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Ojou-sama’s Attack
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I arrived at the labyrinth city of Azarigrad for the first time.
My first impression was of a slum. It is a town that, unless you have a reason to go, no noble like me would ever step into.
The world is so different that I think it would take courage just to enter, let alone without the protection of maids and butlers. But Jack is in this city. My hero is here.
With resolve, I entered that slum-like city.
Azarigrad itself was a labyrinthine city. My butler, Davi, led the way through the city. He was the head servant of the Stride Household, and although he looked every bit the butler with his neatly combed back hair and clean clothes, before becoming a servant, he was a warrior in the country’s military. His many military feats were astounding. Just having him walk ahead increased my sense of security.
—
The center of Azarigrad was the Adventurer Guild.
First, I decided to gather information there. I had already contacted an expert in the field. This was the information broker who had given me the tip about Jack’s sightings. We planned to meet at the Adventurer Guild and hear the details firsthand.
According to the information broker, it seems that they don’t know exactly when the person believed to be Jack arrived in this city. There are many adventurers in this city, and it is a crowded place with a mix of various races, so there are many warriors who look similar, and thus no one stands out. However, if you catch attention in a tournament, it’s a different story. The information broker began digging into his background and his abilities as an adventurer.
What is unique about Jack is his right arm and his speed in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. The strength of the right arm, said to have been granted by a goddess and nullifies magic, the speed-focused assassination sword trained by Tristan-san, and the sharp, bullet-like fists trained by Alfred-san. No matter who criticizes him, he is a warrior (soldier) specialized in close combat. However, the information broker seems most surprised by his personality.
The boy does not display any particular aggression. He is often seen playing with friends of his own age. Furthermore, he has been seen shopping alone at the market, buying failed magic tools and playing with them like an innocent child. And surprisingly, even though he is not a magician, he is often seen reading books during the day. Despite his high abilities as a warrior, he has many hobbies and is free-spirited.
At night, he visits the bar ‘Simnon Inn’ almost every evening, where he either seems depressed as if in despair, or grins in a creepy manner, showing emotional instability appropriate for his age. However, he is harmless in terms of personality. In the dungeon exploration wild party, he shows overwhelming power, but doesn’t break manners, focusing more on people than on the enemies while fighting.
It seems he has no bad reputation.
“How about it, Ojou-sama?” (Liona)
“…There are a few things that are different from the Jack I know, but there are also things that seem to fit.” (Irene)
The part where he is concerned more about people while fighting in the dungeon is especially…
When he came to help the children captured by the Paradise Cyan, he behaved in a way that didn’t hurt a single person.
Jack was a kind child. He never tried to hurt anyone. There was no malice in anything he did. I don’t know about his origins, but I felt that it was probably because he had been raised with love from a young age.
“If it’s now, he might be shopping at the market.” (Liona)
I don’t think we would be so lucky to find him on our first day here, but it’s worth a try. The market isn’t very far from the Adventurer Guild, so we could go check it out.
—
And then, by chance, I found him almost immediately. That coincidence felt like fate. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the adventurers on Market Street, I spotted him, feeling as though the red thread of fate was guiding me. It might sound foolish, but…
He has grown much taller than a few years ago. He still seems like he could grow more… A dark red, demon-like mark on his right cheek, resembling a black tattoo. His simple light armor has the same taste as the custom-made crocodile leather black sneaking suit that the Stride family had made before. And his handsome face with gentle eyes.
I couldn’t be mistaken.
It’s Jack! My hero is right there!
“I found you–!!” (Irene)
Without caring for appearances, I jumped at him. It felt like my long, long feelings were finally being rewarded. I had written letters many times. Letters that never even reached him, countless times. Each time, my feelings swelled on their own.
The person in front of me looked somewhat stunned. He slowly raised his upper body and gazed at me with those kind eyes.
“You’re Jack, right?! This face and this right arm, there’s no mistake!” (Irene)
I eagerly interrogated him, as if to say, “You won’t get away now”.
“Jack…?” (Jack/Lost)
But somehow, he didn’t seem to recognize the name.
—
(POV Switch – Jack/Lost)
I had fallen into an incomprehensible situation. I had recently realized how common and ordinary the name “Jack” was, a name that could belong to anyone. That would have been fine. But suddenly, this black-haired beauty, Irene Stride, appeared and insisted that she was my ex-girlfriend.
In the shade at the edge of the market, she and Shia Randall were glaring at each other with me sandwiched between them. There were also two men standing next to her, perhaps her attendants. Yustin, seeming to dislike this kind of exchange, quickly disappeared somewhere.
“Lost-san has been living in this city since he was 11. Does that mean he was your ‘lover’ before that?” (Shia)
Shia Randall continued her unwavering, expressionless demeanor, but I could feel a sense of intimidation from her words. She was protesting Irene Stride’s claim. She was extremely calm and analytical.
“So, who is this ‘Lost’ you’re talking about?” (Irene)
“He’s the one you’ve been clinging to all this time.” (Shia)
Irene clung to my arm and wouldn’t let go, like a young lady who had obtained her favorite stuffed animal. I couldn’t bring myself to push her off.
“Jack is Jack, no matter what.” (Irene)
“Lost-san has been ‘Lost’ for the past three years.” (Shia)
“…So, what exactly are you?” (Irene)
Each time their argument escalated, the strength with which Irene clung to my arm grew stronger.
This girl is stronger than she looks.
“I’ve been living in this city with Lost-san.” (Shia)
“Are you saying you’re his lover?!” (Irene)
“…That possibility isn’t completely out of the question.” (Shia)
“Huh? What does that even mean?” (Irene)
Arguments between women are scary.
The voices of the two women gradually rose in pitch. I felt a slight sense of fear towards Irene, whose voice was getting higher. She was a different type of person compared to people like me, Shia, or Yustin, who prefer to avoid conflicts. I could feel the obsession with their goals or intentions. I wondered if this is how people from noble bloodlines are.
“Don’t say such mature things when you’re just a kid!” (Irene)
“I’m the same age as Lost-san, you know. You might not think so because I’m an elf, but….” (Irene)
“I don’t care if you’re an elf or whatever, Jack is mine!” (Irene)
It was an exchange of logic and passion.
At this point, I feel bad for Shia. Although I do feel sorry for this girl named Irene, I don’t have any memory before I washed up on the shores of Lucur Beach. So, I’m not sure what kind of relationship we had before, but Irene’s logic is quite unreasonable. Shia, on the other hand, is trying to stay calm and speak rationally while holding back her emotions.
“Uhm, Irene-san…” (Lost)
“Huh?!” (Irene)
Irene raised her voice in surprise. She might have been shocked by my unexpectedly formal tone.
“Sorry, but I don’t remember anything. I don’t know how I lived before this city.” (Lost)
“Ugh…” (Irene)
“I appreciate your feelings, but… I need to think things over.” (Lost)
“…You don’t remember me either?” (Irene)
“…Yeah.” (Lost)
That was the moment Irene finally let go of my arm. The warmth of her body left me, and though I felt sorry for Shia, I also felt a little disappointed.
“Irene-ojousama.” (Liona)
At that moment, a female attendant, who had been standing by, spoke to the downcast Irene.
“It’s not good to deceive people who are confused.” (Liona)
“…Huh? Even you, Liona, are going to blame me?!” (Irene)
Liona, the attendant dressed in a maid outfit, also had black hair and was quite beautiful like Irene, though she had tied her hair up at the back, making her appearance less extravagant than Irene’s. She gave me a wink, as if saying, “Leave it to me”. Her tone was formal, but she seemed to be someone who could adapt and be flexible.
“That’s right. It seems like Lost-sama has some missing memories.” (Liona)
“If you’re calling yourself Lost-sama now, I’ll call you that, but… Lost-sama, don’t you want to regain your memories?” (Liona)
“Well, if I can get them back…” (Lost)
After confirming my response, Liona turned toward Irene.
“So, if you spend some time with the Ojou-sama, maybe his memories will come back. Ojou-sama, don’t give up so easily.” (Liona)
I have to agree. I didn’t want to treat Irene badly. If there were people who knew me before, I’d be happy to welcome them.
“Y-You’re right!” (Irene)
Irene seemed to regain some of her energy after accepting Liona’s suggestion.
“However, calling him your ex-lover is a bit much…” (Liona)
“…Shut up!” (Irene)
Irene’s face turned bright red as she retorted. It seemed that calling me her ex-lover was a lie.
After all, you can’t have a lover when you’re around 10 years old. It’s nice that she feels that strongly, though. Still, it looks like the greedy and reckless young lady character has made her debut. She doesn’t seem like a bad person, but it seems that another presence that will disrupt my peaceful life has just appeared.
“It’s fine! I’ve even kissed Jack before, so it’s not weird for me to call him my lover! I-I kissed him once on the cheek though!” (Irene)
“Huh?!” (Lost)
At that, Irene clung to my arm again, glaring at Shia.
Once on the cheek… those soft, delicate lips…? How many flags had I set up before my memory loss? However, if it was something like that, it was probably just an insignificant past event for Shia. It seemed like an irrelevant rival declaration that wasn’t worth worrying about.
But unusually for Shia, she opened her mouth as if to counter Irene.
“I’ve kissed him directly on the lips.” (Shia)
“Wha—?!” (Irene)
“Eh?!” (Lost)
I didn’t know about this story myself.
When did this happen?!
—
I had begged Anfan-san to allow us to go on an expedition to the Bailra Volcano, and now Irene’s group was accompanying us. In the end, with the addition of those three, we became a party of eight for the adventure. Even though it was only three days before our long journey, those three days after Irene appeared had been more fun than chaotic.
For most of those three days, Irene had stuck to me. First, when I woke up in the morning, Irene was watching me sleep in my room. I didn’t know how she got in, but recently the inn’s owner had taken a liking to her and was treating me mercilessly. My privacy had pretty much disappeared at this point.
Then, with her money, Irene treated me to a lavish meal at a high-end restaurant for breakfast.
“Here, eat!” (Irene)
“…Ah, thank you.” (Lost)
“Hehe.” (Irene)
She’s diligent, and a beautiful girl too. There’s nothing to complain about.
The food was also delicious.
Next was the morning training. While I was doing weight training and sword replica training, Irene watched me with a pleasant look on her face.
“I can’t concentrate…” (Lost)
“Sorry!” (Irene)
Even so, Irene sent me an intense gaze from the bushes in the distance.
Then, as we wandered around the market, she followed me. It was a bit persistent, but I didn’t mind. While I was carefully appraising a product, she spoke up.
“I’ll buy it for you!” (Irene)
“No, it’s fine. This place is a rip-off.” (Lost)
“I’ll pay as much as it costs!” (Irene)
“You shouldn’t buy from a scammer shop.” (Lost)
I appreciated her offer, but I only bought things at inflated prices when it was absolutely necessary.
If you buy overpriced items, the market value for that item will rise. Other adventurers will be inconvenienced by it. The merchants may be happy, but it’s not good for a few people to monopolize everything.
Then, we headed to the Adventurer Guild for the dungeon exploration. Irene said, “I want to go with you once”. It might be nice to leisurely fight in the shallow floors once in a while. I accepted a quest that seemed manageable and decided to team up with Irene.
“We make a good team, don’t you think?” (Irene)
“Well… it’s the first time we’ve teamed up, so I’m not sure.” (Lost)
Irene and I spent some time in the dungeon, and it turned out she could fight pretty well. She easily defeated goblins, goblinoids, and skeletons. Her swordsmanship was good, and her magic was surprisingly strong in terms of output.
“This swordsmanship, where did you learn it?” (Lost)
“Me? Ojii-chan taught me! You don’t remember him? His name is Martin Stride.” (Irene)
“Well… but I can tell your grandfather was quite a skilled swordsman just by watching you.” (Lost)
Her swordsmanship was flawless, with no wavering in her blade compared to the rough adventurers. It was as if she focused more on cutting the enemy than defeating them. Even when I looked at the enemies she had cut down, the cuts were clean and precise. Her magic was powerful as well. The magic crystals she created weren’t large, but I could tell she had the magical energy release skill.
What’s most mysterious, above all, is that weapon. It’s somewhat different from the broad swords, gladius, or great swords that circulate around here, which are straight and thick. It’s curved like a scimitar or saber, but sharper than those.
“What’s that sword?” (Lost)
“This is our family’s heirloom!” (Irene)
“Huh?!” (Lost)
“I’m joking. Ojii-chan found it in the mansion’s armory and sharpened it for me.” (Irene)
It was a weapon I wasn’t very familiar with. It’s long and slightly curved, but it was an intimidating sword. The handle and scabbard were also distinctive, with the grip part not just being ordinary leather but woven with braids.
Then, as we progressed with the dungeon exploration, what surprised me more than her swordsmanship was Irene’s martial arts, based on her light footwork. She didn’t seem to be particularly good at punching or kicking, but her movements in deflecting enemy attacks in close combat, and striking with the palm of her hand, showed quick and agile movements that definitely didn’t seem like something an amateur could do.
“How’s it, Jack?!” (Irene)
“Well, it’s just… normal strength, I’d say.” (Lost)
“Really?! Yay!” (Irene)
Her face was still very close.
This girl really doesn’t have much of a personal space. It’s not unpleasant, but it does make me shrink back a bit. If she keeps chasing me like this, I’ll need to prepare myself. It looks like it’ll be tougher than I expected to shake her off.
—
The sun had set, and we visited Simnon Inn. Irene had suggested going to a fancy restaurant, but this was one thing I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t miss Simnon Inn, which had become my second home.
Irene opened the swinging door with a flourish, looking around the restaurant with curiosity as she entered. The adventurers inside blinked in surprise at the sight of this unfamiliar young lady.
When I followed her in, I heard people whispering, “Did Speedster have a bad reputation with women?” and “Wait, maybe she’s been hired as a bodyguard by a noble”. They were saying whatever they liked.
Today, instead of sitting at the counter, we were seated at a table. I casually ordered some recommended dishes for Irene as well. I couldn’t help but remember the time Shia first brought me to this place. Back then, it was Shia who, already familiar with the place, ordered first for me.
“Hey, when are you going back to Soltaire?” (Irene)
“Soltaire?” (Lost)
“Ah… right, you don’t remember anything, do you?” (Irene)
Irene elegantly placed one hand on her mouth.
I wonder where I met this graceful and lively young lady. She’s from a noble family, so it seems unlikely we would have crossed paths under normal circumstances. Could it be related to my background in some way?
I decided to ask her about something that had been on my mind.
“Hey, do you know anything about my family?” (Lost)
“Your family?” (Irene)
“I want to know if I have any relatives…” (Lost)
The young lady in front of me widened her large, round eyes, looking confused. After that, she squinted and started to think deeply.
“If you don’t know, it’s okay, so you don’t have to think too hard about it!” (Lost)
“Sorry for acting like I was your girlfriend yesterday. What I know is about the people from Liberta!” (Irene)
“Liberta…?” (Lost)
I’d heard that name somewhere before. The adventurers around us started whispering as soon as they heard “Liberta,” glancing in our direction.
“Liberta… isn’t that the famous adventurer party from this city?” (Adventurer)
“Really?! Those doting parents?” (Adventurer)
Irene’s tone gave the impression that she was close with the members of Liberta. Her loud voice caused the surrounding adventurers to stir even more.
“You’re close with the people from Liberta?” (Lost)
“Close? Well… it’s because Jack was a member of that party!” (Irene)
“Eh?!” (Lost)
I was a member of the legendary party?!
“Why are you so surprised?!” (Irene)
Seeing me freeze in shock, Irene leaned forward on the table, getting closer to my face in a flustered manner. Her long black hair, hanging down, brushed over my hand resting on the table.
“The members of Liberta…” (Lost)
I see, this connects everything. Thanks to Irene, I feel like I’m getting closer to understanding the secret behind my strength and the image of the brave warrior and magician that occasionally floats in my mind.
Chevalier de Liberta.
The legendary party that was the first to conquer the dungeon in the Bailra Volcano. In my mind, I could clearly picture the volcanic sword, Volcanic Volga, blazing with flames. Why could I imagine it so clearly? It feels like I was finally taking a step closer to the secret behind it.
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