Meeting You Makes Me Happy, Part 1

Chapter 24 23. Meeting You, I'm Glad (Part 1)

Barbarus.

In that Pus Hound attack, the newly formed Death Guard saved most of the villagers.

Their strongest and tallest leader gave a speech in their village's threshing ground.

Herrela watched him, her face streaked with tears.

"We have been oppressed for so long that we have forgotten the dignity we deserve."

"Let us unite and resist this injustice, resist this atrocity, resist all this filth!"

"Join us, take up your scythes, and swing them at all that is unjust!"

"Resist!!!"

That's what he said.

Resist.

Resist!!!

Herrela didn't hesitate to take her sister and leave with the Death Guard. They left their past behind.

She wanted to become stronger, she wanted to resist, she wanted to protect her family, she wanted to protect the people of Barbarus!

She wanted to become someone who could wield a scythe and protect others—

—like Hades.

Herrela felt her face getting hot, and she felt a little shy about the idea.

She was just a weak woman, while that tall, strong man was a true warrior.

She couldn't possibly catch up to such a dazzling existence.

Herrela patted her face. No, even if she couldn't catch up, she had to try. She was tired of being weak. The taste of weakness was like a deeply ingrained poison, corroding her insides.

She wanted to be like Hades, someone who could protect others and bring them hope!

You can do it, Herrela, keep going!

Herrela followed most of the surviving villagers and returned to the stronghold with the Death Guard.

She and her sister registered their identities and received a small house and rations for two.

When asked which department of the Death Guard she wanted to join, Herrela chose the combat department without hesitation.

Uncle Hardt, who was registering her, gave her a puzzled look. Usually, women of Herrela's smaller stature would choose the logistics or medical department.

"You're too small, lass. Take an old man's advice and go to the medical department. The training in the combat department is too intense; you won't be able to handle it."

However, the child on the other side looked at him with a serious face.

"I can become stronger."

Uncle Hardt sighed and resigned himself to writing "Combat Department" in the "desired department" column on Herrela's form.

And so, Herrela became a Death Guard trainee.

The Death Guard's training was brutal and difficult. They first underwent three months of physical training, and then they had to begin the selection process for joining the team.

Only those who survived the selection could successfully join the Death Guard.

She followed the main group up a conquered mountain, without any protective measures, the poisonous gas tearing at her lungs.

People fell one by one around her. They were exhausted, and under the erosion of the poisonous gas, they withered, they hesitated, they released their hands from the cliff face, and fell, plunging into the abyss.

Herrela was shaking all over. Her arms were twitching uncontrollably due to exhaustion, but she still clung to the rock wall with all her might.

She wanted to become stronger, she wanted to protect others.

In the end, Herrela was the third person to successfully climb to the summit.

Mortarion, who was waiting at the summit for the latest batch of Death Guard, personally awarded her a weapon. Based on observations from previous special training, she was given a well-made musket. From now on, she was Death Guard.

She vowed to defend the people here, she vowed to fight to the end.

She swore.

Later, she participated in battles large and small. Herrela's agility and accurate marksmanship earned her her own dignity and cheers.

In a battle to encircle and suppress Swamp Rock Leopards in the wild, Herrela killed the leader with one shot; in a siege against a lord, Herrela held her ground after her squad was wiped out, and defended the territory by killing thirty-six puppets alone.

She was Death Guard, and she would protect the people of this land.

However... in the day-to-day fighting, when she put down her musket and looked at the sky, a ripple would always rise in Herrela's heart. Was the sky on the day they met like this?

Under the guise of inquiring about the war situation, Herrela was still quietly collecting information about Hades.

She learned that this tall warrior was only two years older than her.

She learned that Hades was one of the original three members of the Death Guard.

She learned that Hades was not very popular, even though he was very powerful, he was always ostracized by others.

Why was it that such an excellent person wasn't appreciated by everyone?

In the next combat team assignment, harboring her own little thoughts, Herrela deliberately arrived a bit late. As expected, she was assigned to Hades, whom no one wanted to approach.

Hades silently carried his scythe, squatting in an inconspicuous corner of the battlefield, waiting for her.

She walked over. Was she nervous? Herrela felt herself becoming a little weak.

No, she couldn't embarrass herself in front of her idol, making him think she was weak.

Herrela cheered herself up and plunged into battle with her gun.

When she shot the last puppet in the head, Hades, who was already resting on his scythe, whistled.

"Well done, girl, good marksmanship."

"I remember you, the one who went to attract the Pus Hounds by herself, right?"

"I thought you were a good prospect back then, and now it seems my judgment was right."

What, what was going on?! Herrela felt her face flush instantly. Luckily, the gas mask kept Hades from noticing her discomfort.

She had always, always imagined Hades as a silent and warm person.

She never expected, never expected him to be so enthusiastic!!!

Ugh, ahhhhh! The idol halo seemed to be shattering a bit!!

But regardless, after that, Herrela would choose to team up with Hades every time she applied for a team.

As if aware of Herrela's thoughts, Hades also often chatted with her.

Whenever a battle was nearing its end and there were no monsters around, Hades would wield his scythe for Herrela, the unusually heavy scythe seeming to come alive in Hades's hands, dancing with a whistling wind and flashing light.

He also taught Herrela some shooting techniques. Strangely, Hades couldn't use firearms himself, but he had his own insights into their use.

Besides these, Hades also told Herrela some other tips, such as how to till the land more efficiently, how to use rice water to water flowers, and how to calculate multiplication tables.

Unlike the loathsome existence others described, Herrela found Hades to be quite a magical person.

To repay Hades, and harboring a little thought of her own, Herrela often put her heart into cooking meals for Hades.

Compared to his sickly sister, who ate listlessly, Hades always ate quickly and happily.

Herrela's sense of taste had been destroyed long ago in an exposure to toxic gas, and she hadn't been able to enjoy the pleasure of food for a long time.

So she hoped Hades could continue to carry on her joy of eating.

Aside from the occasional dizziness caused by frequent battles, Herrela's life was constantly becoming happier and more joyful.

Herrela was becoming stronger, able to protect the weak, and had become friends with Hades.

Meanwhile, the Death Guard, under the leadership of Mortarion, was also constantly developing and growing stronger, with one lord after another being beheaded.

The future would be even better.

As long as we work hard, as long as we resist, the future will be even better.

Even if it meant sacrifice, she would protect it all.

Herrela deeply, firmly believed in this.

Aside from the protagonist Hades, the descriptions of the other characters were quite serious.

Except for the protagonist, with his own carefree, off-the-rails personality, occasionally making harmless little jokes about this dark world.

The Barbarus chapter won't be very long. Knowing that everyone likes to see the protagonist in a can (and I like it too), I won't be too verbose and will let the protagonist become a can as soon as possible.