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[Can you please do it now? If things continue as they are, it’s not going to be good for Alion’s reputation, the country who has certified you as an S-Rank. This isn’t just a problem for Sogou-san, who feels like she’s trying her best just because she feels like it, it also affects the credibility of our country… And it’s quite troubling…]
I could only do nothing but apologize.
[I’m sorr—-]
Then, suddenly…
[Putting aside whether her efforts were in place or not, I think she’s already doing the best that she can though.]
A man’s voice intruded the conversation.
[Ara? Bane-san?]
The Goddess turned her neck.
[What’s the matter with you? What’s the problem? Umm… I think it’s very uncivilized for someone to interrupt a conversation, but why did you decide to do that? Are you sleep deprived?]
The owner of that voice was Banewolf.
Before I knew it, he was riding on his horse beside Ayaka.
Kayako, who used to be in that position, swerved away a bit.
She probably gave it up since she couldn’t say anything in response.
[Including Suou-chan over there, Sogou-chan’s party has been steadily growing. Sogou-chan herself has been looking for ways to make use of the skills she currently have to become stronger. Especially lately, she has been working herself to death to the point that the other people watching her worries about her. This is just the personal opinion of the person called as Urza’s strongest, the Dragonslayer, I think she would be enough of a fighting force right now…]
[Hmmm~, I have a feeling that Bane-san is a bit too sweet to Sogou-san there. It’s a bit suspicious, don’t you think?]
[Well, of course I would care about her. She’s my student afterall.]
[U- Ummm… You really need to stop calmly lying like that… Sogou-san is a beauty afterall… She looks quite skinny in her clothes, but her breasts are so voluptuous that it’s kind of vulgar… And she’s also a little too flirtatious with men… I mean, there’s no way man wouldn’t have an ulterior motive so…]
(No way…)
Putting aside her describing my physical characteristics…
I haven’t expected that she would say I’m being flirtatious with men.
That’s just unwarranted slander.
However…
(Maybe that’s just what Yasu-kun had said… That I’m just completely unaware…?)
[Umm, Bane-san? Are you expecting some kind of sexual reward from Sogou-san? It seems like there is.]
[Good grief, this is annoying… But you know, this is just like you, to make such an sleazy suspicion to others. How should I say this, it’s really Goddess-sama-like.]
[How cruel… I was slandered really badly… You’re really cruel… You’re being excessively cruel…]
[Then—— What are you being irritated for?]
The tone in Banewolf’s voice changed.
[Yes…? What are you saying all of a sudden? You’re really weird~]
The Goddess’ smile stiffens.
[Ever since the Great Demon Emperor appeared, you haven’t had that much time to spare… Alion’s Goddess-sama.]
Those words sound risky to say, but the way he said it doesn’t sound antagonistic at all.
Could it be because of his personality?
Even the goddess herself seemed to be trying to infer whether he’s being hostile or not.
[By the looks of it, it doesn’t look like it’s just Sogou-chan’s fault… But if you’re worried about something, you can talk to me about it, you know?]
[…Ara. Bane-san, you’re so kind~]
[You’re the general shouldering the future of this continent. If you don’t get yourself poised, a lot of people will get in trouble.]
[…Hmm~. Did it look like I don’t have the composure to do that anymore?]
Banewolf took the end of a thin stick the size of his pinky finger towards his mouth.
I think it was called Doto stick, if I remembered it right.
It’s like this world’s equivalent of my world’s cigarette.
[At least, that’s what it looked like to me.]
[Hmmm~…]
The goddess began tapping her reins with her fingertips.
[Hmmm~]
What in the world could she be thinking about?
Or perhaps, could it be that she’s trying to suppress something?
[…I understand. I thought I was encouraging them out of kindness, but it seems that they’ve been misunderstanding me. I think I should reflect on that. I’m sorry, Sogou-san. If I said that I’ve said it thinking about your sake… Will you forgive me? You’re going to forgive me, right? Even if it’s just your kindness, you’re still an S-Rank on that…]
I hesitated on what to say.
[No, umm… I don’t even know what to forgive…]
Scratching his head, Banewolf wryly smiles.
[Why are you always saying one too many things, this Goddess…]
[A- Are you telling me how to live my life now…? You’re really amazing… —-Ah, I remembered I still have some things I need to do.]
The Goddess swerved her horse away from Ayaka’s horse.
Before I knew it, the soldiers around us were taking their distance from me and the others around.
It’s as if a circle of empty space formed around me and the others.
[I’ll be taking my leave then.]
Saying so, the Goddess made her horse turn back and she weaved between the rows of soldiers surrounding us, disappearing from our sight.
[…Well, you don’t have to mind that much about the Goddess-sama’s nagging.]
[Umm, Bane-san… Why did you reach out to us when no one else wanted to come forward and train us as our teacher?]
[If I want to preserve this lazy life of mine from hereafter, I have no choice but to do this.]
[…Umm.]
From the way he said it, I immediately knew that he was joking.
Grinning at me, Banewolf snorted.
[It’s good that you’re someone who can understand a joke… I wish our Magister King can understand my jokes a little better too.]
Banewolf has a slightly flippant look on his face.
[Having said that… there’s actually no such great reason for me to reach out to your group. It’s just… I thought that the stronger you get, the better your chances of survival will be. Whether it’s Sogou-chan or Yasu…]
He’s still the usually easygoing Banewolf.
However, he strangely feels reliable right now.
[If being stronger increases your chances of survival… Wouldn’t it better to have them rather than not?]
Holding the Doto stick between his fingers, Banewolf looks towards Kayako.
[Alright then… If Sogou-chan and the others survived this battle, I’ll be having all of you pour me a glass of sake.]
Poof!
Looking forward, Banewolf flicked the Doto stick with his fingers.
[Also, I know that I may just be unnecessarily meddling… However, Sogou-chan must learn to rely on others a bit more. Don’t shoulder everything, you hear me?]
[…Yes. Thank you very much, Bane-san.]
Banewolf ironically smiles, but that smile slowly disappeared.
[Even so, preaching a young child who’s only 10 years younger than me… I feel really old… I used to think that I’d never grow up to do something like that… Ahh~… I really don’t want to get older…]
[…………]
For the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of relief.
I feel like I’ve got a little bit of my composure returned to me.
Therefore…
[Bane-san.]
[Hmm?]
I will face my inner demons myself.
[I’d like to thank you for encouraging me but—–]
I stiffened my expression and slapped him with
my words.
[I don’t think it’s right that you just littered that Doto stick earlier.]
That thing he did earlier had the impression similar to how some people litter cigarettes.
I couldn’t help but scold him.
[O- Ohh… So this is what it’s like when you’re angry, Sogou-chan…]
I proudly bent my chest forward.
[Even if it’s like this right now, I was called “Oni Sogou” when I was the class committee member back in junior high.]
For the first time in a long while, a smile appeared back in my mouth.
And on the edge of my sight, I could vaguely see that Kayako looked slightly relieved.
* * *
[Speaking of which, Bane-san… Is it true that the Goddess is irritated by something?]
Suddenly feeling curious, I asked.
As he tucked the Doto stick he picked up on the ground earlier into his breast pocket, Banewolf replied.
[I’ve already known Four Revered Saints’ Agito for quite some time already, and he used to complain about “She’s acting like a jerk again lately.” or something like that… So, well… I guess it’s not just me that had that impression of her.]
[As expected, could it be because the Great Demon Emperor finally started to seriously invade?]
[…I think it’s a bit different than that though.]
Saying that, Banewolf takes his second Doto stick in his mouth.
I sternly looked at him.
He just wryly smiled in response.
[I- I won’t just throw it away this time…]
Muttering something that sounds like an excuse , he continued.
[The reason why Vysis is so irritated… I think it’s because of the destruction of the Black Dragon Knights.]
[It’s that Knight Corps that used to be called the strongest, isn’t it?]
[Yeah. As a war potential against the Great Demon Emperor, I personally think that Vysis had great expectations for the Black Dragon Knights. Especially towards Civit Gartland, the man in which the Goddess herself said to be a “suprarational existence”.]
That’s why the strong warriors of this continent were called “strong warriors”.
It is said that most of them could be explained with those few words.
Even the Heroes from Another World can be called with these few words just for the Goddess’ blessings towards us.
However, only Civit Gartland is different.
[The strength of the “Humanity’s Strongest” is at a different level, even compared to the people back in history. It can’t be helped if the Goddess had some expectations from him. However…]
[He was killed a few days before, right?]
[Yeah. That’s why, I think the Goddess-sama had lost control of her plans… I mean, if Civit was still alive—-]
Banewolf lowered down his voice.
[Vysis might have intended on trimming down the number of Heroes a bit more into something that would be more suitable for her.]
[———-,…… Eh?]
[What do you think the Goddess fears next to the Root of All Evil?]
[W- What else could there be that the Goddess-sama is afraid of?]
[The time when those same Heroes from Another World she summoned becomes too strong for her own comfort— would cause a rebellion towards her.]
[Ahh—–]
[There are some records of a Hero who drew his bow towards Vysis after they defeated that time’s Root of All Evil. Based on that experience, the Goddess-sama would surely want to “screen out” those Heroes that she thinks would do something like that.]
(Screen out…)
[However, it’s dangerous to reduce the amount of Heroes before defeating the Great Demon Emperor. If we reduce the amount of Heroes now, it could be detrimental later. We also sdon’t know yet how strong the Great Demon Emperor is…]
Then, I realized.
[However, if the “Humanity’s Strongest” is still alive—–]
[Some of the Heroes that the Goddess deemed unnecessary may have already been disposed of.]
A chill ran down behind my back.
This isn’t someone else’s problem.
I know well enough that the Goddess doesn’t have a good impression towards me.
And even though I’m an S-Rank, I still couldn’t use my inherent skills.
Just as Shougo Oyamada called me an “S-Rank Fraud President”…
(The subject of that disposal could have been me…)
The reason why the Goddess has always been severe towards me—–
(It’s because I’m a Hero who should have already been discarded already…? Therefore… It’s just that she gets irritated when she sees me…?)
By any chance…
I may have been turned into a sacrifice of some sort as well.
Yes, like an offering in order to encourage the other Heroes.
Like for instance…
(Just like that time with Mimori-kun…)
“No, that won’t do.”, was what I strongly thought.
There isn’t any value you can gain by discarding anyone.
Banewolf continues.
[But now that Civit is dead, she has no choice but to rely on the power of the Heroes, even to those who don’t like her. If Civit is still alive, there’s a good chance that he could have been entrusted with disposing the Heroes who have become too strong. If it’s against a Hero, he would be able to fight the Heroes with all of his strength, for there’s no reason why he would be burdened with the Tyrant’s Miasma while fighting against you.]
This would be after defeating the Great Demon Emperor.
I hadn’t even thought about it.
I thought that I would just be able to go back to my normal life, back in our previous world.
No… If it were just as she promised, it should have been like that.
It would be troubling if even that isn’t achievable.
Then, Banewolf looked at me with a baffled expression on his face.
[Anyway… It was said that a group of sorcerers calling themselves Ashinto decimated that Civit and the main forces of the Black Dragon Knights… Though, their whereabouts were still unknown. Vysis probably still had some buds of anxiety growing from within her. Civit, who she herself called as a “suprarational existence”, was easily killed by this unknown power they called sorcery… How could she not be concerned?]
“Fuunnn…” Banewolf snorted as he looked towards me.
[That’s why, well… Some of the Heroes may have been indirectly saved by those Ashinto bunch who killed Civit and the others.]
As if letting this information seep in me, I mumbled.
[A group of sorcerers… Ashinto…]
I don’t even know this person called Civit.
He’s not even an acquaintance.
(However, he was strong enough to make Bane-san and the Goddess-sama consider him that special…)
The group of sorcerers who defeated that “Humanity’s Strongest”…
And…
(Sorcery…)
What kind of frightening power could that be?
[Even so, these Ashinto bunch really were quite the mystery. I heard that all of their traces disappeared around Monroy, the place where they were last seen. Even if they were going into the Demon Zone… the information from the witnesses leading up to that place was eerily sparse… When you speak of abnormalities, that group certainly would be quite the abnormal one.]
Banewolf holds unto the Doto stick from his mouth again.
[For the Goddess-sama who wants to hold everything under her sight as she looks down from high above, I’m sure that Ashinto would be quite the detestable concern of her. In fact, it’s probably affecting the way she treats the Heroes and her plans for the future. After all, there were a bunch of eerie people that may suddenly pop-out who knows when, and they may be holding some kind of plan to stir everything up…
Well, if you think about that—-]
“Pfft…”
As if he’s somehow convinced with something, Banewolf’s mouth distorted into a smile.
[Don’t you understand how irritating that could have been for her?]
* * *
Chapter 168
The Magical War Pigeon Informs
A messenger arrived.
It seems that the Goddess is calling for Banewolf.
Scratching his unkempt hair, a frown appeared on Banewolf’s mouth.
[Maybe they’re worried that I’m going to say something unnecessary to Sogou-chan. Good grief…]
However, he also doesn’t have any good reason to refuse.
[Well then, I’ll see you later.]
Saying that, Banewolf left.
After a few moments…
[I’ve finally done with those.]
The Goddess is back.
It’s as if she has just swapped places with Banewolf.
The Goddess smiles towards me.
[If you’re flirting with a man, they’re really beneficial especially when they’re protecting you at times like this. It’s an amazing way to get through life. However, could you not waste your time only seducing men… You also have to quickly unlock your unique skills, don’t you think? Could you not waste your time only seducing men… Please? Could you not waste your time only seducing men…]
Banewolf’s personal opinion may have been correct.
Taken aback, the Goddess quickly puts her hand over her mouth.
[Ah, this won’t do… I have to be careful. I was just behaving as usual, but for some reason, it seemed like I could keep my composure… It’s all Sogou-san’s fault…]
At that moment…
[Vysis-sama.]
A messenger rode his horse next to the Goddess.
Not towards that portable shrine, but towards the real Goddess riding next to me.
[A magical war pigeon has sent a message for you.]
[Yes, thank you for your good work.]
The Goddess unfurled the rolled-up paper and looked through it.
When she finished reading it, she returned the paper back to the messenger.
[Can you read the contents of that paper out loud so that those around us can hear?]
[Hah! C- Certainly!]
The messenger began reading out the contents of the paper.
And as the contents of the paper became evident, the soldiers…
