The Great Sword is not the Main Body!

"Why do you keep doing this, getting hurt? You should consider your age, Father. Those scars... ugh, what’s this...?"

"Hehehe! A man can get hurt a little, can't he? And scars? They’re battle marks, my dear. Glory scars. Heh!"

"Still, you should be more careful. Honestly... I think your life should come first. That won’t change, you know."

"Yeah, you’re right. But, Noah, look here."

Father rolled up his sleeves and showed me countless scars, ones I’d seen many times before.

"When you look at these scars, what do you think, huh? What do you think of them?"

"I just... think they’re scars. I think you should’ve been more careful."

"When I look at them, I think of the people who are living well because of me. People who went to school, got jobs, had their failures, started married life, sometimes cried, sometimes laughed... people living those normal lives."

"...I know. You say that all the time. But isn’t it scary, jumping into a fire like that?"

"Of course, it’s scary. I’m no Superman. But, you know, when I look at these scars, I get the courage to jump in. I get the confidence that I can save them."

Father paused his speech for a moment, then opened his wallet wide.

"And when I look at this photo, I feel responsibility. The responsibility to protect them, to get back home no matter what."

Inside his wallet was a faded, but still clear, picture of our family.

"...I should change this photo. What’s up with the color?"

"The photo? What’s wrong with it? It’s nice and cozy. Oh, and speaking of your mom..."

Father raised his opposite arm in front of me.

"Look here! This scar? This is from when I saved your mom. If I didn’t have it, Noah, you wouldn’t even be here."

"...Sigh... okay, I get it. But you also have to think about the people waiting for you... Take care of your body. As I said, you should also consider your age."

"Heh, you little... I just told you. When I look at this photo, I always think of you and your mom. That’s why I always come back home."

There was no way I could argue with Father’s words.

I just kept silent and stared into his steadfast eyes.

"Anyway, son. Don’t worry too much. I’ll get back somehow, and no matter what, I’ll protect our family."

Father patted my head.

"So, Noah, someday, just like your name, I hope you become a hero who saves people."

"...I’ll try."

"Hehehe! Good, now put some more ointment on. Your mom is going to scold me later."

"Father, next week... I have a day off, so let’s go take a photo. With Mom, too."

"That sounds good! Afterward, we can have some soju, just the two of us!"

"I can’t drink, I have to work the next day. Just... let's eat. Please buy some beef."

"Since you’re working, fine... We’ll just have a meal, then."

I applied ointment to the scars on Father’s back.

I hope the ointment stays a little longer.

I hope these wounds don’t get worse.

If the scars don’t disappear, I hope they remain as symbols of Father’s glory, lasting forever.

"Noah."

Ailyn's cold voice presses down on my body.

"Yeah... yeah?"

"If you keep just pouring potions like that, do you know the scars will stay?"

"I... I know?"

"How could you do that as a girl? Look at these scars."

"Glory scars...!"

"Stop saying weird things. And I was there too, you know."

"The monsters were everywhere in front..."

"Healing came first."

"It was too... much..."

"Sigh..."

Ailyn’s voice, once heavy, now carries a bit of warmth.

"...Why did you do that?"

"Because of the... request."

Slap—

"Yah! Ow...!"

"If you had waited just a bit longer, I could have handled it with my abilities."

"...Okay."

"If necessary, we could have run away."

"...Yeah..."

"But... why... why did you do it?"

"Ailyn... you were in a hurry... you were so busy, you couldn’t even ride the carriage..."

It’s not Ailyn’s fault.

It’s just... just the only excuse I could think of.

"Noah, are you invincible? You can’t die, can you? No... So please... don’t do that next time."

Ailyn’s wet voice whispered in my ear.

"Look at this... how much it must hurt... it stings, it’s hot..."

It hurts.

My left arm, bitten by the wild beasts, is throbbing, and my shoulder, hit by the mace, and the leg with the crossbow bolt in it...

The rusted sword that dug into my side, the burning arrow that hit my waist, the pulled fingernails and toenails, the bones crushed in my left arm, and so on.

Ailyn’s healing and the potions have helped me a lot, but I can’t shake this feeling...

Maybe phantom pain? Something like that?

So, how did I fight through all this?

I don’t know!

When hunting, maybe it’s adrenaline or dopamine.

Some kind of hormone that makes you feel no pain!

Instead, it makes the heat of the body feel even stronger!

But once the tension lets up, it hurts so much I could faint.

Even now, I feel like crying from the pain...

But, what can I do?

I have to fight.

I have to survive today to have a tomorrow.

Of course, I also want to fight without getting hurt.

I usually try to avoid injuries as much as possible.

But I couldn’t help it this time...

There were many moments when I could have taken the hit for Ailyn.

So, as the vanguard, I took the hits! No, I blocked them!

Tank roles are for the vanguard!

Of course, hunting is also the vanguard’s role!

Cowardly ranged attackers should stay back and watch.

If they’re so upset, they can fight in close combat. Tch.

Anyway...

It hurts, it’s scary, it’s hard, but I’m fine.

Because I saved someone like Ailyn.

That’s why.

"I’m not in any pain..."

I patted Ailyn’s hand and gave her a grin.@@novelbin@@

Ailyn looked at me with a dazed expression, then poked my left side with her finger.

"Ahh?! Why, why?!"

It hurts! It hurts! Even screaming hurts!

It just hurts!

"Didn’t you say it didn’t hurt?"

"Well... that doesn’t mean you just poke me like that!"

This is the place where I got stabbed by the spear!

You cruel woman...!

"Does it hurt or not?"

"Ah, it hurts, but... I can endure it... let’s just get up. I think reinforcements will be coming."

Wild beasts usually move in groups, so...

Their leader will probably bring more.

"That’s true... but no. We can’t. Let’s go back to Alrba village. We should—"

As I listened to Ailyn’s words, I clenched my stomach and shouted.

"No!"

I cut off Ailyn’s words for the first time...!

I really found my courage.

"...Why?"

"We’ll follow Ailyn’s plan. I’m really okay."

If we go back after just two days, how will I face Hermeela?

I made my tearful goodbye!

I can’t go back!

And... I need to collect my 15 gold!

"Stop being stubborn. How will we go like this..."

I took a deep breath and stared at Ailyn directly.

Please. Please, let my strong will reach her!

Please, don’t stutter anymore!

"Ailyn, I’m really okay. Let’s go. To Cartia."

Yes! I didn’t stutter!

I spoke so well!

"Yeah...?"

Ailyn’s body pulled back.

Now’s my chance!

I grabbed Ailyn’s body and pulled her back toward me.

Holding my breath, I opened my eyes!

In as firm a tone as I could muster, looking into Ailyn’s eyes even though it wasn’t visible, I spoke her words.

"Answer."

"Ugh... then... okay. But promise me one thing."

I tilted my head.

I didn’t want to talk more and risk stuttering again, so I just tilted my head...

Then Ailyn turned her face away, hiding her mouth.

"Ha... there’s a small village at the entrance to Halbion Plain. Let’s rest there for a bit. It’s a quiet village... it shouldn’t be bad."

I nodded and let go of Ailyn’s body.

Finally, I won the first victory over Ailyn!

"Hehe."

"Ha... you’re really impossible..."

While basking in my victory, I heard Ailyn’s frustrated voice.

I instinctively curled up.

Is this Pavlov’s response or something?!

"What, what’s wrong?"

"You. You. I can’t figure out what kind of person you are."

"Eh...?"

Though soaked in sweat, a soft hand cupped my cheek.

"Usually you’re like this... silly, childish, cute, and clueless... but when it’s important, you become someone completely different..."

"I-I’m not silly... not childish... not cute... and I’m definitely not clueless."

"Heh. ‘Not clueless,’ huh?"

"Ugh... Ah, never mind!"

I shook my head, shaking off Ailyn’s hand.

"We... don’t have time for this. Let’s move, now."

"Yeah... but, are you really okay?"

"Yes. Really okay...!"

My body screams for me to collapse, but I have to keep moving.

If we face reinforcements now, even I can’t promise the outcome.

And...

The greatsword is badly damaged.

The handle is rattling.

The hammer was destroyed long ago.

The state of my equipment is desperate.

But I can’t sit here and fix it.

Of course, I can’t do it...

From now on, I’ll avoid as much combat as possible.

I can do this.

I’ve experienced situations like this plenty of times in games.

Even though this is reality, my experience will be fine.

I clenched my hand and grabbed Ailyn’s hand.

So I don’t lose her.

I tightly clasped her hand.

"Let’s go, Ailyn."

Somehow, no matter what, I’ll save you.

Do you trust me?

I turned to Ailyn and smiled.

"Uh... yeah, yeah. Let’s go."

The sound of footsteps on the ground soaked in the wild beast’s blood.

I walked forward.

Hehe, I saved Ailyn.

Of course, if I weren’t here, she would’ve run away immediately...

But! If she ran away, it would’ve delayed things, messed up the plan, and caused even more problems!

So! Either way, saving Ailyn was the right choice!

"Hehehe."

"Noah...? Why are you laughing like that?"

"Just... I’m in a good mood."

I wonder what kind of expression Ailyn has right now.

Is she smiling? Or worried?

Doesn’t matter.

We’re alive!

Hehe... if I ever get the chance, I want to see it.

Ailyn’s expression.

Her, normal, everyday life.

Swoosh-

Splash- Splash-

"Ugh, ugh! You’re eating the wild beast...! Hey! Ugh... what’s your name... I don’t know! Stop! Stop! You... you herbivore...!"