Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku

18-5. Tales of Hero Hayato [2]

"Please pardon the commotion."

Once the knight was dragged away by Burume-san, the princess and the priestess (Loreiya) fixed their seating postures.

Even though Burume-san said us three back then, there are actually girls in maid-looking outfits standing by the walls and some full plated pro-wrestler-looking burly knights guarding the door.

Not even idiots would dare to woo the princess in this situation.

"Hero-sama, do you have any questions before we proceed to the lecture? I shall try to answer you to the best I could."

The princess suggested.

After quenching my throat with blue tea--tasted like black tea--maid-san poured, I asked the first thing I ought to confirm.

"Can I go back to my world?"

"Yes, once you have accomplished your mission, god Parion will work her miracles and send you back to where you were."

That's a relief.

Loreiya-san also added, "There are heroes-sama who choose to stay here too, you know."

Guess not all of them want to go home like me.

"Another thing, what's this mission I must accomplish?"

"It's the extermination of demon lord."

Reminds me of games I played in childhood.

That kind of topic came up a lot in fantasy themed ones like Final, Quest, Dragon.

"Won't it be simpler if you just deploy the army?"

"We don't mind doing so if a demon lord emerges in Saga Empire, but we cannot dispatch a large scale military excursion to foreign countries. It may be feasible to neighboring countries, but supply lines will be a problem if it's to a distant land."

"Won't people be united in one in the face of a world crisis?"

"A great many countries would have already been in shambles by the time we are united. We are hoping Hero-sama could demolish the demon lord before countries fall into ruin."

Looks like this world's got divided countries just like earth.

"Besides, the dragons will come if the demon lord is not fought by a few elites."

"--Dragons?"

Wonder if she meant eastern or western dragons here.

"Yes, a large-scale clash between demon lord forces and a big military assembly may attract the dragons and their curious nature. The demon lord might get destroyed by the dragons in this case, but the collateral damage will also be far more catastrophic than from the demon lord itself."

Is it like resorting to carpet bombing to weed out grass?

For now let's consider dragons are bad news, badder than demon lords.

"Are dragons not a target for extermination then?"

"Yes, as they are harmless as long as we don't try to attack them or attract their attentions."

Guess they're sort of untouchable.

It's not like I'm not fascinated by Dragon Slayer title, but it looks like I'd better left that as a mere fascination.

"Do you have any other questions, hero-sama?"

The princess asked.

--Right.

"I have a request rather than questions. Can you stop with 'hero-sama'? Please just call me Hayato. And do away with the formal speech if you can."

"…I understand. Hero-sama--Hayato-sama doesn't have to use formal speech yourself, but we cannot abide by that order. It is imperative for us to show respect."

The princess asked me use formal speech in public and before the emperor.

"I'm not good with formal stuff though--"

"Then please show it with deeds. If there come times when people respect Hero-sama even without formal speech, then we too shall speak to Hayato-sama informally."

She burned me with a super logical argument there.

I might be not good with this princess.

◇

"Hero-sama has been bestowed with all kinds of abilities besides the Unique Skills from god Parion."

The princess's lecture has started.

Apparently I've got [Inventory], [World Talker], [Analyze], [Self Status], [Hide Status] besides the three Authorities--Unique Skills I picked.

"Is [Self Status] even needed when I've got Analyze?"

"[Self Status] is similar to a lesser version of Analyze skill that applies only to individuals, but this particular skill is a special skill exclusive to Hero-sama."

The princess gave her explanation while holding a [Manual] left by past heroes in one hand.

On top of showing me my own status in numerical values, Self Status also has a hidden function that lets me chantlessly cast magic I've casted once, up to advanced level.

"--Magic?!"

"Allow me to make a demonstration. ■■■■ Mana Light."

A light appeared on the princess's hand.

It's not hot even when I'm holding my hand over it, neither can I touch it.

--Or rather.

"What's up with that spell? It's like you're reproducing a music data in high speed or something though?"

"The past generation heroes called it [Fast-forwarded Tape]."

Magic swordsman is my aspiration, but not with that spell, nope. Simply impossible for me.

Guess I'll have to abandon the idea of casting a magic that drops lightning from heavens like a certain game's hero. I'm better with moving my body anyway.

"Getting back to the topic at hand, Hayato-sama, please confirm your remaining points with Self Status."

With the instructions she had given me on the skill usage, I checked my points and conveyed it to the princess.

"That many points should be enough. Please do not attempt to allocate your points until after you are done with the lectures and basic training."

"Can't you reset or reallocate them?"

"No, you cannot do either. As Hero-sama's initial level starts at 50, it is very hard to obtain additional points, so please be advised."

Now that she mentioned it.

My level is high. It's like being strong from the start of a new game, kind like a cheat.

I feel bad for people who work on it the honest way, I've gotta be careful not to grow conceited.

After the warning, the lectures began.

I almost fell asleep at history and geography lessons, but then Loreiya would hug me with her huge breasts, rousing me up. My stupid friends at class would have been ecstatic at that, but it just felt stuffy to me. I think being a lump of lust incarnate is not a good thing even for a boy in puberty.

I wasn't into the school-like lecture much, but the lecture regarding heroes and ways to use skills and systems were quite fun, it was as if I was reading game strategy books.

I was barred from using Unique Skills inside a building, but using Analyze skill on random things as a practice was very fun.

Thus I got through a month of lectures and another month of skill practice before moving onto martial art practice where I could finally hold a sword.

◇

"Hayato-sama, please use your [Hide Skill] before you proceed to the training grounds."

The princess told me as I put on the practice armor.

"Aren't we going to where my attendant candidates at? Do I really need to hide it?"

"Yes. The candidates that do not get selected may try to sell the information. Unique Skills especially are like a lifeline to heroes. Please try to keep it only between your most trusted attendants."

Reality is a harsh mistress unlike games.

"There you are, hero."

Burume-san grinned while holding a wooden sword in one hand over her shoulder.

"First, do some warm-up. --Jerid."

Despite saying 'warm-up', Burume-san named the second highest leveled knight Jerid after her here.

This grandma is pretty feisty.

"--heavy"

The wooden sword they gave me almost feels like it had a bar of iron lodged inside, it's heavier than it looks.

I tried swinging it around, and somehow managed to get used to its weight.

"You really are hero eh. Just like that kid."

It felt like Burume-san's eyes turned kinder for a moment there, but I must be imagining things, definitely.

"You two get in the circle."

I went inside one side of a circle 15 meter away.

I take a stance with the wooden sword and an iron-reinforced shield.

"Begin!"

With Burume-san's signal, knight Jerid rushed right in front of me at inhuman speed.

--You for real?!

I parried away his slash with my shield I had reflexively raised.

Then I somehow managed to block his sword that instantly reversed its trajectory with my own.

--Heavy.

As a noise that doesn't sound like a clash between wooden swords at all resounded, my hand holding the wooden sword and my shoulders are creaking.

My level is higher than his, but his practical combat experience incomparable to me.

In order to bury that gap, I focus my mind and deploy my Unique Skills.

--Invincible Shield (Nothing Can Pierce).

Jerid's once super heavy wooden sword felt like a pillow's filling, I easily parried it away.

Jerid's face was colored with shock.

Taking that opening, I swung my wooden sword at his wrist. I was too naive. He easily parried my sword and pushed it back, I ended up blocking it with my shield.

As his sword went for my legs, I jumped above to dodge it.

"Nicely done--but!"

A moment later I got hit by a heavy blow before getting flung and crashing on the ground.

"Jumping near your opponent is just suicidal."

Burume-san told me.

Come to think of it, going up in air is like losing in fighting games too.

I stood up right away and took a stance.

My breathing was getting rough even though I'm quite confident with my motor skill.

--Unlimited Regeneration (Endless Healing).

My second Unique Skill healed my fatigue.

"That's Hero-sama for you, he doesn't look like someone who has never fought with a sword before."

"Yeah, god Parion plants the basics of fighting on heroes when they get summoned after all. He's not exactly a complete amateur."

I heard that conversation between the princess and Burume-san far away.

I see, no wonder my body felt like it moved too well.

"Don't you look away now!"

Knight Jerid yelled as his wooden sword closed in on me.

--Heavy.

Oh crap. Didn't realize my Unique Skill [Invincible Shield] had lost its effects.

I immediately attempted to reactivate it, but knight Jerid's fierce assault wouldn't give me the time of the day.

He kept pressing on me while I was panicking before eventually knocking me down.

"Well, I guess that's that, good enough for a boy who hasn't even taken combat practices."

Burume-san declared the match's end.

"He hasn't taken combat practices? What does that mean Burume-dono!"

"Exactly what it says. Today's the first time this boy's holding a sword."

"--That cannot be!"

Knight Jerid opened his eyes wide.

I wanted to say something clever here but my side was hurting from the knock down earlier I couldn't speak well.

I use [Unlimited Regeneration] which had lost its effect once again to treat the pain.

"Hero! Don't use Unique Skills whenever you want. Just endure that bruise. Get Loreiya heal that for you once you're done with training."

Now that she mentioned it, the little goddess also warned me against overusing Unique Skills in that light blue space.

"Okay now that we're done with the warm up, time to get to the real thing."

Right after I got my breathing back, Burume-san--Master Burume's training began.

The special training was so intense and hellish it lived up to its name.

I can't remember how many times I raised the white flag as she kept working me to the bone.

At first I was the only one doing the special training, but two attendant candidates who were laughing at me screaming--a muscular 35 year old war axeman, Subac of Bearear-kin, and a slender macho 29 year old great swordsman, Deerhorn-kin, Zayan, got found out by Master Burume and ended up getting dragged into it as my training buddies.

"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die."

"Granny, yer' a demon!"

"Who the heck's your granny! Call me master!"

Master Burume's sonic sword beat the two up.

Not only Subac who complained, even Zayan who just kept saying, "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die", got rolled up into it too.

But still, these two old men are only level 40s, yet the two could keep up with this hellish training courses enough to have a chat. During recesses between training, the two told me how they hailed from warrior races. Apparently both of them are fathers.

Their wives, who visited during rest days, were such transcendental beauties that I found myself wondering just how did these two burly men even managed to score them. In a way, it's the most shocking thing I've experienced in another world yet.

"I see that he is doing well."

"Indeed, Hero-sama's growth is quite an eye-popping matter to behold."

The princess showed up at the training grounds after a long absent.

She's together with her escort, knight Jerid. I understand how good he is at his craft now that I've gone through the hellish training. He'd have easily beaten me down in seconds even with our level gaps if I didn't have my Unique Skills.

"Look at 'im acting all high and mighty."

"Oy, let's drag him too."

Subac and Zayan had a look like they were plotting something on their faces.

"Aw yeah, let's do this!"

Looks like I've been influenced by these two old men.

Us three ran up to knight Jerid, kidnapped him and forced him to participate on the hellish training as well.

Knight Jerid who initially protested with a pompous tone ended up getting in on it after a shout from Master Burume.

Our laughter at seeing the screaming Jerid was transient as we too found ourselves on his shoes soon after.

Thus we shared pain and laughter together and gradually grew closer.

To the point that I don't feel afraid going up against demon lord if it's with these three.