5 Episode IV "The Name of Its Glory"




"Gu...aaaaagh!

 A head-on collision between a large hexenbiest and a still-undergrown brat. Then the recoil is natural. With two knives thrust into the hexenbiest's eyebrows, he was sent flying to the grass nearby. The taste of iron oozed out of his mouth.

"Ha-ha! I know you've got the softest brows.

 I know you have the softest brows." Yes, your Hexenbiest has been studied extensively over the years.

 You're covered in scratches and your cheeks are lifted up. I can still feel the flesh slicing through my hands. It was a spur of the moment move, but it worked. My heart leaps with elation and a sense of accomplishment.

 Yes, yes, yes. If you're running here, you're no different than before. I have to break through who I was, no matter what. I have to overcome who I was and who I will be.

 The hexenbiest screams in agony, blood dripping from its brow. It's not a fatal wound, but it's not a negligible one either. That's pretty good, considering the situation.

"......? Where the hell did you come from?

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up. I don't want to hear your voice! I don't want to hear your voice! You come at me with such crude skills. If you're still weak, why don't you be weak and stay quiet?

 Oh, now that felt so good. I wonder. I felt like I'd just settled a long-standing grudge with one word. I look at Kalia Vadnick with some trepidation. It's okay, he's gritting his teeth in frustration, but the situation is what it is, he's not going to attack me.

"Come on, I'm empty-handed. You take care of the rest. He's pretty shook up.

 He picked up the long sword that had been thrown out and handed it to Kalia Vadnick. She's not unscathed either, with a little blood dripping down her face.

"...... I don't need to be told. I'll deal with you later. I'll get through those fangs and get it done.

 He muttered, "Quickly," and glared at the giant beast with his long sword in his hand again.

 Its body resembles a boar. But only in form. In reality, it's something else entirely. Its outer skin, hidden beneath its fur, is tough enough to repel rocks. The four legs that support its body are all as thick as trees with roots, and it is obvious that a soft slash will be repelled as a matter of course.

 I'm sure you'll be able to understand why I've been so impressed with your work.

 A large hexenbiest.

 It has a huge physique that lives up to its name, and it is looking at you with its sharp eyes. Its majesty is impressive. Its weakness had been gouged out and it was wounded, but it had not lost its will to fight. In fact, the more wounded a beast is, the more rabid it becomes. But fortunately, it's probably on the lookout for us. It's eyes are wide and wide, but its first move is slow.

"Aim for the chin, little girl.

"Chin? It's better to aim at the cervical vertebrae from the top than to go through those fangs and aim at the chin.

 You're the idiot.

You're the idiot. That type of hexenbiest's greatest weapon is its ramming power. Its hull is not soft enough to be cut off with a steel sword. The skin is not soft enough to be cut off by an iron sword. Even with your skill, you can barely get a scratch on it.

"...... You say what you want. That's a new type of hexenbiest. Why do you think you know so much? You think I'm going to believe a guy like you with your shabby appearance?

"Then I don't care what you do.

 He bites off her words and tells her with a light click of his teeth.

 She really is the same woman she was and will always be. She was a jerk. She doesn't listen to people's opinions. A woman who does everything on her own. The only person who could talk sense into her was that savior guy from beginning to end.

 I'm sure she still thinks this way. I'm sure she's still thinking that she can't listen to this poor, bad-looking man. A woman who will always make fun of others.

Then I'll get the hell out of here. The rest is yours to do with as you please. My job is to scout, after all. Besides...

 While we're talking, he's getting better.

 The hexenbiest is spewing out smoke from all over its huge body, sealing up its wounds. That's the miasma, says the scholar. Adventurers say it's a poisonous mist that seals their wounds. The truth is not clear. Some say it evaporates magic and is used to heal the wounds. Whatever the truth is, it's definitely something that heals hexenbiests.



 Once the wound is closed, he'll definitely come at us. The enmity of hexenbiests far surpasses that of beasts. The hostility of a hexenbiest is far greater than that of a beast, especially if it has been physically injured.

But you can do it. You can do it. I'm rooting for you from my bar table.

 With this kind of mockery, Kalia Vadnick wouldn't say another word. More than anything, I didn't want to get involved.

 I'm wasting two knives on a woman I don't even like. Giving that hexenbiest a shot was definitely a show of courage, considering my past. It can't be that bad. I'll consider it a sacrifice.

"...... Wait.

 A sharp voice stopped me as I fluttered my hands in the air and turned to leave.

I'll take that as a sacrifice. I apologize for my rudeness and will take your advice. How can I fight him? How can I kill him?

 Hearing those words, I felt something like fear creep up on my heels.

...... Oh, come on, you can't be serious.

 I don't understand how this woman, who is a combination of self-esteem and arrogance, can rely on me. I don't get it. This is completely out of bounds.

 The chill far outweighs the comfort of being relied upon. He points his thumb at the hexenbiest with a contorted face.

"Look, his fangs are for protecting his soft spot between the eyes. That's why you can't poke it unless you're planning a surprise attack. And his hull is so hard you'd have to bring in some high-level magic to penetrate it.

 Kalia Vadnick nodded her head and listened to his words more honestly than expected. It's hard to imagine a future where she didn't listen to a word I said. Frankly, it was creepy.

 He tapped his chin and continued to speak.

So the chin. The skin under his chin and around his neck is too fragile for the outer skin to penetrate, even with a steel sword.

So how do we get to it? The softer the skin on the inside, the harder and less dangerous it is to aim.

We're going to have to go for the kick.

 "When it kicks up," she said in return. She squinted, watching my hand as I continued my explanation.

When he kills his prey with his fangs, he raises them up at the last moment to kill it completely. At that moment, it opens its jaws. That's where you bite.

Are you out of your mind? Are you serious?

 A dumbfounded voice came out of my mouth. You can't even call that an opening, she continued, her face clouding over. The hand supporting the long, thin sword was shaking, as if it was unsure of itself.

 I'm the one who's surprised. What is this woman saying?

"You can do it. Of course you can. There's no need to even hesitate.

What? How can you say that? You think you know something and you don't know what you're talking about!

I have proof.

 I have a reason," he says, sighing into the silvery eyes of a man who has been thwarted and frightened.

"Because you're Kalia Vadnick.

 Yes, of course you can. How could I not? She's a genius at swordsmanship, a brilliant knight of the Order. If she can't do it, who can?

 Kalia Vadnick locked eyes with me for a moment, her eyes widening. Maybe it's too late, but I'm a little scared. I can't help but think of the journey to salvation that she kept threatening me with. As if to laugh off my feelings, she smiled a faint but spilling smile.

"I understand. Yes, I'm Kalia Vadnick. Then, of course, I will vanquish the hexenbiest. Stay there, son.

 Oh, I knew you could do it.

 The back of her head is unmistakable. The genius I knew, Kalia Vadnick, was the very image of her.