Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Lilia
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 30 – The Official Comrades
Haruto, the descendant of the hero, had led his comrades through many adventures.
His achievements include traversing unexplored regions, updating maps, and rescuing people from the areas where communication had been cut off due to damage from demons.
In addition, he had a track record of eliminating threats to humanity.
Subjugations of numerous high class demons.
Slaying individuals of the dragon and undead species that cooperated with the demons.
If all of these were calculated, it was said that Haruto had extended the time it took for humanity to go extinct for more than 100 years.
Of course, since he didn’t make a triumphant return to the cities like a hero would, citizens only knew his name and a vague description of his accomplishments.
The companions he led also became famous adventurers.
A monk who taught the fear of death to beings who transcended death.
A female knight who could tear apart a dragon species with only her physical strength.
A magician who burned and annihilated the souls of all her enemies.
One of those companions was Mariemaia, the person who was recognized as the best Healer on the continent, who was said to be able to heal all wounds as long as the other party wasn’t dead, and could even revive someone from death as long as the conditions were met.
“Nice… to meet you.”
“Ah……Yes.”
In the corridor of the SwordX family mansion, two girls stood facing each other.
Erin and Mariemaia exchanged greetings while glancing at each other.
Erin knew about her.
She was one of the comrades that Haruto, her homeroom teacher, used to travel with.
And for some reason, it was someone whom he had distorted emotions for.
But even at this distance, I couldn’t feel anything. She really looks like a woman that could be found anywhere…
Erin knew that wasn’t really the case.
Although she knew that, she could neither feel her presence nor magic power.
Is it simply that she’s so strong beyond what I can detect? Or that she’s suppressing it so it doesn’t get detected…?
While trying not to show her wariness, Erin intuitively knew that she shouldn’t let her guard down against Mariemaia.
That was probably the reason Zanba stood in position to protect Erin, though.
“Nice to meet you, I am──”
It was the moment Mariemaia was about to introduce herself to Erin.
Other people came out from the parlor where Mariemaia came from.
There were three in total, faces that Erin had never seen before. They were probably Mariemaia’s comrades.
“Hm? Is that the Erin SwordX you were talking about earlier?”
Among them, a young man with light brown hair quickly called out to Erin.
When Zanba saw the three appear, he quickly withdrew and stood behind Erin.
Perhaps he thought he didn’t need to protect Erin anymore, but he still decided to keep an eye just in case.
“Ah, yes. You are Mariemaia-san’s-?”
“Aahh, we travel together with Mariemaia.”
Immediately, a young man looked at Erin with a somewhat serious expression.
“I’m Alphas, Alphas Fearland.”
He was the only son of the lord of the province Mariemaia first visited.
He was a young man who upheld noblesse oblige and strictly disciplined himself as a proper gentleman who stood above others.
Erin gauged his abilities from his appearance and the way his gaze moved.
There’s a sword on his waist… It feels like this person is still learning…
After introducing himself, Alphas asked the maid standing next to him to introduce herself as well.
The girl dressed in a classic maid outfit bowed politely to Erin.
“My name is Julietta. I’m taking care of Mariemaia-sama and her group during her journey.”
She was an interesting── or rather, a weird maid who was picked up by Mariemaia and Alphas.
She was a mysterious woman whose purpose of existence was to serve others as a maid.
Eh, there’s no opening in her figure at all… I think this person could avoid even a [Vertical Flash Slash!!] unleashed at maximum speed…
I don’t want to fight against this person, thought Erin.
The maid who had a strong aura of mystery was clearly stronger than she appeared.
“Then I guess I’m the last one. I’m Dangoon. I serve as a magic brawler.”
A large white-haired man stepped forward, grinned, and thrust his fist at Erin.
Erin didn’t get what he meant, but for time being, Erin bumped her fist against his.
“Oh, I guess you’re a miss who knows how to play along. I met these three a while ago, and we ended up traveling together somehow. Nice to meet you, miss.”
Dangoon snapped his fingers and winked.
Although he appeared to be in his 40s or 50s, he spoke and acted in a youthful manner.
Erin decided that formal language was apparently unnecessary to this man.
“A magic brawler? That’s a rare Job, uncle. Nice to meet you!”
Erin looked at the leather thimble gloves covering Dangoon’s hands.
They looked like ordinary gloves, but they were designed to assist with magic circulation.
No, not simply assisting magic circulation. It’s more like speeding up the process of emitting magic power… I guess it will be quite powerful when it hits at close range…
His fighting style was probably to engage in hand-to-hand combat, then use the compressed pile of magic power as a killing blow from zero distance.
“Well, I’m just a gentleman with some experience.”
“Don’t boast about yourself, old man.”
“I’m not an old man! I’m aiming to be a cool gentleman!”
Alphas and Dangoon started a light argument, and Julietta, who was caught between them, solemnly closed her eyes and covered both ears with her hands.
“She didn’t actually choose to get out of their way?!”
“Julietta-san is that kind of weird person…”
Mariemaia sighed at Erin’s scream.
The conversation between the two, which had stopped since Mariemaia’s comrades introduced themselves, resumed at that point.
“Ah… e-err. Um, I’m currently……”
“Ah, I have heard. Haruto-san became a teacher and you are one of his students, right?”
Mariemaia immediately spoke what Erin had a hard time saying.
Erin was worried about what Mariemaia, who was her teacher’s former comrade, would think of her.
Maybe she would be jealous… b-but she should hate teach’ right? In that case! No, but… to be honest, if I was in her position… I wouldn’t like it…!
Erin was aware that Sharon, Kuyumi, and herself were treasured very much by her teacher.
Erin already had her life saved by him in the past, and he still pampered her beyond that.
At this rate, her standards toward men would completely be destroyed.
“There’s something I want to ask.”
“Fueh? A-ask me, is it…?”
As if Mariemaia had made up her mind,
“How is Haruto-san now?”
Erin, who was wary, became dumbfounded as her mouth hung open.
“I heard that after YEETing me from the party, he also separated from the others, and he is now working as a teacher… to be honest, I don’t understand what’s going on.”
Mariemaia muttered in a weak voice.
“Um… I think he had some revelations that caused him to choose to work as a teacher now.”
Seeing that, Erin couldn’t keep quiet.
If there was someone in trouble, she wanted to lend a helping hand.
If there was someone who was worried, she wanted to be there for them.
The girl named Erin had natural goodwill toward others.
“That’s why I don’t think you need to worry at all.”
“…………”
“I don’t think I’m good enough either! I still couldn’t reach what sensei sought of me at……”
“Aah, so he did seek something from you after all.”
Erin couldn’t understand the meaning of Mariemaia’s faint muttering.
“……Eh?”
“As I thought, I’m just not good enough after all.”
“T-there’s no way that’s the case. I’m lacking in a lot of things, and I still trouble teach’ a lot……”
“No, I am not good enough.”
Erin finally realized.
Mariemaia’s eyes, which were directed toward Erin, were empty and without light.
Erin could hear her own breathing hitch in the silence.
Emotions directed outwards, like killing intent and jealousy, were easier to control, but also easily detected.
But this wasn’t it. It was too different from them.
All of Mariemaia’s emotions were directed inward, as if gravity had become abnormally twisted.
She wasn’t chosen──then what should she do to get chosen?
She was left behind── did that mean she couldn’t have run faster?
In the end, she wasn’t loved── then what should she do so she could be loved?
“I… still couldn’t achieve anything yet. That’s why I can’t return…”
It was self-hatred so great that she wanted to kill herself.
But the most frightening thing of all was that instead of dispersing all of those negative feelings onto others, they converged and were directed toward Mariemaia herself.
Erin SwordX was convinced.
Now it came to this── there was no choice but to have Haruto meet her directly and do something about it.
◇
As soon as Mariemaia entered that state, Alphas and Julietta quickly pulled Erin away by the shoulders.
“Eh? Eh?”
“Aah, sorry, Erin-san. Mariemaia becomes like that sometimes.”
“If she is left alone, she will start earning EXP by defeating demons and monsters endlessly, so let’s have a happy tea party and wait until she calms down.”
Apparently, Mariemaia’s comrades were already able to deal with Mariemaia’s mental state to some extent.
What tough fellows, thought Erin.
“Geez, even though the other party is the Descendant of the Hero, if I get to meet Haruto-dono, I’ll still endlessly complain to him! …Ah, Julietta, what will the tea blend for today be?”
“Yes, I smuggled… I mean procured a first class item as a substitute to calm Mariemaia-sama.”
“Is that a legal product? No, seriously?”
Erin heard some very disturbing conversation.
But while Erin was confused, Dangoon approached her.
“Miss, I’d like to ask for a favor… Can we visit your school next time? Of course, together with Mariemaia.”
“Eh?”
“Is your brother okay with that?” As he asked for confirmation, Zanba nodded hesitantly.
“Mariemaia might say it like that, but in the end, I think she is just lonely and couldn’t honestly say it.”
“I-It’s totally fine! He’ll definitely be happy!”
Remembering Haruto’s lonely appearance, Erin answered immediately.
It was the right answer, and no matter how she saw it, she now knew what to do.
Dangoon’s proposal was just the push she needed.
“I’m sure teach’ will be happy too… yes, I think it will be okay.”
It would be best to have Mariemaia meet Haruto.
Erin understood that much.
Mariemaia was wounded at the moment.
Even though Haruto enjoyed being a teacher, he also carried an unhealed wound.
To think that we alone couldn’t do anything about it── aah, I’m such a disgusting girl.
As she repeatedly thought, “he should be happy about it” like a machine, Erin felt her heart ache.
Author Note:
I received a wonderful illustration from Kuroia-sama.
It’s Erin and the doll! It’s so cute! It’s the best!
Thank you very much!! https://twitter.com/kuroia_/status/1689265578014552066
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