“I’m going. I’m sorry, but I’ll be carrying you like luggage.”
As the sun set and the number of Thunder Dragons flying in the sky decreased, I confirmed this with my Wide-Area Mind’s Eye and then carried Lady Selina on my back.
I made a rope-like object from scraps of curtain and slung Lady Selina over my back like a backpack. While I would have preferred to carry her princess-style, it’s best to carry someone who can’t use their limbs by slinging them over my shoulder. It’s not exactly romantic, but it’s perfect for escaping.
“Leave it to me…”
I shall handle it. If we manage to escape, I want permission to deliver a report of our safety to Yuma Bashar and then deliver a Godspeed slap. Hold on, Yuma Bashar! I’m bringing back a big present! With the present in tow, I slipped out the back entrance.
Heading towards the North Gate, it was neither locked nor barred; the doors were left wide open. This is an open invitation to thieves, but for us leaving, it’s a case of “goodbye without a trace.”
Even when I expanded my Wide-Area Mind’s Eye into a hemisphere, there were only about two Thunder Dragons flying. The others seemed to be sleeping freely.
It’s truly convenient. To have it be this convenient makes me feel an ominous premonition – perhaps it’s because I’m a tragic hero. Will such a hero’s end be death?
In my previous life, I fought the Demon Lord to a mutual destruction. But that was because I couldn’t fully utilize Godspeed and passed by him right before my eyes. Now, with Mode Six… I can use it with ease, and Mode Four would be a piece of cake.
Regarding these Thunder Dragons, I’ve made up my mind about something. However, right now, my priority is to safely get Lady Selina to Yuma Bashar.
He’ll surely weep with joy. Perhaps he’ll apologize for all my previous discourtesies. He might even be so ashamed that he’ll “commit seppuku.” I’ve never heard of seppuku in this world, but he’ll surely be grateful.
As for me, I’ll calmly say, “Don’t worry about it, we’re friends, right?” After that, I’ll have him ascend the gallows as the culprit behind the assassination of the former king, and as an example for this reckless military action.
I’m already looking forward to it. With that thought, I ran at Godspeed, reaching Mode Six.
The escape proceeded without any issues. My surging emotions and Lady Selina’s lightness maintained Mode Six, and before I knew it, over an hour had passed.
“We can make it this far.” I chose to rest rather than walk and looked for a hotel where we could rest until morning.
Unfortunately, hotels are all fully booked during the Christmas season, and I can’t deny feeling like we were too late, but that can’t be helped. I considered spending the night in the carriage, but bringing out a carriage would make noise, wouldn’t it?
“Lady Selina, we will rest here until morning. We should be able to enter the town of Schreiaschwald by tomorrow evening. Lord Yuma Bashar is also waiting.”
I was boasting a little. The truth is, I’m the one who’s utterly exhausted and wants to rest. Getting her drunk and taking her to a hotel is like the pattern of falling asleep from drinking too much.
“Leave it to me…”
We left the main road and entered the grassland. The vegetation wasn’t very tall, but we should be safe from Thunder Dragons flying this far out. Tomorrow, we’ll replenish our water supply at the river and head for the town of Schreiaschwald.
Even at a time like this, as a man, I can’t afford to sleep first, but whether it was exhaustion or drinking too much, I fell asleep quickly.
Morning arrived, and as I leaned in to give Lady Selina a “good morning kiss” as she slept, she woke up first and said “Good morning.” A “kiss” upon waking is a wonderful thing…
Looking closely at Lady Selina in the morning sun, perhaps it’s an exaggeration to say she’s emaciated. She didn’t have a smile, but I’m sure she’ll regain her sunflower-like smile soon. I’ll kiss you then.
“We have no food, but we have a little water. Let’s drink and go.”
I picked up Lady Selina and gave her some water. Lady Selina offered me some, but there wasn’t much left, and we had a plan for replenishing our water, so I didn’t mind. …Darn it! I should have used mouth-to-mouth!
Carrying her on my back like yesterday, I felt a slight increase in the pressure on my legs. Was it because I overused Godspeed to look good in front of a girl?
Even using Godspeed, I proceeded at a brisk walk, carrying Lady Selina as I hurried ahead. This time, I’ll carry you, princess-style.
We proceeded at a brisk walk towards the location of the river. I thought Lady Selina would remain silent, just being carried, but perhaps out of relief, she started to talk a little.
“After that, what happened to our country…”
She didn’t know… Harmonia had suffered repeated defeats and was driven out of its royal capital, with Queen Anneliese Flüge taking the throne. I told her everything, without hiding anything: the battles in the Dwarf autonomous territory, the recapture of the royal capital, and the cooperation of the Asht Empire, Rothfar, and Keibeck.
Just a little… a very little, I exaggerated about myself becoming a hero. It can’t be denied that I feel like I made an unproblematic person a hero, but from a mere mercenary to the commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces, and rising to the rank of Count in the Asht Empire, I am on a fast track to promotion.
If I aim a little higher, the position of King of Harmonia or Marquis of the Asht Empire awaits. In Keibeck, a beautiful girl is waiting.
“I see… You’ve come a long way, Hero Shin…”
That’s right! I’ve gotten promoted and become rich. I have so much money that it just keeps piling up because I have no time to spend it. I can even prepare high-quality artificial limbs for you, and if you ask Orietta, she can make something convenient. Perhaps Sophia can even heal them.
…And with that… you’re still crying. The dampness on my neck is Lady Selina’s tears, isn’t it…
I will drive out the monsters from Harmonia. So that no one has to cry anymore, I will use Godspeed. I will end the war soon. “By my grandfather’s name…” By my sword…
When we reached the river, I set Lady Selina down and went to fetch water. I filled my canteen and wet a towel to wipe Lady Selina.
Perhaps her tears had dried up, as she was no longer crying. I carefully wiped the tear tracks from her face.
“Wipe my body too…”
Even if you say so… Currently, I’m wrapped in a curtain like a spring roll, and if I take it off, it’s considered underwear in this world: a shirt and shorts. It’s not a sight a woman should show a man.
Of course, as an admirer of “erotic clothing,” I’m not bothered by that much, but in this world, it’s something you see after becoming intimate. Even mages don’t remove clothes during treatment, though there’s one exception.
I saw it in the city of Anaheim, but that was out of necessity, and when asked again, it feels like seeing something I shouldn’t, and I’m a little embarrassed.
“Is that alright? There are maids back in town…”
“Look at me…”
Look at me? Not “wipe me,” but “look at me”? When asked to look, I suddenly feel embarrassed. Is it really okay for me to look? Please don’t kill me later.
I looked… no, I wiped. I removed the curtain for wiping and wiped only the visible parts. Her limbs looked like they could move, but I felt no muscle movement while wiping.
“…What’s wrong, Lord Shin? Your hands seem to be trembling.”
That’s because I’m wiping the hands and feet of a girl, even if not a complete stranger. It’s natural to be nervous. I’m not a “virgin”… nor am I “naive”… I have a heart of glass. Considering that her tendons were cut and she couldn’t move…
“Please take off my clothes…”
“Lady Selina… that’s, well…”
“It’s fine. …Can I live as a woman…?”
It’s okay! You’re cute just as you are! My preference is for a voluptuous figure!—murmured Snake’s internal monologue.
Please be quiet, you’re a bit noisy. This is bad. It’s easy to imagine what’s under those clothes. To have her tendons cut and be rendered immobile, and then to be told to show a body that has endured desires to the fullest…
I moved behind Lady Selina and removed one arm at a time, which she couldn’t lift from her shoulders. The welts from the whip on her back were painfully raised, and touching them felt like a transgression.
“Lady Selina…”
“That’s on my back… look at the front…”
I don’t want to look. But I can’t back down. Lady Selina is revealing this with resolve. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t witness that resolve! As I held her back and looked, her body surpassed my battlefield experience by far.
“It’s a branding iron… one of the demons was corrupted… that’s how it is…”
I was rendered speechless, and anger surged. I will bring death’s punishment to those who stole my sunflower smile from me.
“Lady Selina…”
What should I say? I can’t find the words. Snake is unreliable, and my vocabulary is poor…
“Lady Selina… Lady Selina, you will definitely be happy! There’s no doubt about it! It would be a mistake for someone who has tried so hard up to this point not to be happy! If there’s a man who doesn’t understand that, I’ll make you happy! That’s an absolute!”
I should have studied Japanese more. I should have read famous sayings or romance manga.
“…Thank you.”
The whisper-like words stirred my desire to buy a Japanese dictionary.
