Sevens (LN) - Volume 10 - Chapter 113

Chapter 113 – Roland
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──The merchant ship was heading to a large country of the north.

When morning arrived, Roland woke up and washed his face.

A man with clerical work who usually didn’t board this ship visited Roland’s place at that time.

「Oi Roland. How long are you planning to ignore the adventurer who is approaching Ojou-sama?」

He was the same like Roland, someone who only got on the ship this time for the important trading that they would do.

For Roland this man was his superior.

「I-I’m sorry. I have warned him every time.」

「Hmph! Don’t be conceited of yourself every time.」

「I don’t intend to be conceited at all.」

「I’m tolerating you because you’re Gina-ojousama’s favorite, but don’t think that a pauper like you can do as you please forever. Know your place.」

The man spat those words out and returned to his own room.

Roland sighed.

「──As I thought, I’m really hated.」

Something like this was an everyday occurrence.

A lot of people disliked Roland because both Vera and Gina took a liking to him.

「As I thought, I’m really not suitable for Gina-ojousama.」

Roland’s shoulders dropped in dejection.

.

The next morning.

The wave was really calm. The ship’s shaking wasn’t really noticeable.

I came out to the deck. There the sunlight was dazzling.

Even though the sailors had just gotten into that kind of battle yesterday, they were doing their work like usual. Some of them were cleaning the deck with deck brush.

Several adventurers were helping them with that.

「You guys are amazing. It doesn’t seem like you guys need us at all to guard this ship.」

When an adventurer showed his admiration like that, the sailors flexed their arm muscles to show off.

「Your life is always at risk when on board the ship at sea after all! We are also counting on you guys.」

The adventurers who were getting along with the sailors──they were the smart type. They were untiringly working hard with every little things in order to become Tres family’s contracted adventurer.

But, when I approached the sailors blatantly made a disgusted expression.

It seemed that they considered me enemy for daring to approach Vera-san.

「This is bad.」

This situation was bad. The ship was their territory.

Turning them into enemy wasn’t a good plan, but they already considered me as an enemy.

No wonder Roland was worried about me. I could imagine the future where I was pushed off the ship and then it would get covered up as an accident.

When I searched for Vera-san on the deck, a voice called out to me from behind.

「You are here again. You haven’t learned haven’t you? Too bad but, I can’t give you any support. Give it up.」

When I turned around, Vera-san was standing there while holding up her favorite parasol.

I immediately put on a smile.

「I have given up on that. But, there still won’t be any loss for me to get acquainted better with Vera-san won’t it? So can we talk?」

I tried making a small talk. Vera-san put her hand on her waist in respond.

「I guess. That’s not a bad suggestion. Only if Lyle’s talk is interesting though.」

It was troubling if you expected an interesting story from me!

Then the Sixth backed me up from the Jewel.

『A chance! Lyle, there isn’t any need to think too hard. You just need to talk to her normally. She will definitely laugh with your usual story.』

──Eh? Was my story that funny? As expected there was no way that was true.

But, I couldn’t possibly give up here, so I accepted Vera-san’s request.

「I can’t guarantee whether it will be interesting, but even though I look like this I have visited various places. I should have one or two stories that can interest Vera-san.」

「I guess you must have seen other places on your way to Beim. Alright then, perhaps there also will be interesting info for business in your story, so I’ll listen.」

The sailors were glaring at me, but when Vera-san turned her gaze to them, all of them seemed to realize something and averted their gaze.

All these tough sailors couldn’t go against a single girl?

「Let’s go under a shade. I’ll listen to you there.」

.

──After Lyle and Vera left the deck, one of the sailors clicked his tongue.

His comrades around him also didn’t seem amused. They looked similarly displeased.

The adventurers who were helping with their cleaning became curious and asked them.

「Hey, who is that captain? She was also amazing at the fight yesterday, but it’s amazing that not a single one of tough guys like you all can go against her.」

It was just a casual question from the adventurer.

One of the sailors declared.

「For us the young lady is a goddess.」

「Hah? Goddess? No, she is certainly pretty but──to that degree?」

It seemed the adventurer thought the sailor meant something like an idol when he called Vera a goddess. However, the sailors corrected his misunderstanding.

「It’s not a feeling of adoration or lust at all. That person is strong, and she also does her work well as the captain. It’s amazing for someone of her age, but that’s not the reason we are obeying her.」

The reason why the sailors placed an absolute trust on Vera was because──they had experienced miracles many times.

「Being a sailor is risking your life. No matter how magnificent your ship is, it will sink all the same if you encounter an accident. But you see, no matter how dangerous the voyage is, we will surely overcome it if Ojou-sama is with us.」

「I-is that so? But, it might be just a coincidence isn’t it?」

「We have seen miracle many times until now. Like when Ojou-sama went out at night when there was a horrible storm. It seems that the person herself didn’t remember it, but it was like she was guided by something. And then you know what happened──the storm stopped.」

For the sailors, it was an unbelievable scene.

Another sailor said.

「This happened when Ojou-sama was still a kid, but the ship she boarded got into a disaster. It was a sailing ship, but the mast broke and it was really difficult to move the ship manually without wind. It seemed that the ship was heavily damaged that it wouldn’t be strange even if it sank anytime, but then the ship got washed ashore at Beim’s harbor. Normally there was no way something like that could happen.」

Heard one by one, all of them were strange story, but as it kept happened, the sailors came to believe one story.

That Vera was a goddess of luck who was loved by the sea.

The adventurer recalled the story that he heard before they sailed off.

「So that’s why you guys aren’t tense at all even though we are heading to a dangerous place?」

「Obviously! No ship has ever sunk when Vera-ojousama is on board. We will absolutely be safe this time too.」

The sailors were worshipping Vera as a goddess of luck──.

.

「Ahahaha, what’s that, it’s so funny! Lyle, you are really funny.」

「Eh, eeee?」

I couldn’t understand why Vera-san was laughing hard like this.

「No, what is funny? I was talking seriously though?」

「It’s really funny. Aa~, that’s amusing. I’m more satisfied than expected.」

It was good that she seemed like she was having fun──I wanted to think like that, but it was impossible. Even though I was only recounting my experience, it made her laughed hard.

Even though I wasn’t trying to make her laugh.

「Don’t laugh at the story so much like that.」

「Sorry. But, it was really funny~ Aa~, I wonder when was the last time I laughed hard like this?」

Vera-san sat on a wooden crate and swung her legs lightly.

「──I don’t dislike this ship and also the sailors here. But, they are looking at me like some higher being. They are really overprotective. Papa was also always acting like that, so I almost never talked with someone my age.」

「Eh? Don’t you have any friend of the same gender?」

「I have some but, I got estranged from them since I got into working like this. Besides, most of the people riding a ship are men. There are also women, but they are showing respect to me even though I’m younger than them.」

「It’s nice to be respected.」

When I spoke in envy like that, Vera-san made a sad looking face.

「It feels like everyone is putting a distance from me. That’s why, it makes me feel envious when looking at Lyle and your party.」

Envious? To us?

I realized that Vera-san also had a lot of worry.

I looked toward the parasol that Vera-san was holding.

「Is that parasol, your favorite?」

「That’s right. It’s a present. Ah, rather than that tell me the continuation. What happened after you left Darion?」

Vera-san changed the topic by saying that. It felt somewhat forceful, so surely she didn’t want to talk about it.

「Ee~, that’s, well, various things happened.」

Just when I wondered how I should continue, Roland came with a panicked face.

「You again!」

I shrugged.

「Oops, looks like that’s it for today. Let’s continue it again next time.」

Vera-san was exasperated by my line, even so she spoke with a voice that contained cheerfulness.

「You talk like there will be next time definitely. Well, it’s fine I guess.」

I was forcefully dragged away by Roland while listening to her voice.

.

──Vera waved her hand while seeing off Lyle getting dragged away by Roland. When she lowered her hand, she made a slightly sad expression.

「I wonder if Roland notice?」

The parasol that Vera held was a present from Roland several years ago.

Roland was working under Vera at that time.

Vera got interested when she heard that a young man the same age like her was working diligently at the harbor. So she talked with him.

And then he became closer with Roland and he presented her with a parasol.

She had been using it all the time since then.

However, her little sister also had her eyes on that Roland.

When Vera went out to the sea with her merchant ship, her little sister appointed Roland as her attendant and poached him away. She wanted to protest at that time, but her little sister was already in a romantic relationship with Roland.

Vera fell in love with Roland first, but then he went out with her little sister while she was unable to say her feeling.

Vera laughed at herself.

「I’m really a troublesome woman. I should forget Roland right away.」

Vera returned inside the ship while muttering that──.

I returned to my room and told everyone while folding my arms.

「Roland got in the way.」

Hearing those words, Aria stopped eating the snack that Monica prepared.

「You mean that diligent boy? Well, of course he will stop someone who is trying to seduce the daughter of his boss.」

Sophia was munching on her snack while pointing out our bad situation.

「Lyle-dono’s popularity is falling after all. The sailors are all angry. They are seeing Lyle-dono as a rude brat who dares to approach their young lady.」

Miranda only ate her snack a little, after that she didn’t touch it again and folded her arms. It seemed that Miranda was also really aware that the situation wasn’t good.

「Lyle’s popularity is also dropping among other adventurers. They are looking at us as the typical harem party.」

That was upsetting. I never seduced a girl on my own accord, not even once! Eh, I never did something like that, right? Anyway, I never tried building a harem by my own initiative.

And yet, the state of my surrounding had become like this when I noticed. The main culprit of this, Novem began to talk without touching her snack at all.

「It looks like Lyle-sama’s charm isn’t conveyed correctly to them. But, it’s troubling that Lyle-sama’s conversation with Vera-san keeps getting disturbed. We have to do something about Roland-san.」

Eva had gotten a lot more used to seasickness, but her complexion was still bad. Even so she joined the discussion, though her hand wasn’t reaching toward the snack at all.

「Is that Roland actually in love with that Ojou-sama? Perhaps that’s why he keeps getting in the way?」

Beside Eva, Clara was lying unmoving.

Shannon replied to Eva’s comment.

「Eh? You don’t know Eva? Roland is in romantic relationship with that Ojou-sama’s little sister you know? He want to obtain achievement in his job this time so that he can be recognized by her parent.」

Miranda made a surprised face when she heard that. And then she approached Shannon to hear about it in more detail.

「I have heard about him being the lover of the little sister, but how do you know so much about it?」

「I had nothing to do so I eavesdropped.」

Shannon could see the magic element──she had mystic eyes that could see mana. Because of that if she manipulated the mana that she could see, eavesdropping from far away was possible for her.

Miranda covered her face with her right hand and regretted her oversight.

「I didn’t know about that detail. I have considered that there is a deeper reason why he is on this ship though. And, do you know anything else?」

「Only about how Lyle is hated by the sailors? Other than that──it looks like Roland is also hated by the sailors.」

I raised my voice in surprise.

「No way! Because, that guy is someone honest──」

Shannon shook her head.

「I don’t know why. But, he is often alone in this ship. There are also times when he watches over Lyle, but he doesn’t look like he is getting along with the sailors.」

Was there some kind of reason for that?

「Other than that~」

Shannon talked about what she knew by Miranda’s urging. There were several curious information among them. The Sixth spoke after hearing those.

『Hou, so Roland is isolated in this ship──Lyle, this is also a chance.』

It seemed he was getting another idea.

The Sixth seemed to think that my reaction was too dull, he invited me to do a sinister design.

『Oi oi, what’s with your doubting reaction. With this plan you will also be able to get a payback from that merchant brat Fidel who picked a fight with you before the departure. And then both you and Roland will be able to become happy. This is a good plan that I have here.』

The Seventh reacted first than me.

『Hou, I have to hear this so called plan in that case. After all the brat who dared to make fun of Lyle at their first meeting need a harsh punishment.』

The Fourth was interested, but it seemed he wasn’t interested in taking payback.

『If you claim that everyone can become happy with this plan, I’m interested to hear it.』

The Third was excited. He urged the Sixth to tell his plan already.

『Tell us already. What is this sinister design of yours?』

But──the Fifth was the only one who didn’t believe the Sixth.

『Eh? You guys are getting on this guy’s plan? No, I don’t intend to say anything bad but──this is the Sixth we are talking about here.』

The Sixth must be really horrible if even his parent didn’t believe him at all like this.

The Sixth began to explain with full confidence.

『You can only say that now. First we should──』

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Night.

Roland came to a storeroom that was used to place the tools that were rarely used.

I was the one who called him here. I raised my hand seeing Roland coming and welcomed him.

「Thanks for coming here, Roland.」

「──You are the one who called me here to talk about Ojou-sama.」

When I called Roland here, I said to her that I wouldn’t get involved with Vera-san anymore if he heard my request. But, that was a lie.

「Sorry, I was lying.」

「I thought that’s the case.」

Roland hadn’t believed me from the start.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. After all I had continued talking to Vera-san repeatedly even after he told me to not do that anymore.

「More important, what’s your reason for calling me here?」

「Don’t be angry like that. Nobody will come here. After all my companions are acting as lookout for us.」

Roland realized that he couldn’t escape this situation and he made a face of resignation.

「Sorry but, it’s pointless even if you threaten me.」

「I’m not going to threaten you. But, I want your help.」

「Eh?」

The Sixth’s plan was to join hand with Roland who was isolated in this ship. I absolutely needed Roland’s help in order to approach Vera-san.

From what we investigated, it seemed that Roland was in a romantic relationship with the second daughter of Tres family, Gina.

「Roland, you are intimate with Gina-san aren’t you? You are in a romantic relationship with her but your surrounding doesn’t accept it, correct?」

「Tsu! You investigated me?」

「There are a lot of sailors who are grumbling about it in this ship.」

Roland looked down and he began to mumble.

「I know that our station is too far apart. But, she has been so kind to even someone like me. She also arranged so that I received education for the sake of my future. She is kind, and generous──before I knew it I have been drawn to her.」

I approached Roland and put my hand around his shoulders.

「That’s great isn’t it? A love between two people of different stations, it’s like fairytale. There is also an elf among my companions, she surely will want to ask about your moving story to turn it into a song.」

「──It’s no good. I’m hated by Tres family’s head Fidel-sama. The master won’t accept me. I understand that it’ll be better for me to part with her sooner or later.」

Roland was about to give up on his relationship. The Sixth’s voice came from inside the Jewel.

『Don’t give up here! You can do it! We are cheering you on. Lyle, you too, cheer up this Roland!』

The Sixth always got energetic when carrying out his sinister design.

I looked at Roland seriously.

「Are you fine giving up like that?」

「Eh?」

「Can you give up on that Gina-san completely? Or perhaps, you actually dislike her?」

「I, I don’t hate her!」

Roland denied it with a red face. Then he looked at me and came to his senses. He hung his head down.

「B-but, it’s impossible. Even the people around me are telling me to understand my place.」

Looking at him, his surrounding mustn’t be amused that he was close to Gina-san. I could also understand the reason why Roland was isolated.

「I heard a rumor that you will be recognized if the trade this time succeeded though?」

「You even know that? Yeah, certainly I’m involved with the trade this time. But, it’s just the leftovers from Vera-ojousama.」

「Leftovers?」

「Vera-ojousama invited me to get on board her ship in order to give me some achievements. Gina-ojousama is also thinking that the people around us will accept our relationship if I have such achievement.」

So there was a hidden circumstance like that.

「I see. But, are you alright with disregarding the feeling of those two who are doing so much for your sake like this?」

「Eh?」

Right here. I thought that this was the moment and persuaded Roland.

「What do you want to do?」

「I, I──want my relationship with Gina-ojousama to be accepted.」

「I see. Then I’ll give you a hand.」

「──No, what do you mean giving me a hand? Sorry to be blunt but, there is nothing you can help me with.」

Roland was unexpectedly composed huh. Certainly, if I was asked whether I could help with the two’s relationship, then the answer was no.

However, I wanted you to consider this.

「I see? Imagine this, what if I get into a good relationship with Vera-san. What will happen then? Everyone around will call me an adventurer who is approaching her for her money right?」

「That’s the fact isn’t it?」

He stabbed right where it hurts!

「Listen to me till the end. It’s not like I’m thinking to make use of Vera-san before throwing her away. I’ll definitely make her happy.」

Roland’s eyes told me he didn’t believe me at all. So I presented to him the merit of this.

「If you can’t believe my words, can you think of it like this? Don’t you think that Fidel-san will think that rather than a scummy adventurer like me, a diligent and serious young man like Roland is far better by miles?」

「──Certainly the master might think like that.」

Roland’s expression was half convinced. I persuaded him further.

「You don’t have any ally at all around you right?」

Considering Roland’s position, it couldn’t be helped that the other people were envying him. Roland’s expression turned vexed because I hit the bull’s eye.

「I’ll be honest. I tried to seduce Vera-san because we are aiming for her money.」

「You guys!」

Roland showed anger. I calmed him down to listen to my story.

「But you know, that’s not the case anymore right now. I’m not thinking to continue trying to seduce her. But, we want a chance. We want that person to recognize our ability and give us support. We will give up if it’s still impossible even then.」

Roland sighed.

「Vera-ojousama is also like the master, she is someone strict when it comes to business. That’s why the master entrusted this ship to Ojou-sama. There will be nothing you can do if that person thinks that you are no good.」

「That’s alright. Besides, I absolutely won’t do anything that displease Vera-san.」

When I said that, Roland nodded even while making an unpleasant expression.

「I’ll at least buy you time to talk with Vera-ojousama. But, I’ll still come to drag you away after that. If I don’t do that then the sailors might come to kill you.」

「──Am I really hated to such degree?」

I felt a bit shocked, then Roland spoke of something unbelievable.

「That’s not it. It’s the master’s order. He ordered us all to kill anyone who dare to try anything with Vera-ojousama and dress it up like an accident. We can prepare as many reasons as we want of why someone can fall into the sea. You better realize that you are in a dangerous position right now.」

It seemed Roland had been protecting me.

At the same time, I could hear the voices of the ancestors that were filled with a quiet anger.

『Hmm~, so Fidel-kun said something like that~』

『That’s really no good.』

『Exterminating the harmful insects that approached his daughter huh? That’s really not funny.』

『He cannot be allowed to get away without paying for this.』

『How dare that lowly merchant order that to my grandson!』

──Well, considering what I was trying to do, I couldn’t one-sidedly blame Fidel-san’s act.

「Ahaha──I’ll be careful.」

「Be very careful alright?」

「More importantly Roland, can I ask you a question?」

「What?」

Roland looked fed up. He wanted this talk to end already, but I personally wanted to ask this question no matter what.

「What do you think about Vera-san?」

「About Vera-ojousama? She has been really good to me, I think she is a good person.」

「That’s all?」

「Yeah.」

Roland didn’t look like he harbored any deeper feeling than that.

「By the way, about Vera-san’s parasol. Do you know anything about it?」

「Parasol? No, sorry but what is this about? Vera-ojousama has a lot of parasol. I don’t know which parasol you are talking about.」

Based on my observation, Vera-san looked like she was using the same parasol every day.

Roland didn’t notice that.

「I see. Sorry for wasting your time. I have no more question.」

「Look for a suitable time tomorrow when calling out to Ojou-sama. But really, be careful okay?」

Roland left. Then Miranda came into the storeroom after that.

She looked at my face and shrugged.

「Things are complicated between the sisters isn’t it. Besides, Roland too, he is as dense as Lyle.」

I was reluctant to agree with that opinion, but I was unable to object considering what happened when I became acquainted for the first time with Miranda at the past.

「And, are we going to continue with the plan?」

「──We will. I feel really guilty to Vera-san for doing this though.」

.

The next morning.

I came to the deck again in order to fulfill my promise with Vera-san.

I came here to tell her about the continuance of the story yesterday. And then I looked at the parasol she was carrying. ──She was using the same parasol since the time we boarded this ship.

I talked while also making gestures with my hands.

「When I worked at Arumsaas, there was this request that asked me to act as bad guy because the client want to show his cool side to a girl he liked.」

「What’s with that. And you accepted the request?」

「I accepted it. I pretended to be a thug and got punched. But, the girl who was the target got worried about me instead. She took me until her home and treated my bruise.」

「Aa~, it’s too bad for your client.」

「I got scolded by the girl, Don’t do bad things! Thanks to that I failed the request.」

「The person who made such request was bad, but Lyle was also bad for accepting it.」

Even though I was only talking about my encounter with Miranda, Vera-san looked really amused.

The Sixht’s voice came from inside the Jewel.

『This girl is that type isn’t she? There is nobody around her who is the same age with her, so Lyle’s story feels fresh for her.』

The Sixth’s voice sounded a bit sympathetic.

In fact, Vera-san who had a big merchant ship like this and working in her age seemed like she had few friends.

When I asked her if she was lonely, she replied that there was no problem because she liked ship and sea.

But──the way she looked at Roland looked even lonelier than before. Perhaps it was because I had learned about the two──no, the three’s relationship.

Last night I heard the story from Shannon. 「Vera liked Roland」 she said. But, it seemed that after that her little sister Gina took Roland away.

For sisters to fall in love with the same person…….

「Aa~, that was funny. And, what happen next?」

Vera-san asked for the continuation. At first she thought of me as someone currying favor to her in order to obtain financial support, but now she was accepting me normally.

Roland showed up just as I was about to continue my story.

It seemed that I was out of time.

「I’ll tell the continuation next time. I also have work to do after all.」

「Oh, is that so? You’re unexpectedly diligent.」

「I’m a diligent person you know.」

「You don’t look like it though?」

Vera-san chuckled. When Roland walked near, I turned my gaze to him and raised my hand.

「Aa~, my bad. I’m already finished.」

「I see. That’s good then.」

I looked back toward Vera-san while Roland dragged me away. The way she looked at Roland seemed lonely just as I thought.