Responsibility
Winter howled through the land, a cold so sharp it seemed ready to freeze everything solid.
Even so, Hestia Village pressed on with its construction work as if nothing had changed.
Hanson, who had been on the job since the village’s earliest days, had risen from crew chief to site director. Among the common-born craftsmen who managed the other foremen, he was one of the most successful.
“Come on, give me a little more meat! How am I supposed to work on scraps like this?”
“Meat is portioned by the ration only.”
“Ration, my foot! That piece over there looks bigger. Someone else is getting more, aren’t they? You call that fair?”
“Aigoo, now that you’re a director, maybe buy some ham and share it around. The side-dish distribution’s still a mess—it’s enough to drive a man crazy.”
“If I spend money on that, when am I ever going to save? Just give me more of that meat over there.”
After a round of haggling, he managed to walk off with a sizable chunk. Hanson left the serving line wearing a satisfied smile.
“Director Hanson! Over here! I saved you a spot!”
They settled on the ground a comfortable distance from the bonfire.
“Well, well. Even after making director, you’re still eating out here?”
“You think I’ve got the rank to sit with the high-and-mighty? While I was fooling around, everyone else did the real work!”
“Where’d that knight of yours go?”
Hanson shrugged.
“How should I know? He vanishes without warning half the time—I just roll with it. He never eats with us anyway. Let’s just enjoy our meal in peace.”
A moment later one of the crew chiefs approached, glancing nervously around.
“You eating?”
“Of course I’m eating. Your wife after you or something?”
“Close enough. I’d rather not run into her. Here—take this, quick.”
He pulled something from his coat. Ham.
“Oh! Where’d you get ham?”
“I thought you said there was a supply problem.”
“What do you think? I lifted one from those southerners.”
The man openly bragged about theft. Instead of scolding him, the others hailed him as a hero.
“Then why didn’t you grab a bigger one?”
“This was the biggest they had.”
“Damn, that’s a monster. Rations have been light on meat lately—this’ll grease the stomach nicely. Somebody get a knife out.”
“Mine’s filthy. Use yours.”
“Mine’s just as dirty. Hand it over anyway.”
“Doesn’t fire sterilize it?”
“Then we’ll sterilize yours over the fire.”
They were still arguing over who would dirty their knife when a young man’s voice cut in.
“Gentlemen.”
“He’s here! Hide it, quick!”
The men scrambled. By the time the newcomer reached them they were calmly spooning stew as if nothing had happened.
He wore half-plate, a sword at his hip, and an armband that read Security Chief.
It was William.
Even his voice carried that rigid, upright quality.
“The people from Halim say their provisions have gone missing. Anyone know anything about that?”
“Beats me. You?”
“No idea. Maybe that desert god of theirs turned into a ghost and stole it.”
William’s gaze swept the group and locked onto an unnaturally large bulge in one man’s trousers.
“Take out whatever’s in those pants.”
“Hey now! We’re eating and you want me to drop my trousers?”
“It looks suspicious. Out with it.”
“It’s always been that size.”
“…Please don’t make this any more awkward than it already is.”
Reluctantly the man produced the hidden ham. William sighed.
“This is theft, plain and simple. Why do you people keep doing this?”
“They started it! They walked off with some of our materials and then denied everything!”
“That’s right! If they can do it, why can’t we?”
They shouted about eye-for-an-eye and claimed ownership of the ham, but none of it swayed the security chief.
“I’m charged with keeping order in this village. Let’s try not to make each other lose face over something like this.”
“I’m telling you they did the same thing. You’re not going to lock up poor working men over this, are you?”
“Consider returning something that rubbed against a man’s crotch to be revenge enough. Next time I will enforce the law.”
“Not a bad trade, honestly. Your crotch smell’s pretty strong.”
“Oh yeah? You haven’t washed in a week—yours is worse!”
While the laborers traded equally filthy insults, William picked up the ham as though it were refuse and walked away. The men watched his back and muttered.
“Damn. That refugee made it big the moment he got here.”
“Where’d that guy even come from?”
“Name’s William. Just another refugee, from what I hear. The administrator took one look at him and made him security chief.”
“What kind of refugee gets handed a post like that?”
“Maybe he flashed some noble pedigree and the administrator pushed him through.”
“What would a Dragon Spawn want with that kind of favoritism?”
“Still, the way he acts suits the job, doesn’t it? Stiff as a board—pure knight material.”
“True.”
They hated to admit it, but it was true. He had never once done anything that would shame the rank of security chief.
A new thought surfaced, and someone tossed it into the circle.
“Come to think of it, why hasn’t anyone given our knight a proper title?”
Every crew chief nodded. Looking at that monstrous strength, it was almost strange he was still listed as a laborer.
“I was sure the armored knight would end up security chief.”
“They never even offered, from what I hear. I told the administrator we ought to put a hat on our knight, and all I got was ‘under consideration.’”
“So they’re thinking about it. We just have to wait, right?”
“Thinking, my ass! They’re just wringing every drop of work out of him and planning to toss him aside. Greedy little corrupt official, that’s what she is.”
The words made every man go cold.
“Uh… the administrator is a dragon, isn’t she?”
“Dragon Spawn, not a full dragon.”
“Same difference to people like us. One of those things that can snap your spine in half if they get angry. Maybe don’t talk like that.”
“…I was just saying.”
Hanson lowered his tail and muttered. He valued his own life too much to keep venting on someone else’s behalf.
Among common folk there had always been a saying: be careful of anything with horns on its head. Demons, Dragon Spawn, dragons—every last one of them possessed power far beyond human limits.
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Isn’t that our knight?”
“Speak of the devil and he appears.”
A man in plate armor completely unsuited to a construction site walked into the work yard.
“Sir Knight, over here!”
Hanson waved broadly to catch his attention. Spotting familiar faces, the armored knight broke into a quick, almost dainty trot.
“Look at him run—like some young lady.”
“With that height and build? No way it’s a woman, but…”
They dismissed it as some knightly quirk and thought no more of it. After all, this was someone who could lift eleven logs bare-handed. Of course his manner would seem a little feminine.
Because the person inside the armor was none other than Baldrova, a woman.
“Aigoo, Sir Knight. Have you eaten?”
A nod.
“Then rest here a moment. We were just talking about you, actually.”
She tilted her head, a question mark practically floating above the helm.
“We were saying how unfair it is that our knight, who’s done so much for this city’s construction, still hasn’t been given a single title.”
“?”
“I mean, after everything you’ve accomplished building this place, doesn’t it sting that they give you nothing in return?”
Hanson pressed hard. Part of it was genuine regret, but most of it was pure self-interest. Nothing beat having someone you knew in a position of power. He wanted the knight seated high enough that he could bask in the reflected glory.
Of course Baldrova never even noticed the transparent scheme.
The work I’m doing now is already plenty fun.
More than anything, she was content. She wanted to build things, not play at knighthood. Even if the pay was low, the quiet pride that rose every time a building went up was impossible to hide. She would rather stay right here than become a knight.
Just as the meal was winding down, a harsh shout cracked across the yard.
“You little shit—!”
Every head turned.
A group of armed men had seized a young girl. A slightly older girl who looked like her guardian stood trembling nearby.
“Can’t you keep your little sister under control?! Why would you let her carry something like that? My clothes are filthy because of you!”
“I’m so sorry, Sir Adventurer. I’ll wash them myself, so please just—”
“Get your dirty hands off me! Do you know how much this costs? Three shillings!”
“I—I’m sorry! I dirtied such expensive clothes…”
“Talk is cheap. Pay up.”
“W-what?”
“Are your ears plugged?! Hand over three shillings!”
The girl’s face went paper-white. Of course it did. She already worried about tomorrow’s meal—where was she supposed to find three shillings?
The laborers watched and muttered among themselves.
“More of these types showing up lately.”
“This place was built for adventurers, wasn’t it? Naturally they gather.”
“There are plenty of adventurers in the Empire, but I’ve never seen ones this rude.”
“The decent ones get driven out early. All bark and no bite—that’s why they’re stuck at bronze or silver.”
They clicked their tongues and gossiped, but none of them had the nerve to confront actual adventurers.
“I—I’ll pay it back. We’re staying here, so I’ll save a little at a time and—”
“And how long will that take? I’ll die of old age first.”
“Big brother here knows a fast way to make three shillings. Want me to teach you?”
“What do you mean…?”
A filthy hand reached toward the girl. She flinched, instinct screaming what was about to happen.
“Those filthy bastards—!”
The crew chiefs were half out of their seats when someone else shot to their feet a beat faster.
The armored knight.
The heavy plate alone was enough to root the foremen in place. She strode toward the scene with heavy, deliberate steps. The armor was smaller than her original set, yet still massive—large enough to make the thuggish adventurers tense.
“Wh-who the hell are you?”
“….”
“You little shit! Think standing there with your mouth shut is gonna scare me?!”
Baldrova raised a fist. The ruffians flinched, expecting a blow—then the fingers opened. Three silver coins lay in her palm.
Three shillings. She was paying the demand herself.
The adventurers, who had been ready to bolt, hastily recovered their swagger.
“Take the money and get lost? Fine, whatever! Hey, brat—count yourself lucky!”
They snatched the coins and shoved the girl free as if discarding trash. The child tumbled straight into Baldrova’s arms and stayed there, clinging. Baldrova stood frozen, arms hovering awkwardly in the air before she finally lowered them.
The older sister hurried over.
“Th-thank you for saving us, Sir Knight.”
“….”
“I’ll repay the money somehow, I swear. So please, my sister…”
The girl looked ready to cry. The hand holding her basket still shook with leftover terror. Baldrova simply returned the little sister. The older girl wiped her eyes and dragged her sibling away at a run. Baldrova stared after them, dazed.
“Why give them money? Those scum deserved a thrashing apiece and then some!”
“….”
Hanson started to lecture her, then met the knight’s gaze and remembered that this was someone who could lift eleven logs bare-handed. He lowered his voice.
“If Sir Knight is an adventurer as well and has your own reasons, then a lowly man like me has no business arguing.”
Baldrova herself dimly understood it hadn’t been the right choice. Seeing those hands on a child had filled her with rage. Power had gathered in her fist; she had wanted to land one solid blow and watch them howl. But she could not let it become violence.
She knew all too well.
If I use my strength… someone dies.
Death brought grief to some and terror to others. She had felt and lived that truth across decades, across centuries.
I don’t want that.
So whenever possible she wanted to defuse a situation and move on. Right now money was the cleanest tool. She had given the adventurer exactly what he demanded. The matter ended there—no further incident.
Baldrova was content with that. She wished every problem in the world could be settled the same way.
Then the alarm bells began to toll.
Dong-dong-dong!
“What the hell is that?”
“Sounds like it’s coming from the center of the village.”
No one fully understood what the bells meant, but everyone could guess they signaled danger. The only question was whether the danger was real.
While the whole yard stood frozen, the security chief came sprinting toward them, sword already drawn.
“This is not a drill! Anyone who can fight, stay! Everyone else, take shelter inside the buildings! Monsters are coming!”
“M-monsters?”
“Aigoo! They weren’t kidding when they said the East is the East!”
“Crew chiefs, spread the word to your people and get them under cover! This is real!”
The foremen shouted orders and herded workers to safety. Baldrova remained rooted where she stood.
Monsters…
Her mind went blank. With monsters bearing down on them, she could not choose any course at all.
“You’re the armored knight, correct?”
“….”
“We need every hand we can get. If you’re able, will you fight for this city?”
“….”
When she showed no response, William pressed harder.
“The security force alone can’t hold them! Everyone is in danger! Hestia Village could collapse—everything could turn to dust. We need your help, Sir Knight!”
His desperate plea finally snapped her back to herself. She nodded and followed him.
The city they entered was chaos. People clutched their belongings and fled in terror. Security troopers in mismatched armor and spears ran clumsily toward William.
“Loyalty! Evacuation is about seventy percent complete! Shall we finish the rest?”
“No—that’s enough! Security force, form a spear wall in front of me!”
The spearmen took positions across the road and raised their weapons. They were soldiers in name only, barely trained. They desperately needed help from the adventurers.
—Security Chief.
Isabella’s telepathic voice reached him.
—We expect wolf monsters to enter through one of the western alleys. Can you send adventurers that way?
“Understood!”
William’s eyes swept the street and locked onto a familiar party of adventurers.
“Adventurers! Defend the western alley—where are you going?! Get to the battlefield at once—”
“You out of your mind? You think I became an adventurer so I could die for this place?”
“You were told adventurers would be mustered in an emergency!”
“Not my problem! I’m not joining!”
“You’re the security force—handle it yourselves!”
“I didn’t see a thing. Not a damn thing.”
They had come chasing easy profit; the moment real fear showed its face they turned and ran. Not only useless—they left a massive stain on morale as they fled.
Those bastards.
William’s blood pressure spiked toward the lethal. He had believed that even if they disturbed the peace, they would at least help when it counted. Apparently not. In the end he could rely only on a handful of adventurers with actual conscience and on the security force itself.
The armored knight with the monstrous strength.
Right now that person was the only one he could truly trust. If the security force was going to hold the main road safely, the knight’s help was essential.
William made his choice.
“Sir Knight.”
“?”
“They need troops at the western alley. Monsters are coming through there—we have to stop them.”
“….”
“Can you handle it alone? If not, I can spare four men—”
Baldrova cut him off with a gesture that clearly said the support was unnecessary; they should manage on their own. Then she set off without a word.
Toward the east.
“S-Sir Knight? That’s the wrong way…”
Ah. West was the other direction.
She corrected course and filled the gap. The main force lost a great deal of strength, but William had no other option.
A short while later the source of the frantic alarm bells revealed itself. Creatures burst from the forest and poured into the village.
—Grrraaaah!
Wolf monsters twice the size of ordinary wolves—fifteen of them. Three appeared on the main road.
William raised his sword and shouted.
“Hold your spears straight! Advance one step!”
They shuffled forward. What stood before them was death. Who could march calmly toward death? For half-trained soldiers, it was nearly impossible.
The wolves savored the raw fear rolling off the unskilled troops and licked their chops. Instinct told them the formation would collapse if they only pushed a little deeper.
—Krrngh!
“Wha—? St-stay back! Stay back, I said!”
One wolf monster lunged straight through the spear line. The infantry panicked and went down under the fearless charge.
“A-aaagh!”
In the instant they believed they were about to be eaten, a crimson sword-light smashed into the wolf’s skull.
—Yelp!
The creature staggered back, head half-shattered. The one who had delivered the decisive blow was William himself. He hauled the fallen trooper upright and roared.
“On your feet! Hold those spears properly! If you want to live, plant them firm and lower your center of gravity! Just keep them from moving freely!”
He slammed a fist against his own chest. The plate rang like a war drum.
“Your lives are my responsibility!”