“Maybe you don’t feel happy that a girl like me is telling you this. But who can protect the things that are important to you other than yourselves? That’s why I want to become stronger. When I become stronger, I can protect myself and I won’t need to borrow the Sorcerer King’s strength.”
“Yes, you’re right. Exactly. I’ll train myself too.”
“Ah, me too. Next time, I’ll be the one to protect my wife and kids.”
“…I’ll do that too. I didn’t want to when I was first conscripted… but now I feel glad that I was drafted.”
“Still, the Sorcerer King does make a lot of sense. Valuing the things important to us… mm, when you think about it, that really is true.”
“So if someone else values my wife the most highly, I have to kill him, then?”
“…I, I don’t think so, right? I don’t think the Sorcerer King was talking about something like that, right?”
“…Hey, I’m just kidding, you know?”
“It didn’t sound like a joke…”
As the crowd laughed, Neia made a suggestion.
“Everyone, would you like to train with me? While I can’t teach you all swordsmanship, I know a thing or two about archery.”
Weakness was a sin. That was because the weak only created problems for the Sorcerer King, who was justice. In that case, all they had to do was become strong. She could not allow herself to cause trouble for the Sorcerer King next time. She had to allow His Majesty to focus on fighting Jaldabaoth. That was what she ought to do, as a squire.
“Ah, that’s a good idea.”
“We need to become strong. I’ll protect them next time.”
“—Why are you all gathering here? Are you discussing something?”
“Ah — Captain.”
After being questioned out of nowhere, Neia looked back and saw Remedios Custodio standing behind her. In fact, Neia had heard footsteps approaching, but she had not thought that it would be Remedios.
Here comes trouble, Neia thought as she tried to keep her face from revealing how she felt. The representatives, on the other hand, were visibly uncomfortable.
“Can you answer my question?”
“Yes, ma’am! I was telling these gentlemen that I had conveyed their gratitude to His Majesty.”
“To him, you say?”
“…It is hardly appropriate to address the king of another nation as ‘him.’”
Remedios glared at Neia.
“The strong protecting the weak is common sense, is it not?”
“…I do not know if it is common sense, but I feel that only the strong are qualified to say such things, and not the weak.”
“What!? Are you saying that I’m weak?”
“Yes,” Neia replied without any delay. “Compared to His Majesty, you are weak… Captain, have I said something wrong?”
Remedios glared at Neia, and Neia stared back forcefully at Remedios.
“Hmph, it doesn’t matter if you want to be friends with the Sorcerer King, but he’s undead, you know that, right? A monster who inhabits a different world from the living.”
“Yes, I know that.”
“I said that because I was worried about you. It seems my concern was wasted.”
Remedios looked disappointed, but it felt very fake to Neia. That was definitely not what the paladin before her really thought.
“I’m certain you must be busy with many things, Captain, and I would not dare take up your time. In addition, I have things to tell the others. Would it not be better for yourself to move on to the other places you have to be, Captain?
“…Very well then. You lot, it’s only natural for the Sorcerer King to help you. You don’t need to think too much about it, you know?”
After saying that, Remedios left. As they watched her go, someone quietly spoke up.
“How should I say this… that was amazing… is that the strongest paladin of this country…”
“Yes, that’s what she is.”
After hearing the representative speak his mind, Neia unconsciously replied to him. After that, the representatives covered their faces with their hands. It would seem they had suffered quite a shock.
Although Neia had not done anything wrong, she still felt a little guilty.
“The, the paladins aren’t, aren’t all like that. How shall I put it… she’s a little special. That’s… how she is. Yes.”
“It must be hard for you, Squire-sama… if you can drink, I’d like to buy you one.”
“I appreciate your intentions… uh, where was I again? Yes, training together. I can find a way to borrow a place and equipment. Can I contact you later once everything’s ready?”
“We’ll let you handle that,” “Alright, we’ll wait,” the men cheerily answered.
Part 2
Neia drew her bowstring back in one smooth motion.
She turned her keen gaze to the target, and she could see the silent white wisps of her exhaled breath drawn to the edges of her vision by the wind, where it disappeared. Spring was close, but it was still cold.
Neia buried the random notions in her mind deep within her, staring at the target in a state of no thought, and then she slowly drew herself back.
During the defense of the city, Neia had come to understand that nobody had time to slowly take aim on the battlefield, but right now they were training to improve their accuracy, so quick-fire drills could be left for another time.
And then — she released her arrow.
The arrow whistled as it tore through the air. It flew in a straight line and hit the target dead center.
Hoo, Neia exhaled.
Of the ten arrows she had fired, not a single one had been off target.
This was an outstanding accuracy rate, but Neia took no joy in it.
She could not do it in the past, but right now, Neia could even split the arrow she had just launched. Of course, she would damage the arrow if she did that, so she did not.
The reason why she had ended up like this, why she could do something that was previously impossible for her was because after that battle, she was not just capable of archery, but of harnessing what they called divine power. However, the strange thing was that it was slightly different from the abilities that paladins were said to possess. This was because normally, paladins could only channel their powers through melee weapons, while she could imbue ranged weapons with her powers.
While she did not quite understand what that meant, the Sorcerer King had seemed quite interested when he had heard about this. Still, even the Sorcerer King had only said, “It’s hard to tell from just that, let me know if other abilities awaken.”
Applause rang out, and Neia smiled bitterly, because she felt uncomfortable.
“Wow, you’re amazing, Baraja-chan.”
“Oh yes, it’s the first time I’ve seen anyone who was so good with a bow. Nobody in my village could do that.”
“Ahh, it’s true. I used to be a hunter by trade, and I knew a few people in my own right, but none of them had Baraja-chan’s skills.”
The people praising Neia were the same ones sweating and training with her at the archery range. Many of their faces had not been seen on these streets during the defense of the city three weeks ago.
The reason for that was because people had been rescued from the nearby prison camps, and the city’s population rose swiftly as a result. Those with a knack for archery or who had used bows before were drafted into archery units and placed under Neia’s command.
Normally, people would balk at being made subordinate to a squire girl, especially if some of them were old enough to be her father. However, none of the men — and women — gathered here protested.
The main reason was because nobody dared voice any objections after being subjected to her vicious gaze, and also because they had to acknowledge her skill with the bow. Some of them were even more grateful to Neia after learning that she was the Sorcerer King’s squire.