltan on the same day that I sparred with Danan as a
farewell…
Life and its encounters were indeed mysterious.
Back in Zoltan, after parting ways with Bishop Shien, we headed to Ruti's mansion.
Ruti, Rit, Yarandrala, Tisse, Danan, Albert, and I were all gathered around the table.
"I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Albert."
Danan wore a happy smile. Albert, on the other hand, was at a loss, unsure why the
burly man seemed so pleased.
"I didn't get a chance to properly thank you for your help." Danan stood and bowed his
head deeply. "I owe you my life."
"S-sir! Someone like me…!"
"If you weren't there, I would've died. I'll never forget that."
Albert was confused by Danan's behavior. Among the various heroes of the world,
Danan stood near the top. For him to call Albert a savior and lower his head in
gratitude would take time for the reformed man to process.
The greatest Martial Artist was the sort of guy who stated exactly what he was
thinking, whether grateful or angry. It didn't matter if the person he was speaking to
was powerful or weak. He offered Albert praise with total sincerity.
"Good. I've finally said my piece." Having given his thanks at last, Danan sat back down,
evidently satisfied.
Albert looked dumbfounded by the whole exchange, and I couldn't help chuckling a
bit.
"Ahem," Albert coughed, trying to collect himself. "Anyway, I came here to pass a
message to Red and Ruti."
"From Theodora?"
Albert nodded at my inquiry.
"Yes, although she is currently going by the name Escarlata."
So that masked mercenary truly was Theodora.
"You don't seem too surprised," Albert remarked.
"After reading about Escarlata in the newspaper, it was hard to imagine anyone other
than Theodora accomplishing what she did."
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised you deduced as much."
"What did Theodora—sorry, Escarlata—want?" I asked.
"…"
"What is it?"
Albert furrowed his brow. "Sorry, I'm at a loss for how to explain it."
"Is it that complex?"
"…Indeed. Truthfully, I'm not sure how well I grasp it."
"For now, just start with the facts. We can speak up about any parts that don't make
sense." This was an old method I'd taught subordinates who struggled to deliver
reports back when I was in the Bahamut Knights.
"Understood…" Albert took a deep breath. "A new Hero has appeared. His name is Van
of Flamberge. And he's bound for Zoltan to claim the demon lord's ship, the Vendidad."
There were many things we should have asked after hearing this shocking claim, but
we were all quiet. It was difficult to accept Albert's story, and we were left to stare at
him in silence.