「n~, even if you said like that hmm…」
The stylish deva guardians-san (Magcarlo,) putting his index finger on his chin while his body is swaying, made a troubled expression.
「We all barely know anything about this kid, you know? At most, we just hear rumours from soldiers about the 『b.l.o.o.d.y Executioner』 with his brutal way of ma.s.sacring the attacking robbers. 」
The b.l.o.o.d.y Executioner!?
「Ara? The one I heard from the army medics was the Silver Nightmare. 』」
Silver Nightmare !! ?[1]
If I turn my sight toward the imperial guards, every one of them would totally, simultaneously avert their eyes from mine. Oi, we aren’t playing “acchi muite hoi!” (Look over there!) you know! [2]
As Magcarlo-san and Puchi shortcake smoothly reiterated those h.e.l.l-ish nicknames, I shuddered.
If it was from the army medics, then that must mean the one who treated the robbers had been the one to say it …. perhaps it’s from the first one executed …. ehem, captured, the robber who’s called Rabaritto.
And then that blood related nickname, perhaps the reason is because my house was covered in blood from top to bottom. After all, the soldiers who inspected it left crying…[3]
A-anyway, I understand that everyone in the imperial capital, including wizards-samas, impression of me is bad.
if it’s continue like this then it’ll be my fate to get treated as a magician with a personality (psycho pa.s.s) disorder!
I muster up my courage and said 「T-then…! 」in an attempt to give them a suggestion.
「Why don’t you ask me? One by one…… how about that? 」
Towards that suggestion, his majesty emperor uttered 「Hou, 」and grinned.
「Fine. Then — anybody may do so, do pose a question to this young nightmare executioner」 [4]
Wait! Won’t that make it hard for them to question me, your Majesty!!
Furthermore, somehow he looks as if he’s going to burst out into laughter when he said 「Nightmare Executioner」! This person is quite s.a.d.i.s.tic!
And also, please don’t just stick the bad bits of those already vexing nicknames together! It doubles the harshness!
Behind my stiff smile I glared at his majesty, and from my back someone saying Question」 in a disappointed voice can be heard.
As I turned around, over there was the hungry cat-san raising her tanned hand with eyes that looked like she didn’t really think of anything.
His majesty gave a remark 「Fine」 to permit her – Rumifort-san’s canine tooth peeking through her lips – she opened her mouth.
「Why didn’t you kill those robbers? 」
She asked it like a casual question, but it was sharp question that stabbed my heart.
Unintentionally, my back is covered in unpleasant sweat, while I thought carefully how I should answer that question.
If I can make those guy experience those cruel things, then wouldn’t it be easier to just kill them off.
Especially that first robber, rather that piercing both his hands and feet with 『medical riffle』, I could’ve just aimed and shot at his head.
Because even my mana is not infinite, logically there’s little merit in shooting him 4 times to seal his movement.
in addition, the distance between village and imperial capital is 3 days by cart. Even if we used pigeons, the soldiers from the imperial city will only arrive at the village 3 and half days after that accident.
Even at best, the village doesn’t have anything to spare. It’s not normal for them to provide meals to the 6 robbers who attacked the village.
There’s no merit to leaving the robbers alive after all, and even if I kill them n.o.body will blame us.
Then why didn’t I kill them?
「…. it’s a promise, with Oni-Chan.」
Towards my answer, Rumifoot-san tilted her head.
I explained further.
「Because the robber tried to kill Oka-san and Oni-Chan, I tried to kill him instead. But, Oni-San told me 『don’t kill people with magic』 and I promised him, Oni-San’s stopped me. 」
「If he doesn’t stop you? 」
「Probably, I’ll get a more horrible “nickname.” 」
Those imperial guards-san who’re lined up on the side, became a little noisy. Don’t say things like Even worse than that …!?」 please!
After Rumifort-san thought for a moment,
「Then can you kill demons yes? 」
That question, perhaps, is questioning if I can become an existence that will have value in their military.
With that meaning then 「I will kill」 is naturally the only choice, but since there’s my promise with Onii-Chan from before, in the end I have only one option left. [5]
I don’t think Onii-chan meant it such that if it’s not human, you can kill.
“Wet feet dread no dew”[6]
…. if you kill a living thing for even once, surely you will end up drifting away, using the loopholes to justify yourself.
…… that’s the same even whether the opponent is a human or even a demon.[7]
「I will not kill. Even if it is his Majesty, the Emperor’s, direct order. 」
As I stared right into his Majesty’s eyes, I declare it so.
Strangely, even when looking into those sharp golden eyes, I didn’t feel intimidated at all.
「…… I understand. 」
Saying that, Rumifort-san took one step back.
Looks like she’s done with her question.
「Then the next one is, me ne~」
Lulu-san who’s come next made a crisp sound with her bright red Lolita shoes as she took one step forward.
Looking at his Majesty nodding without saying anything, Ruru-san opened her little pink dainty lips.
「Tell me the thing that you regret the most until now. Of course honestly. 」
…. somehow it’s like a recruitment interview question from the middle of job hunting~. My stomach started hurting.
But since I think this question is simply aiming to know my human nature, I can still answer it bit casually.
Honestly, the thing that I regretted the most is … as expected, it’s about that night.
「Because of me, the village was attacked by the bandits. 」
In response, Lulu-san was knitting her eyebrows while saying 「What do you mean? 」, pressing me to continue.
「Because I, just like Nervia Onee~Chan, thought that the robbers didn’t exist…. Even though it was something that I can’t ignore… 」
「You, a baby? 」
「I could have done something about the robbers, I could have thought about ways to stop them. Magic, even intelligence – I’m supposed to have them. But, I, didn’t do anything. 」
「Is that why the robber attack on the village was your fault? 」
「…. yes. 」
This is my honest, raw feeling.
If it’s me then I could have prepared something in advance. Even if it’s can’t completely protect the village, compared to this time when I didn’t prepare anything, the situation would have been much better.
Nervia-san might not have gotten hurt to buy time, mother and chief may not have gotten serious injuries like that.
… after that, because of self-loathing I shut myself alone in father’s room.
「I’m done. Next, Magcarlo」
I don’t know if it’s not the answer that she wanted, but Lulu-san, with really sullen face, casually pa.s.s the baton to Magcarlo-san.
For some reason Magcarlo-san looked at her with a really gentle expression and took one step forward. His feet are big…!
「Ye~s, then this is my turn, right? Although I know Vel-sama should be the one asking this question, I’m gonna ask it anyway, okay♪」
When Magcarlo-san said those words, his majesty emperor was visibly surprised.
Afterwards, Rumifort-san and Ruru-san too, were looking at Magcarlo-san’s face in surprise.
Eh, what? What kind of question could it be?
Even the imperial guards-san are whispering among themselves – then Magcarlo-san asked that question.
「If you become a magician, you’ll given direct subordinates under Vel-sama name, just so you know…. If it’s so, how many do you want, nmm? 」
Direct subordinates?
Those are, subordinates who’re will be doing missions or something like that with me right?
Or perhaps is it’ll be like a personal secretary that for me?who’ll do daily ch.o.r.es or something like
U~n, after all they’ll become someone’s underlings rather than n.o.bles. soldiers would probably become a magician’s subordinates.
if it’s like that, then the subordinate must be able to handle group tactics. In addition, because wizards are scarce, it should be soldiers or knights.
「…. What kind of mission do they do and what kind of enemy do they fight?」
「Normally repelling the demon’s invasions, capturing their strongholds ne~. If there’s one pretty excellent knight, perhaps he can defeat an orc alone, you see. 」
One orc, one excellent knight alone …?
And yet he said “perhaps” they can defeat it, then doesn’t it mean that if they can’t defeat it then they will die?
……..
「Uuh… then, I don’t need them. If I have to do it, I’ll do it alone. 」
As I answered as such, the room was engulfed in total silence.
…. Eh?! No, not good! I messed up!?
As I was fully drenched in sweat, as my heart start beating at a dangerous pace …. at that time.
「A~HAHAHAHAHAHAHA~ ! ! !」
Suddenly, Magcarlo-san began laughing while holding his stomach.
When I took a look back, Lulu-san who’s next to him also putting her hand on her mouth then giggling while smiling, Rumifort-san is, for some reason, turning her back to us, but if seen closely her shoulder is trembling.
In contrast, his Majesty who’s sitting on his throne hung his head, greatly perplexed, and the Serlard who’s standing next to him is going 「…… yare yare」 while shaking his head. [8]
As Magcarlo-san is looking really happy while gently stroking my head.
「You pa.s.s! You qualify you kno~w! What an outstanding talen~t ♪」
what are this person’s saying?
Since I was bewildered because I didn’t know what is happening, Lulu-san who’s still smiling weirdly explained it to me.
「Because his majesty is over protective, the person he’s taken liking to or a precious human resource, anyway he’s attached to plenty of people. Normally magicians will be given many subordinates…… 」
Ruru-san gave a fleeting glance to both Magcarlo-san and Rumifort-san,
「and over here, the 3 off us who became 『Wizards』 had answered with 「Subordinates are hindrances, we don’t need it.」」
After saying that, once more Lulu-san began giggling with smile, his Majesty took a very deep sigh,
「you guys …. entirely take this one’s good will for naught…. 」
Seeing his majesty emperor depressed on his throne, I feel a bit of pity for him.
Uh, perhaps it’s better for me to answer 500 men? but they’re truly just a hindrance na~.
Ah, that’s right!
「Uh…. then, can I have Nervia Onee~Chan as my subordina~te…. just maybe…」
In response to my modest follow-up, his majesty sunk deeper into depression. Eeh~ !? Why~!?
Looks like he can’t bear to have a baby care about his feelings when he’s the emperor of the country – the 3 wizards-sama were laughing considerably looking at this scene.
Therefore I received after that, the t.i.ttle 『Magician』, and the baron rank. And then a 『second name』 which unofficially shows that I’m almost the same in rank as a Wizard.
…… for some reason, I feel a modest grudge in the 『Second name』 that I will get from his majesty emperor though ……
[1] (TL: what a cool name over here XD )(ED: yep I like it)
[2] (TL: search google if you don"t know :9, like rock paper scissor)
[3] (TL: I wonder what will happen if Nervia-san see that...)
[4] (TL: another cool nickname)
[5] (TL: idk if the author is typo or me translate it wrong, but i think 「殺さない」 is supposed to be 「殺す」, well, since hayashi"s going to correct it for me :9, TLC: It’s probably what you thought.)
[6] (or this one "Let a woman once lose her purity, and she has nothing more to lose”)
[7] (ED: just kill em all)
[8] (TL: See Kyon from suzumiya haruhi no ....... TLC: And also Jojo from Jojo’s bizarre adventures.)