Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: The Returning Childhood Friend
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Childhood friend Kailin.
To me, Kailin was nothing more than an irresponsible woman.
How could she abandon her child and run off chasing her own dreams?
No matter how precious her dreams were, I could never feel any goodwill toward a woman who had failed in her duty as a parent.
She could live or die for all I cared.
I'd decided it was no longer my problem. I figured I could raise the child on my own without Kailin.
'Why is she coming back?'
But now she was supposedly returning.
Kailin, who had been training at the Magic Tower, was coming to this village.
'Why?'
What sudden wind had blown her this way?
I pondered the reason.
And for a brief moment, I couldn't help but wonder.
'Has Kailin finally developed a sense of responsibility?'
Maybe she'd finally realized what responsibility meant.
Perhaps after a few months studying at the Magic Tower, thoughts of the child had started creeping in.
Maybe she'd finally decided she could give up her dreams for the child's sake.
Optimistic thoughts flooded my mind.
But then.
"They're looking for some spirit at the Magic Tower."
"A spirit?"
"Yes. They're sending people here as part of an investigation to find it. And apparently, Kailin is one of them."
I couldn't help but feel a bit deflated.
The reason for Kailin's visit wasn't personal after all.
It seemed she was coming on official business from the Magic Tower.
'A spirit... you mean that one?'
The spirit the Magic Tower was searching for...
I knew exactly what it was.
An ancient spirit, right?
I remembered the Magic Tower searching for it throughout the story.
With magic beasts just starting to appear now, it wasn't strange for the Magic Tower to stop by this place.
But that wasn't the important part right now.
The key point was that Kailin's return wouldn't change a thing.
"Is that all?"
"For now, yes."
"..."
She was just stopping by because the Magic Tower ordered her to.
I'd thought Kailin was finally coming back, but it turned out to be like this.
It felt utterly disappointing.
Unless she was coming back for the child,
nothing about her would have changed.
She'd still cast aside any sense of responsibility and chase her foolish dreams.
'I shouldn't get my hopes up.'
I felt pathetic for harboring false hope just because I'd heard Kailin was coming.
Kailin was never the type to do that.
"Brother... um... I can guess what you're thinking, but it probably won't be like that."
As I sat there somewhat dejected,
Levia took my hands in hers and tried to comfort me from the side.
She knew the situation, so she understood my feelings.
"Yes?"
"Your wife will probably come to see you while she's here."
"Hmm... you think so?"
"Yes, definitely. If that happens, try talking it out with her. I'm sure she's been thinking about the child a lot."
And Levia kept encouraging me to hold onto hope.
She said that even though Kailin was coming for Magic Tower business, she wouldn't just do her job and leave.
Levia comforted me, insisting she wouldn't act so irresponsibly.
"..."
Of course, it didn't really comfort me.
No one knew Kailin better than I did.
There was no way she'd come here looking for the child.
She would never feel any sense of responsibility.
I silently denied it.
In the heavy atmosphere, Levia looked at me and said,
"...The people from the Magic Tower will arrive in a week. Will you welcome them with me, Brother?"
It was Levia, the nun overseeing this village, who would greet the arrivals from the Magic Tower.
She suggested I meet the Magic Tower people with her.
Her intention was probably to let me see Kailin.
"No, I'm fine."
"I see..."
I refused.
I didn't particularly want to see my childhood friend.
It would just make things awkward and red-faced for no reason.
There was nothing left to say to the childhood friend who had abandoned me without a shred of responsibility.
"I'll be going now."
"All right..."
With that, I stood up from my seat.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After leaving the church, I immediately headed up the mountain.
I swung my sword and threw myself into training.
"Let's just train."
Today was supposed to be a rest day from training,
but hearing about Kailin had me extremely irritated right now.
Training was the best cure for that.
I swung my sword furiously, worked up a good sweat, and felt a bit refreshed.
"Hoo..."
I caught my breath and shook off the stray thoughts.
Then, a voice reached me.
It was the Spirit Sword.
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ Hmm. Training so diligently even on a rest day—quite the sight. Is that Kailin woman your wife? "Yes, that's right. Sort of."
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ I see. The Spirit Sword seemed to have quite a few questions about Kailin.
As something that shared my daily life, it was natural for it to be curious about my situation.
It had asked a few times before, and I'd explained a bit.
But it wasn't a pleasant story, so I didn't want to dwell on it.
"By the way, Master. Didn't you say you'd teach me swordsmanship?"
I changed the subject.
It had just occurred to me since the Spirit Sword had spoken up.
Come to think of it, hadn't the Spirit Sword said it would teach me swordsmanship if I became its disciple?
I'd become its disciple after hearing that, but I hadn't learned any proper techniques yet.
Of course, it had said it wouldn't teach swordsmanship until my body was fully conditioned, so I'd been waiting.
"My body's fully conditioned now, so why aren't you teaching me?"
Even now that my body was complete, it still hadn't taught me any swordsmanship.
Didn't that warrant some questions?
I had to ask why the Spirit Sword wasn't teaching me.
And I got a very concise answer.
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ That's right. "Then why aren't you teaching me?"
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ I don't feel the need to teach you. What was this supposed to mean?
No need to teach me?
"Could you explain that in more detail? What do you mean?"
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ Hmm... I intended to teach you at first, but your swordsmanship talent is pathetically low. "What?"
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ Your talent for swordsmanship is so abysmal that I can't even teach you properly. No matter how I try, I don't think I can make you better than third-rate. So I decided not to bother. The Spirit Sword's words were quite a shock.
My swordsmanship talent was that bad?
I hadn't expected any great talent in an extra's body, but was it really that pathetic?
I didn't dream of wielding swordsmanship like Tigna's,
but what was I supposed to do now?
I couldn't help but feel a bit down hearing the Spirit Sword had given up on teaching me entirely.
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ But don't worry. You have one outstanding talent. In that area, you might even reach first-rate or better. But then the Spirit Sword dropped another bombshell on me like this.
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ That's another reason I'm not teaching you swordsmanship. It'd be like forcing a bird that's soaring high into the ocean to swim. The Spirit Sword was saying I had talent in something other than swordsmanship.
Such a talent existed?
This was news to me.
The first thing I'd done after possessing Davian's body was check my mana, swordsmanship, and divine power.
I'd despaired upon realizing Davian had no talents at all.
So what could this talent it was talking about be?
"You say I have something like that? What is it?"
I had to ask the Spirit Sword.
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ What it is...? "Yes."
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ On second thought, I won't tell you. "Huh? Why the sudden change?"
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ My whim. It refused to tell me.
Was it messing with me right now?
"No way. Are you teasing me?"
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ Not really... You'll find out soon enough anyway. "Come on, don't say that."
⚙ SPIRIT SWORD ⚙ Conversation over for today. I pressed, but the Spirit Sword refused to say more to the end.
It just told me I'd learn soon enough and to be patient.
With those cryptic words, our conversation ended.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In any case, the week passed faster than expected.
And finally, the people from the Magic Tower arrived.
The village was already bustling.
People were gathering from all around to gawk at the Magic Tower arrivals.
'Three in total?'
There were three visitors in all.
Newbie mages who had entered the Magic Tower.
The Magic Tower's top seat, my childhood friend Kailin.
The Magic Tower's second seat, the girl who would later become the Hero Party's mage, Dipne.
The Magic Tower's third seat, the male mage with talent rivaling the other two, Alex.
Just as I'd predicted, it was these three.
'So the Hero Party's mage did come here after all.'
I'd come to see them myself.
After all, I'd meddled with the story quite a bit.
I'd worried something might have changed, but it seemed not.
'All good.'
I let out a sigh of relief, and that was that.
Having confirmed it, I lost interest.
I was about to leave when
our eyes met—mine and Kailin's.
We clearly recognized each other.
This I hadn't expected.
An awkward moment passed,
but it didn't last long.
"..."
Kailin whipped her head away, avoiding my gaze.