Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Return to the Secular World - 6
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Heat spreading from every corner made the guild even hotter.
The adventurers all shuffled aside to make room without exception.
"No, is this really okay...?"
-Adventurers are all starved for excitement. No way they'd pass up a fight that's not even their own.
The old adventurer swung his sword.
"I won't kill you!"
The other adventurers pulled out snacks and sat on the floor to watch the show.
"Still, that guy's a bit..."
-Whoa, over there. Bets! Let's bet!
Listening to the holy sword, I glanced that way for a moment and sure enough, saw adventurers exchanging coins just as it said.
"Who do you think will win?"
"The old man's side. That guy's never lost, no matter how much he picks fights."
And naturally, the old man's sword was raining down on me right now.
But it was slow.
"Wh-what?!"
It was pretty sharp. To be honest, his technique seemed better than that female knight I'd seen before.
But his power was pathetically weak. His speed was so slow I could clearly see the sword coming.
"I-I bet on the newbie..."
"Hey! They've already clashed once! No bets from now on!"
I could even turn my eyes from the old man in front of me to the noisy adventurers.
The feeling of being a clown was novel and amusing, but I didn't want to keep this up forever.
But the moment I raised my sword to counterattack, I fell into doubt.
'How hard should I hit him?'
I knew a bit about adventurers on the surface, but nothing about specific rules.
I hadn't planned on it, but could I kill him? Or cause permanent damage to his arm or shoulder?
Or even just a visible bruise might be clear grounds for punishment for a greenhorn like me.
For that matter, was it even okay to be fighting like this? The onlookers might just be enjoying it because they wouldn't get punished anyway.
"Look at him, spacing out."
"Is he scared?"
And more importantly, I had no idea how much strength to put into it to cause the level of injury I wanted.
I'd swung my sword wildly in the imperial palace back then, but I couldn't remember how much power I'd put into it. There had been too much going on.
After that, I'd killed orcs and goblins, but those were monsters. Their flesh sliced off like tofu with a light touch, so no chance to learn control.
"This much?"
I didn't want to end up in a cell here, so I swung lightly at his shoulder as best I could.
"What, are you messing around?"
The holy sword barely grazed his shoulder, and he didn't even flinch. Had I been too scared?
"What? Isn't he actually weak?"
"No, at that angle, his shoulder should've been cut. Looks like his blade isn't even sharpened properly."
The old man shoved the sword away with a laugh, then swung clumsily.
"Hmm, harder?"
"Gahk!"
The holy sword slashed at his incoming leg. This time, there was definite impact. A sensation of tearing into something and shattering it.
"Huh?"
"Gaaaaah! Ack! Gaaaaah!"
His leg twisted unnaturally, and he screamed while pointing at me accusingly.
"Newbie wins! Hooray!"
"This is cheating! My money! N-no. That old monster might still get up!"
I worried the adventurers might block me, but they seemed more interested in the money than me.
"Lame. Why not toy with him a bit longer before finishing?"
"You guys mocking him for being weak probably made him end it quick."
No one praised me outright, but no one showed me hostility either. These people might've just needed some pure entertainment.
St-stop! Grab that bastard!"
The old man bellowed, and a few adventurers stepped forward with sighs. Their faces said they weren't keen on fighting me, but they wouldn't let me go easily.
"Sorry, newbie. Can't let you leave like this. Even if it's you, you can't take on all of us..."
But at some point, all the adventurers' attention had shifted to one corner of the guild.
It was a woman with black hair fluttering and shining. Her noble dress and graceful steps didn't fit the adventurer's guild at all.
"Oh dear, have I ruined the fun? I'm sorry."
"Do I know you?"
She approached me with a captivating smile, then knelt.
"I do now. Lord Leodrín Enel, Baron."
Fortunately, the emperor hadn't issued a warrant for my identity yet.
The overheated crowd watched us—or rather, her—with bated breath. Even their whispers rang clear in my ears.
"Isn't that from the Altdor family?"
"That black dress and her features... yeah, and remember that adventurer who butted into the escort request last time?"
She seemed to be the young lady of a noble house with considerable influence. Even the fallen old man just clutched his leg and groaned, saying nothing as he clamped his mouth shut.
"And... I have no choice but to apologize."
"Pardon?"
"I, Christina Altdor, daughter of Creon Altdor, stand in for my absent father to sincerely apologize for failing to recognize the true hero."
She bowed deeply to me in apology. I was too flustered to speak, and the others too shocked. In an instant, the guild fell silent.
/////
"From Skeleton Valley to the Departed Dragon's Nest: five days... From the Departed Dragon's Nest to the Abandoned Swamp: four days... You lunatics. You're all insane!"
The emperor had been unable to unravel the mystery until now.
The time he'd spent with him wasn't long, but one thing was crystal clear: he was good-hearted.
Whether he was currently weak or feared responsibility were mere transient traits that could change anytime. Beyond all that, he was kind.
He knew how to endure long and understand others.
So when he got angry, the emperor could only listen to his request with a panicked face, helpless to do anything else.
Considering his character, it was impossible to believe he'd rage over something trivial.
He'd somehow asked the princess for reconciliation and proceeded with his return plans without delay. That was the emperor's sole recompense for his devotion and sacrifice.
But not doubting and being curious were different things.
The emperor trusted Elenor's daughter even more than Enel. Her nature left no room for suspicion. Pashier and Celia weren't the types to harm anyone either.
He hadn't verified Nerwen, but as an elf, her race's limitations kept her from crossing lines. If she had a good personality, she could wisely overcome conflicts, he thought.
"If these records are accurate, they're all mad. Elenor, tell me. Did you force him to undertake this mission and impose training on him?"
"I have nothing to say."
"You shouldn't! Of course not! How could a normal human body endure this... Divine power? If you just pour excessive divine power..."
"I-I wanted to, but he..."
"There was no leeway. It was my order. Turning arrows on her wouldn't be right."
Pashier clenched her teeth and admitted her actions.
"Why?!"
"I said it. There was no leeway. Unless it was a life-or-death crisis, fainting, or the party's movement speed dropping to a critical level, using divine power on him was inefficient."
"...I think I know why."
"That's exactly what you're thinking."
"No saintess could endure a journey like this!"
For clerics, applying divine power to themselves was unilaterally easier than to others.
Blessings and holy spells for heroes or holy knights were exceptions, but up to then, Enel hadn't been treated as a hero.
Even Celia, who'd endured that far, struggled with each step. Moving like running through a frigid wasteland, she had to give her all just to stay conscious.
Naturally, if someone had to faint, it should be him, not Celia. If he collapsed unconscious, Celia could muster her strength for a healing spell, but if Celia fainted, the party would lose its reliable recovery.
"Such a grueling schedule... why?!"
There was no room for mental respite. Even the kind-hearted couldn't avoid clashing when sleep-deprived and exhausted.
The emperor fumed, determined to find who started this foolish suicide mission.
"The faster we went, the more lives we could save—one more person. Do you intend to abandon the northern subjects?"
Elenor said softly.
"They are Your Majesty's subjects now. We can no longer use them as shields like before."
"Did you say that, Elenor? Was it your plan? To whittle away at you all, sacrificing the weakest first to shave off time?"
Elenor bit her lip.
It was noble. No matter what the emperor said, it was noble. It was right. Something she could declare proudly.
But Elenor couldn't say it was her chosen plan.
Perhaps that's when she started seeing him strangely.
If she'd viewed him as just some foreigner dropped from elsewhere—a subject to protect— she wouldn't have pushed him so hard.
She hadn't given him glory or praise, only blamed him for failing in his duty.
And yet, choosing that duty might have been his nobility too.
"No."
"Not you, then wh... Right, it was him."
Pashier let out a hollow laugh and bit her lip.
"Not me. It was that man."
Save even one more, don't give up, keep going.
There was a man with no say or power who shouted the loudest.
The whole party was mad with that light.