Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Lilia
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 45 – What Chivalry is
It was the weekend after we managed to overcome Sir Braveheart’s visit.
I had finished submitting my report during the weekday, so I was planning on getting a good sleep until late morning.
I would have to take action once he contacted me, but until then, all I had to do was to wait.
“Sensei, wake up.”
“Okay…”
But my peaceful sleep was torn apart.
To be more specific, Sharon invaded my room the first thing in the morning.
Oi, you really like my room, don’t you?
Didn’t you dry your hair here last night as well?
If you say good night and good morning consecutively like that, that would make us already in a relationship.
“What’s wrong?”
I sat cross-legged on the bed, checking if I had bed hair by touching it.
The Knight used to scold me, saying I had the appearance of a blond-haired blue eyed prince, and therefore shouldn’t do something so inelegant, but she wasn’t here at the moment, so it was safe.
“I received a letter from my parents, asking me to come to the capital.”
“Eh, you mean today?”
After nodding wordlessly, Sharon had a melancholic expression on her face.
“Yes, they… my parents asked me to meet Braveheart-san.”
“Fu~hn.”
While replying perfunctorily, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Considering the previous information that they wanted to proceed with marriage negotiations, it was clear that they wanted Sharon to be on good terms with her marriage partner.
“I wonder if sensei could accompany me…? I’m afraid to be together alone with him there.”
“Is it okay?”
“Likewise, are you okay with it? I’m trying to use sensei as a decoy here.”
“I already knew it, but it sure is painful to hear that clearly.”
You shouldn’t brazenly call your homeroom teacher a decoy.
Well, I didn’t mind, since it was for the sake of students, though.
Naturally, I would accept the role of being a decoy here.
……Erin and Kuyumi would probably say something about it later, so I would have to prepare souvenirs.
◇
After washing my face and changing into casual clothes, I took a carriage with Sharon and came to the royal capital.
Unlike Erin, Sharon seemed to be used to the royal capital and moved smoothly through the crowd.
Sharon usually gave the impression of a cold gal, but when she wore classy clothes, she quickly transformed into an aristocratic young lady.
People glanced at us and commented, “They seem to be a young lady of a good family and her escort,” and moved out of the way for us.
“Where’s the destination?”
“It’s one of my family’s mansions.”
“Your family has a mansion separate from the main one? In the royal capital?”
“Yes, it’s built for the purpose of meeting people.”
Her parents were like monsters.
The same could be said for the SwordX family. My students’ families were too rich.
“Ah… I guess it’s there.”
The large mansion that came into view was probably owned by the Peer family.
At the entrance of the main gate, there was a familiar round man with regent hair and a gentleman I didn’t recognize standing there.
“Oh, Sharon-dono and Haruto-san, it’s nice to see you.”
“Thank you for visiting the other day, I’m Sharon Peer.”
“Hello.”
Next to Sharon who gave polite greetings, I casually raised my hand.
Sir Braveheart, who wore a knight uniform that could only be considered a custom-made one, smiled and raised his hand.
The gentleman who was talking to him also greeted me respectfully.
So who was this person?
Judging from his clothes and atmosphere, he seemed to be an aristocrat.
“Who is that person?”
“It’s the person in charge of the orphanage where Oidon used to live, Lord Gilbert Arkwright, gowasu.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Gilbert Arkwright.”
“O-ooh…”
I heard information I never heard before.
Eeh? You were raised in an orphanage? To become a paladin from such a humble beginning was a great achievement. That was amazing.
“Lord Arkwright is an amazing person who runs an orphanage and develops equipment for adventurers and knights, gowasu. If not for him, Oidon wouldn’t have become a knight, gowasu.”
“Hahahah… Topgun-kun, don’t praise me too much. I’m just a humble research idiot.”
Arkwright, I had heard that name before. There should be an institution called Arkwright Institute.
I heard rumors that they had made some groundbreaking inventions.
But by the time I learned of its existence, it’d already…
“We used to have an official research institute, but our partnership with the guild ended a long time ago. It’s something done out of a hobby anyway, so now we only accept small, individual requests.”
It seemed he guessed from my expression my question, so Lord Arkwright went ahead and explained.
So it was a research institute that used to collaborate with the adventurer guild, huh.
“My apologies, the name just sounds familiar after all.”
“No no, don’t worry about it. Rather, I’m grateful that Haruto-san actually remembered our name.”
Lord Arkwright held out his hand, so I grabbed it and shook his hand.
Judging from his background, he should be on the verge of old age, but he looked young.
His beard was clean-shaven, his gray hair was tied back, and there was not a single wrinkle on his face.
“Ah, partner institution, wasn’t that mentioned in the lecture the other day…”
Sharon, who was listening to our conversation, made a sound of understanding.
Indeed, it was an institution that established partnerships with guilds and supported adventurers’ livelihoods.
Among them, there were several research institutes that developed advanced equipment different from off-the-shelf products.
Arkwright Institute was once one of them.
“Oops, I guess I’m intruding here. Sorry about that, Topgun-kun, to stop you here while you’re busy.”
“No no, Oidon doesn’t mind since it is Arkwright-san’s request, gowasu.”
“How reliable,” smiled Lord Arkwright as he bowed, holding his hat in one hand.
“Then please excuse me. Regarding the engagement, I hope it goes well.”
“……Hahah.”
Sir Braveheart glanced at Sharon.
She turned away, and while she was expressionless, her entire body seemed to express that she was in a bad mood.
“Well then, please excuse me.” After seeing Lord Arkwright leave, I turned to the paladin.
“Then let’s go into the mansion.”
“Hm, actually, Sharon-dono’s parents are actually not present due to sudden business, and they left a message that we could hold the meeting somewhere other than the mansion, gowasu.”
Eeh…?
If her parents were absent, and the paladin likely wouldn’t have company either because of his orphanage background, were they seriously planning to leave the two on their own?
As I was confused, Sharon quickly stepped forward.
“I apologize for my parents. Even though Sir Braveheart already went through the trouble to come here.”
“No no, it’s okay. Since we are already here, why don’t we have a meal, gowasu? Of course, it has nothing to do with the engagement, just the three of us deepening our friendships, gowasu.”
“……If that’s the case, then I don’t mind.”
After hearing Sharon’s reply, Sir Braveheart smiled and said he knew a good place.
Sharon followed him as he took the lead.
I guess I should contact Cadenta later and ask her to gather information regarding Lord Arkwright’s orphanage.
When an orphanage and research institute came as a set in this game, they were usually connected by some sort of crazy research…
◇
After a short walk through the royal capital, we arrived at the place recommended by Sir Braveheart.
It was a holiday today, so in the crowded space, there were many people with flushed faces during the day.
The paladin’s knight uniform attracted attention for a moment, but it seemed he was a regular, so people quickly returned to their respective activities.
It was a bar.
No seriously, it was a bar.
“Y-you’re not planning to drink liquor in the middle of the day, right…?”
Sharon pointed out with a troubled expression.
However, both Sir Braveheart and I already had our mugs full of beer in our hands.
“No, of course I’ll drink, though?”
“No, of course Oidon will drink, though, gowasu?”
“Why?!”
In front of the screaming Sharon, the paladin and I cheered with our beer mugs.
As I gulped down the drink, ice-cold beer passed down my throat and refreshed my body.
“Puhah~! Drinking during the day is the best!”
“You drink your stuff well, gowasu! Oidon won’t lose, gowasu!”
“Both of you completely forgot about me, right? Aren’t both of you just wanting to drink?”
Sharon abandoned her aristocratic lady mode and spoke coldly.
“Well, I thought that Bard-dono would be here, gowasu, but it seems like he’s not here today, gowasu.”
Aah, so that guy often came here.
Maybe I should smash his face several times if we met again, using the Hero’s Sword. He wouldn’t die with just that anyway.
“Rather, is it really okay? Enjoying things like this during the day with a paladin…”
“Well, since chivalry doesn’t forbid drinking liquor, it’s up to the individual.”
He smiled wryly as Sharon glared at him with juice in her hand.
“Isn’t chivalry something that makes someone a good knight?”
“That’s also true, gowasu, but for knights of the Tail Kingdom, it’s customary to define one’s own chivalry upon receiving the title, gowasu.”
Upon hearing the paladin’s explanation, Sharon nodded as she understood better.
“……I see, so that means every knight has a different definition. What is chivalry for Sir Braveheart?”
“For Oidon, chivalry is to fight for the purpose of preventing children from ending up like Oidon, gowasu.”
Holding a mug of beer in one hand, the paladin said that while looking a little embarrassed.
At those virtuous words, Sharon, who asked the question, nodded in admiration.
“Haruto-san, how about yours? Do you have something similar to chivalry?”
“Me? As for me…”
I put my finger on my chin and groaned for a few seconds.
“Well, it’s about connecting people, I guess…”
“Connect? …Haruto-san connecting with someone? Who on earth is worthy to connect with you?”
As Sir Braveheart said that with a surprised look, I shrugged.
“I’m referring to other people. I’m not involved.”
No matter how high I climbed as an individual, I couldn’t save the world.
That is why I had no choice but to leave it to other people. But, I also had to make sure the right people would develop properly and connect with each other. First with my old companions and Mariemaia, and now with Erina and her group.
Now, the time when I had no choice but to do it regardless of how much I hated it was over.
Rather than continue to yearn for something I wasn’t qualified for, it was better to do things I could do.
……I really regret that I ended up doing something terrible to Mariemaia in vain because of that, though.
“……You act arrogant as always, gowasu. Because you’re like that, Oidon also…”
I heard unpleasant words from him.
‘As always’? Have we met before?
And, he also said something like ‘Oidon also.’
No way, was he saying it was my fault?
No… if his mind changed for the better, that would be good.
Since you were no longer a scum, it meant you wouldn’t do stupid things like forcing Sharon to marry you, harassing Sharon’s family, or leaking information to demons after all.
But I had nothing to do with the change of your skeletal structure.
I really have no idea about that, seriously.
“Well, I know that it’s not a problem. But it’s still noon, so be careful not to drink too much, okay?”
When Sharon looked worried, Sir Braveheart and I shook our heads with a very serious expression.
“I know. We’re already grown up.”
“Yes, Oidon also knows how to enjoy liquor in moderation, gowasu.”
““That’s how it is! Cheers!””
“Is this really okay?”
◇
“Oouee…”
I felt like vomiting.
“Upuu…”
The paladin’s face also turned pale.
“Adults are really the worst.”
Sharon, wearing the coldest expression I ever seen from her, placed a mug of cold water on the table.
“P-please excuse me… Oidon has reached the limit, gowasu…”
Sir Braveheart stumbled up from his seat.
His destination was the restroom. Obviously, both of us drank too much.
The sun was already setting outside the store. How much did we drink?
“Is it okay for a paladin to do something like that? Is it really okay? Should I use magic to conceal it?”
Sharon gave her consideration, but Sir Braveheart already had no leisure to listen to her.
“If vomiting goes against chivalry, then Oidon… will abandon chivalry…!”
“That’s definitely not the line to be said in a situation like this, right?!”
“Well said, Sir Braveheart!”
“Why is sensei agreeing with that?!”
The paladin, who said that with a determined expression, slid straight to the restroom.
Fuh~, one wrong move, I would have to go on the same course.
Since I still managed to barely endure it, I should drink a lot of water.
“Why do adults drink liquor?”
“Because there’s liquor there.”
I pointed to the mug with my blurry vision.
“There’s nothing there, though?”
“…………”
I banged the table and fumbled around for my mug.
Sharon silently handed me a mug.
Gulp gulp gulp… it was as smooth as water! It was water! Delicious!
“No way… the liquor became water…”
“Sensei, let’s just go home and sleep.”
It was at that moment.
The door to the bathroom where Sir Braveheart disappeared just a moment ago opened.
“Hm, so you’re back, let’s…”
That’s when my words stopped.
The man who appeared was a handsome and sturdy looking man, perhaps about 190 cm tall.
“────────?!”
The place fell silent.
Perhaps it was more accurate to say that everyone was speechless from shock?
His black hair, which almost reached his waist, was tied into a bun and reflected the light of the bar.
The knight uniform that tightly covered his body even had a noble glow.
Eh? Wasn’t this Sir Braveheart?
No… Well, it wasn’t the Sir Braveheart I was talking with until a moment ago, but the Sir Braveheart that appears in “CHORD FRONTIER 2,”right?
Eh?
Who was that?
“Who…?”
Sharon muttered the exact same thought.
The handsome knight shook his head and came over to our seats.
“Please excuse me for keeping you waiting.”
“Who are you…?”
“Ah, my apologies. It seems I lost weight because I vomited.”
“?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!”
That one line sobered me up.
More importantly, even his speech was different.
“U-uwaaaahhhhh it’s Topgun Braveheaaaaaaaaart!”
“Why wasn’t it like that from the beginning?!”
Where’s your gowasu speech tone gone?! Give me back the gowasu!
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