Chapter 81 – Such a Waste
He’d never abandon his friends. On top of that, take responsibility for everything yourself and draw the line.
The hoodlums are biting their lips with regret at the sight of Bro.
“That’s why I hate stupid delinquent brats! For your friends? Do you think that cold logic matters to adults?”
And, adults curse it.
So, I…..?
“Yo… is that…… fun for those who hit and those who get hit?”
The moment I walked up to Bro in the middle of being hit and asked, the adults made an expression that said “you’re in the way”, but immediately looked at me and looked surprised.
“Eh!? Ah, eh?”
“Oh, you’re…”
Sure enough, the adults seemed to know me.
No, it’s more like my title than me.
And……
“It’s been a long time, Minister Chitsue.”
“…eh? Wh…Why…”
“About a year since the princess’s birthday party at the Royal Palace.”
The face of Chitsue, who was making noise by shouting while looking down at the beaten Bro, was distorted.
“Geez… trying to drag a pure kid into the delinquent path through smoking or drinking, yet going to the trouble to keep your hands from dyeing off illegal matters…. mostly I thought, you’re a terrible guy, aren’t you?”
“Wh-why… here…… no, you’ve been in this town, Earth!?”
“A few days after leaving home… I never thought you would be the first acquaintance I meet.”
I laughed bitterly at this strange reunion.
“Hey, that kid… what’s going on?”
“Do you know Mr. Chitsue?”
“……?”
People around me were confused by my sudden appearance, and even the hoodlums asked, “What’s going on?” while upset.
“Don’t… ah? …… what are you doing… brother… I said not to put your hand in this, yeh?”
Bro asked me, wiping the blood that was dripping.
“When did I become one of you? Why should I listen to you?”
“…… Kakkakka…. why, then, you usually shouldn’t interfere, because it’s got nothing to do with you?”
“Still, if you keep doing unpleasant things in front of me, I’d get anxious. Don’t do these things in public.”
“What the hell is that? An irrational argument.”
“I guess we’re alike in that regard.”
We began throwing verbal jabs at each other.
As for Bro, he would have tried to take responsibility by letting the other party do as they pleased until they were satisfied.
But I interfered.
“Hey, don’t ignore me… Earth…… you disappeared in the Commemorative Match before. What are you doing here? Is that it?”
“I’ve done nothing. I just disappeared and selflessly tried to get away from the Empire, and I just got here, and I still… haven’t done anything, and I haven’t accomplished anything.”
“So much non-stop chatter… does Hiro know about this?”
Does my father know? The question made me spontaneously snicker.
“I didn’t even know why it turned out this way. How would he know?”
“…… eh…..”
“So as for me, I don’t want to get into any weird conflicts, I just want to go to the ends of the world to a distant place where no one knows about me.”
That’s it. That’s why I should have just turned a blind eye to all this trouble and left the town.
But I couldn’t do that.
“But even so, for some reason, I met some guys and got involved with them…. this hoodlum is one of them.”
“…… What? …… no way, Earth! You guys…”
“That’s not it. I’m not one of them…. not a hoodlum…. no, I don’t know what kind of reputation I have in the Empire now…”
I wasn’t supposed to be a delinquent. But I left home like this, ignored my parents’ feelings and did whatever I wanted.
So it may be unavoidable to answer “Yes”.
“What… you made a mess of an Honorable Imperial Match, and for somehow even used a forbidden technique, so there’s nothing but distrust in the Empire! Even if you were found to be with hoodlums, it wouldn’t be surprising!”
“Is that so… well… I’m prepared for that too…. but…… even if he’s not a friend, couldn’t you wait a minute to get this guy out of here before beating him up?”
“What, was that was that tha?”
We might be similar…. but…… still, when I look at the man named Bro, I think, “I’m different”.
“Tell me one thing, Bro.”
“Un?”
“The way you’re trying to take responsibility… I thought…… you look like an idiot… but I couldn’t take my eyes off it… my heart was shaken…. I’ve seen a lot of strong guys, popular guys… you were the first of your type I’ve ever seen.”
Knowing what I know about Bro, I had to ask.
“Why are you… in a place like this, smoking out and being a delinquent… under Minister Chitsue? Will you stay a hoodlum forever? Is this what you really want?”
Why do you live in a town like this, won’t go out to the world, and won’t raise your name?
“Being a half demon—“
“That has nothing to do with it… it was the reason why I became a hoodlum, but… it’s not the reason why I stay a hoodlum.”
Before asking if the reason had anything to do with being half-demon, Bro told me to interrupt my words.
“It’s just… don’t say I’m smoldering. I’ve been out in the world more than you imagine. It’s not a sunlit world, but well… I’ve been through a lot… I even joined a dojo… that’s why, after various experiences and encounters, I finally gave up and decided that the way I’m living now is better. I chose it.”
“Huh? This…… is it better to live like that, having these guys run all over you? These people can tease you and make fun of you all they want, yet you help the minister make a little money and try to defend them like that! What distinction? Is there a reason to protect this place?!”
Yes, I couldn’t stand it. Not him being Minister Chitsue’s errand boy.
“Bro… you’re a rare breed… really popular, too. And most of all, a heart that doesn’t bend and doesn’t break. A spirit which tries to take responsibility on your own for your companion, too… as you endured that beat down. I thought it was awesome…. but…… that’s why…… at the same time as I thought awesome, I also thought like this.”
This is the way of the man named Bro.
“Such a waste!”
I know.
This guy is stronger than that. When he fights, far from being an Imperial Warrior…. Imperial Knight.
“If you put your mind to it… as long as you don’t stick to your hometown and the hoodlums… you’d be more…… more…”
I can’t see the depths of his strength yet, but at least, if it’s just combat ability, it’s more than the princess… more than Rebal…. more, much more… that’s why……
“Oh, hey… ah…. Earth my boy…. what are you doing?”
“Th-That’s right… this is an adult playground, and not a place for little boys, is it?”
“Come on, get the hell home now. We’ve got an errand to run on this trash….”
And the escorts with Chitsue tried to interrupt my conversation with Bro….
“Get out of my way.”
Triple jab. I smashed all the alcohol bottles, chairs, and blunt instruments that the men had with my fists.
“Nah … ah … oh”
“Huh, it’s…”
“Th-This kid…”
The three of them couldn’t react to my left at all.
However, Bro, who was being beat up by these guys as much as they wanted until a while ago, wasn’t agitated at all when he fought me during the day.
“You’re much stronger than these guys, Bro! What’s the point of staying a delinquent forever?”
Bro is much stronger than these guys.
That’s why I couldn’t watch it.
Then, Bro…
“My bad… this way of life has already become like breathing…. that’s why we can’t go back.”
“What?”
“We’re a different race from yours… different race… so, the culture and ideas are different… My bad. I’ve also wanted to get somebody to understand it, so I can’t think of an explanation that you’ll be satisfied with, yeh.”
Though you’ve become familiar with me, when I come to yourself, you refuse.
Well, to begin with, I’m not great enough to get involved in people’s lives and how they live, nor do I know anything about it.
“Surely you’re stubborn… but these days, I can understand an ogre if we talk, but…. you I don’t understand, no matter how much I talk with you.”
“Kakakka, that can’t be cured.”
I really don’t understand… I can’t do anything about it… but… I wonder why… I don’t know what’s bothering me.
“…Minister Chitsue…… you’ve been greatly troubled too, because you’ve hired these guys…”
“Nu, Nunu…”
“So? What are you going to do? This guy has taken responsibility as it is, are you going to beat him up some more?”
Then, with a look of disgust, I sighed and spoke to Minister Chitsue, who was still shaken
Are you going to continue with that matter from earlier?
Are you going to force them to do what they know is illegal?
And then……
“Hmph. Earth…… I don’t know what your relationship is with Bro, but you know I’m… no, you don’t think I’m going to back out for fear of you… or your parents, do you?”
While sweating, he smiled with a somewhat gut-wrenching grin….
“If you were to report my story earlier… no one would believe what you have to say anymore, just like the delinquents in this town. Rather, as a minister, I am the one who will have the last word…’Earth has gone down the path of evil’. Speaking of, if it is now, the Imperial Capital should believe it! Then there’s nothing to fear you, you see!”
Saying that, Chitsue raised his hand and turned to all the guards with him…
“All these miscreants who stand in my way will be hurt toge――――”
“Giiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!!”
But that was then.
“…… Eh.”
Not only the minister, but we could hear screams that we didn’t even expect….
“Hi, hii! H- Help…. save, me.”
From the room at the back of the gambling hall, one of the escorts, covered in the blood, came out crawling…. what?
“Eh? Huh? What is it?”
“?”
Both Bro and I looked at each other, but neither of us knew what was going on.
However, when I saw the figure of the wounded man who was crawling out of the room, I realized something.
That’s the man who went somewhere under Chitsue’s order…… the man who was told to ‘bring something’…
“”……Ah……””
At that moment, Bro and I noticed at the same time.
And……
“…………… KIIIILL…… HUUMAAANSS…”
A chilling voice came out from the back of the room, collecting miasma.
And that shadow was not alone.