Vol 1: Chapter 26
「This way, Reiji!」
Raikira-san pulled me by my arm. We both rolled sideways with tremendous momentum, and immediately following, flames blew through the spot we were before in a straight line. The whole area was lit up brightly even though the sun was up in the sky. My eyes couldn’t keep up with the change in brightness, forcing me to squint.
The cobblestone ground, which was burnt by fire, was red, and part of it was melting.
…If those flames touched humans, we would be carbonized in an instant.
I hurriedly tried to get up, but my legs gave away.
「E-Eh…?」
I can’t… muster any strength?
It felt as though my knee joints were broken.
…Why? What’s happening?! Am I feeling… fear?
I finally realized.
Until now, I have been thinking of this incident as someone else’s problem. The dragon is a symbol of disaster, but it is unrelated to me. Someone strong will eventually show up and defeat it. It may take place near me, but I’m not involved. I’m a reincarnated person so I’ll help, but people of this world should be the ones to solve this problem.
When I lured the dragon from the rooftop, I had those thoughts at the back of my mind. So I could do such a bold action.
However, the dragon exhaled flames with the serious intention of killing me.
For the first time, I came to the realization that the dragon in front of me was real and that it was trying to kill me.
「Run! It’s attacking again, Reiji!」Raikira-san exclaimed.
「………」
「Leave the rest to us! Run away! …Hey, are you listening?!」
I couldn’t stand up. My legs were trembling too much.
When the dragon opened its mouth again,
「ORAAAA!」
Joseph-san got close and swung down his two-handed axe. When the axe met the dragon’s scales, blue sparks flew.
「Dammit! My serious blow only caused a scratch!」
「Disperse the mana on the scales, Joseph!」
「How?!」
「Blast it continuously with magic!」
Listening to the interaction between Joseph-san and Dante-san, adventurers who can use magic promptly started shooting magic.
Various colours of magic such as red, blue, and yellow directly hit the dragon. They didn’t cause damage, but the mana covering the scales disappeared, exposing the yellow scales.
The adventurers rushed in with their weapons and hacked and slashed at the spot where the mana disappeared. The scales repelled a number of attacks due to their hardness, but some attacks broke the scales, causing red blood to drip from the dragon’s body.
「Stand up, Reiji-kun.」
「Ah…」
Someone held me from both sides and carried me up to my feet. The soft bulges I felt on the back of my head would’ve caused my heart to throb in normal times, but I couldn’t afford to think about that now.
When I looked back, I saw Non-san, with a serious expression.
「Raikira-san, I will take Reiji-kun.」
「I’ll leave it to you.」
On the other side, the dragon turned its body around and unleashed a tail swipe, sending the adventurers flying away. Joseph-san nimbly jumped, whereas Dante-san stood his ground and used the large sword in a slanted position, like a shield, and deflected the tail blow.
…Those two are on a different level.
The silver-rank members of “Eternal Star” were also participating in the attack. Although they were stronger than the other adventurers, they were no match for Joseph-san and Dante-san.
「Reiji-kun, let’s evacuate.」
Raikira-san leaped towards the dragon. His jumping power was incredible – about 2 meters bound. And he jumped again using the hind legs of the dragon as a springboard.
「ORA!」
He flying kicked the dragon’s face just as it was about to spit out flames, causing it to misfire.
However, its face was as big as a car. It glaringly shifted its target to Raikira-san.
「Reiji-kun!」
My shoulders were being shaken. Non-san, who is always calm, was overwhelmed by tension.
「We have to escape. We will just be an obstacle by staying here.」
「…Okay.」
…That’s right. Even if I stayed here, I would only be a burden. Dante-san might even get hurt trying to protect me.
I turned my back to the battle, and started running with Non-san.
Non-san was a person who worked as a priest, but stamina seems to be of significant value to priests in this world, so she was able to run as fast as me even though I was using skills with 【World Ruler】.
When I surveyed the surroundings, windows of buildings were closed even though it was daytime.
…Are they taking shelter inside? I think it’s better to run as far away as possible, but I can’t even afford to urge them right now.
Sounds of whistles can be heard from everywhere – probably the signal to notify of an emergency. Soldiers were guiding the people who were running down the street.
「–What happened?」
「–A monster much bigger than a house.」
「–Where the hell should we even run to?」
「–Hell if I know. Just keep running as far as possible.」
A large number of people were running, with pale faces. And we were about to join them.
「…Reiji-kun, please listen carefully.」
Non-san stopped just before and knelt down. She grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eye.
「Go straight from here and turn right at the second intersection to go to the Adventurer’s Guild. Once you turn, just go straight. You should know the way, right?」
「…What about you, Non-san?」
If she’s saying that, it means that she’s not planning to go with me.
「I will be going back. A lot of people will surely be injured. I’ll help them as much as I can.」
「But…」
「You have done a good job, Reiji-kun. From here on, it’s the adults’ job.」Non-san said, with a tender smile.
…What do you mean adult?
Non-san is the same age as I was before I was reincarnated, 16. It is quite common in this world to start working at the age of 10, just as you are eligible to register at the Adventurer’s Guild from the age of 10. And at the age of 12, people get paid monthly like a normal wage.
You are considered a full-fledged adult at the age of 16. No one will complain if you drink alcohol.
…If Non-san is an adult, then I’m an adult, too.
…But she wouldn’t believe me even if I told her, and unlike Non-san, there isn’t much I can do even if I return to the battlefield.
But. Even still. Non-san’s hands, which were holding my shoulders, were shaking.
「I will go too.」
Non-san gasped when I said so.
「No, you can’t.」
And she pulled me into a tight hug. It was the tightest hug I’ve ever had.
「Let me tell you something. I am glad that Reiji-kun joined our party… but it isn’t for the reason you might think.」
「…Reason?」
「My father, he had actually given up on treating the petrification. He had been diagnosed that it would be difficult to cure even for the top healing mages of the Saint Knight Kingdom.」
「………」
I… got that feeling, too.
I felt that Dante-san had already prepared himself for death. Even in this turmoil, he confronted the dragon without any hesitation. I don’t think there is something in this city that he would want to protect, unlike Joseph-san. He has no reason to fight.
「My father has been more alive since Reiji-kun joined us. He said, “Reiji has a good ability to learn. It is worth teaching him.” I was just as happy. And because you were with us, I think my father found a “reason to live”.」
Non-san released the hug. There were tears in the corners of her eyes.
…Ah, I see.
Non-san was also “prepared”. Returning to the battlefield and healing people means returning to a place where you might also die at any time.
「I’m sorry, Reiji-kun. I had been using you.」
「…Please continue to use me more.」
Non-san then got up.
「Turn right at the second intersection. Okay?」
She didn’t reply to me.
And she started running. To increase the chances of Dante-san surviving by at least a little.
「I will be waiting at the Adventurer’s Guild! I will be waiting for everyone!」
I wanted to hit myself; Myself who could say nothing else.
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