Hey everyone. Cla.s.s is starting so…updates will be slow, though not as slow as it has been lately. I reckon for long t.i.tles such as NHAD and Violant, chapters will be released once every 7-10 days. In the meanwhile, I’ll push out more chapters of Villain Days, since I want to get the done as soon as possible.
If you enjoy this release, please leave a like or a comment below. If you’re feeling especially generous, please rate/review this novel on NU!
Thanks.
Fourth Story:
One Year Later
A year has pa.s.sed since then.
As of now, I am thirteen years old.
Even in the game, time progresses in intervals of one to two years.
Otherwise, the starting village arc would never end.
From ages thirteen to sixteen, we are taught basic compulsory education.
Well, the children of farmers start working at twelve years old.
I attend the school in a nearby town with the three bullies.
That guy also graduated.
The future Hero—Alfredo—seemed like he wanted to work, but the church’s nun convinced him to continue his education.
The future Hero’s growing up well.
On mornings and evenings, he works diligently at his part-time jobs.
Keep it up, you working boy. I feel like tears are about to flow out of my eyes. I want to show the appearance of a lazy rich guy who can’t do anything by himself.
I’ll continue to cheer for you in my heart.
The current training curriculum for the future Hero is as follows.
…Since I’m still a kid, I can’t do much.
Even though a year has pa.s.sed, since he grows slower than me, he’s still half a head shorter than yours truly. Also, he’s still weaker than me. I try to encourage him by ruffling his feathers.
If he looks like he regrets being defeated, I’d say some of the cliche game lines every now and then. Beat into his head that he wants to become strong.
My teaching heart is gigantic.
Since girls are stuffing baked goods and other foods into Alfred’s possession after he entered the new school, his insufficient diet has improved.
I-I’m totally not envious!
At the munic.i.p.al school, the teacher of the sword lessons is distinguished too.
Somehow, I also won against Alfred in today’s spar.
Currently, it’s a complete victory.
I can still do this. It’ll be okay. My body is still big enough for now.
Alfred seems to be practicing the sword under the guidance of a teacher in the village’s school, who used to be knight.
All for the sake of beating me.
Perhaps complete defeat is disappointing for him, as expected.
There, there.
It’s a good feeling. Gotta strive to win against me.
According to the game’s plot, perhaps it’ll be impossible for me to win without using sneaky tricks in the future.
Like slippery oil. Or foul play.
That’s too unpleasant…I guess I should stay away from that.
°•°•°
There’s a fairly large munic.i.p.al library in town, where books can be borrowed to each individual’s delight.
This is great for me.
I borrowed books regarding curses and magic squares from one end of the library and returned home at night to study.
Lian’s magic potential isn’t high.
In the starting village, he’s the mob-like type of person that would disappear in a crowd. Basically, his specs are rubbish.
He’s just a small-fry rival for the Hero before the latter leaves on his journey.
That’s why.
For the sake of the impending X-Day, I’ll need to know how to use various skills and techniques, even if it’s just by a little bit.
If you mess up even a single character or line when crafting a curse, then it won’t be effective. It’s an extremely delicate procedure.
That being said, I don’t have much of an issue with the finer magics. In fact, it’s fun.
It’s because of my desk-work type of nature.
Compared to the other students, Alfred has a higher magic potential, which towers over the rest’s.
The teacher recommended him to attend the Sorcerer’s Royal Training School, but I saw him refuse.
As one would expect from the future Hero, he’s got high specs.
But he’s still got a ways to go before catching up to me.
Well…that too, sooner or later he should be able to overtake me.
Today, I intend to borrow many books home, too.
Since I’m heading for the library, I parted with the other three at school.
Occasionally, I want to be by myself.
Besides, today is when the sequel to my favorite mystery novel arrives. I’ll walk nimbly too—no, well, it should be okay! I think that modest pleasures are acceptable! Or else, I’ll die from stress. (足取りも軽い)
Entering the library, I make a beeline for the new works corner.
Like I thought, the book that I want is there.
It is lying flat on display.
However, it’s the only one left from the t.i.tle. That’s because it’s a popular series!
When I reach out a hand to take it before anyone else does, someone extends a hand in the same way from the side.
Who is it?! I was faster by just a touch! Give up you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!
Looking up at that rude person, I see a boy with shiny blond hair and blue eyes.
Curiously, his eyes open a little.
It’s Alfred.
And he’s covered in wounds.
His clothes are caked with dust, face and arms scratched red with marks as if he was roughened up.
These days, Alfred stands out for better or for worse. People watch him wherever he goes because they don’t understand him. Blood flows down his temple in a single stream.
“F-first aid—”
“It’ll heal by itself.”
In a casual manner, he wipes off the blood getting into his eyes with the back of his hand.
T-though it’s like that!!
I don’t deal with blood well.
When my parents died, the scene of the accident was a mess of red—I hold down my words. A wave of nausea hits my stomach.
“Hey. Are you okay?”
“I, I’m fine…or rather that should be my line! W-wait come back!”
I latch on to Alfred’s arm, pulling him towards the washroom.
I wet a handkerchief and wipe away his blood. The wound isn’t as severe as I thought. Even a small scratch on the head would give out a lot of blood.
As it’s dyed in red, I look like I’m about to puke again. My hands tremble.
“The blood—”
“Has already stopped.”
“I see…”
I retrieve something that resembles a white candy ball from my bag—a healing crystal stone. This is an item that will help you recover when taken.
Today, I learned how to make them in the elementary magical item lesson of my elective course. After all, since it’s something a beginner made, the healing crystal stone’s effectiveness will be low. However, it can heal a light injury just fine. I’ve got good timing.
There are two.
One will be used for the forehead injury that’s spewing blood.
I summon a lot of power when grasping another, breaking it into pieces.
They resemble shiny, shimmery white sand.
The sparkling grains in his palm trickle onto Alfred’s temple.
As the wounds seal up, the light vanish simultaneously. Thank goodness. Looks like it worked.
“In addition, do you have severe injuries?”
“Nope.”
“I see…Can you move your left arm?”
Alfred shifts his elbow and wrist obediently.
If he can move them, then he’s okay. But he better wash off the mud from the scratches. It’ll get worse if bacteria get in.
“You better rinse out your wounds. I’m scared that it’ll start to fester.”
I pull his left wrist to the sink, rinsing it with the spray of the faucet.
Suddenly, I sense a gaze on me and tilt my face upward. Alfred is looking at me with a strange expression.
I finally catch the current situation.
d.a.m.n it.
I treated him unintentionally.
Lian never does anything like this.
That’s no good. Still, it will be bad to leave him alone. He’s hurt. Isn’t that natural? But.
This is extraordinarily terrible. This is obviously not how Lian acts.
c.r.a.p. What should I do?
One way or another, I got to cheat my way out of this.
“…ted.”¹
“Ted?”
“I tested it! The prototype! You’re just a good test subject in front of me! Looks like it was successful! As expected of me!” (ちょうどいい被験対象が目の前にいたからね)
Alfred continues to eye me in an odd way.
“You lucky guy! T-that’s why I’ll give you this next as well! It’s a prototype! Give me your thanks!”
I shove the other healing crystal stone into his hands, leaping out of the washroom.
It’s awful.
Did it not seem strange?
Even if that’s so, I’ll feign like wind, like there was nothing amiss. Let’s do it like that.
Let’s hurry home soon.
I return to the new works corner in a rush.
And then, I am shocked.
The last copy is missing.
What the heeeckkkk?!
Who did it?! Who took my book?! Who is the one who robbed me of my only modest pleasure?!
The nausea won’t subside!
Ugh, this is the worst.
My hand is tottering on the desk.
“Hey.”
“Fuahh?!”
Getting clapped on my shoulder, I jump up in surprise in spite of myself.
I calm down my heart and turn around to the image of Alfred just standing there.
He’s expressionless while carrying the last copy of the book I want in his hands.
The mystery novel.
Aren’t you rather shrewd?! Did you secure the book back then?!
Typical.
“This. You also wanted to borrow this, right?”
“Huh, ah, yeah…”
“Well, you can borrow it first. Thanks in advance.”
Because I’m pressing it for a long time, I receive it out of reflex. (ずいずいと押しつけてくるので、俺は思わず受け取ってしまった)
“T-thanks…”
Alfred’s eyes widen again.
Slowly and unusually, I smile.
I am also impatient.
What do you mean, thanking me?!
I mustn’t be a rival that doesn’t tease Alfred! (アルフレドとは気にくわないライバル同士でいないといけないんだぞ！)
Something like making friends is no good!
“D-don’t thank me because I have to go already. Unlike you, I’m still busy. L-later!”
I rush towards the counter to check out and then I leap out of the library.
That was dangerous!!
Irregular contact turns out to be incredibly dangerous. I have to be careful. Mainly for myself! I suck at acting!
Ahh no more.
Feeling tired, I give out a large sigh.
Ending notes:
“ow”¹: The dialogue actually goes like 「っ、たっ」
「試したんだ…] But I have no idea how to keep it literal, so I went a bit liberal…I THINK Alfred is mumbling something and Lian catches the “た” of what he said.
Ughh, I’m so tired. I could probably edit this more but I’ve left you guys waiting long enough. BTW, all sentence fragments were kept from the original translation to retain the tone of the narrative. So, yeah it’s not like I made those mistakes on purpose XD