Chapter 26: Sylvie’s test.

"Please, let me accompany you on your journey, Lord Auros!"

That is what Sylvie just asked me when I was leaving for my room at the inn, accompanied by Erevain.

I already suspected something like this happening when we were talking to her yesterday, and now that we have taken care of one of the reasons that she had for not leaving the village, she is seizing the opportunity to do it with us.

What should I do?

Well, let's ask her for her reasons first.

"Can you tell me your reasons behind such question, Sylvie? We do speak with a more casual tone between each other, but it does not erase the fact that you met me just yesterday."

I say that while trying to be the responsible adult here…and before anyone laughs, I really was a responsible adult back on Earth, yes?! I did my job perfectly, paid my bills, and so on. Me deciding where the rest of my paycheck went is totally fine!

"I...I thought that if I accompanied you on your journey, I would be able to see and experience things no one else has. I also want to do something more with my life. You told the old man that you were the Knights of The Ever Burning Will for Goddess sake! After what you just did it’s impossible for me to not want to follow you...I mean...not only do you have a blessed weapon too, but you helped the village and just asked for more delicious food as your reward, nothing more. I can't imagine someone like that not being trustworthy or evil. Also I...really, really, really felt that you were a great person after our first conversation!"

Sylvie says her piece and man, that was a mouthful, she is even panting a bit now. She sure is doing her best though.

You know? It really is surprising that Sylvie is the only one asking to follow me. Everyone in the village saw me using a holy weapon and perform what some people would call a miracle.

Yet, aside from some questions about it here and there, no one brought up the desire of joining us.

Maybe it would be fine taking her with us?

"Are you ready to commit to our cause without knowing about it?"

Erevain steps into our conversation with a serious expression in her face while saying that. Her black hair, which is slightly undulated, sways accordingly on the sides of her face as she moves.

"Yes, those are all the benefits you might enjoy if you join us, but have you stopped for a moment to think about the negative aspects you might have to face? Our Lord indeed wishes to travel the world and see its wonders, but he also carries a heavy burden. One myself and the others accepted to carry. Are you willing to do the same?"

She pressures Sylvie but...she is looking back at Erevain right in the eye.

She really has some good eyes, this girl.

"I...get that I don't know your cause or the burden that Lord Auros has, Miss Erevain. But...! How am I going to know if you don't tell me? Even if I already have an idea! You are probably doing this because you think I'm too young for whatever is that you are doing, but I still want to leave this village, do something different, something good, see something beyond this place! I am already willing to risk my life on the roads going alone, but I want to do it with you guys!"

Says Sylvie while doubling down on her desire to accompany me, us, instead of being intimidated by Erevain.

Although, I bet if Erevain had her past face it would've been a slightly different story, but I won't tell her that, she seems to be easily affected when people say that she looked scary.

But you don't have to worry about that anymore, Erevain! You are a beautiful woman now!

"Hmph, very well. If I were to tell you that we are to fight the Dragon Lords on our journey, would you still want to come with us?"

Erevain says that as she steps closer to Sylvie with an imposing stance, but Sylvie doesn’t step back, she actually steps forward with a...pouting face?

"Hum! Miss Erevain, I might be a village girl, but even I know that there is that possibility by just looking at her Holy Lance! That thing screams 'I'm made to skewer some annoying glorified lizardmen'! And don't get me started with that armor and helmet!"

"Guh?!"

Wha—?! It does?! But it looks cooler than in the game! Are besto waifu's armor and weapon uncool in this isekai? Did the changes we made to make it cooler go too far?! No, that can't be, they are wrong. She is besto waifu! Maybe is it that there is some legend of a holy weapon holder ending a threat like that?

"No, you are actually the first ever wielder of a holy weapon, Auros. The knights of the legends just used incredibly crafted weapons that had my blessing, but none of them were actually a holy weapon, even if some mistake them for it."

Ok, Nerinne. Then why?

"Maybe it's your [Sublime Charisma]? It does position you in a place of someone that attracts others, people that are worthy to follow you into trials that would be impossible to beat through normal means. To reach for places no one else have reached before. Maybe she had a feeling that going with you implied something like that? To be clear, I like how you and the holy lance look too. But maybe we were thinking of ending the Dragon Lords a bit too much when making it, and now it gives off that kind of impression?"

Oi, don't lump me in the same group with you in that. I wasn't going full 'kukukuku…this will surely end them…kukukuku' like you did every time that you tinkered with it. Heck, I could even see the 'menacing' onomatopoeia on top of your head for a moment.

"Now, now, we are a couple, and your girlfriend's will is your own too. Do not try to escape from your responsibilities. So just accept it, yes, dear~~~?"

Ahh...I bet you are doing a dummy face right now...

Haa…this girlfriend of mine...

Meanwhile, Erevain glances at me, stops herself from nodding, and stays silent.

"..."

WHY?!

"*ahem*Regardless of whether My Lord has indeed that kind of presence or not, it is still a dangerous path with many other threats. We might be able to put you out of harm's way, but the possibility of the opposite happening is high. Are you still willing to join us?"

Erevain cleared her throat before saying that hurtful thing and is keeping her ground with Sylvie being in danger if she joins us.

"Miss Erevain, I think you didn't hear me well. I'm risking my life anyway if I go alone. I prefer to risk it with Lord Auros and the rest of you, helping people while traveling the world."

Sylvie shakes her head at Erevain who just sighs, closes her eyes, nods, and then looks at Sylvie with...WOAH! THATS A REALLY INTENSE GLARE! HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT NOW WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE?!

"Eeek!"

Poor Sylvie, she even let out a little yelp, but hey, she didn't back up at all. Heh, she kind of reminds me of Erevain when I met her yesterday. Good times, heh.

"No, I did listen to what you said. Specially, the part where you mentioned that you are a village girl. If that is the case, then...what can you offer to My Lord? To the Knights of the Ever Burning Will? All of us are trained knights and have experienced fighting on the frontlines. How can you be useful to us, besides a wish to risk your life and help people?"

Erevain's tone is different to the one she had been using until now. Before this, it was more of a strict teacher or an older sister trying to protect their young student or sister from doing something dangerous. But now she is a Knight through and through, asking a civilian who wants to fight her worth in battle.

And hearing that, Sylvie looks at her and then looks down while clenching her fists in frustration. She is shaking...

"I know...I know that I'm just a village girl...a daughter of farmers and I have neither an education beyond the average, nor formal training...I know it all too well…but—!"

She lifts her head and looks directly at Erevain again with the same resolute eyes she has been showing all this time.

"—if you take me in, I will become strong! Teach me and I will show you just how much I want this! Miss Erevain, I'm sure there was a time you were weak too, right? A time when you needed to learn? Let me have those experiences that can make one strong too! So that I can be useful and earn my place!"

She seems like she is pleading if you only hear at her words, but her face shows that she is demanding, not pleading.

And yeah, it seems those two forgot about me, so I'll stick to narrating...

Erevain's eyes widen for a moment and then she sighs.

"I would be repeating myself if I told you about how painful those experiences tend to be, so I will not..."

But you just did...

"...I can see in your eyes that you are willing to go through them, and I know for a fact that your will is strong. After all, you kept plowing that field even when you were aware nothing would grow there. You did not give up. I hope you manage to do the same after what happens next."

Erevain turns my way and nods.

Wait...what do I have to do now?

Sylvie is looking at me with the same question on her face.

Meanwhile, my Maid-Knight has the proud expression of a job well done.

Let's see...help me here instinct of mine...do I test her with something?

Yep, that feels about right.

Then with what? Do I glare at her? Nah, that would be a repeat of Erevain's then...ah!

I see!

"Sylvie, would you want to come with me even if I was a Dragon Lord too?"

I ask her that with a serious expression on my face. So serious, that it can't be more serious unless I write the word 'serious' on my forehead with some black marker.

She does a double take on me and starts laughing.

"Hahaha...Lord Auros, why are you joking like that?"

She says so after taking care of the tears that came out from her laughing.

I get closer to her, and I bend down a bit so that I could be facing her. She gets slightly surprised and blushes.

I'm sorry about this.

"I am serious."

I change my eyes back to draconic ones and make them turn red for dramatic effect.

"...!"

In response to that, her body stiffens up and her eyes open wide, completely surprised, the tinge of red on her cheeks disappears and I can detect that I shocked her.

"Do you still want to come with me?"

I ask her once again.

"I...I...AAH!"

She tries to say something, but she pulls her head back a bit and then moves it forward as if she is going to headbu—

"Eh?"

*SLAM*

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ahh much better, hehe!"

What the fuck?!!!

ARE YOU SERIOUS?! THIS GIRL JUST HEADBUTTED ME AND NOW SHE IS ALL SMILES AND GIGGLES?!!

OH GODDESS, SHE IS EVEN BLEEDING A BIT!

EREVAIN IS...SHOCKED!! SHE LOOKS LIKE A STATUE!

"She got scared with me…but not with My Lord...do I still look scary...?"

Poor Erevain...she is murmuring that…but...!

"Why did you do that?! Are you alright, Sylvie?!"

I ask while checking her head...phew...it's just a small cut...nothing serious...

"Hehe, that sudden change shocked me a bit, so I needed something to get me back to normal. And you were too close Lord Auros, I was getting really flustered too, you know?"

What?

"So, you are not afraid of me being a Dragon Lord? You still want to come with me?"

She tilts her head, being a bit confused about my question.

"Of course! No evil person would get that worried about some village girl getting hurt. Heheheh."

This girl is really something I tell you...

"Then I do not have any objection. Erevain?"

I turn my head towards Erevain, and she shakes her head.

"Me neither, that reaction was surely...unexpected..."

She says while raising one of her eyebrows and making an awkward smile.

"Really? I'm...so glad...uuuh..."

Aww, she started crying.

"Well, now that you know one of my secrets, I think it is fine if I clarify something else to avoid misunderstandings in the future."

She tries to wipe away her tears of joy while nodding.

"I am a woman."

There I said it.

"EH?!"

Her tears are gone completely and now she turned into a statue out of shock.

"WHAT?!"

I can also hear Kris shouting and falling from her seat way over there...how the hell did she hear me?

To be continued...(cue illustration of Auros showing how she looks without her breast plate to a shocked Kris, Sylvie and an overloaded Luca. All while Gabrielle is smugly taking a sip of her drink.)