Chapter 99
Responsibility
Winter had arrived, bringing with it a bitter cold that seemed capable of freezing everything solid.
Even so, construction in Hestia Village continued as usual.
Hanson, who had worked there since the earliest days of the village’s construction, had been promoted from foreman to site manager.
Among the common-born technicians who supervised the foremen, he could be considered one of the most successful.
“Give me some more meat! How am I supposed to work after eating this measly portion?”
“Meat is distributed according to fixed portions.”
“Fixed portions, my ass! That piece over there looks bigger. Someone else is going to get more than me, aren’t they? You call that equal?”
“Come now, Site Manager. Since you’ve been promoted, why not buy some ham nearby and share it with everyone? The side-dish rations are still a complete mess, and it’s irritating.”
“If I spend money buying things like that, when am I supposed to save anything?! Stop arguing and give me that bigger piece over there.”
After a prolonged dispute, Hanson finally managed to secure a sizable chunk of meat.
He left the serving station with a satisfied smile.
“Site Manager Hanson! Over here! I saved you a seat!”
He sat down on a spot a comfortable distance from the bonfire.
“Well, would you look at that? You became a site manager, but you still eat in a place like this?”
“Do I have time to eat with the high and mighty? While they sit around taking it easy, everyone else does all the work!”
“Where did that knight of ours go?”
Hanson shrugged.
“How should I know? He disappears without warning often enough that I’ve stopped caring. He doesn’t eat anyway, so let’s just enjoy our meal.”
A short while later, one of the foremen approached while anxiously glancing around.
“Having lunch?”
“Obviously. What is it? Is your wife chasing you?”
“Something like that. I would rather not run into them. Here, take this quickly.”
He pulled something from inside his coat.
It was ham.
“Oh! Where did you get ham?”
“I heard there was a problem with the supplies.”
“What do you think? I swiped one from those southerners.”
The man openly boasted about stealing it.
Instead of scolding him, the others praised him like a hero.
“You should have taken a bigger one.”
“This was the biggest.”
“Now that is a fine piece. The meat portions have been a bit lacking lately, so this should put some grease in our stomachs. Someone take out a knife.”
“Mine is dirty. Let’s use yours.”
“Mine is just as dirty. Hand it over.”
“Wouldn’t holding it over the fire disinfect it?”
“Then disinfect your own knife and use that.”
They were still arguing over whose knife they would refuse to use when—
“Gentlemen.”
“That brat is here! Hide it!”
At the sound of the young man’s voice, they scrambled into motion.
A moment later, they were calmly shoveling stew into their mouths as though nothing had happened.
The young man approaching them wore half-plate armor, carried a sword, and had an armband bearing the words “Chief of Security.”
It was William.
The rigid, upright nature of the man was obvious from his voice alone.
“The people from Halim say that some of their provisions have gone missing. Do any of you know anything about that?”
“Couldn’t say. Do you know?”
“No idea. Maybe that desert false god became a ghost and danced away with it.”
William slowly scanned the group.
His eyes landed on one man’s unnaturally swollen crotch.
“Take out whatever you have inside your trousers.”
“Now see here! A man is trying to eat, and you tell him to expose his crotch?”
“It looks suspicious. Take it out.”
“I was born large.”
“…Please. Let us not make this more embarrassing than it already is.”
With no other choice, the man pulled the ham from inside his trousers.
William sighed.
“This is theft. Why do you people keep doing this?”
“They did it first! They took some of our building materials, then denied it when we accused them!”
“That’s right! Why should they be allowed to steal while we aren’t?”
The workers loudly insisted that both sides were equally guilty and claimed ownership of the ham.
Their arguments had no effect whatsoever on the Chief of Security.
“It is my duty to preserve order in this village. Please stop doing things that will cause hostility between you.”
“I told you, they did the same thing. You’re not going to lock up poor men like us over something like this, are you?”
“Consider the fact that it was rubbed against his crotch to be your revenge. The next time this happens, I will enforce the law properly.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad. The smell of his crotch is deadly.”
“What was that? You haven’t washed in a week! Yours is worse!”
While the workers argued over which of them smelled more disgusting, the Chief of Security picked up the ham as though it were filth and walked away.
The men watched him leave and muttered one complaint after another.
“Damn it. That refugee got promoted the moment he arrived.”
“Where did he even come from?”
“No idea. His name is William, and he was apparently just another refugee. Yet the administrator saw him and immediately made him Chief of Security.”
“Who gives such an important position to a refugee?”
“Maybe he brought some treasure belonging to a noble and slipped it to the administrator.”
“What greed would a Dragon Spawn have for something like that?”
“Still, doesn’t the job suit him? He’s so rigid you would think some grand knight had arrived.”
“That’s true.”
They hated admitting it, but it was true.
William had never once done anything that brought shame to the armband of the Chief of Security.
That thought led one of them to raise another subject.
“Come to think of it, why hasn’t anyone offered our knight a proper position?”
Every foreman nodded in agreement.
Considering his monstrous strength, it was strange that he was still working as a laborer.
“I assumed the armored knight would become Chief of Security.”
“They never even offered him the position. I asked the administrator whether our knight should be given some sort of title, but she only said they were considering it!”
“Then they are thinking about it. We merely have to wait.”
“Thinking, my ass! They are probably planning to work him to the bone and then throw him away. What a greedy, corrupt official.”
The foremen felt chills run through them at those words.
“Isn’t that administrator a dragon?”
“She’s not a dragon. She’s a Dragon Spawn.”
“For people like us, what difference does it make? They are the sort who could fold your spine in half when angry. Are you sure you should talk about her like that?”
“…It was only a manner of speaking.”
Hanson immediately backed down.
He valued his life too much to defend his anger any further.
Among commoners, there had long been a saying that one should be careful around anything with horns on its head.
Demons, Dragon Spawn, and dragons alike.
Every one of them possessed power that surpassed humanity.
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“Isn’t that our knight?”
“Speak of the tiger, and here he comes.”
A man in armor, entirely out of place at a construction site, entered the area.
“Sir Knight! Over here!”
Hanson waved widely to attract his attention.
The armored knight spotted the familiar faces and hurried toward them with small, quick steps.
“The way he runs makes him look like some young lady.”
“He’s far too tall and broad to be a woman, though…”
They assumed it was some peculiar form of knightly etiquette and dismissed the matter.
More importantly, he was a person capable of lifting eleven logs with his bare hands.
It was only natural that they would find his behavior oddly feminine.
After all, the person inside the armor was none other than Valdrova, who was indeed a woman.
“Goodness, Sir Knight. Have you eaten?”
Nod, nod.
“Then come rest here for a while. We were just talking about you.”
Valdrova tilted her head, as though a question mark had appeared above it.
“We were saying how upsetting it is that, despite all the contributions you have made here, no one has given you any proper title.”
“You have done so much for the construction of this city. Doesn’t it bother you that they have given you nothing in return?”
Hanson pressed the point relentlessly.
Part of him truly did feel disappointed on the knight’s behalf, but his real motive was to secure benefits for himself.
There was no better source of influence than having someone you knew appointed to an important position.
Hanson wanted the knight to gain status so that he could take advantage of that authority.
Of course, Valdrova was incapable of seeing through even such a shallow scheme.
‘The work I’m doing now is already enjoyable enough.’
More than anything, Valdrova was satisfied with her current work.
She wanted to build things rather than become some sort of knight.
Even though the pay was low, she could not hide the sense of fulfillment she felt whenever another building was completed.
She preferred remaining here to becoming a knight.
Their meal was nearly over when someone suddenly shouted.
“You filthy son of a—!”
Everyone’s attention naturally turned in that direction.
A group of armed men had seized a young girl.
A slightly older girl, who appeared to be her guardian, stood nearby trembling in fear.
“Can’t you control your little sister properly?! Why would you let her carry something like that around? She dirtied my clothes because of you!”
“I’m sorry, sir. I will wash them for you, so please, your clothes…”
“Get your filthy hands away from me! Do you know how much these cost? Three shillings!”
“I-I’m sorry! I’m terribly sorry for dirtying something so expensive…”
“Anyone can apologize. Pay me back.”
“P-pardon?”
“Are your ears blocked?! I said give me three shillings!”
The girl’s face turned pale.
It was only natural that she would panic.
She was worried about finding enough food for the next day. How could she possibly obtain three shillings?
The workers watched the scene and began commenting among themselves.
“There have been more men like that lately.”
“This place was created for adventurers, wasn’t it? It’s only natural that adventurers would gather here.”
“There are plenty of adventurers in the Empire too, but I’ve never seen them behave that rudely.”
“That’s because men like these would have been driven out long ago. They are all noise and no substance. That’s why they never rise beyond Bronze or Silver rank.”
The foremen clicked their tongues as they gossiped behind the adventurers’ backs.
However, none of them had the courage to confront them directly.
“I-I’ll repay the money. We’re staying here, so I’ll save up little by little…”
“How long do you think it’ll take you to earn three shillings like that? I’ll die of old age first.”
“This big brother knows a way to earn three shillings quickly. Want me to teach you?”
“What do you mean…?”
A lecherous hand reached toward the girl.
Instinctively realizing what was about to happen, she shrank back.
“Those filthy bastards—!”
Just as the foremen rose from their seats, no longer able to endure it, someone stood up a moment before them.
It was the armored knight.
The plate armor was so heavy that the mere act of standing made the foremen stop in their tracks.
She strode toward the group.
Although the armor had become smaller than its original size, it was still enormous.
And that sheer size made the ruffian adventurers tense.
“W-who the hell are you?”
“…”
“You bastard! You think I’m going to be scared just because you’re standing there silently?!”
Valdrova raised a fist.
The thugs flinched, assuming she was about to attack, but then the fist opened.
Three silver coins lay in her palm.
Three shillings.
She was paying the compensation in the girl’s place.
Only after realizing that did the terrified thugs regain some semblance of pride.
“You’re telling us to take the money and leave? Fine! We’ll do that! Hey, brat, you’d better thank your lucky stars!”
The extortionists took the coins and released the girl as though throwing her away.
The young girl fell into Valdrova’s arms.
She remained nestled against her chest.
Valdrova stared blankly into the air, unsure what she was supposed to do, before slowly lowering her arms.
At that moment, the girl’s older sister approached.
“Th-thank you for saving her, Sir Knight.”
“I promise I’ll repay the money somehow. So please, my little sister…”
The girl looked ready to cry.
The hand holding her basket still trembled with fear.
Valdrova handed the younger girl back to her.
Wiping away her tears, the older sister took her sibling and hurried off somewhere.
Valdrova stared blankly at their retreating backs.
“Why did you give those bastards money? They deserved a punch each before being sent away!”
“…”
Seeing them grab the young girl had made fury surge inside her.
Her fist had tightened, and she had wanted to strike them hard enough to make them bawl.
But she could not let it end in violence.
Valdrova knew all too well.
‘If I use my strength… someone will die.’
Death brought grief to some and terror to others.
That was something she had felt and witnessed over decades—over centuries.
‘I hate that.’
So whenever possible, she wanted to resolve situations without violence.
At present, money had seemed like the best solution.
That was why she had given the adventurers what they demanded.
Hanson was about to argue, but Valdrova silently looked at him.
Remembering that she possessed enough monstrous strength to lift eleven logs at once, Hanson immediately lowered his voice.
“Since you are an adventurer yourself and seem to have your reasons, Sir Knight, it would be pointless for a humble man like me to question you.”
Valdrova vaguely understood that what she had done was not necessarily the correct choice.
Still, the incident ended there.
Without anything further happening.
Valdrova was satisfied with that.
She wished everything in the world could be resolved so simply.
That was when—
Clang! Clang! Clang!
An alarm bell suddenly rang loudly throughout the village.
“What the hell is that?”
“Sounds like it’s coming from the center of the village.”
No one knew precisely what the bell meant.
They could at least guess that it signaled danger.
The question was whether it truly meant danger had already arrived.
While everyone stood frozen, the Chief of Security came running toward them with his sword drawn.
“This is not a drill! Everyone who cannot fight, evacuate inside the buildings! Monsters are approaching!”
“M-monsters?”
“Good heavens! So this really is the East!”
“Foremen, spread the word to the workers and evacuate them immediately! This is a real emergency!”
The foremen hurriedly shouted orders and began evacuating everyone.
Valdrova remained standing there alone.
‘Monsters…’
Her mind seemed to turn completely white.
Now that monsters were approaching, she found herself unable to make any decision.
“You’re the armored knight, correct?”
“…”
“We need every available hand. Would you be willing to fight for this city?”
When she showed no response, William tried to persuade her again.
“The security force cannot stop them alone! Everyone is in danger! Hestia Village itself could collapse if this goes badly. Everything we have built could be reduced to nothing. We need your help, Sir Knight!”
Only after William’s desperate plea did Valdrova come back to her senses.
She nodded and followed him.
As she trailed behind him, the chaotic state of the city came into view.
Terrified residents hurried about while carrying bundles of possessions.
Members of the security force, equipped with spears and armor, clumsily ran toward William.
“Reporting! Approximately seventy percent of the evacuation is complete! Shall we finish clearing the area?”
“No, that is enough! Security force, form a defensive formation in front of me!”
The spear-wielding guards lined up along the road and raised their weapons.
They were soldiers in name only, without even proper training.
That was why they desperately needed the adventurers’ assistance.
—Chief of Security.
Isabella’s voice reached him through communication magic.
—We expect wolf monsters to enter through an alley on the western side. Can you send adventurers there?
“Understood!”
William quickly scanned the surroundings.
He spotted a familiar group of adventurers and shouted,
“Adventurers! Defend the western alley— Where are you going?! Join the battle immediately—”
“What, are you insane? You think I became an adventurer so I could throw my life away here?”
“Were you not informed that adventurers would be mobilized during an emergency?!”
“Like I care! I’m not participating!”
“You’re the security force, aren’t you? Protect the place yourselves!”
“I didn’t see anything. I saw absolutely nothing.”
They had come with dreams of making a fortune, but the moment danger appeared before them, they became desperate to flee.
Not only were they useless, they left behind a massive heap of filth that shattered everyone else’s morale.
‘Those damned bastards.’
William felt as though his blood pressure would kill him.
He had believed that even if they caused trouble, they would at least prove useful in a decisive moment.
But apparently, even that had been too much to expect.
In the end, the only people he could rely upon were a handful of conscientious adventurers and the security force.
‘The armored knight with monstrous strength.’
At present, she was the only person he could truly trust.
If the security force was to hold the main road safely, her help was essential.
William made his decision.
“Sir Knight.”
“We need forces in the western alley. Monsters are expected to enter there, and they must be stopped.”
“…”
“Can you handle it alone? If not, I can assign four men to accompany—”
Valdrova cut him off.
It was a gesture indicating that she needed no support and that they should deal with their own front.
Then she silently started moving.
Toward the east.
“S-Sir Knight? That is not the right way…”
Ah.
The west was in the other direction.
Once corrected, she went to fill the vulnerable position.
It significantly weakened the main force, but William had no other choice.
A short while later, the source of the loudly ringing alarm emerged.
The creatures burst from the forest and entered the village.
“Grrrrr!”
There were fifteen wolf monsters, each at least twice the size of an ordinary wolf.
Three of them appeared on the main road.
William raised his sword and shouted,
“Keep your spears upright! Advance one step!”
The guards moved little by little at his command.
What stood before them was death itself.
Who could stride confidently toward death?
For poorly trained soldiers such as them, it was nearly impossible.
The wolves savored the fear of the inexperienced troops and licked their lips.
Their instincts told them the truth.
This formation would collapse if they pushed only slightly deeper.
“Woof!”
“Ah! D-don’t come any closer! Stay away!”
One wolf monster forced its way between the spear shafts.
The infantry panicked and fell as the fearless beast broke through their formation.
“Aaaagh!”
Just as one soldier thought he was about to be devoured, a red sword aura struck the wolf monster sharply across the head.
“Yelp!”
The wolf staggered backward, its head left in tatters.
The one who had dealt the critical blow was none other than William.
He hauled the fallen guard back to his feet and shouted,
“Stand up! Hold your spear properly! If you want to live, brace it firmly and lower your center of gravity! You only need to hinder their movements!”
William struck his own chest.
The sound of his plate armor rang like an iron bell.
“I will take responsibility for your lives!”