Chapter 3 Part 7
Translator : PolterGlast
Proofreader : John4891
The
curtain of night descended on the commercial district.
Originally
wrapped in the dark night, silence should’ve dominated, but in the commercial
area, lights were lit here and there. Many people still came and went. However,
the people who came and went on the road were very different from the people
who came and went in the daytime. These were adventurers with swords on their
waists and women in bewitching costumes.
In
order to get what they wanted, they went out to the city at night, which had a
different atmosphere from the daytime.
Here,
at Ushitotei, many men and women of all ages gathered for their food and sake.
"Okay!
The lamb soup and other dishes are ready! "
Hannah,
the proprietress of Ushitotei, put the hot soup on the counter with a dashing
voice, and the waitress, Ena, began to carry the dishes with her experienced
hands.
The
petite girl had so many dishes that it looked like she couldn’t carry them, but
with her solid footsteps, she carried the dishes one after another without
fail.
"I'm
sorry to have kept you waiting! This is the dish you ordered!!!"
Ena
put the ordered item on the table in a clear voice. The guests sitting at the
table swallowed their saliva. Perhaps the scent rising from the freshly
prepared dishes stimulated their nose and appetite center.
"Oh!
I've been waiting!"
"I'm
hungry~"
"This
looks delicious!"
Because
the customers were very hungry, they immediately dug in and filled their
stomachs one after another. Meanwhile, a customer talked to Ena.
"Ena-chan
seems to be in a good mood. Did something good happen today?"
"Eh,
do I look like that?"
"Yeah,
somehow your voice is more cheerful than usual. Your face is brighter, and I
understand you pretty well."
"Eeh,
well. Actually....."
"You!
Come on, say it one more time!!"
"Ah,
again ..."
The
customer who was talking to Ena looked at the person who shouted. Two customers
who were drinking at the counter were arguing. Because the veins on their heads
bulged, it seemed like they were about to start fighting each other.
"Haa,
it's okay to drink alcohol, but I want you to stop using violence ..."
"Good
grief, fighting at this store will make them injured that they won’t be coming
back for a while."
However,
the two didn’t seem to be particularly concerned, as they only got more fired
up when they saw the customers. The two who were fighting heated up even
further.
"I'll
say it over and over again !! At that time, I had to leave because the load had
been stolen!!"
"Huh?
It was probably because you made a detour and didn't deliver it straight
away!!! "
It
was unclear what the story was about, but it seemed that the reason for the
argument was that the goods they were carrying were stolen; however, they made
such a ruckus that it might’ve become a brawl, and that wouldn’t be good.
The
regulars at the store would never do that. They knew well that it was
inexcusable for them to do that.
When
Ena tried to talk to them to stop their quarrel before things got worse, a
familiar voice broke between them.
"Oi,
cut it out"
It
was Mars who interrupted the two, who were in a quarrel. His voice echoed deep
inside their bellies that felt like a curse had been placed on them, and the
two, who were quarreling, were petrified like statues.
"I
know that alcohol makes your head feel a little loose, but fighting isn’t
allowed here. If this escalates, I'll make your wallet and bodies pay a
nuisance fee. What would you do?"
When
Mars threatened them with some kind of words and actions, the two customers
laughed, took out their wallets, handed over their money, and quickly left the
store. It felt like the money given was lacking in prudence.
"Hahaha!
Did that just happen? They were lucky. If they made a fuss at this store when
he was here, he wouldn’t be satisfied with just that much, if they weren't good
at handling it ... "
Actually,
Mars had beaten all the adventurers who made a fuss at this store in the past.
There was a big commotion due to the fact that the contract for the
distribution their reward was broken. Some customers were caught up in the
turmoil and some were injured.
The
other party, who caused the commotion, was about D-rank, and the number of
people was 5, but Mars, who had already begun to show his talent, fought
against the adventurers alone. As a result, three of the adventurers had their
arms and legs broken, and two were beaten to the point where their faces could
not be recognized. Since then, the law of violence when Mars was at Ushitotei
had become an implicit rule among regular customers.
The
customers who didn’t know this were traumatized both physically and mentally.
They were forced to collect nuisance fees and were thrown out of the store
together with their friends. Same as what Mars said earlier.
"Right."
(But
I don't think it's just luck...)
Ena
remembered her brother after going out with everyone today. When Tima and Mars
were alone, she was worried that her brother would be rude to Tima. Even though
Somia said, "It will be okay", Ena, who had witnessed Mars's rampage,
was still worried if her brother would do anything bad.
However,
while she was away for a bit, her brother's uptight atmosphere was fading.
There was Mars, who was more straightforward than ever. He was less likely to
be irritated when in conflict with her now. To be clear, Ena couldn't believe
her eyes and couldn't help wondering if her brother had gone crazy.
(I
wonder… Did something happen with Tima-san?)
Without
being noticed, Ena looked in her brother's direction. Mars, who had driven the
quarreling customer away, was organizing the luggage at the counter, but unlike
the usual him, he was somewhat calm.
To
be honest, Ena was quite curious about what happened between Tima and her
brother. Tima changed Mars in less than half a day, even though Ena, Hannah,
and Dell had spoken over and over again and spent years after years.
Ena,
who was always talking to her brother (sometimes a fierce mental attack),
wanted him to change his mind. She was happy with the fact that Mars had
changed. But on the other hand, she was a little disappointed.
"...
Geez, stupid Onīchan ..."
Her
mutter was inaudible to anyone and was swallowed by the hustle and bustle of
the bar and disappeared.
========================================
Tima’s
POV
The
eastern district of Alcazar, called the Civic District, was lined with homes
for many people living in the city. One of the houses was an ordinary house
that was no different from other houses. A nobody, who could become a legendary
magician in the future, was living in that house.
"Hey,
Tima-nēchan. Did something good happen today?"
"Eeh,
Why do you think so?"
"No,
It's just, you're smiling more naturally than usual, and you're giggling so
freely. Wasn't it impossible for nēchan do to that? What changed?"
"Is...Is
that so..............."
With
my brother's words, I thought of a boy of the same age who was walking next to
me today. At first glance, he looked scary and violent, but the boy had been
worried about the incident since that time.
I'd
been bullied by a boy in my neighborhood since I was a kid, and I couldn't make
friends with girls, and I couldn't talk to anyone other than my family until I
met Ai.
I
was terrified when I was alone with him today, but before I knew it, I didn't
feel the fear of being with another boy anymore.
"What
happened to me…………"
For
some reason, the inside of my chest is warm. It feels different than when I was
with Ai and Somia. It's been smoldering in my chest since I walked around the
city with Mars today.
===========================================
Iris’
POV
The
northern section of Arcazam was the political center of the city. There was a
mansion in that section. Inside a room in the Francilt family mansion, a maiden
threw herself onto a bed in a luxurious bedroom.
The
maiden was wearing a purple see-through nightgown. The moonlight shining
through her window illuminated her long, lustrous black hair, projecting white
skin like fresh snow in the dark night.
It
was already late at night and the days were about to change, but the girl was
lying on the bed and she was pondering all the time.
I
threw myself into my bed and thought about today.
In
order to leave Mars-kun and Tima alone, Nozomu and Ena-chan were separated from
them by me and Somia. It was a bit of a forceful method, but as a result, it
seemed that the two of them were able to make up properly, so it was good for
me.
Well,
when Mars and Nozomu weren't there, I was told something by her, but when she
remembered what happened today, she would start to get bashful. That's cute,
but………….
"...
I’m curious about Nozomu ........."
His
appearance at that time was still deeply imprinted in my eyes.
A
benefactor who saved the life of my sister. At that time, I was about to lose
Somia and I tried to break my restraints, but before such a strong person, I
was too helpless.
Ever
since I was a child, I decided to protect my only sister, and I had been studying
everything, not just sword skills and magic. I thought that my power was
certainly my own blood and flesh, and I was evaluated as an unprecedented human
being in this perfect meritocracy Solminati.
However,
such a thing was meaningless in front of the old man. I couldn't even hurt the
old man who tried to take my dear sister, and it seemed as if everything I had
done was pointed out as meaningless.
Somia
and I were trapped in despair when we were faced with a reality that we
couldn't do anything about. It was a single sword that rescued us.
The
swinging sword pierced the abyss of despair and saved our hands which begged
for help. Since then, I've been thinking about him.
I
gazed at my own hand. Today, this hand held his hand and ran around the city.
His
hand was bigger than I expected, and as he kept swinging his sword, it became
stiff, and there were sword calluses in some places.
He
was angry at the old man who touched my hand without hesitation, showing his
emotions as much as he could, unlike his usual quiet self. To be honest, it was
a shame that he missed the timing to punish him because I punished the old man
before he could at the time.
"I
wonder what it is..."
The
palm of my hand was slightly warm, and the warmth vividly reminded me of when I
was holding hands with him.
I
remember many things. His face when he was making candy with a serious
expression, his face when he was arguing with an old fortune-teller, and his
face that was troubled when I held his hand.
While
remembering his face, I gently squeezed the hand that was connected to him in
my chest. I shouldn't let my precious things escape.....
"Fufu!
I feel my heart is throbbing…………"
===========================================
Nozomu's
POV
Nozomu
and Irisdina parted ways at Ushitotei, and Nozomu returned to the dormitory.
The sky seen through the window in the dormitory corridor was already close to
complete darkness.
It
was probably because various things happened today. Nozomu's face conveyed some
exhaustion.
(Various
things happened today.)
Climbing
the stairs to his room, Nozomu thought about today. Irisdina, who suddenly came
to the classroom during the lunch break, invited him to a meal and caused a big
uproar in the classroom.
"Well,
if those two suddenly come, everyone will be surprised ..."
The
two, Irisdina and Tima, were the people that everyone in the school knew and
was aiming for.
The
news broke out throughout the school, and I was unwillingly dragged to the back
of the school building by the classmates and was about to be lynched.
Nozomu
also resisted, but as expected, too many were out of his control. In addition,
the students began to use magic even though it wasn’t a training ground. At
that time, Nozomu, who didn't have any advantage, would have been seriously
injured without Shīna's help.
Shīna
dismissed the boys who surrounded Nozomu, but she turned to Nozomu with
contempt. She told Nozomu, "you reap what you sow" and she
immediately turned her heels back and left. She probably didn't want to
associate herself with Nozomu. Her attitude itself represented her feelings.
(Well,
that's reasonable………….It's because I didn’t take any action or change
anything...)
Most
people in the school would’ve had the same feelings towards Nozomu as Shīna
did.
A
student who couldn’t keep up wasn’t suitable for the school. A bastard who
played with a woman's heart. The assessments from those surrounding him haven't
changed even after he turned to face them.
He
still couldn't decide what to do next, and while it was painful to continue to
be bullied by others, Nozomu was slowly beginning to accept that it was his
reality.
Thanks
to Shino, he was able to notice the fact that he’d been running away, turning
his eyes away, and shutting his ears off from the surroundings.
However,
after realizing that he had escaped, he gradually accepted his escape because
he was no longer alone. Shino was no longer in the world, but now there are a
few students in the school who could be called as friends.
When
he was with them, Nozomu felt that the dull pain that had been eroding his
heart every time he was abused by others had now eased, albeit a little.
*Ba-dump*
"Eh!!"
Suddenly,
Nozomu heard from the back of his chest. The heartbeat became quiet once it
made such a loud noise, and nothing could be heard anymore.
(What
was that just now, perhaps ...)
That
heartbeat wasn’t Nozomu's heartbeat.
The
dragon, "Tiamat", inside him was reacting to something.
(What
on earth…………)
Nozomu
didn’t know what the guy inside him had reacted to; however, the heartbeat
informed Nozomu of the existence that had been sealed inside him and forcibly
reminded him of the bloody nightmare he had after releasing the suppression.
The bloody nightmare that burned everything down.
Nozomu
finally began to take a step forward, but the road was still clouded by a thick
fog and darkness.
=========================================
“…………………………….”
One
figure was looking up at the dormitory where Nozomu was. The lights of the
surrounding houses had already gone out, and only the stars illuminating the
night sky, reflecting the presence of the figure.
Various
emotions were mixed in the eyes of the figure. Anger, hatred, and regret. But
even if we could read his emotions, we probably wouldn't know the source of
those emotions. The shadow didn’t do anything. It just kept looking up at the
dormitory. Keeping his eyes on Nozomu who disappeared into his room.
