The Great Sword is not the Main Body!

“Ah, Ailyn... then... should we go to the south gate together? W-We can hunt... together. How about a contest? Who can catch more? Won’t it be fun that way...? Hehe.”

Noah giggled and made an absurd suggestion to me.

What in the world... is she talking about?

I retraced my memory and recalled what I had said to Noah, holding her close.

They were words I had blurted out in excitement... but now, thinking back on it, my face burned.

Anyway.

When I said not to go alone, that I’d be there, it wasn’t about hunting monsters together... It was just something I said so she’d know there’s someone who cares about her.

Did she take it like that...?

I don’t know.

Still, thanks to Noah's nonsense, the heat in my head started to cool down.

After a moment of fumbling, Noah glanced around and whispered to me.

“A-Ailyn. I think we should go to the west gate... The south gate is where that, that bald guy is heading.”

Noah pointed to a bald man, and I turned to look at him.

The man winked at me with a sly grin, then turned back to glare at the knights from Erden.

Beside him, another man stood, also glaring at the knights while keeping an eye on us.

They were adventurers I’d seen in Alrva.

Particularly notable adventurers.

I widened my gaze and looked at the knights.

They probably hadn’t recognized me yet...

But if we stayed here too long, Noah would certainly figure out who I was.

For now, I needed to act quickly...

I stretched both hands and pulled Noah’s cheek, stretching it out.

“Ubeee...?”

“Let’s go. Whether it’s the south or west gate, let’s go... and we’ll talk after this situation is over.”

“Ah, okay...”

I let go of her cheek and took her small hand.

It was rough and sticky.

Even now, blood was still seeping out.

It was probably because she had forced herself to swing that battered greatsword, and the skin on her hands had torn off.

My heart ached.

I gently ran my fingers over her hand and infused it with divine power.

Her rough hands slowly calmed down.

“Are we going now?”

As I stood up holding Noah’s hand, the man holding a sword turned and spoke.

A one-eyed...?

No, I’ll look into it later.

For now, we had to leave this spot.

“...Yes. We should head to the south gate—”

“A-Ailyn. I told you, the south gate is for the bald guy...!”

Noah, seemingly wanting to whisper in my ear, tiptoed and whispered. Though she couldn’t quite reach my ear, she whispered against my shoulder.

“Hrm. We’re going to the west gate.”

“Alright... then I’ll go with you. That bald guy should be fine.”

The bald man’s head was turning red with veins popping up.

Then, gripping his halberd, he began walking.

“It’s because the little lady is here... that I’m holding back. Let’s finish this quickly and regroup here. By the way, what should we do with those gentlemen?”

“Hmm... It’s best to finish the situation first and ask their ‘master.’”

The one-eyed man looked at me and spoke.

He knew, didn’t he?

I felt it when he was staring at me back in Alrva...

I didn’t think he’d recognize me through the robe’s perception block.

“Well then, let’s do that. Those gentlemen are no use anyway, as the little lady said. Hahaha!”

The bald man let out a hearty laugh as he casually walked toward the south gate.

For someone going to fight over a hundred Nols, he walked so light and carefree.

“Well then, let’s hurry up and go.”

“Y-Yes. Ailyn. We really should go. This... place is too... disadvantageous.”

I remembered the ruined terrain from the map.

We were in a large plaza, so if the Nols gathered at once...

They’d surely swarm us from all directions.

Noah was right—if we blocked the entrance, it’d be easier to stop them.

“Alright. And Noah, like I said earlier. We’ll talk after this.”

“Eeek... Yes, yes...”

At my firm voice, Noah’s expression turned gloomy.@@novelbin@@

She looked like a small animal, and I almost couldn’t help but smile, but... I held it in.

I won’t let her do such reckless things alone again.

I subtly turned our hands and threaded my fingers between hers.

Noah flinched and then looked up at me.

“Ailyn... Is... Is your anger... gone...?”

I wasn’t really angry.

It was just frustration born from concern.

But still.

Noah’s reaction was so cute that I couldn’t help but blurt it out.

“Do you think so?”

“Hehe... S-Sorry... Hup-!”

Noah quickly covered her mouth and lowered her head, making me remember her from earlier.

The confident voice she had used, saying, “I’ll be back, just cook at home.”

Her bright smile.

Her steps, without hesitation.

I always thought of her as a childish, foolish little sister.

But that earlier version of her...

Was somewhat admirable.

You really did seem like an adult. Truly.

As I gently caressed Noah’s hand, which was still shyly wriggling between my fingers, I smiled softly.

“Ailyn!”

At the sound of my call, a spear shot from Ailyn’s fingertips.

Immediately, a hole was punched through the Nols’ head.

I didn’t stop walking and pushed forward.

I grabbed a Nols’ head that I had kicked and got back up.

I pulled the dagger from my waist and stabbed it into his temple.

After pulling my hand away from the dagger, I drew my greatsword.

The Nols beside me, loading a crossbow, had their side torn open.

The handle of the sword felt like it was about to break.

I had four daggers left.

About thirty Nols were still alive.

I looked around at Luchi, who was swinging his sword.

He was still fine.

If only my greatsword was in better condition...

I swung my greatsword at the head of the charging Nols.

With the sound of a watermelon splitting, the Nols’ brain splattered across my face.

“Ugh...! Ptooey...”

Maybe I can slow down a bit now...

I stuck my greatsword into the ground and leaned my body against it.

I caught my breath and expanded my Giga Sense.

My head began to ache as though it would split open.

Worse than before.

But I kept expanding it.

The layout of the ruins appeared in my mind.

Some of the fallen knights on the ground, and others still fighting like wild animals.

Knights gathered in the central plaza, performing first aid.

The lone Heinkel who had cleaned up a hundred Nols by himself.

And.

The still-silent Carpen.

“Thank goodness...”

While I was briefly checking, Luchi had already killed another twenty Nols.

I can do it too.

It was just that my weapon wasn’t great.

He was using an amazing weapon, that’s why.

I’m so frustrated...

If only I had a greatsword made from good materials...

I slammed my greatsword against the ground, and Ailyn approached.

“Hoo... It’s almost over.”

“Yes, yes.”

I retrieved my greatsword from the ground and hung it back on my waist.

Luchi was probably handling the rest... It seemed like he was killing the last Nol.

“Good job, Noah. Really...”

Ailyn’s hand patted my head.

“My... my hair is dirty...”

I pulled my head away and said.

“Quiet, and come here.”

Ailyn pulled me close.

I couldn’t refuse, not after what I had done wrong to her.

“If you get this blood and mess tangled up, it’ll be hard to clean later. You’ll probably have to cut it off, you know?”

“Ugh, hmm...”

I didn’t mind if she cut it...

But I didn’t want it to hurt when she washed my hair, so I decided to just stay still.

By the time my tangled hair was being untangled, Luchi approached us.

“Everything here is finished, so we should head to the plaza... Hm, no, it’s better to just call the bald guy over here.”

Luchi struck a stance and then swung his sword toward the south.

A mirage rose in the path where the sword swung.

“Ugh, huh?! What... what just happened...!”

With Ailyn’s panicked voice, I saw the flag at the south gate get cut down.

“Hm, they’ll come over here on their own now, so let’s sit and rest. We’re three, he’s one, so it’s right that he comes to us, right? Hehe.”

Luchi casually sat down, using a Nol’s corpse as a chair.

Ailyn froze in place, and I stared at the cut flag, recalling the memory of the past.

That was Luchi’s unique ability.

I couldn’t remember the name, but I knew exactly what it did.

It’s the ability to slice anything that enters your sight, regardless of distance.

It wasn’t like a sword wave or anything; it was probably some kind of connection between spaces.

Of course, it wasn’t very efficient, so he couldn’t use it much.

Seeing it in action... it was really cool.

Man... so awesome.

“Did... did I... what? Did I see that wrong...?”

See?

Ailyn was so stunned she couldn’t even process it.

As I paused while untangling my hair and stared at the air blankly, I tried to respond.

But my throat felt tight, and no words came out.

And I was so... so incredibly sleepy...

“Er... Umm, hmm. Noah, once you untangle your hair—”

I was definitely holding the sword, but I couldn’t picture Ailyn in my head anymore.

Her voice grew distant.

Ah, I don’t care.

I just want to lie down. I’m so tired...

I relaxed my body, letting gravity guide me down.

With a thud, I felt the hard ground beneath me.

The greatsword... Yeah, I was still holding it.

Even though I was holding the greatsword, the scenery visible through my Giga Sense was blurry.

I had overexerted myself when I broke the barrier earlier...

“No—snap out of it—what’s—”

I could hear Ailyn’s voice near my ear.

What? Was she telling me to snap out of it?

I should tell her I’m not dying.

But no words came out.

My throat was too tight...

Ah... This is bad.