Jack of all Trades – 296
Death of the Queen’s Knight Goblin
Kill. Kill him. I thought as I tried to rise, but my knees barely lifted off the ground before I fell down again.
“Ugh…agghhaa…!”
Red combined with the blue blood on the soiled ground. I had pushed myself too far. Something was wrong within my body. But this guy had promised to kill Daniela. And so I had to kill him no matter what.
But, I couldn’t even swing my sword now.
“Ha…hahaha… You better hurry if you want to kill me… I went through so much hardship to acquire the ability to block off any pain and to regenerate… The longer you wait, the more I will recover…”
“How…but you’re just a goblin…”
I used my sword as a cane and tried to pull myself up. But my knee was glued to the ground.
“…Surely, you’ve noticed already?”
“…”
My hands shook.
“I…used to be human.”
Yes, there were a lot of strange things about him. Too many. While he was an abnormally evolved being, shutting out all pain was insane. He stayed on his feet even though I had cut him so many times. I hadn’t been able to tell while we were fighting, because all of the blood, but his wounds had started to close.
And he had said something about a ‘human body.’ The distinction here was clearly very important to him.
“I realized it about two years ago…that I had become a goblin.”
“Wh-why…”
“How would I know…? But I could not go back. I was a monster… And so I would have to live as one.”
That wasn’t true. Rachel had been reincarnated as a monster but was now able to coexist with humans.
“I happen to know a monster. She lived long and now has the appearance of a human…”
“There…is no guarantee that I can live long…”
“Regardless…”
“And so there is nothing I can do but take other lives…I have nothing to give.”
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what he had experienced and how that had led him to such conclusions. It was all done, anyway. We could do nothing but fight.
“Why do you need to kill?”
“Ah…yes. I can’t stop. I’ve killed so many. Goblins and humans. Sometimes it was to survive, sometimes it was because I was angry. There were many times that I hated myself over it. Haha. I pretend to be mad, but the truth is that I never forgot what it was to be human… And yet, I’m ruled by my instincts as a monster.”
He had a burden that only those who were reborn as monsters could understand. Still…
“Right now, I feel more refreshed than I have in a long while…perhaps it was because I fought so hard. My instincts have been satisfied…”
“…”
“…You. You’re from Japan, aren’t you? I knew it immediately. I have a request…”
“…What?”
I stared.
“Kill me.”
There was something in his earnest eyes that made me look away.”
“This would be a good way for me to die. To be killed by someone from my old home.”
“…!”
Suddenly, I wanted to leave. But I knew I would regret it if I did. He would only give in to his instincts again and lead another stampede. This time they would attack the Imperial Capital. In that future, Daniela could be killed. I would hate myself for not doing the job when I had the chance.
“Don’t even think about it. Just take my head off.”
“…But…”
“If you don’t kill me now, you’ll regret it.”
Of course, I would. And so I had no other choice.
Uhh… Alright then. He said he wanted to be killed by someone from home. And so I was the only one who could lay him to rest. There was nothing else I could do to help him. And Daniela was more important to me than anything. I loved her.
And so I would kill.
“I have one final question.”
“What?”
“What’s your name?”
My body was still shaking, but I used all of my strength to get up on my feet and hold my sword ready.
“The Queen’s Knight Goblin. It’s my title. I have no name.”
“That’s not what I mean…”
“There is no name. …Not anymore.”
“…Very well.”
Legs of the God Wolf enveloped my legs as I firmly planted my feet on the ground.
“I’ll remember you.”
“…Thank you.”
With the last of my strength, I cut down with my sword. It went through his neck easily. I’d like to think that until the end, there was no pain.
□ □ □ □
“…So, you killed him.”
“Hm…ah, Daniela.”
“Rindo was taken safely back to the village. I came back to help…but I suppose I was too late.”
“No…not at all. Thank you.”
“…Are you…crying?”
“Just a little…I’m fine. I really am.”
“I see… We should go back then.”
“Yeah… …Uh, wait a minute.”
“Hmm…?”
“The sword… I’m going to take it with me. As a keepsake.”
“…Very well. We will take it.”
“Thank you…thank you.”
Isekai ni Kita Boku wa Kiyoubinbode Subaya-sa Tayorina Tabi o Suru Jack of all Trades
