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Chapter 10

A Chick Can See The Outside World Only After They Break Out Of The Shell In Front Of Them

 

Our dungeon exploration is going well…. is what I wanted to say.

 

「There are two black monsters ahead.」

 

「Got it, I’ll deal with the one on the right.」

 

「Alright!」

 

The enemies we faced were unexceptionally strong.

 

We mainly encountered black goblins in the dungeon so far, with the exception of the purple goblin we encountered at the beginning.

It’s not that we can’t handle the situation, but seeing the upper level of the dungeon filled with the black goblins that are strong as Sybilla said… this is definitely an extremely difficult dungeon to conquer.

 

I successfully evade the goblin that leaps at me with a side-step movement while holding a club in one hand and cut him down before his attack reaches me.

They might have different colors and stronger than regular goblins, but because of the height difference, they always need to jump when they aim for my head.

And since it would be impossible to correct their posture midair, it’s easier to defeat them at this moment when their movements are easy to read and full of openings.

 

I made sure to check on Sybilla every time I defeated one.

She began to fight cautiously after getting injured once with a poisoned knife earlier.

While blocking attacks with the shield attached to her forearm, she uses her short sword to keep the enemy in check and fires a chantless fireball at the enemy.

But since the black goblin is so strong, she tends to hold the arm holding the shield with a pained expression after the enemy stops moving.

 

「Geez… these shitty bastards sure pack a punch even though they’re small.」

 

A girl shouldn’t say things like shit and such…… is what I thought, but I don’t think she’ll listen to me, or rather it feels more natural when she spouts such things.

 

(《Heal》, and another one, 《Heal》)

 

For now, I’ll heal if Sybilla seems to be even slightly injured from the distance while recovering my stamina.

 

「Ah, just now, did you…」

 

「The next one is coming!」

 

「Wha, for real!? Ugh, they’re really here. Ahh damn it, okay, I got it!」

 

She was about to say something but seemed to prioritize dealing with the monster in front of her first.

It’s the goblin that uses a knife again. There are three of them, so I decided to attack first this time to avoid being surrounded.

 

『Gyaa……!』

 

They’re probably weak against sudden attacks since I managed to land my attacks before they could even react.

As expected, it was a good decision to spend a large amount of money to buy a good sword.

 

After successfully getting rid of two of them, I look at the remaining black goblin in front of me.

As expected, this one became more cautious because of my sudden attack earlier.

The black goblin swung its knife dripping with poison at me. Ah, I should’ve brought a shield me with me too like Sybilla.

 

But we’re not going anywhere if I just wait for it to come at me.

I took a step forward and thrust at the black goblin, but it suddenly threw its knife at me. It’s prepared to trade lives, huh!

As soon as my sword pierced the black goblin’s throat, a voice echoed in my head.

 

——　【Saint】Level 6《Wind Barrier》　——

 

It was the level-up voice that always comes so suddenly. But I decided to ignore it for now so I won’t be distracted and focus on what’s in front of me.

I quickly stop the knife with my left hand, but of course, the blade of the knife still stings a little. At the same time, I get a bad sensation, like when I was a little sleep-deprived.

 

……I see, so this is the poison. If I left it as is, the symptoms would definitely get worse over time.

 

Sybilla, who had just also finished defeating the goblins, looked at me.

Looks like the goblin she faced also threw its knife at her, as I can see the wound on her wrist which wasn’t covered by the shield.

She looked at my injured palm with a surprised look on her face while holding her injured wrist.

……Even though she also got injured, what’s with that reaction?

 

I then used chantless Cure and Heal on ourselves.

……Alright, the sluggish and tired feeling in my body is gone.

This is so much more convenient than using magic with a chant when you get used to it.

 

Sybilla looked at my palm with one eyebrow raised and then immediately turned her gaze to her own wrist.

After clenching her fist a few times, she tilted her head.

……I wonder if there’s something wrong.

 

Well, whatever. More importantly, there’s something I need to check first.

 

「《Wind Barrier》」

 

That is to try the magic I obtained from reaching level 6.

After saying the name of the magic out loud, a colorless, but still faintly visible layer had formed around me.

 

「……」

 

Sybilla looks at me with her mouth wide open and her finger pointed at me.

 

「Y-you… that’s… isn’t that Wind Barrier?」

 

「You know this magic?」

 

「It’s a magic that can block arrows. It can also repel some other magic, and a weak monster should find it hard to enter as well. But if you’re a party member, then just like this…」

 

Sybilla touched the colorless layer with the fingertips of her leather gloves and when she made sure that there was no resistance, she moved her palms in and out.

 

「See? I can freely move in and out.」

 

I see, this will make it a little easier to deal with the monsters around here. I should be able to avoid getting a direct hit from a throwing knife this time.

 

If I had this kind of magic back when I was in my previous party, maybe I could have been a little more…… No, even with this magic, I don’t think I would still be able to do much.

But in the current situation, it’s something to be thankful for. Because I don’t have to worry about getting attacked from behind since the black goblins have started to throw poison knives.

 

As I felt satisfied with my magic, Sybilla looked at me with her eyes half open and her arms crossed.

Why is she looking at me like that?

 

「You… if you can use that kind of magic, don’t you think you should’ve used it earlier, hm?」

 

「No, well… I learned it when I reached level 6 just now. These black goblins sure are giving a lot of experience points huh.」

 

「You just learned it, you say…… ah, come to think of it, you did say you were level 5, didn’t you? 」

 

After that, Sybilla groans and crosses her arms again, then she holds her head in her hands while she folds her fingers as if she were counting something. 

 

「It’s just… I’ve been wondering about this for a while, but… Have you learned the magic “Clean”?」

 

「No, I don’t know that magic.」

 

「Then what about the magic “Refresh”?」

 

「I don’t know that one either.」

 

「”Stamina Charge”?」

 

「……Nope, never heard of it.」

 

What’s with her? Are those magic you should normally learn?

Don’t tell me, is she trying to point out some flaw of the 【Saint】  job that I don’t know about?

 

「Fuu….Then, what about “Extra Heal”? Did you learn it?」

 

「Ah, if it’s that, I learned it at level 4. 《Extra Heal》」

 

I try and use magic on the black goblin that Sybilla has defeated with her fireball and charred black.

It can’t revive the dead, so it stays dead, but all burns and wounds on its body are healed.

 

「………..Ahhhhhh!! Wait wait wait, You—!! I didn’t tell you to use it right here and now! What a waste, Has no one ever taught you to learn to conserve your mana?!」

 

「Geez, this is a dungeon, so don’t shout out so loud for every little thing. Healing magic doesn’t consume much magic power in the first place, so I can use it as much as I want.」

 

「Then let me ask you this, how many times can you use it?!」

 

I’m sure I can use it a hundred times, but I never tested beyond that, so I don’t know. Even though I don’t know the exact number, it’s probably not that much.」

 

Hearing my answer, Sybilla backed away with an expression as if she had seen a monster.

You’d better fix that habit of letting your innermost feelings show on your face.

Otherwise, you’re going to get into trouble somewhere someday.

 

「Hey…」

 

「Hm?」

 

「You have skillful swordsmanship, and you can also cast healing magic continuously without chanting like this… Well, I’m thankful since we’re progressing much easier and better than I thought because of that. But despite that, why are you… going alone?」

 

「……I was kicked out because I was useless in the party.」

 

「You’re kidding.」

 

I just walked away in silence after hearing her reply.

 

「H-Hey, wait!」

 

I stop my step and reply without turning back to face her.

 

「On the royal road that the protagonist follows, a guy like me who can only cast his magic when someone is injured, is useless. That was it.」

 

I walked ahead silently once again after that.

I can hear a gasp of breath, but she never called out to me.

 

…That’s right.

After all, no matter where I go, I’m nothing but a healer mage.

 

And today is the first step I make to break out of the shackles that hold me back.

The hand that grips this sword still remembers the memories of my childhood, when I still longed to be a hero.

By being able to accept that I wasn’t the main character and by breaking out of this shell, I think I was able to realize for the first time what I was missing.

That I’m someone who can fight well enough with my own ability.

 

I’m finally able to understand myself.

 

I glanced at Sybilla’s face who walked beside me before I knew it.

 

「What?」

 

「No, it’s nothing. I’m thinking we should explore a bit more, but… are you alright with that?」

 

「Sure, I found out we don’t have to worry about you running out of magic power after all.」

 

After replying with a smile while shrugging both shoulders, Sybilla walked ahead.

We’re strangely familiar with each other as if we’re partners who’ve been working together for many years.

Even though I had only met this strange girl just yesterday.

 

My time, which feels like it has been frozen for so long.

My existence, which I had always thought of as a supporting role.

 

I have no reason or proof for it, but… I have this feeling that if I’m with this girl, I can break away from all those thoughts.