Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Translator : Elizabeth
While I brought in Shane who was buried in dirt like that. While the guy was washing himself, I had some honest talk time with Haley for a moment.
“Haley… I know how high your position is, but.”
The topic of conversation was naturally about what just happened. To think using magic inside the city was prohibited.
‘It wasn’t like that just 7 years ago.’
It seems a new law was created while I left the city. It is my fault for not knowing, but I had no choice but to give a warning to Haley who condoned it even while knowing.
“Breaking the law is not okay, you know that right?” “…I know.”
Then, puffing her cheeks as if sulking, Haley bowed her head sullenly. The mature teacher mode had disappeared long ago. Why on earth did a kid who should know better do that. Since she admitted it obediently, I ran out of words.
At the time when silence flowed between us in the subsided atmosphere. Haley mumbled alone with her head bowed.
“But, you recognized him at once.” “Him you say, you rascal….”
While scolding her for the somewhat rough word choice. I couldn’t continue my words at Haley’s hostile attitude. Even though they were close living in one house in their own way.
“Do you really not remember? You guys were quite close before.” “I remember there were kids I played with. But when it comes to names or detailed parts….” “Then, how on earth did you remember me?” “Because Mister was my everything when I was young.”
Just as I was talking a bit about old times, Haley suddenly said something that gave me goosebumps and made a person embarrassed. It’s not even a marriage proposal line, saying such ticklish words. Although there was the phrase ‘when I was young’, I closed my mouth awkwardly at the sentence that could contain many meanings.
“How did Mister loo….” “Hiya-! Warm so it’s good!”
Bang-!
Just when Haley was about to say something, the bathroom door opened abruptly bang along with Shane’s refreshed shout echoing. Soon jumping up hop from the seat I was sitting on, I approached Shane who became fluffy and handed him the clothes I wear.
“Sorry once again… here, wear my clothes.” “Ey, I do worse things when training anyway.”
While reacting as if it was no big deal to the continuous apologies, Shane accepted the clothes obediently and put them on one by one. The guy, leading his body with steam rising puff puff, sat occupying the seat where I was sitting just like that.
“No, more than that, I was surprised. A letter came saying the guy who entrusted you to Dad came so come quickly.”
Then as if recalling the past not long ago, Shane talked while shaking off the water from his head refreshingly. If you say sent a letter to Shane, it’s the guard Huton. I tilted my head at the title sounding ticklish anew.
“You call that person Dad?” “Ah… everyone in the barracks called him that, since they all treated us so well when we were young.” “It seems entrusting you there was a good choice.” “Who says otherwise? I am quite grateful.”
At the time when this and that old story flowed. Suddenly a question about the title arose and I asked Shane.
“Then, do you want to call me Dad too or something?” “No? Mister feels like Mister.” “What kind of feeling is that.”
However, the guy concluding me firmly as ‘Mister’. Unknowingly, I nitpicked as if tackling him.
“That is, it’s hard to pinpoint with words but.” “No no! It’s okay, I get what you’re saying… talk amongst yourselves.”
In short, calling me that became a habit, so words other than that don’t stick to the mouth at all, right. Making him shut his mouth without needing to explain hard, I stepped aside for the kids meeting after a long time in their own way.
“Where and how have you been?”
The conversation started with a few words from good-natured Shane just like that. It was only fascinating that the guy who was once a troublemaker could use such a mature tone. Probably sharing stories accumulated over the years, the atmosphere would become heartwarming. Just when I thought Valen would gather soon too and this house would become a subtle meeting plaza.
Glare, Haley with a face strangely sharpened glared at Shane and said.
“If you washed up, please go back quickly.” “Huh…?!”
It seems even good-natured Shane was a little flustered. He leaked a bewildered short word at the door-slamming rejection that was way off timing. Not even friendly informal speech between friends, but half-honorifics. Eventually trying to step aside stealthily, I returned to original position. Holding bewilderment, I spoke restlessly.
“Ha, Haley? What’s wrong? To a friend you met after a long time….” “That is all in the past.”
Pout.
Don’t know the reason but Haley is extremely angry. Only I, stuck between the two, became troubled.
“Sorry, don’t know why she is like this today….” “Well, there is no rule that friends in the past are friends now too.”
Even so, Shane moves on with broad generosity…. At the appearance of the two seemingly completely opposite to when they were young, I felt like my energy was draining.
Around the time the relationship between Haley and Shane worsened like that. Shane started wandering every corner of the house as if touring a tourist spot while tracing back old memories.
“Was my room here in the past?” “Right, over there was Haley.”
The place the guy visited first was naturally the basement. Seeing that place which was once like a prison became storage, Shane was amazed just like me a while ago. The basement now full of vegetables or pickled meat. The guy was poking around here and there frivolously as if reminiscing about a time. For now, Haley completely sulked and didn't come down. Shane opening his lips first in the comfortable atmosphere with only the two of us.
“Actually, I didn’t think this place would be preserved to this extent.” “Hm?”
Although memories were engraved in those few words, on one hand, even surprised admiration was mixed. Didn’t think it would be preserved to this extent? I tilted my head as I couldn’t understand those words readily.
“Why, did something happen?” “How much do you know about the situation after the Slave Prohibition Act?”
As soon as I asked if something happened, Shane asking how much I know about the situation after the Slave Prohibition Act. Probably intending to explain by comparing the part he knows and the part I know. Let’s see, if it’s things after the Slave Prohibition Act…. Right, what I know was about this much.
“Uh… well? Whether kids or adults, transferring them to convents, and it was a bit of chaos inside and outside the country?” “A few years passed since then and they overturned the training centers, some became bakeries… some became clothing stores.”
As I explained roughly the part I know, the guy pointing out the parts I didn’t know while flicking his finger. Turns out, the buildings that were originally training centers were all overturned and most changed to other uses. By Shane’s guess, there must have been some transaction between the country and nobles, but that is literally a guess.
“So naturally I was thinking this place would have been demolished too… though there’s also the fact I couldn’t remember where it was.” “Such things happened.” “Besides… sensibly speaking, who would think someone bought this whole place and the old appearance remains as is?”
Following that, mentioning common sense, he explained as if unbelievable that this place remains as is despite such events.
“Ah, adventurers must earn incredibly a lot… I’m envious.” “If you’re envious, why don’t you do it too.” “Me? Ey, still, it’s better to just sit still and receive a salary.”
Even so, as I suggested to the guy jokingly, he refused saying apart from earnings, he likes receiving money sitting still. It seemed the basement tour was roughly finished, Shane spun around whirl and climbed the stairs. Returning to the 1st floor with the guy just like that. Haley seemed still sulky, lying on the bed showing her back.
“You don’t intend to sleep over, right?” “Uh… for me it’s good to recall memories, but seems the landlord would be uncomfortable?” “Hmm, as expected right.”
Leaving Haley alone for a moment, I talked with Shane about what to do after for a moment. I asked if he would sleep over just in case, but the guy leaking expectation that he wouldn't get permission while reading Haley’s mood. Similarly, as I crossed my arms and leaked agreement at the sign that it would likely be so, the guy approached the dirty armor as if he wouldn’t stay long and said.
“Then I’ll just polish the armor and go, if the Vice Captain’s armor looks like this, I won’t save face in front of subordinates.” “Vice Captain?”
I bit onto the end of the sentence as I seemed to hear a few words I couldn’t just pass by in Shane’s words. What, this guy isn’t an ordinary figure either? Briefly flustered at the position title not fitting his age.
“…You can stay.”
A depressed-sounding murmur was heard from the bed direction. In time with the sound, mine and Shane’s gaze head that way.
“Huh?” “Did you hear what Haley said?” “No, it was too small so not well….”
Jump.
Immediately after the conversation ended, Haley raising her body abruptly.
“I said you can sleep over! No? If I say sleep over, sleep over.”
Changing the attitude of rejection suddenly, she got annoyed and pushed her thought unilaterally. Perhaps she heard all our conversation. Geez, she has keen ears.
“…Seems she says you can?” “Ah, then where should I sleep?”
Anyway, the landlord’s permission dropped too…. While bewildered, we thought about the distribution of beds. As soon as the question ended, Haley rolled roll roll on the bed and settled on the sheet I used.
“Guest on the upper bed, me and Mister here.”
Then Haley nonchalantly patting the spot next to her where she rolled and fell. Perhaps thinking herself it was shameless too, the corners of her mouth twisted awkwardly stopping laughter from leaking out. It was dumbfounding to see the face pretending to be angry crumpling. So that was her true feeling.
“I’ll just lay something on the floor and sleep….” “Left arm! I’ll really just hold the left arm and sleep! I promise!”
As I said that and approached the wardrobe to take out another blanket stealthily, Haley urgently unraveled even the pretense of being angry and even shouted late at night. I looked down at Haley lying on the sheet with a strangely untrustworthy expression. This child extending her pinky finger desperately. Not even saying she’ll just hold hands and sleep, just what does that mean.