[LN] Volume 2: Chapter 2.2

[LN] Volume 2: Chapter 2.2

This chapter was brought to you by the collaboration between PolterGlast and Saekano Translations.

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Volume 2 Chapter 2.2

Off-Street [Rivalry] Tune Part 2

Translator : PolterGlast

"Thank you."

Mars looked back to the past and wondered when was the last time he had heard someone else say those words to him.

Maybe it was the first time.

Even as a child, he had always been strong, and no other child his age could beat him in a fight.

Naturally, when he got into fights, the adults around him would scold him, but as he grew older, the only ones who scolded him head-on were his family members, Hanna, Dell, and Ena.

Everyone else, adults and children alike, cursed Mars behind his back instead of in front of him.

This irritated him even more.

He didn't like the people who sneaked around behind his back even though they couldn't say anything by themselves, the people who sneered at him to get back at him, the weak people who couldn't say anything back to him.

So he became stronger and kept taking out his frustration on those around him. He knew it was inconveniencing Ena, Dell, and Hanna, but he just couldn't and wouldn't accept their weakness.

Other than that, he didn't know how to vent his feelings.

Perhaps he had gone too far, even the meritocratic Solminati Academy lost control of him and dropped him to the lowest class, but he still did not want to admit the weakness of those around him.

The reason why he could not do so was because of the scar that was engraved in his heart. He and his sister were abandoned by their father, who was weak.

Every time he saw someone's weakness, he felt an inexhaustible surge of irritation, as if he had burnt chopsticks shoved into his stomach.

(But why? Just with those words from this girl, the irritation disappears as if it were a lie. Not only that, but there's something......)

Mars peeked at the girl walking next to him with a sideways glance so that Tima would not notice.

She has a small face, large eyes, a fine nose, and a white nape of the neck peeking out from under her brown hair, which is neatly trimmed down to her shoulders.

The heat that he thought had gone away returned.

"B-, by the way, do you have any siblings?"

He kept having feelings that he did not understand, and tried to talk to her in an attempt to do something about it. He wanted to cover up this feeling that he had never felt before by doing something about it.

"I-, I don't have a sister, but I do have one younger brother......."

Tima was on board with Mars's random conversation, but she was also acting strangely.

Her face was strangely red and her movements were shakier than ever. She looked like a badly made golem.

"I-, is that so?"

However, Mars' appearance was also like a broken golem.

His voice was hoarse, his gait strange, and his gaze unfocused.

In the end, the two, like broken golems, forgot all about Irisdina and Nozomu who had strayed from them, and continued their strange charade from beginning to end until they parted in front of Tima's house.

◆

While Tima and Mars were creating a sweet and sour atmosphere, Nozomu, accompanied by Irisdina, was strolling through the commercial district.

"Say, Irisdina-san......."

"............."

Nozomu's shoulders slumped as if in resignation, as Irisdina stared at him silently, not replying.

"I-, Iris ......."

"Good, what is it? Nozomu."

"You're going to go home, right? Aren't we straying too far from the main street?"

Arcazam is divided into four sections, and main streets have been built through the center of each section.

From the main streets, small paths spread out as if extending their branches. But now Nozomu and Irisdina were moving further and further away from the main street and onto a small one.

"This is a shortcut. Besides, the security in Arcazam is much better than in other cities. Even the streets don't smell bad. So we will be fine."

Even though Arcazam is a relatively safe place, there will still be people who will think of doing something bad.

Especially, since she is the daughter of a leading figure in the Kingdom of Forsina, the biggest supporter of Arcazam. The value of her life is immeasurable to a commoner like Nozomu.

Perhaps sensing Nozomu's concern, Irisdina smiled and tapped her fingertips on the hilt of the [Silver Wings of the Evening Star], the rapier at her waist.

She is one of the most talented students in Solminati Academy, and is a talented young woman who has been recognized as being worthy of the A rank.

Moreover, with her [Immediate Deployment] ability, she could activate her magic without chanting.

A thug would not even have a chance, and if she used magic to strengthen her body, even a well-trained soldier would be literally knocked out beneath the armor.

Isildina kept moving forward. Nozomu could tell from her lack of hesitation that she was familiar with these alleys.

"You seem to be familiar with these alleys. Whereas I didn't even know about this shortcut......"

"Well, sometimes I go to the commercial and civic districts with Somia, you see."

Despite the atmosphere of an always exemplary honor student and a sharpened blade, this girl has a surprisingly innocent side to her. In this regard, she was very similar to her younger sister.

"But because of the matter with the Waziart family, there would be a chaperone coming in the near future, so it would be more difficult for me to go there......"

"A chaperone?"

"After the incident at the mansion, my father says he's going to send one of his trusted subordinates to me. And that person has been my personal chaperone since I was a little girl. ."

That incident seemed to be taken very seriously by the Francilte family.

"She's a very nice person, but she's very strict about a lot of things. Maybe she will keep an eye on you, Nozomu."

"That's ......."

Irisdina is the next head of the Francilte family. As a noblewoman, she is naturally expected to have a high standard of friendships.

In contrast, Nozomu is just a commoner. In his imagination, he could picture himself being stabbed from behind on a moonless night.

Nozomu's face paled as he recalled the difference in status between him and Irisdina.

"Are you scared now? Fufu~, it's okay. You are a benefactor of mine and Somia's. I won't even let my father do something strange to you."

"I'm begging you, really ......."

Irisdina giggled, perhaps amused by Nozomu's reaction

But on the other hand, she was still very curious about the power he had shown her at the Francilt mansion.

(I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious. I'm sure Mars-kun would feel the same way......)

His incredible Qi control and refined swordsmanship. She came to know these things when she first met him in the Spasim forest.

When she saw Nozomu's Qi-jutsu [Phantom], she was indeed awestruck by the brilliance of his technique. For if Irisdina had tried to create an equivalent blade, she would have needed ten seconds.

However, the "power" he showed in the fight against Rugato was clearly of a different caliber. A vampire with abilities far superior to those of humans. And yet, he had the amount of Qi and physical ability capable of overpowering it head-on.

Although the conversation about it was cut short, it did not mean that her curiosity was gone.

(It was almost like Jihad-sensei......)

Irisdina's mind pictured the most powerful swordsman in the Solminati Academy.

He is the pinnacle figure in the academy and the hero of the Great Invasion of twenty years ago.

As a first-class student, she had experienced a combat lesson with this man in class.

At that time, she was still in the middle of her second year of school. Although she was more inexperienced than she is now, she remembered that she and Tima had been knocked down without the slightest chance of victory.

It was the same when she fought against Rugato. There was a gap between A-rank and S-rank that could not be described in a single word.

A wall of that magnitude. There would be no easy way to overcome it.

(He said it was a "release" of [Ability Suppression]. In other words, it was his true ability.)

That was the root of her discomfort.

(I want to hear, I want to know. The secret of his power. So that this time I will be able to protect Somia......)

After the incident with Rugato, Irisdina's curiosity about Nozomu had grown even stronger.

His outstanding swordsmanship, his formidable strength. However, contrary to that, he seemed to be just like any other young boy of his age.

I want to know more about him.

These feelings filled her up like pouring water into a glass.

(Nozomu, why don't you show your power more aggressively?)

Such words came up to her throat. However, she swallowed them down with a gulp. What came back to her mind was how he had looked when she had asked him about the "power" behind defeating Rugato. His fear and anxiety made her hesitate to ask him any further questions.

At that moment, a loud voice echoed in the quiet alley.

"Hey, beautiful young lady over there. Would you like to stop by?"

"Hmm?"

Nozomu and Irisdina were startled by the sudden words, and their bodies jerked in surprise.

When they turned their eyes in the direction of the voice, they saw a small, cramped stall at the end of a small alley.

The sign on the stall read "Fortune Telling" in bold letters, and on the table were randomly placed crystals, cards, and a jar filled with thin wooden sticks.

On the wall, there hung a number of cards that seemed to be from the East, accessories in the shape of a goat's skull for some reason, and other things that were either to ward off evil or to curse.

"My name is Zonne, and as you can see, I'm a humble fortune teller."

"Hmm, fortune teller, huh?"

"No, no matter how one looks at it, it doesn't seem to have the atmosphere of a fortune-telling store......"

To put it bluntly, it was not a fortune teller, but rather a recruiting center for a suspicious witchcraft organization or even a cult.

Moreover, Nozomu felt something disturbing in the atmosphere the old man was exuding. It was the same as someone he knew very well.

"Old man. What can you fortune tell me?"

That was how they arrived at the Francilt mansion. In front of the main gate stood a maid.

She had a straight back and sharp eyes. She was probably in her late thirties or early forties.

She wore a powerful atmosphere that betrayed her age and combined with the maid's uniform she wore, she left a strong impression on Nozomu and made him feel a sense of unease.

"Welcome back, Irisdina-ojōsama. It's been a while."

"Mena ....... So you're already here."

Irisdina's expression turned surprised as she confirmed the maid's appearance.

"Iris, who is she?"

"Oh, I told you before remember? She's the confidant sent by my father."

"Nice to meet you, Nozomu Bountis-sama. My name is Mena Manat, and I am a personal attendant of Victor-sama, the current head of the Francilt family."

As Irisdina introduced her, the mature woman called Mena bowed deeply.

"You have truly been of great help to us on the recent incident. On behalf of my Lord, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

The mature maid expressed her gratitude once again, while implicitly hinting at the incident involving Rugato.

Her voice was filled with a tone of gratitude and relief that could not be hidden. This alone showed how worried she was about Irisdina and Somia.

"Normally, we would have organized the whole household to express our gratitude. However, since this matter is quite serious, please forgive us for expressing our gratitude in such a manner."

"N-, no, it's fine. I'm just glad I was able to save Somia-chan. Besides, it just so happens that I was there when it happened......"

However, being respected like this was somewhat troubling for Nozomu. This is because he has never received this kind of treatment from an older person before.

Nozomu had avoided contact with other people ever since he was dumped by Lisa.

His one-sided life spent entirely on the sword had robbed him of most of his ability to communicate.

Besides, Nozomu was originally a commoner. He himself is aware that he is not a person to be respected.

"Ah, right. If you don't mind, would you like to stay the night?"

"Eh?"

However, contrary to Nozomu's inner thoughts, Irisdina made a series of statements that troubled Nozomu even further.

"N-, no. I'll be going back to my dorm today......"

"I see. That's too bad. Fufu~, I was hoping to hear more of your story."

Even after hearing Nozomu's refusal, Irisdina kept on smiling. Nozomu smiled wryly upon seeing her teasing him to the very end.

"A-, hahaha ....... Well then, that's it for today."

"Ah, thanks for helping me out today......."

As Nozomu left with a wry smile on his face, Irisdina called out to him as if she had just remembered something.

"If you want to improve your grades at the academy, you can make good use of the Adventurers' Guild, which is one of the few organizations outside the academy that has a direct influence on your grades."

"...... I'll think about it."

"Yeah, that'd be great. Good night."

"Good night."

Irisdina let out a small sigh as she watched Nozomu return to the dormitory, this time with a small bow of her head, and then turned back to the maid who was watching over her.

"Once again, it's been a while, Mena. Is Father doing well?"

"Yes, well enough to be nagging about seeing his daughter."

"Your attitude toward Father is the same as always."

The words that Mena uttered with a thin smile on her face were not something that would normally be uttered by a maid. However, Irisdina, seemingly accustomed to it, merely shrugged her shoulders.

"Is he the one who helped you in your fight against Rugato? I see. He seems to be quite a capable man."

"You could tell?"

"Yes. Despite how I look, I am also a bit of a swordsman myself. I can tell how good he is with a sword based on the way he stands. He seems to have more delicate and precise swordsmanship than you, miss."

"If Mena is merely a bit of a swordsman, then most swordsmen would be less than a bit of a swordsman......"

Mena Manat is an excellent maid, but at the same time, she was also Irisdina's mentor in swordsmanship. In terms of simple swordsmanship, she still surpasses Irisdina, and is a swordsman equivalent to an A rank.

She is also an old friend of Irisdina's late mother, a loyal servant of the Francilt family for a long time, and to Irisdina, she is a woman who served as a replacement for her late mother. Therefore, there is a distance between them that is different from that of ordinary servants.

"By the way, Mena, what is that thing you have in your pocket?"

"This one? It is a document about your prospective partners. The first one is Gruzer-sama of the Glasheim family, the second one is Bayne-sama of the Patton family, and the third one is- ......."

What Mena took out was a thick bundle of papers. It contained profiles, with portraits, of the nobles she had selected as Irisdina's future suitors.

"Haa...... that's enough. I'm going back to the mansion."

Irisdina, on the other hand, turned her heel in response to Mena's push for an arranged marriage, as if going in one ear and out the other.

Seeing her like this, Mena looked up at the sky in dismay.

"Gosh, young lady, ...... do you have any awareness that you are the next head of the family?"

"I am doing well at parties, aren't I?"

"The problem is that you have not been in a relationship with a man at your age. It's time for you to start looking for a partner, you know?"

"You are too persistent. If push comes to shove, we could just adopt a child, couldn't we?"

"You don't even have any intention of adopting a child in the first place, do you? Because as soon as Somiriana-ojōsama becomes a full-fledged woman, you intend to give everything to that child and her partner."

As if she had been hit where it hurts, Irisdina's expression turned sour, and without another word, she returned to the mansion. At that time, Mena's gaze caught the hair clip shining in Irisdina's black hair.

"Hm? Miss, is that a hair clip?"

"Yeah, I found it on my way home and was interested in it. So I bought it."

After saying so, Irisdina disappeared into the mansion.

After she left, Mena smiled meaningfully in front of the main gate.

White, simple hair clip. Considering Irisdina's good looks, it was obviously an item that would stand out.

Based on Mena's point of view, Irisdina did not possess the personality to be excessively dressed up.

At the same time, however, if she needed to, she would be able to choose the right item for her appearance and status.

Such a girl was now wearing a cheap hair clip as if she cherished it. That was enough for Mena, who had a keen intuition, to understand what was going on.

"I see, so that's how it is. It seems to be having a more positive effect than I thought ...... I'm looking forward to what comes next."

With the matchmaking introduction form tucked away in her pocket, she, too, followed her master back to the Francilt mansion.

As a faithful maid and swordsman, Mena's mouth was full of a joyful smile upon noticing the change in the girl.

◆

Returning to her room, Irisdina let out a big sigh ...... propping her beloved rapier which was at her waist, on the wall, and then she sat down on her bed.

She had not expected Mena to arrive so soon. She had assumed it would take another week or so.

"That must be how worried he was about me......"

Irisdina herself did not doubt her father's affection for her. Otherwise, there was no way he would have allowed her to become the next head of the Francilt family, one of the major aristocratic families in the Forsina Kingdom, as a woman.

But at the same time, her father is a man who is capable of being a nobleman and a man who stands above the rest.

"I wonder what you intend to do about him......"

Regarding Nozomu, Irisdina only reported that he was an outstanding swordsman and someone who could release his [Ability Suppression].

The letter only mentioned that he had defeated Rugato as a result of having cooperated with the others, and did not mention that he had, in reality, defeated a formidable S-ranked opponent all on his own.

Originally, she should have reported it. However, Irisdina did not do so.

The slight agitation and hesitation he had shown when she had asked him about his overwhelming power in defeating Rugato had made her reluctant to do so.

"He's hiding something. Perhaps it has something to do with his [Ability Suppression]......"

Something that made Nozomu hesitate to speak. The curiosity about him that swirled inside Irisdina was further intensified when she became aware of it.

I want to know more about him. I want to know what he's thinking, what he's dealing with, what's bothering him.

"That reminds me, he mentioned that his mentor had passed away. Did something happen to him at that time?"

His mentor, who was said to have taught him the katana-jutsu. When he spoke of that person, he had a faint, sad smile on his mouth.

"Somehow, I don't like it......"

I want to know more, but I don't know how. Not knowing is frustrating. It is, without a doubt, a manifestation of a strong interest in the opposite sex.

But at the same time, the manifestation of this curiosity also makes her intensely impatient.

The tingle in the depths of her heart. Irisdina wanted to suppress it and reflexively reached for her bangs.

The hair clip touched her fingertips. The hard, cold sensation calmed the throbbing in her chest.

"Maybe this is the first time. I've never been so happy to receive a present from a man who is not a member of my family."

She had considerable experience in receiving presents. However, there was always some kind of hidden intention behind the present.

Therefore, she never kept any presents from anyone other than her family.

Irisdina slowly got up from her bed and went to the dressing room, took off her hair clip, and began to fiddle with her hair.

She changed her hairstyle a few times, and when she was satisfied with the way it looked, she re-fastened it with the hair clip that Nozomu had given her.

"I think it goes like this?"

The gentle atmosphere grew even stronger. She naturally smiled as she saw her own reflection in the mirror.

At the same time, the tingling sensation that had been calming down came back to her mind.

"That's weird, my heart's pounding......"

However, the tingling was different from the previous one.

It was like a tender heat, reminiscent of a winter fireplace. The warmth and comfort that gradually seeped into her body, she naturally put her hand on her chest and smiled cheerfully, the smile on her mouth deepening.

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