CH 22

22 To The Dragon’s Nest

“――――――What do you think you’re doing to miss Alize!?”

“Wait Big bro!?”

Did you get angry at what I’m doing to Alize? Amelle’s big brother pulled out his sword and leaped at me.

“No stop, Ramell!”

“Haaaa!”

Since I have the leeway to dodge the sword he swings, Iobserve his swordsmanship. His movements are better than I thought. Though it’s a village in the forest, the soldier’s levels seem to be extremely high. …… No, it’s possible you can get this strong from this kind of forest. That’s because the forest is by nature a habitat for monsters.

“Please release me, miss Alize! I will protect you!”

“No, that’s not what I mean…… You can’t oppose that person……”

Hey pupil of mine, what do you think I am. And then that Amelle’s brother is saying some pretentious stuff. Yeah, he’s more like a Hero than I am, like really.

Well, my bad for letting you say that line, but you’re never gonna hit me by swinging that sword desperately you know.

“There.”

“Ugah!?”

I wielded my sword and drove a fist into the now defenseless body. Of course I went extremely easy on him, I held back to the point I’ve blown him away to at most a dozen of meters.

“Aah…… don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Seeing Amelle’s brother lying down silent, Alize muttered those words. The little sister Amelle had a stunned expression on her face. From the looks of it, that big brother seems to have fallen in love with Alize, but this may have made him look uncool. I guess I should apologize to him once he gets up.

“What are you doing all of a sudden, knocking out villagers……”

“Don’t say that Levia, I more or less did a service to the village after all.”

Levia got here afterwards and I gave her some explanation why this happened.

Well, the other party was the one who jumped at me, so at least that shouldn’t be my fault.

“I’m sorry for my big bro?”

“I apologize for the village soldier, master.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, okay”

I returned my true feelings to the two who apologized looking apologetic. Well, you’d kill the guy who would treat the person you like that way, even I would kill the guy. Rather than that, there’s something I want to ask.

“Rather than that, we’re thinking about going to the dragon’s nest as is, but can we though? Is it already fine to go?”

“! That’s how it is, the help Amelle called out for was master, wasn’t it?”

I see, Amelle already told them she called for help. It looks like we can settle this without any strange explanations in that case.

“If that’s the case then why don’t you enter the village once? Mister Setsu and miss Levia don’t know the way, right?

“Oh, that’s true”

Now that you mention it, I don’t know the way.

“Well then, why don’t we intrude ourselves in your village for once? Well, the lizardmen will advance again if we stay for a while though……”

“That’s right, the lizardmen are…… Is it fine if I place a barrier in this village?”

Even though I say barrier, it’s only placing the monster repelling gem at the camping grounds at the village entrance……

Afterwards there was an incident where Amelle was surprised by my monster repelling gem and fell down, but I’ll omit the details. Though even with the highest grade potion Amelle was a bit too surprised.

Oops, I forgot what I was about to do. I have to pick up Amelle’s big brother.

◇　◇　◇

“First off―――――master, welcome to the village I’m living in. It is very reassuring that we are receiving your help this time.”

“Well, I’ll be saving this village by today okay? And in exchange for help, mead please.”

If I can secure the safety of the mead, then it’s all fine for me. As long as they have that, I’ll do some garbage cleaning with the group of lizardmen and the like. …… Well, even if they don’t have the liquor I won’t change my plans though……

“Ugh……”

“Big bro, it’s not good glaring at Setsu so much, okay?”

This is Alize’s house guest room and sitting there is Levia and I one side and Amelle and Alize on the opposite side. And the one not sitting in the chair, but tied up with a rope on the ground is Amelle’s big brother Ramell.

That Ramell has been glaring at me the whole time just now. The breastplate he has on is dented by me back then, but he himself has no external wounds. Even I have properly healed him at least.

“I wanted to offer you our hospitality with the whole village, but unfortunately I’m following the treatment of injured people.”

“I really don’t mind it, doing that with the whole village is just troublesome.”

Moreover, to me it’s just lizardmen extermination work. It’ll only bother me if they go out of their way to respect me for that after all.

“So, show us the way then, Alize. Let’s finish up the troublesome parts right away.”

“Yes, I’ll arrange the preparations for departure at once.”

“Uhmm…… I want to go too, but can I?”

Amelle called out to Alize who got up and started her preparations. When Alize heard it, she distorted her face and stopped it.

“Even a single lizardman is hard for you isn’t it?  You’re a C rank and I’m A rank. It’s too dangerous.”

“But…… I hardly have a chance to go together with such an amazing person and…… I too want to become an amazing adventurer, you know!”

When told like this, Alize unconsciously pondered with a bewildered expression. She probably understands her feelings, since she also wanted to go along with our S class request in the beginning and relentlessly threw a tantrum.

“But……”

“Well, the one fighting will be none other than me and I think it should be easy if it’s  Levia protecting Amelle, ain’t that right?”

“That, that’s right! Miss Levia is amazingly strong you know!?”

“Somehow I’m steadily left behind in this conversation, but I’ll tell you I have more than enough leeway to take care of one person. I’ll pridefully do so.”

“ …… Is that so? In that case, I guess I will approve of you traveling together on the conditions that you won’t do anything rash……”

“I did it!”

Amelle received permission and began to jump up and down with delight. Is it something to be that happy about I wonder? I was never in the position to go along with someone so I can’t understand.

Ugh, that Ramell guy’s face becomes even unhappier now that his little sister is coming along with me.

“Wait! I’m also going with you, miss Alize! You don’t know if that man is really going to help us after all!”

He stood up still bound to show his intention to come along and distrusts me without hesitation. What a real pain in the ass is he.

“My master is not like that, so you will be standing guard in the village as usual.”

“Eeeh!? No why!”

Alize vetoed him accompanying us and he threw a tantrum just like his little sister…… As expected of siblings.

Afterwards a terrible argument unfolded between the two and it finally settled just when we were about to get tired from it.

“*Sigh* …… In that case then I shall remain in this village as well, is that fine with you?”

“Eh!? Miss Alize is going to stay behind in the village!?”

Just when the compromise was taken out, Ramell’s face changed into a smile. If it’s guiding us to the place, then Amelle could do that too and it’s probably a good idea for Alize to stay behind in the village to prepare for the worst case scenario. I can’t say Lizardmen survivors won’t appear. Ramell should be happy just because she won’t be going together with me. He’s already a man in love in my eyes, it’s a bit scary you know.

“If Alize says so then it should be fine, shall we go then in that case?”

“Right.”

“Leave the guiding to me!”

“My apologies, I’m unable to do this without taking master’s hand……”

“As long as you can give me some mead, then I don’t have a problem. More importantly――――――after this I’m gonna have you tell me why you’ve become this weak, okay?”

“gh…… As expected, you have already noticed it.”

Of course I have, you’re my pupil after all. I mean, in the first place you’re far slower when I compare you with the olden days. You should be holding the strength of an SS rank and what you’re showing is really at the level of an A rank. At first I thought you were pulling my leg, but from the mood I understand it’s serious.

“When this matter is settled, I will explain it to you.

“ …… I see.”

I couldn’t say more than that. I do have concerns about this, but I don’t have that kind of relationship with her. Let’s ask again if I still remember it.

“Then, depart”

We three finished our preparations and left Alize’s house in high spirits. Just you wait my mead, I’ll save you right away.

◇　◇　◇

About an hour of walking after departure…… we’ve hunted the lizardmen who have turned scarce and as far as we can see right now there aren’t any of those guys here. Then we finally arrived near the dragon’s nest.

“Shall we go up from this place? We can see the dragon’s nest there from up high.”

“Got it”

Following Amelle’s instructions, we climbed up the large hillside. On the other side of the hill, there are lizardmen swarming like cockroaches.

The hole I can see within the group of lizardmen must be the dragon’s nest. I’m sure of it, seeing that those guys are coming out from there.

“Uhm…… both of you can wait here, okay?”

“What, you mean you’re not letting me act violently?”

It’s Levia who seems a bit unsatisfied, but your current role is to be Amelle’s guard, isn’t it? I won’t let you rampage, you know.

“You do your work. This time simply doing this alone seems just more efficient. Well, I’ll quickly finish this and come back.”

“Sure sure, please do it quickly okay?”

“Yeah, roger that――――――”

I answered in a rush, ran up to the stupid lizardmen who haven’t noticed me and struck them with Kuromaru――――――

◇　◇　◇

“ugh……”

“Is there something wrong, miss Alize?”

“No…… It’s nothing.”

Ramell, who is standing guard at the entrance, showed concern towards Alize who is similarly standing guard near him. Alize held her own shoulder and stopped her slightly trembling body.

The reason her strength dropped from SS rank , the cause is certainly a type of trauma, however――――――

“It may get chilly, be careful.”

“That’s right, catching colds and such is terrible after all!”

Alize somehow couldn’t let go of this unpleasant premonition from some time ago and she softly traces the shoulder she held onto. The shoulder has a trace of a strange heat and there is a fresh scar attached to what was once the source of her trauma.

(It would be nice if his worries would end this absurd fear…….)

After Alize gently stroked her shoulder once more, she returned her concentrated on her work as gatekeeper.

――――――The current her doesn’t expect that the things she received before like her trauma will once again appear from now on.