by Mamare Touno
“Come, Isaac the Young. Personal security work is one of our duties as well.”
“Pain in the butt…”
“Wah-ha-ha. You’ve tired yourself out pretty thoroughly again. Men who like child-rearing get high ratings, Isaac.”
“That ain’t my thing.”
But apparently, he wasn’t going to get away with that.
As Lezarik had said, guarding the Cowen family was one of the requests Isaac and his group had undertaken. Training Maihama’s Glass Greaves, and guard duty. Those were the requests. Shiroe hadn’t said which request was the main one, and Isaac hadn’t asked. Up until he’d come to Maihama, he’d thought it would be an easy mission.
Even now, he didn’t think the difficulty level had gone up. Adventurers had far greater combat abilities than the People of the Earth, and although Isaac’s companions might be dumb, they were skilled. They’d probably manage both training and guard duty. However, “difficulty” and “complexity” weren’t the same thing.
He didn’t think it was hard, but he did think it was complicated. Unlike a game quest, it didn’t have an easy-to-understand display: “SUCCESSFULLY PROTECT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO GUARD FOR THREE DAYS! (0/3).” And that wasn’t all. There probably weren’t any relationships you could easily pigeonhole as “just work” in this world, the way there had been in the game. After all, it wasn’t a game anymore; it was another world. Isaac remembered the solemn, bespectacled guy who’d said those lines.
Iselus, the main factor behind the annoyance, started walking with the springy motion unique to children; he seemed to be in high spirits. Probably due to his good upbringing, he hadn’t broken into a run. He was practically marching, though. He was so cheerful that, to Isaac, it looked like he was playing. In other words, it was embarrassing.
“This is good. It’ll strengthen the relationship between Akiba and Maihama. Besides, eventually, that boy will be the lord.”
“Hey, hold up. We don’t know that yet.”
“True, it won’t be for a while. However, the future is something you plan for in advance, no?”
Iselus was visiting a textiles store, and Lezarik and the maids had gone with him. Isaac had no intention of tagging along, so he’d folded his arms and was watching them when Calasin spoke to him.
Well, they said he was the successor and the first grandson, so sure, he might end up being the lord. If Calasin said so, there was a good possibility that would be the case. However, the word lord didn’t really seem to fit the little kid who was listening to the shop owner’s explanation.
“…Yeah, well, maybe,” Isaac answered morosely.
“What you’re saying is entirely correct, too, Isaac. Power relationships in Yamato are unstable. We don’t know what the future will bring. Westlande is threatening war, and there are reports of mysterious monsters. Akiba has troubles, too, internally. And actually, Shiroe’s reported that we may have found a clue regarding how to get back home.”
“Huhn.” Isaac gave a noncommittal response.
“What’s this? You’re not homesick?”
“I’ve never cared about places or houses and stuff. Home is where my comrades are. I’ve got lots of those right here with me now. I’ll think about trouble when it shows up in person.”
Frankly, if trouble showed up in front of him, Isaac’s policy was to just pick a problem and eat his way through it, so he had no intention of doing any thinking. In the first place, “thinking” was a move for guys who could come up with decent answers that way, and Isaac wasn’t one of them. On the contrary, he thought it was fine if he made an on-the-spot call and chose the best option when the time came.
After all, a lottery winner could think about what to do with the money after collecting the prize.
Thinking about what would happen if they returned now, or what he’d do after he got back, was counting his chickens before they whatevered.
“That’s pretty manly of you. Just what I’d expect from that eighty percent.”
“What about you, playboy? Do you want to go back?”
Those were Isaac’s personal thoughts, though, and he wasn’t denying other people’s desire to go home. After all, it wasn’t as if he didn’t understand. That said, he’d only asked Calasin that question on a whim. Iselus was listening to the shop owner’s detailed explanation of a dyeing technique that had recently been imported from Akiba. As a result, Isaac was bored, standing there in the road. That was the only reason.
“Yes, a little. There are a few girls I’d promised to take out to dinner over there.”
Still, the answer he received was so shallow that asking had been a complete waste of time.
“I’m real close to actually respecting you,” Isaac replied sarcastically.
Calasin was just about as carefree as he looked; in response to Isaac’s threat, he gave a thoughtless smile and began making excuses.
“If I don’t get my feelings about it in order, I’m likely to fall to pieces when we actually do get to go back, you know? I’m talking myself around so that I’ll be all right no matter which way things go.”
“Hmm. Can you get stuff like that in order?”
“Well, of course. Even if we do get back, though, I’ll probably quit my job.”
“What, seriously? Weren’t you at some fancy ad agency?”
This was information he’d heard when they’d disclosed their situations to each other over the course of several parties. The difference between their respective circumstances had been so great that they’d cracked up. He’d said he worked a bottom-rung job in a big building in Akasaka or somewhere like that.
“Yes, but…now that I’ve tried out my own skills here, I can’t very well go back, can I? I’ve gotten a taste of what it’s like to persuade people and work together and do business on my own. Drafting flimsy PowerPoint proposals and trimming budgets would just be a chore after that; I couldn’t get fired up about it. Do you think this world has poisoned me?”
Isaac gazed at Calasin steadily.
He was still smiling foolishly, but as he acknowledged and returned Isaac’s look, his expression was somehow impudent.
Even the flashy Young Gent had a few manly bones in his body, then. Isaac was impressed. To be honest, he didn’t know anything about ad agencies or PowerPoint, whatever that was, but Calasin probably meant he was going independent. This guy was saying he was stepping out from under that big roof—yeah, leaving the protection of the “first section market” or whatever it was called and taking a gamble.
There was something entertaining about that, and Isaac thumped him on the back with all his might. “Sounds like a plan,” he told him.
Calasin choked and coughed. “Quit messing with me. What are those blazing eyes of yours, you meathead? Are you a primitive gorilla?!” he asked with a laugh. Even when Calasin cussed people out, it sounded like he was playing around.
“Ah— Hey!”
Abruptly, Isaac stepped forward.
While their attention was elsewhere, Iselus had moved on to the next store. He gazed at the items on display in the storefront with shining eyes, and before long, he’d picked up a sword. It was more of a dagger than a short sword, but paired with Iselus’s hundred-centimeter height, it looked large and impressive.
It probably seemed that way to Iselus, too. The dagger’s blade was about fifteen centimeters long, and he examined it closely.
“This is very dashing.”
Iselus wore clothes suitable for the child of aristocrats. They weren’t showy in terms of Maihama’s culture, but compared with what the common people wore, even the quality of the cloth was different. The plump shopkeeper had probably seen this and understood that he’d be a good customer: He bolted out of the depths of the shop. Disgusted, Isaac stopped him with the palm of his hand, shutting him up.
“Kid, that sword’s nothing but shiny. It’s completely useless! Leza, you too. Stop him, wouldja?”
“You see, Master Iselus? Isaac the Young sa
ys he’ll lend you his expert judgment.”
“!! Dammit. You people…”
Lezarik must have known and been watching the whole time, smirking to himself. Aiming a kick at his shin (Lezarik was wearing plate-armor greaves, so something on that level wouldn’t even hurt), he took the dagger from Iselus.
The boy gave a disappointed sigh. “Aw…”
He really was a child. He must idolize stuff like this.
That was something Isaac understood, too. If he’d said his heart hadn’t beat faster at the weight of armor and the gleam of heavy swords when the Catastrophe brought him here, he would’ve been lying. It had been the same way when he’d ridden his motorcycle around. Steering a big hunk of iron wherever you wanted got people all excited, no matter how old they were. On top of that, this was an elementary-school-aged kid. He wouldn’t be surprised if Iselus got so worked up that he gave himself a nosebleed.
“Fine, okay. Here, get this one.”
“…But it’s… It’s expensive.”
With no help for it, he’d picked out a hunting dagger for him. Iselus had looked delighted, but then his face fell. When he looked at the price, yeah, compared with the earlier, gaudy dagger, there were a couple more zeros. That was the difference between something the People of the Earth had made and an article from Akiba. Not only that, but for being in a weapons shop on this broad avenue, the dagger Isaac had picked out had pretty good properties.
“Well, yeah: It’s one of Tatara’s mass-produced numbers. If you’re not interested, that’s fine,” Isaac said.
He had no intention of forcing him to take it, but although Iselus had turned his back on it promptly, Isaac had seen that he regretted it, just a little. Even Isaac thought it was true that Iselus was intelligent, brave, and a good kid. However, he was still only eight years old. It was impossible for him to keep his feelings out of his eyes and the way he walked.
Isaac shrugged, and Calasin spoke to him: “In that case, Master Iselus, Isaac will pick one out for you one of these days. Won’t you, Isaac the Young?” The words sounded contrived; he’d meant for the boy, who’d turned his back, to hear them.
Iselus turned around again, and Calasin spoke to him, his face perfectly composed.
“It will be a present, Master Iselus. Don’t stand on ceremony now, all right? I’ve started wanting to do something aristocratic myself, that’s all. Yes, I’m playing at being a noble. Isaac the Young is more than willing as well. It’s the dependability of merchants, you see.”
Nah, I’m not into this at all, you pain in the butt, Isaac thought.
Yet, Calasin looked nonchalant. True, winks did go well with that perfectly unsarcastic smile, but even so. This guy was incredibly slippery and frivolous.
“Well, we’ll have him pick it out next time. We’ll get a reward for the gorilla, too, while we’re at it. Now then, let’s continue the inspection. The sun’s still high.”
Iselus, who was elated, broke into a run. On reflex, Isaac caught him by the back of his collar. The boy didn’t weigh much, and his shoes kicked in midair as Isaac hoisted him off the ground like a puppy.
“Don’t start running just because your blood pressure’s gone up. What’re you, a kid?”
“Erm, yes, actually, he is a kid.”
“That’s indeed a child.”
Calasin and Lezarik answered respectively, but Isaac ignored them and set Iselus on his own shoulders.
“It’s so high!” the boy exclaimed, sounding deeply moved.
Yeah, it probably is high, Isaac thought.
It was easier to carry their ward around on his shoulders than have him running wild all over the place. And that made Isaac realize something: When parents carried their children or pushed them in strollers on their days off, they weren’t being overprotective. It was just that letting the kids free-range used up a lot of unnecessary energy, and it was rough.
Feeling resigned, Isaac started walking.
Guard duty really was a pain.
But, well, as far as vacation day walks went, this wasn’t bad.
2
Time passed slowly, and spring deepened.
Isaac was keeping pretty busy. As a matter of fact, there were all sorts of things to do, but he wasn’t hardworking enough to take them all on.
He could leave the knights’ training to Lee Jent and Zecca Eagle. The Knights of the Black Sword had lots of overpowered jocks, and even their brains were muscle-bound. Guys like that were too dumb to know what being tired was, so all the tiring jobs should go to them. Making an excuse that wasn’t even an excuse (“Besides, I’m the guild master”), Isaac spent about three days of the week napping. He was living like a lion.
On days when he’d napped, he had a hard time getting to sleep at night, and he often went on rambling strolls, the way he was doing now. Night walks.
Of course there were lots of times when he went to the tavern and drank, but Isaac’s companions were loud and macho, almost without exception. Dealing with guys like that wears you out, Isaac thought, although this was the exact same thing other guilds said about him.
Wearing the uniform tailored for him by the Round Table Council, Isaac wandered the halls. He was on the third floor of the main building of Castle Cinderella.
It was probably about nine at night. Most People of the Earth were probably asleep. In this world, light was more valuable than it was on Earth. That was true for the common people, at any rate. When it came to the manor of the lord who led the nobles of Eastal, the League of Free Cities, Magic Lamps shone everywhere in the corridors. They probably needed them to deter crime, too.
Lights changed the way people lived.
When Isaac poked his head into the office, Lord Sergiad Cowen was still at work.
“How is the training coming along?”
“It’ll do. The knights are leveling up nicely.”
Entering the office with a casual greeting along the lines of “S’up,” Isaac sat down on the reception set without waiting for permission. In response to a whispered inquiry from a maid, he ordered tea, then sprawled back in his seat.
This wasn’t his first late-night visit. Recently, he’d been stopping by about once a week.
Today in particular he’d been invited, but lately, he tended to just drop in. The maid handed him a deep-hued tea; Isaac said, “Hey, thanks,” and took a swallow.
He liked liquor, but drinking tea this way wasn’t bad, either.
He’d never mentioned it to Sergiad, but this office was pretty comfortable. It was magnificent, but the baptism of years had washed away any showiness. Everything about the place felt simple, quiet, and calm. It was the same sort of atmosphere that a well-tended temple would have had back home.
Isaac liked that, and so he’d put this office on his nighttime sauntering route. It was even better when he’d kicked up a ruckus with his friends and was tired.
Sergiad, who’d finished organizing the documents on his desk, came over to the reception set to join Isaac and sat down across from him. His face softened.
“That’s good to hear. You never know what could happen these days, or when.”
“Did you call me out here to make small talk?”
“Indeed I did.”
“Aw, man. C’mon.”
Well, it’s not like I really care.
Isaac shrugged.
“I don’t have many years left, you know. Don’t take my pleasures from me.”
“Gramps, you look like you could take a punch from a level 90 and be just fine.”
Isaac and Sergiad both laughed.
What with this and that, it had been more than three months since Isaac had come to Maihama. In the time since he’d first greeted Sergiad, they’d talked about all sorts of things.
Of course, Isaac knew that the other man was a Person of the Earth and that he felt an emotion close to awe regarding Isaac’s and the other Adventurers’ combat abilities. He also knew that, as a noble lord, Sergiad was attempting to get clo
se to the Round Table Council and hoped to gain technological and economic aid.
However, Isaac did feel that that wasn’t all.
He thought this old man, Sergiad Cowen, was a pretty magnanimous guy. He interacted sociably with Isaac, who was less than half his age. There were probably factors like status and interests in play as well, but above and beyond that, he met Isaac halfway, on a personal level. Isaac didn’t know much about manners, and he thought the man had come down closer to him to keep him from embarrassing himself.
He was a big-boned old man with good posture.
He must have trained a lot when he was young. He had a sturdy build, and even now, when he walked through the halls, he didn’t seem the least bit unsteady. He was dignified even when he sat on a sofa.
For all that, he was also mischievous and brimming with curiosity. Isaac had heard that the man liked dorayaki and had them delivered, and the man had shown Isaac a pair of spectacles he’d had made to order. “I heard that, if you wear glasses specially made by the Adventurers, ingenuity wells up like a fountain,” he’d said, disappointed. That had been a fun story. Since Isaac had been asked not to, he wouldn’t tell a soul about it.
“Well, I asked you here today about Iselus.” Sergiad broached the subject nonchalantly after they’d laughed for a while.
Isaac knew he’d been invited for a reason, so he responded, “Yeah. You got it. Just speak your piece.”
Sergiad was a wise ruler whose subjects respected him enormously. However, Isaac suspected that, as an individual, Sergiad might be a funny old guy with a great sense of humor. He fooled everybody with that dignity, but quite a lot of stuff entertained the guy. Lately, he seemed to have been experimenting on Isaac to see whether Adventurers understood jokes. As a result, Isaac was able to speak to him quite casually, too.
“His birthday is coming up soon, and we’ll be holding a grand festival in celebration. Do you think that will seem incredibly absurd to the Adventurers?”
