At Cloud's direction, the women began to put on the clothes he had thrown them. They were mere rags, but they were far better than being naked.
"Once you're all dressed, please hold hands. You there, the woman with blue hair, what's your name?"
"M-me? I'm Katie."
"Alright, Katie, you'll hold my hand."
Katie flinched when Cloud suddenly took her hand, but she didn't try to pull her body or her hand away. Instead, she gripped his hand tightly, as if afraid to let go.
"Everyone, please close your eyes."
"Our eyes...? Why our eyes..."
"There are many things outside that would startle you. I won't stop you if you insist on looking, but if you do, you probably won't be able to eat for a while."
At his words, the women closed their eyes one by one.
"Alright, let's move. Don't be alarmed, just follow the person in front of you. We'll walk slowly, so there's no need to rush. I promise you'll all get home."
With Cloud in the lead, Katie, the woman holding her hand, and the woman holding that woman's hand all began to move in a line.
No matter how slowly they moved, walking with one's eyes closed was a terrifying experience.
It was even more so when, with every step, you could feel an unpleasant dampness on the soles of your feet and could guess what it was.
The women gripped each other's hands even tighter.
How long did they walk like that?
Creeak.
The sound of a large wooden door opening reached them, and after walking a little further, a refreshing sense of liberation washed over them.
"You can open your eyes now."
The women opened their eyes.
What filled their vision was not the musty prison they had last seen, but a sky full of countless stars and a moon that looked as if someone had taken a bite out of it.
Without exception, they all stared blankly at the moon.
"Everyone, we're not home yet. The mountains are dangerous at night, so we need to keep moving. You can let go of each other's hands and follow me slowly."
The dark mountain path had an eerie atmosphere.
The cries of savage beasts echoed around them, and the distinct screams of something—be it monster or animal—could be heard clearly.
But the women did not tremble.
They simply followed behind Cloud as if bewitched. For some reason, with his back in front of them, the feeling of fear vanished.
A road appeared as they exited the mountain.
Following the man-made path down, they saw a wooden fence, too crude to even be called a stockade, and a collection of shabby houses.
A village.
Not a place where beastly bastards pretending to be human lived, but a place where real people lived.
"Sob..."
One of the women burst into tears. From there, the tears spread to the others.
Those who had been uncertain were now sure.
They had returned home.
The village was thrown into chaos when Cloud and the women returned. The arrival of over a dozen people in the dead of night had startled everyone.
But that was only for a moment.
Once the villagers realized who had returned, they welcomed them with tears streaming down their faces.
Though they had been nothing more than playthings to the bandits, to someone here, they were a precious family member; to another, a friend with whom they shared memories.
"For what you've done... thank you. Truly, thank you, adventurer."
Inside a shabby house.
It was a backwater village, but the village chief, the most influential elder, bowed his head deeply.
"It wasn't a difficult task. Please, raise your head, elder."
"No. If it weren't for you, who knows how much longer those young women would have suffered... Thank you so much..."
While the bandits had been toying with the village women, the village elders had not been idle.
They had begged and pleaded, clinging to the legs of an official who said it was impossible, and even tried to learn the sword from a retired soldier who happened to pass through the village.
But despite doing everything they could, defeating the bandits seemed impossible.
So, in the end, they scraped together what little money the village had and submitted a request to the Adventurer's Guild.
The receptionist had looked troubled upon hearing their story, saying the amount was likely not enough, but they clung to that sliver of hope and refused to let go.
As time passed and even that hope began to crumble, a B-rank adventurer arrived.
An adventurer who introduced himself as Cloud.
He said he had seen the request and had come to subjugate the bandits.
The village chief was grateful for the sentiment but told him to go back. There was no way a single B-rank adventurer could handle an entire band of bandits.
It would just be a waste of a precious young life.
In response, Cloud simply asked for the location of the bandits' hideout and left the village.
And now, a few days later, in the early hours of the morning, he had returned with the abducted women, all safe.
For the villagers and the chief, who had not dared to expect anything, it was nothing short of a miracle.
"It's not much, but... this is the reward for the request. The villagers pitched in to add more. It might not be to your satisfaction, but please, with this..."
The village chief took out a worn pouch and handed it to Cloud. Cloud accepted it and opened it slightly. It was a jumble of 1-gold, 5-gold, and 10-gold coins.
All together, it probably didn't even amount to 300 gold.
Cloud gave a bitter smile and handed the pouch back to the chief.
The chief's expression clouded over.
"Is it... not enough? Please, just wait a little. I'll discuss it with the others and..."
"It's fine. You can keep it."
"Pardon...?"
"I mean I don't need the money."
For a moment, the chief couldn't understand him. An adventurer completing a job and refusing payment? It went against all common sense.
...Unless he wanted something other than money.
"Th-then, is there something else you desire...?"
"Right. First, I'd like to rest. Are there any spare rooms in the village?"
"Yes, there are many empty houses. You can rest in any of the ones without a nameplate out front."
"Then I'll be in your care for the day. Oh, and I'm hungry, so I'd appreciate it if you could prepare a meal. Come to think of it, I've skipped a few."
"Of course, we'll see to that."
The village chief nodded.
The real negotiation starts now, he thought. His hand, gripping his cane, trembled with tension.
"Thank you for your kindness. I'll be off to rest now. You must be tired too, chief, being up since dawn. You should get some rest as well."
Cloud stood up and made to leave the house. The chief, who had been staring blankly, hurriedly stopped him just before he opened the door.
"A-adventurer! Is there nothing else you want?"
Cloud tilted his head, then, as if he understood why the chief was acting this way, he smiled faintly and said,
"No. That's all I need."
With those final words, Cloud truly left the chief's house. The chief stared blankly at the spot where he had stood.
These were difficult times for everyone.
The number of monsters had increased, placing a greater burden on the lord's territory. Taxes naturally rose, and some of the young men were conscripted and taken away. As a result, small, impoverished villages like this one were withering away.
And times were just as hard for adventurers.
People often said adventurers were greedy or that their bellies were lined with fat, but they lived each day risking their lives.
The money they earned was wagered against their one and only life.
For that reason, adventurers who compromised on money were rare.
The village chief, having lived in this world for a long time, knew this well.
Which was why today was a first.
He had met an adventurer who defeated ferocious bandits and rescued the women, only to be satisfied with a place to sleep and a single meal.
"Acting so sentimental at my age..."
The chief wiped the moisture from his eyes with a wrinkled hand. If he cried at his age, people would just say he'd gone senile. So instead of shedding tears, he decided to remember it clearly.
The four letters of the name Cloud.
Knock, knock.
A knock on the door.
—Come in.
Hearing the permission from beyond the door, Katie opened it and entered. Cloud, having removed his armor, was sitting on the bed, looking at her.
"Sir Cloud, it's not much, but... here's your meal."
On the tray Katie held were bread, soup, and a whole, well-cooked chicken. As she said, it wasn't a grand meal, but it was the best the poor village could offer.
"Thank you. It looks delicious."
Cloud took the tray.
Honestly, it didn't look very appetizing, but he had to accept the gesture. He picked up the spoon and took a bite of the soup.
'...A taste that makes me miss Lina's skewers.'
He hadn't been gone that long, but he was already feeling nostalgic.
Cloud grumbled internally and began to eat.
Katie watched him quietly for a moment before her heavy lips parted.
"Adventurer... thank you for saving us..."
Her words of gratitude were cut off by a sob catching in her throat. Until just a moment ago, the reality of her return hadn't sunk in. Seeing Cloud again and trying to thank him made it all feel real.
But people are fickle.
That's human nature for you. You save someone from drowning, and they demand you pay for the bundle they lost in the water.
"Why... why... me..."
There was a woman who had been abducted today.
She had prayed for salvation and received it. The events of tonight would be a memory she would never forget for the rest of her life.
When she married and had children, she would be able to tell them about it with a smile.
It was a good thing.
A very good thing...
But...
Why only her?
Why was she the only one who got to be saved?
What about me?
I was far more desperate, more wretched than her. I prayed constantly, even when I couldn't eat or sleep, so why wasn't I saved?
"If only you'd come a little sooner..."
Katie gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth. Unable to look at Cloud, she shook her head frantically.
"N-no. That's not what I meant to say..."
What on earth did I just say?
That it would have been better if he'd saved me sooner?
That was completely unreasonable.
This man had no duty or responsibility to save her. Rescuing her was purely an act of kindness. To think she was about to throw a tantrum over it.
"I... I just wanted to thank you. I'm sorry for saying something so strange. I'll be going now..."
She tried to hurry out of the house, unable to bear the shame she felt. But Cloud caught her by the wrist.
He pulled her into his arms.
"Huh? Sir Cloud...?"
Katie was flustered.
Cloud gently stroked her hair and spoke in a soft voice.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you?"
"..."
"I'm sorry I was late. I wasn't skilled enough to save you sooner."
"N-no. You didn't do anything wrong, adventurer. This is... I mean... sob..."
His embrace, which accepted her childish tantrum, was so warm. That warmth, which she hadn't felt in so long, melted away all of Katie's pent-up sorrow.
She wept, telling him about all the hardships she had endured.
Her tear-choked voice was little more than a mumble, almost impossible to understand.
But Cloud, as if he understood everything, continued to stroke her hair and comfort her.
How much time passed like that?
Eventually, Katie's crying subsided. Yet she remained in Cloud's arms.
His embrace was too warm; she didn't want to leave.
After hesitating several times, her lips trembling, she spoke to him.
"Sir Cloud..."
"What is it, Katie?"
"Well... um... if... if it's okay with you, Sir Cloud... could I sleep here tonight...?"
After finishing her sentence, Katie squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear seeing his reaction.
After a brief silence, Cloud spoke in the same gentle voice as before.
"Katie, even though that happened, you should cherish yourself more. You're a person worthy of it."
His words were gentle, caring.
But Katie knew. This was the kind man's way of refusing her.
"Is that so..."
"Yes. Someday, when you meet someone who truly cherishes you, give your precious self to that person then."
"I will. But... it's okay to stay like this for a little while, right?"
"For a beauty like you, Katie, you're always welcome."
Liar.
Katie chuckled and rested her head more comfortably on Cloud's shoulder.
.
.
.
"So, did you do it?"
One of the women who had been in the fortress with Katie asked. She and the others had cornered Katie not long after she left the house where Cloud was staying.
"Do what?"
"Huh? What? Weren't you two having a moment?"
"...Were you spying on me?"
The woman waved her hands frantically at Katie's murderous expression.
"Only up to the part where he was comforting you while you cried! I didn't watch after that!"
"That's basically the whole thing!"
Katie lunged at the woman. While the two of them scuffled, another woman sighed.
"So you didn't do it... What a shame."
"What's it to you?"
"If you had, I was going to pay him a visit the next day."
"Wh-what...?"
"What's wrong with that? Sir Cloud is handsome, right? He's kind, and he's capable! If I can just get him into bed, with my skills..."
"Ha! You think you can satisfy him with your pathetic skills? It would take my level of hip work to..."
"Hey, you crazy bitches!"
Katie charged at the women who were now thrusting their hips in the air.
It seemed she would have to break these fucking whores' backs.
"Ah, fuck, I want to have sex."
After Katie left, I muttered to myself in the empty room.
I'm not a monk or a saint.
I'm a healthy man who pitches a hard tent in his pants every morning.
Honestly, I was tempted when Katie asked to spend the night.
A one-night stand with a pretty village girl I'd rescued.
That's a fucking hero's fantasy, isn't it?!
In the past, I couldn't do it because I had to worry about what my companions would think, but now I'm all alone.
There's no problem with me smashing as many one-night stands with girls who are into me as I want!
But I couldn't.
Why?
Why the fuck else? Because of this short, tiny dick.
Did Katie know?
That when her breasts touched my body, my dick got hard?
Probably not.
Why?
Because you can't even tell when it's hard!
My pants were fucking flat!
That must be why Katie gave up so quickly and left. What if she had seen a tent pitched in my pants? She would have at least tried to seduce me a little more.
"Ah, fuck, this sucks."
What's the point of having a handsome face?
My dick is tiny.
In my opinion, even if I had gone with the mood and slept with Katie, the moment I whipped this thing out, she would have let out an involuntary pfft, and the mood would have been shattered.
Before long, a rumor might have started to spread.
That Cloud is packing a green chili pepper.
"Fuck... Giant Root Herb... I need the Giant Root Herb..."
The legendary elixir that's said to make any dick a full-hard seven inches!
It doesn't exist in Hero's Party, but it appears in its sequel, The Tale of the Adulterous Knight.
And since the two games share the same world, it must exist on this continent.
"Level up... Farming... Giant Root Herb..."
Plan. Formulated. Complete.
Just you wait, seven inches.
I'm coming for you.