A Light from the Box
Este, I’ll keep this kindness close in my heart.
I rummaged through Drakan’s body and found a key to the iron bars.
...So this bastard rigged it like that, huh.
I unlocked the bars and asked him, “Were you usually pretty smart, Drakan?”
...Yes. The monsters called the Garugjong tribe are mostly high in intelligence. Dragons are similar in that respect.
Celine answered in a somewhat dazed voice. Why such a reaction.
“Why are you acting like that, Celine?”
...It’s because the Hero is amazing.
“Suddenly me?”
Even if you hype me up like that, nothing comes of it, Celine.
The sturdy iron bars opened easily once I turned the key. As soon as the bars swung open, Estelle bolted out. She grabbed my body and checked me over frantically, saying in a panicked voice, “Abel, are you okay!? Just wait, I’ll heal you right away....”
...I’m fine. It’s not that painful...
Estelle!
Hero!
...Ouch. It makes sense I’d feel this after taking Drakan’s attack head-on with my bare skin.
Estelle told me to sit down and I accepted the help of the two of them, settling into an awkward position. She poured strong divine power into my body. The pain slowly eased. It’s been a while since I felt this.
Don’t push yourself too hard...
...You didn’t believe I could handle it, did you?
I knew the risk. It really was dangerous.
Estelle’s voice was full of worry for me. There was no need for such concern. It made me feel a little guilty.
I’ll try not to get hurt from now on.
...Just don’t overdo it.
It’s better than using that power of yours, Estelle.
Estelle looked at me with a slightly surprised expression and asked, “How do you know that, Abel? That I shouldn’t use the goddess’s power?”
“Huh? I heard you say it before.”
“From who?”
“Um....”
...Right. Only Antonio the Cardinal had secretly told me that.
I glanced sideways and avoided her gaze. Estelle narrowed her eyes and looked at me.
“Who? Yohan the Cardinal? Antonio the Cardinal?”
...It was Antonio the Cardinal.
“Haa... That person also said some unnecessary things....”
It wasn’t unnecessary.
Antonio the Cardinal said it because he was worried about Estelle. It wasn’t unnecessary.
“I know I lose divine power the more I use it, but... How much divine power do you think I was born with?”
“You don’t know?”
How could I know that?
The Pope would be the one who could match me right now. Losing a little divine power won’t make me that weak.
......Even so, it’s bad if you weaken.
If you weaken, who will protect me?
It is bad, but it is not as important as your life.
“Um....”
What? I was almost moved.
“...Why are you looking at me with such strange eyes?”
I thought you cared for me deeply too, Estelle.
“Wh-what...? When did I ever do that!?”
“You just did.”
...No.
Instead of saying no.
Estelle’s face, still applying healing, had turned oddly red. It’s adorable.
[Rarity / Grade]
[Effects / Properties]
Celine beside Abel lowered her head in gratitude as he was being treated.
...Thank you for saving me, Hero.
“Huh? No need to thank me. It was only natural that I should do it.”
“Still....”
“If I had been locked up and Celine had been outside the bars, she would have tried to save me too. It’s the same thing.”
Celine’s red eyes sparkled with admiration.
What does she believe to be so sure of her own actions? She thinks that too, but if such a situation happened right now, her own life might be more precious.
Does Abel know what Celine is thinking? He continued speaking.
“And since I receive so much help from you usually, I should help you too when the time comes.”
“I haven’t really helped much....”
“You have. I just couldn’t thank you one by one. You’ve told me things I didn’t know.”
Celine was only able to do such small things. She couldn’t give blessings because divine power was too weak compared to Estelle, and in battle Abel was much better, so he could handle it.
So she thought about it a bit, but Abel expressed it as something he should be grateful for.
A thing he had never heard from Levius’s side, but even after doing such a thing, Abel was grateful.
“So please don’t think of it as a debt. I don’t intend to owe either Estelle or Celine anything in my heart.”
“...Huh?”
“Just think that I saved you freely.”
Celine’s eyes had widened in surprise. Levius always demanded a certain reward after saving someone, whether it was Celine or others.
If you didn’t show gratitude and didn’t repay enough, Levius would always leave a bad taste. So I had to always show gratitude toward Levius....
But Abel was different. Even though he had clearly saved her life at the cost of his own, he didn’t ask for any reward. Instead, he told her not to think of it as a debt, making the person who received the help feel comfortable.
‘...As expected, he is much different.’
Celine’s lips curled up naturally. She smiled at Abel with a gentle and comfortable smile.
“Really....”
“Huh?”
Celine brought her hands together at her chest and said as if praying.
...This kindness, I’ll keep it tightly in my heart.
“You don’t have to....”
“It’s not that I think of it as a debt. I want to keep the good heart that the Hero gave me deep in my heart.”
Celine smiled faintly. With an unpretentious beautiful smile, Abel turned his gaze slightly and said.
...I’m not that kind of person.
“Then most people in this world would fall into hell.”
“You’re exaggerating too much?”
Abel looked at Celine with a dumbfounded expression, and Celine smiled lightly as she met his eyes.
“Fuhaha, really?”
“Yes. Then my Estelle right next to me would also fall into hell....”
“What are you saying, Abel.”
...I was joking.
I was able to stand up right after getting treated by Estelle. As expected, the highest-grade potion.
“Now that we’ve cleared the dungeon, shall we go back? It doesn’t seem like many monsters are left....”
“Still, to be safe, let’s go down that path where Drakan appeared. There might be remaining monsters.”
“Yes.”
Estelle told me to rest and stepped forward. Training was enough.
To be honest, I admit it. How many monsters did I catch today?
....
Watching Estelle walk proudly ahead made an indescribable feeling. It feels like a small woman much smaller than me stepping forward to protect me.
Of course Estelle has the ability, but looking at the situation alone.
...It doesn’t sit right with me.
“Estelle.”
“Huh?”
“Wah!”
Kyah!?
As expected, she’s light.
I grabbed Estelle’s waist and lifted her up. Celine following behind was also surprised and stared at me.
“Hero...?”
“Ah, Abel? Why suddenly? Why!?”
...I just wanted to walk in front.
...I can’t let my woman stand as a shield like that!
“Huh? I told you to rest. You don’t need to train more.”
“That’s true... but I still want to go ahead.”
The rule is that a healer stands behind the warrior. Estelle looked at me with a strange stubbornness.
“Why are you acting like this? And this, let go of it....”
Being a man and hiding behind my woman feels bad.
“...Huh, huh!?”
Uh, did I bite my tongue?
As expected, Estelle made a pained face and writhed. I put her down behind me and said.
“I’ll stand in front. Any complaints?”
Estelle flushed and questioned me.
“Why, why do I belong to Abel? I never belonged to a useless person like you....”
“Huh? Then not yours, whose is it?”
“Th-that is......”
Estelle couldn’t deny it. She had given her first kiss and first experience to me, so she couldn’t deny it.
She’s acting cute.
I picked up the holy sword again and stepped forward. I could hear Estelle muttering something from behind, but it wasn’t clear.
...Thinking about it, sound like voices or footsteps was clear, but why not people’s voices. Is it a bug?
We walked forward until we reached a dead end. Precisely, there was a room.
Is this the place where Drakan lived?”
“It seems like it. Scales are scattered on the floor too.”
Celine showed me a translucent scale and said.
“It looks like this is the last space.”
“Shall we go in?”
“We’ve come this far... let’s take a look. From the fact that no monsters appeared, there probably isn’t much here.”
Huh?
From outside it looked completely empty, but inside there was a lot. Various weapons, gold coins, jewels... and a large box.
...What is all this?
It seems like the monsters that live in the dungeon gathered items stolen from people. They were probably storing them as spoils of war without using them.
Estelle explained with a slightly disgusted voice.
So they brought weapons like armor or swords from the people they killed and displayed them... Such wicked guys.
“How should we dispose of them?”
Actually, such items become spoils for the one who clears the dungeon. So Abel, you can do as you like.
“Um....”
Figuring out whose item each one was would be hard. Then....
“Give the usable weapons to the Burbon City security force. For gold coins and jewels, I’d like to donate to an orphanage. What do you think?”
After all, these aren’t my money or my things. I think this is the right way.
Estelle nodded and said.
“...Yes, let’s do that.”
She seemed to like my decision and her voice had a pleasant undertone. As expected, this was the right answer.
“The armor, how about the Hero wearing it?”
“Huh? My armor is still in good condition.”
“It was good until a moment ago, but now it doesn’t seem so.”
Celine pointed to my armor while saying that. Precisely the belly part.
...Ah, right.
The belly part of the armor had been dented from the hit by Drakan earlier. Hah.
“The armor should be fine. If you wear it, the people who passed would be happy if the Hero wears it.”
“...Yes.”
I accepted Celine’s suggestion and changed into one of the armors in the room. Surprisingly well-maintained. Is it a material that doesn’t rust easily?
...Or it might be a newly locked armor in this room.
Estelle was still putting gold coins and jewels into a money bag. Looking at it, there were quite a lot.
I asked Celine.
“But what is this?”
“Um... well, it seems like something is inside, but....”
The thing I touched was a large box together with other items. It looked exactly like a treasure chest.
“Shall we open it?”
“Go ahead. But what if there’s nothing inside?”
“No way. It was put here, so there must be something.”
Estelle, having taken all the gold, stretched her waist and stood up. I gestured for her to come as I half-opened the box.
“Estelle, does this look like something is here?”
“Yes?... Wait, Abel? Are you opening it knowing what it is?”
“Huh? Just a box.... Oh?”
When I almost opened the box fully, suddenly light burst from the box.
“Ugh!?”
“Ugh!”
“Abel?!”
The bright light gushing from the box enveloped Celine.
“[Line 1 of incantation]”
“[Line 2 of incantation]”
⟨ [Spell Name] ⟩
“...Abel? Celine?”
With the blinding white light, Abel and Celine vanished from the spot as if sucked into the box.
Estelle rushed to the box in a hurry and her shoulders twitched as she saw something.
The box was empty. Instead, something was drawn on the floor.
The only Estelle left muttered in a voice full of bewilderment.
...Teleportation magic?