WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Dionysus

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◈ I Picked Up the Protagonist’s Heroine ◈

Chapter 9: Home Sweet Home

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Snap.

Laward bent over past ninety degrees, then straightened again.

"Well then, I'll be on my way. If I raise the intensity of the training regimen my mentor gave me any further, I'll have to cherish every second."

"...All right. I'll be looking forward to it."

Laward's eyes had gone completely wild, and I had no desire to keep talking to him, so I left at once.

I needed to hurry if I wanted to catch the train to Hasgard County.

"S-Sorry! Rebecca, my senior... my roommate kept trying to pack things for me, so I'm a little late...!"

Some time later, I boarded the train with Ester and her suitcase.

A stuffed rabbit with only its head sticking out of the overstuffed luggage looked like it was being tortured.

As expected, the train ride was boring.

"It's my first time in first class...."

Ester wandered around the train with the excitement of a child, at least giving me something new to watch.

Time passed again.

Back in Hasgard after so long, I gave Ester an empty room and reunited with my family.

Father, in particular, was delighted to see me.

He said there was something important to discuss, so I should rest well today and see him tomorrow.

Well, it was obviously about the Subjugation Festival.

"Young Master, your bath is ready."

At Head Attendant Paris's words, I enjoyed the welcome bath prepared by the servants, then flopped down onto my bed.

Ah.

Becoming one with a soft blanket after getting clean reminded me of my lazy days in the past.

It really had been nice to lie around in my room doing nothing.

Home sweet home.

* * *

"We've decided to participate in this year's Subjugation Festival."

At breakfast, the head of House Hasgard, meaning Father, opened the discussion.

It had finally come.

"Since there hasn't been a Subjugation Festival for the past three years, this one will likely be quite large."

At that, all three brothers, myself included, froze with our utensils in hand.

"What do you all intend to do?"

When Father looked around at us, we answered in birth order as though we had planned it.

The eldest, Dyer Hasgard.

"Of course I should participate. I'll support you to the best of my ability, Father."

The second, Romans Hasgard.

"I've been waiting for the Subjugation Festival! At last, I have a chance to show the skills I've honed for years."

"Oh-ho, is that so? You are all admirable. Then what about you, Daywin?"

And the third, Daywin Hasgard.

"I...."

"Ah, Daywin. I would like you to participate too, but... you needn't push yourself. I won't force you."

Father?

I hadn't said anything yet.

"Haven't you been overworking yourself lately as well? You only just returned from your trip, so your mind must be unsettled."

That was right.

"Besides, you are still not well."

The youngest son, Daywin Hasgard, was treated as precious despite having a well-trained body.

Before I possessed him, Daywin had apparently been so ill that he seemed close to death.

Of course, there were no symptoms or aftereffects now.

Still, I did not know the nature of that illness or how it had been cured.

That was why people couldn't help but always worry over me, Daywin Hasgard.

"I...."

"Father, Daywin is still too young and inexperienced for battle."

The eldest cut in before I could finish.

"I agree, Brother. I want our youngest to quickly become a dependable man, but... it would be best to wait for the next opportunity."

The second joined in.

Both of them had openly interrupted me.

Their intentions were obvious.

My brothers were plainly trying to keep me from going to the Subjugation Festival.

Wink.

The two brothers winked at me simultaneously.

Their expressions said, Didn't I do well?

They weren't trying to keep me from going.

Naturally, they expected me to say I wouldn't go, so they had stepped up to defend me.

It felt embarrassing to say it now, but I was loved.

My parents, of course, and even my two brothers showed me more affection than enough.

When I first came to this world, and when I realized I was the third son of a noble house, I had been uneasy.

As was common in games and novels, I imagined blood-related brothers plotting each other's assassinations or fighting to seize power.

But it had been a delusion.

The three Hasgard brothers got along well.

The affection my two older brothers showed me was especially considerable.

In my previous life, my family had understood me no matter what I did, even when all I did was eat and loaf around.

The cherished youngest.

A flower raised in a greenhouse.

"Oh-ho, is that so? Daywin, what do you think?"

Father set down his fork and looked me in the eye.

"My thoughts are...."

I swallowed and decided to state my ambition.

My brothers had supported me, so I should respond in kind.

Just as I slowly opened my mouth,

"Father, I think it would be more than enough for Daywin to merely observe this Subjugation Festival and make his official debut next time."

"Observing is an excellent idea. Brother, I'll take responsibility for making sure our youngest can safely follow me. Youngest, don't worry about a thing. This brother will protect you."

You bastards.

Let me speak too.

"Oh-ho, is that so?"

And why did Father keep saying the same thing...?

"Daywin, what do you think?"

"The Subjugation Festival! I'll participate!"

I finally said it properly.

My voice did crack in the middle, but that wasn't important.

Father and my brothers.

The three men turned to look at me all at once.

They looked as though they couldn't believe it.

"Yes, Father. I said I'll participate."

"W-Well done, Daywin...."

Father was so moved by my decision that his eyes reddened.

Just how useless had Daywin been before I possessed him?

"You've made a good decision. Daywin, this observation will be a good experience for you. I, your eldest brother, will work hard as well so that I can be an example to you. Hm, good. I'm feeling motivated."

"Brother is right a hundred times over, Youngest. I too dearly want to become an older brother you can admire. Just trust me and follow! It has been my wish for you to see my broad back and dream big!"

Ah....

I wished they would both just shut up.

At some point, I couldn't even touch my plate anymore.

The urge to leave this meal immediately rose up in me.

Still.

I had to say what needed to be said.

"I won't be observing."

"Hm?"

Father, my eldest brother, and my second brother.

The three Hasgards asked at the same time, as though layering harmony.

"I mean that I will personally command troops and subjugate monsters."

If this were a comic, there would've been an emphasis effect in my speech bubble right about now.

It would've appeared in bold, with an even bigger font.

"W-What...? My son, is that really true?"

"Daywin, you've already grown so much...!"

"Youngest. Hug this brother."

"N-No."

"Just let me hug you once."

I fled, but my second brother ruffled my hair with his thick hand.

"Father! Please stop him!"

"Romans! Mind your dignity! Hahaha! I said mind your dignity! Ahahaha!"

Father mediated the meal amid hearty laughter.

Despite my return after so long, it was Hasgard as usual.

* * *

Big Hasgard, Dyer.

Middle Hasgard, Romans.

The two brothers believed that their youngest brother, Little Hasgard Daywin, would fail at his first Subjugation Festival.

There was no need to doubt it. It would certainly fail.

Their first times had been the same, after all.

They had said they supported Daywin at the breakfast table, but their true feelings differed.

They expected Daywin to accomplish nothing and be forced out.

"Brother, do you see this? I'll secretly put it in our youngest's pack. He won't notice a thing. Heh heh heh...."

The second, Romans, even went so far as to tamper with Daywin's backpack.

"No, that is... Brother, even so...."

"Yes, you saw correctly. These are top-grade recovery potions available in the capital. They can revive you even if your organs have failed. Heh, heh heh...."

With a wicked grin, the second stuffed recovery potions deep into the backpack.

"Brother, how did you get something like that...?"

"It's nothing special, Brother. When I heard our youngest was entering the Subjugation Festival, I released the funds and people I had kept in reserve. They're trustworthy people, so the quality is certain."

Potion bottles filled with red liquid steadily took up space.

"With these, we won't need to worry even if our youngest faces grave danger. With these, he won't be able to die even if he wants to. Heh heh heh...."

He proudly looked at the sloshing liquid.

"I can't even imagine how grateful our youngest will be when he finds these later. Heh. Brother, I'm sorry, but I think I'll become the brother he respects most."

"You truly are my brother. But Romans, that won't be enough."

"Not enough?"

The second frowned as though his pride had been wounded.

"Anyone can provide stamina recovery potions. No, they may already be within Daywin's expectations. He is a clever fellow, after all."

"Brother... Are you saying my scheme might be discovered?"

"You should have put more thought into it. You are somewhat careless."

This time, the eldest, Dyer, began to chuckle.

"I made a few adjustments to Daywin's troop formation. That's all you need to know."

"Brother... What on earth did you do...!"

"It's nothing much, Romans. I merely mixed in a few retired Royal Knights...."

"Former Royal Knights!"

"They may have grown a little old, but aren't the Royal Knights geniuses gathered from all across the nation? They may have gained wrinkles, but their experience must be as abundant as those wrinkles are deep."

The eldest stared at the red potion in the second's hand.

A recovery potion the color of wine.

"If we compare it to alcohol, it would be a top-quality wine aged for thirty years."

"Hehe... As expected, I can't match your wisdom, Brother...."

"Hahaha! You are no slouch yourself!"

The night in Hasgard deepened.

Of course, it was Hasgard as usual.

* * *

"What is this?"

While organizing my backpack, I found potions I had never seen before.

The potion's color was strange, but that was secondary. The bottle itself was glowing.

Father?

Or Mother?

If not them....

There was no need to think about it. It had to be my brothers.

"Pointless things...."

Just how much did they look down on me?

I had been the commander of the Paladin Order.

I had eaten with the Pope and gone to saunas with the Sword Saint.

By this point, I wanted to show them something too.

As I walked with renewed determination, I heard a commotion.

The Hasgard estate had recently gathered troops in preparation for the Subjugation Festival.

It was the voices of those soldiers.

Father had granted a portion of the troops to me as well.

"Ah, Third Young Master! Greetings!"

...Why were there faces I didn't know?

The last time I met them, there had definitely only been young men.

But now, men who looked quite advanced in years, men who even carried an air of seasoned experience, greeted me as though it were only natural.

What was this now...?

Meanwhile, soldiers from the second brother's unit, who were out jogging, passed by while tossing out remarks.

"Hahaha, Third Young Master! Those gentlemen will certainly be better than the academy student you brought!"

"That's right! Young may be best in most things, but at the Subjugation Festival, old is better than children!"

Somehow having heard about Ester, they added a few comments about her.

They could talk well while running.

They had good stamina too.

"Young Master, don't push yourself too hard. Stay right behind those gentlemen! Or should I come along with you?"

They didn't stop there, even mixing in words that treated me like a little child.

Like leaders, like followers, so I could understand why the soldiers who followed my brothers were like that.

I was starting to get annoyed....

The thought that I should give this everything I had returned once more....

* * *

The night before the Subjugation Festival.

Daywin could not sleep.

Thinking of the event that would soon bring ruin upon his family made him, shamefully, a little nervous.

In the forest of Hasgard County, he went somewhere deserted, intending to take a walk and test his strength.

A little later.

When Daywin raised his head and looked around, the forest, once full of dense trees and brush, had become as desolate as a desert.

Except for where he stood, all the surrounding grass and trees had been swept away in an instant.

Ancient trees that had stood for decades were broken like matchsticks.

The ground had overturned, and the lake had boiled away.

It looked as though an invisible giant had gripped the entire forest and crushed it.

It looked as though a meteorite had fallen and devastated the land.

Trees, rocks, even the lake.

Everything had been erased, and even the terrain had changed.

Daywin had changed it.

'I'm not back to how I used to be.'

Daywin, standing in white armor, clenched and unclenched his fist.

"...Still, has about half returned?"

The armor forged from holy power slowly disappeared.

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