Story of a Cannon Fodder who Firmly Believed He was the Protagonist, Misunderstood the Actual Protagonist as the Cannon Fodder, and Ended up Victorious
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: ink
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 032 – Encounter [A]
Yururu sighed. She was currently in a restaurant in the royal capital. The person sitting on the opposite seat was her friend and maid, Mei.
“Is something wrong, ojou-sama?”
“Somehow, my body feels heavy…”
“Certainly, there’s a sign that your body seemed to swell a bit…”
“There’s no such sign! Hey, Mei-chan! Stop saying such a thing!”
“Mei is terribly sorry, ojou-sama. Mei just has the attribute as dojikko maid, so it just happened.” [T/N: it’s dojikko maid instead of clumsy maid, to explain the exchange below.]
“Dojikko, maid…?”
“No, it’s just a joke. Please forget about it.”
Yururu raised her voice as she wondered what dojikko maid meant. Mei chose to divert the topic since she knew there was no way Yururu would know.
“Hey, Mei-chan… How long until Fay-kun returns?”
“Well… Mei thinks that today is the return date, but… Mei doesnt know the exact time.”
“…I see, I feel lazy somehow-.”
“Ojou-sama, people are watching… You aren’t supposed to make such remarks in public. Mei could understand that you didn’t feel motivated since Fay-sama isn’t here, though.”
“Uh-, I wanna meet Fay-kun-.”
“Ojou-sama… you’re 23 years old, right?”
“I know… but I’m lonely, y’know?” 1
“Y’know… Ojou-sama… you are 23 years old, right?”
“I wanna meet Fay-kun…”
“That’s about the thousandth time Mei has heard ojou-sama say that phrase.”
As expected, Mei couldn’t stand seeing Yururu’s state due to her lack of Faynium. That was how much Yururu longed for Fay.
“Okay, thanks for the wait-! I don’t know what happened, but cheer up! Just enjoy your meal!”
There, a woman with bright red hair and eyes appeared as she carried the dishes the pair ordered. She proceeded to arrange the dishes on the table.”
“What’s up, you lonely that your boyfriend coming back late?”
“Boy-boyfriend?! N-no… we’re not in that kind of relationship yet…”
“What, so I got that wrong…? I thought that… Well, they must be an important person nonetheless… you might feel lonely, but do your best.”
“Yes… thank you very much.”
She ended up being cheered up by a woman she wasn’t acquainted with, and since the food already arrived, Yururu decided to switch her thoughts.
“Ojou-sama, please cheer up. Faito.” [T/N: It’s “fight,” but normal spelling would make the joke harder to detect, so I use japs spelling instead. Also, fight is usually the word used to encourage other parties in japs, in case you don’t know.]
“Did you just say Fay?!”
“Mei didn’t say that. Please calm down, ojou-sama.”
It seemed that Yururu failed to switch her thoughts.
◆◆
A year came to an end, it snowed everywhere in the royal capital as it was dyed white with snow. Yururu and Mei went around the store to buy dinner.
Cold air entered their lungs. Thinking back, Yururu thought it was amazing she could still stay in the royal capital. For some reason, Yururu was reminded of her past when Fay wasn’t around. It felt like her present-self mattered less.
She wondered where her elder brothers were and what they were doing out there?
She didn’t understand, and she had no idea at all.
And she was filled with worry… what would she do if she met them? If she ever met them again, it was already beyond the point where conversation could solve the problem. In that case…
There was no choice but to kill… but could she do it? She didn’t know…
She was at a loss. She was filled with the fear that her hand would be tainted by the blood of people who were once her family.
“Ojou-sama.”
“…”
“Ojou-sama!”
“…Eh?”
“Mei apologizes for suddenly speaking aloud but you didn’t seem to be paying attention to things around you, so…”
“Ah… I’m sorry. Thank you, Mei-chan.”
“No, don’t worry about it.”
Yururu suddenly felt lonely. Her sadness piled up just like snow did to the ground around her. Even though her friend was beside her, she didn’t think the snow in her heart could melt. After shopping, she stopped her feet.
“Ojou-sama?”
“I’m sorry, but can I take a detour?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Yururu headed to the usual training spot, the place where three trees stood. She wanted to go there to remember her time together with Fay, forgetting her worries at least for the moment.
Mei said nothing about that. She just followed Yururu along. Yururu, who just wanted to immerse herself in her feelings, opened her eyes wide. There was a man who swung his katana as usual. The snowflakes that fell on that man’s shoulder melted due to the man’s elevated body temperature.
Even though it was midwinter, Fay sweated as if it was midsummer.
“Fa-Fay-kun!”
“…Fay-sama.”
Both of them called Fay’s name as they approached, and Fay who heard their voice stopped swinging his katana for a moment and turned to face them.
“”—gh.””
At that moment, their heart skipped a beat. There lies the figure of a man (Fay) whose vessel sublimated as it broke through its limits, making it seemingly more dignified and manly than before.
Hu-huh? Fay-kun, you seem cooler than before… you’re always cool, but you’re somewhat more sensual now…
Wha-what does this doki doki mean… that sharp gaze, a-as expected, of the prince-like male lead of Mei, the protagonist of romance fiction…!
Fay indeed crossed the line between life and death and stepped into a new realm. It might only be a small step forward, but he had indeed become stronger and sturdier compared to before. No one knew whether the growth would result in good or bad things, though…
“Fay-kun, you’re back.”
“Just now.”
“I-I see.”
He replied to Yururu, but didn’t say anything more than that. Although Yururu knew he was always a man with few words, she couldn’t help but wish for him to talk more sometimes.
“E-err, Fay-kun, are you going to continue to swinging your katana?”
“Aah.”
“…How was the training camp?”
“It was normal. I only found a few things I sought there.”
“Eh, ah, I-I see… Does that mean you’re not satisfied with the training there?”
“You’re right. I guess I was only satisfied at the last moment.”
“Ah-, can you tell me what kind of training you had? I couldn’t participate due to my circumstances, so I’m quite curious about it.”
“We were brought to a weird room, then I did practice swings, brought into the weird room then I did practice swing and push-ups, brought into a weird room and did squats, then I also did practice swing outside, and finally a mock battle.”
“I-I see.”
I can’t imagine it at all…
Because Fay wasn’t very talkative and the choice of his unique wording, Yururu had no idea what was there from Fay’s words.
Yururu felt a bit pessimistic and thought Fay might not find talking with her enjoyable.
Just as she thought that, she noticed Fay threw something at her. It was the wooden sword for practice. Yururu became further confused due to Fay’s sudden action.
“I’ve thought about having combat practice with you when we meet.”
“Combat practice?”
“Aah.”
“Well, I don’t mind.”
They commenced their usual combat practice. She understood that moment, the fact that Fay’s ability was catching up to her. Yururu still held the advantage due to her years of experience for the sole purpose of polishing her swordsmanship. However, Fay’s extreme effort and training that he piled up all this time was about to catch up those years of experience at an extraordinary speed.
After a few minutes of combat practice, Yururu came out victorious. However, she also felt loneliness.
“I lost again.”
“…But, Fay-kun is really getting stronger.”
“…It’s all thanks to you.”
“Nono, it’s all because of Fay’s amazing effort… if it’s you… even without my help.”
“…”
“Ah, I-I’m sorry. I said things that made the atmosphere turn for the worse.”
To think I actually complained to my disciple despite being his master… I am no good after all…
She was filled with self-hatred. When it came to Fay, her emotion fluctuated greatly, for better or worse.
“Don’t worry…”
“Thank you very much…”
She couldn’t look into his eyes. It wasn’t like Fay could completely understand Yururu’s feelings either. However, Fay seemed to feel something and took a step closer to her.
“I will only say it once.”
“Eh?”
“I’m convinced this time… as expected, I really need you.”
“Eh, ah, eeehhh?!”
She looked at Fay’s eyes due to a sudden proposal-like remark. Her “office lady who had gone beyond marriageable age”-like expression earlier suddenly turned into an expression of young maiden.
“I wished many times that you were there with me.”
“Eeehh?! M-me too, I also… feel the same…”
Awawawa! To be honest, I thought he meant that in a training sense, but he might be considerate and said that to cheer my depressed self… And I am really happy to hear that!
“I see. The training there is filled with waste. Combat practice with you is several times more meaningful.”
“…Ah-, I guess so-.”
Yes, I guessed it-. I did expect Fay-kun to say that with that meaning in mind-. It really fit to his character… but it somewhat feels that he doesn’t see me as a person of opposite sex.
Really, isn’t it alright for you to be more conscious of me? I think I often make you breakfast and lunch… Don’t you know I only did this for you, Fay-kun…?
What should I do if he only saw me as his master for the rest of my life…? My thoughts have become negative for some reason… But what would happen if I think positively? Just like Fay-kun…
Now that I think about it, wasn’t I am the person who spends the most time with Fay? We often eat our meals together too.
…Wouldn’t I be the only person Fay-kun would say such consideration…? The only other person who also has such a possibility would be Maria-san… In that case, wouldn’t that make me the closest person to Fay-kun…? Tha-that might be possible.
Le-let’s do my best! I-I will definitely make Fay-kun see me not just as his master, but also as his potential lover!
“What’s wrong?”
Fay called out to Yururu, who crossed her arms and had her expression changed every moment.
“No, there’s nothing! I’m just confirming my resolve!”
“I see… it means you are also growing every day.”
“Yes!”
Fay didn’t understand what she meant, but he just gave the impression that he did understand. Then Fay remembered something and took the paper bag he placed at the base of the tree.
“What is that?”
“I don’t know why, but I got wine and cheese…”
“I see…”
“…I could enjoy it alone… but you always helped all this time… want some…?”
“—, i-is it okay?”
“I told you so.”
“O-of course! Let’s drink it in my room!”
Yururu felt excited to be invited like a woman for the first time. Perhaps the fortune finally turned to her, who always worked hard without giving up. However, Mei blinked her eyes in confusion as she watched the pair.
Huh? Mei is like air… Mei, the protagonist of a romance novel, is air…? There’s no way… there should be many events awaiting Mei!
Mei noticed she seemed like air that nobody cared about at the moment. Then she stayed like air and watched over the two. Yururu invited Mei along, thus they ended up enjoying the wine and cheese together, but Mei felt a bit sentimental.
Yururu tried to make her appeal to Fay by drinking the wine and claiming to be drunk to be spoiled by Fay, but the fact Fay thought that as the foreshadowing for drunken fist was another story.
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Drinking Master = Drunken Fist
Seems about right.
Fight yururu you can do it!!
Thx for chapter
Yururu: “Fay! Where!?”
on his way to the Free City
yes, she’ll work hard to endure loneliness
Glad that maid didn’t interrupt Yururu and Fay talking
she knew her place after all…