Chapter 90
A hand reached out and came to rest on my head.
"You've grown big. I suppose that's only natural after four years."
"...Dantes-san."
Dantes-san tousled my hair in front of the Ouroboros's bones, now motionless.
"Reiji-kun!"
"Whoa!"
The one who came clinging to me from the side like a tackle was Mimino-san. Even though I'd grown taller than her, there was still only a small difference in height between us.
"Oh, come on! I've been looking for you! For so, so, so long!"
"S-sorry... A lot happened to me too."
We'd parted without being able to tell Mimino-san and the others anything. Of course, I hadn't wanted to do something so ungrateful, either, but at the time I had no choice... because of Lark.
Given how six-star Talent Jewels were treated in the Kurvahn Holy Kingdom, the 【Shadow King Demon Swordsmanship】 Talent Jewel Lark had acquired must be worth an incredible amount.
Sigh... I wonder what Lark is doing now.
In any case, the Keithgran Federation was probably still searching for the 【Shadow King Demon Swordsmanship】 Talent Jewel, so I couldn't risk revealing anything unusual to the members of "Silver Scales." If they thought I was in league with Lark, it would cause them trouble.
"What have you been up to these days? Your clothes look pretty fancy—ah, are you hurt?! Are you hurt? You're covered in blood! Non, use 【Healing Magic】 right awa—ow!"
Non-san came from behind and chopped Mimino-san on the head.
"Reiji-kun is bleeding, but he doesn't seem to have any external injuries. Right?"
"Ah, yes—"
"Heeheehee. So you can even use 【Healing Magic】 now, can you? How amazing. Just how much has Reiji-kun grown over these past four years...? Heeheehee."
Non-san's laugh is scary!
"—Over there!"
"—Hasn't the fight already ended?"
"—Seriously. What the hell is that huge bone?!"
A large number of armed adventurers came running from the other end of the street. Once they realized the battle was already over, some looked disappointed, while others looked relieved at the sight of the bone's enormous size.
"Did you guys take it down?"
Asked by an adventurer with two swords at his waist, Dantes-san gave a calm nod.
"What the hell, that's not fair! Trying to steal all the glory!"
"Damn outsiders."
They appeared to be adventurers from this city, and they seemed jealous that "Silver Scales" had taken down the monster.
(Come on, even if you call it stealing the glory, no one but someone like Dantes-san could have even fought it properly...)
When I started to feel a little irritated, Dantes-san said,
"We rushed out immediately, but adventurers normally gather at the guild once before setting out. Besides, evacuating the citizens takes priority."
he explained.
"But how did you get here so quickly?"
"Because Non strongly insisted, 'Let's go right now.' ... She has sharp instincts in situations like this."
"Heeheehee."
That laugh is scary, Non-san.
"—Captain, the monster appears to have fallen silent."
"—What did you say?!"
This time, riding in from the opposite end of the street, was a force of fifty mounted Holy King Knights.
I recognized someone this time—probably the 11th Squad.
"Everyone, halt!!"
Looking down at us and the adventurers from horseback, the captain of the 11th Squad said,
"Was it you who took this down?"
"Yeah, that's—"
"This is the adventurers' guild's achievement!"
The man who had spoken to Dantes-san earlier blurted that out.
"Don't come along afterward and claim it as your own!"
The other adventurers chimed in, "That's right, that's right."
"Did you really defeat it? A monster this enormous?"
"I told you we did. Knights, butt out."
"As if we could. This giant snake destroyed everything from the Second Holy District all the way here. We'll take possession of the materials."
"What?! Don't be stupid! This is the adventurers' share!"
"The knights will take custody of it first, then distribute it fairly."
"You'll skim off the top!"
"What did you say? I've let you run your mouth long enough!"
A loud argument broke out, with everyone shouting over everyone else.
"..."
As for me, I watched it all with a cold eye. The truth was, I could feel the exhaustion hit me all at once. Well, of course I was tired. The tension had stayed taut the entire time, and it had been a battle in which many people's lives had been at stake—including my own.
I honestly couldn't care less whose achievement it was.
"Mimino-san, Dantes-san, Non-san. You're staying in the city for a while, right? I'm currently staying with Count Slyries's family, so I need to get back there."
"Really? A count's house? Wow, Reiji-kun, you've really ended up somewhere fancy."
"Reiji. We're staying at the 'Silver Tangerine' Inn. Be sure to contact us—I decided I won't die until I've repaid the favor I owe you."
Dantes-san slapped his left shoulder with his right hand. From watching him fight, I could tell that the petrification had healed completely.
"Well then, see you later."
"Be sure to contact us, Reiji-kun!"
"That's right. Your father has been going on and on about how he'd do all sorts of things for Reiji-kun when he saw him again."
"...You're saying that in front of him, daughter."
Being told that much made me feel bashful too.
While casting a sidelong glance at the argument between the knights and the adventurers, I hopped onto the Ouroboros's now-bare skull and pulled out my shortsword.
"Hmm...? Aren't you the cleaning boy?"
The captain had noticed me.
"Yes."
"Don't tell me—you were the one who delivered the finishing blow to this giant snake?"
"I—"
"—No way! He's just a kid. I saw it from a distance, but that snake was unbelievably huge."
An adventurer cut in from the side.
Good grief—this sword had really been through a lot. Maybe I needed a new one... Thinking that, I resheathed it and jumped down.
"Well then, see you again."
"Yeah."
"See you 'round, then."
"Be sure to contact us~. You've got a record, so I'm keeping an eye on you~."
"Ahahaha..."
Thinking there was no beating Non-san, I turned my back on "Silver Scales."
It took quite a while to get back to Count Slyries's mansion in the Second Holy District. The fact that Non-san's 【Support Magic】 had worn off contributed to the fatigue and lethargy washing over my body. My appearance had been left in pretty bad shape by the battle, and I'd also lost the clasp from my bolo tie, which served as proof that I belonged to the count's household.
To my surprise, the one who helped me was Jelly-san. Jelly-san had apparently spotted the clasp when I dropped it and picked it up for me. Jelly-san said, "Now we're even!" Of course, compared with the debt Jelly-san owed me, this wasn't much at all, was it? Still, I was so exhausted that I felt I could probably reduce that debt by about ten percent. When I asked why Jelly-san hadn't helped at all during the fight with the Ouroboros, Jelly-san gave me a bright smile and said, "I'm not suicidal enough to jump into a battle between a superhuman and a monster!"
When I returned to the count's mansion, the young lady was already home. She gave a small cry when she saw me and hurried over. I honestly told her that I had given it everything I had, but was sorry I hadn't been able to protect everyone. Upon hearing that, tears began rolling down her cheeks—even though she had desperately held them back during the battle with the Mediator, this time she let them fall—and she took my face in both hands.
I am a foolish master.
The young lady's hands were soft, smooth, and warm.
I almost got you killed by giving you such a foolish order.
I wanted to deny it. The young lady was incredibly clever for a twelve-year-old, strong-willed, and cool. Besides, I would refuse if I didn't want to do something, and working for her had actually become rather fun. But I was very tired, and the cheeks she was holding felt warm and pleasant—and I simply drifted off to sleep. As I did, I wondered whether the young lady's magic eyes were all right.
...Never knowing that, while I slept, another major incident was already unfolding in the First Holy District and the Holy King's Palace.