Chapter 37: The Daily Life of a Ten Year Old - The Day of Departure
The morning arrived as usual.
When I opened the window, snowdrops were shining in the morning sun.
It is another fine day.
Thanks to the fine weather, the town is beginning to come alive again. The town's residents heading off to work, adventurers rushing to the general store, street vendors cheerfully calling out to passersby, and wagons lined up in a row.
As I gaze at this familiar scene, I notice that my breath is white.
There is still a lot of lingering snow, and the nights are as cold as midwinter. The early morning is super cold due to the lingering night air.
"Meredith's going to give me another stinker."
I muttered and closed the window.
I dressed and headed to the dining hall, where my father Urban and my brother Lakius were already seated. I greeted them both and waited for the other to arrive.
My mother Henriette, who arrived late, had swollen eyes.
After a quiet breakfast and some idle conversation, I return to my room.
The room where I lived for ten years.
This room is where I woke up, and this is where I returned.
On days when I was exhausted from training, on days when I returned home from long expeditions, or when I was holed up in my room mixing, the place I would return to was the house with my family, to this room.
This is the center of this life, my second life.
I look at the stilettos hanging on the wall.
It is the sword that Roland bought at the armory on the summer solstice when he was five years old.
It was the first weapon I ever held in my hands and an indispensable partner in my training. Now the stiletto of the rhinoceros is slung around his waist. I would have him wait for me until I returned.
I could hear the sound of a carriage and the neighing of horses coming from the main gate.
It seems that the other side is ready.
I put on my new leather armor and put a blue and indigo cloak over it. I carry my backpack by hand, not on my back, as I will be loading it soon. The bulkiest preserves were the bare minimum required, and even with one hand, they were light.
"Well, let's go."
I walked into the living room to find my father and his family all waiting for me.
Prompted, I sat down facing them.
My father smiled at my outfit.
"You don't look like the son of a nobleman, do you?"
"It's a long journey."
The new leather armor was made from the Rhino's shredded leather armor and the usable parts were used as reinforcements. There was very little stock of children's armor, so the craftsmen had to work very hard.
Although the armor was considerably less defensive than the Kousai leather armor, for some reason Ragnidig went all out and decorated it, down to the studs and clasps. As a result, the result is a completely unintelligible piece that is both rugged and delicate.
"Ten years old, huh? Normally I would think it's too soon, but in your case, it seems long."
I tilted my head at the strange words.
For some reason, my father and brother chuckle.
"You were too precocious. A few months after you were born, you didn't cry as if you had been born. He just looks around. It was the same when we went to Braslad. In almost two months of travel, you never once complained; on the contrary, you listened intently to our conversations. I suspected you could understand the language."
Oh man, he's right.
As I faked a smile and said, "No baby like that," my brother continued.
"I'll be honest with you, Alter. You creeped me out when I was a kid."
"You're joking again. You're such a cute little brother?"
"I'm afraid it's true. Think about it, a three year old kid talking to a ten year old boy as an equal. And to top it off, he even points out the mistakes in the classroom lecture. And he's careful about what he says. I seriously wondered if my brother was a demon."
I had been exposed to a lot of things.
It is difficult for a 10 year old with a mental age of 20 to do belly tricks. It still is.
"I soon realized that even if he wasn't a demon, he had a talent that was incomparable to mine. It would be disgraceful to lose to a brother seven years younger than me, wouldn't it? Thanks to you, I've improved a lot. But I still couldn't be you. So I decided to go my own way."
"I'll just give it back to you. I don't have the talent to be a politician. With you here, I can leave this town in peace."
"I'm glad you say that, but I have a lot to learn. I still have a lot to learn."
My brother scoffed at himself, but I meant what I said.
I now work as my father's assistant in administration and am entrusted with minor matters.
"I think you'll get something different out there than here. I'm not going to lose either. So you go and learn a lot too. And together, we will make the Reedwald family prosperous."
"Of course."
I shook hands with my brother.
It was the first time I had ever done something like this.
Somewhat embarrassed, I let go of his hand and look away, and my eyes meet my mother's.
As the day of my departure approached, my mother grew grumpy. My departure to Selene was more than a family matter; my father, a lord, had discretionary authority. Once my father had made the decision and I had agreed to it, there was nothing my mother could do to overturn it.
My mother stood up quickly and hugged me.
Her usual, gentle scent tickled my nostrils.
"You mustn't push yourself too hard."
"Yes."
"I saw your training and realized that even I have a talent with the sword. But a person's strength is weak. Take care of yourself before anyone else. And you will surely come back. In three years."
I listened to him mysteriously until the middle of the speech, but I laughed at the end.
Despite her words, my mother did not want me to leave, and my father, while admonishing her, pulled her away from the house halfway forcefully.
When I walked out into the entrance hall with my family, the servants were lined up.
Graham, the family orderly, was one step in front of me, and Meredith stood next to him. Usually, Meredith's position is in the back row. This must be a special occasion.
"Good day, Alter-dono."
The servants bow their heads in unison in response to Graham's words.
"I'll be back in a few years. I will be back in a few years, and you will all be in good health.
"Thank you for your kind words."
Graham responded on behalf of the others.
I look at Meredith next to me.
When I woke up as an Alter, I first saw her at the age of twelve. Ten years have passed since then. She is no longer a little girl but has already grown into an adult woman. She is probably the one who makes me feel the years the most.
"Meredith, take care of the room.
"Leave it to me."
Meredith bowed in the manner of a maid in the service of a noble family.
But then again, she is twenty-two years old. She is already of marriageable age. If she finds a good partner, she may leave the mansion. It's a long-life retirement.
"If–"
I was about to say that, but then I held my tongue.
It was a close call. In any world, this is a taboo that must not be touched.
"What if it's ......?"
Meredith stared at me.
Damn, she's got a hunch. I guess we haven't known each other that long.
I feel as if I have seen him somewhere before. He seems to be an adventurer, but would I hire him just to load my luggage onto a wagon? No, I never hired anyone other than "Battle Axe of Destruction" to begin with.
As I wonder, the answer hangs out where he returned.
An imperial woman, a Toal, and a wildebeest.
No, no, no, why are these guys here?
I couldn't find the unique man, and as I was looking for him everywhere, a small presence moved on the governor's stand.
I peeked in and saw a halfling relaxing with a look of his own.
"What are you doing? Pidosios."
"Hey, Alter."
"You're a C-rated guy, aren't you? Answer the question, not the other way around."
"Don't stare at me like that. No, our destination is the Principality of Semghat. I was wondering how to get there since a horse-drawn carriage would be too much trouble. Then I heard that Markant said he was going to Selene. I thought, "Oh, this must be what the Yolgur Gods want me to do."
"No, no, no, no. Don't use God as a convenience. I'm sorry, but we can't afford to hire more C ranks."
"We don't need them. We just happen to be going in the same direction. To tell you the truth, we're not very good at fighting. We'll be safe with Markant, and with you, we can handle the dragons, too, right?"
"No, we won't."
I shook my head in disgust.
"Do whatever you want....... I'm sure you'll at least do your part."
"Oh, leave it to me. Leave the scouting to me."
I left Pidosios, who was beaming, "Now I don't have to walk," and headed back to the others.
Already packed, Roland and "Battle Axe of Destruction" were waiting for my order.
Once again, I look around at everyone.
Behind the fathers, the knights were lined up with Conrad at the head, and Graham and Meredith were standing off to the side. Some had come to see them off by the carriage.
These were people who had spent ten years together and met each other.
I would be leaving them for the next few years and heading off into the unknown.
When I heard about studying abroad, I know I'll attend a boarding school. However, it was a different story from my previous life, where transportation networks were well-developed. Even within the empire, one week away from home in a foreign country. I couldn't easily return home, and letters were the least I could do to keep in touch.
I shook off the feeling of being overwhelmed and faced my father and his family.
"Alter Les Reedwald, I will now go to Selene."
"Yes. Learn everything you can."
"If anything happens, come back immediately, okay?"
"I hear that the security is in disarray these days. Be careful on the way.
I responded to the words of all three of them."
Then, looking up at Meredith, I bowed my head and she said, "Have a good trip."
She has a clear face, but her eyes are moist. I smiled at her, and she turned her face away from me in a sullen manner. I wondered if this was the behavior of an adult over 20 years old. I knew marriage was a long way off.
I bowed to my family and jumped into the carriage.
"Let's go!"
With that as a signal, the carriage started moving slowly.
We passed through the gate, entered the main street, and everyone saw us off until we were out of sight in the crowd.
When they were out of sight, I looked ahead.
The townscape flowed like a picture scroll in the space cut out by the canopy.
I just gazed at the familiar scene.
During the Midsummer Festival, I walked through the town of my own volition for the first time.
Everything was fresh and new.
It feels like a long time ago, but it was only five years ago.
It must have been such a fulfilling five years.
Passing the center of town, I approached the Adventurers' Guild.
As I casually peeked out from the dais, the door unexpectedly opened to reveal Guild Leader Herrit.
He looked straight at me and bowed quietly.
He had been waiting for me to pass by.
He has helped me in many ways, and I guess he feels the same way. Something like the Tremble Cube two years ago and the Hunter Fitch just the other day. Both were monsters that would have wreaked havoc if left unattended.
When I returned the eye salute, Herrit Guild Leader Herrit bowed again and returned to the guild.
Gradually, the main gate approached.
Next to the open gate, the gatekeepers lined up, and one of them walked up to me.
Leading the carriage was Krell, the chief of the ten.
I think I was already a gatekeeper when I was eight years old on the expedition. I should have heard his name earlier.
With Krell in the lead, Roland on horseback, and nearly ten adventurers surrounding them, the carriage was moving forward.
At that moment, a voice suddenly rose from the crowd.
"Go ahead!"
Surprised, I turned my eyes to see a group of what looked like bandits.
Hunters. They came to see us off, too–why is Nerio here, too?
Did that guy come running?
He was waving his hand with a slightly tearful look on his face, without the nervousness he had shown earlier.
When I was about to lean forward to respond, an old man jumped in. He had a big bag on his shoulder and his gray hair was completely disheveled. When he saw the carriage, a look of relief crossed his face.
It was Pavel. He had rushed there in between house calls.
What a flurry of farewells at the end.
"I'm off!"
I leaned forward and answered them.
The carriage passed through the main gate to cheers that were uncharacteristic of the son of a nobleman, and uncharacteristic of me.
I look behind me and see Reedwald moving away.
It will be three or five years before I see this town again.
I break off my gaze and turn to look ahead.
The streets, wet with melting snow, seemed to gleam in the sunlight.
I hadn't traveled by carriage since I was a baby.
I ruminated on the time when I first woke up in this world.
At that moment, the color blue suddenly caught my eye.
Blooming by the side of the road were flowers heralding spring.
I thought I smelled something sweet.
Beginning and ending with the Milleim Flowers, huh?
No – it begins again.
As if to break off a fond farewell, I thought about the future that will come.
