Chapter 55: Conflict
The next day. Yuya and his group entered the forest after finishing their preparations.
There was no large number of escorting knights surrounding them. The knights were positioned farther away. In the forest where visibility was poor, they judged that they would be caught off guard if they were only stationed nearby.
As they moved deeper into the forest, they began to see the appearance of the magical beasts. They could see the magical beasts as if they were looking at wild beasts. Yuya and the others do not understand how unusual that is. Nor do they need to. The [Forest of No Entry] is such a place, and that is why they came here.
The first battle was against Princess Amalia.
It was the result of Yuya's recommendation. Yuya's plan was to save her from a difficult battle and make him look good, but Princess Amalia defeated the war wolf with a single swing.
Even though the war wolf was not that strong, it was clear that Princess Amalia had learned to use the sword to a certain extent and had experience in real battles.
After that, Yuya took his sword, as the number of magical beasts increased. He cut them all down each with a single swing. It was not good training at all.
"......Are there any more strong ones out there if we go deeper?"
"'There are some, no doubt. But I don't know how far they are."
"What does that mean?"
"It is said that the order of strength changes from a certain point."
The place where Yuya and his group are now is only one step away from the entrance to the [Forest of No Entry] as a whole. It is far from the real [Forest of No Entry].
"I'm looking forward to it"
"That's impossible. We can't go that far."
"Why?"
Yuya was happy to think that he could fight a strong magical beast, but Heinz immediately denied it.
"Because that's where the real [Forest of No Entry] is. As the name suggests, it's forbidden to enter."
"No way. Then it doesn't count as training."
"There are strong magical beasts even before the forest. We should fight them first and then make a decision."
"……I understand."
From that point on, Yuya gave priority to moving forward, thinking that he wouldn't have time to deal with small fries. However, no matter how much progress was made, no magical beast appeared that would make Yuya feel a sense of danger.
Still, Yuya's mouth stopped complaining. Anyway, it takes a lot of effort just to cut off the magical beasts that attack because there are too many of them.
"There are so many."
"That's the way this place is."
"It's been like this since earlier."
"It's hard just to go deep, isn't it? If you deal with a lot of small fries, you'll get tired. To take it to the extreme, keep fighting like this for another three days and you will finally reach the [Forest of No Entry]."
"……I see."
Yuya's face clouded after hearing Heinz's explanation. He's pretty tired from all the fighting he's done so far. Considering that the battle would continue for another three days from now on, even Yuya was not in the mood to go deep.
"Not really. There are ways to avoid monsters."
"How?"
"You have to find it by yourself. It is not something to be taught by others."
"Isn't it good!? Don't be so stingy!"
"…………"
Heinz did not answer anything to Yuya who was yelling loudly. He was motionless, still and searching for something.
"Do not ignore me!"
"No. Quiet down for a minute."
"What?"
"...Someone is fighting... over there"
Saying this, Heinz pointed to the left side.
"How do you know?"
"...How can you not know? Can't you feel this much?"
Rather than a sign of battle, it was a sign of mana. Those who can use magic, and even those who are not trained to use magic to fight, should be able to feel the signs.
"I'm not good at that sort of thing."
"What?"
“My mana is too strong, so it seems difficult to detect signs around me.”
"……I see."
Yuya boasts, but it's a clear weakness that he's vulnerable to surprise attacks. But Heinz doesn't point it out. It was the same with Hyde.
"Would you like to go and have a look?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
Heinz immediately agreed to Hyde's suggestion. Both of them knew who the source of the signs was.
When they followed the signs ahead, they found the escort knight waiting for them. A knight who had been standing by on the spot to warn them if something happened.
Already within hearing distance of the noise of battle. The escorting knights quickly went to them. Without caring about them, they went further ahead and found Jin and the others fighting against the magical beasts there.
"Akira! Right!"
"All right!"
"Manami! Cover Akira!"
"Yes!"
Akira is the only one in the vanguard, with Jin giving instructions a little behind him. Manami is attacking from behind with magic. Kou and Riko are at her side to protect her. Jin and the others were in this formation to fight back against the magical beasts.
The attackers were war wolves, murder bears, and other magical beasts that are not uncommon in the forest. But even if they were not strong individually, there were enough of them gathered to be a threat.
"We have to save them!"
"Yuya!"
Heinz stopped Yuya, who was about to run toward Jin and the others.
"What!?"
"That's training. Don't get in the way."
"Training? But in that number?"
At a quick glance, there were thirty magical beasts. Although they are not as many as Yuya and his group fought before, the rest are all Class C hero candidates, even though Jin is fighting now. Moreover, there are far fewer of them.
"They are fighting without any problems for now."
"That's absurd."
"Just watch and you'll see."
Akira, in the vanguard, is not in danger and is steadily defeating each approaching magical beast. Jin is taking care of the magical beasts that Akira was not able to defeat. Manami is in charge of keeping the beasts at bay with magic so that they don't attack Akira all at once.
As far as one can see, they are fighting without any danger at all.
"The coordination is not bad. That one in the vanguard does more than I expected."
“He may be rough around the edges, but he seems to have learned proper swordsmanship.”
"Aside from the power of the mage, the accuracy is quite good."
"Yes. Even the fast-moving magical beasts are well kept in check."
Heinz and Hyde's mouths are full of words of admiration for Jin and his team's fighting style.
"Ah! One get passed?"
A magical beast slipped past Jin and headed for the rear guard. Jin and the others don't seem to be in a panic. Kou quickly drew up his sword and stepped forward, and he defeated the monster with a single swing.
"...Fumu. They're well trained."
"It's only a war wolf."
"Not that. The entire rear guard moved diagonally when the guard moved forward. It may be for the guard's support. Maybe they're preparing for the eventuality that the guard gets hit."
"……I see."
"But how long will this last? The mage's mana is one thing, but the strength of the swordsman in the vanguard won't last that long either.
"That's right. What are you going to do, Jin?"
The answer soon became clear. As Heinz expected, Manami's mana seemed to reach its limit, and the magic stopped. In that case, the number of magical beasts that Akira, the vanguard, will face will increase, and the situation will change to severe.
"Akira, step back! I'll step forward!"
"Roger that!"
Akira retreats while looking for a gap between the monsters. In exchange, Jin jumped into the vanguard.
"Uoooohhh!!"
With a yell, Jin's sword in the middle stance shines brighter. When the brilliance reached its peak, Jin slashed his sword in a side-swipe. The sword's brilliance became a long blade of wind, cutting down everything in front of it.
"That was mine!"
Certainly, Yuya can use a similar skill. However, it is not Yuya's original. It's a skill that advanced magic swordsmen have mastered. But that of Jin.
"...I was surprised. When did he train to that extent?"
"Yeah... I don't have that kind of power."
Heinz and the others were amazed at how powerful it was.
"Okay! Let's go back! Hurry up and get ready!"
Jin announced the end of the battle after confirming that the magical beast had stopped attacking.
"Understood!"
Hearing that, Kou, Riko, and Manami came forward. Manami only came to Jin's side, but Kou and Riko began to cut up the monster's corpse with knives.
"Yep. No matter how many times I do it, I can't get used to it."
"Kou is a man, right? Do it properly."
"I know"
The two of them cut out the parts of the body that will be used as raw materials. After the work is done, Akira gathers the corpses in one place. Soon, the voice of Manami's chanting could be heard. The corpses of the gathered magical beasts flared up in red.
Jin and the others left the place, carrying the bags containing the materials of the magical beasts. Neither Yuya nor Shizuru could call out to him.
There was no way that Jin and the others would not notice Yuya and the others watching as a group. However, none of them looked at Yuya and the others.
A clear rejection. Neither Yuya nor Shizuru were insensitive enough to call out to him. But they are not so sensitive as to be depressed by it.
"...Let's go back to the church capital."
"What!?"
"I can't afford to lose either. I'm going to make the strongest party as an adventurer."
"Yuya, you are a hero"
Moreover, he is the most highly rated. He would never be allowed to become an adventurer.
"But I'm sure Jin will take them to the country he's going to."
"I guess so."
“Then I have to make friends too.”
"...That's right, but."
Not so good for Heinz. It would be nice if Yuya would come to his country, but that possibility is low. And it would be unbearable for him to take other hero candidates Luine Kingdom.
"I will make the strongest party. We are already the strongest."
"Do you have prospects?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? There are five people here, right? Exactly the same number as Jin."
"...Yuya"
Heinz, who heard Yuya's words, shows a look of astonishment that could not be more obvious.
"What?"
"I can't. And neither is Hyde."
"Why!?"
Yuya, who was rejected by Heinz, looks surprised.
“Why are you surprised? We belong to different countries. If we were adventurers, there's no way we could follow Yuya to the country he's going to, right?"
"...That's true. If that happens, we have to hurry up."
"What?"
"I have to hurry back to the academy and gather companions."
The idea came to him. But when he found something he wanted to do, he could not help but move.
"Yuya, can I say something?"
"What?"
"How much do you think it cost to bring you here? Knights don't work for free!"
"…………"
Yuya's eyes widen as Heinz yells at him.
"Train. This is an order from us!"
"……I understand"
◇◇◇
After the battle with the magical beasts, Jin and the others returned directly to their tent. They thought that with Yuya and the others by their side, they could not do anything more. They had no intention of showing their hand to Yuya, whom they had to defeat.
It was still early for dinner. They thought of killing some time by chatting and reflecting, but since they finished training much earlier than planned, the conversation ended soon, and there was nothing new to talk about since they had been working together all the time. It was not a very exciting situation.
Akira couldn't stand it anymore. He brought up a topic that everyone else was avoiding.
"About yesterday."
"What?"
Riko's face immediately turned sour.
"What are those meaningful words that that guy said?"
"Ah, that."
Kou reacted to the topic that Akira brought up.
"Do you understand the meaning of his words, light and darkness?"
"...I guess I could kind of tell."
"Do you understand?"
At dawn, Akira had no idea what he was talking about. In comparison, he indicated that he could understand some of what Kou was saying.
"So it's 50-50,"
"Even so. What did he mean by that?"
"You just have to match the words from the previous conversation."
"Kazuki and Ren? How?"
"Ren, who has lost the light of Kazuki, will only wander in the darkness."
"...Don't say something cool. It doesn't suit Kou."
Kou said it with a serious expression. Akira is making fun of it, but he is trying to blow off the mood that is about to become heavy.
"Shut up. And it's not cool either. Wandering around in the dark is not good."
"I agree."
Akira's concern did not make Kou's expression any less serious. Thinking about the meaning of the words, not only Kou's, but everyone's expressions darkened.
"......Why did he say those things?"
Akira also gave up trying to soften the mood and asked a question with a serious face.
“That's hard to say. I'm imagining it, but I think he's anxious."
"What?"
"That he doesn't know what Ren is doing."
"What do you think he's doing?"
Akira, who has little contact with Ren, has no idea what Ren is doing. But Akira is not the only one who has no idea.
"...I can't imagine what he's doing. If I could, I wouldn't have said that, would I?"
"I see"
"I don't get it either. Who can understand?"
No one can answer Akira's question. Originally, Ren's actions were full of mysteries. Now that they don't see him anymore, they can't even imagine what he's up to.
Even so, Riko opened her mouth.
"After all, that man is on his own."
"……So?"
"He doesn't care about anyone else."
"That's what he's always said, hasn't he?"
Ren himself proudly declares that he doesn't care about other people.
"Yes, from the beginning. We were fools for trying to rely on such a man."
"I do not think so."
Manami questioned Riko's words.
"Manami?"
Riko is surprised by this. It was unusual for Manami to even join the conversation.
"Ren didn't abandon us. We left him."
"...He abandoned us."
Riko says this, but the truth is that it was more than abandonment. Ren never tried to do anything for them. Not entirely, but that's because Kazuki made him promise to do so.
"Is that so? At least Kazuki always believed in Ren."
She can't do anything for Ren, so at least she wants to keep believing in him. Manami has not forgotten Kazuki's words.
"He betrayed her! That man!"
"That's for Kazuki to decide. Does Kazuki think Ren betrayed him?"
"...I don't know."
"But I'm sure Ren knows."
"So what?"
"It's nothing. However, if Kazuki's feelings reached Ren, I'm sure Kazuki would be satisfied."
Manami wants to say that blaming Ren for Kazuki's death is wrong. What is between the two of them is between the two of them. It's not right for the people around them to say what should be done about it.
"Manami doesn't understand Kazuki's feelings."
"...Does Riko understand?"
"I'm Kazuki's best friend."
"Then, does Riko understand Kazuki's pain?"
Manami is as relentless as ever. She can't stand Riko's selfish words anymore.
"Pain?"
"I can't. I don't know what it feels like to be held by a man forcibly."
"That's……"
She can't. If she put it into words that she understands here, it's the same as saying she's a liar.
"Manami, it's a terrible thing to draw that."
Seeing Riko's darkened expression, Jin spoke words of defense.
"But if it's Ren."
"Even Ren doesn't know how that feels."
"How can you be so sure?"
Manami believes that neither Jin nor Kazuki could possibly understand Ren's feelings.
"I heard Ren's thoughts. Ren doesn't feel any pain from Kazuki's pain."
However, Jin had heard about Ren's feelings from others.
"That's terrible... as expected, that man is the worst."
After hearing this, Riko speaks of her dislike of Ren. She didn't even ask what Ren's feelings were.
"A body is a vessel. Even though there are beautiful jewels inside, are you going to throw it away because the container is dirty?"
"Eh?"
The words that Rin told Jin. Riko's complexion changed when she heard that.
“If Ren says so. If this is true, then Ren doesn’t have any resentment toward Kazuki. Maybe resentment isn't the right word."
"...I don't know. Why do you think that way? Kazuki had to go through such a terrible experience."
“I feel sorry for Kazuki like that. Do you think so, Riko?”
Manami asked Riko again.
"That's right"
"That's sympathy. You know what I mean? That's sympathy."
"Manami!?"
Manami's words were unexpectedly harsh. Riko was surprised at that.
"It's fine to mourn the loss of Kazuki. But somehow Riko seems to be taking advantage of it."
Manami's words continued. She is letting out all the feelings that she had been keeping in her heart for a long time.
"That's terrible"
"I'm sorry if I offended you."
"Of course, I'm offended."
"......I think there's something wrong with me. I'm going outside to cool off."
"You should do that."
Manami stopped blaming Riko any further. It wasn't that she was satisfied, but that she had given up on the idea that anything she said might not be understood.
Manami gets up and walks out of the tent. It was the first time all of them had heard Manami blame others. There was an indescribable awkwardness in the air for all of them who were left behind.
"That was kind of weird. I'm going to check on her."
Unable to bear the awkwardness, Kou was about to leave the place with the excuse of going to check on Manami.
"What? You're just going to slip away?"
Akira complained about it.
"Huh?"
"Okay, I'll go too. I can't rely on Kou alone."
Akira just doesn't want to stay here either.
"……Do whatever you want."
Kou and Akira chased after Manami. Now only Jin and Riko are in the tent.
"...Am I wrong?"
"That's……"
“If Jin thinks so too, tell me. I've been a little strange since what happened with Kazuki."
"It can't be helped. The grief of losing a loved one doesn't heal so easily."
The first thing that comes out of Jin's mouth are words of consolation for Riko.
“Even Jin?”
"I... my case is complicated by a mixture of sadness and regret."
Losing Kazuki. That he couldn't help Kazuki. Jin believes that he is both a victim and a perpetrator.
"It can't be helped. You were not in a situation where you could help."
Now it's Riko's turn to comfort Jin.
"I still feel like I could have done something."
"Because Jin is kind."
“If I was really kind, I think I could have done something for Kazuki.”
Riko comforts Jin, but only words of regret come out of his mouth.
"Don't blame yourself so much. You should think about the future, not regrets."
Riko continues to comfort Jin.
"I know that. That's why I'm here."
"It's okay. Efforts will definitely be rewarded. The day will surely come when Jin will rise to the top of the heroes."
"I hope so."
"It's okay, we'll support you."
"...I'm saved thanks to Riko. I may not have been able to start anything by myself."
"So do I. I was worried about being alone and ended up relying on Jin."
They are two people who have lost someone important to them, but is that really all there is to it? The atmosphere between the two of them was such that it made one feel that way.
The two are unaware that this has instilled a sense of distrust in Manami.
On the other hand, the three who left the two and went outside were sitting in a circle a little away from the tent.
"It wasn't like Manami. Why did you talk like that?"
"I was just saying what I really felt."
Even when she went outside, Manami's feelings had not subsided.
"Oya? Is today's Manami a black Manami?"
"I'm normal"
Even if Akira tries to soothe her feelings, Manami's sulking expression doesn't change. It's not a matter of cooling her head. Sensing that, Akira asked with a serious expression this time.
"Is there something you're worried about?"
"I've been feeling...... anxious lately. What are we doing here?"
"To get stronger, right? I think I'm actually getting pretty strong."
Akira and the others have been fighting over and over again, and they have become able to feel their growth.
"What's the point of getting stronger?"
"For what? Be strong and become a hero of a great country."
"Can you?"
"...Isn't that impossible? What does Manami think?"
Labeled as dropouts, they cannot become heroes of any country, let alone a great country. Everyone knows this now. It is also not something that overturns the evaluation even with a little strength.
"I think it's for Jin's sake. That's what I thought."
"Huh?"
"I didn't come here for any purpose either. But I think we're here for Jin."
"……That is?"
"I think we were brought together to support Jin."
"...I understand. So you are going to follow him to the country that chose him."
"Yes"
Class C Manami and the others will not be bid on. In a way, they are free, so they can go wherever they want. In reality, permission from the church is required, but that church does not recognize the value of a Class C hero candidate.
"How did that happen? I didn't hear anything about that."
Kou, who had been listening to the two of them, entered the conversation.
“Even I, haven’t heard about it. But isn't that kind of the course somehow?"
“There are certainly signs of that. He said that if we work together, we can even beat Kisaragi."
"See?"
Riko is the one who is creating this flow. It means that only Riko was acting with that intention from the beginning. That does not mean that the three of them can criticize her for it.
"But is that a bad thing?"
Akira opened his mouth again.
"...I can't say that it is."
"We have no chance of being bid on. If that's the case, we either follow someone else or we stay in the church.'"
"I suppose so."
“If it's Jin, I think we can go to the right country.”
"I think so too."
"Not wrong"
"Yes"
Not only is it not a mistake, but it is a situation that is a relief for the fallen hero candidate. Still, there is a hint of discontent on Manami's face.
"So what do you dislike?"
"I haven't made up my mind. I can't face Kazuki."
"Is this where Kazuki comes in?"
“I don’t know Kazuki’s true feelings. But I think. Kazuki decided to die by herself. It wasn't suicide. She died with a purpose."
"That's right, she found a place to die."
"Yes. That's why I really don't think you should mourn Kazuki's death. I'm not sure about this."
"...That's difficult."
Judging from the situation, Akira knows that Kazuki risked her life to protect the children. But he also doesn't think she wanted to die.
"I don't understand Kazuki's feelings. Kazuki always thought and acted on her own. I wasn't Kazuki's friend."
"Manami, don't be so pessimistic"
"But she never relied on me. Friends are supposed to support each other. Kazuki helped me. But I didn't do anything for her."
"......That goes for me, too."
Everyone here had no idea what Kazuki was doing when she disappeared from the academy. She didn't even know what Kazuki was suffering before. Manami regrets it.
"Everyone does. And it's the same with Riko. Riko isn't Kazuki's best friend."
"That's……"
"...Manami, don't say that."
Kou, who felt that it was an exaggeration, rebuked Manami.
"But"
"I think this way. Everyone has their own definition of a friend. It's not a matter of what others can say."
In a way, it's a harsh way of saying it to Riko. He's saying that just because she thinks she's a best friend doesn't mean the other person feels the same way.
"...That's right. It's just as Kou says."
"Oh shoot. Kou took the best part."
Seeing that Manami's expression softened a little, Akira was frustrated.
"I don't need that right now."
"So what are you going to do Manami?"
"I haven't decided. Not the way I am now. I know that. I have to do something about it first."
She's complaining about the current situation, but she's the one who was being carried away by it. While talking to Akira and Kou, Manami noticed it.
If you want to complain, you must first decide what you want to do, and then you must acquire the ability to do it.
“There is no need to rush. Everyone walks at his or her own pace. You should go at your own pace."
“Akira can say cool things too, huh?”
"Ah, is that so? Don't fall for it."
"I'm fine. It's impossible for me to fall in love with Akira.."
"......At least a little."
Jin and the others, who seem to be doing well from the outside, have problems. It's a matter of course. When people gather, problems arise. For tens of thousands of years, people have been unable to erase their stupidity.
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