* * *
“W-w-with me?”
I mean, he was talking to me, so he must have meant me, right?
That’s obvious, but it’s such an absurd thing to say that it left me startled.
‘He must’ve noticed I’m not doing well.’
Could he have suggested sleeping here because I looked exhausted?
My face felt hot with embarrassment.
Sure, I was a little stressed, but not to the point where I couldn’t keep moving.
The Hero… or rather, Zerbin… is too good of a person.
I can’t handle it.
My heart pounded so hard in my chest it actually hurt.
“Who else would it be if not you?”
Fair point.
“Well, yeah, but… it’s just surprising. If we’re sleeping together, does that mean you’ll, uh… hold me like last time?”
“Yes.”
His immediate answer, without a hint of hesitation, felt like an arrow straight to my heart.
Zerbin…!
Why are you such a good person?!
Being a Hero is already enough—he’s strong, courageous, and noble!
But why is he so kind in private, too?
It’s making my conscience ache, and I feel like I’m going to die from guilt!
“I’m f-fine!”
My voice cracked, but I somehow managed to respond.
I forced myself to muster a reply with all my willpower.
I succeeded in refusing this overwhelming offer—because accepting it would’ve been too much.
“You don’t have to go that far! We’re just sleeping next to each other, so I’ll sleep fine anyway!”
Why is he looking at me like he doesn’t believe me?
That’s odd. Sure, I’m not perfect, but as an adventurer, I’m dependable enough when things are peaceful… right?
Why does it seem like Zerbin thinks I’m someone who needs constant looking after?
Maybe he just likes taking care of people.
Then again, you probably need that kind of consideration to be a Hero in the first place.
It’s so awkward.
I’m really grateful for his thoughtfulness, but…
‘No, absolutely not.’
Especially not tonight. If I end up in Zerbin’s arms?
Pressed close?
I don’t even know what thoughts I might have.
Sure, he’s wearing armor tonight, so I wouldn’t be able to feel his body…
But still, because of last time…
‘Argh!’
Even without directly feeling his impressive physique, I can easily imagine what’s beneath that armor.
Zerbin only hugged me out of kindness, but I found it tempting—how disrespectful of me!
My face heated up again, and I had to fan myself with my hands.
Why is it that the memories I try to forget always come rushing back so vividly?
“If I can’t sleep, I’ll ask for your help then. Thank you for offering.”
I’ll endure!
If I can’t, I’d rather just stay up all night!
As soon as I finished speaking, I crawled into my sleeping bag and closed my eyes.
I had to at least pretend to be asleep.
If I looked like I was sleeping well, he wouldn’t pay me any extra attention.
I focused on breathing evenly.
Pretend to sleep… just pretend…
And somewhere along the way, I actually fell asleep.
That night, I dreamt of Zerbin silently holding me.
Maybe it was thanks to the good dream, but I ended up sleeping deeply.
It seemed I didn’t need to worry about nightmares after all.
Of course, with Zerbin nearby, there’s no way a nightmare could find me.
There are still a few days of camping ahead until we return, but at least I won’t embarrass myself in front of him.
We were slowly moving away from the village, and as we went, the appearance of monsters grew more frequent.
My heart still sank for a moment whenever something leapt out of the underbrush toward Zerbin, but that only lasted for the first few times.
The Hero’s reflexes were so sharp that he would cut down enemies the moment I sensed them.
His swift and decisive actions completely erased my worries about him getting hurt.
Of course, nothing could rival Zerbin before the Demon King even made his move!
That’s why I stepped back to give him space, so I wouldn’t get in his way.
‘Wow, that’s incredible.’
Zerbin was toying with wolves covered in spiked gray fur, their bodies like a mass of needles.
His blade cleaved through the steel-like spines without hesitation, splitting their bodies apart.
Despite the deadly sharpness of the spikes, not a single one could pierce him.
Every time he moved gracefully, the leather cloak attached to his armor fluttered elegantly.
And his long, flowing purple hair swayed in the wind—what more needs to be said?
Ah, and that cold, unflinching expression!
Not even the fiercest howls of monsters could make him blink. I
t was as if a statue had come to life to fight.
Truly, a flawless sight.
All my earlier concerns felt silly now—I was thoroughly enjoying this journey.
From my position behind Zerbin, I had the best seat to admire him in action.
It felt like watching a private theater performance, the kind of luxury only nobles could afford.
Watching Zerbin completely overwhelm his opponents was exhilarating.
He cut down all the wolves that charged at him, severing their heads cleanly.
The forest, once filled with the sound of their snarls, fell silent in an instant.
“Let’s go,” Zerbin called, and I immediately walked to his side.
Since the fight had taken a bit longer due to the number of monsters, I offered him a snack in case he was hungry.
He took a small piece of hard bread after insisting he was fine.
“By the way,”
he suddenly asked,
“Why don’t you join the fight?”
…Huh?
“Why would I, when you’re here?”
Zerbin could handle it, so if I got involved, it’d just slow things down.
The monsters he defeated in minutes would take me ages, wasting precious time.
“…”
What’s with that look? Did I say something wrong?
Isn’t it obvious?
If Zerbin can handle the monsters easily, it’d be inefficient for me to fight them.
Plus, I’d just end up exhausted, slowing us down even more.
“There’s no need for me to fight if you’re around. I’d just get in the way.”
Zerbin frowned.
“So you’re planning to just stand there and do nothing?”
Wait—does he think I’m making him do all the work?
My heart sank.
“I-I’m much weaker than you! You can finish these fights in minutes, but if I get involved, I’d just waste time!”
“We could cooperate.”
Ack.
He only says that because he hasn’t experienced working with me yet.
I felt my heart flutter at the word cooperate, but I forced myself to recall my past mistakes.
He doesn’t know. Not yet.
“There’s such a huge gap in skill between us—how could I cooperate with you? I’d just get in the way. I’d be a complete hindrance.”
I couldn’t keep up with the Hero’s speed and would probably end up colliding with him.
Even if I tried to follow his lead, I’d likely mess up his commands.
All I’d do is disappoint him…
Ugh, I never want to experience the hero getting hurt because of my mistake again.
And honestly, I don’t want to see the hero disappointed in my skills, either.
Call me weak if you want, but who would want to be judged as below expectations by someone they respect?”
The hero’s thick eyebrows twitched.
“So, you think your skills are pathetic?”
Well… Compared to the average adventurer, they’re not that bad.
In fact, I’d say I’m fairly competent.
“Compared to you, of course they are.”
Any talent pales in comparison when standing next to the hero.
There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in my response.
“They’re not completely worthless, though,” I added.
The hero spoke calmly, “Then they’re sufficient for us to cooperate.”
Huh…?
That’s got to be because we haven’t actually fought side-by-side yet… I shouldn’t take it too seriously.
It’s just an evaluation for a peaceful era.
I shouldn’t read too much into it.
“Do you… really think I could be of help?”
“Yes.”
My body trembled.
It just happened on its own.
I couldn’t even guess what kind of expression I was making, so I lowered my head.
Over and over, I told myself this was just a temporary judgment, bound to change later.
“Raul?”
My thoughts must’ve overheated because my face burned.
The air around me felt stiflingly warm, and sweat clung to my skin.
“Are you alright?”
Zerbin’s gloved hand lifted my chin.
When I looked up, the tears pooling in my eyes spilled over all at once.
That’s when I realized—I was crying.
I had embarrassingly burst into tears over a single, short affirmation.
“Why are you crying?”
Because, because I…
“Are you hurt somewhere?”
Because I’ve always wanted to hear that from you…
* * *
