Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 5 Chapter 59   Satisfaction and regret

As I administered medicine to prevent Miyano and the others from waking up unconscious, I sensed the presence of someone approaching.

“Hey there, young lady. And Kudo, too. What brings you both to a place like this?”

Remaining cautious, I glanced toward the corridor, wondering if perhaps remnants of the enemy had arrived as reinforcements. However, the ones who approached were a familiar pair.

“Your superior contacted us. While reports have been coming in from other locations, there’s been no word from here, so we were instructed to lend a hand. After all, I’m also a ‘heroine’ of sorts.”

“Superior?”

“Identified himself as Saeki.”

“Ah.”

It seemed a considerable amount of time had passed while we were engaged in the battle. Well, considering that essentially only the boss rush took place here, it’s not surprising that it took some time.

“So, what’s your plan in this situation?”

As young Lady’s inquisitive gaze turned somewhat puzzled, it shifted toward Miyano and the others.

Could I have inadvertently given her the wrong idea?

“Well?… It’s not like I’m going to side with the enemy over this situation. This is—”

“I’m not asking about that. I understand that you won’t side with the enemy. What I’m interested in knowing is your intention regarding that core—whether you’re planning to destroy it even if it means defeating Miyano. Is that your plan?”

“… Well, yeah, I’m planning to destroy it. And that’ll be the end of it.”

“By ‘end,’ do you mean ‘you’?”

“…”

I intended to offer an explanation, but I was interrupted midway.

However, there’s something more concerning than that… Is this young lady aware of my thoughts?

While only observing the situation, she managed to deduce so much.

This young lady isn’t clueless, despite not being grateful for it in my current state.

With a silent plea for assistance directed at Kudo, who stood slightly behind young Lady, I tried to catch his eye. Yet, Kudo stepped back a pace. …So he has no intention of intervening on his own.

“By the way, you became a hero, didn’t you? …Oh right. I hadn’t congratulated you yet.”

“That’s… I suppose I could have genuinely celebrated if it weren’t for this situation.”

“You should be able to find joy in any situation. Becoming a hero was one of your goals, wasn’t it?”

“…What’s the point of being a hero if you can’t save anyone? That’s what I wonder.”

“…”

“…”

I tried to steer the conversation with a diversion, but well, it seemed pointless.

Even in silence, young Lady’s gaze remained fixed on me, silently posing the question.

Ideally, I wished she would just pull back without saying anything, but it wasn’t that simple. …I guess there’s no helping it.

“…Sigh. Sorry, but could you take these guys back with you?”

“Are you still planning to handle this on your own?”

“Somebody’s got to do it. And I figure it’s better for me to take care of them than to dismantle the High-Rankers.”

“But will they agree with your decision?”

“They probably won’t. That’s why we’re in this mess to begin with.”

With a wry smile, I glanced at Miyano and the others lying in front of me, shrugging my shoulders.

“Well, anyway, that’s the situation. If I destroy this, I can close all the gates that are open worldwide. It’s not an absolute solution, and it might only be temporary. But I’ve taken down the leader of the Savior Army. If we can settle things temporarily, we should be able to regroup.”

If what that guy said is true.

At the very least, it’s certain that whatever the Savior Army’s leader tried to protect was of great importance. So, there must be some value in risking everything for it.

“You truly embody the hero I was seeking, don’t you?”

“Cut it out, it’s absurd. I’m not cut out to be a hero. I’m just…”

Just…

I just don’t want someone I care about to die in this dungeon.

“…Well, it’s just that I don’t want these guys to die. I don’t want to die myself either, but if someone has to become a sacrifice, it should be someone with a shorter future ahead.”

So, please. As I was about to say that, I felt movement at my feet.

“Ridicu…lous…”

“You can still move? …Wait, you too?”

“Don’t… do something… like this…”

As she spoke, Asada stood up, and Miyano followed suit.

I gave them a bit more of that medicine than the recommended dose, just to be sure.

“I’m the leader, so… I won’t… let something like this happen…”

“You’re really… going to try something like this… I’ll knock some sense into you…!”

Despite stumbling due to the effects of the medicine, neither Miyano nor Asada loosened their grip on their weapons.

“Still, you understand the situation, don’t you? Right now, somewhere, someone might be dying. If I’m going to do it, I better hurry.”

“That’s why… I won’t let you…!”

“I’ve been saying that!”

“Round two, then? Come at me!”

With Miyano releasing a bolt of lightning, Asada charged at me as a signal.

Despite the effects of the medicine affecting both Miyano’s lightning and Asada’s movements, there was a power and determination in their attacks that could take down a half-decent Class One opponent.

However, that’s about it.

Because they can’t fully unleash their true abilities, Miyano’s magic is slower to activate than usual, and its power is diminished.

Asada’s charge lacks force, and occasionally her body’s balance wavers.

So, despite being slightly injured and tired, even I can easily handle them.

I deflected the lightning coming at me by throwing a sword like a lightning rod, and tripped up Asada, who was charging at me, by raising the ground slightly under her foot.

After releasing the lightning, Miyano pursued me from behind Asada with her sword ready. I ripped off a button from my clothes and hurled it. Miyano parried it with her sword, attempting to strike me with the rebounding blade. However, as if welcoming her move, I spread my arms wide and stood ready.

She must have thought that if she swung her sword down on me in my seemingly defenseless state, given my current unsteady and uncontrollable condition, she might end up killing me. Before Miyano could hit me, she forcefully halted her sword.

However, I had anticipated this. Drawing closer to Miyano, I embraced her tightly with open arms.

“Sorry. In the end, I’ve made you bear this burden.”

“No… way…”

Then, using magic once more to make them lose consciousness, I administered the medicine again, hoping that this time they wouldn’t wake up.

“You, too, came this far, without being able to respond properly. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t… wait…”

Kneeling before Asada, who was attempting to stand from her fallen position, I hugged her as well, just like I did with Miyano. Then, I made them lose consciousness again and gave them the medicine.

With this, there’s no chance that either of them will wake up while I’m still here.

“Miya—”

I tried to call their names, but my words faltered there.

Right. They probably can’t hear me, but for the last time, well, it’s fine.

“—Mizuki, Kana.”

And then, I called their names.

“I didn’t dislike you two. Well, I might even say I liked you.”

Saying it myself, I can’t help but chuckle.

“It’s absurd for a guy like me to be saying this, but well, it’s the end. Forgive me.”

While saying that, I placed my hand on the heads of the two who were lying before me and gently stroked them.

“Next time, find a decent partner without getting involved with an old man like me. And be happy. The reason I decided to do this here is for your sake.”

Come to think of it, the relationship I have with these two is a strange mix of various feelings that can’t be described in just one word. It’s like a blend of being a sister, a daughter, a junior disciple, a friend with an age gap, a teammate, and even something like… almost lovers.

Even if it was just one of these, it would be reason enough for me to protect you both.

Not only the two before me, but also glancing at Abe and Kitahara, who have collapsed a bit farther away, I take a deep breath, stand up, and then turn my gaze toward the girl — Tenshi Asuka, who has been silently watching us, and offer her a smiling glance.

“I’m sorry, but I’m entrusting the rest to you. And also, please convey this to Nina for me. Apologize for not being able to keep my promise.”

As Tenshi probably doesn’t know about Nina yet, but with Kudo here, she should understand.

“Yes… It’s quite laughable that being a hero means I can only do this much.”

“For me, these ‘little things’ are what matter. To avoid leaving any regrets behind.”

As long as they do this for me… as long as they protect them, I can die in contentment.

I had actually planned to leave the aftermath to Kitahara… but she’s asleep too. Guess she still needs more practice in assessing people.

Well, life is a journey of constant improvement until the end, or something like that, I’ve heard that saying before. I suppose that’s how it goes. You can’t become perfect or flawless.

Thinking about irrelevant things like this in the midst of this situation, I walk towards the core.

Reaching the core once again, I gaze at it, exhale deeply, then close my eyes and look up at the ceiling.

— From now on, I’ll probably die.

Despite all my actions driven by not wanting to die, now that I’m facing this scene, I surprisingly don’t feel as much regret as I thought.

This is probably because I believe I can finally protect the poeple I care about… well, to put it bluntly, it’s self-satisfaction.

But even so, it’s enough.

I gazed up at the ceiling, closed my eyes, took a slow and deep breath, exhaled, and then opened my eyes, fixing them directly on the core.

However, with my magical power, I couldn’t destroy this. After all, it’s a kind of thing that wouldn’t break without consuming multiple Special Grade or First Grade individuals.

But, I had prepared a bit excessively for this battle and received several Special Grade magic stones.

I used them to set up on the ground, creating magic circles on the floor.

At the time, I didn’t have paint, so I used blood, but it makes me feel like I’m performing some ominous ritual.

Yet, as I progressed with the preparations, the world suddenly trembled, causing me to stumble.

Although I said the world trembled, it was my own dizziness; it seemed like a bout of vertigo had hit me.

Not just blood, but it seems like my magical power is depleting as well. I can’t afford to lose consciousness midway and fail, so I better take some hemopoietic agents and replenishing medicine.

Huh? There’s more left than I thought.

As I opened the pouch for the medicine, there were more supplies remaining than I had anticipated. I remember using quite a bit of the replenishing medicine, did I prepare this much?

Well, I did bring more than usual this time, so it’s possible I miscalculated the remaining amount.

Thinking with a slightly foggy mind, whether it’s due to a shortage of blood or something else, I took out the silver containers holding the hemopoietic agent and replenishing medicine and drank them down in one go.

“Alright then, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime job. Quite literally, let’s do this with my life on the line.”

Time should be about right. Even if I allow for some leeway, Tenshi and the others should have made it out of the gate by now.

Having completed all the preparations necessary to destroy the core, I checked my watch and murmured to myself, taking a deep breath before reaching out my hand towards the core.

“——I wish I could have stayed with them a little longer.”

Unintentionally, a phrase I hadn’t intended to say slipped out. Simultaneously, the magic I had set up activated, shattering the core, and my consciousness was swallowed by a black void.