While descending the mountain carrying the injured and luggage, I reflected on whether she had truly meant to become a comrade. It was an event so hard to believe.
“…Yuna, do you really think her words were sincere?”
Even I, who had tried so hard to recruit her immediately, found it difficult to believe. How should I put this? If she were to join us, I expected more dramatic events and camaraderie, but…
…The incident we just experienced was dramatic enough. It only ended well; if Akashi’s magic had failed or Yuna hadn’t been strong enough to hold onto her, we might have all died.
“…I don’t know much about her words, but the sincerity in her voice was genuine. Perhaps the influence of the expedition team wasn’t insignificant. Though your efforts were undoubtedly part of it too.”
Though seemingly uncomfortable carrying two survivors, Yuna adjusted her posture while standing still and answered my question.
At first, when Alterra’s words were translated and delivered, she was surprised, but soon calmed down. When I asked why, it turned out she had already made up her mind.
She truly believed Alterra would come.
“So, Myungho, if she does come down, shouldn’t we warn the village? Even if she has no hostile intentions, the villagers might panic upon suddenly encountering her.”
Ah, right. In the shock, I had completely forgotten. Regardless of the truth, if she really comes, the village will undoubtedly fall into panic.
Especially since the expedition team visited last night and didn’t return, and if only the dragon appeared alone in the village the next morning, chaos seemed inevitable.
“…Is that right? But… will they believe me…”
How many people would believe that within a week we managed to recruit as a companion someone who had devastated the village?
If I had heard this as a rumor, I would have dismissed it as nonsense. It was such an absurd event that I doubted whether anyone would believe it.
Though I had sincerely believed she would become our companion during the persuasion process, now hearing those words from myself, I doubted if it wasn’t all a dream.
Humans are indeed fickle creatures.
“Regardless of whether they’ll believe it or not, wasn’t this your doing? You don’t even have a title, so why hesitate? As soon as we descend, go meet the captain of the guard immediately. If you’re uneasy, I’ll help you.”
That’s what we should do. At least one of the two might listen to me. If neither believes me… well, I warned them, so it’s not my fault.
“…Hmm. So, how did it go? Please explain it to me as simply as possible. Right now, my brain feels like it’s been deep-fried in oil. Who am I again… Day… no. Akashi. And… that gorilla is Yuna. That thing is…”
To the newly awakened Akashi, whose mind was still unclear, I conveyed the result in a single word: Success. But dissatisfied with that short word, he questioned further.
“Are you kidding? Are you going to beat me up? Also, why does it sound like you’re uncertain?”
Well, I’m not sure if she’ll really come either. No, I’m assuming she will now, but there’s still doubt about whether she’ll actually arrive.
“…She’ll come. Probably. Besides, why is this patient talking so much? You seem almost fully recovered already, so can’t you walk on your own feet now?”
It annoyed me that he was clinging to my back.
I knew better than anyone that Akashi had enough self-control not to act like this, but there’s such a thing as physiological rejection.
Akashi stood on his two feet despite my sarcasm and walked steadily despite swaying a bit.
“F*, aren’t you being too harsh on someone who was a patient?”
Naturally taking one person from Yuna and ignoring Akashi’s complaints,
“Hmph. She will definitely come. Someone who inherited so strongly from a dragon can’t lie. Though, I don’t know about half-dragons… Since they aren’t even proper life forms to begin with.”
Whether or not they can’t lie, I’m not sure, but she didn’t seem like someone who would lie. Moreover, I couldn’t see any reason for her to lie from the start.
Thinking that way, the reality of her coming finally hit me.
When we arrived at the village, it was already midnight. After sending the group and patients to the guild first for healing and dismissing Yuna’s offer to help, I headed toward the guard barracks.
There, I immediately informed the captain that Alterra would come down.
“Thank you for your hard work, Captain. I’ve rushed here to inform you of an urgent matter. Tomorrow morning, the half-dragon living in the mountains will come down to the village.”
However, the captain dismissed my words as unworthy of listening.
“There won’t be such a thing, foreign hero. I’ve served in this village for ten years. I was there when that monster devastated the village five years ago. And I can assure you that that was the only time the monster directly attacked the village.
Moreover, that monster came by a week ago. Since the first attack, it only appeared every two months. There’s no way it would break its cycle now, especially after several expeditions failed to disturb it.”
…Hmm. I never said it was coming to attack, yet the captain assumed it was an attack.
“There seems to be some misunderstanding. She’s not coming to attack the village. She’s coming to join our party as a companion.”
Upon hearing that, the captain widened his eyes and burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha! Hero, you must have taken too much wahanshin! It may look human on the outside, but inside, it’s just a beast! How can you form any kind of relationship with something that doesn’t understand language and call it a companion? You’d better get some rest, Hero. Clearly, you’ve endured quite a lot of hardships!”
Instead of believing me, the captain started treating me like a hero who had taken too much of a drug called wahanshin.
Among adventurers, there are those who use drugs to heal mental wounds sustained during their adventures, and it’s not much different for heroes.
Apparently, he thought I belonged to that category.
“Well, is that so? Then I’ll take my leave. But I did warn you.”
Leaving behind the barrack filled with laughter, I headed to the guild to inform the group waiting there about the result.
“Don’t talk nonsense and cut down on the drugs.”
“You should have let me come! Myungho, didn’t I tell you that you couldn’t handle it alone?”
“Even if you were there, it wouldn’t have made much difference. They’re the type who only trust their own experiences. I saw plenty of guys like that through my original body… Anyway, it’s you.”
Yuna was furious, and Akashi calmly said he had expected as much. Given that even the captain of the guards responsible for the village’s security acted this way, there was no need to inform the receptionist.
Besides, she would naturally jump into action if she sensed any commotion.
Using that commotion as an alarm, I planned to wake up. Thus, I lay down on the bed with my equipment on, though I took off my shoes.
I don’t know how many hours I slept, but instead of the rooster’s crow, I heard people screaming. Thinking it might be a dream, I covered my ears and tried to stay in bed a little longer, but Akashi woke me up with a slap to the head.
“If you have eyes, look out the window. Why does this guy always lose consciousness after sleeping? Hey, Yuna! Wake him up!”
If Yuna joined in, I’d have a very ‘refreshing’ start to the day, so I hurriedly got up.
Just being shocked mentally is enough. Rushing downstairs, I found the receptionist pacing around in panic.
She was requesting help, though not in the usual mission format but rather in the form of a desperate plea.
“…Ah, Hero! You’re awake! Um, I’m not entirely sure, but… I just heard that something massive came to the village! Can, can you help?! We don’t know what that thing might do if it’s been provoked by the expedition team!”
Responding that I was planning to go out anyway, I stepped outside. Already, numerous adventurers were gathered in great tension.
From afar, cries of someone flying away and terrified citizens shouting could be heard, and soon the culprit of the commotion came into view.
Looking at this chaos, it seems the captain didn’t believe me. Though I was also startled, I had no intention of criticizing him.
Stopping in front of the wall of adventurers, Alterra dropped her sack and loudly proclaimed,
“As promised, I’ve come. Myungho, accept me as a companion.”
“What did she just say?”
“She says she wants to be accepted as a companion.”
“Then what are you doing, Myungho? Isn’t this someone you recruited?”
The receptionist, who had appeared somehow, was watching anxiously from a distance, and it seemed all the city guards had arrived as she was quickly surrounded by people.
Will they listen if I say something…?
“…Everyone! Put down your weapons for a moment and listen to me!”
Though skeptical, I had to try before things escalated into bloodshed. Cutting through the crowd, I shouted as loud as I could.
Fortunately, the people seemed interested enough to focus on me, though I never really expected them to drop their weapons.
“I am Jin Myungho, the Hero of Koluscia. Some of you may have noticed, but despite speaking an unfamiliar language, everyone understands me, thanks to the Blessing of Language I received.”
When the supposed hero suddenly started saying random things, the crowd fell silent and stared blankly.
“So what? What does that have to do with that monster!”
Someone in the crowd broke the silence with a voice full of hostility, but it was actually a perfect question.
“Good question. My blessing allows me to understand and be understood by any sentient being. Using this blessing, I conversed with the girl you call a monster, Alterra. As a result, she has agreed to become a member of my party. That’s why she’s here in the village today.”
Despite feeling somewhat absurd myself, I delivered the facts calmly and confidently.
Words carry more power than one might think, but the strength of those words depends on how much the speaker believes in them.
One of the lessons I learned before coming to this world.
Upon revealing the truth, the audience fell into confusion and murmured loudly. A few, though few in number, dropped their weapons and seemed to believe me.
However, most still held their weapons pointed at Alterra, finding it hard to believe my words.
“…Alright. Let me show you. Alterra, can you raise your hands above your head for these people?”
Anyway, she could probably kill most of these people without using her hands. So I politely requested her to raise her hands briefly.
“Why should I do that for them?”
But Alterra questioned me, clearly unable to understand. And it wasn’t unreasonable.
Why should she care about people who consider her a monster?
“To become a companion, it’s important to give them the impression that you’re not dangerous. Please, I’m asking you.”
Becoming companions isn’t as simple as saying “you, become a companion.” For brief travel together, such a statement might suffice, but formally accepting someone as a companion is different.
Considering Alterra’s uniqueness, even if we manage to get through this situation, similar commotions will likely occur elsewhere.
Thus, we needed to label her as safe. And the place to apply that label wasn’t far off.
“…Alright.”
Fortunately, Alterra complied and raised her hands above her head. The murmurs grew louder, but I seized the opportunity to reinforce my point.
“You’ve seen it. She understood my words. And she clearly told me she would become a companion. Once again, I ask you all. Please lower your weapons. She didn’t come here to fight or harbor hatred towards humans.”
Only then did the people reluctantly lower their weapons. Seriously, people don’t listen.
Alterra picked up her sack again and headed straight for the receptionist. Naturally, the crowd parted, creating a path for her.
The receptionist, initially staring dumbfounded at the scene, quickly regained her senses as we approached.
“Really… Really, Hero, you’ve made her your companion?”
“Yes, somehow it happened.”
Whether it was good timing or bad, the arrival of the expedition team seemed to be a decisive factor in her decision.
“Settlement.”
Indifferent to everything else, Alterra handed over her sack to the receptionist, asking for money in exchange. The receptionist then went inside the guild and returned shortly with gold coins.
Rushing to deliver them, she dropped a few coins, which she hastily picked up, showing signs of disarray unusual for her.
“Here, here…!”
Alterra counted the gold coins she received and promptly stuffed them into a small pouch.
With that amount, she could live extravagantly for at least five months. Just glancing at the pouch, golden light shimmered inside.
“…Alterra, wouldn’t you consider registering officially with the Adventurers’ Guild? Just to give people the impression of safety.”
“R. Register with the guild?! Register a half-dragon…? Me…?”
“Stop being troublesome. Tell her you’ll do it.”
Seemingly becoming a natural interpreter,
Saddened by the reflection, I conveyed Alterra’s intent to the receptionist.
“…We’ll prepare it.”
The receptionist’s face paled.
