No to Being the Suffering Heroine!

Fortunately, and I mean fortunately, the age standard for Lizardmen was somewhat different from that of humans.

Kikel explained to us that a Lizardman’s lifespan was at most seventy years, with the average being around sixty years.

So when they turned fourteen, they were already treated as full-grown adults, huh?

“Ah, so that’s how it is?”

Thanks to that, I narrowly escaped the shame of being a human scum who pushed a fourteen-year-old boy onto the battlefield.

The fact that he had actually lived for 14 years remained unchanged, but from the Lizardman perspective, it was merely encouraging an adult to do adult things.

In Lizardman culture, he was definitely an adult, and forcing human standards upon him, labeling him a minor and withholding work, was in itself a kind of racial discrimination, wasn’t it?

So I was innocent, just like that!

“Phew… what was I even thinking?”

With a sigh of relief, I managed to smile.
In the end, I stuffed the voice of conscience telling me he was indeed fourteen deep into a coffin and nailed it shut.

“If he’s an adult by Lizardman standards… well, there’s no problem then.”

Thank goodness, seriously. I almost became the worst of the worst, a scoundrel making a child soldier. I ought to be grateful for Lizardmen’s short lifespan.

‘…Huh?’

Wait a minute. That expression is kind of weird.

Thankful for not living long? That makes me sound totally trashy…?

…It’s a misunderstanding! I know it’s a misunderstanding! Everyone knows I didn’t mean it like that! There’s no way I’m that much of a trashy person.

It’s hard to deny the stigma of being shameless or having a conscience as small as a seed, but at least I haven’t twisted my morals to that extent.

I clung desperately to a defense that no one would hear, like a lawyer on the brink of bankruptcy.

That was close. They said if you’re not careful about how you speak, you could become trash in an instant.

If I had blurted out that odd line of gratitude as a joke, it could have destroyed the mood of the party completely.

◆◆

“Calling me ‘big sister’ is a bit much. It might draw too much attention. So just call me by my name.”

After receiving a not-guilty verdict from my mental courtroom with a desperate defense, I told Kikel to call me by my name instead of ‘big sister.’

Unusual sights always attract excessive attention.

If a big, fearsome-looking Lizardman were to call me ‘big sister’ and follow me around, it would surely turn every person’s gaze toward me.

“Don’t like being noticed, huh?”

“Not particularly.”

Well, being in hiding, there’s no way I’d welcome attention from others.

“Then why become an Adventurer?”

“……”

It was an obvious question to ask if you didn’t know the situation.
The profession of Adventurer is one that thrives on power and fame. The more attention you draw, the easier it is to succeed.

Even rank-less Adventurers go to great lengths to advertise themselves.
They bribe bards to spread their achievements and pseudonyms, or they wear attention-grabbing outfits.
Sometimes, they shout their names loudly each time they fight.

Honestly, it seems a bit pathetic… but in this line of work, the power of reputation is that important.
If someone attracted attention, they should be grateful, no matter the kind of attention. If they found it burdensome, it meant they wouldn’t achieve greatness as an Adventurer.

So, for someone like me, who would find attention troublesome, the job of an Adventurer didn’t really seem to fit…

“…I had no choice. There wasn’t anything else I could do.”

What could I do? From my standpoint, that was the only job I had available.
If I had a proper identity certificate, I wouldn’t be living in a dangerous 3D job where notoriety was advantageous.

But, as a drifter without any identity guarantee, there really was no choice but to go along with physical work.
I could either stab others in a dungeon or get stabbed in a tavern.
Between being a prostitute and an Adventurer… it’s crazy to think anyone would choose the former!

“Caw-ckaw! It’s hard to understand! But I get it! I will call you as I do now!”

Kikel chuckled, finding it hard to understand that I chose to be an Adventurer despite not wanting to.

“Thanks, Kikel.”

With that, the age issue concerning Kikel, which had caused me immense shock, was settled for now.

◆◆

Anyway, after that day, we frequented the Request Office daily, taking on various requests.
I would have liked to take things easy since Heid had already left the city, but the receptionist said Heid hadn’t shown up yet.

He was supposed to have reached Vespians by now, but apparently, he was delaying in some nearby city due to an incident.
When I heard that city’s name was Pelmia, chills ran down my spine.
I had been crawling right into the tiger’s den.

Truly, I was so glad that Friede had opposed my suggestion; had I insisted and crossed Pelmia’s city gates, I might have been reborn as Heid’s loyal slave by now!

Imagining that alone sent shivers down my spine.
After hearing this, I decided to completely leave the choice of requests to my party members.

From my point of view, that seemed like the right thing to do.
Had I lost confidence in my choices? The decision I made to avoid Heid ended up looking like a direct charge toward him, so what more could I say?

Moreover, as it turned out, every request we took on ended up being a smooth success.
It was so mundane that it was almost ridiculous.

So what could I do?
I had to humbly admit that I had a talent for picking the worst options and absolutely accept my companions’ choices.

◆◆

“Muhmeruhhh!”

The request to conquer a seven-level dungeon chosen by Friede.
As we broke through a horde of goblins and wolves, we were greeted at the lowest level by a massive beast resembling a bison.
It had two severely twisted horns and gray fur, looking impressively huge—an unlucky pain for anyone who’d consider butchering it for meat.

“I know that one, it’s a Bonacon.”

Apparently, Amy knew this monster well, revealing its name as she opened her spellbook. Kikel, Friede, and I moved forward to protect her, drawing our weapons.

“Bona-what?”

“A monster slightly stronger than a Wight. They charge with their heads or attack by spewing strong acidic waste… It’s dangerous if it hits, so be careful.”

What a filthy creature. A monster that sprays acidic poop like a water cannon? In other words, a demonic bison!

“F-Feces… Ugh, horrifying…. Could you put up a barrier…?”

She’d rather be engulfed in flames than get hit by acid poop, and Friede glared at Bonacon with a disgusted look.
“Based on what I’ve seen from you.”

Amy chuckled lightly, shrugging her shoulders. Though she spoke light-heartedly, she’d definitely cast a protective spell if the situation demanded it.

“Can we eat it?”

Leading the charge, Kikel licked his lips, eyeing Bonacon as if it were prey.
Expecting beef steak, he looked hungry. I wouldn’t have thought of eating a common monster, but it was obviously a giant bison.
Kikel seemed to see the giant monster before him as a huge sirloin and tenderloin. I couldn’t have said anything since I had the same thought.

“Sorry, but I don’t think that’s possible. Even if it looks like livestock, it’s still a monster. I’ve heard if you don’t go through special preparation, it can destroy your insides and put you in a life-or-death situation.”

Eating it raw or just grilling it might land you straight in the afterlife.
Then again, it was a creature spewing out acidic poop, so would the meat inside really be fine?

“Special? What’s that? I want to know!”

“How would I know? I’m not a monster chef.”

“Kishahhh…”

Kikel let out a disappointed sigh, lightly tapping the ground with the end of his spear.
It was a magical spear I had lent him for now under the pretext of borrowing it from Belita.

It’s too valuable to sell, and too questionable to use directly, so offering it to him was the best strategy.

“Muhmeruhhhh!”

Anyway, perceiving that movement as a threat, Bonacon let out a long roar before charging at us with the ground shaking beneath its feet.

“Kikel! Can you take it?!”

“Maybe! But I might get pushed back a bit!”

Kikel declared, loudly thumping his Kite Shield’s surface. He could stop it, but he might be pushed back a bit too.

That was good enough.
“Alright, Friede! Take the left! Amy, get ready to defend just in case!”

“Yes!”

“Got it.”

After giving brief instructions to the other two, I leaped away from Friede, planning to hit from both sides.

Kugugugugun!
The dungeon floor trembled with a heavy rumble. Naturally, since a creature the size of a freaking elephant was charging at us like an enraged bull.

“Muhmeruhhhh!”

“Kyaahhh!”

Bonacon and Kikel stared each other down with fierce roars.
With wicked expressions, their ferocious faces twisted as they both screamed, making it hard to distinguish who the monster was.

“Come!”

I guess that meant ‘Come here!’? After roaring, Kikel fixed his raindrop-shaped shield to the ground, lowering his stance.
With the explosive lance gripped in its tail, his arms held firmly behind the shield.

At that moment—

– Kwaaaah!

With a thundering noise echoed throughout the massive stone chamber where we stood, Kikel blocked Bonacon’s charge with the shield, scraping back along the ground.

“Muhh!”

“Why! Can’t you eat it?!”

Kikel, grimacing from the impact, still stood firm, gradually halting Bonacon’s charge.
“This is the time!”

“Yes!”

In that moment, Friede and I dove into Bonacon’s flanks, thrusting our swords downward like lightning.

“Hah!”

“Ha-!”

I stabbed my sword into where its heart might be located, while Friede leaped up slightly, bringing her sword down onto its spine like an executioner’s blade.

“Muhhhhhh!”

Feeling threatened, the Bonacon kicked off its back legs and thrust its rear toward Friede.
Experiencing a rare moment of divine insight regarding a monster’s exit strategy, Friede’s face twisted in horror. Poor girl.

…Ah, wait! This isn’t the time to be disgusted! She was about to get hit by acidic poop!

Well, it wouldn’t have turned out that way if Amy hadn’t been around.

“Magicae Obice!”

Just before Bonacon was about to unleash its contents, a brilliant beam of light shot toward Friede with a clear voice.
A magic barrier. Amy’s translucent shield protected Friede from the horrific attack behind it.

“Ugh…!”

Looks like it didn’t protect her mental state, though.
“No, what smell is that…!”

Honestly, I felt my spirit taking quite the hit, too.
While I was safe from Bonacon’s attack given my position beside Friede, the intense visuals and smell reached me loud and clear.

Eww, I just finished my meal for today.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, I channeled my anger, soaked in disgust, and plunged my black iron sword into the monster’s heart.

“Muhhhh!”

“Close your butt!”

Hearing Bonacon scream in agony, twisting before I could finish, I poured all my strength into cleaving through its heart and spine.

“Muhhh…”

With its body half-sliced from being hit by the executioner’s blade, Bonacon sputtered blood, trembling, and then collapsed, falling into the filthy waste it had expelled.

“Ugh, even when it falls…!”

“Yeeowww!”

Already knowing what would happen, Friede and I hastily jumped back, creating distance from it.

“Get out!”

Kikel rolled back in a panic as well.

Kuwuuuuuh!
Immediately, as its body crashed down, it created what looked like a small wave.
We quickly dodged and didn’t get swept away, but the sight alone made my stomach twist and I felt nauseous just watching it.

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