To This Home We Return
Once upon a time, there was a cowardly young boy.
Although the young boy had two manly elder brothers, one can go as far as to say that they have completely different personalities.
The young boy was introverted and weak, he had such a meagre physique that he even loses in fights with the girls who live in the neighbourhood.
One day, in the Kingdom’s Royal Castle where he coincidentally stopped by, the young boy encountered a young maid girl who’s about the same age as him.
Love at first sight, it seems.
Although he’s a young boy with a cowardly personality who always hides behind his two elder brothers, only when he’s meeting that young girl does he always put in the effort to show her a manly side.
And then, the young boy became good friends with the young girl.
Because they were living in different Kingdoms, they became friends who would definitely meet up and talk to each other once every month when the young boy visits the Royal Castle that the young girl works at.
ーーHowever, around the time when the young boy turned twelve years old, the young girl, she apparently vanished before the young boy all of a sudden.
Apparently, the young boy and young girl who stopped meeting had a fight the day before they were separated.
And the reason for that, it was apparently because the young boy pulled the young girl’s hand and ran away when older scary people picked a fight with them.
He himself has no chance of winning, nevertheless, he wants to save the girl, it was the decision of the boy who thought that.
However, to that, the young girl said『Uncool』, and『Protect me if you’re a man』.
It wasn’t her true feelings, she understood that.
I wanted to be protected…….
It’s slightly different from my expectations…….
It might be that the young girl thought that, that she said that.
That’s why it seems that the boy who thought that it’s his own fault that the girl’s gone received a shock.
And then, I’ll become strong so that I can let her see me in a different light the next time we meet, that’s what he swore. I’ll become a strong man, and again we’ll…….
However, the day when he can meet the young girl never did come.
I’ll see her next month. I’ll see her next year. I’ll see her next…….
While thinking that, the young boy turned eighteen years old without ever meeting the young girl.
Around that time, the young boy became a burly and manly man that has not even a hint of his former self.
And then, he decided to become an Adventurer.
It seems that initially as an E Rank Adventurer, weak as he was, he was growing in his own way.
One dayーーthe boy fulfiled his fateful reunion.
The girl who was a maid appeared before his eyes as an Adventurer like himself.
He immediately gave his name to the girl.
It seems that after a little while, the girl remembered and rejoiced.
He tries to ask the reason that she suddenly vanished and it’s apparently because of her parents’ circumstances.
Although the pair weren’t able to meet the whole time, with this reunion, they once again returned to the pair of the old days.
They established a guild together and worked as Adventurers together.
However, the boy who harboured a fondness for her remained cowardly as he was within.
Even though they’re together the whole time even after they reunited, he wasn’t able to tell her frankly the feelings of love he has for her.
And then, as such vague relationship continued, it seems that one day the girl suddenly said to the boy.
ーーThere’s a quest I want to participate in.
That quest, it’s a quest to cooperate with another guild to gain control over an abandoned castle in a danger zone called ‘Land of Death’.
It’s apparently quite a difficult quest for both their ranks.
However, the boy may perhaps be able to clear it since his true strength is so high that it can’t be measured by the rank.
And then, the two of them somehow cooperated with the other guild and cleared that quest.
All that’s left is to safely report the quest’s completion and they’ll get their hands on an enormous reward.
ーーHowever.
Sorry.
The boy was betrayed by the girl he loved.
The boy was dropped face first into a horde of monsters that surrounds the abandoned castle.
Without knowing what had happened, the boy who was dropped from the second storey just held onto his broken left arm while he looked at the girl who’s looking down.
And then he realised. The proof of a slave that’s worn on the girl’s neck. And then the girl said while touching that.
ーーIt’s an order.
Even now, the boy doesn’t know the reason to that.
All he can say is, the owner who ordered the girl, ordered her to kill him.
Maybe it’s because the boy who’s growing rapidly was a hindrance, or maybe it’s to increase the receivable reward.
He can come up with various reasons for that.
It’s just that, for the boy, nothing but the sadness of being betrayed was born at that time.
And then, the boy battled the horde of monsters that approach him from his surroundings.
He bathed in a large amount of blood that spurts from the enemies and suffered many injuries.
The boy battled alone until his flame of life extinguished.
However, he apparently lost his consciousness halfway through.
And then, the boy woke up in some small village.
Reynd Village, a small village with a population of just about 1○○ people.
In the surroundings of the village are many monsters’ dens and it’s said that it isn’t strange even if the village perished at any moment.
However, there was a person with absolute strength called the Sword King there.
And then it seems that the boy who woke up became unable to trust people because he was betrayed by someone he had trusted.
However, the Sword King said to the boy.
ーーIsn’t it manlier to trust and be betrayed than to live in distrust?
The boy at that time didn’t understand the meaning behind these words.
ーーRather than being betrayed, before being betrayed, I should’ve taken some measures.
It seems that was his regret.
However, it seems that each time the boy has a conversation with the manly Sword King, his feelings that became paranoid, were changing little by little.
And then, it seems that the reason this small town with a population of about 1○○ people wasn’t attacked by monsters, is that the Sword King was protecting this village.
The boy also helped to protect the Sword King’s village. He slightly lends his hands, at the very least to repay the kindness he received.
It seems he did it casually at first. After he lends his hands slightly, he’ll disappear off to somewhere.
However, the more the boy saved this village, the more he was thanked by everybody in the village.
And it seems that when the boy’s thanked, a sensation as though he’s being filled up by something he lost from being betrayed, something warm, was born.
ーーThanks, for saving the village.
Nothing will change even if he subjugates the ever-multiplying monsters.
The Sword King thought that, decided in his heart to find a different way to save the village and left the village.
At that time, he hired Adventurers to periodically guard the village.
It seems that the village didn’t perish even without the Sword King thanks to that.
The boy also made the decision to leave the village again.
It’s just that the boy wasn’t able to forget about the village.
And then the boy, in order to repay his favour to the Sword King and this village that saved his life and pointed out to him what it means to live, the boy immersed himself in doing quests.
He donated most of the quests’ rewards to the village, invigorated the village, hired people to protect the village, and brought about happiness to those who live in the village.
The boy felt happy from the bottom of his heart when he saw the delighted villagers.
His first love was a slave and tried to kill him.
Maybe it’s in hopes to forget about that, the boy tries to make this village happyーーand then he devoted himself to the surroundings so that the people around have smiles on their faces, and at some point, that became the purpose in life for the boy who lost everything.
Believing in people and helping those in need. That became the driving force for the boy’s actions.
But, it seems he couldn’t get close to them no matter what, to the existence known as slaves and the existence known as women.
ーーHowever.
ーーーーHowever.
“I was surprised when he won the bid for Eleanor-san. Egil-sama who didn’t have that good of an impression of both slaves and women, he fell in love with you at first sight”
Both Gossendorf-san and Habrik-san, they smiled very happily to me.
I suppose they had been very much worried about Egil-sama.
“……I am also happy If I can become Egil-sama’s support”
If Egil-sama can become happy by making others happy, then I myself will be happyーーI want Egil-sama who spreads happiness to people to be happy as well.
And then, I looked at Serina who was silently listening to the story.
“This is our Goshujin-sama. He, isn’t the same as others, right?”
“……Un, yeah. ……Sorry”
I suppose it’s impossible for her to easily believe in him.
However, I pray earnestly. I pray for her to please understand that Egil-sama is different from other menーーand thenーーI pray that, like me, Serina who lost something to also please be happy.
“And, that’s right……”
Looks like Gossendorf-san remembered something.
“Please convey to Egil-sama. ‘I acquired the information you had asked for, I will be waiting at the usual place tomorrow’.”
“Ye, yes……”
The information you had requested forーーis that so.
“I got it. And, thank you very much for anything and everything”
“Don’t mention it, then we will send you guys all the way home”
After saying that, Gossendorf-san and Habrik-san, sent Serina and me back.
Now then, let’s go back. To the home where Egil-sama awaits.
♢
“With this, the payment’s done huh”
“Eeh, thank you very much”
In order to make the payment, the slave trader and I moved all the way to a deserted location.
After he sneakily enters the alleyway between the buildings, the slave trader moved his sight slightly downwards with a smile on his face.
“……It didn’t have to be cash, did it”
“Nn, did you say something?”
“No, it is nothing”
The slave trader who waves both hands and appeal like he didn’t say anything.
I heard it but I guess I’ll ignore it.
The gold he received comes to be quite a large amount. I suppose there isn’t anybody who would want to receive it directly.
But, I chose this direct payment.
Naturallyーーthe slave trader hated it. Since it brings danger to himself.
“Er, erm……what made you thought of making the payment directly?”
“Nn, there’s no particular reason, but you can actually feel how large the amount is if I hand it over to you like this so you’re also happy with that, right? You have to make payment to the town as well anyway”
“Well, I guess the various procedures are troublesome if I deposited the gold into the bank once……but”
In the alleyway that’s a slight distance away from the bank, as though we’re having a tryst, I deliver the money.
I suppose it’ll be tough to move like this. After all, before my eyes are four boxes that are jam-packed with gold.
And then, the slave trader asks of me.
“Erm, if you don’t mind, won’t you be my escort even for just a while?”
“Escort? Why? ”
“Well, I got my hands on this much gold in one go so I plan to quit being a slave trader and live an elegant life in another town……and well, you know that you are unable to transfer gold to another bank, right?
“……Aa, I do know that”
If gold is able to be moved to another town, a situation where only some towns have an abundance of gold and some towns have insufficient gold will be created.
So there isn’t the convenient feature like being able to withdraw from anywhere the contents of the banks in every town.
So I often see here and there those who are employed at the bank soliciting new people to deposit their money.
Therefore, although there are various ways for when one wants to bring gold to another location, somebody has to transport it.
And I guess the slave trader wants to ask of me to escort the transportation of that.
“I will splurge on the reward, so can I please have you escort me until I arrive at another town?”
“Isn’t it fine if you stay in this town? You were in this town the whole time”
“Tha, that is true but……I’ve been feeling eyes on me since just now”
After softly saying that, the slave trader looks around at the vicinity.
Participants of the slave auction would know that this fellow before my eyes became very rich in an instant. Besides, I suppose there are also a considerable number of people who saw me move it all the way here.
Soーーthis fellow, he’s currently in a situation where he’s being eyed by a great number of people.
“But why me? You can just immediately make a request at a guild somewhere after you received the money, right”
“That is……well”
He doesn’t answer so I unnaturally nodded.
“Aah, I see, I see. Slave traders are on bad terms with nobles, aren’t theyーーsince they abduct nobles’ daughters and sell them off as slaves”
“Th, that is…… ”
“Nobles are rich. There are a great number of Adventurers who are receiving their jobs from those nobles. Soーーif they receive a job from you who is being hated by nobles, that Adventurer will no longer be able to receive any job from nobles, right?
“……”
A noble’s status is high anywhere in the world.
It’s because the contribution of those upper-class folks called nobles is high in every town.
And then there are many nobles’ daughters who are relatively pretty. And then there are many of them who are ignorant of the ways of the world. So slave traders often abduct those who were raised in wealthy families to be slaves.
A well-featured face, a body with a sense of cleanliness, refined manners that they were made to learn from a young age.
And then the fact that they’re of a noble’s birth makes them desirable to those who hate nobles.
Making a daughter of the nobles who are always looking down on them into a slave……I suppose there are quite a few people who have that kind of thinking.
I guess under normal circumstances, the nobles would have annihilated the slave traders and the occupation that’s known as a slave trader would’ve disappeared from this world. But nevertheless, the occupation that’s known as a slave trader isn’t gone from this world. I suppose the reason for that is that a lot of money is being paid to the towns through the winning bids.
It’s because the town is distancing both their existence that the conflicts between nobles and slave traders don’t occur.
So nobles and slave traders have an exceptionally bad relationship and there are few Adventurers who will receive a job from a slave trader.
The slave trader who realised that he’ll really be faced with danger if he’s refused by me sweats from his forehead and makes a smile that’s as though to curry favour with me.
“Th, the reward will be 4 million gold, please!”
“Heh, 4 million gold huh. It’s a third of this time’s winning bid”
“Ye, yes. How, about it……?”
“Yeah. Well then, if you turn over the ownership of all the slaves you own to me then I’ll think about it”
“Is, is that so……but, the only one I had owned, was that woman……”
No others huh.
Alright then, there won’t be any slaves that he owns that die even if he dies.
Serina’s ownership has been entrusted to Eleanor so there’s no problem there.
“I see. Well, fine”
“In that case, about the escortーー”
“By the way, let me ask again, I didn’t say that I’m strong, right? And yet, why have you relied on me?”
“It is of course because I heard from『that woman』you had won the bid for before that you are an S Rank Adventurerーー”
At that moment, I punched the slave trader.
His small and scrawny body rolled a long distance away.
I wanted a little bit more information…….
But, my body moved on its own.
I think it’s surely because he called Eleanor『that woman』that I lost my cool.
“It’s not that you’re at fault. You just did your job. I’m sure that this is just me taking it out on you”
“Uu, UUU, it, it hurtss, my face, my facee!”
“If you guys weren’t around, both Eleanor and Serina would’ve probably been happy, besidesーー”
I wonder, how she’s doing.
I don’t know. I don’t know but, I’m sure she isn’t happyーーsince she was crying.
No, I guess it doesn’t matter for now.
The slave trader who I sent flying is holding onto his face in agony and I move closer and look down at him.
“But, it’s thanks to you that I was able to meet the two of them. Therefore, I won’t kill you”
“Hii……hiii”
The crying slave trader has become frightened of me.
And then, I turn my back towards him and start walking.
“In any case, you’ll be killed by two kinds of people from now on”
“Eh, ah……ah, aah”
And then perhaps he grasped everything, I hear an inaudible voice from behind me.
But I won’t look back. In any case, after a few seconds, he’ll be killed either by those with the nobles or those whose goal is the money.
Besides, I have no need for the money. It’s the money that saved Serina so it became unnecessary the moment it touched this fellow’s hands.
“With this, I don’t have to worry about the two of them trembling in fear huh”
It’s just a little but I wonder if I was able to take revenge for them.
No, there are still those with the occupation known as a slave trader in this world. As long as those guys exist, I suppose the two of them will recall their painful past forever.
“……If only slave traders would disappear”
I’ll go back. To the home where the two of them await.
