Ossan Saikyō Chapter 14 Part 12
After dinner, I returned to my room and lay down on the bed. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in”, I called, and to my surprise, Ryūsha was the one who entered.
He was alone, which made me think that this was rather careless. After all, he was someone who always had guards accompanying him, even inside this mansion.
“Sorry, I wanted to talk with you for a little while, Soushi-san.”
“I don’t mind, but... isn’t it better if you don’t come alone?”
When I pointed that out, Ryūsha stuck out his tongue like a mischievous child.
“It’s difficult to talk with my guards around. I just want to hear about your adventures, Soushi-san.”
“I don’t have that many interesting stories, but... come on in.”
I offered him one of the chairs in the room, and Ryūsha sat down with a slightly excited expression.
Perhaps sneaking into an adventurer’s room to hear stories was a little adventure in itself for him. After all, he was a Prince.
“What would you like to hear about?”
“First, I want to hear about your battle with the Twilight-kin. And then about the Devils that might appear in this territory as well.”
“Certainly. Then I’ll start with the Twilight-kin.”
And so, taking care not to embellish the stories as much as possible, I told him in detail about my battles with the Twilight-kin and the Devils.
The boy’s eyes seemed to sparkle with curiosity as he listened. That was probably his natural disposition. I had felt from the moment we first met that he was a remarkably composed boy, but seeing him like this, almost like a different person, made me feel a little warm inside.
At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the circumstances he had been placed in. When I finished, Ryūsha let out a soft sigh.
“You’ve accomplished things like a『Hero』from a myth, Soushi-san. To think I was rescued by someone so strong... It almost makes me feel as though I’ve become part of a myth myself.”
“You might think that if you only hear about the battles, but in reality, I’m just an ordinary, unremarkable adventurer, as you can see. My party members are different, though.”
“You said they’re all women. If a woman becomes an adventurer, can she learn to fight monsters like you do, Soushi-san?”
“Yes. My companions are all very strong girls. I’m probably the strongest when it comes to raw power, but each of them specializes in different things, such as nimbleness or magic casting.
…
We fight by making use of each person’s strengths and making up for one another’s weaknesses.”
When I said that, Ryūsha gazed into the distance for a moment.
“I think it’s wonderful to move forward while cooperating with your companions. I want to become someone like that too. But I still don’t have any strength of my own.
…
I managed to escape the Royal Castle, but I couldn’t do anything beyond that. If Dunken-san and you hadn’t been there, I would have ended up being captured and taken back to the castle. It frustrates me to be so helpless.”
“Ryūsha-sama, you are admirable. When I was your age, I simply assumed it was natural for adults to take care of me.”
“But all I have are my thoughts. When I think that I won’t be able to do anything myself in the coming battle, it makes me feel guilty that you’re going to fight in it for me, Soushi-san.”
His words made me feel even more guilty than he did, but telling him that wouldn’t make him feel any better.
“I mentioned earlier that it is a matter of putting the right person in the right place, and the same applies to Ryūsha-sama and Her Excellency the Marquis.
…
I have little talent besides fighting, so if I am going to fight, I will stand at the front. Ryūsha-sama, on the other hand, is someone who will become a source of hope for the people, so your first responsibility is to remain as that symbol.
…
In fact, the difficult work will be waiting for you after the fighting is over, so it is perfectly fine for you to have nothing to do for now.”
“So that means we are also supposed to make up for each other’s weaknesses, like adventurers do?”
“I believe so. In the end, perhaps a country itself is like one big party.”
I was saying some awfully grand things for someone who had been reluctant to go to war until just recently. Embarrassment had been pricking at me for a while now, and I was barely managing not to let it show on my face.
Why did this suddenly turned into something like a life consultation with a troubled Prince? This was the sort of thing I would have preferred to leave to the Marquis... Ah, right. She was busy, which was why he had come to me.
The atmosphere had become a little too heavy, so I took out the【Poison Resistance】『+3』ring I had obtained the other day from my【Item Box】.
“I just told you that things will be difficult after the fighting is over, Ryūsha-sama, but this might be able to help with that. Would you accept it?”
“Eh!? What is this...?”
“I got it from a dungeon in the Marquisate the other day. It has the【Poison Resistance】skill, but all of my party members and I have already acquired the【Poison Resistance】skill, so there isn’t much use for it among us. Although, you may already have one, but...”
“No, all the accessories with magical effects were taken away from me. But are you sure? I’ve heard that this is quite valuable.”
“Fortunately, my party has absolutely no trouble with money, so it’s fine. In fact, if you don’t currently have one, you should definitely wear it. I think it would also ease some of the Marquis’ worries.”
To be honest, I was essentially telling him, “There is a chance someone might poison you”, but Ryūsha seemed to be accustomed to such things already and didn’t look particularly uncomfortable.
“That’s true. For now, I’ll accept your kindness. But I promise I will repay the debt I owe you, Soushi-san.”
“I’ll look forward to that. I’ll also give the battle my all so that I can receive my reward.”
“I’d like to see you fight up close, Soushi-san. Though I doubt the Marquis would allow it.”
When he said that, Ryūsha had returned to the innocent expression he had worn when he first entered the room.
Things had taken a strange turn for a while, but I was glad they had returned to normal somehow. If he had left my room looking serious and troubled, I had a feeling things would have gotten frightening afterward.
—————————————
E/N:
Night-crawling, but it's a fanboy x Hero rendezvous? Shii, what a strange world!
Stay tuned!
—————————————
————————————————————
————————————————————
Comments