Published at 18th of December 2022 3:33 pm

Chapter 274: Worn Out Guys

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

「I’m sorry Alfried-kun. Your acting just now was interesting」

Natasha-san apologized while looking apologetic when I was lying down and having my back turned toward her.

You can see that she sincerely apologizes from her tone and expression. If this were the women or ossan from Koryatt village, they will be happy to rub salt on others’ wounds so I can judge that much.

「I’m not angry」

「Is that so? But, Alfried-kun’s performance just now was very good! The sudden change from a boy with dead-looking eyes to a gallant knight was really impressive!」

Umm, you don’t have to mend my wounded heart you know?

As I look back while thinking like that, I saw that Natasha-san’s eyes are different from the impure eyes of the Koryatt’s villagers, they were very pure.

Even though I think that my acting was still shoddy.

Or rather, what do you mean by a boy with dead-looking eyes.....

「Does Natasha-san like a play?」

「Plays by theatrical troupes are popular in the Lazur Kingdom after all. But, I am not really that good at acting so I prefer to watch rather than act myself」

Ahー, certainly lacks the arrogance or perhaps I should say, the feeling like that of a queen radiating from her compared to Elna-kaasan.....

Ahh, I see now. Elna-kaasan is a natural queen without the need to act the part, maybe she’s accustomed to that sort of conduct?

As secretly agreed to the conclusion I drew, Elna-kaasan smiled at me.

「Al, did you think something rude just now?」

「……it’s just your imagination」

Could this queen also be a mind reader? I can’t help but think like that every day.

In any case, it will be awkward if it continues like this and it’s impossible to know what kind of reply she’s going to say to me so let’s have a proper conversation.

「Even though it’s like that, theatrical performance is popular in the Lazur kingdom, huh」

「There are only a hot climate and the harsh and vast desert that will be standing in your way no matter what you are trying to do in the harsh desert area, so the likes of traveling theatrical troupes were the most thing to look forward to」

I heard that the temperature in the desert areas can go beyond 40 degrees (Celcius, so 104F) so it’s probably rough for the people over there. It would be draining for people to take a short walk like in this place.

On the other hand, there is a vast desert stretching out into the distance even when you’re trying to go far. If the situation is like that, then people will naturally live in a city where they make a living, and so they are probably hungry for entertainment, more so compared to this place or Koryatt village. I’m frightened of imagining what would happen if I brought things like Jenga and Reversi - games that you can freely play - to such a place.

「So there are theatrical troupes that travel around, different from the play in the royal capital. I’m a little curious about them」

「Yes, they have a different charm from the royal capital’s play, I recommend watching them. By all means, please have a look at them if you ever go to the Lazur Kingdom」

Lazur kingdom, huh...... It’s going to be really hot since it’s the middle of summer right now. But, for someone who can use Ice magic and make cold air wrap around me, that is not that much of a problem.

I can just use Teleport repeatedly and make progress in units of kilometers after all.

Lazur kingdom has a lot of seemingly delicious spices and I’m curious about the ordinary life of the people over there that are different from the people here.

In addition, it can be used as a sort of a place to retreat to when it’s cold, so it’s not a bad idea to prepare to go there in winter. Let’s go on a continuous Teleportation toward that place when I have the time and do some mapping.

「You also have some rest Sylvio」

「Mou, I can still go on......」

As I was thinking about that, Nord-tousan told Sylvio-niisan to take a rest.

Despite being kindly released from the hell training, I don’t understand why did he try to hang on that much.

If that was me then I won’t reject it and immediately follow that instruction gleefully.

「This is giving more burden to your body than usual, and it’s unavoidable since we are training. It’s hot today and it will all come to nothing if you collapse now」

「That’s right. If anything, you have done well being able to continue this far despite this being your first time training on the beach today. You should rest for today. Don’t force yourself」

Just as Nord-tousan and Egar-san say, Sylvio-niisan is sweating buckets right now, and his legs were shaking, guess it’s due to exhaustion.

He should have told everyone before it became like that by himself to begin with, but Sylvio-niisan is a serious person with a sense of responsibility after all.

「……understood. Then, I will take my rest ahead of everyone」

And maybe it’s due to Nord-tousan and Egar-san’s urging that Sylvio-niisan finally said that and continue to walk toward us.

Immediately after that, Mina approaches him bringing with her a water flask of lemon water.

「Are all right? Sylvio-sama?」

「Aah, un. Thank you Mina」

Sylvio-niisan thanks her as he receives the lemon water.

「Sylvio, you did great out there」

「Good work」

Then Elna-kaasan and Natasha-san also praise him for his hard work.

「Eh? Isn’t this different from when I returned?」

Back when I returned, Mina didn’t approach me and give me lemon water, Elna-kaasan had no praise or appreciation for my hard work, the first thing she said was for me to remove all the sand on my body so I can get on the sheet.

I wonder what’s with this difference in treatment?

「After all, Al looked just fine. And you even slightly skipped when you returned」

Wh, what? So you’re saying that my true feeling escaped me and Elna-kaasan and the others here saw that? I mean, I was planning to control myself so that won’t happen, but it seems like the overflowing feelings were escaping me and my feet reacted.

But, I also did my best to my utmost limit, you know? I just, I was thinking about the future and my body, and even though I sent out the limit sign earlier......

Though I can’t deny I still had the composure back then.

◆

As we stopped our training earlier due to our limit in stamina and resting in the shade, Eric also came not long after.

「……what. Considering that you were saying something big, aren’t you also exhausted」

「Guhh! There’s no way around it, y’know! I always fight against my aneue and miss Eleonora continuously because you guys left! And the rest time was also short, so I got so unusually tired, okay!?」

Eric frantically explained as I criticize him for his appearance while lying on the sheet leisurely.

……I see, since I and Sylvio-niisan left, so there were only monsters left to be his opponents, huh?

He was forced to fight Luna-san and Eleonora-neesan endlessly as they take turns......isn’t that hell? It’s on a level where it can be said to be torture.

As I also had the experience of sparring endlessly with Eleonora-neesan back in the mansion, I understand Eric’s suffering a little.

「……that’s, I’m sorry」

「Sorry」

「It’s good that you understand」

After Sylvio-niisan and I apologize to him - feeling sorry for him -, Eric slowly sat down on the sheet.

「It turned out to be just neesan with Luna-san in the end」

Sylvio-niisan says while holding the water flask like a small animal.

Eleonora-neesan and Luna-san are fiercely swinging their wooden sword at each other on the beach, the two of them are changing their position so fast that it’s dizzying, and the soft sands are dancing in the air.

It’s definitely a high-level match that won’t ever happen against us guys.

The both of them are moving around and swinging their sword so swiftly - unlike us - but just looking blankly at them from a distance like this is also fun.

「Kuuh, it’s pathetic for all of us guys to be worn out」

Eric muttered, maybe he felt frustrated that only the two girls with such a high level are left on the beach until the end.

「Eleonora-neesan and Luna-san are older than us anyway and most of all, they have participated in the Knight’s Order training, aren’t they? So it’s obvious that they will have more stamina and skill than us, right?」

「I know that. I know about that, but isn’t it frustrating that we as guys can’t be a match for girls and got so exhausted earlier than them!? You also thought so right, Alfried!」

「Nah, not at all」

When I clearly tell him so, Eric lost the strength in his body and was crestfallen.

「……that’s right. You’re the kind of guy that has no pride」

Oi oi, even I have some pride in myself.

Like when people look down on me for being worse than Torr or Asmo in the head, having a bad personality, or face, I deny them with all of my strength, I’m gonna prove it that I’m better than you, you know.

「In the first place, there is no relation whether you are a guy or a girl in a fight. Even if that person is a girl, if she’s strong then she is strong. Even if a guy is weak, then he’s just weak」

「……why don’t you also have some competitive spirit?」

「I have a lot of strong women around me after all.......」

When I answer like that, Eric’s gaze turns toward Eleonora-neesan, then to Elna-kaasan - who is chatting amicably.

An older sister with absurd strength. A famous magician who can even subjugate a dragon. And a village full of strong women - in many ways.

So all those petty thoughts and feelings like the frustration of losing to women will immediately be smashed to a pulp if you have those women around you.

「E, even so, a guy has to be strong!」

「I mean, I’m a magician. So don’t misunderstand」

I have no particular plan of becoming stronger, but I’m a magician. So just keep that in mind, will ya?

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