My Daughter Grew Up to “Rank S” Adventurer - Chapter 56.3
“…I don’t want to fight you, Qashim-san.”
“I see. I think you should be able to kill me, Un…”
“You want to die…? Why…?”
“I’m a coward, you know. I’m afraid of dying. But living is also troublesome. The best thing to do is to be killed by someone stronger than yourself in an all-out battle. Hehe, I’m making a lot of excuses, aren’t I?”
“Let’s not do that… Lize will be sad if you die.”
“Then will you just shut up and let me kill you? Which would the little fella be more sad about, me or you dying?”
Qashim laughed, and Angeline bit her lip as she thought about it.
“Why do you even need to follow these people?”
“Heh, why do you think? People, when they’re desperate, act out of character. Maybe they feel sorry for themselves because they’re in a sad situation. Maybe I’m just trying to atone for my sins.”
“…even though you have the power? Oh no, don’t bother pushing yourself…”
Qashim laughed and stroked his beard.
“He, he, he… you’re young, huh?”
“…What?”
“You know, there was a time when I thought that, too. If you’re strong enough, you can do anything.”
“You can’t…?”
“No. There’s a lot of things you can’t do even if you’re strong.”
“Like what?”
“Well.”
Qashim narrowed his eyes.
“Let’s say… you have a friend who is overwhelmed with grief. But he’s such a good guy, he’s trying hard not to make you feel that way. But you can see it in him. It hurts, and you feel bad about it.”
After saying that, Qashim stared at Angeline.
“At a time like that, no matter how good you are with a sword or how well you can handle magic, what’s the point? It’s not power that you need. It’s something else.”
Angeline remained silent and looked down.
Indeed, it was not a matter of defeating a demon beast.
She didn’t know who Qashim was referring to, but the sadness in his words sounded awfully painful.
Qashim spoke in hushed tones as if he was thinking of the past.
“But still, I couldn’t think of anything else but being strong. I was young, and I was stupid. I thought that if I got stronger, if I went higher, I’d find some answers… But that was just a lie. I just wanted an excuse to say I was doing something.”
“That’s not…”
Angeline tried to say something, but could not find the words, so she kept her mouth shut.
Qashim shook his head in frustration. He was smiling, but his face was full of sadness.
“In short, I don’t care about many things anymore. I’m more comfortable doing bad things than doing good things.”
Angeline’s mouth tightened in a knot as she glared at Qashim.
[You’re wrong.]
She wanted to say something like that.
But it seemed terribly difficult to explain it in words. Qashim was too resigned to let that convince him.
The torrent of magic gained more and more momentum, swirling like a tornado around Qashim.
Plants and flags swayed wildly, and Angeline’s long black hair fluttered wildly.
This is one of the strongest people I’ve ever faced, Angeline thought as she gripped her sword.
There were not many people she could imagine losing to. But against Qashim, she could easily imagine herself lying down in a pool of blood.
Qashim didn’t care if he died. Daredevils with nothing to lose are the scariest. That’s why Angeline was also scared.
“… It’s okay, I’m not as bad as your father.”
Angeline took a deep breath. She stared at Qashim with sharp eyes.
“I don’t care anymore…! I can’t just die here!”
“I don’t mind dying. Come on, I mean it.”
Qashim raised his hand in an aloof tone. One hand held down his mountain cap, while the other moved smoothly through the air as if he were conducting an orchestra.
The magic swirled even more, tingling and stinging her skin.
François lets out a laugh that seems to have been captured by madness.
“Haahahahaha, that’s fantastic! That’s what they call the ‘Sky Crusher’!”
François spat at Angeline.