Aspiring to be a Knight—Three years before the Brave who slew the Demon Lord returned to the Imperial Capital —
“Thank you Wynn-kun. Here’s the payment.”
“Thank you very much.”
After delivering harvested herbs and mushrooms to the apothecary’s proprietress, he received the money.
“Recently, that girl that you’re usually with isn’t here, is she?”
“Eee, maa… It seems that there were circ.u.mstances with Leti’s family, and it seems like she had to leave the capital.” (TL: should I translate these onomatopoeias)
“So that’s why. You two suited each other very much. Isn’t it lonely?”
A month after the last match against Leti: ‘Headed to somewhere far away, she must’ve reached her destination. I wonder if she was able to fit in before she married?’
Several times, the children of the innkeepers — Mark and Abel — with the neighborhood children, would invite Leti to play when they saw her, but would somehow end up peeling potato skins alongside Wynn. During break times, their thoughts were like an open book.
Whenever they would come to play, despite their plans, Leticia would firmly reject their offers, and after trying multiple times, they would break into tears and throw a tantrum.
Other than their persistence, they never became close friends with her, but they still worried if she got along with the family she was married into. (TL: I fell like I’m having a hard time conveying that this is all their suppositions… is it noticeable?)
“I will try my hardest, so that I can return as soon as possible!”
Those were Leti’s words on the last day they met.
He did not know what she would try her best at, but it was Leti. She would definitely adapt to her new circ.u.mstances.
‘Mou, we will probably never meet again.’
He felt a sense of loneliness at the thought.
Wynn was convinced that Leti was to be married off in a faraway land.
If one read the news, an image of the Brave’s departure parade was shown, but the news only circulated among a the richest people.
He heard gossip about the advent of the Brave, and the Demon Lord subjugation mission from the adventurers and merchants staying at the inn, but he would never have imagined that Leti=Brave.
What was once only Wynn’s everyday ch.o.r.es to him, Leti had changed.
Without Leti by his side, it became quiet. Thus, his everyday life of doing ch.o.r.es went on.
It was impossible for Wynn to know details about the Brave.
“Well, please take care of yourself, Oba-san!”
“Aiyo! Thanks!”
‘I can’t lose to Leti!’ he thought. (TL: He uses shinyou to modify Leti. Shinyou means bosom friend, according to the dictionary, or in other words, BFF)
Wynn was fired up, and carrying a shawl shaped satchel on his shoulder, he left the Apothecary.
Every morning for a whole year, he would jog towards the Adventurer’s Guild complete herb delivery and letter delivery requests.
The Adventurer’s Guild had plenty requests of that nature.
Since monsters(mamono) from the deepest part of the forest did not appear, novice adventurers would take on these easy requests, collecting herbs and mushrooms from the outskirts of the forest.
Mail delivery was done by two people who regularly ran around downtown.
To an extent, novice adventurers could also deliver letters efficiently. Many people sent letters, including n.o.bles and merchants.
Naturally, since not many people were awake in the mornings, normal mail would be slipped through an opening, while the n.o.ble’s mail would be given to the gatekeeper.
In addition to the commission rewards, he received tips (especially from pretentious n.o.bles who wanted to display their wealth), such that in a year of continuous work, he had almost earned his target amount of money. (TL: Clunky wording?)
“Wynn! Stop swinging that stick around, and go to the market and restock this!” (TL: second part is 市場に行ってこいつを仕入れてきておくれ…)
“Hai.”
Since Leti wasn’t there, Wynn’s work in the inn increased.
When Leti was here, they would do it together while swinging their bokkens. Now, however, Hanna would ask him to both restock supplies and draw water when it neared closing time. (TL: really unsure… see note below)
Wynn was relied on to go shopping to the point that Hanna happily accepted his coming-of-age, and Wynn happily did his work.
As for Leti’s absence, rather than be concerned that she was absent (or her family), Hanna’s only thought was the increased workload.
He walked to the market while holding in one hand the memo he got from Hanna.
Although the sky was beginning to darken before he set out, the market was still bustling.
He was among other children running errands, and merchants clothed in traveling attire. Among the bustling stores, a village’s harvest, handicrafts, and many small accessories were displayed.
There was a variety of customers there, including many people wanting to replenish supplies, locals, adventurers, and travelers.
Of course, pa.s.sing through such a large crowd was immensely difficult. Wynn, who was walking towards Wataridori Pavilion’s supplier which the inn was indebted, suddenly stopped. (TL: 渡り鳥亭=Migratory Bird Pavilion? sounds weird)
Before his sight, a satay shop was selling to the incoming buyers.
The juices dripping from the skewered meat, along with the sound of charred pieces falling to the ground and the enticing aroma were all around him.
Attracted by the appetizing smell, people crowded around the cart. Among them were people drinking beer and wine.
His mouth watered.
In the middle of the dark town, many adults around Wynn, who was still on his way to draw water, were complaining after finishing their work.
Having not eaten breakfast, especially for a growing boy like Wynn, his empty stomach grumbled.
Enticed by the smell, he unconsciously, unsteadily —
“I will try my hardest, so that I can return as soon as possible!”
Leti’s voice rung out inside his head.
‘Even Leti was trying hardest in a distant, unfamiliar land.’
‘I have almost saved up enough money. If I, who wants to be a knight, give in to this temptation, what would I be?’
With a do-or-die spirit, he drew away from the smell of the satay, and looked away.
He still didn’t know of it. (TL: what does he not know? context is hard but important… Help!)
Returning to his original place, he was trapped in the same trap —
‘Will I really become a knight?’
He often thought this while washing potatoes and carrots.
Even though he didn’t think too deeply about it, it still worried him.
‘Even if could I pay the entrance fee, even if I could pa.s.s the entrance exam, nearly all of the students are children of n.o.bility, merchant’s children or landowners’ children.
‘Unlike when I wanted to become a knight when I was 5 years old, I am now 12 years old. I now understand what it means to pursue a dream unbefitting my cla.s.s.’
Upon turning 15, to succeed Randall, Mark began to manage the inn, and study how to manage the account book from Hanna. ?name
The Mark who only wanted to play, upon realizing that he would inherit the inn, began proactively helping his father.
On the other hand, the 13-year-old Abel would sometimes flee for a while during while working towards getting familiar with the business.
“I wanna become an adventurer!”
A vein in Randall’s head bulged at the dreamy Abel’s words, and Randall’s fist came crashing down.
“So, this inn and town is too small for you, Abel?”
Abel, teary-eyed and shouting due to Randall’s scolding, was defended by Hanna, as always.
Hanna was soft on her sons.
However, the words that Randall used to scold them for being too idealistic, Wynn, who was wiping the floor with a cloth, pierced Wynn’s heart.
‘I can’t laugh at Abel.’
‘My dream is also idealistic.’
‘Even though I will soon have enough money, will it really be fine?’
‘Even if I attend school, If I can’t become a knight, wouldn’t I have wasted my time?’
Without parents to support him, his only friend far away, without consulting anybody, with only the money he saved, Wynn would also work hard at the inn and in his training.
While thinking of not losing to Leti, who was working her hardest far away —
AN: To those who expected a reunion, sorry. It will be a bit later. (TL: 2 more chapters (chapter 6))
____________