The Strongest Wizard Becomes a Countryside Guardsman After Taking an Arrow to the Knee

Chapter 123 – Examining the Knee

Translator: ranzan

I wonder if my knee hurting was the sign that the Demon Lord was resurrected. That was mortifyingly scary.

And the stone taken from my knee was identical to a parasitic being that would take you over.

If this was an underling of the Demon Lord, that I think it was made in attempts to turn me into one of his puppets.

Cruz said in a serious tone,

「If you get taken over, we’re all in trouble. The world might be destroyed.」

She was right. If my life was taken over, they would all be in trouble.

However, I don’t think the world was going to be destroyed.

『If you were taken over, I would put you out of your misery.』

「Th, thanks?」

『I’d be sad, but I’d have to do it. So please don’t worry.』

Femm might have thought this a good thing to say, but now I’m really worried.

But if something as bad as being possessed happened, then I’d rather be killed.

However…I’d like for them to find a way to restore me first.

「…ryaaa」

Shiggy held on tight to me. It probably knew what was being said.

「It’s fine. I won’t be taken over that easily.」

I held Shiggy with my right hand and said.

「Moo Moo!」

Now Moofy was munching on my left hand again.

They all were worried and the stress made them act like children.

It’s true. But I wish the cow wouldn’t chomp on my hand.

Then I asked Yureena and Luka,

「If I ever were about to be taken over, would there be a way to avoid it?」

Yureena looked at me seriously.

「When the stone gets big, we should cut it out.」

「So, how often are you going to have to cut it out?」

「Considering the pace of yesterday and today, once every or every other day.」

「I…I see.」

It would suck if they have to cut open my knee every day.

Even if Vi-Vi made a circle to calm my pain, still, everyday was too much.

I would bleed and my body would lose all its strength.

「Every day? That’d be rough on Yureena…no way I want that to happen.」

「Don’t worry about it, Al! I’ll cut you open every day!」

「Oh…thanks…」

Yureena actually looked pretty prepared to do it. I was thankful…I guess.

However, it was a little weird to have someone so prepared to do surgery on me daily.

Just then, Luka had been thinking and said,

「Al, when Cruz rubbed your knee, the pain went away, right?」

「Yeah, that’s definitely true.」

「What else took the pain away?」

「Nothing, I guess. The hot spring water didn’t work.」

「I see…」

Luka considered the matter again.

「Well, it is the effect of the Demon Lords immortal-killer arrow. I think Cruz’ holy power can counteract it.」

Cruz’ eyes shimmered.

「Really? Then I’m really going to rub him down!」

「Well, we don’t know if it’ll work yet.」

I remembered back to when it didn’t hurt.

「That reminds me, when it suddenly began to hurt badly was when Cruz wasn’t near me.」

「Well, I guess I’m going to be all over you then from now!」

「Cruz is a busy girl, so we can’t do that, I think.」

「I’m fine! Today I’m free! Right? Luka?」

Cruz looked happily at Luka for a response.

But Luka responded with an icy tone.

「No, we can’t just leave you here. Even if you did have breaks before, you’re still a busy girl!」

「But, if Al gets possessed, then the world is in danger. You have to let me!」

「No way…well…maybe…」

Luka pondered it all seriously.

「You might be right. We can’t let it get to level where Al is taken over by the Demon Lord.」

「Yeah! It’s dangerous!」

Yureena said, and Vi-Vi agreed.

It seems that I’m a highly respected guy all the sudden.

As a result of the discussion, we decided that Cruz should be around me as much as possible.

Cruz was going to be allowed to take off as much as she could from work, and when she was free, would be around me.

『I guess I’ll have to help too.』

「Moo Moo」

Femm and Moofy were ready to help.

With Cruz having to stick by me, she would have to move quickly. So maybe Femm would carry her around.

「Allow Yureena and I to do all the research on this stone.」

「Please do.」

「I’m going to do all I can to see if my the Demon Lord was resurrected!」

Vallimie was ready to find out everything.

Vallimie had some clout with the magic beasts as she lived near the Demon Lord’s area.

「Thanks, everyone. I’m happy you care this much.」

I said to everyone with a bow.

Now that the tension had been relieved, Cruz smiled.

「Vi-Vi, what will you do if the Demon Lord has come back?」

There was a moment of silence – not a good sign.

Vi-Vi was one of the four Sub-bosses. I don’t have to tell you that means she was in a high position in the Demon Lord’s army.

Luka nudged Cruz and said,

「You shouldn’t have asked that…」

「What? It’s an IMPORTANT QUESTION!」

Cruz said quite innocently.

Vi-Vi said coldly,

「I never thought the Demon Lord was going to be resurrected…」

「Vi-Vi, what do you think about him now?」

「Sister…」

Vi-Vi thought a bit, and then spoke,

「The Demon Lord I knew was good. He was a kind lord. I thought he wanted to make a kingdom where all devils and monsters could live in peace.」

However, the Demon Lord we fought was one hell of a bastard.

He used a zombie army, burned down villages, and made the devils and monsters run wild.

「I was just in charge of improving livestock and crops. I didn’t think it was good the Demon Lord attacked people.」

「Well, he was worse than that.」

Cruz said and Vi-Vi nodded.

「When we lost and left the battle, I think I changed.」

Honestly, Vi-Vi had done some bad things before leaving the army.

She probably didn’t realize it.

There were a lot of bosses in the sub-bosses of the army that were trying to eat humans.

「I heard that the Demon Lord had used a zombie army. Even though the Demon Lord swore he wouldn’t use one…」

But this was after Vi-Vi left the army.

Vallimie said after pondering it,

「The only reason I let Vi-Vi join the Demon Lord’s army, it was only because the Demon Lord was a skilled politician.」

「Oh?」

「But I thought he seemed quite strange.」

「When was that?」

「About a half year before you finally attacked them? It was when he started attacking human settlements.」

When he started attacking, Cruz was tasked with eliminating him.

「I see.」

I guess she knew a lot about the Demon Lord back them.

「At least now I don’t want to become an ally of the Demon Lord.」

「I see, thanks.」

Vi-Vi said clearly, and I was happy.

「Yeah, Al, we’re going to find out about the Demon Lord!」

Cruz said cheerfully.