Ex-Hero, Now Freeloader

7 - A New Life and A Psychologically Self-Triggered Nosebleed

In the Demon King Castle.

I, who was deeply moved by the pancakes earlier, went to visit Eleanor who fainted earlier.

When I called out to her room, I waited for quite some time before Eleanor came out to greet me. Her hair was immaculate despite the fact she was just sleeping.

Her clothes didn't even have a single wrinkle... In fact, they're completely different from before. Guess she changed clothes.

Also, she's somewhat out of breath.

「Apologies for making you wait, even though I had to rush...」

「It's fine. I was worried, so I came. Well, that's not all. I brought you pancakes.」

I used Space-Time element to stop time properly.

The ice cream isn't melting and the dough remains warm.

「Goodness, thank you very much. ...You seem to have stopped time perfectly. I have heard that no matter how much one might try, the flow of time can only be slowed to a crawl.」

「Really? This is how the Sage taught me to do it, though.」

「I suppose if it's the Sage... However, this is not something that can be used just as soon as one is taught. This is a feat of Sir Rain's talent and hard work. I, Eleanor of the Big Four, am in awe.」

With the way she acts around me, I tend to forget that Eleanor is actually a very accomplished magic-user.

This is why she can notice things that most people cannot.

「Pancake first, magic talk later. It's really good, so it'd be a waste if you don't eat it, Eleanor.」

Remembering how moved I was moments ago, I naturally smiled.

「Nnn...!!」

Eleanor takes out a handkerchief and puts it to her mouth...or rather, her nose.

For some reason, a lot of bad things happen to her when she's around me.

And yet her face is always one of pure joy. It's strange.

「A-another nosebleed? ...Eleanor, could it be that you used too much mana and it's taking a toll on your body?」

I've heard of illnesses like that. When a person's magical ability does not match their physical ability, their mana will eat away at their body.

The Crest that appears on the Six Saviors is a kind of blessing that removes whatever it is that limits the normal growth of humans while still allowing them to keep their shape as a human.

The Saint's healing magic can heal any and all injury as long as you aren't dead. There is nothing that the Swordmaster cannot cut. The Magic Archer's bow never misses its mark.

The Sage can use all existing magical elements, and following the War God's every order will ensure the strategy to end in success every time.

By the way, my withdrawal from Humanity was not a failure on the War God's part, it's because I am ignoring his orders.

Wait...

No matter how you look at it, he couldn't have predicted me meeting Eleanor.

So it's not his fault.

But I can't help but think...

That maybe all this, me being here, was within his predictions...

...Nah, no way.

But back to Eleanor.

She said「I'm vine.」like her nose was totally stuffed up. She worries me.