I Became the Hero While Paving a Flower Path for My Niece - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Becoming a Hero by Paving the Way for My Cousin 032
[But why are my bones here of all places?]
As Alex and Ibek made their way back to the village, they discussed Ibek’s bones appearing somewhere other than the dungeon.
“It seems not all of your bones appear in the dungeon. The Life Vessel was on the Mountain Behind Village, after all.”
[Ah, right.]
[So we’ll need to search places outside the dungeon from now on?]
“It looks that way.”
While dungeon changes could be tracked through word from the Mercenary Guild, Alex wondered how they’d ever find bones scattered across seemingly random locations like this.
“We might have to search the entire continent.”
A sigh escaped both Alex and Ibek.
“Still, thank goodness we have Mana Detection. Without it, we wouldn’t have won so easily.”
[My senses really are exceptional!]
[Just like a chef with Absolute Taste!]
Then.
Something appeared on Mana Detection.
[Huh?]
[The villagers are coming this way?]
Alex felt the mana of the villagers as well.
“What’s going on?”
Alex frowned in confusion.
The Alarm he’d set up in front of Leo’s room was still intact.
[It seems like they’re looking for us?]
The villagers were heading in a different direction from where Alex was.
“Let’s go check it out.”
Alex changed course and headed toward them.

* * *
A short while earlier.
The Village Elder, who had been gazing out the window, roused his slow body and stepped outside. His family came with him.
“Village Elder.”
“You were already out here, then.”
The villagers who had come out first greeted the Elder as he appeared.
“We couldn’t bear to stay inside.”
Except for the children, everyone watched the forest with expressions mixing worry and hope.
Among them, some—driven by curiosity or unease—took torches and began moving toward the forest. Others followed behind them.
Those who remained near the forest’s edge, held back by fear, spoke among themselves.
“Do you think that mage will be alright?”
Someone voiced concern for Alex, who had entered the forest alone.
“He should be fine. They say mages are incredibly powerful.”
At the Elder’s words, everyone nodded.
“I heard tales about him too. Something about summoning rain?”
“The magic he used earlier in the day was water-based, wasn’t it?”
“Water appeared out of nowhere, or so they say.”
Everyone spoke excitedly about the magic they’d never witnessed before.
Perhaps this young mage truly could resolve the wolf pack that had been tormenting the village these past several days.
Even now, thinking back on it all brought only sighs.
At first, the wolves had stolen small animals—chickens and ducks. Later, they began hunting the livestock essential to farming: donkeys, oxen, and the like.
“And today they were trying to drag people away, weren’t they?”
“Yes. Even grown adults were being hauled off. If they’d taken the children instead, with their smaller bodies….”
They would have vanished into the forest in moments.
Parents who imagined such a scenario felt their hearts sink. They could only grip each other’s hands tightly, their faces dark.
“We can’t keep the doors shut and endure this forever….”
Children who didn’t understand were crying and making a fuss; those who did understand were quietly frustrated.
The adults felt the same.
“We still have crops to tend, and winter is coming soon. We need to prepare….”
“But we can’t do anything because of those wolves, confound it.”
So they pooled their money and decided to hire a mercenary. It would cost dearly, but they couldn’t abandon their beloved home and flee.
Then, by chance, a passing mercenary agreed to take the job.
And it turned out that mercenary was a mage!
“Please….”
Everyone gazed toward the darkened forest with desperate eyes.
They prayed that the young Mage would deal with the wolf pack.
That was when it happened.
—!
A sound echoed from deep within the forest.
“Did you hear that just now?”
“We did!”
Everyone turned toward the forest with startled eyes, straining to listen.
Bang! Crash!
The sound that followed seemed even louder than before.
“It sounds like they’re fighting, doesn’t it?”
Everyone nodded in agreement. The Mage seemed to be casting some tremendous spell.
Driven by curiosity and anticipation, they edged closer toward the forest, listening intently.
But no more sound came.
It was far too quiet.
“This isn’t—something terrible hasn’t happened, has it?”
“We should go help!”
Some bolted back toward their homes to fetch farming tools, while others grabbed torches and prepared to rush straight into the forest.
Then.
Kaboom—!
A tremendous explosion resounded all the way beyond the forest’s edge.
Everyone froze in shock, their eyes widening as they stared into the darkness where the blast had come from.
“…M-magic really is something else.”
They all nodded in dazed agreement.
An explosion that loud—they couldn’t help but wonder what in the world was happening in there.
The forest fell silent again.
This time, the quiet lasted considerably longer.
“…Should we go help?”
“Maybe it’s already over?”
Was it still dangerous, or was it all finished? The villagers had no way of knowing, so they looked to the Village Elder.
“Some of us stay behind. The rest come with me.”
“Yes, sir!”
Those carrying torches and the Village Elder headed deeper into the forest, toward where the sound had come from.
That was when they encountered Alex coming toward them.
“The Mage!”
“What brings all of you here?”
Ibek chuckled at Alex’s surprised expression.
[He would have known with Mana Detection.]
Alex had come this way because he worried the villagers might get lost searching for him.
“Perfect timing, actually. I was wondering how to bring back the dead wolves, but I suppose you can verify everything for yourselves.”
“…What do you mean?”
The Village Elder and the villagers looked at Alex with hope-filled eyes.
“I’ve dealt with the entire wolf pack. You won’t need to worry anymore.”
A great cheer erupted at Alex’s words.
“Thank you!”
“Thank you so much, Mage!”
Everyone beamed with joy.
While they celebrated, the Village Elder examined Alex carefully. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have any serious injuries.
“I’m relieved you’re unharmed.”
At the Village Elder’s reassuring words, Alex smiled and spoke.
“Well then, shall we go have a look? Oh, and I have one more request.”
“! Just name it!”
“Is there anyone here who knows how to skin hides? There are dead wolves deeper in, and I’d appreciate it if you could strip the pelts from the intact ones.”
[Thrifty fellow.]
Of course.
He needed to earn money earnestly if he was going to buy Leo good food and nice things.
At Alex’s words, the villagers shouted eagerly that they’d be happy to handle it.
Together, they all headed toward the place where the dead wolves lay. A few rushed off to spread the good news to those who had remained in the village.
“…Wow….”

“This is….”
And at last, they arrived at their destination.
The Village Elder and the villagers’ jaws fell slack.
“Were there truly this many wolves?”
The number of dead wolves far exceeded their expectations.
“There are more over there.”
“!!”
At Alex’s words, everyone jumped in alarm.
“…We would have been in serious trouble if you hadn’t been a Mage.”
Everyone agreed with the Village Elder, who spoke while catching his breath.
“Think nothing of it.”
Alex laughed in response.
“Then I’ll leave this to you. There’s nothing dangerous nearby, so feel free to work at your leisure. I’m exhausted, so I’ll head back first.”
[Really just eager to see Leo.]
Ibek’s words came with a giggle, which Alex let wash over him as he—
“Of course, you should. Leave this to us and get some proper rest.”
Alex nodded to the Village Elder, who kept bobbing his head enthusiastically, then headed toward the village with spring in his step.
After Alex departed, the villagers could leisurely examine their surroundings.
“Wow, is all this scorched and soaked ground from the magic?”
“Incredible.”
The charred trees and waterlogged earth were sights they would never see from an ordinary battle. They were surely the marks left by that tremendous explosion they’d heard moments ago.
“!! Village—Village Elder! Come look at this!”
At someone’s cry, everyone turned to look in that direction.
“This is a Monster!”
“…What?”
At these unbelievable words, the Village Elder and all the villagers hurried over.
“A size like that… it really is a Monster.”
The villagers unconsciously stepped back from the corpse by a few paces. Even knowing it was dead, they felt afraid.
“A Monster in the forest….”
“If this had come down to the village!”
Terrible imaginings flooded their minds unbidden, and everyone trembled. At the same time, wonder and reverence for Alex, who had defeated this enormous Monster, welled up within them.
“We truly would have been in grave danger without the Mage.”
The Village Elder spoke, releasing a breath of relief.
“Fighting such a massive Monster must have been terribly difficult for you.”
The villagers’ minds conjured the image of an exhausted Alex heading toward the village. Gratitude flooded in like waves.
The Village Elder struck his staff against the ground with a sharp crack and spoke with vigor.
“Come now! Let’s start processing the hide at once! If time passes, it won’t be usable.”
“Village Elder! What shall we do with the Monster? It seems like it should be worth quite a bit.”
“We take that too. And anything else of value—gather it all. It belongs to the Mage, so handle it carefully!”
“Yes, sir!”
Under the Village Elder’s direction, the villagers set to work with enthusiasm, carefully collecting Wolf Hides, fangs, and other valuables.
Meanwhile.
Alex made his way toward the village without a hint of exhaustion, practically bounding along.
Though he’d expended considerable Mana, it wasn’t nearly as much as when he’d faced the Goblin Shaman, so a few rounds of the Mana Cultivation Technique had restored him completely.
“I really should train in channeling Mana through my body. That way I can move faster.”
[To get to Leo quicker?]
Ibek’s giggling remark made Alex laugh despite himself. Not that he entirely lacked such intentions.
[That was genuinely dangerous.]
[If I’d failed to block that opening strike, we’d have been finished.]
[A Mage really is at odds with Close-Range Combat.]
Alex had to agree.
He could feel anew the necessity of Swordsmanship.
“Which means I need to train harder.”
[Sob.]
Ibek shed tears at the thought of the muscle soreness that awaited him in the future, given Alex’s newfound resolve.

* * *
The clouds had cleared, and three moons shone brightly. Alex arrived at the Elder’s House.
“Welcome! Mage!”
The Village Elder’s son and his wife, who had been waiting at the house, greeted Alex with beaming smiles. They’d clearly heard the news.
“You must be exhausted. Please, go rest. We’ve prepared warm water for a bath—use it however you like.”
“Thank you so much. We’ll be on our way then!”
After the couple left.
Alex washed in the warm water they’d prepared and made his way to the room where Leo was sleeping.
[The Alarm is still intact.]
Dismissing the Alarm spell, Alex slipped into the room. There was Leo, breathing softly—szzz, szzz—fast asleep.
“Doesn’t look like he woke up.”
The Lowest-Grade Tracking Mana Stone and the pouch of Paralysis Powder remained undisturbed.
After carefully stashing them elsewhere, Alex reset the Alarm spell on the door and lay down beside Leo.
The warmth radiating from the child’s body seeped into the quilts, easing the tension from his body and mind.
“Mm….”
Sensing someone’s presence, Leo stirred in his sleep and nestled into Alex’s arms.
Then he let out a soft giggle.
[He’s adorable.]
[Does he know it’s me?]
In the ‘future’, even lying beside him, Leo hadn’t recognized him.
Every time Alex felt the reality of being here in the past, of truly being alive again, his chest would tighten with something he couldn’t quite name.
Alex smiled, his throat thick with emotion, and gently patted Leo’s back.
“Sleep well, Leo.”
“Mm….”
[He’s even answering.]
Ibek and Alex couldn’t help but smile at each other.
It was a peaceful, happy night.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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