Volume 2
Chapter 4 Part
4
Days Go By,
Conspiring to Sleep 4
Translator : PolterGlast
"Hey, Akira-kun!
Why are you slacking off!?"
"Yes. ......M-My
apologizes!"
Akira, who was sinking
into thoughts different from that of drowsiness and had become an ornament in
the name of a guard, came to his senses when a voice called out to him from
behind his back.
Akira wondered how
long she had been watching him.
There, stood Saki and
Minematsu, the captain of the garrison, holding back their laughter.
"I can understand
your exhaustion because it's your first time fighting against Shōjō.
But, Akira-kun, don't
be too relaxed. No matter how small the chance this place might be attacked,
there is no denying the fact that their ultimate goal is this Kamotsu's Wind
Cave."
"Hmm, did I
perhaps a little too enthusiastic in the training for the protectors?
But you can still keep
up with the other protectors without any problems though."
The morning training
session, although tense, ended in a rather relaxed atmosphere.
Although Minematsu
felt somewhat guilty, he honestly believed that Akira was not too fatigued from
the workout.
No, there was a high
possibility that his exhaustion was due to Asogi Genji's overly rigorous
training.
Thinking that far, he
decided to stop pondering before a wild conclusion came to his mind.
"Yes. ......Umm,
Captain Minematsu, there is something I wanted to ask you, this Kamotsu's Wind
Cave is located right below the Gosakura Shrine, right?"
As expected, Akira
could not bear the thought of having his own blunder dragged out as a topic of
conversation.
In order to forcefully
change the subject, Akira put the thing that he had felt tugging deep inside
his heart on his tongue.
"Yes. The land
god of Kamotsu is enshrined in this shrine.
―Is something bothering you?"
"No, it's not
that I'm bothered about it, it's just......."
Saki and Minematsu
kept a watchful eye on Akira for a while, as his doubts that he tried to
formulate into a question as a follow-up were hushed, and eventually, he just
shrugged his shoulders in resignation.
".......Sorry.
Can we continue this another time?"
"Yeah. We're
going to stay in Kamotsu for a while, so there's no need to rush.
It's time for a switch
shift, let's go home."
Although Saki was
aware of his intention to change the subject, she did not mention it and
instead turned her feet toward the main gate to urge him to go home.
Minematsu, who had
taken a step toward Akira, held out a bill in his right hand.
"Akira-dono, here
is the payment for the talismans.
Here are 160,000 yen
in a bundle, please accept it."
"160-,
eh!?......."
Akira was startled by
the higher-than-usual payment.
While Akira was left
more bewildered than pleased, Minematsu wondered if he had misunderstood
something.
"I don't know who
made it, but it was very carefully crafted.
And the 10,000 yen
here is the reward for that."
"T-Thank you very
much."
...... No, that's just
wrong.
If 150.000 yen is the
overall supply price to the garrison, then how much was Akira being ripped off
by the Talisman Association as a middleman?
Akira had been careful
not to be taken advantage of by adults, but the other party was way ahead of
him.
He was frustrated, but
it was wrong to complain about it to Minematsu.
Although feeling a bit
bitter, Akira pushed his frustration aside and thanked him.
―Anyway,
With 160.000 yen, he
would be able to get by for at least another week living in a high-class
accommodation.
The thickness of the
bill made Akira forget his worries.
"What were you
talking about with Captain Minematsu just now?"
As the streetlights
began to illuminate the road, Saki broke the silence as they walked
shoulder-to-shoulder.
"......It's a
business opportunity. To make immediate cash, for the time being, I sold a
bundle of talismans to Captain Minematsu."
The tone of his voice
was casual. Akira, however, was reluctant to reveal the details, so he searched
for a casual sentence and delayed his response for a few seconds.
The fact that Akira
was capable of creating a regeneration talisman was the last safe haven he
established to make some extra money.
The only reason why
Akira, who was only 13 years old, was allowed to sell his regeneration talisman
at a reasonable price was because it was technically sold by an old man named
Gensei.
―If it were to be revealed that the old man named
Gensei was a child who did not even meet the age of 13, the only fate that
would have been prepared for Akira, who had no backing, would have been
exploited like a carp being swarmed and dissolved on the surface of the water.
It didn't take long
for that prediction to become a certainty as he observed the members of the
Talisman Association.
Although he was
unwilling to tell a lie to Saki, who had been very kind to him, he still hushed
his aching conscience and assured himself that it was not entirely a lie.
"A~a, right. I
remember that Akira-kun can make recovery talismans.
But what do you mean
by immediate cash?
Our activities in
Kamotsu are guaranteed by the Kuga family. As long as we don't go on a spending
spree, the Kugas will handle our spending."
"Huh?"
"Isn't it
obvious?
The Kuga family
invited us to Kamotsu by asking us to do something rather difficult.
If we were to pay our
own expenses, the Kuga family's reputation would be tarnished.
It is quite common
that the person who has brought us here is not always in a position to pay us,
so in order to protect our mutual interests, the lord should basically provide
for us in such a situation.
Most people don't
complain about the amount they pay, so don't be hesitant to take advantage of
it."
The words were
delivered so nonchalantly that Akira stopped in his tracks for a moment.
But, when he thought
back on it, that was indeed reasonable.
At the inn, where
payment was supposed to be made in advance, Saki did not even seem to open her
wallet.
Instead, she was
showing a small wooden tag.
"Then, the wooden
tag at that time was......"
"You mean the
inspector's tag?
As long as you show it
to them, the payment will go to the lord who made the request. In fact, the
only thing we have to pay for is the lunch boxes that we bought at the train
station."
"...... I had
never heard of this before. I was only told by Captain Asogi that the expenses
would be reimbursed later."
It was simply beyond
his expectations.
However, when he thought
about it, it made sense.
It is a well-known
fact that Akira was a commoner until a month ago.
It would be easy to
guess that Akira, who lived in a tenement house, had no property, and that fact
was so obvious just like saying a raven would be black.
And yet, neither Genji
nor Saki showed even a hint of concern for Akira's financial situation.
The train ticket was
only given to him upon his departure, and considering this, it made sense that
they assumed that Akira's financial situation would be sufficient.
"......Uncle
Asogi and I both know that Akira-kun doesn't have much money to spare, but
we're not that worried about it.
Well, you should just
think of it as having a little more money to spare after selling those
talismans.
―Besides, it's a matter of what comes next, no?"
"......Yes."
The orange lights of
the street began to fill the streets and Saki's voice slightly subsided.
It must be almost
midnight, but somehow, people could be seen walking one after another in the
street.
They stopped at the
entrance to a downtown area where Akira was stopping for a meal.
The overwhelming
majority of people on the street were men.
The only women were
either employees who lived in the restaurant or, by the looks of it, the
partners of a married couple.
Even Akira knew, as a
matter of common sense, that it was bad for an unmarried woman to be out and
about late at night.
Especially wandering
around at the entrance to such a busy downtown area, one could be criticized
for behaving like an old hag.
Saki, in particular,
has been watched closely by the Kuga family, and she can't move around much.
She could not show
Kuga Houri an opening that would allow him to exploit her.
Even so, after hearing
about the encounter between Akira and Benedetta, Saki made up her mind to come
all the way here.
In fact, Akira and
Benedetta had repeatedly met at a soba noodle restaurant since then.
The conversation they
exchanged was small talk, but that didn't make Akira less wary of Benedetta,
and it only made it stronger.
Once or twice might be
a coincidence, but three times in a row would make it certain.
If that were the case,
Akira was definitely being targeted as a conversation partner.
"I can't enter
the downtown area at this hour, so I'll just wait and see.
If you see her again
today, ask her what she wants. Don't hesitate to mention my name."
"Yes. ......Is it
possible that what they want is to meet with you after all?"
Saki nodded her head
in affirmation to Akira, who repeated the confirmation with a hard tone in his voice.
She was told that
Benedetta had asked Akira to keep silent about their meeting, but in reality,
she did not seem to be too concerned about whether he would keep silent or not.
Her intention was
clear. Whatever it was, it didn't matter.
If Akira kept his
silence, she could use that as an opportunity to delve deeper into the
conversation.
Eventually, when Saki
learned that Akira and Benedetta had met before Saki received the report, it
became clear to her that they had been in contact all this time. Knowing this
fact would clearly provide credence for Benedetta and Saki to arrange a
meeting.
And if Akira were to
directly report it to Saki, Saki herself would undoubtedly be in doubt.
The fact that Saki's
status is not related to the Kuga family is something that Benedetta probably
knew at the time they passed by each other in front of the mansion.
If that were the case,
rather than reporting to the Kuga family, Saki sought a separate meeting with
Benedetta under circumstances that did not involve a third party.
―In other words, by asking Akira to keep quiet,
Benedetta was definitely looking for a window for negotiations that the Kuga
family could not be involved in.
"I'm not sure
what [Ariadne Holy Church] wants from me, but now that they've gone through all
this trouble, we need to have a meeting before things get any more complicated
than they need to be.
I don't think they
want to make a scene, so I don't think there's anything to worry about, but if
things were going to get rough, don't hesitate to wield the spirit
vessel."
"......Understood."
――――――――――――――――
"―Welcome!!"
Rattle. After sliding
the somewhat poorly constructed sliding door and stepping through the noren
curtain, Akira was greeted by the bustle he had become so accustomed to.
Although customers'
curiosity was piqued by the entry of a protector, they quickly became
accustomed to it after the third time.
Sitting down on a
chair by the wall, which had become his regular seat, Akira placed his order
for soba noodles to the owner.
He sat down and
touched the soba noodles that were served to him not long after he sat down,
but he was unable to move his chopsticks.
Instead of stirring
the bowl in which the soba was swimming, Akira repeatedly pulled out the
chopsticks from his hand and stabbed them into the bowl in a pointless manner.
"May I sit with
you?"
"Yes,
please."
And the soft tone of
voice, which Akira was beginning to get used to, rang in his ears.
When he raised his
eyes slightly, he saw Benedetta smiling gently as usual.
She accepted Akira's
assent and sat down on the opposite seat from Akira with a gentle demeanor.
As expected, the
hustle and bustle of the restaurant remained unwavering.
The inside of the
store, which has been invaded by a foreign woman, still revolves around a
routine of everyday life.
"I see. Your
Ojō-sama couldn't come, huh?"
"She is not
someone who can casually visit a place like this after all."
Could she perhaps see
Saki and Akira standing together in front of the downtown area?
He didn't even notice
it until it was pointed out to him.
Although Akira's
response was to outwardly criticize Benedetta's flamboyant behavior, he was
unable to break her smile, which was unreadable due to Akira's poor
communication skills.
Feeling strangely
defeated by this fact, Akira sipped the soba noodles that were placed in front
of him.
The gentle flavor of
dried bonito flakes as usual comforted Akira's weary heart.
"That's a shame.
......But thanks for the help. You read my intention, right?"
"Yes. I've been
entrusted by Saki-ojousama to inquire about your intentions."
"Then, please
convey this to her.
―The Inquisitor Benedetta Casarini of Vansuir would
like to have a meeting with you.
The time and place
will be arranged at your convenience."
"......Understood,
I will certainly pass this on to Saki-ojousama.
Is that all?"
"No. I would like
to discuss one more thing with you, Akira-sama."
"Me?"
Akira, who had thought
that he was only supposed to play the role of an intermediary with Saki, blinked
his eyes at the sudden change of subject.
He looked into the
other's eyes to see what she wanted, but her serious gaze only caused his gaze
to bounce back, leaving no clue as to her true intentions.
"I thought it
would be impolite of me to ask you this, since you seem to be thinking about
something quite deeply. If you like, I can at least listen to what you are
thinking."
"You sure are
capricious, huh? Is it part of your job to listen to the problems of people
from other countries?"
"Even if I look
like this, I am still a priest, you know? It is our duty as shepherds to dispel
the clouds of the lost lambs, even if they are the children of foreign lands.
...... Although this
is not the right place for a confession, there is no problem if it is in the
form of a consultation."
Akira was hit on a
sore spot, and he groaned as he realized that it was indeed true.
His main focus was to
pass on Saki's message to someone else, not to consult about his concern with a
foreigner.
It was not something
he would ask a foreigner to listen to. However, it was also true that he was in
need of someone to consult with.
So, to test the
waters, Akira straightened his posture and turned his attention to Benedetta.
"...... Just a
short while ago, I was asked by a commoner drill soldier about what to do
because he wants to become a protector.
Well, I know it's
impossible for him to become one."
"If that's the
case, why don't you just tell him so?
It would be cruel to
give him false hope."
"Yeah. But that's
not what troubles me.
What bothers me is
that I realized what he had and I didn't."
Rikuto's dazzling
figure as he focuses on the future. His firm will to protect his hometown and
his country with everything he has.
All of these things
were things that Akira could never have.
"I am a commoner.
I have been living alone since three years ago, after I was banished from my
own hometown.
―I have been struggling as best I can to survive day by
day. Not that I am dissatisfied with that. In fact, I am content enough to say
it proudly."
That was Akira's true
feeling.
The fact that she had
nothing was the reason why he was able to devote everything he had gained to
himself without any regret.
That was why,
"When I happened
to become a protector, I realized that everything I wanted had been given to
me,
―I realized that I had nothing I wanted left."
When he was granted
permission to become a Shrine Parishioner and live in Karen, his daily worries
vanished into thin air.
His reason for staying
in the garrison was to have it all after all.
Now that everything
has been fulfilled, Akira has realized that he has lost even his reason to
fight.
―Stand up! Fight! Devour!
And yet, in his heart,
the wolf cub was still barking.
However, his eyes had
a dull gleam, as if he were lost in the shadows.
"Don't you think
it's enough just to be alive?"
"If things were
the way they were before, it would have been fine.
But now I am a
protector. I'm no longer a drill soldier who was forced to fight.
......I no longer have
any reason to wield this sword."
In the midst of the
bustle around them, a silence coiled between the two as Akira's true feelings
were revealed.
"―I've
participated in the Holy Conquest twice in the past."
"Holy
Conquest?"
"The act of
subduing barbarian gods who do not obey Ariadne, our one and only god, and
returning them to the status of vassal gods. It is a holy battle that
illuminates the earth with Ariadne's power."
―They seriously believe that the other divine pillars
should be under Ariadne, and that it is their duty and right to rule and manage
them.
Her words brought his
memory back to the conversation he had had with Shuka and Tsuguho before his
departure.
The arrogance that
makes it seem right for them to trample on other divine pillars is painted over
by her smile and is barely visible. Benedetta spoke to Akira with compassion,
as if it were only natural.
As expected, Akira
couldn't agree with her ideals.
Even so, Akira wanted
to know why Benedetta was willing to fight.
......Because it was
something that Akira still couldn't grasp in his heart.
"It is an act to
ensure the prosperity of Vansuir, is it not?
That is not the reason
you yourself took up the sword."
"No. No. It is
the same, Akira-sama.
My life is dedicated
to the Holy Church of Ariadne.
Therefore, as a
shepherd dedicated to St. Ariadne, I am obligated to protect and lead the
millions of people who kneel under her."
Akira's bitter voice
was met with a gentle, unwavering smile.
The hustle and bustle
of the soba noodle restaurant somehow faded away, and a strange silence
prevailed between the two of them.
"Even if you were
to hear my reasons for taking up the sword, it would not be of any use to you.
It would be impossible for you to understand. Because it is my reason, not
yours."
"......"
Whatever the case, in
front of Benedetta, Akira could not move his tongue to argue.
Sinking into anguish,
Akira had no choice but to respond in silence.
"But everyone has
their own reason for taking up the sword.
Akira-sama, you just
don't notice it yet, but I am sure you already have a reason for taking up the
sword."
She was probably aware
of Akira's anguish. Although she seemed to be concerned, Benedetta's cheeks
were tinted with happiness.
"A~a, indeed, the
oracle contains great meaning.
Looks like the reason
I was sent here was because of you.
―Akira-sama. Once you've found a reason to fight, by
all means, please let this Benedetta Casalini know.
That is the wish of my
Divine Pillar."
――――――――――――――――
TIPS: About
Inspector's Tag
Originally, the tag
was issued as proof that the person was a messenger from Kihoin or Hisashi
Province.
Currently, it is used
in place of an identification tag to temporarily guarantee a guest's identity
to the lord.
During their stay in
the territory, all necessary expenses will be paid by the lord through this
tag.
There are some poor
nobles who rely on this and enjoy the luxury of having less money on hand.
......Abuse is not
allowed.
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