The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

28 - A Hero and A Heroine

It hurts.

It hurts enough for my view to darken like a starry night and make my body numb. I can hardly tell if I'm holding the sword anymore.

I made a mistake... no more...

That I missed was the third mistake. The first was not knowing, or asking the etiquette for duels here, and the second was to use our old standards: quickdraw. Honestly, the probability of me hitting with quickdraw is... negligible...

If the man in front of me hadn't made a mistake and thought I would charge him... or if he hadn't backed away from the near miss... I would have been dead.

No, at this point I may still die if I do not get a hold of myself... but my strength is running out quickly.

I spent the last of my energy on sending out a tsunami to gulp up my enemy to knock him down. Even in this state I can hit him as long as he is knocked down.

Lumere himself went nuts and is currently trying to cleanse the impurities, aka, bandits, with the rest of the spell effect. I have called for the guards to get rid of the now knocked down fleeing bandits, but that is my limit.

I need to cast a spell on myself quickly, but my throat is knotted up, and I am using too much of my remaining strength on standing... but I cannot fall.

If I fall the guards and civilians will panic. They'll lose the morale I put quite a bit of effort into giving them. I cannot fall, until the screams of death stop...

By my feet is the bandit leader. His head is separated from his body, but still blinks a few moments more, as if watching... but for a dead person... his expression is peaceful...

My stiff legs begin to tremble, and I pull my eyes from my previous opponent. I am awfully easily distracted...

My view blackens again and a dull scree fills my ears, drowning out everything but my heartbeat. I... can't stay balanced...

Just as I feel myself about to fall back, a firm coldness stops it, and supports me from behind. I feel a frozen hand place itself on my shoulder, seemingly telling me to rest... and 'Good job'. Lumere... really is too kind... to take on a form of ice just to fulfill my wishes. He is such a kind god, that I am shocked each and every time.

I should cast the spell now... while Lumere's cold numbs the pain.

"Hero-sama!" A small, adorable voice calls out to me desperately, choked up by sobs and worry.

A warm hand sneaks into mine... and from it spreads a warmth through my body, different from the magic I myself know. It's like a gentle sunlight in spring... soothing...

My body slowly begins to stabilize and my sight returns to normal... revealing the cute and doe eyed little girl in front of me. Hair pure white hair shines brightly under the sun to match her milky white skin. A pair of lips like petals of a pink rose. Crying eyes of gold pouring pearly tears... it's the Heroine...

Ah mou~

Ameline, no matter how you dress me up I cannot compete with this. It would be like comparing a lion cub with a cute little kitten. I for one is being mistaken for a boy, while Heroine-chan would never be mistaken, no matter how boyish clothes she wears. As a woman, it is my loss.

The heroine, Claire, is peering up at me with tearful eyes that would make a man go weak.

Still, Hero-sama?

Originally Claire had gained the protection of a light fairy when she tried so save her mother... back then she was too late... it appeared I had taken the place of being on the verge of death from her mother, and was being considered a Hero...

Like a hero getting injured for her to get a time to shine? No, it was probably just a coincidence. Besides, a hero like that would have to die for the story to go as normal.

I look up from her... and finally notice the many people around us. They watch with awe, relief, worry, cheer and pride.

I smile, sincerely.

It's the eyes of victory.

Asher, the baker son looks at me with eyes wide with admiration, and honestly it looks like he is watching a live fairytale.

Thump.

A heavy burden is placed on my shoulders. It's the cloak of the guard captain. His eyes are soft, like a father's, as he fastens it around my shoulders.

The upper part of the cloak is thick leather meant to protect the shoulders, and thus the top is fur. The fur is grayish brown and seems to glisten with magic. Probably the fur of a magic beast. The cloak itself appears to have been cut multiple places with swords, and it looks like it was cut around the middle, where all the cuts are, to form a cloak for my height.

I watch them quietly. Even though it has a hint of awkwardness, I can see admiration in their eyes, and at that I feel pride swell in my chest.

The injury is healing up nicely, if anything Claire is doing very well for her first time using magic. Still, if I am to be the hero... then I need to fulfill certain duties...

I glance to Lumere in his ice knight form, and as if he understands my intention he backs away further and stands at guard like a frozen statue.

I properly take the heroine's hand into mine and kneel down while pushing back my cape, causing it to flutter playfully in the wind for a moment.

I, now on my knee, look up at her with the best smile I can muster and kiss her fingertips.

"You must not cry anymore, heroine-chan. Those tears can sway the hearts of a country, so you must use them with care, lest you break the hearts of those you love."

I reached up a hand to wipe the tears from her eyes as Lumere had done for me. When it came to male etiquette I'd go by Lumere's example.

Claire's white skin flushed a satisfying pink, and with the thought that it was over, a feeling of relief spread through my body... but so did an ominous nagging in the back of my mind.