Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330657219422179/episodes/16817330658231816012
Right next to me, someone stood up.
Immediately after turning to look at the momentum and heat I felt, that someone – Anri – raises her voice in a low growl.
“– Did you just tell Tale to die for …… who-knows-what?”
Anri’s eyes widen and she glares at Gillian san as if she’s shooting him dead. The totality of her emotions makes Gillian san’s eyes widen, if not frighten him.
Meanwhile, I, the party in question, can’t hide my shock at the sudden change in Anri, with whom I was having a normal conversation just a few minutes ago.
“…. Anri, calm down. I think what Gillian san said is also like a …… figure of speech. I might be the last one to do something about it, but I’m sure other adventurers would be up to the task too.”
“If they do, they’ll be weaker than us. It’s not of much use. So, in the end, the worst thing Tale can do is risk his life…? Don’t underestimate us…and…… Tale!”
Anri was breathing heavily and berated Gillian. There was no trace of her usual features in her completely fixed gaze.
Normally, she would just accept the request easily and say that if it gets dangerous, she should just run away. I wonder if this attitude is also due to something strange that happened to Anri.
I calmly analyse and on the other hand think.
It is true that Gillian san’s words seem a little arrogant, but in fact, in this situation, there is no other way but to say it like this. Gillian san says that I am the strongest in Bren, including the guardian soldiers, so it is only natural that I will bear the brunt of the battle against demons. And since that defeat is the same as a crisis for the city, I should risk my life
In addition, since this is a story that probably has a great deal to do with the city’s defences, Gillian-san’s decision should be directly rephrased as a decision by the lords. It means that in this state of emergency, the aristocracy’s strong power could be exercised.
In the end, if I were to reject the proposal, it would be a major obstacle for the Sword of Wheat to continue its activities in the future – in fact, it could even lead to me being hunted as a criminal.
I thought about this and tried to rebuke Anri, but before I could do so, Gillian san opened his mouth.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, little girl. You’ve only got a half-baked power, and you’re so loud. Do you understand ……? If you say no to me here, the next time someone with more power will give the order. All you have to do is do it. You can’t choose any method when the city is in crisis.”
Gillian san interjects, “Are you ready to turn this whole city against you?”
…I have made up my mind that this will happen after all. Once this has been made clear, there is no other choice.
When I looked around the room, I saw Rietta, whose eyes were wandering anxiously, and Ur, who was strangely calm. Also, Anri is glaring at Gillian san with such force that she could kill someone with her gaze.
It would be an arrogant expression to say that I am protecting these girls. However, I was about to give an answer when I realized that I had no choice but to do as Gillian san said.
“—I won’t lose Tale this time.”
I heard Anri muttering quietly. Immediately after that, I wonder what she said.
I, who was listening, also raised my eyebrows at the unusualness of it. It feels strange that Anri, who should have lost her memory of my fall off the cliff, should say what she just said. I’m not sure if her memory came back at this moment, or if she said it unconsciously, judging from her reaction.
I unintentionally let my thoughts wander to Anri’s unusual state of mind, but I am immediately pulled back to consciousness. Anri, who kept her gaze even tighter, finally became more angry at Gillian san.
“I will not allow anyone to force Tale to fight, no matter who they are. Guild or lord, don’t think I’ll keep quiet–!”
“You said it, little girl. I’ve retreated from the front line and I’m no better than that kid, but I still can beat you! ”
Gillian also barks in response to Anri’s increased fighting spirit. He lifts his hips from the sofa and bares his fangs at Anri in a threatening manner.
A wind mixed with magic blows between them. The scene of a blowout made me bite my teeth.
――I didn’t want Anri to clearly attack the guild like this. Not only is Gillian san’s direct military power dangerous, but our position as an adventurer is also in jeopardy.
I was in such a hurry that I immediately tried to intercede between the two of them. I have no idea what I should do after that, but for Anri’s sake I shouldn’t go against Gillian san.
I stood up and was about to open my mouth to somehow settle this noisy atmosphere when I heard a voice from the other side of the room saying
“- both of you. First of all, let’s stop that mentality and have a constructive discussion.”
said a cool-faced Ur from the corner of my eye.
“It’s a crisis in the city, isn’t it?”
We are all unintentionally distracted by this light-hearted way of putting it. The air that had been tense until a few minutes ago seemed to loosen a little thanks to Ur.
I chewed Ur’s words once more, feeling grateful for them.
It’s a crisis in the city, so it’s fair to talk about constructive things. But the problem is the word ‘spiritualism’.
She must have thought the same thing as I did. Gillian san, who had been glaring at Anri, provocatively shuffled his chin, asking her to be more specific if she had an opinion.
In response, Ur began to speak without any qualms.
“First of all, what the branch chief said about ‘beat them even if you aredead’. This is the ultimate in spiritualism. If that demon is stronger than Tale, even if he fight it to the death, he will lose.”
“…… That’s true. What’s your point?”
“So if we’re going to talk about it beforehand, shouldn’t it be about what to do if he can’t beat him, not about defeating him as hard as you can without discussing feasibility? If we were to say that Tale is currently the strongest in Brain, then once Tale loses… If he dies like that, there will be no chance of defeating the demon in the second battle. Instead, shouldn’t we be thinking about setting up a system where we can help Tale just before he is defeated?”
“……”
To the silent Gillian san, Ur continues.
“Also, if Tale is going to get hit, we should be prepared to evacuate the people of the city. This might be something for the lords to think about.”
When Ur said that, she looked at Gillian-san and Anri with a slightly suprized gaze.
I, too, heard Ur’s words, and it hurts my ears to hear that this is so. I had arrogantly thought that if I alone put my life on the line, I could do something about it. No matter how successful I was at subjugating the earth dragon, I had heard from Gillian san earlier that demons are at worst platinum grade or higher.
Gillian san seemed to have something in mind for Ur’s words, and after closing his eyes for a while, he finally let out a deep sigh. When he opened his eyes, the atmosphere from before completely changed, and he roughly fell onto the sofa.
“Yeah, you’re right. …… ..That’s why I’m the branch chief”
Gillian san let out a sigh and said.
“Sorry, I’m a genuine warrior. I start thinking about things based on what I did when I was still active.. But you certainly have a point. I guess it’s also a problem that I don’t have any men to talk to in an …… emergency.”
“So what you said to Tale is?”
“Oh, I take it back. It’s a story that you can defeat even if you die. I have no intention of changing the fact that Tale attack the demon, but when the time comes, I will provide help.”
“–!”
Ur nodded at Gillian’s words. Anri also sat down on the sofa in silence.
The series of commotion somehow calmed down, and I patted my relieved shoulders together with Rietta.
Gillian san turned to us again and spoke clearly.
“- This Stampede response will kick out some of the demons, and after the demons come out, Tale – you’ll be in charge of dealing with them. I’ll let the other guys support you, but you’re the main one. …… However, as the little girl over there said earlier, if you are defeated by the demons and killed as you are, there is nothing we can do. Therefore, before you die, the support guys will go in to help you. As for the selection of people, we will start with the remaining promising adventurers…”
“-We, the Sword of Wheat, will join them.”
Interrupting Gillian san, Anri said. Ur and Rietta also showed their agreement.
Gillian san nodded his head in agreement and I was about to raise my voice, but Ur, who turned to me, intercepted me before I could.
“I told you. I’ll be with you until the end.”
“We are not going to die though,” she says, as if to teach me a lesson, and I involuntarily shut down.
Of course, they will work to make sure we don’t all die, but it’s still dangerous. I wanted my precious friends to be safer, but I was aware of what would happen if I said that.
I had no choice but to swallow Ur’s words, and when she smiled at me, as if she was good at it, I couldn’t help but giggle.
And so the conversation went on without any room for me to object. After we managed to find a landing point, we moved on to the details of the story, without any arguments like the one we had just had.
–The meeting with Gillian san, the head of the Buren branch, ended not long afterwards because of the urgent situation.
There were moments during the meeting when I wondered what was going to happen, but I think we managed to come to an agreement.
On the other hand, speaking of my state of mind, I was swept away by the grand stand-up of my fellow friends, and even before the battle, I was feeling somewhat tired.
However, compared to the fierce battle that is about to come, it is just like a child’s skirmish. The demons that are gathering in Bren are about to scatter the lives of adventurers and guardians here and cause a situation that threatens the livelihood of the town.
As a force to prevent this, I am in the position of having received a direct request from the branch chief.
With a sobering thought, I calm my turbulent heart in preparation for the decisive battle to come.
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !