The Great Sword is not the Main Body!-Chapter 66: Variable (5)

The first to move after the deafening sound subsided was Hephaestus.

Without saying a word, he shoved the Stone of Fate into his pocket and began stuffing the bag he had brought with him.

“Hey, Pink... No, Hephaestus. I know what you're thinking right now. Think carefully.”

Charlotte spoke with a harsh voice.

“Eh...?”

“That stone glowed, and we heard that massive noise, so it’s reasonable to think that something happened to Yuria. But...”

Charlotte paused for a moment, closed her eyes, and slowly chose her words.

“Artifacts typically react according to their user's magic, but that sound... it disturbed the magic in the air.”

Rubia nodded as if she understood, while Hephaestus tilted his head.

“So, it could be that the flow of magic got tangled up and caused a brief malfunction.”

“So that means...”

Hephaestus stopped, looking at Charlotte with a still hand.

“Yeah... well, it’s possible Yuria might not even be there. I can't say for sure.”

With a deep sigh, Charlotte turned her body again and looked out the window.

“No bomb would make that kind of noise... Something did happen, but... damn, this is frustrating.”

Roughly brushing her hair back, Charlotte pulled out a new cigarette, lit it, and took a puff.

“Of course, I’m going to go back to normal. But... as I said earlier, Hephaestus, think carefully. If you die, Yuria could die too.”

“Ha, but...”

Eventually, Hephaestus collapsed to the ground, his head drooping as he choked back tears.

Seeing this, Charlotte sighed deeply and exhaled a puff of smoke, while Rubia clenched her fists.

If I were in that situation. If I didn’t have my greatsword, and if I were in the same situation as Hephaestus.

What would I want the most?

...I don’t know.

I can’t empathize, and I don’t understand anything, but still.

I slowly approached Hephaestus.

Drawing the greatsword from my waist, I spoke.

“Hephaestus... let’s go.”

Hephaestus slowly raised his head.

“...Uh, Dil...?”

Her face was full of confusion.

I gave her a big grin, just like usual.

“To Karahan.”

Then, with my chest puffed out, I clapped my hands.

“You saw how strong I am, right? So just trust me...!”

I repeated what I had said to Hephaestus back in Rohallan.

“Un...ni...”

“Mm-hmm.”

“...Noah, unni...”

“Mm-hmm. Yes, unni...”

As Hephaestus kept murmuring my name, her head dropped with a thud.

But now, her expression wasn’t one filled with sorrow. It was filled with joy and emotion.

Thankfully... unlike last time, she didn’t wipe her nose on my clothes... phew...

After a while, Rubia, who had been silently watching me, sighed deeply and began packing her things.

Charlotte, on the other hand...

“Ah, damn... No wonder Rubia is so taken with you. Damn, I gotta change my underwear. It’s all soaked.”

With a very flustered voice, she left the room, panting.

According to rumors... she’s... a good person, right...?

Shaking my head, I reached out to wipe away Hephaestus’s tears.

“Okay, stop crying... Let’s get ready, shall we?”

Hephaestus nodded, her head bobbing as she wiped her nose. She stopped crying quickly and began packing her things again.

I then got up from my spot and carefully approached Rubia.

“Uh... Rubia.”

“Yes?”

She answered in an incredibly gentle voice, but... her blank expression while quietly packing her things made me feel scared.

“...I-I’m sorry for deciding on my own.”

I whispered softly, tugging at Rubia's sleeve.

She stopped and looked down at me intently.

Her gaze pressed down on my scalp... pinning it down.

Scary...

Was it about ten seconds?

Just as my head began to lower, almost bending at the waist.

“Noah.”

Rubia quietly called my name.

Her face wore a light smile.

“...Yes?”

“It was cool. Really.”

Her smile spread across her entire face, turning into a bright and warm smile.

“Charlotte was right... heh-heh.”

She then turned back and began packing her things again.

“Uh, uh... th-then... uh...”

I thought I would be yelled at terribly.

Honestly... I did it thinking that if I said I was going, Rubia would definitely follow, even though Charlotte might not.

Really... I had such a bad thought...

“Actually—”

“Yes, I know, Noah. I know exactly what you were thinking when you said that. You thought I would follow you no matter what, right? I think it’s pretty shameless, and I even want to slap you on the head.”

“Ugh...”

Rubia spoke with a mischievous tone, still smiling as she packed.

“But, hmm... still, you trusted me that much. So... it’s not too bad. Heh-heh... I feel good about it.”

“W-will you not be angry, then?”

There was a pause—Rubia’s hand stopped, and her head slowly turned.

“I’ll be angry, though. After everything is done. Just the two of us in the room, I’m going to really, really get mad.”

She left a word, ‘Be prepared,’ and then turned back to finish packing.

Unable to respond, I hesitated and shuffled about when, just as I was about to follow Rubia and Hephaestus in packing.

Something very important came to mind before we reached Karahan.

I almost forgot it, and it would’ve been a big problem...

“Ah, um... Rubia.”

“Yes?”

I slowly approached Rubia, who was still smiling, and whispered near her ear.

“By any chance... do you have any underwear?”

Rubia’s expression immediately froze.

“Ac-actually, right now... I’m not wearing any underwear...”

Her face instantly contorted.

Her hand shot out, grabbing my wrist tightly.

“Are you... teasing me? Or... are you really not wearing any?”

Her voice was filled with rage, echoing in my ear.

“Ugh... Ex... Rubia?”

“Hurry up and answer, before I check.”

She began tugging at her skirt with one hand as she stammered.

“R-really... not wearing... any...”

“Why?”

“Because... it... tore...”

“Wow... No, wait. Then... what about bandages?”

“Tore—”

Rubia, like Charlotte, roughly swept her hair back and growled.

“Just how are you planning to handle this... damn it. Stay quiet and follow me.”

Then she closely followed me and slowly pushed me toward the corner of the room where the bag was piled up.

We finished preparing and arrived at the entrance of Karahan, then immediately began climbing the mountain.

We quickly passed the entrance and reached the middle, facing several monsters along the way, but we got through without any trouble.

Even though it was nighttime, I was able to sense the monsters easily...

What’s more, Rubia had become so strong... that the minor monsters didn’t even notice us before bursting into pieces.

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As we reached the end of the middle section.

“I told Ruevjé as well, but it’ll take quite a while to gather the adventurers...”

Charlotte, who had swapped into a heavy-looking suit of plate armor, holding a gorgeous sword and a large shield, spoke in a serious tone.

“If we happen to encounter Kalte before the reinforcements arrive... I’ll buy some time, so don’t even look back and just run. Got it?”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay...?”

Rubia asked with a voice full of worry after hearing Charlotte’s words about buying time.

“I won’t be okay. It’s damn scary. But, there’s no one but me who can buy time, so what should I do?”

She continued, tapping the shield with a hollow sound.

“But, well, since I stole this from the palace warehouse, I think it might hold up for a bit... Ha, I don’t know how that crazy guy will show up.”

“...I’m sorry for being a burden.”

Hephaestus, who was being carried by Charlotte, lowered her head deeply as she silently watched this.

“Pink doesn’t need to apologize. If we left you in the village and Kalte came after us, what would we do? It’s better for you to be with us.”

“That’s right, Hephaestus. No need to apologize. In the first place, Noah and I promised to help you until the end.”

Rubia, smiling warmly from the side, also added her words.

“Well... since it turned out like this, take care of your body. Don’t get hurt for no reason.”

“Okay. I understand...”

“You too, Rubia... especially you, Noah.”

Why am I being singled out...?

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“Yes, yes...?”

“You’re the problem. You rushed in first when the monsters appeared. Are you some ghost that died after failing to catch a monster? Is it true that you’ll die if you don’t drink blood, like the rumors say? Huh?”

“Yeah... Noah. You absolutely can’t do that this time.”

Charlotte and Rubia both glared at me at the same time...

“Ugh... Rubia too... I won’t do it...!”

A ghost that died without catching a monster!! You’ll die if you don’t drink blood!!

I just... I just moved to warm up my body...

How unfair.

“No, I won’t listen to you... Tch. Anyway, if you don’t follow my orders, I’ll throw you all in jail. Just so you know.”

Finishing her words, Charlotte turned her gaze toward the summit.

“Phew... Let’s go again.”

With a creaking sound, Charlotte took a step forward.

An hour passed.

The air grew thinner and the temperature dropped sharply.

We pressed on, keeping warm with Rubia’s magical power.

Two hours passed.

The mountain path, devoid of any plants, became more and more barren, and the monsters, which had been sporadically appearing, began to disappear as well.

I moved Hephaestus onto my back and nearly dragged her along as I kept going.

By the time we almost reached the summit.

Breathing heavily, Rubia looked up at the sky and said.

“Huff... the sun... it’s starting to rise.”

“Yeah, almost there... Huh? Hey, look over # Nоvеlight # there—”

Charlotte didn’t look at the sky but at the front.

I widened my senses and began scanning the area.

In the distance...

“Isn’t that Yuria’s ability?”

Hundreds of tree roots, strangely protruding, appeared in the distance.