Chapter 305: Rainwales (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 305: Rainwales (3)
Amelia was a strong woman, and I didn't think that just because she knew how to use an aura and had several rare, high-ranking essences. I had not once seen this woman afraid of anything. But now, that same Amelia was shaking in front of me, even though no matter who that father in the kitchen over there was, she had no reason to be afraid of him anymore.
Is it trauma?
It wasn't that I didn't get it. I'd also experienced something similar in the past. Although I knew in my head that it was safe, I hadn't been able to ride in cars for several years and the smell of something burning often woke me up from sleep and had me wandering the entire building to find the source. It wasn't a matter of self-control—it was an instinct engraved in the subconscious.
Smack!
This was fear.
"...Are you all right?" Amelia didn't answer my question, so I grabbed her trembling wrist. "Emily."
She finally came to her senses. "Oh, sorry. I didn't hear you... What did you say?"
"I asked if you were okay."
Yeah, you're not okay.
It was only after the noise in the kitchen quieted down that Amelia spoke again. "...How unsightly of me."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" As far as I was concerned, I didn't see anything. And even if I did, I would never think it was unsightly.
Just then, a man appeared from the kitchen. "Whew, those bitches get me worked up every day." Although he had a somewhat stout and stocky build, his height was around 5'6". Contrary to what I had been imagining, he looked extremely ordinary.
"Aren't you being a little harsh today?"
"Harsh? Those ungrateful bitches don't know when to be thankful. Enough talking about those annoyances, let's drink." The man sat at the table with one of the customers and started drinking and chatting.
Amelia watched him for a long time from her corner seat, then said, "That man was my adoptive father."
"Adoptive father?"
"It's a familiar story here. There are children without parents who need a place to stay, and there are people who want to take in such children all over the city."
"All over the city, huh?" I had a feeling I already knew the reason why. It wouldn't be for a motive as noble as providing a home for children who were all alone. Amelia said it was a common story, and stories like these were usually extremely cynical.
"It's a kind of symbiotic relationship. The children are protected until they are old enough to work and the adoptive parents get cheap labor out of it."
In this city, the adoptive father had full control over the adopted child, and that right was absolute, at least until the child grew up and became an adult. Killing the adoptive parent or escaping was impossible because it would set a dangerous precedent. The child in question would be called ungrateful and be punished accordingly by others.
"...I see."
"But my sister and I were a little better off. We were physically healthy, and we were hardy enough to never get sick. That's why we were able to avoid getting split up."
"How old were you at the time?"
"Five. My sister was three years older."
Amelia said it wasn't bad at first. Unlike when she had been going into the labyrinth with her weak and injured father, she was fed on time and didn't sleep in the cold. She was bullied into doing all kinds of chores even at that age, though.
"But that wasn't so hard, either. Everyone lives like that. I even considered myself lucky to have an older sister to rely on." At the time, Amelia had had a vague dream that once she grew up and became an adult, their lives would finally begin in earnest.
"But I guess it didn't work out that way."
"...It's all because of me."
It had happened when Amelia was around nine years old. While she was helping out at the tavern, a drunkard had tried to strangle her. The reason? Because she dropped his food.
"That was when my sister stepped in."
Amelia's sister saw it happening while she was serving the customers and ran into the kitchen. Then, picking up a knife, she slowly walked over and pounced on the drunkard's back, slicing his carotid artery with incredible precision.
"I learned this later, but not one of the adventurers in the tavern sensed my sister's presence until she had already grabbed a knife and reached the bastard's back."
The drunkard did not die that day. He was treated with a potion just in time to save his life. However, through that incident, the girl's talent was exposed to the world.
"The next day, someone came from the castle. They said they would cover up this incident if we handed over my sister."
Surprisingly, their adoptive father rejected that part of the offer. He used all his money to cover the cost of the potion, offered an apology to the drunkard, and smoothed over the incident on his own.
"From that day on, my sister became a herder."
But their adoptive father had decided that since she was a talented child, she could be taught to make a lot more money than she would by working in a tavern.
"My sister was talented too. Within less than a year of joining a team of plunderers, they recognized her contributions and she started receiving a small cut of the loot."
When that happened, the adoptive father had figured that since these children shared the same blood, Amelia might have had talent too.
"It wasn't long before I became a herder and was pretty much sold to a team of plunderers. And it wasn't long before my talent was recognized too."
Amelia glossed over what happened next and moved on, and I didn't dig too deeply. I didn't have to ask to know what kind of life the Rainwales sisters had lived as herders. They would have just borne it all, solely relying on the only blood they had left in this world.
"Anyway, that's how we ended up a part of a gang of telekinetics, and also enslaved to work in this tavern in the city." Amelia wrapped up the story of her life from childhood to her teenage years. "How about it, does that sate your curiosity about me now?"
"Yes, that's enough." As we made plans, I got a rough idea of what happened next.
The sisters' hopes of becoming free as adults would be trampled in about five months thanks to a mundane tragedy.
***
Noon soon passed and the number of people entering the tavern slowly increased.
"...Excuse me." A girl in her early teens with long, red, curly hair approached our table. Her face was slightly bruised, but she was using her messy hair to cover it up. "Would you like some more alcohol...?"
This was usually what workers said if you stayed in one place for too long. It meant, "Order more stuff or get lost."
Amelia was unable to meet the young girl's eyes. I could understand why.
"But that wasn't so hard, either. Everyone lives like that. I even considered myself lucky to have an older sister to rely on." At the time, Amelia had had a vague dream that once she grew up and became an adult, their lives would finally begin in earnest.
"But I guess it didn't work out that way."
"...It's all because of me."
It had happened when Amelia was around nine years old. While she was helping out at the tavern, a drunkard had tried to strangle her. The reason? Because she dropped his food.
"That was when my sister stepped in."
Amelia's sister saw it happening while she was serving the customers and ran into the kitchen. Then, picking up a knife, she slowly walked over and pounced on the drunkard's back, slicing his carotid artery with incredible precision.
"I learned this later, but not one of the adventurers in the tavern sensed my sister's presence until she had already grabbed a knife and reached the bastard's back."
The drunkard did not die that day. He was treated with a potion just in time to save his life. However, through that incident, the girl's talent was exposed to the world.
"The next day, someone came from the castle. They said they would cover up this incident if we handed over my sister."
Surprisingly, their adoptive father rejected that part of the offer. He used all his money to cover the cost of the potion, offered an apology to the drunkard, and smoothed over the incident on his own.
"From that day on, my sister became a herder."
But their adoptive father had decided that since she was a talented child, she could be taught to make a lot more money than she would by working in a tavern.
"My sister was talented too. Within less than a year of joining a team of plunderers, they recognized her contributions and she started receiving a small cut of the loot."
When that happened, the adoptive father had figured that since these children shared the same blood, Amelia might have had talent too.
"It wasn't long before I became a herder and was pretty much sold to a team of plunderers. And it wasn't long before my talent was recognized too."
Amelia glossed over what happened next and moved on, and I didn't dig too deeply. I didn't have to ask to know what kind of life the Rainwales sisters had lived as herders. They would have just borne it all, solely relying on the only blood they had left in this world.
"Anyway, that's how we ended up a part of a gang of telekinetics, and also enslaved to work in this tavern in the city." Amelia wrapped up the story of her life from childhood to her teenage years. "How about it, does that sate your curiosity about me now?"
"Yes, that's enough." As we made plans, I got a rough idea of what happened next.
The sisters' hopes of becoming free as adults would be trampled in about five months thanks to a mundane tragedy.
***
Noon soon passed and the number of people entering the tavern slowly increased.
"...Excuse me." A girl in her early teens with long, red, curly hair approached our table. Her face was slightly bruised, but she was using her messy hair to cover it up. "Would you like some more alcohol...?"
This was usually what workers said if you stayed in one place for too long. It meant, "Order more stuff or get lost."
Amelia was unable to meet the young girl's eyes. I could understand why.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"...Amelia Rainwales."
Yeah, anyone was bound to feel awkward facing their younger self. And since she knew what was going to happen, she must have felt guilty too.
"Let's go."
Amelia attempted to leave, but I stopped her. "Just a moment." I was finally face-to-face with Fetus Amelia. I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. "Kid, how old are you?"
"I'm... fourteen..."
Oh? If she was fourteen years old twenty years ago...
"So you're thirty-four," I muttered, and Amelia whipped her head around to glare at me. It seemed she was annoyed that her personal information had been leaked.
"Thirty-four...?" The young Amelia looked like she didn't understand what we were talking about, but she still kept her expression friendly in front of customers.
"And this is what you look like when you smile."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, I meant it's nice to see. You should smile more."
"Ah, right..."
While adult Amelia looked like she'd just stepped on dog shit, young Amelia looked puzzled and didn't know what to do. And so the fooling around ended there.
"We'll pay and leave now."
"Ah, right!"
I didn't think I would survive the consequences if I continued, so I hurriedly paid the bill and left the tavern. Right when we got back to the inn, Amelia, who had on a sour expression the whole way here, suddenly spoke, her voice low and pained. "Perhaps it's as you say."
"What do you mean?"
"When you spoke to her, I remembered that I had that conversation before."
Ah, the sour expression was my fault. I definitely thought she was just annoyed with me.
"Amelia?"
"Emily."
"Ahem, yes, Emily. Do you want another drink?" I took out the drinks I had stored in sub-space. All plunderers carried some around.
"No. There's no point in me drinking, anyway."
"Because of your essence?"
"Yes." Put simply, her Poison Resistance and Spirit Resistance stats were too high for her to get drunk.
"Then why did you drink at the tavern earlier?"
"That's... because you look suspicious if you don't drink at a tavern."
"You never waste a single moment, huh?"
"What?"
"Don't get all serious. What's so hard about having just one drink? It's lonely drinking alone."
"Why do you want to drink in the first place?" Amelia asked as I pulled out a glass and poured into it.
Did you really think I just wanted to drink?
"We still have things to talk about." I'd heard about her childhood at the tavern, but there was actually something else I wanted to know now that I'd come out and all.
"Things to talk about?"
"Why are you pretending not to know? It's not like we have secrets anymore."
"...Don't act friendly. It's annoying."
"Really? Then tell me this and I'll stop. When we were making plans at the very beginning, you never said anything about Nivelles Enze. Yesterday was also my first time hearing that Auril Gavis was there."
At the time, Amelia had refused to communicate with me. Although we were working together, we didn't even consider telling each other everything and relying on each other. But seeing as she was now willing to tell me about her past, it was safe to say I'd garnered some trust.
"What difference would it make? You were already convinced nothing could change, anyway."
That was true, and that conviction remained unchanged. "But yesterday you cried and told me that it was too late to give up."
"...I didn't cry."
Tsk, that's a minor detail.
"Did you not? Anyway, since you said you won't give up, I plan to help you."
"That way I'll help you, right?"
"Well, that's part of the reason."
"Then there's another part?"
I decided to answer honestly. "I want you to be indebted to me."
Amelia looked like she didn't understand. "...Why?"
There were too many reasons to list them all for her. First, Amelia knew my weakness. I needed her somehow beholden to me to keep her quiet. Also, she was strong. Based on the time I'd spent with her so far, she seemed to have a good heart, and her years of experience meant I could rely on her in certain ways.
To sum all that up, I said, "To be honest, our first meeting was not great, but I like you."
"...What?"
"Ah, don't take that the wrong way. I don't mean I like you romantically."
"I... didn't take that the wrong way."
"Then I'm glad." I cleared my throat and continued, "Anyway, I know what kind of person you are now. If I make you indebted to me, you will definitely repay it. So, if I can, I want to save your sister too. Since you'll grant any favor I ask you for if I do."
"F-Favors?" Amelia stepped back, giving me a wary look. "What kind of favor are you planning on asking of me?"
Jeez, I'm not going to eat you. This is just going to lead to misunderstandings.
For every step she took back, I took a step closer. "Amelia Rainwales." Originally, I didn't plan on revealing my desires this early, but it should be fine to call dibs at least. "If I succeed in saving your sister and take care of the logistical hurdles once we return to our time..."
"...Yes?"
"Then join my clan."
Yeah, any good quest has to have a reward.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"...Amelia Rainwales."
Yeah, anyone was bound to feel awkward facing their younger self. And since she knew what was going to happen, she must have felt guilty too.
"Let's go."
Amelia attempted to leave, but I stopped her. "Just a moment." I was finally face-to-face with Fetus Amelia. I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. "Kid, how old are you?"
"I'm... fourteen..."
Oh? If she was fourteen years old twenty years ago...
"So you're thirty-four," I muttered, and Amelia whipped her head around to glare at me. It seemed she was annoyed that her personal information had been leaked.
"Thirty-four...?" The young Amelia looked like she didn't understand what we were talking about, but she still kept her expression friendly in front of customers.
"And this is what you look like when you smile."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, I meant it's nice to see. You should smile more."
"Ah, right..."
While adult Amelia looked like she'd just stepped on dog shit, young Amelia looked puzzled and didn't know what to do. And so the fooling around ended there.
"We'll pay and leave now."
"Ah, right!"
I didn't think I would survive the consequences if I continued, so I hurriedly paid the bill and left the tavern. Right when we got back to the inn, Amelia, who had on a sour expression the whole way here, suddenly spoke, her voice low and pained. "Perhaps it's as you say."
"What do you mean?"
"When you spoke to her, I remembered that I had that conversation before."
Ah, the sour expression was my fault. I definitely thought she was just annoyed with me.
"Amelia?"
"Emily."
"Ahem, yes, Emily. Do you want another drink?" I took out the drinks I had stored in sub-space. All plunderers carried some around.
"No. There's no point in me drinking, anyway."
"Because of your essence?"
"Yes." Put simply, her Poison Resistance and Spirit Resistance stats were too high for her to get drunk.
"Then why did you drink at the tavern earlier?"
"That's... because you look suspicious if you don't drink at a tavern."
"You never waste a single moment, huh?"
"What?"
"Don't get all serious. What's so hard about having just one drink? It's lonely drinking alone."
"Why do you want to drink in the first place?" Amelia asked as I pulled out a glass and poured into it.
Did you really think I just wanted to drink?
"We still have things to talk about." I'd heard about her childhood at the tavern, but there was actually something else I wanted to know now that I'd come out and all.
"Things to talk about?"
"Why are you pretending not to know? It's not like we have secrets anymore."
"...Don't act friendly. It's annoying."
"Really? Then tell me this and I'll stop. When we were making plans at the very beginning, you never said anything about Nivelles Enze. Yesterday was also my first time hearing that Auril Gavis was there."
At the time, Amelia had refused to communicate with me. Although we were working together, we didn't even consider telling each other everything and relying on each other. But seeing as she was now willing to tell me about her past, it was safe to say I'd garnered some trust.
"What difference would it make? You were already convinced nothing could change, anyway."
That was true, and that conviction remained unchanged. "But yesterday you cried and told me that it was too late to give up."
"...I didn't cry."
Tsk, that's a minor detail.
"Did you not? Anyway, since you said you won't give up, I plan to help you."
"That way I'll help you, right?"
"Well, that's part of the reason."
"Then there's another part?"
I decided to answer honestly. "I want you to be indebted to me."
Amelia looked like she didn't understand. "...Why?"
There were too many reasons to list them all for her. First, Amelia knew my weakness. I needed her somehow beholden to me to keep her quiet. Also, she was strong. Based on the time I'd spent with her so far, she seemed to have a good heart, and her years of experience meant I could rely on her in certain ways.
To sum all that up, I said, "To be honest, our first meeting was not great, but I like you."
"...What?"
"Ah, don't take that the wrong way. I don't mean I like you romantically."
"I... didn't take that the wrong way."
"Then I'm glad." I cleared my throat and continued, "Anyway, I know what kind of person you are now. If I make you indebted to me, you will definitely repay it. So, if I can, I want to save your sister too. Since you'll grant any favor I ask you for if I do."
"F-Favors?" Amelia stepped back, giving me a wary look. "What kind of favor are you planning on asking of me?"
Jeez, I'm not going to eat you. This is just going to lead to misunderstandings.
For every step she took back, I took a step closer. "Amelia Rainwales." Originally, I didn't plan on revealing my desires this early, but it should be fine to call dibs at least. "If I succeed in saving your sister and take care of the logistical hurdles once we return to our time..."
"...Yes?"
"Then join my clan."
Yeah, any good quest has to have a reward.