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Chapter 22 Part 1: Ruthward, the beastmen.
Translator: Michiko
Editor: Elena
Gio was facing the beastman in a room of the orphanage in the beastman’s territory.
Gio could see the garden from the window, and Reiru who was playing with the children. After they finished greeting the director together, Reiru went to the garden with the children, and Gio was brought into this room, devoid of staff or anyone else, by the beastman who appeared as if he had been waiting for him.
The beastman looked out the window and chuckled.
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“Oh my what a touching reunion! Oh, look, Reiru is carrying a beastchild in his arms. Isn’t it very cute, like a painting, Gio? Beastmen territory is a really nice place, isn’t it?”
Gio did not follow his lead, instead, he set his gaze on the beastman and addressed him directly.
“Hey, Ruthward.”
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“Txx? Ebyv?”
“R sol usw y zsv qsa obyv usw eke qsa xl vbkp vkxl. Zsw plakswpzu blzrle xl cu kdvasewnkdt xl vs vbl lpnsav yde cu rasvlnvkdt vbl zkvvzl sdlp lhld vbswtb kv xktbv byhl clld yv seep okvb vbl asuyz qyxkzu. R yrralnkyvl kv. “
“Xb, Qks, usw’al clkdt ps qsaxyz. Rv’p dsv zkjl usw.”
Qks’p tygl pbyarldle yp Swvboyae zywtble.
“Zsw’al vbl sdl obs’p ynvkdt swv sq nbyaynvla. Fs obyv vbl blzz yal usw rzsvvkdt?”
“Vzsvvkdt? Ls pwnb─”
Qks ralpple qwavbla qsa ydpolap.
“R bye y qllzkdt psxlvbkdt oyp yxkpp qasx vbl vkxl obld vbl ryavu tyhl Slkaw vbl ywvbsakvu vs pwxxsd vblx. R nblnjle okvb Ekzzkl—vblu fwpv pkxrzu lmralpple vblka srkdksdp vs Slkaw, vblu eked’v vbalyvld bkx sa ryu bkx sqq zkjl vbl rakdnlpp eke. Rv oyp y dwkpydnl vs xl, yde kv oyp wdqsavwdyvl qsa Slkaw vs tlv czyxle oasdtqwzzu, cwv vbl cyzydnl clvolld vbl sqqldpl yde vbl rldydnl oypd’v aktbv. Mbspl twup xwpv byhl eswcvle oblvbla vblu’e lhla cl yczl vs jllr vblka rspvp yqvla vbyv. Mblu nyzzle kv yvsdlxldv, cwv kq kv kp lmnlppkhl, usw nyd’v blzr cwv pxlzz vbl pvldnb sq kv.”
The hero’s party, who dedicated the right for Reiru to summon them will henceforth be obligated to answer the summons of the royal family and Reiru. This would mean that their other affiliations would be third on the priority list, which was obviously not welcome.
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“Even so, given the disparity in social standing between them and Reiru, wouldn’t that be akin to blackmail? And it could be said that Her Royal Highness the princess, who gave a large sum of money, was more sincere in thinking about Reiru’s life afterwards.”
“Did you instigate them by saying that?”
“Instigate? Now, you are just trying to make me look bad.”
Ruthward sounded weak.
Then he suddenly shifted his gaze to the outside of the window and spoke without making eye contact with Gio.
“…You know, Gio. The battle with the demon king was really tough. The journey was long, the obstacles were harsh, and everyone almost died a handful of times. But I considered it an easy job, mentality-wise. Because we only killed those we should kill for our country.”
Ruthward’s tone was very matter-of-fact, with no self-deprecation or enthusiasm in it.
That’s why Gio couldn’t gauge what he was trying to say.
“But if it was a job to set the city of a neighboring country on fire, for example, I am sure we wouldn’t have been chosen. We were chosen to be enforcers of justice.”
“So what,” Gio thought.
Gio did not like that kind of play on words. And he didn’t like his roundabout way of talking or probing each other either.
“They are very righteous from their career. They probably never thought that they would become the bad guy. And yet when they, the very people who were supposed to be righteous, force an innocent young man living courageously from one predicament into an even worse predicament, it’s understandable that they would lose their composure.”
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“Yeah, that may be the case. Even so, you were the only one who stayed composed at that time. And you took the initiative and kneeled down in front of Reiru. You were the one who controlled that situation, Ruth.”
Gio recalled the scene when Ruthward knelt in front of Reiru, dedicated the ancients’ song, and continued prodding.
“You are not the kind of person who would willingly get involved in other people’s affairs. Things moved too conveniently for me this time too. I can only assume that Reiru has been given the right to summon the party due to some agenda. You have indeed been a great help to me, but if you’re going to drag Reiru into some mess, I’m not going to stand by and do nothing.”
“…Both my introducing you to Milvanne-chan, and my cooperation with the children matters was out of our friendship. I hope you believe that.”
The beastman smiled forlornly in response to Gio, who was intimidating with a stifled silence.
Then Ruthward turned to Gio and made eye contact.
“I met His Highness the crown prince a few days ago. I have recommended you, Gio, as the new lord of the Northern Frontier Beastmen Territory.”
Gio frowned in silence.
He did not want to have personnel decisions made without his knowledge or control.
Gio was no longer concerned with becoming a noble or having a fiefdom. He just wanted to make the best decision to live with Reiru.
Ruthward ought to know Gio held such thoughts. And yet, Gio could not understand why he did such a thing now.
“…Why did you do that? Explain yourself.”
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TN: Well, this is a surprising turn of events.
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