* * *
Zerbin’s tone had always been cold, but this was among the sharpest I’d ever heard.
“And this hasn’t even happened yet.”
He sounded so certain I’d once traveled with someone who criticized me.
Maybe it was because I tended to adapt to others naturally.
The warrior from before—before the regression—had never directly belittled my skills.
But they also never let me fight on the frontlines.
Sometimes, that hurt more.
Not being seen as a comrade who could stand and fight alongside them but rather as someone to worry over.
It was ridiculous.
The warrior saved my life countless times by letting me tag along.
I should’ve been grateful just for that.
Maybe the fact that I could even entertain such thoughts now meant I’d gotten comfortable.
“It’s not like that.”
I denied it, hoping Zerbin wouldn’t unknowingly insult himself.
“I rotate through different parties. I’ve never had a permanent partner. Sure, there are people I travel with often, but…”
“…”
Zerbin stared at me, unblinking.
Was it too obvious a lie, considering how much I’d adapted to his fighting style?
It was true at this point in time, though.
“This is all because I respect and admire you so much! I wanted to support you, so I trained and practiced on my own!”
It wasn’t entirely untrue.
“Honestly, I never thought I’d actually get to do it. But since you said I wasn’t a hindrance… I gave it a shot.”
The sincerity should come through, right?
I sneaked a glance at him.
“You adjusted to me?”
“Yep!”
I nodded enthusiastically.
“From start to finish, every single thing! For you! Watching how you fight!”
“…I see.”
“Look, my specialty is ambushes, not support. Who else would I go out of my way to adapt for if not you?”
“Got it.”
…It worked!
At least, his voice sounded satisfied this time.
I was so relieved.
My mouth had gone dry from all the excuses I’d been spinning.
“Then there’s no need to stress over your combat abilities while traveling with me.”
Zerbin, seemingly in a good mood, even offered a reassuring comment.
It sounded nice—if a bit unrealistic.
“Aw, but you’re so popular! We can’t always travel together. Still, it feels great to hear that!”
“…”
Huh?
Why did the atmosphere suddenly plummet?
Did I just ruin the moment?
Was it self-deprecating to the point of being insulting after he went out of his way to console me?
“No, I didn’t mean—!”
Zerbin unsheathed his sword.
“S-sorry!”
I instinctively apologized.
Why did this remind me of when we first started traveling together after my regression?
Was I misunderstanding something again?
But Zerbin, gripping his sword still sheathed, charged at me.
He was mad?!
That mad?!
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry for everything!”
Unlike before, when he’d just smacked me, this time he swung his weapon.
My survival instincts kicked in, and I dodged, rolling clumsily to the ground.
It was embarrassing, but I felt more relief at being alive than regret.
“Hah… Z-Zerbin?”
“You dodged.”
He looked down at me, still sitting on the ground, his gray eyes devoid of anger despite the sudden attack.
All the strength drained from my body.
Was this… a test?
At least he wasn’t furious with me.
Still, my heart nearly leapt out of my chest.
If I were any weaker, I might’ve fainted!
But the fact that I dodged Zerbin’s strike… was shocking, even to me.
He hadn’t drawn his blade, and it had been slow enough for my eyes to track.
Clearly, he’d been holding back.
“…Thanks for going easy on me?”
“Is that all you have to say?”
“I just think it’s not right to attack someone who’s completely defenseless…?”
“Do you want to die?”
Of course, I also think threats aren’t good!
But I’m not so clueless as to say that out loud.
I had a pretty good idea why Zerbin went this far.
“How lenient was I?”
“Enough to let them live.”
That’s terrifying!
‘Enough to let them live’—doesn’t that mean he could’ve easily taken a limb or pushed them to the brink of death?
There are plenty of situations where death would actually be the preferable option.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Oh no, it turns out he wasn’t very lenient at all.
My skin crawled as goosebumps prickled across every inch of me.
But somehow, I managed to dodge all of that.
Maybe my heightened vigilance since the Demon Lord’s invasion finally paid off.
Or perhaps it’s thanks to all the effort I’ve put into not getting in the way when the hero’s party is fighting.
Honestly, I’m kind of proud of myself.
Maybe I’m stronger than I think?
Was I not just a useless burden tagging along with the group?
Was there actually a reason they kept me around?
Zerbin crooked his finger at me.
“If you don’t want me attacking unilaterally, then come at me.”
Me?
He wants me to fight him?
There’s no way I could stand a chance against him.
Logically, I knew that, but my legs were already moving.
I brushed the dirt off my clothes, stood up straight, and locked eyes with Zerbin.
Well… even so.
I already turned him down once.
How could I refuse now when the Hero himself is offering to assess my skills?
For any adventurer, this was an incredible opportunity, one that far outweighed the reality of being outclassed.
The desire not to miss this chance burned brighter than my fear of being inadequate.
No adventurer worth their salt would pass this up.
Even the weakest, most insignificant among us have their own brand of recklessness, willing to risk their lives for the chance to grow.
Without a word, I pulled out a dagger and threw it.
Ambushes in the dark are my specialty, and announcing my attack against Zerbin would’ve been pure arrogance.
Even when multiple daggers flew toward him, Zerbin didn’t so much as blink.
With the slightest shifts of his body, he evaded every single one.
I immediately threw the remaining daggers, but no matter how relentless my attacks, they couldn’t disturb his composure.
‘Daggers alone won’t work.’
Simply throwing weapons at him wouldn’t even make a dent in his focus.
I’d have to engage him directly.
I armed myself by slotting daggers between my fingers and sprang forward, quickly closing the distance.
As I moved, I unleashed the daggers in my right hand.
I waited for the perfect moment, watching for Zerbin’s eyes to follow the daggers.
When his focus shifted, I seized the opportunity to strike with the daggers in my left—
“Whoa!”
Before I could finish, my wrist was grabbed, and I was yanked forward.
The force made me drop my dagger as I was pulled flush against Zerbin’s chest.
His violet hair brushed against my face, so close that my nose was practically buried in it.
My heart thundered in my chest.
So close!
He’s too close! Why is he this close?!
* * *
