East Ruins (4)
"Luci. You going to be all right?"
"These tiny little ladies are really putting an old man through the wringer."
Luci let out a long sigh as he stared at the stone wall in front of him.
"How long has it been since I was last here..."
He ran his hand slowly along the rough surface of the stones.
"Heinzel. You see this rock? I carved this one myself. How does it look? Best of the lot, wouldn't you say?"
"The finish is terrible. A proper finish ought to be at least as smooth as my bald head, don't you think?"
Luci answered with a perfectly straight face.
"You've got a point there."
"Hmm. Hearing you answer so seriously actually makes me feel pretty damn bad."
The brief silence that followed shattered as both men burst into loud, raucous laughter.
"Hahahaha! Luci! Looking at you, you seem just fine!"
"Heh-heh-heh! Oh yeah...? I look fine, do I? My insides are rotting away right now."
"That's just because you're still a complete scrub, isn't it?"
"Hah... Well then, Heinzel, why don't you go visit your hometown sometime? And keep that damn voice of yours down. What if the young ladies hear you?"
"Ahem. Ahem. Right... I'd forgotten about that."
"Looks like the wrinkles disappeared from your brain the same way they did from your scalp."
"Seems that way, doesn't it?"
Once again the two men roared with laughter.
"Whew... Aigoo, my cheeks hurt. All right, let's head in. Luci, you can take a moment to steel yourself if you need to."
"What for? No need. Let's just go."
"Don't put on airs for nothing."
"I've only got one eye left, so even if I cry you won't be able to see it from your side. I can keep my dignity just fine."
"Oh... So there's an upside to that, huh."
"That's right."
Clomp— clomp—
"By the way, Luci. Those fellows trailing behind us—what should we do about them?"
"Beats me. If the young ladies catch them, it'll be a real headache..."
"How about we settle on some aliases first?"
"Hmm. Then I'll go by Richi."
"In that case I'll be Ahinkel."
"Heinzel. Your sense of naming is still absolute garbage."
"Says the man who picked a name that sounds like a walking skull."
Clomp— clomp—
The two adventurers fell silent and walked for a long while until they reached the heart of the ruins.
Heinzel, who had kept quiet until then, drew his halberd and spoke.
"Looks like they've come to drag a runaway daughter back home."
Luci drew his sword in answer.
"If that were all, their gear wouldn't look this serious. Seems they mean to kill the escorts."
"Heh-heh... These sons of bitches."
Heinzel's teeth ground together with a harsh scrape.
"Heinzel. You remember the terms of the request? We can't kill them."
"Aww, of course not. But Miss Hermila would forgive one or two little accidents, wouldn't she?"
"True enough. The weather's been damnably hot lately."
The two adventurers stopped where they stood and waited for the knights to arrive.
"Hey, Luci. Three accidents would still be fine, right?"
"Three each... even Miss Hermila might have a hard time with that."
"Hmm. Fair point."
"Right."
"So, Noah. Answer me now. The survivor of Habron... this person named Luci—where is he?"
After hearing Noah say there was a survivor of Habron, I had pressed her for every detail.
But Noah kept dodging, circling around the answer, insisting it was too dangerous to talk here and that we should continue somewhere safer.
So we quickened our pace and arrived at the old house where we had planned to rest.
"I-I don't know where he is... I just know that he exists..."
Noah answered while avoiding my gaze.
"The fact that a survivor exists—that's certain information, right?"
"Yes... that much is certain."
It was impossible.
I had searched for survivors not only from Habron but from every other ruined village as well.
I had found no one.
There had been no survivors at all.
The reason I had hunted for them was simple.
I wanted to know what had become of someone who met an end like mine.
Had they collapsed the way I had?
Or had they risen again?
If a survivor existed—
if someone had stood up where I had fallen—
I wanted to hold onto hope.
I wanted a living example, something that could give me courage.
It was a pitifully weak wish, but I needed it all the same.
I needed something to lean on, the warmth of another person, a heart that could understand.
So I searched.
I used every method available to me.
Yet I found no one, nothing, not even a trace.
And now Noah claimed to know a survivor existed?
I could scarcely believe it.
"How do you know something even I don't know, Noah?"
"M-my master... told me."
Master?
Noah has a master...?
"A master?"
"Yes... hehe..."
"The one who taught you how to fight?"
She nodded.
"Then... that person must be quite remarkable."
Noah was hopelessly inadequate in every other area...
but when it came to fighting, she was extraordinary.
Far too skilled to believe she had only been an adventurer for two months.
Anyone who had taught someone like her had to be exceptional.
So of course I expected praise for her master.
"Was he remarkable...? Umm... he was just someone I leaned on a lot... r-relied on. Someone I couldn't do without..."
Noah's expression turned distant and strange as she gave that odd answer.
The information about the survivor was important, yes.
But first... first I had to clear this up.
"Leaned on, relied on...? Couldn't do without...?"
"Yes... even now, when I think of the Black Sun... ahem! When I think of my master, I get a little angry and resentful... but I still want to see him again. Anyway, yes... that's the kind of person he is. My master... hehe."
Oh?
"Angry and resentful, yet you want to see him? Your master?"
"Yeees... I shouldn't forget... if I could see him again... I could start over without any mistakes, do everything right..."
Hearing her answer left me with a strange feeling.
Not strange.
Just irritated.
Was it because she reminded me of my little sister?
"Noah. Is that master a man?"
"Y-yes...? Why are you suddenly asking th-that?"
"Just because."
"Uh... um... i-it's a secret."
"Hah. Then... were you close? With that master of yours?"
"Umm... I think we tried pretty much everything together... there were hard times... painful times... but it was still good."
Noah lowered her head as if embarrassed.
Grind—
My teeth clenched.
I closed my eyes and quietly examined the inside of my own head.
What was this filthy emotion?
Tap— tap— tap—
I drummed my fingers on the table, sorting through my thoughts.
A moment later they reached a conclusion.
Right.
Because I thought of Noah like a little sister.
Because this sister-like Noah had experienced romance before I had—I was jealous.
Of course I had no intention of dating anyone myself... but still.
Noah, who was younger than me.
Who was so much shorter.
Whose ch-chest was so much smaller...
Though her face was incredibly... cute, yes.
And her personality was so innocent... so pure...
I felt petty for no reason.
And angry, too.
What kind of bastard was he?
Looking at a tiny Noah like that and still feeling that way.
What fucking piece of shit was he?
Even if he was her master—
this... this crossed the line. You animal bastard.
"Um... A-Aileen...?"
Noah, apparently unable to bear the silence any longer, spoke first.
"What."
A cold reply slipped out before I could stop it.
I wasn't angry at Noah.
But still... there was a little of that in me.
And realizing how small-minded I was only made me angrier.
God... this is so annoying.
"A-aren't you hungry...? Let's eat..."
"Let's just chew on some jerky. I'm tired."
I turned my head away sharply.
I couldn't look at Noah's pure face.
Here I was treating her with these pathetic feelings,
while she kept offering me nothing but pure ones.
It made me feel like the most narrow-hearted bitch alive.
So I had no choice but to look away.
"Uuum... I'll cook for you then... It'll taste better than j-jerky..."
Noah fidgeted and took hold of my hand.
Her small hand kneaded mine.
Small, yet rough.
A hand that had survived countless battles.
"A-Aileen... are you mad...? I-I'm sorry... the survivor... I'll look for him later... so please stop being angry now... okay...?"
I turned and looked at her.
She was gazing up at me with a face full of worry.
It wasn't about the survivor.
It was rage at the beast of a master who had laid hands on you, Noah...
A little jealousy, and the sight of Noah worrying over this childish version of me, finally cleared my head somewhat.
Rubia, you idiot.
If you're the older sister, act like one.
What the hell are you doing to a kid...
Get a grip.
I let out a long sigh inside and reached out to stroke Noah's hair.
"I'm just teasing. I was only playing around because you're so cute."
The expression that crossed Noah's face was ridiculously adorable.
A mix of betrayal and relief.
And the look of someone trying to figure out whether it was okay to smile or whether she should stay frozen.
With every emotion written so clearly on her face, of course I could read her mind.
"It really is just a joke, so you can smile, Noah."
"Uweh...? H-how do you always...!"
The same reaction she gave every single time I guessed her thoughts.
"There's no mind-reading involved. Don't think weird things. Pffft..."
"Hup...!"
Now she clamped both hands over her mouth entirely.
She was far too cute.
So pure.
If my little sister had lived, would she have grown up like this?
A memory of the past flickered for an instant,
and I couldn't fight the sudden impulse.
I opened my arms and pulled Noah into an embrace.
"Mmph—!"
She seemed to be struggling for air against my chest,
but... well, let's just call this punishment for experiencing romance before I did.
Ah, and one more thing.
I needed to settle this properly.
"So, Noah. Is that master a man or a woman?"
"Mmph—?!"
And—
"Where does he live?"
I would go find him.
Ask about the survivor's location while I was at it.
And while I was there, make damn sure he never looked at Noah with lust again.
Even if the world ended, that bastard alone would—
"Mmph-mmph—! Pwah! Hah... hah... W-what are you doing!"
Noah wriggled free of my arms.
She was ridiculously strong. Tch.
"I just hugged you because you're cute. Did you hate it?"
When I played it shameless like this, Noah always folded.
It was a bit mean, but her reaction was so adorable I simply couldn't stop the teasing.
"Ugh... n-no... that's not it..."
See?
"Is that so? Then..."
I spread both arms wide.
"Want to be hugged again?"
I smiled at Noah.
She couldn't see my smile... but I put it into my voice all the same.
"Uh... uuh... auh..."
Sounds that never quite became words spilled from Noah's mouth, and her face turned bright red.
This kind of reaction was exactly why I could never quit teasing her.
Just as I stepped closer to hug her again,
Noah's suddenly quiet voice stopped me cold.
"Wait a moment. Two men within twenty meters... and."
From outside the window came the clash of steel on steel.
Human screams and the wet sound of flesh being torn followed.
"Behind them, twelve fully armed people."
I shot to my feet and looked out the window.
"That way."
At the tip of Noah's pointing finger,
I saw the knights of the Temple of Erden—the ones from the place I had escaped.