Chapter 107: Family (6)
“… … Are you okay?”
Esther looked at Ajie’s expression and asked.
In fact, I should have complained about using violence against prisoners and destroying property, but I was so scared of Atjie that I couldn’t say anything.
“… … no.”
Moreover, Ajie responded as follows.
“It’s not okay.”
“… … .”
This is why Esther feels really uncomfortable talking about personal things.
──My younger brother was just an emotion,
‘You didn’t have the right to say something like that. ‘Azzie.’
Atjie was self-deprecating. You told Frontier to deal with his emotions, and then you ended up like this.
‘But whatever.’
In fact, it is not ‘something that has not been dealt with at all’.
“Don’t worry too much. “This is nonsense often spouted by innocent prisoners.”
“It didn’t look that way.”
Azier saw Hagley unconscious.
“You intentionally made me angry. “There must be intention.”
Anyone else might not know this, but Hagley is the center of Mangot.
He is a strategist who has been studying ancient languages for a long time, being Belphegor’s assistant, and maintaining a balance between shepherds and believers.
There must be a reason why he dared to speak out even while being beaten by Ajie.
‘Frondier can interpret ancient languages… … .’
This is a story that is difficult to believe. I had never even thought about it.
As Hagley said, rather than concluding that Frontier was incompetent, such talent is difficult to recognize in the first place. Who would recognize the talent of being able to interpret a language that has been lost in modern times?
‘… … okay. If that’s true.’
If Frontier really has that talent.
How did Hagley recognize his talent before his family did?
“… … “That’s it.”
Atjie’s expression spread into displeasure.
“Did you find out something?”
“At least I knew what Hagley wanted from me.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Hagley continued to appeal implicitly.
He said he discovered Frontier’s talent before anyone else. Even more than his family.
So how?
To confirm it, Azier ultimately has to ask Frondier.
Ability to interpret ancient languages.
‘It seems like you really want to confirm it to me.’
It feels like I’m being played by Hagley’s will, but I can’t help it.
If Hagley really knew how to spot talent in others, perhaps his value would increase in a different sense from the ancient language.
Frontier is proof of that, and Hagley is aiming for it.
“It’s laziness… … .”
Atjie muttered quietly.
“Those words are crueler than I thought.”
* * *
In addition to the wind catcher’s investigation, I asked Elysia to look into the family called ‘Vanier’.
It would be possible for Elysia, who is currently in power in the dark area.
In the meantime, I asked Gregory to keep an eye on the situation within the empire. If I set it up here and there, the wind catcher may change his behavior.
On the outside, it looked like my usual routine. I’m just having a bit of a busy day with training and classes.
‘It somehow reminds me of the old days.’
I was reminded of the past by the gaze I felt inside Constel.
The character ‘Frondier de Roach’ attracts a lot of attention no matter what happens. It was like that when I was a human sloth, it was like that when I got the strange nickname ‘Sloth’, and it’s still like that now.
However, if anything has changed, my public opinion within Constel is now the most favorable.
Unlike the uproar of the past, when speculation and jealousy about me were rampant, everyone inside Constel is now seriously excited about my story.
Perhaps it is the Empire that is deteriorating my public opinion right now.
‘Maybe the stage has changed.’
I am a third year student at Constel and have no choice but to spend most of my daily life at Constel.
But maybe the game’s stage has already left Constell.
The stage is set in a place where public opinion is the worst, so there is no real manga game.
widely! Percussion-!
The dull sound of wooden weapons clashing is repeated.
Now I am receiving combat training from Constell.
The third year is the time when the gap in ability between students appears most extreme. Constel is an educational institution that nurtures talent to annihilate monsters. Therefore, in fact, there are almost no measures for students who are making slow progress.
Therefore, many students at this time are unable to follow the curriculum set by Constel, and more and more students are unable to use Aurors yet.
However, on the contrary,
Hiss-!!
“wow… … .”
“what. “You can’t see that.”
There are also students who go far beyond Constel’s progress.
Astor Evans.
Since the war, virtually all of Constell’s classes have become a bit of a waste of time.
Aster doesn’t have a suitable opponent to spar with during practice time. Because no one can beat him.
Even if there is a difference in level, it is possible to learn to a certain extent, but if it is at Aster’s level, the person who is attacked will not be able to understand anything.
So now I was checking my own skills.
‘… … Still. ‘That idiot.’
I just used Aster and Ilseom.
In front of everyone, as if it was a test drive.
It was so Aster-like that I shook my head without realizing it.
Aster does not hide his cards or skills. Doesn’t even care who the other person is.
There is just endless self-discipline and worry about it.
Even now, he continues to mutter to himself, not even minding my approach.
“Hmm, if I decide on the movement in advance, wouldn’t it be possible to twist the trajectory while using the flash?”
Don’t say such scary things out loud. It looks like they’re really going to do it.
“Hey, Aster.”
“Frondier.”
Aster looked at me and smiled lightly.
That smile is definitely real.
It is true that I had a conflict of opinion, but that was just a difference of opinion. The country has no reason to hate humans themselves.
That’s probably Aster’s idea.
“Don’t show something like that anywhere.”
“If you practice in different places, your skills will not improve. “I’m still struggling because I don’t have any tricks.”
… … What did this kid just say?
I’m glad I heard it myself. This sparring hall could have almost exploded with jealousy and envy.
Even as he was speaking, Aster must have been thinking about something, so he placed his hand over his mouth and muttered.
I asked when I saw that.
“Are you practicing alone because you don’t have anyone to spar with?”
“yes. “You too.”
“… … Well, that’s true.”
Actually, I am in a similar situation.
I hate to say it, but I don’t have anyone to spar with.
This does not mean that my swordsmanship skills have improved to that of Aster.
It’s just that no one spars with me. Even if I approach him first and make an offer, he gets scared and backs away.
‘… … My impression is that most of them dealt a blow to Belphegor.’
After all, if you were in someone else’s shoes, you wouldn’t want to fight a guy who wields the power to destroy the Seven Sins. I don’t know what I’ll do if I get it wrong.
When it comes to pure swordsmanship, I have a lot to learn from the people here, but no one is there to compete with me.
“… … hmm.”
“… … Umm… … .”
So Aster and I are standing here in some strange silence.
Me and Aster have no sparring partner.
Actually, there is a way to solve this situation. But he doesn’t bring up the story first.
At this moment when Aster and I are together, the attention of those around us slowly gathers.
Yes.
All you have to do is me and Aster spar with each other.
‘I don’t think I can beat Aster’s swordsmanship.’
Still, if there is anyone who can deal with Aster, it would be me. I too will learn something from Aster.
Moreover, since each person is holding a wooden weapon and there will be no loss of reason, it will be safe in its own way.
However, Aster views me very highly.
I drew a virtual me, not my real self, and repeated trial and error and training to overcome it.
Is it okay for me now to break that illusion?
More than anything, does Aster want to spar with me now?
“… … Um, Aster.”
“good.”
Aster looked at me then and took a stance.
“I can’t help it just thinking about it. “Let’s spar, Frontier.”
“… … okay.”
Aster seemed to have the same thought as he took a stance and looked at me.
As if guided by him, I also adjusted my sword.
At that moment, I felt the eyes of those around me clearly turning in this direction.
… … It’s extremely painful to be the center of attention in a sparring match where defeat is certain.
fault!
Aster digs in first. I take a step back and lower my sword.
Whick!
Cough!
I read the trajectory of Aster’s sword and clashed with him.
‘Ugh!’
And I immediately regretted it. I feel a tingling sensation from my hands to my shoulders.
I wondered how much he could fight back when their strengths clashed, but he was no match for pure strength.
Crack!
I walked to the side, deflected Aster’s force and retrieved the sword. Aster catches up to me as if filling the momentary gap, and a series of attacks come in.
widely! Percussion! widely!
It may sound a bit dull when the trees collide, but from my point of view, they are truly terrifying blows.
However, since there is ‘prediction’, it is possible to respond even if the speed is a little slow.
Tuk.
“uh!”
I thought there was one, but Aster suddenly twisted his foot and fell.
Aster’s sword lands perfectly on top of me as I fall, reaching my neck.
‘The prediction was wrong.’
Predictions are not always correct. I read the flow using the other person’s gaze, muscle movements, and even my ‘sixth sense’, but it is impossible to read even the smallest details.
But just now, Aster’s movements were completely opposite to my predictions.
“… … “Are you going to do something like that?”
“That’s because you rely too much on predictions, Frontier.”
Aster grinned.
You can bluff everything from muscles, gaze, and energy flow.
“Now, stand up.”
After Aster got up, he held out his hand to me.
A moment when I stood up holding his hand and became closer to Aster.
Aster whispered in my ear.
“Maybe. Frontier.”
“huh?”
“We could become enemies.”
How can I accept those words?
I quietly concealed my horror and looked at Aster.
Aster’s eyes were just serious, without any hostility or murder.
He said to me with that face.
“I don’t know about difficult things.”
Aster smiled bitterly, looking a little embarrassed,
“I have a good sense of it.”
“… … .”
He still looks at me with calm eyes.
Just like the way you look at me as a friend.
“You think too much. Something bigger than I can even imagine. I don’t know what it is. How is it even possible to think like that? But maybe that’s why the war was prevented. So you can know more.”
“… … Aster.”
“Frondier de Roach.”
Perhaps my full name was called for the first time by Aster.
“I can’t do that. It’s overwhelming just to look at the small things and finish what’s in front of me. But at least I know you can see something with your eyes. So you can do it. Before something goes terribly wrong.”
His eyes are eyes that believe in me.
Even after I said we were enemies, their eyes trusted me.
“Frondier, if it’s necessary to save the world.”
He smiled at me.
With a clear, flawless face.
As Aster Evans himself, smiling with all his heart.
“Let us be enemies, Frontier.”