Chapter 10: If We're Departing, At Least Give Us an Escort

At last, the day arrived when the “Hero” and “Saint” were to set out.

The castle town was alive with a festive atmosphere, as if to give us a grand sendoff. I looked out over it all through the open window of the room I’d been staying in.

Much to my dismay, I’d grown used to preparing myself as a woman after just a week.

I washed my face, put on a simple bra, and tied up my hair. A ponytail. Quick and easy—perfect. I could manage it by myself without much fuss.

Normally, I’d change into a dress—terrifyingly, I’d even grown numb to the idea of wearing skirts—but today, I changed into the travel outfit gifted to me by King Risharl.

The top was a green-toned tunic.

The bottom was, despite the fact that we might even cross mountains, a mini-skirt for some reason.

…I don’t understand it either, but according to Karen-san, that’s just how these things are.

Over it all, I wore a black hooded cloak—dark enough to hide dirt easily.

The entire set had been enchanted with strengthening magic. It was lightweight, but resistant to both physical blows and magical attacks. A parting gift for departing warriors, I suppose.

Raiga wore the same outfit—though of course, he had long pants instead of a skirt—and instead of a hood, he was clad in armor.

Apparently, it was a finer piece than what even knights wore, something originally meant for royalty.

His sword was also special. A replica of the holy sword once wielded by a previous “Hero”—a dead copy, they called it. The more magic poured into it, the sharper it became.

Unfortunately, the shield was just a standard-issue one. Not everything could be conveniently matched.

By the way, Raiga could use magic, but he wasn’t particularly good at it. He could only manage intermediate-level spells at best.

As a side note, not many humans can use intermediate-level spells. It’s just that, by elf standards, it’s a bit disappointing for a “Hero.”

Well, any excess magic power could just be channeled into the sword, so it wouldn’t go to waste.

As for me, I had no intention of fighting, so my gear was nothing special.

If anything, it was more like travel goods—cooking tools, bedding, and such. I let Raiga carry the heavier things.

Sadly, now that I’m a woman, I’m painfully weak.

A gentle breeze brushed my cheek.

Looking up, I saw the sun beginning to rise.

…It seemed I’d lost track of time while gazing out at the view after finishing my preparations.

I headed to the grand hall where Raiga and King Risharl were waiting.

After breakfast, we listened to King Risharl’s farewell—though honestly, it felt more like a speech—and then passed through the castle gates.

The people we passed greeted us with great fanfare.

Some even gave us parting gifts. The women handed theirs to me, and the men to Yuto.

—Was it just my imagination, or did Yuto always give me a sharp look whenever I received a gift from a woman?

If he’s feeling jealous, I’d be flattered.

But realistically, that’s probably not it. He’s most likely calmly evaluating whether I’m still acting with “sincerity.”

Incidentally, it’s just the two of us—me and Yuto—traveling together.

“We need to be prepared in case the ‘Demon Dragon’ heads toward the capital.”

“We’re already stretched thin dealing with the surge in monster activity, and we don’t have any soldiers to spare.”

So King Risharl had said, clearly pained by the situation.

Though even if they had sent troops, I doubt they would’ve been much help.

And so, we were traveling on foot.

This had to do with the Demon Dragon’s abilities.

The creature continuously emits miasma.

Suffused with dark magic, this toxic mist engulfs any person or animal who lacks resistance to magic. That’s why we’re going on foot. As the “Hero” and “Saint,” we can resist it—but horses can’t. They’d collapse almost immediately. In fact, they might not even come near it out of instinctive fear.

We walked across the peaceful plains in silence.

Lush greenery stretched out around us, the sun shining down. Yuto, complaining of the heat, removed his hood, folded it neatly, and packed it into his backpack.

Then—

“Ahh, that’s better.”

He stretched like a cat, completely at ease.

It was the kind of serene scene that made it hard to believe this country was on the brink of crisis.

The day of their departure.

I, too, had made up my mind—to slip away from the royal castle.

Fortunately, people from nearby villages had flocked to the capital, hoping to catch a glimpse of the "Hero" and his companion. Getting into the castle was difficult, but slipping out amid the crowd was easy.

More than anything, I knew the king would turn a blind eye.

Just the other day, King Risharl said something out of the blue.

“Karen, about that lie we announced during the parade… that was actually Raiga-dono’s idea.”

“…Is that so?”

…Why was he telling me this? What did he want me to do with that information?

“I simply thought I’d support my dear cousin in love.”

As if reading my thoughts, the king added with a small smile.

“Well, I also figured if my cousin ended up with the Hero, it would bring some stability in many ways.”

He chuckled softly.

What he said was calculating—but to someone like me who had grown up around him, it felt more like he was covering up his embarrassment.

“Karen. Even without the stigma—the holy mark—you are undoubtedly still a Saint. You’ve worked hard enough to earn that title, haven’t you?”

…That’s right.

I’d trained and refined myself for the sake of supporting the Hero.

Whether I had the stigma or not, that part hadn’t changed.

“I’m going,” I said.

I didn’t specify where.

“I know,”

Risharl… didn’t ask.

After leaving the castle, I poured magic into the compass I carried.

It was a magical item passed down in the royal family. In truth, the travel outfits given to the two of them weren’t just clothing. They carried a special magical signature. That magic responded to the compass, allowing me to track their location.

They weren’t far.

I broke into a run, heading straight for them.