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Farewell Ceremony
The day before the Aquamarine fair. After I had my breakfast, I looked down in the courtyard’s direction and noticed an unusual, subtle atmosphere drifting. It is both hurried and languid.
The true form of that hurried activity is obvious. There are fewer than 10 children who are being put up for auction this time. If they are successfully sold, they will be handed over to the other party on the spot. So that’s why they need to pack up their few personal belonging they have now. At most, they are all just a change of clothes. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Also, they are going to stand on the stage of the auction, so they can not go there looking dirt,y so they hurriedly took a bath as well. They also planned to take a bath again tomorrow morning just in case, but it seems like they will not have that much time at that time, and part of the reason is also that they want to refresh themselves in advance. Also, they have been quite busy because they have to say goodbye to children who became friends with them, too.
Within that business, there is a single boy who does not seem to be able to read the atmosphere. It is Kovol, holding a wooden stick.
「Jusa!」
Kovol had a smile on his face. However, there was something stiff in that smile.
Jusa had been running around helping others, but this time he remained behind. So, it is not like he has no time at all.
「What’s the matter, Kovol」
Kovol shouted with a sparkle in his eyes.
「Teach me swordsmanship!」
In this housing facility, there is no opportunity for the boys to learn martial arts. As for the reasons and circumstances, as expected, Kovol can also understand it somehow. It is a plea based on that. Evidently, it is like children innocently asking someone to play with them. However.....
As for Jusa, the moment he heard that, he stopped what he was doing, turned his back, and stood motionless for a moment. But when he turned around, he responded with a shadow in his smile.
「Can’t be helped, eh」
He heads towards the corner of the courtyard with Kovol. There were wooden swords placed there for training. He took a swing from a sword, picked up another one, and threw it to Kovol.
「Come at me. I’ll check your skill」
Kovol’s face quickly brightens. Throwing his stick, Kovol tightly grasps the wooden sword with both hands. She’s obviously impatient. I quietly looked at them from the dining space.
Suddenly, Dee stood next to me.
「’ven though we’re so busy.....Kovol is really stupid」
It was Dee who spoke with unclear pronunciation.
Despite saying that, she still stood there and seemed to plan on watching the match.
Jusa held the wooden sword in his right hand. His left hand hangs down limply on his side. Seeing him taking a stance with the sword like that, I can see now that he really must have been a fairly skilled swordsman. He has an intimidating air at a glance, and he shows no opening.
「What’s the matter?」
Jusa calls out to Kovol, who is unable to move. He said to come to him.
That is just reckless. He is just a child who has never learn swordsmanship. What can you do against someone skilled in swordsmanship? Even Kovol personally experienced how formidable his opponent is and was unable to move. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
However, this match is something he started because he wished for it. Moreover, he knows that his time is limited.
「Deyaaa!」
Kovol struck his wooden sword with all his strength while making out a somewhat convincing battle cry. And Jusa easily warded that off.
And, as he made a large swing, he moved in from the side to strike a blow. Of course, without putting any strength in it. There is no way they can let any bruise left on a slave’s skin right before the auction happens.
At that moment, Jusa’s eyes widened. Although Kovol made a full swing with all his strength and his should have lost his balance, he regained his balance with brute force and fiercely struck the approaching sword from Jusa. Moreover, despite unleashing the blow in such a position, it packed quite the punch. Jusa’s right hand was knocked away, leaving his torso completely exposed.
「Uooohhh!」
Raising his sword again, Kovol leapt at Jusa. But that was it.
Jusa went around to his side with his footwork. Then, he gently placed his sword at Kovol's feet as he leaned forward. The force of the momentum made Kovol tumble forward. When he tried to stand and face upward, the tip of Jusa’s sword was pointed at his throat.
Kovol, however, looked pleased.
「Yosh, stand up and brush off the dirt」
As he did what he was told, Jusa said.
「Kovol. From the eyes of someone who reached Topaz rank like me, your strength isn’t bad」
「Really!?」
「Yeah. It’s a strength I can’t imagine coming from a 6-year-old brat. If you keep gaining strength like that, you might become stronger just from that」
Kovol was jumping in joy after receiving the unexpected praise.
But, that? Certainly, Jusa took the promotion exam to become a high-ranking adventurer, and he passed, but he retired without ranking up. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「I think you don’t need a sword. It’s not like you’re not suited to it, but there’s no need for you to use it」
「W, why!?」
「That’s because a sword is a weapon created so that a weaker human can defeat their enemies even with their insufficient strength. An edged tool is like that. But, it also has many weaknesses. The blade can chip, and there are times when the weapon may get deflected by the shape of the armor. That’s why」
Jusa continued to explain while collecting Kovol’s wooden sword.
「People who are blessed with strength like you normally should just use a blunt weapon. A heavy one. Simply put, the attack will be hard to deflect and will have great power. Rather than learning cheap tricks, first you'd better train your body」
Kovol listens to Jusa’s explanation, with eyes shining brightly.
The look on Dee’s expression - as she stared at that with me - was really indescribable.
「Being a knight.....no way he could become one」
Her usual, cheerful expression was nowhere to be seen. A fleeting smile appeared on her face.
Why would Kovol start to say selfish things now? And why does Jusa even bother to deal with Kovol? She was not so immature that she wouldn’t understand the reason.
「Noor-kun?」
「Ah, what?」
Before I knew it, Dee was looking back at me.
「Thank you for taking care of me~」
She quickly bowed. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「That is, I was the one taken care of」
「There’s no way it’s like that~」
Just from how she looks alone, she was back to her usual self. Even the way she speaks is in an inarticulate manner.
「I had a comfortable time here thanks to all sorts of things you did~」
「Is that so」
「That so~」
She gave me a cheerful smile.
「And so, if I become a maid in the castle」
She clenches her fist tightly and declares.
「I will give you some leftover food from the rear exit~」
「Hahaha, I’m looking forward to it」
After watching the match between Jusa and Kovol until the end, she quickly turned her body around with a spin.
「Well then, I’ll go greet the other kids too. Noor-kun should take care of yourself too」
「Un, take care」
Dee turned her back and ran off.
「Now then」
And as if to replace Dee, Wyst - who had packed all his belongings in a sack - pulled a chair and sat next to me.
「I wonder if I can get properly sold this time round?」
He said, somewhat like an HR.
「I wonder」
It’s a matter of concern for me too. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Oi, this is where you should cheer on me a little, you know? If I miss this chance, then I will be 7 years old already」
「I know you’re desperate, but it might be a little difficult」
「Oーi」
Wyst said in a dry tone.
「I mean, I’m not saying Wyst has no merit. Look, I’m near Myluc and seeing all kinds of information. To put it simply, the situation this time is that everyone is reluctant to spend money. They are thinking, ‘I wonder if I should buy them’, like that」
「Hmーm, that’s, like, kinda terrible」
「Well, it takes time to train child slaves, and they are not something who can immediately be useful」
When I said that, Wyst’s face darkened for a moment, but then he quickly regained his usual bright smile.
「Then in that case, I can come back here the day after tomorrow!」
「That’s how it’s going to be. But you have to do your best」
Even if the market is bad, sales can happen surprisingly smoothly when the timing is right. Myluc said, ‘That’s how it is’. So, there might also be people we have to part with here today.
Just when I was talking with Wyst, another person’s shadow approached.
「Ah……」
When our eyes met, Dona turned her face away. I wonder what’s wrong.
Just when I was lost in thought, Wyst suddenly stood up, slapped my back, and walked away.
「……Dona?」
She timidly approached and sat on the chair next to me when I called out to her.
Her clothing today is her best clothes. Perhaps it’s taking her black hair into consideration, and to improve her appearance, she is wearing a one-piece with white accents and a black tone. She probably never wore such high-quality clothes in her whole life until now. Only, the action is tomorrow, so it’s fine not to wear it today. If anything, it will be troublesome if it gets dirty before the real auction, so it should be more convenient to pack it with her luggage, but..... www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Umm, that is」
Although she can answer properly when I ask her about a problem with a clear answer in class, it seems like she is still clumsy when it comes to thinking about herself and putting it into words. This might still be difficult even after she moved into a noble’s house.
「Thank you」
She finally said.
’Thank you’, she said, what’s that for?
「Because you did a lot of things for me」
「Was that so?」
「Un」
A really lonely smile appears on her face.
「You protected me even when I was being bullied」
The main reason for that was that Dorol was an eyesore at that time. Myluc does not improve the situation where slaves take up the villain’s part. There are people with good and evil intentions in this world. So they believe there should also be some of those in this housing facility as well, otherwise the children won’t grow. However, to me, that makes me too uncomfortable.
For her, it is her fortune to have Kovol there. He was once a skinny boy, but he grew up rapidly. Using his strength, he held down the arrogant, good-for-nothing leader of the slaves and smashed them. At that time, I only secretly blocked Dorol's escape route at that time.
……hm? In that case, then Kovol is the Hero in Dona’s eyes, not me.....
「You always, taught me, studying」
That’s because Myluc doesn’t want to spare the time to do it himself. Since he will be able to focus on his main business if he makes me the teacher. It is not like I was kind only to Dona.
「Also……」
What, there’s more?
But I could not hear the rest of what she said. Jusa rang the bell in the middle of the courtyard. The clanging sound rings out, signaling departure time.
Dona stood up and turned to look at me.
「I don’t know if I can come back but if we meet again, let’s…..talk」
「……un」
I see, that’s why Myluc leaves the bully alone. If the slaves were to get friendly with each other like this, it would become troublesome and cruel instead.
No matter how bad the economic recession is, this is Dona we’re talking about. It will not be strange if a buyer is found right away.
So, I’m sure this is the last time.
She lightly waved her hand and ran off toward the carriage. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
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