I Will Eventually Embark on the Path of No Return Called a Hero [Arc2] - 20. Bitter Medicine, Bear With It
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"Mr. Sisigou seems very uncomfortable, doesn't he?"
Laeticia held her milk tea and stared at Sisigou in the distance, who was subtly signaling to the police.
"Isn't it because you've been staring at him all this time?" Cyd reached out and patted Laeticia's head. "Be more natural."
"Oh," Laeticia nodded but still occasionally glanced at Sisigou.
Is this child a natural airhead?
Cyd glanced at Sisigou, who was visibly uneasy. For a mercenary like him, he was very sensitive to hostility and gazes. Laeticia's blatant, undisguised staring gave him the feeling of being targeted by a novice.
"Hey, Laeticia, you're a high school student, right? When did Jeanne possess you?" Cyd moved closer to Laeticia to make Sisigou more comfortable.
"Um," Laeticia nodded, "I heard Miss Jeanne's call while praying, and I agreed."
"You shouldn't have agreed. The Holy Grail War is no joke," Cyd sighed. "Everyone fights for their own selfish desires. If possible, I really don't want you to get involved."
"I know. I voluntarily let Miss Jeanne possess me," Laeticia stirred her milk tea with a straw. "I really want to know what this world I don't know is like."
"Ah, according to the rules, ordinary people like you shouldn't get involved in the Holy Grail War," Cyd patted Laeticia's head. "But don't worry. If Jeanne dies, I'll protect you."
"Miss Jeanne says, 'Why do I have to die?'" Laeticia smiled helplessly.
"Well, this is the Holy Grail War. Anything impossible can become possible here," Cyd stretched lazily. "No matter how powerful a hero was in life, they could die in the Holy Grail War."
"Even... you?" Laeticia asked cautiously.
"No need to be so reserved," Cyd roughly ruffled Laeticia's head. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."
"That... is very reassuring," Laeticia lowered her head, letting Cyd mess up her hair.
"You seem very happy."
Atalanta stood behind Cyd, speaking softly.
"Ah! I'm sorry!" Laeticia jumped and bowed to Atalanta.
She almost forgot that in legend, Atalanta and Cyd were married.
"Sit down," Atalanta pointed to the spot where Laeticia had just been sitting.
"Okay... okay," Laeticia nervously sat back down. Atalanta's somewhat expressionless face made it hard for her to tell if Atalanta was angry.
"Don't mess up a girl's hair, you stinky man," Atalanta glared at Cyd, then reached out to undo Laeticia's braid, starting to tidy up the mess Cyd had made.
"It's really not necessary," Laeticia said, feeling embarrassed.
"It's fine. I'm used to braiding the children's hair," Atalanta took a comb from her pocket and gently brushed Laeticia's hair. Her soft smile made Cyd unconsciously chuckle.
"What? What's so funny?" Atalanta glared at Cyd, displeased.
"Nothing, just thinking that the decision I made back then wasn't wrong. You are the best," Cyd gave a thumbs-up.
"Tch, don't forget, I'll chase you down to the underworld," Atalanta snorted coldly.
"Hey, I've already become a heroic spirit," Cyd exaggeratedly held his head as if he had a headache.
"Hah? You think I'll believe that?"
Laeticia was stunned. Why did she get the feeling from Atalanta's words that Cyd wasn't dead yet?
It must be an illusion...
Laeticia carefully observed Cyd from the side.
"Hmm?" Cyd tilted his head.
"No, it's nothing," Laeticia smiled awkwardly.
"Done," Atalanta nodded in satisfaction at the braid in front of her.
"Thank you," Laeticia felt honored to have her hair braided by a Greek hero.
"It was nothing," Atalanta looked at Cyd. "I found it."
"Oh, as expected of you," Cyd squinted his eyes.
"Hmph, it was easier to find than a boar," Atalanta smiled.
"What... are you talking about?" Laeticia tilted her head in confusion.
"Well, Laeticia, wake Jeanne up. It might get dangerous," Cyd snapped his fingers. "We've found Black Faction's Assassin."
"Got it!" Laeticia closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the holy maiden Jeanne had returned.
"Knock, knock, are you awake?" Cyd tapped Jeanne's forehead.
"Of course, I'm awake!" Jeanne said, her face dark.
"Then let's go," Cyd clapped his hands. "As for Sisigou, well, it won't turn into a fight during the day anyway, so let him wander around."
After saying that, Cyd gestured to Sisigou, who was smoking. Sisigou nodded, extinguished his cigarette, put his hands in his pockets, and walked towards Mordred.
"Just so you know, the Black Faction Assassin combination is a bit strange," Atalanta's expression was odd as they headed towards the Assassin's location.
"An ordinary woman and a child, right?" Cyd flicked his nails. "I saw them before. I didn't expect the two of them to cause such a big fuss."
"Ordinary people?" Jeanne frowned. "That's not right. Only magi can participate in the Holy Grail War, right?"
"In theory, anyone can participate as long as they make a contract with a heroic spirit. This also explains why Assassin keeps attacking magi," Cyd shrugged.
"To replenish mana," Jeanne's expression turned grim. "That's not something a hero would do."
"Well, if a Master lets their heroic spirit attack others, the Master must have issues too," Cyd clenched his fists, looking at a green-haired woman being pulled into an alley by some thugs. "Found her."
In the alley, the thugs, with 'cannon fodder' written all over their faces, pushed the green-haired woman against the wall.
"We've had our eyes on you for a long time." The leader, a typical yellow-haired thug, licked his lips, eyeing the woman's curvaceous body. "You're... a prostitute, right?"
"I..."
"Cough, cough, look here, yes, look here," Cyd started coughing loudly.
"Who the hell are you?" The yellow-haired thug pulled out a knife from his pocket. "If you don't want a few holes in your body, you'd better disappear."
"Well, to avoid the village gossip, I specifically didn't let her come in," Cyd cracked his neck, making a crisp sound. "Don't worry, I'm saving your lives."
"But it is a bitter medicine, bear with it a bit."
===
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I Will Eventually Embark on the Path of No Return Called a Hero [Arc2] - 21. You're Not Wrong, I Just Stand in Your Way
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"Call out your Servant, I know she's here."
No, Jack can't win against him...
Reika Rikudou took a step back. The man before her was a Servant, not even a magician, and she had no means of resistance. Moreover, behind her was a dead end, making escape impossible. As the man had said, her only option was to call out Jack.
"Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad guy," Cyd noticed Reika's movements but stayed still to avoid agitating her.
Reika glanced at the bruised and battered thug at Cyd's feet.
"Better than being torn apart," Cyd tilted his head. "Still not calling out your Servant?"
"Wh-what are you talking about? Thank you for your help, but I need to go home now," Reika said, putting her hands in her pockets and hastily trying to pass by Cyd.
Cyd raised his left hand and placed it on Reika's shoulder. "You're careful with your words, no flaws at all, but unfortunately, I..."
"Let go of Mom!"
Before Cyd could finish his sentence, a small figure leaped from the shadows, a sharp knife slicing toward his left hand.
"Is she out now?" Cyd smiled.
In the darkness, a pair of eyes slowly opened, and chains shot out from Cyd's shadow like lightning, wrapping around the attacker and slamming her into the wall.
"Jack!" Reika wailed. She pulled a fruit knife from her pocket and stabbed it into Cyd's abdomen without hesitation.
"Snap—"
Reika stared blankly at the broken knife in her hand.
"Ugh... Mom, it hurts..." Jack, pulling at the chains tightening around her neck, pleaded with Reika like a wounded child seeking comfort from their mother.
Hearing Jack's cry, Reika didn't hesitate to drop the broken knife and kneel before Cyd.
"Please... let my child go!"
"Hey~ you were the one who attacked me first," Cyd scratched his head, exasperated. "Medusa, let her go."
"Killing her would be easier," Medusa emerged from Cyd's shadow, her massive scythe against Jack's neck.
"Well, I initially just wanted to have a conversation," Cyd patted Medusa's head.
"Understood," Medusa nodded, returning to Cyd's shadow. The chains binding Jack retracted.
"Jack!" Reika immediately hugged the fallen Jack, crying. If she hadn't stabbed him without hesitation earlier, Cyd might have thought she was just a loving mother.
"I am Ruler Cyd, the arbitrator of this Holy Grail War," Cyd squatted before Reika and Jack. "You've caused quite a commotion lately, so let's have a talk."
Reika hugged Jack tightly and nodded.
"So this is the Black Faction's Assassin?" Jeanne tilted her head, puzzled, looking at Jack clinging to Reika's arm.
"Jack the Ripper," Cyd examined the tear in his clothing made by the fruit knife. "Her true form is the amalgamation of the vengeful spirits of countless abandoned infants in London."
Atalanta frowned.
"Master of the Black Assassin, do you have any explanation for your attacks on the city's magi?" Jeanne stood upright.
"Jack needs mana," Reika clutched Jack tighter.
Before falling to this state, she had been a true young lady. Her past knowledge made her well aware that she couldn't contend with the Ruler before her, Jeanne d'Arc of France and Cyd, the Hero of Pure White of Greece.
"Can you stop your actions?" Jeanne asked, already anticipating Reika's response. "Though I don't know how an ordinary person like you obtained a Command Spell, if you continue attacking magi, we Rulers will have to take action against you."
Reika bit her lip. If she didn't attack magi, she, as an ordinary person, couldn't sustain Jack's existence. But she would rather die than give Jack up.
"Well~ as long as you don't make the bodies too gruesome or destroy them without a trace, we can turn a blind eye," Cyd waved his hand.
Reika's eyes widened.
"That's right, just don't leave bodies—" Jeanne started nodding along, then suddenly realized something was off. "Wait a minute, that's impossible! They've attacked unrelated civilians in the Holy Grail War!"
"Unrelated? Not at all," Cyd tilted his head. "The magi they've attacked are all personnel from the Mage's Association sent here to support the Red Faction Masters, right?"
"Yes... maybe?" Jeanne hesitated.
"Well~ knowing the Holy Grail War has started and staying here is already suspicious," Cyd shrugged. "The Holy Grail War is supposed to be between Masters and Servants. Just like the Black Faction uses homunculi for support, the Mage's Association sent personnel for assistance. Both parties should be considered part of the Holy Grail War. If that's the case, Assassin attacking them is perfectly legitimate."
Jeanne was momentarily at a loss for words. "But... what if there are unrelated magi in the city?"
"The Holy Grail War's information isn't restricted to a few people. If they know it's happening here and still come, they're probably hoping to get a lost Servant and become a Master themselves," Cyd said casually. "So they can be considered Master candidates, and killing them is also fine."
Reika felt a glimmer of hope. Initially, she had felt hopeless being caught by the two Rulers, but she hadn't expected Cyd to speak on her behalf, reminding her of a phrase describing Cyd in mythology:
[He gives hope to the hopeless.]
"This... is too unreasonable!" Jeanne raised her voice.
"The Holy Grail War isn't a performance. If someone plans to take advantage, they must be prepared for the consequences," Cyd pressed down on the agitated Jeanne, then spoke earnestly to Reika. "But you must not attack ordinary people or involve them, or you'll be breaking the rules."
"Yes, yes, yes," Reika nodded repeatedly. She planned to deal with the last magus and then leave.
"Perfectly resolved," Cyd clapped his hands. "Strive hard for your wish."
"Not perfect at all! You're condoning her attacking innocent people!" Jeanne grabbed Cyd's wrist. "Are you really the hero from mythology who gave people hope?"
What a foolish girl...
"Whether they're homunculi or magi, none of them are innocent," Cyd pulled away from Jeanne's hand. "Indeed, in mythology, I gave many people hope. But understand this: I chose to help those people out of my own will, not because I helped others before. A Hero of Pure White... is what they wanted. I am just myself. If they want to leave, I'll protect them and not let anyone harm them. But if they choose to stay, I won't interfere. Even if I reached out to them, they'd just push me away. Even if I dragged them out, they'd return on their own."
[Wisdom] always let him see things as if he had foresight. He could rescue that homunculus who sought his help.
But that homunculus would die. Neither this foolish girl nor he had the power to keep her alive.
But he saw Gordes' eyes. Those weren't the eyes of a magician looking at a tool. If he had to compare, they were the eyes of someone suddenly realizing they had a child.
That chubby man would save that homunculus. Only he could truly save her here.
Should he recklessly drag the homunculus into a dead-end or admit his powerlessness?
Not every time would he be lucky enough to encounter such a situation, where someone could do better. But since it happened...
I can't do it, so I leave it to you.
But this foolish girl couldn't let go. To her, it was torture.
So let it be me. It's not that you didn't act, but that a bad person stopped you.
Now, it's not that you didn't stop Jack, nor did you leave the homunculus to die. It's just that a... cruel person stood in your way.
Seeing Jeanne's increasingly pained expression, Cyd waved his hand.
"You must understand, Ruler only maintains the rules of not exposing the mystics. If you can't ignore the attacks on homunculi and magi, then give up all your Command Spells and follow your will. And remember to leave her body."
===
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