6-1
My Brother Says, "I Shall Not Let
You Go"
Translator : PolterGlast
Recap of the
Previous Chapter
Leaving Dulin
in the care of Atomina and Georg, Ashley headed to the
Adventurer's Guild. There, he intentionally took on a stingy request with low
pay and set off for Corin Village, far from the Imperial Capital,
to subdue goblins.
The village chief of
Corin was bewildered by this eccentric who fought with a shovel. Ashley
was introduced to Lucky, the captain of the vigilante corps, and his
niece, Kachua. The Strange Book also showed Ashley the
way: Save Corin Village.
The first thing the Shovel
Man did was construct a moat surrounding the village. The villagers were
astounded by his unimaginable Shovel technique. As he calculated, this
served as a diversion, causing the goblin army to surge forward.
Ordering Kachua
and the vigilantes to provide firing support, Ashley acted as the decoy.
The decoy operation was a success, and he slew the Hobgoblin leading the
pack.
Amidst the cheers of
victory, he resumed the moat construction. Working non-stop until late at
night, he finally perfected the village's defenses before returning to his bed.
The village chief tried to have Kachua creep into Ashley's bed
for a night visit, but every romantic flag was snapped in half.
The next day, Ashley
worked hard again, building an underground waterway to reclaim the river dammed
up by the goblins. Furthermore, Ashley began additional construction on
the moat. Before the perfect defense could be completed, the goblins attacked
again. Receiving support from the archers, Ashley intercepted them
single-handedly and defeated a special variant known as a Hobgoblin Leader.
With the village's
safety secured, the small hero declined the chief's offer to give him Kachua
and left Corin Village.
When it was all
over, Zirant spoke: Ashley is truly the Emperor's child. That
figure is the very proof of the First Emperor, who united all races and brought
order to a muddy world that was beyond saving.
Reclaim the
Emperor's Throne, the Strange Book said.
The Alchemist Dulin
and the Firefly Brother — Part 2
The Strange
Book says: Pierce through the One and Only Absolute Justice
6-1
My Brother Says He Absolutely Won't Let Me Go
The journey took
four days to get there and three days to return.
By the time I gazed
upon the Imperial Capital from the outskirts as the sun set, and
disembarked from the shared carriage at the central terminal station, the city
was already in its evening hours.
I was exhausted from
the long trip, but I went straight to that alcohol-reeking Adventurer's Guild.
"Yo, Shinza.
I believed you'd come back alive, I really did."
"Rich words for
someone who recommended this job. It was terribly difficult—far more than you
imagine."
The only people in
the guild were that scruffy receptionist and a few unfamiliar drunks. It was a
strange story, but this place was livelier during
the day than at night. Sigrun had taught me that once night falls, the
taverns open, so people naturally flow over there.
"Hahaha, good
to hear that turn of phrase again. So, let's hear the report."
"I constructed
a deep moat around the perimeter of Corin Village."
"............Huh?"
"I repelled the
goblins that interfered and defeated three Hobgoblins. One was apparently
a promoted type with 'Leader' tagged
on the end."
The receptionist,
who had stood up to welcome me, slumped heavily back into his chair and looked
down. Then he opened his binder and scanned the request form again.
"I remember
now. The one Sigrun was pouting about letting get away. I see, so you
took it down."
"Yeah. I also
liberated the river that the goblins had dammed up. That is all."
"Ohh, sounds
like a great success. Did they assign you a cute girl and get you all
motivated? Haha, I get it, no need to say a word, Shinza."
"I did not
touch any women."
The receptionist
fell silent again at my reply. Then, making a complicated face for some reason,
he stared intently at my expression.
"Then... a
man?"
"No. I slept in
the same room as a woman, but I did not lay a hand on her. It doesn't matter,
does it? This kind of talk."
"It does
matter, you idiot! I was looking forward to hearing what kind of delicious
experience you had! And yet... you slept with a woman but didn't touch her?!
What are you thinking? Do you even have a pair of balls growing down there?!
Hey, Shinza!"
"Why am I being
lectured?"
It was already
night. Wanting to go home quickly, I looked toward the exit. The receptionist
held his head in his hands, seeming utterly exasperated with me. I don't get
it. Our cultures are too different.
"You moron! Eat
up next time, got it?!"
"I'll keep it
in mind."
Shortly after, the
receptionist stacked my payment on the counter. One high-purity 1000-Crown
gold coin, and with various other bits, a total of 1720 Crowns. I shoved
the reward into a cloth bag and left the guild.
Returning to my room
in the palace, I found Jii fast
asleep in someone else's bed.
I hadn't expected
him to be there. When the door opened with a loud noise, Jii jumped up and looked at me, having just returned.
"A-Ah, Ashley-sama!"
"I'm back. And Jii, don't yell so loudly in the middle
of the night."
"Welcome home, Ashley-sama. Now, please sit here. I have
words for you."
"Another
lecture...? Save it for tomorrow, I want to rest."
I missed my bed, so
I followed my foster
parent and sat down on it, while Jii
stood up and crossed his arms in front of me.
"Please
consider the feelings of the person left with just a note when you suddenly go
on a journey! Where on earth were you this time, and what were you
doing?!"
"Ah, I went to
do what needed to be done."
I did the right
thing. Zirant acknowledged it too. The people of Corin Village
were grateful, and I eliminated the threat to that land. I did my duty as a
member of the Imperial Family; there is nothing shady about it.
"Even if you
say that with such a sunny face—I feel nothing but anxiety... Hah!? Don't tell
me you were playing Chivalrous Thief behind my back again?! Please, stop
doing such dangerous things, Ashley-sama!"
He seemed to
understand that it would be bad if anyone overheard, so Jii lowered his voice only for the "Chivalrous Thief"
part. If I answered that I had engaged in a death match with a goblin army in
the remote mountains of Corin Village, would the lecture swell to three
times the size?
"Jii, I am just doing what is right. I
am doing what only I can do, in place of my Brother, Sister, and Father."
"Your safety is
more important than justice! The thought of you encountering danger makes me...
makes me worried sick... I just... if you are safe, that is enough for
me!"
"Sorry, Jii. But this is also so that I can
surv—Georg?"
However, my brother Georg
arrived at that moment.
It was a little
strange. Brother is a stickler for
propriety. He is the kind of man who knocks even for his younger brother.
Yet, he didn't.
"I heard you
returned."
"Yeah, you can
tell by looking. I'm back, Brother."
"Where did you
go this time, you prodigal prince..."
"North. I'll
tell only you, but I've been working as an adventurer lately. I went to the
mountains in Corin Village and defeated goblins. It was quite a valuable
experience."
Even though Jii was right behind me, I
inadvertently boasted to my brother. I had become strong. Strong enough to save
the people my brother couldn't protect.
"I-I-I cannot
let that slide, Ashley-sama?!
Goblins?! W-What did you intend to do if you were killed?!"
"I never
thought about that from the start. If I had a brain for thinking, I wouldn't be
an adventurer."
"So reckless..."
However, my
brother's behavior was odd. It's hard to tell since he always has a sour face,
but my brother is usually fierce. Yet tonight, he was strangely quiet.
"More
importantly, Brother, is something wrong?"
"Umu... There
is something I must tell you..."
"Is it about aneue (Sister)?"
"You could say
that, but the central issue isn't Atomina... Sorry. I assigned subordinates to her,
but I couldn't protect her..."
I had concerns even
while I was away. The worst possibility floated into my mind, and before I knew
it, I had closed the distance to my brother Georg, glaring at him
silently.
"Is it about Dulin...?"
"Yeah... I had
guards assigned to her, but she was snatched right out from under their noses
while she was out..."
Turning away from my
brother, I sat heavily on the bed this time. I thought I had returned in
triumph, but I plummeted straight into a nasty mood wrapped in impatience,
anger, and anxiety.
"Does Atomina-aneue not appearing here have
something to do with it too?"
"She is
currently at Aunt Du's place. The ones who took Dulin are
the State Church. She seems to be trying to get her back, but..."
Aunt Du doesn't
have a decent enough character to simply grant someone's wish for free. It will be difficult—my
brother grimaced.
"Brother, why
is Dulin being targeted in the first place? Sure, hers is a rare line of
work, but—is Auntie planning to start a witch hunt? That's so old-fashioned."
I took the Shovel
in my hand and gripped it tight. With this steel tool, I turned a village into
a solid fortress and restored the water's flow. I had come to feel like I could
rely on it, to cling to it.
"Did you tell
Father?"
"No, his health
hasn't been good lately. Even meeting him is a struggle..."
"That man is
unreliable."
"He is the
Emperor of this country. Just because he is the Emperor does not mean he can
save everything."
Then, as it stands,
it means there is no one who can save Dulin. I gripped the Shovel
again and stood up powerfully.
"Where are you
going! Even if you have grown stronger than me, if you raid the State Church,
you will be exiled from the Empire itself!!"
"Maybe so. But
I'm sick and tired of the feeling of being unable to save those who can be saved
because I'm worrying about my position."
Zirant tells
me to become the light, but it's impossible for me after all. The corruption of
this country cannot be defeated by doing things the proper way. Everything is
rotten. It is wrong that a young girl is kidnapped by the State Church,
which is supposed to provide peace to the people, and we cannot even lift a
finger.
"If Sister and
Brother are the Empire's Light, then I am indeed the Darkness. Darkness will
carry out justice in its own way."
"Then I absolutely
will not let you go!! I have a duty to protect you, my younger brother!!"
Brother placed his
hand on his sword. Not the training one, but the one for killing people. If we
do this poorly, we'll both go down; mutual injury would be the better outcome.
"I'm joking. Jii, make some food. I'm exhausted
today."
"I shall do so.
Just watching a sibling quarrel makes my heart ache."
"Ashley,
do not do anything careless. This time, the opponent is bad news... If you make
an enemy of them, you won't get off lightly. Don't be hasty, be cautious."
Brother Georg
isn't wrong. He is always right.
Another ruler of the empire, possessing
power rivaling the Emperor—that is the State Church. I hear that
depending on Aunt Du-Neil's mood, even the order of succession to the throne
can be changed.
"Yeah, I'll do
that. I'm resting today. But what happens from tomorrow onward, the 'me' of
tomorrow will decide."
"Why are both
you and Atomina so recklessly straightforward... Kh, you're a
handful..."
Brother Georg,
I return those words right back to you.
Well, there's no
need to agonize so much. The brother you protected for so long has obtained a
power that overturns logic: the Shovel.
My meeting with Zirant
is fate. Using this power, I will take back Dulin, and I will give that
arrogant Aunt, who scatters hysteria indiscriminately, a punishment that even
Father cannot deliver.
- Chivalrous
Thief - [Steal Dulin Andvaranaut]
·
Completion Reward: EXP 500, Shovel
LV 0.5
·
I permit it. Do it. You shall purge the
villains twisting the First Emperor's wish!
Zirant, it's
surprising to see even you get fired up. You seem to have quite an attachment
to this 'First' fellow.
Very well. I will
gladly make that challenge of yours a reality.
I will save Dulin Andvaranaut. No matter what corner I am backed into, I will absolutely protect her from absurdity. Just watch me, Zirant.
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