Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death

Translator: mii

Editors: ASplashOfMusic, sleepchaser

Thinking about it, it feels ironic that I, a liar, has now been deceived. How shameful.

The more I think about it and the more I get reminded of that fact, the more my mood worsens. I distract myself by looking out at the windows that have been left open.

The humid night breeze blows into the room.

Looking up, I see the sky completely shrouded by gray clouds. I can’t see the moon, stars, or even the indigo night sky.

And all visible scenery has been dyed dark gray.

I place my hand on the slightly damp window frame, lean forward a little, and look down.

I see lush trees, a well-maintained garden, and the walls and fence of this sturdy stone building. There are also several orange lights shining through some windows.

From my point of view, the patrol guards holding torches and the priests passing by look very small. Once again, I reconfirm how far the room I’m in is from the ground, and I feel… depressed again.

The ground is too far down.

I’m not at a height where I can just jump off and come out unharmed.

Perhaps this room I’m in is in one of the several towers I saw when I first stared up at the branch. Maybe. But I don’t know for sure.

Not wanting to give up, I observe the wall below me and the windows from top to bottom again. Unfortunately, I can’t find any gaps or ledges that I can use as footholds.

If there were any gaps or ledges, maybe I could scale down the wall unnoticed by blending with the dead of night. Should be possible. I’ve done that kind of thing during field training with my teacher.

I heave a sigh and slowly slide away from the window sill.

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Turning back into the room, the first thing that comes into view is the sofa upholstered with luxurious needlework. Then the table with beautiful curves and carved patterns of plants. Then the vase of flowers on the center of the table. In front of it is a large plate of fruits and nuts, with a rattan basket filled with soft bread laying beside it. Various kinds of jams and tea sets have also been prepared on the table.

A soft and thick brushed carpet has been laid underneath the lounge suite, on the side of the bed, and on the floor leading to the washroom.

High-quality lamps and furniture with beautiful decorations have also been placed in several places in the room.

The bookshelf on the wall is filled with books of various genres.

It’s a very good guest room that can make one want to stay here forever.

The clothes provided are all of good quality too. It’s too amazing.

Even the loungewear I’m wearing is light and comfortable to wear as its fabric slides against my skin. It’s loose, robe-like, and white.

The hem of the outerwear is so long that it reaches below my knee, but the material is soft and light. Beautiful trees and flowers are embroidered on the cuffs and hems with silver and multicolored threads.

Yet for some reason…

They didn’t give me any footwear. I’m currently barefoot.

Besides…

I lightly lift my right leg.

I can hear the sound of metal clanging. The hem of my too-long clothes slips to the side, exposing my ankle to my field of view…

My eyes catch the shiny silver object on my ankle, causing my mood to immediately sour.

A thin silver cuff is wrapped around my ankle.

Perhaps whoever restrained me with this cuff is afraid that the metal will hurt me because the inner part of the cuff is wrapped in some fabric that has a nice texture so that the chain won’t directly touch my skin.

…It must be that guy.

At first glance, it may look just like a silver accessory to decorate my feet. But it’s not just wrapped around my ankle… the cuff is attached to a long chain, which follows my movement across the floor.

The other end of the chain is connected to somewhere underneath the large bed, which has a canopy wide enough for four people to sleep on it. And that somewhere is around the thick right leg of the bed that resembles a log.

I gloomily stare at the silver chain tied around the bedpost in multiple layers, and then at my feet again… I let out a sigh.

I try to break it over and over again, but despite its thin and delicate appearance… I can’t even leave a scratch on it.

I’m sure that some kind of strengthening technique was cast on this.

There’s also a silver lock with a small keyhole hanging on my ankle chain.

Why?

Why did this happen? I don’t understand. But…

I look up and stare at the ceiling.

No, above the ceiling.

“Goddess! I think you’re going a bit overboard here!!”

What is she doing!! She told me at that time that I can do as I like, right!?

“I will sue you for falsifying the contract!! Mark my words!!” I shout to the ceiling with all of my might. I’m alone here anyway.

Once I take a short breath to calm myself, I hear a light knock on the door, making me twitch.

After taking another breath, I look toward the door. “…Who?”

“It’s me.”

It’s that guy.

I was already expecting him to come soon. I mean, ever since I was trapped in this room, he visits me in the morning and evening and sometimes at noon.

I frown and glare at the door to express my bad mood as clearly as possible to the guy who’s standing behind the door.

I don’t tell him to come in, but there’s a clicking sound, and the door opens anyway.

As expected, what appears from the other side of the door is the blindingly bright dawn color for my eyes.

Eyes the color of sunrise become fixed on me, narrowing and curving into a smile.

“Good evening, Lian-dono. It seems like it will rain heavily tonight. When I looked up at the sky a while ago, it was pitch black in the west. I saw flashes of light between the clouds too, so I believe there’s also going to be thunder… You should close the windows.”

“…Schwede.”

As if I’ll continue using honorifics with him. Someone like him doesn’t deserve it.

Instead of getting angry with my disrespect toward him, Schwede replies with a smile.

I am filled with rage just from looking at his reaction alone. On top of that, he entered this room without my permission.

He walks forward until he’s right in front of me before flashing a smile, not a hint of a bad mood on his face.

Even though this bastard told me this is my private guest room, why can someone other than me come and go freely?

“Did you experience any inconveniences? If you want something, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

What is he talking about?

“I sure am experiencing many inconveniences here. Since you want me to list them… First, take this off my ankle.”

Schwede glances at my right ankle. Then he turns to me with drooped shoulders and sighs. “…I also really want to fulfill your wish, Lian-dono. I never thought I’d have to resort to doing something like this. But if you promise me that you won’t leave this room, I’ll take it off. Can you do that?”

The heck with that.

“Fucking hell!!! Don’t joke with me, you bastard! Let me out of this room already! Right now! Let me go back to the village!”

“…I’m sorry, but I really can’t do that. Please forgive me. Otherwise, I will be going against the Goddess’ oracle,” says Schwede, looking down at me with sad eyes. I don’t think he really feels sad, though.

“What oracle?! Just what ‘oracle’ could make you lock me up in this room?!!”

As I close in on him, Schwede sighs another time. “I’ve said this many times… This is what Goddess asked us to do. From a village that will reach its inevitable ruin before the end of summer, we have to take the ‘tender-hearted silver angel’ and keep them in the safest place in the world where the disaster and the demons can never reach him. That’s our mission, which we have to prioritize above all else. After all, it’s the Goddess’ order to us, Her apostles.”