New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (2/3 chapters)
Mark of Retainer
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At the foot of the Baira Volcano lies a village of Demons.
In fact, words are not understood here. Although the language used by humans has spread as a common language, among Demons, a unique Demon language is still firmly in use, so without understanding it, living in this village would be difficult.
As soon as our group of eight arrived at the Demon settlement, we were stopped by the two guards at the town gate.
“——, ——?” (Guard 1)
The one who spoke was a tall, lanky, blue-skinned young man. His eyes darted around, but even by human aesthetic standards, he was handsome. Anfan-san responded immediately. I had no idea what they were saying, but since both sides seemed calm, there was probably no issue.
“——, ——. ——?” (Guard 1)
“——” (Anfan)
I’ve never had trouble with language before, so not understanding this conversation is incredibly frustrating. What are they talking about?
“Hey, Yustin.” (Jack)
“What?” (Yustin)
“You’re a genius, so you understand the demon language, right?” (Jack)
“……! O-of course I do!” (Yustin)
Really?
“Then, tell me what Otou-san and that Demon are saying.” (Jack)
“Eh……” (Yustin)
“You know the language, right?” (Jack)
“Y-yeah……!” (Yustin)
“Then, translate for me.” (Jack)
He definitely doesn’t know it. But knowing Yustin’s pride, there’s no way he’d admit that now. He’s been cocky ever since he got the Aquaram Volga, so a little teasing won’t hurt.
Yustin braced himself and began to interpret his father’s words.
“——?” (Anfan)
“‘How’s the weather tonight?'” (Yustin)
Safe guess.
The blue-skinned demon spoke again, and Yustin tried to match the movement of his lips.
“——. ——” (Guard 1)
“‘Yeah. It’s so-so, I guess.'” (Yustin)
Surprisingly, he was pretty good at matching the lip movements. It felt almost convincing, like he was really translating the words.
“You’re pretty good, Yustin.” (Jack)
“Hmph! For me, this is easy.” (Yustin)
Why does that feel like a loss?
But then, Shia interrupted.
“The content is completely wrong, though.” (Shia)
“Shut up, Shia!” (Yustin)
“What he really said was, ‘Can we stay in this village for a few days?’ And the Demon replied, ‘See the village chief. You can’t enter without explaining your purpose.'” (Shia)
“You understand the Demon language?” (Lost)
“…Father taught me.” (Shia)
Ah, that’s probably a sensitive topic. Still, I didn’t expect Shia to know the demon language.
As expected from the daughter of an archaeologist, she’s good with languages too.
—
We were led by the other guard into the village.
Apparently, this village doesn’t have a name. The demons simply call it “the village” in their language. Being at the foot of the volcano, it offers a nice view, but there’s nothing particularly remarkable here. There are houses, fields, and people living simple lives.
“——! ——!!” (Guard 1)
Just as I was about to step into the village, the blue-skinned Demon from earlier suddenly shouted at me.
“What’s wrong?” (Jack)
He pointed his spear toward my right arm, almost ready to stab it.
“——! ——!?” (Guard 1)
I couldn’t understand a word.
Shia translated.
“He’s saying, ‘What are you? Are you an assassin of Kea?'” (Shia)
“An assassin of Kea? What’s he talking about?” (Jack)
“——!!” (Guard 1)
“Now he’s saying, ‘That scroll—it’s the mark of Kea’s retainer, isn’t it?'” (Shia)
I have no idea what he’s talking about. The scroll he’s referring to must be the “Akasha Lineage” wrapped around my right arm.
Shia’s calm interpretation kept me from panicking, but the Demon’s words were filled with fear, and his expression made me anxious.
Anfan-san rushed over to the commotion and tried to calm the Demon. As he spoke with the guard, he suddenly turned to me in surprise.
“Lost-kun, that scroll on your right arm…” (Anfan)
“This? It’s called the Akasha Lineage.” (Jack)
“……What?!” (Anfan)
Anfan-san looked shocked.
He hurried over and began examining the sacred text on my arm.
“Why is this here…? Gina, come here!” (Anfan)
Gina-san ran over and placed her hand over the text, using a healing spell. It crackled and rejected her magic.
“How is it?” (Anfan)
“There’s no doubt. This is the Akasha Lineage itself.” (Gina)
“How… who are you?” (Anfan)
“Uh, well, um…” (Jack)
Please don’t look at me like I’m some kind of anomaly.
“This is a sacred relic that was sealed by the church. It was supposed to be in the custody of the Druids.” (Anfan)
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” (Lost)
“…” (Anfan)
Anfan-san stared at the scroll in disbelief.
“Anyway, I’ll handle this.” (Anfan)
He spoke to the guards and tried to smooth things over, but their stance didn’t change. The spear remained pointed at me.
“Lost-kun… I’m sorry, but they won’t let you enter the village.” (Anfan)
Seriously?
“I’m afraid you’ll have to set up a tent nearby and stay outside.” (Anfan)
“…Understood.” (Lost)
I’m used to being treated unfairly. Still, I hope someone explains later why I’m being excluded.
—
That night, at the edge of the village.
I insisted that Irene and Shia stay in the village instead of camping with me. They’ve been traveling for days and should get some proper rest. Being alone isn’t so bad. It gives me time to think.
But then I heard it.
Huff… huff… huff…!
A strange sound outside the tent.
I peeked out. Black-furred dogs with unnaturally large jaws surrounded my tent. Their white, glowing eyes fixed on me. Chills ran down my spine.
Growl…
The dogs crouched low, ready to pounce.
“…This is bad.” (Lost)
But I have no choice. I have to keep fighting. That is my destiny as a warrior. My right arm has been magically modified. I can’t help but feel like it’s calling out to me to fight. An assassin of Kea? What does that even mean?
—
Meanwhile, back at the village inn.
“Hmm.” (Irene)
Irene Stride wrapped up some of her dinner to take to Lost.
“Ojou-sama, it gets cold around here at night.”
“Then, Jack must be cold too!” (Irene)
“And they say wild dogs called Emagriggers appear at night.” (Leona)
“All the more reason to go!” (Irene)
Irene quickly got ready and decided to leave the village. She was accompanied by her maid, Riona. However, she suddenly ran out of her room at the inn.
Someone came rushing out from the next room. The person in front of me was Shea Randall. A half-elf with blue hair. Her golden eyes glared at Irene.
“You again, you thieving cat!” (Irene)
“Present and accounted for.” (Shia)
Shia’s eyes drooped tiredly at the corners. She looked like she was about to fall asleep just by looking at her. Her outfit was casual, and she looked like she could just sleep in it. In contrast, Irene was perfectly dressed.
“What’s with that outfit? And what’s in that bundle?” (Irene)
“It’s a gift for Lost-san.” (Shia)
Like Irene, Shia also intended to bring leftovers from dinner to Lost.
“Bringing food is my job as his future wife.” (Shia)
Irene, noticing Shia’s demeanor, walked closer and began to complain.
“That’s just your imagination!” (Irene)
“My imagination?! What do you mean by that?” (Shia)
“It means you’re just imagining being his wife!” (Irene)
“How rude! I will be his wife!” (Shia)
Irene made a terrifying face like a monster and shouted angrily. Shia, on purpose, was provoking her. To Shia, Irene was like a monster that suddenly appeared to destroy her peaceful world. In the midst of living alone, someone had suddenly appeared to try and take away the only thing she had found as her anchor. Of course, she couldn’t help but treat her rudely. Despite her innocent-looking face, Shia was quick-witted, and it was nothing for her to toy with Irene.
“I don’t think Lost-san is thinking about his wife at all.” (Shia)
“Hmph! At least I’m more proper than someone like you who doesn’t even know how to present themselves as a lady!” (Irene)
Irene, seeing Shia’s casual appearance, suddenly stopped. She realized it. Shia’s nightwear-like outfit. And the direction she was heading… to the tent. Irene couldn’t help but think the worst.
“…Ah… ahh… What a depraved woman…” (Irene)
“Fufufu.” (Shia)
Irene, at her age, immediately thought of the concept of a nocturnal visit. In response, Shia, despite not having that intention, chose to laugh mischievously. She figured that choosing words that would accelerate Irene’s misunderstanding would lead to a more enjoyable conversation.
“Actually, Lost-san and I have slept together before.” (Shia)
“Eh…?!” (Irene)
Irene’s face turned bright red in an instant.
“It was on a really hot night… temperature-wise.” (Shia)
“Wha—what kind of shameless—! You thief cat! You’re absolutely shameless!” (Irene)
Irene couldn’t remain calm enough to listen to Shia’s words from beginning to end. Shocked, she pointed a finger at Shia, pouring out words of criticism. Shia, on the other hand, watched her fluster with a calm face, clearly pleased. But Irene had no intention of giving up. In fact, she made a renewed resolution to protect the hero, who had such a bad influence on him, from this evil woman.
The two women’s pointless argument continued late into the night, and they never managed to deliver the leftovers to Lost.
—
Sometimes, sheer numbers can even bridge a huge gap in strength. The black dog monsters, when looked at individually, are weak. But when they come in packs and attack all at once, even I…
The endless onslaught of the dogs had become tiresome. Moreover, these dog monsters had high resistance to slashing attacks. Their skin was slippery. No matter how much I slashed at them with a makeshift sword, it didn’t feel like I was dealing any significant damage. Even if I managed to intimidate one, it seemed to revive while I was fighting with another.
And they smelled horrible. A sharp, pungent odor. The surface slime was thick and gooey, and the source of the smell seemed to be that.
Just as I was beginning to feel despair, I heard it.
“―――Chant Start… Brandstifter (Arson Shooting)!” (Gina)
A clear voice echoed through the night sky. With each chant, the magic of the Eastern style was being invoked. The voice belonged to a mage with brown, semi-long hair and amber-colored eyes.
Gina-san pointed her staff at my direction. Despite the late hour, she was wearing the same deep brown robe she’d worn during the day. Her appearance reminded me of something from my past trauma.
――― Jack, you fool!
The breathless brown-haired mage. The large cave’s vast space. Two fallen children.
Flame magic burned the black dogs to ash. They were weak to fire, and once one caught fire, it easily spread to the others. The pack fled in a panic.
“Are you alright? Lost-san?” (Gina)
“…Ah, thank you.” (Jack)
I briefly wondered why Gina-san was here, but I just gave a relaxed thanks.
“Emagriggers aren’t usually considered dangerous because they’re weak to fire, but thinking about it, they would’ve been a deadly threat to you since you can’t use basic fire magic…” (Gina)
Gina-san peered into my face. When I looked at her, it made me feel like I was thinking of someone precious to me.
“You must’ve been through a lot of hardship.” (Gina)
“Eh…?” (Jack)
I noticed that my eyes were wet when I touched them with my hand. It seemed I had been crying without realizing it.
“Ah, I’m sorry.” (Jack)
I roughly wiped my eyes with my arm.
Sitting on a small rock in front of the tent, Gina-san and I looked up at the night sky.
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience. The villagers of this Demon village seem to despise the Akasha Lineage you carry.” (Gina)
“Oh, did you figure something out?” (Lost)
It seemed Gina-san had come all this way just to tell me this.
“You understand that the holy text wrapped around your right arm is the Akasha Lineage, don’t you?” (Gina)
“Yeah, I just knew the name.” (Lost)
I’d only learned about it from the young Earth Sage, Gnome-sama.
“The ‘Lineage’ written in it refers to the history of magic. To understand the fundamental mystery of why we can use magic, it’s a precious document.” (Gina)
I remembered that Gnome-sama had said something similar. But to me, it didn’t matter much. What I was concerned about was why the holy text was stuck to my arm and why the Demons treated it with such disdain.
“It’s a valuable resource for us, but for the villagers here, it’s more like a trauma.” (Gina)
“Trauma…?” (Lost)
As I listened to her explanation, it turned out that it was a trauma that reached far back in history, even before the demons as we know them were born. The intelligent “Demons” were said to have first appeared about 2,000 years ago. However, their origin wasn’t entirely clear. Some said it was due to the interbreeding of monsters and humans, while others suggested they were creatures designed by gods. The truth was unclear. What was certain, though, was that the demons had once nearly been wiped out in a divine retribution from the goddess.
The goddess’ name was Kea Tur de Dau. The “Kea” that the blue-skinned demon had mentioned earlier was likely referring to this goddess. This symbol is called the “Mark of the Retainer.” In other words, to them, I must seem like a harbinger of extinction.
“If something like that shows up, I’d just take it down on the spot!” (Jack)
“Even though the omen of extinction was about 1,000 years ago, I think it’s more of a superstition now. Only the deeply religious react to it.” (Gina)
Now that I thought about it, when I was in the Labyrinth City, none of the Demons I met seemed to care about me. One even flirted with me.
“But considering the religious people, Lost-san’s situation…” (Gina)
“Well, it can’t be helped, right?” (Jack)
I sighed while staring blankly at the charred bodies of the Emagriggers. Every place has its own set of circumstances. If my camping out helps the demon villagers live in peace, I’ll gladly do it.
It’s still a mystery why I’m carrying this symbol of doom around, but there’s no point in discussing it now.
“So, does that mean I’m some kind of servant of the goddess?” (Lost)
“Who knows? But I doubt any servant of the goddess would be left alone for three years.” (Gina)
Indeed. I’ve been adventuring in Azarigard for three years now. If I were really her retainer, I’d be a bit surprised that Kea, the goddess, is so hands-off.
Gina-san and I exchanged some small talk and then parted ways. Before leaving, she lent me a single blanket.
She’s probably a kind person. There are many kind people in the Magic Guild. Anfan-san is like that, and so was my old acquaintance, Lizbeth-san. From what I heard from Sylphid-sama and Gnome-sama, I expected more cold and rude people, but that isn’t the case. It seems like the bad impression had just stuck to me.
—
Thanks to Gina-san’s dramatic defeat of the Emagriggers, the night was very peaceful. I was thinking of taking my time to reflect, but I couldn’t shake the memory of the brown-haired mage woman I had remembered when Gina-san helped me. She left a strong impact.
I’m sure she was someone important to me. Would Irene know about her? And my family… where are they? Maybe if I go to the Rauda continent, I can meet them again… Once I settle down, I want to head to the Rauda continent.
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