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

Chapter 78 The one and only hero

I had a dream.

It was an old dream.

I must have been about six or seven years old.

It was the day when Ruby had barged into my house—more specifically, into my room as usual.

“Are you reading hero tales again, Rust?”

Ruby looked at me with a mix of exasperation.

I thought it was rich coming from her, considering she had come in without knocking.

“Is that… not okay?”

“Why don’t we go outside and play for a change? The weather is nice.”

“No, if I go outside, Helio and the others will… Actually, I’m just in the mood to read today.”

I changed my words midway.

I thought it might sound like a pathetic excuse.

But Ruby hadn’t missed it.

“You’re just scared of being bullied.”

“…”

“If I’m with you, they won’t bother you, so it’s totally fine.”

Ruby said this gently, but I kept my eyes on the book.

While being scared of being bullied was part of it, I really did just want to read in my room today.

Hero tales are great. They lift your spirits when you’re feeling down.

I don’t remember exactly why I was feeling down at the time, but I wanted to cheer myself up by reading hero tales.

I thought it would be better to play outside after that.

Ruby, seeing how engrossed I was in the hero tales, said something like this.

“Hmm, so you really like hero tales that much. Are you thinking of becoming a hero someday, perhaps?”

“No, not exactly… I mean, um…”

Just from that hesitation, Ruby seemed to understand everything about my feelings.

“Could it be that you want to become a hero…?”

“…”

I felt like lies wouldn’t work with her.

Her words made me realize that she could see through me, and I weakly nodded, as if I had resigned myself to it.

I was probably blushing furiously. It was quite embarrassing.

Saying I wanted to be a hero was something that a six- or seven-year-old shouldn’t really say.

And then I quickly added, trying to cover up my embarrassment.

“But, it’s impossible for me. I can’t become a hero.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m a coward, a crybaby, and I’m always getting bullied.”

As I said this with a dwindling voice, Ruby shrugged her shoulders with a hint of exasperation.

“It’s like this with everything: you can’t do things from the start. If you could do them right away, it wouldn’t be interesting or impressive. Is the hero you want to be that easy?”

“N-No.”

It’s not easy.

Becoming a hero means training with divine artifacts, overcoming terrible demons while getting all battered up.

It’s a symbol of hope for the people.

I probably inflated the idea about five times and passionately argued about it.

That’s why I also strongly added that I couldn’t become one.

Someone like me, who’s bullied, couldn’t possibly become a hero who saves the world…

“Then, why not start by becoming a hero little by little?”

“Little by little…?”

“Yes. If you want to be a hero of the world, start by becoming a hero of the country. If you want to be a hero of the country, start by being a hero of your town.”

Ruby said this with a casual expression in response to my lengthy explanation.

She suggested not to overthink it and to start becoming a hero bit by bit.

I understood the meaning.

As they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It’s about taking the time to become a hero who saves the world.

But I couldn’t help but wonder.

“So, what kind of hero should I start with?”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

But in my case, it’s not just a thousand miles.

To become a hero on a global scale, I must overcome even greater obstacles.

After all, I’m just a weak and crying child who gets bullied in a village.

What kind of hero should someone like me become first?

A person who is protected by girls, comforted by girls, and cries in front of girls…

Then Ruby put her hand on her chin and fell silent. After about five seconds, she suddenly spoke up.

“Maybe you should start by becoming someone’s hero?”

“Someone’s hero…”

“If it’s too hard to become a hero for a country or town, then start by being a hero for one person. Help someone in need and become their hero. Doesn’t that seem like something you might be able to do?”

That’s typical of Ruby. I thought with a touch of exasperation.

Helping others is more complex than just words.

Without both the desire to help and the power to match it, one cannot truly help another person.

So for me, it seemed difficult. At least I didn’t feel like I could manage it right now.

Ruby then continued in a light tone.

“Well, just start becoming a hero bit by bit. While helping one person at a time, you might find yourself becoming a hero for the world before you know it. Actually, I might aim for that too.”

“Y-You might aim for it too…?”

I didn’t think it was something you could casually aim for.

But Ruby, with her extraordinary aura, seemed like she might actually become a hero as she said.

Above all, Ruby was already a great hero to me.

“So, let’s start by dealing with those bullies first! I’ll help out too! The first step to becoming a hero is that! Let’s knock them out!”

“…That’s something we can talk about another time.”

And with that, the old dream ended.

As I immersed myself in nostalgic feelings, I slowly opened my eyes.

In front of me was an unfamiliar ceiling.

It was wooden and had some splinters. It looked like an old house.

It seemed I had been lying on a bed in this room.

Where am I?

What happened to me after defeating Onyx?

As I traced the wooden grain of the ceiling with my eyes, pondering these thoughts, the door to the room was quietly opened.

In walked a familiar silver-haired girl.

“Ah, Rust-san. Good morning.”

“…Dia.”

Dia was carrying a bucket of water and a towel.

Noticing this, I realized there was a cool towel on my forehead and a water bucket on the nearby table.

My rusted sword was propped up there as well.

Had she been taking care of me?

Was I in such bad shape?

As these thoughts crossed my mind, the remaining drowsiness faded and my thoughts cleared.

In that moment, I suddenly remembered something.

I had left Dia and the injured adventurers behind in the cave.

“D-Dia, are you okay? And what about the other adventurers…?”

In my eagerness to get answers, I tried to sit up, but was suddenly struck by unbearable pain throughout my body.

I winced in pain and sank back into the bed.

It hurt. It hurt a lot. Just moving a little made me feel like I was about to cry.

As I gritted my teeth and gasped from the intense pain, Dia hurried over with a worried expression.

“P-Please calm down, Rust-san. You’ve just recovered from illness, so you need to stay still and rest.”

Following her advice, I remained quiet on the bed.

Gradually, the pain across my body began to ease.

In response, Dia started to explain.

“I understand what you want to know. I’ll explain everything step by step, so please just listen quietly.”

“Y-Yeah. Thank you.”

Taking her words to heart, I listened from my comfortable position on the bed.

“Well then, first of all, good morning, Rust-san. It’s been a full two days since you’ve been bedridden, so this is the first ‘good morning’ in three days.”

“…Two days.”

I had been asleep for that long?

It was certainly a fierce battle, but I didn’t think I was exhausted enough to sleep for two days.

It would make sense to attribute this to the curse.

The extended use of the cursed sword likely had this kind of backlash.

Extended unconsciousness and intense pain throughout the body.

I would need to be more careful in future battles.

“So, Dia, are you injured anywhere? And what about the adventurers who were there?”

“They’re all safe. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine too. There’s no need to worry.”

“Safe, huh…”

That’s a relief.

Everyone who was there survived.

It must be thanks to the young girl with the gentle smile in front of me.

Dia had indeed saved everyone’s lives in that situation.

Dia is truly an amazing girl.

However, this raises one more question.

“What happened to that demon?”

The other demon who was Onyx’s ally.

It looked like a snake and seemed to be quite powerful.

Since everyone is safe, does that mean the demon was repelled somehow?

But I don’t think such a demon would give up so easily.

As I wondered about this, Dia hesitantly raised her right hand.

“W-Well, I defeated it…”

“Eh, Dia? How did you…”

“Well, it was… kind of with sheer determination and so on…”

“Determination? What do you mean?”

Her hesitation suggested it wasn’t easy to explain in just a few words.

It seemed like that was indeed the case, and Dia decided to move on to the more important details.

“F-For now, let me brag about it next time. Let’s continue with the current situation.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Nodding awkwardly, Dia continued to explain our current location.

“We’re in a town called Clear Land, specifically in a room at a clinic here.”

“Clear Land…? Isn’t that where the Adventurers’ Guild headquarters is located…?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s the town we were asked to take Citrine to.”

I was slightly taken aback by this.

It seems that while I was sleeping, we had arrived at our destination.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that I was carried here.

“After the battle, Citrine came back to us and healed the injured adventurers. Then she told us that you had collapsed, so we all went to help you.”

“Citrine…?”

“Yes. She was a tremendous help.”

I recalled the injured adventurers.

Everyone at the scene was in danger.

There were likely many who would have died if their wounds weren’t treated quickly.

While Dia’s contribution was remarkable, it’s clear that without Citrine, we wouldn’t have been able to save everyone.

She really did play a crucial role.

Dia and the other adventurers then decided to return to the town with me, who had collapsed, and that’s how I ended up here.

After hearing all this, I asked a question, albeit belatedly.

“By the way, where is Citrine now?”

I couldn’t see Citrine anywhere.

Where could she be right now?

Is she inside the town? Or outside the town?

This town is inhabited, and demons are generally not allowed here.

Therefore, it’s more likely she’s outside, which poses various dangers.

Attacks from other demons. Threats from adventurers.

With these concerns, I instinctively leaned forward.

“Oh, if it’s Citrine…”

Just as Dia began to say something…

The door to the room suddenly creaked open.

Dia and I both turned to look.

Standing there was a girl with shimmering golden long hair and wearing a black dress.

“…Citrine.”

Citrine was looking at us with a surprised expression, slightly out of breath.

I, too, was taken aback to see Citrine here.

Citrine was in the town. And she was so close.

Did she come because she heard our voices? But why is she in the town?

In any case, seeing Citrine safe again, I let out a deep sigh of relief.

I was able to meet her again in good spirits.

Relishing the joy of this reunion, I tried to speak to Citrine.

“G-Good morning, Citrine…”

“—!”

But before I could finish, Citrine rushed over to me.

She embraced me tightly while I was sitting on the bed.

Although I only glimpsed it, Citrine was definitely crying.

“I’ve been wanting to thank you all along. For helping me, thank you…”

“…Yeah.”

“I wasn’t able to say it properly. So, thank you for waking up…”

“…Yeah. Good morning, Citrine.”

I offered my morning greeting this time.

Unlike at the beginning, Citrine had become more open with her feelings.

It made me very happy.

Feeling the closeness that had developed, I returned her gratitude with my own.

“Thank you too, Citrine. If you hadn’t been here, I think I would have been done for by now.”

I laughed wryly, reflecting on that time.

It was really dangerous then.

Without Citrine’s healing, I would definitely have lost and died.

In reality, that battle was a loss for me.

It was a victory won by both me and Citrine.

With Citrine’s appearance, another question arose in my mind.

“But, how did Citrine manage to get into the town? What about the guards?”

When I asked while looking at Dia, she smiled and responded.

“To put it simply, Citrine-chan has already been granted permanent residence in the town.”

“What?!”

“We were supposed to talk with the guild master and seek their judgment, but the adventurers whom Citrine-chan helped passionately convinced the guild master, and it was accepted more smoothly than we expected. Well, the guild master asked us to come and show our faces again, but for now, it’s all settled.”

Hearing this from Dia, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

At the same time, I felt deeply reassured.

The adventurers’ persuasion was indeed powerful.

The fact that many people’s lives were saved by Citrine was the best proof of her harmlessness.

I’m truly glad that Citrine has been accepted.

“However, it’s still within the range monitored by the guild headquarters… For now, it’s only a permit limited to this town. The guild headquarters seems to be busy just informing the townspeople about it.”

“…Even so, I think it’s a very generous response.”

With this, there was no need to worry about Citrine anymore.

She had been granted permission to live in a human town as a mild-mannered demon.

I had always wondered if I had done the wrong thing.

I had been rejected by many people, berated for my self-centered thinking, and I wasn’t sure if what I did was right.

But now, Citrine has been officially recognized. While I can’t say for certain that what I did was completely right, it seems that it wasn’t entirely wrong, which reassures me.

I’m truly glad I chose to help Citrine back then.

“Ah, but is Citrine okay? Living in this town?”

Now that I think about it, I’ve been dragging Citrine around due to my own circumstances.

Now that she has become more open about her feelings, I felt it was important to confirm with her once more.

Citrine, still holding onto me, looked up at me with a determined expression.

Her tears had disappeared, and her usual impassive expression remained.

“Yeah, I’m fine. As I said before, if I can live in a human town, I want to do that. I know there are still many people who can’t trust me, but even if someone like that were to stab me in the back, I wouldn’t complain. So, it’s okay.”

“…”

Citrine spoke with a voice that showed she had made up her mind.

For a demon like Citrine to live in a human town is always fraught with danger.

There are not a few people who want to eliminate demons indiscriminately.

Moreover, while the awareness among the townspeople is progressing, it doesn’t affect those coming from elsewhere.

Living in a human town would be impossible without the mindset that one could be stabbed in the back at any moment.

That’s what I’ve done. The mission I’ve placed on Citrine. The guilt still lingers.

I wondered if there was anything I could do for her. As I thought about it, it seemed that Citrine sensed my feelings and continued.

“And, to make sure that doesn’t happen, I’m working hard ‘here’ right now.”

“Here?”

I wondered what she meant by “here,” and as I did, Dia stepped in to clarify.

“Citrine-chan is currently helping out at this clinic.”

“Helping out at the clinic? Oh, right…”

I recalled the ring on Citrine’s right hand and understood.

It made sense now why Citrine was at the clinic when I woke up.

The divine artifact Citrine possesses is a healing artifact.

It is very rare among the artifacts given to demons and has the power to heal wounds.

Healing artifacts are not commonly found even among humans.

So, in a clinic where many injured people gather, such an artifact is surely valuable.

If Citrine continues to heal the townspeople’s injuries here and gradually builds trust, she can prove her safety as a demon.

Helping out at the clinic might be the best choice for her.

“You taught me that I need to decide my own place. And to make my own place, I have to create it myself.”

Citrine gazed at the ring on her right index finger, her cheeks softening with a gentle smile.

“When I healed the adventurers, they expressed their gratitude a lot. It made me very happy, and I felt that my power was meant for this. So, I want to be recognized by everyone and heal the injuries of the townspeople here. From now on, I’ll handle things on my own.”

I could strongly feel her determination to not rely on us any further.

It seemed she didn’t want to be a burden.

Since she had found a way to be independent, I decided to respect her wishes.

“Yeah, I understand. But if you have any problems or need anything, just let me know. I’ll definitely help.”

“I’ll help too, Citrine-chan.”

“…Okay.”

Citrine smiled happily, then moved away from me.

She put on a white hat typical of a healer, which she had kept tucked away, and walked towards the door.

“I have to get back to helping soon, or the clinic director will scold me. Next time you two come, I’ll heal you for free.”

“…That’s really helpful.”

It really is.

Given our current financial situation and the fact that we’ve been spending money on unrelated matters, our wallet is nearly empty.