Chapter 38
"I moved ahead of you. I wanted to arrive first and get a look at what kind of village it was.
But I never expected the Sin Wolf to be captured this quickly.
It was the second-highest difficulty among the urgent missions, after all. Isn't that right, 'Noble Hunter'?"
Isti frowned as if displeased.
"Noah. What kind of mischief are you here to make?"
"I'm here to conduct a fair examination.
As you know, especially at times like this, there are people who try to become hero candidates through dishonest means.
And such people tend to have base motives as well."
Even I, who didn't particularly care about the examination's results, found her attitude unnerving.
How anxious must Karen be?
When I turned to look beside me, Karen's expression was just as unable to hide her nervousness.
She had suspected that she hadn't actually contributed anything.
"An examiner exists to determine whether there was any dishonesty in the process by which a hero candidate was selected.
Please don't worry. Only the final verification process remains."
"Are you the one conducting that verification, Examiner?"
In response to my question, Noah gave me an ominous smile.
"Yes. If I determine that the process was illegitimate, you will be disqualified immediately."
Karen's body stiffened.
She was already under enough pressure, thinking she hadn't done anything.
I had to put on a confident front, at least.
"In that case, there's evidence right behind us, so please examine it as thoroughly as you like."
Come to think of it, there was no reason for me to be nervous.
The Sin Wolf wasn't a fake, and I had definitely killed it and brought it back.
Nor could Karen's contribution be ignored. If not for her, I would have been the one to suffer serious injuries.
"I will now begin the examination."
When Mr. Smiden had looked at the corpse, everyone had cheered and chattered.
But now… everyone was silent, as if they were terrified.
Swept up in the atmosphere, I clamped my mouth shut as well.
"Sniff, sniff."
Noah began acting in a way that bordered on bizarre.
She pressed her nose into the dead wolf's fur and smelled it.
What on earth did she think she could determine by doing that?
"I smell something scorched. It was killed after being struck by a fire-element attack spell two or three times."
…….
A chill ran through me.
"Which of the two of you took it down?"
"My brother did."
"Lady Karen, did you do nothing when it was defeated?"
"Yes."
Noah stepped closer to Karen.
"Eek… ah."
Karen looked so frightened she seemed about to collapse.
"You're being honest. Good. There are no knife wounds on this wolf's corpse. There are quite a few signs that it struggled with something, though….
Would you tell me how you hunted it? I mean…."
"My name is Dekal."
She looked at me as if searching for the name, so I quickly introduced myself.
"Lord Dekal. For the sake of an accurate examination, would you tell me what happened there at the time?"
This feels exactly like an interrogation.
Noah's tone wasn't rude, but there was an incredible persistence to it, as though she intended to dig all the way into the deepest parts of the matter.
So this was what it meant to be an examiner.
"When we first encountered the Sin Wolf, there wasn't even time to cast a spell.
I protected myself with spirit arts, but it still wasn't enough, so Karen took the attack in my place."
"Were you the one who used the fire-element attack spell, Lord Dekal?"
"Yes. Thanks to the opening Karen created, I somehow managed to land an attack spell and kill it."
Karen nodded repeatedly beside me.
I couldn't see her expression because she was wearing a blindfold, but Noah's lips were pressed tightly together, as if she found something displeasing.
"You must not lie."
"…Lie?"
"You smell bad."
What the hell was wrong with this woman?
She was suspecting people based on nothing but smell.
I didn't bother hiding my displeasure.
"…I didn't know examinations were conducted based on things like smell."
But it wasn't simply Noah's rudeness that made me uncomfortable.
This woman knew something.
She called it a smell, but she knew something infinitely close to the truth.
The sensation of her digging into my depths without my permission was making it impossible for me to remain calm.
"Are you planning to play dumb and deny it? The wolf reeks of human blood."
"……!"
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know…."
Only Isti and I probably understood the meaning correctly.
We had been able to capture the Sin Wolf easily by using four humans as bait. I had kept that fact silent.
But who could have imagined that a truth I hadn't thought needed revealing would surface in such an uncomfortable way?
Unaware of the circumstances, Karen looked Noah straight in the eye and spoke confidently.
"We fought the Sin Wolf with our lives on the line. Of course it would smell of human blood."
"That's right. There was a strong scent of blood on the Sin Wolf's claws. I can imagine what happened.
But the blood scent I'm referring to isn't the kind that proves this man's lie."
"What do you mean?"
"The wolf was drenched in blood from every direction. As if humans had been used as bait."
…….
No one spoke anymore.
Noah's sense of smell was remarkably accurate. I had never imagined she could look at the corpse and figure out everything that had happened.
"Was it your desire to become a hero candidate?
Even though you knew that anyone who killed people with attack magic would be locked away forever in Glagius's underground prison and never released?"
"Are you slandering me based on your imagination?"
"Or did I simply hit the nail on the head?"
I couldn't hold back the laughter rising in me and covered my mouth with my hand.
Noah silently watched me with an expressionless face.
"An examiner also has the authority to punish criminals on the spot. No—in fact, when we aren't conducting examinations, that is our primary duty."
"I never intended to become a hero candidate in the first place."
"…?"
"I used people as bait to hunt the Sin Wolf because I wanted to become a hero candidate.
That's a scenario you came up with on your own, Examiner. Or are you going to call this a lie too?"
"……."
Noah was sharp.
She would certainly realize that there was no lie in those words.
I had never intended to become a hero candidate. That had been true all along.
"And if I had intended to use someone as bait to complete the mission, why is she still alive?"
I placed a hand on Karen's shoulder.
"Ah…."
"If I wanted to use bait, would I leave the easiest target alive and instead bring along people I didn't know? Who would say something so absurd?"
The atmosphere changed.
Noah had clearly reached the truth, but she had arrived at it through something superhuman.
She had used some kind of sense to reach the truth.
It was like writing down only the answer in a math problem without showing any of the work.
She couldn't convince everyone else with such an unsupported guess.
"R-Right!"
"Who would do something like that?"
Unexpectedly, people spoke up and took my side.
"I admit it. I was careless. I reached my conclusion too quickly."
"Hmph."
"However, there is one thing you misunderstand. A person cannot simply throw away their qualification as a hero candidate because they don't want it.
Once someone obtains the qualification, they are obligated to come to Melbrit and take the test."
"What? Really?"
I had no idea!
"Brother, you didn't know?"
Karen asked in surprise.
"If I'd known that, I wouldn't have done it."
Should I ask them to disqualify me alone? This wasn't exactly the time to negotiate a deal, though.
Noah looked at me and said,
"Lord Dekal. Earlier, I told you that I had arrived in this village one step ahead of you.
In truth, I've been here for quite some time.
To be precise, since the moment the Noble Hunter came to this village."
"…."
"So I know about your relationship. That you go to the same inn every day, eat together, and take on missions together."
Damn it. Was she going to use this to trip us up now?
"As you know, the Sin Wolf mission was established when a Diamond-rank hunter discovered its habitat.
There is no way you could have taken her along to resolve an urgent mission."
"Yes, that's true."
I was being driven further and further into a corner.
"There is eyewitness testimony. On the previous night, at the time Lord Dekal was fighting the Sin Wolf.
Someone saw the hunter hurriedly leaving Marn."
Isti's expression hardened.
"Don't you think that's a little too timely?"
"Are you saying she helped us?"
"Yes. That's right. I know the reputation and character of the 'Noble Hunter,' so it was quite unexpected.
I never imagined there was anyone who could use Ms. Isti."
"Noah. Take that back."
Isti's spirit erupted so powerfully it seemed visible.
I had never seen Isti this angry.
Even as Noah faced that murderous aura head-on, she stood there calmly.
"Then can you swear that there was no dishonesty during the urgent mission? On the honor of a noble elf?"
"That's…!"
Ah, enough. Let's stop here.
There was no way to deceive this examiner. Not unless I put her under hypnosis or something.
"If your guess is correct, what will happen to Karen and me?"
"You will be disqualified immediately."
"……."
In the end, perhaps it was because the result had been obtained through improper means that it could disappear so easily.
Because of the adventurers who pushed me off the cliff, I had no choice but to call Isti.
It couldn’t be helped.
“However, there is one strange thing.”
Noah added.
“Something strange?”
“Yes. Although this Shin Wolf was drenched terribly in human blood, it died after being hit by fire magic.
There aren’t many people capable of wielding fire magic of this power. There’s no way an elf who commands wind spirits could use magic that burns everything to ashes.”
In other words, was she saying this?
She found it strange that, after asking Isti for help, I had actually slain the Shin Wolf with my own hands?
Really, just how persistent was this woman?
Impressive. Truly impressive.
Suddenly, I found myself wanting this woman.
How reassuring would it be if a woman like her worked for me?
That was the kind of talent the 〈Eight-Colored Shell Castle〉 needed.
For now, I would tell her the truth.
“Yeah. That’s right. I called her.”
“It was because of me!”
Karen cried out.
“What do you mean, Lady Karen?”
“It must have been because my life was in danger. Big Brother had the ability to take down the Shin Wolf, and he proved it. So I’m the only one who needs to be disqualified.”
“That cannot be allowed.”
Noah spoke firmly.
“The evaluation must be conducted fairly. In the first place, the other adventurers cannot call a helper when they are in danger.”
“That’s true, but….”
I grabbed Karen by the head and ruffled her hair roughly.
“B-Big Brother!”
“What did you take me for earlier? I told you I don’t want to be a hero candidate, didn’t I? You’re going to get disqualified and have me pass? Why would you do something like that?”
“But I didn’t do anything in the end. The one who protected you wasn’t me, but….”
“……”
Everyone looked at Isti.
Isti sighed and spoke.
“Noah, it’s true that I helped Dekal. It’s also true that I have a special relationship with him. We love each other.”
“Yes, I was surprised. To think that you, of all elves, were in a relationship.
Even if Wabid told me so, I wouldn’t have believed it until I saw it for myself.”
“But it’s wrong to say that Darling used me. Take it back.”
“What do you mean, it’s wrong?”
“The reason Darling called me was because of the adventurers who pushed the two of them off the cliff to steal the credit.”
Isti spoke with disgust.
The people stirred at the shocking revelation. The muscles in Noah’s face trembled slightly. It was proof that she had been shaken.
Since things had come to this, I added my own words.
“To be precise, those bastards pushed me down and grabbed Karen, intending to rape her.
But there was a Shin Wolf at the bottom of the cliff. If anyone had been able to call Isti and save Karen in that situation, they would have done the same.”
“……”
Noah seemed to realize something.
“Then this smell of blood….”
Ugh, she wasn’t going to implicate even Isti as a criminal, was she?
That wouldn’t do. Even if I had to use hypnosis, I needed to turn the situation around.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Although Noah now knew the whole truth except for the hypnosis, she did not press me about that part.
…I felt as though I understood what kind of person she was.
“I deeply apologize to both of you for my discourteous remark that you had used her.”
Noah placed a hand over her navel and bowed deeply.
Isti immediately spoke up.
“Noah. Give these two a chance.
You know now, don’t you? All I did was stop criminals from harming the person they loved. I had no intention of interfering with the mission.
I had a chance to defeat the Shin Wolf, too, but Darling stopped me instead.”
“……”
No, I didn’t need a second chance or anything.
Couldn’t she give it only to Karen?
“Very well. By the authority granted to me as an examiner, I will give the two of you an additional trial.
If you pass it, I will formally recognize you as hero candidates.”
“Big Broooother!”
Karen threw herself into my arms.
“What a relief. Truly….”
The atmosphere made it clear that I would have to take the additional trial whether I liked it or not.
I didn’t want to part with Karen just yet either, so it was fine, but what a hassle.
“Sir Dekal. Will you participate in the additional trial?”
“All right. What do I have to do, Examiner?”
“A new dungeon has been discovered near Mareun Village. You may have heard of the Bordeaux Dungeon.”
“Huh.”
It was the place I had cleared.
“There is a deeper area beneath that dungeon than what is currently known. My guess is that there is a lich down there.”
“What’s a lich?”
Karen asked while still nestled in my arms.
“A mage ruled by necromancy. Their strength varies greatly from one individual to another….”
“Yes. You seem well informed. An elder lich possesses enough power to fight an entire country.
However, an ordinary lich in a small dungeon could be considered to have a difficulty similar to that of a Shin Wolf.”
“Once we complete the mission, we’ll have to find you, Examiner. Where can we meet you?”
“I have obtained a room at the guards’ quarters and am staying there.”
“All right. I’m not going to thank you for giving me an additional trial.”
“I merely judge the trial results fairly. It is your freedom to do your best, and your freedom to abandon it.
However, once you pass, as I said earlier, you will not be allowed to quit at will until you arrive in Melbrit.”
Strangely, I felt that it wouldn’t be impossible.
Was it because I had leveled up and gained confidence? Or because I had grown accustomed to being close to danger while fighting monsters?
Both explanations made sense. I was adapting to this other world faster than even I could have imagined.
…But that was that, and this was this.
“Big Brother?”
I gently set Karen aside and raised my hand in front of Noah.
Snap!
I snapped my fingers, sending Noah into a trance.
“Noah.”
I had already come close to dying once since arriving in this other world.
As a hypnotist, I had to do what needed to be done.
“「When I ask you for help, you cannot refuse me.」”
I approached Noah, who was dazed in her trance, and whispered into her ear. Before the others could sense anything strange—
Clap.
I clapped my hands and woke Noah.