"A-Aileen… so… should we go to the South Gate together? We could… go hunting together. Maybe even compete? W-Whoever catches the most? That would be so fun, wouldn't it? Hehe."
Noah smiled goofily as she offered me this ridiculous suggestion.
What on earth… was she talking about?
I recalled the conversation I had with Noah when I hugged her. I had just blurted out whatever came to mind, but now that I thought about it, I felt my face growing hot.
Anyway.
What I had meant was not to do things alone, that I was here for her. It wasn't an invitation to hunt monsters together… It was just my way of saying I wanted her to know someone cared.
Did she misunderstand it like that…?
I don't know. Still, thanks to Noah's nonsense, my overheated head cooled down a little.
After hesitating for a moment, Noah glanced around cautiously before whispering to me.
"A-Aileen. I think we need to go to the West Gate instead… The South Gate is being covered by that… that bald guy over there."
I turned to look at the bald man Noah pointed at.
He winked at me before turning back to glare at Erden's knights.
The man standing next to him was also glaring at the knights while protecting us.
They were adventurers I had seen before in Alrba. Especially noticeable ones.
I broadened my field of view and scanned the knights.
It didn't seem like they had fully recognized me yet, but… if we stayed here much longer, Noah would definitely figure out who I was.
For now, I needed to act quickly…
I reached out and stretched Noah's cheeks.
"Wh-what…?"
"Let's go. South Gate, West Gate, whatever… We'll talk once this is over."
"O-Okay."
I let go of her cheeks and grabbed Noah's small hand. It felt rough and sticky. Blood continued to seep from her wounds.
Swinging around a dull greatsword like that must have torn the skin on her hands.
It hurt to see it.
I stroked the back of her hand with my fingers and infused it with a little divine power.
Her rough hands calmed down somewhat.
"Are we going now?"
As I stood up holding Noah's hand, a man wielding a sword looked back and asked.
The one-eyed guy…? Never mind. I'll figure that out later. Right now, I just needed to leave.
"…Yes. We're heading to the South Gate—"
"A-Aileen. The South Gate is for the bald guy, remember?"
Noah tried to whisper quietly into my ear, standing on her toes to reach, but only managed to whisper to my shoulder.
"Ahem. We're going to the West Gate."
"Got it. I'll go with you. The bald guy can handle himself."
Veins bulged on the bald man's head.
He gripped his halberd and began to move.
"I'm only holding back because of the little lady here. Let's finish this quickly and regroup. By the way, what should we do about those nobles?"
"For now… we should assess the situation and ask their 'master.'"
The one-eyed man glanced at me as he spoke.
So, he knew after all.
I had suspected as much when he kept staring at me in Alrba…
I didn't think he could see through the perception-blocking charm on my robe.
"Sounds good. After all, those nobles are no use, just like the little lady said. Hahaha!"
The bald man laughed heartily as he lightly strode toward the South Gate.
His steps were so lighthearted that you wouldn't believe he was off to fight over a hundred gnolls.
"Well, we should get going too."
"Y-Yes. Aileen, we should hurry. This place is… not a good spot for us."
I recalled the layout of the ruins from the map.
We were in a large plaza, so if the gnolls came charging all at once…
They'd definitely surround us from all sides.
Just like Noah said, it would be easier to hold them off if we blocked the entrance instead.
"You're right. And Noah, like I said, we'll talk after this is over."
"Eek… Y-Yes, ma'am…"
Noah shrank under my firm tone.
She looked so much like a small, timid animal that I nearly laughed out loud, but I held it back.
Never again. I'd make sure she never did anything this reckless on her own again.
I gently twisted my grip, threading my fingers between Noah's.
Noah flinched and looked up at me.
"Aileen… Are you still mad…?"
I wasn't really mad.
It was just a mix of worry and frustration that had made me upset.
But somehow, Noah's reaction was so cute that I couldn't help but tease her.
"Do I look like I've calmed down?"
"Heuu… I-I'm sorry…!"
Noah clamped her hands over her mouth and hung her head low. I remembered her earlier demeanor.
That confident voice as she said she was going, telling me to stay home and cook.
That bright smile.
Those decisive steps.
I used to think she was just like a little sister, always so clumsy and foolish.
But earlier…
She was a little impressive.
Just like she always said, she really seemed like an adult. For once.
As I brushed my fingers lightly over Noah's shyly wriggling hand, I smiled softly.
* * * *
"Aileen!"
At my call, Aileen's spear shot forward, piercing through a gnoll's head.
Without missing a step, I charged ahead.
A gnoll that had been kicked by my foot grabbed its head and tried to stand.
I drew a dagger from my waist and drove it between its eyebrows.
Letting go of the dagger, I drew my greatsword.
A gnoll nearby, who had been reloading its crossbow, had its side blown apart.
The handle of my sword felt like it would break soon.
I had four daggers left. About thirty gnolls remained.
I checked on Luchi, who was swinging his sword beside me.
He was still holding up just fine.
If only my greatsword was in better shape…
I swung my greatsword at the oncoming gnoll's head.
With a sound like a watermelon splitting open, the gnoll's brains splattered across my face.
"Ugh! Gross…"
Maybe I could slow down a bit now…
I stabbed my sword into the ground and leaned against it.
I took a deep breath and expanded my senses.
The pain in my head grew sharper, worse than before.
But I pushed through.
The layout of the ruins formed in my mind.
Several knights lay sprawled on the ground, while others, still standing, fought stubbornly.
Knights gathered in the central plaza, providing emergency treatment.
Heinzel, who had single-handedly taken down a hundred gnolls.
And finally… the red wolf, still shrouded in silence.
"Thank goodness…"
In the brief moment I checked, Luchi had killed twenty more gnolls.
I could do it too. My weapon was just bad, that's all. Luchi had a really good one, that's why he was doing better.
It was so annoying…
If only I had a greatsword made from better materials…
As I sulkily stabbed the ground, Aileen approached.
"Phew… It's almost over."
"Y-Yeah."
I retrieved my greatsword from the ground and strapped it to my waist.
Luchi could probably handle the rest… and right on cue, he finished off the last gnoll.
"Good work, Noah. Really."
Aileen patted my head.
"M-My hair's dirty…"
I pulled my head away.
"Shush and come here."
Aileen pulled me close.
I didn't resist… partly because I felt bad for what I had done.
"If you let the blood and tangles dry like this, it'll be a nightmare to wash out. You might have to cut it all off."
"Ugh…"
I didn't really mind cutting it, but… getting hurt while washing it would suck, so I decided to stay still.
Just as Aileen finished untangling my hair, Luchi came over.
"Everything's cleaned up here, so let's head to the plaza… or actually, it'd be better to call the bald guy over."
Luchi took a stance and swung his sword fiercely towards the south.
As his sword cut through the air, a shimmering heat wave followed.
"Huh? W-What just…!"
Aileen's startled voice rang out as the flag at the South Gate was sliced clean off.
"Hmm, he'll be on his way now. Let's take a break here. There's three of us, and just one of him. Makes sense for him to come to us, don't you think?"
Luchi casually sat down on a gnoll's corpse like it was a chair.
Aileen stood frozen in place, while I stared at the sliced flag, recalling an old memory.
That was Luchi's special ability.
I couldn't remember its name, but I knew what it did.
It let him cut anything in his sight, regardless of distance.
It wasn't a sword energy technique, but rather some spatial-linking trick.
The only downside was its high energy consumption, so he couldn't use it often.
Seeing it in person… was really cool. Honestly, amazing.
"Did… did I just imagine that…?"
Look at her. Even Aileen was so shocked she couldn't focus.
She stopped untangling my hair and just stared into space.
I wanted to respond, but my throat was clogged, and no sound came out.
And I felt… incredibly sleepy…
"Uh… Noah, your hair's all untangled—"
Even though I was still holding my sword, Aileen's figure became a blur in my mind.
Her voice grew more and more distant.
Ugh, I don't care anymore. I just want to lie down. I'm so tired…
I let my body go limp and collapsed, letting gravity pull me to the ground.
With a thud, I felt the hard ground beneath me.
My greatsword… yeah, I'm still holding it.
I was definitely gripping it, but the landscape visible through my senses became hazy.
I had overexerted myself…
"Noah! Stay with me—what should I—"
I could hear Aileen's voice faintly in my ears.
Oh… she wants me to stay awake, doesn't she?
I need to tell her I'm not dying. I'm just tired.
But I couldn't get the words out. My throat was completely blocked, and nothing would come out…
Oh no… this is bad…