Chapter 81
HEL SCANS
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Hans abruptly stopped running and stood still.
The recent conversation echoed in his mind.
“Take the residents and head to the abandoned mine.”
“…What?”
“I’ve set up some water artifacts on the way up. You should be able to handle that number of monsters easily.”
An obvious question arose.
“And what about you, old man?”
“Can you run faster than those things?”
“Yes?”
“Well, if you can buy me some time to escape, I won’t stop you. But if you can’t, get out of my way! Run!”
Startled by his fierce roar, they turned and headed towards the abandoned mine.
The self-defense squad and the residents were also with them.
After running a few steps, he thought.
‘Why.’
All I did was mix things up with the old man a few times when he came down to the village to buy beer.
He was always blunt and sharp.
To the extent that even he, who prides himself on being very sociable, could hardly get close to him.
…His identity was unknown.
Since he came to Lonkers a few years ago, the identity of the artisan old man had been a regular topic in drinking sessions.
Rumors circulated about escaping after committing a crime or seeking a place to die due to old age.
‘Just leave him alone; he’s an outsider anyway.’
…Undoubtedly an outsider.
Interest in him gradually faded away.
Even more so after the stake was driven in one day.
‘But why?’
His friend, Diontri, muttered beside him.
“Hey! What are you doing standing there all pudgy? Not going up to the mine?”
“…Are you really going?”
“What nonsense! You want to fight those things? After even the wooden fence is broken?”
Fear deepened in the eyes of the people.
It was reasonable to fight on the wooden fence.
The sense of duty to protect the village was maintained as long as the monsters’ thorns, tentacles, horns, and teeth did not reach them.
However, when they descended to the same eye level as those creatures, ‘death’ began to dig into their minds.
The power to tear humans apart with contemptuous ease.
Ferocious howls.
Stench.
The determination and courage they once held were quickly dulled.
As a result, leaving the old man and the girl behind, some were already fleeing.
Hans looked at the collapsed wooden fence with a creaking head.
The two of them were struggling to resist the approaching monsters.
When a monster tried to jump out to chase the residents, the old man kicked its spine even to the point of injuring his own leg.
In order to protect him, the girl desperately stood in front.
“When the village is in crisis, people will naturally look to you.”
Why did that man’s words come to mind now?
Ah, damn it.
Hans could no longer move forward.
“…Damn.”
“Hey, Hans! What are you doing there?”
“Damn! Is this right?!”
“What, what!?”
“Is this right, you bastard?!”
Hans ran.
He was terrified to the point of death, but he couldn’t bring himself to suggest others going down together.
He ran with his mouth shut.
The footsteps of the villagers quickly faded away.
But there were footsteps that didn’t move away.
“Hey, this crazy bastard!”
“Damn, oh god!”
It wasn’t everyone.
But it was enough.
Hans rushed down the steep path as if possessed.
Why?
The foot that felt as heavy as wearing steel boots was surprisingly light.
“Ahhhh!”
He charged forward and thrust his gauntlet into the jaw of the monster that was about to bite the girl’s head.
Crack!
It was a blow that lacked the strength to kill.
However, as lightning magic was cast, and the spears of those who followed pierced the stiffened body, it collapsed.
The old man looked at him in disbelief.
“Tsk, I gave you a chance to live, and you act like this.”
“…I’m sorry, I apologize! My bad. I did something shameful.”
“Fine. Save your apologies for your soon-to-be widow.”
Meanwhile, Nyhill stared blankly at the few self-defense squad members standing in front of her.
‘Why?’
Considering their lack of combat experience since the wooden fence collapsed, she thought they would panic.
No, she never considered them a fighting force to begin with.
However, they walked into this mess voluntarily to save her and Noubelmag.
“Shoot! Kill them!”
“Hans! Don’t you dare die!”
Other villagers, who couldn’t make it up to the mine, joined in.
Though they couldn’t enter the battlefield, they shot arrows and threw whatever they could from a safe distance.
Thanks to them, Nyhill caught her breath and took up her dagger again.
Noubelmag, limping, gripped his hammer.
Crack!
Monsters that had been wary of the appearance of new humans rushed forward again.
“Kill them!”
“Hold your shields properly!”
“Keep your eyes open! They’re coming from behind again!”
In that moment when everyone’s best efforts were continuing, an unexpected miracle occurred.
Dudududududu—!
Even though there was no spirit, the ground suddenly began to tremble.
Everyone looked at each other with puzzled faces.
It was a subtle vibration, but the tremors and noise quickly amplified, revealing its true nature.
‘The sound of horse hooves?’
At this moment Noubelmag recalled the existence of the ‘Reinforcements’ which he had completely forgotten.
“I’ve requested reinforcements.”
“…Reinforcements?”
“Yeah, they should arrive within two days.”
Riding over the fallen wooden fence, dozens of knights arrived at the battlefield.
Their sparkling appearance in the ruins was almost comical.
A deep voice followed them.
“In the name of the great Emperor! In the name of Euphemia Cecilia!”
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“Purge the demonic forces!”
“For the glory of Her Majesty!”
Noubelmag sat down on the spot, pulled out his pipe.
“…Damn. They came quickly.”
Nyhill also sat down next to him, watching the round smoke he exhaled.
It was over.
* * *
As evening fell, the damp weather began to change gradually.
The wind was refreshing, and the temperature became pleasantly warm.
It was a late spring day.
The Lonkers streets were bathed in the nail-like light of the descending moon.
The tavern was literally bursting at the seams.
No, damn it, is this right—! Someone’s voice, comically imitating Hans, signalled the beginning of the afterparty.
The restoration of the wooden fence was postponed with the consent of the villagers.
Since some of the Imperial Army had already built barracks and were stationed near the village, it would be safer from monsters.
Considering the collapsed stake, it made even more sense.
“Let’s drink.”
“Yeah.”
The hero quietly clinked glasses with Noubelmag in a corner seat.
Today’s protagonist was not him.
“Uh, um…”
Nyhill found herself surrounded by numerous villagers in the center of the tavern, wearing a bewildered expression.
Thunderous cheers, whistles, and applause showered upon her.
Someone shouted a loud thank you, others approached to pat her on the shoulder, and someone even messed up her hair.
“Ugh… Hot… Ugh.”
The girl froze like a small animal suddenly thrown into a different environment overnight.
But she couldn’t avoid it.
It was because the hero had given her a ‘command.’
“Remember this moment well from now on.”
He added that she should enjoy the drinking session as much as possible.
He even mentioned she could drink as much as she wanted.
‘…What does it mean to enjoy?’
Today was really full of challenges.
Nyhill felt strangely thirsty, so she took a sip of the beer in front of her.
Noubelmag and the hero also raised their glasses and drank together.
The hero spoke first.
“Thank you in many ways.”
“Well… it’s not a joke; we really almost died. If it weren’t for that kid, the leader would be drinking alone as the sole survivor tonight.”
“Fortunately, that didn’t happen.”
“Ugh, damn, I was so resentful that I thought about throwing the Wolf statue and the Blessing Stone into the furnace.”
“Good thing you didn’t. I’ll come to collect them tomorrow.”
“…Whether you come or not.”
Glasses clinked again.
…The eradication of the stake.
Although Nyhill and Noubelmag had been told the story by the hero, the other villagers credited the reinforcements for the victory.
If the villagers knew that the ‘hero’ had already been here, many questions would arise.
For example, why didn’t they clear the stake and wipe out the monsters earlier?
Thanks to this, Nyhill heard plenty of comments.
“Hehe, while you were lazing around, your companions did a great job!”
One of the revellers approached, chuckled cheerfully, clinked glasses, and then moved away.
…Anyway, the fact that all the spotlight went to Nyhill was something he gladly accepted.
“Ugh…”
At that moment, Nyhill, whose face had turned a bit flushed, approached them.
Whether it was the alcohol, her usually graceful movements seemed slightly off.
It seemed like she hadn’t used her magic to dispel the effects of the alcohol, as per the hero’s command.
“Sit here.”
Noubelmag pulled out a chair for her.
Meanwhile, the villagers, already quite drunk, had placed Hans in the center this time, making him the focus of their attention.
“Hey, well done, Hans! Who would have thought such a character would come out of Lonkers!”
“What did you say! Is this right?! You bastards! Follow me, be proud to follow Hans, the pride of Lonkers!”
“I didn’t do the last one!”
Amid Hans’s angry outburst, one side of his face showed undeniable pride.
“Everyone! Stop drinking! You’re not even in good shape!”
Presumably his wife, she pleaded desperately, trying to restrain them.
But the people continued teasing that they looked good together.
…In the cramped tavern, laughter and warmth filled every corner.
Things that were not visible when Nyhill first came here.
And today, things that could have disappeared forever.
For a moment, the hero, Nyhill, and Noubelmag silently watched the scene.
It was a moment when the hero, in the process of choosing his words to say something to Nyhill, spoke.
“Nyhill.”
Noubelmag gently squeezed Nyhill’s shoulder and turned her towards the people with a soft smile.
“…Noubelmag?”
Nyhill asked with an unexpectedly relaxed voice.
In a quiet tone, Noubelmag answered,
“I promised to show you.”
Nyhill saw villagers sending endless winks toward herself and raised her glass, looking at the people who were laughing and enjoying themselves.
“By your own choice. By your own judgement. When you save people. How does it feel?”
…What feelings were stirring within her right now?
She has always been a ghost.
All the operations she and her comrades had conducted never surfaced in public.
Even if they were actions worthy of applause, they never did.
Her entire life seemed to have taken place backstage.
‘……’
Nyhill recalled some of the challenging operations.
Operations where they lost several comrades.
Yet, the outcome was the same.
Like the crew behind the scenes never receiving applause.
No acknowledgement for her and her deceased comrades.
…It was the first time.
The first time was filled with various emotions.
Nyhill hesitated for a moment, unable to respond.
Observing her expression, Noubelmag laughed so hard that even deeper wrinkles formed on his face.
And he threw a question whose answer he already knew.
“…Yeah. So, how does it feel?”
The reason Nyhill could finally voice an answer was probably due to the effects of the alcohol.
“…It’s good.”
After finishing her sentence, she placed a hand, scarred from the battles, over her heart.
Her heart was pounding.
Nyhill added a small comment to herself.
“…More than I deserve.”
Noubelmag looked at the hero and asked,
“Anything to say, Leader?”
Tock. Tock.
The hero’s large hand gently patted Nyhill’s small back.
“It is not undeserved. You did well.”
Nyhill mumbled quietly to herself one more time.
…This touch is more than I deserve.
Lonkers’ night faded away like that.
▼
Understanding of Nyhill deepens.
Understanding Level: 4/100 -> 8/100
▲
HEL SCANS
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