To Harmonia. The fourth day of the journey, night.
The most troublesome enemy on this journey… no, my beloved guard duty partner, Alana. A feline demi-human awakened to adult romance, mistaking lovemaking for killing.
I want to show her how she’s mistaken, but I’m blind. Is my only option to face her head-on and kill her? But then I opened my Mind’s Eye.
More precisely, I don’t know if it’s the Mind’s Eye, but I’ve become able to sense existence. I can now vaguely feel the presence of the trees, flowers, and people around me.
I’ve become particularly sensitive to the killing intent emanating from people, which can feel oppressive. Alana, walking beside me, stopped and drew her sword from her Sword Gauntlet. That’s when I felt her killing intent.
“Going to kill today too, huh? I want to skewer the Captain soon.”
How could she have changed so much? Did I teach her something bad? I don’t think so. What we were doing was normal.
“Let’s fight. I’ll be the one skewering you.”
Alana attacked before I could even speak. I raised my Super Vibration Shield to defend. Alana’s blade energy cut through the Super Vibration and struck the shield.
Is she that fast? Or was my Super Vibration weak? I checked for any presence behind me and jumped back. I can see! It’s not seeing, but I can understand. There’s nothing behind me.
Alana immediately moved to attack with a follow-up. I swung my shield down with all my might, amplified by Super Vibration. Alana dodged by rolling to the left. That’s where my sword’s reach is.
I struck with my sword held in reverse, but Alana blocked it with both her gauntlets. Then, twisting her body, she deflected my sword and thrust at my flank with her left hand.
I can see. No, I can sense it. I can feel the presence of Alana’s sword path. Is this the Mind’s Eye?
“Ow! Alana, I can’t see, so show some restraint.”
I can’t see everything. I still have a lot of training to do if I want to survive in actual combat. But I think I’ve grasped some of the Mind’s Eye. I could say the Mind’s Eye is the ability to perceive space.
Where things are. If I know that, then even in a chaotic or mêlée situation, I won’t be hit by an attack from an unseen angle. I can even strike at an enemy standing behind me.
This is a powerful weapon. Priscilla-san’s “Open your Mind’s Eye” seemed like a joke, but the Mind’s Eye is usable.
“Captain, can you really not see? You dodge sometimes, but you get hit too.”
This just means I still need training. With a combination of Godspeed and the Mind’s Eye, I can become even stronger. I’ll have Alana help me. Let’s have some adult romance.
Two hours later, I was the one who was battered. My training is insufficient. Alana-san, you’re covered in injuries, so please, let’s not overdo it.
To Harmonia. The fifth day of the journey, night.
I’ve asked Orietta to make me a sword. I wanted a sword that was as light as a Short Sword but as large as a Buster Sword.
Orietta seems to be conducting Alchemy experiments even in the moving carriage, so she doesn’t seem to be resting much. I should let her enjoy this guard duty a little.
“Ah, that feels good~. Right there~.”
Orietta’s voice echoes from within the soundproof tent. I have Orietta lie down and I’m currently giving her a massage. She’s quite stiff. I need to knead her to make her relax.
She’s the strongest member of the White Lily Corps and also an Alchemist capable of delicate work. I know she’s been working hard behind the scenes. As Captain, I must give her solace and relaxation as a reward.
“Captain, that’s lewd~.”
Oops, my hand slipped. You see, I’m blind, so I don’t really know where to massage.
“Hahaha, that’s lewd too~.”
You see, I’m blind. My hand slips, heading towards the softer parts…
“Captain~, about your sword….”
Oh dear, is the massage time over? I thought the real massage was about to begin.
Orietta sits down in front of me and continues speaking with a slightly somber tone.
“Regarding your sword, Captain, making it as large as a Buster Sword would add too much weight~. If you hold it with both hands, my Super Vibration on your left hand would get in the way, and you’d injure your right arm~.”
I see. My left hand’s Super Vibration is a valuable asset that I don’t want to lose. But if I can’t wield it with both hands, does that mean a large sword that can be held with one hand is also impossible?
Nothing is perfect, is it? Orietta is troubled by it, so it must be difficult. I lift a cup of Ale to my lips.
“That’s why, this is perfect~.”
After Orietta’s words, there was a sharp “Bakin!” sound, as if something large was cut with scissors, and the Ale I was about to drink never reached my lips.
Warm liquid spills onto my face, and my right hand throbs with pain. This isn’t Ale. Why does it hurt so much?
“If you make your right hand a prosthetic, it’ll be fine~.”
Mind’s Eye!
I can see! My forearm lies on the floor of the soundproof tent, and blood is gushing from the wound!
“W-why….”
The pain intensifies. I hold my right hand and gasp, “If you make my right hand a prosthetic, and have Super Vibration, the problem will be solved~.”
Mind’s Eye! Wide Area Mode!
There! I didn’t listen to the end of Orietta’s explanation, but I don’t have time for that. Using my Mind’s Eye, I scan outside the soundproof tent. For someone who can help me now.
I pick up my severed right hand and exit the soundproof tent. Directly in front of me, to the far right of the tents. I slip inside without knocking.
“Kyaa!”
*Bust, bust, bust!*
“Captain, I was in the middle of changing.”
It’s my fault for barging in, but you didn’t have to shoot me with three lasers.
“S-Sophia-san, I apologize for being abrupt, but please fix this hand.”
I searched for Sophia-san using Wide Area Mind’s Eye. I’m sure she can reattach my severed hand. I beg her, spitting blood.
Fortunately, Sophia quickly regains her composure and reattaches my hand, also sealing the holes left by the lasers.
During the treatment, Rufina was licking my blood, but I’ll ignore that for now. I need to have a long talk with Orietta about how hurting people is wrong.
How can I explain that us mercenaries, who hurt and kill people for a living, would listen?
I need to have a serious conversation for the first time in a while. Orietta should understand. If all else fails, I’ll use the Buster Sword.
Which did I use? Did I use both? That’s a secret between Orietta and me.
To Harmonia. The sixth day of the journey, night.
“I won’t hold back.”
“As you wish. But you’ll keep your promise from earlier, right?”
“Understood. If I win, ten liters of blood!”
“No! It’s about the order….”
“■■■■, Serpent Vines.”
Vines released by Rufina attack, surrounding me from all four directions. Without panic, I unleashed my Super Vibration to its fullest and sliced through all the vines with my Short Sword.
“To think you’d do that without seeing. You’re quite capable.”
Today is also practice for my Mind’s Eye. I brought Rufina out because I can afford to go all out. I can’t possibly cut Priscilla-san or Alana. It would be terrible if their beautiful skin got a scratch.
It’s fine to cut Rufina. Not that I’m cutting Rufina herself, but her vines and swords are fine to cut.
My Mind’s Eye is getting sharper, and this is a good chance to go all out. If I offer “blood” as bait, I can easily lure Rufina into helping me. If I lose, I’ll have to pay up, but I have no intention of losing. I’ll show you the Captain’s hidden strength.
“Bring on the next one. You can go all out.”
“You’re underestimating me… ■■■■, Serpent Vines.”
This time, eight Serpent Vines attack from all directions. Twice as many as before, but I can see them, sense them, and now I can cut them. Rufina’s vines, approaching me, were powerless against my Mind’s Eye and Godspeed.
“You insolent… damn you! To so easily cut down my vines!”
Is she deficient in calcium to get this angry?
“■■■■, Rotten Greatsword.”
Whoa, that’s too soon. It rots rapidly upon contact. That’s why we discussed assessing the situation with vines first.
“Don’t get carried away!”
Using Godspeed as my weapon, I fully activate my Mind’s Eye. I don’t know how far I can go, but it’s not good to encourage Rufina. I’ll end this now. I’ll finish this, then do “it”. I’m not giving you blood.
“Uoooaah!”
There are too many. I can’t keep up. If I could see, it wouldn’t be a challenge for Godspeed, but with the Mind’s Eye, I can see and I can’t see. Just when I thought it had disappeared, the Rotten Greatsword appeared right in front of me. I was truly surprised.
Godspeed must have been in Mode Two. The attack was that relentless. I’m an ally, the Captain, but the attack was relentless.
“Damn you! Damn you! Damn you! Rossaaa!”
Don’t get so angry. Hey, you shouldn’t summon Rossa. Let me tell you, I’m blind. It’s only been yesterday that my right hand was cut off, and the skin hasn’t even adapted yet.
“It’s been a while, Mikael-sama. How have you been?”
“It has been a while, Rossa. I’m blind now, and my right hand was just cut off, but I’m quite well. How about you, Rossa?”
“I’m doing well…”
“Silence! Rossa, finish him quickly and give me ten liters of bodily fluid.”
When did this become about bodily fluid? It’s supposed to be blood, isn’t it? Ten liters of bodily fluid… I’ll never be able to collect that in my lifetime.
“■■■■, Thousand Swords.”
“■■■■, Thousand Swords.”
Rufina and Rossa aim at me in a crossfire formation to avoid friendly fire. The Rotten Greatsword was already a lot, but now Thousand Swords too?! Within the range of my Mind’s Eye, all I see are swords.
“This time, you die!”
At the signal of “Let’s get carried away!” two thousand swords attack me.
“Uoooaah!”
Giving up on my Super Vibration Shield, I draw the Orietta Knife from my waist. A dual-wielding technique I haven’t used in a while. I’ll show you the power of Godspeed cheat.
…Well, I was promptly defeated nonetheless. There’s no way I can handle two thousand swords, right? Especially since I can’t see…
“You’re like a Sokubun.”
“…Sokubun… what… is… that…?”
“It’s an animal like the Captain now, with needles sticking out. Don’t you know, Captain? How unlearned.”
Perhaps he means a hedgehog. That’s a great analogy. Right now, I’m like a Sokubun stuck with swords.
“Don’t worry. Both Rossa and I can use some minor healing magic, but we won’t let you move. After all, there are ten liters of bodily fluid at stake.”
Who said anything about bodily fluid?! It’s supposed to be blood! Damn it, the sword stuck in my throat is making it hard to speak. Is that one of my fingers lying there?
“Rossa, heal me. In the meantime, I’ll collect the bodily fluid…”
How it was taken is a secret.
