When I Tried Strengthening 【Rusted Sword】, It Evolved Into An Overpowered Magic Sword - Chapter 53

When I Tried Strengthening 【Rusted Sword】, It Evolved Into An Overpowered Magic Sword

Chapter 53   Place to belong

I realized I needed to find a way to ease her wariness again.

With that in mind, I raised both hands lightly, indicating to the girl that I had no hostile intentions.

“I have no intention of hurting you. We are adventurers, but from what I’ve seen, I don’t sense any hostility or malice from you. We never raise our swords against such people. So, um… I’d appreciate it if you could lower your guard.”

“…”

Hearing this, the girl scrutinized us for a moment, as if evaluating us.

Dia and I endured her gaze patiently.

It’s natural for her to be wary of adventurers since she’s a demon, but it seemed like there was more to it. I also subtly tried to gauge her intentions.

Eventually, the girl seemed to understand that we had no hostile intentions, and I noticed her relax slightly.

It appeared she had eased her guard a bit.

With this, we could at least have a calm conversation.

There were many things I wanted to ask her, but I decided to first address our immediate objective.

“Ah, so, I have a favor to ask…”

“…?”

“I think the puppy you’re holding is the one we’ve been searching for. If you don’t mind, could you let us take care of it?”

The girl narrowed her eyes at us again, wary once more.

However, this time, she quickly softened her gaze and slowly approached us.

It must have been quite scary for a seemingly helpless demon to approach adventurers, yet she did, still holding the puppy.

I took the puppy from her.

The puppy’s features matched the one we were searching for, so I had Dia confirm it as well.

While handing the puppy to Dia, I glanced at the girl.

Though I was receiving the puppy, my focus remained on the demon girl.

Her horned head clearly marked her as a demon.

How could such a kind girl be a demon…

Before I realized it, I found myself asking her a question.

“Why are you here in a place like this?”

“…A place like this?”

“This Seven Colored Forest is close to town, and adventurers come and go frequently. Isn’t it really dangerous for a demon to lurk around here?”

“It might be safer to hide somewhere else.”

When I questioned her, the girl in front of me glanced away and replied softly,

“I don’t have a place to belong.”

“Huh?”

“I have no home to return to. So I can’t even get lost. It’s the same no matter where I am…”

I didn’t quite understand what she meant.

No home to return to. So she can’t even get lost?

Demons typically reside in the area where they were born. Even if it’s difficult to live there, the fact remains that it’s their birthplace.

If demons have a place to call home, wouldn’t that be it?

But apparently, that’s not the case for this girl.

…It intrigued me a little, but oh well.

“Even if you don’t have a place to return to, this area is still dangerous for you. You should find somewhere safer. Uh, how about I help you look for one?”

Just as I came up with an idea, I decided to propose it.

“Maybe Charm-san could tell us about some convenient areas,” I suggested. “Like places where gentle demons live quietly.”

No, instead of that, maybe it would be better to look for a special facility that protects harmless demons.

…As I pondered this somewhat bold idea, I noticed belatedly that the girl was staring at me wide-eyed.

She seemed surprised and flustered by my statement. Quite visibly so.

Did I say something strange? I just made a safe suggestion because she seemed troubled.

Then the girl averted her gaze again and replied in a small voice,

“…No.”

“Huh?”

“No. I don’t trust adventurers. I won’t owe anything to adventurers. Adventurers are…”

The girl clenched her teeth heavily, looking burdened.

It seemed clear that she harbored an extraordinary aversion towards adventurers.

Had something happened between her and adventurers in the past?

As a demon, it was natural for her to view adventurers as enemies, but it seemed there was more to it…

As the rift between us deepened once more, I attempted to say something to approach the girl again.

Just as I was about to open my mouth and speak, at that moment—

“——!?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something glinting fiercely.

Instinctively, I grabbed the girl with one arm and pushed Dia, the puppy I was holding, backward. We swiftly moved away from the spot.

In an instant, a “long blade” thrust into the very place we had just been standing.

It pierced the ground with such force that it kicked up a massive cloud of dust.

We all stared wide-eyed.

If our reaction had been even a fraction slower, we would have surely been the prey of that blade.

I was relieved and astonished at the same time. Looking at the swirling dust, I came to one conclusion.

I understood why Dia hadn’t sensed the attack just now.

Her precognitive abilities seemed mysteriously accurate, as if imbued with some strange power.

When danger threatens me or Dia, she can sense it beforehand.

Attacks from demons or monsters, or even natural disasters.

But she hadn’t sensed this attack at all.

And there was a reason for that. The attacker wasn’t a demon or part of nature; it was another human.

Now, with the dust cloud obscuring everything, all we could see was the silhouette of a human.

Moreover, if the attack wasn’t directed at me or Dia, it would be extremely difficult for her to predict it.

While I couldn’t be certain, judging by where the blade had struck, the target was undoubtedly the demon girl.

“Hey, get out of the way, you trash.”

“Huh…?”

The person directed their hostility towards the girl, hurling foul language from within the dust cloud.

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but shudder.

It wasn’t just because of the crude language.

The real reason I trembled was because something about that manner of speaking felt oddly “familiar.”

Even the voice now, I definitely recognized.

It wasn’t a fond memory by any means; rather, it was a memory of something best forgotten.

With sweat beading on my forehead, I bit my lip in silence.

Then, the figure emerged from the dust cloud.

“There’s a lot I wanna ask, but for now, just get out of there… Rust.”

“…Helio-kun.”

It was Helio Thor, my childhood friend, whom I hadn’t seen in three years.