76.Man in red

Editing/Standardisation: Medicine Melancholy
Original Translation: Medicine Melancholy

Iris

Yesterday, I finished saying goodbye to all the people who have helped me. Today is the day of my departure.

Captain Walter and the mercenary company had been working hard for a long time, so they would spend a few more days here to rest before returning to the capital. The same went for Milly-san, who was still recuperating after almost running out of magic in the previous battle.

Thus, they weren’t able to accompany me for the time being.

It seemed that most of the soldiers under Leonhardt-sama’s command, as well as the guards the guards who were dispatched to this town as reinforcements, had already left for the capital. Only the cavalry unit remained with him as escorts.

Due to these circumstances, the eastern gate, where we were supposed to meet up, was more deserted than I thought.

As I walked past, I smiled and waved back at the occasional person who bowed to me…

“Over here, everyone!”

“Titilia-san! You’re coming too?!”

Titilia-san enthusiastically waved her hand and called out to me.

I ran up to her, and when she held out her palms to me, I lightly clapped our hands together, and then, without letting go, I intertwined our fingers, holding her smooth and soft hand.

“Hehe, usually I’d ride on the same horse as Milord, but I’m happy to share a ride with you, Princess. I hope we can have a good chat today.”

“It’s my pleasure as well.”

We held hands and frolicked. Even though it is a long journey of seven days, it doesn’t seem like I’ll be bored if she’s with me.

“…Have you guys always been this close?”

“Of course. We’ve shared a lot of secrets together, haven’t we?”

“Yes, we’re definitely close friends now.”

At Reiji-san’s words, we both replied to him with a proud smile.

Over the past few days, we’d been strolling around town together, having tea together, doing all sorts of things together… so much that the stoic Leonhardt-sama even broke out in cold sweats… Yes, it’s no exaggeration to say that we’ve formed an unbreakable bond!

I’ve got to apologize to Leonhardt-sama later…

“So, Mr. Knight… if you keep being that dense, I’ll steal the Princess away, you know?”

“…Huh?”

Wait a minute?!

“U-Um, could you not say that so suddenly… I’m still not mentally ready…”

“Ah… Sorry about that, I won’t say it again… Please, don’t cry, alright?”

Titilia-san lightly embraced me and patted me on the back to calm me down.

I wasn’t about to cry, was I?

Saul

“…Hey, Saul. What was that just now?”

I could only facepalm as things completely went over his head.

“…Iris being dense is one thing, but this is on another level…”

“Now you’re being cryptic too.”

“Figure it out yourself… Why are both of you so insensitive when it comes to each other…*sigh*”

Iris asked me to keep it a secret, and I, too, thought it should be resolved between those two alone, so I kept quiet about it. Yet, I was half-seriously considering exposing everything and be done with it.

Yeah, I’m so done…

Iris

“I see everyone’s getting along so well.”

While chatting as we headed to the carriage that had been assigned to us, a gentle female voice suddenly spoke.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Aini-san… and Hayato-kun?”

The two of them were waiting for us outside the carriage, already dressed for the journey.

Beside them, there was another person, even smaller than Hayato-kun, wearing a cloak.

“Gantz-san?”

“I’m coming, too. Miss Aini and I, take care.”

Seeing him put on a noble-style bow with his hands on his chest, even though he had a small body, I couldn’t help but grab my skirt and lightly bend my knees.

“For various reasons, we will also be going to the capital together. Please continue to take care of us in the future, okay?”

“…What she said.”

Aini-san was gentle, while Hayato-kun was bashful as always. I’m glad that I didn’t have to part ways with them after leaving this town. But…

“Will the clinic be okay?”

“The townspeople were all sorry to see me go, but the Count had already recommended someone who wanted to open up shop there, so I left it to him. I’m sure it’s going to be alright in the end.”

I see… Her departure must have been terribly sad news for all the men in town.

Because Reiji-san and Nii-sama said they wanted get used to riding horses for long-distance travel, the rest of us boarded the carriage.

Just before I got on, I looked back behind me… Reiji-san was stroking his assigned horse like it was a precious partner.

It seemed that he had been practicing every time he had free time for the past few days. He must have really taken a liking to horse riding. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him.

“…Looks like everyone’s present. Good.”

When I sat down on the seat, Leonhardt-sama, mounted on his horse, rode by and looked at me.

“Ah, perfect timing, Milord!”

“Thank you for everything, Leonhardt-sama.”

“Don’t mention it. The journey to the capital will be about seven days. Please do not hesitate to ask me if you need anything.”

With that, he took the rein and rode away from view.

“Princess, you were sent to this side from Earth too, right? You’d be surprised to see the capital in this world.”

“It’s a little scary… but I’m looking forward to it.”

Our destination is Rolandia, the capital of Count Roland’s territory. It’ll be my first time in this world to see a thriving city with many people living in it.

???

If there’s one word to describe his appearance, it would be “red”.

Standing over 180 centimeters tall, he’s clad in a white shirt and black slacks. That would be ordinary enough, but on top of that, he is wearing a bright red coat that is padded with leather and metal in some places. On top of that, he’s lugging around a long, possibly even taller than his body, rod-shaped object.

His usual expression is frivolous like a playboy had a red tattoo on the cheek like a burning flame, but still, it’s a well-groomed face that felt dignified to some extent.

His face is framed by long, lush crimson hair that falls to just below his shoulders. Even more, it is covered by a red bandana with a flame-like pattern that hides the left half of his face.

…He might be handsome, but his air seemed like the kind of person you wouldn’t want to get involved with too actively-

“Hey, can you do that KABOOM thing again, big bro?”

“I said no! I’ve got other stuff to do, anyway!”

“Is that your real hair color? It’s so red!”

“Don’t pull, dammit!”

…if he wasn’t caught in the pranks of several mischievous kids, that is.

“Oh god… they’re gone, finally… Damn brats, what if I went bald?”

I shook off the boys who were pestering me for some reason and continued onward to my destination.

There, sitting on the edge of the fountain in the center of the town square, the ten-year-old girl looked downcast as usual.

“Been crying again, kiddo?”

“…Eh?”

I squatted down in front of her and thrust a medicinal herb with small yellow seeds in front of the girl’s eyes, who seemed to have had her eyes swollen from crying.

This girl’s mother needed this herb to treat her chronic illness. However, recently, monsters had settled in the area where the herb grows, making it impossible to collect it. As a result, the medicine had become very expensive and difficult to obtain.

“These are the miqramah seeds I found. Good enough?”

“…How did you find them, uncle? The grown-ups all said it’s impossible to get them because monsters had taken nest around here…”

“Don’t worry, kiddo, I’ve already sent all of the monsters flying. Tell everyone that it’s now safe to enter that area.”

“Really?!”

The girl broke into a smile and looked at me with admiration.

…Actually, I was overconfident and charged in without thinking, but there were so many monsters that I was almost the one to be sent flying instead, but she didn’t need to hear that.

It cost me more ammunition than expected… but given that I’m flat broke and about to freeze to death here, I’d have to put that matter aside.

It was my bad luck that I happened to pass by a girl who was at her wit’s end and crying her eyes out.

I helped her out as fast as I could, even if it delayed me a little. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth if I didn’t. Good thing she’s all smiles now.

“I’m so awesome, aren’t I? Also, I’m not ‘uncle’, call me ‘big bro’, okay?”

“Yes, uncle!”

“…”

So she’s settled on calling me ‘uncle’… I slumped my shoulders in disappointment.

It’s true that I was already thirty back on “the other side”… Nevermind, now’s not the time to get depressed over something like this.

“Anyway, you should take these home. Mum’s probably waiting for you.”

“I will! Thanks, uncle!”

“Yeah, take care of Mum, alright?”

After sending off the girl, who kept waving at me as she ran home, I picked up my luggage and turned back to the way I came.

“Man, doing good things feels good… Ah, dammit, I got sidetracked again, didn’t I?!”

After leaving the square, I came back to my senses.

“He”, who was sent to this side while still at level 1, was still out there somewhere while I was running errand for a little kid.

Out there somewhere, eh…

“This world sure is large…”

After a month of travel, I finally made it from the southern continent “Flamberge” to Nordglacier in the north… but I had no idea where “he” might be.

If I consider the location where “he” was on that day at that time, I think he should be somewhere in this country if nothing happened, but it’s still too big of a search area.

Without any information, I couldn’t do anything. For now, I guess I’ll just head west towards the temple where the reincarnation site was located…

After deciding on my course of action, I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.

I sat down on a fence by the side of the road and took out a mysterious meat jerky that I had bought in bulk because it was cheap. I took a bite, and the smoky aroma filled my mouth, along with the flavor of spices and red meat.

But this jerky, which was hard as a rock and so salty that it’s inedible unless I boil it in soup, the remaining amount was starting to get low. So unless I found a way to make money, the life of a hunter was becoming inevitable.

“If only I got more information…”

I was currently in a town located a bit west of the Central Business District of Nordglacier, the second largest city in the entire country.

Yet, in this peaceful afternoon, the only sounds that could be heard were the energetic voices of children playing.

While chewing on the hard meat in silence, I stared blankly at the sky as the sun began to set…

“What are you sitting here for, lad?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from behind me.

“You really saved me, gramp.”

Inside the rattling wagon, I gave thanks to my savior, the old man who seemed to be a peddler.

Apparently, he saw me give that little kid some herbs earlier, and since we’re both headed to the same place in the west, he offered to give me a ride as his bodyguard.

…Looks like my good deed paid off after all. Thanks to him, I didn’t have to walk for days on foot.

“Gramp? Well, whatever. Where are you planning to go?”

“I’m not sure… For the time being, I’m going to head west.”

“You mean Count Roland’s territory?”

“I guess so? Is there anything beyond that?”

“Nothing interesting. It would be better to cross the sea into the western continent if you really want to head west.”

The old man paused for a moment.

“Let me think about it… Half a month ago, when I went there to buy wood for some business, I saw a very beautiful girl who was way out of place in such a remote area.”

“Come again?”

“Then on my way back, I thought I saw a bright light coming from behind… from the village I just left. Suddenly, all my fatigue and back pain disappeared. I wonder what that was.”

“That’s it!”

The old man was startled and looked at me weirdly, but I didn’t have time for that. I stepped forward and shook his shoulders.

“Gramp! You’re heading to that Count Roland’s territory, aren’t you?!”

“Yeah, that’s the plan, why?”

“Please, take me there too! I’ll be okay even if you pay me just enough food to live!”

“That’s nice and all, but are you sure about this, lad?”

“Yes! I must get there no matter what!”

I kneeled and bowed my head until my forehead touched the floor.

“Well, I don’t know what your circumstances are, but if you say so. I’m going to pay you the standard bodyguard rate, so don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you!”

When I was sent to “this side”, I had no money whatsoever and had to live off selling my own stuff, so I’ll gratefully accept it.

“Though, may I ask about your baggage? Is it a spear or something?”

“You mean this?”

The old man pointed at my trusty partner, whose weight felt reassuringly heavy on my shoulder.

“It’s much more awesome than a spear, gramp… Well, you might faint in awe of its awesomeness, so it’s best if I don’t have to go all out.”

To be honest, this bad boy was way too overkill to use on people. I had no mercy for whoever attacked me, but I’d rather not use it if possible.

…Besides, it’s a waste of ammunition if I do.

“I see, so it’s a weapon of the southern continent.”

“How did you know?”

“You’re a Demon, aren’t you?”

“Guess I’m found out.”

I showed him the horn that I’d been hiding by burying it in my hair and bandana. The old man didn’t seem to mind, but…

“Is it something that I shouldn’t display in public?”

“It’s fine. There’s not much fighting between the Highborn and the Demon nowadays. However…”

“However?”

“Your kind’s reputation isn’t exactly the best these days. There was a foolish prince from the south who kept proposing to our country’s princess. Both of them disappeared at the same time several years ago, and people suspected that the bastard kidnapped our princess and ran away. So, yeah…”

What in the goddamn…

I knew where this is going. I couldn’t stop the cold sweats from breaking out.

In the game, every time we met in events, I would propose to “him” and he would immediately refuse as some kind of running gag. But why on earth did it happen for real here?!

“Ah… Ah……”

“You’re making a weird face. Come to think of it, you haven’t told me your name yet.”

“I’m… Scarlet Flamberge… but you can call me Scar.”

“Flam…berge?”

Well I’ll be damned.

I gulped hard. After what he said earlier, it’s scary, but I didn’t want to lie to him, not after he kindly gave me a ride in his wagon.

“Yep, I’m probably…the foolish prince from the south you talked about.”

I ended up having to beg even harder so he wouldn’t kick me out on the spot. I thought I was going to get killed…