Having finished my role as the [False Hero] and set off on the path of the [Savior],
I, Ayame, was currently being questioned at Oro’s guardhouse after getting arrested.
“So tell me, what exactly were you planning after entering our village?”
“Wait wait, why are you assuming I’m already up to something? I’m not a shady guy, really!”
“What can you say, skulking around in that weird mask, coming into some backwater village…I admit that was blunt but you can’t deny a random guy with no visible weapons wandering into remote villages like ours is suspicious as hell!”
Unable to get a word in edgewise with the earnest young man – no, boy in front of me, I desperately defend myself.
“I’m totally harmless, really! I’m just a wanderer, my identity can be vouched for by that elf girl…Iris! Plus, I’m pretty confident in my fighting skills. I’ve taken out my share of magical beasts!”
“Ohh? Then what’d you plan on doing against the beasts empty-handed like that?”
I can’t make a sound.
As the former [False Hero], the Holy Sword was my sole armament. Losing it, being weaponless is a given.
Heroes bearing holy swords are standard after all. Even other weapons would be inferior to those holy blades. So to avoid unnecessary baggage, I carried nothing else.
I did have a small knife, but even that was lost mid-battle.
A masked man without weapons. With a little thought, I can see how shady that seems.
Maybe getting caught up in the [Savior] fantasy dulled my wits. Feels like my IQ dropped drastically. And I’m already twenty…how mortifying. Come to think of it, Mei always scolded me for jumping to conclusions. I should reflect on this.
“So, just who are you anyway?”
“Me? I’m the [Savior]. Only started aiming for the title recently though.”
“….Yup, super suspicious.”
“Hey now! No need to look at me like I’m scum! I admit my words aren’t very credible but c’mon!”
Doesn’t seem like he trusts me at all huh. At this rate I may really end up arrested.
As I wrack my brain trying to convince the young man, the guardhouse door opens. It’s a middle-aged soldier dressed identical to the boy.
“Always so serious, lil Ratty~”
“It’s Ratio! Remember it already! I’m a [Soldier] now!”
“Ooh ohh, still wet behind the ears but putting on airs of authority? That’s why you’re lil Ratty.”
The red-faced man laughs loudly. And from his smell…don’t tell me he’s drunk?
After thoroughly messing with Ratio(?), the man turns to face me.
“So yer name’s…Ayame yeah? Yer free to enter th’ village, no worries.”
“Huh?”
“What! You’re just letting this shady guy in!?”
“Easy there. Word is this lad was found half-dead by Missy Forest Elf there. They been stickin’ together since.”
The dying part is true, as is getting picked up. But he leaves out my identity as the [False Hero]. Iris must have fed him an altered story to help me out.
“A human trusted by them elves is rarer than hen’s teeth, only heard of in fairy tales y’know. Can’t earn their ire if ya got any brains rattlin’ round in yer skull right?”
“But still…!”
“Got it? Hand over the keys, c’mon.”
Ratio begrudgingly passes him the keys. The older soldier then removes my handcuffs.
“Thanks. I was pretty on edge to be honest.”
“Well they did haul ya in on suspicions of bein’ a criminal or suchlike. Just head on into the village now, no worries mate.”
“Grr…!”
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As we talk, Ratio suddenly stands up, pointing dramatically at me.
“I haven’t acknowledged you at all! First sign of trouble, I’m throwing you in the slammer!”
“Dedicated guy huh. Don’t worry, I’ve got no plans to cause this village harm.”
“I’m holding you to that! Here, it’s your belongings.”
“Oh, thanks. Well then, I appreciate your help.”
“Absolutely! Because I haven’t acknowledged you yet!””
Taking my belongings from the man as Ratio stubbornly sticks to his position, I exit the guardhouse.
“Ah, finally out.”
“Sorry for the wait.”
After leaving the guardhouse, Iris who was leaning against a tree trunk spots me and comes over.
“Quite the disaster, Sir Ayame.”
“Tell me about it. Well, this mess was due to my carelessness, so I can’t resent them for it.”
They were just fulfilling their duties. I don’t intend to blame them at all. Rather, I think they did well to release me.
“That’s right, Iris-chan. That man released me, but I don’t think the story alone is enough to clear my suspicions. What exactly did he do?”
“Well, I simply told him the circumstances and gave him medicine, and then he released you.”
“Medicine? You mean you greased his palm?”
“It was a fair trade. He seemed to be suffering from a hangover. It’s nothing shady.”
Even though she calls it greasing his palm, I don’t want to nitpick after Iris-chan helped me. And it’s true that I was saved. I should just honestly say thanks.
Come to think of it, elves are said to be a legendary race.
They can use all kinds of magic and freely manipulate even plants. Their strength is so great they can achieve victory against the Demon Lord’s army.
Of course, for elves who live in harmony with nature, the Demon Lord’s army is the enemy.
Although they stand in opposition to the Demon Lord’s army, which would make them allies to humans, elves remain non-interventionist towards humans. In fact, there are even stories of them turning their bows on humans. That’s probably why that soldier released me so readily.
Looking at the girl before me, it’s hard to believe she’s from such a fearsome race described in legends. Is Iris-chan just an especially gentle girl among elves?
“What is it? Staring so intently… Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me!? Fufufu, that’s fine. Ayame-san is welcome any time!”
“I’m not going to touch on what’s so welcome…”
Seeing that Iris-chan has misunderstood something, I gently turn her down as she stands with arms spread, waiting. Iris-chan looks disappointed.
“But weapons, huh.”
“What about them?”
“You know, the soldier at the checkpoint, Ratio-kun was it? He pointed out that I didn’t have any weapons. I really am unarmed now. Originally I had a small knife and things like that, but I used up most of them in the fighting before Yuu arrived. So I want something that can serve as a weapon, but I don’t have any money to begin with.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been going around various towns and villages today gathering herbs to trade for money. I’ll buy Ayame-san a sword or two!”
Iris-chan confidently puffs out her chest.
Iris-chan treated my wounds, and I was released from jail thanks to her too.
…Hey wait, aren’t I Iris-chan’s kept man? a leech?
I’d better stop thinking about it, I’m starting to feel sad.
No, it’s more that Iris-chan is too strong. I wonder how long she’s been planning this?
“For now, let’s go to the blacksmith in this village that drunkard uncle told us about. We’ll get Ayame-san equipped there!”
“Thanks for going through the trouble…”
“Ehehe, you can rely on me even more! You know?”
“I’ll be sure to repay this debt.”
“Hmph, you’re supposed to cling to me and act spoiled!”
It’s kind of embarrassing to act spoiled with a girl who looks like a child. I smiled ambiguously.
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