New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (2/2 chapters)
Return to the Hideout
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
We exited through the back door of Armando-san’s house and fled into the alleys of the city’s streets. The clothes we had just received would likely get dirty quickly with us running around like this.
The soldiers had increased their patrols around the city, moving about busily. It was probably because I had been spotted earlier. The city must have shifted its personnel stationed outside to focus on internal security. We couldn’t stay in this city much longer. It was such a beautiful city, with its water canals, and I had grown to like it, but…
Looking down at the ground, I noticed a crumpled piece of paper lying there. Out of curiosity, I picked it up and opened it. It was a search request for a missing child. The walls of the alleys were plastered with countless posters.
Normally, requests like these were submitted to adventurers’ guilds. To maintain fairness, even search requests had a certain ‘market rate’. If one family offered an exorbitant reward, all adventurers would only take up that request, and other requests would go unreceived.
For this reason, some people secretly offer high rewards for requests like this.
In the streets, such requests were called ‘underground quests’, but there were usually only a few of them. However, there were about ten or so here. All of them were search requests for missing children.
“Why are there so many missing children?” (Jack)
Even back when I was with the Liberta crew, there were quite a few, but this seemed abnormal.
The increased soldier patrols might not be solely to capture an anomaly like me but also to guard against these kidnappings. The city felt very tense. The flow of time could be so cruel.
“Kea, I’m heading back to Liberta’s hideout. I need to let everyone know I’m safe as soon as possible.” (Jack)
“…Auu.” (Kea)
“You’re still just saying ‘Auu’ all the time, huh?” (Jack)
But how should I get back to the hideout in Soltaire? It’s about half a day’s ride by carriage from Dali Amor, but I have no money, and this mark on my right cheek stands out too much. If I go on foot… it’ll take about two full days. I’ll need to camp out and prepare food. Could I manage with some wild animals for food? Camping… well, unless I have a tent, I’ll just have to endure sleeping without a roof over my head.
—
(TLN: POV switch)
In the western wing of the San Amolina Great Cathedral, there was a place called the choir where a choir sings hymns. I walked down the corridor and into the sanctuary beyond. As I entered the sanctuary, the conductor stopped playing the pipe organ.
“Welcome back, Reingard.” (??)
A voice called out to me as I turned around.
“So, what was it in the end? It seems you’ve returned empty-handed.” (??)
“…It was Jack’s ghost.” (Reingard)
“Jack?” (??)
“The child Medna had taken an interest in.” (Reingard)
“Oh… didn’t that child die?” (??)
“He’s dead… or so I thought. However, it seems his corpse turned into a monster.” (Reingard)
“Hmm.” (??)
She didn’t seem particularly interested.
“What a shame. He was such a cute child.” (??)
“Was he? From the beginning, I thought he was just a common bandit.” (Reingard)
“Haha, a bandit, huh? True, adventurer parties are like that… So, what happened?” (??)
“I let him escape.” (Reingard)
“Let him escape? That’s rare for you. The ‘watchdog’ losing its reputation, huh?” (??)
“…Correction. I let him go intentionally.” (Reingard)
I felt a bit like I was being made fun of and it annoyed me.
“Why would you? Isn’t it dangerous for the townspeople to have a Demon roaming around?” (??)
“He’s with a girl who appears to be an incarnation of the Goddess.” (Reingard)
“…What the hell is that supposed to mean?” (??)
For the first time, her voice carried an irritated tone.
“There’s no physical form to Kea-sama.” (??)
“During the fight with Jack, there were times when spells disappeared. It was as if witnessing the miracles of Goddess…” (Reingard)
“Oh, so you fought. Does that mean you lost?” (??)
“…Yes. He used movements like teleportation and wielded mana effectively.” (Reingard)
“I see. If that Demon is so dangerous, you should deal with it immediately. And if he’s with that girl, she must be a Demon too.” (??)
“With all due respect, I’d like to capture the Goddess instead.” (Reingard)
Her eyebrow twitched, and she looked increasingly displeased.
“Reingard, I won’t allow you to make arbitrary decisions. Don’t we already have a ‘Goddess’ here?” (??)
“If it’s the real Goddess, having her on our side would be advantageous. Even if she’s just a girl, she could still serve our purposes—” (Reingard)
“Fine, fine. I take it back. I’ll leave it to you.” (??)
Waving her hand dismissively, she turned and walked away, her interest waning.
“Plans are already in their final stages. I want to take a break soon.” (??)
“Of course.” (Reingard)
With that, the conductor disappeared further into the depths.
It would be more accurate to call him the leader of the cult. Following the teachings of the goddess, he sought to bring peace to the world.
To deliver divine judgment to those adventurers who desecrate the holy grounds.
—
It took three days and three nights, but I finally made it to a familiar road. This was probably near the logging area where we hunted bears during my initiation into Liberta. Since it was nearing winter, there weren’t many bears around. I guessed it was about an hour’s walk to Soltaire. I managed to get here without being seen, but my mind was already at its limit and my physical strength was at its limit. I realized the importance of preparing for a journey.
Luckily, the weather was favorable, so I managed to sleep without a roof over my head, but I didn’t feel rested at all. I considered stopping by a village or town along the way, but with the Demon crest on my face, I couldn’t risk it. Along the way, I scraped by by stealing crops from vegetable fields. Before setting out, I thought hunting wild animals for food would suffice, but after catching a single raccoon, I remembered I didn’t know how to start a fire. Even with the Goddess’s power, I couldn’t use basic fire magic.
Kea, on the other hand, remained unfazed. Over these three days, she neither ate nor needed to relieve herself. As expected of a goddess’s incarnation. She didn’t tire, nor did she need sustenance…
“…Kea, I can’t go on anymore…” (Jack)
“Uu…” (Kea)
I collapsed onto a carpet of fallen leaves. Calling it a “carpet” wasn’t inaccurate; it felt soft and warm.
I’ll rest for a bit. Whether I wake up again, I don’t know.
“…Auu! Junior-san!” (Kea)
Kea said something, but I didn’t have the energy to pay attention.
Goodnight.
—
When I came to, I was in a room with a lit fireplace. This felt familiar. A year ago, I had a similar experience. After being kicked out of my family home and collapsing in the commercial city of Barwitch, I was taken in by Lindsay. It seemed I had been laid on a bed.
“Ah!” (Kea)
Kea was there.
Beside her is… could it be Lindsay? Did she take me in again?
However, upon closer inspection, the woman next to her wasn’t Lindsay. A blonde woman with wavy hair tied behind her head sat in a chair, looking worriedly at my face.
“You’re awake.” (??)
“Junior-san!” (Kea)
I was spoken to. Once again, I’d been saved.
Throughout my life, I had never been loved by others. I thought that a more brutal world was waiting for me outside the Aldridge mansion. But here I was, being helped by various people, and their kindness was healing my heart.
“Are you alright? Is your name, Junior-san?” (??)
“…” (Jack)
I tried to say something, but my throat was so dry I couldn’t form words.
“My name is Nancy Conran. This is the Conran Inn—” (Nancy)
“The Conran Inn?!” (Jack)
I blurted out. My voice was louder than I expected.
With that momentum, I sat up.
“Y-Yes.” (Nancy)
A blonde woman who introduced herself as Nancy blinked her eyes and nodded. Come to think of it, the Conran Inn is an inn in Soltaire. When the Soltaire Adventurer Guild was dissolved, a branch office of the Adventurers’ Guild was set up on the first floor of the inn. The inn’s signboard girl was temporarily hired as the receptionist there.
Could this woman be her? She certainly looks like someone who would suit the title of a signboard girl. She is a beautiful person. I see. I have finally returned to Soltaire. I’m glad…
“You collapsed in the Diarren Forest, and I saw this child next to you. It seems… that you have some very deep wounds…” (Nancy)
Nancy-san looked at my right shoulder. When I glanced at my body, I realized my clothes had been taken off and I was bare-chested. It seemed like holy scripture was wrapped around my body, and bandages were tightly wound around it.
“Ugh…” (Jack)
A sudden headache hit me. Perhaps it was because I had suddenly tried to sit up.
“It would be better if you don’t push yourself too hard. If it’s about the inn fee, please don’t worry. I’ve already informed my father.” (Nancy)
“…Ah, thank you. I was planning to return to Soltaire with this child.” (Jack)
“Oh, that works out well. I’ll bring you a clean hand towel. You still seem to have a fever, so please rest for now.” (Nancy)
“Sorry…” (Jack)
Nancy-san then left the room.
As expected of an inn’s daughter, she had a gentle manner.
“Kea, thank you.” (Jack)
“Auu.” (Kea)
I had made it back to Soltaire.
I want to meet everyone as soon as possible. I wonder how they’re doing.
After a while, Nancy-san returned. She placed a wet hand towel on my forehead. They had mentioned I had a fever, and I must have been a bit sick after pushing myself too hard. Now that I thought about it, my body felt sluggish. It was getting colder outside, and winter was approaching, so I probably had overdone it.
“Are you from this town?” (Nancy)
“Well, yes… um, I’m from the Chevalier de Liberta…” (Jack)
“Liberta… Did you just say Liberta?” (Nancy)
Nancy-san looked genuinely surprised.
If things were going well for Liberta, it should be an A-rank guild by now. Maybe they have become even more famous while I was trapped in the Gala Ruins for six months. If that’s the case, Nancy-san’s surprise wouldn’t be all that unexpected.
“…In any case, let’s focus on getting your body rested. Once you’ve recovered… no, until you’ve recovered, please remain at rest.” (Nancy)
However, Nancy-san didn’t bring up anything further about Liberta.
Something felt off. A small unease flickered in my mind.
—
Two more nights passed, and I was taken care of at the Conran Inn. After sleeping for one night, I still felt worse, but thanks to Nancy-san’s kind nursing, I was starting to improve the following day. Despite her usual duties, Nancy-san had also been looking after Kea. She was a very kind person. It seemed Kea also admired Nancy-san.
I was finally well enough to leave the room. In the early morning, I went downstairs. Nancy-san was busy preparing breakfast with the other inn staff. A large, sturdy man with a flat-top haircut was giving orders to the surrounding staff in the kitchen. He was probably Nancy-san’s father.
“Oh, are you feeling better?” (Nancy)
“Yes, thanks to you.” (Jack)
Even while busy, Nancy-san still managed to speak kindly to me.
“Otou-sama, Junior-san is awake.” (Nancy)
“Ah, boy, first time seeing you face-to-face? I’m Philip.” (Philip)
“Ah, nice to meet you. Thank you so much for everything these past few days.” (Jack)
“Don’t mention it. You seem to be doing better.” (Philip)
Philip-san was quite a rough-talking person compared to Nancy-san.
“Eat something to lift your spirits.” (Philip)
“Y-Yes.” (Jack)
Philip-san quickly made some bacon and eggs, put them on a plate, and served them to me along with a fork. The food I hadn’t had in a while was so flavorful, it revived my energy.
“It’s delicious!” (Jack)
“You’ve got a good appetite. Glad you like it!” (Philip)
“Thank you.” (Jack)
Philip-san smiled and nodded in satisfaction, looking pleased with himself. Meanwhile, Nancy-san laid out tablecloths for the guests and set up the condiments for breakfast. I thought about helping, but I figured I’d just get in the way if I moved around too much, so I sat quietly at the counter table in the corner, spacing out. Kea still hadn’t woken up, and I didn’t see her anywhere.
While I sat there, Philip-san called out to me.
“…By the way, boy. What exactly is your relationship with that Chevalier de Liberta?” (Philip)
He suddenly asked a more direct question, and his expression stiffened a little. This was the very thing I had been uneasy about for the past couple of days. I had planned to head to Liberta’s hideout today and meet everyone.
“…I’m a member of Liberta.” (Jack)
“I’ve heard there was a child in Liberta.” (Philip)
Philip-san scratched his chin thoughtfully.
“Is that you?” (Philip)
“Yes.” (Jack)
“I heard rumors that you died six months ago.” (Philip)
Explaining everything about what happened would be a bit complicated. Most people probably wouldn’t believe where I’d been or what I’d been doing for the past six months. Noticing that I had become serious, Philip-san seemed to understand and quickly added more words.
“Well, if you’re alive, then that’s a good thing… Anyway, someone from Liberta should be coming this morning.” (Philip)
“What?! To the Conran Inn?” (Jack)
“Yeah, but it’s someone from ‘former’ Liberta.” (Philip)
“Former…?” (Jack)
—
The sound of a bell ringing, followed by a crisp “clink, clank,” echoed through the shop. Someone had opened the door and entered. Perhaps they were familiar with the inn’s routine, as the breakfast preparation had just finished. The man who entered was a backline party member. In dungeons, he was the emergency escape specialist who expertly used the Transit Circle. He had slightly messy, parted hair and always wore a scholar-like vest. It was Dwayne.
He looked a little more haggard than usual, but he was the same Dwayne I had been with just recently.
“D-Dwayne!” (Jack)
“….Hmm? Who are you?” (Dwayne)
Dwayne’s reply was as nonchalant as ever.
“It’s me! Jack!” (Jack)
“Jack… Jack…” (Dwayne)
Something was off. Dwayne and I had many memories together.
“Right, your name is Jack, huh…? Hmm? The mark on your cheek, what was it again?” (Dwayne)
“Eh…?” (Jack)
What is this? Could it be that he doesn’t remember me? That can’t be…
“What are you saying? Are you kidding me? Where is everyone else?! What happened to Liberta?” (Jack)
“Liberta? Liberta… what was that again?” (Dwayne)
No way. What is this? Is this some kind of act to mess with me, like a senile old man?
I roughly grabbed at Dwayne’s clothes. Dwayne looked at me with vacant eyes. There was no sign of the old spark in them.
“Dwayne, stop messing around!” (Jack)
“—Stop it.” (Philip)
Philip-san stopped me.
“This guy’s been like this for the past half year. Around noon, a woman who claims to be a member of Liberta comes to take him back, but lately, she just leaves him be. Apparently, he’s interested in my daughter, so he visits here often.” (Philip)
Philip-san shrugged his shoulders, saying “what a pain”.
“Ah, Nancy-san!” (Dwayne)
When Dwayne saw Nancy-san, he exaggeratedly waved his hand and looked at her with sickly eyes. Nancy-san smiled awkwardly at him and waved back.
…No way.
To think Dwayne ended up like this.
“That’s a lie! That’s a lie!” (Jack)
“Hey! Kid—” (Philip)
I ran out of the shop. I had to confirm this. I had to go back to the hideout.
What happened to everyone? It’s only been half a year. In terms of how it felt to me, it was just under a week. How could things change so drastically in that time?
—
I kept running and finally reached the hideout, which sat on a small hill. The hideout itself hadn’t changed at all. Perhaps just the sense that it was no longer new. I had been running straight to the entrance, so I stopped for a moment to collect my breath.
“Hah… Hah…” (Jack)
Even if Dwayne turned out like that, surely… The others will be fine. They’ll surely welcome me back properly. It’ll be fine.
I took a deep breath and composed myself, then placed my hand on the door.
—Click.
It might be a little early, but at this time, Lindsey would usually already be preparing breakfast. I spent half a year with them. I knew everyone’s routine.
Lindsey would prepare breakfast, and I would come back from morning training with Tristan. Around the same time, Liz would wake up and sarcastically asked, “Good morning, Jack. Is it that men become late sleepers as they grow up?”. Then, Tristan would complain, “I wake up early as you can see,” and everyone would laugh.
The sleepy Alfred and Dwayne would be woken up by Lindsey, and once everyone was gathered, we’d have breakfast together. While eating, Alfred would complain about Dwayne’s late-night experiments being too noisy, and Tristan would calmly retort, “Your snoring is even louder”, and everyone would laugh again. Alfred would then start talking seriously about the next quest, and everyone would listen, taking each other’s opinions into account, and the day would start.
Those were the daily routines we had in this house.
My place to return to. My first home. I’m sure someone will be there to greet me when I come back. Welcome back Jack, that must have been hard.
“…I’m back.” (Jack)
But for some reason, the warmth that used to fill the hideout was gone. It was silent.
Is anyone even living here anymore?
It had changed completely. On my right arm, the holy scriptures were wrapped around. From it, the Goddess’ seal peeked out. The Demon Emblem. I had changed just as much as the house.
—The sound of the floor creaking.
Someone was walking down from the second floor.
It is someone from Liberta!
I looked up towards the stairs.
“Jack…!” (Lindsey)
There, a woman with chestnut hair stood. She was the one who had first invited me into this house. It was Lindsey.
“Lindsey!” (Jack)
“Jack…! Is that really you?!” (Lindsey)
I ran up the stairs and hugged her. Lindsey hugged me back.
Hmm… Something feels different about her physique… Also, she isn’t wearing her usual tight pants. She is wearing baggy clothes, and her stomach seems a little rounder. Has she gained weight? Well, that doesn’t matter. I am just happy to see Lindsey again. Unlike Dwayne, she called me “Jack” and hugged me.
“Lindsey… I’m back…” (Jack)
“Welcome back… Jack, you’re alive… I’m so glad…” (Lindsey)
Tears came to my eyes. Lindsay was crying too. As I thought, this person was someone who embraced me from start to finish.
“Jack… where have you been all this time?” (Lindsey)
Lindsey, crying as she spoke, was still so graceful, even with tears.
It’s a long story, but I’d tell her everything. I have to. I owe it to her. She is the woman who cried with joy at my return.
“What’s this mark?” (Lindsey)
Lindsey’s hand touched my right cheek.
“Lindsey, there’s so much I want to ask too. About Liberta.” (Jack)
When Lindsey heard my question, she froze. A very sad expression appeared on her face. Seeing that, I feared the worst.
“Let’s calm down and talk. I’ll tell you everything that happened in the last half year.” (Jack)
“Jack… you’ve become stronger, haven’t you?” (Lindsey)
“Really? Well, anyway, I’ll make breakfast now! Can I use the kitchen?” (Jack)
After all, everyone must be about to have breakfast. I had already eaten at the Conran Inn, but it seemed like they were just about to eat.
“Ah, Jack, I… I can’t eat much right now…” (Lindsey)
“Eh… Why?” (Jack)
“I’m pregnant.” (Lindsey)
“…Eh?” (Jack)
In shock, I dropped the frying pan that was hanging on the table, making a loud noise. That sound marked the moment the shock hit me.
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
Please consider supporting Bayabusco Translation @
bayabuscotranslation 