Sevens (LN) - Volume 10 - Chapter 109

Chapter 109 – Fidel Tres
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──Adventurers were gathering at Beim’s harbor.

They were gathering toward Tres family’s merchant ship that had paddle wheel attached to it. While all the surrounding ships were all sailing ships, this kind of paddle steamer ship was rare even in Beim and it gathered the gazes of the people.

The loading and unloading of cargo were being carried out busily in the harbor. The coming and going of the ships were also really active.

It was in such lively harbor that Fidel was staring down in dissatisfaction at the adventurers from the ship’s deck.

「Why is there nothing but young men here?」

The reason of his dissatisfaction was because the majority of the adventurers here were young man.

He was irritated when thinking that unfamiliar men would board the ship of Tres family that his treasured daughter Vera was boarding.

Roland who was standing nearby answered him.

「But master, the other crews are also men though?」

「Those sailors know their place unlike you, they won’t do anything like laying their hand on my beloved daughter!」

Fidel turned a deeply resentful expression toward Roland. He didn’t even try to hide his personal feeling. But it was a fact that the sailors wouldn’t try anything with Vera.

It wasn’t because Vera wasn’t a charming girl, but because for them Vera was an awe-inspiring existence that they didn’t dare to try anything with.

Roland couldn’t understand what Fidel meant, so the middle-aged sailor beside them explained to him.

「Roland, do you know what Vera-ojousama’s nickname is?」

The question made Roland recalled it.

「If I’m not mistaken, it’s the Goddess of Fortune isn’t it?」

「That’s right. No sea is scary with Ojou-sama on board. She is really like a goddess for us sailors. It’s simply too terrifying for us to try anything with such person. But you see, those guys are different right?」

Many of the adventurers that the sailor looked at had suspicious background.

They had gathered young and capable adventurers as many as possible, but it was unknown just how capable they were until they actually saw the adventurers in action.

Also, if these adventurers didn’t know anything, it was also possible they would lay their hand on Vera.

Roland muttered.

「Goddess of Fortune──um, is it really true? That with Ojou-sama on board, any kind of voyage will be able to return back safely?」

Fidel yelled angrily at Roland who was unable to believe it fully.

「Brat, how dare you doubt my cute Vera! This stupidity of yours must also be how you laid your hand on my Gina. Aaaaaaa!! How dare someone like you, to my cute Ginaaaaa!!」

The sailors on board of the ship were looking at Fidel who was out of control from anger with exasperation in their face.

There, Vera appeared while holding a parasol over her head.

「What are you all talking about?」

Fidel hurriedly glossed over the situation at Vera who appeared with twitching cheeks.

「Vera! You’re also pretty today.」

「I have heard that line at the morning too.」

「It can’t be helped because Vera is always pretty.」

「Haa──thank you.」

Vera sighed while disregarding Fidel’s praise to her.

Fidel’s praise came partly from his bias as a parent, but even with it excluded, there was no denying that Vera was pretty.

Well shaped legs stretched out from her black dress’s short skirt. Those legs were covered by boots below.

Her appearance was standing out amidst the sailors who were working around them, but nobody was criticizing her.

After all this ship belonged to Vera.

Nobody could go against the ship captain Vera. The sailors also didn’t mind that at all. That was how deep the trust that the sailors held toward Vera.

Vera apologized to Roland.

「Sorry for this Roland. Forgive papa’s outburst.」

「No, it’s alright. I’ll work hard to make master accept me from here on.」

Vera smiled at Roland’s positivity, but Fidel himself was baring his hostility.

「I have never recognized you until now, and it will be absolutely the same from here on too!」

Fidel glared at Roland with bloodshot eyes. The middle aged sailor scratched his head seeing that. And then he looked toward the gathered adventurers to find a topic to divert the topic and laughed.

「Now this is unusual. Master, and captain too, look over there. There is a harem party.」

Vera grabbed at the railing and looked toward the harbor when she heard the word harem.

Roland also turned his gaze over there. Over there was an adventurer party that consisted of only female with a blue haired young man at the center of it.

They were also younger and stood out more compared to the adventurer parties around them.

「Harem party? You mean that group of women over there?」

It seemed Roland didn’t get it, so the middle aged sailor explained jokingly.

「It means that kind of party with only a single man and multiple women. Looking at the way they act, that young man might be in relationship with all his comrades.」

「Eh? T-that’s just no good!」

Roland went bright red in the face. It seemed he couldn’t accept an improper relationship like harem party.

The middle aged sailor laughed seeing Roland’s reaction.

「You are really upright huh. Even so, I wonder how can a frail looking man like that can gather so many women. We are far more attractive than that kind of guy. Isn’t that right captain? Who are you going to choose if it’s you?」

Vera laughed at her subordinate who was flexing his arms to appeal at her while telling her a joke. She replied to him.

A lot of the sailors were rowdy people. One shouldn’t be bothered by a joke of this degree.

「Sorry but you guys aren’t my taste. Come again after starting from zero.」

「How cold. Then, is that blue haired thin man over there fit your taste captain?」

Vera answered without really thinking about it.

「Let’s see. He might have more prospect than you guys.」

Fidel bristled when he heard those words──.

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──At a corner of the merchant ship’s deck.

Fidel gathered Roland and the sailors there.

Fidel’s atmosphere was strange. Roland asked him as everyone’s representative.

「Um, master? Why are you gathering us here?」

Fidel opened his eyes. The glint of his eyes shut up Roland and the sailors.

Right now Fidel was radiating an atmosphere that didn’t allow any opposition.

Fidel quietly began to talk.

「I believe that all of you must have understood, so I think there is no need to explain it again at this point. That’s what I think, but I guess there is no harm to reconfirm it once more.」

Fidel placed his hand on the railing with a smile.

「I love my daughters.」

Why is this man saying that now? Anyone knows that already. Everyone’s face was saying that. Then Fidel swung down his fist on the railing with a smile.

「Originally I want Vera to stay at the mansion and work as my assistant at best. No, she is still young, so it’s fine even if she play around as she pleases. She can get absorbed with work later after she grows up some more. ──However. There is something that I absolutely cannot forgive in this world. Do you understand what it is, brat?」

Roland shook his head when he was asked that. Fidel became furious at him.

「It’s the men who laid their hand on my cute daughters! A man who dare to lay his hand on my adorable daughters casually should just become fish food──that’s what I think. I think it’s only natural for any parent who has daughter to feel like this, but what does everyone think?」

Roland and the sailors could do nothing except nodding.

Fidel nodded in satisfaction.

「It’s not like I’m forbidding my daughters from marrying. But, I want those two to go out with men who are worthy for them. Do you all get where I’m going with this?」

Everyone nodded incessantly. Fidel was satisfied seeing that. After that his face became expressionless and he stared at the sea.

「──If there is any scoundrel who dare to approach my cute Vera, I believe that an unfortunate incident will befall that guy. Isn’t that right you all?」

Everyone there understood that this was Fidel’s order to them to throw any scoundrel who approached Vera into the sea.

And then Roland turned pale. The other men also made a conflicted expression. Fidel smiled seeing that. It seemed that Roland was feeling worried that he would also get erased.

(Fuh, serves you right. But, I can’t do nothing to this Roland brat.)

「Don’t misunderstand me. If a man who is worthy for my daughter appear, I intend to give him my blessing. Also, all of you here don’t need to worry at all. Come home to Beim safely, including you too Roland.」

(Actually I also want to erase this Roland brat, but Gina will suspect me if I do something like that. Roland’s death is absolutely no good.)

If something happened to Roland, then Fidel would definitely get suspected even if the incident was really not intentional. If that happened, his cute daughter would tell him 「I hate papa!」.

That was the only thing that Fidel couldn’t allow to happen.

Fidel placed his hand on the shoulder of the anxious Roland.

「Let’s the two of us have a talk alone when you return back.」

「Y-yes!」

Roland understood that he was safe and his expression turned relieved.

However, the hand that Fidel placed on Roland’s shoulder──was grasping strongly that it even made creaking sound.

「Also, be really watchful to Vera’s surrounding at all times. After all it’s your work to keep watch so that no stupid adventurer will approach her.」

Roland gulped at Fidel’s order and then he nodded deeply──.

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The adventurers who were gathered in order to guard the merchant ship.

All of them boarded the ship and they were gathered on the deck.

All the parties here had the objective 「to become Tres family’s retainer adventurer」 rather than the request’s reward. Because of that a lot of the adventurers were full of motivation.

Adventurers wearing heavy looking armor were talking near us.

「We will also get counted among the first class adventurers if we get Tres family as our backer.」

「Yeah, we have ordered brand new equipment just for this day. We will definitely make them recognize us by our achievements.」

A middle aged adventurer was watching that high spirited party. He seemed to think of something and came to make fun of them. This adventurer was wearing light equipment and carrying a spear.

「There are always idiots everywhere huh~」

「Aa?」

The middle aged adventurer was leading a party of young adventurers.

The middle aged adventurer seemed to be rich in experience. He warned the fully armored adventurers.

「What are you all doing wearing such heavy equipments on ship? You will sink if you fall off the ship. I’m telling this for your own sake, you better take off those armors right away or give up this job.」

I paid attention to them thinking that a quarrel might start, but it seemed that this middle aged adventurer was simply being kind.

However, his attitude was slightly bad.

The hot blooded adventurers were offended that a middle aged and average looking man was telling them something like that.

「There’s no problem with our equipment!」

「Ain’t no way we will do something so stupid like falling off the ship!」

「Don’t act big when you only have that kind of seedy looking equipment old man.」

The armored group left. The middle aged adventurer caressed his unshaven chin and spoke.

「I was only trying to give a friendly advice though?」

It seemed he was reflecting on his bad way of speaking. A young adventurer who seemed to be his comrade talked to him.

「Is there any need to give them a warning?」

「It’ll make me feel bad if they die pointlessly.」

Clara came talking to me while I was listening to that conversation.

Clara had a messy blue hair and a small built and wearing glasses. Her left hand was an artificial hand.

Clara was carrying a large bag on her back as the party’s supporter.

「It looks like there are a lot of capable adventurers here. As expected from Tres family.」

Clara judged that the adventurers around us were capable.

「Is that so? I think it’s scary to wear heavy equipments on top of ship though?」

「I also agree in regard of the equipment. But, everyone is calmer than I expected.」

A  lot of adventurers were rowdy people. Things like quarrel happened often.

Considering that, the middle aged adventurer who gave a warning and the heavily armored youths were both drawing away from each other without quarreling.

「So the reason they are highly evaluated because they aren’t so quick to quarrel. Somehow that kind of evaluation seems pathetic.」

Clara added an explanation to my impression.

「The basic prerequisite is still to be capable adventurer though.」

Strength was only the basic requirement. In addition they had also to have self-restraint. Only such people were gathered here.

The voice of adventure-hating Seventh came from the Jewel. He sounded really dissatisfied.

『The likes of adventurer cannot be counted on just as I thought. It’s really pathetic that just being not quick to fight is used as a base of evaluation. Isn’t that right Lyle?』

I was troubled if he asked for my agreement for something like that. After all right now I was also such adventurer that the Seventh disliked.

「Even so──」

The Seventh’s dislike for adventurer was hardcore, so it was pointless no matter what I said. That was why I looked at the deck and counted the number of the adventurers.

「──There are a lot gathered here.」

Even though this also doubled as a test, the number was too many just to guard a merchant ship. They weren’t going to reduce the number more?

Miranda answered my question.

「It looks like a lot of merchant ships sank recently. So they are on their guard.」

「Sink? Is there some kind of problem?」

Thinking that I looked around──at the sailors, but they didn’t look nervous at all. Miranda seemed to be curious about that too.

「It seems that the other ships are uneasy that they are hesitating to sail out. And yet, this ship doesn’t look nervous or tense at all.」

There wasn’t a single sailor here who looked uneasy.

Then the adventurers suddenly became noisy. A sailor was raising his voice to gather everyone’s attention.

「The head of Tres family, Fidel-sama shall offer some words!」

A man wearing expensive looking suit walked to the middle of the adventurers. A space was naturally created around him and everyone’s gaze was focused on him.

The elegant looking man talked to us with a smile.

「Thank you for gathering here. I have heard about various uneasy news at the sea recently, but the trade this time will surely be a success with all of you here. I think you have heard the rumor, but Tres family is looking to hire adventurer party exclusively. I intend to prepare a contract with Tres family depending on your work.」

The adventurers got high spirited by the house head’s words.

Having a major merchant as your backer in Beim was the same as being recognized in Beim.

Clara was attracted by the motivation of the surrounding.

「Everyone is getting really motivated.」

Miranda talked to such Clara.

「We have to aim even higher than that though. Lyle, is it really alright?」

We couldn’t let go of this chance in order to obtain Tres family’s backing.

But──I didn’t tell everyone about the method for that.

「Well, yeah.」

Miranda and Clara looked uneasy by the vague attitude I showed.

「You really have some kind of idea right?」

「Lyle-san, we’ll also feel uneasy if you don’t act more confidently.」

My surrounding would feel uneasy if as the leader I didn’t get a hold of myself.

Then a girl came to the middle of the circle that the adventurers formed.

That girl had black hair that was tied up at both sides of her head. Unlike the surrounding sailors and adventurers, she stood out because she was dressed up nicely.

Miranda whispered to me.

「That girl is this ship’s captain and the young lady of Tres family.」

Tres family’s young lady──Vera Tres made her appearance.

The Third raised his voice inside the Jewel.

『Oho, she is pretty. Good for you Lyle.』

What was good? I only felt heavy thinking what I needed to do after this.

Then Vera-san began to talk in front of everyone.

「I’m grateful to everyone for receiving this guard request. I am Vera. Vera Tres, the captain of this ship.」

Vera-san greeted with a smile, but the next moment her gaze turned sharp.

「Follow my order above this ship. I am the rule here. Do you understand?」

She threatened everyone with a low voice. Smile returned on her face when she saw that nobody was showing any sign of opposition.

「Thank you. Then, we’ll head to the north for the trade this time. It will become cold so be careful. My subordinates will give more detail, so listen to their explanation carefully.」

Vera-san’s speech was over and the crowd dispersed.

But, I felt a gaze and when I looked there, the head of Tres family Fidel-san was glaring at me.

──Eh? What did I do?

The Sixth made fun of me while I was bewildered.

『You’re going to sweet talk his daughter after this. So he might be giving you a warning here.』

It was you who told me to seduce her! I felt exasperated at the Sixth while feeling uneasy that I had unknowingly done something to Fidel-san.

Had I done something rude to him? Even though I wanted Tres family to become our backer.

Fidel-san approached me.

The smile he was showing in front of everyone just now had gone from his face. He was radiating a pressuring aura. When he arrived in front of me, he spoke to me with a condescending attitude.

「You have a really gorgeous party there. I’m envious.」

He didn’t sound jealous at the slightest. Even I could understand that this was a sarcasm, but the Seventh was silently angry by this abrupt treatment.

『A mere merchant dare to look down on Lyle?』

As a feudal lord noble, from the Seventh’s perspective a merchant was someone of a low stature. It couldn’t be helped that he was irritated by Fidel-san’s rude attitude at me──or was it really?

Well, there was no problem because people outside couldn’t hear the Seventh’s voice.

I made a troubled smile and talked as carefully as possible to not provoke Fidel-san.

「It’s painfully true. But, I can guarantee their strength. All of them are my reliable companions after all.」

「That’s wonderful. I’ll warmly welcome capable adventurers. If they really have capability that is.」

I believed this was our first time meeting face to face like this, but wasn’t he disliking too much here?

Certainly I was thinking of making advances on your daughter, but I hadn’t done anything yet. Did I really deserve to be insulted to this degree?

It seemed the Sixth was getting interested toward Fidel-san.

『He is really on guard at Lyle who is surrounded by women huh. Well, we are planning to seduce his daughter right from the start anyway!』

So it couldn’t be helped even if he was wary like this?

Rather, this reaction even seemed like only natural as a father.

Fidel-san approached me even further and brought his mouth close to my ear.

「You better not try anything with my daughter if you want to keep living from now on.」

Fidel-san only said that with a low voice before he left.

Clara who was listening to our talk was looking up at me with worry.

「You suddenly got really hated Lyle-san.」

I was hated by the head of Tres family. The situation suddenly became the worst right from the start.

「I want to somehow ask for his aid but, it might be impossible like this.」

I was about to give up, but the Sixth spoke roughly at me from inside the Jewel to fire me up.

『Don’t get weak kneed like that. Besides, we still don’t know the result. That girl named Vera is entrusted with a large ship like this even though she is so young. In the worst case you can just ask for aid from that girl. Lyle, seduce that girl and make her fall in love with you just as planned!』

The Third and other ancestors were also agreeing with this opinion.

They took the stance that this couldn’t be helped in order to solve the problem of insufficient fund.

Even the usually lighthearted Third was acting differently from usual in regard to this money problem.

『It’ll be great if she can fall in love to Lyle on her own like usual though.』

The Fourth was also agreeing to that but, just what kind of person I am in these bunches’ eyes?

『Lyle is really popular among girls after all. It will be simple if things can develop just like usual.』

The fifth seemed like he didn’t really want to be involved with this kind of topic. But, he at least gave me an advice, or perhaps it was more of a warning.

『You have to take responsibility at least. I won’t say anything else after that.』

Say something. Give me advice here.

In the first place, wouldn’t it be fine if I just honestly asked for financial aid?

Telling me to seduce and make her fall in love was just too horrible.

I looked toward Vera-san. I secretly planned to have a honest discussion with her without telling the ancestors.

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We finished the meeting to take care of the details and entered the cabin that was assigned to us.

A large room was prepared for our party members to use.

It seemed that the other adventurers had to share room with other party depending on their number. Considering that, having this room just for us was really great.

「It looks like I’m hated by Fidel-san, but I’m relieved that we are still receiving the same treatment like the others.」

I said that with a wry smile. Then May who was sprawling on a wooden box talked to me. The blonde haired and blue eyed May had childish appearance but she was older than us. She was older than even the elderly Gastone-san, so she was the eldest in our party.

Her true identity was a divine beast Kirin. She was a Kirin who took the form of a little girl. Although with Kirin’s lifespan, May was still considered as a little girl just like her human form suggested.

That was why it was hard to say that her form before us was mistaken.

「Human is really troublesome. I think he will be able to feel more relieved if his daughter quickly find a mate though?」

Because at the inside May wasn’t a human, she was really estranged from some aspects of human emotion.

Eva shrugged and answered May. She seemed unable to understand how Fidel-san was so overprotective toward his daughter.

「I think a father that extreme is rare even among humans.」

「Human is really strange.」

「Yeah. The elves has the principle of laissez-faire, so I think he is overdoing it.」

Shannon’s expression clouded when the topic of father came out. She twirled her long and fluffy light purple hair around her finger.

Age wise she was younger than us. For Shannon whose relationship with her father wasn’t good, this topic seemed painful for her.

It was the same with me. All my memories with my father were bad.

I only had the memory of my parents keeping me away at distance while doting on my little sister Celes. I envied Celes and wanted my parents to turn toward me somehow, so I frantically worked hard.

Just like how Miranda and Shannon envied Vera-san──I also felt a bit envious.

I didn’t really feel angry toward Fidel-san who confronted me with hostility.

Seeing Shannon and Me, Novem changed the topic considerately and entered the main topic.

「I think it’s unfortunate how things became with Fidel-san, but we still have a long path ahead. How about we plan for the future?」

Future──it was about the recapture of Zayin.

Everyone’s gaze moved toward Thelma-san who was wearing a hood. Gastone-san was beside her.

The two of them were the former saintess and former high priest who escaped Zayin due to coup d’etat.

The two were the center of the religious country. I was currently taking them under my protection, but we were taking them with us because we couldn’t just leave them alone at Beim.

Gastone-san talked to Thelma-san.

「Saintess-sama, have your feeling changed?」

In order to recapture Zayin, the cooperation of Thelma-san the former saintess was indispensable. Without this person, we couldn’t prepare any justification to interfere.

But Thelma-san was completely exhausted by the rigorous events of betrayal and her comrades’ death that happened in succession.

「I will never become the saintess again no matter how many times I’m asked. In the first place, the country didn’t change no matter how hard I worked didn’t it? It was pointless doing it.」

Thelma-san and Gastone-san were people who belonged in the moderate faction.

They advocated avoiding war and focusing on strengthening the national strength.

And then the faction that wanted to go to war rebelled and chased out the two.

For us who wanted to recapture Zayin, Thelma-san was a necessary existence. However it was troubling because the person herself wasn’t willing to do it.

Lack of fund, the uncooperative Thelma-san, there were a lot of challenge for our effort to go to war with Zayin.

Thelma-san shed tears and wiped it with her finger.

「My current wish is to ride this ship and move to a land where no one know about me, where I can live quietly over there.」

Gastone-san fell silent hearing that. He couldn’t say anything back.

Perhaps it was a bad move to bring along Thelma-san with us on this ship.

I put her nearby to prevent assassin from finding her but──it seemed the person herself was planning to escape to another country using this ship.

「There is nothing but problem everywhere.」

I became uneasy whether Zayin’s recapture would go well at this rate. Like this the voyage began.