Chapter 115 – Miria’s Past

I decided to jump out the lab's window in order to be able to stave off Roxy's starving impulse as soon as possible.

It's quite high, but it should be fine since her body is that of a holy knight's. Moreover, I'm starting to get used to this body.

Although she looked thin in appearance, due to her blessings and continuous training, Roxy's body was much tougher and quicker than I expected.

Following me through the window, Miria did an outrageous action.

[I'm going along too! Tooooh!]

[You little! Don't do something reckless!!]

She's coming after us. Not even thinking much about what she's doing.

It might be something she usually do, but this would still upset Roxy if she's awake.

I reached out to Miria.

[I don't care anymore. On my back!]

[Yes!]

As both of my hands are used to carry Roxy, I told Miria to hang on my back.

[Fufufu...Roxy-sama's body...is soft]

[You little, this is a state of emergency!]

Miria climbed to my back. Somewhat managing with the weight, I jumped from a building to another.

If it's me or Roxy, we would've been able to handle the shock from such landing. But that's might not be the case with Miria as she's not as good as a holy knight.

She might be seriously injured by the landing.

[It takes times and effort]

[I'm just worried about Roxy-sama. Don't pretend to be my companion!]

[Then hold on tighter.]

[Yes]

Kicking the wall of the lab, I managed to put a brake to my falling speed. Then, in a same way, I kicked the wall once more to propel us to the next building.

After that, I repeated the process to control the falling speed.

I'd land faster if I were to go straight down to the ground, but this speed was okay too. To be honest, if I knew that Miria would tag along, the lab's elevator might've been a better choice.

[We're going to land soon, hold tight]

[Understood]

[Ehh~, how come you're more straight laced than usual]

[Because I....can't afford to be selfish at times like this.]

She sounded angry when she said that. But to my surprise, she's actually aware of her own regular actions.

Once we landed to the ground, I immediately dashed and jumped over the wall separating the military district and the holy knight residential area. I couldn't be bothered to pass through the gate normally at the moment.

With the strength of a holy knight, jumping through the wall was piece of cake. Miria asked anxiously as we entered the state of weightlessness in the air.

[Will Roxy-sama be alright...?]

[Un, she'll be okay shortly. Firstly, I need to take her to the Barbatos mansion. Then go kill the goblin shaman.]

[I'll fight too! I'll defeat this Goblin Shaman. Roxy-sama is an important person for me too...]

[I can't bring Miria along this time]

I was thinking about asking Aaron to assist me in killing the goblin shaman. He's someone of Area E, and has more than required battle experience to boot.

If possible, I would also like to have the white knights to help. However, I couldn't really get along well with those girls who swore to only serve Eris. Besidesly, it'll be difficult for them to leave as Eris is currently absent, and they've been entrusted with the task of managing the kingdom on behalf of the queen.

And Miria was clearly the lesser if compared to them. If possible, I needed holy knight-level allies while fighting against the ancient monster

Holding her shoulders firmly, I asked her to stay in the mansion with Roxy.

[I, want to be Roxy-sama's strength....because Roxy-sama was the only one.... willing to help me...]

The only one willing to help...those phrase struck me right in my heart.

When I was still working under Rafal, it was Roxy who saved me from dying of the torturous violence of the Burix. And then, I went to Gallia under the pretense to help her, when what I actually want was to find a way to get rid of the Gluttony skill. In all honesty, all I want was for her to save me.

In fact.....it was a pathetic story. Of me seeking her help. That's all.

That aside, Miria seemed to be no different than me.

As we went towards the mansion, Miria began to talk solemnly.

[I was an orphan just like Fate-san.]

[I see...]

[Look, because I had this magic sword mastery skill despite being an orphan, many things has happened to me...]

When she became self aware for the first time, she'd been already living at the orphanage. It's not clear why her parents decided to abandon her even though she had magic sword mastery skill. Most likely because they needed money in order to pay the appraiser to examine the newborn child.

Perhaps, her family was too poor to even do that.

Be as it may, if only they knew about her skill, she might not have ended up at the orphanage in the first place. One day, a merchant came and had an appraiser examined the orphans, saying it was a charity.

Only Miria had this special skill――particularly the magic sword mastery.

Realizing such a good bargain, the merchant's eye changed its gleam. And then, he looked for the sister, promising that he would take care of Miria, letting her live without inconvenience in the future. He also said that he would donate large sum of money if he's entrusted with the little girl. The sister believed in his sweet words. Well...of course she would. If she's not such a good person....she won't easily believe to those sweet words, but in turn she would also be unable to take care of these orphans. In fact, when Rafal recruited the commoners for his human experiment, the sister believed him and was easily deceived. Always believing and looking for salvation.....she's that kind of person.

This is a common occurrence in the slum. Even if many lost their lives to Rafal's human experiments, no one blamed the sister for being misled.

Similarly, Miria did not seem to blame the sister for 'selling' her either.

However, she was taken to the holy knight residential area. She was put on a collar that emitted unbearable pain, starting from her neck to her whole body, if she didn't abide to the order given to her.

She spent nearly 5 years, treated as a slave like that. Given minimal nourishment to eat, she'd always be sent to subjugate the monster attacking the holy knight territory.

[Thanks to that, I got a lot of experience, so my level is quite high.]

As I heard the story, I came to wonder....such a young girl having to fight monsters at such an early age. Even I thought it'll be tough for me to fight a monster if I were on the same age. I managed to go through my first fight because I had Greed with me. Just having a strong skill doesn't mean that you'll have an equally strong heart after all. That kind of thing only comes from the tempering of repeated battles.

[Fight, and more fights...one after another, that I thought there was no end to it. As my level kept going up, I expected that my stats are also rising up. I was betting on it.]

[Could it be...?]

[Yes, look here.]

On the way to Barbatos mansion, Miria showed me her neck, and I could clearly see a fading long scar there. Rather than a slashing scar, it looked more like a burnt mark...

[There was a gap between my neck and the collar. I plunged my burning sword into that gap, trying to cut down the collar. It was so hot, I felt like I'm about to die, but luckily the collar broke apart before that could happen. Afterward, I escaped with my life to the capital.]

With nowhere to go, Miria was attracted by the gorgeousness of the capital, and finally arrived there. She thought that there must be something she could do at such a marvelous city.

That way of thinking...isn't it...the same as me !? No no...I'm not on the same level as Miria!! Right.....?

[What's wrong? Are you listening? I'm talking seriously here!]

[I'm listening. I'm listening very seriously.]

[I wonder~]

[How rude, I'm the Head of Barbatos Family, how come I ignore such thing!]

[You rarely bring out the family name...that's suspicious.]

I could feel her tight grasp on my shoulder. But it weakened soon.

[Well...nevermind. Without a penny to spend...and my clothes in tatters, I wandered around the slums, then fell unconscious due to starvation. Then...]

[Roxy picked you up?]

[Ah, why do you have to cut in. It's an important part!]

[Good grief...it's rude to cut in like that.]

[Sorry, sorry.]

For a short while, she was angered again. But quickly regained her calm and continued.

She said that Roxy picked her up and nursed her back to a healthy state at the Heart mansion. Roxy's benevolent and spirit attracted her, and so the two of them got along well.

[I thought that I would never believe anyone else, I thought it'll fine if I only put my trust in Roxy-sama alone. that...I think Fate-san can understand it. But now there are also Mugan-san and Raine-san. It's all thanks to Roxy-sama.]

[I see...]

[After a lot of considerations, in order to be able to help Roxy-sama, I tried entering the Royal Army. You see, magic sword mastery skill is quite rare. But even then, I managed to enroll into the army thanks to Roxy-sama's influence. I... was useless. Even this time, I'm still useless.]

The usually energetic Miria, is actually talking in manner. Where was her strong headed attitude gone to?

So I told her this as we're approaching the Barbatos mansion.

[Don't you dare think like that. I understand. Let's help Roxy together. Will you lend me your power, Miria?]

[Yes, thank you very much]

Miria jumped off of my back as she happily replied. We've already arrived at the mansion front gate.

Opening the gate, she said this.

[I've already told you about my past, so Fate-san should tell me about himself next time. I won't take a no this time!]

[Yeah, I'll tell you about it after we defeat the goblin shaman. It's quite long, so don't you dare fall asleep midway through.]

[It depends on the content of the story. If it's not interesting, then I'll fall asleep.]

[Whether my life story is interesting or not, who am I to judge myself?]

While laughing heartily, Miria entered the mansion, perhaps going in to call Aaron.

I had always felt some distance when talking to her, but now that distance has plummeted a little. Taking that aside for now, I entered the mansion, carrying the still unconscious Roxy.