Trails with Cuddle-Cuddle Osbon
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Helen
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Author Note:
It seems this fanfic managed to enter the daily ranking list.
Thank you very much for the vote and comment, all readers!
Sorry to bother you with typos and receive reports about it, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 004 – Fufufu, son. It’s After School Tea Time
Rean, who became infamous as a dangerous freshman, unexpectedly led a peaceful school life unlike his reputation might suggest.
Thanks to Emma’s follow up, the comparatively good people in the class VII such as Elliot Craig, Gaius Worzel, Alisa R., and Laura S. Arseid, opened up a little to him.
However, perhaps it was better to say that neither side were willing to go too deeply into friendships with each other.
They would reply if Rean talked to them, and vice versa.
However, they still hadn’t gotten close enough to spend time together after school, so perhaps it was better to consider them at the level of acquaintances at the academy.
“Let’s not get too involved with him” and such were clear from their attitudes.
Laura wanted to meet up outside the school time for a spar, but due to Rean being under the penalty given by Sara to do volunteer work, helping out with the student council, there was just no good opportunity.
Jusis Albarea and Fie Claussel were completely neutral, or rather they just didn’t seem to be interested in Rean.
For now, the apparent problem in the class was Machias Regnitz’s prejudice against nobles.
Rean, who skipped the first day and went missing the next day (which from Machias’ perspective, was a type of delinquent behavior implied a refusal to go to the academy), combined with Machias’ temperament of a committee president to respect rules, resulted in the two of them not getting along.
Rean finished his schoolwork for the day and sat alone at his desk in the classroom, watching his classmates leaving for their club activities.
Seeing him resting his chin on the desk and sighing, Osbon made a teasing sound.
[“Fufufu, son. It seems there will be quite some difficult days ahead.”]
“And whose fault was it in the first place…?”
With no reason to be concerned about those around him anymore, Rean answered with his voice. 1
In addition to his relationships with his classmates, when noble students saw Rean, they would frown and leave as if they didn’t want to get involved with Rean.
Rean, who was prepared to hear sarcasm, instead felt lacking in a way at how things had turned out, and he was in a cramped and frustrating situation where people preferred to take a distance from him.
The exceptions were Emma, Celine, and Towa, whom Rean got acquainted with while helping out at the student council.
The Student Council President Towa told Rean that rumors were just rumors and didn’t look at Rean with prejudice (but her body sometimes trembled like a puppy), which made Osbon hold up a placard saying “Student Council President Towa… her presence is soothing… how precious…” but other than that, Rean actually wanted to actively engage in volunteer work.
[“But thanks to that, weren’t you able to get close with those two? It might be a little surprising to know that they are members of the Hexen Clan, but considering Miss Celine can speak human language and Miss Emma can use spatial teleportation, that would explain it.”]
Emma was one of the descendants of the Hexen Clan(Hexen Breed). 2
It was the clan that watched over what they call the Great Power, and apparently Emma herself also enrolled in the military with a mission in mind.
Osbon seemed to know more of it, but hearing he said that it was better to keep quiet about it until Emma spoke of it herself, Rean decided not to ask too deeply.
However, there was something else that Rean wanted to ask.
“Come to think of it, why can only Emma and Celine see dad? All I know so far is because both of them are witches, though.”
[“That’s because of something involving the Divergent Law.”]
“Divergent Law?”
Rean repeated the word.
Since there were also terms of Law and Boundary in martial arts, Rean thought it would be something similar.
Yet the answer Osbon gave was different from what he expected.
[“The Law outside the framework that is different from the Law established by Aidios on the Zemuria continent. I think that’s what Divergent Law is. Simply put, it refers to a different world.”]
“D-different world?”
Rean raised his face.
Although it was a far-fetched answer, he understood that since Osbon said it, it was probably not a mistake.
[“There’s no need to think deeply about it. I can’t say that I fully understand it either. Even if I tried to explain it further, it’s more likely that I would end up giving a wrong explanation.”]
“So even dad doesn’t understand it?”
[“But if I have to give an example, a different world would be fitting one. For example, witches might be aware of the existence of winged people that exist outside Zemuria, that’s why they can see me.”]
“Are there winged people in different worlds?”
[“Fufufu, it’s not confirmed, though. It’s just, isn’t it more romantic to think such people might exist out there? Just like a certain adventurer with red hair would say.”] 3
Osbon seemed to act playfully to avoid explaining the matter further.
If going by that logic, then Osbon was——
“Ufufu, it seems you’re talking about something intriguing.”
“?!”
Rean reflexively stood up from his desk and turned his whole body toward the source of the voice.
The person who stood there was a girl wearing a green uniform with a long ribbon on her black hair.
Rean never saw her during the Trista Marathon, it was a girl he saw for the first time.
Due to the characteristic of the ribbon tied to resemble a butterfly and her half-lidded eyes, it was unlikely that Rean wouldn’t have had any impression of such a person if he saw her before.
“You are?”
“Fufufu, I’m Beryl. I’m a commoner student who is the head of the occult club. I belong to Class III of the first year.”
Rean didn’t believe those words.
It was weird for someone of her spoken identity to be in Class VII after school, and through the eyes he focused out of reflex, he could see the spirit particles contained within her.
It wasn’t like she had a high aptitude for Arts like Elliot did, and judging from the amount itself, Elliot had a greater amount.
However, the atmosphere surrounding her clearly couldn’t be dismissed as that of a commoner student.
[‘Fufufu, she certainly doesn’t seem to be an ordinary person.”]
Dad thought so as well?
[“After all, our speech tones are similar. She must be an exceptional person for that reason.”]
“Do you have business with me?”
Rean ignored Osbon and said to the girl who called herself Beryl.
“Ufufu, there’s no need to be so cautious, you know? I’m just interested in you, someone who even my fortune telling can’t divine.”
“Me?”
“I have heard the most troublesome student in the recent year was enrolled as a new student, so I did some fortune-telling. But I couldn’t see anything, so I came to check it out in person. And… fufu, you turned out to be more than I expected. I’m also very curious about your sparkling flame eyes.”
Rean realized what he did and suppressed his power of ogre.
Although Rean was irritated by his carelessness at maintaining his power of ogre instead of using it for an instant, he decided to continue to be wary of the girl who called herself Beryl——
[“Fufufu, son. She doesn’t seem to mean any harm. Why don’t you invite her to a tea party instead?”]
Rean felt his power escape him at Osbon’s proposal.
Beryl’s gaze was still focused on Rean and didn’t seem to notice Osbon.
However, her mana also proved that Beryl wasn’t an ordinary person.
In a case like this, arranging an opportunity to talk was certainly an option.
“…………Fuh~ okay. Then why don’t we go to Kirche for a bit? Let’s talk over there.”
“Ufufu, that’s not a bad suggestion, but if we want to have a discussion, it’s better to do it in my clubroom. There’s definitely no disruption there after all.”
“Then I guess I’ll buy something for a bit. I also need time to gather my thoughts after all. Do you like cookies or cakes?”
“Thank you for your consideration. I don’t particularly dislike anything, so I’ll prepare some tea for you.”
“I’ll order something delicious.”
After saying that, Beryl left the classroom.
Looking at her leaving back, Rean made a heavy sigh.
[“Fufufu, you manage to invite someone like that, like breathing. You improved a lot, son.”]
“I’ve been lectured a lot about all my failures after all.”
[“I guess Miss Elise’s education bore fruit. Well then, is that girl someone of Miss Emma’s ilk? Or perhaps she’s an ability user that sometimes appeared in Zemuria…”]
“Ability user?”
[“It could be integrative synesthesia that allows one to instantly select what they need from a large amount of information. It could be an intuition that is equivalent to predicting the future and instantly discerning the situation and other person’s emotions. It refers to someone who possesses something like that, though not necessarily in ordinary people.”]
“Does that mean the power of ogre also falls under this category?”
Rean put his hand on his heart through his uniform.
His memory was hazy, but that was where the heart of his biological father, which saved him from dying, was beating.
[“That power falls under the category of supernatural power. Unfortunately, it is something that is likely deviated from the human framework. If you continue to live, you will probably meet others of the same kind. Perhaps at that time, you will learn of the end of the power.”]
“End of the power?”
[‘Just like there’s a peak of martial arts known as Boundary, there’s also a limit for supernatural power. Well then, it would be rude to keep Miss Beryl waiting, so let’s go to Kirche quickly. By the way son, which do you prefer, fresh cream or chocolate? When accompanying the old master, I guess it would be green tea. Ah no, considering that Kirche’s main menu was pizza and coffee, perhaps it might be better to make something homemade. The recipe is the same as usual——”]
The weight of words when he said “end of the power” was no longer there, and as Rean was fed-up by Osbon’s needless display of feminine power, Rean headed toward Kirche.
＊
Since Rean couldn’t find things of his liking in Kirche, Rean made sweet cookies and berry tart using the recipe given by Osbon, and then he went to the occult research club which was led by Beryl.
There was a large crystal ball sitting in the center of a room where the windows were covered with black curtains.
Rean’s attention was drawn to Beryl’s face peeking through the crystal ball.
“Did I keep you waiting? I guess it took me a while.”
“Ufufu, I already knew the time you will come after you made the sweets, so there’s no problem.”
“Didn’t you say you can’t do fortune telling on me?”
“Ufufu, there’s no problem if I only read a few dozens of minutes ahead.”
While Beryl accepted the sweets and chewed on them, Rean continued to observe her while drinking the brewed tea.
It was the eye of observation of the Eight Leaves One Blade. A mean of eliminating all preconceptions, seeing things as they were and capturing their essences.
Not only did Rean often use this in battle, but he also often used it when thinking.
The power of ogre——or what he called spirit unification in the way he used it now, was helpful in discerning overflowing power.
“Ufufu, don’t you think there might be something mixed in the tea?”
“Even if there was, I’m not that poorly trained to be done with something like that, and if you do, that’s no different than you declaring yourself as someone suspicious.”
“Oh my, that’s scary. Be it your eyes or your thoughts, it’s something unbelievable to come from a first year student.”
“And what about you?”
“I told you, right? I’m interested in you. If you’re curious about me, I can tell you some stuff. Things like my favorite rituals or spells.”
[“She’s become an increasingly formidable opponent, son. Chanting spells are something unavoidable for boys of certain age——”]
There was no lie in Beryl’s words.
Rean recalled the conversation he had with Emma and Celine before.
[“——Rean-san, umm regarding Osbon-san.”]
[“——Miss Emma, there’s no need to hesitate and call me father-in-law, you know?”]
[“——Just ignore that one. So, what’s wrong with dad?”]
[“——Um, he might be from Divergent… ah, no, it’s nothing after all——”] 4
Something that even a witch had been careful not to say was being said by Beryl without any hesitation.
“Divergent Law, I can’t help but be curious about it as a fortune teller.”
“In that case, tell me why you were in Class VII? Let’s start with that.”
“I told you, right? I’m interested in you. I enjoy fortune telling, but when I try to do that to you, I can’t see what’s ahead. It’s almost as if you are surrounded by something Great.” 5
[“It must be the Great love of a father.”]
That’s definitely not it.
Beryl said that she really only came to visit because she was curious about Rean.
Rean’s eye of observation didn’t declare that as a lie.
“Why are you interested in me?”
“Why, you ask? Then let me ask you instead. Do you have any idea how famous you are currently in Thors Military Academy?”
It was said that he ran around Trista every morning, noon, and night.
It was said that he had repeatedly spoke to people, regardless if they were noble, commoner, instructor, old, young, men, or women.
It was said that he even spoke to a cat.
It was said that there would sometimes be multiples of him. 6
It was said that he had slashed the tires of a orbal car before.
It was said that he wrecked a fishing spot. 7
It was said that he had hunted down all the monsters in the neighborhood.
And so on, as the rumors were spread, by April this year, he became the number one dangerous person that nobody wanted to get involved with.
It was a fact that Rean didn’t want to learn about.
[“Fufufu, you’re so famous, son.”]
I don’t want this kind of fame.
“As for the latest rumor, it seems that after the entrance ceremony, you had gone to a remote area where not even the railway has reached, and while returning, you cut down a lot of things, including wanted monsters and degenerated jaegers.”
Because of how a lot of facts were mixed in, including the Trista Marathon, it was complicated.
Because of that, Rean became known as some sort of bloodthirsty beast, and there were stories that if someone caught his eyes, they would be drowned in a pool of blood, regardless of their status.
So that’s why noble students were keeping their distance from me, thought Rean with a dazed look.
“Ufufu, that rumor seems true as well. I wonder what on earth makes you do something like that?”
“Due to personal circumstances, I can’t answer…”
“Ufufu, that’s too bad. Anyway, that’s the reason why I’m curious about you.”
“On the contrary, it’s amazing you even thought of approaching a person with such rumors. With the exception of Student Council President Towa, I think it’s normal to choose to just watch from afar and not get involved, just like the other students.”
“Normally, that is. However, you are a rare existence that even my fortune telling can’t predict. That one is more important to me than rumors.”
“So it is something like that?”
“It is.”
Beryl chuckled.
Perhaps from a general perspective, her laughter might sound like a creepy laugh, but Rean didn’t think so.
In fact, she was laughing from the bottom of her heart.
Since there was no lie in that, Rean didn’t find it strange.
That said, Rean found it very regrettable that he was the reason for her laughter.
“So, what do you think now you got to see the real thing?”
“It’s more than I imagined.”
“…………More than you imagined, in what way?”
“Ufufu, are you going to make a woman say it? Besides, I’m an introvert…”
Rean thought.
Not only her speech tones, but the way she teased him was somewhat similar to Osbon.
[“Fufufu, son. It seems I found a rival at the academy.”]
“In that case, I’d like to hear about that for our next tea party.”
As Rean said that while ignoring Osbon, Beryl’s eerie atmosphere eased and she blinked in a way that made her look a bit younger.
“What, do you not think of this as a tea party?”
“No, I didn’t expect you would say ‘next’ tea party.”
Beryl put her hand on her mouth and was surprised, as if she really found that unexpected.
From Rean’s perspective, a person like her would never reveal her true thoughts with just a single discussion.
In that case, it would be best to visit Beryl several times to understand what kind of person she was.
“Is that surprising?”
“Yes. Just because other people are interested in you, you don’t think you will be interested in them as well, right? I can’t call myself ordinary after all.”
“Now that you mention it, it really is.”
Thinking about it, Rean decided to dig in a little further.
“This atmosphere makes it feel like a witch’s tea party. I don’t hate the existence of witches, so I am not really bothered by it.”
The reason why Rean came to Thors Military Academy was simple and clear; he wanted to find people who could also see Osbon.
From the first day, Rean got acquainted with Emma and Celine, and what the two people who could see Osbon had in common was that they were from the Hexen Clan.
Therefore, Rean would definitely not hold negative feelings toward witches.
“Fortune telling makes it feel more fitting after all.”
Beryl only smiled thinly at Rean’s words.
“I’m just a fortune teller. That’s all I am.”
[“Whatever the truth is, it seems like that’s the status she had decided on. Fufufu, son, I don’t think it will be possible to bring out her true feelings with half-baked methods.”]
I’ll just go along with it as time goes.
Since he could see a possible method, there was no harm in exploring it.
Above all, there was no reason for Rean not to take action when the other party didn’t seem to be bothered about the rumors that surrounded him and the fact that Beryl might possibly be someone who would be able to see Osbon.
And so, Rean continued the tea party while secretly rejoicing that he had more people to get along with in the future.
By the way, Rean didn’t respond to Osbon, who jokingly interjected(chacha) every so often,
[“Because it’s tea(cha) after all.”]
Instead, Rean would periodically cover Osbon’s mouth under the guise of scratching his arm.
Author Note:
Osbon’s biggest rival (one-sided), Beryl, who laughs with “ufufu”, has appeared.
One of the charms of the Trails series is that even the sub characters are attractive.
I had a guess that she might be a witch that went outside, but I will find out my answer when I play Cold Steel IV.
There’s also a Dorothee-senpai and I am looking forward to how beautiful they will become with the advancement of technology.
However, this is weird, even though the trigger was just Emma and Celine, the story seems to proceed to Witch Route for some reason…
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