7 – 2. Devil’s Land, Combat (3)
“Sorry for being so late. If you punish me, I will accept it sweetly.”
The old man who led the family’s troops kneels.
Following him, the knights also ask for forgiveness.
It’s not like they were late or lost.
As soon as the signs of the demonic scene were detected, preparations began immediately.
And in just 40 minutes, the troops arrived at the demon scene.
However, the battle has already been fought and the damage has been done.
They did their best, but it cannot be said that they are not at all responsible.
Even Shien was injured.
Because the body of the would-be lord was wounded.
As family members, we should ask for forgiveness.
“no. it’s okay. Wake up everyone.”
“… .”
“It is an order.”
When the word ‘command’ comes out, the old man stands up.
Then, Shien smiled softly and continued.
“long time no see.”
“… yes. Long time no see, lady.”
“Captain Rascal… Oh, I’m not the captain anymore. What should I call you?”
“I’m in charge of the guard, though it’s not enough.”
“I am the captain of the guard.”
“Originally, I just wanted to retire and live a quiet life. Didn’t the head of the household give this old man another job? I’m assuming you haven’t fixed it yet. hahahaha… .”
Even though the old man, Rascal, said so.
He seemed worried that my words might hurt Shien.
Shien’s father, the head of Lichtenau’s family who died a while ago.
Bringing up the story just made me nervous.
“is that so. Well, he is.”
Fortunately, Shien didn’t seem to care too much.
Otherwise, you’re trying to pretend you’re okay.
“Hmmm. More than that, the old man was really surprised.”
In case the atmosphere becomes gloomy, we quickly change the topic.
“To say that he subdued the Witchbeasts with little damage. I want to hear the details, but the knights look tired and there are civilians, so I’ll go back to my family and listen.”
Rascal urges Shien to get on the carriage.
Following his recommendation, Shien climbed into the carriage and opened her mouth as if she had suddenly remembered.
“Captain Brander?”
“Yes, Shien. Please tell me.”
“Can you call Adele?”
Adele returns to her seat as family reinforcements arrive.
When Shien found him, Brenda nodded without saying a word.
“… ?”
However, Rascal, still unaware of the situation, only blinked his eyes.
After a while, Brenda brought Adele with her.
Then, Shien held out her hand to Adele.
“Shien-nim?”
Rascal is startled by the sight and calls her.
To think that the woman who would become the head of Lichtenau would sit with an unknown man.
It was natural to be worried that something bad would come out.
“… .”
But the strange thing was, Brenda kept her mouth shut.
If it was him that Rascal knew, it would be normal for him to jump like he did.
Such a blender was unexpectedly very quiet.
“I will prepare for departure, Shien-nim.”
“yes. Please, Captain.”
Rather, all he said was that he would hasten preparations for departure.
It was Rascal with a look of absurdity, but for now, he obeyed her will.
How could a knight and vassal of Lichtenau go against the wishes of the head of the family?
“Captain Brander.”
Instead, he grabs his junior and grasps the situation.
“Yes, senior.”
“Did you say Adele? Who is that young man just now? It’s the first face I’ve ever seen.”
“He was a member of a group of civilians who came with me.”
Then, Rascal’s face contorted.
The reason is probably the same as the previous blender.
“Isn’t it that the identity is not certain? But to put such a man together with Shien-nim.”
“… .”
After staring at Rascal for a moment, Brender decided to tell the truth.
“It was a level 3 demon.”
“… what?”
“It wasn’t 5th or 4th. What we encountered was definitely a reddish demon.”
At those words, Rascal opens his mouth in disbelief.
“Is that, really? It was a level 3 demon?”
“Why would I lie? A 3 star was right.”
If it’s a 3rd grade devil’s eye, of course, 3rd grade demons will pour out.
No matter how badly, dozens of them would have come out.
On the other hand, there were less than twenty knights escorting Shien.
Originally, it was correct to send more people.
However, due to the fierce battle that took place a while ago, the power was greatly divided.
“… The number of knights was insufficient, and there were also civilians to protect. however… .”
“One warrior, the others wounded. yes. As you can see, the damage is ridiculously low.”
“yes.”
“The person who made that possible was a young man from a moment ago. That young man named Adele was slaughtering Level 3 Witchbeasts by himself.”
At Brender’s words, Rascal turns to the wagon.
With an expression of incredulity.
“This is nonsense. That is impossible.”
“So do i. Even when I saw it myself, I thought it didn’t make sense. but… .”
gulp-.
Pausing for a moment, Brender swallows dryly.
I still get goosebumps when I think of that moment.
“However, it was a clear reality.”
* * *
“Are there any injuries?”
At Sean’s question, Adele shook her head.
It’s only a 3rd grade demon, you can’t get injured.
Because the body first remembers and reacts to move.
Even with my eyes closed, I could get rid of the magic beasts.
“Shin-nim, are you okay? It looks like you’re hurt.”
“I’m fine too. Rather, I am fortunate enough.”
In response, Adele looked at Xian quietly.
Some say than a hundred people die.
He is more afraid of hurting himself and hates it.
So use, betray, and run away.
I have seen so many such people.
I have no intention of blaming or swearing.
I heard that humans are inescapable.
‘however.’
However, the woman named Shien in front of me was different.
There was no hesitation in throwing oneself away to protect others.
Was it her family? no.
If so, were you a colleague or a vassal? Not even that.
At least they weren’t even the people of his own territory.
Those who just flowed in from the north.
Shien risked his life for those who had never seen it.
Adele had a hard time accepting that part.
“thank you.”
At Sean’s thanks, Adele looked at her.
“Help the knights belonging to the 1st squad. Now I owe the lives of my knights and myself. I will never forget this favor. I will definitely repay this favor when I return to my family.”
“I did what I had to do, I didn’t expect anything in return.”
Then, Shien’s eyes change a little strangely.
Saying you did what you had to do, or saying you didn’t expect anything in return.
It may sound like a cliche to some people, but.
Considering Adele’s dance a moment ago, that wasn’t the intention.
‘As expected, there’s something.’
I’m a little worried that it might be rude.
The desire to ask the real identity was like a chimney.
“Why are you like that?”
“yes?”
“I still don’t understand.”
Shien blinked at Adele’s question.
“… I think I gave you an answer earlier.”
“I still don’t understand.”
This man is strangely obsessed with strange things.
Shien thought so and touched his lips.
The answer I said was because it had to be.
It was what he did as the family head of Lichtenau.
‘If, as the head of the family, he wants an answer other than that.’
After thinking for a moment, Xian smiled shyly.
“I don’t know.”
“… I don’t know.”
“just. I just wanted to. That’s it.”
An answer he still couldn’t understand.
But I couldn’t ask for more than this.
Adele turned and looked out the window.
Beyond the running wagon, the northern territory of the Empire is revealed.
The tops of the mountains in the distance are dyed pure white.
Could that pure white thing be the ‘snow’ I’ve only heard about?
“… .”
Adele turns her head and looks through the window.
Thanks to this, Shien was able to see him a little more closely.
‘Than you think… Are you handsome?’
At first, I didn’t even notice it because of its shabby appearance.
But looking at it now, his appearance catches my eye.
Is that the man who really slaughtered the demons?
How could someone so clean be able to show such a terrifying appearance?
Those who haven’t seen it will never believe it.
“Do you have anything to say?”
Did he notice Shien’s gaze?
When Adele opens her mouth, Shien hurries.
“Ah, me. I mean.”
“… .”
“therefore… What, what are you doing?”
I should have been curious, but I was going to ask later.
I was so embarrassed that I just ran out of words.
“So, me. I mean… .”
“I am traveling.”
“Hey, a trip?”
“That’s right.”
“Have you ever been to the north?”
“… Perhaps, I think it was.”
In fact, he had no destination.
Just to leave, to try once.
Since it was a trip that was taken for those reasons, it is unlikely that there would be a destination.
I did receive an invitation from someone I met while traveling.
But that’s just one part of the process, it can’t be a destination.
“Do you have any more questions?”
“Are you going to answer me?”
“I will do as much as I can to answer.”
“… What kind of person are you? I want to know more.”
Only then can I invite you to Lichtenau without any worries.
Because I wouldn’t buy into other people’s worries.
“They say I’m not a soldier, they say I’m not a knight, and at least they say I’m not a mercenary. But when you see him fighting the Witchbeast again, it makes no sense.”
At Sean’s question, Adele took on a moment of contemplation.
“It’s probably because I’ve been fighting since I was a kid.”
“As a child? Wait. if… Are you a child soldier?”
“Perhaps it is.”
“Then, then, when did you start fighting?”
“well. one… I remember fighting from the age of 14.”
Sean was startled.
If you fought from the age of 14, that means you’ve spent over 10 years on the battlefield.
It is a hell on a different level from ordinary war.
In the great war against the Witchbeast, that long time!
“Then I quit a while ago.”
“Have you by any chance been active in vigilantes or something?”
A great war against the demons that started over 20 years ago.
Demonic worlds appeared in random locations across the continent.
Naturally, the empire did its best to get rid of those demons.
However, there are definitely places that the Empire cannot reach.
Such a place had to fight on its own to survive.
And the vigilante group started with that reason.
“no.”
“No?”
“Aren’t vigilantes a group that protects them? I didn’t belong to that group. It was just a fight with a mission to kill. So, it won’t be a vigilante.”
With that said, Adele shuts her mouth.
I couldn’t answer any more than this, so I had to keep it confidential.
“… .”
But Shien saw it in a different way.
Ever since I was very young, I had to roll around in the middle of hell.
As a poor young man who has finally put down his weapon and leaves.
‘I’m sorry.’
It seems that his hard life full of hardships is unfolding.
Incidentally, I think I asked a rude question.
It seemed to bring back a terrible memory.
“… sorry.”
So Cien apologized without even knowing it.
Indeed, Adele wonders why she is apologizing.
It was a look that I couldn’t understand at all.