Chapter 344
It doesn't end with just fighting a calamity-class monster like Aži Dahāka and receiving a "Thank you for your hard work" and some words of consolation.
Those who fought with all their courage, even feeling the danger to their lives, deserve to be rewarded.
This naturally includes the knights and soldiers who are the private troops of the Edelgard family.
The reward paid as a temporary bonus amounted to a sum equivalent to their annual salaries.
Furthermore, a victory celebration was even held, funded from the pocket money of the boy named Liberta who led the charge this time.
"Cheers!!!"
They saved the world from crisis.Conscious of having contributed to that, they praised each other from the bottom of their hearts, and just for today, they let loose and drowned themselves in drink.
"Man, that battle was really insane.""Absolutely."
Because they were constantly operating the flame throwers inside the barrier towers, they had seen, albeit from a distance, the warriors fighting Aži Dahāka.
What they gulped down in one go was ice-cold ale.An alcohol with a solid kick and the unique savoriness of ale, not something you'd find in a run-down tavern.
No matter how much premium alcohol they drank, tonight it was free.It was precisely because they returned safely that they could savor it to the fullest.
And reminiscing about the horror of the monster was a perfectly natural flow at a drinking table with comrades-in-arms.
"I saw the ground melt for the first time.""Me too. And the fact that even a Great Spirit's attacks didn't work... I thought it was some kind of nightmare.""Right. Getting hit by that huge lightning bolt and not even flinching... I could only think it was a joke."
Next to those happily rejoicing in their survival were men looking back on a battle they would likely see in their dreams for some time.
"Now that it's over, I can say it... I'm actually grateful I was stationed at the barrier tower. At first, I was dissatisfied being assigned to support instead of the Aži Dahāka frontline. But when I saw that unbelievable monster... 'Thank goodness I'm not on the front,' I thought.""......"
At a drinking banquet celebrating survival in a life-or-death battle, no one here would blame him for talking about such dark things.The colleague next to him, chugging his mug of ale, likely felt similarly, so he neither agreed with nor denied his comrade's spoken fear.
He silently drank his ale.
"And while that small-statured boy was fighting on the very frontlines... how pathetic am I?"
At his colleague's muttered words, he abruptly stopped drinking.
"Hey, is Liberta-san really a child?""Nah, he said he was a kid himself. Said he's not a dwarf.""But still, isn't it weird for someone who can fight a monster like that head-on to be a child?"
The children who fought in the thick of the battlefield.The foremost among them was the boy, Liberta, who could be called a benefactor to the Edelgard family and its private troops for leveling them up until they were permitted to participate in this battle against Aži Dahāka.
Not a single person among the private troops looks down on him.It's no exaggeration to say they rather respect him.
Even if his appearance seems that of a mere boy, his strength and knowledge are the real deal.
The knights who initially took a condescending attitude all challenged him repeatedly and got thoroughly beaten each time.
Even challenging him again and again with their own specialized weapons, they were utterly defeated every time, their spirits eventually breaking one after another. After that, no one underestimated him anymore.
And once they stopped looking down on him, he earnestly faced the task of sincerely guiding and strengthening them without leaving any grudges.He asked where they were struggling, what they found difficult, and how they wanted to become stronger, and then made it happen.
When someone does that for you, petty pride like being older vanishes in an instant.You add honorifics, consciously use polite speech, and respect them.
That's how the dynamic formed.
However, separate from respect, doubts arise about Liberta's boyish, small stature, his somewhat skewed thoughts and actions, and his extraordinary knowledge and ability.
"Actually, I'm thinking... maybe Liberta-san is a god who descended to earth in a temporary form.""...It's funny that we can't immediately say 'That's impossible for Liberta-san.'"
Because they are close colleagues who can joke with each other, such an outlandish topic comes up. But the fact that Liberta's common sense-defying nature is so well-known that they accept it with just a "Well, it's Liberta" shows how extraordinary he is.
That's precisely why, even at a drinking table, jokes-like conversations like this emerge.
"Huh? What? Talking about Liberta-san?""Yeah, about his true identity, like what he really is."
That said, for the knights, it's a topic that feels like an extension of drinking table banter.They're not seriously trying to uncover the truth.
"Come on, he charged head-on at that unbelievable monster and sliced through those thick necks. On top of that, he kept encouraging us so our spirits wouldn't break. And no matter how critical the situation, he remained calm and figured out a solution. I think it's impossible for a human child.""Well, yeah. I've been wondering about that too."
As another passing soldier joins the conversation, more and more knights and soldiers gather at the spot.The topic being Liberta, and the pent-up questions exploding, is one thing. But in this world where knights' entertainment is limited to eating, drinking, and... well, *that*, these kinds of speculative talks are surprisingly enjoyable.
"During training, right, I saw Liberta-san and Nell-chan's sparring match. Nell-chan is crazy strong, right?""Yeah, even if we sent out a whole company now, we'd lose.""I got blown all the way to the training ground wall the other day.""Me too."
And since it's mixed with personal experience, it's easy to empathize.Add alcohol to that, and the conversation just keeps going.
"And against a Nell-chan like that, he was casually chatting and smiling with Amina-chan while handling her normally, pointing out flaws and making her improve.""Yep, I know. Because it's Liberta-san.""Liberta-san could do that, huh?""Rather, what *can't* that person do?"
With seasoned drinkers and a topic about someone they respect, it's easy to get carried away. Topics keep pouring out.A mug in one hand, asking the waitstaff for refills when it runs low.Tossing the snacks on the table into their mouths while thinking.
"Hmm, he could use all sorts of weapons, right?""He could use all sword types. Could use bows too. Spears are his main thing.""He was even teaching the soldiers from the West who use odd weapons, the East who use curved swords, and the North who use unarmed martial arts besides weapons, right?""Yeah. And he was teaching Lady Esmeralda magic too, wasn't he?""I overheard him talking with some Temple Knights before; they were talking about recovery magic and how to make potions from medicinal herbs."
The more they talked, the more Liberta's abnormal abilities stood out, and the knights began to think he might really be a god.While they thought that was probably going too far, they concluded he at least had no weak points in combat aspects.
If Liberta heard that, he'd probably say, "I can use them, but I haven't mastered them." But the knights would mentally retort that just being able to use them is strange enough.
"Oh, what about daily life stuff? Like, can he not cook?""I've eaten food Liberta-san made. During a dungeon training expedition, the guy on duty got injured, and he subbed in. It was super delicious.""Laundry?""He did it during field training.""Taking care of horses!!""He could do that."
The topic of what Liberta *can't* do was, in a sense, the perfect conversation starter for their drinking.They got all rowdy and excited about it, and before they knew it, quite a crowd had gathered.
"...What *can't* he do, really?""Who knows?"
Trying to list things he presumably couldn't do one after another only revealed he could do pretty much everything, leading to the conclusion of "What the hell is he, really?"
Knights and soldiers alike tilted their heads in unison to a degree that showed they all recognized Liberta's abnormality in common.
"Liberta-san is just Liberta-san, after all.""Actually, I realized recently that if you just say 'Because it's Liberta-san,' you can go, 'Ah, right,' and accept it.""I get it. It's also less tiring not to question it pointlessly."
Finding faults itself started to feel foolish, and the flow changed to either drinking more or moving to another topic.
"So, who do you think is Liberta-san's main love interest?"
And with the combination of alcohol and men, even if they are in the position of knights, the conversation inevitably turns a bit vulgar.
It's all the more fitting since there are people close by who provide no shortage of material for such topics.
"Probably Nell-chan, right? She met him first, and that closeness... no doubt she's fallen for Liberta-san.""But what about Liberta-san's side?""I've seen him get a little embarrassed when Amina-chan is clinging to him, so it's not like there's no chance."
Regarding Liberta's relationships with women, an ordinary man would probably feel jealous and harbor unpleasant feelings about him having multiple women around. But knowing Liberta's numerous achievements, these guys either think, 'Well, can't be helped,' or accept it with 'Of course he would.'
"Nah, nah, I think Ingrid-san is the main one. That level of devotion definitely goes beyond master-servant. My gut says so.""Your gut? Didn't you take a huge loss at the dog races the other day? I think it's Lady Esmeralda. That bold declaration of 'someone important' aimed right at that bastard Jakaran during the banquet. If she's a noble lady, she must have some resolve to say that.""What about Lady Iris, his younger sister? I heard from the maids that His Lordship is scheming to get Lady Iris and Liberta-san together."
The fact that the daughter of the lord they serve is among those romantic interests, and that they harbor no malice about it, speaks volumes about their goodwill toward Liberta.
"You guys are idiots. Lady Claudia is clearly the main one.""No way.""The hell you say!?"
Everyone has an opinion, and they chat based on their fantasies.
"Come on, think about the age difference between Lady Claudia and Liberta-san.""Surely Lady Claudia treats him more like a guardian.""How do you know what happens from here on out!? If it's Liberta-san, he could, like, swoop in gallantly like a prince on a white horse when Lady Claudia is in a pinch—""What fairy tale world are you from?""And when would Lady Claudia ever be in a pinch? I couldn't even imagine her in trouble during the Aži Dahāka fight.""But it's Liberta-san we're talking about!""...Could happen, I guess?""Right?!"
If Liberta were here, he'd undoubtedly be giving his all to retort to this conversation, but he and the others aren't present.The consideration to let the knights relax and enjoy themselves backfired, leaving this conversation unchecked.
"What about the Hero from the West?""Could that happen?""That feels more like master and disciple, doesn't it?"
The knights, with alcohol flowing, were becoming increasingly incoherent.Even with leveled-up stats, they still get drunk.
"Actually, I don't think someone like Liberta-san could be satisfied with just one woman.""Ah, I get that.""Then instead of who he ends up with, wouldn't it be easier to think about how many women he'll make happy?"
Unlike Japanese common sense, in this world, it's not uncommon for those with power to take multiple wives.The knights understand that too.
"If it's Liberta-san, maybe around 10?""Isn't that too few?""A hundred?""That's impossible, right?""If it's Liberta-san, maybe just maybe..."
But here, they are drunks.Their thinking abilities are impaired by alcohol, and they accept everything with the powerful phrase "Because it's Liberta-san," so the conversation escalates further and further.
"He could probably form a knight order with just his children.""That knight order would be insane. Just having Liberta-san's blood would make them bundles of talent.""Or maybe if Liberta-san multiplies, world peace would be achieved, and it'd become safe?""Hahahaha! Then our jobs would be done too!"
The fantasy talk continued late into the night, until the last man fell asleep.