Nozomanu Fushi no Boukensha (LN) - Volume 12 - Chapter SS1

The Flavor of Life

I had just reached the designated meeting spot for the commission I’d accepted at the guild when suddenly, a voice called out to me.

“Are you Rentt?”

I had arrived thirty minutes early since I hadn’t wanted to keep my client waiting, but it seemed as though he was already here. That made him trustworthy in my book—there were a lot of clients who didn’t respect an adventurer’s time at all.

My client for this commission was a knight clad in silver armor, albeit one who was quite elderly. As I studied him, wondering if he was still on active duty at his age, he gave an amused huff.

“Heh. There’s no need to be so wary,” he said. “My days as a knight are behind me. Passed the reins of the family to my son a while ago.”

“Is that so? I must admit, though, I was surprised that my client was a knight—even a former one.”

“It’s not often a knight hires an adventurer,” he agreed. “Ah, and there’s no need to speak so politely. Since I’m retired, I’m just a commoner with no titles to my name.”

“That’s very kind of you. But...”

“Come now. I’ve heard adventurers aren’t ones to dress up their words.”

Though I was still reluctant, I could only give up in the face of his insistence. “I understa—I mean, got it. Getting down to business, then, you wanted an escort to Weger Village, right? You don’t look like you need one, honestly.”

Despite his age, he had a tempered physique and wore his equipment like a second skin. The latter had clearly been with him for a long time, yet the way it sparkled suggested careful maintenance.

“Oh, you can tell?” he said. “Even still, journeying as a pair is safer than going alone when bandits are about. I was also hoping to have someone to talk to.”

“I see. In that case, this should be fairly straightforward.”

“Indeed. I’m counting on you. My name is Deque Eger. I’m the former...no, I suppose it doesn’t matter. Please just call me ‘Deque.’ That’s all I am at the moment.”

“Sure. You already know, but I’m Rentt. Glad to be working for you.”

Thus, we set off on our short journey to Weger Village.

◆◇◆◇◆

In the forest, a naked sword flashed. A number of bows launched arrow after arrow into the fray, but that number was gradually dropping. Grunts of pain resounded through the trees, and eventually the forest was once again filled with nothing but silence.

“Hmm. They didn’t prove to be much of a fight,” the old knight said, blood dripping from his sword as he stepped out of the trees.

“Most people aren’t skilled enough fighters that they can say that about a group of bandits ten men strong,” I remarked.

“Ah, you flatter me.”

“I think you could still work as a knight and do perfectly fine...” I said, being completely honest.

Deque sat down by the campfire and began wiping his sword. “That possibility was open to me. His Excellency the Earl did ask me to stay in his service as an instructor to his knights.”

“I had suspected you were a knight of some prestige, but an earl’s retinue, huh? I won’t ask which earl’s, though.”

“Yes, and neither will I say. I’m not fond of boasting.”

“I suppose you wouldn’t be. Still, why’d you retire? Staying wouldn’t have been a bad choice, right?”

“You’re right. I was on the verge of agreeing to continue my work, though, when a thought suddenly occurred to me.”

“And that is?”

“‘I am well-versed in the ways of rending through a man’s flesh, but I do not know how to till a field.’”

“What?”

“Oh, it’s silly, I know. Forget I said anything.”

“No, well...” I thought forgetting would be rather difficult, actually.

“I spent over fifty years living solely by the sword,” Deque said. “It was enjoyable in its own right, but one day, I realized that I did not know anything else.”

“Ah. I can understand that. Still...why a village so deep in the mountains?”

“I purchased a small home and plot of land there, where I plan to spend my days living a farmer’s life.”

“A quiet retirement, huh? I can’t blame you for wanting that. Still, for a knight of such prestige...”

“It’s rather ordinary?”

“Yeah.”

Deque chuckled. “That it may be. But that’s fine. Such is life.”

“You think? I can’t say I can relate, really.”

I wanted to reach Mithril-class, the apex of all adventurers, one day. I couldn’t understand how a person could go into a quiet retirement while they were still able-bodied.

“Those eyes of yours are the eyes of someone with a dream,” Deque noted. “Perhaps my feelings are baffling to you, then. But you’ll understand, one day.”

“Hopefully after I’ve already achieved my dream,” I remarked.

“You’ll get there. I can tell.”

“You’re just saying that, aren’t you?”

“Ah—you’ve found me out.”

◆◇◆◇◆

After that, I saw Deque to Weger Village, then returned to Maalt. That was the last time I ever talked to him.

Later down the line, I heard a story about how a powerful monster appeared in Weger Village, and how a retired knight fought it to mutual defeat. When I went to the village, I learned that the story was true, and that Deque had indeed died.

The villagers were grateful for what Deque had done for them. Evidently, in the several years he’d lived among them, he had settled in well, though he had never had any visits from family.

One of the villagers told me he’d left them with a final message at the end, and brought me a box of fruit—ones grown by Deque. Apparently, he’d taken care of his crops quite diligently and had been anticipating a promising harvest this year.

He’d died without getting to see them, though. The villagers had taken care of them until the harvest. One of them apparently remembered my name from when I’d stayed a night here several years ago; as they handed me the fruit, they told me something they’d heard Deque say once while he’d gazed at his fruit trees.

“This makes the second dream I’ve achieved now. Life makes them easier to fulfill than you’d think, Rentt.”

I took the fruit and set off back to Maalt. I tried some on the way. It was more sweet than sour, and still a little bitter.

Maybe that was what life tasted like too.