I Became a Villain Perfect for Leveling Up - Chapter 047

WeTried Translations

Translator: Goku

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ I Became a Villain Perfect for Leveling Up

Chapter 047

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47. Ill-Fitting Shoes (4)

The holy city of Aquilian.

A place where many events unfolded in the short span of about a day, so the steps of my return did not tread lightly.

"Don't worry. I am here."

Altair, keeping watch by my side, read my worry and encouraged me as if telling me not to mind it.

Soon, we arrived at a street where the checkpoint of Aquilian was faintly visible.

…I had vowed never to return when I fled.

Altair carefully held my left hand, trembling with tension and fear, and conveyed her courage.

And so, step by step.

The checkpoint that had been faintly visible now took on a clear form, exuding a sense of pressure.

To someone, it was nothing more than a daily sight. But to me, it was a place where trauma from a mistake remained.

"What business do you have in the city…?! C-Commander!?"

Rangel, the knight guarding the checkpoint of the holy city Aquilian, noticed the familiar figure and did not hide his surprise.

"It has been a while."

"We have been waiting for you!!"

"Is Aquila safe?"

"Yes! The next Commander is doing well!"

Rangel, who exchanged conversation with Altair that was both routine and professional, soon discovered me standing behind her.

'Help the Commander. Don't let her hide away in a place like this.'

The unforgettable echo from that rainy day seemed to buzz in my ears. Rangel, not noticing the fear that made my hands tremble, extended his hand towards me.

"You kept your promise."

“…….”

A single unexpectedly gentle word reached me.

…It was neither a reprimand nor a sneer.

"I'm sorry. I have urgent business."

Altair cut in tactfully. Rangel nodded and stepped aside from the entrance.

"I do not know much about the world you have experienced."

Altair spoke without looking at me, heading towards the smithy.

"Not everyone dislikes you."

At her words, spoken in an indifferent tone, the heart that had felt a swell of emotion gradually turned into a sensation of dull ache.

"The Aquila Knights are a place that can embrace you."

No more conversation passed after that.

The Aquila Knights.

The leader of the group that had given me an unforgettable day was a woman who possessed enough goodness to be a role model for everyone.

"Oh?! If it isn't our Knight Commander!! It really has been a while!! I was debating whether I should scrap the armor you ordered!"

"I apologize for the delay. I've come to pick up the armor I commissioned."

"Mmhm!! Come in, come in!!"

The blacksmith let out a hearty laugh and invited the party into the forge.

"Here! The masterpiece of my life!"

He took out the armor that had been carefully stored in a small wooden box and held it out to me.

Utilizing the symbol colors of the Aquila Knights, the armor, a proper blend of platinum and gold, shone brightly.

"…I don't think it'll suit Dean."

"Kugh…."

When Sigrun casually gave her assessment of the armor, the blacksmith seemed to take a blow to his spirit and looked dejected.

"I will help you put it on."

Noticing me standing blankly, not knowing how to wear the armor, Altair began to assist with skilled hands.

"Hey Dean, you know? You have to take off your top to wear armor."

"…Is that so?"

"Oh, you don't have to take off your clothes!!"

When I immediately lifted my shirt at Sigrun's remark that one must remove their top to put on armor, Altair hurriedly stopped me.

"What a shame~"

"…Huuuh."

Sigrun and Eirene let out sighs of regret at missing the chance to see me with my top off.

"If you want, I can show you anytime."

"Wh-what?!"

Not particularly embarrassed by exposing my upper body, I stated it emotionlessly. Sigrun, her face bright red, let out a dumbfounded sound.

Wondering if it was really that shameful since it was just the upper body, not the lower, I tried to lift my belly area to show them.

"Stop!! No lewd things!!"

As if to stop my action, Altair suddenly shoved the upper body armor over my head.

As if to prevent me from doing anything weirder, the armor was fastened snugly onto my limbs, and the straps were tightened and secured firmly.

That was how I completed putting on the full-body armor.

"…It's lighter than I thought."

Contrary to my worry that it might feel foreign. When I moved my limbs, it felt as if it had become one with my body, with no awkwardness.

"Mm! Because it's the masterpiece of my life!!"

Just as the blacksmith said it was the masterpiece of his life, I obtained my own armor, one that hadn't even appeared in the game.

"Don't forget the brooch."

Sigrun skillfully moved the Valkyrie Knights' brooch to my shoulder pauldron.

Altair seemed satisfied with the armor's appearance. Sigrun lightly tapped the chestplate as if checking its strength.

Eirene, who had interlaced her fingers and was smiling faintly, was also there.

Receiving all those gazes, for some reason, a feeling of embarrassment and a lump in my throat rose up.

"…"

To hide my emotions, I covered my eyes with my hand and bowed my head deeply.

"So the armor pleases you that much?!! I'm truly grate-"

"Old man, shut up."

"…S-sorry."

Eirene easily swatted away the blacksmith, who was ruining the mood.

"Don't cry. Okay. Wipe those tears."

Sigrun patted my shoulder, comforting me as if calming a child.

Until now, I had thought the future before me was nothing but darkness.

Even if I struggled against fate, all that awaited me was death. I couldn't imagine a hopeful future.

"…Thank you for comforting me."

"Uh… Yeah."

As I gathered my emotions and brushed my hair up, Sigrun, whose eyes met mine, stepped back, dumbfounded.

"Thank you, Commander."

"Yeah. I'm glad I-?!"

When I suddenly gave my thanks and hugged Altair, who had been smiling faintly, she was taken aback.

"W-Wait a moment…."

Startled by this greatest expression of gratitude I could offer, having only ever received so much, she tapped my shoulder in a light resistance.

"It's too close… Ugh…."

Altair, whose face was gradually turning bright red, gave up resisting. Afraid to go further, I released her from my embrace.

"…"

Altair, stepping out of the supposed fantasy time, still couldn't seem to grasp reality, opening her mouth blankly and blinking her eyes.

Having expressed my gratitude through a hug, I felt guilt spreading like a wildfire.

Even just having my comrades by my side was a great help. But I only receive and give nothing in return….

"…Ghk?"

Just then, a stinging pain blossomed across my forehead.

"You idiot. That's more than enough repayment."

"Eirene…?"

"The blue one is that happy from being repaid, so don't be gloomy, you idiot."

At Eirene's words, spoken in the same posture she had used to flick my forehead, I looked at Altair.

"…Uuuuh."

Altair, malfunctioning unlike a knight commander, was wiggling her fingers, then jumped when our eyes met.

"A-Armor suits you well! Now shall we be going!"

She, who gave off an obvious air of pretending to be fine, hurriedly fled the forge.

"Dean, you really need to work on your social awareness~"

Sigrun lightly stuck out her tongue and followed after Altair. Eirene also turned her head, looked at me, and then left the forge.

"Dean."

Just as I was about to follow them out of the forge, the blacksmith stopped me.

"You seem to have grown a lot since I last saw you. The Commander's eye was not mistaken."

"…You flatter me."

"Please take good care of the Commander. She may look like that, but she's actually quite a lonely person."

"I will keep that in mind."

With those words, the blacksmith picked up the hammer he had set down on the floor and returned to his work.

The red-hot iron clashed, producing a clear ringing noise.

"Dean! When are you coming out!"

At the sound of Sigrun hastening me from outside the forge, I nodded my head briefly to the blacksmith in thanks and moved my steps.

"Seeing you like this, it really does suit you, huh?"

In the gentle sunlight, the feeling seemed to change, and Sigrun's comment reached me.

Due to the lustre unique to new armor. The surrounding floor reflected the light softly.

"While we're at it, should we buy some provisions?"

Since returning right away after just getting the armor would be a waste of time, I naturally added a destination. The three women responded with agreement.

"I'll pay."

Eirene took out a thick wallet from somewhere and smiled at the chance to finally assert herself.

….

As I entered the bustling market, the memory of my first time setting foot here came back to me.

To earn money, I even went into the red-light district. I almost got killed by thugs.

The fact that the person who coincidentally saved me was Altair made me feel a strange emotion.

The beautiful women who drew everyone's attention swept through the market, buying goods.

Small furniture to decorate the altar and seeds for farming.

When I tried to help the three women, whose hands were full from buying food, which was the original purpose.

"Here. Buy what you want too."

Sigrun, who had slithered up like a snake, handed me an allowance as if looking after her husband.

"You'll all be bonding amongst yourselves anyway. Go grab a snack or something for a bit."

Granted a moment of freedom, I ended up walking through the market alone.

"…Eeek!"

I made eye contact with the woman who had sent thugs to kill me in the past. Leaving her frozen stiff, I casually passed through the street.

The place I arrived at was. A small shoe store.

Shoes with a somewhat rugged sense of style were neatly displayed.

"Ehh…? What business does an Aquila knight have in a place like this…?"

An old man leaning on a cane opened the shop door and looked at me with a cautious gaze.

To the old man, tense from the chilling atmosphere my expressionless face created, I pointed at one pair of shoes.

Sandals with white leather and golden embroidery depicting a flower.

"I would like to buy those shoes."

A languid voice, defying the worry that I might be pointing a sword, reached him. The old man looked at the product I was pointing at and told me the price.

"Those are 300 pennies."

"Here you go."

The amount exactly matched the allowance Sigrun had given me. I paid the money and received the sandals.

"Giving them as a gift to someone precious, are you?"

"…Yes."

"A good time for it…. Heh heh…."

With a sly old-man's laugh, the old man disappeared back into the shop without hesitation.

"…."

After I meet Carmen and get the shoes back. I plan to give her these sandals instead.

I deliberately chose a color that would match the dancer's outfit she was wearing.

"What's that?"

"A gift for Carmen."