For now, we headed to Lotus. Since there was only one changing room, I was nervous. We didn’t exchange a single word with each other.
Then we were shown to a room and took our seats. Rin and I sat side by side with Lotus sitting in front of us.
“To think that you who saved the world would come to a humble inn like this.”
“This is quite a nice inn.”
“Rin-dono, thank you for your kind words. So, Hero-dono, what would you like to know?”
“…Hmm, about giants.”
“Giants? Why are you curious about them?”
“There’s something that’s been bothering me.”
“As expected of Hero-dono. You’ve noticed, haven’t you?”
“Hm?”
Lotus is saying “as expected,” but what have I noticed? I have absolutely no idea.
“You remember when Hero-dono stopped the Giant King’s Mokuronmi before, don’t you?”
“Dan defeated it, right? Since the fairy kingdom was going to be attacked first, it became a big deal, so I remember it well.”
“As if punishment is being given for that, there’s been a somewhat troublesome matter. Hero-sama has surely noticed, but far above in the sky, a very large star is about to fall.”
“No way…”
“And this is something that the sage Rin-Rin-dono should resolve, according to [Divine Oracle].”
I can’t follow this conversation at all!? What’s this talk about meteorites?
And [Divine Oracle], huh. It’s like fortune-telling that’s also called divine revelation. It seems to be quite believed in this world.
I don’t believe in it at all. Sometimes it’s right, but sometimes it’s wrong. Whether gods exist or not is debatable, but I hate gods in the first place.
Rin, Sakura, Kaguya, Elizabeth—everyone in the hero party hates gods.
“Then if I go and solve it, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Dan…”
“If it’s Hero-dono, this prophecy doesn’t matter. Countless times, prophecies have been shattered by you.”
This isn’t the atmosphere to ask about giants at all. If it’s just a meteorite, I don’t mind lightly smashing it to pieces.
“So, what about Rin-dono?”
“A-ah, as for me… maybe some other time would be fine.”
“Hohoho, I’ll teach you how to make the medicine later.”
“Medicine…”
“Ahhhhhh! Dan doesn’t need to worry about it!”
It might be some kind of magical tool that makes magic stronger or dramatically improves precision, or has special effects.
And so I descended the mountain, went home, and went to bed. After sleeping, I woke up and went outside. It was time for Will’s training.
“Hero-sama, good morning!”
“Ah.”
We each held wooden swords and a mock battle began. I didn’t move a single step, but Will fell on his butt and got out of breath.
“I can still go on.”
“…Have you gotten a little stronger?”
“Maybe, but it’s still not enough. I’m swinging my sword to succeed you, to become like you.”
“You’re aware that you’ve gotten a little stronger? Then I’ll make it just a tiny bit harder.”
“…!” (This is completely different from before! Each move could knock me unconscious, yet he’s swinging with such composure while I have no composure at all… what beautiful swordwork.)
Well, I’m swinging my sword quite gently, but I should evaluate that he’s responding well. I don’t know how he compares to other general swordsmen though.
It would be nice if there were somewhere to evaluate that.
“I’ve never seen swordwork like this. The ‘Hero Dan’s Swordsmanship Course, Dawn of a New Era’ that I read recently is completely different. The real thing and books are totally different!!”
“That’s why I don’t publish books. That’s fake.”
“Ehh!? But I found it at a used bookstore!?”
“…”
“But I’m having an experience that no book could give me! Yes, I can see it right now, right in front of my eyes. How does one reach this level?”
Will is muttering to himself while laughing. What’s gotten into him?
“This is fun… I’m getting stronger and stronger. I’m getting stronger!!”
He’s laughing a lot. He looks happy, but it’s kind of creepy.
“Ow!?”
My sword hit Will’s head.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes! Um, Hero-sama.”
“What?”
“I have a very talented childhood friend named Dia.”
“I see.”
“She’s really amazing, and I’ve never been able to beat her even once—rather, I couldn’t even challenge her.”
“I see.”
“…But now I feel like I could fight her just a little.”
“Just a little?”
“No, I’ll win. I’m confident I can win.”
“Oh?”
“Probably, anyway.”
To desire a battle with a talented childhood friend of his own accord—is he becoming a battle junkie?
“Give it a try. I’ve sharpened your fangs.”
“Yes. I’ll fight, so please watch! I’ll prepare and steel my heart by next week.”
Will apparently plans to fight next week. Let me see Will’s true ability.
Maybe this time, the memo pad where I wrote comforting words for when he loses might finally be useful. There’s no way someone who’s trained for just one month could lose to someone who’s trained for years.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
The following week.
Will was chopping firewood in the village. Even after becoming an adventurer, he still helped with housework. He completed requests as an adventurer and contributed a small amount of money to the household.
He and those around him could feel himself gradually changing. And with his increased muscle strength, he could now chop firewood at high speed, like a completely different person from before.
“Will. You’ve really gotten stronger.”
“Ah, yeah.”
His childhood friend Menmen observed him with curious eyes. The difference from before was so great that she felt something was off.
“Hey, something definitely happened, right? Tell me.”
“Eh? U-um, nothing happened…”
“That’s a lie. You didn’t back down against goblins, you fought them, and you said you wanted to take the adventurer exam too, right? That Will… something’s definitely weird!”
“I-is that so…?”
(This is bad… Menmen is suspicious. But I absolutely must keep my relationship with Hero Dan secret…)
Will tried to think of an excuse, and two shadows approached him.
“Hey, Will. You still have that pathetic face as always.”
“Chopping firewood suits you perfectly.”
The ones who came to Will and Menmen were Dia’s followers. They always mess with Will.
“Enough already! Stop bothering Will!”
“Always hiding behind a woman’s shadow.”
“She’ll get fed up with you eventually.”
“Go away!”
Menmen got angry and tried to keep the two away from Will.
“Will has gotten super strong! Your boss Dia is nothing to him now!”
“Ho, so you said that!”
“Then it’s a match with our Dia!!”
The two suggested a duel between Dia and Will as if they’d been waiting for this moment.
“Fine! Will’s definitely going to win!”
Because Will had been made a fool of and lost his temper, Menmen accepted it just like that.
The two said “Don’t run away” and left. Afterward, Menmen calmed down, put her hand to her mouth, and regretted what she had done.
“S-s-sorry, Will! Um, I… it was like fighting words with fighting words…”
“It’s fine.”
“Eh, b-but—”
“I was planning to do this from the beginning today. I was going to challenge him anyway.”
(Will, are you [laughing]? You’re looking forward to the fight…? Hey, what really happened? In this past month…)
Will had decided from the start. To see how far the results of this past month would take him.
The battle with his childhood friend, whom he had never once been able to defeat, was about to begin.
Dia naturally agreed to fight. And so Will and Dia faced each other.
“You’re saying you want to fight me? Will.”
“Yeah… I want to try and see how far I can go.”
Will was restlessly opening and closing his hands. This was because there was an audience, and at his core, he was timid.
“Hey, Dia and Will are really going to fight?”
“There’s no way he can win. He’ll lose without being able to do anything.”
Kids their age had also gotten curious and come to watch the two’s duel. No, actually, those two lackeys had gathered them. They were annoyed that Will was starting to get attention, so they planned to make him fight Dia, who would definitely win, in front of everyone and humiliate him.
Dia didn’t know this. But despite their different motivations, he himself wanted to duel with Will too. He wanted to confirm the abilities of Will, who had achieved such rapid growth that he seemed like a different person.
“I’ll let you have the first move, Will.”
“Thank you. Then, I’ll give it my all.”
Will’s feet sank into the ground, and from there he accelerated rapidly like a spring, bringing down his sword. Dia blocked the strike that cut through the wind.
(—Fast! This guy really has gotten stronger. How did he get this strong in such a short time…!)
There was no way he could have gained this much strength in such a short period, yet the being before his eyes embodied exactly that. He felt surprise, jealousy, and awe. But that was only for a moment—the offense and defense switched, and Dia pointed his sword tip forward, unleashing a thrust.
Dia’s sword was so magnificent that it seemed it would decide everything right there. The crowd briefly sensed the end of the match for just an instant. —But from there, Will once again deflected it with a horizontal slash, avoiding the vital point.
(I thought it was decided!)
Those watching around them finally began to notice that Will had achieved rapid growth and was becoming a different kind of prodigy.
“Will, I thought your movements seemed lighter recently, but what the hell happened to you?”
“Wait, what school of swordsmanship is that?”
“Isn’t that the Rigid Body style, right?”
“No, it’s Will… Will’s swordsmanship.”
Those words reached Dia’s ears, though faintly.
(He’s certainly impressive. But… I’m stronger!)
Dia had built up his own foundation too. He had learned the sword of the Rigid Body style and had talent in magic. Undoubtedly, he was one of those walking the path of the strong. His sword gained even more power, changing from a sword that tested Will’s ability to a sword that would crush him.
As Will was gradually being cornered, Menmen clasped her hands as if praying. She regretted that this battle had begun because of her careless words. But she was also cheering him on. Because she—
(Will… you’ll be okay, right?)
“Hey, what’s the situation right now?”
“Eh?”
A light, absent-minded voice. When she looked to the side, a spiky-haired black-haired man was watching the two’s duel with a nonchalant expression.
Visit the request page If there’s a Japanese Light Novel (LN) or Web Novel (WN) you’d like me to translate
When the donation goal progress bar above hit 100% one novel will be chosen for translation
| Table of Contents | Next* |
Support the Author by Buying the Original Books!
