Chapter 10 – Border village Part 2 (1/2)
After dinner, we went into Will’s room to discuss how to distribute the Skill Points from today’s Level ups.
There were countless Skills that would’ve been nice to have, but for the time being I raised his Archery to Level 3, since that one will be important in the short run.
However, the problem came after that. How to push Francesca’s supervision onto him?
“That reminds me, I’ve seen you having a training match with Fran just now.”
“Yes. As expected, she’s pretty strong.”
“So, about Fran…. She seems to be set on fighting on the front lines. Don’t you think that’s a bit reckless of her?”
For the time being she still listens to our instructions and is acting logical, but who knows what could happen in the future.
“She’s very strong though, so I don’t think it will be much of a problem.”
“I guess that’s true, but we are supposed to be her escorts. It would be bad if something were to happen to her. So, Will. I would like you to keep an eye on her during our journey.”
He underwent the training course and was an active adventurer with a party for a few months as well. He should be able to look after one person at least.
“Me, really?”
“In turn, I intend to instruct her to assist you in battle.”
That’s an idea that will be for Will’s benefit as well. As for letting Fran face monsters like that, she appeared quite calm when she faced them before, so I think it’s Will that deserves my worry instead.
If I assign Will and Syrah-chan together like today, then both of them would have their hands too full with themselves to properly cooperate.
Also, he’s somewhat suited for being a tank as well, since he’s a bit afraid of being a vanguard. Well, it’s also because there were too many orcs today for our first battle on this trip.
“So, since we can’t place Fran too close to the front, we’ll appoint Syrah as the main defender and pull you back a bit. In exchange, I plan on using a golem to support Syrah.”
A golem and Syrah-chan as the vanguard, Will and Fran as the middle guard. Sati will keep an eye on Syrah-chan as well.
“Having Sati do it would be optimal, but she seems to dislike Fran for some reason.”
It seems Sati hasn’t forgiven Francesca yet.
If I was the one that asked her to look after Francesca, then she would most likely do it, but there is no need to put that stress on her needlessly. It would be bad if they got into a fight somehow.
That leaves only Ann who’s a caring type, but she’ll be quite busy during the trip. The rest are not much different from Will in the end.
I had some second thoughts about assigning a man to her, but since he’s wearing full plate at nearly all times there will be no opportunity to do anything naughty even if they want to. Also, I think we will frequently have an opportunity to stay in villages on the way like today. With someone in a full place right next to her, perspective paramours will know to stay away.
“But Aniki, aren’t you aiming for Fran-san?”
Who does this guy think I am!? I mean, really!
“Listen here, Will. I like girls a whole lot, but I’m not indiscriminate. Also, any more than this and body won’t last.”
“Yeah, but didn’t you go out of your way to buy Syrah?”
I don’t deny that I chose her because she was in my strike zone and I even bought three of them in the end.
“I only bought Syrah and the others to test the requirements for the Blessing.”
So I explained about the circumstances of Sati’s Blessing. The question was whether fulfilling the requirement for the Blessing had anything to do with her servitude. We concluded that there was no relation in the end.
If there was an easy way of increasing the number of people with the Blessing by buying slaves, then there wouldn’t have been a need to give him the Blessing either to begin with.
“But we’ve digressed. I was only talking about keeping an eye on Fran so that she wouldn’t cause trouble, that’s all.”
It has nothing to do with romantic matters.
“Oh and sword training as well. Let her vent if she needs it.”
“But, wouldn’t it be bad to use too much stamina on that?”
“It doesn’t matter even if you’re dead tired after it. I don’t think you would be able to properly match her without that, right?”
He will be able to rest while flying and Syrah-chan will be in the front during battle anyway. We have an overabundance of fighting strength with us, so it won’t be a problem even if Will is completely exhausted in case we run into a fight.
“If it gets too difficult, then just fall back to my location.”
If we can use that excuse to make them fall back, then Fran would be all the much safer.
“Well, doing both training and fighting might be difficult for now, but with your Level going up, participating in battle should get easier and easier. The Blessing is quite powerful after all.”
I only need to worry until he hits a certain level. It’s best not to get used to real battle too fast either. If I ask too much of him, then it might cause him to withdraw like I did, so it’s best to take a step back and see how things turn out first. If that’s a no go, then….I will have him either move on to being an archer, or a mage with middling capabilities, I guess. Or perhaps make him get some stealth Skills and have him act as a scout.
“Honestly though, do you feel that being a defender is too much to handle?”
The number of orcs today was a bit too much. If a horde of burly orcs were coming to kill you, shouting war cries all the while, it’s natural to be scared as hell. I would be, that’s for sure. Well, by now I understand that they are just small fries, so it’s not the same degree as before.
“Ah, well…..”
Will immediately averted his gaze. The reason why he was the first to volunteer for staying back today was probably not just because he thought he wouldn’t be of much use against the harpies.
“I understand. You don’t need to say it. You get scared when a group of orcs are coming straight at you, right? That’s an entirely normal reaction.”
Though Syrah-chan seemed perfectly calm. Sati as well. Maybe all beastkin just have nerves of steel?
“I was afraid of orcs as well at first. The first time I fought against them was before I had Sati with me. I encountered four of them, which I defeated with the help of magic and my sword, but….”
This was a good opportunity. Let’s share some of my uncool side with him as well. I have an inkling that he might be misunderstanding something too.
“That was the time I thought I could never do this again and gave up on being a swordsman.”
“Huh!?”
Yeah, that’s the reaction. It certainly sounds strange. Why did I even participate in the Swordsman Tournament?
“Did you know that some people call me Wild Rabbit?”
“I’ve heard it a few times. It means you are good at hunting wild rabbits, right?”
It seems rumors that make fun of me aren’t being repeated too much anymore. Or maybe people knew that he’s my acquaintance and were afraid of word getting back to me if they fill his head with strange stories. Like how the story about me kicking the ass of Tilika’s fiance got more and more embellished in the retelling.
“No it doesn’t. I lost to a wild rabbit and had to be saved by a passerby. That was after I already had my Blessing you know?”
It’s nothing more than a funny story by now, but I could’ve just died there for real.
“I’m someone who can’t do anything without the help of this Blessing. I couldn’t do any magic of course, but not only that, I haven’t even held a sword in my life before that either. My family were decently well-off, so I did nothing but mooch off my parents.”
I didn’t even hold back and told him about how even after getting my Blessing I got scared from fighting orcs, almost got killed by harpies, then secluded myself in my house out of fright for a while.
“I’m just a pathetic guy like that. So don’t worry just because you got a bit scared. Confidence will come with battle experience and time.”
Well then. This must’ve decreased his Loyalty quite a….bit? Or not. Why did it go up instead???
“You had a hard time as well, Aniki.”
“Ah, yeah, I guess. Uhm, right. After that, there was the defense of Gorbas Fortress――”
That was pretty intense too, but got quite a bit of xp because of it, so things got much easier after that.
“If you reach about Level 20, then together with the Skill you get from that, you will be a top class fighter no matter where you go in the world.”
Then he won’t need to cling to me after that anymore. In contrast to my wives I have no obligation towards him and I’m not planning on restricting him in any way either, so he could do whatever he wants.
“I can do what I want?”
“Yes, indeed. Being an Apostle and receiving Oracles is just my business after all. You don’t need to worry about it. Just think of it as working as an adventurer, you’re free to keep at it or stop whenever you want. Just keep that in mind.”
“Got it, Aniki.”
“Frankly speaking, I myself couldn’t care less about all that Apostle and Oracle stuff.”
That might be an exaggeration, but it’s low on the list of my priorities.
“Eh, what do you….”
“First of all, I don’t want to die. That’s why I’m training with everything I have.”
“Well, I can understand that.”
“Things might be easier if I just ignored all that Oracle stuff.”
“That’s quite a scary thing to say, Aniki.”
“It’s fine. I was told that it was okay even if I refused. But the others are of the same opinion as you.”
“Well, of course they are.”
There are upsides to accepting Oracles, but the primary reason for me was that my wives want to do so.
“I would just rather live together with everyone somewhere quiet.”
However, this aspiration of mine is less than popular with the others. I guess I’m well aware that it’s too late for that already.
Thanks for the chapter XD
Thanks for the treat.