New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (1/2 chapters)
The Boundary Between Sacred and Barbaric
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I took a step back and walked behind the mother and child. The sight of a mother and child walking hand in hand was heartwarming to watch. It was a sacred place that no one should intrude upon, especially for someone like me, who had been raised as a barbarian. Just getting close would probably bring upon a punishment.
Right now, I was accompanying Lindsay and Rinalee as their bodyguards, heading to the commercial district, Barwitch. I was standing in for Alfred, who was busy. Alfred worked as the town’s “jack-of-all-trades” and was very busy. He had a daughter now and was basing himself in Solterre, a rural town, so he hadn’t been going on adventurer quests like before. Instead, he was using his prideful strength and bravery to help resolve the troubles of the townspeople. From dealing with monster attacks to searching for missing people, mediating neighbor disputes, repairing roofs, and so on. In short, he was like a town guard.
I think Fred has softened up, but I imagine he can’t risk doing anything dangerous now that he has a wife and two daughters. For me, Lindsay is a lifesaver, and Rinalee is the child of such a pair. Though I still have the label of being a pervert and can’t shake off the caution. Well, I just hope this family can live happily and without incident from now on.
When I was first picked up by Lindsay, I had the impression of her being a caring, kind woman. After becoming a mother, that impression had doubled and strengthened. It was like the saint had been ranked up to a holy mother. And Rinalee, walking hand-in-hand with her mother, was the perfect example of a “tomboy”. She hurriedly rushed ahead, as if urging her slow-walking mother to move faster. Her actions reminded me of a dog that loves walks, pulling its owner along with the leash.
She was the very embodiment of warmth.
As I casually watched that scene, the abnormality of my own situation became stark. From about this age, I was locked away in the library by my parents and abused by my siblings. Thinking about it like that, I realize I had a horrible upbringing.
And then, I was picked up by an adventurer, washed up in a slum of a labyrinth city, and grew up barbarically in such a harsh environment. Ideally, I would be a “paladin (chevalier),” but right now, the expression “barbarian” might be more accurate. There was no sense of etiquette or dignity to be had.
“Jack, why are you behind? Come on, catch up!” (Lindsay)
“…Ah, yeah, sure.” (Jack)
But Lindsay waved me forward without caring about that. I hurriedly ran to catch up.
Is it really okay? For a person like me, tainted by countless battles, to walk beside them…
In fact, if I were to walk side by side with them like this, it might make it look like I’m Rinalee’s father. That would mean… maybe it would look like I’m Lindsay’s husband… but no, that’s not possible. I still look too young. But standing shoulder to shoulder with Lindsay like this, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly nervous.
After seeing so many worlds, I realize this. After all, Lindsay is beautiful.
Her eyes are simple, yet round and youthful, and her face shape is delicate, with a small, well-balanced face. Her skin is pale and smooth. Her voluminous hair looks like it would feel nice to the touch. Her body shape is beyond reproach. Where it should be, it is; where it should be slim, it is. Especially her thighs. The firmness and glossiness of her thighs are incredibly seductive. It’s a miraculous figure that doesn’t look like a woman who has had a child.
This is bad, my adolescence is making me see Lindsay as a woman!
No, no, she’s my lifesaver. The relationship between me and Lindsay is not that kind of relationship. It’s not about the man-woman thing. Rather, it’s one of mutual trust, like family. It’s like siblings. But still, I envy Alfred.
“This feels kind of strange.” (Lindsay)
“…Eh?! What do you mean?” (Jack)
A strange feeling? Is Lindsay feeling strange too?!
“After all, it’s only been five years, and now I’m the one who’s being protected by you, Jack.” (Lindsay)
“………Ah, yeah~. Well, I’ve always… been… been… huh? No, never mind. Don’t worry about it. I’m feeling a bit strange too.” (Jack)
I ended up giving a nonsensical response amid my nervousness, confusion, and slight excitement. Upon hearing that, Lindsay widened her round eyes in surprise.
“Heh, that’s right. You’ve always been protecting me, haven’t you?” (Lindsay)
Seeing Lindsay smile like that made me feel relieved, but at the same time, I could feel my face getting hotter. It was embarrassing. It was because I had briefly thought of something indecent.
I need to calm down. Quickly, calm down. I need to remain calm.
At times like this, I should remember something scary. What was something scary recently? Scary, scary… oh right, it was when I was observing Rinalee’s panties and ran into that inorganic, mask-like face of Shia. That was terrifying.
“But Jack, you’re in a tough spot, huh? You’re popular.” (Lindsay)
“—Eh?!” (Jack)
“You’re being chased by all kinds of girls.” (Lindsay)
My face, which had started to cool from the unexpected remark, once again heated up. Lindsay covered her mouth and laughed. My flustered reaction seemed to amuse her.
“The other day, I was talking with Shia-chan, and I’m sure she definitely likes you, Jack.” (Lindsay)
“Eh?!” (Jack)
She just said that so straightforwardly!
“And what about Irene-chan? That girl is obviously head over heels for you.” (Lindsay)
“…” (Jack)
“I feel like there might be more if I dig deeper. It’s tough being a popular guy, huh.” (Lindsay)
“……Was that the case?” (Jack)
Well, among them, there are probably some who are just playing make-believe. I’m aware of the two girls she mentioned, but there shouldn’t be anyone else.
And if I, someone like me, am popular, then what about Yustin? He’s practically like the leader of a new religion. Thankfully, his personality has served as a sort of protector, keeping that very popularity at bay. But in that huge labyrinth city, with that kind of popularity… it wouldn’t be surprising if he could take every woman in the city home with him.
“Jack, you take on too much. If you keep acting like that, you’ll be rude to the girls.” (Lindsay)
Then, Lindsay flicked my forehead.
Gently, but still. This is probably advice from a sister. She’s telling me to behave properly before I lose their favor. I’ll make sure to remember that. I’ve often heard that “a woman’s heart is like the autumn sky”.
Seeing that, Rinalee, who was walking ahead, was laughing cheerfully. If this kind of exchange could make her laugh, then I’d gladly take as many flicks to the forehead as she wanted. Actually, to be honest, I’d love for Lindsay to flick my forehead even more.
No matter how much the people in town thank me, or even if a statue of me is erected as a hero, I am still too immature as a person. I’m a weakling who would freeze up and cry in the face of trauma. There’s still a high chance I’ll walk down the wrong path. At times like that, I wish I’d get more flicks to the forehead.
“But when someone in front of me is in trouble, I want to help them. It’s more like instinct than anything else.” (Jack)
“Well… if you can protect at least one person other than yourself, wouldn’t that make you a saint?” (Lindsay)
Lindsay sighed as if exasperated.
Looking back, I’ve failed to protect even myself. I’m just flailing around recklessly in the face of danger. Even if I had a sword that could protect everything, if that sword itself broke, the wielder would also be hurt. In other words, I’d cause trouble for others.
The events in the labyrinth city were a good example. In the end, if Shia hadn’t supported me, my recklessness wouldn’t have gone through. It was something I deserved to be pointed at and called selfish by others.
At the very least, I’ll protect myself. After that, if it’s not someone close to me, the harm would fall on my closest family. While protecting ten, one runs out of patience, while protecting nine, another one runs out of patience… If such a thing repeats, in the end, will I end up alone?
Before I realized it, Lindsay was silently watching me as I questioned myself.
“Mm…? What is it, Lindsay?” (Jack)
“Fufu, Jack’s good point is that kind of point, I think.” (Lindsay)
A good point is that kind of point? What exactly kind of point is she talking about? Even though they are positive words, I don’t really feel like I am being praised. Well, just having someone around at times like this who can correct my hesitation is something to be happy about.
“But, you see, if Jack still has some energy left…” (Lindsay)
“Mm?” (Jack)
“I would like you to protect this child too.” (Lindsay)
Lindsay said it with a serious expression, not a joking face.
If what she said earlier was advice as an older sister, then this must surely be a request as a mother. One cannot say for certain that there is no threat that neither she nor Alfred can protect her from. At such times, the power of a barbarian would be necessary.
“Of course. That’s the reason I’m following along ‘today’ after all.” (Jack)
“……Fufu, that’s right. Thank you.” (Lindsay)
A smiling Holy Mother-sama. Not just Rinalee. This smile, too, I want to protect.
Meanwhile, Rinalee, from the side, was resisting, saying, “I don’t want Pantsu-oniichan”.
It seemed that before I realized it, I had been promoted from perverted big brother to Pantsu-oniichan. If it were the original meaning, it would sound incredibly strong, but for those who knew the origin, there was no change in the fact that it meant pervert…
“Panzer-oniichan?” (Lindsay)
It was good that the background of it had not been conveyed to Lindsay.
—
Barwitch Magic School. It was a magic school with a vast site located in the outskirts of Barwitch.
Since there were no other magic schools nearby, many children from surrounding towns such as Soltaire, Dali Amor, small settlements, and villages, seemed to enroll in this school. Apparently, there was also a dormitory, but for towns as close as Soltaire, they also provided school carriages, and most students seemed to commute.Since Rinalee, who had been accepted, was not yet of an age to live in a dormitory, she would be commuting.
Come to think of it, I wonder if Alan and Peter also attended this school. If only I had had a little more power to fight at that time… No, that was an accident. I was just told that taking too much upon myself is poisonous. I should stop being caught up in self-blame.
There was no fixed age to enroll in this school, but typically, children started attending at around ages 7 to 10, and the normal period of enrollment was five years. Some students, as an exception, graduated quickly. Speaking of exceptions, Rinalee was one as well. This child was the first ever to enroll at age five. It was way too early.
And if such a five-year-old is commuting alone, it would be better to have parents dropping off and picking up. However, considering the distance between Soltaire and Barwitch, if the parents had to make two round trips for pick-up and drop-off, an entire day would be consumed, and if they stayed in town until school ended, they wouldn’t be able to focus on work or house chores.
That was where I came in. It was decided that I would become the noble daughter’s escort guard and handle Rinalee’s pick-up and drop-off. It seemed that Alfred and Lindsay originally wanted their child to attend a magic school. Probably because they themselves were graduates of a magic school and had fulfilling experiences and met good friends.
Their concern was Rinalee’s age.
A five-year-old couldn’t be put in a dormitory.
They couldn’t just neglect their house chores or work to drop her off and pick her up.
Apparently, my arrival seemed like it came at just the right timing to resolve their dilemma. The night I arrived, Alfred, in high spirits, treated everyone generously, and in the end, he brought up this matter. Saying, “I truly feel like this is a blessing from the goddess”, but considering he himself had completely forgotten about the goddess, it was quite ridiculous.
Well, since I also had my own business in Barwitch, this arrangement was convenient.
While waiting for an opportunity to reunite with my father, I would also look for work.
During the daytime, if there were adventurer quests I could take or even part-time jobs, I’d like to take them on and earn money. Unlike Azarigrad, which was a dungeon-centered city, just taking on quests might not be enough to make money.
And today was the day for the school admission procedure. Magic school, it seemed, started in the fall when summer had passed, and it had become chilly. On the first day, the mother, Lindsay, also participated in guidance and an admission recreation event. Since it was a large institution, such matters were properly handled.
Passing through the school gate, the three of us entered the school facilities.
The stone-paved passageway continued widely. At the end of it was the school’s main entrance. The main entrance had a large doorway positioned after ascending about five neatly stone-crafted steps. That seemed to be the main building, as it was particularly large. Beside that building, there was a leveled space resembling a training ground, and beyond that, there was another large indoor facility. At a glance, it was unclear what kind of facility it was. Anyway, it was vast. That was all.
As I was restlessly looking around that garden, a friendly calling voice reached my ears from the front.
“Oi, Lindsay.” (Dwayne)
“Ah, Dwayne.” (Lindsay)
Eh, Dwayne?!
I turned my eyes toward the direction of that voice. A man standing in front of the magic school’s main entrance. A handsome man with long, wavy hair tied back in a single knot. He was standing there, waving at us with a gentle expression. Wearing boots that seemed easy to move in, sleeves of a white shirt rolled up to the elbows, and a brown vest, his appearance gave the impression of an explorer rather than a magician.
“Dwayne, thanks for the other day. Please take care of my daughter from now on.” (Lindsay)
“I’m gladly entrusted. That said, since I’m in charge of the dark magic that upperclassmen study, I won’t be directly teaching her for a while, though.” (Dwayne)
The Dwayne I last remembered was completely different. Rather, he seemed like the same Dwayne as before my memory loss. No, even more than that, he seemed calmer. Is it really him? His hair had grown quite long.
“Mm? That child over there… oh, this mark on the cheek… hmm…” (Dwayne)
He stared at me intently. Mainly from my right cheek down to my neck. It was the same reaction as five years ago.
“Ah, it’s Jack. Do you not remember? The kid who was in Libelta until five years ago.” (Lindsay)
“…Ah, you? No, sorry, but I don’t remember you directly. I am gradually recalling things, but my memory is still missing from just before you appeared… It’s like there’s a hazy mist over it. But I’ve heard about you. It seems I caused quite some trouble back then… Once again, I am Dwayne Alberti. I look forward to working with you.” (Dwayne)
Dwayne spoke fluently and smoothly. His attitude towards me felt indifferent, but his eloquence remained unchanged. I wondered if he was still training. The right hand he extended, and the arm following it, seemed well-used and strong for a scholarly type of person. He must be asking for a handshake. I decided to shake it back and reintroduce myself.
“I have no name… but I’m Jack. Dwayne, I’m glad to see you doing well.” (Jack)
“No name? Hmm, seeing you in person makes you even more of a mysterious child… and this right hand.” (Dwayne)
My right hand, still being grasped, was pulled closer and observed up close. His eyes widened as much as possible, fixated on that crest.
“Dwayne, more importantly, hurry up and guide us. Once you start talking, you’ll go on forever.” (Lindsay)
“…Ah, you’re right. Sorry, this way.” (Dwayne)
It is an important part for me, but… well, I can talk to him about it later when there’s time. With Dwayne’s restored intellect, he might even figure out the whereabouts of Goddess Kea.
The three of us, Lindsay, Rinalee, and I, were led into the magic school.
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