Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Lilia

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 08 – Shadow One Can’t Escape From

This is a story from when Erin SwordX was still just Erin.　

It was a common story that could be found anywhere.

Monsters had the fate of killing any humans they encountered and destroying human civilization without stopping.　

But, it was like how an animal responded in a certain way when they received a stimulus. It was instinct, not a conscious choice.

However, for demons, it was different. Monsters were life forms created by the demon lord, while demons, as their name indicated, were descended from the ancestral race that the demon lord gave birth to. Demons had the ability to think and converse.

Demons targeted and slaughtered humanity because they wanted to.

The village where Erin lived had been engulfed in flames lit by the hands of demons.　

“Hiih…”　

She had a father, mother, and a little brother.　

In a scene that looked like a partial projection of hell, the three of them were lying face down in a pool of blood.

They would never move again.

“I guess you’re the only one left.”　

The demon that created this spectacle stepped on the bodies of the people he killed and approached the young Erin.　

There was no way help could have come in time.

“Hiih, no, no……!”

“That’s right, that expression. We demons want that kind of expression from you humans.”

His long and sharp fingers, covered in scaly skin, caressed Erin’s cheek. A dirty, jagged nail traced its way down her neck. 　

“When a human’s face is distorted in agony, when they scream in fear, and when they cry in sorrow is when they are most beautiful.”　

“That’s enough! Die, you good-for-nothing!!!!!”

　

The demon was blown away.

“……Eh?”

　

In place of the demon that had vanished into the distance, a young man stood in its place.

He wore silver armor. His blond hair shone elegantly. His clear pair of eyes harbored the flame of justice and a sense of duty.

He was like someone that should only exist in picture books, like a prince on a white horse who thwarted evil and did good.　

Armed with a shining sword in one hand, and clad in the brilliance of divine authority, the man had an overwhelming presence that blew away all the pervasive darkness in an instant.

　

“Barbarians who claim a human’s crying face is the most beautiful should die, you idiots……eh, it’s a survivor?! Ooooiii come over here, quick, healing magic! Wait, aren’t you hurt?! Anyway, someone, come over here, I found one survivor!”

　

Erin learned that day that there were still people in this world who didn’t give up on doing what was right.　

　

　

　

　◇

　

　

“……Just like that, teach’ saved me before I was picked up by the SwordX family.”

The two of us sat down on the training ground and faced each other.　

As I listened to Erin’s story, I was dripping with cold sweat.

I remembered.　

Whenever I heard news of demons in an area, I rushed to numerous villages and did my best to save them. I would sometimes make it in time, and sometimes I wouldn’t.

Still, I remembered all of them. Once I heard about the situation and the characteristics of the victims, I was able to figure it out.

There certainly was a settlement where there was only a blond girl as the sole survivor.

But there was no way I could have thought she was the protagonist of the sequel……!

　

“……Do you remember?”

“A-aah. I remembered… you had a little brother.”

Back then, my only companion was the Magician, so I remember entrusting Erin to her while I buried and properly mourned the people of the village.　

Even young children were killed mercilessly. Since children showed pure emotions (in this case, anger and sorrow) with high intensity, demons tended to consider children a high priority target to slaughter. Adults would also feel these emotions much more strongly after seeing children killed, so it was even more attractive to demons.

“I see, so you… managed to live on properly. You’ve grown up well. ”　

“……Gh.”

　

Erin’s eyes slightly moistened and she shook her head.

“No, that’s not it……the SwordX family picked me up, but I…… I……”

“It’s not like I helped you because I wanted you to become something.”

Ertin was telling me about her troubles clearly from the beginning.　

Even though her family was slaughtered and she loathed demons, she couldn’t become the blade for the great cause that the SwordX family educated her for.

She said she hated her half-hearted self who couldn’t become an avenger, and that was why she got tired of everything and left home to come to this place.

“Even so, I still wanted to become something …… Even though I feel like my father, mother, and brother were saying I should avenge them……”

　

It was a classic symptom of survivor’s guilt.

But it didn’t lead to any kind of obsessive motivation.

The guilt of surviving just quietly gnawed at Erin.

“……Erin, that’s not a problem that could be solved quickly. However, it’s also not a problem that can’t be solved.”

“……Gh.”

　

I also wanted Mariemaia and everyone else beside her to be happy too.

For that reason, I was able to perfectly play the role of an asshole hero.

If I could eradicate the bastard known as the demon lord from the world with my own hand, I would have done it a long time ago.

However…… I was merely someone who could prepare the path for the people who could really accomplish such a thing, like Mariemaia and Erin.

It was presumptuous of me to try and become happy for myself after I was reborn.

If I had the leisure to do that, I should have done more.

…………Because I thought like that myself, I have no words to tell her–!!

　

Also, I could think of the words that Erin wanted to hear. It would instantly lift her mood, and I could say them if I didn’t mind lying. But, I didn’t want to lie to my students, and definitely not for superficial comfort. Those words wouldn’t fix her thinking. 

That would make her more emotionally dependent on me. That was definitely not good.

“Let us think together about what you really want to be from now on. I told you that in the first class, didn’t I?”　

“……That’s about the Job to submit to the guild, right?”

“Sort of. But apart from that, it’s also an important question of what kind of adventurer you want to be.”

I repeated the important point to her.　

I felt like I was getting too involved with the sequel’s protagonists… but somehow, I felt like I couldn’t leave this child, who looked like she was about to fall apart at any moment, all alone.

There was no need for me to be a scum hero anyway, so it would be nice to be a little kinder to others.

“……Yes, you’re right.”

Although she wasn’t convinced, at least she understood.　

At that point, Erin nodded.

……As I thought, I should have tried to get a teaching degree in my previous life.

　

　

　

　◇

　

　

……Even though I said I didn’t want to lie to my student, I actually told a big lie earlier.

Erin looked like she was in great pain while she recounted her memories.　

It was obviously something she didn’t want to remember too much.

In my previous life, I heard that the human brain would sometimes falsify memories to protect their mind. It was a way to cope with highly traumatic experiences. 　

So maybe Erin was──

　

　

In the first place, even without me there, she would be able to repel the demon on her own in the original scenario.　

She must have forgotten that she managed to wound the demon when she confronted it.

　

　

　

　◇

　

　

After school, Sharon and Kuyumi saw Erin subdued and quiet in the classroom, decided that she should be left alone for now, said goodbye and quickly left.　

Left alone, Erin found herself walking alone on the road back to the dormitory.

As the sun set and night fell, her shadow stretched out on the road before her.

Think together from now on about the future, huh.　

Haruto’s words were swirling around in her head.　

The question of whether it was okay for her to live like this had tormented her for so long.

After talking to her lifesaver, her prince, and the man she admired ── she felt a little lighter.

I wonder if it’s okay for me to be alive……

　

But the fact she thought that made her feel heavier.

She felt disgusted at her self-interested self. She felt it was frivolous that the flame of vengeance had weakened just because the person she admired was being kind to her.

…That’s no good. To think I was such a troublesome girl. I only talked about terribly dull things to teach’.　

Although it was part of his job as a teacher, the idea that she was probably bothering her lifesaver was enough to make Erin’s shoulders droop.　

What should I do from tomorrow on? It’s best to act like I don’t care about what happened yesterday, right? But teach’ seems like can see through that kind of acting… he’s disgustingly good at reading people, after all……

　

Was it because of the extra close contact with the benefactor of her dream, whom she had finally met?

Perhaps just like Sharon, Erin’s way of addressing Haruto would also become completely revamped.

…I guess I should get back on my feet quickly.　

“Haah,” with a heavy sigh, Erin slowly stopped.　

“Was it always this far?”　

She felt like she had been walking for a while now.　

She wondered if it was because she was thinking too much that it felt like the distance to her destination became unusually long.

However, as she was looking at her surroundings, a presence suddenly swelled behind her.

“……Gh, who?”

　

When she turned around, she saw a shadow blending in with the darkness of the night.

The silhouette was wearing a robe that made it impossible to sense the shape of the figure, but the magic power radiating from the figure was intense.

　

“As expected, you can detect me even at this distance …… it’s been a while.”

Seeing the figure who took off his robe, Erin took a few steps back.　

“W-why……?!”

“……So you remembered. Just like I thought, you must have been unable to forget about it.”

It was the demon who attacked Erin’s village in the past.　

There was no way she could have forgotten. It was her abominable enemy whose image had been seared into her memory. 

“……Gh.”

“Hoh? You’re not as scared as I thought.”

She was upset and scared.　

She was just desperately trying to hide it inside herself.

“We demons can’t allow humans to live.”　

“……Oh really. I can’t forgive what you just said, though.”

“That’s probably because you’re human.”

The demon uttered mocking words and snapped his fingers.　

At that moment, a translucent barrier appeared surrounding the two.

“Of course, a barrier is needed. It’s obvious to prepare measures to prevent that man from intervening.”　

The demon didn’t even give Erin the option to just run away without thinking.　

It was the same as when her family was killed that day.

Such was the power dynamic between humans and demons.　

Because their class as creatures was so drastically different, one could easily trample over the other.

“Those eyes are a nuisance.”　

Erin immediately tried to reach for the hilt of her sword.　

However, her right hand trembled so badly that she couldn’t even grasp the hilt.

“For His Majesty’s resurrection …… that abominable hero is our target. But first of all, we need to deal with mystic eye users.”

Even after listening to such a selfish excuse, Erin’s body couldn’t move to counterattack.　

Why……! I’ve been training so hard for a time like this……!

　

Her family’s nemesis was in front of her.

Yet there was neither anger nor sadness, just fear.

While taking steps back, her teeth chattered in fright and she couldn’t even draw the sword to defend against the creeping shadow that revealed a cruel smile.

Am I actually this weak……?

　

Her vision began to blur from despair.

It was at that moment.

“Kiiiiiiiihhhhhhhhhh!” the sound of an assault spear charging up with magic power resounded.

　

　

“Burden of the stars…golden light of the heavens…kneel before its majesty. May thou be crushed under the weight of thine own gaze… ── FIRE!”

　

　

Without omitting the chant, the power that was unleashed directly hit the barrier, completely pulverizing it.　

“Eh……”

“Hoh?”

Two shadows descended in front of Erin as if to protect her from the demon.　

“This is just like an appetizer… ah, but considering the time, I guess it’s more like dessert?” ¹　

“That barrier and its master are too much of a small fry♡ just die.”

Sharon wielding an assault spear and Kuyumi wielding daggers in both hands gave fearless smiles before the demon.　

　

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