“You should be happy, Salia. Your pawn has escaped imprisonment.”
She clenched her fists while looking at the scene beyond the water.
“Run away! Can you not hear me!?”
“It’s no use. He will die. Just look at the pathetic creature.”
Her brother pointed at Sheto, whose tail now drooped between his legs.
He was shaking in front of the overwhelming power in front of him.
“You do such cruel things, my sister.”
He chuckled and then sat down on a large rock.
“I don’t know where you found it, but why would you ever think one tiny, weak monster could do something?”
Zephalis said, and the others laughed. He looked pleased by this, and then called out to his Hero through the water.
“Hey, Hero. There is one more behind you.”
‘Huh? Ah, there really is one left.’
“Sto…stop!”
“Stop? You were going to make that monster fight other Heroes eventually, were you not? It just happened a little earlier.”
“No-no! Sheto, run away!”
The monster did not move. The Hero tilted his head in puzzlement.
‘Huh? I think I saw this kobold before?’
“That is my sister’s pawn. Well, you will get a little extra experience for killing it. A little bonus, you could say.”
‘Huh. But should I really do it? I mean, it’s your sister’s?’
“Indeed… Wait a moment.”
Salia turned around, stunned. Zephalis chuckled. Her horror must have satisfied him greatly.
“Oh, my sister. I have a suggestion. If you apologize to me and the gods, and swear to never participate in the games or protest them again. I might just consider sparing that thing’s life.”
“Ah…brother…”
“You said it earlier. That you would risk your own life to save him? Well, here is your chance to do just that.”
“Thi-this is nothing but a simple threat!”
Salia shouted, but her brother threw his head back and laughed.
“So what? This is the result of your disgraceful behavior. I could have had my Hero kill him without a word. I am being incredibly merciful here.”
“…Sheto!”
She shouted to the small back beyond the water mirror.
“Run! Please run away!”
The kobold was frozen in place.
“Even now, you still do not want to admit your defeat? You are only going to increase that monster’s suffering.”
“Uu…”
“Now, watch. The difference between my Hero and your pathetic creature.”
He pointed.
Against the flames, a blessed Hero walked in shining blue armor.
Facing him, a small, battered monster in a collar and chains.
“It is plain to see. A Hero is a victor. In everything. Your kobold is a loser. A stone by the roadside, destined to become the foundation of military glory.”
She wanted so badly to argue with him.
But the scene in front of them said everything.
‘Right? Did something happen? Should I stop?’
The ignorant Hero said in a carefree voice.
The brother god sighed and nodded.
“Very well… Just kill it.”
“Brother!”
“I’m bored of your foolish actions. It ends here.”
The Hero then asked,
‘Do you have a request?’
“Cut it in half. So there is no doubt.”
‘Understood.’
Salia closed her eyes and tried to wring out the definitive words.
“I-I…”
“By the way, Salia. There was something I wanted to ask you.”
He suddenly said, putting a pause on the sentence.
“Why did you choose that one anyway?”
He said as he looked at the shaking kobold and the Hero.
“As weak and dried up as you are, even a goblin or orc would have been better. Why would you choose the most weak and cowardly of all creatures?”
The goddess’s hands curled up into fists.
“I’m sure you made promises of offering strength in order to lure it… I suppose only a kobold would be stupid enough to believe your empty promises.”
The other gods laughed at this.
She had saved Sheto due to his own will. She was drawn in when he stood up in the flames and swore to get his revenge.
He was not someone to be fooled by sweet words. He spoke his mind and followed his heart. A heart that would go against a god.
Her brother knew none of this, but continued to insult Sheto.
“A kobold should know to stay hidden in the mountains. It could have avoided such a painful end.”
That was enough.
Neither the brother or Hero could imagine it.
Why this kobold in front of them had made the contract.
Who had made that reason for it…
“Regardless, it is over now. Do it, my Hero.”
The Hero stood in front of Sheto and raised his sword.
While seeing all of it, Salia stood in front of the water and opened her mouth.
“You have terrible luck.”
Sheto looked up at the Hero.
“It seems like you are involved in something more complicated. But I must do my job.”
He had heard words like that before. Their lives did not have the same value. The slight show of pity seemed more like making an excuse.
“It’s something between the gods. Do not blame me!”
The Hero’s sword came down.
When the white blade reached him, it would all be over.
Sheto started to close his eyes.
‘What are you doing! Sheto!’
The angry voice rained down.
‘You swore it! In the burning village! That you would avenge all those who were killed!’
The memory returned.
The burning world and the corpses of his friends. The face of the person who laughed while taking everything from him.
He was in front of him right now.
“But, I can’t…”
His resolution was worthless now. He had only said it when he did not know the enemy’s full power.
“Hero, strong. I, weak. I cannot win.”
‘You knew that from the very beginning! You fool!’
She shouted.
He imagined that she was crying.
‘How many times will you let him kill you! Did you come back, only to accept what he did!?’
“Ah…”
Her words echoed within him.
The world that was blurred due to fear began to fade, and he was able to move again.
‘Remember! Why you stood up! What made you do it! Do not let it be crushed now!’
Indeed, there had been a world of comfort beyond the burning world. Why had he left that phantom happiness for this?
‘Was that all Lu meant to you, Sheto!’
In a fraction of second, the scenes of the past flashed in front of his eyes.
The faces of his mother and brothers. The days spent with his friends.
The burning village. The discarded bodies.
And his beloved, lying on the ground.
Lu.
His beloved, dear, fuzzy Lu.
“Uuu…aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!”
His hands grabbed the chains. The blade coming down looked slow to him, and as if to ram with his body, he whipped the chain out.
Giiin!
“Woah!??”
The high-pitched ring. The Hero leaned back. The invisible ball had blown away both the chain and the sword.
“What!? What the!”
‘Ru…run, Sheto!’
Salia shouted, and Sheto rain.
“Shit. I won’t let you get away!”
The blue shadow charged at an alarming speed. Sheto saw him over his shoulder, and reflexively picked up a stone.
“Run, ‘Zephali…’”
“Argghhh!”
Just as the sword started to swing, the stone was thrown at the Hero’s face. Again, the barrier activated, and the sword bounced back.
“Shit! Why!?”
‘I-I see it! The armor’s weakness! Pick up stones and run to the gate!’
He continued to pick up stones as he ran towards the burning gate.
“What!? Is this defective… Shit, don’t run!”
The Hero was cursing his own god. The kobold threw rocks. The blade bounced off the barrier.
‘The armor’s barrier causes everything to bounce off! It only gives you a second, but if you get the timing right, you can seal his attacks!’
Salia said excitedly, just as Sheto jumped through a wall of flames.
“Damn it! Come back here, you little!”
His fur was bruning, and he could hear the crackling of flesh. Still, Sheto ran desperately. The burning path was not long, and he soon jumped out into the world of darkness outside of the fortress.
‘If you keep running, you’ll encounter the rest of the Hero’s party! You must follow my directions!’
“Understood!”
Though he was burned, Sheto steeled himself and continued to run through the darkness of the night.
That’s the last bonus chapter courtesy of ShitaiNoKootoRyuu. Thank you so much!
I hope everyone is enjoying the series.
It’s very well written.
Thank you for the chapters