As a Hero, there were certain unwritten rules. If I found a treasure chest in a dungeon, I opened it. I freely rummaged through the closets of other people’s homes, but only if they were women. If I had a bad feeling, I ran away immediately. My Godspeed wasn’t for fighting. It was all for women…
Near the North Gate of Anaheim Offen, there was a rather large mansion. An ominous aura emanating from it tickled my sixth sense, whispering, “Oh, the boss is selling it cheap!”
If I went in there, it would be the end. Some unknown entity would sit beside me, force me to drink something mysterious, and by the time I came to, my wallet would be empty, and I’d be sleeping with the garbage. I wanted none of that, yet my feet, running at Godspeed towards the North Gate, inexplicably led me to that mansion.
I had to brace myself. There must be something worth finding. Even if there wasn’t, no one would see, so there’d be no shame in checking the homeowner’s underwear.
I gently opened the door, and a smell, unique to wild animals, wafted out. This was definitely the smell of monsters. I knew there was a monster inside. Alright, time to go home.
Knowing this much was enough. It was probably a room that a monster had rented out. If anyone was still inside, it would be troublesome. I entered the room and used my Wide-Range Mind’s Eye to thoroughly scan the mansion.
Heads or tails. Heads meant no monsters. Tails meant a woman, captured and in tattered clothing. She was likely the monster’s “food” or “plaything.”
This time, I really meant it: “Alright, time to go home.” I had to run all the way back to Schreiaschwald, having run past the North Gate and continued north, then turned south at the opportune moment, all under my own power using Godspeed.
Shin-chan wasn’t good at long-distance running. Short distances were fine with Godspeed, but I had to outrun Thunder Dragons, and carrying a girl was impossible. Up to the point of carrying her was okay.
I wanted to go home, but was there nothing I could leave behind? I didn’t want regrets, but this wasn’t a “see and change” situation like a phone sex service.
With my Wide-Range Mind’s Eye, I couldn’t see her face as she had collapsed. If only I could have seen her face, it would have been one piece of information. Of course, just “one” piece, but I should be able to decide whether that one piece was “big” or “small.”
I decided to check her condition. She didn’t seem dead, but her inability to move was problematic. If she couldn’t walk on her own after evading the Thunder Dragons, I couldn’t escape with her. If it came down to it, the capacity for that previously “big” piece of information would increase even further.
I stopped in front of a room and opened the door. The room, used as a storage space, had a window in front, and in the middle of the piled-up luggage, a grimy woman lay sprawled.
Just being dirty was a demerit. And the smell. More than the monster’s stench, her body odor was so strong I wanted to close the door. Did I really need to see her face?
“Hey, are you okay?”
I cautiously approached, paying attention to my surroundings. Even if there were no immediate threats, I couldn’t rule out the possibility that she might suddenly attack. I didn’t dislike being attacked by women, but I could do without this body odor.
When I shook her shoulder and turned her onto her back, her hair loosened, revealing her face. My first impression was, “Well, bye-bye.”
My second impression was that she might shine if polished, but she was emaciated, probably from not getting enough food. To solidify my second impression, I took out a water bottle from my magic pouch, wet a towel, and wiped her face.
“Hey, can you wake up?”
There was no verbal response after her face was wiped, but she seemed to have woken up. Her eyes, barely open, lacked strength and seemed about to close, but I didn’t miss the clear sparkle deep within them.
Brain fantasy, go!
…Selina Hasse!? No way!? In my fantasy, I gave her a fitting body, washed her hair, and we scrubbed each other clean, but then I remembered. The one who died defending Anaheim.
“Lady Selina Hasse!?”
Her memorable sunflower-like smile was nowhere to be found; only a gaunt body, a failed diet, remained. This was why I had recommended exercise for her diet! Eat and move, a healthy diet, you know.
“I… I am… Selina…”
So it was Captain Selina! Was she alive and a captive!? Whatever the case, if she’s alive, there will be a day she can laugh again! I just said, “I’ll save you, wait here,” and began searching the house.
I couldn’t just take Lady Selina home like this. She was a woman, after all. I couldn’t tolerate this body odor, and I needed to do something about her clothes and hair.
I found a comb and some worn-out soap, but no clothes. I might find them by searching other houses, but with Thunder Dragons flying overhead, I couldn’t afford to take any risks. I opened the outer door and used my Wide-Range Mind’s Eye towards the sky.
Using my Wide-Range Mind’s Eye at full power bombarded my brain with an overwhelming amount of information. Found them!? Women’s underwear in the closet of about twenty houses next door. And, of course, Thunder Dragons were circling overhead… Twenty of them!?
They must have called for backup somehow. Did they post on social media? They must have a lot of free time. It’s nice that they’ll go through this much trouble for me!
I wondered if Yuma Bashar had managed to escape. If he knew his sister was alive, he would definitely return to Anaheim. I had no way to inform Yuma, and all I could do was take Lady Selina to a safe place.
If possible, I wanted to escape immediately, but there was a thunderstorm warning for the afternoon, so I decided to wait until it got a little darker. I wasn’t confident I could carry Lady Selina and escape. I grabbed the curtain hanging by the window and hurried to Lady Selina.
Lady Selina was in the same position as when I’d left her, seemingly asleep on her back. As I approached, I saw a single tear tracing a path down her cheek… Could this be a happy tear, signifying her rescue?
“Lady Selina, I’m relieved you are safe. I am one of those who defended Anaheim Offen when the Demon Army attacked. …I am Mikael Sin, Captain of the White Lily Corps, a mercenary who was ordered to take the survivors of Anaheim to Schreiaschwald. Do you remember me?”
“…Ah, …I remember…”
This is strange… The scenario called for a scene where she’d exclaim, “Kyaah! Thank you for saving me!” and we’d embrace, yet she was lying there, staring at the ceiling. Was she admiring the water stain on the ceiling? It vaguely resembled a whale.
“I’m sorry… My hand and leg tendons were cut… I can’t move…”
So that’s why she didn’t try to escape even when shoved into a room with a window. They must have healed her severed tendons, but it wouldn’t allow her to move them unless they were amputated and replaced with prosthetics.
What a foolish thing to ask. It’s impossible for her to be “safe.” I know what happens to women captured by monsters. They become food or are violated…
Continuing this way won’t lead to a happy story… Let’s change the subject! In psychology, they say it’s good to lead with “yes” questions, right?
It’s sunny today. …She can’t see the weather outside.
Talking about food. …She wouldn’t be so gaunt if she ate.
Matters of fashion. …She just said her limbs wouldn’t move!
…It’s no use. Before even considering “women’s psychology,” I don’t know what to say to someone who has been through such a terrible ordeal!
As for her limbs, they can just be replaced with prosthetics. My own left hand is a special prosthetic. And if she’s thin, she can just eat later. A voluptuous body is more appealing to men.
“Lady Selina. Thunder Dragons are flying overhead, and escaping in daylight is dangerous. I’ve taken care of the Goblins, but the rest might return here. It’s dangerous, but if they do, I’ll quietly deal with them. Until then…”
“Leave it to me…”
I accept the mission! Saving a beautiful woman is a Hero’s duty! And ending up with that beautiful woman afterward is also a Hero’s duty.
Afterward, I shared some of the food from my magic pouch. I wiped her dirty body and draped the curtain I brought. …Only the visible parts of her dirty body! I wiped as far as I could without it being sexual harassment and then hung the curtain.
Neither the Goblins nor the Orcs returned, and we spent a quiet time together. Lady Selina didn’t speak a word, only shedding tears.
I only wished that those tears would dry up.
