I Am Really The Best Anti Hero In Another World!-System Of Anti Hero!
Chapter 44 - 43 - The Barrier Amidst the Forest

Chapter 44 - 43 - The Barrier Amidst the Forest

During the walk, Noah scanned his surroundings for herbs—he didn't find many that were actually useful at the moment, but he mentally noted their locations. A thought occurred to him about whether that man might have already collected the rarest herbs—and if that were true, there wouldn't be much left to do.

One step ahead, something strange happened—he felt as if his body had passed through something with a gelatinous consistency, or at least that's what it seemed like—a thin, invisible layer that Noah only noticed when he touched it.

The trees vanished, and the tall grass along with the uneven bushes gave way to a small field—where low grass swayed in the breeze and even the scent in the air changed. Previously, there had been a faint odor of blood in the air, largely thanks to the beasts lurking nearby, but now there was nothing but the fresh, floral fragrance of nature.

Further ahead, he spotted a house. Compared to most of the residences in the city, the old man's house was undoubtedly superior—more beautiful, well-built, and by all accounts, larger. Given that, Noah couldn't understand why the old man dressed the way he did.

Noah examined the house from top to bottom and, just as his eyes nearly reached the door, he noticed a woman who didn't appear to be as aged as the old man, yet she wasn't as youthful as Alice. Although Alice—despite her white hair—seemed to be no more than about 30 at most (perhaps thanks to her natural beauty reminiscent of Sophia), the difference was striking.

Unlike Alice, the woman's short, brown hair was already turning gray, her skin showed signs of wrinkles, and for some reason, she had pronounced dark circles beneath her black eyes.

She suddenly sprang up in front of the old man and exclaimed,

— Sir, the young lady...!

Surely there was something she meant to say, but before she could finish her sentence, she caught sight of Noah and quickly altered her expression, trying to appear a little calmer—even though one of her hands was gripping the hilt of a dagger hidden at her waist. After a few seconds of silence during which she scrutinized the newcomer, she whispered,

— ...Who is that...?

But the old man paid no heed to her question; his mind was still fixed on the worried expression that had marked her face just moments before. Clearly agitated, he placed his hands on her shoulders and, squeezing them gently, asked,

— What happened to her?!

The woman couldn't bring herself to answer—even though she knew that a few words would suffice to explain what had occurred—her mind went completely blank as soon as the old man touched her shoulders. Slowly, her body began to tremble and, realizing she wouldn't be able to offer any response, he released his hold and dashed back inside the house. Once she was finally freed—her body still trembling and her mind empty—the woman collapsed, crawling on her knees to the floor.

Noah was somewhat confused by the scene he had just witnessed—and perhaps a little surprised—but he still approached and knelt before her. Extending his hand and leaning in slightly, he asked,

— ...Are you alright?

At the sound of Noah's voice, the woman quickly regained her composure. As she met his gaze, she silently wondered,

'What is happening with you...? Has he forgotten the situation we're in? How could he have brought this unknown boy here...?'

'Ah, you idiot... Do you really think I'm going to keep my hand out like this for the rest of my life?', Noah thought to himself with a small smile on his face.

The woman slowly raised her hand and for a moment Noah thought that she would finally accept his help. But instead, she rejected him and stood up without uttering a single word.

"Damn..." Noah thought.

Realizing that she had clearly turned down his offer of assistance, Noah felt a sharp pang of irritation. Yet, without showing it on his face, he clenched his fists and slowly composed himself, gritting his teeth.

Soon after rising, the woman, with her eyes closed, began shaking her clothes to brush off the dirt, let out a sigh and...

— Miss!

Before she could even begin to speak, the old man's voice cut through the air. The woman then turned her back on Noah and quickly ran inside the house. Without delay, Noah, wearing a completely neutral expression, calmly followed into the building, silently keeping pace with the desperate woman.

Inside the house, Noah immediately noticed that, although the place was spacious, it was... empty. There was practically nothing there; it seemed as if the occupants merely passed through or waited for something to happen—something that would cause them to leave.

Upon crossing the doorway, the only thing Noah saw in that vast room was a small wooden table. There were no other decorations—no vases or similar adornments, let alone paintings or pictures—just that table with four chairs arranged around it and nothing else.

Noah found it, at the very least, odd—it was as if the house itself had been built in a great hurry in a very short time. There were no grooves or imperfections in the wood, whether on the floor or on the walls, and not even a trace of dust appeared to have had time to settle, however small the spaces might be. He traversed that desolate space and followed the woman to a bedroom, which was quite different from the previous room.

As he passed through the bedroom door, Noah saw a small table with a vase placed under the window. On that vase, there appeared to be a tiny phoenix painted amidst an immaculate white—at least, that's what he deduced. He studied the vase, reflecting that the white might symbolize clouds, yet he couldn't understand why such a large vase featured only that minuscule phoenix at its center.

However, his attention was quickly diverted. Venturing further into the room, Noah spotted a huge bed draped in curtains. There were other objects too, such as a bedside table next to the bed, among other items. Yet what captivated him the most wasn't the bed itself, but what lay upon it.

Thanks to the white curtains enveloping the bed, Noah couldn't discern the appearance of the person lying there. Still, that didn't matter much to him—the only detail that truly caught his eye was not the identity of the sleeper, but that when he looked in that direction, he felt a slight burning in his body—a somewhat sharper pain, localized in an area near his heart.

Feeling that pain, Noah immediately halted his steps and realized that with each step he took, the discomfort intensified.

'Damn... with every step, it seems it becomes even harder to get closer.'

Kneeling in front of the bed, the old man briefly lifted his head and, noticing Noah standing right at the doorway, exclaimed:

— Didn't you say you could help her?! Tell me how!

He then rose and, approaching Noah, asked in a tone that blended reproach with challenge:

— Or were you lying to me?

At the same time, a brief but intense pressure was exerted upon Noah.

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