I am no Hero the Shadows! C1.2
The Person Who Was Saved
――― Several
months ago.
“Oh no...”
A girl named
Milis Almaera stood at the toughest point in her life.
This was a
moment that would greatly impact her life, and it happened so quickly.
『Gruaaaaaaaaaaahhhh !!!』
In front of
her stood a three-meter tall monster with saliva and blood mixed in its teeth,
and its sharp eyes were fixated on her as its prey.
Around her
were scattered pieces of armor and chunks of meat and organs that belonged to
no one in the middle of the forest.
The
golden-trimmed monastery gown she wore had also turned red like a liquid dye
similar in color to the scattered organ pieces on the ground.
“Ah...”
This was a
defining moment between life and death.
There would
be no moment like this again in her life.
If there was,
it would only happen when death came for her.
―――I don’t
want to die.
―――Even
though I was supposed to be saved.
―――It’s all
because of my mistake.
However, the
girl could only see the monster that was tiredly drooling.
(If only I
had the power...!)
Although she
had a talent for healing, she had no talent for inflicting harm.
She was
grateful for the blessing given by God, but she hoped that God would give
another blessing today.
In her heart,
she couldn’t contain her sadness.
Despite being
called a holy woman (Priest), she was still just an ordinary human being.
Death is
something scary. It feels even more terrifying when it’s right in front of your
eyes.
“O,
ooooohhhhhhh!”
The demon’s
roar echoed.
It shook the
grass and trees, indicating its presence throughout the area.
She deserved
a thumbs up for only trembling in fear in front of such terror.
However,
there was an additional note that stated that even if she deserved a thumbs up,
it wouldn’t mean anything.
Therefore,
the girl prayed.
Praying for
her salvation.
“......Hah?”
In an instant, the surrounding ground was covered in black.
“Making magic
from a distance is useless if it doesn’t hit its target, and only brings a lot
of risk.”
Suddenly, a
voice from above was heard. Milis was startled and almost looked up at the
voice, but eventually didn’t. What was more surprising was the scene in front
of her.
“Graaaakkk!”
The monster’s
legs started sinking. Like trapped in a large swamp, every time it tried to
move, its legs sunk deeper. The more it struggled, the more the scary
impression of its large body disappeared, and the scream it let out as it fled
from the magic was colored with fear and surprise.
“In the end,
there’s no risk if you succeed in sinking it. You don’t need to approach it
with a sword, or cast magic that might not hit its target. Why do creatures
other than fish not live in the sea? Because the environment is not favorable
for them.”
The voice
suddenly appeared from the sky.
Although it
landed, its feet did not sink like a wild beast.
The same
applied to Milis, but she didn’t have time to think about it.
“In life,
sometimes we have to choose to avoid unfavorable situations and remain silent
without taking any action. Sometimes, we don’t have the opportunity to achieve
great success, and in such situations, we need to use all the necessary means
to survive.”
‘Graaaakkkkkkkl!’
“Then sink,
wild beast. You must be bored of eating, right?”
The wild
beast’s screams slowly subsided.
How many
seconds did it take to see it? The large body slowly sank into the shadow and
finally disappeared.
This means
the threat has disappeared.
This is the
moment when someone’s life undergoes the greatest change.
“.........Ah.”
However, the
girl didn’t feel happy.
Was it
because there were corpses around? Or was it because fear made her unable to
think?
No, perhaps
she just couldn’t keep up with the sudden change of situation.
“....I’m
sorry, I’m late.”
With regret
and a little annoyance, the young man in front of her uttered those words.
The black
clothes and plain mask gave off a childish impression, although the figure was
slightly taller.
It was very
similar to the information Miria had heard before.
(Black
clothes and plain mask... and it’s magic. If that’s the case, then this
person-)
“I want to
help with the ceremony of respect... but that’s your task, isn’t it? Instead of
someone like me meddling, you might be able to finish it quicker on your own.”
The young man
turned before taking a step forward.
Slowly, he
disappeared into the forest.
“I’ll defeat
the wild beasts in this forest, so you can pay your respects in peace. After
that, it’s best if you head back home quickly,” his final words echoed.
Without a
chance to say thank you, the young man left, the sound of leaves and branches
only audible in his ears.
Looking
around, there were no disgusting organs lying about. Only the armor and weapons
of the guard soldiers were scattered on the ground.
Perhaps it
was an act of consideration? An unseen tenderness to make the girl feel at
ease.
(“Was that...
Shadow Hero-sama?”)
She had heard
the story before.
A hero who
appeared valiant and always plunged into danger, saving someone and immediately
leaving.
Never did she
think he would appear before her, never did she think she would be saved.
When she
heard the news about him, she never thought something like this would happen.
But...
“Aaaahhhhhh!!!”
The shock had
to be delayed.
Right now,
the tears that had piled up burst forth with both grief and relief.
“Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”
That scream
was also filled with gratitude.
Her sadness
finally subsided several tens of minutes later.
