Chapter 51
The day after the decoration ceremony.
âOh, oh? You're the âDivine Swordâ?â
â...Probably. Not like Iâve done anything to deserve such a grand title, though.â
As per Minoâs instructions, I made my way to the grasslands west of the capital, a gently sloping plain. Construction materials were already lined up, and muscular men were getting ready to start work with large mallets in hand.
âWeâve been expecting you, Lady Flatche.â
âYeah.â
Standing nearby were also soldiers of the national army in full heavy gearâapparently dispatched by Mino to serve under me.
According to her, thereâs a high chance the Demon King's Army has secretly established cave bases in the remote outskirts surrounding the capital. And now, it seems theyâve finished preparing for war and are finally at the stage where theyâll begin attacking our stronghold.
At this point, we probably donât have enough time left to locate their bases and strike first. Itâs fair to say that weâre one step away from checkmate.
At that very last possible moment, Rex and I reported the demon strongholds to the army. Thatâs how humanity finally came to recognize the threat of the Demon Kingâs Armyâand how we got to where we are now.
âHmm. Can someone as scrawny as you really swing a sword? You're supposed to be our escort, right?â
âSupposedly. Iâm confident in my skills, so donât worry.â
My current job is to protect the engineers working at full speed to fortify the capital.
In the center of the square where the carpenters had gathered, I spotted an older man giving directions from a wooden platformâhe looked like the lead carpenter. I figured it was him and tried striking up a conversation.
â...Hmm. So, youâre not a representative, youâre the actual person?â
âYeah.â
âI mean, we heard you took down monsters and demons, so I imagined a much bulkier woman.â
âWhatâs that supposed to mean? Basically, youâre saying I donât look reliable and that makes you uneasy?â
âN-no, I didnât mean it like that exactly...â
Still, the reaction from the carpenters who saw me was anything but positive. One slumped his shoulders slightly, another shot me a scrutinizing glare, while others didnât even bother to hide their unease.
I could practically hear their thoughts: Is this girl really supposed to protect us?
Well, I get it. If the general assigned to protect you looks like a small, delicate girl, you'd be nervous too.
âDonât worry. Iâm good at holding the line. Even if the Demon King himself shows up, Iâll buy you enough time to get away with room to spare.â
âI-I see...â
I tried talking big to earn their trust, but all I got in return were lukewarm reactions.
Come on, donât look so worried. Itâs starting to tick me off.
Itâs not like I want to be a petite woman, okay? I actually want to be all big and buff like Rex.
Ugh. I want muscles. I probably donât need them for my fighting style, but still...
ââŚâŚâ
âHey, bring the big mallet! Time to hammer in the support beams!â
âOoooh!!â
Iâm bored.
âHeave-ho, heave-ho! For the sake of our familiesââ
âHeave-ho, heave-ho! We build with prideââ
âAll together now! Heave-ho, heave-ho~!â
The carpenters continued their work cheerfully, singing as they built. I just stood there, watching from afar.
Actually, I did ask earlier if there was anything I could help with... but I couldnât even lift the mallet they lent me, and I was too light to dig properly.
Yeah. Sadly, I was just too weak to be of any help to them.
âRaise it upâ!â
âOne, twoâheave!!â
The carpenters quickly and efficiently built the encampment.
Meanwhile, Iâd been deemed a hindrance to the workflow and pushed to the edge of the site, forced to sit all alone with my knees hugged to my chest.
Since I was so bored, I tried to start practicing my sword swingsâbut they told me to stop because it was dangerous. Now I had absolutely nothing to do. Sniffle, sniffle.
Sure, I know a weak little woman canât really do carpenter work. But still, wasnât I supposed to be some kind of hero?
The merchants treated me like one, at least. I get that the carpenters are just too busy to bother, but still...
âSwirly swirl. Swirly swirl...â
Technically, Iâm a decorated hero. At first, the carpenters made an effort to be polite, but I guess my utter lack of physical strength left them exasperated. Now, no one even tries talking to me. Iâve become just some quiet figure curled up in the corner.
Sniffle, sniffle.
ââAh! Found you! Whyâs the defensive commander sulking in the corner like that?!â
âSwirly swirl⌠huh?â
Under the blazing sun, banned from even practicing my swings, left without a single person to talk to, I was so bored I nearly cried and had started drawing spirals in the dirt with my fingerâwhen suddenly, I heard a loud, bratty, overconfident voice from above.
âWho are you?â
âKu ku ku... Finally, my chance for revenge has come. Mino canât see us here... so Iâm gonna kill you.â
âOh. Itâs just you, Mello.â
His self-centered declaration pretty much gave it away. The person talking to me while I was on duty was none other than Mellowâthe national armyâs general in charge of the eastern defense.
Dude, donât you have work to do?
âI was bored, so I came to rape you.â
âYeah, youâre seriously messed up.â
What is with this guy? Waitâdid he ditch his guard duty just to come beat me up? What the hell is going on in his head?
âYou coward!! Even I havenât gotten a damn medal yet! What kind of dirty tricks did you pull, you flat-chested freak?!â
âAhâno, that decoration was just propaganda. âŚI never did anything that deserved a medal, really.â
âAhahaha! I knew it! So you faked some achievement just to get attention? What a pathetic joke!â
ââŚâŚâ
Youâre the embarrassing one here, not me.
âI canât let any more ridiculous rumors spread about you being strong. So I figured Iâd shut you down right here and now.â
âHuh.â
âFor the crime of once pointing a sword at me. Iâll beat the crap out of you and turn you into a toilet for the carpenters.â
ââŚRight.â
I really donât get what heâs thinking. Whatâs in it for him to half-kill an ally like me here?
âŚDonât tell me he didnât think it through at all and is just acting on emotion? And this guyâs supposed to be a top commander?
ââŚâŚâ
I sighed and stood up. The carpenters had all scattered in confusion thanks to Melloâs sudden appearance, calling me a ânuisance just by existing.â At least it looked like I could go all out without hurting anyone, so I slowly drew my sword.
âFine. Come at me.â
âAhahaha! Donât die too quickly now! I want you to regret thisâthoroughly!â
Man⌠what a waste of time.
.
.
.
âŚOr so I thought, but surprisingly, sparring with Mello turned out to be decent practice.
Not bad, Mello.
âWhy⌠why⌠how can I lose!?â
âMello, youâve actually picked up some real sword skills, huh.â
Yeah. He used to just swing his sword around wildly with brute force, but today, he looked like an actual fighter.
His slashes came at sharp angles, raining down at me like a storm. His technique still wasnât anything special, but with that kind of speed, he was a real threat. Seriously, not bad at all.
ââââââHahâŚâ
âWhat the hell!? Iâm the one who attackedâso why am I the one lying on the ground!?â
Wow. I never saw this coming. I didnât expect Mello to evolve from a sword-swinging baby into a real swordsman in such a short time.
He was still rough, but heâd started using feints. His sword swings had settled into proper, disciplined forms. He was nowhere near a veteran, but compared to his old self? A night-and-day difference.
Right⌠come to think of it, I did see him at the training grounds before. So he was actually practicing. This arrogant rapist apparently puts in effort, too.
âNo way⌠No way!! The old youâwouldâve gone down way easier!!â
âRelax. Youâve definitely grown stronger, Mello. Thatâs why you thought you could beat me and came here, right?â
âOf course! You should lose to me! Thatâs how itâs supposed to go!!â
âWell, Iâve been training too.â
âThis is insane! Why!? I worked so hardâso why is the gap even bigger now!?â
ââŚâŚâ
Always so self-centered. Does he really think winning is his right? Like heâs got the strength of someone like me?
But⌠I get it. I know how much it hurts to lose. It might sound childish, but losing does sting. And Melloâs even less emotionally mature than I amâit must be eating him alive.
âââââPractice your swings, Mello. Focus on three: the diagonal cut, the downward strike, and the horizontal slash. Pay attention to your posture. Keep your hips steady and visualize the ideal form.â
ââŚHuh?â
âYour swings have gotten better, but when it really counts, you tend to lose control of your stance. For someone like you who relies on speed, your form breaks easily under pressure unless itâs drilled into your muscle memory.â
ââŚâŚâ
âŚWhat the hell am I saying?
That almost sounded like advice.
âAlso, donât show up during work. What if the Demon Lordâs army attacked while you were screwing around? If youâve got free time, Iâll train with youâbut not in the middle of a job. Now go home.â
ââŚAre you mocking me?â
âNo? I just think youâre genuinely an annoying guy.â
ââŚHaaah.â
When Mello heard my words, the frustrated look on his face twisted into one of extreme discomfort. Like all the fight had drained out of him, he sheathed his sword and turned his back to me.
ââŚIâm going home.â
âYeah, hurry up and go.â
ââŚNext time, Iâm gonna rape you.â
âPlease donât.â
Man, is there any way to reform that sadistic rapist into a decent human being? Heâs clearly got talent⌠What if he gets strong enough that I canât beat him anymore, even with magic?
âŚWell, if it ever comes to that, Iâll just call Rex for help. No matter how strong Mello gets, thereâs no way heâs beating that monster.
âŚAnyway.
âSwirly, swirlyâŚâ
Time to get back to drawing spirals in the dirt. âŚIâm so bored.
âHey, uh, Ms. âDivine Swordâ? Wanna, you know⌠grab a bite together or something?â
âHuh?â
âSorry, man. I had you all wrong.â
âMy bad for being a jerk. Commander, youâre the real deal.â
For some reason, after Melloâs little assault, the carpenters suddenly started being weirdly nice to me. They were chatting me up like crazy. Before I knew it, we were eating from the same pot and having a great time together.
Yaaay.
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