Vol 1 Chapter 15 (2/2)
“When I was young, I had admired knights. To me, knights were, the strongest. the wisest, a blade of unbreakable determination. Protectors of the weak, and the final s.h.i.+eld of their masters. The personifications of those ideals.”
Same as before, Wynn’s beliefs about knights had not changed.
Leticia was alone in a distant land working her hardest.
She, who he never thought he would meet again, beyond his wildest dreams, returned as the “Brave”.
Having defeated the Demon Lord, she had accomplished that which n.o.body else could do.
On the other hand, he…
Without being able to become an apprentice knight, he continued to struggle on towards his dream.
“Becoming a knight, without talent, without magic, without political power, without money. Without anything at all. Except, without giving up on dreams.”
He was merely continuing to struggle.
Because he only had this.
He averted his eyes from Cornelia, towards the embers rising from the flames. [11]
Leticia had not changed between the time when she was young and when she returned. Even now, she yearned for Wynn.
She had climbed to a place much higher than himself, while he continued to believe that he would arrive there.
The world she stood in was separated from him by an endlessly long, impregnable path, that he coulnd’t imagine himself reaching there, but he still had his pride.
Leticia harbored goodwill towards him.
As a female, she had her eyes on the lone male, Wynn.
Even though he had noticed, Wynn couldn’t respond to those thoughts.
His surroundings would never forgive it. [12]
Even then, he could at least guarantee her position as a close friend.
Besides, until his vow to become a knight has been fulfilled, he can’t even call himself her close friend.[13]
“Even if I continue to hope, I have already failed the exam three times before. But, the I believe that my determination wouldn’t lose to anybody.”
“Certainly, your determination must be number one in the empire.”
Hiding his feelings with a joking tone, Locke spoke up while patting Wynn’s shoulder with a smile.
“Hmm, an ambitious dream for a commoner.”
Regin sneered.
Among them, only Cornelia wasn’t smiling, motionlessly staring at Wynn’s wry smile.
Within his eyes which stared at the flame as he spoke, his eyes gleamed with determination.
She had crossed swords with him multiple times during training, and each time, she had never thought of him as a failure for being defeated over and over.
At first, she had no choice but to partner with him because they both didn’t have training partners. However, upon seeing the determination in his eyes, above her own problems, she wanted to know about him.
— It became the problem [14]
Even so, Cornelia couldn’t suppress the curiosity towards Wynn stirring within her.
Like Cornelia, in a different place, there was another person observing Wynn.
It was Aldo.
He was surprised to know that Wynn was partic.i.p.ating in the mission.
His practical magic grades were considerably bad.
Not just that, the administration may have also looked down on him due to him being a commoner.
Therefore, he had judged that he would never be appointed for a mission.
“Which student are you interested in?”
At Aldo, who was observing Wynn’s back, a knight from the fort called out.
Like Aldo, he had been a knight on the front lines, he was Aldo’s old acquaintance.
“That is… is it Cadet Wynn? Is that guy the one Aldo is interested in?”
“It seems that knights are his ideal. Strongest, wisest, and a blade of unbreakable determination…”
Aldo closed his eyes to meditate on Wynn’s words.
“A childhood dream, is it, A knight straight out of a fairy tale.”
However, even he, who had that impression, didn’t laugh.
It was true that that sort of knight only came from fairy tales.
Reality wasn’t that nice.
However, wasn’t the knight he described the knight that everybody originally aspired to be?
Though since ideals and reality differed, they had to choose.
“By all rights, he may have already become a knight long ago, that boy.”
“Eh? Wasn’t he a failure who had to repeat school four times?”
“That’s right, though only that one part of him is well known.”
He moved his eyes from Wynn, and slowly walked away.
Though they were near the fort, there was no guarantee that demonic beasts wouldn’t appear.
For the plan, it was necessary for the work he was given to be performed perfectly.
“Even once, If anybody sees his swordsmans.h.i.+p, they would also have the same opinion as me.”
“Hee, that is interesting. A prodigy that even Aldo recognizes?”
“Ah, he should have been a prodigy…”
At the dark sound of Aldo’s words, they both remained silent.
Though the person himself is unaware, he was the one that “Leticia the Brave” loves as her master.
How will his existence affect the plan?
If in the one in a million chance that Wynn lost his life, that person would appear, the “Existence closest to G.o.d”, and they and the empire would burn to the ground.
Nevertheless, once the plan begins, there would be no turning back.
‘Could his excellency contain that Brave well?’
They exchanged a cup before sending each other off with a smile. Upon recalling his superior’s face, Aldo sighed.
Whether the plan succeeds or fails, he would never meet that old general again.
There is no more time for that person.
For this reason, the plan must not fail.
With bitter determination, Aldo turned his gaze towards the Imperial Capital Simurgh.
Translator notes
need second set of eyes to look at this and the next one.–
parts…–
hard g sound.–
To the readers.h.i.+p: Would you accept Regin’s words as a pickup line? (a.s.sume compatible gender of proposer, and that the proposer is not a jerk n.o.ble)–
something derogatory about commoners. Not exactly sure. 「くそ、平民上がり風情が……」–
detective deduction!–
is this word usually used for female rings of friends? not sure…–
Reinhatto (Change one kana and get Rainb.u.t.t, which is what I had read at first…nickname?)–
for the uninitiated: senpai= senior, kouhai=junior. Notice the kouhai, senpai.–
callback to Ch 6. slightly changed translation, but now Ch 6 has been changed.–
pachi pachi sfx–
remember kids, peer pressure is not always good!–
inferiority complex?–
??? Her curiosity towards Wynn was her priority problem?–
I will not translate over the vacation, but take a relaxing break, while polis.h.i.+ng my j.a.panese again. My status widget on the sidebar has some more info. I will be in Indonesia for around a month. If you see me, say hi! Meanwhile, I will not translate anything, but polish my j.a.panese. Translation isn’t helping me retain my grammar… I’m being spoiled by Translation Aggregator… See you all in August! Sorry that I couldn’t translate the next chapter, which was “Night Before (2)”
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