Defiled Hero Chapter 013

Defiled Hero

The Gryphon and the Little Girl

「Wha!? You are! So mean! You played with my heart! That's no apology! I won't forgive you! I take it back! You're the worst! I was foolish for thinking you were a good person for even a second!」 (Lilia)

Lilia was mortified, tears floating to the corners of her eyes.

「Mothe, master! This person cannot be trusted! He has no conscience —— why are you writing a letter of introduction!? Wait! That's no good!」 (Lilia)

She had just begun writing the letter, when Lilia snatched the letter from the master.

「Lilia. Izayoi finally said he would help, so why are you interrupting?」 (Guildmaster)

「Don't ask me that! It can't be left to someone untrustworthy!」 (Lilia)

「Then, is there someone else?」 (Guildmaster)

「Th, that is...」 (Lilia)

「Do you not know of anyone besides me? You're the guildmaster's daughter, are you not? Aren't you popular with connections? Hm? ......The guildmaster's daughter. Being in a frontier town... Ah.」 (Izayoi)

「Don't, don't sympathize with me! What do you think you know about me? It's wrong! It's not like I feel out of place in the guild you know! I went to work at the receptionist counter at Arona as practice! It's not like I was sent to work elsewhere to be put out of the way!」 Lilia quickly replied with rapid-fire speech. Are those words and actions a response?

「Aah, that's right. You're not the bad one. ——That being said, guildmaster. Could you continue to leave me alone.」 (Izayoi)

「"You"!? How much further will you continue to insult me!」 (Lilia)

「Lilia. That's enough for now. I'll get angry you know?」 (Guildmaster)

「Eh... Is, is this my fault?」 (Lilia)

「It's not you.」 (Guildmaster)

「Please stop it with the halfhearted consolation!」 (Lilia)

「—— and so, guildmaster ——」 (Izayoi)

「And please stop too, master!」 (Lilia)

Interrupting my conversation with the guildmaster, she's the worst, trying to take away even my right to speak.

「You are the worst!」 (Lilia)

「...Are you reading my mind with magic?」 (Izayoi)

「Woman's intuition.」 (Lilia)

「Woman's... intuition? ....Hmph.」 (Izayoi)

「What're you laughing at! I'll never ever forgive you.」 (Lilia)

「You two sure are chummy.」 (Guildmaster)

「How.」 (Izayoi)

「How so!」 (Lilia)

「Well, you got along with the hero so well, it's been about five years now I think.」 (Guildmaster)

「Please don't compare the kind, small, cute, cool hero to this despicable thing, master! We don't get along at all!」 (Lilia)

「.......」 (Izayoi)

「Why did you go all silent? Are you judging me again? You're judging me again, aren't you?」 (Lilia)

「......No, it's not like that.」 (Izayoi)

「Wh, why are you suddenly well-behaved...」 (Lilia)

Why do I are about such things now. The people of this world think that the hero that I was died. It's the truth, too. I am that hero no longer. I am...

I am a different person. I'm not a hero. Why am I interested in those that knew the ‘me’ from before? It can't be helped.

「Lilia, you need to settle down as well. We're almost out of time already. Everyone is leaving within the hour.」 (Guildmaster)

「You're cutting it quite close.」 (Izayoi)

「That's right. Izayoi said he would accept, so what's the problem, Lilia?」 (Guildmaster)

「This person can't be trusted. He was violent towards that girl, and he might do in, indecent things.」 (Lilia)

「Indecent things..... Well said by the receptionist who tried to use seduction.」 (Izayoi)

「Wha!? That, that's!?」 (Lilia)

「Hm? Would explain the meaning of that, Izayoi?」 (Guildmaster)

「There's nothing to explain, with the thieves in Arona, I wanted to be left alone, but a pestering receptionist begged me to defeat them. When I said I didn't want to, she suddenly turned into a slut, showing off her cleavage and begging with upturned eyes, "If you defeat the thieves, I'll give you permission to date me for a day——"」 (Izayoi)

「Mothe, master! It's not like that! It's not wrong, but that's not it! I was trembling, there was nothing else I could do, in any case I was frantic and desperate!」 (Lilia)

「Is that so. I thought you two got along well, but that's how it really is...」 (Guildmaster)

「That's not it, master!」 (Lilia)

「There's no time, you know? So, what happened?」 (Izayoi)

「Is that so. Apologies. Even though we came to an agreement, the problem is you, Lilia. I have faith in Izayoi. Since you have a problem with it, do you have an alternative, Lilia?」 (Guildmaster)

「I don't. But this person is unacceptable!」 (Lilia)

「I trust Izayoi. You don't trust Izayoi. There's nobody else to even ask..... Right. I just had a great idea.」 (Guildmaster)

「Wh, what would that be, master.」 (Lilia)

....Ah, the way this is heading isn't good. What you're thinking of will become problematic, master. Spare me. Please, let it be anything but that——

「The both of you can watch over the gryphon together.」 (Guildmaster)

「Wh, why did it come to this!?」 (Lilia)

The guildmaster's room. The person in question is not here. There's no time left so please take care of it, the master said while departing.

The ones that remain are the little girl, the gryphon, Lilia, and I.

「It came to this because you didn't have another plan, Lilia. Don't hit me. Regret your own incompetence.」 (Izayoi)

「*sob*.... The truth is the truth, I can't even refute that.」 (Lilia)

Leaving Lilia alone, what should I do about the little girl and the gryphon curled up in the corner.

I have a key in my hand.

The master said, 「Taking the gryphon around the city will cause a commotion, so I prepared a place for you. Feel free to use it,」 as she handed me the key to a house next to the guild.

Let's stop standing here absentmindedly and get moving.

...I'm not sure if they'll go willingly, though. Rising from the sofa, I walked up to the little girl and the gryphon, and bent down at the knees, lowering my vision to match the girl's.

「*Gururu——— Kuke!?*」 (Gryphon)

Approaching me threateningly, the gryphon brought forth its beak as if to attack me, at which point I gripped it firmly. I glared at the gryphon that didn't understand what was going on, conveying that it would be dead the next time it interrupted.

Staring at the surprised gryphon, I felt my clothes being pulled on weakly.

「.....Don't bully...family,」 she squeezed out in a small voice so faint that it threatened to disappear.

White beast ears on top of the head. Disorderly silver hair. And a frail constitution. She continued to cling to me, with fear in her eyes.

「Don't worry. As long as you don't disobey, you and your family will be fine.」 (Izayoi)

Releasing the gryphon, I focused on the frightened little girl.

「I'll explain it simply. For the next two weeks, I'll be looking after you and your family. You'll be punished if you don't listen. But as long as you listen to me, there'll be no problems... Do you understand?」 (Izayoi)

The flat beast ears rose slightly, and the little girl matched my gaze.

「.....If behave, no problem?」 (Little Girl)

「That's right. As long as you're good, I won't bully you.」 (Izayoi)

「...Will be good...so don't bully.」 (Little Girl)

「My name is Izayoi. We'll be together for the next two weeks.」 (Izayoi)

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