Interlude: Sophia
I ran a small apothecary.
Apothecaries, requiring various knowledge, are often chosen as a trade by magicians. While not particularly lucrative, it was enough to make a living.
At that time, the world was threatened by the Demon Lord, but I was indifferent to such matters, enjoying peaceful days like the calm before a storm.
However, one day, a blonde man with a roguish air visited my shop. Judging by his sturdy build, he seemed to be a skilled warrior.
“Give me some medicine for wounds. Something effective.”
The man’s order was rough, but it wasn’t bad as a customer since I could choose the medicine freely. I placed a somewhat expensive but appropriately effective medicine on the counter.
“Will this do?”
Before I could state the price, the man dropped three gold coins on the counter. I unconsciously adjusted my glasses, confirming that they were indeed gold coins.
“…This is too much.”
Although a magician’s medicines are expensive, they don’t cost that much.
“Is that so? Then in lieu of change, let me hear a little story.”
“A story? About what?”
Not understanding the man’s intentions, I gripped the magic wand placed under the counter.
“Don’t be so wary.”
The man showed his open hands to indicate he meant no harm.
“I just want to know a bit about you. I heard you used to be a skilled magician. I was wondering why you’re running an apothecary in a place like this.”
Was he trying to recruit me as a magician? I occasionally received such offers but had always declined.
“There’s nothing special about my background. It’s not even interesting.”
“Come on, it’s fine. There are no other customers, so a little service like this should be okay, right? I’m not trying to seduce you or anything.”
It was twilight, and indeed there were no customers. The man’s face wasn’t to my liking, but he wore a cheeky smile that seemed to invite intimacy.
Seeing that face, I somehow felt inclined. To be honest, the three gold coins were also a welcome income. If I could receive that amount just for a story, it wasn’t bad.
“…Alright. I’ll tell you a bit about my past.”
I picked up the gold coins placed on the counter.
“You see, believe it or not, I used to be a noble. A young lady, you know? I grew up in a mansion with many servants. I was raised without wanting for anything. Now I’m a magician running an apothecary. But this isn’t really an unusual story. It’s quite common for magicians to be former nobles. After all, the education required to learn magic is expensive. It’s impossible for commoners.”
“So it’s a profession only the rich can enter, huh?”
The man twisted the corner of his mouth sarcastically.
“That’s right. I was quite talented, you know? I quickly learned the ancient language necessary for magic, and I succeeded in casting spells by the age of six. Everyone praised me then. They called me a ‘genius!'”
“A smooth life from a young age.”
The man shrugged. I chuckled along with him.
“Yes. But for nobles, especially women, such talent wasn’t really necessary. As I grew up, I gradually realized this. What was expected of me was to become the wife of a suitable nobleman and bear children. Despite how much my parents had praised me, in the end, my magical talent wasn’t that necessary. It was enough if the children I bore had magical talent.”
“That’s a shitty story.”
The man furrowed his brow.
“Yes, absolutely. It’s shit, utter shit. So, I left home. I decided to live by my abilities alone. I thought I’d become an adventurer.”
“A refined young lady made quite a bold move.”
The man laughed again. He was easy to talk to, changing his expressions to match the story.
“Indeed. So, using connections from acquaintances, I joined the adventurers. Since there aren’t many magicians, I quickly found a party willing to take me in. Plus, I was a genius.”
I was laughing, remembering my fearless younger self.
“Then came the days of adventure. Even just living normally was like an adventure. Coming from a noble background, I wasn’t used to the commoner lifestyle. But although I had to do everything myself, I felt truly alive. I was blessed with good companions, and it was fulfilling. I would blast away at monsters with my specialty magic. Just between us, I love using attack magic. The exhilaration is unparalleled. Those were really fun days.”
“The shining moment of your life, huh?”
The man was right. That was when I shone the brightest.
“But then, that battle happened. You know about it, right? That battle ten years ago.”
“Malica?”
The man’s face turned serious.
“Yes. The Demon Lord’s army inconveniently invaded the country of Malica. Just when people were living happy lives, those insensitive bunch came along.”
“…Indeed.”
His voice was stiff.
“We joined the volunteer army formed by adventurers. I even persuaded everyone, saying, ‘As adventurers, we should fight for the people!’ I was getting cocky because life was going too well. And probably, I wanted to prove myself in that battle, to show up the family and nobles I had left behind. I had such ambitions for fame.”
Deep down, I felt inferior about becoming an adventurer after leaving nobility. Perhaps I wanted to erase that feeling through that battle.
The man silently urged me to continue.
“The result is as you know. Although we managed to repel the Demon Lord’s army, the volunteer army was almost completely annihilated. It could hardly be called a victory. I was lucky enough to survive, but all my companions died. So, I’ve had enough of fighting. I fought enough in that battle to last a lifetime. That’s why I’m now running this small apothecary and living modestly. That’s my life story. Are you satisfied?”
I said jokingly.
“No…”
Contrary to my expectations, the man shook his head.
“I’d like you to talk more specifically. Especially about the battle of Malica. About why you were able to survive.”
His face was grinning, but his eyes were fixed firmly on me, making it difficult to refuse.
“I don’t really want to talk about it…”
I closed my eyes and exhaled.
“Well, alright. I suppose it wasn’t quite worth three gold coins yet.”
Besides, it was something I wanted to tell someone.
“At first, we had the upper hand in the battle against the Demon Lord’s army. Although there were many monsters, with adventurers working together, we could manage somehow. I too mowed down monsters with my specialty attack magic. Hundreds of them. But no matter how many we defeated, more and more monsters kept coming. They wouldn’t stop charging even though they knew they would die. Fighting such monsters wore us down both physically and mentally. As this continued, the warriors’ swords began to dull, and the magicians’ magic power began to run out. Of course, I was no exception. After all, I had been firing powerful magic non-stop. And then, before us who were completely exhausted, the demons appeared.”
“They were aiming for that from the beginning, weren’t they? Demons are cunning. They’d do at least that much.”
This man seems knowledgeable about demons. Is he an adventurer?
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“Indeed. We underestimated the demons. In reality, we were quickly pushed into a disadvantage. But we still had hope.”
“Hope?”
“There was an adventurer named Luke in the volunteer army. He was hailed as the strongest warrior. He fought on without giving up, defeating many demons single-handedly. Seeing him, the other adventurers were inspired once again. And they bravely faced the demons once more.”
“Sounds like the turning point in a play.”
The man wore a lonely smile. Probably because he knew the outcome.
“Yes. It would have been nice if it had turned out that way, but things didn’t go that smoothly. Willpower alone wasn’t enough. Depleted physical and magical energy didn’t return. Despite Luke’s valiant efforts, the adventurers fell one by one.”
It’s a scene I still see in my dreams – my former comrades dying.
“I was almost killed by a demon too. Since childhood, I had done nothing but cast spells, so I had no physical stamina. I tried to run away as hard as I could, but I quickly ran out of breath. The demon caught up with me easily. I was so scared then… But I was saved. By a female magician. Despite being a magic user, she moved swiftly and came between me and the demon. And then, she sacrificed herself to protect someone like me who couldn’t use magic anymore. Covered in blood, she collapsed on top of me. Then she said, ‘…Stay down like this until the battle is over.’ She looked more motherly than my own mother. She must have pitied me, still just a young girl. I was young back then…”
I smiled thinly, as if mocking myself. But the man didn’t smile.
“…Do you know that woman’s name?”
“Lei. She was a renowned magician and Luke’s wife. When Luke saw Lei die, he let out a great roar and charged into the midst of the demons. He might have become reckless after his wife’s death. And he never came back… because of someone like me.”
There’s no doubt that I was the cause of Lei’s death, and I might have been the reason for Luke’s death too. That sin was heavy, and even if others forgave me, I couldn’t forgive myself.
“My clothes were stained with Lei’s blood, so from the outside, we must have looked like a pile of corpses. That’s how I managed to survive by playing dead. It’s a pathetic story.”
I let out a big sigh.
“Are you satisfied now? It’s already night. It’s time to close the shop.”
Without realizing it, the scenery outside had darkened.
“You’re right. It’s gotten quite late.”
The man looked outside too. Perhaps he was finally ready to leave? However, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest after talking to him.
“Actually, I’m an adventurer.”
The man said suddenly as he turned back. It’s not particularly surprising that he’s an adventurer, as I had expected.
Was he here to recruit me as a companion after all?
However, his words were unexpected.
“I was sent by your family to find you, Sophia.”
“What…!”
The man knew who I was. He had come here at the request of my parents. The faces of my kind parents flashed in my mind. They weren’t bad people at all. But…
! Image
“They’re still kind parents who care about their daughter. If they knew you were single, they’d probably find you a marriage partner too. Not a bad deal, right?”
The man smiled a frivolous smile.
“Do you think I want to return to being a noble?”
I raised my magic staff. I have no intention of going back home now.
“Then, did you want to become an apothecary?”
“…………”
I was at a loss for words. It’s not that I wanted to become an apothecary. I had wanted to live as an adventurer. But I no longer had that right. Not after causing the deaths of Luke and Lei.
“Actually, I’m looking for a companion. A skilled magician. If she happens to be beautiful, that would be perfect.”
The man winked at me, as if trying to seduce me. Strangely, it wasn’t unpleasant.
“If I report to your family that you’re here, your fun little apothecary game will be over, and they’ll come to get you. However, if I report that ‘I couldn’t find their daughter,’ you can continue your carefree life. As an adventurer, that is. So, what will it be?”
The man pressed me for a choice.
“I want to ask one thing. Why me?”
“I used to be Luke and Lei’s companion.”
I gasped at those words. I knew nothing about Luke and Lei’s other companions.
“And I ended up being the only survivor. I need companions, Sophia. I want you to be one of them.”
This man had experienced that battle, and he still wants to fight?
“…I no longer have the right to be an adventurer.”
The guilt of letting my companions, Luke, and Lei die has kept me immobilized since then. I couldn’t continue being an adventurer on my own.
“What, so you did want to go back to being a noble after all?”
His voice was provocative and theatrical.
“You really want to live wearing frilly dresses and eating sweets, don’t you? A life where you make others fight while you watch from a safe place. Sure, it’s not bad. It’s easy. But being a noble young lady at your age is a bit pathetic. I can’t recommend it.”
…Ah, I see. This man is trying to give me an excuse. For me, who had been running away with various reasons.
“What a rude man. Mind your language. I dislike ill-mannered men, you know?”
“Oops, my apologies. It’s just that I was poorly raised. — Beautiful lady, won’t you please come with me? Once again, to that vulgar and rough battlefield.”
The man made an exaggerated gesture like a nobleman and extended his hand to me.
“– I see. I’ve forgotten noble etiquette as well. It might be difficult to go back to being a refined young lady now. That option is probably off the table.”
Maybe I had been waiting. Waiting for someone to come and take me away like this.
“And since I’ve been threatened by such a despicable man, I have no choice but to return to being an adventurer.”
I came out from behind the counter and took the man’s hand. The hand of another person, which I hadn’t touched in a long time, was warm.
“So, what’s your name?”
“Leonard. Nice to meet you, former refined noble young lady.”
The blonde adventurer winked at me again.
While waiting for next chapter , I implore you dear readers to read other masterpiece novels that also written by the same author :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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