Chapter 10

"Yu!?"

As I quickened my pace, a voice called out from behind.

Only Koushi, Mitzuki, and Jiro call out to Yu and me like that.

Turning around, I saw Koushi standing there, one of the few who call me that.

"Huh? What’s up, Koushi?"

He was supposed to be resting at the castle today. Master Grain said it was important to rest because using the Holy Sword skill, which a hero possesses, requires a lot of stamina.

"No... I was looking for you because I couldn’t see you anywhere, Yu."

...Huh? Didn’t I tell everyone I was going shopping today? I was too embarrassed to say I was going with Yuki, but I thought I mentioned it when I left the castle this morning...

"Let’s go back, Yu. Dinner is almost ready."

"O-Oh, right. Sure."

It was getting dark, and his expression was hard to read... but he seemed a bit angry. Did I do something wrong?

"Let’s go."

"---Huh?"

Koushi’s hand grabbed my arm, and I was pulled along. I would have gone without being dragged, so why did he do this?

"Hey, Yu, how about going shopping in town with me next time off?"

"Shopping?"

Koushi asked without turning to face me.

I was flattered by the invitation, but I have plans to train with Elka on my days off. I chose to have my days off on the same days as Elka, so I can’t cancel them now. It would be too much to ask her to give up her day off for me, especially since she’s been so accommodating.

"Sorry, I already have plans for my days off."

When I told him that, Koushi looked disappointed and backed off. I felt bad.

"---So you spend your days off with him but not with me, huh?"

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"No... nothing."

His voice was too low for me to catch, but since he said it was nothing, I shouldn’t press the issue.

His grip on my arm tightened.

It was a bit painful, and I was about to ask him to let go, but his face was so serious that I couldn’t say anything. Something was definitely off with him today.

---

That night, I asked Mitzuki about Koushi’s behavior today.

According to her, he spent the day reading books and napping, but in the evening, he went out to look for me because I was late coming back.

"I told him not to worry, but he was like, ‘What if she went to a dangerous part of town!?’ He’s such a worrywart, you know. He might have even gone to the outskirts of town to look for you."

Mitzuki’s tone was exasperated. What does that mean, "worrywart"?

...Not that I’m that clumsy. I did go to the outskirts, but...

Huh? ...The outskirts?

If he really did go there...

(If he left the castle in the evening, he would have reached the outskirts around sunset...)

That was the time when Yuki and I were saying goodbye...

(Could he have heard...?)

The moment I thought that, my face turned red, and I ended up holding my head in my hands in my room.

---To think my first confession was overheard. How embarrassing.

I kept thinking about what to do and eventually fell asleep, but by then everyone else was already asleep, and I was one of the few still awake.

The next day, I had dark circles under my eyes when I came out of my room.

---

"Ugh..."

In a forest about 100km away from Distenia, I woke up to the morning sun peeking through the trees.

To cross the continent, I first need to get to a port town.

I was supposed to head for a port town, but...

(Where am I really...?)

After parting ways with Yūhi and leaving the country, I ran without thinking and ended up here. I saw some well-maintained roads used by merchants, but I kept running without stopping, and before I knew it, I was in the middle of a forest with no roads in sight.

---In other words, I’m lost.

I fell asleep here when I realized I was lost, but I’m glad I brought camping gear.

(What should I do...? I need to find a road, right?)

I regret not bringing a compass. Last time, Tia was with me, and her convenient magic kept us from getting lost, but this time, I’m alone... I was careless.

If all else fails, I can fly high and look for a town from the sky, but I might attract the attention of flying monsters.

(I might as well start moving. No one will come by if I just stand here.)

If I find a road, I can follow it to a town, but I don’t know which direction to go. I just need to find someone...

With that faint hope, I collected the "monster repellent magic stones" I had placed around my bed. These stones, as the name suggests, keep monsters away. You place them at the corners of a square and infuse them with magic to create a barrier that monsters can’t penetrate. Even if they’re moved, the barrier remains, but if they’re picked up, the effect disappears.

"Last one."

I picked up the last stone, put it in my magic bag, and felt a warm breeze on my face.

"Huh?"

"Grumble..."

Feeling uncomfortable, I looked ahead and saw a giant boar, about as tall as me, with brown fur and two large tusks. This is what’s known as a monster in this world... It seems to have approached as soon as the barrier disappeared, and the breeze was its snort.

I stood still, and the boar looked at me with the eyes of a predator.

"What’s the matter, looking for a fight?"

"Grumble grumble grumble!"

No point in talking...

The boar swung its head and charged at me with its tusks. I dodged nimbly and put some distance between us.

"Grumble grumble..."

"Is this a B-rank monster?"

B-rank refers to the threat level of monsters in this world. The rank is determined by how dangerous the monster is, ranging from E (the lowest) to D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS. B-rank is considered mid-level.

For reference, adventurers are also ranked similarly. Both monsters and adventurers are considered monsters if they exceed S-rank, but among them, only a few legendary adventurers like Bauz have reached SSS-rank.

I, in my previous life, also reached SSS-rank eventually!

---Now that I’m done boasting, I face the boar again.

The boar was scratching the ground with its front hooves, gathering energy, like warming up an engine.

"Alright, time to bring out Kuromaru."

I reached into my magic bag to draw my greatsword. I talked about non-violence and principles yesterday, but that doesn’t apply to monsters.

Not all of them, but monsters are generally seen as enemies by all living beings. They have no will and instinctively attack and eat anything that isn’t them. In this world, it’s a matter of eat or be eaten. In front of them, I can adapt to this world of the survival of the fittest.

"Sorry, but I don’t want to be eaten."

I pulled out the greatsword and unsheathed it. The broad blade gleamed black in the morning sun.

In contrast, the boar released its pent-up energy and charged at me full speed. If it hit me, I’d be knocked back, but not me.

"Grwooo!"

Roaring, the boar charged, and I brought Kuromaru down from above.

"Whoa---"

The moment the sword hit the boar, it sank into its body like cutting through tofu, slicing it in half.

...The two halves of the boar passed behind me and fell to the ground.

"Phew... Still as sharp as ever, Kuromaru."

Despite cutting through the boar’s tough bones, Kuromaru didn’t have a single nick. I don’t know much about the material, but I’m curious. I sheathed Kuromaru and put it back in my magic bag. The sheath has an automatic cleaning ability, so the blade is cleaned as soon as it’s sheathed.

"Alright, I’ve had some exercise... Let’s keep moving."

I have no idea where I’m going...

I turned my back on the bisected boar and started walking through the forest.

Dead monsters will eventually decompose into magical particles and disintegrate into the air if left alone. If you take them away, they won’t decompose and will rot like ordinary creatures. It seems to involve the magical particles in the air, but I don’t know the details.

---

"---Is that a road?"

After walking for an hour or two, I finally found a dirt path through the forest.

I sighed in relief and headed towards it.

---Just as I was about to reach the road, a woman’s scream echoed through the area.

"AAAAH!"

"Wha!?"

I immediately hid behind a tree and looked around.

---There...

At the end of the road I was hoping to find, a carriage was overturned.

Next to it, several men dressed like me were lying on the ground, covered in blood.

Ugh... There’s even a severed head...

I don’t kill, but I’ve seen enough dead bodies to have built up a tolerance... but severed heads are still a bit much. Still, the fact that my appetite is only slightly affected is something I couldn’t have imagined in my previous life.

As I was distracted by the bodies, a few dirty-looking men appeared, making lewd comments.

"Hey! Hurry up and take the cargo!"

"Put the valuables in the bag!"

"Hey, what do we do with this girl? She’s still a kid, but she’s pretty, right?"

"Please... stop..."

I see, bandits. Five of them... They’re quite aggressive. The bandit groups I’ve met before were more efficient and didn’t kill unnecessarily.

It looks like a merchant’s carriage was attacked, but who’s that girl?

"Let’s sell her! Some perverted noble will buy her."

"Right!"

"Looks like we’re lucky! To find a merchant with such weak guards!"

"Please... give me back my goods..."

"Shut up!"

"Ow!"

---I was surprised; that girl is the merchant?

As she clung to the bandit’s leg, begging for her goods back, she was kicked away.

"Hey! We’re going to take the goods, so don’t damage them!"

"Tch! It’s your dirty hands that touched them!"

I wanted to point out that his hands were dirty too, but I had to think.

Dealing with these guys is a hassle... Why? Because if they have allies, there might be retaliation. Dealing with them would be a real pain...

"---But a man who doesn’t help a girl in trouble doesn’t exist, right?"

It’s true that it’s a hassle, but...

"If I don’t help, lunch might not taste good!"

It’s not that I can’t help, but if I don’t, it will leave a bad taste. I’d rather regret doing something than not doing it.

I jumped out from behind the tree and ran towards the bandits.

The distance was short, and I reached them in no time. I punched the back of a bandit who was caught off guard.

"Hey!"

"Ugh!?"

By the time he noticed me behind him, it was too late. My punch hit his back.

The bandit flew and rolled on the ground.

Weak... He didn’t even use magic to strengthen himself. Bandits these days are getting lazy.

"Don’t worry, your spine is fine."

I told the bandit lying on the ground, groaning. I think he’ll be in pain for a while.

"What the hell!?"

"You bastard!!"

The other bandits noticed and got ready to fight.

Two of them, who were relatively close, drew knives and charged at me simultaneously.

"At least try to coordinate your attack..."

I knocked their wrists, making the knives fall to the ground before they could reach me.

Before the knives hit the ground, I punched both of their stomachs with my fists.

"Ugh..."

"Ugh..."

"Two more to go~"

I knocked the two who were temporarily incapacitated by the blows to the ground and approached the remaining two.

"Tch! Let’s get out of here!"

"Damn! What’s with this guy!!"

The remaining two decided they couldn’t beat me and ran into the forest. They have good judgment.

But

"Too bad, I’m not letting you go."

I kicked one of the bandits I had knocked down and sent him flying towards the two who were running away.

"What!?!? You’re kidding---Ugh!?"

"Yaaaahh!!"

"Goal... I guess."

Seeing them collide and roll in the forest, I couldn’t help but laugh.

I took a step towards them but noticed the first bandit I had kicked was groaning on the ground.

"Oh, I almost forgot~♪"

I grabbed the collar of his shirt and dragged him along.

---Let’s have a little more fun, shall we?

When I reached the bandits I had knocked down, the two who had run away earlier took a step back, screaming.

"Ah!"

"Wait... We’ll give you the goods... Just let us go..."

The two I had kicked were unconscious and didn’t move.

I cracked my knuckles in response to the ridiculous offer.

"Please... spare us..."

"If you had accepted when the girl asked, I wouldn’t have gotten involved... Don’t worry, I won’t kill you."

If someone who knew me well saw this, they’d say, "Sorry for your loss" to these guys. They’re all so rude.

"Are you letting us go!?"

"No way, you made me lose my appetite."

I can’t forgive someone who ruins my appetite... It’s one of the three basic human desires, after all.

---Wait, it’s not about the food, is it? The little things matter, you know.

He had a look on his face like, "Is that all?" ...Don’t you have an appetite, you guys?!

But... that’s not the only reason.

"Besides, I can’t let a man who raises a hand to a woman he doesn’t like get away with it."

The bandit’s face turned pale.

---Wait, you’re using violence too, right? But it’s Elka, she enjoys it, so it’s fine.

"---So, you scumbags, come with me."

What? Who’s the scumbag here?

---Who knows?

At least I’m not a hero or anything.

"Don’t worry, I’ll just break you a little, not kill you."

---By the time I said that, the bandit was already unconscious.

I didn’t mean to give off such a killing aura... He was foaming at the mouth and his face was blue...

"Pathetic."

I carried the five bandits and tied them to trees with the strong rope I took out of my magic bag. They might survive if they’re lucky.

---

When I returned to the road, the girl who had been kicked earlier ran up to me.

"Thank you so much for helping me!"

She was wearing a loose, light blue outfit, and her black, short hair was a bit sandy. She had a small, cute face with distinctive eyes. She looked to be between 12 and 15 years old. It’s impressive that she’s a merchant at such a young age.

"Ah, it’s fine. I couldn’t just stand by and watch. I had some questions for you, too."

Actually, I thought of asking her how to get to the port town while I was dealing with the bandits.

"Huh? Questions?"

"Yeah, I want to go to the port town. Do you know the way?"

"Really!? Me too! I know the way!"

Great! Now I won’t get lost!

"Thank you! Can you show me the way?"

"Well... I can show you the way..."

What’s with the hesitation... I want you to tell me quickly...

"Can you... be my guard?"

"---Huh?"

---

This was my first encounter with the young merchant, Ruri.

Next time, it will start with mourning the deceased and then focus on Ruri.