Stop It! It’s Not Me That’s Strong… It’s the Sword…!

mbled with fear.
To be honest, I want to run away.
But as Fiana-san said, “If you defy the imperial royal family's

request, the punishment could be death.”

There's no escape! I'm at my wit's end!

Damn it, should I be prepared to become a criminal and run away?! It's safer than a suicidal attack on that colossal dragon, isn't it? Alright, I've made up my mind.

It feels a bit late to decide at this point, but just as I was about to make my escape…
At that moment, Tiana-san tightly grasped my trembling hand.

Huh!?

“Kurou…
You're angry too.
At the wickedness of the royal family and the dragon's tyranny.”

“Of course…
(Wait, huh?)”

Wait, wait a minute! It's true that I can't forgive the royal family and the prime minister, but is it really necessary to feel that strongly about the dragon?! And my hand is trembling because of fear!

Sure, it's sad to think about the people in the attacked village, but people getting eaten by monsters is a common occurrence in the outskirts.

Besides, I'm not some saint who would risk his life and get angry for the sake of strangers…

“As I thought.
Even in the face of this devastating aftermath, you don't seem scared at all.
Though our time together has been short, I understand your personality well, Kurou.
You're someone who can discard yourself for the sake of peace.”

‘No, I can't discard myself!?!?!’

I don't have that kind of intention at all!? I'm just a petty citizen who would rather enjoy the benefits of peace than protect it, you know!?

‘Hmm…
It's true that when I'm in my “Condemner mode,” I might come across as that kind of character, but have I really acted all self-sacrificing in front of Tiana-san?’

I was just saying cool things with a determined expression, you know? I can't remember at all.

“…Anyway, Kurou, it's already late today.
You must be tired from the battles along the way, so let's rest for today.” Tiana-san firmly grabbed my sleeve.

Huh, huh? Rest for today? Does that mean we'll have to battle tomorrow? ‘N-No, I don't want to! I want to run away!’ I can't afford to worry about that anymore! I stopped my determined act and was about to desperately shout, “Please, Tiana-san, let me escape!” But…

“…you have no way to escape anyway.
If you abandon the mission, the royal family will surely hold your mentor, Iris-sama, accountable…”

‘Wait, what?!’

Th-That's too much! I can't let Iris-san suffer because of me! Which means I have no choice but to confront…

“Yeah, Tiana, let's rest for today.”

And so, Kurou-kun decided to face the dragon in battle tomorrow! Damn it!

…

Note: There are some short time-skips, because this is WN and full detailed story can be found in LN.
If you want, you can support the author by buying LN.