Chapter 30

Translator: True Detective

Chapter 30. Elephant Hunting

How to put an elephant in a refrigerator.

In theory, it is perfect.

A standard raid strategy worthy of being in a textbook.

Tanker draws agro, dealer aims for openings.

But reality always betrays theory, and especially so if the party member next to you is a muscle-brained Hero.

Kwaang! Boom!

A huge crater was dug where the Black Mammoth's front foot slammed down.

The Hero and I jumped to both sides.

In the same direction.

Thump.

Shoulders collided in mid-air.

"……."

"……You!"

Landing.

Glared at each other.

Teamwork doesn't match.

Not just not matching, but at the level of itching to kill each other.

Water and oil. Cat and dog. Black Knight and Hero.

If I turn right, Leona turns right too; if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I aim for the head, Leona aims for the head too.

"You're doing this on purpose, right!?"

"In the way."

"You are the one who shouldn't hang around!"

Our beautiful coordinated play created a miraculous negative synergy.

Narrowing each other's attack angles, blocking movement paths, and increasing hit counts.

Can't go on like this. Efficient division of labor is needed.

'I will take the left. Please take the right. If we combine our strength, we can easily handle a monster of this level.'

"You are in the way. Get lost from my sight."

No, what if you say get lost.

I said let's cooperate.

I said let's combine our strength and beat up that hairy elephant.

Leona's brow crumpled instantly.

"This is really. Since I'm being nice…!"

"I'll go left."

"I said I'm left!"

While we were having a meaningless argument over the ownership of the left side.

Whiiiiiiing─

Sound of air tearing.

Turned head.

Black Mammoth swung its huge tusk.

Target is Leona.

She was distracted by the argument with me and reacted late.

Body moved first.

Thud-

Stepped one step forward and pushed Leona's shoulder.

"Ugh!?"

She rolled over the snowfield.

Simultaneously, the tusk collided with my greatsword.

Kuuung!

"Kuh…!"

Heavy impact was transmitted through both arms. Snow underfoot split radially and both legs dug in up to the knees.

Barely held on.

Pushing away the tusk, I looked back at Leona.

She was getting up from the snowfield.

Our eyes met.

'This much is worthy of thanks, isn't it?'

I expected slightly.

Words like 'Thank you'.

No, is that luxury too. Just nodding once is enough.

"Tch."

Leona clicked her tongue shortly.

……

Clicked her tongue.

Saved her life and she clicks her tongue?

Does the Goddess Church not teach manners?

Following that, she took a bizarre action.

While I was holding the tusk, instead of aiming for the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flank, she rather ran towards me.

Tatatat.

Light footsteps kicking the snowfield.

Approaching silver-haired silhouette.

'Huh?'

Wait. Momentum is fierce?

Don't tell me, a despicable method of processing an ally disguised as a 'mistake' during melee?

Thinking of eliminating Black Knight and Black Mammoth simultaneously at this opportunity?

Even so, would a so-called Hero do such a thing?

The moment I prepared defense, Leona leaped.

And stepped on my shoulder.

Stepped?

Bang!

Using my shoulder as a springboard, she soared into the air.

'No, wait a minute. Treating a person as a stepping stone is too much, isn't it?'

But without time to complain, she rotated her body in the air. The Holy Sword loaded with centrifugal force drew a golden trajectory and struck down towards the Mammoth's crown.

"Dieeeeee!"

Pushuk!

Leona twisted the sword on the Mammoth's back.

Kieeeeeeek!

Mammoth screamed. Piercing thick hide, the Holy Sword embedded deep.

Is that the Hero's wit?

Bold decisiveness to step on a comrade and go up?

But now wasn't the time to be lost in admiration.

'I can't stay still either.'

Concentrated Aura of Abyss on the greatsword. Pitch-black energy blazed fiercely along the blade.

Whiiing─!

Struck down the greatsword towards the tusk.

Slice.

Unexpectedly empty sound.

Huge tusk was cut off.

Kung.

Cut tusk stuck in the snowfield.

Guoooo…

Mammoth cried sorrowfully.

Understandable. How embarrassing it must be with only one proud tusk left.

'I'll balance it for you.'

Cut off the other one too.

Slice.

Now the Black Mammoth became a bald… no, tuskless Mammoth.

Mammoth's eyes rolled back.

Kieeeeeeek!

Black Mammoth writhing in pain prepared for a last-ditch effort.

Raised its trunk.

Black magic power condensed in the bastard's mouth.

Surrounding air cooled rapidly in an instant.

It’s breath.

Not just bad breath level, but freezing breath that freezes everything it touches.

Turned head.

Behind were spectating warriors.

"Wh, What is that!?" "Run!" "Legs won't move!"

Northern warriors, supposedly veterans, were frozen in fear.

Natural.

Ancient Demonic Beast's breath. If hit, even bones freeze.

In that crowd.

Saw blonde hair.

Lucia.

She was looking at me too.

Our eyes met.

Emerald eyes shook with fear.

But inside, there was something else too.

Expectation. Certainty.

Groundless belief that I would do something somehow.

'Hmph.'

Laughter came out.

Yes, right. I do something somehow.

As much as you believe, no, more than that.

'Do not worry. Behind my back is safe. I will not let a single strand of hair be hurt.'

"Bunch of dregs. Be trembling behind my back."

Puuuuuuuu!

Before words finished, black cold air spewed out.

I gripped the greatsword. Raised Aura of Abyss to the limit.

"Haap!"

Greatsword swung horizontally split the wave of cold air head-on.

Collision of darkness and darkness.

But my darkness is deeper.

My abyss is thicker.

Swaaek─!

Black cold air split left and right and scattered.

Sizzle.

Frost formed on armor surface then evaporated instantly.

Behind is safe.

No need to check.

Within the range my sword reaches, I won't let even an ant freeze to death.

Situation summary.

Tusk amputation, sword stab in crown, breath failure.

Tattered.

Miserable state making the dignity of an Ancient Demonic Beast colorless.

"Let’s finish."

On the Mammoth's back.

Leona was hacking the bastard's hide.

Our eyes met.

Nod.

For the first time, no disagreement.

No argument, no sarcasm, no 'get lost'.

Just short eye exchange. That was enough.

Golden light burned from Leona's Holy Sword.

Abyss-like darkness boiled from my greatsword.

Light and Darkness.

Two incompatible powers rushed towards one goal.

We leaped simultaneously.

Cross.

Golden light and pitch black pierced the Mammoth's neck drawing an X.

Slice.

Sound was small.

But.

Right after we brushed past the Mammoth's neck, light and darkness collided inside the bastard's body causing an explosion.

Kwaaaang!

Blizzard covered vision white.

Body staggered at shockwave.

Thump!

Earth shook.

Black Mammoth fell.

Ended.

Perfect victory.

…Was what I thought at that moment.

"Ugh!"

Leona, who was on the Mammoth, was bounced off by the aftermath of the explosion.

Posture collapsed in mid-air.

Crisis of becoming 'what used to be a Hero' by crashing into the ground if left alone.

I threw my body reflexively.

Snatched her with one arm, and took landing posture.

Thump.

Landed on snowfield.

Safely. Softly.

Hero in arms was safe.

Wanted to applaud myself for my excellent coping ability.

Just one thing.

Except for the position of my right hand.

Squish.

Something strange texture was transmitted.

Gap where Leona's armor was torn.

Between loosened compression bandages.

Something unusually soft and elastic transmitted to my palm.

'…….'

What is this.

Wait, let's check a bit more.

Squish squish.

Adipose tissue. Biologically very important, formed by combination of mammary gland tissue and fat…

Considerable.

No, amazing.

To think she was hiding this much volume with compression bandages, isn't it almost space magic level compression technology?

'No, wait. Not the time to admire now.'

Take hand off quickly. Right now. Even 0.1 second faster.

But my hand didn't know how to fall off as if it had an ego.

Rebellious right hand not listening to master's order.

Force majeure. Since I grabbed urgently, unavoidably hand position…

"……."

Leona's body in arms stiffened stiffly.

Her face turned red.

Dyed bright red up to ear tips, she lifted her head and glared at me.

In those eyes, countless emotions were contained.

Murderous intent. Shame. Embarrassment.

And murderous intent again.

Currently the proportion of murderous intent is rising.

But she is a 'man'. Officially.

If she screams here?

'Kyaaak! Where are you touching!'

If she shows such reaction?

Becomes like announcing to the whole world the fact that she is not a man.

Such situation she would want to avoid too.

So Leona endured.

Bit trembling lips tight, and growled with suppressed voice.

"Hand."

"?"

"Remove hand."

Only then did I remove my hand.

Regret… no, relief surged.

"It was an accident."

"……Someday I'll kill you."

Leona muttered quietly instead of replying and escaped from my arms.

She turned her back hurriedly and adjusted the bandages.

Awkward silence.

Only the Black Mammoth's corpse lay forlornly in between.

"Waaaaaaah!"

At that time, cheers burst out breaking the silence.

"Won! Black Knight-nim best! Black Knight-nim best!" "Caught the monster!" "Long live Hero-nim! Long live Black Knight-nim!"

Northern warriors flocked in droves. Drunk on victory, they hugged each other and danced.

And pushing through that crowd, Lucia ran over.

"Leon!"

She passed me and ran to Leona.

"Leon! Are you okay!? Hurt anywhere!?"

Lucia grabbed Leona's arm and examined here and there.

Torn armor, wounded skin, messy appearance.

Um… seems like I did that during the duel, not the Mammoth.

I watched that scene blankly.

'…….'

Right. Since childhood friends.

Since bosom friends.

Naturally that side is first.

I am not sad at all.

Not at all. Never.

I turned my head pretending to be fine.

'Mm. Tusk is cut very prettily. Cross-section is smooth. Seems my skill improved.'

Meaningless appreciation.

I got hurt too.

I think I sprained my ankle a bit too.

Is it my heart that is sprained.

"Knight-nim!"

Huh?

Turned head at the heard voice.

Lucia stood in front of me.

Her green eyes were looking up at me.

"Good work. Are you… hurt anywhere?"

Her small hand carefully fumbled over my armor. Minute warmth transmitted over cold metal.

'Ah.'

Petty sadness in my heart disappeared like melting snow.

Right.

Lucia was the type to eat the strawberry on the shortcake last.

Delicious things are eaten later. Precious things are saved.

In other words, proof that she cherishes me the most!

As expected, only Lucia thinks of me!

'It is nothing. If you are safe, that is enough for me.'

"This level isn't even a walk."

…Damn. Bluff again.

'Since you worry, it feels like wounds are all healed.'

Wanted to say such sweet lines.

Lucia sighed in relief and smiled.

"That’s a relief. Really."

It was then.

Over there, Leona was watching us.

Having adjusted all bandages, she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looked at me and Lucia alternately with strange eyes.

Scene where I blocked breath earlier. And appearance of Lucia caring for me now.

"Lucia."

Leona asked.

"What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is the relationship between you two on earth?"

Actually I am curious too. What relationship are we?

Kidnapper and hostage? Guardian and ward? Owner and puppy?

Lucia hesitated for a moment.

Looked at me once.

Eyes met.

Looked at Leona again.

And.

Smile.

Laughed.

Shyly.

But clearly.

"My Knight-nim."

Leona stiffened with mouth open as if shocked.

……?

I thought time stopped for a moment too.

Not just knight but 'My' knight?

Corners of my mouth inside the helmet twitched on their own. Cheekbones seem to ascend to heaven.

Ah.

As expected, I am a born romanticist.

Mm-hm, indeed so.