The Replacement of the Sword Hero

Chapter Twelve: Penalty

My eyes snapped open, Ren's words still ringing in my ears. In the dark, I focussed on my status and bought up the results.

Wilbur Wilkinson
Class: Sword Hero LV 24
Equipment: Blunt Iron Longsword (legendary weapon)
Brigandine, Cotton shirt... [Expand]
Skills: gathering 1, harvesting 1, plant appraisal... [Expand]
Magic: none

To my relief, I was still listed as the Sword Hero. Clearly Ren was just trying to rattle me. Perhaps his continuous defeats at my blade, night after night had driven him to use psychological tactics against me. I sighed and rolled over, intending to go back to sleep, when suddenly I heard a voice.

"Mr. Wilkinson, who was that person?"
I froze, mid roll.
"Mr. Wilkinson, are you alright? I sensed a powerful presence just now. Why did they attack you?"
What was Atla talking about, did she mean Ren? Could she sense him? I called out softly to her.
"Atla, what could you sense, how powerful were they?"
She answered me immediately. "They weren't as strong as you, Mr. Wilkinson. But when they appeared, their power suddenly increased by a little bit. Also, they were drawing their power from the same source as you. Except for them, the power wanted to go in their direction. It kept surging up, trying to overcome the diversion until suddenly that person disappeared and the energy calmed down again."

From her description I could roughly guess what had happened. The power Ren gained as soon as he appeared was probably his status updating concurrent with my position in the timeline. Each time I fought Ren at night, he gained a day's worth of experience and levels that he should have done in the light novels.

Besides that though, I hadn't felt any surges of power. I hadn't even unleashed a skill during tonight's battle. The power that was desperate to escape... Did the legendary sword want to return to its rightful master that badly? As far as I recalled, Ren wasn't even the sword's first choice of hero. Could it not see the improvements I was making to the timeline? Did it not appreciate how quickly I picked up the other heroes power up methods? If I were to pick up the bow's power up methods too, I would feel pretty confident in handling this next wave by myself.

"Mr. Wilkinson..."
"Sorry, I was lost in thought. Thanks for telling me that Atla." I said.
"Umm... Sorry to ask this of you, but could you please change my bandages?" She asked softly.
I thought about waking Fohl and making him do it, but something about Atla, her frailty and her politeness, stirred my protective instincts. Even though she was going to turn out to be a powerful warrior one day, she was still only a delicate, sickly child at the moment. As her owner, I had to take care of her.
"Alright. I have a healing salve that might help too." I crept across the stable and sat on the straw next to Atla. She was still lying on my brigandine, clutching the edges with her fingers and burying her face into the padding. It still smelled faintly of smoke from when Bitch burned all of our belongings.
"Sorry about the smell. There's no need to bury your head in it, it's only here to provide a cushion between you and the straw." I said.
"No, I like it." Said Atla softly. "It has your scent in it. It makes me happy."
"Okay." I gently propped her up in a sitting position and began to unwind her bandages.

I paused shortly after removing the first strip. There was something wrong here. When Naofumi had given Atla the Elixir of Yggdrasil, she had made a full recovery in a day or two. Whereas currently, her skin which should have been as pale and smooth as porcelain was splotched with livid burn-like patches. Sensing my hesitation, Atla tried to reassure me.
"Don't worry, Mr. Wilkinson, it's not contagious."
"I don't understand." I muttered. "It should look better than this..."
"Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing. Don't worry about it." I said, starting to unwrap the next bandage. "Let's see if this salve helps at all."
I spread a generous layer of healing salve over the angry red blotches on her skin and then re-covered them with fresh bandages.
"Do you really think I will be able to use a spear one day?" Atla asked as I was packing up the used bandages.
"Certainly. I know for a fact that one day, you will be as strong a warrior as your brother."
Atla lapsed into thought.
"Well if Mr. Wilkinson says so, then it must be so." She smiled at me and then lay back on the straw bedding, rubbing her face against my brigandine. I picked up the used dressings and patted her on the head. "Alright, sleep tight."
"Goodnight Mr. Wilkinson."