Chapter 141 – After They Left

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Rowar’s wooden sword shot out from behind the shield.

“Hah!”

Clang.

I blocked it with my two-handed wooden sword, but he had weakened the attack at the last moment, so it did not cause him to lose his balance.

“Hah!”

His sword bounced off and then turned into a thrust. Just like during training. His habit of getting carried away with the offense that his shield moved away had also been fixed. This was going well.
While I dodged the thrust, Nenreko moved in with his spear. Swiftly, I turned my sword in order to block it. But he used the power of the spear to tangle with the sword and swipe it to the side.
Rowar saw the opening and thrust out with his sword again. I could not deal with it while my sword was pushed away.

“Tsk.”

While I dodged the attack, Nenreko was waiting to the side, and the spear thrust at me mercilessly. They had good coordination.

Cling.
Clang.

The sounds of the weapons clashing rang around us. And then Rowar, whose shield had been focused on blocking, suddenly changed the angle to parry my sword. So he had been changing the direction of his body behind his shield. It was a way of using your shield and sword thrusts to hide what you were doing.

…Of course, I knew it, because we had trained like that.

As soon as my body swept to the side, a spear took advantage of the opening and thrust out. I could not dodge it. I stopped, and the spearhead also froze at my neck.

“Good enough. You pass.”
“Yes!”
“Great!”

After one month of training. The last fight before they left. I could still read their movement very easily, but that was also because I knew their style. If they were fighting someone for the first time, then it should be different.

Of course, I had trained them to fight one on one as well. But if the intent was to prove their ability to the guild worker, two against one, then they should have no complaints. Anyone would be able to see that they had trained to fight against humans.
Now, as long as they repeated their training and continued to work with the other party members, they would learn an infinite amount of patterns.

“Mr. Ajifu, thank you!”
“In spite of what I taught you, it would be best if you don’t have to fight people at all. Only use it when you have no choice. It is not something you use to show off outside of the guild.”
“I-I know.”

Rowar said as he averted his eyes. So he had been meaning to do just that.

“That being said, there is also no need to hesitate when the time comes, and put your own life in danger. Be sure that you both make the right decisions.”
“Of course!”
“We will be fine.”

When it came to most fights that weren’t against humans, more simple sword arts would suffice. It might sound extreme, but strong attacks, fast movements and a few feints were enough in most cases.

The two picked up their belongings and walked towards the exit of the village. Seeing this, the villagers and guards who had spent a whole month with them, came to see them off.

“There is no need for this. We’ll be back soon anyway.”

Rowar said with a look of embarrassment as he waved his hand. Normally, Adventurers would not have received this much attention.

“Will you be D-Rank next time we meet?”
“You bet we will be!”

They joked with the others. I could see that they had made friends and fitted in nicely.

“I will pray that great adventures await you two.”
“Hey, Mr. Ajifu. Why does it sound like you are saying goodbye?”
“Yes. We’ll see you at the guild.”

The two men said with cheerful expression. I wondered what awaited them. Regardless, they were sure to become even stronger.

And so the two waved their hands and left the village. They did not turn back, and there was no hesitation in their steps.

“They’re gone…”

I turned to see Mezerir behind me. She had a gentle expression as she watched them.

“Yes, they are.”

I turned back just as they disappeared into the trees. Then I noticed that Mezerir was staring at me.

“You’re jealous, aren’t you?”
“What?”

I didn’t know what to say to that. Because she was right on the mark. I did feel jealous of them. Their level was still low. Their equipment was insufficient. But they had such hope as they marched towards the future.

…I felt a little annoyed that she had seen through me.

“What makes you think that?”
“Because you have the same expression…as elves who look at humans.”
“Ah, I see.”

So that’s what I looked like? Indeed, as elves lived longer than humans, there was no rush. If elves were going to become D-Rank Adventurers like them, they would have trained more first, and made sure they had everything prepared.

But having more time wasn’t always a good thing. Time could separate you from your emotions and make them dull.

“You should go too, Ajifu. On an adventure. You are an Adventurer, after all.”
“It’s easier said than done. There is the village. I cannot just pick up and leave so easily.”
“That’s not true.”
“Hmm? What’s not true?”

I have been here for three years. I fought many monsters as the village Adventurer. Sometimes, I cooperated with the guards. I knew that I had been useful. I felt that the village needed me now. Surely I was not wrong.

“What is keeping you here, is your heart, Ajifu. If you want to stay here, then that is fine. But if there is something you are pursuing as an Adventurer…then this village would not want to be a burden for you. You should follow your heart.”
“Uh…”

Even so. I had gone through this world as a wanderer. And now, Mezerir was the one person who understood me and knew of Reverse Age. Nanaze village was the gateway towards Amernisus. At last, I had found a place that I could return to. It was like my parent’s house, in a way. So it was no wonder that I did not want to leave… I think.

“I…”
“Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that I want you to leave. Just…the way that you were looking at them. It reminded me of the elves who won’t leave Amernisus. That is all.”

She said, and then turned away and walked back to the village. I still could not think of anything to say in reply.

But though Rowar and Nenreko were long gone, I could not help but continue to stare in the direction that they had gone.

Next Chapter

Ossan Boukensha no Jimichi na Isekai Tabi