Chapter 116

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 116 – Treated Like a Child

The royal train on which Ain was traveling in.

When it changed its schedule and began to make its way to Baltic.

In the castle of the Royal Capital, the message had reached the butler’s office.

“Nya, nya, nya, nya, nya… Katima-sama is in a good mood today too… nya?”

Lately, Katima had been in a particularly good mood. Then Katima pa.s.sed in front of the butler’s office.

Then, of course, Katima noticed the loud sign that something was wrong, and she was also interested in seeing what was going on.

“Hmm? What’s wrong-nya?”

The reason for her good mood was explained here. There’s no special reason, though, and some listeners might think it’s silly.

…Today, her fur was in good condition.

It was the kind of condition that existed only a few days a year, and the kind of condition that was extremely exciting.

What else could it be? If you ask her, that’s about it. The hard part was that the only answer she could give was yes.

“Here I come-nya!”

She opened the door so forcefully that it made a noise, attracting the attention of the butlers inside. Katima was convinced that something was wrong when she saw everyone’s bodies trembling.

“W-well, well, Katima-sama… how can I help you?”

“I came here because the place was so busy-nya. What’s going on-nya?”

Katima looked around the room, which was quiet and still.

“What are you hiding-nya?”

The butler’s panting breath caught her eye as she said this with a happy laugh.

“If you must keep it a secret from me… it’s just a little bit-nya? Can I guess-nya?”

Katima was smart. Not only could she study, but she’s also very quick-witted and imaginative.

She was in a good mood today, so why not turn it into a quiz? With that in mind, Katima continued to watch the butlers.

When she saw that the butlers were not talking at all, she smiled even more happily.

“I have more authority than Olivia-nya. …And when it comes to me, the only person above me should be my mother and father to keep secrets-nya, but…”

Katima grinned at the butler, who looked relieved for a moment. The butler, on the other hand, looked a bit bitter.

“Oops, I forgot-nya… Come to think of it, nominally, there was another person above my mother-nya.”

“Katima-sama? What exactly are you thinking of? We have nothing to hide…”

“What did Ain tell you-nya? Tell me or I’ll tell my father-nya.”

…So the butlers were defeated before the brain of the first princess.

“Look, look. Speak-nya, my mouth will be tightened if you speak-nya.”

The situation was hopeless, but finally, the butlers gave up.

——And that Ain was on his way to the Baltic. The butlers also wanted to know the reason for this. They could not explain it any further because they had only heard one statement.

“Nya…? Baltic at this time of the year? And why is he hiding it…?”

But the butlers were more than a little curious. They certainly don’t know why he would bother to hide it.

Then Katima’s prediction… that would be a clue.

“…I see. I understand-nya! This Katima-sama knows the reason why Ain went to Baltic-nya!”

“R-really, Katima-sama? Then what exactly is the reason why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince went to Baltic-nya?”

“Fufufu… You’ll be surprised to hear why Ain went to Baltic-nya. I bet that’s the reason why Ain went to Baltic.”

Once again, Katima was clever. Not only was she quick-witted, but she was also a brilliant thinker.

But this imagination could be a disadvantage, as it could lead to some rather absurd answers.

“Surely Ain went to see his local wife in Baltic, the one he met in Baltic-nyaaaaaa.”

Katima was in a strong state of excitement, probably because she was in an overly good mood.

Had she been as calm as usual, she might have given a different answer.

But today, she had a hole in her logical thinking, and it had to be said that her timing was not good.

“That’s why-nya. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, so don’t worry about it-nya. See you later-nya.”

Regardless of the fact that Ain was in the middle of a little training, she came up with such a misguided answer. Katima returned to the lab with a satisfied look on her face.

＊＊＊

——If he was allowed to give his impressions, he was sorry that he seemed to be a big talker at the beginning. This was the only thing he had to say.

“Physical pain is the best way to get educated. You have heard that before, but you don’t see it that way. I think you’re starting to understand.”

What would have happened if he had not put on this “borrowed” armor? He didn’t want to think about it, but he still felt a lot of fatigue and pain building up in his body.

“…Is it time to try again? Yes please, let’s try again.”

Then, whatever they did, thanks to Elder Lich Sylvia, the damage Ain suffered would disappear.

Of course, when that happened, he could get back on his feet with energy, but that was just physical exhaustion.

“After all. It makes you run on an endless road… and the mental pain that comes with it is better suited for training than anything else.”

“Hah… hah… N-no, I know the feeling. Most of the time I feel like my heart is going to break…”

“If you’re going to break, just be vulnerable and give in. If you don’t want to do that, then shut up and move on… it would be so easy.”

He hated that figure who didn’t even break a sweat.

Dullahan, on the other hand, never once got out of breath; he just went at it nonchalantly against Ain.

“I don’t want to make excuses, but… isn’t this place crazy? I feel heavier than usual.”

“Sylvia is just playing around to make time seem longer. That probably makes you a little heavier, but it’s not a major factor.”

“I think you’re taking things too far.”

The Elder Lich’s awesomeness wore on him, but was it safe? It made him uneasy.

“Don’t think too much. Just shut up and move your body.”

“Yes.”

He managed to muster the energy to stand up, even though it was only his body that was energetic.

“Here I go!

He took a bold step forward.

“Hmm…”

He closed the distance and made a move to raise his sword. At this point, for the umpteenth time, he received an instruction.

“I don’t like the way your hands move. Do it again.”

“Ggghh… Ah…”

The movement after the swing was very smooth, but before he knew it, Dullahan’s sword had been swung.

It sent a shock through the armor Ain was wearing.

“Cough… cough…”

What do you mean you don’t like it? Ain was tempted to express such dissatisfaction, but the overwhelming difference in power prevented him from saying so forcefully.

“I know one thing. You probably have no talent with a sword.”

“…Such an abrupt statement.”

He had confidence in what he had done so far. In addition to the training in the castle, which he had been doing for many years, he also stood with Lloyd and Chris. Perhaps because of that, Ain had a bit of confidence in his swordsmanship.

“It’s through hard work that you’ve grown into the man you are today. Just like that boy Lloyd, you don’t get strong through your talent.”

When Cain said he was like Lloyd, Ain didn’t feel bad. But he did feel a little sad that Lloyd was treated like a little boy.

“I-I see.”

“Rather, you are better suited to fight like a “monster,” using your illusory hands like you did when you defeated that fish in the sea.”

“But I’m a human. Besides, I think it’s a shame to treat the sea dragon like a fish.”

“It’s a matter of appropriateness. …Well, let’s continue for now.”

It was natural to feel sad when you were told that you have no talent. He also felt spiritually exhausted.

“…Dear? Isn’t it time you gave him at least one piece of advice?”

Sylvia said to them with a worried smile.

Cain stopped listening and put his hands on his temples.

“…Hah. Can’t be helped.”

The wife’s words must be strong. With Sylvia’s words, Cain finally decided to compromise.

“I’m going to tell you your weakness. You know what?”

It was better this way. Or it was preferable to do this. He had heard many such pieces of advice. But what he was talking about was not one of them but a weakness.

Ain heard this and nodded obediently.

“…You only play the “strong man” in everything you do.”

“Uh… sorry, can you explain a little more…?”

“It is the right of the powerful to defeat their opponents with a single stroke of the sword. Even if you’re dealing with me, you’ll still want to aim for such a blow.”

He moved closer to Ain, and this time, he took his hand and began to instruct him.

“You have no intention of winning, I can see that at a glance. No matter if you change the angle or aim… the result is just a sword stroke that tries to take out the opponent with a single blow.”

Cain’s body was so large that he could completely hold Ain in his arms as he began his instruction. His physique was muscular, more so than Lloyd’s, and the size of the hand he held was astonishing.

“(….I never had a father to teach me this way.)”

The other party was a man who died hundreds of years ago, and moreover, he was not a man but a monster. …But Ain feels paternalistic towards the monster.

He bit down hard on his mouth to suppress these indescribable feelings. 

“If you fight like an underdog, you’ll definitely be able to hunt down your opponent.”

“…Even if it’s against Cain-san?”

“Don’t be a fool. I don’t need a weapon to kill an insect.”

“…Yes.”

He only threw harsh words at Ain, but even so, Ain slowly began to enjoy this time.

“Don’t even think about destroying your opponent. That is how you stand up to your opponent.”

He moved Ain’s body and showed him some patterns.

“In the opposite direction, engage your opponent. Don’t think about breaking your opponent. All you need to know is that the opponent is broken as a result.”

“It’s hard to do what you say…”

Although his tone was calm, what he said was very challenging.

“Then keep trying until you can do it. I’ll be your partner, and if you do anything boring, I’ll beat you to a pulp.”

Despite the tone of his voice, his demeanor was never unpleasant.

“I understand. Then I’ll ask you to lend me your chest again.”

Ain could not say these things out loud, but Cain felt more like a father than his own.

Ain was secretly driven by this desire to stay here a while longer…

＊＊＊

“…Well, it got a little decent.”

He wondered how many hours had pa.s.sed. He just repeated the first swing endlessly, to the point where he no longer had any sense of such a feeling.

He was delaying the feeling of time by a logic he does not understand. Even though such explanations were given to him, he had no time to think about how much time had actually pa.s.sed.

“I-is it finally… acceptable?”

“Well, your learning curve is good. You can be proud of it.”

A rough pat on the head finally made him realize that this was the first time he had been praised.

“I don’t know how many times I would have died without this armor…”

Dullahan’s armor. He also credited his armor for helping him avoid serious damage.

“With or without this armor, you have been killed hundreds of times. In a world that is only a dream, there is no way that you could actually die…”

“…Eh?”

“Do you remember how many times you were blown up?”

One time, he was told that he didn’t like it, and another time, he got angry and told him not to be so lenient… Now, he couldn’t remember how many times he was blown up.

“I can’t tell you anymore because I lost count.

“If you take it in the real world, each one of them is enough to take your life. Good for you; you’ve had a direct line of attack to death. That must have been a good experience.

——It was too dangerous.

But yes, even that much would have killed him.

Cain’s words made Ain think about how easy it was.

“…W-well, never mind. Then next… can Cain-san teach me about your sword?”

“Don’t be unreasonable.”

——Huh…? That’s not what he expected.

“What do you mean by unreasonable?”

“It’s not something your body can handle right now. And on top of that, do you think you can learn it in this short time?”

“I’d be worried if you suddenly said something reasonable.”

“From now on, I’m going to teach you the sword of a certain man… and how to counter it. “

Since Ain was unable to say anything, he had no choice but to obey without saying a word. Ain suddenly started to look at his own body.

“You see. Can this armor be used for me?”

“Do you want to take it outside…?”

“Of course. It’s like a little adoration.”

The only Dullahan-related skill he has been able to use is the illusory hand.

That’s all he’d been doing all this time, so it’s about time he learned at least one more thing.

But when he saw Cain starting to think, he looked disappointed that it was still not possible. Then Sylvia opened her mouth and started to speak the answer instead of Cain.

“…Maybe you’ll be able to use it when you get home.”

“Home…? That means the royal capital, right? No, but why would you think I could use it if I did?”

“You might have hope. Time is running out. Let’s hurry and get started.”

Ain was grabbed by the neck from behind and pulled as if he were carrying a cat.

Can’t he carry it a little more carefully? This is like a child, Ain thought.

“I was in the middle of a conversation.”

“You have things to do first. Don’t be a wimp.”

He was thrown to the ground but landed skillfully.

“Ah, shoot! All right, I’ll do it, just don’t treat me like a child!”

“What the h.e.l.l are you talking about? You’re obviously a child.”

He was indeed a child. He would be thirteen this year, but he was still considered a child.

Still, when someone said it so openly, Ain felt a little rebellious.

“Even though I am a child! I’m not that small!”

“Ah, I get it, I get it. I don’t care which one it is, just get up and let’s continue.”

——Was he annoyed?

This was definitely an atmosphere of annoyance, and Ain was aware of that. But if he tried to make a grumpy face here, he would surely be laughed at. With this thought in mind, he held back with a feeling of resignation.

“So? What should I do?”

“Kukuku… ah, yes, that’s right. Well, then.”

Ain thought he had held back, but Cain’s att.i.tude got the better of him. Seeing Cain, who couldn’t hold back his laughter, Ain just held his head up without any effort. As for Sylvia, who was sitting on a chair, she just smiled happily.

“Just stand there. You’ll learn what kind of person you’re dealing with and what kind of sword he uses.”

“I thought that from the beginning, isn’t that too much persistence?”

“Cla.s.sroom learning is useless. Respect the wisdom of real life in battle, okay?”

“…Yes.”

Unless you were more competent and had enough accomplishments to convince your opponent.

But that was not possible with this opponent; he would rather not have a partner who could do that because there would be no one, not even here in Ishtalika.

“In that case, get ready. Go here at the right time, it should be fast enough for you to follow with your eyes, so don’t be stiff.”

Hearing this, Ain prepared his sword as usual.

Then Cain, seeing Ain’s condition, readied his sword as well.

“(…Huh? The atmosphere is totally different from before.)”

At best, it’s honest; at worst, it’s impersonal. Cain began to adopt such a formal gaze.

Then, a moment later, he blinked.

“Huh!”

“…..!”

In an instant, he stepped in and started swinging his sword right in front of Ain.

“Too fast…!”

As he mentioned, he could certainly follow the movement with his eyes. But there was something he didn’t understand very well.

“(Why didn’t he move behind me…?)”

To be honest, it was true that he was caught off guard for a moment.

That was why he was more afraid when Cain moved to turn behind or to the side instead of swinging his sword in front of him.

“That’s right. If you can react, just keep dealing with it.”

It was more chivalrous than the knights of Ishtalika. A sword that was honest enough to make you feel that way… every single swing of the sword would hit Ain.

In any case, this fighting style was a good match because it feels similar to the training with the Royal Knights.

“You seem to be getting awfully soft…!”

“Don’t waste your breath. I’m not done yet.”

The sword Cain showed was frighteningly precise, even though the chemistry was good.

There was no blur in his movements, and this refined movement reminded him of Lloyd. But it was faster than Lloyd’s, just like Chris’ movements.

In other words, it was more precise than Lloyd’s and similar in speed to Chris’.

“(I mean, it’s perfect super compatibility! …but I can still handle it!)”

After being present like this for a while, Ain began to find habits that even he could attack from time to time.

“——Hah!”

If you strike without hesitation, even if it was a delicate stance, it will be firmly defended.

The attack was probably still too weak. But what was this easily understandable habit?

“Don’t think about useless things; just keep doing it.

Thinking about things slows you down. This had already been seen.

“Y-yes!”

Both of them continued to swing their swords in the same way while maintaining a certain distance from each other.

The sword that Cain swung still came at him with an honest sword. …Say Ain, who had been doing this for so long that he had become accustomed to the habit.

“(There’s another gap…!)”

He began to notice some gaps to strike compared to the first time.

When he attacked as if it were his natural right, his opponent’s rhythm began to deviate slightly.

“You learned this a while ago. Dominate with your stance.”

He remembered the endless training he had been told to do.

It was all training for the first swing, but if he changed his mindset, he could certainly use it here as well.

“It’s time to start over. Whenever I can find a time when I can hit, I can take advantage of it…!”

What do you mean by the first swing? If you change your starting point, you should be able to use what you just learned. Ain thought so and continued to swing the sword.

“(There are 4… No, 5!)”

If things continued like this, there would probably be an opening for him to attack after exchanging swords this many times. Ain began to prepare for that.

“——!”

Now…! Enjoying the expected course of events, Ain swung his sword hard, aiming for that opening.

＊＊＊

“Dear? It’s about time!”

The training had been going on for a long time, but it came to a halt with a single word from Sylvia.

“…A-already? It’s not enough.”

“Huh? What is time?”

Ain was able to spend some time.

Perhaps the hormones in his brain eased his fatigue, but he began to show fewer signs of pain than before.

“The train will arrive soon. It’s time to wake up.”

“Oh… come to think of it, I was asleep, wasn’t I?”

It had been less than six hours, half a day, and yet it felt like several months.

“I have cured you of your physical exhaustion. So don’t worry about anything.”

To what extent was this Elder Lich named Sylvia hiding her ability to make them change their sense of time, to influence their real bodies from these worlds, etc.? That’s what Ain wondered.

“…Why don’t you tell me why you called me?”

“Hmm? I told you first.”

“No, no, I don’t think I heard you…”

“I wanted you to beat him with skill, not brute force. That’s what I would have taught you.”

Considering if that was the reason, nothing was. Seeing that Cain won’t teach him anything more, he began to give up on the idea that it’s useless to ask him.

 “…Well, I’ll just a.s.sume that’s the way it is. I’m sure you won’t tell me even if I ask.”

Cain just closed his eyes and stayed still while Sylvia smiled as if she was worried. The two of them were not interested in talking anymore, so Ain decided to end this conversation.

“To be clear, I don’t know what’s going on or why I was called here… But it was a good experience and I really appreciate it.”

He bows deeply and expresses his grat.i.tude.

“I have a favor to ask.”

Cain, who had kept his mouth shut until then, finally opened it.

“…Uh, something I can do?”

“I want to ask you to do something that only you can do. Can I ask you for one?”

…What a look on his face.

He looked sad and sorrowful… and lonely as if he missed something.

“All right. What do you want me to do?”

Ain replied naturally. He reminded himself that it was the right thing to do.

“If… If you ever have to fight someone who uses the sword I just used, give him this last word.”

The sword he had just used… In other words, that honest, straight sword that Ain’s body had learned to use.

“I don’t know who he is, and I don’t know if I’m going to fight him. But what should I say?”

Hearing Ain’s answer, Cain finally looked relieved. He then immediately conveyed these words to Ain.

“Ah, the word is…”

＊＊＊

“——…in-sama! Ain-sama!”

His body was shaking, and he heard a familiar voice in his ear.

“Hmm… H-huh?”

“Are you awake, Ain-sama? We have already reached Baltic!”

It was Dill calling in his ear. The only thing visible outside the window was pitch black, and the lights of the tavern and inn could be seen in the distance.

“Oh, I see… I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye at the end…”

He didn’t want to say goodbye, but at least he wanted to say, “see you later.” There were so many things he wanted to ask them, but this was the one thing he regretted the most.

“Say goodbye?”

“Sorry, sorry. I should have at least said goodbye to the people of the former Viscount Sage’s territory.”

Ain thought about telling Dill honestly what had happened, but then he thought about the many things that awaited him in the future. 

“I see, so that’s what you mean… But Ain-sama spoke to many farmers, and for them, too, it will be a good memory. So don’t be too discouraged…”

“…Thank you, Dill. You really are a good knight, Dill.”

As Dill was stunned by the sudden praise, Ain stood up, carrying some luggage and a sword at his waist.

“Come on, Dill. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Baltic, but I’ll let you come along.”

“A-Ain-sama. Of course I will go with you… but where will you go first?”

“I’ve already decided where to go first.”

Yes, he knew where to go when he arrived in Baltic. There was something he needed to buy.

“By the way, what exactly is this place?”

“It’s a flower shop. I had to buy a large bouquet of flowers because I didn’t have any to offer. …Oh, and I think I’ll buy some alcohol and a few other things.”

Dill had no idea what he wanted to do, but he agreed to go with Ain anyway.

Ain then took Dill out to Baltic for the night.