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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: As a Commemoration of Becoming Companions - 2
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Neril scrutinized my face before opening her mouth.
"You came."
"Of course. It's an invitation from a companion we'll be traveling with from now on."
"Hmm. Kid. How old do I look to you?"
Outwardly, she appeared to be in her early twenties at most, but I spoke her true age.
"It's been about 200 years since the Witch of Atrocities appeared in history."
"Yeah. That's right. I've been honing my magic for 200 years. Honestly, saying I studied diligently the whole time would prick my conscience... but that time isn't nothing."
"..."
"How old are you?"
"So that's it. You're saying don't get cocky because I'm stronger."
Neril spoke firmly, her expression utterly serious without a hint of playfulness.
"Exactly. Maide Mohan."
"..."
"I like you quite a bit."
"..."
"Please don't make me change my mind."
Oh.
Just like back at the tool shop, the atmosphere was starting to grow heavy.
An invisible pressure bore down on my entire body.
It felt like my weight had doubled.
I slowly, cautiously put distance between myself and Neril.
"Gray said it's on credit. He'll pay after seven years together."
"You're telling me to watch Gray live intact and happily for seven years?"
"I don't plan to let him live happily... but what grudge do you have against him anyway? What did that guy do to you?"
"That bastard killed a child I cherished."
A child she cherished?
Ah, the old graveyard keeper.
It felt a bit off hearing someone who looked in her twenties call an old man a 'child,' but considering her real age, it made sense.
I said,
"Gray told me. He went to rob the Erenica family grave long ago and killed some old man."
"You've heard a lot."
"The Erenica family was a great noble house that was wiped out. What's your connection to them?"
"You don't need to know that. What you do need to know is that the old man was the last steward of the Erenica family. A loyal servant among loyal servants, guarding the tomb of a house that fell 200 years ago for generations."
"..."
"The old man had no children. His steward line was on the verge of dying out. It probably would have ended completely in a few years."
"..."
"But that doesn't mean a trash looter gets to end it with his own hands."
I still didn't know the secret between Neril and the Erenica family.
If I raised the level of my Eye of Omniscience...
[Why is that your Eye of Omniscience?]
I'd find out if I leveled it up, but that was still a distant goal.
That was when Neril spoke.
"Hand over Gray right now. This is my last warning."
"..."
"You said you'll become a hero, right? You say you can do anything. Become a hero, save the continent, whatever."
"..."
"Sorry, but I don't know you that well yet. So rather than trust your words and stick with you for seven years, I'm thinking of taking Gray by force right now."
"That won't work."
That was when I answered.
Uwaaaah!
I nearly yelled out undignifiedly.
I reflexively bent my knees.
I saw a blade of wind slice past a centimeter above my head.
Wind Cutter, Neril's favorite from before her regression.
With a casual hand fan motion, she'd felled countless monsters.
Thud! Siiiizzle.
I heard the ginkgo tree behind me cleanly severed and toppling over.
Swish.
Neril pointed at me and said,
"The Unyielding Sword Emperor never takes assassination requests, right? Impressive that you became a top mercenary with such a stupid self-imposed penalty. But it won't work on me."
"I don't think so."
"Let's see, kid."
Whoosh.
The surroundings turned into a sea of flames.
It was early winter, but my body burned like midsummer noon.
I precisely stepped only where Neril's flames didn't reach, darting around.
It had been a while since I'd really moved, and it was tough.
'I never fought my party members seriously, so I didn't realize... this woman's no joke.'
[Can you win?]
'If I meant to kill her, sure.'
[You're not going to.]
'That's the problem. I didn't know Neril was this strong. So the Demon King of Lies took all those spells head-on...'
Becoming the target myself paradoxically made me realize how strong the Demon King had been.
He even had the leisure for that 'joke' of a temporary death.
Even if I became a hero, could I really kill him?
[To the side!]
'Kugh!'
Slash.
Blood sprayed from my side.
I hurriedly pressed my palm to it and leaped back.
After creating more than twenty steps of distance, I applied the top-grade potion I'd bought from the guild to my side.
"That's some potion. Must be expensive."
"Pay me back later."
"You used it, why should I pay?"
"What's a companion for? What's yours is mine, what's mine is mine."
"I know you're buying time. But come on, I want to talk with you a bit more."
Neril crossed her arms.
"I've lived a long time, but you're the first like this. With talent like that, it's natural to think, 'Why can't I be the hero?'"
"..."
"But heroes, and the heroes alongside them, are on a whole different level from us. You'd know if you read history books. Guys who split mountains and summon tsunamis with one sword swing."
"Exaggerations."
I knew firsthand from seeing it.
Neril let out a scoffing laugh.
"How can you be so sure?"
"I think you're already hero-level. If I weren't around, you could've aimed for hero. Too bad."
"Only those backed by ability can wear confidence like that. It suits you."
"..."
"But if that's true, you're no hero? You're getting beaten by someone hero-level like me."
Guess I have no choice but to beat her.
Fine. Time to use the skill.
Trail interrupted.
[Use it already if you have it.]
'It's been so long, I can't get the timing right.'
[Sigh. What skill? Does it have a name?]
Of course.
'Quick Dash.'
[...]
'What.'
[No, even the name's like that? I suspected from when you talked about invisibility to me!]
'No need to shout skill names in battle, so who cares. And honestly, I pondered two days for that name.'
[This mo...]
I cut off as it seemed about to curse.
Then I focused strength into my legs.
Crunch. Creak.
I felt my muscles writhing under my clothes.
Veins bulged, tiny tremors running through.
"Preparing something?"
Neril noticed immediately and uncrossed her arms.
She swiftly began forming hand seals.
I knew those movements well.
Earth magic, probably.
Thud!
Countless muddy arms erupted around me.
But before they could grab me, I kicked off the ground and leaped.
"Huh?"
Whoosh. Thud.
I twisted midair, regaining posture.
Then I positioned my sheath downward as a foothold.
Good. It works.
"Hmph."
Neril began preparing her largest spell yet.
But preparing it 'now' was already too late.
'Quick Dash!'
[Please, no.]
Thud!
Before Neril's final seal, I was already five steps from her.
I saw her pupils dilate vividly.
She hurriedly slapped the back of her right hand with her left.
I knew that too.
Low-level Lightning Bolt.
Low-level, sure, but from the Witch of Atrocities, an ordinary person would be charred before screaming.
'What to do?'
In less than 0.1 seconds, I agonized.
Before her spell fully activated, I could definitely stab my dagger into her heart. I was confident.
But if I did.
"Damn it."
I subtly shifted the dagger's trajectory downward.
Thanks to that, her spell went off on time.
Stab. Crackle!
The dagger plunged deep into Neril's abdomen.
Her spell then slammed into my back.
"Gah!"
"Guh."
Smelled like well-cooked meat.
I glanced up at Neril.
Her eyes shook more than ever.
"Why? Why change the trajectory?"
"..."
"You were clearly aiming for the heart. You could've killed me before my spell."
"Instead of talking... heal up. I stabbed pretty deep; must hurt."
Bleeding, she smiled.
"Worry about yourself? Your back's skin is peeled off."
"I'm better than you."
"Doubt it."
Every time I spoke, acrid smoke rose.
"Surrender, Neril."
"...Idiot! I won. I can still kill you now."
"Surrender."
"You would've won originally. Just stabbed the heart."
"Argh. Save it for later. Honestly, I'm dying in pain too, so surrender quick."
"..."
Hurry up.
I'm pretty anxious here, lady.
Any longer, and even my expensive potion won't help.
Thump thump.
My heartbeat drummed in my ears.
After an eternity, Neril slowly spoke.
"I lost."
"So we work together for seven years?"
"..."
"Don't back out now."
Neril sighed and asked,
"You're really leaving Gray be? Seven years is long. He'll vanish from the continent by then."
"I have something planned for that."
"Hmph. Planned what."
"Really. If you can't believe it, just watch for a few days."
"Huh?"
I grinned and opened my mouth.
"As a commemoration of becoming companions, I'll give you a gift."
A few days later.
Thanks to using the premium potions I'd saved for near-death situations without holding back, Neril and I revived cleanly.
A ton of money gone, but no issue. Neril covered it all.
"You sure it's okay to cover it all? Shouldn't I pay half?"
"Forget it. More importantly, why are we back here?"
We stood in front of Gray's tool shop.
"I told you. A gift to commemorate becoming companions."
"..."
"Let's go in."
Gray was still wriggling like a worm on the basement floor.
I'd given him drinks sporadically while staying here, but he hadn't eaten in about a week total.
He was splashing in Redby River water, said to lead to hell.
I removed his gag.
"Phew. W-water... please..."
"Here."
I poured canteen water into his mouth like before.
I felt Neril glaring disapprovingly from behind.
Gray gulped it greedily and looked up at me.
"N-no feeling... in my arms."
"..."
"Even the high priest couldn't fix them now. My arms. Waaah!"
"Don't cry."
"Waaaah!"
"Or cry in hell too?"
"No. Sorry."
He stopped crying like a lie.
I grabbed his collar, pulled him up, and said,
"You've got enough energy to walk, right? Squeeze it out if not. We're going somewhere together."
"P-please, not hell."
"Hell? I said 'together.'"
I whispered in his ear.
"You go to hell alone later."
He shuddered.
Tap.
A light pat on the back, and he staggered forward.
I held the rope binding him like fetters and walked together.
Neril followed and asked,
"Where are you taking him?"
"You worried. Couldn't stand seeing Gray happy for seven years, what if he hides in that time, etc."
"So?"
I continued lightly.
"To a place where he can never be happy and can never hide."