324 – Farewell to Bella

Having asked a favour of Nell, I head back to the village.
On the way, I run into Bella giving medical treatment to some Lithovar warriors.
It seems she’s been going around with a team of Lithovars to collect the warriors who fell in battle and treat them with magic and medicine.

Seeing me, they raise cheers of joy and rush over.
Bella gets them to calm down, then entrusts the medical treatment to the person next to her and hurries over to me.
She speaks her usual chant and closes her eyes to prepare for [Telepathy].

『Dragon-god-sama! Just now, all the children came back! It’s all over now!』

She’s rather excited, considering she just remonstrated the other Lithovars for trying to get close to me.
A faint smile is visible from her eyes-closed expression.
Despite being so young, she’s had to bear the burden of contacting the dragon-god, reconciling the villages, preparing countermeasures for the enemies, commanding in the actual battles, and healing on the battlefield.
It’s inevitable that she’d have a reaction appropriate for her age now that she feels relieved.

I watch her, finding her current state charming.
It’s all over, finally.
All the calamities that have befallen the Lithovars who live on the frontier are over.
The manticore, the antagonism between the villages, the strange increase in abysses… and now, the war with that idiot noble’s private army.
This ever-perilous forest should be a bit easier to live in now.

…It’s a shame I have to leave just when it’s become easier to live in.
But I definitely don’t think it was pointless.
There’s no way I could think that.
With this, peace has finally returned to the Lithovars and this forest.

“…Dragon-god-sama?”

Unsure of what I was doing, Bella cracks open her eyes.
Then, releasing she spoke out loud rather than with [Telepathy], she hurriedly closes her eyes again… I can understand normal speech though.
But it would be a hassle to explain that now.

“Gaa…”

My partner sends me a lonely glance.
I shake my head, suck in a breath then close my mouth and think towards Bella.

Sorry, but I’m thinking about leaving this village.
Some of the enemies survived, so it’ll become known that I’m here.
Probably, all the humans living nearby will know.
When that happens, there’s a chance this forest might truly become a sea of flame.

“Eh, eh…?”

Her eyes still closed, her mouth opens in bewilderment.
Noticing our unease, the laughing expressions of the Lithovars behind Bella disappear.

『A-as long as dragon-god-sama is with us, no matter who attacks, we won’t be afraid.
So…』

Looking at her tear-stained face, I slowly shake my head.

There’s no way to know who might come.
I can’t let the Lithovars get wrapped up in it.
Tolman’s last words weigh heavily on my mind.

『No matter where you run, it would be pointless! No matter how strong you are, eventually a hero or saint will destroy you! That is inevitable!』

…Guessing from those words, beings that are a match for the hero or the slime still lurk in this world.
Probably, they’ll have the backing of [God’s Voice].
Based on how it’s gone so far, they won’t be good people.

Now that I’ve become so famous, I can’t evade them any longer.
Not even once have I seen a monster as strong as myself, an A rank.
My existence should be a considerable threat in this world.
With the hero dead, there’s a good chance that the saint or someone might come after me next.

If the saint is even stronger than the hero, then no matter how many Lithovars face her, they won’t be a match.
I absolutely can’t let them get caught up in that battle.
I’m driven by necessity, so I have no choice but to leave, but it’s becoming a difficult path.

Seeing that I have no intention of staying, Bella hangs her hands clasped in front of her.
Her eyes open weakly, tears spilling out.

“W-without dragon-god-sama..
Without dragon-god-sama… What should I, what should we do…?”

My resolve sputters out.
For her to say that much for me, I can’t help but wonder if it’s okay for me to stay.
Besides, I might have added additional layers of insurance, but it’s not absolutely certain that all those who would go after the Lithovars will go after me instead.

In the first place… I’ve worked really hard.
So it should be okay to reward myself a bit every now and again.

I’m headed to unknown lands again… And this time, I really can’t get involved with anyone.
An ouroboros isn’t a monster that should live with people.
Humans definitely won’t accept my existence.
My power is too overwhelming.
Through battling Tolman’s army, I’ve come to understand that well.
Anything that can easily defeat hundreds of soldiers can only be a god or a monster.

Once I leave here, I probably won’t get involved with humans again until I’m able to somehow resolve my dragon body.
I don’t know how long that’ll take.
It might be a year, or a decade.
Thinking about the lifespan of a dragon, it could even take a millennium.

…So even if it’s not all the time, isn’t it okay if I visit here every now and again?

I stare at Bella as I think, and guessing I have something I want to say, she wipes her tears on her sleeve and squeezes her eyes closed.

Bella, look… I’ll…

…After thinking that much, my thoughts harden.
In my mind, an image flashes by of dead Lithovars lying strewn throughout the forest, and that hero laughing in the centre.

I don’t know if the Lithovars will always be safe.
But if I’m here, there’s no doubt that the saint or someone will come.
I have a strange conviction of that.
I know how bad the personality of [God’s Voice] is.

I don’t know if it’s an enemy, an ally or even something I can oppose at all.
But until I die, it’s safe to say there’s no predicting what will come of my surroundings.

I look back at Bella who’s waiting with her eyes closed.
Her expression is a little strained.

One day… I’ll come back one day.
It might be in ten years… Or even a hundred years.
But I’ll definitely come back.

The silence continues for a few seconds.
Bella sobs once, then sniffles.

『I see… We will wait for you.
Even if I am no longer alive, the Lithovars will wait for dragon-god-samas.』

…Any more than this will blunt my resolve.
Sorry, but I’m going to leave explaining to the other LIthovars to Bella.
Next is talking to Aro, the spiders, and the treant…

As I think that, I hear the sound of a whistle from the direction of the village.
If I remember right, that’s the sound of a truga, a tool made from grafant bone for communicating over long distances.

It seems someone’s playing around in celebration of their safety.
I smile, but that fades when I see the expressions of the Lithovars.
All of their faces have turned pale.

From that, I deduce trugas are never used in play.

“N-no way, the remnants are still attacking…”

Bella murmurs.
Even after I rampaged so much… There’s still an idiot trying to mess with them!? I hurriedly break into a run towards the sound of the truga.