Volume 6 Past Arc
1
It was a story from
when Nozomu was still young. His life in his hometown, Oire Village. And the
story of three people who became friends during that time. Nozomu began by
recounting a story from their early childhood. Life in their hometown, Oire
Village. And the story of three friends who grew close there.
"Nozomu~! Ken~!
Hurry up!"
"Wait a minute,
Lisa! Ken isn't here yet!"
"Haa, haa,
haa..."
Three boys and girls
ran across a field where the spring breeze rustled. Leading the way was a
red-haired girl with short, neatly cut hair. Behind her, two boys followed,
lagging a bit. The girl, though young, had well-defined features and would
transform into a very cute girl if dressed up. However, the mud on her cheeks
and her disheveled hair from running around would likely impress onlookers with
a tomboyish mischievousness rather than girlishness. The boys following behind
her were, again, a contrasting pair.
One was a charming boy
with golden hair, called Ken by the girl named Lisa. As he grew up and became a
man, his handsome features might captivate many women. But now, he had a
fragile appearance, like a small animal, and was more girlish than the
red-haired girl. The other boy, called Nozomu, was clearly more ordinary
compared to the other two. His features were plain, and his body wasn't
particularly large. However, perhaps he had more stamina than the golden-haired
boy, for his steps were firm, even as he breathed heavily.
"Nozomu! Ken!
Hurry up! If we don't hurry, Mujil will take that spot!"
"I know. But we
can't leave Ken behind, can we?"
"Haa haa... I-I'm
alright, I'll keep up."
Nozomu and Ken,
breathing heavily, followed behind the red-haired girl, Lisa. They were headed
to a hill with a single tree, a little distance from the village. The
moderately sized open space, where adults wouldn't bother them, was a perfect
playground. However, not all children were friends, and just like adults, they
had factions. Children, still emotionally immature, would almost never give up
a perfectly found playground. At this time, when they were freed from helping
out at home in the morning, securing their favorite playground was paramount
for the village children. Consequently, groups of children repeatedly clashed
over that playground, like a territorial battle.
In the midst of this,
Lisa and a boy named Mujil rose to prominence among the village children. Mujil
was originally born in this village, and until Lisa arrived, he was the leader
of the village children, or rather, the bully. When Lisa first came to this
village, for Mujil, who grew up in a village with only farmland, small hills,
and forests around, Lisa, who came from outside, was a perfect opponent to
relieve the boredom of daily village life. Mujil thought a good opponent had
arrived and tried to pick a fight with Lisa. However, Mujil, who tried to tease
her, was counterattacked by Lisa, which eventually escalated into a big fight.
Since then, the two became sworn enemies.
For a while, the two
repeatedly grappled and hurled insults over the playground on this hill, but
after a while, something like a rule for their matches had formed. The rule was
simple: the first one to reach the top of the hill after the sun reached its
highest point could play there until sunset. As Lisa urged the two behind her,
Nozomu put his arm around Ken's shoulder to support him, who was lagging
behind. However, at this rate, Mujil and his group would reach the top of the
hill first.
"Gosh,
fine!"
Lisa, losing her
patience, pushed Nozomu aside and carried Ken on her back.
"W- wait..."
"Just hurry! I'm
not going to lose to Mujil!"
With a burst of
spirit, Lisa carried Ken on her back and dashed up the hill. Nozomu, flustered
by the bewildered Ken and the sprinting Lisa, frantically followed them. The
two dashed up the hill and reached the single tree at the top. Mujil and his
group were nowhere in sight yet.
"We did it! We're
number one!"
"You're not
number one. It seems there's someone already here."
Lisa put down Ken,
whom she had been carrying, and threw both hands up in excitement. She seemed
happy to be the first to their favorite spot, but Ken stopped her. As Lisa tilted
her head at Ken's words, he pointed to a spot on the grassy hill where only the
grass had been pulled out. A landscape of the village, viewed from the top of
the hill, was drawn on the ground where the grass had been removed.
"Wow~! Amazing! Hey,
hey! Nozomu, Ken, look!"
Nozomu and Ken peered
at the ground under the tree, urged by the excited Lisa.
"Wow~."
"Haa~."
Both Nozomu and Ken
gasped in admiration at the picture drawn on the ground. Oire Village, where
they lived, was a small village built in a basin. The roofs of houses
illuminated by the sun shining from the sky, wheat fields that had begun to
sprout, and by the side roads of the fields, the village's few horses grazed
with carts loaded with goods. It was a picture that looked as if the scenery in
front of their eyes had been cut out and placed there. In Nozomu's eyes, the
horses in the picture looked as if they were about to move, having been scolded
by the driver.
At that moment, they
saw a rustling shadow behind the tree. Lisa peered behind the tree and saw a
girl her age, with freckles on her cheeks, huddled as if hiding.
"Oh? It's Mehilya.
What are you doing here?"
"Um... I was...
drawing."
The girl, called Mehilya
by Lisa, glanced at Nozomu and the others from behind the tree as if peeking at
them, then pointed at the drawing on the ground. Her voice was a bit small, but
seeing that she answered Lisa's question properly, it seemed she was more
embarrassed than unwilling.
"Wow! Mehilya,
you drew this picture!?"
Lisa rushed to Mehilya
somewhat excitedly. It was a rather inconsiderate action towards someone who
was a bit shy, but Lisa seemed genuinely interested and excited by the picture
she had drawn. Mehilya tensed slightly in surprise, but nodded timidly.
"It's a little
embarrassing..."
Seeing Lisa and the
others impressed, Mehilya's freckled cheeks flushed red. She was shy, but
seemed genuinely happy, and Nozomu and the others also felt their hearts warm.
At that moment, they
heard a noisy commotion from behind Nozomu and the others. Turning around, they
saw a group of about five children walking towards Nozomu and the others.
"Tch, we were beaten
to it..."
At the front of the
appearing group was a particularly large boy. He was the leader of the other
group, Mujil. As his appearance suggested, he was strong and was the boss-like
figure among the village children. Lisa and Mujil. Both were strong-willed and
disliked losing, but precisely because they had similar aspects, the two were
on bad terms, like oil and water. Well, it was no wonder, since they had a big
fight on the very day they met. Mujil was a central figure among the village
children due to his physique and vigor. That is, until Lisa came to this village.
Mujil tended to try and solve everything with force due to his personality, and
because of that, some children were afraid of him. For such children, Lisa, who
was unafraid of Mujil and confronted him head-on, shone brightly, and Lisa
captured their hearts. Lisa also disliked Mujil, who would raise his hand to
disobedient children, and Mujil, being a boy, held a childish rivalry towards
Lisa. As a result, the village children were now divided into two factions:
Lisa's faction and Mujil's faction.
"Yes. So, you
should go home. We'll be using this place today."
"Heh! Who decided
that?! We don't remember saying it was okay!"
The children around Mujil
clamored in agreement. The timid Mehilya was afraid of Mujil's loud voice and
hid behind the tree again. Indeed, there had been no such agreement, but until
now, if they got there first, they would complain but quietly retreat.
"Besides, why do
we have to listen to an outsider?! This is our village, and this playground is
ours!"
However, for some
reason, Mujil wouldn't back down today. The fact that he wasn't even second
might have ignited his pride.
"That's
irrelevant! Besides, your name isn't written anywhere!"
Lisa wouldn't back
down an inch against Mujil. They glared at each other like hissing cats,
hurling insults.
"Besides, Mehilya
was the first one here! You, who aren't even second, aren't invited!"
At Lisa's words, Mujil
glared at Mehilya, who was hiding behind the tree. Mehilya flinched and
trembled at the sudden glare. She clung to the tree trunk like a frightened
small animal, pressing herself tightly against it.
"Shut up! Who
cares about that!"
"Ah!"
Mujil, angered, kicked
Mehilya's drawing on the ground. The vibrantly depicted horse was completely gouged
out, and the scattered dirt crushed the houses depicted on the ground.
"Hey! What are
you doing?!"
The enraged Lisa tried
to press Mujil, but he yelled desperately.
"Shut up! Shut
up! Don't order me around! You parentless brat!"
"!!"
Lisa's face clouded
over at Mujil's words, and her eyes welled up. For Mujil and his group, it was
just words of frustration. It was clear that Mujil was in the wrong, and he was
just throwing a childish tantrum. However, for her, these words deeply gouged
her heart. When Lisa came to this village, her father had already passed away,
leaving only her mother and younger sister. The reason she came to this village
was originally due to her father, who was an adventurer, passing away, but the
impact of her father's death on a girl not yet ten was immeasurable. How much
burden must have been placed on her mind and body, losing the reliable figure
who was by her side until yesterday... no, until this morning, and having to
move to an unfamiliar village.
"What? Say
something back, outsider!"
The bully, thinking
Lisa had flinched and trembled, suddenly looked triumphant and pressed Lisa.
Even if she was strong-willed, she was still fundamentally a delicate girl. It
was understandable that her spirits sank due to the painful memory that
resurfaced, and the sadness she had forgotten was reawakened. But no matter the
means, it was clear that Mujil's words had made Lisa shrink back. Children's
fights were fundamentally like those between animals; the one who cowered lost.
"If you
understand, then go home!"
"Kya!"
Mujil pushed Lisa hard
on the shoulder. Lisa stumbled, then plopped down onto her bottom. Mujil's
cronies, who were watching, also got carried away and clamored at Lisa,
"Go home, go home!"
"Ugh,
ugh..."
Tears welled up in
Lisa's eyes, threatening to overflow. No matter how strong she kept her spirit,
for a young girl, the death of her father, whom she had relied on more than
anyone during their travels, was not something that could be easily healed.
However, before those tears could overflow, Nozomu, with a roar, leaped at Mujil.
"You
bastard!"
Nozomu grabbed Mujil
tightly by the collar. The bully involuntarily stumbled at the sudden turn of
events.
"Ah..."
A gasp escaped Lisa's
lips as she witnessed the scene. Furthermore, Ken also leaped at Mujil, and the
two together pushed the bully to the ground.
"Bfft!"
Nozomu and Ken piled
onto the fallen Mujil and punched him in the face with all their might. Mujil
involuntarily cried out from the sudden impact and dull pain in his face, but
he immediately tried to push the two back.
"These bastards!"
"Apologize to
Lisa!"
The three wrestled,
rolling on the ground. Mujil's cronies were dumbfounded by the sudden turn of
events. However, after a moment, the cronies, snapping back to reality, jumped
at Nozomu and Ken, who were pinning Mujil down, their faces contorted with
anger. Nozomu and Ken desperately resisted the cronies who grabbed and punched
them, but they were outnumbered. They managed to give the cronies a few
bruises, but in the end, they were subdued.
"Y-You guys. You
really did it now..."
The bully got up with
the help of his comrades. Perhaps the two-on-one beating had indeed affected
him, as Mujil's footing was unsteady. Still, his face flushed red with anger
from being punched, he walked towards Nozomu and Ken, intending to return the
beating several times over. Mujil ostentatiously raised his fist. As a child,
he was already big both vertically and horizontally, and he tried to intimidate
Nozomu and Ken by making himself look even bigger, but the two glared back at Mujil
without flinching. Just as the raised fist was about to strike Nozomu's cheek,
"That's enough
already! You orc nose!!"
"Bugh!"
Lisa's feet struck Mujil's
cheek, not Nozomu's. A dropkick, imbued with all her body weight and the
momentum of her leap, struck his face, sending Mujil to the ground. Nozomu and
the cronies were dumbfounded by the sudden event, staring at the girl before
them.
"...An orc nose,
she says."
"Well, with that face,
isn't it a fitting name?"
Amidst the silence,
Nozomu and Ken muttered rude remarks. Indeed, his face was wide, and his widely
flared nostrils resembled an orc's snout. Mujil's face, flattened to the ground
by Lisa's dropkick, was still distorted like an octopus, and hadn't returned to
normal. Furthermore, Lisa's gaze, which had glanced at Mujil lying on the
ground, turned to the cronies who were holding Nozomu and the others down.
"Hmph!"
The cronies'
frightened cries entered Nozomu's ears. Lisa paid no attention to the
frightened cronies and charged at them.
"W- whoa..."
The flustered cronies.
Lisa, rushing in while they were bewildered, slammed something she held in her
hand into their faces with all her might.
"Buh!"
"Gyah!"
Their vision was
suddenly plunged into darkness. Then, intense pain assaulted their eyes.
"It hurts! It
hurts! It hurts! It hurts!"
Unable to bear the
pain in their eyes, they let go of Nozomu and Ken, whom they had been
restraining. Nozomu and Ken escaped in that opening. What Lisa had slammed into
the faces of the cronies restraining Nozomu and the others was just dirt.
Because Mujil had been blown away and his eyes were wide open when a large
amount of dirt was crammed into them, they were tormented by pain they had
never experienced before.
"B-bastards..."
Mujil, his face still
distorted, got up with the help of the two remaining cronies. He seemed to have
a sturdy body, after all.
"W-we’ll pulverize
you!"
Mujil and his cronies,
unable to pronounce words properly due to their distorted faces, charged at
Nozomu and the others. Lisa, Nozomu, and Ken met them. After that, a fierce
children's fight unfolded under the single tree until both sides were exhausted
and retreated.
***
In the end, the fight
between Lisa's faction and Mujil's faction ended in a draw.
"Haa, haa, i-it's
late already, so we're going home! How can we deal with such a persistent snake
woman!"
Although Mujil and his
group were quite frustrated at not being able to win against five opponents,
they left, spouting bitter words despite being exhausted and slurring their
speech.
"Haa, haa, if you
can, try it! You orc nose!"
"Li, Lisa,
y-you're so lively..."
"You're right. We
can't even move, so why is she so lively...?"
Nozomu, too, was
exhausted, having used up even his playing stamina, but Lisa, still fuming,
retorted Mujil, who was complaining. Being called an outsider and parentless
must have really stung.
"Oh, um. Thank
you..."
The fight over, and
her mood settled, Mehilya emerged from behind the tree and thanked Lisa and the
others.
"Eh? Oh, don't
worry about it. I couldn't stand it either."
Lisa waved her hand at
Mehilya, scratching her cheek a little shyly. Mehilya's cheeks naturally
softened as she looked at Lisa.
"Oh, if that guy
does anything weird again, tell me. I'll beat him to a pulp!"
Lisa's face was
strangely determined as she thrust her fists forward. Lisa's lips were pulled
up, and her eyes sparkled brightly. She seemed to be in a good mood, as stifled
laughter could be heard. What she was probably thinking about was Mujil's face,
bruised from the fight just now. She must have felt good getting revenge for
being insulted, but it was certainly not a smile a girl would usually make.
Thinking such thoughts, Nozomu, who was watching her from the side, could only
give a wry smile. Mehilya, perhaps finding Lisa amusing, nodded slightly and
returned to the village with a smile.
"A lot of time
has passed, hasn't it..."
Nozomu murmured,
looking at the western sky, which was already dyed crimson, and the sun was
setting behind the mountains. There probably wasn't time to play anymore. If
they were any later, they would miss dinner and be scolded by their parents.
"It can't be
helped. Let's go home now."
Hearing Ken's words
urging them to return home, Nozomu also nodded. However, Lisa alone remained,
staring blankly at the sunset instead of going home.
"Lisa?"
Her back, unusually
melancholic for her. He couldn't feel her usual strong-willed self, who was so
reliable to the children bullied by Mujil.
"...Haa."
A sigh escaped her
lips, and her expression clouded over. Lisa's figure was so fragile that it
seemed like she would disappear if the wind blew. As she gazed at the twilight
sky with a troubled expression, and her figure dyed in the sunset, the two boys
beside her unconsciously felt their hearts pound. Nozomu and Ken were
captivated by Lisa, a sight they had never seen before.
Coincidentally, it was
the moment they consciously recognized the girl Lisa as a member of the
opposite sex. Lisa, whether aware of Nozomu's and Ken's reactions or not,
muttered softly.
"Hey, am I still
an outsider?"
"Eh?"
That was perhaps the
complex Lisa had always felt inwardly. A parentless, outsider child. Since
Lisa's mother was from this village, the idea that she was an outsider was
actually incorrect. However, considering that her father wasn't from this
village, and only looking at the fact that she was born in a different place
from the village they lived in, it was understandable that she might be trapped
by the idea of being an outsider.
"My father. He
was an adventurer, and he took me to many places. The Water City of Abryus, the
Capital City of Garsam..."
Her eyes seemed to be
staring at the village spread out below, but in reality, they were probably
reflecting sights Nozomu and the others had never seen.
"Traveling was
really fun. There were times when I couldn't eat my fill, but I still got to
see all sorts of sparkling things."
A sandy beach shining
like starlight on the ground. Various kinds of people gathered in the capital.
At that time, everything was new and brilliant to her. Indeed, as an
adventurer, his income wasn't stable, and there were days when he felt cold.
Nevertheless, both her father and mother were always smiling, and every day was
truly a happy one.
"But then my
father died, and my mother alone couldn't feed us anymore... So we came to this
village."
"Yeah..."
The death of her
father, an adventurer who had been more reliable than anyone. Just a few years
before the great invasion, when magical beasts had begun to sporadically move
south from the northern wilderness. When the magical beasts' movements became
active and anxiety about invasions began to spread throughout various regions.
People's hearts gradually withered from the expanding and increasing anxiety.
The economy, people's morale, everything began to be dragged down. At such a
time, her mother couldn't go on adventures with young Lisa and her younger
sister. That's why Lisa's mother decided to return to her hometown with her
children.
"Indeed, there's
no danger. I always sleep in a warm bed, and I never freeze from the cold.
But..."
Indeed, this village
was largely unaffected by the great invasion. Their houses weren't destroyed by
magical beasts. They weren't attacked by fallen bandits. There were some poor
harvests, but they didn't suffer from a famine severe enough to run out of
food. However, in this village, Lisa felt a draft blowing deep within her chest.
Something was missing. A sensation like a small hole had opened in her heart,
and heat was rapidly escaping. Lisa tightly clenched her hands over her chest,
as if to cover that hole. At that moment, Nozomu's words reached her ears.
"Lisa, do you
want to be like your father?"
Lisa nodded slightly
at Nozomu's words. That great warmth from when she couldn't sleep at night,
afraid of the darkness and the howling of magical beasts during their travels.
Along with the various landscapes her father showed her during their journeys,
that warmth continued to smolder deep within her body.
"...It'll be
alright. When Lisa gets bigger, it'll be fine. You can even go on journeys, and
I'm sure your mother won't object to you becoming an adventurer, just like your
father."
"That's right. If
Lisa's mother was also an adventurer, I don't think she would be against it."
Nozomu and Ken spoke
with the irrational optimism of children. These words had no basis in reality
for realizing that dream, but at least for Lisa at that moment, what she needed
wasn't a clear reason, but a presence that would support her.
"You're right. I
can be. Like my father..."
Speaking her hidden
desires. And the opportunity to take the first step towards her dream. This was
the trigger that would make her start walking towards her dream. The spark of
longing for the past that remained deep within Lisa's chest caught the tailwind
of her childhood friends' agreement and began to blaze.
"Yeah, I've
decided. I'm going to be an adventurer!"
Lisa clearly declared
her dream, as if telling herself. It was the moment she decided to become an
adventurer. She wanted to see that scene she once saw again. Perhaps if she
became an adventurer, she might encounter even more exciting things. There was
nothing more to hide. Even if there was no reason or basis, the desire was
already sleeping deep within her chest.
"The traveling
merchant said that people from all over the world are gathering now and
building a big city. And in that city, a big school is being built, where you
can study about the entire continent!"
From that time on, she
decided to go to Solminati Academy and began to study hard.
The sun completely
set, and the surroundings quickly darkened. At this rate, the children would
have to go home alone in the pitch black. The three hastily ran down the hill
and hurried towards the village. When they returned to the village, it was
already enveloped in darkness. They would definitely be lectured when they got
home. While rushing towards their homes, Nozomu glanced at Lisa's profile.
Although she looked a little disappointed that they couldn't play together as
three, the sadness that had been on her face earlier was gone. Nozomu breathed
a sigh of relief and hurried home. When they reached the village entrance, the
enticing scent of dinner wafted throughout the village from each house. Nozomu
and the others, who were already growing teenagers, felt quite hungry from
running up the hill and fighting with Mujil's group.
"I'm hungry~.
Let's hurry home!"
"Y-you two,
w-wait a minute!"
Nozomu and Ken,
wanting to go home quickly, tried to run. Just then, Lisa called out to them.
Wondering what was wrong, they turned around and saw Lisa, her face a little
flushed, averting her eyes, and fidgeting with her fingers. She seemed to want
to say something, but the crucial words wouldn't come out. She opened her mouth
to speak, but she was too embarrassed and failed repeatedly. But Lisa shook her
head vigorously as if to shake off her embarrassment, then opened her mouth
with determination.
"Um... thank you,
both of you."
Today, when she was
timid about her father, they had protected her and gotten angry at Mujil. Even
though they were absolutely outnumbered, they still stood up to him. She felt a
warmth she had never experienced before, a sensation that tightly squeezed her
chest. Even though she was too embarrassed to speak many words, it was her
heartfelt gratitude. Nozomu and Ken felt their blood rush to their faces all at
once.
"N-no... not at
all."
"Y-yeah."
The twilight air was
already chilly, and the sweat from their fight with Mujil was taking away their
body heat, but contrary to that, the heat in their faces rose.
"Big sister~.
Where are you~~?"
"Oh? Luludy!?"
At that moment, a
young girl appeared from the darkness, her voice tearful. A young girl with red
hair like Lisa's, cut in a bob. She was probably about two years younger than
Nozomu and the others. Her large, round eyes were brimming with tears. Luludy
Hounds. Lisa's younger sister, the last memento left by her father. Unlike her
sister, she had a very timid personality and always trotted along behind her
mother or Lisa. It seemed her sister was late coming home, and out of
loneliness, she had run out of the house.
"Oh, what are you
doing?"
Lisa said with an
exasperated voice as she rushed to Luludy. In the already pitch-black
surroundings, there was only moonlight.
"Because... Big sister
didn't come home..."
Besides the moonlight,
there were lights from houses visible through windows, but it still seemed to
scare Luludy.
"We're on our way
home now. You shouldn't go outside when you're scared of the dark."
"But~~~."
She must have been
very afraid of the dark. Luludy clung to her sister, sniffling. Lisa patted her
sobbing sister's back to comfort her.
"Come on, let's
go home. Mom will worry."
She said, then
released Luludy, who had her face buried in her chest, and held her younger
sister's hand, which was a size smaller than her own.
"S-so, see you
tomorrow!"
Lisa turned on her
heel and walked towards her house with her sister. When she turned, her face
was so red that it was visible even in the faint starlight. Nozomu and Ken watched
her go, captivated by her figure, unable to say goodbye.
"Nozomu, what do
you think?"
"Eh?"
The two had been dazed
for a while, but then Ken suddenly spoke to Nozomu.
"Lisa's father
died while he was adventuring, right? Lisa is trying to go to a place like
that..."
"............"
A slight fear could be
felt in Ken's words. That was probably due to her father's death, which they
had heard about earlier. Lisa's father had indeed died during an adventure.
Considering that, Lisa was undoubtedly embarking on a difficult path. If she continued
on that path, the possibility of death befalling her could be fully anticipated
from her father's death. Nozomu and Ken silently looked at each other.
They couldn't stop
Lisa. They had just seen her sad expression, and more than anything, they wanted
to support her dream. Lisa was strong-willed and went straight for what she
decided. The two thought that she, having already started running, would
undoubtedly not give up on becoming an adventurer.
"Hey,
Ken..."
"Yeah. I
know."
Then, they would
support her dream. Her dream of becoming an adventurer. The two silently nodded
to each other. Even without words, their desire to protect the person they
loved was one. On this day, they, like Lisa, decided to go to Solminati
Academy. However, Nozomu and Ken had not yet realized the feelings that had
begun to sprout deep within their hearts, their romantic feelings for her.
By the way, it's quite
an aside that Nozomu, who couldn't go home even after sunset, was hit on the
head by his stubborn father and lectured extensively.
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