Chapter 23: Hero, Arianrod Mona 3

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“Aria? Looks like you won’t be able to get up today either?”

“…Yeah. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’ll tell Master.”

Finn, who slept in the same room, made the bed and then left the room. When Aria saw Finn’s face, that scene came back to her.

Screaming and coughing up blood, desperately trying to stand with both arms and legs broken. Standing up—then, the instant he took a stance, a fist pierced into him. His face was struck, his broken leg kicked, he collapsed with a scream, and a follow-up kick slammed into his abdomen.

Was that training? There was no way. That couldn’t be. When Aria learned how to wield the Holy Sword from Vasily, it was done with extreme care and meticulous attention. Because the power brought forth by the Holy Sword exceeded that of ordinary people, every possible precaution was taken to avoid causing harm. She had also begun learning hand-to-hand combat, but she had never once been beaten like that.

Something like that, something like that… Something like that is…………

Her body shuddered. A chill ran through her, and she wrapped herself in the blankets and closed her eyes. Even so, the scene burned into her eyelids would not fade. It would not disappear.

『GYAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!』

『AGAAAAAAH!!? GUEEEHHH!!』

『UGEH!!? GUEEH!!』

“…gh… u… p…”

Her chest felt tight, and nausea rose. Her body trembled, and her fingertips felt cold. What terrified her most was how Finn behaved as if nothing at all had happened. If she herself were punched and kicked like that, kicked again on a broken leg… Could she really remain calm?

No way. There had been times when she cried just from falling and scraping her knee. Aria bore the destiny of becoming a Hero, but right now she was nothing more than a village girl. She was still a child. There was no way she could understand the mentality of Finn, who stood back up even after his arms and legs were broken.

I’m scared. I’m scared, Finn…

Vasily, who could unleash that level of violence. Finn, who endured that level of violence. And her own future—chosen as a “special” Hero… Everything terrified her. Finn was going through something like that in order to become “special.” Vasily, apparently, would suffer something even worse than that in the future and die. Then what about her?

If I fail to choose a good future, what will happen to me?

Aria, unable to sleep due to extreme stress, tossed and turned alone in her bed.

Night fell.  After Finn had fallen asleep, Aria was brought by Vasily to the living room, where she drank hot milk. It had a faint sweetness. Rare sugar was added. After all, sugar was something precious in the village.

“You haven’t been sleeping lately… Is it because of Finn?”

She nodded in response to Vasily’s question.

“I see. So you saw it…”

She muttered that with a troubled expression. To be honest, Aria found this situation terrifying. Vasily Valvaroi was someone worthy of trust, but imagining that power turned toward herself made it impossible for her to stay sane. Aria’s mind was still immature. She was only a young girl.

“Finn doesn’t have talent like yours, Aria. He’s not someone who can ever become ‘special,’ nor does he have such a destiny. That’s why, if he truly wants to become like us, he has to be prepared to suffer to the point of death.”

“…Why go that far?”

“…Who knows. Why indeed.”

Saying that, Vasily drank her hot tea.

“If there’s one thing I can say, it’s about Finn’s resolve.”

“Resolve?”

“That’s right. I’m not a demon, you know. I knew that would happen, so I told Finn again and again to stop. I told his parents over and over, ‘He might die.’ But Finn said that was fine. If that’s what it took, he’d do it. If he didn’t… You’d be left alone. That’s what he said.”

“──Me…?”

“Exactly. Finn is making this effort for you, and no one else.”

Why?

Aria truly couldn’t understand. She could understand trying hard for one’s parents. But to keep suffering like that for a mere childhood friend, worse, for someone who had nearly killed him… She even thought it bordered on madness.

“You’re a Hero. You’re special, special enough to shoulder the fate of the world. But your heart isn’t. …Honestly, Finn understands you better than you understand yourself.”

“Myself…”

“Yes. …Well then, why don’t you two talk tomorrow? Let’s make it a rest day.”

Vasily urged her to go to bed, and Aria nodded. When she returned to the room, Finn was there, breathing softly in his sleep. He wasn’t having nightmares, sleeping comfortably, giving no hint at all that he had been beaten just as badly today. Vasily said Aria was “special.” He said Finn could never become “special.” But to Aria, Finn felt “special.”

“…Why are you so strong?”

Finn did not answer. As Vasily instructed, Aria and Finn spent the day relaxing together inside the house. Finn moved his body lightly, but once he was told to rest, he immediately lazed around. He sprawled out in a sunny spot, looking comfortable.

…W-what should I do?

Watching Finn’s back, Aria was at a loss over what she should do. They had always been close enough to go out and play together, but the recent chain of events had left things completely awkward. Finn treated her just as he always had, which only made her shrink back even more. She no longer knew what she was supposed to say to him.

“Aria.”

“Huh! W-what?”

“Come over here. It feels nice.”

“Ah… O-okay.”

That said, there was no reason to refuse the offer. She cautiously approached Finn and sat down where the sunlight streamed in.

“…It’s warm.”

“Feels good, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Eh… Yeah. Thank you…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Saying that, Finn closed his eyes. Aria couldn’t hide her surprise. It was true. She hadn’t been sleeping well lately, her chest felt tight and painful, and breathing had been hard too.

…Was he worried about me?

Perhaps the sunlight helped distract her a little as she edged just slightly closer to Finn. After sitting silently for a bit, long enough not to disturb his breathing, Aria opened her mouth.

“…Hey, Finn.”

“Mm?”

“Why can you try so hard?”

“…Oh. Did you maybe see it?”

“…Yeah. Sorry.”

“Ahh,” Finn said, sitting up. “I see. That’s embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing? Why?”

“Why… Just because? I mean, you wouldn’t want to be seen like that either, right, Aria?”

Like that. The horrific scene rose in her mind. Herself in that state, being seen by Finn.

…Eh, u-um. This feels kind of weird…

“Besides, they say guys shouldn’t show how hard they’re trying.”

“That’s… I don’t really get that.”

“Really? I kinda want you to think I’m cool, Aria.”

“Cool…”

Cool…

What came to Aria’s mind was the day Finn declared he would become special together with her.

“Tch. But it’s okay to try to become ‘special,’ right?”

“…Huh. You, Finn?”

“Yeah. It’d be tough if it were just you. I’ll become one too.”

…He was cool back then. …Huh?

She looked at Finn, slouched as he sat there. Now and then, he didn’t seem all that different. Why had she thought he was cool? Aria couldn’t really understand it herself.

“Um… I think Finn is Finn, no matter how you are.”

“…Oh. Really?”

“Yeah. Because Finn is co—”

“…?”

—You’re cool.

She tried to say it, but the words wouldn’t come out. Her eyes met Finn’s. Her childhood friend—the boy she had nearly killed, who still said he’d become “special” together with her and endured harsh training, saying it was so she wouldn’t be left alone. Even though it should have been hard, he cared about her, and now he was here with her, saying that basking in the sunlight together might help her feel even a little better.

For her sake. To stand beside her, to stand beside someone Vasily acknowledged as “special,” he endured all of that and stayed with her. Just one sentence.

“You’re cool”—a simple phrase she had even said to her father before.

『Dad, you’re cool.』

It was the same. Finn was cool. The same…

…Huh? What is this? This feels really strange.

“…Y-you’re… C-cool… I think?”

“…Got it. I’ll try even harder.”

How Finn took those words she spoke while turning her face away.. Aria didn’t remember anything after that. The only thing she remembered was that when she woke up, Vasily was there, smiling warmly as she watched the two of them lying together. Her gaze felt strangely embarrassing and from that day on, Aria started acting weird around Finn.

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