I'm A Dullahan, Looking For My Head Chapter 6

 Chapter 6

To Obtain This Helmet

“Why is Sisti traveling alone?”

“It’s simple. To become an adventurer. I’m heading to the capital for that. It’s more convenient with all the resources there.

Hearing Sisti’s words, I'm shocked.

In this fantasy world where monsters exist, there really is a job whose livelihood it is to subdue monsters. It's a classic setting in the fantasy genre.

So, she’s aiming for the capital by going through Poda Village?

Adventurers are great. They defeat monsters through requests and receive rewards.

In taverns, information is gathered, and they might even travel to faraway places for the sake of the requests.

Maybe I can gain information about my head.

The best way to learn about this world should be to actually live in it.

If I can wear the helmet and disguise myself, things should work out somehow.

“What about Duke?”

“I also came from the countryside with the aim of becoming an adventurer.”

By declaring myself as a country bumpkin, people will be more forgiving even if I’m a bit ignorant.

“If it’s true that you came through the Demon’s Forest, did you come from a village in the Cloudia Empire?”

“Hmm?”

Sisti mutters something next to me, but I didn’t hear it.

“It’s nothing. If that’s the case, our destinations are the same, right? After this, the next adventurer’s guild isn’t until the capital.”

“Yeah, I’m a country bumpkin and ignorant, but please take care of me. I’m confident in close combat.”

Even though I’m dressed in full armor, I’m not a swordsman you know?

Using my fists at really close range is my specialty. I don’t even have a sword.

“Yes, I’m a mage who attacks from the rear, so having a front-line swordman like Duke would be helpful—huh? What happened to your sword?”

“...it broke along the way.”

Sisti exhales a sigh, with a look that says, “I can’t believe you don’t have a sword, even though you’re a swordsman.

“Haa....... if anyone in the village has a sword or dagger, ask them to sell it to you. If not, I will lend you my dagger.”

“...I’m sorry, but I don’t have any money, so it looks like I’ll have to borrow it from Sisti.”

“Maybe we should go separately after all?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m confident in my ability to fight, so please don’t abandon me!”

I cling to Sisti as she walks.

"Hey, hey, don't cling to me and cry when you're dressed like that! You're going to tear my favorite cape, so let go!"

"I won't let go until you nod!"

"Hey, let go... Oh no! Did I just hear a tearing sound? My favorite cape!? Please let go! If you don't, I'll seriously kick you!"

“Try it! I have confidence in my defense!”

◆

“Is that Poda Village?

“............. that’s right.”

I was able to show my usefulness and accompany her. As we walk along the road, we see a small village that looks like it could be Poda Village.

Sisti’s voice next to me sounds a bit tired, probably from the long journey.

Her legs must be fatigued, and her gait is a little sluggish.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“... My feet hurt.”

I decide to go to the village and let her get some rest.

When I return my gaze to the front, I see many houses similar to those from earlier.

The fences that surround the village are probably put up to avoid monsters and wild beasts.

There are many fields and waterways surrounding the outside, with several small children running around happily.

It's a truly peaceful rural village scene.

“Wow, a knight!”

“He’s a big guy.”

Exposed to the curious gazes of the children, Sisti and I go through the village’s entrance...

“Thief!”

As soon as we enter the village, an elderly man comes out shouting those words.

“Hey, hey, Sisti, did you pick and eat some crops along the way?”

“Why would I do that? Unlike Duke, I have money, don’t I?”

Sisti’s words make the elderly man look at me with an expression that seems to say, ‘I knew it.’

What’s with that look? It’s not good to doubt someone just because they don’t have money.

"Hey, wait a minute! What are you saying I stole?"

No one deserves to be accused of a crime they don’t remember.

I, Sousuke, or rather Duke, will fight resolutely.

As I protest, the old man points his finger at me.

“That helmet you’re wearing!”

My helmet.

“What!?”

I shout in surprise, and the old man continues to speak.

“That helmet belonged to a villager that retired from being a knight.”

Right, I had indeed inadvertently taken the helmet out and put it on.

In other words, the elderly man saw me wearing a helmet that should have been in a friend’s house and called me a thief.

Certainly, that might be considered theft. Well, it is theft.

“I thought you were rummaging around in the house, and it turns out you really are a thief.”

The piercing gaze from Sisti next to me is painful.

“No, um, I lost my helmet when I was coming through the Demon’s Forest...”

"You managed to lose both your helmet and your sword and still survive.”

“I’m a lucky man.”

It seems like they somehow accepted it because of the Demon's Forest.

“But you can’t take it without permission. Take off the helmet and give it back.”

“I don’t want to! I love this helmet! I’ll never take it off!”

If I take this helmet off here, they’ll realize I’m a dullahan.

What a thing to say!

“It’ll be fine if you just give back the helmet. Come on, return it.”

“Absolutely not!”

Sisti tries to take off my helmet, but she is significantly shorter.

After all, my current height is 190 centimeters including my helmet, so it’s only natural.

On the other hand, Sisti’s height is about 160 centimeters or so.

I can easily dodge and bounce off the arms coming from below.

“Hahaha, futile, futile.”

“Look out!”

“Dangerous!”

This guy pokes my helmet with the cane he's holding in his hand.

If a normal person were hit by it, it would hurt their face, but as a dullahan, it would have resulted in a shocking decapitation, you know!?

“There’s another way!”

“And what’s that?”

In response to my suggestion, made while trembling at the thought of my Dullahan identity being revealed, Sisti's movements come to a halt.

“You can sell the helmet.”

“You don’t have any money! I’m not the one paying for it!”

My nice suggestion is met with an angry voice and a sharp stab from a cane.

I avoid them by shifting my position.

It’s scary how sharp he is getting. I wonder if he's practicing stick techniques or something.

“Well, as a reward, I could consider giving it to you.”

“Oh!”

I shout in anticipation at the old man’s words.

“But it belongs to another villager, doesn’t it?”

“Well, that person is no longer in this world...”

The old man answers Sisti’s words with a distant look in his eyes.

Using such a tone, they must have been close.

While I feel uncomfortable about using things that belonged to the deceased, I think to myself that it can’t be helped if it's to blend in as a human.

After all, this encounter with the helmet changed my life.

“..... I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’m sure he wouldn’t have liked letting his favorite helmet rust away.”

When Sisti apologizes, the old man tells her not to worry and smiles.

"So then, if you're giving it as a reward, is there something I can do for you?"

"Well, you guys are adventurers from the looks of it, aren’t you? Even if you aren’t, your young lady looks like a wizard, and you’re wearing full body armor, so I’m sure you can fight to some extent, right?”

To be exact, I’m planning to head to the royal capital from here and become an adventurer.

“So we’re going to be exterminating monsters?”

“Yes. Recently, goblins have been coming sporadically and causing us trouble. Fortunately, the villagers have not been harmed, only the crops, but we don’t know when they will appear next. Goblins are monsters that increase in number very quickly.”

If it’s goblins, it would be a piece of cake. As long as it’s not a horde of bears or wyverns, we can manage.

“Alright, let’s accept it, Sisti! It’s a good opportunity for us to understand each other’s strengths, right?”

‘Huh? I wasn’t expecting to meet a thief, and I have no intention of going along with one either, you know?’ If they say something like that, I won't be able to recover.

But, all things considered, Sisti is kind, so I don’t think she would say such harsh things... maybe.

“Well, yes. I was a village girl in the countryside myself, so I’d be happy to take on a request like this.”

That’s good; she didn’t say anything harsh.

Anyway, I thought Sisti was from the upper-class because her behavior was so refined. That’s surprising.

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