4-2 Part 2
Surpass Georg, the Memories Whisper
— Steel and the Wicked Woman —
Translator : PolterGlast
“What silly things are you competing over? More importantly,
sorry I couldn’t cheer for you, Ashley. Georg said I would be a distraction
if I were nearby...”
“Naturally. If a woman says something during a battle
between men, it throws off the rhythm.”
Even though he couldn't stand up to Sister Atomina
back then. Did Georg choose to become like this himself?
Did he discard his old self, aiming to become a man who
could protect me and Sister Atomina?
“How dare you say that to Big Sister! Ashley, Georg
is being cruel!”
“A-Ah... I can somewhat understand Georg’s feelings,
but there might be a better way to say it...”
In that case, I thought I would go my own way too—but Georg
is right. If Sister is here, everything follows her pace. However, Georg
suddenly turned his back on us.
The next moment, the twin siblings, seemingly having
prearranged it, brought a large cloth bundle from on top of a wooden crate in
the back. Then, together, they handed it to me.
“Congratulations, Ashley. A celebration gift from Georg
and me.”
“It was decided that we would give it to you once you caught
up to me. Well, the timing is just right.”
Wondering what it was, I pulled off the cream-colored cloth.
There, a brand-new Shovel shone in the morning sun.
“It is not mere iron. It is a steel Shovel I had an
acquaintance blacksmith make.”
“It’s a goumono1.”
“...Sister, if you mean a sharp sword, it's wazamono1.”
“Ugh... I-I made a mistake on purpose! I know that
much!”
What I had been using was just iron. Since it’s softer and
more flexible than steel, even if it distorts, it’s easy to fix myself. But if
I clash with a monster of Georg's caliber as I just did, I would end up breaking it again.
“I can’t hold back now that my old one’s broken. Don’t tell
me you aimed for this from the start...”
“Ashley, Big Sister did it on purpose! I made a
mistake on purpose, okay?!”
“Of course, I understand. Sister is the number one lady in
the Empire; there’s no way she would make a mistake.”
“Pfft... No, it’s nothing.”
“Why are you laughing there?! Despite usually having a
sullen face! Georg, have some respect for your sister!”
But if I stay here any longer, I feel like I’ll be swallowed
by their kindness. My partner is neither Brother Georg nor Sister Atomina.
It is an Evil Dragon who desires arrogant condemnation.
“Sorry for requesting a match and then leaving, but I should
get going. I’ll come again.”
“Eh, wait Ashley, wait up!”
I gratefully accepted the steel Shovel and tried to
leave the place. I had a vague feeling it would happen, but it seems Sister Atomina
chased after me. No, wait...
An intruder whom I didn't really want to meet stood in our
way.
“Geh...”
“Sister, she’ll hear you...”
Neither I, Sister, nor Brother Georg like that
person. She is a woman as thin and tall as a cypress tree, and she always looks
at me with dark, gloomy
gaze.
“Atomina, what are you doing at your age? How long do
you intend to chase after your younger brother’s back like that?”
Those words were, of course, directed at Sister Atomina.
I said it before, but the Imperial Family members other than Georg and Atomina
are hard to call decent.
Among them, our aunt is a person competing for the number
one or two worst impression.
“No, I was wrong. That is a monster that isn't even your
brother. To call him a child of the Emperor, how
presumptuous! If you keep doing things like that, it will develop into a
scandal. Keep your distance, distance!”
All of them are sound arguments. Whether I am Father’s child
is highly doubtful. Sister’s behavior is also excessive. However, I have no
obligation to take orders from you.
I wanted to say that, but she’s the type of aunt where
saying it would only complicate things further.
“Hii...?!”
Fortunately, I am incredibly hated. When the cursed Prince
stepped between Aunt and Sister Atomina, Aunt screamed and stepped back
two or three steps.
“Don’t come any closer! Atekushi2 will get dirty too, jeez! Atomina,
pull that filthy monster back!
“Ah, certainly I am a
monster. Aunt Du Neil Urgos.”
Unfortunately, a person with a broken personality won’t
become a decent human being. We had already given up on Aunt. Uncle is the same,
but that’s just the kind of humans they are.
“Excuuuse me?! I
told you not to call Atekushi ‘Aunt’ ever again! Call me High Priestess-sama!”
“Then I will call you that too. High Priestess-sama. We are
family; we are just having a normal interaction as family. Right, Georg!”
“Mu... Why pass it to me there...”
Georg also has
a position. Perhaps there are circumstances; he makes a face as if he chewed a
bitter bug. Then he affirmed with just a small nod.
Although Brother has higher succession rights, in terms of
power, High Priestess Du Neil is far above General Georg. Witnessing
this... yeah, I really don't want to become a General.
“My, do you siblings intend to argue against Atekushi,
your aunt?! Can you not listen to the advice of this, Atekushi,
the High Priestess!”
“Understood, I will withdraw. That should be enough, High
Priestess Du.”
This actually served as a convenient excuse to slip out of
the castle. I certainly don't mind leaving, and having this situation drag on
during training is a nuisance. Honestly, exposing such shameful behavior in
public is far more of a scandal anyway...
“What! You mustn’t listen to Aunt’s false accusations, Ashley!”
“Ohoho, it is his lowly blood that makes him act so. Now,
hurry up and vanish from before Atekushi.”
“Only if you get away from Atomina's face. —Sister, tell Jii
I won’t be returning today.”
Back when I
was freeloading at Carral's shop, Jii used to lecture me—his delinquent son who refused to
return to the palace—until I was absolutely sick of it. That is another reason
why this commotion is actually convenient for me.
“Why don't you just stay gone for good? Atomina, let us continue this discussion another time. It is high
time you accepted the reality.”
“There's no way I'm doing that! I absolutely refuse! Tearing
family apart, you’re the cruel one, Aunt!”
She is that kind of person. Having said what she wanted to
say, Aunt Du finally left. With that harsh personality, Aunt spews
sarcasm and lectures to anyone.
She herself says, “Atekushi isn’t lecturing because I
want to, you know?” But that is an unconscious lie. Aunt is a troublesome type
of person who enjoys lecturing more than anything...
“By the way, Sister, for Aunt to start saying that... did something
happen?”
“N-Nothing... Never mind that, you can just leave Big Sister
behind and go to the castle town or wherever... just go already, jeez...”
“Why are you sulking...”
“Then at least join me for a meal.”
“Fine, I’ll go out after eating. Together with the Shovel
you and Brother gave me.”
When I looked toward Georg, perhaps as a sign he
didn't want to be involved anymore, he had returned to drilling the troops. In
other words, he pushed the trouble of dealing with Sister onto me...
“Ah, by the way, Ashley. Since you've been going around the
castle town, did you find any delicious shops
or something...”
“I know some. Would you like to hear about them? Actually, I
even entered a confectionery shop.”
“Tell me! And if it’s okay, next time...”
“You want me to buy some as a souvenir? I owe you for
nursing me; leave it to me.”
VIT, stamina
is the capital for everything. Going around the Imperial Capital while
eating my way through again isn't bad. After all, I am a NEET.
“I wonder if this is a dream... Ashley buying sweets
for Big Sister... Ah, Ashley, is your allowance sufficient...?”
“Sister... I don't mean to sound like Georg, but spoiling your younger brother like that isn’t good...”
I am in a position where I don’t know when I might be
assassinated, but Georg and Atomina are the same. The history of
the Empire is a history of succession struggles. If I become strong, the day
might come when I protect the two of them.
For the time being, let’s repay Sister for everything until now with a box of sweets.
1 Atomina is trying to say 業物 (Wazamono), which means a "masterpiece weapon" or "razor-sharp sword". She misreads the kanji 業 (Waza - skill/deed) using its Chinese reading (On-yomi) which is Gō (as in Karma), instead of the correct Japanese reading (Kun-yomi) Waza. This implies she is trying to sound knowledgeable about weaponry to impress him or fit in, but she actually has no idea what she is talking about (or she only knows the word from reading and has never heard it said aloud).
2A very specific, snobbish pronunciation of Watashi (I/Me). It characterizes the speaker as arrogant and believing she is of a higher class.
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