episode_0114

As we were chatting happily while eating dinner, other drivers began to gather around us. The restaurant quickly became a mess as everyone tried to get a word in with me.

Eventually, Liza took the lead and agreed to form a group of five people and take turns having 5:1 meetings.

I was at a loss in real time as I was dealing with all kinds of knights, but I was still able to finish the meeting with all the groups.

When I woke up after a meeting that lasted several hours, my stomach, which had already been full, was full. Fortunately, the knights heard me say I was hungry and brought some side dishes as tribute, so I was able to fill my stomach again.

The popular film was successful. I feel like I went too far, but the drivers who met with me seemed very likely to listen to my request.

There were a very small number of drivers who did not participate in the meeting due to personal reasons, but I did not mind as the minority eventually follows the majority.

“Hu… . I’m exhausted.”

“You worked hard. Everyone must have piled up a lot in one way or another, but I’m glad Zeke resolved it.”

“You’re talking about stress, right?”

“Of course.”

After the meeting, I left the camp with Liza. The destination is Philia’s training ground.

I wondered if Philia would come by someday if I was hanging out in the restaurant, but she didn’t show up until dinner time was over.

Liza said that Filia usually prepares dinner separately and eats it alone during training.

‘They have no interest in me at all, and they train while only eating their meals.’

Is this heroine an unmanned concept?

This must be tricky.

As I walked through the thick forest, I arrived at a fairly large clearing. And in the middle of the clearing, I found Philia holding a sword and moving gracefully as if she was dancing.

“Oh… .”

“It’s pretty, right?”

“Yes. It feels like some kind of dance. Is that a type of swordsmanship?”

“It’s closer to yoga than dance. When handling a sword, not only strength and speed but also flexibility are important. That’s why we develop flexibility through yoga movements.”

When I looked again after listening to Liza, I saw that she was clearly taking postures that my body could not imitate, such as splitting her legs or extending her arms backwards. It’s just that the connection between postures is so smooth and natural that it almost looks like dancing.

“The real swordsmanship begins now.”

Philia stopped doing yoga movements and stood in place to straighten her sword. And then disappeared from sight.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

“…I didn’t see anything?”

Occasionally, afterimages were visible. But there was nothing I could know from that alone. Even if I watched it slowly in the first place, what would I know?

“Liza. Let’s spar.”

I only glanced away for a moment, but before I knew it, Philia was right in front of me, handing Liza a wooden sword and saying.

“I did it yesterday, but again? I can not. They say that if you spar with the captain, you won’t have any body left.”

Filia became blatantly sullen at Liza’s refusal. Then this time he pointed a wooden sword at me.

“Do you know how to use a sword?”

“I have no idea.”

“I’ll teach you.”

“I will decline.”

Philia becomes sullen again.

How dare you point a wooden sword at me, when we’ve barely met each other for the first time, to spar with you? This is not sane.

“If you don’t spar… . Why did you come?”

“Zeek said he has business with the captain. Oh, by the way, Mr. Zeke is the director of the Pixie Management Bureau. You know about the Bureau, right? This is where Julia goes.”

“Yes. I know.”

Philia asked, looking at me with blank eyes.

“So you are a harem master with a harem of over 200 people?”

“…Yes?”

To be exact, not 200 people, but millions… No, this is not it.

“It was written in the letter. Almost all of the management bureau’s employees are the director’s women. Yulia is ranked 3rd in the harem.”

“……It’s all nonsense from beginning to end, so I don’t know where to start to refute. My employees are not my women. There is no harem or hierarchy.”

What kind of novel bullshit is this? Yulia, I don’t know who you are, but I can’t believe you were doing this kind of slander in a place I don’t know. Rather, if you’re going to play Gura, why don’t you say you’re number one in the rankings? Why are there 3 wins? It’s strangely more realistic.

“Huh? Wasn’t it? Then why does the bureau only hire women?”

Liza asked me with genuine confusion in her eyes. Did you really believe it?

“……There are various complicated circumstances. Rather, I have a lover. Not many people, just one person.”

“Is that person number one in line..? Julia isn’t the kind of girl that can be ignored… .”

“No, there is no such thing as hierarchy.”

I’m going crazy.

Julia. I don’t know who it is, but I will make you pay for this slander.

*

After the commotion, Philia is training again. Me and Liza are sitting on a nearby tree stump and watching.

“Why are you training so hard, Philia?”

“…I think you should ask yourself that. It’s a personal matter… .”

It’s a personal matter… . I was able to get some hints from the fact that I used the expression “problem.”

In addition, the look in Philia’s eyes as she was concentrating on her training was as if she was openly advertising that there was a story, even though she did not say it in words.

Usually, cases of obsession with something can be roughly divided into two types. Either you like it to the point of obsession, or you’re desperate to the point of obsession.

And from what I observed, Philia seemed to fall into the latter, desperate category.

‘There is no passion in your eyes. There is no life. ‘You don’t do it because you want to, you do it because you have to.’

“Philia is obsessed with becoming stronger.”

“Uh, how did you know that?”

“I know it when I see it.”

I gained confidence from Liza’s reaction. Philia wants to become strong. To the point of desperation.

Usually, people who are desperate for power like her have the trauma of losing something precious in the past due to their own powerlessness. In order to avoid repeating the pain of the past, we seek power, and this forms obsession and obsession.

‘A good example is Banshee.’

Banshee lost a dear friend in the past, and almost lost Veronica, the reason she lived. The helplessness at this time became a great trauma for Banshee, and she began to become obsessed with the power of information.

Who did Philia lose? How did he feel such a great sense of loss that he was promoted to the rank of special article without even a gift?

‘You will find out as you gradually progress through the strategy.’

Trauma must be handled with care. If you approach it carelessly, it may curl up like a hedgehog and raise thorns.

The most ideal thing would be to speak from Philia’s side. For that to happen, I have to make Philia rely on me.

The problem is that people who have suffered such trauma usually do not want to rely on others. I believe that only if I can solve anything on my own can I protect my precious things in difficult times.

However, there are more things in the world that cannot be solved alone than things that can be solved alone.

Even Lufia, who was at the peak of her power, was unable to stop the awakening of the Lord of Death, which took place in an unknown place, and was robbed like a dog by the Lord of War, who awakened after him. For some reason, time couldn’t even be turned back.

Moreover, for Filia, who is much weaker than Lufia, the limitations are even clearer. In fact, we are in a position where we cannot even solve the problem even when the army is almost destroyed.

‘First of all, I need to tell you that strength is not just about force.’

If I, who can’t even hold a sword properly, were to liquidate the army, Philia would also be interested in me.

The direction of attack has been decided.

At that moment, Philia came over to take a break, so I said to her:

“Mr. Philia. Let’s have a game with me.”

Philia’s eyes sparkle at the word “win.”

“If I win this match, you will have to do me a favor. On the other hand, if I lose, I will grant Philia a favor.”

“Please… ? I don’t know, but you’re saying let’s compete, right? Good.”

You’re more interested in the win itself than the reward. It’s not normal either.

“Captain. I don’t know what kind of request Zeke will ask, is it okay?”

“Don’t worry. It’s not strange. Rather, it will be helpful to you.”

“If it would be helpful, please note that the captain is not interested in that kind of thing, Mr. Zeke.”

“I don’t know what that kind of thing is exactly, but it probably isn’t it.”

Liza still looked suspicious,

“I don’t care.”

Either that or not. Philia was anxious to compete.

“Did you accept it? great. However, as you know, I don’t know anything about swords. I have never trained in particular. So please give me a handicap. Just about three. Are you okay?”

“Good.”

Philia accepts without any hesitation.

“Captain. You have to listen to that first and then decide.”

“Ah. I’ll listen to it first.”

I quickly changed my opinion after Liza’s comments. Still, you listen to Liza when it comes to things like this.

“First of all, there is no way my attack could reach Mr. Filia. So first rule. Mr. Filia can only attack once. If I can stand still after the attack, it’s my victory, and if I can’t stand still in any way, it’s Mr. Philia’s victory. In short, if I can withstand Filia’s attack in any way, whether it’s blocking or avoiding it, I will win.”

The first rule I confidently laid out. Liza looked embarrassed at this.

“That… Is this a handicap? How did Mr. Zeke deal with the captain’s attack…? .”

“Don’t worry. There are still 2 left.”

I held up the wooden sword and showed it to Philia and Liza.

“Second rule. Mr. Filia will compete with the weapon I chose. Of course, I can choose ridiculous weapons, so I will place some restrictions. First of all, a weapon must be something that can be held, is limited to an object that maintains its shape when held, and must have a shape similar to a sword. This is okay, right?”

When Liza heard the second rule, she became even more embarrassed.

“Zeek, you can cut rocks with tree branches… ! Under those conditions, there are virtually no restrictions… .”

“Ah. Do not worry. Because there is one last rule left.”

I raised the wooden sword I was holding and swept the blade.

“Last rule. Mr. Philia must attack me with only the blade portion. Knives, fists, kicks, etc. are not permitted. This is advantageous because the attack methods are limited and there are fewer things I have to worry about, right?”

“No, it is not advantageous at all.”

Liza sighed. Philia also looked a little puzzled.

“Ah, I understand. Well, I’ll add just one last thing. Really, I didn’t want to do this because it would be too advantageous… . If there is a draw, I win. Okay?”

“It didn’t work at all..!”

“Oh, no more. Because Mr. Filia is at such a disadvantage. I want to compete fairly.”

Liza looks at Philia with a complicated expression. But Philia seemed to be interested in my confident attitude, and her eyes began to sparkle.

Looking at Philia’s eyes like that, I thought that maybe it would be easier.