A Story of a Noble Lady Who Was Ravaged by an Incurable Disease and Covered in Bandages All Over Her Broken Body; After Healing Her, She Turned Into a Stunning Beauty and Started Desperately Courting Me - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: My One and Only Weapon

After talking with Skuld like that, I let out a little sigh and said,

“Sigh… Well, this whole thing really made me feel how weak I am…”

“Hm? What’s up all of a sudden?”

“If I hadn’t contacted you and Rufus-san, there’s no way I could’ve gotten out of that situation, right? Look at me, I ended up all beat up like this. I thought I’d been working hard at training for a whole year, but… yeah, I’m still super weak, huh…”

“Ah, gotcha. But you don’t gotta worry about that kinda thing. Setsuna, you’ve only been an adventurer for a year. It’s totally normal that you don’t have enough strength yet. Anyway, I’m gonna keep training with you as much as you want from now on too, so don’t make that lonely face, alright?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Skuld-san. For sticking with weak little me through so much training… really, thank you.”

“Sure thing. I’m your master, after all. But hey, looks like you’re misunderstanding something big time, so lemme correct you real quick. You are definitely not weak. If anything, you’re a strong guy, Setsuna.”

“Me, strong? Ahaha, no way. I’m still just a total newbie who sometimes loses to slimes or goblins.”

Skuld called me a strong guy, so I laughed and denied it.

“Well, sure, compared to me your ‘power’ might be pretty low, but strength isn’t measured by power alone, y’know. Your strength might be lacking, but… in place of that, you’ve got a ‘kind heart’ that nobody can beat. That kind heart of yours is your strongest weapon.”

“A kind heart being the strongest weapon? Nah, c’mon, a kind heart isn’t a weapon, is it? Everyone around me is already super kind anyway? You’re really kind too, Skuld-san. So if everybody’s got a kind heart, it’s not exactly a special weapon or anything, right?”

“Haha, you think I’m kind? That’s nice to hear. But I’m not actually that kind, y’know. Sometimes I do nice stuff on a whim, but most of the time I’m just doing whatever I want, adventuring all selfish and free. I don’t listen to people’s requests when they’re in trouble at all, and if somebody comes at me with a cocky attitude, I beat the crap outta them no questions asked. Ahaha!”

Skuld laughed really loud while saying that.

“Beat the crap outta them no questions asked… W-well, I know you’re this big, free-spirited guy, so I can imagine you living that wild and loose way.”

“Haha, right? But when I say I’m not kind, it’s not just me—other people are the same. Like Rufus or Douglas, for example. It might not click for a kid like you yet, but us adults… we’re really not that kind, y’know? Almost every adult lives calculating everything. ‘If I’m nice to this person, I can get a favor later,’ or ‘helping them might make me some money’—that kinda selfish motive or expectation is behind most nice actions. Haha, adults are pretty dirty, huh?”

“Nah, I don’t think that’s dirty. You need money to live, right? That’s why I make money doing healing magic requests too.”

“Yeah, true. Can’t survive in this world without cash. But even if there was zero reward or anything in return, if somebody right in front of you was in trouble, you’d help them no matter what, wouldn’t you, Setsuna?”

“Huh? Y-yeah… maybe? Well, it’d depend on the time and situation, I guess…”

“Haha, no it wouldn’t. Remember when we first met? You saw Douglas all messed up and covered in blood in that countryside town and went, ‘W-wah, that looks super painful! Th-the blood is—!’ and started bawling while you healed him right away. And when I got bitten by that poisonous snake, you came rushing over in a total panic and detoxed me too. And whenever anybody in that town was in trouble, you were always the first one to run over and help, right?”

“Uh, um… yeah, I guess there were times like that…”

I got a little embarrassed answering Skuld’s questions, and my face turned kinda red.

When I first came to this world, I saw Douglas all torn up and bloody, and I cried while frantically using healing magic on him. The next day, when I heard Skuld got bitten by a poisonous snake, I panicked and ran to help him too. Feels kinda nostalgic thinking about it.

“Haha, see? You always wanna help when somebody’s in trouble, and when someone’s hurting, you’re the type who really stays by their side and cares. We’ve seen that gentle side of you tons of times over this past year. And because you’re that kind-hearted… I think me, Douglas, and Rufus too—we all feel like we wanna help you out with whatever we’ve got whenever you need it.”

“F-for me…?”

“Yup. And that’s exactly your strongest weapon. That pure, kind heart of yours is an incredible thing that can move even dirty, calculating adults like us who’ve gotten old and jaded. And if it was fake, it’d never move our hearts. It’s because it’s real that it gets through to us grown-ups. Haha, so y’see, Setsuna…”

“Huh? Whoa…”

—pat pat

“So Setsuna. You might think you’re weak, but no matter what you say… everybody around you thinks you’re a strong guy. Me included. So stop thinking you’re weak and be proud of yourself. You’re the strongest guy around because you’ve got the kindest heart of anybody.”

“…Skuld-san… yeah, thank you… hearing you say that… haha, it really makes me happy.”

“Haha, good, good. Glad to hear it.”

While he said that, Skuld gently rubbed my head. For some reason my chest felt all warm and cozy.

“…Oh, whoops. Looks like it’s about time for your princess to show up. Don’t wanna interrupt your lovey-dovey time, so I’ll head out now. I’ll come visit again. See ya later~”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, got it. Thanks, Skuld-san. See you.”

—slam!

Skuld left my room. We talked about all kinds of stuff… but what did he mean by “your princess” at the end? And “lovey-dovey”?

—knock knock…

“…Hm?”

While I was thinking that, I suddenly heard someone knocking on my door. Who could it be?