[Big brother…together…we’ll be kn…]
[Yes, we’ll be knights together.]
The scene shifts to show the excited boy talking to the sleeping Henry.
[Really!? You’re going to be…amazing!]
[Yeah! Listen, I might become a knight of this land, too. They’ll give you shelter and pay you a salary! No more sneaking around!]
Perhaps he was genuinely excited, but his excitement didn’t wane as he enthusiastically described a bright future.
Even the boy, who always looked tense, laughed out loud with joy. His relief from anxiety and sense of security were palpable.
[Oh right…I forgot. I’m going to the Knights to ask about the initiation process. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. We’re moving into town today!]
[Yes! Do your best.]
The boy answers energetically [You bet!] and leaves the hut with a spring in his step.
In his excitement to describe the rosy future, perhaps the thought never occurred to him.
[Gah!? Cough…haah…]
The moment his brother’s footsteps fade, Henry clutches his chest in agonizing pain.
Coughing up blood-stained phlegm, he claws at his chest to endure the agony.
The brother must never see this side of him.
[I have to… do my best too. So… big brother can.]
Soul Blight in the midst of its symptoms.
The excruciating pain is consuming his entire body, it would not be surprising if he went insane.
He must be nearing his limit.
Soul Blight can kill its victims in as little as a month. It’s not a sudden deterioration, but rather that the agony becomes too much to bear, driving most to take their own lives.
Bearing it alone, not wanting to worry his brother, this figure looked… stronger than anyone.
The images break up, scenes jump to the next.
[–Hero, thank you! The village can rest now!]
[–We are grateful, Sir Knight. Please accept this gift from our trading company–]
[–Lucas, genius hero and knight. For your achievements, I grant you promotion to Squad Captain.]
Scenes of the red-haired boy helping people as a knight and hero.
Everyone sings praises and thanks to “Knight Lucas”. But the boy never became arrogant, striving to remain sincere and just.
[–Henry, how are you feeling? Can you get up to eat today?]
[Sorry…I don’t think I can make it today.]
[I told you not to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.]
[Yes…sorry.]
[Didn’t I tell you not to apologize?]
Unlike the dilapidated shack with the leaky roof, this is an ordinary house. The food also looks nutritious.
But Henry’s condition showed no improvement; he was still bedridden.
[I spoke to the priests of the land again, but…no good.]
[It’s fi-]
[Don’t say it’s good. More importantly, aren’t you eating, brother?]
[Ah, I’m just not hungry.]
[I’ve never seen you eat breakfast, you know? You eat properly, right?]
[I am, so don’t worry. Focus on yourself, I’m fine.]
[If you say so.]
Henry looks unconvinced, but doesn’t argue back, just brings the food to his mouth lying down.
“He’s lying.”
I look around.
An ordinary, modest house. Barely any possessions.
A knight makes about 2 million a year. A captain would get 3 million. With his savings, he should be able to afford a nicer house and some luxuries.
Judging by his appearance, it has been at least 2 years. At that time, he probably saved about 5-6 million riel, almost enough to buy [Soul Liqueur], even depriving himself.
[Just a little more and I can save enough to cure Henry…]
After Henry falls asleep, the boy goes to a place outside and starts swinging his sword – a real one issued by the knights, not the shabby wooden one.
Obviously, he has continued his relentless training, his further honed body evident despite the undue weight.
Perhaps because of his efforts…
It was only natural then to receive good news.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
[–Lucas, Squad Captain. I have high hopes for you as a knight of our order and hero. Complete the request safely.]
[Yes sir, leave it to me!]
The scene changes to show him being encouraged by what appears to be the Knight Commander.
Full of energy, the boy’s eyes blaze with motivation to meet expectations no matter what.
But that wasn’t all.
More than anything–
[Let’s go, Henry.]
[Yes, brother.]
He calls to Henry, who is lying in the seat of the carriage.
At the same time, the driver spurs the horses and they set off.
Reading the request in the boy’s hand, I understand why he’s so driven.
This job was undoubtedly the most important one for him.
It’s a request for village security.
Normally, nothing to get excited about.
However, this request was for a village near the Great Labyrinth, which was rumored to have Spirit Grass growing inside.
The details were to guard the noble who hired them while they harvested Spirit Grass.
In other words… if it goes well, he might be able to get [Soul Liqueur] from the nobles. Or at least get it cheaper.
The boy must have thought that.
That’s why he brought his brother, who could barely stand up, and went to the place.
Either that, or he wanted to talk to the ailing Henry, who might show up at any moment – maybe that was why he brought him along.
[I understand…if the request is complete…]
Upon hearing the employer’s refusal, the boy became dejected.
Apparently, he didn’t have any [Soul Liqueur] with him.
However, he says that he’ll have it delivered from the land as a reward after the request is completed, which lifts the boy’s spirits a bit. However, the original monetary reward seems to have disappeared.
The employer’s cart is piled high with Spirit Grass.
A bloated, obviously greedy nobleman.
The adventurers who accepted the harvesting request laugh vulgarly.
[…?]
The boy frowns slightly, as if puzzled by something.
For some reason, the adventurers who were supposed to harvest [Spirit Grass] still haven’t left even though it’s noon.
Besides, their behavior was bad.
They spoke casually and rudely to the boy and the knights who came for the request. It’s natural for the boy and the knights to grimace.
But in the next moment, the boy changes back into the face of a knight and hero, and begins to listen to the details of the mission.
The video glitches, the scene changes.
The boy appears to be positioned a bit away from the village, effortlessly slaying the attacking magical beasts without suffering any injuries.
[What’s with the sheer numbers? And-]
The boy looks at the magical beasts questioningly.
Understandably so.
Not only are there many of them, but most of them are the aggressive and vicious species that live near Librehero. It seems that the situation is different from his expectations, which puzzles him.
But most of all, the boy was puzzled by the fact that the magical beasts seemed to be drawn to the village, ignoring him as they tried to invade it.
Luckily, the other dispatched knights and the village’s [Barrier] are holding them off so far, but it looked like it was about to collapse at any moment. Looking at the piles of beast corpses around the boy, if he wasn’t here, they would have invaded in a matter of minutes.
The boy continues to fend them off until the evening, when their numbers finally dwindle…
[–Your Highness!]
A woman from the village runs up, gasping for breath. The boy listens to what has happened.
His eyes shoot open when he hears the news.
[It’s terrible! Your brother is…]
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