I Was the Scout for the Hero’s Party

The warm campfire gently illuminated the now completely dark night.

The sparks from the crackling fire floated about like fireflies—it was that kind of night.

If someone were to ask me, “What was your favorite moment while adventuring?” I could say without hesitation that it would be right now—this peaceful, cozy moment, this very situation.

At some point during my three years of adventuring, I began counting the days until this time would come.

If someone were to ask why I came to like such a boring time… well.

In the long three years I spent with the Hero’s party, this moment was the only time that was truly mine alone.

I thought that if I burned my heavy emotional burdens as kindling in this blazing campfire… perhaps my heart would feel a little lighter.

But whenever I got up from sitting by the campfire, the fire would extinguish before fully burning away my emotional burdens.

What remained each time was my heart, slightly singed but not fully burned.

Like cauterizing a wound with fire to stop bleeding.

That’s probably why it was harder.

But now…

“…It’s warm…”

I was simply satisfied with feeling the heat of the campfire on my palm.

Feeling the crimson light and warm heat of the campfire wetting my hands, and if I raised my head slightly, the stars densely embroidering the sky would fill my eyes—such a romantic…

“I look forward to severing your limbs, vile creature. I hope you’ll let me hear your sweet screams.”

…Very… very romantic scenery.

If I could lie down in a warm tent with this backdrop as my blanket, how…

“Hmph… I will not yield to such childish threats. Go ahead and try if you dare, foolish priest who believes in false idols.”

How… damn, I forgot.

“…Until now… all those who dared to blaspheme the righteous light, I have personally returned them to the soil with these hands… Are you prepared, vile creature?”

Anyway, the important thing is that this fire starter was actually my most anticipated dinner time.

…

…?

Somehow my mind is wandering.

Please forget what I just said.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is…

“…Hmm. I want some wolf-frog skewers.”

“Ah…! Those wolf-frog skewers… I remember eating them a few times at the market street near the Academy. They were definitely delicious.”

“Right? Despite being such delicious food, from what I’ve heard… the Hero has never tried wolf-frog skewers. Apparently, she just can’t bring herself to eat frogs…”

…What I’m trying to say is that people who can’t enjoy this moment either have no emotions, like crazy people, or they have something more important than enjoying the present moment.

I’ve been rambling incoherently, but this must be due to the campfire burning serenely before me and the starlight in the night sky causing my sensitivity to explode.

Just like this. Just like this…

“Urgh… You seem to be still young, but do you know who I am to treat me like this?”

“I-I’m sorry…! But, Brother Austin told me to do this… Ah! Don’t struggle too much! You’ll hurt your wrists!!”

…I just want to down a refreshing ale like this. Damn it all.

As I stared blankly at the campfire with melancholic eyes, Max approached me hesitantly.

“Um… Brother Austin. Everything’s ready…”

“…Huh? Oh… right. Good job.”

I didn’t want to break this peaceful moment, but…

Everything has its order. Well, I should get rid of the troublesome matter at hand first.

I dusted off my bottom and stood up, then walked toward Depal, who was panting with her arms and legs tied.

With her armor removed, Depal’s firm yet flexible body was revealed, with smooth curves on her upper and lower body.

“Now that the armor’s off, she finally looks like a woman. Wearing such heavy armor, no wonder we thought she was a man…”

“…Shut up, youngster… Using smoke as a cowardly tactic, aren’t you ashamed?”

“That’s rich coming from someone who ambushed us instead of fighting fair and square.”

“…That’s…”

After putting down the metal mug I was holding in my right hand, I sat in front of Depal and briefly met her gaze.

I smirked at Depal’s deadly glare, then clapped my hands together and opened my mouth.

“Well then… shall we start our conversation?”

For reference, I entered the Rangers with perfect scores in interrogation.

“So… first, your name and affiliation?”

When I interrogate an enemy or attempt to converse with them, the first thing I ask is information about the enemy and their background.

After hearing the enemy’s name and affiliation, I compare it with the information packed in my head to determine if they’re worth fighting.

In this case, I already roughly know Depal’s background, but since my first question is always fixed as a kind of routine, I asked Depal again about information I already knew.

“…Asking such things when you already know me… are you mocking me?”

It seems I’ve been misunderstood a bit.

If the atmosphere gets ruined from the start, it will hinder the subsequent conversation.

I quickly waved my hands in denial of Depal’s question.

“Haha… no, no. This is like… the first question you have to ask during an interrogation… a kind of routine? A standard question? Something like that.”

Fortunately, perhaps feeling that I had no particular reason to mock her, Depal slightly softened her glaring eyes and tilted her chin.

At least I avoided completely ruining the atmosphere.

“Well… Captain of the Romphalia Raid Squad, Depal. One of the two artificial humans created directly by Argyle… the Doll of the Spear Depal, Argyle’s Fingernail Depal… who handles the spear freely like a too—pfft…!”

Damn, I burst out laughing at something so trivial.

“T-toothpick… hehehe…”

“…How dare you… laugh…”

As I continued to snicker, Depal glared at me with a flushed face as if she wanted to tear me apart.

It seems that Depal is also embarrassed about the toothpick rumor or whatever it is.

“No. Damn it… huff… I’m not laughing at you. It’s just, you know… pfft… Puhahaha!!!”

I don’t know why the phrase “like a toothpick… hehe…” is so funny.

Why, doesn’t everyone have that experience?

The situation where you burst out laughing at something trivial… it just happened to occur now of all times.

“Hehehe… cough cough!! No… ahem… I just… suddenly had a funny thought… sorry, sorry.”

“…When I get out of here, you’ll be the first one I kill.”

“I said I was sorry. Anyway, next question.”

There was a brief unpleasant incident, but in these situations, it’s best to gloss over it.

“Um… ahem… Was it Argyle who ordered the attack on the supply unit? Or was it the Demon King?”

“…Hmph.”

“…Don’t want to answer?”

Despite my question, Depal had apparently become thoroughly sulky, keeping her lips tightly sealed and only glaring at me.

It seems the toothpick incident has left a grudge.

They say old people and women hold grudges for a long time once they get upset, and damn, this has become troublesome.

“Fine, whatever… next question. Is Argyle creating another artificial human?”

“…”

Right. The atmosphere has already gone to hell, so there seems no need to be particularly mindful of how I speak.

“Well, well. Not going to answer? Ms. Doll of the Toothpick.”

As she continued to keep her mouth shut, I provoked her a bit, and suddenly with a “ptui” sound, Depal opened her mouth.

Splat

“……”

“How dare you insult me… I will definitely kill you…!”

Without responding, I silently moved my hand and wiped the spit dripping down my face with a piece of cloth I took from my pocket.

This crazy woman is actually spitting because I teased her a little.

“…This won’t do. Roymen.”

“Yes, brother. Did you call for me?”

“…?”

As Roymen suddenly approached, Depal flinched and gave a curious look, wondering what we were planning to do.

I smirked at Depal’s reaction and made a slicing gesture with my hand across her right and left arms.

“Snip here… cut this part too… the legs… should we leave them? No, maybe it’s better to slice the legs?”

“…Hey, what are you…”

“Hmm… in my humble opinion, I think it would be better to cut from the ankles rather than the arms.”

“You’re right, huh? We can’t let her escape first of all.”

Finally understanding the intention behind our words, Depal hurriedly opened her mouth with trembling eyes as if an earthquake had struck.

“W-wait…!! I thought you wanted to talk…”

“Dismemberment and taxidermy aren’t options, but… well… be satisfied with this much.”

“It’s not entirely satisfying, but… it can’t be helped.”

There was a rattling sound, and suddenly Roymen had a flail in his right hand.

“…Wouldn’t it be better to cut with a knife?”

“If you crush the bones to powder, they’ll fall off on their own.”

“No, well… there’s no need to go that far.”

After hearing our eerie conversation, Depal frantically rolled her eyes and her lips trembled.

Even as an artificial human, it seems she has emotions.

“Well, I’ll ask one last time. Is Argyle creating another artificial human?”

“I-I… don’t know…”

“Tsk… It seems you still don’t want to talk. Roymen!”

Roymen, who had approached from nearby, was breathing roughly as if anticipating the smell of blood he would soon encounter.

“Although I won’t be able to take your arms… I’ll have those legs.”

Roymen’s arm slowly raised, and the orihalcon weight attached to the flail chain rattled and slid down.

“Haha… Surely, you’re not really going to… right? You… surely—”

It seems Depal still hasn’t come to her senses.

I nodded to Roymen, gesturing him to strike quickly.

“Hit her.”

With a whooshing sound that cut through the air, the orihalcon weight rapidly descended, aiming precisely at Depal’s ankle, and Depal screamed with her eyes tightly shut.

“Kyaaaak!! I-I’ll talk…!! I’ll talk!!!”

Bang!!

As soon as Depal opened her mouth, I subtly pushed Roymen’s arm to alter the flail’s trajectory.

Roymen’s flail struck the ground right next to Depal’s ankle, the impact causing a cloud of dust to billow up.

“…Well. Fortunately, you changed your mind at the last minute. A wise choice. Otherwise, I would have really hit you.”

“…Hic-“

Facing Depal, who was hiccuping with wide rabbit-like eyes, I posed the question again.

“Will you cooperate?”

To my question, Depal could only nod her head vigorously.