A Scent He Liked

"T-Teacher..."

Cain could feel Roxy's bony back beneath him. She was rather thin, to be honest. Was she eating properly? His face warmed as she carried him on her back.

If he rested for a few minutes, he could probably walk again. But his teacher's back felt warm and dependable, even if it was a little bony.

This feels nice, Cain thought, the corners of his mouth lifting. Taking down the Three-Headed Red Dragon in one go had left him mentally exhausted, even with his Undying Devil Race Bloodline.

"Roxy! How's Cain?!" Zoldat rushed over with Bruce and a crowd of adventurers close behind him.

"He's all right. He has several fractures, but I cast Intermediate-class healing magic on him. His life isn't in danger."

Cain gave them a wave and a faint smile from Roxy's back. Zoldat and the adventurers behind him let out a tremendous sigh of relief.

"Man, you're incredible, Cain!"

"That's the Sword God of the Sword Sanctum for you! Took down three Red Dragons just like that!"

Cain scratched his cheek as the adventurers showered him with praise.

"I only managed to kill the Three-Headed Red Dragon because everyone worked so well together. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had much of a chance."

He meant it. Everyone's spells had distracted the Red Dragon, keeping it from realizing how much of a threat he posed beneath that Ice Spike.

Without all that magical interference, it probably would have flown straight away from the Ice Spike he was in. Then all he could have done was flip it off and watch it disappear.

Flying Red Dragons really are crafty.

"Don't be so modest. Your unbelievable Swordsmanship saved us this time. That was the Blade of Light, right? Don't keep a secret technique like that all to yourself. Give us a few pointers!"

"It's not as amazing as you make it sound... It's just a slash a person can swing."

Cain rubbed his shoulder, which still throbbed from Zoldat's vigorous pat, and put on a serious face.

"Well, if you really want to learn, I suppose I could teach you." Cain glanced at Roxy, who was carrying him, and cleared his throat twice. Then he spoke with perfect solemnity, imitating her tone.

"It'll cost extra."

The adventurers froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.

Cain didn't feel as though anyone was treating him like an injured man. Dozens of adventurers tossed both him and his adorably flushed, tight-lipped teacher into the air, caught them, and tossed them up again.

They cheered things like "Long live the Sword God!" and "Long live the Sword God's teacher!"

On the way back, Zoldat kept giving him and Roxy a knowing look. Not that Cain was into little girls! Probably not...

Actually, Cain felt that one or two Red Dragons wouldn't be too hard to handle. As long as they were within range of his Blade of Light, they were all about the same. They weren't as formidable as his own teacher, Sword God Gall. After all, Gall had taken off a Red Dragon's head right from the start with a long-range Blade of Light technique.

The trouble was that Red Dragons in flight were different from Red Dragons on the ground. They flew too high for Cain to hit.

Still...

Cain pressed his lips together and watched Roxy from behind as she carried him into the streets of Magic City, surrounded by adventurers.

"Ahem. Teacher Roxy, I'm really fine. Could you put me down...?"

I'm the Sword God of the Sword Sanctum. I have an image to uphold...

Cain gave a helpless smile and tried to climb off her back.

"Stop moving. Injured people need to rest and recover." Meeting Roxy's stern blue gaze, Cain pressed his lips together, turned his face away, and scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

"B-but my injuries have already healed..."

"Please let this inadequate teacher do what she can for her student. I don't like owing people favors."

Roxy pressed her lips together as she spoke. Cain smiled helplessly. He didn't think she owed him anything. If anything, the magic she had taught him had saved his life.

Just then, Zoldat patted Cain on the shoulder as he rode on Roxy's back.

Cain looked back to find Zoldat grinning so brightly it was almost sickening.

Didn't this guy say the Red Dragons had split from their group and would be crawling along the ground? Why were they flying? And why were there three of them? He ought to be fined twenty Asura Gold Coins for that bad information.

"Hey, Cain. Roxy was really worried about you. The moment she saw you were in trouble, she was the first to run your way."

Cain felt Roxy's small body stiffen beneath him before she relaxed again.

"What are you getting at? Because right now, I'd really like to spar with you using the Sword God Style."

Cain narrowed his eyes at Zoldat, who scratched the back of his head and gave him a placating grin.

"Didn't you say your information was reliable? How did we end up facing S-rank Red Dragons? If they'd really strayed from the group, we wouldn't have had such a rough fight."

"Yeah, I'm furious about that too. Those damned nobles! I'd love to tear their heads off and kick them around. If it weren't for you, I don't know how many people we'd have lost."

"We're not letting this slide!"

Cain watched Zoldat kick a pebble away in frustration and pursed his lips.

"That's your business. I killed the Red Dragons. Just make sure my teacher and I get paid what we're owed."

"Of course! We'll pay your commission even if we have to sell everything we own!"

Hey, don't make it sound like you can't afford to eat...

"What, are you saying those nobles won't pay?"

Zoldat shook his head.

"They should pay what they promised. It's just that those twisted nobles probably won't pay a coin extra for anything beyond the original commission."

"I see..."

Cain narrowed his eyes, then a wave of drowsiness washed over him. He rested his head lightly on Roxy's shoulder and let his thoughts slow.

"Y-you're not allowed to smell me."

"Huh? Teacher Roxy, do I look like that kind of creep...?" Cain's mouth twitched. He only wanted to rest for a moment. It wasn't as if he was into little girls. Probably.

"N-no, that's not what I meant. I must smell a little..."

Roxy pressed her lips together. She had run around so much during the Red Dragon hunt that her clothes were soaked with sweat. She probably smelled strange.

Roxy didn't know that Cain spent every day swinging his sword at the Sword Sanctum. He was used to the smell of sweat. In fact, he liked the faint, earthy scent about her.

Cain simply breathed as he normally would. Her faint, unassuming scent soothed his frayed nerves. Only someone so practical and unpretentious could smell like that. He liked it. It made him feel safe.

If I were a vampire, I'd definitely want to drink Teacher Roxy's blood.