Hero Punishment - Chapter 15

With the arrival of Teolita, there are good things and there are bad things.

One good thing is that there is no longer a time limit.

Having come to this, there’s no way the Holy Knights will immediately activate the Scorched Earth Seal.

Because the [Goddess] Teolita is here.

You can’t just bury us all together.

The second good thing.

I’m able to secure a large number of swords. Good iron swords.

“We will engrave Sacred Seals! Use the summoned swords and insert them into the ground. Construct a fence!”

Unusually, His Majesty Norgayu was demonstrating engineer-like qualities.

With the swords called by Teolita, they can have Sacred Seals of Defence carved on them and made into an iron fence.

Right now, we need to quickly construct a defensive position.

The pursuit will still come anyway.

Defend, and for now, fight by making a huge commotion. By doing so, aim to have the Holy Knights link up with us. Over there, they’re probably also searching for us.

On the other hand, the bad things are almost everything other than the two good points I mentioned.

“What are you doing?”

I can’t hide my irritation.

“Teolita. What happened with the Holy Knights? Why are you here?”

“I am a [Goddess], Zyro.”

Teolita said proudly.

“I absconded. With the likes of humans, how can I be detained?”

“You……”

“Well then, praise.”

Teolita stuck her head forward.

Her smooth golden hair is shining with sparks.

“…Ahem. It is good that I delivered salvation in your time of predicament, is it not? I manifested in your time of need, right? Surely I was useful?”

“I’m not going to praise you for that.”

I pushed Teolita’s head away.

That should have conveyed my anger. She looked like she was about to cry.

“W, why? Are you upset, my Knight? In the end, I was in fact slightly delayed? But, that’s….”

Teolita bit her lip and seemed determined to argue.

“…because you abandoned me! I can’t condone such conduct! Never repeat that–“

“I’ll say this again and again, but I’ve never thought of really wanting you to make yourself useful.”

I should say it clearly now.

I glared at Teolita directly. Her eyes burn like fire — no. Only tears are flowing

She’s crying. Fuck. It looks like I’m bullying her, doesn’t it?

“It’s okay even if you’re not useful. That’s not what I want.”

“…then what is that?”

It looked like Teolita also intended to glare back at me.

“Will you say what it is you desire?”

“Don’t try to die on your own. It doesn’t matter if you’re useless, live quietly. Don’t risk your life for others, that’s ridiculous!”

“Indeed. That is right.”

I had tried to harshly criticise her, but for some reason, Teolita nodded proudly.

“That is why there is value in risking my life. My choosing you was not a mistake.”

“Why’s it ended up like this. I’m telling you to stop, listen to what I’m saying.”

“I am a [Goddess].”

Teolita stated the obvious.

She’s not crying anymore

“I was born to help humanity. That is not something I intend to be ashamed of, or something I intend to receive pity for — that is how everyone regards me. Despite that, why are you like so?”

“I hate [Goddesses]. A long time ago, there was one who said she would be fine with dying for others. And she died in front of my eyes. When I see that kind of thing, it pisses me off.”

I had no more excuses.

I decided to deny her, but Teolita nodded as if she had already known.

“Is that the former [Goddess] you served?”

“That’s right. You know very well, I killed her.”

“That was what the individual in question desired, was it not?”

Teolita was right on the mark.

’Even though she doesn’t know what happened, she sure is confident’, I thought.

“I understand, I would be the same.”

“What do you understand? Fool. I can’t understand a single thing about the idea of throwing away your life for someone else.”

Even I thought I was saying something lacking in persuasion.

Because I had also acted on that ideal and gotten myself killed.

“No.”

Teolita immediately denied my statement.

“You, and all of you are risking your lives for the sake of others. Even at this very present moment, you have done all of this to help those who have been abandoned.”

I didn’t say anything

I felt it would’ve been meaningless.

“Make me your companion too.”

Teolita uttered her faint hope.

“Zyro. This special way you regard yourselves is unjust. I am appalled. Even though you constantly say that other people are no good, still you so easily put yourself in harm’s way.”

“We’re just serving our sentence.”

“What a poor excuse. I will be your companion, so regard me in the same special way. I want to be special. After all, I — anyway, I’m really–“

Teolita suddenly stopped talking there.

Is there something you want to say?

“You’re really?”

Was this to do with the reason behind why Teolita was being transported in a casket?

“You’re really what?”

I tried to press further — but it was always only at times like this when trouble came.

“Zyro!”

His Majesty Norgayu stood up with sword in hand.

“In position. They’re approaching! Do not permit them even a single step closer!”

“That’s another ridiculous command.”

This man takes it for granted that he could give orders to others. All that’s left is for his ‘vassals’ to die trying to accomplish his orders — what a carefree guy.

I tap the ground lightly.

Echoes — more than before.

“They’re, they’re coming–“

A miner shouted.

One thing different from before — there is now a protective fence carved in Sacred Seals. In the space it surrounds, even if for example, they tried to enter via underground, the Fae will be unable to intrude.

If they try, they will be burned by the light. That kind of protection.

“Then, it’s time for this one’s debut.”

Teolita proudly puffed her chest and raised her head.

Stroking the air, several more swords appear and pierce the ground.

“My Knight, is this sufficient?”

“Yeah.”

There’s no use grumbling to Teolita anymore.

Can humans stop what [Goddess] do? What’s more, to say that she wants to join the world’s worst villains, there’s no cure for her.

“Zyro. If you do not condone my self-sacrifice.”

Teolita used the word “self-sacrifice”.

“You only have to protect me. I will try my best to not displease you.”

“Alright.”

What a ridiculous thing to say.

A self-proclaimed King, a [Goddess] ―― bunch of self-righteous guys. I have no choice left. I pull out the sword that Teolita had called, and quickly throw it.

A flash and a blast.

If throwing from a distance, the power of the blast can be increased. The Boggarts can be wrapped up in one explosion.

(Not bad.)

As a matter of fact, the Berkuu-Type Shock Troop Seal Series is aimed for securing this kind of defensive line.

The miners are also fighting hard, not to mention Tatsuya. His Majesty’s scolding to lift spirits, well, I won’t say it’s meaningless.

“Teolita. If that’s what you plan, then–”

I reach out with one hand and pull out another sword.

“Follow your Knight’s instructions. First, I will decide the place where you risk your life. And–”

Throw the sword. No way I’d miss.

Flash — blast.

“I will tell you when you die”

“Indeed.”

Teolita’s reply was without any worry.

“Because I was born to be that way. Naturally, my Knight.”

’I do hate it after all’, I thought.

This kind of unconditional trust, it’s easy for her to give, but it’s a burden for me to receive.

I’m fed up with these [Goddess] creatures. I think I’ll come to hate them as much as I do Dotta and Norgayu.

“Excellent! Charge, my men!”

Because we were gaining the upper hand, His Majesty Norgayu became bold and shouted unnecessary things.

“Advance towards the escape route!”

“Stand down, Your Majesty.”

It’s true that the number of Boggarts had decreased, and it looked like we could break through, but I stopped him in a hurry.

“We have an advantage because we’re defending, currently–”

As I called out, I realised that His Majesty Norgayu’s words were coincidentally, in some sense, correct.

(What?)

The sign was a light ringing in the ears.

At first I thought it was the result of the bombing from Zatte Finde. A piercing, sharp, metallic ringing — suddenly became loud.

Deep inside my eardrum, so much that I felt pain.

That sound sounded like someone screaming. Or a voice – who’s voice?

(No. It’s bad. Don’t listen!)

I knew about these kinds of attacks.

Unconsciously, I had been about to ask, but I stopped by blocking my ears.

The miners are hearing similar ‘sounds’.

They must be in pain. Altogether, they collapse on the spot. His Majesty Norgayu is also crouched with a pained face. The Sacred Seal on his dropped lantern is flickering.

Only Tatsuya is mechanically beating the remaining Boggarts to death.

But the next threat is soon to come

“…Teolita!”

I covered my ears and looked back at her.

Teolita grabs my hand. That eases the pain a little. The sound also becomes distant. The Sacred Seals of Protection and Healing held by the [Goddess].

“It is seemingly about to arrive.”

Teolita probably planned to say that along with a fearless smile.

Or maybe it was even an attempt to encourage us. But with her pale face, there wasn’t much of that effect.

“The Lord of the Demon King Phenomenon.”

Something wriggled in the depths of darkness.

It looked like a endless mass of tentacles — or tree vines.

That thing let out a high-pitched scream.

I understand the voice that I could earlier faintly hear earlier.

It’s already become clear.

(Found it.)

It said.

(Found it.)

It kept screaming.

From the depths of the darkness, something caught on to the existence of Teolita.