Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: No Weaklings Allowed
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"I can't stand having some weakling loitering around next to me."
"Huff... huff..."
Hearing that breathing, you'd think he was running a triathlon.
"How much farther is it?"
"Almost there."
"You've been saying that for a while now. This is the third time you've tricked me."
The sweat-soaked Commander grumbled like he was terribly wronged.
I turned around with my face still fresh and dry.
"Called yourself a Commander, but did you only build up muscles for twirling a pen?"
"......"
"Always sitting safe in the rear, just pointing fingers— no wonder your legs are so feeble."
Without a doubt, Esira had better stamina than this guy.
Plus, I was carrying two massive greatswords on my back without my breathing so much as hitching.
"I-I'm a patient, a patient."
"You're not broken anywhere."
"P-Please, have mercy on me. Can't we rest a bit before going on?"
We're practically there.
"Commander."
I spoke as if swallowing a sigh.
"Now that we're this far, steel yourself. You'll be walking paths like this nonstop for a while."
The Commander looked around with a face that screamed he was done.
"This is driving me insane. The air's damp, the ground's muddy, and every step makes my feet stick like glue. It's just walking— why is it this hard?"
Because your stamina sucks.
At this rate, he'd drop dead, so I finally stopped.
"Fine. Let's rest a bit."
The moment I gave permission,
"Haaa..."
The Commander collapsed straight to the ground.
Plopping down on the dirt like a wet cotton ball.
"I... I think I'm gonna live..."
His face already had half his soul drained out.
I leaned my back at an angle against a massive tree trunk.
Arms crossed, gazing down at him quietly— his sweat-drenched crown was downright pitiful.
'With that stamina, he wants to save the world.'
The future looks pitch black.
I stared into the forest for a moment, then asked what had suddenly piqued my curiosity.
"By the way, Commander."
"Y-Yes, huff, yes..."
"Where exactly were you headed originally?"
We were smack in the middle of the forest.
There had to be a destination since we were on the move.
The Commander caught his ragged breath with effort and pointed with a finger in the opposite direction from where we'd come.
"I got intel that Axiom had been through this area."
"Axiom?"
I raised one eyebrow.
"Axiom's everywhere on the continent. Any reason to come all the way to this backwater?"
"It's... a bit of a special case."
The Commander wiped his sweat.
"Not just any Axiom. It's about a very special person."
"Special person?"
"Yeah. There's this bizarre rumor going around, and it seems to have started right near this forest."
No way.
I hope it's just coincidence.
A bad premonition flashed through me.
I tightened my crossed arms.
The Commander knows my name.
I'd told him earlier.
"...So."
I put a bit more force into my voice as I asked.
"What name did you hear?"
The tips of my fingers gripping the greatsword twitched faintly.
The Commander, oblivious to my killing intent, shook his head with an awkward look.
"That's the problem."
"What is?"
"Circumstances being what they are, I couldn't get the full name or personal details. The informant was just about to spill when comms cut out."
Is he lying?
No, if he knew my identity, he wouldn't be beating around the bush like this.
He didn't react specially when I told him my name.
Weak as he looks, he's still a Commander— if he knew, he'd have played a different hand.
He really seems clueless.
"You crawled all the way here without even a name?"
"Well, isn't that what field investigations are? You know, the 'headfirst into the unknown' type."
"A Commander running his own fieldwork. Must be short-staffed. Or do you just love the grunt work that much?"
"Heh, sharp one. To be honest..."
The Commander wrinkled his nose sheepishly.
"I used it as an excuse to snag some vacation time on the side."
Watching that utterly carefree face, I felt like an idiot for tensing up so much.
"...Get up. You've rested enough."
"Huh? Already? Feels like my butt's barely been down three minutes!"
"Exactly three minutes. No more whining."
The Commander groaned as he forced himself up.
Even as I prodded him, I had to swallow an uneasy aftertaste.
'This feels off.'
Special person.
Timing and location point to me.
If it's some third party?
That's a headache variable too.
Either way, not welcome news.
How much farther did we go?
The dragging footsteps from behind suddenly stopped dead.
The Commander, heaving with breath up to his chin, was just opening his mouth.
"...Please, just one minute more."
"We're here."
I pointed ahead.
A rough but cozy wooden fence came into view.
The sentry dozing off atop the watchtower snapped his head up at the noise.
His bleary eyes widened to lantern size the instant he clocked my silhouette.
"Wha-what?!"
The sentry flung his spear aside and scrambled down the ladder like he was tumbling.
"You're back! Safe and sound!"
"Yeah. No trouble?"
"With Lady Asrania gone, how could there be no trouble?! We were all so worried!"
The sentry fussed with a face mixed of relief and joy, then bellowed toward the village interior at full volume.
"Villagers! Everyone come out! Hurry!"
"Lady Asrania's back! The boss is here!"
"Woooaaah!"
The village erupted like a kicked beehive in seconds.
"Really? She's really here?"
"It's really Lady Asrania!"
"Oh man, you made it back safe!"
Murder demon? Monster?
At least in this moment, here, those words didn't fit.
Not a trace of wariness or fear— pure, 100% affection and trust.
The Commander standing beside me was dumbfounded.
"...What the hell is this situation?"
This scene must look like mass hypnosis or a cult gathering to him.
"I get that you're glad, but calm down. Got a guest behind me."
The excited crowd froze.
Only then did they spot the panting stranger behind me.
The warm welcome that had poured over me vanished; their gazes on the Commander brimmed with suspicion and discomfort.
"...And Esira?"
Someone asked the most important question first.
"At home, probably. I came out alone."
"Then who's that guy?"
Their glares sharpened.
The Commander flinched and hunched his shoulders.
If I weren't here, they'd be pelting him with stones as a group.
"Picked him up on the way."
"...Pardon?"
"Found him collapsed on the path, so I just grabbed him."
I stated the plain facts.
Casual, like scooping up a potato from the roadside.
"...Ah, I see."
"Thought some weirdo was clinging to you and got scared."
Weirdo clinging?
Oh, I get what they imagined.
I side-eyed the huffing Commander behind me.
"I can't stand having some weakling loitering around next to me."
"......"
"I don't have a hobby of lugging around baggage that struggles just to breathe. He was rolling around, so I picked him up."
The Commander behind me opened and closed his mouth like he was wronged.
"Baggage? Isn't that a bit harsh?"
"With that stamina, collapsing twice on the way here makes you baggage, right?"
"I'm a patient, I said."
"You'd be the same even unhurt."
The Commander tucked tail and submitted.
"Fine. Lady Asrania's side is perfect with just her!"
"...Her?"
The Commander tilted his head.
The villagers obviously meant Esira.
From the Commander's view, who hasn't met her yet, he wouldn't have a clue.
Might think partner or something.
'No need to explain now.'
"Chat later. Let's head in."
"Ah, got it."
The Commander scratched the back of his head, still hung up on "her," and followed me.
Before going inside, someone spoke up.
"Oh, right— we have a guest."
"Guest?"
"Said he's from Axiom."
"......"
Who now?
Janet's jaw dropped as she pushed through the underbrush.
"Whoa, insane..."
What the hell happened here?
"Reina, was there some local skirmish recently? Why's the forest like this?"
"...No such records."
Janet pointed ahead with a trembling finger.
"Then what the hell is this nonsense!?"
The lush forest had been sliced clean off, exposing raw earth.
Hundreds of trees cut in a straight line, like guillotined by some colossal blade.
"Whoa, no way— dinosaurs hiding here? Like a T-Rex! Total blockbuster event!"
"...Janet. Dinosaurs are extinct."
"You never know! Maybe a couple survived deep in the woods like in the movies!"
Reina pressed her throbbing temple.
"Dinosaurs don't leave traces like this to begin with."
"Why?"
"They stomp or bite. They don't slice forests like cutting tofu."
Reina rubbed her clammy palms on her clothes.
It was beyond unreal— straight-up grotesque.
'What the hell's in this forest?'
First thing that came to mind: Axiom.
A lot of Axiom activity here lately.
Superhumans might pull off destruction like this.
Reina shook her head immediately.
'No. Not even Axiom could do this.'
This wasn't technology. It was calamity. You couldn't call it human work.
"...Commander."
Anxiety welled up to her throat.
If the missing Commander had crossed paths with whoever left this horror.
Just imagining it darkened her vision.
"Please... be safe."
Reina murmured with desperate heart.
She didn't believe in gods, but right now, she'd pray to anyone.
"Hey, Reina."
Janet said.
"Lighten up that face. You're too young for frown lines."
"This isn't the time to worry about wrinkles."
"I know, I know. But your sourpuss look is making me nervous too."
Janet shrugged like it was nothing. Her golden eyes scanned warily nonstop.
"Don't assume the worst. You know our Commander."
"Commander?"
"Yeah. That guy's the type who'd sweet-talk the devil for a meal in hell."
"...Janet, that's a bit much."
"It's a compliment. Survival expert."
Reina's lips eased just a fraction.
"Right. He's probably waiting somewhere."
"Told ya. Bet he's got someone pinned down right now, whining about hunger and getting served."
"Hehe, I hope so."
The two resumed walking.
Paradoxically, the tree-less scar served as a guidepost.
"But hey."
Janet spoke up again.
"What if the one who did this to the forest is with the Commander?"
"...Huh?"
"Think about it. Power like this— monster or human, not your average joe. And our Commander's got that charm."
"No, but..."
"Might've talked his way into the gang already."
"No way."
Reina shook her head like it was absurd, but
Deep down, she hoped Janet's nonsense was real.
"Hey! Look over there!"
Faint smoke rose in the distance.
"Must be the destination."
"Let's go. He might've beat us there and be waiting."
"Yeah, coming!"
The buzz grew louder as they neared the village.
Rowdy, excited vibe.
"...What's with the atmosphere here?"
Janet muttered puzzled.
Even the tensed-up Reina cocked her head.
The village brimmed with more than peace— it was lively.
"Excuse us, coming through!"
Someone rushed past.
Janet and Reina hurried after, not wanting to miss out.
They spotted the man they'd been searching for.
"...Commander?"
Reina's mouth fell slightly open.
They'd found the Commander.
But his state was off.
Face flushed red like a ripe apple, eyes half-lidded and glassy.
Drunk? But no bottles on the table— just glossy meat dishes and desserts.
Three women around the Commander.
"Reina, no way those two are..."
"Yeah. Blackjack and Dancing Butterfly."
Both Axiom members.
Looks like the attackers on us were Axiom too.
The last one, unknown.
Silver-haired woman.
Sitting with arms crossed.
Short, simple outfit baring her white legs.
Expression cold enough to be pondering whether to quarter the man before her.
Oblivious to the mood, the Commander kept talking.
"Aah~ I'm telling you."
The Commander's finger waggled in the air before jabbing toward the silver-haired woman's lower half.
"The legs, the legs..."
"......"
"Not just pretty. Art, pure art. This angle, this proportion. A marvel of human anatomy..."
"......"
The silver-haired woman didn't reply.
Just the veins bulging on her crossed arms.
Blue killing intent sparked from her red eyes.
Reina couldn't hide her bewilderment.
'What the hell is going on here?'