The World's Weakest Hero, Volume 1, Chapters 8-9 (Patreon)

Chapter 8

“That's absurd,” Rosa says. “Lezard couldn't have slain Josh. He can barely slay the weakest of mutants.”

“I have the word of a noble’s daughter who saw the murder with her own two eyes, along with many other witnesses who all gave the same description.” Bartholomew never takes his eyes off me. “It could only have been the so-called ‘weak’ hero.”

“Are you saying he's hiding his true strength from us? But the orb displayed his power for all to see.”

“I don't know how he managed it, but he must have fooled the orb, just like he's fooling everyone else with his innocent demeanor.”

Rosa looks to me, as if trying to decide how much of the noble's words to believe. She's been with me for several days now, and I know for certain that she's a straightforward person who trusts her own eyes and ears more than the hot air spewed by the people around her.

However, that's exactly the problem for me.

I acted too strange for a weak hero who's been thrown into a life and death struggle to save another world.

She already had her suspicions that I was hiding something, and with this accusation, even she's beginning to wonder why I can remain so calm when I'm in so much danger.

Even now, my expression hasn't changed. Most people would probably be pleading their case, yet I'm still standing here like a casual observer.

Man, my penchant for rolling with the punches really isn't doing me any favors right now, is it?

I feel like it's too late to completely change my tune, so I decide to just come right out and say what's on my mind.

“I didn't do it.”

Unsurprisingly, my defense isn't taken at face value.

“We'll be the judge of that,” Bartholomew says.

He motions to the guards he brought with him, and they step forward. However, someone else motions for them to stop, and they obey.

“I can't see a scenario where Lezard is evil,” Rosa says. “Arresting him is going too far.”

“Back down, Knight Captain.” Bartholomew gives her a frown. “You may have the final say over the heroes’ training, but the king put me in charge of maintaining the security of the castle and city. And my authority supersedes yours.”

Rosa grimaces. “There's never been a hero who's turned against the crown. Even the previous hero kept a cordial relationship with the king, despite how much the two hated each other.”

“And we've never had over a dozen heroes summoned at once, either. It seems there's a first time for everything, and that includes a hero tainted with evil.”

Rosa looks over the heroes gathered in the room, including me. In her eyes, I see disbelief that any of us could secretly be criminals working for whoever it is that's trying to destroy this world.

However, when she finishes scanning each of us, I notice a bit of a crack in her resolution. With her eyes looking at some distant point, I can practically see the possibility of a rotten hero entering her mind.

She's thinking of Curtis, huh?

He is worthless. So worthless that he only bothered showing up to her lecture at the very end.

Considering how much Curtis hated school back on Earth, it's not a surprise to any of my classmates, but it must be quite a shock to someone who has so much faith in heroes, like Rosa.

When Rosa finally meets Bartholomew's eyes again, her face is filled with resignation.

“If you must arrest him, then bring him to a room used to house noble prisoners. He's not to go to the dungeon.”

“Fine.” Bartholomew motions to the guards again.

This time, Rosa doesn't try to stop them. However, she's not the only one here who has faith in me.

“I won't let you take him.” Mitsuki steps in front of me, her hand on her sword’s hilt.

“Move aside, hero.” Bartholomew doesn't even try to hide his disgust.

“No.” The sound of metal rings out as she begins pulling on her hilt.

"Mitsuki." My voice causes her to stop her hand, a sliver of her blade peeking out from its sheath. "Move."

"Why? There's no way you killed Josh."

"Mitsuki, listen very carefully. You and the other heroes were summoned to protect this kingdom from a deadly threat. Focus on that threat, and don't get involved with politics."

"Politics!? They're arresting you for murder!"

"This noble acts in the king's own name. If he's here, then it's political by nature." I hold her eyes. "Do not stand against the king."

"Lezard, you…" Mitsuki relaxes her grip on the hilt, and the sliver of steel falls back into the sheath.

Rosa steps beside Mitsuki. "Worry not. He will simply be held under house arrest until we can investigate the details."

Mitsuki steps aside, opening the path for the noble and soldiers. Without waiting for orders, the guards drag me from my classmates.

“No way…” Nina says softly. “Lezard couldn't have done it … right?”

“He saved my life,” Alex adds. “Against that aberrant.”

“Y-yeah! Why would he do that if he wanted us dead!”

Unfortunately, the decision has already been made. Despite hearing their words, the noble makes no attempt to counter them. He simply turns his back on the heroes and begins walking toward the exit.

"I'll be paying you a visit soon," Rosa says as I’m being dragged away.

"Good. I'm sure it's going to be really boring in prison."

With that, I'm taken from my classmates.

The castle is quite large, with a myriad of rooms of all sorts. Bartholomew’s leading me down quite a nice hall, one I've visited before during my time as the previous hero.

But just because the accommodations are pleasant doesn't mean anyone would want to stay here. After all, despite how the rooms look, they're still prison cells.

“Get in.” A guard shoves me, and I stumble into the room.

Rather than locking me up alone, the noble escorting me walks inside the room with me. Bartholomew closes the door behind him, then meets my gaze.

“You may have fooled Rosa,” Bartholomew says, “but my eyes aren't so easily clouded.”

“I doubt anything I say will convince you.”

“The words of a treasonous hero hold little value to me. However, I still wish to hear them. Tell me who ordered the other hero's assassination.”

“Like I said, I didn't do it. Not sure what else you expect me to say.”

“It's typical of a criminal to deny the accusations.” He smiles. “In the beginning, anyway. They usually spill the truth quickly, after we begin the interrogation.”

“Figures. This is how it always is here. Smash everything until you get your way.”

“It's the most effective method, by far.” Bartholomew clasps his hands together, assuming the posture of a typical nobleman. “Do you know why you still live?”

“If I had to guess, it's because you need me to confess in order to justify executing me. Otherwise, the remaining heroes may become disobedient.”

“Seems you really are more capable than you appear. That only makes me more suspicious of you, though. Regardless, you're correct. It'd be difficult to control the other heroes if there was any doubt on your guilt. That's why we'll be getting that confession, one way or another.”

“Let me guess. The king gave orders that if the heroes don't follow the rules, they were to be taught a strict lesson.”

“The king has nothing to do with this,” Bartholomew says. “You're in my care now, and I don't tolerate disobedience. However, I am a reasonable man. In fact, I believe you and I may get along quite well, as long as you’re willing to obey.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that your life doesn’t have to end in this pitiful fashion. Just tell me who you’re working for and why you’re targeting the heroes, and perhaps your life will be spared.”

Is he trying to get me to confess, or is he saying he wants to work with me?

No, even if he hates heroes, there’s no way he’d want to work with a traitor who’s targeting the other heroes … right?

Just then, the door to my room–my cell–opens. Standing in the doorway is exactly who I expected to see–Rosa.

She walks up to Bartholomew and stands beside him, though she leaves a noticeable gap, as if she doesn't want to get too close to the man.

“I believe you've done your part, Bartholomew. You can leave the hero to me from here on.”

He turns his back on me. “For now, you mean. I'm sure once the king hears of this betrayal, he'll agree that I'm the one with the authority to see this matter to its conclusion.”

“Until then, I expect you to consult with me before taking any actions.”

Without another word, Duke Bartholomew de Edwards walks out of the room. That leaves just me alone with Rosa, who looks more than a little displeased about the whole situation.

“My apologies, Lezard, but please stay here until we can figure out who the true culprit is.”

“You believe me? What makes you so sure I didn't do it?”

“If you wanted the other heroes dead, you wouldn't have saved Nina and Alex from that aberrant. Though even I'll admit something about you is strange.”

I shrug. “I've always been like this, so I can only take that as a compliment.”

“No, not your personality–though you do often act like a rascal, which reminds me of a certain someone from my past. But forget that. It's your strange knowledge and confidence, as if you've got everything figured out, even more so than those of us who've lived in this world our whole lives.”

“If I had it all figured out, I wouldn't be imprisoned here right now.”

Rosa nods. “True. But the point stands. Your behavior has made quite a few people curious. Perhaps that's why you're being targeted.”

“No, I get the feeling there's another reason I'm their target.”

“Oh? And what reason is that?”

“It's just a hunch, so I'd rather not say. Wouldn't want to lead the investigation in the wrong direction.”

Rosa gives me a curious eye. “If you know something, I suggest you tell me. If you try to hold anything back, you may indeed find yourself in a perilous predicament.”

“Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.”

Rosa seems to be waiting for me to continue, but I simply stare into her eyes, my mouth shut. Eventually, she sighs and gives up.

“I've been summoned by the king,” she says. “I'll be gone for a day or two. My guards will be posted outside the door, and basic necessities will be provided for you. But I suggest you keep your head down until I return.”

I give her a thumbs up. “You can count on me to not be the mole in this game of whack-a-mole.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Though it's a strange saying, I somehow understand the meaning. Then, I'll speak to you again when I return.”

Rosa turns and heads toward the door. She's always been a straightforward and honest girl, and that hasn't changed. In the old days, I would pick on her for it, but I'm not really in a position to do so at the moment.

Still, I can't help but to ask her a single question that could be considered bullying since I already know the answer. But I want to hear the answer from her own mouth.

“Hey, Captain Rosa.” My words cause her to stop and turn her face to me. “What would happen to me if the king ordered you to relinquish control of this situation to Bartholomew?”

“That's…” Rosa's face twists in pain. “It would be very bad … for you. But don't worry, I won't let that happen so easily.”

“I see. I'm glad I have you looking out for me, Rosa.”

With that, she turns again, opens the door, and walks out of my comfortable cell room.

Unfortunately for you, the king doesn't take betrayal lightly.

Or maybe I should say it's unfortunate for me, considering the circumstances.

Since there's nothing I can do right now, I simply lay down on the bed and stare up at the well-painted ceiling.

----------

After several hours of lying in bed, the rattle of the door’s lock breaks the silence. I turn my head just in time to see Mitsuki step into the room, a serious expression on her face.

“Lezard!”

“Hey, Mitsuki.” I sit up, hanging my feet off the side of the bed. “What's up?”

“Don't ‘what’s up’ me. You're sitting in a cell, accused of murder!”

“Nobody ever said life in this new world would be easy. But I can understand why you're anxious. It seems really bad for me, doesn't it?”

“It is really bad, Lezard! The daughter of a high noble and all of her companions identified you with precision! Someone's setting you up!”

“You're right about that, but the culprit probably isn't who you think it is.” I glance to the guards who are watching from the doorway. “In our situation, it'd take a certain kind of person to kill one of the heroes. Stupid, vengeful, short-sighted. Sound like anyone you know?”

Mitsuki looks visibly thoughtful as she ponders my words. As I watch her, I can practically see her mind reaching the inevitable conclusion.

“Him…” Mitsuki says. “But how can–”

I hold up my hand. “Be careful, Mitsuki. There's no proof of anything, so accusing anyone would only reflect badly on you. It's no secret that we're friends, so if you throw accusations around, people would only think you're trying to misdirect everyone.”

“Then what should we do? At this rate, you'll be found guilty!”

I puff up my chest. “Don't worry about me. Just focus on protecting our classmates from him while I'm … predisposed. There's no guarantee he won't try something again.”

Mitsuki nods. “I won't let him do as he pleases, even if I have to take matters into my own hands.”

“Easy now. Are you trying to join me in my nice, cozy cell?” I pat the bed I'm still sitting on. “There's only one bed here, you know.”

Her face turns a light shade of pink. “W-what does that have to do with anything…!”

“Nothing. Just making note of one of this room’s deficiencies.”

“Grr. Focus, Lezard!”

From the look on her face, it seems like she's saying that to herself as much to me.

“Okay, okay.” I put my hands up. “But I'm serious when I say not to worry about me. I'll be fine.”

Mitsuki relaxes a little. “Really, I can't fathom where that confidence comes from…”

“Haha. Well, you know me.” I shrug. “Just remember, protecting our classmates is our top priority right now. Most of them are still reeling from suddenly being summoned as heroes. They're vulnerable, and with him being free to do as he pleases…”

“I know. You can leave their protection to me.”

“As expected of you, always so reliable.”

Mitsuki turns away. “I-it's not like I'm doing it because you asked me to, or anything…”

It's good that she turned away, otherwise she'd start pouting after seeing the smile on my face.

“Anyway,” I say. “I'll be here for a bit longer, so you can just focus on training and protecting them.”

“A ‘bit’ longer? Why does that wording give me a bad premonition?”

“I haven't a clue. I’m always very observant of what other people expect of me, so there's no way I'd betray those expectations, right?”

Mitsuki shakes her head. “Don't joke with me…”

“Heh. Either way, there's nothing you can do for me right now. I'm just trying to tell you to focus on yourself instead of me. I said it already, but I'll be fine. I promise.”

She still doesn't look fully convinced, but Mitsuki has a certain amount of trust in me. And by a certain amount, I mean way too much. At least, by the standards of a normal friendship.

But our relationship is a little abnormal, so I don't think it's strange.

“Alright,” she says, finally acquiescing to my wishes. “But I'll be back tomorrow to check in on you. Rosa will be gone all day, so someone has to keep them in check.”

“Sounds good. I mean, I always enjoy your company, so I wouldn't deny you, no matter the circumstances.”

She fights a blush. “That goes without saying.”

After those words, Mitsuki turns from me, facing the door. With a quick wave of her hand, she wishes me well, then steps out into the hall.

The door closes behind her, leaving me alone in my nice, warm cell filled with all the accommodations a noble would expect.

Hmm. It's still too early to get started, so let's just take a little nap.

With a forced yawn, I lay down onto the soft bed and close my eyes. Before I know it, sleep takes me, and the hours pass by in a blink.

----------

“Ahhh…” I turn over, enjoying the plush mattress beneath me. “Just a few more minutes … is what I'd say if Mitsuki were here waking me up.”

I sit up in bed, far more energetic than I looked just a second ago.

“I wonder when I'll get to tease her by acting tired like that again. She always pretends to hate it, but she can't fool me.”

I swing my legs off the bed and practically leap onto the floor. Since I napped in my regular clothes, I don't have to do anything like get dressed.

That means I can get started on my next task right away.

I walk up to the window. Calling it a window is a bit generous, as this is literally a cell meant to hold noble prisoners. They wouldn't put a normal window in such a room, as it'd be easy to escape. That's why this so-called window is just a sliver of a crack in the wall, just barely enough to stick my hand through.

Even though I'm several stories up, the physics in this world aren't quite so dominating as they are on Earth. All it'd take is the right spell, and anyone could survive a fall from this height.

Or, if the prisoner were powerful enough, they wouldn't even need a spell. They could just jump out and hit the ground without injury.

When I was a hero here fifteen years ago, I wouldn't have thought twice about leaping from a height like this. But right now, I'm only level 2. I'd be a goner if I jumped from here without the aid of magic.

Well, first things first. Need to send a message.

I hold my hand up to the window, and a breeze begins flowing along my palm.

Soon enough, the bait hooks my catch, a cute little wind spirit. Her nearly ethereal form seems to be created by the wind itself, with her body's outline blurred like an out of focus light.

But as imaginary as she looks, a wind spirit is a real creature. It's just that only those with a certain attunement can see them, and interacting with them is impossible without a particular wavelength of magic.

“Hello, little spirit. Are you enjoying the wind tonight?”

“Hmm~” She does a little twirl in my hand. “It’s a little too calm tonight, but your wind feels great~”

“Haha. I'm glad to hear that. Then, if I make a pleasant stream for you, will you deliver a message?”

“Message~? Sure! If I can remember~”

“It's easy, just follow my wind to the spiritkin and say hello to her.”

“Okay~”

With that, I change the flow of wind, making a trail that leads toward Lyra.

“Weee~” The wind spirit dances on the gust, letting it guide her.

Well, I'm sure she'll make it.

As for me, I guess I should get started, too.

The walls are enhanced with magic, making them difficult to destroy. It's not impossible for a powerful warrior, but they'd have to use a lot of force to break them. In doing so, the noise would alert the guards, making escape challenging, at the very least.

Fortunately for me, I have a few techniques up my sleeve.

Although most of my power and abilities are still locked because of my low level, I do have access to my most important weapon–my scythe, Arc of the Crescent Moon.

With a flourish, I summon my weapon, the weight tugging at my arms a comforting reminder of the girl who fought alongside me all those years ago.

As I slide my finger down the metallic shaft, I can't help but recall all the exciting battles and adventures we went on together.

Defeating giant monsters within the mist, saving towns and people uprooted by the conflict, and, of course, enjoying a bit of playful fun in-between.

Those really were the days. Making my party members sigh incredulously at my antics never got old.

I wonder … will it be the same this time?

As the thought runs through my mind, I spread my legs, taking the pose of a warrior who's about to land a devastating blow.

Ahead of me, the window. Just a sliver of moonlight leaks in through the crack, but it's enough to wash over me, reminding me of the power that girl has.

The power she gave to me.

I'll put this strength to use. And…

…Escape from this cell!

The scythe's crescent-shaped blade glows like the moon itself, humming with a subtle power.

That blade flashes across my vision, leaving streaks of light that vanish as quickly as they appear.

“Now that's what a window should really look like.” I step up to the huge, square hole in the wall where the narrow sliver used to be. “Let's ditch this comfy cell, shall we?”

I leap out the self-renovated window, into the darkness of night. Though the light from the twin moons is more than enough for me to see clearly.

What covers my vision is the quickly approaching ground below. The force of gravity has me in its inescapable grip, and it's dragging me straight to my doom.

Man, sure is scary to free fall through the sky when I'm this weak.

One mistake and splat!

I don't intend to make a mistake, however.

The rush of air is so loud now that it can only be compared to a freight train back on Earth. But although it's loud to my ears, the only sound anyone in earshot might hear is the ruffling of my clothes as they whip about in the wind.

Now!

I unleash a burst of magic, and a cushion appears beneath me. It's not a physical cushion, in the sense that it can be seen or touched. Rather, it's composed of pure magic, making it completely silent and invisible.

That cushion slows my fall just before I hit the ground. And with an acrobatic roll, I disperse any lingering momentum.

“Man…” I stand and dust off my clothes. “It really does suck having all these limitations.”

I wipe the sweat from my forehead. It's not an especially warm night, but the exertion of using my magic in quick succession has already begun draining me of my mana and stamina.

No way I could have gotten out through the front. Not when I'm this weak.

Oh, better hurry.

I chose a time when the guards weren't patrolling near my window. But soon, they'll be making their rounds back this way.

So, with a quick dash, I escape the courtyard, using more of my mana to leap over the wall that surrounds the castle.

Finally out of there. Though I need to be careful, even out in the city.

The castle wall is behind me, and beyond that wall is the castle itself. All my classmates are in there, most already sleeping. They'll be calling that place home for a while as they train and get stronger in various ways.

But that place isn't home to me anymore.

Not like I wanted to stay there, anyway. The king and his nobles would just hold me back from doing what I need to do.

With each step, the castle grows more distant. But as the symbol of my recent past shrinks, the symbol of my near future grows.

More specifically, Lyra.

“Hey,” I say to the expressionless girl. “Thanks for meeting me so late. I hope you're not disappointed, but this meetup is business related.”

“Why would I be disappointed?”

“Haha. Ouch. Guess I walked into that one, huh?” I shake my head. “Anyway, we've got some things to discuss, so why don't we go someplace more accommodating?”

“I don't mind.”

“Then, I know just the place.”

I motion for Lyra to follow, and together, we walk down the moonlit street, heading toward our next destination.

It's nighttime, but it's not especially late. There's still a rambunctious atmosphere in certain sections of the city, calling for a specific kind of person.

But that person isn’t me. The nightlife can be fun every once in a while, but only when the time is right. And that's certainly not right now.

So, I take Lyra to the most obvious of places for us to go after dark. An inn.

Since they didn't take my personal possessions when they locked me up, I still have my pouch of coins with me. That makes paying for a single night at the inn inconsequential.

Once inside our shared room, I take note that there are indeed two beds, like I asked for.

“So,” I say, turning to Lyra. “Seems we're going to be spending quite a bit of time together from here on out.”

“What of it?”

“As unaffected by the situation as ever, huh? I was hoping you'd be all ‘W-what are you imagining is going to happen!?’, or something like that, you know?”

Lyra gives me a strange look. “What exactly are you imagining would happen?”

“Hey, you're supposed to say it with a blush, your face turned ever so slightly away as your eyes avoid mine!”

“I see no reason to perform any of those actions.”

“Man, you sure are a tough one…” A sigh escapes me. “But anyway, I can't go back to the castle, which means we'll be starting our journey together soon.”

“What? Did they kick you out for making lame jokes?”

“Hey! They're not lame! They're just … misunderstood?”

Lyra looks unconvinced.

“Ahem! Like I was saying, no castle for me! Well, I'm kind of on the run now, so it's more like we have to stay hidden, or I'll get arrested.”

“You became a criminal? What did you do?”

“Just because I'm seen as a criminal doesn't mean I did anything wrong. I'm innocent, but proving it would be difficult without the culprit’s cooperation. And the chance of that is … low, to say the least.”

“What exactly are you accused of?”

“...” I drop the pretense. “Murdering another hero–Josh.”

Even then normally emotionless Lyra can't hide her surprise. “One of the heroes was killed? And they think you did it?”

“Yeah. It's frustrating, but all I could do was run away. For now.”

“And now what? We leave the city in the morning?”

“No, not yet. I have some unfinished business here.”

Lyra raises an eyebrow. “Do you mean…”

I nod. “That's right. So we'll need to stay here for a bit. At least until then.”

“I see. It's no matter to me. A delay of a few days is inconsequential.”

“Awesome! Then what do you say we hit the beds and get up bright and early! We've got a few things to do before anything else.”

“Sure, this is normally when I'd go to sleep, anyway.”

I walk to one of the beds. “Then I claim this one. You can have whichever other one you want.”

Lyra steps to the other side of the room. “There's only one other bed, though.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“I never said it was a problem.”

With that, the two of us bury ourselves under our respective covers.

Chapter 9

“Morning.” I turn to Lyra, who just opened her eyes.

“I lost?” She sits up in bed. “Waking up this early, I thought for sure I'd be up before you.”

“Hehehe. Don't underestimate me! I'm the king of early mornings!” I puff out my chest. “Also, I took a nap not long before bed last night.”

“So you cheated.”

“It's not cheating. It's strategy.”

Lyra stands and stretches. In fact, she goes through a whole stretching routine, one that she likely performs every morning.

When she finishes, she makes her bed, putting it back in the same condition it was in before she ever touched it.

Of course, mine’s also been immaculately made. I wasn't lying when I said I'm a morning person. Though the reason is simply because I like to bathe in the moonlight to start my day.

“Why are you sitting by the open window?” Lyra asks.

“Well, it's absolutely not because I'm enjoying the view of the twin moons as they hang above the cityscape.”

“So what you're saying is that it's absolutely for that very reason.”

“Hey, listen to people when they speak. I just said that's not the reason!”

Lyra sits in a chair and begins brushing her hair. “I heard you. I just chose to ignore most of the words that came out of your mouth.”

“Hmph. This girl is quite a bit cheekier than I thought. But that just means I can have more fun!”

“Let's worry less about fun and more about stopping the mist.”

“Why can't we do both? That's what I did last time, and I think it turned out great!”

Lyra gives me a glance. “Except you failed.”

“Don't worry about the small details. You know what they say, it's the journey that's important, not the destination.”

“Are you really the same hero that the spiritkin speak so highly about?” Lyra shakes her head. “Seems the storytellers left out some important details about your personality.”

Ignoring Lyra’s obvious misconception about my personality, I continue to soak up the moonlight as it radiates off the beautiful lunar surfaces.

Soon, she finishes tidying her appearance, which means we can finally get started on the day's tasks. There are several things we need to do, and since I'm not sure how long we'll be in the city, I want to take care of all the important ones quickly.

“Okay,” I say, stepping out of the inn. “Let's take care of the most critical mission first.”

“And what would that be? I hope you don't bring me somewhere ridiculous while claiming it's important.”

“Huh? As if I'd ever dream of pulling such a prank!” I look away. “She caught me…”

“I heard that.”

“Haha. I'm joking, I'm joking. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll agree with just how critical our first stop is. In fact, it'd be ridiculous to go anywhere else!”

“Fine. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now.”

I lead Lyra down the street, toward our first destination. It's still dark out, but we're in a good part of the city, and people in this world start work early. That means we're not really in any danger from things like criminals, but we can't ever be too careful in this world.

Fortunately, nothing happens, and before long, we find ourselves standing in front of a particular type of shop.

“A clothing store.” Lyra says.

“It’s not just a clothing store, it's an outfitter! Clothes, backpacks, adventuring gear–it has it all!”

“Okay, I get it. But you made such a big deal out of it that I was just expecting … more.”

“How rude. Apologize to the adventurers of this world, right now.”

“I'm not going to do that.” Lyra walks into the store.

I follow, not even trying to hide my smirk.

As expected of this store, it has everything a person would need to travel. It's a one stop shop for merchants, adventurers, and vagrants alike!

Except most vagrants wouldn't be able to afford their rather high prices.

Fortunately for us, the castle coin isn't just shiny, it's also valuable. Well, it's not worth any more than regular coin, but the point is that it's enough for us to get what we need.

“Hmm.” Lyra looks around the selection. “Not bad. Practical is the word I'd use, if I had to select just one.”

“Yep. Back in my old adventuring days, I came to this shop a few times. They always had what I needed.”

“Fifteen years is enough time for things to deteriorate in quality, but it seems this place has held up quite well.”

“Good thing, too. Because I don't want to spend the time looking for another shop.”

Lyra continues deeper into the store, and once again, I follow behind her.

Her first stop is at the clothing section. I would say that's to be expected of a girl, but the truth is that the racks are simply in a convenient place to stop at while making our way inside.

In reality, it's more of a marketing tactic by the store owner to get people to look at their selection of clothing, knowing most shoppers actually came here to buy something specific, like a pack to carry their rations.

“Hmm.” Lyra makes a thoughtful sound. “The selection is rather lacking, but the quality does seem high.”

“Yeah, that's a theme here. They carry so many different items that it'll be hard to find any specific style, but whatever you pick up should be tough enough for any journey.”

“In that case, perhaps a simple raincoat and new pair of boots will suffice, in case we're caught out in the weather.”

“Yeah, that's a good start. Though you don't have to worry too much about the weather.”

She turns to me. “And why is that?”

“Because of this.” I grab a coat from the rack, and it disappears.

As Lyra’s eyes grow wider, the coat returns to my hand, and I place it back on the rack.

“You have access to the Void Space,” she says softly. “No mere hero can use the void. And you can speak to spirits, too. Just what else are you hiding from me?”

“A man has his secrets. And this one will need to stay well and truly hidden. I made a promise, after all.”

“A promise? With who?”

I wag my finger. “Nice try. But you'll have to do better than that if you want to dig for the truth.”

Lyra clicks her tongue. “Only the spirits should have access to the Void Space. Yet you're as flesh and blood as any other person. You're not even bonded to one of the twelve Great Spirits, as the last time I checked, each of them were accounted for.”

“You're right that I'm not bonded to a Great Spirit. But something like that won't stop me from obtaining every ability this world has to offer!” I puff out my chest.

Lyra shakes her head. “At least we won't have to worry about carrying all our supplies by hand.”

“Yep! But unfortunately, taking items out of my Void Space does require a bit of mana. And the larger the item, the more mana it takes. So for now, let's try to limit it to things like food and clothing.”

“What else do you have tucked away in there?”

“Oh, you know. Things.”

Lyra gives me a flat stare.

“What? You want me to reveal all my secrets, just like that? You should know me better than that by now!”

“I'm starting to wonder if the other heroes really did kick you out because of your personality.”

“How rude! I have a perfectly workable personality. Well, it certainly works when it comes to getting my intended reaction out of people.”

Rather than give me said reaction, Lyra turns and grabs a coat off the rack. “I'm getting this one. And these boots.”

“Hey, don't ignore me.” I also grab a coat and a set of boots. “That's not how this game works!”

“Oh? Seems I am figuring you out, after all. If I just don't react to your ridiculous antics, you can't win.”

“Kukuku.” I give her a mysterious laugh. “Don't think it'll be so easy. I have a plethora of aces up my Void Space!”

“I have no idea what that even means.”

“Look forward to finding out!”

Just like that, our trip through the outfit store continues until we get everything we need to start our adventure through this world.

----------

“A clothing store…” Lyra gives me another one of her flat stares. “Didn't we just buy several sets of outfits?”

“A raincoat, boots, and adventurer clothes are completely different from everyday outfits. What would you wear if you had to meet a noble or royal?”

“Why would we be meeting someone like that? Aren't we going to stop the mist without this kingdom's help?”

“Well, yeah. But you never know! There could be a princess in distress, waiting for us to come save her! And after she falls for me, I have no choice but to meet her father. Of course, I'll have to don a clever disguise, hiding my true identity as one of the summoned heroes!”

Lyra claps her hands a single time. “Let's get back to reality. When would a princess ever be waiting for something like that? And don't get me started on the rest.”

“I'm just saying! It's one of many possibilities!”

“So we're buying clothes to impress people? Is that really important?”

I take on a confident pose. “Presenting yourself well is half the social battle. And if my former experience traveling as a hero is anything to go by, we'll have at least a few run-ins with some high ranked people.”

“Hmm. If you say so.” Lyra sounds unconvinced.

“Want proof? Who were the first people you ran into after making it through the mist?”

“...Surely something like that won't happen again.”

“You're severely underestimating the things fate has in store for us!”

With a sigh, Lyra enters the clothing store. This time, she's the one following me.

Unlike the other shop, this one is focused on elegance and fashion, rather than utility. That means there's going to be at least a few items that will fit our tastes.

And it doesn't take me long to find mine.

“This is it…! This is what I was looking for!” I grab an item off the rack.

Lyra gives it a skeptical look. “That's what you're getting excited about? A black coat?”

“A coat? No, no, no. This isn't a coat, it's an overcoat!”

“Really? Isn't that distinction a little vague?”

“No way. It's definitely an overcoat.” I put it on to test the fit. “Because overcoats are awesome.”

Lyra shakes her head. “Whatever you say.”

We walk through the store, and I pick out a few outfits that I wouldn't be ashamed to wear in the presence of a noble.

Lyra does the same, but as expected, I finish my shopping spree before she does. When I meet back up with her carrying an armful of clothes, I see that she's stuck on picking out her next outfit.

As I watch her, a dress catches my eye. “Oh, there's one for you.”

She traces my eyes. “You think so? Isn't it a little too … extravagant?”

“Huh? No way, it's perfect. Plus, that blue and white color scheme would go really well with your sky-blue hair. And it'd contrast my black overcoat, making us quite a pair together!”

“Hmm. I see your point, but…” Lyra's still hesitant.

“Oh, I forgot to mention the most important reason to get it.” I look her straight in the eyes. “Lyra, it'd look really cute on you.”

“E-eh? Cute…? On me?”

“Of course. I don't think there's another girl in this kingdom who could do that dress justice more than you.”

“T-there’s no way that's the case…” She grabs it off the rack. “But I guess it won't hurt to buy it, anyway…”

“Yeah, that's the spirit! We're gonna really impress some nobles!”

I whisk Lyra to the counter, and we pay for all our items together. Her eyes linger on the blue and white dress for a bit, then she hands it over to me. I put it in my Void Space, along with all the other nice outfits.

This is really turning out to be an interesting day.

----------

“Brunch.”

Lyra gives me an expressionless glare. “What?”

“Brunch. That's what it's called on Earth. You know, when you eat between normal breakfast and lunch time. Brunch.”

“Okay, just don't say it around anyone I know. It's embarrassing.” She picks up a piece of bacon and crunches down on it.

“Well … I agree with you there.” I follow her example and bring a spoonful of grits to my mouth.

“How long do you think your business in the capital is going to take?”

“I'm hoping to be done with it today, but it's one of those things where it's not really in my control. That said, if it looks like I'm going to miss my chance, I'll have to make something happen, even if it means forcing it.”

“You need to finish it before your former allies go back to the mist, right? Do you know when they had planned on making the next trip?”

“Last I heard, my classmates were supposed to head back to the mist the day after tomorrow. But I'm not sure if my arrest changed their plans.”

Lyra finishes another bite. “So we have two days, most likely. Can we stay hidden that long?”

I watch a group of guards as they patrol the street. “Why do you think I bought this disguise?”

Lyra looks up at my hat, then back down to my eyes. “A single piece of headwear. Is that really going to hide your identity?”

I make a confident face. “You're underestimating the importance of hair when searching for someone in a crowd, especially if the one looking doesn't know the person's face well. As long as I have this hat, I'm practically invisible!”

Lyra gives me one of her flat stares, which only serves to widen the confident smile that covers my lips.

“Hey, you!” one of the guards yells.

I turn toward his voice, a spoonful of grits hanging halfway between the plate and my mouth. I hear a bit of grits plop onto the table, having dripped from the spoon.

“No begging in the street!” the guard continues. “Off the road with ya!”

The young urchin scurries into an alley, taking their pan of coins along with them, while the guards continue down the street.

“See? Completely safe.” I finally take that bite of grits.

“Yeah.” Lyra gives me a knowing smile. “Safe.”

“Anyway! The guards may be looking for me, but I've got some practice staying hidden. I think we'll be fine if it's just a couple days. And if anything does happen–well, we can deal with it.”

“I suppose the chances of us being caught is rather low if we don't make a scene.”

I hold up my spoon. “Exactly! Let's just keep our heads down and enjoy the city life while we can!”

The meal goes by without incident, and before we know it, both of our plates are empty. But just because we finished eating doesn't mean we're ready to leave.

Lyra doesn't realize that though, so she looks to be waiting for me to stand up so we can get out of here. But when she sees the smile on my face, her posture changes, as if she's given up on leaving the restaurant so quickly.

“Well?” She says. “Spit it out already.”

“I figured it'd be nice to have a little treat. Like I said, we should enjoy our time in the city while we can. There might not be many chances for life's little pleasures after we leave.”

“I've gone without before, and I can do it again.”

I nod. “Same. But just because I can doesn't mean I want to. It's good to live life to the fullest, I think. And that's why…”

I raise my hand at our server, who makes her way over and notices our empty plates.

“I hope you enjoyed the meal,” she says.

“We did. It was delicious. And to cap off this fine morning, we'd like something sweet before we go.”

“Oh, certainly!” She pulls out a small menu. “Please take a look at what we have to offer.”

“Thank you.”

After receiving the menu, I slide my chair around the small table until I'm shoulder to shoulder with Lyra. This way, we can look at the menu together and decide what we want.

“Dessert.” Although she says it with her usual monotone, I can detect just a hint of anticipation.

“You like sweets, huh?”

“I-I didn't say that.”

“Your mouth didn't say it, but your eyes are currently saying it right now.”

“Well, maybe I like them a little…”

I scoot closer, until our shoulders are almost touching. “Don't worry, I won't tell anyone your secret. Lyra the sweets lover~”

She gives me a glare. “You're enjoying this far too much.”

“What? I'd never purposely pick on a girl for fun. That'd be extremely rude! Kuhahahaha!”

“Nobody would trust a single word you say when it's followed by such a disturbing laugh.” Lyra puts her hand on the menu. “Focus. The server is waiting on us to pick something.”

“Oh, don't mind me~” The waitress has a wide smile. “I'm enjoying the lively discussion.”

“I can't agree to that. I'd feel terrible if I held up other customers, which is why…” Lyra points to the menu. “I'll be having this.”

I look at her finger. “A chocolate milkshake? That does sound pretty good. You know what? I'll have the same.”

“Alright!” The waitress picks up the menu. “Chocolate milkshake, coming right up!”

With that, the desserts have been chosen. The waitress returns shortly after, and in her hands is something that neither of us expected.

It's a chocolate milkshake, just like we ordered. Except instead of two small glasses, she's only carrying a single, large one. However, there are two of something.

Two straws.

“Here you are.” The waitress sets it down with a wink. “Enjoy~”

Lyra and I look at the single milkshake, then to the two straws, then to each other.

“Hmm.” I rub my chin. “Do you think she got the wrong idea about us?”

“Do I think that?” Lyra gives me a flat stare. “No. I know she got the wrong idea about us.”

“Haha. Oops.” I show Lyra my innocent smile.

“Hah…” She takes a straw in her hand. “This is my side of the milkshake. Don't bring your straw over here.”

I grab the other straw. “It's all being sourced from the same glass, though?”

“Don't remind me. Just drink.”

And so, what the overly enthusiastic waitress intended to be a romantic double-milkshake actually ended up being a rather platonic moment.

Ah, the milkshake is delicious, though.

After finishing our couples-only style dessert, we're well and truly finished at this restaurant. There are still a few things for us to do, but we've already gotten everything we need from the shops. We could start our journey at this very moment, if needed.

But I still have an important task to finish before I can leave the capital. So, with a new destination in mind, Lyra and I step back onto the road, after making sure there are no patrols coming this way.

“Okay,” I say. “I guess next, we can–”

A loud boom interrupts my words, causing me to reflexively turn toward the sound.

The explosion came from nearby, but not so close as to be an immediate threat. Still, it's not something we can just ignore. Someone could have been hurt.

Magic? But using offensive magic in the city is a crime.

Unless…

“Guards fighting someone?” Lyra asks.

“Maybe. If that's the case, we can probably just leave it to them. But I at least want to know what's going on before–”

Another boom interrupts me. This one is a little further away, as well as being in an entirely different direction than the first.

Suddenly, several more explosions rock the city, some close, some far.

What's happening? A coordinated attack?

No, wait. What's going on with the spirits…?

Lyra notices it at the same time. The normally calm spirits are in a frenzy, as if something just disturbed the natural order.

That can only mean one thing…!

Lyra’s eyes meet mine.

“The mist is here.”

“How?” Lyra asks. “The mist evaporates outside its domain. How could it be here at the capital?”

“There are … ways to transport the mist. But it's not something just anyone can do, much less even know how.”

“So someone with that kind of knowledge is here? And they've released the mist to destroy the city?”

“That's the only explanation that makes sense to me right now. But why? Who would–no, it has to be–”

“Kyah!” The scream of a young child cuts my words off.

“We can't afford to just stand around!” I turn toward the scream. “Let's go!”

The voice came from within an alley, in the same direction as one of the explosions just a moment ago.

Although alleyways are often dark, dirty, and dangerous, the mid-morning sun is illuminating it more than enough for us to see every corner. That means we can clearly see just how dirty it is, but it also means that it's not quite as dangerous as it would be at other times of the day.

Except for the threat of mistborn creatures, that is.

“[Body Enhancement I]!” I feel strength flow into me. “Can you fight, Lyra!?”

“[Body Enhancement II],” she says in response. “I can take an aberrant or two right now.”

“Good, because they wouldn't attack if they only had weak monsters!”

One of those weak ones appears when we turn a corner in the alley. It's a giant rat, looking like it's just recently been taken over by the mist.

Although the threat level of such a monster is low, it's still deadly to an average, low level person. And one such person is directly in the creature's path.

“No you don't!” I pull a sword from my Void Space.

The weapon cuts the air, catching the rat mid-jump as it leaps toward a young child. Steel meets flesh, and I pull on the blade, slicing through the creature with effort.

As the monster hits the dirt ground, I turn to the child that nearly became its victim.

“Hey there, little one.” I lower my sword to appear less threatening. “You have a place you can hide?”

The girl moves her wide eyes from the rat monster to me. It's the same urchin that the guard scolded about begging in the streets, but she dropped her pan of coins, the copper spilling out onto the alley ground.

Lyra puts her hand on the girl's shoulder. “It's not safe here. Please hide until the battle is over.”

“A-ah.” She looks up at Lyra’s face. “O-okay…”

“Here.” I pick up her pan. “Take this with you.”

I place several silver coins into the pan, then hand it back to her.

Her eyes go wide at the shiny money sitting inside. When she looks back to me, some of the fear in her gaze has evaporated.

With that, the young orphan girl runs off, hopefully heading to a nice, safe hiding place.

“This is bad,” I say, turning toward the mouth of the alley. “I can feel an aberrant.”

Lyra closes her eyes and sends out a wave of energy. “Yes. It's close. We should take it out before it can cause too much damage.”

“Yeah, but there's a small army of monsters around it. We need to be careful. Since I'm only level 2, I can't fight for long without burning through my mana and stamina.”

“Unfortunately, I'm still not at full strength, either. I won't regain my power until the Spirit of Water awakens. But if it's just fodder, I can take out quite a few.”

“Good. I'll be relying on you, then. Hopefully, the two of us will be enough until the other heroes arrive.”

We step out of the alley and into another street. Already, the city is becoming chaotic, with people fleeing in every direction, not knowing where the monsters are coming from or what place is safe.

With our ability to sense presences, Lyra and I have a much better grasp of the situation. But our detection range is limited, meaning we only know the locations of the monsters within a couple blocks of us.

Considering how big this capital city is, there could be hundreds of mist creatures outside our detection, destroying buildings and attacking defenseless people.

If only I had my former strength…!

I could deal with worthless monsters like this in an instant!

Unfortunately, life isn't always so accommodating. But despite being so weak, I have to do my best to save as many people as I can.

“There!” I swing my sword, cutting through a bird-like mist creature. “The aberrant!”

“Leave it to me.” Lyra raises her hand as she runs. “Just focus on saving the people.”

After her words, I feel the mana near her hand condense. With a sound similar to the crack of ice, a weapon appears, already sitting comfortably in her grip.

The weapon leaks a thin mist, not much different than the fog that mutated the monsters we're fighting. Except rather than a sickly miasma, the mist around her weapon is pure, like an untouched lake high in the mountains.

A shimmer reflects off the weapon, like the sun on the ocean’s surface. The frosty-blue material it's made of continues to sparkle as it moves, putting on a miniature light show as it arcs across my vision.

So that's Lyra's Spirit Weapon. A chakram.

And as expected of a Lucavi who hosts the Spirit of Water, her weapon is made of pure ice.

It's quite beautiful, the way it shimmers in the light.

As I admire her weapon, Lyra’s hand blurs, and it flies from her fingers. It traces a path through the air, slicing into several monsters in an impossible pattern that can't be explained by the normal forces of physics.

Of course, that's because it's anything but normal. When Spirit Weapons are involved, expectations have to be adjusted, as the user's mana can easily do something like alter a chakram’s flight path.

As the spinning weapon cuts through the weak fodder, Lyra raises her other hand. Appearing in her clenched fist is a second chakram, looking exactly like the first.

With a quick motion, she throws the weapon at another group of monsters, sending several to the ground before they can even react.

Nearly as soon as the second chakram leaves her hand, the first returns, the sparkling blue ice now tinged red.

As she alternates throwing her two weapons, her feet never stop. She cuts a path straight through the fodder, opening the way to the aberrant that leads this pack of monsters.

What a refined and beautiful fighting style. She's even better than I thought she'd be.

No wonder the Spirit of Water chose her as a host.

Although I've been watching Lyra, I've been clearing my own path. The monsters are congregated around the aberrant, but they're also spreading out and chasing people seemingly at random.

Because of that, some unlucky citizens have found themselves surrounded by monsters, chased right toward the aberrant as they flee from whatever creatures are hounding them.

One of those people stumbles away from a small but fierce looking mutant, nearly falling on his rear.

I fly by him, the tip of my sword sinking deep into the mutant's flesh just before its claws can cut the man down.

“That way!” I pull my sword out of the monster’s body. “Run that way, and don't stop!”

I grab the man's shoulder and give him a push. Once he has some momentum, he stumbles in the general direction of safety.

“Whoops.” I barely avoid a canine mutant's leaping attack. “I've gotta get used to fighting monsters in this slow body.”

The mist creature hits the ground, turns, and leaps at me again. Unfortunately for it, canines aren't known for their ability to fly. So with my sword held between me and the monster, it simply ends up skewering itself on my blade.

“It's nice when they do the work for me. Ah…”

Another creature attacks, but I slice it in two before it can sink its claws into me.

As I defeat it, I step toward a couple who've just come from around a corner. When they see that the street is filled with even more monsters than the one they just came from, they stop in their tracks.

Behind them, more creatures are coming, causing the two of them to freeze in place, unsure whether to go forwards or backwards.

“Guess I'll have to clear a path for them.”

The battle continues, with me directing the couple to safety while Lyra engages the aberrant.

I watch her with one eye, ready to join in the fight, if needed. Aberrants come in various sizes and strengths, but the one here is definitely on the weaker side. In fact, it's one of the weakest aberrants I've ever encountered.

But there's a reason for that.

The method they used to create these monsters has a downfall.

Did they know that, or were they expecting these mutants to be as powerful as the ones that live in the mist?

Well, guess I'll just ask the one responsible once I find them.

The monsters that live inside the mist are fearsome creatures that can challenge even a seasoned warrior. At least, that's the case once you get deep enough into the mist.

But the ones that suddenly appeared in this city can be more accurately compared to the monsters that inhabit the mist’s outer edge. Still deadly, but weak next to the monsters further in.

Aberrants only exist in the depths of the mist, so they should have at least a certain amount of strength. Yet the one in front of us lacks the fearsome aura of the one I slew a couple days ago.

Which is why…

“Fade away.” Lyra throws her chakram, and it slices through the aberrant's torso.

“Groarrr…” The creature’s bloodied body falls to the ground.

She defeated it rather quickly.

Good. That means we can focus on the small fry and wrap this battle up.

With the leader defeated, the weaker monsters fall one after another. Soon, the street is cleared of mutants, putting an end to this little group of enemies.

“Not too tough,” Lyra says.

“Thankfully. If that was as strong as the one we fought in the mist, we'd be in trouble considering how many explosions we heard earlier.”

“You think each of those was a group of monsters, like this one?”

“Definitely. I can feel more monsters at the edge of my detection range right now.”

“Then we should hurry. The townspeople can't fight back against these creatures.”

“Follow me.” I take off in the direction of the nearest group of monsters.

Despite her calm demeanor, I can clearly see a bead of sweat rolling down Lyra’s face. She defeated over two dozen monsters, including an aberrant. Even if they're weak, that's not something she can do without some effort.

I'm also feeling the effects of fatigue, despite only having taken down a handful of them on my own.

My level is just so low that I can't keep up this pace for too long.

Depending on how many groups of monsters there are, I may have to change tactics and let the other heroes do most of the fighting.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but there will be time to seek out the answers after we get a handle on the situation first.