The Salvation Ninja (10)
Once we reached Evergreen Village, everything after that went smooth as silk.
"We've scoured the area thoroughly from last night until now and located the Wild Tribe's settlement. For better or worse, the lot of them had already cleared out. You can rest easy."
The Wild Tribe had packed up every last scrap of their belongings and left before heading to the shrine, just as I'd ordered. They'd gotten the sacred artifact they wanted, so there was no reason for them to ever go back.
"I see… That's a relief. Is this the place you marked?"
Amy, the village representative, pointed at the paper I was holding in my right hand. It was the simple map Saserif had sketched out. I handed it over with the same proud look I'd worn when I first got it.
"That's right. Here you go. When you've got a free moment, take the Crimson Flame Dragon Knights or those black-clad warriors and check it out yourselves."
"Black-clad warriors? Ah, you mean the Rehabilitation Corps."
So that was their name—the Rehabilitation Corps. I'd caught a glimpse of them moving when I slipped out of the hive with Floating Shadow. The dead look in every single one of their eyes had stuck with me. I'd expected brave warriors locked in battle with the bee yokai, but nope. Kind of a letdown.
"So the request is finished now, right? I'd like to head home and get some rest."
"You must be exhausted—I've kept you too long. Understood. A carriage is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Make yourselves comfortable until then. Truly, thank you."
Here it comes. I already felt like I'd arrived in Neo-Solitron. Would we have enough for a house? Orphe managed the finances, so it should be fine. I was done with the homeless wanderer life. Day by day the gear kept piling up; I needed somewhere to store it all.
"The dream of owning my own place."
Buoyed by the sweet anticipation of settling down, I arrived at the inn. After a brief debate over which room to barge into first, I chose the girls' room. Orphe and Diana's reactions would be way better than that scrap-metal robot Tribo's, right?
I knocked, then used the key the innkeeper had given me and stepped inside.
"Daddy's home."
Diana was learning her letters from Teacher Orphe, while Tribo was curled up in the corner. Why was Tribo even in here? Because he was a robot and therefore "safe"? He was optimized for the role of male friend, I guess.
"Robin."
Orphe greeted me with a faint smile. For the Ice Witch Orphe to smile even a little meant she was ridiculously happy to see me. Diana, cheeks plump and rosy, glared at me with that classic "I'm so done with you" face, like she was already missing the forehead flicks.
"…You're not my dad."
"I know that, you little brat."
Did she really have to say it out loud? Clear evidence of zero empathy. When someone walks in all cheerful, you're supposed to play along and welcome them warmly. I decided to let it slide—she was just an uncivilized little yokai kid. Patience. The virtue of endurance.
"What did you do with the Wild Tribe? …Did you kill them all?"
This bastard Tribo really thought of me as some kind of murder machine. Honestly, he wasn't wrong.
"I went there planning to, but once I actually met them they turned out different from what I'd expected."
"What happened? I want to hear everything."
"Curious, are you? Dying of curiosity?"
"…Yes. Extremely curious."
The only one who ever played along even a little was Orphe. Maybe because she was the sole actual "human" in the party besides me? Humans really were the only hope.
"To tell that story properly I have to start from when I changed into my ninja suit…"
Witch the Baby-Slayer. The pitiful Wild Tribe. The busy bees. The queen bee cradling the sacred artifact. The Flame Sword Captain's sudden intrusion. The soul-staking duel that ended in victory for the Runaway Ninja.
I talked so enthusiastically that evening rolled around before I knew it. Diana was already asleep again. If she'd started snoring I would've given her a proper forehead flick on the spot.
"A sacred artifact… so that's what they call the power gained through a contract with a spirit. Fascinating."
Mountain spirits, huh. Tribo had mentioned something like that before.
"Both Queen Beelix and the Flame Sword Captain must have been formidable opponents. You got incredibly lucky."
"Could you call it skill instead of luck?"
Luck was part of skill, sure, but "skill" just sounded better.
"You communicated with the Wild Tribe, returned their sacred artifact, and even rescued the people kidnapped by those cursed otherworlders…"
"Just another day at the office for me. Don't forget the part where I won a full-on fight against the Flame Sword Captain."
Even the newbie Tribo seemed to finally grasp that I was a righteous Runaway Ninja.
"I told you, didn't I? You don't need to change."
Orphe spoke with the confidence of someone talking about her own business. Change? Change what? I was about to ask when Tribo beat me to it.
"…I didn't see it myself. Still, I want to believe. That I was wrong."
What the hell had they talked about while I was gone?
Grrrgl.
Probably nothing important. Food first.
I'd skipped lunch and fought, so I was starving.
"Let's go eat meat. My treat."
"Meat?!"
The second I jangled the gold coins Amy had given me, Diana shot upright, eyes sparkling. Who taught her this freeloading behavior? Lamina, was it you?
Decision made. Until we left for Neo-Solitron tomorrow, full-course "Human Lessons." Morality, manners, and basic decency—I was going to cram them straight into her brain by force.
My plans were ruined the next morning by Kate's sudden visit. What good was a plan when a world overflowing with chaos refused to play along?
"Robin and Orphe. The Flame Sword Captain wishes to see the two of you."
I'd heard during dinner that the Flame Sword Captain—who had defeated the bee yokai—had returned to the village. Why grab us on the exact day we were trying to leave? She hadn't figured out my identity, had she?
"Let's go. It won't be anything serious."
As if she'd read my worry, Orphe gently rested a hand on my shoulder. She wasn't the type for skinship. Felt like she'd become a different person overnight. Had she gotten some kind of power-up event?
"Well, alright. Let's go."
We trailed after Kate to a tent at the temporary outpost outside the village.
"You've come."
The Flame Sword Captain lay on a bed with her left shoulder bandaged. Faint dark circles under her eyes suggested a sleepless night. The sting of defeat was a bitter thing.
"Captain, Vice-Captain. I'll take my leave now."
"Good work, Kate."
"Come in."
A woman called the Vice-Captain sat in the chair beside the bed. First time seeing her face—cool and composed, same department as Orphe.
"Robin. You've done well for the village. I haven't confirmed it yet, but I believe it's true. Thank you. The villagers slept peacefully last night entirely thanks to you."
Supported by the Vice-Captain, the Flame Sword Captain sat up straight and spoke.
"I only did what I should have. Still, receiving your thanks makes me happy."
"Honest. I like that. It's a real shame you can't join our knight order because you're a man. Nothing to be done about it. …Orphe."
The haggard Flame Sword Captain's gaze shifted to Orphe.
"I heard you sparred with Kate."
"Yes."
Power-up event. For real.
"Even without formal knight training, you displayed seasoned movement and judgment. That picky Kate praised you until her mouth ran dry, apparently."
"I was simply in good condition that day. You flatter me."
"Our knights do not flatter. Adventurer Orphe."
The Flame Sword Captain studied Orphe slowly, then suddenly dropped her voice.
"Will you become a knight and serve with the Crimson Flame Dragon Knights?"
At the abrupt scouting offer, Orphe's eyes widened slightly. Fair enough—someone of Orphe's caliber deserved it. Even while still growing, she could already flatten average knights with ease.
Orphe turned and met my eyes, as if asking what she should do. I had nothing to say, so I just shrugged. I wanted her to do whatever she wanted. I wasn't the type to cling to people who wanted to leave.
"Becoming a full knight will take time, but we can cover all the training costs. All that is required is the will. What do you say?"
Orphe closed her eyes, lost in thought. Full brain activation mode?
"…"
A few seconds passed. Her eyes and mouth opened at the same time.
"It is not a position that suits me, so I must decline. I apologize."
Looks like she preferred being my lackey over the Flame Sword Captain's. Wanted to learn from someone stronger? Then it was the right call. Next free moment I'd teach her the Nolbu God Fist that one-shotted the Flame Sword Captain.
"…Nothing to be done. It wasn't coercion, so don't take it to heart."
The Flame Sword Captain gave a bitter smile and lifted the cup the Vice-Captain handed her with one hand. She drained the water in one go, then spoke again.
"Agatha Swordbutton. That is my name. Both of you, remember it."
"Mph."
The words "My name is Shin Nobin" rose all the way to the tip of my tongue and I clamped my mouth shut. Side effect of Mother's excellent home education.
I wonder how Mother is doing?
— Yes… Hang in there, son… Mom believes in you…
— Make sure you find a job today… I'm always cheering for you…
She was fine. I believed that.
"If we each live true to our convictions, the day will come when we meet again. I shall wait for that time. I'm growing tired. You may go."
After spouting something appropriately cool, the Flame Sword Captain slowly lay back down. Kind of pitiful. She should've just stopped the bleeding and collapsed instead of pushing herself. Anyway, not my fault.
Orphe and I left the tent and headed back to the inn.
"Welcome back~! I've been waiting for you~!"
Muka, bundle slung over her shoulder, greeted us. Her presence was so overwhelming that Tribo and Diana next to her looked relatively tiny.
"I've already secured a carriage~! Tribo-ssi packed all the luggage, so~! Let's leave right away~!"
"Good job."
And just like that we entrusted ourselves to a four-seater carriage. I'd worried the tin-can Tribo would be too heavy for it to move, but thankfully it rolled along just fine.
"Curious? I can adjust my weight to a certain degree. My body is made of special materi—"
"Who asked?"
"Understood."
Maybe the other robots couldn't stand the noise and abandoned him underground. That would also explain why Tribo had amnesia. The memory was so traumatic they'd forced him to forget it.
"Aren't you being a little too mean to a friend~?"
"He's the type of friend who likes being ignored. That kind of inclination."
"Wow~!"
Muka giggled like it was the funniest thing in the world. I was terrified she'd naturally launch into a song any second.
Avoiding her eyes, I checked on the rest of the party.
"…Snore."
Diana was asleep on Orphe's lap. Sleeping this much couldn't be healthy. Sleepyheads never became mutant ninja dinosaurs.
I reached out to give her a "gentle" pinch, but before my fingers even touched her, Orphe caught my hand in return.
"Everything will be alright."
She said it while lightly swinging our joined hands.
"Of course it will."
I hadn't stretched out my hand for a handshake, but I swung along so she wouldn't feel embarrassed. Considerate sweet ninja, that's me.
"We're finally heading to Neo-Solitron~! Shall we belt out a lively tune~?"
"Diana is sleeping. Please calm down."
I shut Muka down at lightning speed.
Anyway, we were going. To Neo-Solitron.
The adventures of the Runaway Ninja who served and protected the innocent people would continue.