CH.39 11-2. One Step Behind, You’re Always There
“…Beef stew? Licht, you can cook?”
“Oh, this is delicious, Mister Helmet!”
Once the Hero couple woke up, I cooked a meal using the monsters we had hunted earlier. After all, people needed food to work properly.
“Another bowl.”
“You have quite the appetite… Here you go.”
It was just a hearty meat stew made by throwing in everything we had and letting it simmer. I tried making it on a whim because it reminded me of someone, and the result turned out surprisingly good. Maybe it was thanks to all those years of living alone and cooking in reality.
‘The group project wraps up tonight.’
As I served another ladleful of stew to the Glass Knight, I began laying out the plan in my head. Was the Crown Prince always such a big eater? The Saintess, too, had quite the appetite back in the day.
“So, you’re suggesting we hunt a six-star monster? Isn’t that risky?”
“Not if we find the right target.”
Watching Mardol shield his face with glass to eat made me chuckle. No one’s going to steal your food if you take it slow. At least he couldn’t see me smiling through my helmet.
That’s when the blonde Hero, Kainel, turned to me with a puzzled look.
“Isn’t the Shadow Wolf a five-star monster, though?”
“Not everything is decided by the star rating, Kainel.”
Sure, if you didn’t have the information, weaker monsters could still be tough to deal with.
“That’s what strategy guides are for. It’ll be fine.”
“Fair point.”
Just like in the game, there were tough monsters with durable armor that swordsmen struggled against, or ones with frustrating patterns that made even four-stars a nightmare to handle.
“So… what monster are we talking about, exactly?”
“We’re going after the Queen Bee of the Armored Bees.”
A high-star monster with plenty of minions. I glanced at Mardol and Ariel as I spoke.
“The Queen Bee…? The Armored Queen Bee?”
“Exactly, Miss Ariel.”
With the Magician of Blazing Flame on our side and Mardol’s swordsmanship looking sharp this morning, I figured it might be doable. I nodded and began explaining to the group.
Taking out the hive was the key.
“Destroying the hive is the first objective.”
“…That’s it?”
“What do you mean ‘that’s it’? Armored Bees are usually dealt with using magic. And as for the Queen…”
“…Protected. Tough to handle.”
Since the Queen carries a steel hive on her back, her location is effectively the Armored Bee nest itself. Plus, knowing how to deal with them makes all the difference.
“As Mr. Mardol said, Armored Bees have physical resistance, while the Queen has magical resistance.”
“So Ariel takes care of the minions, and you and I…?”
“Good, Kainel. But it’s a little more complex than that.”
“What’s the difference?”
In the game, challenging the Queen with just swordsmanship was a nightmare. She wouldn’t leave the protective swarm of her minions, and Armored Bees’ tough shells made them nearly impervious to blades.
“Mardol and I will pair up, while you and Miss Ariel form the other team. Leaving any gaps could be dangerous, and we’ll also need to score points for teamwork.”
“Taking resistance into account, huh… Wait, Mardol’s a magician?”
To prepare for any unexpected situations, magic and swordsmanship had to be paired together.
“A magic swordsman, actually.”
“Licht’s right,” Mardol confirmed.
“Well, it makes sense. With that armor, it’d be weird if you weren’t a magic swordsman!”
I’d seen Mardol’s glass magic before, but it was new to the Hero couple. Their curiosity was understandable. Kainel nodded in recognition.
“Anyway, we’ll lure them out with something sweet. Since they produce honey, they’ll respond to alternatives besides flowers… Wait a second.”
I searched my pockets but came up empty.
‘The candy I bought… where is it?’
Ah, right. I gave the last of it to Kainel back during the carriage ride and forgot to replenish my stock. I smacked my palm against the forehead of my helmet in frustration.
“Here. Candy.”
“Mardol?”
Out of nowhere, a golden candy appeared in front of me, offered by Mardol. The Crown Prince, coming through again—what a good person. This was entirely my mistake. I always kept a reserve for the Saintess, but I’d let it slip this time.
“…Thank you, Mr. Mardol.”
Seeing him one step ahead of me even in small ways made me a little envious. Whether he noticed or not, he was munching on another piece of candy, the sound echoing softly inside his glass helmet.
“…Don’t mention it.”
The words came out muffled, likely because of the helmet.
“I’ll melt this down…”
Crushing the candy into smaller pieces, I placed it in a ladle and held it over the fire. As it melted, it turned into a caramel-like substance, thick and golden brown. It felt oddly nostalgic, like making dalgona candy.
“Miss Ariel, you can use a skill called Fire Blossom, right?”
“Oh, yeah! Of course, I can! It’s a basic spell, Mister Helmet!”
It’s only because I can’t use it that I’m relying on you. A moment later, Ariel conjured flames into the shape of a flower. Judging by its resemblance to lavender, it must have reflected her feelings for her hometown.
“It reminds me of Lavrance Village.”
“Right? Ariel, were you thinking of our village when you made this?”
“Hehe… of course, Kai!”
Watching Kainel as he quickly caught on to the situation gave me a small sense of relief. His sense of awareness had improved a lot. I nodded slightly, pleased. Beside him, the red-haired twin-tailed elf smiled softly at him.
‘At this rate, by the time we reach the events of Knight Heart five years from now, they’ll be happily dating, won’t they?’
Realistically, a tsundere like Ariel needs time. If a character falls in love too easily, it diminishes their personality. Let them build up to it naturally.
“I’ll use this flower shape as a mold, Mr. Mardol. Can you help me?”
“Yes, understood, Licht.”
Mardol shaped a mold out of glass in the exact lavender flower form Ariel had created. I poured the melted candy into the mold, letting it harden into a flower shape.
“Thank you. That should complete the preparations.”
“So, what’s the plan?”