Dropping onto his bed after returning to his dorm, he slipped under the covers, and instantly let go of his consciousness.If Locke had noticed, he would have realized that it was the time Wynn normally woke up.The sky outside the window was still dark, but the whole sky was filled with stars.
There would also be fine weather today.
Setting his eyes on the neighboring bed, Locke also fell asleep in the very clothes he wore to the banquet.How many months worth of Wynnâs wages did the suit cost?No, rather, it might be on the scale of years.The Marine House possessed that much wealth.Though he was not the successor, he couldnât present himself to the Emperor in shabby clothing.
Did it get creased?
Only having taken off his coat[?1?], Locke lay fast asleep.[?2?]Wynn let out a small sigh.Then, his eyes moved down to his own garments, and he frowned.
â⊠Whoa, I accidentally did it,â he murmured.He had slept in his school uniform.It was natural, since he had no recollection of changing his clothes.
He didnât straighten them out afterwards.[?3?]
First, he took of his clothes and changed to his normal clothes.Then, he took his practice sword, stepped silently so as to not wake Locke up, opened the door to the room, and stepped into the empty hallway.After he went outside, he washed his face in the communal fountain.All of the drowsiness left him when he felt the stinging cold water and the brisk dawn atmosphere.As he used the towel around his neck to wipe his face, his stiff joints slowly relaxed.
âOkay, letâs go!â
Since there was the banquet yesterday, he wasnât able to go training.Thatâs why he would put even more effort today.As always, he greeted the sentries who guarded the school entrance though the night.He ran down the dim and yet empty main street.His destination was Wandering Birdâs Mistletoe Pavilion.[1]It was far enough from the knight school to be a good warm-up.With light steps, Wynn slowly â it would be quite fast to anybody who watchedâ began running.
Once he filled the barrel at the back of the Wandering Birdâs Mistletoe Pavilion to the brim with water, he began washing the vegetables.Potatoes, carrots, daikons[2], he washed them all thoroughly, while thinking back to the food he ate at the banquet.
Soft, freshly-baked bread.White fish soup with a rich flavor.[3]A salad with fresh vegetables and thinly sliced ham.Tender beef that melted in the mouth.Magically refrigerated rose water, and freshly squeezed fruit juice.\n
He would probably never taste it again.
Though he had eaten, just by thinking about it, his mouth watered, and he felt hungry.[4]After he washed the vegetables while enduring it, he proceeded to deftly wipe the tables and sweep the floor.At that time, the boss, Randell, and his wife, Hannah, also woke up.
Wynn had permission from them to enter and leave through the back door.He grabbed the sword leaning against the wall.He took a deep breath, then exhaled.
He held an image inside his head.
First, he swung the sword once.He started slowly, then gradually got faster.
He felt that for the first time.Now, he imagined Leticiaâs blade.He was able to perceive her intense intimidation and the path of her blade.Her slashes were faster and more pointed than the knights when he crossed swords with her.He imagined Leticiaâs strikes gradually get faster, until he couldnât match her anymore.
âKuhâŠâ
He somehow avoided the last blow aimed at the head, but it destroyed his stance, and he fell to the ground.[6]
âStrong, huhâŠâ
Leticia was strong, more than he could imagine.Compared to four years ago, just from the one match they had when they met again, he could tell that she was much stronger.For one, while he could try to see the path of the blade, there was no time to react to it.Moreover, when they met again. Leticia hadnât been serious.At the moment they crossed swords, Wynn knew he would lose.Unable to brace his legs, he was blown away.Otherwise, he would have been cut by the blade.From the stories of those who saw the duel between the Hero Zaunas, and Leticia, the difference in strength was as big the difference between an adult and a child.
He lay on the ground.
The cool ground felt good to his drenched, burning body.The sky was beginning to brighten, and birds began to chirp as they flew through the air.
Wynn lay face-up on the ground, watching the sky brighten up.Not only Leticia, but if he also planned to beat other opponents using magic strengthening, he couldnât just kill without crossing swords. \nHowever, at that time, he reached the point that he was able to follow her sword.Leticia stood at a distant, high place far, far away, but Wynn still felt happy that she had become strong.
âOkay, preparations complete!â[7]
The second son of the Wandering Birdâs Mistletoe, Abel, inspected the parcel that he had bought yesterday, and picked up a brand new one-handed sword.He slowly drew it from its scabbard, and stared motionlessly at the shimmering blade, which had never been used.
Yesterday, he was invited to an adventurerâs party for the first time.
Though he was hit by his father Randell, he often visited the Adventurer Guild to take simple requests such as collecting wild herbs, chasing away wild animals and monsters which damaged the fields, and other manual labour.Recognizing his accomplishments, a senior adventurer that he was close with invited him to their party since they had a vacancy.Their task was to subjugate a bandit group attacking villages near the border.It was a mission taken in conjunction with other parties.
He couldnât stop grinning.
âKukukuâŠ. Fu, fufufu, Ahahahaha!â[8]
He couldnât hold it back, and ended up laughing out loud.
He felt elated.
Up until then, he had received only menial requests, but this time, he was going to be a member of another party.Joining a party was a rite of passage for adventurers.
Abel had taken the first step in fulfilling his dream of becoming an adventurer.
He returned the sword to its sheath, and donned brand-new leather armour.He gagged a bit at the characteristic odor of leather, but held it in.He was to meet with his comrades exactly at noon.
âAh, My body is trembling a lot!â
Unable to just stand still, he left his room, and moved to the back of the building.
âHmm?â
He recognized the boy laying face-up on the ground.
Hey, thatâs Wynn isnât it!
To Abel, he was more than just an employee of the restaurant.
âOh? Abel? What is it? You look happy.â
Abel puffed out his chest, as Wynn stayed on the ground, merely turning his head towards him.
âI became an adventurer!â
âAdventurer!? You did?â
âYeah, thatâs right. Today at noon, I will be going with a party to complete a request.â
âGood, so Randell-san let you.â
\nIt was Abelâs first love, now grown up, and sporting a smile.[13]
Translator notes
This is a more correct name for Wataridori Pavilion. I will try to go back and edit Wataridori out later. literally: Migratory Birdâs Mistletoe Pavilionâback Radish-like. google it⊠A daikon literally means large rootâŠâback Some translators add images, but⊠hereâs the raw: ăäžćŻ§ă«ăă·ăćăŁăçœèș«éăźæżćăȘăčăŒăăâback Translating during lunch avoids much envyâŠâback Is it coincidence that this âkillâ in Japanese is âKiruââback Is this real? is this just fantasy?âback Abelâs POVâback I do believe this is a three stage laughter⊠See Tensei Slime (currently being translated by Guro)âback kinda Wynnâs POV, this sentenceâback I think sometimes people call their fathers âold manâ, maybe use âPopsâ?âback Seems to have connotations of silent in a dumb wayâŠâback âŠWhat?âback Leti just saved Abel⊠from the frying pan, at leastâŠâback