Chapter 22 - 22: What I Wanted to Hear (2/2)
”S-stay away!”
This... is hell.
A maliciously created world.
Women - no - everyone in this world scorns me as if to torture me.
If she touches me, then I'll just be reliving those bad memories.
Raphtalia witnesses my condition and again glares at Motoyasu.
”I've heard the rumors... that Naofumi-sama forced himself on his companion, that he is an awful Hero.”
”A-Ah. He's a rapist! As a female slave, you should understand that, right!?”
”Why would I!? Naofumi-sama has never once laid his hands on me!”
Raphtalia then grabbed my hand.
”L-let go!”
”Naofumi-sama... How can I earn your trust?”
”Let go of my hand!”
Everyone in this world accuses me of a crime I didn't commit.
”I didn't do it!”
Pompf...
My frenzied self was covered by something.
”No matter what, I will always believe in Naofumi-sama.”
”Shut up! You people are just going to pin more crimes on me!”
”...I don't believe those rumors. You are a person who would never do such a thing.”
I heard the words that I've been wanting to hear ever since arriving in this world.
Gently, the shadows that clouded my vision disappeared.
I received the tender warmth of another person.
”Even if the whole world blames Naofumi-sama, I am different... No matter how many times it takes, I will refute them all.”
When I lifted my head, what laid in front of me was not a little girl but a young woman around the age of seventeen.
While her features looked like those of Raphtalia, she was an unbelievably cute girl.
What should have been dry, cracked skin was now a healthy complexion, with beautiful hair that was slightly dusty in color.
The body that was once all skin and bones was now curvy with a fit, robust figure.
Most prominently, her eyes were no longer filled with hopelessness, but filled with a gleam of strong will.
I could not recognize a girl like her.
”Naofumi-sama, now let's go and place the curse on me again.”
”W-who are you?”
”Eh? What are you saying? It's me, Raphtalia.”
”No-no-no, isn't Raphtalia a little girl?”
She claims herself as Raphtalia. Troubled, she tilts her head while trying to convince me.
”Geez, Naofumi-sama is always treating me like a child.”
That voice... is definitely the voice of the Raphtalia I remember.
However, her body is completely different.
No-no-no, this is strange even if she is Raphtalia.
”Naofumi-sama, I'll say this due to the circumstances.”
”What?”
”When young Demi-humans raise their level, their bodies also mȧturės quickly in order to match their level growth.”
”Eh?”
”Demi-humans are not like humans. It is the same with monsters.”
Embarrassed, the girl who claimed to be Raphtalia continues.
”Although my... my mind is still that of a child, my body has already become similar to an ȧduŀt.”
While telling me this, Raphtalia once again buries my head into her voluptuous ċhėst.
”Please believe me. I believe that Naofumi-sama has not committed any crimes. You are the great Shield Hero who has saved my life, gave me precious medicine, taught me how to survive and how to fight. I am your sword, and I will follow you no matter what hardships we may face.”
Those were... words that I wanted to hear.
The words spoken ever since Raphtalia swore to fight alongside with me.
”If you don't believe me, make me your slave or do whatever you wish with me. I will always stay with you.”
”Ku...u....uu....”
From the first kind words that I received since arriving in this world, I unwittingly began to weep.
Although I felt that I shouldn't cry no matter what, I couldn't stop the tears from falling.
”Uuu..... uuuuuuuuu...”
”The duel just now... Motoyasu, you are disqualified.”
”Haa!?”
Ren and Itsuki appeared from within the crowds and said.
”We saw it clearly from above, your companion targeted Naofumi with wind magic.”
”No, but... That can't be.”
”The king has become silent. You understand from that much, right?”
”... Is that what happened?”
Motoyasu's head went around the room looking at the audience.
”But he attacked me with monsters.”
”They did no damage. You can check it for yourself.”
Acting self-righteous now, Ren scolds Motoyasu.
”But... He! He aimed for my face and crotch!”
”Using dirty tactics after being forced into a fight where he had no chance of winning. We should overlook something like that.”
After hearing Itsuki's words, Moyotasu gave up arguing after with a displeased look.
”This fight seems to be your mistake this time, so just let it go.”
”Hmph... what a shitty result. I'm still suspicious that Raphtalia-chan is being brainwashed.”
”How can you still say that after looking at them like this?”
”That's right.”
With the atmosphere turning awkward, the heroes began to leave while the crowd returned to the castle.
”... Hmph! How boring.”
”Yes... this was quite a disappointing result.”
The two who were unsatisfied with the match's conclusion left in irritation. Only me and Raphtalia were left in the yard.
”It must have been tough for you. I didn't realize it at all. From now on, I want to share in your hardships.”
My consciousness drifted away when I heard her kind voice.
After that, I slept while being embraced by Raphtalia for about another hour.
I was surprised. I didn't realize Raphtalia had already grown up so much.
Why didn't I notice?
... I was too stressed, probably.
I didn't have the luxury of noticing Raphtalia's growth. All I could see were her rising stats in the status screen.
The feast has long ended. So I fell into a deep sleep in a dusty unused room, originally prepared for the servants.
Someone believes in me. With just that, I feel like a burden has been lifted from my heart.
The meaning of this became clear the next day during breakfast.
For the first time since I was betrayed by Mein, my sense of taste has returned.