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 identity 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 gratitude 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 Goddess 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 brimming 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 .