Goblin Slayer - Volume 6 - Chapter 3.1

Interlude – Of Two Women

“There, all finished.”

The faint warmth she had felt in her neck dropped away, along with the softness at her back.

Noble Fencer shivered, sorry to feel them go, and slowly opened her eyes.

She was in a courtyard bathed in bright sunlight, an invigorating breeze blowing through. She was at the Temple of Law, in the water town.

“…It never quite goes away, does it?” she said. “That’s how curses are.”

The answer came from a woman of indeterminate age standing behind Noble Fencer, who had been treating her until a moment earlier. The woman had a strikingly voluptuous body, covered only by thin cloth.

In her hand was the sword and scales. The only thing that might be considered to besmirch her otherwise irreproachable beauty was the wrapping that covered her eyes.

“I must apologize. If I had a little more power…”

“…Not at all. You’ve done so much for me.” Noble Fencer gave a deep, reverential bow to Sword Maiden, the archbishop of the Supreme God.

Looking at the bandage over the priestess’s eyes made Noble Fencer embarrassed to complain about her own scar.

“…Everything is thanks to you, Archbishop. I’m alive and able to be with my family because of you.”

“I should hardly say so,” Sword Maiden said, her lips forming a perfect curve. “It wasn’t me who rescued you…”

“…You’re thinking of him.”

“Yes, I am.” Sword Maiden put a hand to her generous chest and let out a sigh as if she might melt. “He who kills goblins. All I did was make a request of him.”

“…Yes. But of course,” Noble Fencer said, her own mouth curving upward slightly into a characteristic smile. Her left hand moved to touch the silver dagger hanging in her belt, almost a caress.

It had been months since the battle on the snowy mountain—and it was not by her own strength that she was still here.

In fact, the same could be said of almost everything in her life. How many things had she really done on her own? Her parents, her party members, Goblin Slayer—and of course, all the friends she had made in that frontier town. The priestess who was like an older sister to her; that cheerful elf; the receptionist and the farm girl. The thought of them all made her heart sing.

And with that warmth inside her, she was sure she would be all right. “…That’s why I want to do something by my own hand next time.” “You mean for everyone’s sake?”

“No,” Noble Fencer said. “…I don’t know whether it will end up being for everyone or not.”

Sword Maiden nodded, as if to say that was very good.

It was all well and good to hope you could do something for the benefit of the world. But there were no guarantees that whatever you did would, in fact, be for the world’s good.

Righteousness was also danger. That was precisely why the Supreme God had handed down his laws.

Noble Fencer understood this all too well. What she had thought was right had been a mistake. The brand on her neck was the proof.

What could she do for the repose of her party’s souls? And for all those who were just becoming adventurers?

“…But I’ll certainly give it everything I’ve got.”

“Of course. I’ll certainly give you any help I can, feeble though it may be.” Noble Fencer found Sword Maiden’s quiet smile deeply encouraging. This was the hero who had ended the war ten years before and, indeed, the Archbishop who had the ear of kings and kingmakers alike. “Feeble”? Hardly. But Noble Fencer didn’t want to impose, either.

“Incidentally…” Lost in thought, it was a moment before Noble Fencer realized that Sword Maiden had moved almost uncomfortably close to her. “What do you think of that man?”

“…I’m sorry?” Noble Fencer said, blinking. Sword Maiden’s unseeing eyes seemed fixed on her. Noble Fighter felt as if she had been hit with Sense Lie as she said, “How do you mean…? What…?”

“Only just what I said.”

“…I owe him my life.” Noble Fencer answered without hesitation. Touching the dagger at her belt once more, she said, “…Not just him. His party, too. I even gained some friends, thanks to them.”

“Is that true indeed?” Sword Maiden seemed at once reluctant to speak but also joyful.

With no small hesitation, Noble Fencer looked at Sword Maiden to find the other woman nodding and smiling at her.

“I see. What a blessing you had to encounter them.”

“…Yes, ma’am!” Noble Fencer answered happily, sticking out her own not inconsiderable chest.

There were few among her own deeds that she could take pride in, but that meeting, at least, was different.

There was a spring in Noble Fencer’s step as she walked through the halls of the temple, Sword Maiden following at a slight distance.

Behind her, the priestess was smiling happily, but Noble Fencer had no idea of the real reason why.