Chapter 29: Early in the Morning, at the Edge of the Yard

Early in the morning, at the edge of the yard, Belgrieve faced Duncan with a sword in one hand. He leaned his weight onto his artificial leg, swaying irregularly to and fro. Duncan stared at him, his battle-axe held in a high stance.

Turnera was cool in the early morning. Mist still lingered here and there, catching the faint light of the sun that had yet to fully rise. Once that happened, its heat would press down all at once, and then training would be the least of their worries.

While Belgrieve swayed, he did not make a move, and Duncan was so tense he had frozen as well. Occasionally, the tips of his toes would twitch ever so slightly, measuring the distance ahead.

After a while, it was Duncan who took the initiative. He closed in with one fell swoop and swung down with a powerful blow. Belgrieve’s eyes shot open, but he kept his movements to a bare minimum, dodging and swinging his sword in tandem.

Still, Duncan was a veteran warrior. He twisted to evade the blade, immediately jumping back to make some distance.

Belgrieve sighed and loosened his stance. “I’ve still got a long way to go... Thank you, Duncan.”

“No, that should be my line. I was wide open after you evaded that. Ha ha ha!” Duncan smiled, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Until Belgrieve returned, Duncan had been staying at Kerry’s house. He began operating with Belgrieve the moment he was back, accompanying him during training and on his early morning patrols.

Ever since he fought the undead with his aching body, Belgrieve had attempted to develop a fighting style that used as little strength as necessary. The elven elixir had taken his pain away, but he knew he could not win against Father Time—there was no telling when his fierce sword style would injure his body again. When that time came, there would be no recovery from it; he did not even know if he would see another elven elixir as long as he lived.

With that said, he trained with Duncan—the only other experienced fighter in Turnera—every morning. Belgrieve had always focused on reacting to his opponent’s attacks, so he was able to dodge easily enough, but his counters would hardly land on an opponent of Duncan’s caliber. While he used to channel all his strength into his attacks, he now wanted to hone his techniques—make them smarter such that he could still fell an enemy in one blow without using so much power. He was trying to find such a method but wasn’t getting anywhere. In fact, he could only barely manage it if he used his mana to increase his affinity with his sword, but...

“This is troublesome... My body’s not listening to me these days.”

“Ha ha ha, not much you can do! This training’s to get it to listen!”

“Right...but this is just making me anxious... I don’t know when I’ll get injured again.”

“I see... I’m pretty sure you’re more than strong enough to protect Turnera though.”

“I’m not so sure. I’ll need to get my own stamp of approval first,” Belgrieve said with a shrug.

He decided it was high time to get to the bottom of why the fiends were appearing.

Not so long ago, the influence of a demon had caused mass outbreaks around Orphen, and there were plenty of high-ranking fiends during that time. This had been what had prevented Angeline from coming home.

However, there had only been low-ranking ones around Turnera until now. Perhaps something powerful had arrived, though maybe not at the level of a demon. Otherwise, there must be something causing mana to pool—that would be the more troublesome possibility. With a strong fiend, he could simply hunt it down, but if it was mana pooling, he would need a skilled magician to deal with it. Belgrieve had the knowledge in his head, but he was a swordsman.

In any case, Duncan wasn’t good at searching, so Belgrieve would have to go himself. He wanted to complete his fighting style before then; he hesitated to venture out with half-baked abilities. Needless to say, it wasn’t going so well.

“Still, Bell, you’re amazing, polishing completely new movements at your age,” Duncan said as he stretched.

Belgrieve smiled. “You’ll understand eventually. Once you’re over forty, see, the years suddenly catch up to you. How should I put this... You feel a strange impatience—as though things can’t stay the same anymore.”

“Hmm... I thought I was already getting old when I hit thirty.”

“It’s a little different—getting old, and actually feeling your age. For example, your body suddenly isn’t moving like it used to, and you have more white hairs than before. They’re just little things, but they make you feel incredibly lonely. You long for how things used to be, and then it feels like even your heart’s gotten so much older. Maybe I’m not explaining it so well, but it’s so peculiarly stifling when I feel it myself.”

“I see... I think I understand where you’re coming from. I’m thirty-seven, but sometimes I’m struck by this sudden loneliness. I wonder if I’ve forgotten something behind me.”

“Forgotten something... Maybe that’s it. I thought I was living as best I could, but looking back, what exactly did I accomplish...?”

“What are you talking about? Bell, you raised the Black-Haired Valkyrie, you did. I haven’t faced her before, but I’ve heard plenty of rumors.”

“I see... Right. Maybe that kid’s the best thing that’s happened to me.” Belgrieve stood with a bashful laugh. “All right, enough of that dreary stuff. Let’s have dinner.”

“Ha ha ha, no need to be embarrassed about it! I’m not vulgar enough to sneer at a parent who adores his child!”

Duncan patted Belgrieve on the shoulder before striding into the house. Belgrieve followed, awkwardly scratching his cheek.

○

The rain began early in the morning. When she sluggishly entered the guildhall, Angeline grimaced; the lobby was exceptionally crowded.

“Looks like business is still booming...”

A party of young novices was raising a ruckus in front of the counter. In the corner, the middle-aged adventurers sat around the tables. Employees busily came and went, and the receptionist’s troubled smile was ever present.

They headed to the counter reserved for higher-ranking members to see what work was available. The cracks from when Angeline had smacked the marble still remained, and she thought it was high time they patched them up.

The middle-aged woman sitting behind the counter smiled at her cheerfully.

“Good morning, Ange.”

“Morning, Yuri... You have anything for me?”

“Hmm, right. Give me a minute.”

Yuri flipped through the file on her desk. Her hair, a deep blue like the ocean, draped over the papers. Mildly annoyed, Yuri brushed it aside, collecting it behind her.

She had once been a member of Lionel’s party. After retirement, she moved to the imperial capital, but during the fiend outbreak, Lionel contacted her, and she came as fast as she could. Unfortunately for her, the matter had been settled by the time she arrived.

Still, her journey was not wasted, as she put her efforts into rebuilding and reforming the guild. Most of the time, she worked at the counter for high-rankers, but as she had once been a high-ranker herself, she did not feel intimidated no matter whom she was dealing with and she fulfilled her duty with a smile. Furthermore, having someone around from the old days he could talk to gave Lionel a sense of respite.

Angeline observed Yuri closely. She said she was turning thirty-seven—not exactly young, but she did not give off an elderly impression by any means. Her wrinkles were inconspicuous, her skin was glossy, and she carried herself with an elegant demeanor. What’s more, she was incredibly composed and professional, which wasn’t to say she was unaccommodating—she had a playful side to her and a sense of humor. The mole beside her eye had a strange sensuality to it. She had only been in Orphen for a few months, but many adventurers had already fallen for her. Of course, Yuri did not take them seriously.

Why is she not married? Angeline wondered. But also, she thought she wouldn’t mind having her as a mother. Surely she was overflowing with motherliness.

If Belgrieve married, Angeline feared the possibility of being left in the dust. She mulled it over, pondered it some more, and continued ruminating over what she would do. At times, she convinced herself she didn’t have to find him a bride.

Yet she had always been drawn to the concept of having a mother, and she knew Belgrieve was not the sort of man who would disregard her the moment he was married. And so, she made her final decision.

Perhaps Yuri could be her mother. The woman looked like she would pamper her, and perhaps she could get a little brother or sister out of the deal. The thought of this caused Angeline to break out into an eerie chuckle.

Yuri cocked her head a bit. “What’s wrong, Ange?”

“Yuri...”

“What?”

“Do you want to meet my father to discuss the prospect of marriage...?”

“Huh?!” Yuri’s gaze rose from the file, her eyes darting left and right. “Wh-What’s this, all of a sudden?”

“My father is always alone, and I feel bad for him... I guarantee he is an incredibly good man.”

“Umm... Your father is the Red Ogre, right? I-I’m not so sure I would be a good match for him...”

“That’s not true at all... Certainly, my dad is incredibly strong, but Yuri, weren’t you an AAA-Rank...?”

“That was when I was active... I was just a server at a small tavern after I returned to the imperial capital.”

I see, so that’s why she always has such a good posture, Angeline thought.

Yuri fidgeted, flustered. She was used to being hit on by men, so she dealt with them rather easily, but as was to be expected, she had never had a girl come up to her and ask if she wanted to marry her father.

“In any case, please consider it... You’re beautiful, and my dad is a very good person...”

“O-Oh... I don’t really know how to reply...”

As she turned red, Lionel shambled out from the door behind her. He was visibly drained, stubble scattered unevenly around his chin, mouth, and cheeks.

“Yuri, can I see the request book... Ah, Ms. Ange. Good morning...”

“Morning, Guild Master... Sleep deprived again?” Angeline asked, eliciting weak laughter from him.

“Pretty much. Our investors are pushing all sorts of work onto me... Pulling all-nighters is pretty rough at my age. My mouth is full of the flavor of nutrient tonics... How long has it been since I’ve had a proper meal? I get the feeling I’m not any better off than when we had a fiend outbreak on our hands...”

Watching Lionel grumble to himself, Yuri sent him a tired smile. “It’s always complaints with you, Leo.”

“Don’t be unreasonable, please. If, on top of everything else, you take away my ability to complain about it, this old man really will croak...”

“You’re fine. They say you’ve got a lot left in you when you can still joke about dying.”

“I don’t even know anymore... Ah, I’ll be taking these ones.” Lionel took a few sheets of paper from the file and looked around.

“What about Ed and Gil? They around yet?”

“Yes, well, they only just got back yesterday. I think they’re still asleep.”

“Sounds nice. I’d like to sleep too...”

“Now, now, just a bit more. You can pull through.”

“Agh...” Lionel heaved an envious sigh.

Angeline narrowed her eyes. They were former party members, but still, Lionel and Yuri got along rather nicely. She could feel a deep sense of trust between them.

“Hey...”

“Hm? What is it, Ms. Ange?”

“Are you two an item...?”

“Huh... Why do you ask?”

“I mean, you get along well... You trust each other, right?”

“I mean, we just watch each other’s backs... But I don’t think that equates to being a couple.” Lionel dubiously furrowed his brow.

Yuri calmly touched a finger to her cheek. “Hmm...” Her head was slightly cocked to the side. “Rather than trust, it’s like I can’t leave him be... He was the strongest in our party, but he’s always been a bit unreliable, old Leo.”

“I’m well aware I lack any semblance of talent... I don’t even know why I’m in this position now. Being a guild master was supposed to be a do-nothing job...”

“Ah, by Vienna. How long are you going to complain?! You have everyone helping out, so get a grip, would you?!”

“I know, I know... It’s just, lately, my work’s been haunting me even in my dreams...” Lionel sorrowfully cast his eyes down in shame. Yuri giggled while patting him on the head.

Even if they weren’t lovers, there was a stable bond of trust between them. Rather than being head over heels, it was as if they took each other’s presence as a simple fact of life. This was powerful.

“An unexpected rival... But there’s still the option of stealing her love...” Angeline’s cheeks turned red as she imagined it.

Lionel looked at her curiously. “What...? Do you like me, Ms. Ange?”

“Huh...? Of course not. What gave you that idea, Guild Master...?”

“I mean, you were mumbling about stealing love and rivals, or something...”

“I’m not talking about myself. I would never fall for you. It’s impossible...”

“I knew that, but it’s a bit hurtful when you say that to my face...” Lionel groaned.

Yuri chuckled a bit. “You’re old enough to be her father, Leo. It feels criminal just thinking about it.”

“Don’t go there, please. I don’t want to be treated as a criminal on top of everything else... Kidding, just kidding...”

Angeline leaned in, her hands planted on the counter. “Yuri... Please consider the matter with my dad seriously. He’s not unreliable like the guild master...”

“You’re a very nosy little girl!” Yuri poked Angeline in the forehead.

“Ms. Ange’s father, huh...” Lionel said, also slouching against the table. “Mr. Elmore wouldn’t stop praising him last time I went to Bordeaux... Ahh, if only he’d return to adventuring and come work for us... Right—hey, Yuri, how about you marry Ms. Ange’s dad and drag him to Orphen? Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?”

“Stupid Leo! What do you think romance is?!” Yuri’s fist found its way into Lionel’s cheek, although there was hardly any force behind it.

At the same time, Dortos emerged from the door in the back with rage on his face.

“Lionel! How long does it take to pick up a few papers?!”

“Wait, Mr. Dortos, you have it all wrong! I’m just taking a slight breather!”

“Silence! Get over here already!”

Grabbing Lionel by the scruff of the neck, Dortos stormed into the back.

Yuri drew a relieved breath of air and returned to flipping through the file. “Now Ange, about that request...”

“Yeah,” Angeline said.