“…I’m sorry for hiding. I don’t know if you’d believe me or not, but I have no intention of harming you.”
I said so as I emerged from the shade of the tree where I’d been hiding, but as I expected…
The young man only twitched in dismay and showed no sign of believing my words.
“Why are you here, then? …I’m certain that you already know, but this isn’t the most public place.”
As it should be.
This was a forest.
It was also blessed with places to hide, so much so that it could be called a perfect spot for bandits to ambush you and attack people.
In addition, it is hopelessly deserted.
The young man said that it was a little too much for me to say that I only happened to be here by chance.
However, no matter how suspicious it may seem, the reason I was here was really the result of coincidence.
In fact, since that was the case, there was no other excuse.
“I was just on my way to Minaura.”
“…Minaura, you say?”
“A noblewoman from the capital came to our village and demanded that if we didn’t want our taxes to get raised, we’d have to send out manpower. And I was the one to get sent out— that’s the reason I was passing through this place.”
“Do you have any proof to back you up?”
Hearing that, I held and presented the map I had in my hand.
I didn’t know if I could call it proof, but this very thing was given to me by Viera Islebark’s companion, her knight.
I thought that it would at least prove that I was really on my way to Minaura, even if it was only a little.
“I have a map to Minaura. Why would a mere villager like me have such a first-rate map for no good reason?”
Hence, he was supposed to believe me now.
While my eyes spoke louder than my mouth, I remained wary of the young man in front of me who had intrigued me relentlessly.
If he ended up not believing me, it was inevitable that a battle would break out.
I was prepared to draw my sword, but on the bright side…
“…That’s true, you do have a point.”
The young man’s reply was so simple and satisfying that it was almost unintentionally surprising to hear.
“That map that you hold in your hand is the one provided to the knights of the capital. Certainly, it’s not something that a brat like you should possess.”
More than anything, he wanted to nitpick my reason, but he ended up agreeing with what I said, thinking that I didn’t even have the ability to steal it.
“…But since you’re going to Minaura, you’re going to clean up some monsters too, huh? What a coincidence. But since we’re already here, I’ll give you some good advice. Don’t go to Minaura. It’s not a place for a brat like you. At least wait until you’re five years older before you come back.”
…Too, he says.
The fact that he said so suggested that the young man before me was also on his way to Minaura.
And indeed, his advice was sound.
My father also told me not to go.
Viera Islebark was somewhat dismayed to hear me say that I was planning to head there as well.
But— none of those matter.
The skill, the means, the experience, it doesn’t matter.
I was probably missing a lot of things in me right now.
Yeah, I knew.
Without anyone telling me such a thing, I knew that better than anyone.
I knew myself the best.
Still, it didn’t matter.
None of such things mattered in front of the heat of Star Slaying, my desire, and my dream.
Therefore I could just agree that everything else was irrelevant.
That’s why—
The young man was still in a muddled state of mind, and after telling me to go home, he scratched his hair with an exasperated sigh.
“…You have a reason why you’re going after all.”
I guess I had unknowingly revealed my true feelings.
Perhaps sensing it, the young man muttered to himself as if dumbfounded.
“What are you going for, then? Do you want to make a name for yourself like I am?”
His face broke into a little smile.
But in fact, perhaps I was not mistaken in feeling that the conversation was not due to a mutual openness, but rather a confirmation of some sort.
“…I guess I want to make a name for myself. Anyhow, I want to give back to my father and other people. I want to be strong too, and going to Minaura is the most convenient thing for me. That’s all.”
“I think a brat like you would die nine times out of ten if you went to Minaura right now, though.”
I knew that.
“I guess so. But that’s all the more reason why I think it makes sense.”
“…Huh?”
***
Reaper Scans
***
He furrowed his brows as if he was completely dumbfounded by what I’m saying.
I guess he didn’t understand what I really meant when I said that it made perfect sense, even though he pointed out that I was going to die, and I had an idea why he would think so.
That’s why…
I’d declare it as I liked.
No matter what anyone said, I didn’t change my mind.
“Nine times out of ten, I will seize the remaining life that’s left to me in the midst of the chances of me dying. If I don’t, I’ll never get there.”
No matter how much I tried to imitate the swordsman in my dream, his words, his thoughts, and his techniques… if I failed to make the effort to overcome the wall, I’d be nothing more than a superficial failure.
“That’s why people can just tell me that I’m going to die as much as they like.”
“I see. I understand it well after exchanging words with you. You’re not with those bandits, you’re just an idiot who wants to be a martyr for your ideals.”
…And I thought I had a point.
I was just another idiot to him.
Yeah, yeah.
I’d heard that many times before, and even I, an idealist, sometimes thought that I was an idiot myself.
So I wasn’t going to argue with that.
“It’s concluded, then. Let’s end this conversation. If you’re not a bandit, then I have no reason to point my sword at you. Sorry for doubting you.”
The conversation was cut short with a few quick words.
I recalled him saying that he was in a hurry when he was confronted by the bandits.
I knew there was still time before the full moon, but to my eyes, the young man in front of me didn’t seem to be a villager.
If anything, he was about as close as one could get to the physical appearance of what one would call an adventurer like Lowe and Lilea.
In addition, the way he had just responded to the bandits would be quite unreasonable to call him a villager.
So it was only natural that he would be different from me.
I thought to myself.
I was heading to Minaura with the help of a map, but as soon as I saw the young man saying his farewell and walking off in a completely different direction, I couldn’t help but let out a few unspoken words.
“…That way won’t lead you to Minaura, are you sure you want to head there?”
The young man was about to walk away with one hand raised in the air, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard my words.
“…Really?”
He turned to me again, moving like a broken tin doll.
The ever-changing expression on his face clearly showed his cry of grief.
…Don’t tell me that this person…
An idea occurred to me a moment after.
“Sorry, but can I have a look at your map?”
With that, the man walked up to me with bloodshot eyes, staring at the map in my hand.
“…I thought I had asked for directions to Minaura back when I was in the town of Raska, but I still can’t get there for some reason.”
By normal means, he should have arrived there long ago.
And after taking his time looking at the map I was holding…
“—AH! Those bastards…!!! They told me false directions just because I know nothing…!!!”
“Raska” was the name of a town located closer to Minaura than our current location.
But instead of coming closer, the young man was led away and even got tangled up with bandits.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“…Damn it. That’s why I can see nothing but trees no matter how far I go.”
After proclaiming that he’d kick their asses, he turned around and attempted to back the way he came.
“…Aren’t you in a hurry?”
“Y-Yeah… Sorry for all of this.”
He came to his senses after hearing a word of mine, saying that he’d kick their asses after he was done with everything.
But even with that, he was setting his foot in the wrong direction again.
…He must be one of those people. One that has no sense of direction.
My impression was definitely correct.
And intuitively, this person was probably not a bad person.
I guess that was why I thought about reaching out to him.
“…Um—”
“…HUH?!”
“We can go to Minaura together… if you don’t mind.”
Swallowing the words I held in my mouth, I made such a proposal.
And by the looks of it, it would take quite a while to get there.
——
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