Hi, I’m the Hero’s Father ～I’m Sorry For All The Trouble My Foolish Son Has Caused You～ - Chapter 50

Chapter 50   The Hero Makes New Friends

◆

Three days later.

In the hotel room where Croix and the others were staying, there were three figures: Nax, Sakya, and Garnos. Sakya, perhaps because she had never been in such a luxurious suite before, seemed somewhat fidgety, while Nax and Garnos displayed the calmness of adults.

“Nax, Garnos, it’s been a while. I’m glad to see you’re both doing well.”

“Lady Wiel, it’s been too long.”

“Wiel sensie, you seem to be in good health as well.”

Wiel warmly welcomed the reunion with Nax and the others. Amidst this, Mion, the newcomer, stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Noticing this, Sakya approached her and gracefully bowed. Mion was captivated by the elegance of her gesture.

“Excuse me. May I?”

“Eep! Wh-what is it…!?”

“Hehe, there’s no need to be so nervous. From what I’ve heard from Croix-sama, we’re almost the same age.”

That’s impossible. Telling her not to be nervous was simply impossible. Her beauty, refined mannerisms, and the fact that she was an extremely rare High Elf made it clear that Sakya was in a completely different league.

“I’m Sakya, a High Elf. And you are?”

“Y-yes! I’m Mion of the Rabbitfolk…!”

“Then, I shall call you Mion. Please feel free to call me Sakya.”

“N-no, no, you can call me Mion instead…!”

“…Alright then, let’s not be formal with each other. Mion, I look forward to getting along with you.”

“Y-yeah. Me too!”

Sakya extended her hand with a full smile, and Mion shook it eagerly, clearly delighted to have made a new friend.

However, Sakya had never had friends her own age before. The patrons of the brothel were always just that—patrons and staff, with a certain distance maintained even with the female employees.

While Mion appeared visibly happier to have made a new friend, internally, Sakya was ecstatic, almost dancing with joy. Her slightly reddened ears twitching were a telltale sign that Croix did not miss.

Once most of the greetings were over, Croix spoke up.

“Sakya. Since you’re here, it means you’ve agreed to this, right?”

“Y-yes. I’ve heard everything from my father.”

Sakya nodded firmly, showing she was prepared. Nax was the same, while Garnos maintained his usual cheerful smile.

“I’m sorry, but this is something only you can handle, Sakya.”

“No, I’m actually quite pleased. If I can play a part in saving the world, there’s no greater adventure than this.”

Sakya puffed up her cheeks and took a deep breath, clearly excited. It seemed she was really looking forward to it.

Nax, looking a bit apologetic, patted Sakya’s head.

“I’m sorry, Sakya. I know you would rather come along with us…”

“W-what are you saying, Dad?! I want to see the world and save those suffering under the Demon King’s army! I’m going to do this!”

Despite her words, she kept glancing at Croix with a slightly disappointed expression. Wiel and Mion understood the situation, but Croix tilted his head in confusion.

At that moment, the door swung open and someone burst into the room, covered in sweat and mud. It was Alka.

“Haah, haah, haah…! D-Dad… cough!”

“What’s the rush?” Croix asked.

“You told me to come to Acreana in three days! I rushed like crazy!”

“This is part of the training. When someone asks for help, you run to them no matter where they are. That’s what saving the world is about.”

“That’s too reckless…!”

Despite understanding the reasoning, Alka still thought Croix’s demands were excessively unreasonable.

“Mm? Alka, where are the three you were with before? I told you to bring everyone along.”

“Ah… um… to be honest, they got scared watching your fight with Doreal and, well…”

“They ran away, then.”

“Not so much ran away as… declined, I guess.”

Alka understood the feelings of the three. If not for his role as a hero, he would have likely fled after witnessing Croix’s battle with Doreal. Few people would have the courage to throw themselves into such a fight.

Even King Ashtar wouldn’t send someone broken in spirit onto the battlefield.

Would Croix be angry?

But the fear won out, and Alka couldn’t bring himself to look up.

A brief silence fell over the room.

Then Croix let out a small sigh.

“There’s no helping it. Let me introduce your new companion.”

“…New companion?”

Alka’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected news.

He looked around the room and noticed an unfamiliar woman.

“This is Sakya. She’s my apprentice.”

“I’m Sakya. I’ll be joining the journey with you, Alka.”

“……”

The sudden turn of events left Alka confused. What on earth was going on?

Of course, having a new companion was reassuring.

But with her being a woman, it made him somewhat… no, quite hesitant.

Given what had happened before, he would prefer to avoid having a female companion if possible.

“I understand your concerns. But don’t worry, my comrade Garnos will also be accompanying us.”

“I’m Garnos, Alka. You’ve grown quite a bit. The last time we met was right after your birth… though I doubt you remember me.”

An older man stepped forward this time.

With Garnos joining, the journey would not be just with a female companion.

Yet another concern crossed Alka’s mind.

“Uh, so… your comrade…?”

“Quite literally.”

“It’s nostalgic. Though I only served as Croix’s right hand.”

“Don’t be modest. You fought single-handedly against an army of five thousand from the Demon King’s forces.”

The unease proved justified. It was monstrous.

Watching Sakya and Garnos speak with Alka, Nax approached Croix.

“Nax, I’m really sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll hire someone else for the brothel. …But, you’re quite devious. High Elves are skilled in magic. And wizards can communicate through magic, no matter the distance. If Alka causes any trouble, Sakya will relay the information to Wiel. That’s the idea, right?”

“You still have a sharp mind as ever.”

Yes, Sakya was also there to keep an eye on Alka.

Given the thoroughness with which Alka was reprimanded, there shouldn’t be any issues, but it’s always better to be cautious.

Moreover, even though he’s aged, Garnos’s abilities are certified by Croix. There shouldn’t be any problems.

“Honestly, I wished you could take me along. That way, Garnos wouldn’t have needed to go.”

“I’ve said I’m sorry. Adding more people would make it more difficult for us to move. …Besides, if the child has the talent you recognize, it’s better for her to join the Demon King subjugation journey rather than ours. It would be more beneficial for her future.”

“Future… Yes, perhaps it’s time for us to pass the torch to the next generation.”

The era of being the strongest will not last forever.

So, passing the torch to the next generation is the duty of those living in the present.