Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – An Entranced Person

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The next day .

We departed from Remlraudt to Vanseim Kingdom’s capital Central . The connecting coach that the travelling merchant mentioned referred to a horse coach that periodically used a wide highway that was maintained well .

The coach was pulled by six horses . Each horse had expensive magic tool hanging from their neck . Their stamina was strengthened, their moving speed increased, and their condition healed . The horses were equipped with magic tool that was carved with three Arts . The coach that was pulled by those horses stretched in a row . So that a lot of passengers could ride inside, the large baggage was placed on the coach’s roof . The coach itself also had ingenious mechanism worked on it like at its wheel and so on . It was really expensive to create it . It was a vehicle that ran through the highway and could arrive to its destination in a speed that was several times faster than walking . But, the fee was expensive because of that .

Novem apparently had purchased the tickets . She handed one to me .

「Lyle-sama, if we use this ticket we can also stay in the inn when we stopped in the city along the way . Please don’t lose it no matter what . 」

Novem emphasized that to me . I tried asking her while holding the edge of the ticket with both hands .

「Say, how much this ticket cost?」

Novem’s expression turned a bit troubled . Did I ask something that difficult?

「That one ticket, cost several pieces of gold coin . 」

I looked at the ticket wondering if that was really the case . I couldn’t really understand the value of several pieces of gold coin . When I was living in the mansion I didn’t have any chance to use money . And then, as expected── .

『Se, several pieces of gold coin! Eh, this vehicle cost that much? Just to arrive in Central within several days!?』

The first was bewildered . The sixth politely explained to such first .

『Well, there are many passengers so it only cost that much . The horse’s upkeep, the magic tool’s upkeep, the coach’s upkeep, the labor cost and then the cost for using the highway and guard……just from thinking about it, it cost a lot of money . 』

Even after hearing that the first didn’t look convinced .

『Then it’s better to just walk!』

They were saying different things from yesterday . These people──they weren’t always saying the right thing . They were speaking from their own sense of values . The seventh sighed .

『Please look at the surrounding . There are exclusive guards riding horses that also has magic tool equipped to keep up with the coach . This ride guarantee the safety of the passengers, in addition it shortened the time . Isn’t it cheap if it only costs several pieces of gold coin?』

The fourth listened to the opinion of the seventh while pondering for a bit .

『I’m amazed Novem-chan has that much money . Even if she is a second daughter of a baron house……』

I put the ticket into the pocket of my clothes . Novem looked relieved seeing that . And then she pulled my hand .

「Come Lyle-sama, the coach will depart soon . Let’s quickly get inside . 」

The smiling Novem looked really happy .

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Inside the connecting coach that was running through the highway .

The coach was created to keep the shaking to the minimum . The chair had good quality, so the fatigue was smaller than expected when sitting on it . Although, in the end it was only smaller than expected . When I looked outside the window, the guards riding on horse were running around the coach in the same speed . If we arrived at the next city today at this rate, we would decidedly stay the night there .

Novem might be tired because she was sleeping while leaning on my shoulder . I could hear her sleeper’s breathing which was cute . Her hair was sticking on her slightly sweaty cheek .

I was feeling apologetic because it might be me who caused her to be really tired . I thought I would be able to manage by myself somehow, but if Novem wasn’t here it might be really no good for me .

While I was thinking to at least lend her my shoulder, the ancestors’ voice came from inside the jewel .

The second’s voice was surprised at the speed of the connecting coach .

『Magic tool is really amazing . In my era we only had Gem, there was no concept of carving Art on rare metal . The horses are running for several hours at this crazy pace . 』

Rare metal referred to metal that was tinged with magic power . Metal that was tinged with magic power could be discovered at place like dungeon that adventurer challenged, that was the rare metal . Whether it was copper or iron, if it was emitting magic power than it was rare metal and its price would jump up . By carving Art on that rare metal, anyone would become able to use Art easily . The difference from Gem was because Art could be carved by the user’s preference, its convenient was really good .

The first seemed to be displeased seeing the horse riding guards .

『What’s with these weak looking guards!? In my era more amazing guys can be found all over the place . Every last one of these guys is damn scrawny . 』

Then the ancestors began to boast about each of their era . Everyone said how amazing their era was . The sixth also spoke along the same line .

『At my era the men were more menacing though . Well, it was a cruel time, so they would die if they were peace idiot like at this era . 』

The seventh objected to that opinion . I wished these parent and son wouldn’t compete with each other .

『My era was even more harsh . Well, it was a grave situation with the surrounding countries attacking, so my generation who survived through that was even more amazing I believe . 』

The first also didn’t yield even by an inch .

『What did you say!? Different from snobby noble like you guys, at my time we were really depending on only our own strength──』

I stared outside the window thinking that they were annoying while feeling just a bit happy that this journey using horse coach would continue for several days . The scenery outside──I was able to see it . I could see the mountain . I could see the river . It was different from the scenery I could see from the window of my room in the mansion, I didn’t get bored even from just looking .

If I had to be frank, I wanted to see the scenery outside in a more different situation . Without the noisy voices of the ancestors from inside the Jewel like now…… .

『My era was the most amazing!』

『It was my era where we got it the hardest though . 』

『I understand . The second got it hard huh, for the sake of me and the first . 』

……It seemed I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the trip silently . Because of the noisy Jewel, my magic power got consumed heavily . I looked up to the ceiling and took a bit of rest .

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A few days after that .

We arrived at Central . I got down from the coach and carried Novem’s baggage, then I looked at Central for the first time and thought .

「……It’s, messy . 」

Then the first muttered nostalgically . The first originally was born in Central . His house was a capital noble──the lowest rank of house among the heredity noble, and he was the third son in such house .

『Good grief, various things has changed, but the atmosphere is the same . Even after two hundred years has passed, there are things that won’t change . 』

I felt that the townscape I saw when going out from Walt House’s territory was neater . The pedestrian traffic there was lighter compared to Central, even so it didn’t feel desolate and filled with vitality . In Central, how should I say it, anyway there are a lot of people .

Because there were a lot of people and horse carts near the gate, the dust cloud was also terrible . Sand got stuck on my sweaty skin and it felt gritty . It felt like sand would get inhaled if I breathed normally so I covered my mouth . The fourth gave me instruction in such situation .

『Lyle, how long you are planning to stay in this kind of place? Move on quickly and secure lodging . Also, it was a long trip, so let’s arrange for a slightly better inn today . Don’t forget to buy the ticket to go to Darion tomorrow too . 』

Hearing that I pulled the hand of Novem and headed toward the place that sold ticket . People formed lines there looking to buy ticket . We wasted time there until our turn arrived . After purchasing tickets for connecting coach to Darion that departed tomorrow morning, I and Novem started moving looking for an inn .

It was crowded, so we held each other’s hand to not get separated from each other . I suggested to Novem to stay in a slightly better inn .

「Novem, we have bought the ticket already so let’s stay in a slightly better inn today . We will also travel tomorrow……that’s, you’ve to be slightly more restful . 」

Actually I too also wanted to relax and rest, but this felt like we were doing it for Novem’s sake . But, Novem replied with a smile .

「Thank you for your consideration . I’ll be the one paying this time . 」

「Eh, no……this time I’ll」

When I was going to say that there was the money I received from Zel, Novem shook her head .

「Just Lyle-sama’s feeling is enough . Besides, right now it’s me who have money . One day when Lyle-sama become able to pay by yourself, at that time please allow me to accept it along with Lyle-sama’s feeling . 」

I could only nod . There the exasperated voice of the fourth came .

『Lyle……zero point . 』

And then the third while feeling moved by Novem he,

『Novem-chan really is a good girl . I’m giving her 100 point . It’s full score, full score . I wonder why a good girl like this is coming along with Lyle . As I thought is it the face? But, Novem-chan doesn’t look like someone who will go this far just because of that……it’s puzzling . 』

I’m also puzzled . But, before that anyone is fine, please console me . Because Novem’s radiant smile stabbed into my heart, and the exasperated words from the ancestors gouged my heart . Am I really that terrible?

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We took a slightly more extravagant meal after so long, entered the bath, and lied down on soft bed .

Even though that should be the case, I was facing the first in the room of round table inside the Jewel with just the two of us . I sat down on the chair while the first who was sitting cross-legged on the round table in front of me was looking down on me .

『You are too pathetic that tears are coming out . You, are you really my descendant? You are causing trouble for Novem-chan with you being weak and unreliable like that . 』

From his voice I understood that he was irritated . Recently I myself also understood that I was a disappointing person, so I couldn’t say anything back . That seemed to make the first to be even more aggravated .

『Talk back a little! This unreliable bastard!』

「……I know I cannot say anything back . That’s why, can I go back if you don’t have any other business with me?」

When I said that, the first looked increasingly aggravated .

『You! Aren’t you feeling irritated at the slightest!? There are various things you can do, like trying to talk back or glaring back! Why are you acting like a good kid that much huh! It’s not interesting at all!』

I’m troubled even if I was told about being interesting or not interesting .

「Err, what is your business with me?」

Then the first who was staying quiet at first shifted his gaze from me and spoke mumblingly . Even though he didn’t like to even talk to me, he was picking a quarrel with me . He was a type I wasn’t good with no matter what . No, I don’t have any type that I’m good with .

『……I couldn’t say it before, so I’ll say it here . No one believed it but…… . I was born around the fiftieth year of the kingdom’s history since its founding . At that time there were former soldier old men who were still alive for that long . I was able to hear the story of those gramps . 』

In the past three hundred years ago, before Vanseim Kingdom was born, Centras Kingdom ruled the continent .

However, apparently at that time the corruption of the ruling system of Centras royal family like bribery or embezzlement was becoming more severe .

Vanseim royal family──at that time they were a feudal lord . In order to defeat the Centras royal family, the country was split into kingdom faction and noble faction and it turned into a fierce battle .

『From what the gramps said, it was like they were dreaming . The reason why they fought, even the reason why royal family faction and noble faction split and fought, they said that they didn’t really get it . Why do you think that is?』

The first looked at my expression with a serious face, so I answered .

「Their zeal at that time cooled dow──」

『Wrong! It was the fault of the evil god’s child!』

The first mentioned evil god’s child again . But, I kept my mouth closed in order to listen to the first’s story .

『Country toppling beauty──Agrissa, do you know her? They were entranced by her, that really happened . A lot of soldiers fought for that woman’s sake . But, when everything was over, they said that they didn’t understand why they were fighting for that woman’s sake, can you believe that? At that time people like them were all over the place . The punishment for them was also lenient . Even the winning side also noticed that it was Agrissa’s fault . 』

Based from what I felt from the story, Vanseim Kingdom after defeating Centras Kingdom was really exhausted, perhaps because of that they didn’t have the leeway to deal with the soldiers one by one? I had also heard about the story of the country toppling beauty before . But, at present such thing was only considered as a small happening that occurred within the large flow of event .

The country wasn’t degenerating because of the country toppling beauty, it was because the country degenerated that an existence that was called something like country toppling came out . I believed that was how it was perceived at the present time . That was what was written in the book .

「Isn’t that only one of the reasons」

『Even I don’t want to believe it . But still, it was seriously a messed up era . It won’t be strange no matter what happened . Inside the same country several million, tens of millions of people seriously went at each other to kill and died you know? If you considered the death other than from battle it might be even more than that . The one who created that kind of mad world was──』

「──The evil god’s child, is it?」

Because of the selfishness of the country toppling beauty, a lot of people were killed, and then she died . That was the story I heard .

『It wasn’t just country toppling beauty . A mighty general that was a match for an army of ten thousands . Great magician who lifted an island . Those guys appeared in the critical juncture of the era and stirred up the world . It was as though the world was revolving around that person alone . An era where great number of people will die come……that is evil god’s child . Your little sister, Celes might be that evil god’s child . To think a child entranced by the evil god will be born from my lineage, that was something I never even dreamed of . 』

The first folded his arms and closed his eyes while groaning . I shook my head hearing such story .

「No way . Such thing is impossible . 」

The first pointed at me .

『You are the proof . Won’t anyone drive out the only male son from the house when they only have two children? Even if it’s someone no good like you, normally you would be trained to become the head . But see, you are lucky . 』

「Lucky?」

I tilted my head . Seeing me the first roughly tussled his hair .

『Notice it! Inside that kind of mansion that is centered on your little sister, they still raised you even if it was only the bare minimum, what’s more you got driven out from the house alive! You, if you were unlucky it wouldn’t be strange even if you got killed . If they’ve got no more business with you it’s easier to just kill you off, do you get that?』

Now that he said it, I recalled that certainly it was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange even if I was killed . Hearing that I pressed my head .

「Bu, but……e, eh?」

My mind was in chaos and I couldn’t gather my thought .

『Now you noticed? It’s amazing you survived such environment . You were lucky . No, it might be bad luck though . After all the evil god’s child appeared right near you . ……Those guys twisted even the environment around them . They were human entranced by evil god that common sense don’t work against you know? You get it? You, didn’t you accept your own circumstance that was like that?』

Now that he said it that was right . I thought that I was in the wrong, that if I got stronger, and then if I worked hard studying I would get recognized . I thought that no one would even look at me because I was no good .

『Evil god’s child really exist . At my era I was raised hearing that from everyone . 』

My hand let go of my head and then I looked at the first’s face .

「Then, I wasn’t in the wrong? Everything was Celes’s responsibility──」

The first immediately answered .

『Don’t know . I’m irritated looking at you, a lot of your action even make me think that it can’t be helped your position as the family head got taken away like this . Besides, I don’t know anything about this Celes . I can talk with you like this was because that old man called Zel carried you into his house and you manifested your Art . Before that I got no awareness at all . 』

「I, is that so……that’s right, isn’t it . 」

When I got dejected, the first looked at me who was like that and got irritated again . He folded his arms and spoke with a rough tone .

『You, what are you planning to do from now?』

I looked at the first’s face while tilting my head .

「Eh, no……I plan to become adventurer though?」

『That ain’t it! The country might get ruined with Celes at the center of it, perhaps war might even spread to the whole continent . What are you gonna do about it, that’s what I’m asking! After all Novem-chan’s life is also involved with you right now!』

Overwhelmed by the first’s menacing look, my mouth opened and closed and then I fell silent . After a while, the answer that came out from my mouth was── .

「……I don’t know . 」

That kind of pathetic thing . What does he want me to do?

What should I do? I couldn’t make decision . The first was also enraged and stood up, then he turned his back to me so to not look at me .

『Looking at you irritate me . Think about it by yourself for a bit!』

I reached out my hand to the first’s back, but I couldn’t call out to him . The door behind the first’s chair was opened roughly and also roughly closed . I was left alone inside the round table room .

「Because, I really don’t understand . What is it that I should do……someone tell me . 」

──Tear came out .

.

「We can see it now, Lyle-sama!」

The next day, I and Novem rode the connecting coach and the city near Central, Darion was before our eyes . It took less days to arrive here compared to the trip to Remlraudt, so the trip was more easeful . Novem’s expression was bright, but my feeling wasn’t really good due to the conversation with the first several days ago . Novem who was concerned of that paid attention to me, but when she did that── .

『Pull yourself together, this bastard!』

──The first’s yell came .

「Lyle-sama? You have been strange since from Central, did something happen?」

I shook my head at the worried Novem .

「I, it’s nothing . Look, we won’t be able to go in a trip for a while after this, we also won’t ride connecting coach again… . . I like seeing the scenery so I’m feeling a bit regretful, that’s all . 」

Then Novem smiled .

「One day we will depart again toward another place for the sake of Lyle-sama’s sake . Darion is a place where beginner adventurer gathered . Conversely speaking it seems to be a place that people who is aiming higher will leave . Apparently there are a lot of adventurers who leave Darion after growing stronger . 」

I felt doubtful . Before this both me and Novem didn’t know anything about Darion . And yet, Novem suddenly became knowledgeable about Darion .

「How? You didn’t know anything about Darion before right?」

Novem looked a bit bashful and,

「I asked around when I went shopping at Central . Darion seem to be famous, I was able to ask various information to the seller as thanks for purchasing items there . Although, it was only common knowledge that anyone know . 」

The second was impressed at Novem, even so he was also dejected while,

『Novem-chan really has it together . But compared to her Lyle is……』

In order to show my motivation somehow, I spoke to Novem .

「Novem!」

「Yes?」

I grabbed both of Novem’s shoulders and pulled her closer . And then I conveyed my feeling to her .

「Right now, I’m hopeless……really hopeless but, one day I will become splendid without fail, that’s why」

Then, Novem smiled to me and nodded . She placed her hand on my arm and,

「I understand . Lyle-sama will surely become a greatly successful person . Until that time come, this Novem will be at Lyle-sama’s side and watch your growth . Let’s work hard together, Lyle-sama . 」

「Ye, yeah!」

The other passengers of the connecting coach and the ancestors inside the Jewel were watching us who were like that . Novem was too much of a good girl that my uselessness was standing out . The surrounding’s gaze stabbed on me . A man around his twenty at the seat behind clicked his tongue frankly .

「Chih, god damn show off . 」

Then at the same time with that tongue clicking, inside the Jewel the first was also,

『Chih, you kept spouting nothing but unreliable things . If you are a man then let your back talk . 』

──No matter what I did or said I still got scolded . Just for a bit I felt like throwing out the Jewel outside the window .