CH 24

「Your reactions are too slow! Put some power in your waist! Don’t let the sword control you! If you lose focus you’ll die! 」

「Guh…Uooooaaaaaahhh!!!」

「Don’t shout when attacking! Do if you are done! 」

「Gah!!」

After fighting for a bit, I remember the times when we were playing around while not in fairy form.

It’s understandable because this person is self-taught. As I can see, he is quite well built, considering that, he should be able to fight for a few hours, but because either he is not compatible with the sword or just let the sword sway him, he is now out of breath. He still doesn’t know how to control his body properly.

「It seems like it’s time to move this to another level. Well, gaining experience also means gaining power.」

「Move to another level?」

「Maybe it’s until around as strong as Astel-san probably」

And so, while waiting for him to catch his breath, I began searching for monsters in the surrounding using detection. Goblins would be good for first encounter.

「… … … yosh, found some!」

「What is it, that you found?」

Oh, you’re finally up. Well, he was able to keep up with me for two hours so his stamina is good. His will power is also above average if compared to others is what I have expected after all.

「Have you ever killed a monster before?」

「A few years ago, there was a time where I went out on a subjugation with soldiers but… I didn’t find any…」

Ah, good job soldiers-san. All of you surely had a hard time going around so that this person avoids monsters.

「Then, you will be graduating from not being able to fight monsters today」

I found two goblins not far from here. Sigurd seems to be unable to hide his excitement after seeing monsters for the first time. I could hear him drawing his sword firmly. Well he did become obedient the moment he heard about letting him defeat monsters. Because he is a man, he would like to do Demon Subjugation right.

Oh right before that I was about to forget something more important. I still haven’t checked Sigurd’s status.

Sigurd (14) Lv.7

Race: human

HP 283/283

MP 121/121

ATK 103

DEF 65

MATK 44

MDEF 43

INT 77

SPD 51

Skills: Sword Arts (E-)

With these stats I guess defeating goblins should be simple. But well, let’s have him fight wolves after this.

「Goblins may be small fry by itself, but if they are fighting in group, their teamwork is troublesome, well in your current status you can win against them, so want to try fighting them together?」

「Is it fine?」

「Of course, well in case something happens I’ll help out.」

「Hah? There is no for such!!」

After saying that, he cheerfully went ahead. I put water dolls on the goblin’s feet just in case something unexpected happens, so it will still be fine if there is an emergency. Oh, he’s already engaging with them.

「Deia!!」

Oh, he is learning fast huh. He remembered the things I pointed out earlier like improving his speed. He probably found an opportunity so he swings his sword and bisected one of the goblins from his shoulder down.

「I, I did it!!」

Although still naïve, I guess it was much better than before so now he is really pleased. The other goblin that saw his comrade die swings the club it was wielding. Sigurd hurriedly crouched and avoided it, and quickly returns to a stance. Oh, that? You can do quite well. The goblin tried to attack again but was parried by his sword and he quickly stabbed it on its throat.

「I, won!!「Not yet!!」Eh?」

With its throat stabbed, the goblin still managed to swing its club, the swing was moving towards his head. Sigurd quickly tries to protect himself with his sword but he was a little late.

「Uwaaah!!… … … Eh? 」

「Didn’t I told you to always stay focused, no matter what the situation is」

The moment the attack was about to connect, a water blade tore the goblin’s neck and club. When he looked at the dead goblin for a while, he turned his gaze towards me.

「Magic… You could use it?」

「Well for me, this is my main battle skill you know. I use it along swordsmanship.」

「…Really」

And when I realized, it was already evening. After that fight Sigurd continued fighting against goblins and managed to win with a group of 3 at the same time. After killing the last goblin he fell down in exhaustion and continues to breathe heavily.

「You look tired, I guess this will be it for today」

「Shut up… I will quickly level up and defeat you!!」

「At this point I don’t really know if you are motivated by spirit or just being rebellious. For now, I hunted a hundred that I found when you were fighting. Let’s have wolf pot, do you know how to disassemble? 」

「Haaaa… Haaaa… I know, I studied」

That’s good. He is also being attentive to lessons this time.

When the sun completely went out, the food was finally ready. Although I am using some dubious ingredients and he was suspicious as to where I am getting it I just answer that 「Magic Bag…」 and he quickly lost interest. Well I guess that made him misunderstood.

「Is it good?」

「…It’s normal, that is if compared to food prepared in the mansion」

「I guess so, but it is delicious nevertheless. After moving around like that you should be quite hungry so you can have seconds.」

「You are a good person… Well, not like I care about that… And so, what will be doing tomorrow?」

I was thinking that he would lash out again. But is seems like he has awakened to being a fighter in spirit? Well, if you quickly raise your level, you might be thinking you can defeat me. Is that what you are aiming for?

「I have already realize that something like that is impossible. So what will it be? 」

「Well basically, it will be the same pattern as today, that is sparring with me and fighting monsters until sundown.」

「I see, got it」

After saying that, I was cleaning up everything. When I put all the dishes away, he was staring at the campfire in silence. What’s wrong? Are you starting to feel homesick?

「… …Will you listen to an old story」

After staring for a while, he started talking about himself. Oh, you are finally going to tell a story about yourself.

「My father you see has two wives, in a aristocratic family, it is not unusual, but my mother was not good with that. When he married another person, she was stubbornly insisting that she is above the other in just about everything and the other is just an extra, an because of that, my father became disgusted of her and threw her out. A year after that is when I was born.」

「Did they notice about you being thrown away?」

「Well, at that time, that other person also had a child but it was sickly and weak and died after a few years. And because of overworking, it seems that he was not able to see the other wife a lot and who was also weakening and followed after the child」

「So how about your mother, where is she now?」

「Eight years ago, she passed away from a disease, at that time is when I was taken in by my father, at first I have a grudge, but I remembered that my mother regretted doing those things too. 」

I see, so his grudges weren’t that deep. At that time he was probably living as a normal 6 year old, but then he was suddenly taken into the ranks of nobility and was definitely shaken up by a lot of changes in environment. He probably tried his best to reach their expectations, but everyone thought of him as incompetent and laughed, and he wasn’t able to find anyone decent to guide him and his father was also too busy to do that.

「I was able to learn swordsmanship when I reached 10. I that time, as soon as I got the skill I went to my father, but I didn’t get praised」

「So you were ignored?」

「No, I just didn’t understand. Then I thought about how nobles live. After thinking about it on my own, I tried doing the same. And that’s when I started to be domineering. 」

I see, now I understand how he ended up turning into that. And because there was no one to stop him, he continued on but at least he didn’t cross the line of evil yet. He is only a half bad kid.

「So, is there anything else you want to ask?」

「Sorry about that, then I will ask this, how will you get your father to recognize you after this?」

He thought about it, and then answered with a pained look on his face.

「Power Isn’t it. Will Power, Military Power, Authority, Persisting Beliefs. The responsibility as a noble. influence of absolute rule. Something like that probably.」

「Those things might be necessary, but that’s not it, that’s not something you can obtain at the moment.」

「Then what is it?」

「Credibility and Trust」

I turned off the fire and looked up at the sky. Some demons get attracted to it if I let alone for a while. The light of the stars should be enough for now. The night sky is bright at the moment.

I remembered what happened when I left the town. Sigurd had been asking for help for a long time now, but nobody lent a hand and just turned their eyes away. It is a matter of course because of what Sigurd had been doing, and because he is the son of their Lord, no one dared to step in to stop him.

「It is impossible for someone to live alone, it is impossible to operate a town alone, it’s reckless to try to be strong with only one person, because you are just an ordinary human being.」

「Then what about you?」

「Even I have been helped, by a lot of people… and that’s why I am here now.」

With this I guess it’s time to retire for the night time to go back in the tent I guess.

「I am going to bed now, what about you?」

「… … …I am also retiring, I need to recover my strength for tomorrow」

「I see…Then Good Night」

I went inside my tent, then apply barrier of protection and soundproofing using fairy magic. Next is…

「Arena, you can come out now」

「Ai~♪」

I dissolved my Humanization as well. I just noticed it now but, if there are only fairies around, I can do a lot more things. Well it’s time before going to bed though.

「「Game on Battle!!」」

This time around I’m definitely going to be my golden opportunity!

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「Arena… How long are we planning to play shogi for today?」

「Ummm… … … Dunno?」

「Ahhh…」

When fairies find things they enjoy, fairies would definitely go on with it even on their own forever.