My childhood friend, who I promised to marry in the future, came back as a swordsman.

 

Chapter 19 Request for relief

{TL: By Creed}

A man who seemed to be around thirty, likely an adventurer, was being chased by a gigantic monster.

It was a colossal turtle-shaped monster, like a mountain.

Despite its size, it was surprisingly agile, steadily closing the distance.

"That's an A-rank monster, the Grand Turtle!? Why is it here..."

"We have to help!"

"Yes, of course."

If things continued as they were, he would be caught in a matter of minutes. There was no time to hesitate, and no time to call for reinforcements.

"Fate, please watch our surroundings!"

"Understood!"

I didn't say anything. I had never seen a monster like that before, and it looked like a formidable opponent. I might be able to help, but right now, a life was at stake. I wouldn't do anything unnecessary; I needed to choose a method that would definitely save him.

If I left it to Sofia, there wouldn't be any problem. She was strong enough to be unconditionally trusted. It was an extraordinary, unexpected, and unpredictable strength.

That's what it meant to be a Sword Saint.

"Divine Dragon Sword style-Second Stance... Gale!"

Sofia intervened between the man and the monster, unsheathing her sword. By the time anyone noticed, she had swung her sword.

The ultra-high-speed draw created a powerful shockwave.

The monster was vertically bisected. Unable to scream a death cry, it collapsed.

To defeat such a gigantic monster in a single strike...

I was almost mesmerized by her sword, but I had to focus on my job. I kept an eye out for reinforcements and the surroundings.

After observing for a few minutes, it seemed like the monster was truly defeated. She sheathed her sword.

Sofia seemed to have made the same judgment, sheathed her sword as well.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm saved. Thank you."

He was helped up, and he stood.

"I'm an adventurer responsible for guarding the fortress ahead. My name is Gale."

To keep monsters away, fortresses were often built a bit away from towns. They served not only as bases against monsters but also sometimes as inns for travelers.

"I'm Fate Stuart, an adventurer."

"I'm Sofia Ascart. Also an adventurer."

"Sofia Ascart!? Could you be the Sword Saint...?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Ah, meeting the Sword Saint in a place like this must be the guidance of the goddess... Please, I beg you! Can you help us!?"

――――――――――

According to Gale's story, the fortress was apparently attacked by a ferocious monster. Although they managed to repel it, the defense force suffered significant casualties.

Furthermore, since they didn't defeat the monster, another attack is expected. If they are attacked again, they won't be able to hold the defense, and the fortress will likely fall.

Unable to do anything on their own, they have no choice but to seek help from the outside. However, going outside the fortress is a suicidal act given the possibility of another attack, the presence of other monsters, and the heightened activity stimulated by recent events. Despite the risks, Gale decided to seek help outside and encountered us on the way.

Of course, upon hearing such a story, we couldn't just ignore it. Guided by Gale, Sofia, and I moved to the fortress. Fortunately, we weren't attacked by any monsters.

"Hey, everyone!"

"Oh... Gale's back!"

"Thank goodness, you're safe!"

Upon arriving at the fortress, the gate opened, and two men and women came out, both dressed as adventurers. They were probably Gale's companions.

"Sail, Raxa, you can relax now. I brought reinforcements."

"Reinforcements? Are these two over here? I'm Sail. And this is my comrade, Raxa."

"I'm Fate Stuart."

"I'm Sofia Ascart."

Introducing ourselves, we nodded politely.

"Wait, could it be, the Sword Saint...!?"

"The Sword Maiden of the Swordsmen, Sofia Ascart!?"

The attention of the two focused on Sofia, a very famous figure. It made me proud to have such a childhood friend.

"That's a relief. You saved us."

"I really thought it was over... Thank you for coming to help."

"No problem. It's just what we, as fellow adventurers, should do. Besides, we haven't defeated the monster attacking the fortress yet... Can you tell us the detailed situation for now?"

"Ah, let's talk inside for now. Gale, you should take it easy. You must be tired."

"Yeah, I'll do that... Honestly, I'm at my limit."

"Are you okay, Gale? I'll take you to the medical room. Even though your injuries are the lightest, they're still not wounds you should be moving around with."

Accompanied by Raxa, Gale disappeared into the depths.

"Now, the two of you, come this way."

We were led to a meeting room.

"And now, about the current situation... Honestly, it's quite severe."

"How much damage is there?"

"There were twenty adventurers and thirty garrison soldiers stationed at the fortress. However, the adventurers are almost completely wiped out. Only three of us, Gale, Raxa, and me, can move properly. As for the garrison soldiers, it's even worse. All of them are either severely or lightly injured, and only about ten percent can move properly."

"I see..."

Receiving the grim news, Sofia and I wore stern expressions.

Being an adventurer is a responsibility one takes upon oneself. Whether it's amassing wealth by finding treasure or, as Sail mentioned, losing one's life, it's a path that may lead to permanent injuries.

It's not the glamorous world portrayed in stories. I keenly felt that reality.

Being a garrison soldier is also a challenging job. Their purpose is to protect people and maintain order. Sometimes, this requires using one's own body as a shield, leading to inevitable injuries.

"Can you tell us about the monster?"

"I can't say for sure, but it's probably a wolf-type monster, maybe a Wolfen. It looks like a giant wolf, but its size is absurdly large. It was about ten meters tall."

"A ten-meter wolf-type monster... could it be..."

"It might be a Fenrir."

Inserting my thoughts into the conversation, Sofia looked surprised.

"Fate, do you know about Fenrir?"

"Yeah, I do. Among the wolf-type monsters, it's one of the top-tier species. It has distinctive blue and white fur, and when it matures, it can grow to over ten meters. Its fur is as tough as steel, its claws are as sharp as spears, and its fangs can pierce anything."

"Yes, that's correct. To add, it's classified as an S-rank monster. Since encounters with S-rank monsters are extremely rare, I don't possess that knowledge... but why does Fate know about Fenrir?"

"Huh? Isn't that common knowledge? I studied various things because I didn't want to be useless and be called 'useless' and beaten when I was a slave. That's one thing I learned among many."

"Even so, the circumstances of learning it... my hostility toward those guys seems to be increasing. But it's impressive. You're more knowledgeable about Fenrir than the average adventurer... Do you remember its weaknesses?"

"Um, I'm not sure about that. But if I had to say, maybe it's nocturnal? It seems to move a bit slower during the day. Well, it's only a bit, so it's not advisable to expect too much."

"That's enough."

Sofia stood up with a sword in hand.

"Considering the state of the fortress, it won't withstand another attack. If we defend, there might be more casualties. Conveniently, it's daytime now. We'll take the initiative and attack."

"Really? That helps... Thinking there might be another attack, we couldn't even transport the injured. It's almost like a miracle that Gale was able to call for help. If you can defeat it as soon as possible, it would be a great help."

"Yes, leave it to us."

Sofia nodded confidently and energetically.

Then she looked at me.

"Sorry, Fate, but..."

"Yeah, I'll wait here."

"... You understand what I'm trying to say immediately, which is helpful. But, Fate, is it okay? The option of coming with us..."

"No, I'll pass on that. I'm still not up to par, and it would be difficult to keep up with the real Sofia. Plus, it's an urgent situation. I'll wait here."

"Fate might actually be capable..."

"It's not like that."

"That's not how I see it."

"Still, this time, please go on ahead. I'll be more diligent so that one day, I can stand beside you and swing a sword together."

I pledged so.

TL Note-Fate will be in the cheering team?

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