Vol 1 Chapter 9 – Killing a Noble

Several days had passed since the bandit raid.

Right after Al crushed the demon-kin fighter, he moved straight on to mopping up the rest of the bandits.

Normally, once you topple the lynchpin demon, you break the enemy’s morale and offer them a chance to surrender.

After all, any fight carries the risk of dying yourself, so if you can settle things without bloodshed, that’s obviously best.

…Yes, normally.

Al, however, walked up to the bandits who were still staring blankly at their fallen demon bodyguard and—without a word—started killing them.

Man, it was brutal. Seriously brutal.

He was squashing them like bugs—total extermination work.

The bandits’ reactions were all over the place.

Some tried to run, some tried to fight, some pleaded for their lives…

Well, they all got slaughtered in the end.

The runners died when a full swing of the Holy Sword—complete with chunks of rubble—bent their backs like shrimp.

Those who fought back were taken out, weapons and all, with a single

“FWOOM!”

Those who begged were ignored; Al just slammed rubble down on their bowed heads and finished them.

Hmm, this mass murderer…

In another era he’d probably be a notorious serial killer.

…Actually, maybe that ship’s already sailed.

Watching the village reconstruction, I kick my legs back and forth, thinking.

“Hey! Bring the lumber over here!”

Al shows up beside the carpenters, carrying a mountain of huge beams.

“Leave it to me.”

“Whoa! Y-You scared me. You sure you can haul that much, Onii-chan?”

“No problem.”

“Th-Thanks a bunch…”

He dumps the beams—each one taller than he is—in a pile and walks off, only lightly sweating. Terrifying.

I’m not even boosting him with my blessing, so that’s just Al’s raw strength… and he doesn’t even look like a beefy muscle-head.

Where does that ridiculous power come from? Creepy.

“You really volunteer for this back-breaking work? I don’t get it at all.”

“Doing something for others is wonderful. You should break a sweat too.”

“I’m a spirit, not a human—sweating’s off the menu.”

“Heh” I laugh.

Why should I bust my ethereal butt for humans?

No reason whatsoever.

…Holy Sword? Don’t care.

Being a Holy Sword doesn’t obligate me to save humans. Probably. Who knows.

“I see.”

“Ahh! Don’t wipe your sweat on my clothes!”

Al hugs me and rubs his sweaty face all over my outfit—pure harassment! From the side, this scene is really bad!

I smack his head “whap-whap”, push him away, then sniff my clothes

“sniff sniff”

Ugh, sweaty… gross…

“Um, good work. Would you like a break?”

Rasha comes over—definitely aiming for Al—with water.

She’d taken an arrow earlier, but she’s completely healed.

Hannah supposedly splashed her with some suspicious liquid… a potion? Those are pricey, and do they even heal wounds that fast without scars?

Whatever. I wasn’t the one drenched in mystery fluid.

“Thanks.”

“No, thank you. With your help, Alvarado-san, repairs are moving several times faster than we expected—everyone’s thrilled.”

“If what I do makes people happy, that’s all I could ask for.”

Al drinks, then smiles softly.

…The worst thing about this guy is that he means every word.

Honestly, mind-sets like his really split opinion. Cynical types sneer at it as fake virtue.

But to normal folk—especially when the man saying it literally saved their village and lives…

“……”

Rasha gazes at Al, cheeks flushed.

Ugh. Girl’s got terrible taste in men.

“…I’d quit while you’re ahead.”

“Th-That’s not it! I’m not…!”

“Stop saying weird things about our Rasha, okay?”

Eyes spinning “swirl-swirl”, Rasha flails in denial until a slightly prickly voice cuts in.

“Hannah, huh.”

Hannah’s ample purple hair sways as she frowns—the one who held off the demon to buy time and got Rasha away.

She calls herself an alchemist. Do alchemists normally repel demons? Spooky…

Hannah narrows her eyes in exasperation.

“Not me—how about you keep your mistress in line?”

…Mistress?

Since when did Al have one?

Mr. Absolute-Justice never had that sort of baggage—or so I thought, until Hannah’s gaze locks on me.

…Oh ho. I’m the mistress.

Ha-ha-ha.

“Who’s a mistress? I’ll kill you.”

“W-Why the murder vibe? If you didn’t like him, you wouldn’t travel together, right?”

“I’ll kill you!!”

“Eek!?”

I tackle Hannah to the ground. This brat knows nothing about my situation!

Unforgivable!

Do you understand what it’s like being dragged out of comfy reclusion!?

“Also, why don’t you help? I see Rasha hustling everywhere, but you’re almost invisible.”

I give Hannah’s unnecessarily bountiful chest a slap “whap” and she scrambles off half-crying. Tch.

“W-Well, research keeps me busy, you know.”

“Hm. Seems like people don’t like you.”

“N-None of that! R-Right, Rasha?”

“…Yeah, kinda.”

“Rasha!?”

Duck out of chores with dumb excuses and, surprise, folks dislike you. At least it’s not fatal.

Yes, Al killed most demons and bandits, but Hannah did finish a few and stalled the demon—people are grateful.

“Besides, you reported the damage to the lord, right? We’ll get aid, so even if Hannah slacks, it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah. We don’t need the flab.”

“Flab!? These are breasts! Prime, man-lovin’ curves!”

Hannah shoves her chest at Al. Talk about low standards of chastity.

Sure, they’re huge even through her clothes—hope they fall off.

She presses them hard, but Al’s expression doesn’t change a millimeter.

A drooling Al would be creepy, but this level of indifference is its own problem…

“Actually, even though I sent the report, I doubt we’ll get any help.”

“Eh? Why?”

I’m blank. Don’t humans get public support in times like this?

Rasha looks sad; Hannah’s face twists with disgust.

“That’s just how the lord is here. Selfish, capricious. Nobles are trash.”

“Y-You can’t say it like that, Hannah.”

Yet Rasha doesn’t deny it. If even this sweet girl reacts like that, the lord must be pretty awful.

And the ones who suffer are the villagers… Not that it’s my concern.

…Or so I’d love to say, but an annoyingly strong-willed man has me in his grip.

And when Al hears a story like this, with his scrambled morals…

“…So, when Al heard that, let me guess—”

“Ah, my Beloved Sword already knows what I must do.”

Al flashes a dazzling smile.

“I’ll kill the noble.”

“Eeep…”

How does he issue a death threat with such an innocent grin?