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: Sour
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 046 – Emilia [B]
“How do I become strong…?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Because, well… I heard a lot about you from others… about how you were a dunce yet you still managed to grow stronger.”
“A dunce, huh… I was certainly weak in the past…”
“B-but you managed to become stronger from then on, right? I also want to be stronger.”
“Don’t ask me. Think for yourself.”
“I-isn’t it okay to just tell me! It isn’t like you’re losing anything for answering!”
She began to feel impatient due to her anxiety from the power difference with people of the same team. However, he didn’t give her the answer she sought. On the contrary, Fay was holding and clenching his fist.
“…I’m also looking for the answer at the moment.”
“Eh?”
“How can I become stronger than I am now…? I’m looking for the answer.”
“Y-you too?”
“Aah, apparently, I’ve reached the limit of my talent. Two people have told me that recently.”
“Ah, I-I see…”
Didn’t I just pour salt onto his wounds then…? He’s also worried about his own talent, yet I mercilessly…
She inadvertently asked the person with similar experience about a way to become stronger. But she learned that the person in question also held that same worry. If their situation was reversed, she was sure she would be annoyed, so she began to feel guilty towards Fay.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I-I see.”
“I’m already used to it… That’s also why I chose to do this all from the beginning.”
“Aren’t you scared…? What if your efforts don’t bear fruit? What if everything you’ve done was all for nothing…?”
“I’ll just keep doing it until it does. It doesn’t matter how many years it takes.”
“…”
“I can guess what you meant to say. You asked whether effort will bear fruit and what would you do if it won’t. You feel the difference in power with those around you, you want to become stronger but I guess you can’t seem to see such a thing in the future so you are at a loss what to do.”
“—“
Yes, that’s exactly the case. I thought all my efforts wouldn’t bear fruit, I felt despair due to the difference of talent, and I began to feel inferior to those around me who were growing stronger faster than I am…
Even though I’m also doing my best…
She clenched her fist as she made excuses for her own lack of strength. Because she thought their talents were too different and it would be meaningless even if she kept working hard. But she couldn’t give it up, so the hesitation made her feelings swirl.
Perhaps she was looking for someone to comfort her. Perhaps she sought for sweet words that could show her a glimpse of an ideal even for an instant. Perhaps she was looking for someone’s encouragement.
However, the man in front of her didn’t have such naïve thoughts.
“How naïve, you really are naïve.”
“—“
“If you had leisure to think of such nonsense, swing your sword instead. If you have the leisure to ask me, train more instead. What can you achieve, seeing you don’t even try to get stronger?”
“B-but… I’m also trying hard—“
“—Are you seriously saying that?”
“A-am I serious?”
“Is that the conclusion you reached after you have done everything with everything you could? Or is that just a hesitation when you still have some dignity to spare?”
“T-there’s no way I know about that.”
“That’s a lie. You still have something to spare…”
“W-what do you mean, why are you saying things like you know everything…? T-then what should I do?! I have no idea! What should I do from now on?! What should I do so I can grow stronger?! Tell me the answer!!”
“True strength only lies within. Only you can come up with your answer.”
What’s with that, what a willful person…
Emilia closed her mouth and looked away. She lacked the time and experience to come up with answers. Perhaps understanding that, Fay extended his hand while saying it couldn’t be helped.
“I’ve said it earlier. I’m also looking for it right now… about the truth of strength. Want to look for it? Together with me…”
“Ah, eh…?”
“I’ll tell you beforehand, it won’t be easy.”
“D-does that mean you will train me?”
“…You can take it that way. However, it won’t be easy. Take this hand only if you have the resolve to die.”
Emilia was struck with gruesome pressure. His eyes swirled with obsession like the bottom of the river of afterlife. He was trying to lead the girl who sought strength onto the path of supremacy.
“I want to grow stronger… Strong enough that I won’t lose to anyone, to the darkness within me… I’ll do anything to grow stronger. I need that much resolve…”
“Exactly. Be prepared. Abandon everything and let your blade carry it.”
“…Yes, I understand.”
I want to grow stronger, stronger, stronger… Could this person make me stronger…? His insane attachment toward power might swallow me, then if I abandon everything and dedicate it…
“Hey, why did you say you’ll train me?”
“…Because I thought that we’re similar.”
“…You and I are similar…?”
“If you grow stronger, then both of us could polish each other. That way, I can reach greater heights.”
Aah, this person is truly dedicated to becoming stronger… He didn’t do that for my sake or out of kindness, it is all for himself. He is using me as fertilizer, and then will consume me once I grow enough, just like a beast.
But I’m sure it’ll feel good to be recognized by this charismatic madness…More, more, more, more, more, if I grow stronger even more, what kind of emotions would this person show…?
“I will grow stronger… more than anyone.”
“That’s fine. That makes you worthy of recognition. Grow stronger, enough to cut me down.”
And here I am, being fascinated by his abyssal gaze. I also wanted to become a person like him, who could devote their everything in pursuit of strength…
Before she knew it, Emilia’s gaze turned similar to Fay’s abyssal gaze. She also began to be swallowed by some sort of madness.
◆◆
OSU, I’m Fay. I was excited since others said my talent had reached its limit.
Since both the new character Merlin and Yururu the master character said it, I think that wasn’t a mistake. Reaching the limit meant there would be no further growth. However, I was the protagonist.
If I was told I reached my limit, it was as if I was told I hadn’t reached the limit.
In other words, I could still grow stronger. But that also meant that normal methods would no longer work. Since I statistically reached my limit, it meant I should break my limit by using different kinds of power.
Well then, just as I thought about what I should do, I came up with the idea of starting over things I was doing first. Perhaps it was better known as returning to my origins? I thought that would become a trigger that allowed me to become stronger, so I decided to do rounds around the royal capital upside down.
Then there was someone following from behind. Fuh, could you keep up with my speed upside down?
I kept running hard, and before I knew it, the sky was already dark.
When I returned to the spot with three trees to rest, a beautiful girl character I recognized talked to me. If I wasn’t mistaken, wasn’t she a junior called Emilia? I had heard rumors about a girl who was doing rounds around the capital upside down, so I knew her.
Then she began to talk about various things… fumu fumu, I see…
Listening to her story, I understood something. Indeed, she was the foil for the protagonist character!!!
Such characters sometimes existed. They were there to be compared and contrasted with the protagonist so the protagonist stood out more. Such characters tend to appear on long series, but this world was based on a novel game.
That meant this girl meant to be the comparison of the protagonist so the player could feel good about their situation. Many things were similar between us, so perhaps she had the role to make my charm stand out more.
Rather, it was quite amazing how similar we were, you know? She was also a dunce like I was, still weak at the moment and anxious for being weak. Yururu-shishou reached out to help me back then, but I guess the world wanted me to reach out to this dunce so I could help her.
I didn’t hate such a development. It was considered my favorite.
And so, I told her I would be severe to her. Well then, would you accept it seriously! How was it! I had my expectations for you! After all, you were my foil character! Well then, Emilia! Get yourself together! You can do it, you can do it, you can do it! If it was you, you should be able to do it!!
“I’ll do it.”
That’s good. There was a master, an elder disciple, and a younger disciple. Having power passed down like that sounded cliché, but I didn’t hate such a development!!
“I want to learn about your sword techniques.”
“Hou…”
So you want to learn Namikaze Seishinryuu. Very well. But this swordsmanship was first taught to me by Yururu-shishou, so I would feel bad if I spread it arbitrarily. So let’s go together and ask for permission!!
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Also, Tsukii has picked up a new series called “A Story of a Cannon Fodder who Firmly Believed He was the Protagonist, Misunderstood the Actual Protagonist as the Cannon Fodder, and Ended up Victorious!” The title really says it all. Early access to more chapters for this story is available on Patreon.
Fay 2.0 let’s gooooooo!
My guy Fay is infecting everyone with his madness haha~
Now I’m curious on how the author plan to make Fay break his own limit. Let’s be honest here, the fact that he has managed to keep up with the rest of his group is already a miracle that is much attributed to just how much effort Fay dedicated to training himself and his insane mentality.
Absolutely. Where he is now is already causality defying by absurd levels.
I marathon from chapter 41 to there and what i feel are good from waiting so long and despair couse cliffhanger…..
God bless you to translate after this far TSUKII-SAMA
THANK YOU FOR TRANSLATION!!!!!
Hope Fey will reach a new high, It starts to get boring if all Fey win is due to the enemy can’t affect Fey with a mind skill type effect
worry not, he will struggle as you wanted
Yes, he a beserk maso after all hahahahahahahaha
Emilia noooo!!!
We have lost another one to the madness known as Fay…
Thanks for the chapter!!
yet another tlue’s potential partner(?) got stolen
I don’t think is bad, isn’t the original too bad for kill Merlin in same chapter she introduced?
and fay not stolen her, he just too focus of maria doesn’t it?
Thanks for the awesome translation Tsukii!!
I also love these types of developments.
glad u enjoy it
Sasuga Fay-sama, he tried to create another version of himself. The real question is… Is this Fay-sama limit or he will have some new power or weapon in the future?
well, you’ll see
Well maybe weapon,to think about it doesn’t late chapter tell about magic sword or something about KAY named character,he(Kay) failure to get that,maybe… No..
100% FAY WHO HAVE IT
Man! I also love these developments!
well, you can look forward to future