The Headless Armored Cavalryman – 2

As a request for help suddenly came to her, Claudia, flustered and not knowing what to do, furtively glanced at Iris, who was exuding a murderous aura.

“……Let’s hear it first. You’re not, by any chance, going to ask me to take your side, are you? If it’s something like that, I absolutely can’t help you.”

“That’s not it. You just need to listen to what I’m saying and determine whether it’s correct or not.”

“What are you going to ask?”

It was a look that seemed to ask what I was about to say.

“Do you remember how that mounted fellow attacked?”

“To some extent. But I don’t remember the details too well. It’s just at the level where I roughly recall the big movements.”

“That’s enough.”

As the situation unfolded like this, Iris also crossed her arms below her chest, as if she would at least listen to what I was trying to do. It was a relief, as I had worried about what I would do if she hadn’t even tried to listen to me at all.

“That monster Knight Commander-nim encountered, as soon as you encountered it, didn’t it rear up on its front legs, let out a loud cry, and then immediately charge at Knight Commander-nim?”

Her light pink hair nodded slightly up and down, affirming my words.

“Immediately after charging, it swung its spear once from left to right, then right to left, and then thrust it down towards Knight Commander-nim. At first, it held the spear in its left hand, and after thrusting it down, it switched the spear stuck in the ground to its right hand.”

“Oh…… wait a moment. Now that I think about it, that’s right?”

“And then, it pulled out the spear, spun it a few times above its head, then swung it widely forward, and then rode away again, right? Is this also correct?

All the movements I described were the opening pattern that the ‘Headless Armored Cavalryman’ Claudia had encountered would cast with 100% probability at the start of a boss battle.

Although there were limitations in explaining it verbally rather than with a video, the meaning seemed to have been conveyed well enough.

Claudia seemed to be pondering, tracing her memories for a moment, then she was startled and nodded her head vigorously.

“That’s right. How did you know?”

“From then on, I will tell you everything I remember.”

“……It’s all correct.”

It was a very trembling voice.

Having finished my explanation, I inwardly thanked Claudia. She must have been completely overwhelmed dealing with a monster immune to weapons for the first time, yet she had remembered quite a lot of its patterns.

I looked around. Not only Rije and Erica, but even Iris was frozen with a dumbfounded expression. They probably wondered what they had just heard.

It was no wonder they were so astonished, as a newcomer who had just joined the Knights was rattling off information about a monster that even the person who had directly encountered it and returned alive claimed to have seen for the first time.

Silence hung in the air. No one could easily open their mouth. Even Iris, who had been vehemently opposing just moments ago, kept her mouth tightly shut with a very thoughtful expression.

Only after a long time had passed did she finally manage to squeeze out a single word.

“How do you…… know such things?”

The most crucial question, one could say, was ‘how’ I knew such things.

I couldn’t reveal the truth right now, but fortunately, I had an all-purpose shield I could use here.

“My memory has returned a little.”

“Wha-!”

Iris gasped, and Rije and Erica couldn’t hide their astonishment either.

Only Claudia, who didn’t yet know exactly who I was and only knew me as a newcomer to the Knights, had a question mark floating above her head.

“Is that really true?!”

“It’s not perfect. It’s literally just a feeling that only a very small part has been unlocked.”

I didn’t miss the momentary hesitation that flickered across her face and continued.

“I’ve told you everything I can. Iris, you said it, didn’t you? That my skill is trustworthy, but you can’t throw me at an enemy I’ve never seen before. But look. I already know that guy very well. Don’t you think it’s worth trusting me one more time this time?”

This time, her deliberation was much longer. Her own words had been used to refute herself.

My skill is trustworthy, but I can’t be thrown at an enemy I’ve never seen before. But what if that guy isn’t a monster I’ve never seen before?

Naturally, the latter condition disappears, and only the premise that my skill can be trusted remains.

“…….”

Iris remained silent for a long time. I understood her feelings perfectly, so I waited patiently.

It was after more than five minutes had passed that her mouth opened again.

“……I understand. Instead, take Rije with you. If you do that, I’ll permit it.”

“Iris is right, Newcomer. I’ll go with you. No matter what, sending you alone is too dangerous.”

“No, I have to go alone.”

I flatly refused the offer.

After defeating the boss, I also had to visit a nearby dungeon to find bait to lure out the Lord, and I couldn’t let them see that. The excuse of my memory returning should only be used once in a while when it’s important; using it too often would only arouse suspicion.

Under the condition that I would defeat the Headless Armored Cavalryman alone without Rije’s help, her accompanying me for the boss subjugation wouldn’t have mattered, but what happened afterward was a separate issue.

And it’s not like I could tell Rije after the boss battle that I had something left to do alone and she should go back first, could I? Of course, she would try to stick by my side no matter what.

It was better not to take her at all from the start.

“Why do you insist on going alone? Is there some reason?”

“There is a reason, but I don’t think I can tell you. I’m sorry.”

“…….”

Iris let out a deep sigh. I fully understood her thoughts on why I was acting this way. But I couldn’t back down here either.

“In that case.”

Final resolve settled in her silver eyes.

“If there is a Knight Commander-nim who agrees to your solo action, I will permit it. You don’t need many. Just one of us is enough. For now, I am absolutely against it.”

“……I am also against it. I’m sorry, Newcomer-ssi. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but please know that I’m against it because my concern for you is greater than that.”

“Uh…… I’m not against it, but I’m not for it either. First of all, I don’t know you well, do I? I just met you today. So it’s a bit hard to say anything rashly.”

Iris and Erica were against it, and Claudia was practically against it. That left only Rije among the Knight Commanders-nim. I looked back at Rije, who was still tightly holding my finger.

Her blue eyes were trembling slightly. What answer she would give was obvious. I preempted Rije before she could answer.

“Uh, Newcomer. I’m sorry, but I also-“

“Rije.”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Do you remember what you said right before you used Frost Storm Barrage in our last spar?”

“What I said before using that skill? Uh…… hey, wait a moment. You don’t mean…?”

Rije traced her memories for a moment, then made a horrified expression, as if she had realized what I was about to ask.

“Yes, that ‘don’t mean’. That promise you made to grant me anything I wanted, I need to use it now. Agree to my proposal.”

“……Are you serious?”

“Then do you think I’m lying?”

I smiled slightly. Rije, caught in a dilemma, stamped her feet, but the outcome was obvious. Iris, as if sensing the future, let out an even deeper sigh than before.

“……Alright. I’ll agree. Go and come back safely, Newcomer.”

After hesitating for a long time, Rije finally sided with me.

The situation was over.

Claudia, with a word of encouragement, “Since it’s come to this, do well,” entered the castle for treatment, and Erica also briefly said, “I wish you good fortune,” before following behind Claudia.

Iris, with eyes filled with all sorts of complex emotions, left behind a command that was almost a plea: “Never die. That’s an order.”

Rije clung tightly to my side, packing all sorts of items for me. Not only did she meticulously pack food, but she also tried to give me health potions, spare weapons, and even armor.

Of course, I refused the armor, saying I didn’t need it. This was because my Endurance stat was only 1, making my equipment weight limit ridiculously low.

Even just holding a blood-stained sword made a Tier 1 dodge roll precarious, so if I wore any armor, be it light armor or anything else, dodge rolling would probably become impossible.

Anyway, even if I wore it, it would be a one-shot kill from the boss regardless.

When I said I wouldn’t take the armor, Rije jumped up, asking if that made any sense, but when I stubbornly insisted, she gave up trying to persuade me, just looking at me with puffed-out cheeks.

Since it was a concern she would naturally have if she didn’t know my circumstances, I didn’t find this trivial nagging annoying at all.

Rather, I was grateful, thinking she cared about me this much.

“Have a safe trip, Newcomer.”

Only Rije was there to see me off on the day I left.

“…….”

……Or so I thought, but in the distance, Iris was peeking her head out and looking at me.

Then, as soon as our eyes met, she quickly hid behind the wall, and less than a second after hiding, she peeked out with one eye and looked at me again.

What is she doing?

Regardless of what Iris and I were doing, Rije opened her mouth in a very serious voice, unlike her usual self.

“And, don’t die. Never. If you feel your life is in danger, just abandon everything and run away. Even if you have to crawl on the ground to escape, you must come back alive. Don’t spout nonsense about protecting your honor or whatever. Understood?”

“I would never do that. I’m someone who knows the value of my life, to begin with.”

“Someone who knows the value of their life does something this reckless?!”

Rije pulled my cheek, stretching it out.

As a groan of ‘Ughhh’ escaped my lips, she chuckled and immediately let go of my hand. It didn’t hurt at all. It seemed to have been Rije’s lighthearted prank.

As I finished my goodbyes and was about to mount my horse, Rije stopped me.

“And one more thing. Lend me your ear for a moment.”

“Huh?”

I leaned in, wondering if she still had something to say. Her cherry-red lips approached my ear and whispered softly.

“If you come back alive, I’ll grant you one wish. Understood? Anything is possible this time too, so think carefully.”

Then she smiled brightly, gently poked my cheek with her finger, turned around, and left. I pondered for a moment what Rije had just said, then chuckled and mounted my horse.

“Of course I will.”

Even if ‘Dark Souls’ mode is applied, I’m a ‘hollow’ with 30,000 hours of playtime, so I can’t possibly die to just the first boss.

‘Ah, wait a moment. This is a death flag.’

I tried to suppress the sudden chill running down my spine, grabbed the reins, and set off.