Chapter 24 – The Village of Roholon (7)

“So, uh… what brings a priestess to a place like this?”

Hephaestus, who had been bursting with wild energy just moments ago, suddenly grew quiet and respectful.

Rubia’s reputation must really be something.

But didn’t Heinzel and Luchi already know, and they didn’t react like this?

I guess that’s the power of experience…

“As I mentioned, we’re here to get some equipment repaired.”

“But why come to me?”

“I’ve heard you’re the most skilled smith in this village.”

Hephaestus suddenly hung her head in shame.

“I… I started that rumor myself. I’m sorry. I’m a bad person.”

“W-what…?”

“If you’re looking for real skill, I’d recommend going two blocks down to Chrome’s smithy.”

Rubia sighed deeply and rubbed her face.

I did the same, following her lead.

“So… the rumor was your doing, but you’re not actually that skilled?”

“Yes… The quality’s nothing special, but I am fast. I’m sorry.”

“This is… quite disappointing.”

Rubia turned her face toward me.

Is she asking what I want to do?

Hmm…

“Just go ahead. I’ll leave it to you.”

Hephaestus immediately perked up, her head snapping up.

“Really?!”

“Yes, really.”

Not everyone can be an expert from the start. If people only went to the most experienced, what would happen to rookies trying to make a living?

Plus, speed is important if the quality is decent.

“Then I’ll get this done as quickly as possible!!”

Hephaestus leaned in eagerly.

“No need to rush. Take your time and do it carefully,” Rubia said, gently pushing Hephaestus back.

Wait… why?! She should hurry!

“Aren’t you in a rush?”

“Hurrying can lead to mistakes, and mistakes can pile up into bigger problems. Please take your time. This equipment is for someone precious to me.”

Hephaestus clamped her hands over her mouth in awe.

“Wow… Uwah… Y-yes! I understand!!”

Meanwhile, I was left frozen, her words sinking in.

“Someone precious…?”

I looked at Rubia with a dazed expression.

I couldn’t see her face, but the warmth I felt near my heart was undeniable.

“Hehehe… precious… heheh…”

“Noah? Shall we leave now?”

“Yes!”

I nodded enthusiastically, handing over my light armor, piece by piece.

After double-checking that everything was accounted for…

“This is in terrible shape. Honestly, it’s a miracle it hasn’t fallen apart yet… How is it even holding together?”

Hephaestus inspected my armor closely, murmuring to herself.

“You tied the belt like this… Oh, and the cutting is done so it moves smoothly. Wow, whoever worked on this originally was very skilled. But… why isn’t there reinforcement in the blind spots?”

“Huh?”

“Normally, we reinforce the parts you can’t easily see or protect yourself from. But… this gear doesn’t have any. Judging by the design, it’s like the wearer doesn’t have any blind spots… Oh…”

Hephaestus slowly lifted her head, tilting it to the left.

“This might be rude to ask, but…”

It’s not rude if you’re already asking!

“Y-yes, I’m blind.”

I nodded. Hephaestus immediately began muttering again.

“Black hair… short… a greatsword… and blind… Oh my god… Are you… the Red Beast that slaughters monsters?”

“W-what?! The Red Beast that slaughters monsters?! What is that?!”

Hephaestus glanced at Rubia.

Rubia subtly shook her head.

What are you two doing?

I’m still holding the greatsword, you know. I can sense everything!

“Rubia. You know something, don’t you?”

“Uh, well…”

It was rare to see Rubia flustered.

What the heck is going on?!

“I’ll explain when we get back to the inn.”

“You better explain.”

“I will. It’s something you would have found out eventually. I’m actually a bit excited to see your reaction. Hehe.”

There was a mischievous tone in Rubia’s voice.

What is this about…?

“Anyway, please take care of this. I use it all the time, and it’s really important to me.”

With a strange feeling in my gut, I handed my greatsword to Hephaestus.

“I’ll handle it with care! But… for something you’ve taken such good care of, the condition is… Ah, never mind! I’ll do my best! Come back by sunset!”

“Alright…”

The greatsword left my hands.

My vision darkened, and that heavy sense of helplessness spread over me again.

I immediately gripped Rubia’s hand tightly.

It didn’t make things go away completely, but it made them a bit more bearable.

“W-what about the cost?”

“Oh, right! I’ll have to take a closer look once the repairs are done. The materials are a bit tricky to work with, so I’ll let you know after. Is that okay?”

“Uh… okay. Let’s go, Rubia.”

“Yes. We’ll be off then. Please take care of everything, Hephaestus.”

“Y-yes!!! I’ll do my best!!!!”

Rubia led me carefully out of the smithy.

As we stepped outside, she muttered, “We should have plenty of time until sunset.”

She must have been referring to whatever she was planning to explain later…

Or maybe it had something to do with the Red Beast nonsense.

“Ugh… I feel so uncomfortable… and exposed…”

Should I have just waited at the smithy instead…?

“Want me to carry you?”

“No, just hold my hand… Don’t let go, seriously! I have a lot of money in my pockets right now. If I lose it, we’ll be in big trouble!”

“Hehe, alright. Don’t worry.”

Rubia tightened her grip on my hand.

“So… we’re heading back to the inn now?”

“Yes, but how about we grab some snacks on the way?”

“Oh, good idea! Ooh, let’s get skewers!”

“Ah, those grilled stone skewers we passed by yesterday?”

“Yes! They smelled amazing! Don’t you think they’ll be delicious?”

Rubia let out a small laugh.

“Alright. Let’s pick some out.”

“Yes!”

***

“No way…! That rumor is ridiculous!!”

My hands, still holding onto my skewers, were trembling.

“Hahaha! It’s not that far-fetched. I felt the same when I saw you hunt that Black Bear.”

We had returned to the inn after leaving the smithy, and Rubia had filled me in on the whole “Red Beast that slaughters monsters” thing.

Yeah… that rumor was about me!

The rumors were absolutely absurd.

The most common nickname was “Red Beast that slaughters monsters.”

There was also “The Red-Eyed Demon.”

Or, “A demon who must drink the blood of monsters to survive.”

Oh, and apparently, I’m a demon trying to become human by killing 10,000 monsters.

What a load of nonsense.

It’s all so cringy!

It’s so embarrassing! Not even a middle schooler going through an intense rebellious phase would come up with something like this!

And they don’t even see me as human!

“What did I even do to get such rumors…?”

“Don’t you remember? You were wearing a necklace of monster eyes, drenched in blood, and at the end, you smashed that Black Bear’s head in. Honestly, I thought you were doing it to drink the blood on purpose. And then, you turned around and smiled at me… It was… scary.”

I recalled the memory.

Right… I did break its shoulder, spin around, and smash its head.

I guess I was in a bad mood that day, so I went a little overboard…

“Was it… really that horrifying? Enough to make me seem like a demon or a beast?”

“At the time, yeah. I didn’t believe the rumors either, at first. Plus, you have black hair, not red, so it didn’t fit. But when I saw you covered in blood, I realized… Yeah, that’s the Red Beast. Hehe.”

My face burned with embarrassment.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier…? I could have… toned it down a bit…”

“Do those rumors really matter? Besides, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It gives you a tough image, which is good for keeping people from messing with you. Noah, you’re too… cute. You need a reputation like that. It’s… cool, in a way. Hehe.”

It’s not cool at all…

What kind of world gives people these ridiculous nicknames?!

“That’s it… I’m too embarrassed to show my face anymore…”

I collapsed onto the bed with a defeated sigh.

“What’s the big deal? It’s cool… the Red Beast that slaughters monsters. Wow, so awesome.”

I heard Rubia lay down beside me.

“Don’t tease me.”

“I wonder what kind of nickname you’ll get when you become a high-ranking adventurer.”

“It’ll probably be just as weird… Heinzel’s ‘Baldy,’ and Luchi’s ‘One-Eye,’ after all.”

Or was it ‘Baldy’? Either way, same difference.

“Hehe, that’s true.”

Her voice came from right beside me, and I felt her presence so close that I turned away, a little shy.

“But Noah, you’ve been speaking much better lately.”

“Huh?”

I heard her scooting closer.

“At first, you spoke so quietly, and your pronunciation was shaky, and you stuttered a lot. But now, your voice is clearer and more confident.”

Really?

Hmm…

“I think it’s just… when I’m with you, I feel more relaxed. I don’t talk like this with anyone else. And… I was always good at talking, really.”

Rubia gently pulled me into a hug.

“You feel more at ease with me?”

“Yeah…”

After all, I know if I mess up, she’ll somehow fix it.

She’s a priestess, after all.

Even the nobles can’t touch her!

And she’s super pretty!

And she listens to everything I say!

Plus, she’s basically a walking potion!

Of course, I feel safe with her!

“But… could you let go now? It’s a little embarrassing…”

“I don’t mind if we stay like this. We did this yesterday, didn’t we?”

“T-that was different…”

That time, I had been crying… emotions were running high, and it just… naturally happened. This is different!

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that… It’s just… a little embarrassing…”

I mean, it’s nice being this close, but… the way her chest is pressing against my back is… a bit… too much!

“If you’re uncomfortable, I can stop.”

Rubia’s hand slipped away.

I quickly grabbed her hand and pulled it back.

“It’s okay! Let’s just stay like this!”

Rubia seemed disappointed, and I didn’t want her to feel that way.

It’s not because I like this, of course.

“Okay, if you say so.”

We stayed like that for a while before Rubia spoke again.

“Noah, I’ve been curious about something.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not sure how to ask this… so I’ll just be blunt. There’s no hidden meaning, and if you don’t want to answer, that’s fine too.”

I felt her tighten her arms around me slightly.

“Okay.”

“You, uh… you open your eyes in really important or dangerous moments. Why is that?”

“Oh…”

I do tend to open my eyes during key moments.

“It’s not for any special reason. It’s more of a habit… or maybe it’s because it looks cool.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Also, to be honest… it’s a bit uncomfortable to keep them closed all the time. It makes it hard to focus.”

Rubia nodded, understanding.

“Is it weird? That a blind person opens their eyes…? Especially with these red ey— mmph!”

Before I could finish, Rubia pulled me closer, hugging me tightly.

Suddenly, there was a soft, cushiony feeling on my face!

I can’t breathe!

“No, it’s not weird at all. In fact, I’d love it if you kept your eyes open more often. Would that be uncomfortable?”

I gently pushed Rubia back a bit.

“You… want to see my eyes?”

“Yes… but if it bothers you, you don’t have to.”

“Hmm… I’ll show you, since it’s you, Rubia.”

Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened my eyes.

“Wow… seeing them up close like this, they’re even more beautiful…”

Rubia’s fingers brushed gently over my eyelids.

“I hope one day… you’ll be able to see for yourself. To see the world, and your reflection.”

I reached up and touched her face.

“I can tell what you look like by touch.”

I traced her soft forehead.

Her sharp, but kind eyes.

Her slightly rounded ears.

I moved down her high nose and touched her lips, just barely upturned.

I could picture her clearly in my mind.

“You’re really beautiful, Rubia. Your eyes are big, your nose is high, and… your lips are soft.”

“Ah… um… really?”

Rubia’s surprised gasp filled the space between us as she pulled away slightly.

She began to babble, talking about her sister, her mother, and who knows what else.

I listened to her calm, peaceful voice as a backdrop as I continued to…

Keep my eyes open.

I stared ahead at the floating message, illuminated against a black background.

I repeated it over and over in my head, embedding it into my mind.

So I wouldn’t forget.

So I wouldn’t lose myself.

So I wouldn’t get swallowed up by this character.

I kept staring at it, over and over.

***

[This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.][This is a character within a game.]

***

I am…

I’m not just a game character.

I am…

I am…