TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 17
The Summit of the Hamel Mountain Range.
When I came to my senses, the Knights of the Histania Family were restraining the Human-like Insect.
“Let go────! I’ll kill that bastard no matter what! What does my face look like to you?! A Mantis? Don’t disregard art!”
“Oh…. Even insects can curse, huh.”
“Aaaaaaahhhh!!”
The villain who killed hundreds in the novel exited the stage so pitifully.
Not a good person, but an Adventurer Hunter who did one good deed at the end. Was it a reward for making me realize a Virtuous Lie?
He left behind the 300,000 gold bounty that had been tied to the neck of the Divine Healer as a gift. It was the moment when I discovered why a swordsman using the Three-Sword Style became a bounty hunter.
Unlike me, who sent off the Adventurer Hunter with a bright smile, Hanna’s expression was stern.
“…”
She didn’t even have time to savor the thrill of defeating the Elite Orc alone because the Protagonists who had driven her into this corner were standing before her.
Hanna was staring at the ground with a stern expression.
“Histania Hanna.”
A Middle-Aged Man’s voice approached my ears. A voice as heavy and profound as a lion’s.
I thought it was impossible to judge martial arts prowess from just a voice. But the Man before me made it possible.
Histania Rowen.
The Sword of the Empire and, at this moment, the strongest person in the novel.
I looked at him straight.
Unwavering eyes.
Bright brown hair and the Empire’s National Treasure strapped at his waist. He was exactly as the Knight Commander of the novel was described.
“Father is calling you. Aren’t you going to answer?”
A woman’s irritated voice came. Standing next to Rowen with her arms crossed was a woman. With heavy makeup and Cat-like slanted eyes, she alternated her gaze between Hanna and me.
She seemed to look at us with negative emotions.
Of course, I didn’t think well of her either.
She was one of the causes of Hanna’s death in the original work.
“Hey. I said answer.”
Hanna couldn’t answer the woman’s question. To be precise, it seemed more accurate to say she couldn’t answer, as Hanna flinched at the woman’s slight shout and slowly shifted her body closer to me.
The woman, arms crossed, waiting for an answer. It seemed like she’d keep staring at us until sunset, so I kindly answered on Hanna’s behalf.
“Yes.”
“Not you.”
“Weren’t you calling me? I thought I should give you my bank account number.”
“Are you joking?”
“No, I’m serious.”
“Are you crazy?”
“I’m perfectly sane.”
Sharp words were exchanged.
A fight between a rude woman and a man who valued money. It was hard to determine a winner, but having been trained by a Villainess for 13 years, I seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
“Who are you to be picking a fight?”
“Then who are you?”
“Hey…. Histania Hanna. Do you hang out with this kind of Man because you don’t have friends? You’re a perfect match, you pathetic bunch.”
“Ah~ so you’re her elder sister. You seemed so vulgar I didn’t think you were a noble. My apologies.”
“You little son of a b*.”
“Woof.”
The atmosphere became somewhat heated.
Hanna urgently opened her mouth.
“Both of you, stop it.”
What a shame.
If the argument had gone on a bit longer, I felt like I could’ve squeezed some tears out.
I glared at Hanna’s sister, vowing for another chance.
The conversation between the father and daughter began with Hanna’s response.
“What brings you here?”
“…I came for work.”
“Then do your work and leave. I’ll go about my business too.”
Hanna spoke coldly to her Father.
Normally, she wouldn’t act like this toward her Father. She would’ve been twisting her body in anticipation, waiting to be praised for defeating the Elite Orc alone. But today, she wasn’t happy to see her Father. Rather, she was annoyed.
Rowen was taken aback by Hanna’s first-ever rebellion but didn’t take it seriously.
Because he believed he knew Hanna well.
That she feared her Father.
That she was a docile Youngest Daughter who always obeyed the Divine Healer’s commands. He assumed she was venting her anger over her last birthday. He believed one word from the Divine Healer would make her submit.
Rowen made up his mind.
He decided that this was the opportunity to completely break Hanna’s sword. After experiencing hallucinations, he determined that he shouldn’t indulge her wandering any longer.
Hanna’s opinions were none of his concern.
“There’s nothing more distasteful than someone without talent wielding a sword, or so I believe.”
His words, filled with concern, pierced Hanna’s chest. They were blunt and came from a mind convinced that the Divine Healer’s choice was the best, something Hanna could never take positively.
“You have no talent.”
“…”
“Wielding a sword itself is meaningless for you. I know what feelings brought you to this mountain, what thoughts led you to pick up a sword, but deep down, you also know you can’t reach their level. You’re not Mikhail, who made a name for himself at the Academy, nor are you your Older Brother or Older Sister.”
“…”
“Even though you’re my child, you’re pathetic.”
Hanna didn’t seem inclined to open her mouth.
Was it because of disappointment?
Or had she entered a late adolescence and was ignoring her Father’s words? Personally, I hoped it was the latter, but the sight of Hanna clenching her fists and lowering her head looked more like the former.
Rowen snatched Hanna’s Sword away.
“If you want my recognition, give up the sword. No matter how much you wield it, you’ll never meet my expectations.”
Is it okay to say such things to your daughter?
My favorability toward the Knight Commander kept dropping.
Of course, his favorability toward me was already rock bottom.
[Histania Rowen Lv. 100]
[Job: Imperial Knight Commander]
[Favorability: -42]
[Favorite Topics: Histania’s Honor/Talented Swordsmen/Praise for Children]
[Disliked Topics: Incompetent Father/Swordsmen without Talent/Histania Hanna]
It seemed like our mutual dislike made us oddly in sync. That’s a relief. At least there’s no overlap.
The selfish Rowen’s mouth showed no signs of stopping.
“There’s a reason I ignored and discriminated against you all this time. I thought you were smart enough to understand.”
“But I still want to—!”
“Quiet.”
Clang. Hanna’s Sword fell to the ground. The sword, a gift from her Father, was discarded on the floor, and Hanna’s eyes reddened.
Talent.
What’s so special about That Guy’s talent?
The Butler said I had talent, so why won’t you ever say that to me? Hanna wanted to argue.
She had known for a long time that she lacked talent. Her Father said so, and her Older Sister and Older Brother said it enough to make her ears ring.
But what did you all ever do for me? You didn’t suggest another path, didn’t comfort me with kind words. Do you think you have the right to say such things to me?
Hanna clenched her fists as her only answer. This was the only rebellion she could muster.
“Once you return home, start by withdrawing from the Academy.”
“Father!”
“Not only will you be banned from entering the training grounds, but every sword in your name will be destroyed so you can never think about swords again.”
Rowen steeled his resolve.
He decided to leave no room for compromise.
“If you still won’t give up, I’ll even arrange a political marriage for you.”
“I will never do it.”
“If you could at least use Aura, I might acknowledge you, but isn’t that impossible?”
“What a ridiculous thing to say….”
“That’s how I feel. It’s unpleasant to see you doing something so absurd.”
“Have I ever asked much from you, Father? Every single time! Did I ever make a big request of you when all you ever said was no?”
Tears were now flowing from Hanna’s eyes. Why is this woman so tearful? It seems like she cries more often than she smiles.
“I won’t ask you to teach me anymore, Father.”
“…”
“I won’t presumptuously carry the Family Name and wield a sword anymore. Fine… fine! You can just excommunicate me. You never thought of me as your daughter anyway, so it works out perfectly.”
“Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”
Thud. Hanna fell to her knees.
She clasped her hands together, begging the Divine Healer Father.
“Please… please… just leave me alone. Just keep treating me the way you always have.”
If it were me, I would have left this dirty, disgraceful household already. Maybe it’s because I’m an orphan without parents that the sight of this family didn’t make me envious at all. On the contrary, the relationship between the Young Lady and me seemed more harmonious.
I wanted to intervene.
But I had learned that family matters should be resolved within the family, so I couldn’t step in.
However.
I felt too upset to just stand by.
“Pardon me for interrupting, but on what grounds do you judge that Miss Hanna has no talent?”
I swept my gaze over everyone before me with a sharp look. If anyone had complaints, they should speak up now, but I made sure my tone carried the implication that they should be prepared for the consequences if they did.
“Are you perhaps blind? If you had eyes, you wouldn’t say such things. Isn’t that right, Miss Hanna?”
“What…?”
“Right?”
Hanna, who was kneeling on the ground, looked up at me. Her dirtied knees only worsened my mood.
I tried to help Hanna stand, but her legs seemed too weak to support her.
Hanna gave me a look as if to say I shouldn’t, but my anger had long since burned away any intentions of restraint.
After all, my reputation was already in tatters.
Even if I earned more insults here, it wouldn’t matter. It was a Disciple’s Footsteps, so there was nothing to lose.
“Head of Histania, have you ever defeated an Elite Orc at this age?”
“…Who are you?”
“I am Miss Hanna’s friend.”
“State your affiliated Household and your name.”
“I refuse.”
I cut off Rowen’s words.
What would you even do if you knew who I was? Would you do anything other than neglect me?
I had no intention of answering the Knight Commander’s question. I didn’t want to exchange words with a Crazy Bastard who judged his children based on talent.
“Judging by your lack of response, I assume you’ve never defeated one. Of course. Someone attempting to fight an Elite Orc at this age would…”
I looked at Rowen softly.
“…only be someone prepared to die.”
Suppressing the malice that nearly killed me, I directed my words at him openly.
“Only a lunatic who knows they’ll die would attempt something like this.”
Rowen glared at me.
So did his children.
And so did his Knights.
But what could they do?
They were clearly in the wrong.
I had no intention of treating those who bullied the Young Lady’s friend as Guests. They should consider themselves lucky that I wasn’t hurling insults.
I elevated Hanna.
No one else acknowledged her.
But I had to.
Otherwise, all the time she had spent striving would feel worthless.
“Miss Hanna made it possible. Isn’t that amazing? Why aren’t you applauding? I think it’s incredible.”
I spoke with irritation.
“Have any of you ever done something like this?”
I looked at Hanna and spoke.
“Miss Hanna, you have a talent for learning. It’s just that you couldn’t demonstrate it because someone without the talent to teach abandoned you.”
Hanna, who was hunched over, looked up at me. She gazed at me as if I were a Prince on a White Horse, as though she had been waiting for someone to stand by her side and fight against the Divine Healer.
[Hanna’s Favorability increases by +30.]
I smiled faintly at Hanna and said softly.
“You do have talent.”
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Q. [The Tragic Extra ‘Hanna’] has been completed.
────────────────
At that moment, golden Aura radiated from Hanna’s hands, and she threw herself into my arms.
“Happy birthday.”
The belatedly prepared Gift finally reached Hanna.