Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Save Ariana!
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“Vice Commander. What are you saying! There's no way Daron could do it!”
Exactly.
I was just a lowly soldier, weaker than Rise or Ainel. Sure, I'd gotten stronger to the level of a regular knight, but stopping that Earth Dragon was impossible. Even Ariana Katrin could only manage to hold back its movements. It would probably take the Hero herself to take it down.
“Your Highness. While Commander Ariana is holding it off, you need to escape quickly. For the commander's... sacrifice not to be in vain... Haah, I'm sorry.”
Ainel couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Even she, who always seemed so upbeat, was shedding tears at Ariana's sacrifice.
She's still...
Rise hadn't let go of my hand.
“Daron... I think you can do it. So...”
“Me, Your Highness?”
“I think you can...”
Rise was prioritizing me over Ariana. So she must value my life highly too. But more than that, she trusted in my abilities.
Having spent so much time close to me, Rise would know.
She hadn't asked outright, but she knew I was hiding something. That's why she was pinning her hopes on me for her idol, Ariana.
Can I really do it?
What if I just go alone and fail?
I might even get in the way.
Of course...
It's not entirely impossible.
“Haah.”
“Daron. Why are you hesitating? You can't seriously be thinking of going, right?”
Ainel couldn't even comprehend that I was considering it. Yeah. I couldn't understand myself either.
“Your Highness.”
I'm really going crazy here.
“To Commander Ariana—”
“I forbid it.”
Asabel cut me off before I could finish.
“It'd be a dog's death. Do you think you can take down that Earth Dragon?”
“No, I don't.”
“Then why go? You're insane. Commander Ariana's sacrifice is regrettable, but I have no intention of losing you.”
It seemed my value had skyrocketed. Normally, she'd scoff at a mere soldier like me volunteering and tell me to buzz off.
“You're a capable soldier. Too capable to just leave as a foot soldier. You think I'd let someone like you go?”
“Your Highness.”
I dropped to one knee and bowed my head.
“Though I'm just a soldier, I'm someone who can lay down his life for Commander Ariana. She taught me the sword, and thanks to her, I've come this far and gained experience.”
“I can't understand it. Don't you value your life?”
“If I run away now, I'll be no different from those knights.”
“...”
Her mouth stiffened at the mention of "those knights." Several imperial knights had fallen to the aberrant Black Anaconda called Rakt. When they sensed their lives were in danger, they abandoned the princess and fled.
“I'm not a knight, but I know a true knight... wouldn't do that.”
I looked up at Asabel with confident eyes. She trembled with anger at my defiance of her orders, but she had no choice but to acknowledge me. In fact, she probably wanted to see this.
Knights who always preached loyalty but fled at the first sign of real danger. Unlike them, she wanted to see the ideal knight in a mere soldier like me.
“Are you confident?”
“Honestly, no.”
Fuck, I'm not the Hero. How could I take down an Earth Dragon?
“But I'm also confident I won't die.”
“What?”
“I have no confidence in slaying the Earth Dragon, but that doesn't mean I'll die pointlessly.”
That's right.
I'll try to take it down, but if it doesn't work, I'll bail. It'll be tough, but I have to give it a shot. I can do it. Why?
Because I'm the soldier who survived all the way to the final battle against the Demon King.
“Daron.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I give you this order.”
“What is your command?”
“Save Ariana. And if possible, slay the Earth Dragon too.”
She must have found it absurd even saying it herself.
“Do you think... you can do it?”
If we're splitting hairs between possible and impossible...
“Yes.”
I can.
.
.
.
BOOM!!!!!
BOOM!!!!!!
A terrifying roar shook the ground like an earthquake.
GRRAAAAAHHH!!!!
The Earth Dragon's bellow threatened to tear my eardrums. Still, I had to press forward. Like a moth flying into flames, I charged straight at the Earth Dragon.
Up close, I could see the entire battle between human and dragon at a glance.
Ariana, covered in minor wounds. Her torn clothes were visible along with the injuries. To ensure the knights' complete retreat, she hadn't fallen back an inch. A knight sacrificed to the Earth Dragon was worth less than Ariana herself. Yet Ariana held firm, fighting the beast with the resolve to buy time for even one more to escape.
“Lady Ariana!!!!!!”
“Daron?”
Ariana dodged the Earth Dragon's attack and was startled by my appearance.
“Why are you here? Hurry and run!”
“I'll fight alongside you, Lady Ariana!”
“What are you—. Daron, watch out!”
Suddenly, the sky darkened. It wasn't a cloud blocking the sun. The Earth Dragon's massive foot was blotting out the heavens. Ariana kicked off the ground and shot toward me like an arrow, scooping me up just in time.
BOOM!!!!!!!
The spot where I'd stood was crushed under the Earth Dragon's foot, kicking up a cloud of dust.
“Daron. Why did you come?”
“I couldn't leave you behind, Lady Ariana.”
“What...?”
We couldn't continue our words. We pulled back from the Earth Dragon's relentless assaults. There was no time to worry about each other. The Earth Dragon, which had only had its upper body poking out from the burrow, fully emerged.
“Lady Ariana! That thing's intelligence is lower than we thought! You need to target its rear as much as possible!”
Ariana must have been blocking it head-on to keep it from pursuing the knights. But now the Earth Dragon was berserk, only recognizing enemies right in front of it. That meant just Ariana and me.
Ariana channeled mana into her sword and slashed at the Earth Dragon. But its massive body prevented a fatal wound. Following my advice, she circled to its rear.
KAAAANG!!!!!
The Earth Dragon roared in fury and turned to face her.
An Earth Dragon.
With a raid party properly prepared, it could be taken down. But even Ariana couldn't do it alone. She was fast and strong. Dodging the shockwaves from its stomps and the flying debris was another matter.
Still, fighting it had become somewhat easier than before.
“What now?”
I hid behind a large boulder and watched the fight. The damage accumulating on Ariana was greater than on the Earth Dragon. She'd buy time until the knights fully retreated, but there was no guarantee she'd survive.
And besides...
“Urk!”
Ariana grimaced. It wasn't just the Earth Dragon anymore. The Black Anacondas were joining in too. One Earth Dragon was overwhelming enough, and now the snake spawn were attacking as well.
What do I do?
What do I do what do I do.
I pondered while slicing off an anaconda's head. I peered into the burrow the Earth Dragon had emerged from. A natural cave beneath the forest came into view. An endless, bottomless cavern. The underground space was why the forest surface hadn't collapsed under the Earth Dragon's movements.
“Lady Ariana!”
“I told you to go!”
“There's a way to take down the Earth Dragon!”
For the moment, Ariana and I had a brief respite from the Earth Dragon, hiding just the two of us. It scanned around, searching for her. Time was limited. If Ariana stayed completely hidden, it'd go after the knights.
“Are you alright?”
“Haah... Haah... I'm fine.”
Her hair disheveled, armor shattered. She wasn't seriously hurt yet. I'd never seen Ariana like this before. Fighting the Earth Dragon one-on-one must have been grueling.
“I'll draw the Earth Dragon's attention. In return, you have to do something for me, Lady Ariana.”
“What? Daron, no matter how strong you've gotten, impossible is impossible.”
“It's possible.”
It'll be tough, but.
“Look at you. Covered in wounds and on the verge of exhaustion.”
“Haah... I'm... a knight. A knight—”
“A knight fights to the end. Then what about the knights who fled while you bought time?”
“They're knights under my responsibility. Besides, more families would grieve if several knights died than just me.”
“Does that mean my worries don't matter?!”
I shouted and grabbed Ariana's shoulders.
“It's not just me. Your parents, Lady Ariana. And all the knights of the Empire! They'll weep blood at your death.”
As a noble, one must lead by example and sacrifice for the nation. That must be the ironclad rule Ariana learned in her countess family. But letting her push herself too far was no good.
“You too... You'd be very sad if I died.”
“Yes. I'd be devastated.”
I was boldly touching my superior's body. Ariana was startled by my sudden action but blushed.
“Daron...”
“Yes.”
“I never knew... that you worrying about me would make me this happy.”
“Yes?”
Ariana took my hand from her shoulder and gently clasped it between both of hers.
“Thank you. The truth is, I... I like you, Daron...”
“Yeah, I figured you liked me. Yes, I know.”
“...Huh? Wh-what, how?”
The mood had turned totally pink, but I ruthlessly ruined Ariana's confession.
“If you survive, I'll accept it then. Trust me. We'll take down this Earth Dragon together, survive, and after that...”
I stole Ariana's lips. It was a sudden kiss, but she quickly accepted my mouth. No lewd tongue play. But it was short and intensely passionate.
When we parted, Ariana's eyes clearly said it wasn't enough.
“After that... I'll do it again.”