The Traveling Hero Won't Let the Innkeeper's Son Escape

Two days later, the only person left in the inn was Gio, and Ruth, who was completely free, just tried to get a job from the others and left for the village. The package arrived there using the horse.

"Ah, addressed to Mr. Maxim."

The delivery person left the package in a cloth of about fifty centimetres in the inn, which was the recipient, and it was thought to be in the box because of its stiff feel. The destination was about three days' walk from here, from a town bigger than Hashi village. A speedy horse using magic is a place to get there in less than half a day.

"It doesn't look like it's a raw thing, should I give it to you when I get back?

"But you're flying a horse, right? Besides, that town is also famous for weapons processing, so Mr. Maxim may have asked for something to use for this one."

In the end, it had to be delivered early, and Ruth took his luggage and headed to the village chief's house where Maxim and the others were gathering. When I tell them what's going on, they put me through the back room. There were members of the knights, mainly Maxim, and central figures of the town, such as Rossa, the village chief and the priest, looking at the map on the table and discussing it.

(Until last year, there was Alec here...)

Even though a powerful man called the Knights Commander is here this year, I feel a little uneasy just because he doesn't exist.

"Ruth, what's wrong?

Rossa called out to me when she realized her son existed. As for Ruth, who had a little trouble getting in because Alec wasn't around, I was glad you noticed.

When I tell him I brought a express flight to Maxim, he comes out in person. At the same time it seemed to be a short break, and the humans gathered at the table flocked to a pot of tea in the corner.

"I asked you two days ago, did you get it yet?"

Apparently, he was in contact with the town using the Golas family's early horse, which once existed in the village. Even the villagers forgot about its existence, but they admire Maxim for understanding what is in the village and using it properly.

When Maxim, who received the package from Ruth, took the cloth of the luggage he had placed on the desk in the corner, it seemed like a high box that came out of it. When Ruth asks if he can look at it with a gaze, Maxim spreads it easily, not to say of course. I noticed it. Rossa and the knights stopped by.

"It looks like a box with something expensive in it."

"Captain, isn't this from that workshop………"

"Did you buy it again?"

The assembled members verbally express their thoughts on the box, but Maxim doesn't look too concerned, and opens the lid of the box as it is.

(Wow………)

What came out of it was a huge knife. However, the exterior was decorated with jewelry and fine workmanship, and it was an item that I didn't think was very practical. Maxim took the knife in his hand and removed the case and checked the contents.

"Yeah, well done."

The inner side was more ordinary than the outer delicacy. It has some design, but it maintains an atmosphere where the original knife is likely to run out. If I had a jewel by the sword, I'd be worried about what the hell it was for, but it doesn't look like I'm going to use it to decorate it.

Maxim laughed satisfactorily as he ascertained how the knife was all along and delivered it to the case - giving it to Ruth for some reason.

"Eh?"

Looking up as if Ruth was bewildered, Maxim offers it all the more zucky.

"Oh, you know, Mr. Maxim?

"You made me lose my knife when you helped me before, didn't you? I don't know what to say instead of this one, but use it. It is somewhat gorgeous, but it should be more durable than the previous knife"

"Yep...... Yep?

"Take it, Miss Ruth, it's how I feel."

When Maxim does it, he smiles sweetly and stares at Ruth.

While the knights around him lurked their voices, they said, "Go, go, knight captain", "Drop it here", "Good luck", and Maxim, who should be hearing it, didn't seem to deny it while looking a little smelly. But on the contrary, Rossa behind it is shaking her head with fierce momentum as she turns her face bright blue. That's a signal to alert you to an emergency.

Ruth, who had been scattered by Alec to say that he was dull on the condition, also realized that this was something he should not receive.

(Oh, shit! I couldn't tell you my gender the whole time, so I did this......!

From the first time I met her, she told me that it was "Goddess" but "Beautiful". I was somewhat concerned about it, but I thought it was a compliment specific to the nobility and flushed it a little. Ruth didn't have a flowery head that believed in the sweet words of humans from the city. I had a sense that my appearance was good in the first place, and I didn't think that even though I was a man because I was mistaken for a woman, I could be that serious with a man.

But it was a disaster. I didn't realize Maxim was getting any stronger. I thought it was somewhat "something different from Mr. Maxim's attitude at first." But I thought it was because we were normally friends.

"Miss Ruth, won't you take it? And even after this, we can still interact."

"Oh, you know, Mr. Maxim. Can I talk to you for a second? If you can, you and me."

"Ah...... yes"

Ruth leaves the village chief's house with an inner apology to Maxim, who faces nervously but nods somewhere as he expects. And when I took him to a less popular place, he turned to Maxim.

"Um, Miss Ruth, what are you doing here?"

"Mr. Maxim. I'm so sorry. But I say clear."

"Yes?"

"I'm a man."

"……………………………………………………………………………………………….. Huh?

"I'll say it again. I'm a man. So you can't accept that knife."

"............ yeah"

I heard a loose voice between me from Maxim talking like I was serious and always confident. As Ruth raised her face as she was meditating her eyes, she faced Maxim, who looked bright blue with confusion and surprise.

"Are you kidding me? You're the man?

"I'm sorry, but it's true.... I'm so sorry I'm late to tell you."

As Ruth lowered his head deeply, Maxim looked sad in front of him.

"…… is this a far-fetched rejection that you and I will not be able to date in the future?"

"No. I'm really a man."

"Or say no like this because someone is dating you"

"So..."

I'm gradually filling Maxim with apologies for not trying to believe the story that Ruth is only a man. But I don't know how you feel. But I don't think anyone wants to believe that the opposite sex that you tried to favor was same-sex.

(But……………)

Ruth began to unbutton her jacket as she sighed deeply. And in front of Maxim, who raised his confused voice, he opened Gabari and his own clothes.

"Can you understand that you're not a woman?

…………

Ruth showed his chest plate to Maxim, stiff with his eyes open. Of course there are no women-specific breasts or anything like that there, just an upper body forged up in the hunt. It seems to be a wearable appearance, and she looks quite skinny when she is wearing clothes, but Rossa has a lot of muscle strength because even Ruth can move that much, although she is worse muscled than Alec. There can't be enough humans to look at this body and think it's a woman with no chest on a boulder.

…………

"... could you believe I was a man?

"Huh! Yes! Wow, I understand! So, so forward! Please close it!

Maxim, who had been staring at Ruth's body for a while, turned bright red when he spoke and strayed from his face. And hurry up and tell Ruth to close the front. I thought I wouldn't want to see more of a man's body than I needed to, and Ruth hid the front for the most part.

And he stared at Maxim, who was off his face with his hand on his mouth.

(Thought we could get along around the corner...)

But it seems difficult to cultivate friendship in this way. I'm sure I'll be distracted from tomorrow, or I'll be rejected. My chest hurts when I think about it, but I guess I deserve it.

Ruth, unfortunately, lowered her head again.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fool you. I just lost my timing..."

"... that's good. I made a mistake on my own. This one also has a nonsense. I'm sorry for treating you like a woman so many times even though you're more of a man. Ruth... Lord Ruth would have been uncomfortable."

"Mr. Maxim............!

Ruth was thrilled to know what a good man he was. He cares more about Ruth's feelings even though it's not a strange situation to be told terrible words. Normally you can't do this.

As Ruth turned his respectful gaze to Maxim so saintly, the person he coughed up sighed deeply before finally looking at me.

"But that's a different story."

So Maxim reached behind his back and pulled the sweeping knife he had always worn out of his hips. Suddenly he was shown a knife that had been pulled out, and as Ruth was stiff, Maxim flipped with Kurli to point the handheld part at Ruth.

"At least take this"

"Eh?"

"I see you can't accept that knife with the jewel. Sure, that's hard to say practical, and too gorgeous for gratitude. And it's going to be weighty."

"... still, well... indeed"

"So take this knife I've been using for a long time instead. This is a first-class product that considers only the efficiency of the battle completely. Ruth... if you fight like Lord Ruth, you can handle it well."

"Uh... but"

Maxim laughed a little bitterly as Ruth turned her bewildered gaze.

"It is true that Lord Ruth lost his knife for helping me. So please take it. This is no intention, thank you from Maxim Calaferty to Ruth Blau."

It was unscrupulous, but with a soft smile on her face, Ruth finally unraveled her body, which was solidifying from the tension. And receive the knife offered.

Around fifty centimeters long, slightly larger than the previous knife, but overwhelmingly lighter. The blade is sharper than before, and there is no distortion at all. From the moment I hold it in my hand, I'm releasing an aura that calms down enough to have a high conductivity against witchcraft. It's boneless, but it also calculates the grip, a shape that fits the hand well.

"Don't you mind, such good stuff?

"Fine. I think it's rather cheap to thank you for saving my life. Make sure you use it."

Ruth smiled back at Maxim, who smiled.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Maxim. I'll take care of it."

A heartfelt thank you made Maxim look a little confused. But Ruth, who had a new knife in mind, never really cared.

After breaking up with Maxim, who then returned to the village chief's house, Ruth decided to head to the square in search of work.

I didn't notice Maxim squealing "Goddess" small after that back with his eyes.