Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer?

Chapter 117: To a Distant Land (11)

【Miss Priestess, what happened?】

Ekuah, chief of the Serhan, sensed a subtle change in the village’s atmosphere before and after his chat with the guests.

While the chief of the Vigabol appeared oblivious, as a native of this village, Ekuah could immediately tell that something was off.

【I will tell you now.】

When the Vigabol chief began speaking with his companion, he took the opportunity to ask the Priestess about it.

The woman who’d served as a priestess long before he even became chief bowed slightly and whispered some urgent news at his question. It was information that made him jump in shock despite knowing he needed to remain composed.

【Wh-What did you say?】

【Please calm yourself. You mustn’t show any reaction.】

【Y-Yes, of course.】

A warrior, enveloped in black Arcane Power, sweeping through the forest like a storm!

Ekuah had already been of the opinion that this outsider was a remarkable warrior upon hearing that he killed Chibineng. However, after hearing this, he couldn’t think of the outsider as merely a ‘remarkable warrior’.

Had this warrior been a dweller of the Great Forest, he would have been hailed as a great hero.

【I would like to have a conversation with… that guest. Of course, the Vigabol chief is also curious about him, so we should invite him before everyone… So, erm, could you get his permission?】

Ekuah, who’d become chief at a very young age due to the early passing of the previous chief, behaved with dignity befitting of the position, but he simply couldn’t erase his admiration for heroes.

Actually, this had been the first time in a long while since the chief had uttered such a child-like request. Had the Vigabol chief not been present, he would have clung to the Priestess’ leg, begging her.

In fact, he already felt rather disappointed about having to meet him alongside the Vigabol chief.

【That’s…】

【I-Is it difficult?】

【…He has expressed a desire to leave early.】

【Oh, no…】

The Vigabol chief’s interest in speaking to the outsider no longer mattered.

Since they already owed the stranger a great debt of gratitude, it was their duty to persuade the Vigabol chief to let him leave. Asking any more of their guest would be nothing short of shameless.

But, but…

Ekuah couldn’t hide his disappointment. He greatly wished to speak to this great warrior! He wanted to see the majestic figure of the one who’d driven away the Jatav warriors…!

【Is something the matter, Chief of the Serhan?】

【N-Nothing at all. Let us proceed. I hear the training ground is ready.】

However, he couldn’t remain a boy. Ekuah quickly resumed his role as chief and attended to the chief of the Vigabol.

【Priestess, make sure our benefactor lacks for nothing until his departure. I place my trust in you.】

【Don’t worry.】

It was now time to move toward the sparring area.

* * *

“It really does absorb Arcane Power…”

The Archmage and I carefully examined the captured Jahukaya.

More precisely, the Archmage observed the snake while I silently sat in the back.

For reference, three of the four snakes I’d caught were securely locked within a cage of wooden stakes we’d prepared. The remaining one was left free in a controlled environment for ongoing observation.

Since these snakes couldn’t consume things like leather, dirt, or wood, we didn’t need to be concerned about them escaping. I was just here in case the Archmage gets attacked.

─ What’s going on? –

“Ah, I was finally able to confirm it.”

─ Did something happen? –

“Well, something did happen, but I can’t tell whether I should call it good or bad.”

─ What is it? –

The Archmage was talking to White Wind through a crystal bead-like object.

Maybe due to the Arcane Power drifting from it, the snake, which had been nibbling on Arcane structures created by the Archmage like a pigeon pecking at breadcrumbs, suddenly started to get closer to the Archmage.

Snap.

“Do you have a death wish?”

No, I mean, come on. You should move away when you notice a snake approaching or something. You shouldn’t just stand there.

I was so startled that I ended up stepping on the snake.

“I know you’ll save me, so what might be the problem?”

Was that guy serious??

─ What’s with that snake? –

“It’s a snake that can consume Arcane Power.”

─ …What? –

“I don’t know if it was made in the same way as the one we killed before, but I have confirmed with my own eyes that it indeed consumes Arcane Power. Oh, by the way, we captured four of them this time, so we don’t have to worry about having too little—”

─ Bring them here immediately! You said it consumes Arcane Power, right?! Can you show it to me one more time— –

While White Wind almost screamed through the bead, I checked the snake I had stepped on.

I was a little worried I might have crushed its head in my panic. Ah, no, it was alive.

I carefully picked up the snake, which was flicking its tongue at me, and placed it in its designated container. It kept on trying to stick its head out, hissing.

The more I looked at it, the cuter it seemed.

─ They’re mass-producing snakes that consume Arcane Power?! Aretheyoutoftheirminds?! –

“You forgot to space your words.”

─ What did you say?! –

I wondered whether it would eat my Arcane Power, as well.

I tried gathering some at the tip of my finger, with the same sensation as if I were using [Arcane Spear]. A ball of black Arcane Power started forming there.

If I made it longer and shot it out, it would turn into [Arcane Spear]. I didn’t plan on doing that, though.

Bite.

The snake bit my finger while consuming the Arcane Power. Hey.

“What are you doing?”

I couldn’t let them catch me playing with an animal. That would completely ruin my image, right?

I calmly removed my finger from the snake’s mouth—it had bitten into my gauntlet, so its bite was neither painful nor difficult to extract my finger from—and closed the lid.

Since my back had been turned to the Archmage, he didn’t see that the snake had bitten my finger.

─ I’ll send someone your way, so please return immediately! –

“Understood.”

Just closing the lid seemed a bit too lax, so I tied it up with a string like I’d done with the others—a bundle of gifts made especially for the Magic Tower.

“Well then, since we’ve made contact, let’s go.”

Huh, wait, weren’t we supposed to say goodbye or something? Specifically, to the chief, the Priestess, and the Vigabol chief? I thought we couldn’t leave without talking to them a little out of courtesy?

“Considering all you’ve done, I doubt they’ll ask for anything more. No matter what happens with their alliance, the Serhan can’t blame us for it.”

Hmm, I kind of understood what he said, but I still wasn’t so sure.

Listening to the Archmage’s words, I picked up the bundle. Normally, I would have made my party members carry everything, but since the only one with me was the Archmage, I decided just to carry it myself.

I couldn’t have our esteemed wizard suffer an injury, now could I?

* * *

* * *

“A-Are you leaving already?”

However, it turned out to be unnecessary.

After hearing that we’d be leaving, the Serhan tribe sent people to help carry our luggage. The hunters I’d saved from the Chibineng were also among them.

【We must repay you for your kindness somehow. Please allow us to guide you to the border! We know the safest and shortest route!】

【These people are our tribe’s best hunters when it comes to guiding. Please, don’t refuse us.】

Although the way they looked at me was somewhat burdensome, I quickly got used to it since it always turned out like that whenever I contributed in some way, strangely.

I watched as two hunters took my luggage, enjoying the silence.

No one approached me, and since I couldn’t answer them anyway due to the language barrier, now was the perfect time to savor some silence.

This silence was ideal for entertaining all sorts of random thoughts. There was nothing to focus on, no one to interrupt, and my task was fairly simple.

I didn’t need to glance around anxiously or try to guess the atmosphere based on others’ reactions.

In other words, I enjoyed this time to its fullest.

I wondered whether this Quest was truly over. If the next part of the Main Quest was somewhere in this region, it was undoubtedly tied to the power struggle between the tribes. I lightly entertained some suspicions about whether the Jatav’s cultivation of Arcane Power-eating snakes was connected to Demons.

‘It would be nice if the Quest Window worked properly.’

My thoughts then changed direction for a moment: the Quest Window. Worries I’d set aside finally wedged their way into my thoughts again.

At that moment, all the sounds around me became muffled. Beeeep. The beeping in my ear was sharply distinct from the muffled noise around me.

My hand reflexively rose to press against my ear and temple. I could only press down on my right side properly.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Two or three seconds passed like that.

The Archmage looked at me. Despite pressing my hand against my head, I wasn’t acting as if I was in pain, so I didn’t know why he was asking me that.

Had I let it show on my face?

“What?”

That shouldn’t be it. I hurriedly shut down my thoughts.

At least until I was alone. I needed to lock away any emotion until I was somewhere I didn’t have to worry about my life, no matter what feelings I expressed.

“No, your expression…”

Oh, damn. It seemed I actually had failed at managing my expression.

Urgh. It wasn’t as if I’d really broken character or anything… I didn't, right? Please tell me I didn’t!?

I desperately danced around, or rather, pretended to be like the Demon Knight, to get out of this.

Sir Archmage, whatever you noticed, please just let it go this once. Just this once. I promise you, I’ll maintain my Demon Knight act even more diligently than ever from this moment on.

“You.”

I lowered my hand and focused on the Archmage. I couldn’t miss a single word he was about to say.

“If you’re troubled by anything, please tell me.”

I couldn’t miss a single word… Rather, here he goes again.

I scrunched up my face, bracing for another barrage of ‘Are you okay?’ and ‘How is the seal?’. It was a reaction that more reflected my true feelings than acted-out ones.

“None of your business.”

“Demon Knight.”

Yeah, yeah. As if I didn’t know what he was worried about. Of course, I knew, though.

Even though I was old enough to understand that someone nagging was just a show of concern, hearing someone nag this much was simply frustrating.

As for my character, so long as I contained the Demon, I could allow a certain degree of restraint—that’s why I’d endured everything until now—but that had its limits, right? This just had to be a normal temper flare-up.

“I—”

“It seems you’re starting to underestimate me.”

Ah, shit. I forgot to tell him about the seal again. Ah. What a drag.

But it would be pretty awkward if I talked about it now, right? Yeah. I should put it off a bit more. If worst came to worst, I could just ask White Wind for a spare without telling the Archmage.

“I have let many things slide. Truly many things.”

Instead, I took a step closer to him.

Beeeeep. That tinnitus had yet to subside, as well. It was a little irritating. It wasn’t anger, just mild annoyance welling inside me due to this subtle irritation.

“Don’t cross the line any further.”

…So this wasn’t venting my anger. It shouldn’t be.

No, it mustn’t be.

Being unable to control one’s emotions and taking them out on others was simply too uncool.

So, this was just part of my act. It was about time for my character to start getting pissed off.

The Demon Knight was the one most wary of the Demon, and he was also the one who experienced the most stress because of it. How angry would you be if someone else started poking at you?

“…I.”

The Archmage, seemingly caught off guard by my reaction, started to stammer.

“…I’m sorry.”

However, he eventually apologized. I didn’t want him to do this. It wasn’t even his fault.

“Although it’s a bit late for me to say this, how about we take a short break before moving on?”

“No need.”

Seriously, the Demon wasn’t about to come out. We could just leave, so why was he acting like that? The Archmage seemed to be developing some sort of paranoia. Well, I suppose I also would if I were in his place, but still.

“I’m struggling here, though.”

Ah, it seemed like I was the one paranoid here. How embarrassing.

I thought he wanted us to delay our journey because of me.

“…Pathetic.”

I deliberately concealed my embarrassment. After all, I also needed some time. Time to separate my own emotions from my persona.

…If the two started blending together, this wouldn’t be fun anymore.

【…Is there a problem?】

【No, no. But could we delay our departure a little? He’s quite proud and doesn’t like to show his troubles, but it seems he’s still suffering a little from the poison’s side effects.】

【Of course, I’ll handle it. I’ll also get a healer…】

【No need for a healer. He’ll probably just get angry and refuse any treatment. Instead, could we get some more of the medicinal tea that the Priestess gave us?】

【Of course.】

【Thank you.】

Ah, I wondered how long we would have to rest. If it was going to take a while, could I take a nap? My fatigue level was a bit high.

Bang!

【…?!】

【Th-The training ground!】

Ah, great. Not again.

【The chief is over there…!】

【Send someone immediately! Hurry!】

I closed my eyes tightly after looking toward the part of the village where the explosion had come from.

My Quest Window wasn’t working, but why did it so clearly feel like a Quest was looming over me?

It was starting to wear me out.