Black Haired King

"... I see. Rookie Aim."

"Yes. Besides, they said I had dark hair and I was good at it."

It's been about an hour since I told Mr. Mistrea what happened to me. [M] To my terrible explanation, Mr. Mistrea listened very carefully to me.

Soon Lopo would have slept on Walrus if he'd been sitting in a Hush on the bed. Why are they so nostalgic?

"I can't forgive you, those guys"

Mr. Helena is angry at me for listening to me.

"Let's talk to Lepanto about that. So, what's Ledius gonna do now?

That's right. We need to get out of here. I can't take any more care of you. Besides, we need to find the vanes and retrieve the sword.... that, speaking of which, where is this place?

"Where is this place before that? What part of the Albust kingdom will it be?

When I ask Mr. Mistrea, Mr. Mistrea sees Mr. Helenay. Then there's Mr. Helenay! I'll look at me. [M] Hey, what?

"Didn't you tell him?

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot."

"At all, because Helena is missing somewhere. Redius, this is not the kingdom of Albus."

"... what?

I gave Mistrea back her words with vegetables. [M]

"What do you mean?

"This is the 'Kingdom of Disfania', over the mountains, in the prairies south of the Kingdom of Albust"

I was about to turn white in front of you. [M] Why are you so far away? And what am I supposed to do...

"I won't be so depressed. You didn't say you didn't have the means to go home."

When I was depressed, Mr. Mistrea said that to me in a frightened voice. Is there any way you can go home!?

"Maybe there's a way you can go home!?

When I asked Mr. Mistrea, looking with anticipation, Mr. Mistrea nodded at me. Ha, good. If they told me I had no means to return, I had to cross the mountains or go through other countries. That would take at least a year.

"So how do you get home?

"I can travel at my light magic gate. With this, you'll be able to travel to a certain location once."

Light magic gate. It's convenient. I think it's good because I can't use it for the rest of my life.

"But"

"Huh?"

If you're happy that I'm going home, Mr. Mistrea will look at me seriously. What is it?

"What will Redius do when he leaves?

What kind of question is that? We'll find the vanes when we get home, and we'll take back our swords and continue our adventurers. When I tried to say that.

"Sure, you said the rookie shooters took your precious sword?

"Yes, that's why I need to go back and get my sword back from those guys"

"Even though I was dying?

"Huh!"

... right. I was almost killed by the vanes without a hand or a leg. [M] No, if Mr. Mistrea and the others hadn't come, they would have died. Yet I was obsessed with getting my sword back.

"I just got back, and I just found them, and they're gonna kill me. I'm not going to go out of my way to put the guy I helped where I know he's going to die. Besides, in case you take it back and continue your adventurer, you'll be insulted by the brunettes and targeted by the rest of them. Is that okay?

……

I couldn't answer. Even if I do return like this, I don't even know if I can get my sword back. Besides, because of this hair, you will continue to be scorned for incompetence, abomination. But no one bothers me if I solve it so easily. Then what am I supposed to do?

"Well, you might not know right away. Take your time until your body moves. Think about what you'll do later. If you still want to go back to the Albust kingdom, I'll send you."

That's what Mr. Mistrea said. He left the room. Think for yourself. How do I......

"What's bothering you?

If I was bored, I would hear a frightened voice from next door. And next to me sits Mr. Helena.

"... what do you say?

"What's bothering you? The answer is already there. You just don't realize. You've been in this conversation a lot. What you have to do."

... what I have to do.

"Well, I wouldn't say it because if I said it any more, it wouldn't make sense. Think about it later. Because this room is free to use. I'll call you when dinner is ready. Lopo, let's go."

"Gu ~"

"... why do you look so disgusted? What about you? Here we go."

That's what Mr. Helenay told me, picking Lopo's root and leaving the room. I fall asleep in bed and look up at the ceiling. I recall what Mr Mistrea and Mr Helenay told me earlier.

I just die when I leave like this. Even as we remain, we must continue to live with contempt. What are we gonna do to make sure we don't?

What was my original purpose? It was about becoming an adventurer and going about life.

For what? I had to be strong.

What about the brunette? I thought if I became strong as an adventurer, no one would come to terms with this.

Who's Mr. Mistrea? Was he the demon sword king of a former S-class adventurer? I remember.

What do I have to do now... is that it? You're saving my life, and doing this favor is sweet, but it's the only way I can do it. But can I do it? [M]

If I'd thought about all those things,

"Ladyus, I'm coming in."

and Mr. Helenay came into the room. Is that it? I just left.

"Mr. Helenay, what's wrong? Did you forget something?

And when I asked, he looked so weird. Think that's a little cute.

"... what the hell are you talking about? Did you hit him in the head?

"No, because I left the room earlier and I came back again..."

"Did you just say that when we were talking during the day? That was a long time ago. It's been five hours since then."

"Eh! It's been 5 hours since then!?

No way, I didn't think I'd think about it that much. There are no windows here, so I didn't know the outside time zone.

"Absolutely, it's over-conceived. Sort of good. We're ready for dinner, so let's have dinner. Stand up?"

That's what I'm saying. Mr. Helena offers me his hand. My right hand is hard to move, so I tried to grab it with my left hand.

"Yeah, it's okay, that one?

I reached out and I missed my grip.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Redius couldn't see his left eye, could he? Yes."

Yes, I forgot I was blind to my left eye. I couldn't grasp the distance because it was just my right eye, so I took it off? Then Mr. Helena grabbed my left hand.

"Ha, thanks...... whoa!

"Shall we, Redius?

The moment I tried to get Mr. Helena to grab my hand, I couldn't help myself on my knees, and I fell. This is probably because I've been asleep for a month. As it is, it tastes a lot worse.

Stand up and leave the room while Mr. Helena helps you. The view from the window is not visible in the dark outside. Can I see it tomorrow?

"You're finally here. Dinner's gonna be cold."

When I finally got to the living room, Mr. Mistrea waited for me for something to drink. Lopo is eating vegetables with munchkins.

I sat in my seat too, and when I wanted to come, I realized I couldn't use my right hand. I use a fork with my left hand, but I can't eat it clean. It also sounds chattering, but I want you to forgive me.

And ask for my thoughts after the meal. Ugh, I'm nervous. What if they say no to this? Do you dare talk before you think?

"Mr. Mistrea. Can I talk to you now?

"Hmm? What?

"It's daytime."

When I say that, Mr. Mistrea also looks at me with a serious look.

"Have you got an answer yet?

"Yes, as a result of my own thinking."

And I got up, and I turned to Mr. Mistrea.

"Mr. Mistrea! Please train me! Please!

And bow your head. This is what I thought. They'll just kill me if I keep coming back. You have to be strong to survive. Former S-class adventurer Mistrare is nearby there. Wouldn't you be strong if you asked that person to teach you? I thought so.

Of course I'm not feeling half-baked. That's the decision I made to bet my life on. I don't even know what a child like this thinks, but I still think this choice will shape my destiny.

Are you my apprentice? Reason? "

"Because I want to be strong. Don't be ridiculed by anyone, so you can protect what you want to protect."

I look into Mistrea's eyes. [M] Mr. Mistrea also comes back to me in a jittery manner. Mr. Helena looks at me with a worried face next door. In my arms I already have a lopo traveling to my dreams. You're swallowing.

"I basically take the apprentices I volunteered for, but only 10 of them have ever graduated from Helena combined. Why do you think that is?

Hmm? Suddenly the story changed, but I wonder why. I don't know, so I shook my head.

"I take all my training seriously. Because I think I can take as many injuries as I want to heal with potions. There's a lot of potion in the house, so don't hesitate. Although the noble sons who wanted to wear the foil of a former S-class adventurer apprentice because of it fled less than a week later. If it's still good, I'll make you my apprentice."

I'm not thinking about it now. Because I was deciding what to do.

"Of course it is. Best regards,"

I bow my head again. I'll make it look strong at all costs. [M]

"Okay. Bear it for a week first. I'll make you an apprentice if I can do that."

This is how I tentatively became Mr. Mistrea's apprentice.