TNZKMA 130

１３０

 

 

Saine left the guild with the three heroes to assess the situation with his own eyes. They were probably heading to the square where the monster had appeared. Of course, it was safer to stay at the guild than to go there, so I was left behind. With so many heroes here, Saine could feel reassured.

From the southeastern market to the square in the eastern section, it’s about a 20-minute run. For Saine, it would probably take 10 minutes. Running there and back should only take about 30 minutes, but if they’re checking things out thoroughly, it could take longer. How long will Saine be gone, I wonder? Even though I knew the four heroes together would be strong, my heart ached with worry.

I pulled my legs up onto the chair, hugging my knees tightly. As my anxiety grew, a familiar pain began to build in my stomach. This always happened, and I braced myself, waiting for the bad feeling to pass.

[You really shouldn’t say stuff like that, you know?]

Dole spoke to me, and I looked up, surprised.

[What do you mean?]

[To Saine. You shouldn’t say things that make it sound like you’re giving up on yourself.]

[Did I say that?]

[Yeah, you do. And you don’t even realize it. You say stuff like ‘it doesn’t matter what happens to me’ all the time, and it shows in how you act, too.]

[Really…? I always feel like I’m being too selfish, like I should put others first.]

Talking with Dole made my anxiety ease a bit. I loosened the grip on my knees just a little.

[I always think about how to avoid getting hurt and act accordingly. That’s why I feel like I should do more for others. You know, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a hero.]

[A hero?]

[Yeah, like someone who sacrifices themselves to fight for others. I’d say, ‘I’ll fight so everyone else can escape,’ and face off against evil. It’s so cool.]

Dole frowned, not quite understanding since he only knew the heroes of this world.

[There’s no way those guys would ever say something like that.]

[Yeah, the heroes here are different. I was surprised when Saine told me. But the heroes I knew were different. They’d fight giant monsters alone or help the weak, even when they were beaten to a pulp.]

All the boys living in the housing complex would play hero games. We’d tie towels around our necks like capes, ride our bikes around, and swing sticks. Nobody wanted to be the villain, so we took rock-paper-scissors super seriously to decide roles.

[I’d fight with a sword that cuts through darkness. Well, it was just a stick, but when I was playing the hero, even I could be someone brave and helpful to everyone.]

But reality was different. I couldn’t be a Hero or a Dauntless. I was weak and lacked the guts.

[The real me can’t help anyone, but at least I want to be useful to Saine. At the very least, I don’t want to be a burden to him. I… I really, really like Saine. That’s why I don’t want him to get hurt. And I especially don’t want it to be my fault.]

It was easy to imagine—me, the fool, falling or failing to escape, and Saine getting hurt protecting me. I’d seen that kind of scene so often in the hero shows I watched. Even kids watching would think, “Just run already, or don’t move,” but there was always someone who would stumble out and need saving.

I can follow Saine’s orders. No matter what he tells me to do, I’ll obey. But still, I wonder if I can think for myself and avoid dangerous situations. Can I really figure out what’s dangerous and where I should run to?

[When a monster appears, is it better to run, or stay still?]

[It depends on the situation and the opponent.]

[Yeah, that makes sense… What should I do to make sure I don’t get in Saine’s way…?]

I groaned, deep in thought.

[First, stop thinking of yourself as Saine’s baggage. You should think of yourself as Saine’s treasure instead.]

[Treasure? What’s that supposed to mean?]

[Treasure is something you carry with you no matter the situation, even if you have to lug it around. That’s why Saine will always prioritize you. He’ll focus on you more than the monster in front of him. So, he’ll definitely tell you what to do, and you just need to follow his instructions.]

[Won’t that put Saine in danger?]

[No way. In fact, he’ll probably be stronger. When someone has something to protect, they become stronger than when they have nothing to defend.]

I couldn’t quite grasp what Dole meant. I can’t run or fight like Saine. Won’t I just end up being a heavy burden for him?

Or maybe… Is it like those weighted training wristbands heroes used to wear? They had weights like 10 kg on them, and when they took them off, they could suddenly move lightning-fast.

Oh! That must be it! I remember they also wrapped them around their legs, so when they took them off, they’d run like the wind.

[Alright, I get it. I’ll be sure to be a weight and help turn Saine into super-speed Saine!]

[…Yeah, I think you’re misunderstanding something, but, well, good luck.]

Dole smiled and patted my head. His hand felt a little like Saine’s.

[Did the monster only attack the Blue Crest?]

[No, there were some officers on duty and a few others in the square. Most of the casualties were priests and officials.]

[I see… I wonder how the grannies from the Reincarnators Association and the guys from the Men’s Club are doing. Both of their locations are far from the square, but I hope they’re okay.]

[Since the damage in the eastern section was concentrated around the square, I think they should be fine. Anyway, when I drew the monster’s attention, I sent someone nearby running to the guild. Then, I fought alongside some guards who arrived. The monster was tough, but we cornered it. It got away at the last moment, though.]

[The monster is still loose in the city, right? Has it left the eastern section?]

[No, I don’t think so. It’s probably hiding near the square. Olphynn led the remaining priests in putting up a barrier. It stretches out to about 10 blocks from the square.]

If it’s 10 blocks out, that’s about a 1-kilometer radius. The area around the square is full of large houses owned by wealthy people, so each block covers a wide area.

[Is the monster trapped within that area?]

[That’s what we’re hoping. The issue is how far the barrier has taken root…]

[What do you mean?]

[You remember what you said earlier? About there being a passage underground?]

[Oh…]

That’s right. There’s an underground tunnel system. If the monster has fallen into it and is moving like I did, it could come out at the Monster Forest. Even if it doesn’t, it can freely move under the city.

A cold shiver ran down my spine. It felt like the monster could leap out from beneath my feet at any moment.

[Don’t worry. We’re not just sitting around here doing nothing. Even though we’re chatting, we’re still keeping our guard up. So, if anything jumps out, we’ll be ready.]

Dole’s laugh helped me relax a bit.

[But once Saine comes back, let’s go check in with Olphynn. We should confirm the situation in those underground passages.]

I nodded.

If the monster is trapped within a 1-kilometer radius of the square, then everyone should be safe. The northeastern section market is farther out, and the Reincarnators Association is close to the market.

The Men’s Club also moved to a new location when Allec relocated. It used to be near the southeastern section market, but now it’s in the northeastern section. Haruka’s house is in the northeastern section as well, so they’re both far from the square. They’re at least 2 kilometers away.

I really want to see everyone’s faces soon. More than anything, I want to make sure Haruka is safe. I wish I had a portable phone…