My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 70

“Ugh. I’m feeling dizzy.”

It’s way more nauseating than Maria’s teleportation.

Thanks to Rexton’s consideration, we hired a Movement Magician and quickly crossed into the Border Region, but my stomach was churning.

“It’s weird to see you vomiting without any expression.”

“…Shut up, Ariel.”

I bent down, gripping a tree, ready to bury my face in the ground.

After settling my stomach, I lifted my head.

“Ha…”

I took a deep breath to collect myself.

“Is your weakness motion sickness, Teacher?”

“I have no idea. Maria’s teleportation was fine, but I just can’t handle others for some reason.”

“Hmm~ Does that mean my mana wave is in sync with yours, Teacher?”

“I’m not sure about that…”

I thought teleportation had nothing to do with mana waves.

For whatever reason, it just didn’t sit well with me; I should use Maria’s teleportation to return.

“By the way, where are we now?”

“This is a Temporary Base that manages the Border Region. Well, it’s been here for decades, so calling it temporary is a bit awkward. There’s a small village behind us with the Adventurer Guild, supplies, and shops. You can buy goods or collect scheduled supplies from there.”

Listening to the Movement Magician’s explanation made me think of the NPCs in games that give detailed feedback when heroes first arrive on the battlefield.

“Then, best of luck. Apart from exceptional circumstances like today, the teleportation will run from noon for thirty minutes, so please keep that in mind.”

The Movement Magician turned toward the Adventurer Guild, still visible from here.

“How long until we reach the Border Region from here?”

I asked Ella.

“From my standpoint, if I move at full speed, it should take about thirty minutes. By then, we’ll definitely see the City Wall.”

Her idea of full speed meant we were still quite a distance away.

Well, it makes sense that you’d need some space to set up a Temporary Base.

“Then… we’ll have to fight, so I think it’s better to moderate my speed.”

[Praus, are you thinking of possessing me from now on?]

“No, not yet.”

As long as I wasn’t going full speed, I could manage with High-Speed Movement easily.

I had also built up my stamina significantly over two years, so there weren’t any issues.

I glanced at the two swords at my waist and the Purification Stone hanging around my neck, along with Frost’s hobbies.

I had also made a Purification Stone necklace for the heroes.

No matter how you look at it, I was fully prepared.

Tina’s waist was equipped with the ‘Wind Sword Aura’ I had given her.

In order to borrow Pasma’s strength while fighting strong foes, I had briefly swapped weapons.

The Spirit King’s Sword was one of my ultimate weapons, but honestly, it wasn’t particularly suitable for Tina or Iris.

Although it took the form of a sword, it was actually a weapon that helped magicians maximize their magic while using minimal mana.

Of course, as a Sword Hero, having just the ‘form’ of a sword was enough for Tina to unleash absolute power.

“I’ll give you a heads-up. The Magic Beasts have a purplish sheen. Those with mana should have some resistance, so it’s fine if you brush against the Magic Beasts floating in the air. But being hit by one and having it injected into your body is a different story. Be sure to be careful not to get attacked.”

I had given each of them a Purification Stone and potions just in case of an attack, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

You never know when an unexpected variable could put you in danger.

“Yes!”

“Okay, then… let’s go. ‘High-Speed Movement.'”

I stomped the ground. With the power of the artifact, I dashed forward, and in an instant, the children caught up and started running alongside me.

Ella joined us just a beat later.

We still had a long way to go.

Next time, I should at least ask for a carriage if we come this way again.

*

“Let’s take a quick break.”

I ran for about thirty minutes straight.

Honestly, I felt like I couldn’t keep going.

But I could sense the distance closing between us.

I could see the City Wall built in the Border Region to prevent the demon tribe from crossing, and at the same time, a tingling sensation crept over my usually insensitive skin. Goosebumps sprang up, and my flesh felt cold.

The sky visible through the trees was a dark hue, creating an eerie backdrop.

“I was curious about what the Demon World looked like… It’s kind of… off-putting.”

Tina, perched high on a tree, spoke.

That was when I heard the sound of mana projectiles being fired in the distance.

Boom—.

“Lord Praus, it’s your first time on a battlefield, right?”

Ella approached me stealthily.

“That’s right.”

“But why did you refuse when Duke Rexton offered to provide adventurers?”

“…If there are clumsy strong people while hunting the Black Dragon, they’ll just get in the way.”

Not only could I not respond to every single emergency they would face, but I also didn’t want to witness anyone die in front of me.

Moreover, having others around would hinder the heroes from leveling up by dividing the demon beasts they needed to hunt.

“Confidence is good, but the Black Dragon isn’t a trivial demon tribe.”

“I suppose.”

I’d never underestimated it. It was a boss-level monster, usually encountered by heroes around the age of fifteen.

Just thinking about how many save-loads I had to do because of its breath attack made me feel guilty toward the heroes.

“Are you not feeling nervous?”

“No need to be nervous.”

After all, it wasn’t ‘me’ who would be fighting.

“Still, maintaining a bit of tension will help in a fight more than being too lax.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

I nodded along as I responded and was about to end the conversation before noticing her staring at me. Ella tilted her head curiously.

“…Are you okay now?”

“Oh, my body? After resting for about two years, it’s more itchy than anything. Thanks to you selling the Purification Stone, Lord Praus.”

I could sense the genuine gratitude in her tone. But that wasn’t what I was asking about.

“I meant your mental state.”

“Mental state?”

“I know you have trauma. If I need your help when taking down the Black Dragon, can you fight alongside me?”

While I didn’t expect to want her help in defeating the Black Dragon, I asked just in case.

If her trauma were to trigger panic, I thought it best to keep her at a distance.

“Hoo~ Since when did you start caring so much about me? Hehe, has Lord Praus finally realized my charm?”

“If you’re going to say useless stuff, start moving.”

“Whoa! Wait a minute!”

As I started to pull away from the tree, she grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

Come on, it feels like my arm might come off.

“I have to hear your answer until the end. They say you won’t know the language until you fully grasp it.”

That sounded oddly familiar.

“So, which is it?”

“Um… Honestly, I am a bit scared.”

She took a spot next to me and leaned back against the tree, kicking dirt off her shoes, forcing a smile.

“But I must overcome it. I’m the Duke’s daughter of the Todiah Family. If I show weak behavior, how anxious will the people of the Empire be?”

“So, can you fight?”

“If you dismiss me just like that, what does my statement mean? Please try to understand a woman’s heart too.”

Ella openly expressed her disappointment.

I stared at her in silence. Catching my look, she hesitantly replied.

“Yes, yes~ I can fight~”

“…Really? Then that’s fine. But don’t overdo it. Trauma isn’t something light.”

I gave her shoulder a light pat. It was the maximum amount of comfort I could provide with my expression management.

“You know, Lord Praus, you act so rude at times, yet you’re surprisingly good at lifting people’s spirits.”

“I’ve never done anything of the sort.”

“You just did not long ago. Why do you always do something unlikable and then seem to care about others?”

“I’ve never done anything unlikable.”

“Do you really mean that?”

Honestly, I had no words.

“You know, you’re designed to suffer losses, Lord Praus. If you had just spoken a bit more nicely in front of Duke Rexton, you could have steered things in a much better direction concerning the Black Dragon.”

“He was something I had to kill anyway.”

“Excuse me?”

If I didn’t take care of it before the Demon War broke out, it would become a real bother.

It was better to deal with it now, especially while the Demon Army was still in disarray.

“This is my way of doing things. If you feel hurt, say so. I never intended to get engaged anyway.”

At my words, she fell silent. Ella, who had been staring blankly at the ground, suddenly raised her head to face me.

“I—I like strong people.”

That random declaration caught me off guard.

Tina, who had been sitting on the tree, along with Iris and Maria, who had been talking to Ariel, all turned their attention toward us.

“I’ve heard that several times.”

“I grew up in the Todiah Family, always taught that I need to be the one who supports others. I was told to be devoted to the royal family above all, leading to protect and save the weak.”

That made sense.

The Todiah Family was a martial family known for having special power since birth. It wasn’t strange for such teachings to be passed down.

The difference between having and not having the Todiah Family greatly affects the Empire’s national power.

In reality, even her siblings all wielded powers that could rival S-Class heroes.

“But… every time I heard that, I wondered. What if there’s no one to rely on when I’m in trouble—when I’m wanting to die?”

“……”

“And after enduring painful days because of a magic beast a few years ago, I realized I needed someone to trust and rely on.”

“…And that was me?”

She shook her head gravely.

“If you hadn’t sold the Purification Stone, I would have probably died by now.”

“My selling of the Purification Stone was sheer coincidence.”

“You know it can’t be considered just coincidence.”

She smiled bitterly.

“I have a question for you, Lord Praus. Why did you guide me toward buying the Purification Stone? Why did you want to save me? Who am I to you? What are you thinking?”

I had no idea what kind of misconceptions she had.

The reason I saved Ella Todiah was simply to protect the Empire more easily during the Demon War.

She was merely a pawn to smoothen out the progression of the episode.

I had no emotions toward her and had no intention of having any in the future.

“You said it yourself—you want to be a person others can rely on. Just being alive makes a huge difference, so I saved you.”

“Is that all there is to it?”

“……Yes.”

“Then is it okay for me to rely on you when I’m in trouble?”

“…Well, that depends on the situation… I’ll have to judge it.”

I couldn’t just tell her she was strong enough to figure things out herself.

That’s not something you say to someone genuinely confiding in you.

Now that I had committed all sorts of atrocities, what meaning would it have to show some consideration?

“I’m not denying it. Well, for now, that’s good enough.”

She slowly removed herself from the tree, speaking.

“Let’s get moving again. We’re just in front of the Demon World now.”

She took the lead, stepping forward. I adjusted my clothing and looked at the heroes.

They all wore subtle, uneasy expressions.