Chapter 50 – Camping
“… Warrior?”
After defeating the Behemoth, the warrior’s eyes, which had not been awake until dawn, opened even slightly, and Martha opened her eyes.
“Ugh… !”
Unlike miracles, the potion had some aftereffects, so my arms and chest were sore.
The warrior, who barely opened his eyes, asked Martha, who was looking down at him from the right side with Tasogot on his knees.
“Martha… Where are you?”
“It’s in a multi-person tent. The hero hasn’t opened his eyes yet, so he’s been enshrining it here.”
“… I see.”
When the hero held out his one hand and tried to lift his waist, Martha grabbed the hand and raised the body of the hero whose aftereffects were not yet gone.
A light could be seen through the fabric of the tent, so it must have been a campfire.
The warrior, who was staring blankly at the light through the cloth, asked Martha, who was sitting next to him.
“… Are you camping here tonight?”
“Yes. The sun will rise soon anyway, so don’t go out and close your eyes a little longer.”
“That’s fine… It’s been a while since I’ve had a good night’s sleep, so I’m in good shape.”
“… Long time?”
“Oh…”
The hero wanted to say something and immediately covered his mouth, but he had already spilled the water.
“Warrior… Lie down here for a while.”
Saying that, Martha, who was sitting down, pointed to the spot on her lap.
Overwhelmed by the sense of intimidation Martha felt, the warrior didn’t say anything and lay down again, obediently using Martha’s knee as a pillow.
As she lies down on his lap, Martha’s usual smile catches the hero’s eyes.
It must have been the same smile as usual, but for some reason, the warrior felt as if a deep shadow was overshadowed by that smile.
“Warrior… Be honest. Haven’t you slept for days already?”
“That, that… One, one…”
“One?”
“… About a month? I haven’t slept since I was assigned a private room on the airship… I haven’t slept since I entered the Great Library…”
“Whoa…”
Hearing that, Martha’s eyes narrowed in rare cases, and she let out a deep sigh.
Marta was strict with the other party members but always generous with the hero, but this time she said to the hero with a frowning expression, as if she was really angry.
“Warrior. As I have said many times, physical fatigue can be treated, but mental fatigue is different. And that kind of technology that seems to put a lot of strain on the body just by looking at it. You are the last bastion of mankind. If something goes wrong, such a warrior, what the hell is he going to do after all?!”
“Yeah, but…”
“… What is it though? If you have any excuses, tell me.”
“Still… Marius-sama was able to live today thanks to my unreasonable efforts.”
“… It’s okay.”
At the words of the hero, Martha couldn’t continue her words and looked at the hero with an expression that struck her in the back of the head.
“I think the reason why the goddess made me so strong was to protect the weak. That’s why I’m fine if I say there is a life that can be saved by being a little tired.”
“…”
Whenever someone is in danger, whenever someone calls for help.
The hellish escape route where they killed and betrayed each other with the demon army behind them comes to mind.
The hero couldn’t let go of his sword even at night, fearing that hell would repeat itself if he couldn’t save him due to lack of strength.
“So, can you be kind to me even if I overdo it a little?”
“… It’s petty to say that.”
“Is it?”
“Yes, it is pitiful. Promise me this, though. Think of yourself half as much as you think of others. I am… It hurts more to see the hero injured than to see everyone here die.”
It wasn’t something that would come out of the saintess’s mouth, but for some reason the hero felt happy about Martha’s words.
“If only half… I’ll promise.”
“I’ll believe that… Get some sleep now. Training later.”
“Huh… Then I’m sorry, but I’ll close my eyes for a little bit like this.”
Using Martha’s knee as a pillow, the hero gently closed her eyes.
*****
Looking at the crackling bonfire, Grindella remembered the hero who defeated the Behemoth today.
Incredible strength that makes it impossible to believe that it is the same human being.
Every time he thought of that figure, like a hero from a myth, Grindella fell into deep thought.
“Princess, aren’t you sleeping yet?”
“Ah, Uncle!”
Grindella laughed involuntarily when she saw the face of Marius, whom she thought she would never see again.
“What are you thinking as you stare at the campfire?”
“… Yoa, I was thinking of the hero.”
“Because you are a warrior… When I think of him, I think of many things.”
Even Marius, who had lived a life several times longer than Grindella, never thought that the day would come when he would be able to call others a hero in the true sense of the word.
I knew that the existence existed, but I could never have imagined that a mythical being would be so close.
“Uncle… Even though I’ve been called a warrior, I just thought that there must be something like that somewhere.”
A convenient mythical being who defeats evil and saves those in need for free.
Even though I knew that the hero actually existed, I always doubted that such a thing really existed.
But today, having been saved by the hero, for the first time Grindella felt the real existence of the hero.
“… Until now, we thought we should overcome this situation by ourselves without relying on anyone. But today, having received help like this, I feel pathetic even thinking about it, but for the first time… I want to lean on someone.”
“Princess, it is not pathetic. It is natural to want to lean on someone else when times are difficult or difficult.”
“Still… I don’t want to keep getting help like this, so… Uncle, if the hero allows it, is it okay if I join the hero’s party?”
“Are you joining? Oh sure… Considering the reason why the hero hid his identity, there is no need to move in small groups anymore.”
It’s not a bad idea to join the hero party anyway, as you’ll have to drive out the Demon King’s army that has settled in the old territory of Azul Kingdom anyway.
“If the hero approves, I agree. Other members will surely agree.”
Because of today’s events, all the adventurers of the Azul Revival Adventure Corps respected the hero.
Besides, there was no way that they, who were former knights, would refuse the honor of joining the Hero party.
“Then, when the morning is bright, let’s ask the hero.”
“Yes! With this, I can repay the hero a little bit!”
Seeing Grindella’s innocent smile, Marius smiled and said, the corner of her mouth rising.
“I am happy that you are happy. But I thought you were having a little different concern. For example, love or…”
Grindella, whose face turned red like the flames of a bonfire at Marius’ hinted words, said, shaking her hand.
“Yes?!! I-I never had feelings like that for the hero… !!”
“I didn’t say a word about the hero. It seems that spring has finally come to the princess.”
“Ooh, ooh… !! I really… Something like that… , Mo, I don’t know!!”
Grindella couldn’t deny it to the end and went back to her own tent with her wild steps that didn’t match her usual chastity.
Marius muttered softly as he looked at Grindella’s back with a hearty smile.
“Older brother… It seems that there is no worry about the posterior problem. Draw.”
Meanwhile, Rose returned to Elysium with the wizards while a warm conversation was going on between Grindella and Marius.
Rose and wizards who can fly volunteered because someone had to ask the guild for manpower to move the body of the Behemoth, which was tens of meters long.
“It took a surprisingly long time to persuade.”
The legendary beast Behemoth, who had not been defeated for hundreds of years, has fallen.
No matter how much Rose was the daughter of the Allenbout family, it took quite a while to convince her of the unrealistic story.
Even though it was unavoidable, Rose, who was annoyed by the troublesome task, grumbled, and one of the wizards in the back said,
“Yeah… It’s not just a demon, it’s because you defeated the beast king Behemoth.”
“Well, is that so? That’s why I’m talking about the compensation I promised you guys…”
When the talk of compensation came out, the eyes of the wizards who were listening changed.
They know very well that Rose, who is no one else, is not a person who can take away a little pay.
However, when I didn’t finish the word and stopped talking in the middle, I felt ominous for no reason.
“Before I give you the promised reward, I want to make a nice suggestion.”
“… A suggestion?”
“Yes, it is a suggestion. It’s not an order or anything like that, so if you don’t like it, you can just refuse.”
If that’s the case, it’s worth a listen. Having judged that, the wizards nodded to her and listened to Rose’s words.
“Do you guys want to go to the hero party with me?”
“… You mean the warrior party?”
The wizards weren’t surprised by Rose’s proposal, but in fact, it wasn’t an unexpected proposal given the flow of work.
“Seeing that you made such an offer, there must be an advantage to us by joining the Hero party, right?”
“Yes, first of all, the hero is a genius who reached the 6th circle in only 5 months. No, you might soon be in the same 7th circle as me.”
It is not uncommon for wizards to see great talent and be inspired to move into the next realm.
More than anything else, they were thinking that the hero and Rose wanted to train together.
“The hero is still only a member of the 6th circle like you, so training together will definitely have a good effect on you guys. Oh, needless to say, I participate in the training as well.”
Upon hearing that, the hearts of the wizards gradually begin to waver.
A chance to read the 7th circle magic book for 10 days and a chance to practice magic with Rose.
As wise wizards, they knew without thinking which one was more valuable.
“… Finally honor. If you guys are men before you are wizards, you must have a desire for honor, right? Join the Hero party and you’ll make a name for yourself.”
“…”
Even though they are blocked by a wall and are now at this point, they all dreamed of becoming a great wizard who was once called a hero.
As I got older and got to know reality, I drove my dreams and innocence to a remote corner of my heart, but that didn’t mean I forgot my dreams.
Even if you can’t become a hero yourself, wouldn’t it be a little meaningful if you assist the young warrior’s path?
Deep down, they knew that this was just a vicarious satisfaction, but it remained an attractive proposal nonetheless.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Accepting this offer does not mean that I will not give you the original pay.”
She has many things to deal with, and even if Hero and the others leave, Rose will remain in Elysium for the time being, and she will join later.
Since that period would be at least 10 days, it was possible to accept the offer even after being paid by Rose.
After Rose said this, the wizards all nodded their heads and spoke in unison, without sharing their thoughts.
“If the hero allows it, we will all join the party following Mr. Allenbaut.”
“A wise decision! Then, since it’s late today, let’s go back to the hero’s side tomorrow with the guild’s corpse recovery team.”
With everything in her own way, Rose floated into the air with a satisfied smile.
Everything went smoothly, including that the hero was a real hero.
‘… My older brother could have objected to me because even though I have excellent skills, I have a low status.’
Of course, if things went that way, Rose was prepared to beat her brother and become the head of the household, in accordance with her family tradition.
However, it was a last resort, and it was better to end without it.
‘However… What should I do with those three?’
The three Rose is talking about are, of course, Martha, Grindella, and Mirian.
Not to mention Marta, but she, Grindella, and Mirian must have feelings for the hero…
‘… Is unconditionally hostile a handshake? After all, I just need to be in the highest position anyway.’
Well, that is a story of the distant future, which is still too early to discuss now.
But you’ll have to think about what to do.
