73. The Blurring Country Road

* * *

“So you’re really leaving, huh?”

It was early autumn. Outside the window, creatures resembling dragonflies with six wings flew across the pale blue sky.

Here in the Baron Salar’s study room, recently repaired, the scent of fresh wood enveloped us as I faced the Baron. By his side was his wife. Maid-senpai and the sinister butler were also present in the room.

Today was the day I bid farewell to everyone. My one-month duty guarding Sara Salar, the Baron’s daughter, had concluded. Earlier, she had departed for the capital’s academy by carriage.

Apparently, Dr. Kiskett, who had been treating her, was also scheduled to become a faculty member at the academy around the same time as her enrollment. Being a rank 2 adventurer as well as a master healer, he would be accompanying her to the academy in the carriage to guard her.

According to Sara Salar, Dr. Kiskett was “not a romance target, but a reliable helper character.” She had become quite attached to the doctor who would be periodically visiting the academy to observe her condition.

…More so than me.

Or rather, in the “otome game” memories implanted by the gods, I did not exist at all for her, so I was likely just an unremarkable background character in her mind with no need for special attention.

The Sara-chan who invited me to “come to the academy together” was gone.

I had briefly pondered my future path, but it turned out to be pointless worry. The idea of spending time with a friend from now on was just a dream for me – one that ultimately proved to be merely a fleeting bubble, inflating and then bursting away into nothing.

“I value your abilities highly. If you wish, you would be welcome to continue working at this estate from now on,” the Baron offered, but I quietly shook my head.

Having spent a month together, even my socially inexperienced self could sense how everyone felt about me.  The sinister butler outright disliked me to begin with. The baroness and Maid-senpai seemed…afraid of me, somehow.

While the Baron did not outwardly show any aversion towards me, I could tell he was straining himself a bit.  In this world where the “black-haired, black-eyed cursed ones” are believed to be ominous harbingers, no matter how much one tries to be rational about such superstition, unease is difficult to completely dispel.

For us to continue working together in such an environment would likely prove mentally taxing for all. Or rather, I myself wish to depart from this estate as soon as possible – to flee from this place that reminds me of Sara-chan.

But before leaving, there is one thing I want to ask the Baron.

“Baron, why did you hire me?”

“Hmm?”

“Cursed children are viewed as ill omens. I can’t even enter villages. Yet you hired me. Why?”

Just because I’m strong enough to potentially guard his daughter, would that alone be reason enough to hire a cursed child? Discrimination against us is deeply rooted in this world.  I sense there must be another reason.

“…It was back when I was a novice adventurer. I nearly died due to my inexperience, but was saved by a top-ranked black-haired, black-eyed adventurer known as the ‘Nameless Yogin.'”

The Baron stroked his thin mustache as he began recounting.

“At that time, he told me, ‘You need not repay this debt to me. Instead, once you grow into a capable adult, if you happen to meet someone like me who is black-haired and black-eyed, do what you can to help that person.’ The time had come to uphold that promise, or so I figured.”

…I see. The “Nameless Yogin,” huh?

Thanks to that person, I was able to live a rather normal life these past months.  I’m grateful to both the Baron and Yogin.

Come to think of it, Yogin was a “top-ranked adventurer”…?

<That means he was among the highest existences for adventurers in this world.>

To rise to such heights while being black-haired and black-eyed in this world must have been no small feat.

“I wonder if I’ll ever meet Yogin?”

“Hard to say. As his ‘Nameless’ moniker implies, his activities were rarely made public, and his whereabouts are unknown. He was already quite elderly when I encountered him. Whether he’s even still alive is uncertain.”

Even so, if he is alive, I’d like to meet him someday. To express my gratitude.

My journey has gained another purpose.

On the pale blue sky stretching endlessly above, in the countryside road continuing as far as the eye could see, I trudged alone, leaving the estate behind and surveying the surrounding fields.

Occasionally, the six-winged dragonfly-like creatures <Those are Tighi bugs> would carelessly flit across my path, allowing me to casually scoop them up and snack on them unhurriedly as I proceeded.

For my departure, the Baron wrote me a letter of recommendation. With this paper, at the very least I should not face outright rejection when reaching the town of Yoshanka up ahead.

There is an adventurer’s guild branch office there, so by showing the recommendation letter to register as an adventurer, I can obtain an “adventurer’s certification” card that will serve as proof of identity.

Having that should reduce the likelihood of being arbitrarily driven out of towns and villages, the Baron assured me.

Technically, a recommendation is unnecessary for adventurer registration, but this was the Baron’s thoughtful gesture to minimize any unfair treatment towards me.

Additionally, the Baron provided me with not just monetary provisions, but also new garments to replace my tattered Grim Reaper wolf attire that had become unwearable – tight-fitting black inner shirt and pants with three-quarter sleeves, along with a jacket with many pockets, a backpack, and a cloth I can wind around my head to conceal my hair.

Apparently, especially the inner wear was “rather high-quality, magically woven material” with an excellent fit.

I cannot thank the Baron enough. Words fail to convey my gratitude.

I did decline getting any footwear, though. It would hamper using 【Grasshopper】, and they’d instantly break from 【Body Strengthening】 anyway. Thanks to that skill, I’m unlikely to injure my bare feet, and any impacts exceeding 【Body Strengthening’s】 defense would break through ordinary shoes regardless.

So I remain barefoot.

<Haaah~ At last, Emi’s adventurer debut~!>

Extra seemed rather excited about it for some reason.

<I can’t wait to thrash those old geezers at the adventurer’s guild reception who’ll try saying “Hey kiddo, this ain’t no place for brats!” When they hassle us~>

……What is this person even talking about???

Sometimes, I simply cannot follow Extra’s train of thought. But this much I understand – the reason for her unusually chipper demeanor is my own dejected state.

Sara-chan. My very first friend. The precious person I failed to fully protect. Now trapped in that bizarre circumstance of having a reincarnated soul inhabit her body, neither alive nor dead.

Even if her original soul manages to revive someday, I am but a wandering vagabond, a rootless weed. Our paths will likely never cross again.

…I despise it. I despise the gods of this world, forcing their fates onto others as they please.

But no matter how much I may hate them, they are gods while I am human. There is nothing I can do.

How futile.

So at the very least. I will grow stronger. Stronger and stronger, so that next time, I can overcome the senseless and protect what matters.

I will become stronger.

Farewell, Salar territory. Farewell, Sara-chan.  I won’t forget you. Nor my own powerlessness.

The country road stretching straight through the fields gradually blurred and distorted before me.