The Great Sword is not the Main Body!
Chapter 9 – Eastern Ruins (1)

The damp smell we’d grown accustomed to over the past two days had vanished, replaced by a dry, musty scent that hung in the air.

“Let’s proceed with caution from here,” Aileen said.

“…Okay.”

We decided to dismount and continue on foot, preparing for any unexpected situations.

Crunch, crunch.

Small stones scattered and rolled beneath our feet as we walked.

“It’s eerily quiet…” Aileen muttered, holding the reins in one hand and the map in the other.

I wondered if she’d been here before.

“Um, Aileen… have you visited this place before?”

“Yes, I passed through once a while back.”

“Why would you come here…? It’s dangerous.”

“Oh, you know… I had some business to take care of.”

Maybe her group took on a request here? I thought, nodding in acknowledgment.

“What about you, Noah? Have you been here before?”

Of course! I’ve been here more times than I can count!

I started to nod but quickly shook my head instead.

“N-no…!”

Phew… That was close.

If I’d claimed to have been here despite not even knowing how to ride a horse or what supplies were needed for long trips…

Just imagining it makes me cringe.

“I see… Are you scared?”

“Huh? Of what?”

“Well… going somewhere you’ve never been before can be frightening.”

“Hmm… I’m a bit nervous, but…”

It was more of an excited nervousness.

Sure, the thought of waking Karpeng or getting surrounded by gnolls was terrifying—really, really terrifying—but I felt like I could somehow fight through it if I had to.

So, more than fear, I felt anticipation.

After all, this was the world I’d always loved.

It was just a shame I couldn’t see it with my own eyes…

“Hmm… that’s unexpected.”

“Huh? What is?”

“Heh, it’s nothing. Are there any monsters nearby?”

“There are… but they’re far enough away that we should be fine.”

I sensed three gnolls grouped up about 20 meters away, but their sense of smell wasn’t that good, and we weren’t heading in their direction. No problem!

“Noah, can you sense people as well as monsters?”

“Huh…? You mean detect them?”

Aileen nodded.

“Well, I guess so? But if they’re too far away, I can’t tell who they are…”

“You can identify specific people?”

“If I’ve met them before…”

Aileen touched her lips thoughtfully.

“So aside from Hermilla, you don’t know anyone else, right?”

Wait, that’s true…

But come on, isn’t that a bit harsh?!

“Th-that’s not true!”

“Oh? Do you know someone else? Really?”

Ugh…

You!

You shouldn’t tease people who don’t have friends like that!

I take it seriously, you know…

“…I do!”

“Who?”

Who do I even know in this world…?

Well, aside from Hermilla… and Aileen…

That’s two people. That’s it.

Pathetic. I’ve only made one friend per month.

Actually… I guess that’s better than in my past life?

“Uh… Hermilla and… you…”

Pffft! Aileen’s shoulders shook as she tried to hold back her laughter.

You’re so mean…!

I wanted to make friends too! But it’s not easy when you have zero social skills!

I could’ve just had a proper fight with someone, then bonded over it with a smoke afterward! Not that I smoke, but you know what I mean!

But nobody ever picked a fight with me…

Well, I guess nobody would be dumb enough to pick a fight with a blind girl barely 150 cm tall.

Oh… Wait. There was that one guy who tried to take my weapon on my first day.

But I haven’t seen him since. Maybe he wandered off somewhere far away like I did?

Then again, I didn’t see him for two whole months, so maybe he just moved to another village.

Anyway, Aileen, you were too harsh.

“S-so, Aileen, do you have any friends?”

I tried to sound defiant.

Judging by your personality, you don’t have any either!

You must be like me in my past life—friendless!

“Huh? We’re not talking about acquaintances. We’re talking about ‘friends,’ right? So, that means you consider me a ‘friend,’ huh?”

Aileen’s response was… not what I expected.

“N-no! I mean, just Hermilla…!”

That was the loudest I’d spoken in two months. Maybe I’ve grown a little?

“Oh… So I’m not your friend?”

Aileen spoke in a soft, dejected voice, her entire body slumping in disappointment.

Y-you wanted to be my friend…? Really?

Then why didn’t you just say so?!

You’re always scolding me, so I thought you hated me!

“Uh, um… We are friends…”

“Really?”

I nodded.

“Then, since we’re friends, can I ask you for a favor?”

“S-sure…!”

“Then, could you call me ‘sister’ instead of Aileen? You’ll do that for a friend, right?”

“H-huh…?”

Sister? Sister?!

No way! My pride won’t allow it! I can’t!

Not “sister,” not “bro,” not anything like that!

I refuse! Absolutely not!

“No, I can’t…!”

“Sigh… I see. So Noah’s the kind of friend who won’t do favors for her friends…”

Once again, Aileen slumped dramatically.

No. Don’t do that. Don’t play that card.

This is absolutely non-negotiable.

“And besides, friends don’t call each other by honorifics like that.”

“But I’m older than you. If you’re not going to call me ‘sister,’ what would you call me?”

“How old are you…?”

“I’m 25.”

Wait… She’s the same age as me?

You look so young…!

“How old are you, Noah?”

“Me…?”

Well… I told the adventurer’s guild I’m 20.

I’m actually 25, but I look younger, so I said I was 20…

“I’m 20…!”

“What? You? Twenty? With this face?!”

Aileen grabbed my cheeks and squished them.

“You’ve got such a baby face… And your behavior…”

What?!

I swatted Aileen’s hands away.

“What’s wrong with how I act?!”

“Huh? Oh, nothing… It’s just kind of… cute.”

Cute?!

What the hell!

“I’m not cute.”

“Okay, then you’re not cute, Noah. But that means I really am your ‘sister.'”

Uh… That’s technically true, but…

I’m… I’m a guy, though…?

Calling her ‘sister’ is a hit to my pride that I just can’t take.

“Well, you can talk casually, Aileen… But I’ll still call you Aileen…”

Thump!

“Wait.”

I drew my greatsword.

“Twelve gnolls. They’re coming right at us from the right. About 20 meters away.”

“Twelve…?”

“And.”

Gnolls usually move in packs.

The ones coming at us were all carrying close-range weapons.

That means they must have a rear guard.

I expanded my senses further.

“There are twenty-four more in the rear.”

“Twenty-four…? N-Noah, we should retreat…”

Aileen’s breathing grew ragged with tension.

My job is to protect her.

I need to protect her.

I pushed Aileen behind me.

“Don’t worry. Just stay behind me.”

Five.

I tightened my senses, sharpening my focus.

Four.

Take out the two at the front with the first strike.

Three.

Then the three following right behind them.

Two.

After that…

One.

Leave the rest to instinct.

Growl—!

The lead two gnolls appeared.

“Aileen, get ready. Huuuup—!”

I gave her the shortest warning I could manage before charging forward.

Combining the force of my charge with a powerful draw cut, I swung the greatsword.

Splatter! Two heads exploded simultaneously.

I immediately spun, using the momentum to continue the swing.

Without stopping the force, I amplified it.

Blood sprayed as the greatsword cleaved through the next three gnolls.

I expanded my senses again.

The rear guard was about 15 meters away.

This group was hastily assembled.

They have no leader.

I can handle this.

“Noah!”

“I need your support.”

I could clearly picture the path the gnolls were taking.

The alleyway was too narrow to swing my greatsword effectively.

I stabbed forward instead, taking out another gnoll.

Holding the greatsword upright, I charged.

The gnoll’s belly split open as I thrust through it.

A gnoll to my right swung its mace toward me.

I twisted the hilt of my sword, blocking the attack.

Another gnoll lunged at me from the left, jaws wide open, and I knocked it back with a shoulder slam.

I rammed my knee into the stomach of the gnoll that had swung the mace.

I thrust my greatsword into the face of the gnoll in front of me.

I swung my right fist, smashing the gnoll charging at me in the chest. I heard its ribs crack.

“Noah!”

I sensed Aileen’s energy.

I pulled back my right fist and gripped the greatsword with both hands.

With my left hand, I grabbed the gnoll by the throat and yanked it forward.

“Aileen!” I shouted.

I ducked as a sharp gust of wind shot past me.

The two gnolls in front of me exploded, their bodies torn apart.

I turned to the gnoll clutching its broken ribs and thrust my greatsword into its heart.

I took a breath.

Three gnolls left in the front.

I yanked the greatsword free from the corpse. The terrain wasn’t great.

I needed to push forward.

Aileen needed about ten more seconds to prepare. Time was running out.

“Aileen, get ready again! Use the widest range attack. We need to hit the rear gnolls!”

Growl!

The gnolls were charging.

The alley was too narrow to swing my greatsword properly, so I hooked it onto my waist.

I checked the two potions in my inner pocket, then charged at the gnolls unarmed.

I gripped the hilt of the sword in my right hand and stretched out my left to grab the gnoll by its jaw.

I twisted my shoulder and slammed the gnoll into the ground. Its jaw snapped with a sickening crack.

I switched my grip to the greatsword.

The gnoll on my left lunged at me, and I slammed my right fist into its face. Its ribs caved in with a loud crunch.

I turned to face the last gnoll, but it sank its teeth into my left arm.

Too late.

I was still gripping my greatsword in my left hand.

I reached for the hammer strapped to my thigh with my right.

I swung it hard, smashing the gnoll’s head.

It didn’t let go. I hit it again.

And again. Again. Again. Again.

Its eye burst, brain matter splattering everywhere.

My left arm was torn, and the muscle shredded.

I kept hitting it. Again. Again. Until the gnoll’s head crumbled.

Its fangs were still stuck in my arm.

I yanked them out along with some flesh.

I took out a potion and poured it over my arm.

The burning sensation hit as the bleeding stopped.

I expanded my senses.

Just around the corner were the gnolls in the rear.

Aileen had finished preparing.

“Aileen, follow me closely,” I said.

She nodded.

I flexed my left arm. The muscle wasn’t fully healed yet, but it would hold.

I have to keep going. I have to protect her.

Gripping my greatsword in my right hand, I charged toward the rear guard.

In the warm sunlight of an August afternoon, a path through the eastern ruins blossomed with vibrant red flowers.