He is dreaming. Nozomu doesn't know where he is, but at least it turns out to be a dream. He is the only one standing in a pitch-black space. There is no ground in this space, and water spreads all over like a shore of a lake.
There are no people around, just water, even the wind isn't blowing. There are no waves on the surface of the water, and no sound can be heard.
When he looked down, he saw something huge in the water. A jet-black giant and 6 wings with 5 colors. Tiamat, the King of Destruction.
The giant dragon stares back at him. Nozomu didn't know what the emotions behind his eyes were.
After staring at each other silently for a while, the surroundings gradually became brighter. Apparently, He wakes up.
He looks at the dragon again, feeling a little relieved that he is still alive.
The dragon is still staring at him, but He still can't read its expression.
Nozomu is swallowed by the white light with a tinge of anxiety.
"Oh, are you awake? "
"Woah!"
The wrinkled old woman's face is reflected in front of his eyes, and Nozomu unintentionally shouted and jumped out of the futon. The next moment his face got hit with a strong fist. He is full of injuries and the impact echoed in the wounds, he writhes in pain without making any noise.
"Shishō is terrible ......"
"Which one is terrible! Even though I brought you from the forest and took care of you for three days !!!"
Bandages are wrapped around his whole body, and the scent of medicine is floating. It seems she has really treated him.
"I'm sorry, Shishō. Thank you very much."
Shino still has her cheeks inflated, but her eyes look very happy. She seemed to be very worried, and when Nozomu thought about it, his chest felt warm.
"Well, You've been treated all night for three days. Can you tell me why you were lying down full of wounds in such a place?"
The atmosphere worn by Shishō changes. Swallowed by the atmosphere of Shishō who has reached expert culmination, his spine spontaneously tensed up.
"... I understand. I will tell you everything."
In a tense atmosphere, he began to talk about his story.
A few hours later, after talking about all the details, only silence remained.
"...... Follow me."
Shishō took the katana and headed out of the hut. Nozomu also picks up his katana and heads outside.
When going outside, each one held the katana, silently. Each one prepares the drawn-sword stance. There are bandages wrapped around him and countless scars on his body are still painful.
"Whenever you're ready!"
The wounds inflicted in the battle with Tiamat hurt, his shabby body is painful just by holding the sword.
The next moment, Shino stepped in an instant. Focused on the pain of his wounds, he is clearly slow to respond. He pulls out his sword in a hurry, but from his experience, he can't make it in time.
However, contrary to Nozomu's expectation, Shino's katana gets hit by his katana with a high-pitched sound.
"Eh"
He makes a dumb voice.
He couldn't parry the current attack until now.
"As I thought"
"What do you mean, Shishō"
Shino is convinced. In response to that, Nozomu asks. He is obviously confused.
His abilities limited by Ability Suppression have a great influence on his behavior. Since his muscles are lacking in instantaneous power and the amount of energy is limited, simple actions cannot prevent unexpected hits.
Therefore, for that reason, he was training his sword technique to move according to the situation, but Shino's sword attack this time makes him could not afford to make a move, and he just responded with a simple sword technique.
Normally, He couldn't make a move in time and should be cut down, but for some reason, He was able to parry it. The reason is,
"Your physical abilities have improved. "
The reason why he parried Shino's attack,
"But I "
"It is true that your physical ability does not improve due to Ability Suppression. However, dragon slayer inherits the power of the dragon and becomes stronger. That must have happened to you."
"I am .... a dragon slayer..."
Nozomu is in a whirlpool of further confusion. Naturally, dragon slayer is a legendary existence. Even the newest dragon slayer lived hundreds of years ago, and now it doesn't exist.
The strongest successor. An embodiment of tremendous power. Some use magic that cannot be explained by now existing magic, and some have awakened to extraordinary abilities. There is such a fairy tale.
"It doesn't seem to have been strengthened much, though ..."
"Eh!!!"
Nozomu is even more confused by Shino's remarks that could deny the legend.
"I think the influence of Ability Suppression is still great. By the way, it seems that you released the ability suppression during the battle with Tiamat, but can you still do it?"
Shishō's words remind him of the battle. Certainly, at that time, He had a chain that bound him and a feeling of tearing it apart. And the feeling of liberation after that. He unleashes a steel wedge and remembers the sensation of being able to go anywhere.
Nozomu imagined a chain that bound him. Then a chain wrapped around his body emerges.
"Ah"
His voice rises unintentionally.
"It looks like you can do it."
Nozomu nods to Shino's words.
"So ...... what are you going to do?"
"What should I do ...."
"That power is extraordinarily powerful, and strong power attracts various things. Position, honor, power, jealousy, there is no end to it ....... I'll ask you again, what do you want to do from now on?"
"......"
Nozomu cannot answer. Until now, He hasn't thought about the future. He only thought about it now.
No, He still can't see it. He is still obsessed with her in his past.
"I've always thought. You have no reason to be stronger."
"Well, that's ......"
Shino refutes with a strict attitude and expression to Nozomu who is trying to find an excuse.
"Is it for your lover? That girl is no longer your lover. Even if you want to support her, there is already another man next to her. There is no reason for you to become stronger........ You must have already known that. "
Shino's words mercilessly dig into Nozomu's heart. He is forced to open the lid and face what he has never tried to think unconsciously.
Nozomu couldn't say back and had no choice but to look down. Because he knew himself.
He may not have a place near her now, or he may no longer have a place in the school.
"...... It would be impossible to decide what to do for now. Now, you should concentrate on healing your wounds."
"You'll be forced to make a choice", Shino said so and finally returned to the hut.
"...... It's impossible to go back to the city because of that injury, so it's better to stay for today."
Seeing Shino entering the hut, Nozomu followed Shino unconsciously. His expression remained cloudy.
"Well, I don't know what to say."
"??? "
Shino turned to him again, but Nozomu didn't know what to say.
"......... Welcome back. You have worked hard"
She looks very happy. Even though her face looked tired, she was relieved from the bottom of her heart.
She took care of him all the time. Her deep love gently melted her heart which had frozen since she came to this city.
Her sight is distorted by her heartfelt love for the first in a long time.
"I..... am.... back"
=========================================
Shino's POV
In an empty forest, a voice fades, and eventually, it becomes sobbing and crying.
By the side, I am rubbing his back. He is crying.
Rubbing Nozomu's back who's sobbing in front of me. He's like a little child.
... Maybe it's not unreasonable. I also have experienced ridicule and contempt from people who were believed to be my friends and lover.
I am not a person from this country in the first place. I'm from an island country at the eastern end of the continent.
The territory of the country is not large, but it has developed its own culture, Qi technique, and sorcery.
The high mountains and the sea are adjacent to each other, and it is difficult for a huge army to move in battles for the subjugation of demons, and victory inevitably requires an individual or a small number of people with high capability and ability to respond to situations.
Among them, our clan was proud of outstanding martial arts. Speaking of swords technique, my clan is undoubtedly the strongest, and I was born into the world as the second daughter of that clan.
I was forced to practice katana from an early age because I was born into a distinguished family of swords master, but I took it for granted. Thinking it's a natural thing to do as I didn't doubt it.
I was talented, I immediately stand out. My parents seemed to be proud of me as I raised my skills, and my older sister was as happy as I was.
That's why I became more and more absorbed in swordsmanship. I can't help myself.
I kept raising my skills, and finally, no one in the clan could beat me.
Being the best swordsman in the leading clan of swordsmanship means that I am inevitably the best user in the country.
Therefore, many disciples study under me, and many influential people were begging for the subjugation of powerful demon beasts.
Because I lived only for the sword, I didn't dress up like a woman, and I wasn't interested in makeup or love.
My parents were shocked and forced me to hasten the matchmake, but only my sister was on my side.
At that time, my older sister was so kind that I could admire her, and all the famous families from all over the world approached her about marriage.
However, it seems that my sister had a determined person, and she stubbornly refused to accept the marriage.
One day I spent those days, I met him.
He came up to me, who was practicing with my sister.
Gentle eyes and gentle smile. His body is smaller than the average adult boy, creating an intellectual atmosphere.
He is the third son of a sorcerer in this country, and he seems to have snuck into the carriage when his father, who is the head, comes to our house.
And my sister also colluded and said that he was secretly invited to the mansion.
He pleaded with a serious expression.
"You are Shino, right? Actually, I have a request for you. "
His request was to teach him swordsmanship.
He had almost no magical power, and he was a dropout out of school among sorcerers, and he had nowhere to go.
That's why he practiced martial arts independently in order to be recognized by his family, but it still to no avail.
At that time, he had known my sister through country leaders dinner and heard about me.
Looks like my sister can't refuse his request.
With his enthusiasm, I tried teaching him, but it didn't work at all.
Because of his style, He had a strange habit, and the original sharpness of the sword was not utilized at all. His appearance is also bad, his legs, hips, and arms are not linked at all.
At first, I refused to talk, but he was too persistent and I couldn't refuse my sister's sincere request, so I ended up teaching him swordsmanship.
"No! The handle of the sword is the opposite !!!! If you want to learn, come after knowing the basics !!!"
"What's that slender waist! The old man with mochi is still more powerful !!!"
"You can cry and scream! You are my practice puppet! I will teach you the real slashing!"
... Well, when I think about it now, I was a little sour, so maybe I did a little too much.
At first, he couldn't even get the basics, but gradually he was getting stronger.
My sister was very pleased with it, I couldn't show it but I was also happy.
The disciples that I had trained from the beginning became stronger. There is no reason not to be happy.
From around this time, I started thinking about him from time to time.
When eating, sleeping, bathing, or practicing.
Eventually, I remembered him no matter when or where I was, and I consulted with my sister.
"Everyone has such a time, you don't have to worry about it, it will be subsided soon."
However, instead of subsided, it became bigger and bigger, and it couldn't be helped.
The maid of my family who saw such a situation asked.
"Shino-sama, maybe, are you in love?"
That word turned me upside down.
"This is love?"
"Yes, that is love. As I thought, Shino-sama is in love."
"B... but... love....."
"Shino-sama. Love comes to everyone, and no one can stop it, because even God can fall in love."
While listening to the maid, I was completely aware of my love.
And when I became aware of it, I became conscious of him so much that I couldn't help myself.
His standing figure and eyes when he devotes himself to training sincerely.
Even the stiff story during the break and the smell of sweat from his training clothes makes my heart excited.
I didn't like such myself, I met him when I tried to avoid him.
"Why do you avoiding me?"
He asks me
"... I'm not"
"It's a lie. You don't even look at me like you used to."
"...... It's misunderstanding"
"No. There is no misunderstanding."
"I'm very confident."
"I've been watching you for a long time, long before you knew me. Only you."
"...What?"
I felt something deep in his words and asked him back.
"... I've always admired you. Boasting the best sword technique in this country, with a noble heart and clear eyes like that sword. I don't think it's appropriate for me to say something like this ... I love you. More than anyone in the world "
It's definitely a love confession.
My heart burst from my chest, my face turned redder than the sunset, I couldn't see his face and turned my back on him.
"...... Are you an Idiot? You like someone like me who can't even dress like a woman."
An ordinary man would prefer a feminine person like my older sister over me.
"Maybe, but I loved you. No one else .... Would you please go out with me?"
"......Idiot Idiot... This is foolish... You... Idiot..."
"Yes, I'm an idiot. So can you give me the answer?"
"...... I have certainly received your feelings. I am still inexperienced, but I look forward to working with you for a long time."
I vowed to go out with him at this time.
The relationship between me and him soon became known, and in the meantime, the date of the wedding was decided.
The marriage between a master of martial arts and a master of magic was announced extensively, and my parents were pleased.
However, my sister seemed to be ill and often stayed in her room.
And on the day of the wedding, that incident happened.
A man suddenly declares to me in front of the relatives who gathered that day.
"She is having sexual intercourse with another man, even though she has a vowed partner. This wedding is full of filth !!!"
The man was one of the men who once proposed to my sister, who had been rejected.
The place of the wedding was noisy due to the sudden event, and everyone was confused. I asserted that the man was lying, but he confidently said:
"Then I should check her room."
And, in my room, He found a man's underwear that I didn't remember.
This made the groom's relatives angry, the weddings were broken, and I was blamed by my parents.
I desperately appeal to my innocence, but I wasn't heard, and he just turned his cold eyes toward me.
I was excommunicated for committing adultery and was put under house arrest.
And one day, about a year later. My older sister came to me and said:
"The man at that time, I sent it."
"......Eh"
"At your wedding, I told him, I'll rethink the marriage proposal. Then that man was overjoyed and got on the story."
"W...hy... Why 'Aneue'?"
My sister approached me with an angry look. I was afraid of my sister's expression, which I have never seen before, and I backed off.
"Because you robbed him from me, I found him first! I've been watching him for a long time !!!"
Her expression was just like a demon. My sister grabs my hair and spits out her cursed words.
"I will never forgive you !! I will take away all from you !!! Status, honor, everything !! You will never be happy as a person again !!!"
My hair was torn and it's painful, I begged like a child, but my sister never stopped.
"In any case, you no longer belong to this clan. No one will listen to you and will not help you. See you Shino. Rest assured, I will live with him for a lifetime."
When she says so, she returns and goes out of my room.
I couldn't do anything, I could only cry.
In the end, I left home. The story of my weddings was so well known throughout the country that there was no place for me in the country as the story continued to flow and arrived at my place.
"You and I are surprisingly similar."
Abandoned and Thrown away in the same way. At first, I hated looking at him in the past, but now he is an irreplaceable disciple.
When I noticed, my disciple fell asleep, probably because he was crying.
His expression broke my face ....
"Gu~ !!"
My field of vision is suddenly distorted, My head is stunned, and it seemed that consciousness could not be maintained.
"Ei! This good for nothing body!"
If I manage to connect my consciousness, my vision will become clearer.
(... Recently, the interval is getting shorter. It's not long anymore.)
"Sleepness Disease"
A disease in which the person's spirit gradually declines and dies. The cause has not been identified, and it is an extremely difficult disease to cure completely.
There are only a few cases that have been cured, and the reason for their recovery has not been identified.
The disease gradually fades away from the body and eventually dies like sleep.
However, there is no fear of death on Shino's face, and there is only regret.
(I wanted to talk to you more. Teaching you more sword technique...)
Watching Nozomu sleep on her chest, she strengthens her decision.
(Finally, there is something I need to tell you. At that time ... with all my might...)