Chapter 74 - The Defense of Nielen and the Triumphant Return
When I came to, I was in a dimly lit room. It was a space enclosed by stone walls.
"Ngh..."
Fam was kissing me. She was probably giving me a mana recovery potion. The feeling of her soft lips was pleasant. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her back deeply. She hugged me tightly in return. Just as I was about to get more passionate, I felt a rap on the back of my head. I broke the kiss and turned to find Cecily glaring at me.
"What do you think you're doing, fooling around like that? Idiot!"
"What's this, are you jealous?"
I tried to kiss Cecily too, but she dodged. Left with no choice, I grabbed her cheeks with both hands and forced my lips onto hers. Cecily pushed back against me with both hands.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! Everyone's watching!"
Her face was beet red as she turned away.
I took another look at my surroundings. Cecily was in front of me, and Fam was on the other side. Hyakka was staring at me, her mouth agape. Beside her, the members of her group were silently watching the scene unfold. The stuffy smell of blood and sweat. And many knights—some looked fine, while others were wounded and collapsed, receiving treatment, lying in agony, or no longer breathing. Maybe I had been a bit tactless. Why would Fam give me a mana potion in a place like this?
"...By the way, where is this?"
I asked, addressing no one in particular.
"Inside the side tower."
Hyakka answered.
It seemed Racshell's power had managed to wipe out all the monsters. The soldiers who could still move remained on the walls, keeping watch, but there had been no further attacks from the Big Hoppers. Apparently, after I passed out, Fam had puppeteered me, just like she did during the fight with Wind Blade. Though I imagine Fam's form was just as visible to everyone as it was last time.
"I've been practicing with you while you were asleep for this very day," Fam said with an air of confidence. She'd been doing that while I was sleeping? I hadn't noticed at all.
"What are you talking about! Your movements were all jerky and stilted, it was super creepy!" Cecily retorted to Fam.
After the monsters were annihilated and Racshell had disappeared, the cheers from the soldiers and the citizens apparently hadn't stopped. In response, Fam had been controlling me, making me wave to the crowd. My movements had been so unsettling that Cecily and Hyakka had eventually shoved me inside the side tower.
"No one noticed that you had lost consciousness, Master."
Fam puffed out her chest proudly, as if she had accomplished a perfect job.
"Uh, no, no, no, no..."
Hyakka offered a weak, indecisive retort to Fam, uncharacteristic of someone from Kansai. When I was unable to move, Fam was the leader. If she was satisfied, then there was no problem.
"Well done, Fam. Shall we head back?"
I gave Fam's head a gentle pat. She nodded.
"Wait."
A soldier approached us. It was the commander who had collapsed on top of the tower. He bowed his head deeply to me.
"We were on the verge of annihilation. Thank you for your help."
Unsure how to act, I looked around for help. Hyakka was talking with her companions as if it had nothing to do with her. I decided to push all the credit onto her.
"N-no, I was just responding to a request from Hyakka here. Please direct your thanks to her."
"Huh?" Hyakka let out a strange squawk. With that, everything that happened today was her achievement. The man extended his hand, and I shook it. It was all so awkward and uncomfortable that I cut it short and left the side tower. Fam, Cecily, and Hyakka's group followed me.
When we got outside, a crowd of townspeople had gathered around the tower. The moment they saw me, a great cheer erupted. The unfamiliar sight made me flinch. I wanted to go back inside the tower, but it was the same in there. Not knowing how to react, I started walking towards the church where Mizuki and the others were. The people in my path quickly parted to the left and right, creating a path. I walked through it. Everyone was smiling. It wasn't a bad feeling, but this place was uncomfortable too. All I did was summon Racshell and then watch her awesome power until my mana ran out, just like the cheering crowd. This was all her doing. People followed behind us, forming a procession. They cheered and danced, swinging their arms in a strange rhythm. It resembled the twitching convulsions of someone being electrocuted. It had an eerie power, as if I might get cursed or have my mana drained.
"Is this the latest dance craze in this city?"
"Everyone's copyin' you. That's what you were doin' on top of the side tower!"
I hadn't meant it as a joke, but Hyakka shot back a reply.
"...Fam?"
I couldn't help but look at Fam.
"...I will practice more so I can do better next time."
"No, that's not it! Mash, stop laughing and make them stop!"
Cecily replied to Fam. Since she seemed to be reflecting on it deeply, I decided to look forward to her next performance.
We arrived at the plaza in front of the church. The procession led by us was still going. The Wandering People were in front of the obelisk. In their center stood Karpana, wearing her usual black hood. When she saw me, she and her people knelt and bowed their heads. At this sight, the volume of the cheers from the crowd behind us grew louder.
"Lord Mash, congratulations on your victory. We watched Lady Racshell's battle from afar."
I took her hand and helped her to her feet.
"You're not fond of this sort of thing, are you?"
I gave a wry smile at Karpana's words. If she knew, I wish she'd stopped them, but she was probably doing it for the sake of the Wandering People who had fought. They had decided to join the battle because I had resolved to fight. I had to respond to that.
"It was only because we had the Wandering People to watch our backs that we were able to fight."
At my words, Karpana and the Wandering People bowed their heads deeply once again. After a moment, Karpana raised her head and lifted her face covering so that only I could see her expression. For some reason, I felt relieved to see her face.
"Are your people—the Wandering People—all safe?"
"Do you truly believe we would be bested by mere insects?"
Karpana smiled. I gave a vague nod in return. I decided to keep quiet about how we had a terrible struggle against the insects and ended up fleeing into the church.
"However, we did have some injuries. We had them healed by Miss Maira and Miss Aira, who were in the church."
She smiled mischievously. She knew we'd had a hard time and was teasing me. Her expression seemed much softer than when we first met. And Maira was awake? I hoped Mizuki was up and about too. I wanted to see them both soon. I remembered I had something to ask her.
"I need you to come to the church tomorrow morning."
I lowered my voice and whispered in Karpana's ear.
"Yes. Is something the matter?"
"Apparently, the hero from a hundred years ago is sleeping beneath this place. Did you know?"
Karpana shook her head.
"That was the goal of the people who caused this commotion. I want to investigate it with Hyakka and her group."
"Understood," Karpana nodded.
We passed by Karpana and continued on. Mizuki, Maira, and Aira were standing at the entrance of the church. I was once again relieved to see that Mizuki and Maira were safe. I suppressed the urge to run to them and deliberately walked slowly toward them. As I got closer, Maira knelt before me and took a prayerful pose. As I drew nearer still, she raised her face. I stood before her and struck a stylish pose, placing the back of my hand on my side. Next to Maira, Aira furrowed her brow. She was looking at me as if I were something bizarre. I guess it didn't look as cool as I'd hoped.
"Welcome back, my hero."
Maira said. Contrary to her playful tone, her gaze was sincere.
"It's a real pain in the neck, living up to your expectations, you know."
"Yes, but you will overcome everything with us by your side."
Maira replied, a smile playing on her lips. It sounded like a joke, but was it really? I couldn't tell which was the real her, so I decided to tease her a little to see her true intentions. It felt a bit frustrating to let things end just as she wanted.
"Given your views on the church, you must be disappointed in me."
"Mash, you are tolerant of my faith. I, too, will accept your way of thinking. But let's argue sometimes. We are not gods. I want us to interact with each other as people do."
I refrained from pointing out that even gods fight amongst themselves in myths, since now wasn't the time for an argument.
"Actually, the sight of you and Fam is a little... dazzling to me."
She added playfully. I felt like I'd been outmaneuvered by her serious reply, so even though it deviated from the original point, I really wanted to take her down a peg.
"I went to all the trouble of summoning Racshell, and you were sleeping again."
"I apologize for my late arrival."
"I won't forgive you. As punishment, you'll have to accompany me on my adventures from now on."
I said, opening my arms.
"Yes!"
She stood up and flew into my chest. I caught her, holding her tightly so she couldn't go anywhere.
"This might be the first time we've done this."
In my arms, she placed a hand on my chest and rested her cheek against it.
"Mash. Right now, I feel like I'm in the fairy tale I've always dreamed of."
I let go of Maira and looked at Mizuki. In the midst of the joyous crowd, she alone stood out, refusing to blend in, as if she were rebelling. No, there were probably many people with faces like Mizuki's—those who were hurt, who had lost family or loved ones. But those people weren't part of this gathering.
"I-I don't need to be hugged here," Mizuki said. "When we're alone is fine."
"You don't have to hold back."
I opened my arms playfully.
"I said it's fine."
Mizuki replied. I placed a hand on her shoulder. She forced her face into a distorted smile. Her reaction worried me. I wanted to get to a place where we could talk soon.
"Alright. Let's go somewhere else for now."
Mizuki nodded. When I looked back, the crowd was still surrounding us.
"Let's stay at the church tonight. The priest has given us permission to stay in the guest rooms."
Maira said. We can't do anything naughty at a church. Even I would feel hesitant. But if we returned to the inn, we'd just get mobbed. I nodded to Maira and gave a final wave to the gathered crowd. A massive cheer came back in response. Then, they all started doing that dance. Maira and Aira's expressions hardened as they watched.
"Have they been cursed? I hope a healing spell will work..."
With the cheers and dancing at our backs, we entered the church. We parted ways with Hyakka and her group here. The building still bore the scars of the recent battle. The destroyed doors had been removed, and the holes in the walls were covered with makeshift patches. The broken pillars were still toppled, but the ceiling didn't look like it was about to collapse. The floor had become a field hospital. The injured were lying there, waiting for treatment.
"I'm going to help. Mash, you should go to the guest room and rest."
I nodded, and Maira and Aira joined in treating the wounded.
Thank you for reading. To everyone who has liked, bookmarked, and rated this story, thank you very much. It encourages me. I'll do my best.