Chapter 225

I followed them quietly for a few minutes. The men and the girl had now reached a dead end.

So it wasn’t a shortcut… Not that I was surprised.

“Oh… But there is no path here.”

“Do it.”

“Yeah.”

The bigger man ordered. The smaller guy then took out what appeared to be a rock from his pocket. As I watched, he started to send magic energy into it.

“So that’s how you use chained ore…”

Energy that took the form of chains came out and bound the girl.

“Huh? What!?”

“Good. Now, let’s get out of here.”

“Got it.”

It was certainly abduction. They were as bad as I had initially assumed. There was no need to hold back now.

I activated Legs of the God Wolf and jumped out from the shadows. Without losing speed, I shot forward and slammed a fist into the man who was about to pick up the girl.

“Guhh!?”

His feet came off the ground as he flew into the air and crashed into the wall behind him, head first.

Then he fell limply to the ground, leaving a smear of blood.

“WHAT!?”

“Kidnappers!”

“Agghh!!”

The other man looked at me in surprise, just as my knee connected with his stomach. He started to fall to the ground, the perfect height for my foot to meet his head. Like the first guy, he went flying into the wall.

“All done.”

I crushed the still glowing chain ore under my boot. The magic that had been binding the girl now faded away. She slowly got up and looked at me with a mix of fear and suspicion.

“Who are you…?”

“An Adventurer who happened to be passing by. People like these two exist. It would be better if you didn’t come out here alone.”

“Yes…I’m sorry… I got separated from my mother…”

So that’s why she had looked so worried. I now felt bad for not helping her as soon as I had noticed.

“Well then, we should go to where there are more people.”

“Oh…”

She was still suspicious. Well, that was the smart way to be.

“I know that you’re afraid. I understand why. So I’ll tell you where to go. Just follow this path here and it will take you to the main street. Once you are there, turn left and it’ll take you to the noble district. That’s where you’re from, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Right. Then you should go. I’ll keep an eye on you from afar.”

I didn’t have to lead her there by the hand.

“Well, off you go.”

“Um!”

“What?”

She called after me just as I was about to move away.

“Would you tell me your name…?”

“Why?”

“Why… So I can thank you…”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.”

“But…”

“Look, just turn that way and walk straight.”

I turned her around 180 degrees and pushed her back. And at the same time, I activated Legs of the God Wolf and Presence Block.

She turned around, but I was nowhere to be seen.

□ □ □ □

After that, I followed her on the roofs to see where she would go. Once she was out in the main street, she began to run. Up ahead of her, there was a woman who was surrounded by soldiers. When she saw the girl running towards her, the woman left the soldiers and rushed to the girl. She was clearly her mother. She was also clearly a noblewoman. Her clothes looked incredibly expensive.

And then I decided to return to the inn. I had fulfilled my purpose. Ahh. Thankfully, I didn’t have to go all the way to the noble district, and I had time. Might as well get a bite to eat before returning…

It had been a while since I last helped someone, so I felt a little elated as I ran on the rooftops until I reached the market district. Yes. the various delicious smells were alluring. What should I eat today…? I’d been eating a lot of meat recently, so maybe I could try some fish…

“Oh?”

“Hmm?”

Daniela was shopping and eating. I didn’t know how many times I had seen her walking around with two skewers of meat in her hands.

“Ah, Asagi. Want one?”

“Really? Thanks.”

Now this was rare. Her sharing food. On top of that, she had given me the one that she hadn’t already taken a bite out of. How sweet.

I didn’t feel like fish once I had accepted it, and so I bit into it without hesitation. The spices packed quite a punch as the flavor spread wildly in my mouth. And the juices… I had to lean forward so it didn’t spill on my clothes. I looked like an idiot. But it was good. Yes, meat was the best after all.

“What did you do today?”

“Hmm? I helped someone.”

“Oh? Tell me about it.”

“Of course.”

We came out into a mostly empty park. Daniela sat down by a bench near some monument thing in the center. Then we talked about what had happened.

I was bored, and went on a walk and got lost. Being lost was actually quite fun, until I found someone else who was lost. And then I ended up helping that lost child from men who were trying to abduct her. And then I had sent her back to her mother.

I was quite hungry after that, and so I came here to get some food.

“I see… That was very gallant of you.”

“Not at all. Normal. Normal.”

“No, it was. I am very proud of you Asagi, as my partner.”

It was kind of embarrassing to hear it in such a straightforward way.

“Hehe… I was worried. You seemed very closed off during the past few days.”

“I don’t think I was. I just needed to regain my calm.”

“You can say that, but it was written on your face. You did not look well when you were asleep.”

“…”

I had been having nightmares. That battlefield seemed to keep repeating in front of me. I would be lying if I said it hadn’t stressed me out. It had woken me up several times.

But it was all something I was resolved to deal with. And it wasn’t as bad as it might have been. It was all something we had thought out and decided on.

I had decided to do it. So there was no reason I couldn’t deal with it without asking for help. It was something I had to do alone.

And so I didn’t ask Daniela for anything. It was something that would sort itself out with a little time.

And the Imperial Sword Tournament would start soon. I was sure that my mind would be fully distracted when that happened. And then time would… Well, that’s what I was thinking. But Daniela seemed to have sensed what was happening.

“Asagi. Am I so undependable?”

“What are you saying? I don’t think there is a more dependable person in the world.”

“Then…you could rely on me…just a little?”

“You help me more than I even know. I don’t want to take advantage of that.”

My fist clenched around the skewer. It wouldn’t help me at all. Besides, why should someone who kills feel the need to rely so much on another’s kindness?

“…Well, perhaps this party is over.”

“What!?”

I was so surprised by this that I jumped off of the bench.

“This should have been a three-legged race. No matter where we are headed. But I cannot run if my partner rejects me. So, there is nothing to do but disband.”

“I… Daniela, are…are you serious?”

“Of course, I am. Do you think I am the kind of person who would joke about this?”

Her eyes were filled with anger as she stared at me. Why won’t you depend upon me? Why do you keep everything to yourself? Her stare seemed to ask.

“But, Daniela. This…”

“Say another word on it, and it is over.”

“Ggg…”

I would not let that happen here. I didn’t know what to do. But I didn’t want to part ways with her, and so I sat back down.

“I know what you are thinking. You think that it would be wrong to try and lighten any burden you might bear…”

That was exactly right.

“Basically, you are a foolish bastard trying to play some tragic hero role. So, how does the city look when you are all alone? Do you even see it? I doubt you see anything but yourself. Are you the protagonist on a stage?”

There was not a word I could say.

“It is idiocy. Nothing will come of it. You killed some people. They were sacrificed. It is a lot to deal with the death of one, but there are now many. Do you really have a choice but to rely on others?”

“Daniela…”

She was both enraged and on the brink of tears as her arms wrapped around me.

“I do not think you will survive like this… That is not something I want to see.”

“Daniela… I’m really fine.”

“It is not just this time. I have heard you in your sleep… You wanted forgiveness! You have become much stronger during our travels together, but your heart has not kept up with your body and experience… You are able to think of things and do them. But you have not always been able to deal with the results. But going forward, there will be many, many more deaths you will have to overcome.”

I slowly caressed her head. At this point, I was the one doing the comforting… No, maybe not.

I hadn’t killed anyone until I came to this world. In this world, it was normal. I knew that I would have to do it one day.

That day did come. I killed the bandits that had attacked the carriage. And then I fought many more after that.

“So, you must allow me to help… I do not want you to deal with it alone.”

She raised her head and our eyes met. It was surprising to me that she had put so much thought into this. And I was sad that I hadn’t realized it.

“Thank you, Daniela…”

“We are two halves of a whole. Share whatever pain you have… We must both feel it, the good and the bad.”

“Yes.”

She chuckled as a tear fell from her eye. Through tears and laughter, she was so beautiful that I moved my face closer in order to take it in.

And then she laughed knowingly and moved her face even closer to mine.