Negai o Kanaete Moraou to Akuma o Shōkan Shitakedo, Kawaikattanode Kekkonshimashita ~ Akuma no Nīdzu

“Ahh… He ran away because of you Helvi.”

Said a disappointed Xena as she looked at the forest where the boss had escaped.

He disappeared without a trace almost as soon as he started running. He used the forest well to make sure even Xena and Celia could not detect him.

“Why didn’t you finish him before he could run? I’m sure you could’ve done it.”

Asked Celia.

She was right, Helvi could have killed him before he ran. She could even do it after he ran, if she was so inclined.

“…I thought of something, and decided to let him go.”

“Thought of something?”

“Yes, but even putting that aside, we can kill him later. There is no reason to let a bandit live, is there?”

“He might die from that wound alone anyway.”

Xena was correct. The boss was losing a lot of blood, and would not last the day if he did not receive the proper treatment.

“Looking at where he ran, it doesn’t look like he’s heading towards the top. Let’s just keep going and collect the medicinal herbs.”

The medicinal herbs in this mountain were inaccessible due to the presence of the bandits, but now that this obstacle was no more, all that was left was to continue going up and collect the herbs.

“That’s all up to you Theo! We can’t even tell them apart!”

“I’m not completely ignorant when it comes to medicinal herbs, but it would be very hard for me to differentiate these ones. We’re counting on you Theo.”

“Y-yes! You’re always helping me, so it’s time for me to do my best too!”

Being able to be useful filled Theo with motivation.

Since it felt like watching a small animal looking to do his best, the other three were completely soothed and forgot about the previous battle.

And then, they continued their way up.

“Let’s go Helvi!”

Said Theo as he looked back at Helvi, who had stopped for some reason.

“…Ah, yes.”

Helvi was looking at the ground with a sharp expression, but lightly smiled and walked with Theo when she heard him calling for her.

…Something that should have been on the spot where she was looking was gone.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Ahh, ahh…! Dammit!”

The boss felt no indication that Helvi and the others were chasing him, so he made his way to a shelter he had prepared beforehand.

It was much less spacious than his usual base of operations, and was only furnished with the bare minimum.

In there were medical supplies that were stolen from a merchant he attacked, so he was able to stop the bleeding in his left shoulder, while enduring intense pain.

It was only first-aid treatment, but it meant he would not bleed out.

“What is that woman…! Nothing I did worked…!”

He weakly mumbled as he rested his body against a rugged rock wall.

It was not comfortable in the slightest, but it was not the time to care about comfort.

He could not figure out why nothing worked.

The woman he fought before, Xena, could resist his attacks, but they did have an effect. He could tell from the feedback he received when he hit her that she was tough, and he would not be able to rip through her flesh and bones like he usually did.

Helvi on the other hand, did not feel particularly hard, and seemed to have muscles on par with the average human, so he thought he could punch a hole through her.

And yet, nothing he did have any effect at all. He struggled to understand it, but figured he would never beat her unless he did.

Yes, the boss still intended to beat, or rather, kill Helvi.

“Humiliating me like this… Unforgivable! You’re dead! I’m gonna shred your flesh, your bones, and your organs to pieces…!”

In his anger, he punched the wall with the hand he had left.

This left a big crack on the wall, making him even less comfortable, but he did not care, or rather, could not afford to care about such a thing.

However, no matter how enraged he was, he still had no hope of beating her.

The boss was left handed, and could not even imagine himself winning with only one arm.

He used all his power to hit her with his dominant hand and failed to even make her budge. How could he ever beat her?

“Good. I like you.”

“…! Who’s there!?”

His thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly heard someone’s voice.

He started looking around, but although he clearly heard the voice echoing, he had no idea where it came from.

He figured some sort of magic was being used to make it echo in such a manner.

Since he was resting his back on the wall since he got there, he did not think to look back.

He looked forward, right, left, and up, but no one was there. He could not even feel anyone’s presence.

“This way.”

“Wha…!?”

This time, he heard the voice coming from behind, and very close as well. It felt as though it was right next to his right hear.

He turned around and punched the wall once again.

Obviously no one was there, and all he did was destroy the wall even more.

“Yes, good, such ferocity. Every time you attack an intense pain runs through your left arm, and yet you pay no heed to it. Such force of will, very good.”

“Who the hell are you!? Show yourself!”

“That rude language on the other hand is not so much to my liking.”

The irritated boss yelled… But no sounds came out.

“…!?”

“Calm yourself. I am here to offer you a deal.”

Although he could not see its source, the voice felt as though it coming from right next to his ears.

“I will give you power, and in return you will kill that demon.”