Chapter 99

I Married the Dragon I Killed
Chapter 99: Responsibility

Chapter 99. Responsibility
A terrifying cold that seemed to freeze everything swirled through the winter.
Hestia Village was working hard on construction, as usual.
Hanson, who had been working since the early days of the village’s construction, was promoted from foreman to construction director.
Among the commoner technicians who managed the foremen, he was the one who had achieved the most success.
— Hey, give us more meat! How do you expect us to work and gain strength eating stingy rations like this?
— Meat is only distributed in fixed rations.
— Fixed rations, my ass! The meat over there looks bigger. Do you think the other people aren’t eating more of that? You call that fixed rations?
— Good grief, now that you’ve become the Construction Director, why don’t you buy some ham and share it? The distribution of side dishes is still a mess and annoying.
— If I buy and eat things like that, when am I going to save money!? Teeth out and just give me a little more of that meat over there.
After a struggle, he received a generous piece of meat.
Hanson wore a satisfied smile as he walked away from the serving counter.
— Construction Director Hanson! Come over here! I saved you a spot!
He sat down at a point at a moderate distance from the bonfire.
— Wow. You became construction director and still eat in a place like this?
— Do I have the luxury of eating with the high and mighty? While they laze around, everyone else does all the work!
— Where did that Sir Knight go?
Hanson shrugged.
— How would I know? He suddenly disappears and I just assume that’s how things are. Anyway, he doesn’t eat food, so let’s eat in peace.
Shortly after, one of the foremen approached, looking around anxiously.
— Are you eating?
— I’m eating. What, are you running away from your wife?
— Something like a wife. I don’t want to run into him. Here, hurry up and grab it.
He pulled something out from his clothes.
It was a ham.
— Ohhh! Where did that ham come from?
— I heard there was a problem with the supplies.
— How else? I snatched one from those guys from the south.
A man shamelessly boasting about a theft.
Instead of reprimanding him, the men were busy praising him like a hero.
— Then you should have brought a bigger one.
— This is the biggest one they had.
— You little rascal, that really is a huge piece. The rations did seem a bit light on meat, so this will grease the stomach nicely. Pull out a knife.
— Mine is dirty. Let me use yours.
— Mine is just as dirty. Just give it to me.
— Wouldn’t heating it over the fire sterilize it?
— Then I’ll just heat yours over the fire and use it.
Just as they were arguing back and forth about not wanting to use their knives.
— Gentlemen.
— That brat is here! Hide it quickly!
The men were startled by the young man’s voice.
They served stew with the spoon casually as if nothing had happened.
The young man who approached them wore a half-breastplate, carried a single sword, and sported an armband that read “Security Captain.”
It was William.
The Security Captain, whose voice alone radiated rigid righteousness, asked.
— The people of Halim say their side dishes disappeared. Do you know anything about it?
— Don’t even look at me. Do you know anything?
— I don’t know either. Maybe that lesser desert god turned into a ghost and stole it?
The man scanned the surroundings with a glance.
An absurdly large bulge in his trousers caught his attention.
— Show me what’s in those trousers.
— Hey, what a guy! I’m eating, and you want me to spread my legs?
— It looks suspicious. Hurry up and show it to me.
— This thing has always been huge.
— …Please, let’s not make things embarrassing for both of us.
Reluctantly, he pulled out the ham hidden in his trousers.
William sighed.
— This is clearly theft. Why do you do this, really?
— Hey, those bastards did it too! They stole some of our materials and denied it when we confronted them!
— Exactly! Are they the only ones allowed to use it and we aren’t?
The workers shouted an eye for an eye, claiming ownership of the ham.
But that didn’t work on the Security Captain.
— I have the duty to maintain peace in this village. Please, let’s not do things that make us ashamed of each other.
— I’m telling you they did it too! You’re not going to lock us, poor people, up for something like this, are you?
— Consider it settled for returning what you rubbed against your crotch. If this happens again, I will truly do it by the book.
— That’s not bad either. Your crotch smell is toxic anyway.
— What? You haven’t washed in a week, you’re much more toxic!
While the workers bickered fifty-fifty, the Security Captain picked up the ham like trash and disappeared.
The workers watching his back walk away each spat out a sentence.
— Damn it. That refugee bastard was promoted the moment he arrived.
— Where did a guy like that roll in from?
— No idea, his name is William, just a refugee. But the Administrator appointed him Security Captain the moment she saw him?
— Why would you give a crucial position like Security Captain to a refugee?
— Maybe he brought some big shot’s family heirloom and slipped it to the Administrator?
— What would a Dragon Spawn want with that?
— But seeing how he acts, doesn’t it fit? Stiff as a board, like a descended Sir Knight.
— True.
They didn’t want to admit it, but it was true at the same time.
He hadn’t done a single shameful thing for the Security Captain epaulets.
Then a sudden thought struck them, and a new topic was launched.
— Come to think of it, why hasn’t anyone thought of putting a hat on our Sir Knight?
The foremen all nodded in agreement.
Given that monstrous strength, it was strange that he was still a laborer.
— Naturally I thought the Armored Knight would become Security Captain.
— She didn’t even propose it. When I told the Administrator that we should put a hat on our Sir Knight, she just said she’s considering it!
— So she’s thinking about it. We just have to wait, right?
— Thinking, my ass! She just plans to work him to the bone and discard him! There is no corrupt official quite like her!
The foremen felt their hearts turn cold at those words.
— T-That… Administrator, isn’t she a Dragon?
— Not a Dragon, a Dragon Spawn.
— For people like us, it’s the same thing. They’re the type that will bend your spine in half if they get angry. Is it okay to go around talking like that?
— …I was just saying, that’s all.
Hanson took a step back, muttering.
Hanson knew his own life was valuable, so he didn’t have the guts to get angry in his place.
Among commoners, there was an old saying about being careful with things that have horns on their heads.
Whether they were demons, Dragon Spawns, or Dragons.
They all possessed abilities that surpassed those of humans.
— Ah?
— What?
— Isn’t that… our Sir Knight?
— Speak of the devil and he appears.
A man in armor unsuitable for a construction site comes walking in.
— Sir Knight, over here!
Hanson waved his hand broadly to get his attention.
The Armored Knight spotted an acquaintance and came running with quick steps.
— Look how he runs, like some young lady.
— With that height and build, there’s no way it’s a woman…
They dismissed it as some inscrutable chivalric etiquette.
Above all, it was a person who could lift 11 logs with their bare hands.
It was natural that their behavior felt effeminate.
The person inside that armor was none other than the woman Valdrova.
— Good heavens, Sir Knight. Have you eaten?
Nod, nod.
— Then rest here for a bit. We were just talking.
She tilts her head, with a question mark floating over it.
— We were saying that it’s a real shame that our Sir Knight, who has accumulated so much merit here, hasn’t been given a single hat.
— ?
— I mean, you’ve done so much for the construction of this city, isn’t it disheartening that you receive nothing in return?
Hanson pressed relentlessly.
There was genuine regret in it, but ultimately it was to secure his own cut.
There was no better power than having an acquaintance in a high position.
Hanson just wanted to hang onto their coat-tails from a knight’s seat.
Of course, Valdrova didn’t even see through that shallow scheme.
“My current job is quite enjoyable.”
Valdrova was satisfied with what she was doing above all else.
She wanted to do construction work rather than be a knight.
Even if the pay was less, the satisfaction that came with each building erected could not be hidden.
She liked staying in a place like this more than becoming a knight.
Around the time the meal was nearly over, someone’s scream erupted.
— Damn you…!
Attention naturally gathered there.
A group of armed men had caught a single little girl.
And a slightly older girl, apparently her guardian, was trembling.
— Can’t you handle your little sister properly!? Why did you let her carry that garbage? My clothes got dirty because of you!
— I’m sorry, Sir Adventurer. I’ll wash it for you, so please, the clothes…
— Can’t you move your filthy hands? Do you know how much this costs? 3 Shillings!
— Ah, t-then, I’m sorry! For dirtying such expensive clothes…
— Anyone can talk! Pay quickly.
— Y-Yes??
— Are your ears plugged!? I said spit out 3 Shillings!
The girl’s complexion turned pale.
It couldn’t be helped.
When tomorrow’s meal was a concern, where would she get 3 Shillings?
The workers watched and tossed around comments.
— It seems that type of guy has been increasing lately.
— Isn’t this a place for adventurers? It’s natural for adventurers to gather.
— There are quite a few adventurers in the Empire too, but I’ve never seen such rude bastards.
— Guys like those would have been kicked out long ago. All bark and no bite. That’s why they’re stuck in Bronze or Silver.
The foremen clicked their tongues, speaking ill of them.
But they didn’t have the guts to stand up to the adventurers.
— T-That, I, I’ll pay you. Since I’m going to stay here, I’ll save little by little…
— When are you going to make 3 Shillings with that? I’ll die of old age first.
— This brother knows a way to make 3 Shillings fast. Want me to teach you?
— What is…
A lewd hand reached toward the girl.
The girl instinctively sensed what would happen and shrank back.
— You disgusting bastards—!
The moment the foremen couldn’t take it and tried to stand up, someone stood up a beat faster.
The Armored Knight.
Since it was heavy Plate Armor, just the act of standing up was enough to root the foremen’s feet.
She walked toward them with heavy steps.
Although smaller than her original armor, it was still very large.
And that size made the rogue adventurers tense up.
— You, what are you?
— …
— Hey, piece of shit! Do you think keeping your mouth shut scares me!?
Valdrova raised her fist.
The rogue adventurers flinched thinking it was an attack, but the fist opened.
Inside lay 3 silver coins.
3 Shillings.
She was paying the price in their place.
The rogue adventurers, who had been extorting, belatedly tried to save face.
— Swallow this and get lost? Fine, whatever! Hey, brat, know that you’re lucky!
The extortionists took the money and tossed the girl aside like trash.
The young girl’s body fell into Valdrova’s arms.
The young girl simply nestled into those arms.
Valdrova made a face of not knowing what to do, simply hugging the empty air before lowering her hands.
Then, the girl’s older sister approached.
— T-Thank you for saving her, Sir Knight.
— …
— The money… definitely… somehow I will repay you. So please, my little sister…
A girl on the verge of tears.
The hand holding the basket was still trembling with fear.
Valdrova handed the young girl over just like that.
The sister wiped her tears and scurried away with her sister running.
Valdrova stared blankly at their backs as they walked away.
— Why did you give them money!? You should have given each of them a punch and sent them flying!!
— …
Hanson tried to argue, but Valdrova only looked at him in silence.
Hanson remembered she was a monster who could lift 11 logs and lowered his voice.
— Since the Sir Knight is a fellow adventurer and seems to have his reasons, it would be useless for me to argue.
Valdrova also vaguely knew it wasn’t the right choice.
Seeing them grab that young girl made her anger boil.
Strength entered her fist, and she wanted to hit them hard and see them cry.
But it couldn’t lead to violence.
Valdrova knew it well.
“If I use force… someone dies.”
Death leads to sorrow for someone, and fear for another.
It was what she had felt and experienced over decades, centuries.
“I hate that.”
So, if possible, she wanted to smooth things over and move on.
Right now, the best means was still money.
So she gave the money just as the adventurer wanted.
The situation passed.
Without anything happening.
Valdrova was satisfied with that.
She thought it would be nice if everything in the world could pass like this.
It was then that.
Clang, clang, clang!
Suddenly, a loud alarm bell rang throughout the village.
— What is that sound?
— Does it seem to come from the village center?
No one properly knew what that bell meant.
But they could gauge that it was a sound warning of danger.
The problem was whether that bell was truly warning of danger.
While everyone remained frozen, the Security Captain drew his sword and ran toward them.
— Real situation! Everyone who cannot fight, evacuate into the buildings! Monsters are swarming!
— M-Monsters?
— Oh, my God! They said the East is the East!
— Foremen! Spread the word to the workers and evacuate them! This is a real situation!
The foremen shouted busily and evacuated the people.
Valdrova froze in place.
“Monsters…”
Her mind seemed to go pure white.
With monsters swarming, she couldn’t make any decisions.
— You are the Armored Knight, right?
— …
— We need hands right now. If possible, would you fight for this town?
— …
When she showed no intention at all, William tried to persuade her again.
— The Security Force alone cannot stop them! Everyone is in danger! Hestia Village could collapse at this rate. Everything could turn into an illusion. We need the Sir Knight’s cooperation!
At William’s plea, Valdrova regained her senses.
She nodded and followed behind him.
The place she followed him to revealed the landscape of the town thrown into chaos.
Everyone was moving carrying bundles, their faces pale with fear.
Members of the Security Force with spears and armor ran clumsily toward William.
— Sir! Evacuation is 70% complete! Should we finish the rest?
— No, that’s enough! Security Force! Form a battle formation in front of me!
The spear-bearing Security Force stood in the road and raised their spears.
They were all an army that were soldiers in name only, not properly trained.
That is why they desperately needed the adventurers’ help right now.
— Security Captain.
Isabella’s telepathic voice was heard.
— Wolf monsters are expected to enter through an alley on the west side. Can you send an adventurer there?
— Understood!
William quickly scanned the surroundings.
He spotted a familiar group of adventurers and shouted.
— Sir Adventurer! West alley defense… where are you going!? Hurry up and join the front—.
— What, are you crazy? Do you think I became an adventurer to die here?
— Didn’t I tell you that adventurers are mobilized in emergencies!?
— As if I cared! I’m not participating!
— Act like the Security Force and defend it yourselves!
— I didn’t see anything. I didn’t see anything.
They came expecting a cut, but facing immediate fear, they were busy tucking tail and running.
Not only were they of no help, but they planted a giant mess that ate away at morale.
“Those damn bastards.”
William’s blood pressure almost killed him.
He thought they would at least help at the decisive moment even if they disturbed the peace, but not even that.
In the end, only a few adventurers with a conscience and the Security Force were dependable.
“Armored Knight of Monstrous Strength.”
The only person he could rely on right now was this person.
For the Security Force to safely block the boulevard, their help was desperate.
William chose.
— Sir Knight.
— ?
— They say troops are needed in the west alley. Monsters are coming, we have to block them.
— …
— Can you do it alone? If it’s impossible alone, I will pull back 4 people to…
Valdrova cut off his words.
As if indicating that support wasn’t necessary, do it yourselves.
Then she moved without saying a word.
Toward the east.
— S-Sir Knight? That’s not the way…
Ah.
West is the other way.
She filled the desperately missing spot.
The main force was greatly reduced, but William had no choice.
Shortly after, the culprit behind the loudly ringing alarm bell revealed itself.
It burst from the forest and entered the village.
— Grrrr!
Wolf monsters twice the size of normal wolves, a total of 15 of them.
Three of them appeared on the boulevard.
William raised his sword and shouted.
— Hold your spears firmly! Advance 1 step forward!
At his words, they moved little by little.
What lay before them was death.
Who could take a bold step toward death?
For them, less trained soldiers, it was a difficult task.
The wolves tasted the clumsy soldiers’ fear and licked their lips.
Their instincts knew it.
That if they only pushed in a little further, it was a formation that would collapse.
— Yip!
— Ah? D-Don’t come! Don’t come, I said!
A wolf monster charging, parting the spear shafts.
The soldiers panicked and fell before the monster’s fearless charge.
— Ugh, aaaack!
The moment they thought they would be devoured,
Red Sword Energy struck cleanly across the wolf monster’s head.
— Yelp!
The wolf monster retreated backward with its head in tatters.
The one who delivered the fatal blow was none other than William.
He lifted the fallen Security Force soldier and shouted.
— Get up! Hold your spear firmly!! If you want to live, plant your spear firmly and lower your center of gravity!! Just disrupt their movements, that’s enough!
William pounded his chest.
The sound of the Plate Armor resonated like a metal drum.
— Your lives are my responsibility!