Volume 2
Chapter 4 Part
3
Days Go By,
Conspiring to Sleep 3
Translator : PolterGlast
Since the day after he
hunted the Shōjō in the mountain hunt, Akira had been following the order of
the Kuga family to train at the garrison in Kamotsu during the day and to stand
guard at the precincts of the Gosakura Shrine, which protects the windhole in
Kamotsu, during the night.
"......Kuh~."
*Crackle, crackle*
....... The occasional crackling sound of the burning torch lulled him to
sleep, and Akira couldn't hold back the yawns that came out of the corners of
his mouth.
And it's not just
Akira, by the way.
The shrine precincts
are a place where danger is minimized.
The drill soldiers
standing guard also had a similar, somewhat relaxed and languid atmosphere.
"Haha. Looks like
Mr. Protector is tired."
"Sorry, I've
shown you something embarrassing.
―Captain Minematsu-dono."
Minematsu Yoshikata,
the captain of the Kamotsu central garrison, emerged from the depths of the
precincts with a wry smile on his face.
Akira, who had been
expecting to be scolded for his slackness, inwardly patted his chest upon
hearing Minematsu's friendly tone of voice.
Behind him, he spotted
a boy with piercing eyes following him, and Akira tilted his head inwardly.
The boy was dressed in
the uniform of a drill soldier, and his gaze was different from any other
emotion Akira had felt since he became a protector.
Envy, jealousy,
suspicion, and hostility. He understood that the emotions directed at him by
his former comrades were based on envy toward his registration with the
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, but he could not sense any of these emotions
in the boy in front of him.
If anything, the boy
in front of him looked at him as though he was challenging him.
The boy looked as if
he wanted to say something, but remained silent the whole time, standing
upright and motionless behind Akira and Minematsu, who were standing side by
side.
"Well. That's
only natural since you killed the Shōjō.
―And I heard that last night was the first formal demon
hunt for you, Akira-dono."
"...... Yes. It
was also the first time I had ever seen a Shōjō."
......He had heard of
the White-Haired Giant Ape demon though.
Then again, even if it
was a defiled beast, the reality of killing a creature with the physique of a
human being is not something that can be easily come to terms with.
Even now, as a day
passed by, the human-like behavior that Shōjō had shown him was taking a
greater strain on Akira's body and mind than he had ever expected.
Minematsu Yoshikata
has been accompanying Akira in his training all day today.
He must have noticed
from his movements in the dojo that Akira was not in his best condition, but
there was no hint of blame in his voice.
"......I was 15
when I first killed a Shōjō.
I still remember it
even now at my age. I couldn't even eat half of the chestnut rice that my
mother specially steamed for me, even though it was my favorite food.
Looking back on it
now, I still regret not being able to eat half of it."
Minematsu's talk was
probably a gesture of concern for Akira.
The way he shrugged
his shoulders and said so nonchalantly, one could see there was no trace of the
anguish he must have felt in the past.
Akira's shoulders
heaved with relief.
Now that they were
away from the battlefield, a peaceful time passed between the two of them, even
though it was in the name of guarding.
"―By the way, I
believe Akira-dono has been a protector for about a month now.
―Under whom do you learn the Kihoin-style?"
They were having
pleasant conversations about various topics for a while, but when they had run
out of topics, Minematsu decided to cut to the chase.
Akira's head tilted
slightly upon hearing his question.
Although it was
announced that Saki was Akira's official mentor, that was probably not the
question Minematsu wanted to ask him.
"I was taught by
the captain of Karen's 8th garrison, Asogi Genji-dono."
"......I see, I
knew it."
"Is there a
problem?"
The tone of his voice,
which contained a hint of implication, was tinged more with understanding than
anything else.
Minematsu shrugged his
shoulders as Akira raised his eyebrows, as though he didn't understand his
meaning.
"No, it's nothing
serious.
I just thought that he
was indeed an extraordinary man. He was able to train Akira-dono to this level
in such a short period of time.
I can see that
Akira-dono is under the tutelage of a wonderful person, but I never thought it
would be with Asogi-dono."
"Are you perhaps
acquainted with Captain Asogi?"
"Three years ago.
Have you ever heard of
the Imperial Tournament?"
Akira nodded his head
in affirmation.
It is a Sacred
Tournament held once every three years in Hisashi Province.
Warriors of great
prowess are invited from each province to fight each other on a stage that is
observed by Sannomiya. In other words, it is a battle to determine the
strongest among the warriors.
Three years ago was
the year Akira joined the military.
As he recalled, around
the time he enlisted, there was a big commotion among the members of the
garrison, including Deputy Captain Niikura.
―Akira, who was constantly scolded as a trainee
soldier, never took any further interest in the matter.
"I crossed blades
with Asogi-dono in the preliminary round of the Imperial Tournament.
......He was an
unparalleled master swordsman, so much so that I thought he could cut me down
even with a wooden sword."
"That's
......,"
Experiencing
first-hand the severity of the training, Akira felt sorry for him and words of
condolences popped up into his head and disappeared, but they never came out of
his mouth as he saw there was a look of nostalgia on Minematsu's face.
"O~h, don't mind
me. That defeat was a reminder to myself that I was conceited.
......Nowadays, it's
served as a good accompaniment when I enjoy a good sake."
Akira couldn't tell
whether he was being considerate or was really the case.
But from Minematsu's
soft tone of voice, Akira couldn't sense any other emotions.
―Perhaps that's precisely why Akira felt so relaxed.
"Speaking of
which, I heard that you can make talismans. Is that true?"
"? Yes."
"It's impressive
that you can even make talismans.
If you have talismans
to sell, would you be willing to sell them to us?
We'll give you a
little more than the distributor price."
"A-Are you sure!?
That would be wonderful.
A~ah, but the only
thing left other than the supplied talismans is regeneration talismans, are you
still willing to buy them from me?"
"......Yeah. As
long as it's not a rip-off, it's not a problem.
But a regeneration
talisman, you say? If those talismans were purchased out of your own money, you
would suffer a loss, you know?"
"No problem,
please!!"
Just as he was
worrying about the shortage of money, he was suddenly presented with a source
of income to overcome this emergency situation.
Before he could even
wonder about the sudden change of topic, Akira jumped on the offer without a
second thought.
He hurriedly pulled
out 20 regeneration talismans from the pouch he had hidden behind his waist.
Although Minematsu was
taken aback by Akira's enthusiasm, he turned on his heel and said he would go
get the money for the bundle of talismans offered to him.
"......Protector-dono."
"What is
it?"
A few moments after Minematsu
disappeared, the boy behind him, who had remained silent up until then, called
out to Akira with a daring look on his face.
The boy's age was
around 16 or so. The boy's sharp, penetrating gaze shot through the gap in his
cap, which showed that he was a skilled soldier.
Unable to understand
the emotion contained in his gaze, Akira took a step back and prepared himself.
"My name is Mii
Rikuto, and I am the leader of the garrison drill squad.
May I ask you a
question, Protector-dono?"
".............Go
on."
Although it was rather
rude of him, Akira, who had just become a bodyguard and was not yet fully aware
of his own position, was pressured by the boy's enthusiasm and nodded his head
in understanding.
"I heard that you
were promoted from a drill soldier to a protector a month ago.
―I would greatly appreciate it if you could advise me
on how I can actually be recognized as a protector."
"........................"
―Even if you ask me that.
Out of bewilderment,
Akira involuntarily looked back into the eyes of the other party.
How did he become a
defender?
Akira himself wanted
to know about it.
No, actually he
understood where it all began.
It was because a month
ago, during the Hyakki Yagyo, he had slaughtered most of the defiled beasts,
including the giant serpent that was the leader of the pack.
Because of his great
accomplishment and the guardianship of Kihoin, Akira was promoted to the
position of Protector.
That was all that was
publicly known.
However, if one were
to ask if this is a normal occurrence, Akira is aware that it is definitely
not.
It is not that he has
lost his memory. Until just before the Hyakki Yagyo, Akira had only the ability
to defeat a defiled boar. And even that was a difficult task.
He could only infer
that something happened before and after that time was the trigger.
At the end of the
journey of that [Shrine Parishioner Lottery], he was granted a Shrine
Parishioner through Shuka's leniency.
―Without a doubt, that was the moment he became the
current him.
......Since then, he
has had numerous meetings with Shuka, and the same number of times he has tried
to ask her about it, but he got scared and the question simply faded away.
I wonder, who
in the world is Shuka?
The many favors she
had bestowed on Akira were supposed to be an act of overstepping her authority
over Kihouin.
Even so, her wishes,
and by extension Akira's wishes, were given priority, and Tsuguho Kihoin did
not even show any signs of protest against it.
Akira was grateful for
it.
But beyond that, it
was also true that he was afraid.
If he were to ask
Shuka the question.
Then, there is the
possibility that this peaceful relationship, similar to that of lukewarm water,
will burst like bubbles and disappear the next morning.
"Protector-dono?"
Rikuto called out
again, perhaps impatient to see Akira lost in thought.
Akira's shoulders
shook in reaction to his thoughts being pulled back to reality, delaying his
reply by a beat.
"A-A~ah, sorry. I
was lost in thought.
...... Well, even if
you ask me for advice, I didn't really know the criteria for being recognized
as a protector, so I'm afraid don't have an answer that would meet your
expectations, Squad Leader Mii."
"Even if it is
not clear-cut advice, it would be sufficient if you could tell me the story of
how you were promoted to the rank of Protector."
The fact that he
couldn't do that is what makes this so troubling.
As explained earlier,
the official reason why Akira was promoted was because of his great
accomplishment during the Hyakki Yagyo.
However, although it
was known that he had achieved great accomplishments, the details of those
accomplishments were kept secret from the public.
It was only natural.
Who would believe that
Akira, a mere commoner who migrated from outside the province, could
exterminate and exorcise the Hyakki Yagyo with his unparalleled firepower?
...... Moreover, he
also heard that the commander-in-chief of Banda, whose position has been
severely weakened by this incident, is now making great efforts to arrest
Akira.
Talking about this
matter carelessly was fraught with the danger of undermining not only Akira's
but also Saki's and Tsuguho's position.
"The
circumstances that led me to become a protector are quite unusual, so I can't
give you any advice on the matter. And why does Squad Leader Mii want to know
how I became a defender in the first place?"
"Why, huh?
......Because I am scheduled to be promoted from the drill squad this
year."
".......Congrats."
What Rikuto said was
not something surprising.
If Akira's observation
were correct, Rikuto's age would be around 16.
Which is a reasonable
age to retire from the drill squad.
Suddenly, Akira
realized something.
Rikuto took the
surname of Mii.
Since he was a drill
soldier, he was probably a commoner, but since he had a surname, he must surely
originated from a fairly well-off family.
It was not difficult
for even Akira to deduce that he was allowed to maintain his surname even after
becoming a drill soldier, in other words, he was not ostracized by his family.
"I don't mean to
be rude, but why did you join the garrison, Squad Leader Mii?
I assume that your
family is quite wealthy, and there is no reason for you to join the garrison."
"I have my
reason. I am planning to be promoted to be a regular soldier next year."
"That's, well...
Good luck?"
Hearing Rikuto's
response, Akira's expression was painted with that of shock.
Drill soldiers who
survived six years of service are given two major choices: to be promoted to be
a regular soldier or to retire from the military.
While many of the
drill soldiers retired after fulfilling their main purpose of registering with
the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Akira knew that a certain number of
others chose to remain as regular soldiers every year.
This is because,
unlike drill soldiers, the monthly salary of a regular soldier is reasonably
high and the mortality rate is considerably lower, so becoming a regular
soldier can be a very desirable side career.
However, for Akira,
who was planning to leave the garrison once he was registered with the Ministry
of Humanitarian Affairs, Rikuto's choice was unbelievable.
When asked if the
slight increase in salary was worth the price of life, Akira's honest answer
was absolutely no.
Selling the price of
life at a discount.
After all, there won't
be any change in its very nature.
For Akira, the
garrison is simply something that he belongs to because it is necessary.
―He has no intention of letting the adults take
advantage of him any more than is necessary.
That was the
determination that Akira made in the dusk of the summer three years ago when he
was banished.
However, it was
Akira's decision, so he would not interfere with others' decisions, even if he
could not understand them.
The reason Akira was
taken aback was because he could not connect Rikuto's declaration to become a
regular soldier with his intention to ask Akira for advice.
"I understand why
you intend to be promoted to regular soldier, but what is the reason you want
to know how I became a protector?"
"......Because I
want to be a Protector myself.
When I heard about
your promotion, I applied for promotion so that I could follow in your
footsteps, but I was rejected without hesitation because I did not have the
qualifications.
No matter how many
times I inquired, I could not figure out what qualifications were needed, so I
asked for your advice, hoping that if I knew the circumstances of how you were
granted the promotion, I might be able to get some insight into the
matter."
―The garrison must have found it troublesome.
Even Akira felt sorry
for them inwardly.
As far as Akira knew,
the qualifications to be promoted to the rank of protector were simple.
That was, the ability
to wield spiritual power. It would be no exaggeration to say that it all
centered around this single point.
Spirits are roughly
divided into upper, middle, and lower ranks, but even if the ranks are the
same, their abilities are not necessarily the same.
Just like humans,
there are small differences in abilities even within the same rank.
The recognition is
merely a measure of compassion for those spirit users who meet the highest
possible standards in terms of ability, regardless of rank.
The spirit that Rikuto
possesses is of a lower rank, as far as Akira can infer from the reactions of
the people around him. A spirit that is so ordinary that it does not meet the
standard for handling spiritual power.
At this point, even
Akira was able to conclude that Rikuto's chances of being promoted to a
protector may have already gone down the drain.
The people around him
must have yet to explain this reality to Rikuto.
From Rikuto's
demeanor, Akira was able to guess that this fact was left unspoken.
"A protector. In
other words, do you want to be part of the nobility?"
Basically, only
members of the nobility qualify to become a protector.
In most cases, medium
and high-level spirits only resided in the nobility.
Therefore, the result
of becoming a protector is equivalent to being recognized as a member of the
nobility.
......The journey to
achieve this is a very tough one, even from Akira's experience.
It was easy to assert,
without needing to imagine, that the gap between the commoners and the nobility
was that great.
It would be easy to
show him the reality and push him down.
However, Akira could
not choose to shove Rikuto's hope into the abyss.
As though facing a
phoenix spreading its wings across the azure sky, he looked up with envy at
what he could not become.
―The figure of Rikuto desperately struggling against
what he could not achieve overlapped with the figure of Akira himself up until
a month ago.
However,
"No, I want to go
to military school.
Among the requirements
to become upper echelon candidates were the achievements in the garrison and
the qualifications of a defender."
Akira was slightly
taken aback by Rikuto's words.
The military academy
is an institution dedicated to national defense, which was organized under the
initiative of Hisashi Province in recent years.
It is an institution
that is expected to function as a spear against armed forces from outside the
country. Because of its nature, it is under a different chain of command from
the military garrisons who are responsible for protecting the country, and it
is known to be at odds with the territorial nobles who cry loudly that their
duty to protect the country may be disrespected.
This alone is a thorny
issue, and yet commoners now have the opportunity to join a state-led
institution.
For Akira, it was an
option that offered little in return, little to gain, and not even worth
thinking about.
"...... My family
was a wealthy farmer in a village to the west of Kamotsu.
It was a fairly large
village, but a few years ago, when the water supply dried up, the entire
village was forced to evacuate.
After that, a group of
people I had never heard of took over the village, and now they are enjoying
our hometown as if it were their own."
Rikuto's words were
very similar to the circumstances that led to Akira's dispatch to Kamotsu.
That's where his
thoughts struck him, and words leaked out of the corner of his mouth unintentionally.
"The [Holy Church
of Guidance]?"
"You know about
it?
I've also heard that
their leader, who calls himself a Father, revived a supposedly dried-up water
vein with some kind of magic.
―I heard that they are followers of a holy religion,
and that they worship a divine pillar of a distant foreign country.
It is an utter
betrayal to abandon the divine pillar of Takamagahara and devote themselves to
the divine pillar of a foreign land!
Though soon the sect
that nestles in my hometown will be wiped out, I hope to be the cornerstone of
the national army, the spear against the foreign nations."
"Aa―"
He tried to say
something, but he couldn't finish the sentence.
...... Rikuto's
determination was an unknown concept in Akira's life, which was only to fulfill
his daily needs
A selfless anger for
his hometown.
A determination to
protect Takamagahara, not himself.
He looked up dazzledly
at Rikuto, who was breathing out flames of passion,
―He realized.
Until now, Akira's
life has only existed to fulfill his daily needs.
......But, what about
now?
He has become a shrine
parishioner.
He has become a
protector.
Although the training
was tough, he no longer had to worry about his daily life, and the smiling
faces of Shuka, Tsuguho, and Saki provided solace from his past.
He found himself at a
point in his life where he was satisfied with just being fed, and he was living
his life as he was swept along.
―Akira had been so fulfilled without even realizing it.
"Protector-dono?"
"Ah. N-No, it's
nothing.
......Sorry, but I
still don't think my experience would be of help to you."
Akira was still unable
to escape from the maze of his thoughts as he distractedly responded to
Rikuto's concern.
Don't trust others,
don't trust adults, the wolf cub cried out in his mind.
Stand and walk on your
own two feet. This is the pride of the wolf cub that had made up its mind that
day.
He must decide.
His future cannot be
seen beyond the fog, not even the crossroads.
But for Akira to be
able to live proudly in this land, this is what he needs to do more than
anything else.
―Yes, finally, Akira became aware of it.
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