Going back slightly in time.
That day, I who was spending my time in the inn gathered the leaflets of private school and dojo to search for something interesting.
As expected, a lot of leaflets were prepared so that even people who only just arrived in Arumsaas could understand it easily.
Sitting on the bed, I checked them one by one.
「Sword art instruction school Beckens……with this even you can become a reliable vanguard. Let's polish our sword art together.」
The Third scoffed while I was reading the leaflet for a sword art dojo.
『I wonder if a practice sword art that is learned in dojo will be useful in real battle?』
I read the leaflet.
「But, it's written here that the trainer has a practical experience as adventurer for ten years you know?」
The Fifth urged me to read the next one.
『You are already taught sword art and you are really skilled. You don't need it, that's why next.』
I took the next leaflet.
「Let's peer into the abyss of magic. The water magic taught by grand wizard Claris. With this even you will become the core of your party's offense! Become the one relied for firepower.」
The Sixth was laughing.
『Being in charge of firepower with water magic! No, I understand what it want to say but……next!』
I took the next leaflet.
「A party's vital point is the scout. We will teach you the skill for that. Scout master.」
The Second sighed.
『You, that scout master…….no, certainly it's important. It's important but, isn't the name scout master is ruining it in various ways?』
The Seventh seemed to be in agreement. He was also talking in excitement.
『You're right. Besides, Lyle is the cornerstone who supports the party at the center. There is no way he can be allowed to do something like scouting or the like.』
The Fourth spoke last after I read some more leaflets.
『None of them feels really right. As I thought, without looking with our own eyes it's……. Ah, Lyle, leave behind the leaflet. Use the back part that has nothing written on it effectively.』
I put the leaflets on the table beside the bed and lied down.
The girls went to check where were the shops that sold things like daily necessities or essential items. I was staying behind in the inn alone.
「……Nothing to do」
Then the Second talked to me.
『Then, how about you go checking the request in the guild just like Clarchan said?』
Request──the works that were mainly made by the academy's students.
If I took a job that was requested by young n.o.bles from among those requests and could obtain their trust, it would become possible to enter the dungeon.
There was a reason to focus on young n.o.bles. Because if they weren't n.o.ble then there would be a risk that other students or the academy or the guild running interference. For example, even if I became friendly with a merchant's son, Clarsan said that the guild would recommend other adventurers to our client when it was time for us to challenge the dungeon.
The academy's side also valued their students, so it seemed they always instructed the guild to introduce their students to adventurers that could be trusted with past results behind them as much as possible. If that happened, we wouldn't be able to enter the dungeon. Because our number was lacking, and we also had no trust and actual result in Arumsaas.
It was the same even if we wanted to gather member. Clarsan said that we who were being hated by the guild would get hindered in a variety of way by them. The guild staffs here were really irritating.
──But, it would be a different story with young n.o.bles.
Even the academy wouldn't be too strict when dealing with them, while the guild was blatantly acting subservient to them.
If they said that something was right then it was right. No one wouldn't say anything to them.
……The reason was because n.o.ble was bothersome. I felt really complicated as someone who also came from n.o.ble background.
I lifted my upper body from the bed and set out to the guild.
The guild that was located near the outer wall was placed beside the gate. Because of that it was hard to call its location as good.
The scale of Arumsaas as a city was big. From that the traffic of people coming and going was also heavy.
Foods were transported from the neighboring villages every day to be sold in the market.
The materials and processed products that were obtained in Arumsaas would repeatedly come and go.
Because of that the area around the gate would easily get dusty. Cows and horses were pulling cart so the smell of feces and urine was also terrible.
Adventurers without decent equipment were cleaning those up. It might be due to a request that they accepted from the guild. I also could see magicians scattering water with magic that was casted with token effort.
「The sun is blazing like this, so they dried up immediately huh.」
The scattered water evaporated, causing the air to be weirdly humid.
When I entered the guild, I couldn't find many adventurers because of the time that had greatly gone past noon.
When I headed toward the request board to see the request papers that were put up there, several adventurers were there. They checked the content of the request papers and sighed.
Many of the request that were put out by the guild were related to the academy……the majority came especially from the students. Among them there were also requests from people who were called professor, but those requests were carefully put up at a different board. Those who accomplished the request from professor would definitely obtain favor from the academy.
But, I heard that all of them were terrible request.
When I tried looking due to curiosity, my face cramped.
「A whole skeletal structure of a wyvern? And then dragon……fresh stomach of fire dragon? This one is……no way.」
The request that I thought to be easiest to accomplish was to enter Arumsaas's underground dungeon──and obtained the magic stone of the boss at floor 40.
However, we couldn't enter the dungeon in the first place so we couldn't accept it.
The Third was also surprised.
『This academy professor bunch aren't right in the head. I also can't understand this request for dragon's fresh stomach. In other words, they're asking us to catch one alive?』
The Seventh spoke with a conflicted tone.
『……I've never fought a dragon. I heard that in the past there was also a dragon in our territory though?』
The Second lightly replied.
『Ah, there was. But you know, Oyaji defeated it……that guy was the boss of that area, and then nothing like that guy appeared anymore after that. ……I also wanted to fight one.』
I couldn't understand the feeling of the Second who was looking a bit disappointed.
It was said that you had no luck if you encountered a monster like dragon. The First──Basil Walt defeated a land dragon which was said to be relatively easy to defeat because it couldn't fly, but since then it seemed none of the ancestors had even fought any dragon.
The Sixth also spoke in disappointment.
『Dragon huh. Just once is fine, I wanted to try fighting it. Why won't it appear in our house's territory? No, I understand that the territory will be devastated if one appear but……even so』
Putting aside whether he was just acting tough or actually serious,
From the beginning I had no intention to accept a request like dragon extermination so I moved and checked the requests from academy students.
However, there was no request that could lead to obtain trust.
「House cleaning? Doing homework in their place? ……What's this?」
Among them there was also a job like wanting to investigate information about a girl they liked.
All of them were ch.o.r.es, and the request reward was also not really much. Besides, it was also unknown whether the client was a n.o.ble or not.
The Third criticized me while I was reading the request papers in deep thought.
『In the first place haven't we decided not to get involved with n.o.bles before coming to Arumsaas? So why are you coming here to get involved with them instead? It's appalling how you willingly stuck your nose into troublesome thing like this.』
……It wasn't like I stuck my nose into troublesome thing because I liked it.
This was only because it would more efficient using this method.
I rolled the Jewel with my fingertips, but the Third didn't stop talking and continued picking at me. Even though I signed him to be quiet, today he kept picking on me.
『Isn't it also fine to work hard outside? It's better to go through hards.h.i.+p when you're young. Besides, there is also no need to be fixated to the dungeon right?』
I was irritated to the Third who wouldn't shut up, but the Third seemed to find that amusing.
The Fourth was exasperated at the Third who was like that.
『That's a bad taste. However, it's a fact that the efficiency will be different. The earning will be in a different league after all. As expected here you should be more──』
In the middle of the Fourth's talk, my gaze turned toward a person who entered the guild.
That person threw open the guild's door roughly and entered. He was wearing a white s.h.i.+rt and black tight trouser. His leather shoes were somewhat dirty. It seemed that was bothering him.
He covered his mouth with a white handkerchief and furrowed his eyebrows.
With how rudely he entered, the gazes of the staffs and adventurers inside the guild gathered on him. It seemed he was a student of the academy.
His first sentence was terrible.
「……It stink.」
Then the guild's staff rubbed his hands while approaching the man──an academy student.
「What could be your business here today?」
The man's fingertips played with his long front hair while talking in irritation.
「That's obvious. I came to make a request. Quickly choose an adventurer for me.」
Even the guild staff was bewildered at his high-handed att.i.tude. It seemed the man was undoubtedly a n.o.ble.
I could see something like a house crest on the expensive looking ornament he was wearing.
「I, if it's a request, then after young master fill the necessary paperwork I would be able to dispatch an adventurer that met the requirement tomorrow so──」
The man seemed to be displeased by the staff's explanation and his mood became worse.
「So you're saying that you can't accept my request right away! You, I am from a house of count──」
There the guild staff rubbed his hands while nodding his head many times to the man who was starting to boast about his pedigree.
The ancestors said this hearing that.
『Just what is going on with the youth today if this guy is really a young n.o.ble?』
『Haha~, this kind of idiot always exist whether it's in the past or now. But, it's amusing to just watch.』
『This goes past being exasperating right into being funny.』
『I wish they will raise their other children properly too, not just the eldest son.』
『……The Fifth also didn't do anything for us. However, this is terrible!』
『However, just what does this guy come to the guild for?』
Yes. What was on my mind was what kind of request this haughty young n.o.ble wanted to make to the guild.
If it was a request that I could accomplish then……I wanted to accept it.
While I was thinking that, the man started saying something absurd. It was to the degree that the guild staff also asked back in disbelief of the request.
「……Hah? I, in other words, you wish for someone to act as a scoundrel to hara.s.s a girl who you like?」
The man flicked his front hair with his finger and affirmed it. He showed not even a shred of shame.
「Exactly. That's a fitting job for the filthy adventurer isn't it? Let's see. I'll have them dressed slovenly and hit on the targeted girl. When he is pressing the girl persistently, I'll make my entrance and save her! How's that?」
Even the guild staff was bewildered being asked that.
「I, I think that's good. The, then I will immediately write the doc.u.ment──」
「I'm saying that's too slow! Do it within today!」
His att.i.tude was really bad. There was even an adventurer around him who clicked his tongue.
But…….
I moved to approach the man, but a voice inside the Jewel stopped me.
『O, oi, Lyle! Don't tell me, you……are going to accept that guy's request!? Stop, that's bad. My instinct is telling me to not do it!』
『Lyle, you can laugh at that kind of human because you are watching him from far away, but he is a type of human you mustn't approach. It won't be a laughing matter.』
『Why are you rus.h.i.+ng like this? Never mind that, just leave immediately.』
『Lyle, don't get involved with that. It won't turn into anything decent.』
『Indeed. Lyle, you are a good boy so listen to what we said.』
Normally I would listen to the opinions of the ancestors and backed away. But, right now I really didn't want to do that.
There wouldn't be any problem if I succeeded.
The Third spoke loudly but, I ignored him.
『Lyle, listen to us! What's this, recently you're being difficult you know?』
『……Now that you mention it, he might be in that kind of phase.』
The Fifth muttered and the Third spoke with hidden implication.
『──Well, anyone will have that kind of phase I guess. Isn't it fine sometimes? In exchange, you'll have to take responsibility for it.』
What were they worrying about? From what I heard, it was a request without any problem in it.
In other words, I just needed to hit on a girl and failed. I only needed to act the villain.
It was a simple job that anyone could do. After all, I only needed to fail.
「Say, that request……how about I accept it?」
And then now we returned to the scene where the girl I hit on──Miranda Circy gave me treatment in her house.
Mirandsan carried a medicine box and checked my cheek and the inside of my mouth. She said that the injury wasn't so bad and casted healing magic on me. After that she pressed on my cheek a cloth that was smeared with medicine which would feel slightly sting on the skin.
I twisted my body the moment I got punched, so obviously there wasn't anything exaggerated like a wound on me.
In the first place, I had no qualification to receive this kind of courteous treatment.
「Tha, thank you very much.」
「Your welcome. But, I'm sorry. To have an injured person carrying my things for me.」
The paper bag that was filled with food ingredients was really heavy. That was why I carried it for her as my minimum atonement to her.
The smug young n.o.bleman──his request made me hit on Mirandsan.
And yet, how did it turn out like this……how?
The Third was laughing.
『Just how are you succeeding even though you have to fail in it huh』
……How did I succeed instead!
「What's wrong? Does it hurt?」
Mirandsan who was looking at me seemed to be genuinely worried.
I was receiving treatment at the table that apparently was used for meal normally. She even prepared tea for me.
「No, it's nothing.」
「I see, that's good.」
She kindly smiled. Both her hands were holding a steamy cup toward her mouth. Her appearance looked really relieved.
That expression constricted my heart all the more. My heart felt painful that I was deceiving someone this kind.
「Hey, today is impossible but, let's have tea at another day.」
「Ha, having tea!?」
Mirandsan looked at the surprised me in a bit of exasperation.
「Why are you surprised? That's your objective in the first place.」
That was right but, my true objective was to get hated by Mirandsan and then the smug man would punch me. That was the plan, but I couldn't say that.
I hit on you planning to fail, if I said something like that…….
Then, there was a sound from near the door of the room.
「Onee-sama? Is there a guest?」
When I turned my gaze to the door, there was a girl on a wheelchair there. She was in a posture of leaning on the door k.n.o.b while asking about me──.
In that instant, the Fifth and the Sixth──and then the Seventh reacted.
Mirandsan stood up from her chair and walked toward the girl.
「I'm sorry Shannon. This guest──err~, what is your name again?」
Come to think of it, I still hadn't introduced myself.
「It's Lyle. Lyle Walt──」
Then, Mirandsan moved behind the wheelchair of the girl called Shannon while making a slightly surprised face.
But, the most surprising thing was──.
「Lyle-san is it? Nice to meet you, I am Shannon. That……as you can see, my eyes are impaired.」
Mirandsan looked down on Shannon-chan while making a slightly sad face.
「It's from an accident you see. It resulted in this. I'm sorry, I'll keep Shannon company for now so please wait for a bit.」
Mirandchan pushed Shannon-chan out of the room.
I saw off her back and then recalled the sight just now.
「Her yellow eyes s.h.i.+ned? Did I see wrong?」
When I said my family name, Shannon-chan's eyes s.h.i.+ned from yellow to golden just for an instant and her gaze turned toward my face.
I was thinking whether I was seeing wrong while asking the ancestors. Then the ancestors starting from the Second until the Fourth gave their affirmative.
『Yeah, it was just for an instant though.』
『That girl, is it really true that she can't see? The moment her eyes s.h.i.+ned……she was looking at Lyle's face.』
『She reacted at Walt's family name. Are they relative?』
The Fifth admitted it when the Fourth said that.
『……My daughter married into their house. It's obvious from their family name. Besides, those two also look similar.』
『Circry House. If they're still the same like in the past, then they're a viscount house in the capital. They were given really important post there.』
『It was also the same in my era. It was the house Obueaunt married into, so we were a.s.sociated quiet closely. In that case……Lyle, by any chance, that girl called Miranda is a girl who might became your wife.』
It was bewildering to be told that so suddenly but, how would that happen?
The Fifth's daughter. The Sixth's little sister. The Seventh's aunt. I understood that a woman from Walt House married into Circry House.
But, the Fifth said that there was something even more important than that and opened his mouth gloomily.
『We called those eyes "mystic eyes". Because they are eyes that can see mana.』
The Third was impressed.
『Hee, that's a splendid name. And, you said those eyes were s.h.i.+ning because of that?』
The Sixth's voice was different from usual, the feeling of great reluctance……of not wanting to say it, but he helplessly spoke because it had to be said. Such feeling was oozing from his voice.
『Lyle, the eyes of that girl Shannon, perhaps you will have to──crush them.』
Those were words that were really harsh to be said toward a girl. They were also words that I never thought would be spoken by the Sixth.
Normally, no matter how frivolous the Sixth was, he was kind somewhere inside. I couldn't believe that he would say something like that.
After that, I who was bothered by the Sixth's words made a promise with Mirandsan to meet tomorrow and left.
I thought that I had to return quickly and listened to the circ.u.mstance.
──Shannon was looking at Miranda in the kitchen.
Miranda started preparing dinner after Lyle went home, but Shannon really didn't feel amused.
「Onee-sama, you seem to be happy.」
Miranda turned toward Shannon.
「I, is that so? But, to think that he is a Walt……does Shannon don't like it just as I thought?」
Miranda was looking happier than usual even while looking embarra.s.sed. Shannon felt it even without using her eyes' power.
Her tone, and then her footstep. Various things were teaching her that Miranda was happy.
「I'm not feeling bothered by that person. But, perhaps this is fate.」
Miranda who didn't notice Shannon's slight exasperation said「That's right, that's right isn't it!」 happily.
(Onee-sama really like him. Well, he isn't worthy for Onee-sama so I'll have him disappear right away though. Onee-sama, I wonder what kind of sad face she will make.)
While Miranda was looking at the state of the cooking, Shannon was watching her back and smiled meaningfully with s.h.i.+ning eyes──.
Night.
I who sent my consciousness into the Jewel arrived in the room of round table.
A round table was placed at the center of the round shaped room. Chairs were prepared for the ancestors and me there.
At the location right in front of me, a silver great sword was floating in the place of the First's chair. It reminded me that the First was there in the past.
The ancestors were creating a dark atmosphere inside that room.
The Second opened his mouth with my arrival.
『You are going to explain aren't you? You said to crush the eyes of a girl who is in that state, so I believe that you will have a fitting reason for that.』
There was no way that the Sixth would say something like that just for fun, so he looked disgruntled.
『Could it be, it's that story? Even I am not recommending that but, it's true that's a dangerous object.』
The Seventh folded his arm and agreed with the Sixth's opinion.
『Mystic eyes, you all must think what's the deal with such exaggerated name but, there is no doubt those eyes possess considerable power. Well, I don't know if that girl is able to use it as skillfully as Obue──as Milleia Walt was.』
The name of the woman who married into Circry House was Milleia Walt. No, should I call her Milleia Circry?
The Fourth turned his gaze toward the Fifth.
『I'll have you explain it properly.』
The Fifth looked down and folded his hands while talking.
『Milleia was one of my daughters. She couldn't see since she was born, and her eyes were yellow. Her appearance is similar with Miranda but, the color of her hair is similar with Shannon. No, perhaps in this case I should say that the of them are similar with her……well, anyway her eyes couldn't see.』
The Third narrowed his eyes.
『Hmm, I'm curious how the Fifth was treating her. At my time it wasn't unusual for that kind of child to get locked up. I also often heard how they suddenly died from sickness.』
The Fifth slightly smiled.
『She was married. Guess it from that. I kept her importantly in the mansion. I was wondering whether to wed her to a retainer who know the circ.u.mstance. But, the talk was canceled after Milleia's eyes became mystic eyes.』
It seemed that Milleisan wasn't shunned in Walt House.
……I felt, a bit relieved. Perhaps because my life was like a house arrest, I overlapped my circ.u.mstance with her.
『According to Milleia, mana seems to be a really small red light particles. Well, she said that living thing circulate mana inside their body and also emit it to the surrounding.』
The Fifth said「The problem is」 with stronger tone.
『It seem that the drifting mana will move due to the movement of human's heart. Milleia who possessed the eyes that can see that was able to read people's emotion. If it's only that then I can just say amazing and that's it. But, there is continuation. Milleia used her eyes and experimented repeatedly. And then, she reported to me. if she forcefully manipulated someone's mana, she could manipulate even their emotions.』
That was……certainly, more scary rather than amazing.
In other words, she was able to manipulate other people's emotion.
The Fourth's expression turned complicated hearing that.
『That's certainly more scary rather than amazing. Depending on how it is used then troublesome──』
『You think so right? But, the problem isn't there. It's how Milleia was able to manipulate the magic power she could see. Something like emotion manipulation is only a part of the whole. If she felt like it, she could control human as she pleased. She showed how she used difficult magic just by manipulating mana slightly. There was someone who was really good at hiding using his Art but……Milleia saw through him in a glance.』
The Second's expression turned serious.
『Was it done in an arranged experiment? If you told her, search for someone hiding now, then it would be easy to find him.』
The Sixth grinned.
『The person Milleia discovered was a famous a.s.sa.s.sin at that time. It was said that it was impossible to discover the guy. Other than that she once also discovered poison and even the maid who mixed it into the food.』
The Third whistled.
『That's indeed super convenient. It completely outshone my Art.』
The Sixth folded his arms while letting out a deep sigh. And then, he talked about Milleisan's character.
『Fortunately, I and pops──the Fifth treated her well. We didn't shun her because she was blind. Besides she was a kind child. It would be a relieve if only she could stay at my side.』
The Fifth made fun of the Sixth.
『Milleia was different from your other little sisters, she was obedient so that was why you doted on her. It was disgusting watching that. You cried harder than her parents when she married it made us calm instead. That was also unsightly.』
The Sixth glared at the Fifth. The Seventh cleared his throat during that.
『Well, if Obue was shunned and he held a grudge against Walt House, then all of us won't be here. That was how amazing Obue was.』
Why someone that dangerous was married to another house?
While I felt bothered by that, the Fifth talked about the circ.u.mstance regarding that.
『That child was kind. At that time there was fierce war everywhere. There were also a lot of guys who broke mentally at the battlefield. Milleia started treating those guys. At first it was just relative. Then the people inside our territory……the rumor spread and then the next head of Circry House who went into battlefield and got traumatized relied on his connection and came to us.』
The next head of Circry House stayed in the mansion and he talked with Milleisan during his treatment.
The Sixth continued the talk in irritation.
『That d.a.m.n brat. He came to me after his treatment was finished and said, give me Milleia. When I socked his face Milleia covered him……even the mothers turned into my enemy……s.h.i.+t-!』
It seemed he got into a good relations.h.i.+p with Milleisan without anyone noticing.
With the surrounding also supporting them, Milleisan ended up marrying into Circry House.
The Second hid his eyes with his hand and summarized the story until now.
『In other words, you're saying that this Shannon girl inherited that mystic eyes?』
The Fifth nodded.
『I don't know how far she can do the same thing but, that s.h.i.+ne was the same with Milleia. Though if it's only appearance then Miranda look more similar to Milleia.』
I heard Mirandsan's name and looked at the Seventh.
「Now that you mention it, at Mirandsan's house the Seventh said about me and Mirandsan, that's──」
The Seventh told me about the talk before this──that there was possibility of Mirandsan becoming my wife.
『Ah, that's right. I said it before right? There was arrangement of Walt House raised into a duke house at your or the next generation. In case there is no girl of matching age with Lyle in the royal family, the plan was to move forward with marriage to the daughter that was born in Circry House. After all the cooperation of capital n.o.ble at the royal capital will be essential if we're going to aim for advancement to duke rank. For me it didn't really matter who the other party is but……Obue had died at that time, so that marriage would also give the nuance of reforming our connection with them.』
It seemed there was quite a deep relation between both houses. Even that relation became something terrible due to my fault.
The Third looked at the bewildered me and laughed.
『To think that Lyle would call out to such fateful partner due to faking hitting on woman. What's more, you did that even though you already have three lovers. Aa~aa, Mirandchan is really pitiful~』
The lenses of the Fourth's gla.s.ses glinted eerily.
『Truly. That's why I told you to stop……in the first place, don't you think that doing this is rude to the woman?』
The surrounding's gaze was criticizing me.
I could only endure it while feeling ashamed. This was the result of going against the ancestors. It really wasn't funny at all.
The one who sent a helping hand to the troubled me was unexpectedly the Fifth.
『Just leave it with that. Well, the meeting was the worst but, it's fortunate that we can meet with Milleia's grandchildren or great grandchildren here. We also discovered the mystic eyes after all. The problem is……now it become necessary to ascertain the character of this girl Shannon.』
Everyone made a serious expression. No one wanted to think about something like this because they liked it.
The Seventh asked the Fifth.
『Even though she inherited the eyes, it's doubtful that she inherited all the abilities. Do we have to remove her eyes even then?』
The Fifth a.s.serted coldly.
『We have to. Depending on Shannon's personality, do it no matter how weak her power is at the present. If we leave this alone, it will really become dangerous. It will become exactly like what the First said……like the existence that is possessed by evil G.o.d. I don't know about Celes but, I'll believe it if I'm told that Shannon is possessed by an evil G.o.d. Ain't no way we can just leave this matter alone. ……I won't let that child's eyes to be used for bad things.』
The words of the Fifth was oozing with the feeling of not wanting to let the eyes that were inherited from Milleisan to be used for bad things.
The Sixth also folded his arms and didn't say anything. He seemed to feel the same.
Even so, an existence possessed by evil G.o.d……I never thought that I would hear about it again like this.
Once, the First heard my story and said that Celes was an existence possessed by evil G.o.d. I remembered how the other ancestors didn't believe it.
But, the Fifth said that he would believe it if it was in Shannon's case.
……Though, I was unable to feel that Shannon-chan was an existence that was even more fiendish than even Celes.
