Volume 1
Chapter 73
I was Asked to
be a Bodyguard
Translator : PolterGlast
Back to the Present.
I thought Akana-san
was going to keep crying and clinging to me, but instead, she seemed to have
fallen asleep from exhaustion. I wonder what she wants me to do.
Just then, someone approached
me from behind. It was a woman.
"Who's
there?"
I turned around and
asked her identity.
The woman looked
surprised for a moment, but after clearing her throat, she quickly returned to
a dignified expression and placed her right palm on her left chest, bowing
slightly from the waist.
"………Nice to meet you. I am───We are Akana-sama's
guards and shadows. And my name is In. I have come to ask you a favor."
As soon as In-san
finished her introduction, several people stood around me as if it were a signal.
"Please forgive
this rudeness. Seeing as you can fight on equal terms with that monster, I felt
uneasy talking to you without having my companions surround me, so I took this
approach. We have no intention of harming you. Please be patient with us."
"Yeah, it's fine.
I see, so you were watching. Are you okay? Were you injured by getting caught
up in it?"
I asked if she was
alright since she said she saw my fight with that zombie (Rob) boss. I don't
think she was nearby at the time because I didn't sense any presence around me,
but I decided to ask just in case. It seems like this can make a big difference
in how other people perceive me.
Then, the woman named
In looked surprised again, and this time with a hint of frustration, but her
expression quickly returned to normal and she replied.
"Yes, I'm fine.
Thank you for your concern."
The woman bowed her
head.
I simply replied with
a smile. She seemed to want to say something else, so... if I interjected, it
might make things worse.
The woman raised her
head and cleared her throat again, returning to her original topic.
"So, about the
favor..."
"Oh, right,
that's what we were talking about."
"Yes. The favor
is───would you please
protect Akana-sama from now on?"
In-san's request
seemed a bit troublesome.
□□□
"Protect?"
I repeated the woman's
words to confirm.
"Yes. I would
like you to become Akana-sama's bodyguard."
"………"
I couldn't help but
chuckle at the sudden request.
"That's pretty
sudden. Why me?"
"I've been
watching you since a while ago, and it seems that Akana-sama has opened up to
you quite a bit. We don't have the luxury of leisurely examining candidates for
bodyguards... so I thought we might as well ask you."
"………Hmm"
A bodyguard, huh... That's
fine with me. I've done bodyguard work for Kakyouin-san before, so that's not a
problem.
That's right───there's no problem
with just becoming a bodyguard.
I continued to ask.
"But, I still
don't understand. Akana-sama is a noble, right? There must be people with
clearer backgrounds and abilities, right? Why me of all people?"
"T-That's..."
The woman looked away.
That's right───she looked away.
"Well, I'm sure
you have your reasons, and I don't want to get too involved, so I don't want to
dig too deep..."
"………"
"I have one
question, though. How long should I protect her? And to what extent?"
"───"
"When you ask
someone for a favor, you usually leave the inconvenient things for later,
right? But if there's no big problem, you usually pile on the information right
away. Because you want the other person to accept. But you didn't do that. It's
unnatural for someone who seems so capable. So this must be a pretty
troublesome job."
"………"
"This is just a
completely unfounded guess of mine, but... perhaps the Gilmburg family has
fallen?"
"───!!"
"Otherwise, I
don't know why you would ask me. Even if you're short on time, Akana-sama is a
noble lady───she wouldn't entrust
her protection to a complete stranger. But if the family has fallen and she's
gone from being protected to being targeted, then that makes sense too. Are you
asking me to protect her in a lifelong sense? Like you want me to clear away
all the trouble that will befall her from now on and protect her. Since my
background is unknown, I might not have any ill will towards the Gilmburg
family. And I have the power. So I can understand why you would ask me, but
honestly, that's too much. I can't take on that kind of responsibility. I can't
say things like, 'I'll protect her even if it costs my life' or 'I'll be by her
side forever'. That's too much of a stretch, I think."
"………"
From an outsider's
perspective, my thinking might seem a bit off───but I think my guess
is correct. I think they're planning to ask for more later. They want a strong
backing in case something happens.
I don't have any
concrete evidence to support my guess. It's just a feeling I get from the way
the woman in front of me is talking and the tension of the people surrounding
her. It's just a hunch, to be honest.
But I've seen a lot of
people who are deceitful or cornered───so I can kind of tell.
To protect someone,
huh? It's not a limited meaning like from something or until when, but a word
of belief and determination that is engraved in one's heart. It's a word that
has nothing to do with me.
I have neither the
desire nor the determination to do so. I don't want to carry such an extra
burden.
It's fine if I'm
merely a bodyguard who protects them from threats.
But───
To protect that person
entirely───that's impossible for
me.
I'm sure that's what
they want. A kind of all-powerful hero. They're looking for that. Somehow, I
just know it. That's why I can't accept it.
"And
besides..."
What I'm most curious
about is...
"Why don't you
guys just do it yourselves?"
Why don't they, who
clearly seem to have a long-standing relationship with Akana-san and seem to be
quite capable, do it themselves? They seem to have plenty of loyalty and belief
in Akana-san. With all those qualifications, why don't they do it?
When I asked that, the
woman gritted her teeth in frustration.
"………Of course, it would be
best if we could do it. If only we could───if only we could take your place! We want to do it! ………But in this world, there
are many monsters that defy common sense. The one you fought against earlier,
and the kingdom's knight commander, the Modern Sword Saint, are examples of
that. If we were to face them... we couldn't protect Akana-sama. We don't have
the great power like yours, the power to fight monsters on equal terms. You're
right. Since you're a stranger, you might be willing to help the Gilmburg
family───it's true that we had
such a calculating thought. But───it's a more fundamental matter! We need someone like you! We need your
power!!"
"………"
"I won't ask for
something as extravagant as a lifetime. I won't ask you to risk your life. It's
fine if you can do as much as you can. So please, until she calms down... until
Akana-sama can stand on her own two feet... please... could you stay by her
side!?"
"…"
In-san pleaded while
clinging to me.
Pushed by her
intensity, I was forced to think.
"Listen, I can't
say anything clever..."
"It's
alright."
"I can protect
her from enemies. Because all I have to do is defeat them. I can do that. In
fact, that's my enjoyment. But, that's only when she's near me. And I can't do
anything more than that. Are you okay with that?"
"It's fine!"
"…"
I'm stumped. This
person is so persistent. And she seems to have compromised as much as she can.
At this rate, the
conversation isn't going anywhere. Neither of us is going to give in... but
this person seems to be unusually persistent.
...I can't come up
with a better solution even though I keep thinking about it.
Ugh.
"Haa... fine.
I'll do it."
"───!! R-Really!?"
The woman's face
immediately brightened up.
"Yeah."
"T-Thank you so
much!!"
""Thank
you""
In-san bowed her head───and at the same time,
everyone around her bowed their heads.
Haa... I knew it would turn out like this. This is
why I hate thinking. If I had just accepted it from the beginning, I wouldn't
have wasted time. I've also wasted unnecessary sugar... I guess thinking just
isn't for me. I've realized that again.
"But, I have
something I need to do too. So I'll prioritize that."
I just want to make
sure. I have to go and report to Chrisya-san after all.
"Y-Yes! Of
course, we understand that! That's fine! Thank you!!"
"…"
I was so dumbfounded
by the sudden change in atmosphere. But for them, it's probably a very happy
thing... isn't it?
I turned my gaze to
Akana-san, who was asleep.
Kakyouin-san said that
Akana-san was surrounded by enemies, but... it seems that there are people who
care about her this much.
"…"
What... she's pretty
well-liked, huh?
I sighed again.
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