"--Guh"
I let out a frog-like cry when my collar was pulled.
When I woke up, I was in a hospital room at night, illuminated by the pale moonlight. In this other world, the moon is very large and bright, and even in the middle of the night, the moonlight serves as a substitute for light. It's not bright enough to read a book, but it's enough to understand what's happening around me.
"...Master?"
I glanced to the side with sleepy eyes and saw my master clinging to my shoulder.
No—he's clinging on.
I'm trembling.
"what up...?"
"----in"
They're saying something.
I leaned my body towards my master and quietly listened—
"Don't go anywhere, don't go anywhere, don't leave me behind, don't leave me alone, don't go anywhere anymore, please, please, please, please"
"..."
Understanding the situation, I leaned straight up and let out a sigh that seemed to sink towards the ceiling. —Ah, I see.Ma・Ta・
It sounds childish to say I had a scary dream, but it's really a trauma. The scene of when I almost died suddenly flashes back to me at night, and I'm left with no choice but to cling to this.
At first, I thought it was overkill to sleep with him every night, no matter how worried I was.
Ultimately, this was the main reason why I had no choice but to do as my master told me.
"..."
Oh damn it, my stomach hurts—I couldn't possibly say that.
I mean, this is just...
He'd feel responsible, no matter what.
I don't think I did anything wrong. In that situation , I was the only one who could defeat < > with my limited knowledge of the original story. I had no choice but to do it. To protect everyone from a near-death state, I had to be prepared to literally throw away my life.ExterminatorGrim Reaper
There was no other way; it was a straight road.
But—but,
(I really need to reflect on the fact that I was thinking, "It's okay to die...")
I'm a reincarnated person. I've already died once. And I've found out that this is the world of a manga. Because I'm an 'anomaly' that shouldn't exist in the first place, if someone had to make a decision, I thought it should be me, so I threw away my own life.
Even though both involve "risking one's life," there's a huge difference between simply throwing oneself away in desperation and understanding the weight of that responsibility and confronting it head-on.
That's probably where I went wrong.
My master realized that I was trying to throw away my life with such thoughts—and that's why I'm causing him so much sadness.
That's truly ridiculous.
Wake up.
Did you suddenly realize you were in the world of a manga, recall your meager knowledge of the original story, and think you had suddenly gained a god's-eye view?
Even if you are a reincarnated person, even if you possess knowledge from the original story, even if you are an existence that shouldn't exist in the first place, you who are here are 'Wolka'.
Engrave it deep into your soul: you are the only person in this world named "Wolka."
Otherwise, they wouldn't even have the right to say things like, "I'm going to help my friends get back on their feet."
"..."
A sigh. I leaned my body to the side again and gently pulled my master's small head to my chest.
At the very least, I hope this sound from my heart reaches my master.
/
"Good morning, senpai..."
Then, as dawn broke and the sun hadn't fully risen yet, the door suddenly opened like a draft, and someone crept into my hospital room.
Among the skills I've acquired since being reincarnated into this world, there's one that allows me to somehow sense people's presence even while I'm asleep.
It's an extremely important ability, practically indispensable for any adventurer. In this world of Dark Fantasy, as in many other fantasy works, the main means of transportation for people are usually horses, walking, or boats. Whether it's a daily adventure or a guild quest, it's not uncommon to be forced to camp out because you can't reach your destination on the same day.
This inevitably creates the risk of being targeted by monsters or < >—a general term for "villains" in this world—while you are asleep.outlawRaffian
Unless you have a wizard who can use barrier magic or enough money to buy barrier gemstones, most parties will have to take turns staying awake at night, with one person acting as a lookout. In such a situation, even if your companions are keeping watch, it's a bit careless to fall into a deep sleep without any vigilance.
Living a life constantly surrounded by danger hones one's sense of danger not so much as a skill, but more as an instinct, allowing one to vaguely perceive their surroundings even while sleeping. It could be considered a kind of occupational hazard for adventurers.
Being able to sense someone's presence and instantly jump up—I never thought I'd have that kind of manga-like ability at first. This is another world, and I'm now a resident of this other world. It's probably a mistake to try to judge its common sense and potential abilities with the sensibilities of a human from my previous life on Earth.
"Senpai...it's morning..."
Then, whoever had sneaked in stood right beside my bed, whispering in that gentle voice.
Well, it's Yuritia, my junior swordsman. If she wasn't a suspicious person, there was no need for me to jump up, and I was drowsy and half-awake for a bit when...
"..."
I wonder what it is. I have a feeling Yuritia is staring down at me in bed without blinking.
"...Such a big wound..."
It seems she's looking at the scar on her right eye. It's a really dramatic scar, the kind you only see in manga, running from her forehead to her cheek. For the youngest of them all, it must be incredibly painful to see—
"...Senpai, please don't do anything so reckless again. I promise I'll never let you do anything like that again. From now on, leave everything to us. Rely on us a lot. We'll become stronger, and we'll do our best to support you. So that you don't have to do anything, we'll take care of everything for you, both when you're awake and when you're asleep, okay? We'll take care of everything, always and forever—"
That's scary. I'd be trembling if someone muttered to me like a ghost by my bedside.
I open my eyes.
"Huh—Oh, good morning, Senpai. Did I wake you up?"
But there stood Yuritia, just as always, beaming with her usual adorable smile. Hmm, maybe I misheard, but I feel like she said something that made my stomach churn...
Oh well.
"Good morning, Yurtiaya."
"Yes, good morning!"
Let me tell you about Yuritia, the youngest and most talented swordsman in our party.
To be honest, my memories of the original "Yuritia" are not very good. Of course, that doesn't mean I dislike her. Like her mentor, she was just a minor character who only appeared in one episode, so there was hardly any depiction of her to begin with, but her ending in that bad ending where everyone is wiped out was particularly... well...
How happy I would have been if I could have just forgotten. Does that mean it's okay to do terrible things to a disposable character? That author is truly despicable...
I truly believe that the desperate fight I fought back then was worth it. This child is still alive and smiling—it makes sense that my right eye and left leg, which I sacrificed, are now at peace.
To state my own understanding, without considering the original work:
First and foremost, there's her age. She's thirteen, four years younger than me, which in my previous life would mean she'd just started middle school, making her undeniably the youngest member of our party. While it's not uncommon for children to work or wield weapons in this world, even so, an adventurer as young as her is quite rare.
She's a girl who truly deserves the word "charming." Her pale, almost white, cherry-blossom-pink hair is styled in a soft, medium length that falls to her shoulders. Her gentle, pink eyes and the flower hair ornament at her temple subtly enhance her innocent and graceful appearance.
Her elegant attire, primarily white with touches of red and pink, was rather refined for an adventurer; one might even say she looked more like a noblewoman. In fact, being from the capital city, her family must have been of a fairly high social standing, making her arguably the most well-bred young lady in our party.light armorKeigai
As you might imagine from her appearance, her personality is very reserved and quiet. She is modest and reserved, uses polite language with everyone, and is a little shy around people she meets for the first time.weak womanTaoyame
Compared to her completely childlike mentor, she's taller, but still a small child, and aside from the fact that she has the same sword as me at her waist, she doesn't look like an adventurer at all. At first, everyone would think it's absolutely impossible for such a shy-looking girl to wield a sword and fight monsters.Single-edged curved swordTalwar
But don't underestimate her; she's a sword prodigy who would make any knight turn green with envy. She looks up to me and calls me "senpai," but honestly, I think she's just as strong as I was at the same age.
"Rizel, please wake up. It's morning."
"Mmm..."
Now, despite being the youngest, Yuritia is like the biggest sister or mother figure in our party. I'm socially awkward, my mentor is a little girl, and our last member, the heavy warrior, is useless outside of combat, so Yuritia is the most responsible one.
The way he tried to wake up his master, who was sleeping soundly clinging to my arm, was so impressive that you wouldn't think he was only thirteen.
"Ugh... huh, is it morning already...?"
"Yes, good morning. Please wake up."
"Yeah"
"No way, I mean, if you don't wake up, Senpai..."
"Uhh"
"R-Rizel-san...oh no..."
Hmm, my master's charisma is missing. She's usually like this when she wakes up. It's good that she didn't have any more nightmares than before, but now she just looks more like an ordinary little girl.
Together with Yuritia, we lifted Master up and sat him on the edge of the bed. Master continued to moan and groan, clinging wistfully to my arm.
...My mentor is really older than me, right? He's not like, "Rizel, you're a genius!" is he? I wonder how he traveled alone before he met me...
"Please, senior."
"Oh, thank you."
Then, Yuritia hands me a warm towel from the washbasin. I suppose she asked the sisters to prepare it, but it's a bit embarrassing for the older ones when the youngest is this responsible...
Ever since I lost an eye and a leg, Yuritia has been incredibly devoted, offering all sorts of support. She comes to check on me every morning, brings me three meals a day without fail, buys me anything I need, and even tries to help me wipe myself down at night—of course, I politely decline for the sake of my male pride.
Moreover, they're not just looking after me, but also taking great care of my master and Atori. Before I got injured, I was more of the one looking after them. They're working hard to make sure I can heal my wounds in peace and that I don't have to do anything, doing everything for me as well.
Aren't you ashamed to make the youngest girl work like this? To be honest, I feel really bad...
I need to get used to living with one leg quickly and learn to at least take care of myself.
"I'll leave breakfast here, so please eat it with me when you wake up, Rizel."
"ah"
"So...um, is there anything I can do for you today? Anything at all is fine, I won't let you have any trouble...!"
"Hmm... I'm okay for now. I need to get used to this body little by little."
I don't think I said anything strange, but Yuritia looked visibly dejected.
"Uh... Am I unreliable...?"
"No, actually, it's the opposite. He's so reliable that I'm afraid I'll end up relying on him too much."
"...You can rely on me completely, you know?"
That's not good. Having a thirteen-year-old take care of everything for you must feel incredibly guilty.
"I'm really okay. Don't worry about me."
"No, I don't want to."
teeth,
"Of course I care. Isn't that obvious? You pushed yourself so hard, almost died, and ended up in that condition... I absolutely cannot leave you alone. You can't push yourself any further, so I will never forgive you again. I'm not angry, okay? I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid that if something happens again, you might be gone for good this time. I really don't want that to happen... That's why we all decided to protect you so that we never make the same mistake again. I'll work hard to become stronger and stronger so that you can entrust everything to me."
"So, is there anything we can do?"
"...Uh, no, so..."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Yuri"
"Is there anything I can do?"
Are you some kind of NPC that gets stuck in an endless loop if you don't choose the right option?
Yurti, your mouth is smiling, but your eyes aren't. You're smiling, but it's not a smile. I endured the sharp pain in my stomach,
"...Then, I'll have some drinking water. I'd appreciate it if there was plenty for my master as well."
"Oh... I'm so sorry, I didn't even notice...! I'll go get it right away!"
The moment I made my request, Yuritia's ominous aura vanished as if by magic. After watching her happy footsteps run off for a while, I let out a big sigh towards the ceiling.
"...I'll do my best with rehabilitation."
I know this can't go on. As long as I can't even manage my daily life properly, I'll only be putting an unnecessary burden on their mental health, just like my mentor the other day. I don't care if I have to use a wheelchair or a prosthetic leg or whatever, I just need to get back into society and be able to take care of myself.
Perhaps it's because I've remembered the horribly bad ending of the original story—but now I sincerely wish for a happy future for all my companions. Even though it's a dark fantasy where life is cheap, it's a story centered around adventurers and knights fighting monsters, and the lives of people in towns were generally depicted as peaceful.
I would be overjoyed if I could see them one day, somewhere, meet someone wonderful, and find simple happiness.
I'm currently having the church arrange for a prosthetic leg, but I wonder what kind of prosthetic limbs are available in this other world.
If there were a magical item that would allow me to walk easily just by wearing it, my future prospects would be brighter.
After that, my mentor, who had recovered from her childlike state, acted like a responsible teacher, saying, "I'll be by Wolka's side, so leave it to me!", and we managed to get Yuritia to back down.
But,
"Okay, I'll go hunt some monsters nearby until lunchtime. I'll earn enough for you too, so don't worry!"
"Guoooo"
A man who lets the youngest girl earn money while he just lazes around in bed...
My stomach. My stomach hurts.
/
The boy was running away in panic.
He deeply regretted his overconfidence in his own abilities and his arrogance in embarking on a solo adventure.
This is a common mistake for young people with undeniable talent as adventurers and a promising future . While receiving guidance from veteran adventurers and successfully completing requests day after day, they are suddenly struck by the thought, "I can do this on my own now ." They grow tired of being constantly told, "You're still young," or "You're a rookie," and being unable to have the adventures they envision.PromisingShokubothing・feet・the law of nature・Na・difference・
And so, the boy also became one of those rookies who failed.
"I can do it on my own now, stop treating me like a kid, I'll prove you wrong," he boasted, accepting a solo quest despite the guild's objections. It was nothing more than a simple job to defeat a certain number of monsters around the highway. The guild regularly commissioned it to maintain order along the highway, so there were no dangerous monsters appearing, nor was there anyone in immediate need.
This request seems designed specifically for training novice adventurers.
I couldn't stand the fact that even that was met with reluctance when I tried to do it solo.
Everyone says things like, "He's talented," and "He has a bright future," but that's all they say.
I'm sure deep down they're laughing at me, thinking I'm just a kid, a naive rookie.
The monsters that appear near the highway are nothing more than flounder. I've defeated plenty of them before, and I barely remember ever having any trouble with them. I honestly thought I could handle them all by myself.demon wolfBanditGoblinGoblin
As a result, this is the mess we ended up with.
The boy who was supposed to be the hunter has become the hunted, pathetically running away from just three creatures.GoblinGoblin
The first move was perfect. The boy spotted three goblins in the forest just off the road, and in a single leap, he swiftly cut down one of them with a brilliant slash.
From that point on, everything was unexpected. As soon as the remaining two goblins saw their comrade had been defeated, they scattered, creating distance on either side of the boy. At this point, the boy began to panic slightly. He had never experienced being surrounded by monsters on both sides in his previous battles with his party.
If this were a party, one of the monsters would be covered by the other party members.
However, Solo was literally alone, with only a single sword in his right hand as his weapon—the boy was beginning to vaguely realize just how vulnerable that was in battle.
I only realized there were two more goblins hiding in the shade of the bushes after I was suddenly hit in the back of the head with a stone.
The protective magic woven into his light armor activated, so he didn't bleed. However, the shock and pain that struck him at such an unexpected moment easily sent the boy into a panic.
It was a huge opening. The two goblins on either side leaped at me simultaneously. I managed to cut down one with a desperate resistance, but my right arm was shallowly cut by a knife that seemed to have been stolen from a passerby.
It wasn't until my dominant hand went numb and I could no longer grip the sword that I realized the knife had been poisoned.
Having never trained to wield a sword with his left hand, the boy had no choice but to run.
"Damn it, why... why?!"
The boy didn't really understand why he was running away. He couldn't comprehend why he was so easily defeated when he was alone, when the monsters were so weak he didn't even remember struggling against them when he was in a party.
Unable to acknowledge any of his own arrogance, the boy ran around in a pathetic panic. Three goblins were pursuing him. Although the boy had drunk a potion and an antidote, the numbness in his right arm remained, and he could not swing his sword properly. Even for a young boy full of youthful exuberance, it was enough to make him realize that he was in a life-or-death situation.
I can't believe that I'm going to die so easily, in a place like this, at the hands of someone like this...
I felt the worst-case scenarios running up my spine and approaching my throat.
Girl.
"--!?"
There was a girl. They passed each other. Just now. The boy instinctively tried to stop, but at that moment, the tension in his nerves, which had been stretched to its limit, snapped, and he fell to the ground.
I didn't even have time to groan in pain. I sat up and turned around, and sure enough, the girl was there. I had been so focused on running away without looking left or right that I hadn't noticed her until we passed each other like this.
The girl, too, turned to look at the boy with a surprised expression. For some reason, it was as if she, too, hadn't noticed the boy until that moment.
"Are you alright? Are you okay?"
"Ah, no,"
She was a little girl.
He looked younger than the boy.
I was so flustered, or perhaps my throat was so dry I couldn't speak at all. It wasn't just bad, it was the worst possible situation. I had no idea why a girl was there, but it was obvious the approaching goblins would soon switch their target to her.
"Run away,"
"?"
By the time I managed to squeeze out the words, it was already too late.
All I could do was watch.
The girl tilted her head, unaware of the threat behind her.
The little goblin, having found the perfect prey, leaps at it with great joy.
All three of those goblins were instantly killed, their heads severed.
"---eh,"
The goblin, at first—no, until the very end—seemed unable to comprehend what had happened to it. With a smug expression on its face, all life ceased, its head and body tossed about haphazardly across the ground, and only then, as if finally understanding what had happened, did blood gush from its wounds.
It was only for a moment. The lifeless monster's body immediately cracked and crumbled, disappearing completely, leaving only a small trace behind.Spoils of wardrop
"...teeth?"
The boy, too, couldn't understand what had just happened before his eyes.
The girl draws her sword. She wipes away the small amount of dark red blood from the tip of the blade and, with a fluid motion, she sheathes it.
Ah, I let out a small gasp.
"I-I'm so sorry. Was that little goblin your prey? Um, well, it just suddenly appeared, so I couldn't help it..."
It was just a coincidence.
Did you cut him?
This child?
when?
In that single moment?
how,
"Um, well..."
"—Oh, uh. Sorry, I was spacing out."
The boy stood up unsteadily and looked at the girl.
Although he wasn't really in a position to say so, she really was still just a child. No matter how hard he tried, she didn't even look the same age as him. She was even shorter than the boy, who was slightly on the smaller side than average, and her build was so delicate and fragile that she seemed like she might break if he touched her. Her soft, fluffy, cherry-blossom-pink hair was neatly styled at her shoulders, and she wore a pretty flower hair ornament near her left temple. Combined with her modest and polite way of speaking, the boy got the impression that she was truly a flower-like girl.
However, on her left hip was a slender one, a rare sight in this country . This meant she, too, must be an adventurer like the boy, but her neat and elegant attire, predominantly white, made it more believable to think she was a well-bred young lady from a sheltered family. Her appearance did not match the skill with which she had instantly cut down the enemy.Single-edged curved swordTalwarGoblinGoblin
However, one thing was clear: she was a stunningly beautiful girl.
To his embarrassment, the boy found himself captivated for a moment.
"Well, it seems like they were in a hurry..."
"Uh—oh no, well,"
I snapped back to reality and frantically tried to think of an answer. My remaining pride prevented me from honestly admitting that I had been running away in a panic from the goblin you had defeated.
"N-nothing at all. More importantly, I'm sorry I didn't notice at all."
"N-no, it's me who's sorry, I was lost in thought."
The girl bowed with exaggerated politeness. Her voice was as clear and beautiful as the morning sunlight. Her modest demeanor, reminiscent of a single flower, captivated the boy once again.
Words keep coming to mind. Who are you? What's your name? Why are you here? Are you from the same town as me? Are you an adventurer? Are you alone? What's the deal with that swordsmanship...?
But he couldn't speak. Whenever he tried to say it, he would become strangely nervous and instinctively hesitate. This was the first time the boy had experienced something like this in his fifteen years of life.
Naturally, the girl was unaware of the boy's confusion .ReasonOkay
"...Um, well, I'm looking for someone, so I'll be going now. I'll give you this. Please be careful on your journey."Spoils of wardrop
"Ah..."
The boy instinctively tried to stop the girl as she was about to leave. He just wanted to at least ask her name.
"—No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's not enough. This is nowhere near enough, nothing is enough. Senpai is faster, sharper, it's unthinkable for him to stain his sword with blood. Why, why am I so weak? I can't protect Senpai like this, he won't entrust me with anything, I have to get stronger, I have to get stronger to protect him, I will take care of everything for Senpai, absolutely, absolutely I—"
—The boy didn't actually hear the strange murmur. He simply sensed an ominous presence emanating from the girl's back, like a drawn blade, and instinctively pulled his hand back.
Well, they seem really busy, so I'll just leave it. I'll go back and ask at the guild. She's such a small kid, surely any fellow adventurer would know her name—that's what I thought.
Of course, I didn't notice that the light had vanished from the girl's eyes at that moment.
Tips for Yuritia:
The youngest member of the party and Wolka's apprentice, or rather, junior swordsman. She looks like a sheltered girl who would never be able to fight, but in reality, she's a sword prodigy. She's incredibly strong.