I managed to comfort the dejected Anze in various ways and somehow succeeded in helping her recover.
Even my mentors, who had been so confrontational just a short while ago, all sided with Anze, saying things like, "Don't be discouraged, it's Wolka's fault," "We'll rely on you if anything happens," and "Anze is a good girl." I felt incredibly awkward. I'm honestly sorry...
But wow, even Anze can get that depressed. I thought that with her naturally huge heart, she was completely immune to such negative emotions.
I suppose she, like her mentors, is just an ordinary girl at heart. I'll try to think positively and believe that I might have come to understand Anze a little better.
"By the way, Anze."
"Yes, what is it?"
Now that things had calmed down, I asked Anze about something that had been bothering me for a while.
"I thought I heard his voice before you came in. Is he here?"
Ah, Anze nodded once.
"Yes, he was accompanying me as my bodyguard. He should have been following behind me..."
Anze glanced towards the door, but there was no one there, no sign of anyone.
That idiot, what is he doing, leaving his person to be protected? Just as I was about to sigh, I heard the sound of very spirited footsteps approaching.
Then, a boisterous figure, fully clothed, appeared with a flourish.
"Well, well, it's been a long time, my friend! I've come all this way to visit you! Oh, I'm sorry, those beautiful mademoiselles wouldn't let me go, a handsome man is a sin just by being there, ha ha ha ha ha!!"
—Now, it seemed it was my turn to deal with this idiot.
About my few friends, the narcissistic knight, 'Roche'.
Like Anze, he is a resident of the Holy City, a place barely mentioned in the original story, and despite his comedic appearance, he is a respectable knight. The silver light armor engraved with the crest of < > indicates that he is an elite member of the knight order directly under the Cathedral, commonly known as < >.Sword and CrossSword & CrossHoly KnightsChris Knights
If you were to describe his appearance in one word, you would need to use a word that sounds like something out of a manga: "prince charming." At just 20 years old, he is over 180 cm tall, has strikingly long legs, beautiful blonde hair that is unusual for a man, almond-shaped blue eyes, fair skin, a picturesque presence, and a seductive voice—it's no exaggeration to say that he possesses almost every look a man could desire.
However, as you can see, his personality is that of a pretentious, loud, and comical character.
If he appeared in the wrong story, it wouldn't be surprising if he were to be defeated by the protagonist as a typical underdog. He is filled with self-absorbed confidence, always radiating a smile like a blooming rose, and he understands deep down that he is beautiful, and he uses that to his advantage to build relationships with many women.
This might make me sound like just some unpleasant, narcissistic guy.
However, in reality, this guy is surprisingly decent. He's confident but never looks down on others, and instead has an excellent eye for spotting the good in people. Despite having many female companions, he has a strong sense of fidelity and would never do anything to hurt or incur someone's resentment. Furthermore, he has a passionate and loyal side, and sometimes his intensity can feel overwhelming.
Above all, he possesses undeniable skill as a knight.
He's seriously strong. We've sparred many times since we met, and my record against him is 49 wins, 49 losses, and 12 draws . He claims to be just an ordinary knight, but if that's true, then the Holy Knights are truly a group of monsters.50/50even
...Oh, that reminds me, I can't fulfill my promise to have a match to determine my 50th win. Thinking about that makes me feel a little sad.
"Are you well, Wolka? I'm glad to see you're not in ruins!"
"Shut up, Roche. Be quiet for a bit."
"Hahaha, sorry! Even I can't contain my own brilliance!"
What's with this guy?
"Oh, look who's been causing all the noise..."
"Haha... You're really always so energetic."
"noisy"
My masters were completely astonished.
Roche approaches me, his footsteps crunching pleasantly across the floor. Even the way he walks is remarkably dignified, clearly reflecting his overflowing confidence. He looks down at me with ease from his height, which is taller than mine.
"How is the prosthetic leg?"
"I can't get used to it. Even if I did, I probably wouldn't be able to swing my sword the same way I used to."
"Uh—"
I could hear Yurti's breathing, a sound that suggested she was trying to hold back some pain.
However, that's my honest feeling after a few hours of rehabilitation. I can't see myself ever being able to move as well as before. It's not a matter of training; I think it's simply impossible with this prosthetic leg's performance. The elderly nun also said it was only for everyday use.
"...I see."
Roche's loud, pretentious demeanor suddenly subsided. In a voice so quiet it was unimaginable from just moments before,
"I thought we could continue to hone our skills together in the future... but things don't always go as planned."
Hmm? It's unusually serious for you. That's not like you at all.
By the time I realized that, Roche had already returned to his usual self. He slapped me on the shoulder with his big hand,
"But I have a feeling that you'll become even stronger than before before you know it! You're not the kind of guy to give up like this!"
No way. What do you mean, getting stronger after losing a leg? What do you think I am?
"Well... you're still going to be doing rehabilitation, right? I have something I need to do, so I'll be taking my leave."
"Is it for work?"
Now that I think about it , the guild's approval of the dungeon where I fought against < > was a huge mistake, so the Holy City side might have some kind of aftermath to deal with.ExterminatorGrim Reaper
Even a guy like this seems to do his job properly when it matters—I was a little impressed by that,
"Of course, that means enjoying teatime with the mademoiselles of this town! Ha ha ha ha!!"
Anze, you absolutely have to fire this guy. What is this idiot thinking, leaving his bodyguards behind to go out to eat with a woman?
"Anze will be helping with Wolka's rehabilitation, right? Then I suppose my bodyguard won't be necessary."
"Yes, that's fine."
Are you sure that's okay? Hmm, Anze's boundless goodwill. In times like these, it's perfectly fine to say no. You could even slap her and say, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Well then, goodbye, my friend! I'll leave Anze in your care, hahahahaha!!"
"..."
Is it really acceptable for a noble knight, who is supposed to be a role model for humanity, to behave like that?
The masters all looked quite displeased. Only Anze maintained a gentle expression and seemed completely unfazed.
"Is that really okay?"
"Yes. He performed his duties admirably throughout the journey, so I'd like to let him rest today."
That would be great.
However, one could also say that it did a good job of changing the atmosphere. I put my weight on my prosthetic leg and stood up.
"Okay, let's do a little more then."
"Mr. Wolka, I will take over from here. ...You can rest if you wish."
"...Yes, I will..."
Anze smiled at the elderly nun, who stumbled out of the room looking extremely exhausted. Perhaps being in the same space as the elite nuns of the cathedral had taken a toll on her mentally. She's like a lifesaver to me, so I really hope she gets plenty of rest.
Well, everything was fine up until I resumed rehabilitation, but perhaps because the old nun who acted as a check on me was gone, everyone became incredibly noisy.
"Come on, Lord Wolka, please come this way! Please take my hand!"
"No, Wolka!! Come here! Come over here! Don't be fooled by a girl with such big boobs!!"
My master and Anze are positioned in my path, and they're starting to get competitive, wondering which one will come first.
"yeah"
"...Listen, Atori."
"?"
Seeing that, Atori spread her arms out as if to say, "I guess I'll give it a try too."
"Wolka... why, why did you choose Yuritia there?! You don't mean that you think big is better even if she's small, right?!"
"Huh?!"
If I asked Yuritia for help, my master would just start yelling about it.
"But, but, to think you'd choose me... Okay, from here on out, just leave everything to me. Um, then... shall we hold hands?"
"No, wait, that's not what I meant... Yurtiia? Yurtiia?"
Moreover, Yuritia seemed to have a strange switch flipped inside her, and she said, "No, please let me do my rehabilitation seriously."
But I couldn't stop it.
Because...it felt like it had been a really long time since I'd seen everyone getting along and having so much fun together.
Spending peaceful moments like this with my companions, I almost forget that this is a rotten, dark fantasy world.
Comparing it to my memories so far, it seems that life is generally peaceful within the city. After all, until I remembered the original story, I had mistakenly thought this was just another typical fantasy world. The fact that I could believe that means that I've lived a rather comfortable life compared to the protagonist of the original story.
From a meta perspective, one could argue that the reason the original story was so wicked was because the original protagonist was in that position.
Tragedies always happen wherever the protagonist is. When you think about it that way, it makes me a little scared to meet the protagonist.
My life was saved, so I'd like to thank them someday... but with this body, if I get caught up in the protagonist's death flag, I'll be the first to die.
It would also endanger my masters, so for now all I can do is hope that we don't encounter them.
Oh, really.
――――――――I really wish at least his legs were safe.
/
As night fell over the town, the adventurers, having rewarded themselves with delicious meat and wine, returned to their lodgings one by one. Their laughter, filled with renewed energy and determination to get through the day safely and prepare for tomorrow, sounded to Anze like something happening in a terribly distant, foreign land.
The small town of Luther is the closest to the dungeon Gowther, which is currently causing unrest in the Holy City once again.
The finest room in the town's best inn—a place far beyond the reach of any ordinary adventurer—a room rarely used, was the brief sanctuary granted to Anze in this town.
I opened the largest window in the room, knelt down, and offered a heartfelt prayer to the pale moonlight pouring in.
"Lord, why...why him?"
There is not a trace of appreciation for today, a sense of fulfillment, hope for tomorrow, or renewed energy.
All that filled Anze's heart was an overwhelming sense of powerlessness when it came to Wolka.
In front of Wolka and the others, she acted bravely, knowing that her outburst would only cause trouble.
That's why, now that I'm alone, all the emotions I've been suppressing are flooding over me at once, and I feel like I can't possibly maintain my composure without offering a prayer like this.
Again, I couldn't do anything.
When Wolka needed help the most, Anze wasn't even there.
While it might have been possible in her childhood, Anze knew it was an impossible wish given her current situation. But she shuddered at the thought of what she was doing while Walka was fighting for his life and teetering on the brink of death. She was probably enjoying a delicious meal, chatting with Hakua, and sleeping peacefully in a warm bed, completely unaware of what was happening.
"That person... Lord Wolka... surely he has overcome enough painful trials. So why... why..."
If I hadn't known beforehand that Wolka had lost an eye and a leg, I might have fainted the moment I saw that eyepatch and prosthetic leg. I tried to act as if everything was normal with the little bit of reason I had left, but I blurted out things like, "Let's live together in the cathedral," and "I want to heal Wolka with everything I have . "Positive・straight・vinegar・Gi・ru・
Because Anze has seen with her own eyes the painstaking efforts that Walka has put in.
Of course, Anze's encounter with young Wolka was only brief, and it would be arrogant to think that she understood his entire past based on that alone.
However, it is a fact that at that time, he was subjected to such harsh training that it could easily be considered abuse, and as a result, he fell into such a desperate crisis that even the adults in the village gave up on him.
Even after Anze left the village, he must have desperately tried to survive, and once again thrown himself into an extreme form of training.
I probably went through countless heartbreaking experiences—and through them, I met wonderful friends with whom I could trust each other.
Well, then that's fine, isn't it?
Shouldn't he be rewarded?
Anze couldn't help but protest the injustice of the world, wondering why such a cruel fate had to be thrust upon her at this point.
Even with Anze's divine magic, it was impossible to regenerate her lost left leg or restore her damaged right eye.
He had finally reached A rank at such a young age, and all his past hardships should have finally paid off—but why, why?
"Lord Wolka..."
Just as a clear drop fell from Anze's cheek onto her finger, the door to the room was clearly knocked on twice.
"Anze, are you there?"
"Yes... please come in."
Anze quickly wiped her eyes, composed herself, and stood up. She calmed her breathing and invited the knocker inside. Opening the door quietly, Roche entered with a graceful bow. He was accompanying Anze as her bodyguard on this occasion.given name・eye・
With a calm smile on her lips, she walked gracefully towards Anze , exuding a refined elegance that made her seem like a completely different person from how she appeared during the day.Kyohumbly
"Welcome back. ...Are you finished?"
"Hmm. Shall we give the report tomorrow?"
"No... please tell me."
Anze closed the open window and drew the curtains tightly. Roche cast a quadruple layer of the < > spell throughout the entire room, creating a robust anti-eavesdropping measure. It wasn't that they were talking about anything they didn't want overheard, but it was more of a customary practice when listening to reports from work outside.Walls have no ears.Deafness
"Okay, I'll report back."
Roche briefly soothed his throat,
"...As for the guild in this city, well, they're probably innocent. They only received a report of the traverse. It seems certain that the guild in the Holy City conducted the investigation and gave its approval based on that report."
Furthermore, the first party to report completing the traverse was from the royal capital. While the possibility of a false report cannot be ruled out, it seems that at least the guild staff did not suspect anything. They were apparently a reputable party with a solid track record."
Anze felt a little relieved. She wasn't sure how calm she would be if the person responsible for this incident were in this town.
"But that guild leader... oh, I've forgotten his name. All he said was try to avoid responsibility and protect himself, so it wasn't much of an interrogation. You were right not to come. Seriously, with a leader like that, his subordinates must have a tough time."
"We've gone off on a tangent," Roche said, getting back on track.
"At this point, the most suspicious party is probably the investigation team dispatched by the Holy City's guild. They were sent to prevent something like this from happening, so they can't just say they didn't know or didn't notice. They must have received a reward commensurate with their responsibility."
As a premise, there have been several rare cases in the past where a dungeon that was reported to have been conquered was actually not. Some boasted to their companions that they would definitely conquer it, but when they were cornered, they lost their composure and made a false report without thinking ahead. Others, due to their lack of experience and the exhilaration of defeating a powerful monster, genuinely believed that they were the ones who had accomplished it.
In any case, every time a mistake occurs, the sacrifices are repeated.innocentson-in-law
Therefore, in the current guild, whenever a dungeon is reported to have been conquered, a team of skilled adventurers is always dispatched as an investigation team to ensure thorough third-party verification. The investigation team is entrusted with an extremely great responsibility, but at the same time, they are promised a reward commensurate with that important role.
If such an act of betrayal of that honorable duty were to occur in the holy city, the very place under God's guidance—
"...I understand. So, for now, there's no need for me to take any action, right?"
"Ah, I'm relieved. If you were to judge, I wonder if the bodies of the criminals would even remain in this world."
"Mr. Roche? Doesn't that make it sound like I'm a barbarian?"
"No way. You're such a devoted and wonderful woman."
"...already"
"Heh," Roche said, bowing with a warm gaze.
"Leave all the troublesome matters to me, and you should stay by Wolka's side. If you return to the Holy City, you won't be able to see each other as often as you'd like."
"...Thank you. We'll be relying entirely on you, Lady Hakua, for the Holy City..."
"There shouldn't be any problem. No matter what, he's the kind of person who always finishes his work properly. Besides, he cares deeply for his friends. If someone important to you has been harmed, he'll complain, but he certainly won't cut corners."
I'm sure Anze felt the same way. The foul-mouthed saint had gone to great lengths to help Anze, who had lost control of herself and was no longer able to make sound judgments. At first, she yelled at the saint to adjust her work schedule, but once that was taken care of, she took the initiative to help with the preparations, and even selected Roche, the perfect companion, and provided a plausible pretext for sending her as an envoy from the Holy City.
To Anze, she was a dear friend, an irreplaceable childhood friend, and like a reliable older sister who always looked after her no matter what.
"Well, that concludes my report."
"Yes. ...May I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
Anze looked into Roche's gentle eyes and asked.
"Aren't you frustrated?"
Roche and Wolka have been fierce rivals who have honed their swordsmanship skills together since they first met, and at the same time, they are close friends. As someone far closer to Wolka than Anze, I wanted to know how she was coping with his tragic situation.
"—Of course I'm frustrated. There's no way I wouldn't be frustrated."
The words were filled with such boiling anger that Anze involuntarily tensed up.
"You've seen it too, so you know, but Wolka's swordsmanship was no ordinary person's. As a fellow swordsman, I deeply respected his swordsmanship. ...The thought that it might end in this way makes my blood boil."
"..."
"But, well, those kinds of feelings aren't necessary between us."
He returned his voice to its original tone, shrugged his shoulders,
"These are just my personal feelings, and not something I would direct at anyone. I want to continue being friends with him, no matter what."
"...So that's why you lied like that in front of Lord Wolka?"
"It's true I had a meal with a woman. She's the receptionist at the guild. Yeah, she was very kind and helpful during my questioning."
He's a strange person, Anze thought. Roche was a knight in whom Anze and the "Chalk" placed their complete trust, yet he never showed his capable side to his friends. In reality, he had been busy conducting numerous interviews as an envoy from the Holy City, but in front of Wolka, he told a lighthearted lie, saying he was "having dinner with a woman."
And most importantly, I already have an answer in mind regarding how I will deal with Walka from here on out.
What about myself?
Unable to heal his wounds, unable to be by his side as a comrade, and without needing the support of the cathedral, what could Anze possibly do for Wolka?
In the end, I haven't changed at all since then.
"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
"...No, I'm fine now."
The moonlight is blue.
It looks like tonight will be another sleepless night.
"Thank you for your hard work Christ Knight Rochehardt. I look forward to working with you again tomorrow."
"As you wish, < Saint of the Heavenly Sword> ... May you have sweet dreams."
Tips for Rochehardt: A young man belonging to < Christ Knights>. He usually acts like a show-off and a fool, but he's the type who sees through everything while pretending to be clueless. He's undeniably strong.
Tips for Angesheit, the Saint of the Heavenly Sword: It turns out Anze is actually a saint!