The Paramere Search Operation (3)
The Paramere Search Operation (3)
"Rosemary."
I called out to her.
The place we were heading to now was Melansa, the entry village where the Paramer search force gathered.
But we couldn't get there in one go. Even on horseback, it was a distance that took over two weeks.
Maybe I should raise Rosemary's affection a little while I'm at it. I've got things to teach her anyway, so I might as well kill two birds with one stone.
"Rosemary."
"......"
"Hey, now."
"......"
"Can't you hear your master calling?"
"...Tch."
The horse came to a sudden stop. She turned around.
"What."
"More nicely."
"...Why."
"Let's make camp soon."
"Already?"
Rosemary glanced up at the sky. She was right. The sun was still high in the sky.
But there was no harm in taking our time. Even if we arrived early, we'd have to wait until the rest of the Paramer search force all arrived anyway.
In that case, there was no reason to rush to the village first. Teaching her what she needed along the way would be far better.
I jumped down from the horse. I tapped the leg of Rosemary, who was still mounted.
"Aren't you going to set up camp?"
"......"
"Guess you don't want to learn, huh? Shape Transformation."
"...Ngh!"
Rosemary ground her teeth but set up camp anyway. I sat in the shade and just watched.
Ah!
This is the life!
Now this is traveling!
Still, should I help out a little? Dinner would taste better if I made it myself, after all.
I got to my feet. I hunted down a beast I spotted and came back. The Pocket that looked like a backpack was full of food, but I didn't touch it. That stuff had its uses, so it was better to procure food whenever I could.
I grilled the meat, and before I knew it, the sun was already setting.
The rising smoke and the red sunlight mingled together. The wind brushed past my hair.
The burning firewood snapped with a crack. I stared blankly at the fire.
Come to think of it, Ra still hasn't come out yet, has she?
-Big Sis Ra is still holed up in her room.
"Is she still looking into the Sacred Mark?"
-Yes... Actually... I think she might be researching something else.
Researching something else, huh.
Well, she'd figure it out on her own.
I rotated the whole roasted deer. I sprinkled on seasoning as needed. I'd grilled so much meat by now that I could do it with my eyes closed.
[Meat Cooking (C) has changed to Meat Cooking (B).]
...Guess I really have grilled a lot.
I tore off a hind leg. I tossed it to Rosemary.
"Here."
"......?"
"It's not poisoned. Eat up."
"...I won't eat it."
"Suit yourself."
I bit into the hind leg with a crunch. Mm. As expected. It tasted completely different from portable rations.
No matter how well-made they were, they couldn't compare to freshly cooked food. I even licked the meat clinging to the bone clean.
"Mm. Delicious."
"......"
"Why is this so good? Who on earth grilled this?"
"......"
"My hands are shaking... Hah, hah... Did I slip something in without realizing...?"
"......"
"If I can't eat this, I'll regret it for the rest of my—"
"Ah! Shit! I'll just eat it, okay?!"
She should've done that from the start.
I tossed another hind leg to Rosemary. Contrary to how much she'd protested, once she had it, she tore into it ravenously.
"Rosemary. First, toss the sword."
"...What?"
"Listen while you eat. Here. This is the weapon you'll be using from today on."
I pulled an item out of my bracelet-shaped Pocket. The heavy axe I'd ordered separately dropped with a thud.
A one-handed axe. The same kind as the one I had.
The exact opposite of the weapon Rosemary carried around.
"...An axe?"
She scowled deeply.
"You want me to use a weapon that barbarians use?"
"The Church of Iskandar would be hurt to hear that."
"That church is a religion founded by barbarians in the first place! I don't want to use it! I'll practice with the sword I've always carried!"
"Your old one's confiscated."
"Wh-who gave you the right?!"
"In the first place, Rosemary. Does our cute little pet cat know exactly what kind of person she is?"
"Stop calling me that stupid nickname!"
I poked at the weakening flames with a branch.
"You seem to be under some kind of misconception... Your strength isn't speed or technique. You can't get your hands on what Radatok has."
"Stop talking about that person!"
"No. There's a reason I should keep talking about it. Rosemary, you're unconsciously trying to follow in Radatok's footsteps. Why?"
The flames flared up.
"You're jealous of Radatok, aren't you?"
"Shut your mouth!"
Rosemary lunged at me like a beast. I raised the firewood poker.
I swung it lightly toward her head.
Clang!
"Aagh!"
Rosemary clutched her head. I waggled the poker.
"Rule one. No lunging at me without warning. Rosemary, knock it off. There's a limit to how much I'll let slide."
"Y-you're the one who—!"
"If you really want to hit me, I'll spar with you once a day, so do it then. Let's not brawl while we're eating. It ruins the meal."
I popped the remaining meat into my mouth and chewed. Mm. This part's tough.
"Radatok must really be a trauma for you. But you idiot, that's not your strength. Why covet what you don't have?"
"...What?"
"Don't try to take what you can't have. Handle what you're already holding properly first. What's your strength? You really don't know?"
"...Sacred Power?"
Clang!
"Ow, that hurts!"
"I hit you so it would hurt. Sacred Power, my ass. Your Sacred Power is about the same as Radatok's. The one outstanding strength you uniquely have is..."
I pointed at the axe with the poker.
"Strength. You muscle-brained idiot. So shut up and pick that thing up. Don't bother with useless technique or fancy footwork. If you hadn't fought so flashily when you fought me, your win rate would've gone up at least a little."
. . .
The special training continued. I had no intention of going easy on her. Rosemary was Rosemary. Even if she was weaker than in the game, her fundamentals were perfectly solid.
What I was teaching her was one of the skills I possessed. 'Cliff-Burning Fire - Guillotine (A).' The Shape Transformation she would later master on her own was related to the axe. It was a weapon that suited her outstanding physical-enhancement Holy Arts well.
As you progressed through the game, there were moments when you could grow close to Rosemary. At those times, you could hear her special dialogue.
「If only I had known the path I was meant to take sooner. I could have become far stronger than this... It's a shame. Truly.」
That regret. I'd resolve it for the real Rosemary. I slung the axe over my shoulder. I wasn't any different when it came to needing training.
I had to get this to S-rank quickly too... And I had to get my spear techniques to S-rank as well...
There was a long way to go. I still had to learn unique Holy Arts from Beatrice—when would I ever finish learning all of it?
...So this wasn't the time to be sitting around resting, was it?
"I-I... using a barbarian's weapon..."
"If you don't like it, quit right now."
I swung the axe lightly. Hm. Nice. My level really was a cheat. Once it passed 50, just about everything felt light as a feather.
"But if you quit now, you'll never beat Radatok. Or me, for that matter."
"......"
"What? Want your sword back?"
"...Tch."
Rosemary grabbed the axe. She let out a shout.
"What do I start with?!"
"You start by learning how to hold it."
I wrapped my hands around Rosemary's. Her startled cat ears shot straight up.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
"You're holding it wrong, so I'm teaching you. The grip goes like this. Here. How is it?"
"...It feels lighter than before?"
"Just knowing how to hold it properly changes the feel. Practice gripping it first. Then holding it still. Then walking while holding it."
"What about swinging it?"
"That's last."
I tossed the axe into the air and caught it. I swung it like lightning.
A massive tree snapped with a crack. It toppled with a thunderous crash.
"Once you've learned all that, you'll be able to do this even without Sacred Power. How about it? Interested now?"
"......"
Rosemary's mouth hung open. She looked down at the axe in her hands.
She was still scowling. But I could see her silently putting strength into the hand holding the axe.
She complained a lot, but in the end, she did it. A girl who hungered for strength.
Then how about I give it a shot too?
Beatrice's spirit popped out. She sat on my shoulder and whispered.
【Want me to help?】
"I'd appreciate it if you watched my form."
At some point, Beatrice had started readily offering to help first.
Hm. Could it be that I...
Have a talent for taming?
. . .
The small tavern was always bustling. Farmers who had finished their work would come back and start pouring drinks into their empty stomachs as a daily routine.
But today, it was quiet. The owner of the Melansa tavern watched the customers carefully.
These weren't the usual customers. It was a strange combination rarely seen.
Knights silently picking at their food.
Wizards engaged in heated debate.
Mercenaries chattering among themselves and slamming their heads onto the table.
Elves looking around curiously as if fascinated.
Priests awkwardly watching each other's reactions.
The owner, hiding under the counter, remembered that Paramer was nearby.
Come to think of it, the date had come around. So those people were this time's sacrificial lambs, then.
As his gaze shifted, pity followed. The owner sighed and began making food to give out on the house.
"...For a mere church to..."
A fierce voice flowed from the table where the knights sat.
"They're making imperial knights wait?"
"Could they have run off?"
"That's possible. The Paramer search force is famous for its high mortality rate."
"Send a messenger bird to the Church of Ra..."
Bang!
A drinking glass slammed loudly on the mercenaries' table.
"If we're talking about being late, aren't you lot the same? Sir knights?"
"...What did you just say?"
"No, I mean, it's not like I'm wrong. Right? We've all got until midnight today to arrive anyway. Strictly speaking, nobody's late yet."
"One hour left."
"Knights really are sticklers about the weirdest things."
"You sons of bitches... Running your mouths like that..."
A wizard shot to their feet.
"C-calm down! Both of you! You mustn't fight in here!"
"So you're saying we should fight outside? Wizard?"
"Th-that's not what I meant! Anyway, I'm saying don't fight!"
The elves sniffed disdainfully.
"Humans."
"It seems better to abandon them if things go wrong, Flora."
"Infighting before they've even arrived... Truly pathetic."
None of the priests could speak. They just watched everyone's reactions.
A knight stood up.
Crash!
The mercenaries' table was flipped over.
"Come outside."
"Shit. They say even dogs don't get messed with while they're eating."
"You're worse than a fucking dog."
"...You vulgar scum!"
"I-I said don't fight!"
A hair-trigger situation. The owner prayed only that not too many things in the shop would get broken.
Any god would do. Please, a miracle.
Bang!
A miracle walked in through the door.
The boy who entered first brushed the dirt off his shoulder. The clothes he wore were torn to shreds, with not a single intact spot.
The atmosphere froze. Everyone stopped talking and stared at the last search force member to arrive.
"...Just as I expected."
The black-haired boy let out a sigh. His muttered words to himself were loud enough for everyone to hear.
"It's a shitshow again this time."