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Volume 7 Chapter 172

The Hero’s Words (Part 2/2)

The one who saved me was not the Guardian Hero Haruto-sama, but the Sage Haruto-sama.
Haruto-sama used a massive sword about the length of his own body to sever the demon’s arm and rescue me.
Why is a Sage using a sword?
How can he swing such a huge sword with one hand?
Where did he even get that sword from?
He didn’t have it when he saved me outside the Holy City, did he?
I wanted to ask so many questions, but I couldn’t speak because the demon’s severed arm continued to strangle me even after being detached.
Haruto-sama promptly crushed and obliterated the demon’s arm.
I understood he had holy magic on his hand……
But it was beyond belief that he could make a part of the demon’s body disappear.
The surprises didn’t stop there. The sword Haruto-sama wielded was the holy sword『 Imperial Sword』 a sacred treasure kept under tight security in the Alheim Elf Kingdom, a sword that only heroes could handle.
Considering how much difficulty the demon was having regenerating its arm, I had no doubt that the sword was genuine.
That wasn’t all.
Haruto-sama used 『 teleportation』.
Without any motion, he teleported right next to the demon and severed its regenerating arm once more.
Teleportation is a skill only limited to heroes.
Could it be…… Haruto-sama is a hero?
「Y-You…… Could you be a hero!?」
It seemed the demon had the same thought as me.
「I’m a hero from another world」
「 —-Eh!?」
He has the Imperial Sword, he can use teleportation.
Given the circumstances, it wouldn’t be strange to say that Haruto-sama is a hero.
But I was still taken aback because I had heard that Haruto-sama was a Sage.
Not only that, what surprised me even more was that when he mentioned he was a hero, his appearance seemed to overlap with the Guardian Hero-sama.
Haruto-sama and Haruto-sama—they even have the same name.
Strange coincidence……
But their faces are completely different, and Haruto-sama has beautiful blue eyes.
Heroes from another world all have a distinct feature: black eyes.
So even if Haruto-sama was called a hero, I couldn’t bring myself to believe it completely.
Moreover, the Flame Knight, who had such strong magic power, was easily defeated, and my hopes were crushed.
It wasn’t so simple to say, 『 We’re saved』.
Even when Haruto-sama said, 『It’s going to be alright』, I couldn’t believe his words.
I didn’t want to be shaken anymore.
And yet—-
「Let me protect you」
……That’s not fair.
When Haruto-sama turned his back on me and spoke those words, he looked exactly like the Guardian Hero.
The Guardian Hero had a skill that made him stronger when there was someone to protect behind him.
Therefore, he would say to the person he was about to protect, 『Let me protect you』. By doing so, both he and the other person would be able to recognize who was being protected and the skill would activate.
It’s not a common thing to say, 『Let me protect you』, to someone you’re trying to help, right?
That’s why I couldn’t help but think of Haruto-sama as a Guardian Hero when he said those words.
I thought『We’re saved』. And I was beginning to believe in his words, 『It’s going to be alright』.
I want to make sure.
But I’m scared to know the truth.
What if Haruto-sama’s words just happen to be similar to his?
What if Haruto-sama isn’t a hero and can’t defeat the demon?
I’m scared, and I don’t want to hear it—-
「Is Haruto-sama… The Guardian Hero?」
I blurted out a question without thinking.
And his response was—
「You remembered. It’s been a while, Seira」
Haruto-sama, who briefly turned around, showed a smile. That smile, no matter how desperate the situation, gave courage and hope to the one behind him.
With those words and gestures, I was convinced.
He is—Haruto-sama is the Guardian Hero.
「Stop babbling!!」
The demon raised its sword and infused it with magic, swinging it down toward us.
From the swung sword, black lightning that seemed to condense despair and fear shot toward us.
But I’m not afraid.
Because I’m behind the Guardian Hero.
In this world, being behind the Guardian Hero is the safest place, I know that.
Haruto-sama easily blocked the demon’s attack.
With the Imperial Sword in hand, he unleashed a purple flash.
「What!? —Ugh!!」
The slash that leaped out of the Imperial Sword canceled the demon’s attack, and with undiminished power, it flew all the way to the demon, leaving a large wound on its arm.
It seems the demon hardened its arm to block the attack, but a large amount of blood was gushing out from the inflicted part.
「……Tch, it seems to be the real thing「
The murderous intent emanating from the demon subsided.
Now that it knows Haruto-sama is the hero, will it give up and try to escape?
—-It wouldn’t be that easy.
Demons are the embodiment of malice.
They are not the kind of beings who would surrender easily.
「At least let me take one soul」
「What!? Stop!!」
Haruto-sama panicked.
He’s trying to activate magic on the spot, but— he probably won’t make it in time.
In that split second, I couldn’t do anything but watch, feeling bitter about my immobile body, as the demon’s sword approached Isha.
「Isha!!」
The moment the demon’s sword touched Isha—
Something with super high speed passed through between Isha and the demon.
「Ugh!?」
The black sword and the arm of the demon holding it disappeared, and the demon screamed.
「You, my Master, said『Stop』 and yet you ignored it…… As punishment, I shall erase you along with your sword and arm」
Yoko-san, who was in a kimono, and who had come with Haruto-sama to the holy city—appeared.