#015 Appearance
#015 Appearance
After conquering the goblin dungeon.
I harvested the Mana Stones and refined them with my own mana, while Lucius focused on gathering the more valuable items found inside the dungeon.
"A whole pouch of gold and silver coins came out..."
Lucius fiddled with the coin pouch, looking dissatisfied.
"What's wrong?"
"No, I know it's spoils of war, but..."
"Does it bother you that it was too easy?"
"That's not it."
I thought Lucius might be uneasy about obtaining wealth so easily through the Holy Sword's power, but he was concerned about something else entirely.
"These are spoils of war, sure, but these belonged to people, didn't they?"
"They did."
"...If these came from goblins, that means these things had original owners, right?"
"Right."
Goblins hoard treasure.
It's not for any commercial purpose, nor is it purely instinctual like a crow collecting shiny objects.
Goblins possess intelligence, and they understand the concept of currency used in the human world.
They also understand that the treasure plundered from humans is useful for trading with other humans or other Demonfolk.
In other words, all the spoils we obtained were things goblins had taken by attacking people.
"Are you planning to find the owners?"
"No. The owners have probably already ended up in the goblins' stomachs. I was just... wondering how many dungeons like this exist in the world."
"Is your wish to destroy all dungeons?"
"That's not it. It's just..."
Lucius placed his fist over his chest.
"If I'm going to travel the world following you, Master, I want to make sure to destroy dungeons with monsters that torment people like this."
Lucius was the kind of person who would stop to clean up filth he saw lying in the road.
A truly rare good soul in this era—no, rare even in previous eras.
Though if you spin the word "good soul" just a little, it becomes "sucker."
Lucius was kind, but he was also easy to take advantage of.
From the sidelines, it's frustrating beyond measure, but when his interests align with mine, there's no better or kinder person in the world.
"Fine. Since collecting Mana Stones is what matters anyway, let's just smash every dungeon we come across."
"Is that all right?"
"Yeah. I need Mana Stones to recover my strength anyway."
I gripped the Mana Stones Lucius had gathered in my hand.
FWOOSH.
Red flames began to flicker and dance in my hand, and the Mana Stones quickly melted and seeped into my skin.
"That's..."
"A witch's secret art. This way, only the mana within the Mana Stone takes root in my body."
On the back of my hand, the remnants of what had been Mana Stones—now drained of mana—clung like liquid, melted by the flames.
With the mana inside gone, it looked like slime mucus, and I shook my hand to flick off the residue.
"...I'll tell you in advance: because of wounds I suffered long ago, I'll die quickly without mana. So suggesting we conquer dungeons is also for extending my lifespan."
"To obtain Mana Stones?"
"Yes. Disillusioned?"
"No."
Lucius planted his Holy Sword into the ground.
"Didn't you break your long seal and begin outside activities all for the great cause of sealing the Demon King? And..."
"And?"
"If Mana Stones are absolutely necessary to extend your life, Master, I wouldn't find it strange even if it weren't for that cause. Wanting to live is only natural for a person."
"Even though I killed goblins—living creatures—to survive?"
"Aren't goblins Demonfolk?"
"...Well, yes."
That was the difference in perspective between humans and Demonfolk.
If there was one thing that hadn't changed even after 500 years, it was that humans and Demonfolk still regarded each other as beasts.
There wasn't anything strange about that.
That was normal—it was a history of long-standing resentment.
"I don't know if this analogy is right, but I think you killing Demonfolk to obtain Mana Stones is similar to humans killing animals for meat."
"Thanks for the consideration."
"I mean it..."
"Then thanks for meaning it."
In that situation, avoiding embarrassing Lucius was very simple.
"Thank you, Lucius."
"...Yes."
A sincere smile.
Lifting the corners of my mouth didn't cost a single speck of mana.
Why bother casting brainwashing magic and issuing orders!
A single smile and a word of praise were enough to turn Lucius into a Demonfolk-slaying war machine.
"Shall we wrap things up here and get moving?"
"Understood. But Master, where are we going?"
"Anywhere. I do have somewhere in mind."
I hadn't chosen a destination yet, but I knew exactly where to go in order to choose one.
"Let's head to a village first."
"Our village?"
"No. A different village. Somewhere with fewer eyes on us."
"F-fewer eyes...?"
"Yes. We need to resupply."
I pointed at Lucius and myself with a branch I'd picked up from the ground.
"Look at our condition. What do you think would happen if we walked around like this?"
"Wouldn't people just think we're normal?"
"No, no."
What was our current condition?
"First, you. How's your condition right now?"
"Just normal..."
Lucius, for one, looked normal.
A normal white tunic, normal brown pants, and a completely abnormal Holy Sword and ring.
"No, no. You're awkward as can be right now. It's like a beggar wearing a crown."
"...A beggar is a bit much."
"It's a metaphor, a metaphor. But did I say anything wrong? I'm not much different."
I was wearing clothes borrowed from Lucius's house, while Lucius still wore the clothes he had started out in.
Even if the Holy Sword's blessing kept goblin blood off our skin and clothes, it could do nothing about the sweat soaking them.
Our already-worn clothes were getting shabbier by the minute.
"Let's buy ourselves some clothes first with the gold and silver coins from the dungeon. Especially you... I'll dress you up properly from head to toe, even your underwear."
"What?!"
"Why so shocked? If the Holy Sword Hero walks around in beggar's clothes, what would everyone say? Even if it's not frilly, flowing garments, you should at least have the basics."
"E-even underwear...?"
"Yes. Something that absorbs sweat well."
"Ah..."
"Heh, getting all flustered just because I said underwear. You became an adult a few days ago, but I guess you're still a kid, huh?"
"I am not!"
Lucius raised his voice.
"I am a full-fledged adult!"
"Then since you're an adult, I can ask, right? It's a bit of a sensitive topic for our travels ahead."
"Ask away!"
"Have you done it?"
"...What?"
Lucius froze.
Since he didn't seem to understand my words, I demonstrated with my body instead.
"This, this."
I reached out into the air and thrust my hips back and forth three times.
"Master!!!!"
"I asked if you've done it. No, no need to answer. I can tell just by looking that you haven't."
"......."
Lucius's face turned bright red, but he couldn't lie.
"Be careful. A naive virgin like you is prime prey for dream demons like succubi."
"Ah, that's what this was about...?"
"Of course. You know, a whopping 29.8% of young heroes who leave their villages become prey to dream demons."
"Where did 29.8% come from?"
"Statistics."
Back when I was rampaging as a Demon King, I mobilized dream demon units to make young men join the Demon King's army.
The promising ones accepted dark mana and became demons, while some ended up as nutritious snacks for the dream demons.
"That sort of thing probably still happens even now, right? Am I right? Did succubi go extinct or something?"
"...No. They're still alive."
"Right? Told you."
Dream demons still exist even now.
I knew this because one of the seven Demon Kings of the Demon Realm was the Succubus Queen, queen of the Dream Demons.
"Good. Since you said you haven't done it, I'll warn you now: be really careful. A man who can't guard his lower half is done for."
"I!"
Lucius pounded his chest again.
"Will do it for the first time with someone I love!"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure you will. Oh, wait a moment."
I tapped my lips with my finger.
"We were talking about kissing, right?"
"......."
"We were talking about kissing, right? Did you think something weird? No way. There's no way I'd talk about that kind of thing out here where everyone can see, right?"
"......."
Lucius glared at me as if wronged, and I pointed outside.
"Let's head out soon. The next village is just one more day from here, right? So..."
In that instant.
"Shh."
I signaled to Lucius at the presence I sensed outside the cave.
"Something's outside."
"Should I draw the Holy Sword...?"
"Hide it. It's people. And..."
I pointed at the old iron sword the goblins had been using.
"At least hold that. I'll handle the disguise."
Outside the cave.
I sensed an energy that was quite unpleasant for me.
"...The Order?"
* * *
Outside.
A blonde woman tilted her head as she scanned the footprints left on the ground.
Her body was so voluptuous and sensual that even her nun's habit couldn't conceal it.
"It looks like someone went in here."
"Saintess, we don't have time for this."
The black-haired female knight who called the blonde woman "Saintess" couldn't stay still.
"We must go to the Holy Sword Village immediately. Shouldn't we secure the Hero?"
"Just a moment, just a moment. The inside looks like a goblin dungeon."
"Saintess!"
"Let's subjugate it."
The Saintess quietly extended her hand downward.
"Saintess of the Church of the Azure Moon Goddess, Yan Diere. I cannot simply pass by Demonfolk."
The blue Divine Power flowing from her hand formed a 'massive lance.'
"Let's go."
Gripping the blue lance, the Saintess stepped into the cave.