3 bar menu

Chapter 22 – I Have Finally Become Really Strong! Evil Dragon Subjugation! Part 1 – (Part 1)

ーThere is no prince on a white horse. Just what made me realize that.

It was when both of us were six years old.

On that day, at that time, I told to him,

「Nee, Lute? I… to become a hero… to protect everyone… I have to fight… but to be honest… I’m scared… what should I do?」

On that day, at that time, he said to me,

「You are a hero. Then just fight to protect everyone.」

In response to those words, on that day, at that time, I said to him,

「But… It’s scary… Demons, Evil Dragons, Demon Kings… Demon God too… they’re all enemies of the Hero, you know? I can’t do that.」

In response to those words, he said to me that day, at that time.

「…Then I’ll help you. No matter what happens, no matter where you are, no matter when you’re in a pinch, I’ll run to you and blow them away. So don’t worry… You must fight as a Hero. And I’ll… help you. Definitely.」

I remember being very happy hearing those words when I was a child.

In fact, he is strangely grown-up when I was still a kid, I was always like his younger sister and he was like my older brother.

He comforted me when I scraped my knees and was crying, and he came to look for me when I got lost.

For me, he was a prince on a white horse who existed in fairy talesー Un, If I have to exaggerate, he might have been that kind of existence.

But, I noticed something when my age exceeded ten.

ーNo matter how hard I’m in trouble, there’s no such thing as a prince on a white horse who will pop up and blow the bad guys away… those don’t exist.

He is a Villager, and I’m a Hero.

I realized the true meaning of such an obvious thing.

The growth rate is different, the occupational skills are also different.

Everything was different… and before I knew it, the path to his future and mine was completely different.

But,

But, I’m fine with that.

He’s a Villager, and I’m a Hero.

At that time, he said that he would act like an older brother and protect me, but… it would be fine if I am protecting him.

He should just plow the fields peacefully.

With him, his family, my family, and my favorite neighborhood old men and women… with the game I hunted… sometimes we’ll have a barbeque, and I laughed with everyone.

ーAnd it’s my job to protect everyone’s smiles. Un. That is fine. My mission just… got  a little bigger.

I made up my mind and gave up on many things… I received an education as a Hero and I decided to live as a Hero.

And three years ago.

A strange thing happened on that day when I was twelve years old.

Unexpectedly, he faced hundreds of goblins, and showed a strength that surpassed that of a Hero.

Although, his power that time was 50 to 100 steps better compared to mine. Actually, he was also completely exhausted, and just like what he said on that day, at that time, whatever pinch I am in, he would save me… something that I didn’t think he would do.

Well, I was surprised that a Villager can push themselves to such an extent.

And, so what I am trying to say…

ーThere is no prince on a white horse who can blow enemies away in a pinch.

However, someone that can overcome any crisis together with me… such a reliable comrade-in-arms does exist. Or something like that.

And when I finished talking, everyone burst into laughter.

It’s currently nighttime. The place is a banquet.

「Comrades in arms… are you talking about that again, Cordelia? You were just twelve years old at that time… even though your status hasn’t grown that much, there’s no way a villager can beat you, right?」

While lightly stirring the wine, the commander teased me.

「No, but… it’s a fact that at that time, I barely survived thanks to him…」

「And what happened after that was the comedy part. Your prince was taken away by a dragon? What kind of fantasy is this?」

At that point, everyone burst into laughter even more.

As alcohol is circulating, everyone is in a good mood.

「What kind of fantasy, you say…」

「And in the first place, Cordelia?」

I mixed a thorn in the response to the Knight Commander’s smile.

「What?」

「There are four hundred goblins, no? If that’s all… including me, any veteran adventurers can beat them, right? I think I can handle about a thousand and five hundred… and you right now can probably afford around ten thousand, right?」

「That’s, well that is right, but..」

「If a Villager can do that when they are twelve years old… Well, they’re inhuman, but how much can a Villager grow from there? I can assure you, their growth rate is not even close to touch your feet, isn’t it?」

「That’s, well, that maybe be right but…」

「Isn’t it a bit too unreasonable for such a Villager to play the role of your comrade-in-arms? The story is dubious in the first place.」

I puffed out my cheeks.

Well, frankly… there is no way I would believe it if I heard this story from someone else too.

Speaking of my growth recordーaccording to the official records of the Confederation Of Nations, the goblin incident… The second half was dismissed as a clouded memory from my magic power exhaustion.

I was the one who actually cleaned up the goblins, or perhaps the boy named Lute died, and as a result… I had a memory turmoil and rampaged.

That’s how it was concluded.

It’s true that the story is too bizarre… and it’s a story about a dragon appearing, so I know it’s unbelievable.

But… and so I thought to myself from time to time.

If, just as what the clerks who were dispatched from the Confederation of Nations said, everything was just my clouded memoryーif perhaps it’s just a dream.

If Lute had died that time, I, who was twelve years old at the time, would not have been able to endure it.

What’s more, as a result… he died because I couldn’t protect him… that’s what actually happened.

When I thought about that, my heart absolutely cannot bear the sadness.

My brain would definitely malfunction and fall into a fatal state of mental disorder.

And that’s whyーas an emergency solution, I must have been shown an impossible hallucination…

Then I puffed out my cheeks.

「Yes, yes, it’s fine. Anyway, let’s just say that my memory of that time is…  a memory disorder or something.」

Saying that, I took a sip of the red wine.

That bearded vice-commanders of the Knights happily said,

「Oh, Cordelia? You can hold your drink, huh?」

At that point, the Knight Commander nodded greatly.

「Well, with that being said, the reason why we are able to drink like this in the depths of the great abyss forest is thanks to Cordelia. As long as you are here… the monsters here won’t even serve as an opponent.」

And then, a slight sense of incongruity arose in my mind.

This expedition is to defeat the sandworms in the desert beyond the Great Forest.

A large amount of money has been donated by a millionaire who leads a caravan, and the target monster is also pretty strong. My level, which is 112, will also increase a little.

But… I have a bad feeling in my chest.

Certainly, drinking in this forest is fine. Having zero vigilance is also fine.

Everyone in the knight order is also excellent.

Even without me coming out… if it’s just an average monster, it’ll be an instant kill.

That’s why we’re having fun at the banquet on the eve of a victory celebration, but… I have this tingling feeling in my chest.

The total amount of wine I drank was around one and a half glassesーthe same amount as what I would have in a normal dinner, so there won’t be a problem in battle.

But I quickly got up. Then I threw away the glass of wine and gulped down some water in one breath.

ーIn order to increase the probability of survival.

「What’s wrong, Cordelia?」

Disgusting sweat is dripping down my back. I haven’t felt this way since… three years ago when the goblin army attacked the village.

「No… just a little… drunk.」

I’m actually sober.

I mean, I hardly drank much in the first place.

I have read the atmosphere and pretended to drink, but in the first place, I’m the one in charge of everyone’s lives.

Strictly speaking, in the current situation, the Knight Commander is my aide.

Everyone in the Knights treats me like a child, but when it comes to combat, everyone is a professional. They know what’s good and what’s bad.

And that’s why everyone is under my command.