Ch.50Rewards (2)

I instinctively realized that Adelheid was going to talk about what happened back then.

Last time when she came to the village completely drunk, Adelheid had brought up the word “sincerity.”

All those mindless compliments I’d showered her with to gain favor and lower her guard when I was kidnapped by the mercenary corps.

Adelheid had taken them all as my genuine feelings and had opened her heart to some extent.

But in reality, I made pig aphrodisiacs instead of potions, and Liberone burst in and destroyed the mercenary corps.

Having lost everything, Adelheid barely escaped with the help of the 2nd Squad Captain.

When she returned to our village to get the antidote, what thoughts must have gone through her mind?

Was she furious about being deceived, or could she not let go of lingering attachment?

Probably a bit of both.

“Jack.”

Adelheid called my name once more.

“I want to know your heart.”

“What heart do you want to know?”

“What your true feelings are. Whether the things you said to me then were sincere.”

“What I said then was sincere. Captain, you are beautiful.”

I answered truthfully.

“Is that so? But whether your heart was in those words is a separate matter.”

“That’s right.”

“You won’t answer?”

I didn’t answer.

I have no feelings whatsoever for Adelheid.

Recognizing the beauty hidden beneath her scars and rough appearance has nothing to do with actually liking her.

And I have never once seen Adelheid as a romantic interest.

But I can’t say that directly.

Not because I’m afraid of Adelheid, but because I’m worried about her breaking down.

As I remained silent, Adelheid asked with a faint sigh.

“Let me ask one more thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“Are my feelings sincere?”

“I don’t know. That’s something you would know best, Captain.”

“I don’t know well, Jack. No one has ever taught me.”

Adelheid took a step back.

“I was born as the only daughter of a mercenary captain and was forced to live as a man. I mistakenly thought that was normal. Sometimes I wondered if I was a man who was mistakenly born as a woman. But after meeting you, I felt like everything in my life was being denied.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. At the same time, I came to know the joy of being a woman. But I don’t know. While I feel this way, you don’t. So I don’t know if I should continue like this or let everything go.”

Stepping back a little more, Adelheid laughed softly.

“Like this pathetic feeling of still wanting to hear those words from you again and wanting you to smile at me.”

Adelheid took another step back, disappearing completely into the darkness.

“Jack. You’re a disaster to me. You destroyed everything I had, and yet instead of cutting your throat, I’m clinging to your shop to survive. I have no other options. But at the same time, I think I’m glad things turned out this way. That drives me crazy.”

“I’m sorry. I had no choice.”

“Don’t say you’re sorry!”

Adelheid spat out harshly and pointed her sword at me.

The sword that emerged from the darkness rushed just below my neck.

In the light coming through the ceiling, it looked as if only the sword was floating in midair.

“Don’t make me more miserable.”

“I understand.”

The sword slowly retreated into the darkness, disappearing from sight.

“Some questions don’t need to be asked to know the answer. I understand your response well.”

Adelheid walked forward. After staring at me intently, she asked.

“Jack.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Just once… hold me.”

Adelheid turned her gaze away and closed her eyes.

“Hold me just once. I won’t ask for this again.”

I opened my arms and embraced Adelheid.

Adelheid’s hands, which had been still, hesitantly rose and wrapped around my waist.

“Brother!!”

Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed and Mirella fell down.

“Ack, what the?!”

The whole ship shook, and I fell over while still holding Adelheid.

“Brother! Are you okay… oh…?”

Mirella, clutching the opener in both hands, looked at me and trailed off.

Right now, I appeared to be on top of Adelheid. Mirella was definitely going to misunderstand this.

“Ah, sorry. Continue what you were doing.”

Mirella hurriedly turned around and ran up the half-collapsed stairs.

Just as I was about to get up, Adelheid grabbed my arm with strong force.

“Captain. Please don’t do this.”

“I’m sorry.”

Adelheid let go of my hand and apologized in a whisper.

* * * * *

When I went outside, Mirella was standing at the railing, looking across the river.

“Mirella.”

“I arrived late and heard that you and the instructor had gone inside. I was worried because a lot of time had passed, so I came in to check.”

Mirella gave a lengthy answer without being asked.

“I’m not curious about what you were doing down there, and I don’t care at all. You don’t need to think that I might be upset or anything. Do whatever you want.”

“Mirella…”

“I’ll go back to the shop. I have too much to do—cleaning the shelves, organizing the warehouse inventory.”

Mirella passed by me and jumped over the railing.

“Jack! How did it go?”

Sir Hostante and the knights who had been waiting outside rushed over.

“There’s nothing. Just gold coins and transaction receipts.”

“What on earth happened?”

“I have a rough idea. Get ready to move out immediately. We’ll take a boat and go back up the waterway trade route. I’ll go with you.”

“Understood. I’ll prepare right away!”

As Adelheid followed me down to the dock, the 2nd Squad Captain pushed me aside and ran to Adelheid.

“Captain! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. But I’d like to… lie down for a while.”

“Please come this way!”

The 2nd Squad Captain dragged Adelheid toward the village.

Left alone, I stared at the hole in the deck and became lost in thought.

* * * * *

Mirella walked along the stone-paved road with a sullen expression.

The instructor and Brother Jack lying on top of each other under the dark deck.

She knew well that there was no such relationship between them and that it happened because of the impact when Mirella destroyed the deck.

Though she understood this rationally, it wasn’t easy to calm her heart.

Mirella is a war orphan. She drifted into Starting Village when she was very young, with only hazy memories, and grew up in the slums.

Without any dreams or hope, just living day by day, Jack appeared before Mirella.

An angel-like person who came to the slums with mysterious potions and distributed them to people for free.

He taught Mirella how to read and took her in, allowing her to live in a cozy shop instead of a shack.

Mirella likes Jack. That’s why she’s tried hard to seduce him in various ways.

But Mirella is still a kid who hasn’t even become an adult. She knows herself that these efforts are futile.

Moreover, there are numerous women around Brother Jack.

The noble Holy Knight who Mirella can’t even hope to match, the talented administrative officer who passed the Imperial Central Civil Service Exam, the half-goblin who contributes to the village economy by explosively breeding pigs, and the two instructors from the Imperial Special Forces who are in charge of training the knights.

And that girl named Alreina.

When her letters arrive, Brother drops everything and sits down to read them over and over. Smiling like an idiot.

From what Brother has occasionally told her, that girl is an adventurer.

Like other adventurers, she stopped by our village’s potion shop before setting out to get potions and various survival tools.

Because of that connection, she continues to send letters to Brother.

Judging from a letter she mistakenly opened thinking it was an official document from the Potion Association, the girl seems to be making quite a name for herself in other regions.

She’s fundamentally different from the incompetent Mirella who’s stuck in this backwater Starting Village.

She said she would return here after finishing her adventure… though Mirella doesn’t know when that will be, but when that time comes, Mirella won’t be able to stay by Jack’s side anymore.

Jack wouldn’t chase Mirella away, but Mirella absolutely couldn’t bear that situation.

Living as a freeloader without being any help, if a girl the same age who has captured Jack’s heart comes in, naturally I should be the one to leave.

Staying would only make me miserable.

It feels like the space for me around Brother Jack is getting smaller and smaller. This is really… the worst…

“Mirella.”

Looking back, she saw Adelheid and the 2nd Squad Captain walking toward her.

“What are you doing here?”

“Just… going to the shop. I have things to do…”

“I see. I heard Jack is taking a boat with the knights to go up the trade route. Aren’t you going with him?”

“Ah, I’m… not going.”

“Why not? Weren’t you always his sidekick, sticking together?”

As the 2nd Squad Captain cut in, Mirella shook her head.

“He might not think so even if I do.”

“Why? How can you be so sure about someone else’s feelings?”

“Because I’m just a parasite who lives off others and a child who can’t contribute anything to the village’s development.”

“What? Why so gloomy all of a sudden?”

The 2nd Squad Captain scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Mirella. Go. Go help Jack.”

“I’m not going either.”

Mirella refused Adelheid’s suggestion.

“What happened earlier was a misunderstanding. I was about to go up the stairs when you jumped down, and we fell like that trying to avoid you. Nothing happened.”

“I know.”

“But it seems you don’t understand it in your heart.”

“Why aren’t you going, Captain?”

“Because I’m not someone who belongs there. But you’re different. So go quickly. The boat will leave soon. The knights alone won’t be enough against monsters. They need you who can use aura.”

Adelheid gave a faint smile and walked past Mirella.

Following behind her, the 2nd Squad Captain began to question persistently.

“Captain? What do you mean? Did something happen below deck? And what do you mean by not belonging?”

Standing alone, Mirella noticed the knights heading back to the dock in the distance. They were all carrying backpacks and supplies.

After contemplating, Mirella firmly secured her opener and followed behind the knights.

I don’t know if I’m the right person to be by Brother Jack’s side.

But if monsters suddenly appear, there’s no one else who can respond right now.

The knight has already left for the capital, and none of the knights can use aura.

Only I can protect Brother Jack right now.

It doesn’t matter how Brother Jack thinks of me. What matters is how I think of him.

And I want Brother Jack to be safe.

“Take me too!”

Mirella leaped with all her might onto the Starting Ship that was about to depart.