WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer

[Translator – Aren]

◈Chapter 266 If it Exists (4)

I took a moment to catch my breath after finally arriving in the city of Mannafeld.

While walking along the main road, with my Disguise skill deactivated, I nearly had a heart attack when I ran into the hunting party sent out to slay a Demon – They weren’t after me, but the thing that had supposedly appeared in the area I was passing through……

Thankfully, I managed to reactivate the skill just before they noticed me. If I hadn’t, I might have gotten chased around by now. It helped that they mistook the Demonic Energy I was leaking for that of the Demon they were tracking.

That was seriously close.

“But well, I managed to get here. That’s all that matters……”

I adjusted my glasses, now familiar yet its weight still unfamiliar. Swish. The half-tied hair (a wig) and my cloak fluttered in the breeze.

“Urgh.”

But that breeze wasn't entirely welcome. If my hairline got exposed, I would be in some serious trouble.

I quickly pressed down the front and crown of my hair with my gloved hand. I could feel the pins holding the wig in place between my scalp and the gloves.

“Next!”

Meanwhile, the person ahead of me stepped into the checkpoint. I could see a priest standing next to the guards, probably since this city was close to the frontlines. While the soldiers checked people’s identification and took care of general safety, the priest’s role was to detect any demonic corruption.

“No corruption detected.”

“Good. Next!”

Probably due to the incidents in other cities, the priest thoroughly searched others’ belongings and had no qualms about bathing people in Divine Power if they seemed suspicious. I couldn’t help but gulp.

“Next!”

But getting too nervous here would only make me look more suspicious.

I gripped my bag straps tightly and stepped forward. To further differentiate myself from the Demon Knight, who always walked proudly, I intentionally slouched my back and shoulders – not enough to be unnatural, just enough to look like a crooked average citizen.

“…You’re pretty tall.”

“I guess I am, a bit.”

Fortunately, I got a guard who seemed rather friendly.

So I gave him a smile with narrowed eyes, just enough to make the expression seem warm. Since I knew my height and build were rather unusual among Middle, I leaned into the role even more earnestly.

“Where are you from?”

“I came from Schuburcken.”

“The purpose of your visit?”

“I heard there’s a Knight Academy here……”

Answering these questions always reminded me of going through the immigration line at the airport……

I answered sincerely, my skills honed by passing through several other city gates. There were a few moments where I felt like I might break out into a cold sweat, since the questioning here seemed a lot stricter than in other cities, but overall, the inspection went surprisingly smoothly.

Seriously, it was quite a blessing that the people of this world didn’t have a centralized ID system. Some places were so lax it made me worry for their safety.

“Your hands.”

That was when someone who had just been watching from the corner of the checkpoint approached. Wearing full plate armor, carrying a sword, and speaking with a commanding tone that made the guards act more proper, it was quite clear that he probably was a Knight.

“Remove your gloves and show me your hands.”

But why was that Knight singling me out like that? I swallowed my tears and began removing my gloves. Thanks to the Disguise skill, my skin had turned perfectly pale.

“A hand that has held a sword. And for quite some time, at that.”

Still, pale skin didn’t erase the calluses embedded into my palms.

Between the index finger and thumb, along the fingers, and across my palm. The distinctive calluses and scars marking my hand, hinted at the life I……No, the Demon Knight had lived. They were things I couldn’t hide.

My eyes met the Knight’s.

“Do you have anything more to say?”

“…I’ve already answered everything I can.”

But I couldn’t back down now. I calmly removed my glasses with my right hand and began wiping the lenses.

Even this technically counted as skin contact, so my eyes remained green. The Knight’s blue eyes reflected mine, shimmering with a turquoise glint, so I was sure of that.

“Did you really come here just to observe?”

“Hmm… I think there may be a misunderstanding.”

But what was he so suspicious of? What was so strange about a guy who’s been wielding a sword for quite some time coming to check out a Knight Academy?

…Ah, was he suspicious because I was hiding my skill level or something?

“I may have wielded a sword for a while, but……”

Then all I had to do was dismantle the basis of their suspicion. With that thought in mind, I slid my glasses back on. I let my Arcane Power circulate through my body a few times, then let it flow back.

“Not like I can swing one now anyway, cough.”

Ah, all hail Arcane Power Backflow!

I coughed up a mouthful of blood and forced myself to smile as pitifully as possible. The Knight, who had been slowly reaching for his sword, seemed quite flustered, perhaps because he felt the Arcane Power moving inside of me. So did the guards behind him and the priest who had just finished inspecting another person.

“Wh-what’s this?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself. It just happens whenever I try to use my Arcane Power.”

“Th-then why would you……”

Because showing it directly was more convincing.

I wiped the blood from my lips with my sleeve and slightly changed my expression. It was the look of someone who had resigned themselves to an unavoidable fate, showing no aggrievedness.

“It’s not like avoiding using Arcane Power solves this problem.”

Obviously, I kept my voice dry, withholding all emotions. I felt a calm tone, which made me seem like someone who had already long finished mourning what was lost, would hit a lot harder than one laced with lingering sorrow.

“You mean, even without using Arcane Power, you’re still affected……?”

“I don’t know all the details, but… A passing wizard once said my body would continue breaking down as long as it contained Arcane Power. He mentioned that it was a physiological issue, so it’s incurable.”

Perfect. Judging by how the Knight’s eyes instantly softened, it worked. Holding back a grin, I got ready to drive in the final nail.

“Still… Even if I can’t pursue my dream anymore, I just wanted to see what it’s like.”

There we go. A young man who couldn’t become a Knight, whose efforts had become useless due to a cursed constitution, and yet couldn’t fully let go, so he traveled here just to catch a glimpse of the dream that had become fully out of reach. Now, let’s see how long that guy could keep doubting me after that little sob story!

“You……”

I politely declined the priest who had come closer to heal me – Surely someone with such important duties like yours shouldn’t be wasting your powers on someone like me right? I’m fine – and turned back to the Knight.

It seemed like my words, that I at least wanted to see others achieve my dream with my own eyes, truly struck a chord. What an incredibly sensitive Knight..

“Hang in there.”

“You look so young, and yet……”

Still, I had somehow made it through. That alone made it a win, right?

I exited the checkpoint feeling the pitying stares of the crowd. Now all I had to do was find an inn, and finally begin the real hunt.

* * *

So in the end, all this stuff about him cooperating with the Hero was just a roundabout way of telling him to help the Demon Knight. Meister mentally summed up the request his grandfather had made of him.

Given the nature of the item and the person it was intended for, there was no room for misunderstanding. This clearly meant that he wanted him to assist the Demon Knight.

“Ah, seriously……”

A better choice for his life? A chance to see the world?

What elegant excuses. Just clever pretexts to send him on this stupid errand.

“……”

…Well, those excuses were probably mixed with real truth and concern, though.

“Hah.”

Meister crouched down and patted his pockets for cigarettes that weren’t there. It just hit him that the thoughts he was having right now were nothing short of childish.

Actually, no, it hadn’t. He knew that he was sulking like a kid, but he did it anyway.

“I’m not a kid……”

He wasn’t some brat jealous of a younger sibling, so what was he even doing? He rubbed his flushed cheek with the palm of his hand and pursed his lips.

Though, honestly wasn't it his grandfather’s fault for how he phrased it? If he had just said things in a different order, it would have sounded like a request for his benefit, rather than the Demon Knight’s.

His brief embarrassment now shifted into an unearned sense of righteous indignation, turning into irritation at his grandfather.

“What the hell did that guy even do……?”

Furthermore, questions about the Demon Knight’s identity rose within him again.

What was it about him that made his grandfather care so much about him? Giving someone who was harboring a Demon – and even showing signs of instability – a Divine Power filter meant that he was willing to accept an enormous risk. What kind of value did someone have to hold to justify that?

“Is he some forgotten god or something……?”

The same questions spun through his mind, but he still didn’t have an answer. Meister’s face was covered in subtle irritation.

“Meister!”

But even that irritation was still less stressful than whatever would have come from staying here. As his grandfather said, he didn’t really feel much attachment to this city.

“Meister, there you are! The acting Lord is asking for your assistance with……”

“Ah, about that.”

“Yes?”

“Tell him I can’t help anymore.”

“Pardon?”

With that, Meister smiled sweetly.

“Wh-why……?”

“I’ve done enough, so I figured I’d just leave the city. My workshop’s in ruins anyway.”

Sure, his grandfather did help a bit, or rather, more than just a bit.

But whatever the case, he was free now.

* * *

“It’s big……”

The moment I laid eyes on the Tsechebator Knight Academy, I was a bit surprised. I thought it would just be the size of a typical middle or high school, but it was a lot larger than I expected.

Well, maybe it just looked bigger than it actually was, since the outer wall and the main building were right up against each other. Usually, it should be “wall - yard - main building”, but this place wasn’t structured like that at all.

“Cheap, very cheap! Hey, young man, want one too?”

“Ah, just one with pickled vegetables please.”

While admiring the massive building, built right up against the castle walls – it looked more like a garrison than a school to be honest – I stopped by a nearby food stall and bought a snack. It was a hollowed-out bread roll stuffed with pickled fruit and vegetables.

Crunch.

Oh, it was a bit sour. My face scrunched up at the tartness that hit the moment I took a bite. Still, not having to keep a straight face brought a small joy of its own. And once the sourness passed, sweetness joyously spread in my mouth, making that small joy grow even bigger inside of me.

Hehe, it’s delicious.

“Young man, you’ve got a good appetite.”

“It’s really tasty.”

“Of course! I’d be outta business in no time if it wasn’t good.”

“Is that so?”

I thought the foot traffic from the Knight Academy visitors alone would keep a stall like this in business. Seeing the doubtful look in my eyes, the stall owner waved it off.

“Most of my business comes from the soldiers and Knights, not passersby.”

“Ah……”

Well, yeah. It was right by the academy after all. If the food sucked, the main customers would stop showing up.

“The building’s really huge.”

As I finished one bun and bought another, I casually struck up a conversation. Maybe because business was slow right now, the vendor seemed happy to chat.

“It’s also a training ground for soldiers, you know?”

“Ahh.”

“So, are you interested in signing up, young man?”

“…I wouldn’t say I’m not interested.”

“Right. But the recruitment period’s over right now… You’ll have to wait a bit.”

“Will spots open up if I wait?”

“Depends on how many Demons attack.”

Demons? I tried to figure out what those things had to do with recruitment. However, a realization struck me half a beat later. If people died, spots would open up.

“…I see.”

“Still, soldier positions open pretty often… If you’re thinking of settling down, give it a try. Doesn’t matter where you’re from, or what you did before. As long as you stay out of trouble and survive more than five years, the city’ll give you citizenship.”

What could I say? It was a city right on the edge of the territory of Demons. The consequences from that bled through everything, from the laws to the way people spoke.

“If you’re aiming to be a Knight and not a soldier, you don't really have to wait… but that path would cost you a good chunk of coin.”

As he kept talking, the stall owner slightly glanced at my ear before quickly looking away.

“Well. You don’t look like someone strapped for money……”

“……?”

“If you ever do run short, like, if things get really tight, you could try seeking out Sir Walter. He often sponsors young folks with talent but not the means to attend the academy. Though, of course, he seems to have his own standards, so he doesn’t help just anyone……”

“What a great person.”

“He really is. Still… I’ve no idea how a guy finds that kind of thing fun, really.”

But didn’t that kind of thing bypass the academy? I had a brief moment of doubt, but just let it go not long after. If it worked, then it worked.

“I don’t think that’s an option for me…… By the way, how long have you been running this stall?”

Because ultimately, I didn’t come here to enroll in the school. I had other business.

“Been here for about twenty years.”

“Twenty years? Wow, that’s quite a legacy.”

“‘Legacy’ might be stretching it a tad.”

“Still. You must be like this city’s unofficial boss or something.”

“Heheheh. Can’t deny that… I suppose.”

As I quietly scraped at the crust of my bun with my thumbnail, I got ready to ask the real questions. Maybe it was all the flattery I showered him with beforehand, but the small owner’s face looked pretty cheerful, and seemed like he might answer whatever I asked him now.

“Then, if you’ve been here for twenty years… I bet you know quite a bit about what’s happened in this city, right?”

“I’d say so, yeah?”

In that case, I had to seize this opportunity right away.

Rummaging through the fragments of the opening cutscene I could still recall, I finally opened my mouth.

“In that case… Have you ever heard of an incident where an entire family with three knights died or went missing overnight?”

The voice, without meaning to, turned chillier as I spoke these words.

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