NOVEL NEXT Chapter 46
It’s a delightful thing to converse with an old acquaintance after a long time.
Especially when it’s not just someone you casually know, but someone with whom you’ve shared memories for years.
“You’ve always been like this. Want to know the most common answer when you asked others what was tough for them? They said it was hard because you pushed them too much. I’ve lived a long life, but I’ve never seen someone say that to someone who’s not even the education officer.”
“…Those noble bastards’ slander—”
“If it was only the nobility complaining, I wouldn’t have said anything. In that sense, you’re quite impressive. You achieved the noble-commoner unification that even Garid couldn’t.”
“They’re all just whining…”
“Whining, my foot. Do you think everyone is just like you? I’ve repeatedly told you that the world isn’t filled with geniuses like you.”
“Ugh, uuuu… stop nagging…”
…But this is a bit intense.
They say nagging increases as you get older; is that it?
I felt my mind go blank listening to this upgraded version of their nagging, which was leagues above what I heard as a child.
I couldn’t believe all this lecturing stemmed from just one remark about having a teacher.
Eron’s long, spirit-draining lecture came to an end as he took a sip from his cup, clearing his throat.
As I sat there, dazed from this terrifying mental attack, Eron asked,
“…So.”
“…Yeah.”
“That person you’re teaching, is she a woman?”
“…Huh? Well, she is a woman, why?”
I tilted my head at the rather unexpected question that broke the flow of the long nagging.
He answered when I asked, but what’s with that question?
“That’s a relief. …No, wait. Just because she’s a woman doesn’t mean I can drop my guard. There are many strange people out there. Absolutely.”
“…?”
What on earth is he thinking?
It feels like he’s deep in some serious yet pointless contemplation.
“What kind of person is she?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Well, you know, what does she do? Her profession or interests?”
“Interests?”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Wait, are you trying to hit on her or something?”
How could you have any intentions of that sort when you don’t even know the person? That’s just not right.
Especially when considering the age difference between Eron and Joanie… hmmm…
I don’t know Joanie’s exact age, but I can guess roughly from her behavior.
She’s definitely on the younger side, unlike me.
On the other hand, Eron is over fifty.
Though he does look quite youthful for his age and is way more handsome than most guys, that’s still a bit off, right?
“Ugh, uumm…”
…But if they like each other, who am I to interfere?
They say some women prefer men with a bit of maturity. Maybe Joanie is one of those women.
“Okay. I’ll cheer for you.”
“…Are you thinking something strange again?”
Sadly, I haven’t had sweet discussions with Joanie about our preferences, so I can’t be much help, but cheering her on…!
With a big resolve, I clenched my fist in encouragement, but Eron didn’t seem particularly pleased.
“Kana, you’ve got this subtle cluelessness, so I’m just trying to see if she’s someone trustworthy. It’s possible she approached you with ill intentions.”
“…Clueless?”
…Me? Clueless?
If Eric had heard that, he would have said, “Commander, are you losing it?”
And for that, he would have gotten kicked by Eron and rolled around the training ground.
“Alright, let me ask this as a test. What brought you together with her?”
“She gave me food.”
“…She gave you food?”
“Yeah. After I saved her from a Cockatrice, she brought me food every day as thanks, all the way to my mountain.”
“Hmm…”
Eron looked pretty serious.
“It’s not completely unreasonable… but then, have you noticed anything strange about her?”
“Strange…?”
“Like, has she touched you or eyed you lewdly?”
Touched or looked at me lewdly…
“…Uh.”
There are just too many instances.
She hugs me out of nowhere, pets my head, and holds my hand.
It’s not like she’s looked at me in a weird way, but she does make strange sounds while laughing.
As I listed these things, Eron’s expression darkened progressively, to the point it looked like something out of a horror show by the time I finished.
“…That girl.”
“Oh, her name is Joanie.”
“Right, Joanie. Is that Joanie girl here with you?”
“Yeah. Joanie’s from Liberi too.”
“…I see.”
Eron stood up.
I asked the suddenly departing Eron, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to see this Joanie girl.”
“Why are you bringing your sword?”
“Oh, I have my reasons. You know that there’s no better tool for pest control than a sword.”
“….”
Reasons my foot.
I sighed.
“You’re overprotective, Eron. I’m not a child.”
“….”
“If it was something like you think, I wouldn’t have just let it slide.”
Just because I joked around a little doesn’t mean I should let anyone take me lightly.
Just because of my looks, while Eron knows my actual age, he treats me like a clueless child.
Whether my words had effect or not, Eron’s aggressive demeanor slightly subsided.
He plopped back in his chair and said wearily,
“If it were the past, I would have smacked your bottom to grab your attention.”
“Egads, is that your kink?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Causing worry and fooling around is…”
“Ah, got caught.”
“You never planned to hide it from the start.”
Years passed after I started seriously learning to wield a sword, and I surpassed Eron’s strength.
But even though he knew I had grown stronger, he never stopped this overprotectiveness.
Since I took up the leader’s position, he hadn’t shown it as much.
Eron was one of the only two who ever worried about me, alongside Garid.
Oh, now there are three!
“Well, you know… seeing you messing around like this puts my mind at ease.”
Now Eron’s genuine tone returned to formal.
“I was worried you might go charging into the Empire holding a sword; I’m glad to see that’s not the case.”
“What do you even think I am?”
“Anyone who saw you back then would have thought the same.”
“Hmph.”
Is the next stage after overprotective exaggeration?
…Well, I was a bit sharp, I admit.
“No one would think of making someone a pile of corpses just because you annoyed them too much.”
“That was for a good reason.”
I said firmly.
No matter what, I wouldn’t just take a beating for ruffling someone’s feathers.
That guy definitely crossed the line.
Seeing I had no intention of backing down, Eron shrugged.
“Anyway, I’m relieved that you haven’t fallen into the hands of a bad person, but just in case, be careful. She might try to hug you or touch you suddenly.”
“…Huh?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I wasn’t joking!”
Touching, hugging, petting.
“She did the same thing this morning.”
I’m not your typical girl, not to mention the fact that I grew up in a sword-wielding order without a whiff of womanly presence…
Don’t women usually enjoy that sort of physical affection?
I feel like it was like that in my past life, but could it be different in this world?
Upon hearing what I said, Eron stood up again.
“Eron?”
“….”
“Um, Eron?”
“….”
“Yes?”
This isn’t going well.
Seeing Eron, who seems unreachable now, I nodded.
I’m sorry, Joanie. I couldn’t protect you.
But hey, you respawn, right?
*
“….”
“….”
slurps.
The air in the reception room was colder than the northern chilly breeze, weighing down heavily.
In the silent reception room, the only sound that could be heard was Kana munching on her snack.
“Tastes good.”
‘…Is that really going down your throat right now?!’
Joanie wanted to yell at Kana, but she couldn’t, for she held a lifelong grudge.
If she did that, the intimidating man sitting across from her would surely not remain quiet.
‘What on earth just happened?’
She thought she was just going to find Kana after finishing up the long wait for her performance report…
But suddenly, she got dragged into the reception room by a guy who appeared out of nowhere with Kana, like a looming threat.
“Your name is Joanie?”
“Y-Yes!”
He had a pleasant, deep voice often described as a ‘cave voice.’
It was a voice Joanie usually liked, but right now it felt more like a tiger’s growl, and she stiffened.
Observing the obviously tense Joanie, Eron remarked casually,
“Why the long face?”
“Y-yeah, why?”
Caught off guard by his abrupt question, Joanie replied without thinking, but the man did not respond to her.
And next to him,Kana was happily picking at snacks, showing no interest in answering her questions.
‘Is he a friend of Kana’s…?’
If he was, then that meant he was one of her Order comrades, right?
Desperately racking her brain for possible connections, Joanie carefully inquired,
“Um, did you serve in the same Order as Kana?”
“…Did Kana tell you I was in the Order? Correct, I was the former vice-captain of the Crimson Aegis, Eron.”
“Hyiiieeeek…!”
A pitiful squeak escaped Joanie’s lips.
He was even beyond her expectations!
…Wait a second.
‘Is there a reason to be this shocked?’
In front of her was the vice-captain.
Kana was the captain.
Given how long Joanie had spent with Kana, she shouldn’t be surprised by the vice-captain’s appearance, should she?
With that thought, Joanie raised her head confidently.
“….”
‘…Eek!’
Faced with Eron’s sharp gaze, she immediately cast her eyes downward again.
She knew Eron was Kana’s subordinate, but why on earth was she here, meeting his piercing stare?
And in that moment, Joanie suddenly recalled a scene she often saw in dramas.
The one where the boyfriend meets the girlfriend’s father for the first time and asks for her hand.
The only difference being the gender involved didn’t change the fact that it was a similar situation.
Joanie felt a sense of déjà vu.
“Um, may I ask how you and Kana know each other…?”
“Kana may think differently, but I consider her like a niece. I’ve watched her since she was very young.”
“Ah, uh-huh.”
Joanie finally managed to elicit a clear answer from Eron.
Even so, it didn’t bring her any happiness.
So, this man is quite close to Kana.
Not as much as her dad, who she always longs for, but so much more than average.
That marked the end of this conversation, which quickly fell into silence once more.
Joanie felt as if she was suffocating and mustered up her courage.
“So, um, what brings you to me…?”
“Kana said you were touching her.”
“…Huh?”
“You held her hand, hugged her, and patted her. Is that right?”
“That, is correct, but… there seems to be some misunderstanding about it…”
One wrong word here could lead to her demise!
Instinctively sensing death was near, Joanie frantically looked for something, anything, to cling onto for her survival.
A glance.
“…”
A quick sweep.
But what she found was nothing but a rotten lifeline.
The only person who could help her in that moment, Kana, averted her gaze, pretending to be busy with her food.
Trying to play it off casually, Joanie could sense the awkwardness in Kana’s actions.
‘Kanaaaa…!’
Joanie had thought she had treated her well enough, but how could she do this to her?
If she had issues, she should have just spoken up! Trying to kill her like this is too much…!
The deep betrayal from someone she’d trusted completely gnawed at Joanie, causing silent tears to well up in her heart.