My Glasses Will Be Able to Conquer the Whole World, I Suppose

Chapter 82 – One month since then – Part five

 

(Cherry’s Point of View)

“Moooooo!”

Death howled.

Loudly.

It split the ground, dragging into the abyss.

That shadow that lurked in my mind, I managed to keep it from being spoken.

Because some things aren’t meant to be said.
Bad things become reality when they’re put into words.

When it comes to actual combat, there is one shadow that is inseparable from it… Death.
The worst possible outcome.

The worst was happening right in front of my eyes.

Chace was alive until just a few seconds ago, but now…

“Cha-” I tried shouting.
I was about to run after that blue-haired boy who had been beaten away and disappeared from my sight.

“Hurry up and stand!” Swallow roared.
Her voice echoed more loudly than the Ironhead’s own roar, “I did not say you could rest yet! Get up and fight!”

The forest became noisy.
Birds flew away, nearby animals and Demon Beasts both started running.

The angry voice of Swallow carried such a weight, that it triggered all the survival instincts of the nearby animal and Demon Beasts, forcing them to flee.

Even the wounded Ironhead, which was filled with fighting spirit, stopped in its tracks when faced with Swallow’s shout.

But it was only a momentaneous hesitation.
The Ironhead recovered, then took a step forward, in our direction.

And it was at that moment.

The Ironhead screamed in pain.

Chace’s spear pierced it.
Moving as fast as the wind, from the same direction he was blown away to, Chace came back and stabbed it.

The tip of his spear splendidly pierced the torso of the Ironhead, going from its left rib all the way to right one.

“… You did it.” Swallow softly muttered, with a tinge of relief on her voice.

Chace, who seemed to have used the last of his strength, collapsed on the spot.

Then, before I realized it, Swallow was standing in front of the Ironhead, who had already been mortally wounded.

Chace’s movements were too fast for me to follow, but Swallow was just as fast.

“Good hit.” She said.

She then ran up the body of the Ironhead, which was twice her size, flew out of my line of sight with a movement that didn’t feel heavy in the slightest, then the Ironhead’s body shook.

I heard the sound of something hard being crushed.

I didn’t see the exact movement or the attack itself, but judging from how the body of the Ironhead bent, Swallow must have struck the neck of this Demon Beast with the iron bar that she uses as a training spear.

And then, as Swallow readjusted her posture, the Ironhead fell.

“Good job, good job.
You did your best.” Swallow stroke the head of Chace, who was on the ground.

However, Chace himself swept her hand away, “You may be my master, but you’re also a girl that is much younger than me… Don’t caress my head this carefreely…” Chace muttered.

His breathing is rough, but he is still conscious and has enough strength to talk, so his wound is probably not life threatening at least.

Swallow must have also reached the same conclusion, as she happily smiled at him, “Aren’t you cute?”

No life was lost.

Somehow, we were all able to survive.

Then, let’s keep working.
It’s not over yet.

I moved closer to Chace and started using a healing spell on him.

“The moment I was hit, I was barely able to protect myself.” Chace told me as I healed him.

As soon as I started healing him, I immediately noticed how bad his situation was.

His left shoulder, left clavicle, left arm, and several ribs on the left part of his body were completely broken.

It’s just as he said.
In order to avoid a fatal injury, he used his left arm and was able to barely protect himself.

That’s just how heavy the blow of the Ironhead was.

But more importantly than that…

“You did a good job.” Swallow told him.

He survived.

And his second attack completely penetrated the body of the Ironhead.
It was a truly deadly blow, and Chace delivered it while being this wounded.
He truly did a great job.

“… I just reflexively moved my body.
If someone tells me to stand up, I’ll stand up even if I don’t really want to.” Chace told her with no energy in his voice.

Seems like he has acquired a pretty sad habit… And it doesn’t seem to be something obtained through training.

It seems like the kind of thing one acquires after being physically and mentally cornered day after day.
This is how one develops this kind of reflex.

… Well, maybe it’s not just that.

Chace’s stamina was pretty astonishing alright, but also… His guts, his tenacity… The ability to keep fighting after being cornered.
That’s something that really stands out about him.

Chace is strong.
The kind of person whose mind can surpass their body.

“Are you ready to move?” Swallow asked.

In order to carry the Ironhead, Swallow whistled loudly, which was a signal to bring six men of the village to come here.

Of course, they’ll get a share of the spoils, since they’re helping us, but that’s not a problem.

And on a side note, Florentine is helping them out too, and she’s the one leading the transport team.

“Oh, I can walk.” Chace replied.

Yeah, no.
It would be outrageous to let Chace move before I finish re-attaching his bones.

In the first place, he must be in way too much pain.
I don’t think he can walk.

“That’s good.
I want to withdraw as soon as possible.” Swallow replied.

I was thinking of asking her to help carry Chace, but her words and demeanor gave off a strange feeling… As if she was impatient about something.

“Is something wrong?” I asked her.

“Mmmmm… I feel like there is something strange with the mountain.

“There are fewer Demon Beasts than normal here, which is why it took me a while to find the Ironhead.

“I have a feeling that something is going on here.” Swallow replied.

Something strange about the mountain…

Fewer Demon Beasts…

A feeling that something is happening…

All this information is way too vague.

However, I don’t really know what the mountains normally feel like, so it’s not like I can say anything about Swallow’s assessment.

Though when I consider how wary Swallow is… Then this probably isn’t anything good.

“What is it then?” Chace asked her.

Swallow shook her head, “I don’t know.

“Though well, I may be overthinking it, so it’s fine.

“If something is actually happening, then we’ll be getting information about it soon.” She then held out her hand to Chace, “Your master will help you out, alright? Let’s go home and eat the Ironhead.
Its meat is quite delicious.”

“… Fine, I’ll borrow Cherry’s help.” Chace said.

“Eh?” That surprised me.

I never said I’d lend him a hand.

… Well, I don’t feel like refusing the request of an injured person, so I helped Chace get up.

His body was trembling a lot, and he had to cling to me just to stay on his feet… Without a doubt, he is in severe pain.

At this moment, Swallow, with a serious expression, told him, “You truly did a good job.
The scariest thing about actual combat, is that it can break your heart.”

“The heart…?” Chace asked.

“Yes.
Wounds may heal, but scars in the heart are a completely different matter.

“Once you get seriously hurt, you may become too terrified to approach Demon Beasts.

“This is why there are so many adventurers who retire early in their careers.

“As in, once they truly learn how strong and scary the Demon Beasts are; how painful fighting against them can be, their hearts come to the conclusion that they should no longer approach those beings.

“That’s what it means to have one’s heart broken.

“If you’re going to engage in dangerous work, then this is a wall that you must inevitably overcome one day, and you just did it.” Swallow explained.

This isn’t something I’m strange to either… Her words make sense.

“But you’re stupid, Chace, so you were able to overcome it in no time.

“You fought well.
You got up immediately after being hit… Well, you’re really stupid though.
You’re probably too stupid to learn fear.” Swallow told him.

“… If you were older, I’d seriously listen to you.” Chace told her.

Those words were unexpected.

… Chace must be feeling so tired, that he accidentally leaked out his real thoughts.

And when Swallow heard those words, she grinned and snickered at him, “Alright then.
Keep thinking like that.

“I’ll teach you the greatness of your master soon enough.
I’ll prepare some truly gruesome training for you, so please look forward to it.”

… Well, I may not be her apprentice, but I have to admit that she is a truly good master.
It’s hard to believe that she is really a child.