A Former Child Soldier Who Uses a Magic Sword Wants to Live with an Older Sister of a Former Enemy Executive - Chapter 73

• Chapter 73 : Satis and Jake think of Seto.

While Seto was engaged in a fierce battle against the wraiths, Satis and Jake were waiting by the water spring.

Satis was sitting on the stone slab of the pedestal, gazing anxiously at the water, while Jake was awkwardly sitting with his knees in his arms.

[Seto…] (Satis)

[…Ah, you’re worried about him, of course. So am I. He’s taking quite a while~… I guess.] (Jake)

Jake, who was feeling confused and awkward about being alone with a woman, took the liberty of talking to Satis.

Satis gave Jake a slightly sorrowful smile, and began speaking in a soft tone.

[That boy is strong, but he can be quite reckless… Still, I’m sure Seto will come back without fail. It’s just that… I can’t help but think of the possibility that Seto will return covered in wounds.] (Satis)

[I guess nobody likes the prospect of their loved one being wounded all over, do they?] (Jake)

[No, they don’t. I want Seto to be well, and more than anything else, I want the two of us to live peacefully as soon as possible.] (Satis)

Satis looked up at the ceiling of this dark space while stroking her own hair with her right hand.

Jake was moved by the color of her hair, the fairness of her skin, and her listless expression, which all showcased how attractive she was despite the lack of visibility.

She could think of her precious someone, no matter how far apart they were.

As far as Jake was concerned, he had never met any adult who harbored such feelings.

At the same time, he thought about Seto.

He wondered what kind of life he had so far to reach such a point in his life.

He was powerful enough to carry a magic sword, and could cut down any enemy in one fell swoop.

And yet, he had a gentle personality, and invited a complete stranger like Jake to “be friends with him.”

The young man laughed at himself for being so different from him.

By comparing himself to Seto, his heart was sinking in depression, as if melting into the darkness.

Ugh, I shouldn’t think like that. I can’t go and compare myself to someone else. …No. I’ve been comparing myself to others all the time, haven’t I? And considered myself more miserable than anyone. …Hm? Hold on. Then why is Seto… (Jake)

Jake wondered about Seto.

[Erm, excuse me. I would like to ask you a bit about Seto.] (Jake)

[Yes, what is it?] (Satis)

[So, Seto… wants to live a… peaceful life with you. Is that what you believe?] (Jake)

[Yes, that’s what Seto and I both wish for.] (Satis)

Satis continued, recounting in a few words her life with Seto so far.

From the public bathhouse, to their temporary life in a village, and to their trip to the beach.

After listening to her, Jake thought for a moment, then asked the question that had been on his mind for some time.

[I only know Seto from the rumors and from my involvement with him yesterday and today, so this may seem like a pretty thoughtless question, but… this is just out of curiosity.] (Jake)

[Yes, tell me then.] (Satis)

[Well… Why does Seto… want to live a peaceful life? Listening to you, I kind of got the impression that deep down, he wants to avoid fighting as much as possible. I think if Seto could leverage his strength, he could gain money, fame, and achieve a better life. And that’s not all.] (Jake)

Jake slowly stood up and faced Satis, who was sitting on the stone slab, with a slightly gloomy look on his face.

[If he could show everyone… show the adults the strength that earned him the reputation of a legendary boy soldier, I’m sure they would all be attracted to him, admire him, and praise him. People would gradually gather around him and acknowledge him as a “true hero”, and he would be able to lead a glorious life. In fact, I think this is the sort of life he should lead.] (Jake)

[Jake-kun…] (Satis)

[Regardless of how hard we worked for the adults, we were treated cruelly, shunned as nuisances… and eventually discarded as incompetent by the grown-up soldiers. That’s how it is for us boy soldiers. No matter if the adults in charge were just a bunch of  ungrateful and shameless bums, we couldn’t disobey them. If we did, we would be punished. …Even so, Seto lived through all of that without ever wavering, and that’s what we admired him for. That’s why I think Seto should aim for a better life. He deserves to be treated better by everyone. He definitely is entitled to it.] (Jake)

[……] (Satis)

[…But then, why doesn’t he aim for that? Why would he go out of his way to fight someone so strong he can’t beat him, and then endure such a life-threatening trial while insisting on living a peaceful life? This may sound negative to say, but even if he successfully completes his trial, he might still not win against that guy.] (Jake)

Why would he choose to do something so risky when he wanted a peaceful life?

If he focused more on doing what he was capable of instead, he would get more results.

From Jake’s point of view, what Seto was trying to do now was nothing short of suicide.

Was a peaceful life really something worth taking such a risk to achieve?

[No, even if it means fighting without running away. I don’t know what those creatures called wraiths are all about, but it’s better to search for a quicker way to gain power than to risk his own life going through such a trial. That would be safer. If he gains power, if he wins his battles, and if everyone praises him for it, Seto could live a much brighter life than now. So… Well… Erm, how should I put it…?] (Jake)

Jake went on to speak his mind.

A feeling of doubt combined with a kind of resignation was entwined in his mind as a complex emotion.

Perhaps that is why his questions to Satis were becoming more and more incoherent.

Satis simply listened to him in silence.

She interpreted what Jake was saying in her own way and collected her thoughts.

Then she quietly stepped down from her pedestal, and began to speak with a gentle expression and tone of voice in order not to make Jake, who was feeling confused, any more anxious.

[Hmm… What I’m about to say is my subjective impression of Seto, so it may deviate from how Seto actually is. Would you still like to hear me out?] (Satis)

[Yes, I would love to. Please tell me.] (Jake)

[First of all, Seto doesn’t really care about being “the strongest” or “invincible”.] (Satis)

[Eh?] (Jake)

[As you said, with Seto’s combat skills and potential growth, that’s what he could become. Additionally, with my assistance, he could build up an armed group centered around him. That way, maybe he could gain wealth and fame, and live that glorious life you mentioned.] (Satis)

[Then…!] (Jake)

[But Seto doesn’t wish for any of that. He doesn’t want to rise to a higher position in this absurd world, nor does he want to get revenge. What he wants is to remain with someone… with me. Seto invited me to travel with him, and he did so with such a genuine look on his face.] (Satis)

Satis kept her mouth shut and thought back to the time when she had met Seto in that forest back then.

He offered his hand to Satis, who had fallen into an existence in which her position, fame, and even pride had been shattered.

Even though they were enemies, Seto did not try to condemn or cheer her, but simply accepted her as she was.

After a pause, Satis opened her mouth again and shared her feelings with Jake.

[Seto seeks power for the sake of none other than his “future” with that someone. Even if he were to really obtain the greatest power, it would be of little value to him, I’m sure. After all is said and done, he would probably discard even such a power without any regret.] (Satis)

[So it’s not for the approval of those around him, but for the sake of his future with you?] (Jake)

[Yes. …What I’m going to say holds true for my past self as well, but if people are only concerned with immediate gains and results, they can only live in the mindset of wanting to be acknowledged and praised by others. Even if they could get what they wanted by living with that mindset, I’m sure they would end up losing their freedom. And there’s nothing more frightening than being able to live only within the concepts of hierarchy and profit and loss. …But somehow, that kind of thinking seems to be foreign to Seto.] (Satis)

It would surely be a way of life far-removed from glory.

To begin with, Seto did not seem to have any attachment to wealth, fame, power, approbation, or any other forms of glory that painted life.

It was as if he was standing alone in a crowd of people, gazing blankly at the glittering decorations lined up in stalls that everybody wanted.

Seto’s intent always went in a different direction.

He would face any hardships head-on, and make it through.

He would achieve his objective to the best of his abilities.

Maybe this was just Satis embellishing Seto’s qualities.

However, although she said this was her subjective and vague opinion of him, she had a certain faith in it.

Satis believed in Seto, and the feeling was mutual.

To Jake, they had a dazzlingly beautiful bond.

[He’s so lucky. …I’m nothing like him. Not just in terms of talent or anything like that. We’re different on a more fundamental level.] (Jake)

Jake sported a nihilistic smile with his face slightly downcast, and sat in the same spot again.

[Jake-kun…] (Satis)

[Don’t worry. I’m sure Seto will make it back. Safe and sound. So as his friend, I want to welcome him back.] (Jake)

[Yes, thank you for that.] (Satis)

While they waited, Satis told him a little more about her journey with Seto.

As she watched Jake, a former child soldier like Seto, gradually cheer up, she looked back on her memories.

However, harbingers of terror had already arrived.

A “certain group” was preparing to enter the cave temple at this very moment.