“I… I’m truly sorry… I’ll do anything… Money, whatever you want—I’ll get it—”
“You fool… Do you really think that’s enough?”
“N-No… I know nothing could ever repay someone like you… But I have to atone—”
“…You just want to escape the weight of your guilt.”
“Eh—?”
He saw right through him. Tork realized—Fei had glimpsed the ugly, selfish fear he’d buried deep inside.
“I won’t take a thing from you. You’re worth nothing to me as you are now.”
“Ah…!”
Words failed him. What could he even say? No apology could fix this. No words could quell that rage.
“…You’ve misunderstood. I’m not angry.”
“…What?”
“I’ve always believed my life is something to be staked. And failing to predict your attack was my own shortcoming.”
“That’s not true! It’s all my fau—”
“—Shut up and listen.”
“……”
“To me, it’s nothing. Just an eye. It changes nothing. It’s no reason to quit. But the fact remains—I lost it because of you.”
“……”
“I have the right to ask this. Why did you fire at us?”
“I-I panicked… A goblin appeared under me, and my hand slipped—”
“Enough. I get it. Then answer this—why are you an adventurer?”
“I… I wanted to be someone great… A hero, praised by everyone…”
“…I see. Then one last question. What will you do now?”
“…I don’t know… What… What should I do…?”
“I told you. You’re worthless as you are. So what do you think I want?”
“…I don’t know.”
“…Get stronger.”
“Huh?”
“I considered gouging out your eye as payment. But that’s meaningless. I walk the path of conquest to grow stronger. Become a warrior worthy of standing at my height.”
Impossible. He immediately dismissed the idea.
(I have no talent… no resolve… Nothing.)
The moment he lowered his gaze in defeat—Fei seized his collar, forcing their eyes to meet. Tork’s breath caught.Those were the eyes of a king—devouring him whole.
“I won’t repeat myself. I have no expectations for you as you are now. Not the you who was mocked as a sewer rat. Not the you who’s lost and pitiful. The one I expect—is the warrior Tork, forged through a path of thorns.”
“—Gh!”
“Make your choice. Quit wallowing. Reach for what you admire. Let your soul tremble. Grow stronger—and make me say losing my eye was worth it.”
“Ah… You… You’d really place your hopes in someone like me…?”
No one had ever believed in him. No one had ever looked at his future. But the man whose eye he’d stolen—trusted him. Pushed him forward.
“──The one I have expectations for is the future you.”
With those words, Fei released his grip on Tork’s collar. Tork fell back onto the ground, looking up at him. Perhaps this was the beginning of something—a boy who couldn’t help but feel admiration for the swordsman who strode far ahead, for his resolve and his form…
Fei turned on his heel to leave. But before he did, he threw his spare sword to Tork.
“That blade is our oath… Consider it a loan—one you must never forget. When you’ve become someone worthy of my eyes, return that sworn sword to me.”
With only those final words, all Tork could see was Fei’s back, bathed in the orange light.
As if reaching for his newfound admiration, Tork grasped the sword Fei had given him with trembling hands.
On the way back to the inn, news of Fei losing his eyes spread at the speed of light. He preferred to avoid crowds, so he walked along a deserted path—until Mordred appeared.
“Dear Fei.”
“…So it’s you.”
“Those eyes… There are quite a few rumors going around.”
“I don’t regret a thing.”
“…You were awfully lenient with that boy.”
“…You saw, then.”
“Yes… Why go that far? You were the victim.”
“Heh… The same reason you follow me. Call it an investment—or a gamble I took today.”
“You invested your eyes in that boy? …I don’t see that much value in him.”
“No… He will grow strong.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I spoke with him, if only briefly. That boy they called a sewer rat.”
“I’ve heard that epithet as well. His past is rather… unsavory.”
“Hmph. I don’t see it that way. No matter how much he was scorned, looked down on, or ran from fear… he never quit being an adventurer. Because he hasn’t given up—not on himself.”
“…So you expect something from him because he’s stubborn?”
“Not quite. I expect something because he’s terrible at giving up. I don’t hate that kind. Always making excuses, searching for reasons to quit—he had every right to. The reasons were all there. But he didn’t. Couldn’t. That’s what I like about him…”
“……I don’t feel he’s worth as much as Dear Fei says. To be honest, I want to kill that man right now.”
“……”
“I cannot bear the thought of my wish to fight Dear Fei at full strength being crushed. But if Dear Fei insists that much, then things change.”
“That’s fine.”
Fei continues walking, with a slightly sulking Mordred looking at him beside him.
“What? That look.”
“Please don’t use words like ‘adore’ so much. It’s not amusing.”
“……”
“Hah……Dear Fei, you truly are a mysterious person, aren’t you?”
“Perhaps so.”
They arrive at their lodging. The same inn as yesterday. Today Fei has properly made a reservation.
“Hey, hurry up and go home.”
“My, Dear Fei, you’re so good at jokes♪ Of course I’ll be staying in the same room as you♪”
“Go home.”
“Oh? Have you forgotten who it was that tended to Dear Fei when he fainted yesterday and carried him to the inn?”
“……”
“Fufu, that sense of obligation is also wonderful♪ Now, shall we enter the inn?”
“Tch.”
As the two were about to enter the inn, Alicia appeared as if she had been waiting for them.
“Fei, I knew you’d come here……How’s your eye? Are you okay?”
“Stop fussing. I’ve told you many times I’m fine……”
“Oh, I-I see……”
“……I pretty much know what you want to say. I know you’re out of money. Come in.”
“I-Is that okay?”
“This one is staying with me too. Two or three people makes no difference.”
“‘This one’……We sound like an old married couple, don’t we?♪”
Fei enters the room with Alicia and Mordred. Once inside, Mordred brings up a new topic.
“By the way, Dear Fei.”
“What is it?”
“There’s a place in this city that sells glass eyes. If you’d like, shall we go together tomorrow?”
“Hmm……that sounds good.”
“Fufu, I thought Dear Fei would say that♪”
“I-I’ll go too!”
“I didn’t invite Miss Ali-whatever.”
“It’s Alicia!!”
Fei held his head as if annoyed.
Diary
Name: Alicia
Free City, Day Three. Today was intense from the morning, more concentrated than you’d expect for the morning hours. First was the duel between Mordred and Fei. It was beyond what you’d call training. Mordred’s strength is abnormal. Just who on earth is she?
I got caught up in some incomprehensible gambling and lost all my money. But Fei won, and told me I could stay at the inn too. I’m……always causing trouble for Fei.
And Fei lost his left eye. Maybe because I carelessly invited Tork to join our party… Somehow, I feel like Fei is taking disasters in my place.
If that’s the case……it really hurts my heart. Maybe I really am a harbinger of plague…….
But Fei keeps telling me not to worry about it. He says he’s been through battles like this all along. Nothing unusual has happened since coming here. He looks straight at me and says this is his fate.
Somehow, it makes my heart feel warm. He treated me to a late-night meal, saying I shouldn’t look so gloomy and should just eat.
I’m sorry……. No, that’s not it. I wanted to say thank you. I wanted to say it properly from the bottom of my heart without thinking about unnecessary things.
Fei must have noticed my occasional gloomy face. He said I could order dessert too. He’s so incredibly thoughtful.
But afterwards, Mordred smacked me on the head. She said not to cause trouble for Dear Fei, stop acting like a tragic heroine, and that it’s presumptuous for someone like me to think I could interfere with Dear Fei’s fate.
That’s right. That’s what I thought!! Being gloomy all the time doesn’t suit me. I should just focus on getting stronger. If what Fei says is true, a harsh fate awaits him in the future.
The same must await me too. So, let’s look forward together and do our best! I changed my mindset from there and ordered lots of desserts, stress-eating. Fei seemed indifferent, but Mordred called me shameless and vulgar.
I’ll smack her someday.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
Free City Day Three! Three events so far!!
One, winning at gambling!
Two, encountering Tork.
And three, Tork accidentally shot Fei!!!
My left eye was destroyed. Well, I risk my life daily, so it’s nothing unusual.
I’m always prepared for that much. So there’s nothing surprising about it. I leave the guild’s infirmary after receiving first aid.
The whispers are annoying. The only one who has the right to blame Tork is me. The rest of you shut up.
It’s none of your business!
Well then, I call out Tork for a private conversation. Somehow listening to him, I get the feeling he’s given up on everything.
It’s basic for a protagonist to offer encouragement. I’m not particularly surprised about losing an eye. However, a protagonist losing an eye must be a fairly significant event.
I feel like Tork is quite an important character. This is an event where my eye serves as compensation. I think this is a character with future potential. After all, he’s a character whose value equals that of the left eye of me, the protagonist.
Well, I’ll offer some casual encouragement. I’ll leave this sword with you. Come return it someday. Like Master Yururu, I’ll also set up some foreshadowing.
Ah, Mordred. What is it? Huh? Not promising? No, no, since my left eye was the price, he must be a fairly significant character.
Besides……I don’t dislike characters who are bad at giving up. That guy will surely grow.
Now, back to the inn. I made a proper reservation today. And Alicia is there. Oh right, she lost all her money gambling? Can’t be helped, I’ll let her stay.
Don’t worry about the eye.
What? Mordred? What did you just say……glass eye? I see, so losing my eye had another meaning!!
—Protagonist artificial eye power-up flag is here!!!
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