New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (2/3 chapters)
Curse of Red Hair
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
(TLN: Alfred’s POV)
――A child born with red hair is cursed.
According to legend in the village where I grew up, if a child was born with flaming red hair, it was a sign of disaster. Such silly superstitions have long been believed in rural mountain villages.
When I was born, the village elder tried to kill me on the spot, but thanks to my parents’ intervention, I narrowly escaped death. After that, I was raised in hiding, deep in the mountains. I had no opportunity to learn about common sense, but the untamed wilderness made me strong. I wasn’t given a respectable name, but my parents, simply called me “Red” based on my appearance.
When I was six years old, the mountain was suddenly set on fire. The villagers had discovered that my parents were secretly raising me. The extent of the wildfires was simply catastrophic.
Somehow, I found a way out and fled the mountain, running straight back to my family home. But by the time I arrived, my parents’ house was ablaze. As punishment for disobeying the village rules, my parents were attacked in their sleep and burned to death.
In a frenzy, I charged into the burning house.
――Tou-san! Kaa-san!
I searched the unfamiliar house desperately, bursting into what I guessed was the bedroom. There I found my mother, her clothes scorched to tatters and her body covered in burns, lying on the floor.
――Red, you must live. Run away… quickly.
Those were the last words my mother said to me. Beside her, my father had already succumbed, and moments after speaking, my mother also took her final breath. I couldn’t move from that spot for a while. My parents, who were my only support, were killed because of some stupid village superstition.
I couldn’t forgive them… those villagers…
――Ah… ah… Ahhh…! AAAAAHHHHHH!!!
I screamed. I wished for the entire village to burn to the ground. The burning beams of the house strangely didn’t feel hot to me. The only thing filling my mind was the desire for revenge against the villagers.
By the time I came to my senses, the village had been wiped out by the fire. The dawn’s light illuminated only me and the scorched blackness around me. Smoldering smoke rose into the air, and it was coming from my body too. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, flames erupted from my body.
That was when I first learned that something called magic existed in this world.
—
They were helped by people from a neighboring village who noticed the forest fire. However, people from neighboring villages who witnessed the devastation firsthand also hated me, calling me ‘the curse of the red-haired child’. Everywhere I went, it was the same.
It was the principal of a magic academy in a nearby town who saved me from this persecution. When I was eight, the principal admitted me to the academy free of charge and even supported my daily life. Apparently, the incredible power I displayed, that was the ability to wipe out an entire village in a single night, was highly valuable in the world of magic.
When registering as a student, I introduced myself as ‘Alfred’. It was a fitting name for a fool like me.
I thought that maybe being with kids my own age would improve things a little. But to my classmates, I was just another target of disdain. Having grown up with no exposure to communal life, my wild behavior only worsened their perception of me. I quickly earned the reputation of a villain. Everyone labeled me ‘Reckless Alfred’, and looked down on me.
This red hair really stands out… The damn redhead.
I finally managed to rid myself of that complex when practical magic lessons began. To put it simply, my power scared the hell out of my classmates. Most of them couldn’t even muster more than a spark, whereas I could unleash flames of incredible intensity. After that, the bullying stopped, replaced instead by avoidance.
I didn’t care much about being mocked or bullied by my classmates, but… I hated how quickly their attitudes changed. They’d beat down anyone they perceived as weak, but the moment they sensed strength, they’d flip and run. Their cowardice and hypocrisy reminded me too much of the villagers who had killed my parents.
I didn’t go around picking fights just because I didn’t like them, but I learned that strength was the only thing that stopped people from messing with you. So, I kept training my body and focused on honing my fire magic.
Over time, those who feared me or tried to appease me appeared more frequently, but I had no interest in associating with them.
That’s not what I was looking for. Only the real thing that doesn’t bend at its core.
Among my peers at the academy, there were four who caught my eye. Tristan, Lizbeth, Lindsay, and Dwayne.
Tristan and Lisbeth were strong. Their inner strength far surpassed the shallow bravado of others. As for Lindsay and Dwayne, I initially thought they were soft, but they each had their own unyielding beliefs and principles. They had a core of “self” that was solid and unbroken.
I clumsily tried to reach out to them, only to be soundly defeated by each one of them. I felt frustrated. But it wasn’t just frustration. I was happy too.
These four didn’t change their attitudes based on whether someone was strong or weak. They each had an unshakable determination, something they refused to compromise. I knew these four were the real deal.
As graduation approached, I finally started thinking about my future. But more than my own plans, I kept wondering about those four.
What would real people like them do?
And then it hit me. I wanted to stay with them. If possible, I wanted to form an adventuring party with them.
In a world overflowing with foolish customs, trends, traditions, and cultures, there are adventurers who refuse to bend who they are. Warriors who revel in their freedom in such a world full of constraints.
–Chevalier de Liberta (Knights of Freedom).
I immediately brought the proposal to everyone.
—
I believed that “recklessness” was the very essence of what makes an adventurer. Time and time again, I dragged this promising group of four into dire straits with my relentless pursuit of being the strongest. Even so, they followed me, and somehow, we managed to overcome those situations, steadily rising through the ranks.
But “recklessness” was something only small-timers could get away with. As time passed and as the members grew, it was replaced with “composure”. To reach Rank A, a massive wall loomed before us. We needed to be more organized and more strategic in our actions. Killing enemies aimlessly wouldn’t get us to Rank A.
That was why I proposed increasing our members, but the one Lindsay scouted for us was a kid. And he wasn’t just a kid. He was a kid with a hopeless look on his face who gave up in despair over the world. I didn’t know what kind of circumstances he was in, but I had never seen a kid who seemed so without dreams or hopes.
Jack.
Even his name was ordinary, and he seemed like just a kid with half-baked determination. With no dreams or hopes, there was no way he could be an adventurer.
But Lindsay said, “Jack is the real deal”. Apparently, he was the lone survivor of the infamous Melana Cavern incident where two other children had died. He endured Tristan’s grueling training. And he even took down a Grizzly, a monster even I would hesitate to face one-on-one.
It was my first time seeing a kid with such extraordinary potential. He was accepted without question.
Personally, I wasn’t good at taking care of kids, but we could take our time. If we watched over him and let him grow at his own pace, I thought he could become the one to carry Liberta’s future on his shoulders.
–But it all fell apart because of one small mistake on my part.
The ideal I aspired to, the knights who loved freedom. The ideal we pursued as a group was too heavy a burden for a mere ten-year-old.
Ten years old…
At that age, I had just taken down my first bear and celebrated like it was the greatest thing ever.
It was an age when I didn’t think about the future and just tried to show off to the kids from the magic academy. And yet, we had pushed the responsibility of achieving Rank A onto a ten-year-old. That was the spark that ignited the collapse of everything.
“They’re coming, a whole herd!” (Alfred)
Unable to contain my excitement, I neglected to check for safety and fell right into the dungeon’s trap.
“Damn it! I’ll take care of them! Dwayne, use the rope to pull Jack up by force! Liz, cover us!” (Alfred)
“Got it!” (Dwayne/Liz)
We couldn’t afford to lose Jack. But the first one we lost was Dwayne. Dwayne, who was nerdy but excellent at operating as a tactician.
“Wait, I’ll get you back up now—” (Dwayne)
“Ahhhh!” (Jack)
“What was that?! Jack…?!” (Dwayne)
Behind me, I heard Jack’s scream and Dwayne’s voice filled with shock.
“Lightning Whip!” (Dwayne)
Dwayne immediately cast a spell. It seemed he planned to use an electric whip to grab Jack, who was falling into a deep hole, and pull him back up. But in the next moment, Dwayne let out a scream.
“Aaaaagh!” (Dwayne)
When I turned around, I saw red-black energy coursing through the Lightning Whip and attacking Dwayne.
“Dwayne!” (Alfred)
But Liz and I had to focus on dealing with the charging herd of Oshi-oni. We couldn’t help him immediately.
—
After killing off enough of the Oshi-oni, Lindsay arrived and saved us with a Fireball.
“Hah… hah… Is everyone okay?!” (Lindsay)
She looked like a goddess of salvation to me then. But the Goddess of the dungeon wouldn’t let us go so easily. With a loud rumbling sound, the dungeon began to collapse. Falling rocks came down as if to crush us completely. There was no way to go down into the pit to save Jack. Carrying the unconscious Dwayne on my shoulders, we escaped the dungeon with our lives barely intact.
“Hey, what happened to Jack?!” (Lindsay)
It was Lindsay ‘squestion that made me realize we had lost a companion.
As a leader, I couldn’t let myself cry. But I had no words to offer.
“What happened to Jack?!” (Lindsay)
“…He didn’t make it.” (Alfred)
“…What? What did you just say?!” (Lindsay)
Lindsay couldn’t believe it, as if her mind couldn’t process it.
“Jack… didn’t make it.” (Alfred)
Putting that reality into words felt like something important inside me had broken.
“No… no way…!” (Lindsay)
Lindsay fell to her knees, crying uncontrollably. She just sat there, staring blankly at the ruins of the collapsed Gala Ruins. When I looked around, Lizbeth was crying too. Dwayne was still unconscious, and I couldn’t tell if he was alive or dead. And somehow, I found myself crying too.
—
I thought Lindsay would never forgive me for this mistake. She was the one in Liberta who had cared the most about Jack.
On the way back to our base, no one said a word. Lindsay, who always brightened our group with her cheerful demeanor, was completely silent. Even Liz, with her usual sarcasm, couldn’t find words. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything either. Dwayne remained unconscious despite healing spells, so we carried him back in a cart. That was how we returned to our hideout overnight.
Normally, at a time like this, Jack would have awkwardly tried to cheer us up. In these six months, I had realized how much Jack had become an irreplaceable part of Liberta. Even with this despair weighing down on us, the tragedy wasn’t over.
The next one we lost was Tristan. Tristan who had waited for our return.
It goes without saying that “us” included Jack.
When I explained the situation, Tristan said.
“I’m going.” (Tristan)
That was all he said as he gripped his newly-forged longsword and started to leave.
“Where are you going?! Hey, Tristan!” (Alfred)
I had a feeling that Tristan would never come back, and I shouted at him in a panic.
“Where else? I’m going to Gala to find Jack.” (Tristan)
“You idiot! Jack is… dead!” (Alfred)
“And why… are you so certain of that?” (Tristan)
Tristan’s eyes were murderous.
His gaze at me, the leader who had returned after abandoning a comrade, was filled with what looked like resentment. Born in an assassin’s village, Tristan was so skilled that I felt he could assassinate even a Goddess if he truly meant to.
“You can only say that because you didn’t see it! Gala Dungeon doesn’t even have an entrance anymore! It’s completely collapsed!” (Alfred)
“If that’s the case―――” (Tristan)
The white shadow that approached was too fast to follow.
“…Ugh…” (Alfred)
“Then, force an entrance open. You used to be that kind of man, didn’t you? Reckless Alfred.” (Tristan)
Tristan’s godlike speed struck me with a blunt attack, and I fell to one knee in disgrace. And then Tristan vanished without a trace.
—
A few days later, Dwayne regained consciousness. However, the joy of his recovery was short-lived. It didn’t take long to notice something was wrong. His expression was slack as if he’d become a fool, and drool dripped from his mouth. He muttered incomprehensible words and occasionally thrashed about wildly in bed.
Dwayne seemed to have lost his sanity. He couldn’t carry on a proper conversation, and when his physical strength recovered, he wandered off from the hideout.
Liz, Lindsay, and I searched the town to subdue Dwayne, who was causing trouble wherever he went. While we were taking care of him, I realized that we had lost Dwayne too.
—
I was at my limit mentally. Just as we had grown to six members, we had lost three in quick succession. I withdrew into myself, unable to muster the will to do anything.
Liz was concern about me, and would speak sarcastically to me through the door, but I had no interest in listening.
“With three people, wouldn’t the reward shares be bigger? Not that Lindsay would like to hear that.” (Lizbeth)
“…” (Alfred)
At the time, I thought she was annoying, but later I realized it was her way of trying to be considerate.
—
Then, there was Lindsay. I thought she would never forgive me, yet she continued to bring me breakfast and dinner without fail. Seeing her do that brought tears to my eyes.
“Lindsay, don’t you hate me the most?” (Alfred)
“Alfie… that’s not true.” (Lindsay)
But Lindsay was forcing herself to smile.
“Because I think the one suffering the most right now is you, Alfie.” (Lindsay)
I couldn’t hold back anymore. This was the strength of Lindsay’s character. She didn’t take sides. She showed kindness to the one who was suffering the most. But if I let myself feel such kindness now.–…
On impulse, I embraced Lindsay.
“…Alfie?” (Lindsay)
“Sorry… I just need this right now…” (Alfred)
The warmth of Lindsay’s heart felt even stronger when I was close to her.
“…Okay, that’s fine…” (Lindsay)
As we grew closer, Lindsay and I eventually became more than just friends.
I had become dependent on her.
—
But that emotional indulgence only led me into a new predicament.
It was discovered that Lindsay was pregnant. A new life had begun, and I had gained not just a “companion” but a “family”. But when that happened, what would the people who had been my companions think? That anxiety became a reality.
“I can’t believe this.” (Lizbeth)
“Liz… about Lindsay, well, we’ve been…” (Alfred)
“How long?” (Lizbeth)
“About a month after we returned…” (Alfred)
“So, two months ago!” (Lizbeth)
Liz was far angrier than I had expected. I had foolishly held onto a faint hope that she might congratulate us. Excluding Dwayne, who had gone mad, there was one man and two women in the group. It didn’t take much thought to realize that Liz would feel excluded.
During the time I had been practically inactive, Liz had been supporting the party’s income by taking on quests alone. Seeing Lindsay and me growing close during that time understandably angered her. Without voicing her grievances or venting her frustrations, Liz quietly left the hideout.
Before I knew it, I had lost so much. I had gained a family. I had a home. But what was it that I had been striving for?
Bound by all kinds of restrictions, the Knights of Freedom were no longer.
But I was already 20 years old. I thought it might be okay to settle down. I couldn’t say I was satisfied, but maybe it was fate. I told myself that as long as the child in Lindsay’s belly was born safely into this world, that would be enough. As Lindsay’s belly grew, I could feel the life of our child growing stronger.
—
One day―――
“No way…” (Lindsay)
Lindsay was talking to someone.
A visitor was rare. Is it someone from town?
“And then, from that place? How did you…?” (Lindsay)
I wondered what they were talking about. Lindsay had only recently entered her stable period, and I didn’t want her overexerting herself. If the conversation could be passed on, I thought I might take over. As I descended the stairs slowly, I noticed a ‘strange child’ sitting on the sofa.
“Ah―…” (Jack)
“Who’s this?” (Alfred)
On the right side of the child’s face was a tattoo… or no, was it a crest? The child had an air of hostility, which made me all the more wary since my pregnant wife was sitting nearby.
“What are you doing here…” (Alfred)
Lindsay noticed me and rushed over.
“Alfie! It’s Jack! Jack has… come back!” (Lindsay)
Her words echoed in my mind.
Jack?
――Oh. That’s right. Jack, of Chevalier de Liberté.
“What?” (Alfred)
“Fr-Fred…” (Jack)
But Jack had died. Because Jack had died, I had ended up like this.
“Are you… really Jack?” (Alfred)
That didn’t make sense. Half a year had passed.
A dead child was alive? And now, out of the blue, here at our hideout?
As my doubts swirled, I noticed that the crest on the right side of his face was a demon’s crest.
“Hey… that’s a demon’s crest!” (Alfred)
“Huh?” (Lindsay)
“Lindsay, stand back.” (Alfred)
The demon had wormed its way into our home, masquerading as an old comrade. An intruder.
“Fred! It’s me! Jack!” (Jack)
But the voice, the face, even the eyes… it was all Jack.
Is it truly him? No, it couldn’t be. There was no way. Jack was dead. He died, and that death shaped everything that followed.
Dwayne had lost his mind. Tristan had vanished searching for Jack. Lindsay was pregnant.
And Lizbeth… she’d left the party entirely.
If Jack’s alive, then why am I like this!
“Who the hell are you? Stop pretending to be Jack!” (Alfred)
“Alfie, what’s gotten into you? It’s Jack… Sure, half his face looks a little different, but still—” (Lindsay)
Lindsay is too trusting. She shouldn’t accept this. First off, that isn’t Jack. Look at that crest, that twisted around his right arm.
“Jack is dead…” (Alfred)
“I survived! I came back!” (Jack)
That confidence in his voice was unbearable.
If you were alive all this time, why didn’t you come back sooner? Things could’ve been different.
“You’re not him…” (Alfred)
“I am–…” (Jack)
I couldn’t take it anymore.
Before he could say another word, I lashed out with all my might. My fist collided with the intruder, sending him through the wall and flying into the yard beyond. But he was still alive.
See? He isn’t Jack. If he were Jack, that blow would have killed him. No, this isn’t Jack. This thing had to be dealt with.Jack was a precious comrade. Anyone daring to impersonate him so shamelessly deserved no mercy.
I grabbed my sword from its place in the living room, Volcanic Volga, the trophy of our conquest of the Baila Dungeon, the ultimate proof of the leader of Chevalier de Liberta.
“Alfie…!” (Lindsay)
“Lindsay, stay back.” (Alfred)
I would bury him. No hesitation.
I followed the intruder outside. My sword flared with fire magic, revealing its true power.
“Eat this!!” (Alfred)
“Argh!” (Jack)
A fatal blow, but still the demon did not fall. It seemed a lot tougher than it looks.
But who cares? It’s been a while since I’ve fought seriously. After the warm-up, I’ll kill you for sure.
I slowly approached the target that had been blown into the forest. The damage must be great as well. However, a murderous aura emanated from the forest. It was the same chill I felt when Tristan left.
Suddenly, sharp green projectiles hurtled toward me. I cut it down with the Volga just in time. Upon closer inspection, it looks like a leaf.
I don’t know what kind of magic it is, but is that how you intended to deter me?
I cut through them easily with Volcanic Volga. But then, the flames wrapped around my sword were extinguished easily. That was the first time my flames had been negated. My inferno, which even Liz’s Frozen Arrow could defeat, was snuffed out with just a few leaves.
“What the hell?!” (Alfred)
“Now!” (Jack)
Jack’s voice again
No, it’s just a voice imitating Jack! I won’t let you fool me!
He came charging at me with incredible speed, wooden sword in one hand.
Fool. It’s presumptuous to even think that such a piece of rubbish can be a match for my beloved sword!
Flames surged around my blade once more. But once again the flames, the proof of my fighting spirit, crumbled away.
Why? This voice, this step, this sword stroke. Really, really, could it be…?
However, the outstanding movements I witnessed made it seem as if Jack had returned from decades of training.
I’ll put an end to my doubts now. These past six months I’ve suffered. Jack has driven me crazy. The demon before me, showing such an illusion, is nothing but evil itself.
—Kill him!
The other side waited for my timing and stepped in, but that appearance… the numerous slashes he unleashed..
It was the exact technique of the white warrior who had once been my comrade. The secret sword technique “Sonic Eye”, which can perform 10 sword strokes in just one second, was a secret ritual passed down among the assassin community. This demon struck 11 times in a row within a few seconds. Though his technique was inferior, his speed approaching the speed of sound and his successive sword strikes were Tristan’s speciality.
Why is it this guy…?
The answer to that question was right in front of me.
“Ugh…” (Alfred)
It had been a while since he’d last engaged in such a fast-paced battle, and he was nearly slashed by it. Although he managed to deal with it somehow, in the end, Volcanic Volga was knocked high above his head.
“―――Hah!!” (Alfred)
But fighting isn’t just about swords! If it’s a fistfight…!
However, even this opportunity, he immediately countered.
That stance. That fist. I taught him this… That’s right, I taught him. Taught him this…
I let my guard down and got punched in the stomach.
“Ugh…!” (Alfred)
I reflexively arched backward. Somehow keeping consciousness, I caught the falling Volga and used it as a walking to support myself.
That was a damn good punch.
“Hah… hah… huh… haha…” (Alfred)
But there’s no way I’m losing. I’m the leader, aren’t I?
“It’s not… over yet…!” (Alfred)
Losing to a subordinate would tarnish the name of Reckless Alfred.
“You think… you can beat me…?! You’re ten years too early for that!” (Alfred)
The Volcanic Volga, the symbol of the Knights of Freedom, roared.
“Uuuuuooohhhhhh!!!” (Alfred)
“I won’t lose either! Aaaaaahhhhhh!!” (Jack)
This would be the final blow. I didn’t care anymore if I won or not. I just loved fighting for its own sake. I needed to thank you for reminding me of that.
Chevalier de Liberta, the Knight of Freedom. Every man surely dreams of living for battle. That’s what true freedom is.
Kicking off the earth for momentum, I leapt forward with a decisive slash.
I couldn’t withstand that blow. The sword was swung out and deflected, causing me to fall on my back in an undignified manner. However, that guy lying face down nearby also seemed to have reached his limit.
“Hah… hah… hah…” (Alfred)
Out of breath, I couldn’t form my words properly.
But I have to say it. I’m… the leader, after all.
“Jack.” (Alfred)
The morning wind blew fiercely as a gallery of onlookers from the waking town seemed to gather around us.
So, it’s still morning, huh?
“Coming home in the morning, huh? Acting all grown up, aren’t you?” (Alfred)
“…I’m… home.” (Jack)
Jack squeezed out the words. For several minutes after that, we just lay there, staring up at the morning sky.
The wind carried the presence of tears running down my cheek.
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
Please consider supporting Bayabusco Translation @
bayabuscotranslation 