Chapter 208
For the time being, I decided to return back to Seras and the others .
Seras recognizes my presence and runs over to me .
But…
[I’m glad that y——]
In the middle of speaking, Seras stopped—— and rushed to me at greater speed .
[Are you hurt!?]
Slei also ran over to me .
Nyaki’s face turned pale .
[Don’t worry . It isn’t my blood . ]
Saying that to Seras who was about to check my body from injuries, she pats her chest .
Regaining her composure, she then asked .
[The Heroic Sword, have you defeated them already?]
[There were only two of them who chased after Nyaki . The others don’t seem to be following . ]
Nyaki, who is standing at the edge of my vision, looked surprised .
[T- The other members of the Heroic Sword other than Ruin-san and Satsuki-san should be strong as well nya…… W- Who in the world are you nya?]
[Speaking of which, I guess we haven’t introduced ourselves with each other yet huh . ]
Toad and Bardwitcher were approaching earlier, so we didn’t have the time for that .
After the encounter with Nyaki, I’m pretty sure neither Seras nor I said our names .
Is what I thought but…
[I’m sorry . In fact, I’ve decided to reveal my ident.i.ty while we wait for you . ]
Looking as if she’s ready to be scolded, Seras said .
[To gain her trust, I still think I thought that I should tell her the truth from the start…… Moreover……]
Glancing at Nyaki, Seras shrunk down .
[Nyaki-dono is too pure, so it feels difficult to tell her false information…… My apologies . ]
Even though she said that, it seems that she hardly gave her much information about my background .
I feel like she efficiently dealt with this .
[Well, it won’t be much of a problem to divulge it to Nyaki . Moreover, well……]
I also looked at Nyaki .
“Nyaki-dono is too pure, so it feels difficult to tell her false information . ”
[……To be honest, I can understand why you felt that way . ]
And thus, I revealed my real name normally too .
[Is it okay if I call you Touka-san nya?]
[Call me what you want, Nyaki . And, this guy is……]
I opened my collar a bit and peered into my robe .
[Introduce yourself . ]
[Puyuuun . ]
Pigimaru descends to the ground from inside the robe .
Nyaki’s eyes opened wide .
[Slime-san nya . ]
[He’s called Pigimaru . ]
[Pii?]
Pigimaru asked for confirmation .
“Is this child our friend now?”
—-or it feels like he’s acting that .
Nodding back at him, Pigimaru stretched out his protrusion to Nyaki .
[Puyuu . ]
[He’s asking for a handshake . Just be gentle on your hold . ]
Looking slightly dumbfounded, Nyaki reservedly gripped the protrusion .
[I’m Nya- Nyaki nya . ]
She still seems to be stiff but……
It looks like Nyaki is starting to get less nervous .
It’s going great .
[And, this one’s Slei . ]
[Pakkyyuuu~~]
[Funnyaaa!?]
Slei rubbed her cheeks against Nyaki’s .
Somehow .
It seems like she’s cheering her up .
[My name is Nya- Nyaki nya . ]
[Pakyuu . ]
It was at that moment .
Nyaki moved .
Sitting on a seiza, Nyaki shrunk and bowed her head .
[For saving her life, Nyaki would like to thank you from the bottom of her heart nya…… Touka-san, Seras-san, Pigimaru-san and Slei-san—— Nyaki will never forget this grat.i.tude nya . And also, I’m really sorry for the inconvenience Nyaki caused nya . I’m sorry nya……!]
Nyaki looks up .
[Then everyone, please hurry up and leave this place nya! Nyaki will rest here for a while and then, head over there as I planned nya!]
Nyaki points towards the depths of the Demon Zone .
……I see .
In Nyaki’s mind…
It isn’t as if she wants us to protect her here .
[……Nyaki . ]
[Y- Yes nya . ]
[You’re still saying things like that?]
[Funya?]
[Unless you don’t want to……]
I held out my hand .
[How about you come with us instead?]
[F- Funyaaa……!?]
[If you really don’t like it, you could at least stay with us until we ensure your safety . That’s why I went out of my way to get everyone to introduce themselves earlier . ]
For a while, Nyaki looked like she was stupefied .
It seemed that she hadn’t caught up with the meaning of my words yet .
Eventually, it seems like she finally understood .
[……T- That’s no good nya! If Nyaki goes with everyone, I will definitely just bring troubles nya! It seems that Nyaki, a Divine Beast, is absolutely necessary for Heroic Sword for the moment nya! That’s why…… They will definitely chase after me nya! Besides…… I don’t know what would happen to Touka-san and everyone if they found out that their friends were killed……]
Nyaki cried again .
However——- She had a smile on her face .
[Even with the short time we talked, I know that Touka-san and everyone are good people nya…… That’s why I absolutely don’t want everyone to go through something terrible nya…… Nyaki…… Even if Nyaki doesn’t see Ninya, Mainya and everyone again…… I still meyt such kind people in the end…… So, I’m really, really, really satisfied nya……]
So for her, it’s either death from being caught by Heroic Sword .
Or death after a monster finds her huh .
Nyaki is already prepared to die .
[Everyone, thank you very much nya . ]
Tears dripping from her eyes even with the smile on her lips, Nyaki said .
[Even for a short time…… Nyaki felt warm for the first time in a long time . ]
I just let out a sigh .
[Nyaki…… It looks to me like you’re misunderstanding something from back then . ]
[Funya……?]
[The two strongest people in the Heroic Sword are people who wanted to challenge the “Humanity’s Strongest”…… is what you said earlier, right?]
[Y- Yes, nya . ]
[The “Humanity’s Strongest” is already dead though——- and I’m the one who defeated him . ]
[Nyaaahhh!?]
[It’s the truth, Nyaki-dono . ]
Seras added .
[I was actually about to be killed by the “Humanity’s Strongest” . Civit Gartland…… but that’s when I was saved by Touka-dono . ]
With tears still in her eyes, Nyaki looks towards me with a surprised lok on her face .
[T- Touka-san…… defeated that “Humanity’s Strongest”!?]
[Well, yeah . ]
It was through an honest fight, but by deceiving him though .
Well, the fact that “I defeated him” should still be the same .
[That’s why you didn’t have to run away from them . ]
Nyaki hung her head down .
It seemed like her mind was jumbled up with all sorts of emotions .
Well, I can imagine why .
At this point in time——- She’s probably feeling pity for the Heroic Sword .
For she learned that I’m apparently stronger than them .
Feelings of pity for the Heroic Sword surged at that moment when she knew that they would almost certainly be killed .
Perhaps, in Nyaki’s ideal view of life .
It would be better if no one had to die .
No matter what kind of person it is, the few deaths there are, the better .
Nyaki is probably thinking—-
“If things are like this, I should just keep running away . ”
—like that .
Without the key, Nyaki, one wouldn’t be able to enter the Faraway Country .
In that case, the Heroic Sword will not be able to kill the inhabitants of that country .
If we just keep as we are and Nyaki runs away—— No one else will die .
However, the Heroic Sword is G.o.ddess Vysis’ secret force .
There’s no way that they wouldn’t eventually stand in my way .
I will definitely clash with them somewhere—— In that case, it’s better to crush them now .
……Even if they aren’t though .
Overlooking what they did to the Speed Tribe and Nyaki……
Then—— I don’t think I will ever be a proper adult .
[Sorry, Nyaki . ]
Turning to the direction where Heroic Sword would be, I said .
[I’m not the kind of person…… who would just let the Heroic Sword go unchecked . I’m not as kind as you are . ]
Nyaki raised her face .
[Touka-san……]
A frail voice .
In fact, Nyaki is weak .
From what I’ve heard from Nyaki, there’s not a single person who saved her .
No one has been kind to Nyaki .
However, Nyaki is kind even to the people who caused her suffering .
To this Nyaki who is br.i.m.m.i.n.g with kindness——- How heartless can they be to hurt her like that .
[However, I wish you would keep that kindness in your heart . I’m sure there are people will be saved by your kindness . ]
With a movement of my finger, I called for Pigimaru and he slipped into my robe .
This time, I would bring Slei with me .
[Seras, you will continue to be in charge of looking after Nyaki . There are seven more people on their side . They may consider splitting up and conducting an extensive search . ]
[You mean that some of them may slip past through you?]
[Yeah . It’s your sword that would protect Nyaki at that time then——- The sword that was described by that Strongest Blood Champion as having talent, incomparable to others . ]
[——Leave it to me . I’ll do my best to make sure that you can fight without worrying about anything else . ]
[I’m counting on you . ……Let’s go, Slei . ]
Following my words, Slei started to walk forward .
It seems like night is about to fall .
That’s what I could see from the color of the skies .
The darkness—— would be our time .
Heroic Sword .
If I were to go fight in an honest, straightforward battle, the other side might be superior .
Civit hadn’t mentioned the Heroic Sword in the name of opponents he wanted to fight .
However, that’s because information about them itself was hardly available .
At least, it wasn’t known to the general public like Civit .
How many I’m going to end up facing is also unknown .
However, what I know for sure is that……
They are capable of making a Human-Faced decide to flee instead .
Just this point is an undeniable fact about them .
On the other hand, I probably can’t deal with a Human-Faced in a straightforward manner .
They aren’t people that I should take lightly .
However——– even so .
I’m not sure if I’d be satisfied with just “killing” them .
[………………… . ]
Speed Tribe .
Eve’s parents .
I’ve heard stories from Eve about the days she spent with them .
That they were good people .
Really good people .
Especially Eve’s parents .
The more she talked about them—— the more they sound like they resemble them .
It’s just like—— how my uncle’s family is .
[……And they were “killed for fun”?]
Not stopping from walking, I put the Fly King mask on .
Then, for all the fun they felt……
[Don’t think I would just let you die that easily . ]
Even if it’s cruel .
Even if they say I’m inhuman .
Towards these people……
——————————————————————There’s no place for sympathy .