by Ao Jyumonji
“Hey...” Ranta was about to snap, but composed himself. “...pal.”
Merry’s pointed glance stabbed into Ranta. “‘Pal’?”
“...Y-You? No, it’s weird for me to address you like that... M-Merry!”
“Where’s my -san?”
“M-Merry...-san,” a vein was pulsing on Ranta’s temple. “N-Now listen, you priests carry that thing with you. That, uh, what’s it called? A priest’s staff? You’ve got one, right? That thing’s for whacking stuff with, right? Or is it just for show?”
“Yes,” Merry said, puffing her chest up and looking down her nose at Ranta. “This is just for show.”
“Why you little...”
“Little?”
“M-Merry...-san, you, couldn’t you be a little more, you know, more... uh, I don’t know. Forget it. Just do whatever you want...”
“I’d do what I want without you telling me to, you realize?”
“Of course you would! Hahahaha! I figured as much! Dammit, what’s this bitch’s problem...?”
“Could you refrain from using such filthy words? They soil my ears.”
“I’m so sorry! My bad! If you really don’t like it, why not try some earplugs?”
“Why should I have to trouble myself like that?”
“A-Anyway...” Haruhiro said, scratching his neck. “I understand what you’re saying. Merry will stand by in the rear until she’s needed. Um, maybe near Shihoru would be best. Shihoru’s a mage, so she doesn’t go up front. That should be fine... right?”
Merry gave Haruhiro a look that made it seem as if she was ready to give up on him as useless. “Sounds reasonable, I guess?”
“W-Well, we’ll go with that, then...” Haruhiro felt reassured, but also upset. Why did he have to defer to her like this? She had only just joined the party today. Yes, she had more experience than Haruhiro and the others, but weren’t they all comrades here? Though, that said, he didn’t have the nerve to say that to Merry. She was scary. Even when they got in a circle and did their usual fighto ippatsu ritual, it didn’t really feel like they could do this. “...Yume, Shihoru, please.” Haruhiro pleaded.
Yume and Shihoru nodded silently.
Are they too upset to even speak? They both have looks of extreme displeasure on their faces. I wish they wouldn’t do that. I’m no happier about this than they are, but what choice do we have? They could at least try to understand that much.
If he said anything, he knew it wouldn’t stop there. Haruhiro decided to bottle it all away deep in his chest.
Haruhiro took point with Yume and Shihoru following behind him. They would be in magic range soon. When Haruhiro gave the signal with his hands, Shihoru began drawing elemental sigils with her staff and chanting in a low voice. Yume nocked an arrow and pulled back on the bowstring. An elemental launched forth from the tip of Shihoru’s staff.
Go. Yes. It hit.
The spear gob took a hit right in the chest from the elemental and the full-body convulsions made it drop its short spear. Yume’s arrow missed, flying off into the distance. From behind they heard a “...That was just awful,” from Merry, and Yume’s knuckles went white as she gripped her bow.
“Don’t worry about it!” Haruhiro called out to Yume as he pulled out his dagger. Moguzo and Ranta were already about to charge the gobs.
I need to hurry out there, too. We’ll defeat these enemies. We’ll win this. If we lose, we might die. Winning is our only option.
Moguzo grunted, the ax gob and short sword gob were in his way. The spear gob was trying to use that time to get back on its feet. Ranta slashed at the ax gob with a battle cry, and managed to get it away from Moguzo, but the short sword gob was more stubborn. Moguzo just couldn’t throw the short sword gob out of his way. That’s my job then, thought Haruhiro.
“Backstab...!” Haruhiro got behind the short sword gob, immediately stabbing at it with his dagger. The short sword gob shrieked, trying to turn around. The dagger grazed the sword gob’s side. The short sword gob drew its short sword.
“Shigyahh! Shigyahh! Shigyahh!”
“Urkh, whoa...!” Haruhiro leapt backwards, hopped to the right, then backed off quickly. It was a quick little gob. Little wonder Moguzo had been having trouble with it. But, with that, the last obstacle in front of Moguzo had been removed. The spear gob thrust at Moguzo. Moguzo struck down the spear gob’s short spear with his bastard sword. There were three one-on-one battles now. No, it looked like Yume would come help Haruhiro. She swung her machete, slashing at the short sword gob.
“—Diagonal Cross...!”
“...!” The short sword gob lowered its hips, jumping backwards almost two meters to run away.
Wow, it’s agile. You see gobs like it sometimes. Small, with no offensive power to speak of, but with a ridiculous ability to dodge. They’re always a pain to take down. It’s a lightweight-class gob. They’re trouble.
“Ohm, rel, ect, vel, darsh...!” Shihoru cast Shadow Beat. A shadow elemental flew towards the spear gob. It dodged. Moguzo followed up immediately with a swing of his bastard sword, but it was a little too far. He caught only air. The spear gob stabbed at Moguzo once, and again. With it stabbing at him so much, Moguzo had no choice but to put some distance between them. It was a short spear, yes, but it was still longer than the spear gob was tall. Moguzo couldn’t get in striking distance of the spear gob. On closer consideration, this might have been the first time they’d had a proper fight with an enemy that used a spear. It seemed likely that Moguzo’s difficulties were stemming from that. It was a lack of experience.
“—Ow...!” Ranta let out a little cry and jumped backwards. He’d taken a cut to his left thigh and it was bleeding. The ax gob was swinging its ax wildly from its low stature, aiming for the lower half of the body. It looked like it was going to be another troublesome type to deal with.
“Yume, I’ll take care of this one, you take the ax gob! Merry, heal Ranta!”
Merry responded “No,” without missing a beat.
“No?! Huh? Why not?!”
“It’s not a wound that requires immediate treatment. Suck it up.”
“...Why you...!” Ranta wailed on the ax gob. “Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit! Don’t get all conceited just because you’re a little, okay, very, attractive! This is bullshit! Bullshiiiiit...!”
Haruhiro and Yume were chasing around the lightweight-class short sword gob, but they just couldn’t catch it.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in pain, Ranta?”
“I am in pain! Hatred...!” Ranta slashed downwards diagonally at the ax gob, but it nimbly evaded him. “I’m gushing blood here, you know?! Of course it hurts! It hurts, goddammit...!”
With a cry of surprise, Yume landed on her rump. The short sword gob had tripped her.
Oh, crap. That’s bad. Yume’s in trouble.
“Why you...!” Haruhiro threw himself between the short sword gob and Yume with reckless abandon, and—Hey, wait, you’re just running away?! The short sword gob hopped away, putting distance between them. It was over in no time. Haruhiro’s dagger wouldn’t reach it anymore.
“You’re all worn out,” Merry muttered.
And whose fault is that, Haruhiro thought. If it were Manato instead of you, these enemies would have been easy. Manato was able to tank like Moguzo, was a healer, a strategist, and our leader. If Manato were there, it might have been an exaggeration to say he was a good as 100 others, but it sure felt that way. Manato wasn’t like you, a priest who only heals, and doesn’t even do a good job of that. The gap is so wide, it’s not even worth comparing the two of you.
But Manato isn’t here anymore. He isn’t anywhere. We’ve lost Manato.
What should we do now, Manato?
14. Silver and the Gold Coin
“...I can’t work with this!” Ranta slammed his ceramic mug down on the table.
“U-Um,” Moguzo mumbled. “Y-You’ll break the mug.”
“Shut up! I’m holding back! And what
about you, Moguzo?! Doesn’t she piss you off?! Well, huh?!”
“W-Well, yeah...”
“Damn straight! You’ve gotta be pissed off at that woman! What’s with her attitude?! No matter how long we work with her, she doesn’t try to get along with us better! Haruhiro!”
“Huh?”
“What do you think about this?! Well, what do you think, huh?! I’m asking you what you think, all right?! How many times have I asked you what do you think now, you idiot?!”
“Why ask so many times in a row...?” Haruhiro sipped his beer. “...Honestly, I’m having a hard time dealing with it, you could say. I wish we could do something to fix that.”
“Quit beating around the bush and say what you mean! What?! Are you acting like that just because that woman looks good?!”
“That has nothing to do with it...”
“No, you’re too soft! You’re too soft on women! You’re a big softie!”
“I’m not trying to be soft on her, you’re just weak when it comes to Merry. You’ll bash her like this when she’s not around, but you’ll never say anything to her face.”
“Like I could!” Ranta laid his face down on the table. “That woman scares me! The looks she gives, that voice, she’s too damn scary! I’m ready to cry here, dammit! You mind if I cry?!”
Moguzo patted Ranta’s shoulder. “D-Don’t cry.”
“Stop that!” Ranta brushed Moguzo’s hand away. “Don’t try to console me! I don’t want a man consoling me! It’s just too pathetic! I, I... I, wahhhh...!”
“Leave him be, Moguzo.” Haruhiro sighed. “He’s always like this. If you worry about it every time, there’ll be no end to it.”
Since Merry had joined the party, Haruhiro, Ranta, and Moguzo had made a habit of visiting Sherry’s Tavern together when they came back from the Old City of Damuro. It wasn’t because they wanted to drink, but because they couldn’t get to sleep if they didn’t blow off some steam like this first. They couldn’t motivate themselves for the next day without it.
The cost for one beer was discounted to three copper for badge holders, but Haruhiro and the others were trainees, so it cost them four copper. Even though they only went for one, sometimes two, beers, they were well aware it was wasteful spending. They had dropped to earning half, no, a third, of what they were making when Manato was around, so it wasn’t unusual for there to be days when they earned less than one silver each.
I should be more frugal. I know. I realize that much.
Haruhiro’s total assets, including what he had stored at the Yorozu Deposit Company, amounted to a little over 17 silver. A Corps Badge cost 20 silver, so he was almost there. Though, even once he did get to 20 silver, he couldn’t go out and buy his badge right that second. If he didn’t have around 30 silver, he couldn’t pay 20 silver all at once. It would have been nice if they’d let him pay for it in installments.
“A volunteer soldier, huh...” Haruhiro murmured, looking around the tavern. All of the customers had better equipment than Haruhiro and his group. Many volunteer soldiers wore their precious armor to the tavern because they were afraid it would be stolen, but some wore only fancy clothes with expensive-looking swords at their hips. He couldn’t help but feel painfully conscious of the overwhelming difference in their positions.
“I know,” Ranta lifted his face, sitting in a weird position with his chin resting on the table. “Even if you don’t say it, I know, Haruhiro. Let me guess. Buying our Corps Badges and becoming fully fledged volunteer soldiers is our goal for the moment, yeah, but somehow you just don’t care. It doesn’t get you fired up. That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”
“...I’ve got real complicated feelings about you being able to guess what I’m thinking.”
“You’re so rude. I could knock your block off, you want that?”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize so quick. The conversation goes nowhere. It’s boring. Banter with me some more. Do it, idiot.”
“You’re such a pain to deal with...”
“B-But,” Moguzo groaned lowly. “...It does feel like we’ve lost sight of our goal. Kinda. It wasn’t like this before...”
“Who’d have thought...” Ranta turned his face on its side, his cheek against the table. “...that it’d change this much. Just losing Manato made everything change this badly.”
Haruhiro nearly snapped, tried to hold himself back, but then couldn’t. “...What do you mean we ‘just’ lost Manato? Don’t talk like that.”
“Yeah,” Ranta nodded. “Sorry.”
“...Don’t apologize so quick, it throws me off balance.”
“You’re such a pain to deal with.”
Haruhiro considered slugging him, but he didn’t want to waste energy swinging his fists over someone like Ranta.
“A goal, huh...” Haruhiro looked around the tavern again. As he did, his eyes stopped on a familiar face, and it felt like his heart had stopped.
“...Renji.”
Haruhiro and the others were seated around a table in a dark corner of the first floor. Renji and his group on the other hand were at a good table in a bright spot near the bar. No, it may not have been a better or worse spot, but Haruhiro could never bring himself to sit in a spot that stood out like that.
It wouldn’t suit our position, our status, our rank, and many other things. That’s the sense I get.
“Woah,” Ranta had spotted Renji, too. “That’s one showy getup Renji’s got on there...”
Moguzo ducked his head, as if he had just been reprimanded. “I-It’s incredible...”
They sure said it. That’s a really showy outfit. Even though his silver hair is already enough to turn heads, Renji’s wearing a battle surcoat with black fur trim over top of his armor. That sword leaning against his table looks awesome, too. How did Renji get his hands on that thing? Did he buy it? It looks pretty expensive. Or did he find it somewhere? And if he did, where was that somewhere?
It’s not just Renji. The guy with the buzz-cut next to him, Ron, has some fine-looking armor on, and Adachi with his black-rimmed glasses is wearing a lustrous black robe that looks expensive, too. As for Sassa, since she’s showing enough skin to remind me of Barbara-sensei, did she become a thief, maybe? She was beautiful to begin with so, honestly, she’s looking pretty sexy. Chibi-chan, who’s kneeling on the floor next to Renji for some reason, must be their priest. But Chibi-chan’s priest clothes are clearly different from Manato and Merry’s. The fabric is high quality, and there are decorative touches on the edges.
“They’re rookies, right...?” Ranta stared, dumbfounded. “They’ve been volunteer soldiers for the same amount of time as us... So how is there such a huge gap...?”
Trainees and badge holders alike, those who hadn’t been volunteer soldiers for very long were called rookies. However, nobody who looked at Team Renji would think they were rookies. If someone tried to treat them like they were, that person would be in for a rough time.
We’re never going to close that gap, thought Haruhiro. Forget closing it, the gap was only going to get wider. Haruhiro and his party would be stuck at the bottom. They’d always be the smallest of small-fry, while Renji’s group would just keep rising up. Someday, everyone would look at Renji and his party with deference. Even if he ran into them somewhere, he wouldn’t be able to talk to them. Haruhiro and his group would be forgotten, while Renji’s group would bask in the spotlight.
How would things have been for us if Manato didn’t die?
Manato said we had become a good party. Did he really mean it?
Manato frequented Sherry’s, so he maybe he knew how Renji was doing. Didn’t it frustrate him? Renji keeps steadily rising, but look at me. If I had better comrades, I could do the same. Manato was human, too, so it wouldn’t be strange for those thoughts to cross his mind. Besides, why didn’t Renji invite Manato to join him? He was more than capable enough. If Manato had joined Team Renji, their party might have been even more powerful. If he
had, I’m sure Manato wouldn’t have died. He definitely wouldn’t have died.
At some point, Haruhiro had hung his head. Ranta grabbed his arm saying, “H-Hey,” and Haruhiro looked up to see the silver haired man looking down at him.
“—Huh...?”
“I hear Manato kicked the bucket.” It was that low, husky, voice of Renji’s that he would never forget.
“Bu...” Haruhiro started to say something, but then realized he didn’t know what it was. But. But? But what?
“...S-So what?”
With no expression on his face, Renji tossed what was in his hand to Haruhiro. When Haruhiro caught it, he saw it was a coin. Moguzo said, “Whuhh?!” pulling back in surprise. Ranta’s eyes went wide and he said, “Wha...!” before falling speechless. When Haruhiro saw the coin in his palm, his right hand began to tremble. It was the first time he’d actually seen one, but it was probably real. “...A-A gold coin?”
“Consolation money. Take it,” Renji said, then turned on his heel and walked away.
“...D-Don...! Don’t you...! Don’t...!” Haruhiro rose to his feet. The blood was rising to his head. He wanted to chase after Renji and slug him good. He didn’t, though. That seemed dangerous. In the end, he just chased after him and stopped him. “R-Renji, wait! Hey, wait, I said...!”
Renji finally stopped, looking annoyed.
“What?”
“...N-No,” Haruhiro gulped.
S-Scary. He’s seriously scary. What’s with this intimidating aura? It’s just not normal.
“...L-Listen, I can’t, well, how should I say this? I can’t accept this. It feels, I don’t know, wrong somehow...”
“I see,” Renji extended his right hand.
Huh? I expected more trouble, but he’s not really objecting? Well, I’m glad he’s not.
While feeling enough relief to last a lifetime, he placed the gold coin in Renji’s right hand. After he did, he regretted it just a little.
A gold coin. One gold. 100 silver, huh...
Renji then left without another word. When Haruhiro got back to the table, Ranta attacked him.
