Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

[LN] Volume 2: Chapter 5.1

This chapter was brought to you by the collaboration between PolterGlast and Saekano Translations.

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Volume 2 Chapter 5.1

Swordsman's Transformation, Girl's Budding Part 1

Translator : PolterGlast

In accordance with the request form, Nozomu visited the Francilt mansion again and was taken straight to the waiting room.

As Nozomu was feeling a bit embarrassed by the maids and butlers who bowed down to him reverently, the door to the waiting room opened and Somia and Mena appeared.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Nozomu-sama."

"Nozomu-san, hello!"

"Hello, Somia-chan. So, Mena-san, about the escort ....... Could it be?......"

"Please don't take it so seriously. Somiriana-ojōsama is not in any danger."

"Umm, I discussed with Mena that I wanted to invite Nozomu-san one more time, and when I did, Mena told me to do this ......"

Apparently, the truth is that Mena, having heard Somia's wish, made a request to the Adventurers' Guild for a nomination and summoned Nozomu. When Nozomu glanced sideways at the maid who had been the source of the trouble, the maid in question was smiling at him.

"It is just in case."

Mena maintained her unwavering smile, but Nozomu could not help but sense a hint of implication in her words, partly because of Irisdina's words at the guild.

But a request is a request. Nozomu let out a big sigh to regain his composure.

"All right. Should I just stay with Somia-chan for the time being?"

"Yes, until Irisdina-ojōsama returns, please take care of her."

"Understood."

With Nozomu's consent, Mena quietly bowed her head and left the room without further ado.

"Then, Somia-chan, what do you want to do?"

"Umm, well, first, allow me to show you around the mansion!"

After saying so, Somia took Nozomu's hand and began to pull him along energetically.

She was as cheerful and lively as ever, and Nozomu followed her with a smile on his face.

Nozomu was then taken on a tour of the mansion.

In the past, he had no time to do so because of the battle against Rugato, but this time, with Somia accompanying him, he was able to take a careful look around each building.

Nevertheless, Nozomu's impression of the Francilt mansion was so overwhelming that he could only come up with the poor impression of "amazing".

"This is the salon. It's a little small, but when our guests come over, we usually hold a tea ceremony here."

"No way. This room is as big as my parents' house......"

"This is the kitchen. This is where the cooks work."

"There's a pile of spices I've never seen before in the corner of the room, where did you get them from?"

"This is the bathhouse. It is used not only by me and my sister, but also by the servants of the mansion."

"It is as big as a pond. How do you keep the water heated?"

"Among the servants, there are some who can use simple magic."

The scale itself is huge. Furthermore, everything he saw, in terms of decoration and functionality, was a far cry from the items used by commoners.

After having finished his tour around the mansion, Nozomu was then led into the garden. The two of them sat on a bench and watched the plants in the garden bathed in the afternoon sun.

"Iyaa~, I should have known already, but when you show it to me like this, ...... it sure is overwhelming."

"U-, umm. Sorry, Nozomu-san. I'm sorry, Mr. Nozomu. I was too excited......."

"No, Somia-chan, you don't have to apologize. It's just that I'm not used to places like this......"

While it was certainly full of surprises, the feeling of fatigue that enveloped his body was not an unpleasant one.

Rather, it was very exciting and inwardly thrilling, simply because he was able to see so many things he did not know.

Nozomu stroked Somia's head with a smile, trying to divert her attention. The feel of her silky black hair danced happily in his palm.

"Ni ~yapu, au ....... Nozomu-san, this is embarrassing."

"Hahaha, sorry, sorry, I just felt like petting you."

The way Somia squinted her eyes like a kitten eased his mind. The loneliness and frustration in his chest, which had been tingling since he left the guild, became a little lighter.

"Speaking of which, I have a small favor to ask of you, Nozomu-san."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Nozomu tilted his head at Somia, who looked up at him as he patted her head.

"Would you like to accompany me in my training?"

"Training?"

As soon as Somia said so, she returned to the mansion and brought a wooden sword with her.

"Here it is......"

"Are you training in swordsmanship, by any chance?"

"Is it weird?

"It's not weird. But I had a feeling Iris wouldn't allow it......"

"That's not true. Sure, she gave me some complicated looks at first, but my sister wouldn't stop me."

Other than that, he heard that she has also been learning magic, and Irisdina is rather willing to teach her, showing her demonstrations and so on.

(I guess that's how well she thinks of her sister. Normally one would make one's sister stop......)

Irisdina took up the sword to protect her sister. It was because she wanted her sister to be free, carefree, and above all, smiling.

That might be why she respected Somia's wishes in the end.

"So, why me?"

"Nozomu-san, you are so strong that Ane-sama recognizes you. Also, it was Nozomu-san who defeated that vampire old man......"

"Hmm~. I use katana-jutsu, though. So I don't quite sure how well I can teach you swordmanship (ken-jutsu)......"

Ken-jutsu and katana-jutsu. The way one utilizes one's body is similar and yet different. A sword that hacks and chops, and a katana that cuts and slices. Even the way of swinging and holding them is different.

In the first place, Nozomu himself had never taught anyone before. He had no confidence in himself.

Ken-jutsu and katana-jutsu. The way one utilizes one's body is similar and yet different. A sword that hacks and chops, and a katana that cuts and slices. Even the way of swinging and holding them is different.

In the first place, Nozomu himself had never taught anyone before. He had no confidence in himself.

"Please, can you just look at it and point out the parts that are bothering you? Can you do that for me?"

Nevertheless, when she looked up at him in a clinging manner, even Nozomu could not say no.

For the time being, Nozomu decided to have Somia swing her sword several times and observe how she did it.

"Ei, Ei!"

Cute shouts echoed through the garden of the Francilt mansion.

She swung her sword downward about twenty times. From what Nozomu saw, it was good at first, but he noticed that the axis of her body gradually became unsteady, perhaps because her body was smaller than that of her peers.

"Haa, haa ...... So, how was it?"

"Huh? Well, let's see ...... Kind of feel like you're still lacking the basics, I guess. Your hands are moving first whenever you swing the sword, and as you get tired, your stance is gradually losing its form."

"I see, that means I still have a long way to go, huh?"

Upon hearing Nozomu's honest impression, Somia let out a big sigh. It seemed that Somia herself was aware that she still lacked the fundamentals.

"Somia-chan, do you intend to become a swordsman?"

It may sound a bit harsh, but Somia, with her small stature, is clearly not suited to be a swordsman.

This is because she was originally born as a premature baby. Of course, this might be resolved depending on her future growth, but it is something that cannot be guaranteed at all.

"Umm ...... I'm not sure about that. It's just that I don't think it's right not to do anything, so I guess I'm just doing things randomly."

While letting her gaze wander in the air for a moment in response to Nozomu's question, Somia made it clear that she had not yet made up her mind.

"But if you ask me whether or not I was influenced by my sister, I would say no. As I said before, Ane-sama is my role model."

"I see......"

As she moved the wooden sword she had just wielded behind her back, she broke out into a radiant smile. There was no trace of self-deprecation in her smile.

There are very few people who can honestly accept their shortcomings when someone points them out. Some people, no matter how old they are, are offended when others point out their shortcomings. On the contrary, there are even those who escape from the reality by putting the blame on others or themselves, which is in fact never anyone's fault.

(I myself am one of those people......)

While staring at Somiriana's smiling face, Nozomu once again came to the realization that this girl is strong.

In that sense, she has a lot of potential to grow.

While Nozomu was thinking about such things, Mena approached Nozomu and Somia from the mansion, carrying a towel.

"Good work, Somiriana-ojōsama, Nozomu-sama."

"Ah, Mena-san, hello."

"Miss, this way, please. I've prepared a change of clothes for you, so why don't you go ahead and change your clothes first?"

"Thank you, Mena! I guess I will!"

Somia received the towel brought by Mena, wiped off the beads of sweat on her forehead, and returned to the mansion.

"Were you two practicing ken-jutsu?"

"Practice, huh? Rather than practice, I was just watching a few of her stances and forms. But anyway, I see that Somia-chan uses an ordinary sword."

"It is only recently that the young lady started learning to use the sword, and more than that, her main focus has been on her other studies."

As for Nozomu, he had never imagined Somia would use a sword. Even if she did, he thought she would pick a rapier similar to Irisdina's.

"Hence, unlike Irisdina-ojōsama, Somiriana-ojōsama's sword is only a matter of taste."

Just as she said, Somia herself did not seem to be that committed to becoming a swordsman yet.

In fact, it's probably still just a hobby.

Nozomu glanced at the maid in front of her.

She had long, light purple hair in a braid and her back straightened as if she had a single stick in it. Her appearance was similar to Irisdina's. The atmosphere emanating from her entire body resembled that of a sharpened sword.

"I heard from Iris that Mena-san is Iris's-......"

"Yes. I am sorry to be so presumptuous, but I was once a sword instructor for Irisdina-ojōsama."

He could tell by seeing her up close. She has a great deal of ability.

The way she stood was just like a sword in its scabbard.

Her physical prime may have passed, but the sharpness shown through her figure has not diminished in the slightest. This woman hides enough presence in her natural behavior to convince anyone of this.

"Nozomu-sama, about the reason why Irisdina-ojōsama is candidating to be the next head of the family is-......"

"I've heard that it was because of a promise she made to her late mother......"

"I see. Since the young lady has told you that much, then I guess I don't have anything to say."

Hearing Nozomu's words, Mena's cheeks relaxed slightly. Her expression seemed somehow relieved.

But the momentary loosening of her cheeks immediately disappeared and instead, a somewhat devilish smile appeared on her face.

"But still, you two seem to get along very well, calling each other by nicknames like this."

"W-, well, umm ......"

"No-no, I don't think it's a bad thing. Irisdina-ojōsama, despite her appearance, is a very cautious person. And the fact that she is so open to you means that you are as good-natured and easy to understand as you appear to be."

Nozomu felt a little complicated when he was told that he was easy to understand.

While Nozomu was wondering if he was really that easy to understand, Mena looked at the katana at Nozomu's waist with a curious expression on her face.

"Nozomu-sama, since this is a rare opportunity, why don't we have a brief sword spar?"

Nozomu was taken aback by Mena's sudden and unexpected suggestion.

"With Mena-san?"

"Yes. To tell you the truth, I am very interested in your sword, which has defeated a formidable opponent equivalent to the S rank......"

Nozomu felt his whole body shiver at the glint in her eyes, which reminded him of the dull brilliance of a blade.

*Ba-dump*

His heart thumped.

At the same time, heat surged up from deep inside his body. His mouth naturally tightened in response to the fiery fighting spirit that was directed at him.

Nozomu did not know how much Irisdina had told her about the details of the battle, but at least she had not told her about the power of Tiamat, which he had taken in.

Also, Nozomu had never released his [Ability Suppression] since the battle against Rugato.

The nightmare he witnessed after that battle. The sight of a giant dragon destroying Arcazam has been smoldering deep in his chest.

"It'll be fine. Although we will be using an actual weapon, we won't seriously injure each other with it. It's just like a little practice."

"...... Alright."

Pushing down the anxiety and agitation that welled up inside him, Nozomu agreed to Mena's proposal.

He believed that if he did not release his [Ability Suppression], there would be no signs of nightmares and he would not be noticed.

Of course, he was worried that he would be discovered, but he also thought that refusing to accept the proposal might raise suspicions.

"Good. Then, let's begin when Somiriana-ojōsama returns."

In response to Nozomu's approval, which came naturally from his mouth, Mena relaxed her eyes, smiled, and quietly moved to the middle of the garden. Then she brushed her skirt with her right hand, and before one knew it, she had a rapier in her hand.

Nozomu, following her lead, stepped forward and faced Mena once again.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Huh? What's going on, both of you?"

Nozomu quietly lowered his posture and slowly drew the katana from his waist while listening to Somia's voice as she came back into the garden.

Mena also quietly raised the tip of her rapier in response to Nozomu's drawing of his katana.

Accompanied by Somia's stifled gasp, the curtain quietly rose on the sword-fighting dance between the two opposing swordsmen.

◆

Irisdina and her party returned to the Adventurers' Guild and went straight to the reception desk to report what had happened.

"I'll confirm it once again. The leader of the demonic beasts was fatally wounded and escaped. But the chances of its survival is extremely low."

"Yes, that's for sure."

"The guards are scheduled to investigate the forest tomorrow. Considering the fact that the majority of the pack has been subjugated, we can be almost certain that the request has been fulfilled."

"Um, what was the size of the pack led by [Gray] Garm?"

"It was much larger than we had initially anticipated. The number of individuals we have subjugated is about a hundred. Ten of them were magic stone bearers."

Irisdina and the others grimaced at the fact that the pack was much larger than they had expected. They knew that the Direwolves they had encountered before were only a small part of that [Gray]'s pack, but the size of the actual pack was much larger than they had expected.

If they had not been able to subjugate them, there would have been a high possibility of considerable casualties.

"However, there was another high-ranking party that had received the request, so that party took care of it."

"Do you mean Kevin Ardinal's party?"

"Yes. And the party of Lisa Hounds, Ken Notice, and Camilla Vecknose."

When they glanced in the direction where the receptionist was looking, they saw Lisa and her party reporting at a different counter.

"They are ......."

"Yes. They defeated about 30 Direwolves that had once again appeared on the highway. Among them, there were five magic stone bearers."

The number of those killed by Irisdina and her party was greater than theirs, but considering that their party consisted of only three people, it was quite a feat.

But more than the results, Irisdina couldn't help but be concerned about something else.

The feud between Nozomu Bountis and them. Because she knew about it.

On the other hand, the receptionist smiled cheerfully at the fact that the subjugation was completed without any casualties.

"As expected of the top-ranked students of the Soluminati Academy. Normally, with a pack this large, we would need to organize a hundred-man raid team to deal with it. This should ease logistical and civilian concerns."

"Thank you very much."

The receptionist expressed her admiration and praise, and Irisdina smiled back, but her attention kept turning to her red-haired classmate.

At that moment, Lisa and Irisdina's gazes crossed.

"...... Tima, sorry. Can I leave you in charge here?"

"Eh? W-, wait a minute, ai!"

As soon as she said so, Irisdina left Tima in charge and walked toward Lisa and her party.

Upon seeing Irisdina coming toward her, Lisa furrowed her brow with a displeased look on her face.

"Lisa, what's wrong...... -ah?"

"You are ......."

The two next to her, Ken Notice and Camilla Vecknose, also noticed Irisdina coming toward them and looked surprised.

"...... What do you want?"

Irisdina inwardly nodded to Lisa, who was clearly wary of her, saying, "I knew it.......".

The two were originally rivals in terms of practical skills, but her tone of voice sounds more strained than ever.

"Sorry to barge in on you like this. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"...... Fine. Let's move to a different place."

◆

Lisa led Irisdina to a coffee shop named [Red Peacock Fountain] in the commercial district.

They sat facing each other at a round table outside the store, with Ken and Camilla sitting on either side.

Irisdina asked for tea and pastries for the appropriate number of people.

When the waiter put down the steaming teacups, Irisdina picked up a cup. The bright golden color of the water, which seemed to be made from good tea leaves, gave off a healthy, youthful flavor that was unique to black tea.

The aroma made Irisdina's cheeks relax slightly. Having just been in a battle filled with tension, the pleasant aroma of tea, which seemed to contradict the tension in the air, relaxed her shoulders to a moderate degree.

"Sorry. You've to treat us to drinks like this."

"I invited you. Please don't worry about it."

Perhaps freshened by the good tea, Lisa's expression had somewhat relaxed.

(Though, what I'm going to say from here on out will definitely be upsetting to them......)

Irisdina could tell from the tension Lisa had been radiating at the Adventurers' Guild that for them, the mention of Nozomu was still taboo.

"So, what are you gonna talk about?"

"Nozomu Bountis, you already know what I'm about to say, don't you?"

"......"

Sure enough, the moment she mentioned Nozomu's name, Lisa's expression instantly became stiff.

She then began to glare at Irisdina with anger emanating from her entire body. Irisdina sighed inwardly at the blatant rejection.

"What in the world are you going to talk about by bringing up that traitor?"

Camilla, who was sitting next to her, opened her mouth in place of Lisa's, who had tightened her mouth into a straight line, as if she had no intention of talking about anything.

"Well. I'm just wondering what kind of person he was, since I've had a bit of a connection with him lately."

Irisdina quickly shifted her gaze back to Lisa after glancing at Camilla, who had suddenly interrupted her.

Receiving such a silent stare, Lisa slowly opened her mouth.

"You already knew it, didn't you?"

Lisa's answer was like a smoke screen. But the look of rejection in her eyes told Irisdina everything she was feeling.

"Yeah, I heard something like, he's a scumbag who betrayed his childhood friend who had been supporting him."

"If so, then ......"

"But that's just rumors. I've never actually witnessed it."

However, that was not enough for Irisdina to retreat.

She was by nature an exemplary honor student, but, like the aristocrat she was, she tended to be pushy in many ways.

"As I said before, I've had a bit of a connection with him lately. Having interacted with him a little bit, I have to say that he is a good person. Too good that I couldn't bear to leave him alone. Based on his character, I can't imagine he would betray someone he cares about."

"It's true though. He is, he is- ......!"

Perhaps too emotional, the next moment, crimson magic power erupted from Lisa's body.

"Whoa!" "Kyaaa!"

Not only the customers visiting the said restaurant, but even the passersby walking down the street were startled by the sudden gust of wind.

"Lisa ......"

"...... Sorry."

Ken's words, who sat beside her, snapped Lisa back to her senses. Lisa's erupting magic power had calmed down, and although the guests around them wondered what was going on, they eventually returned to their mundane conversation.

But Lisa was downcast, not wanting to talk any further.

"...... It was through my sister that I got to know him. A lot has happened, but he was the one who saved my sister when she was in danger."

Irisdina, having noticed that Lisa had closed herself tightly, now began to take a different approach.

She began to tell Lisa about her connection to Nozomu, even if it was a bit vague, and she began to induce Lisa to talk to her herself.

"He has a very gentle, reassuring air around him. I see, I can see why you were once attracted to him."

"Stop it ....... He didn't care about our promise after all......"

"Promise?"

"Lisa, that's enough. Let's go.

Perhaps unable to watch the dejected Lisa, Camilla suddenly interrupted them.

Irisdina's gaze, having been interrupted again, turned to Camilla, who had intervened.

"Camilla-kun, there's more I need to talk to her about ......."

"We have nothing to talk about. Or what? Does the Francilt family's daughter want to have her way even here in Arcazam? That's why you aristocrats are so-......"

"You know that I didn't intend it to be so. Besides this has nothing to do with you, this is between me and Lisa."

Camilla's words, which were clearly tinged with hate and malice, made Irisdina's reply sound more forceful.

But Camilla did not back down.

"It does have something to do with me. Lisa and I are in a party. When my companion and dear friend is being harassed by a third party, I feel compelled to intervene."

At the mention of the word "third party", Irisdina's brow furrowed. Her heart, which had been as calm as the surface of a lake in winter, began to stir and ripple.

"I don't know what the hell your relationship with him is, but you have nothing to do with this, do you?"

Camilla spat out a few words and then took Lisa's hand, who was standing facedown next to her.

"Lisa, let's go."

"Yeah......."

Camilla forced Lisa to stand up and left the place.

Irisdina reflexively stood up and tried to stop them, but in the end, she could not call out to them as they left.

She let out a sigh as she sat back down and sipped her tea, which had become a little lukewarm.

Ken, the only one left in front of her, opened his mouth with a wry smile.

"Sorry, Irisdina-san. Camilla said something rude."

"Did something happen to her, too?"

"Who knows? But I do know that she has some kind of animosity toward you nobles."

A few seconds of silence passed between them.

Ken let out a sigh as he let his gaze drift away from Irisdina, who was staring at him as if peering into his eyes, and let his gaze fall on the tea remaining in his cup, and drank it all at once.

"You seem to be indebted to Nozomu, but you better not be fooled. He betrayed not only Lisa, but also the promise he made to me."

"May I ask what actually happened?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't talk about it. What happened between us is not something that I want to remember. But I can tell you this. Just as Lisa said, the rumors are true."

"Hmm, but that's strange......"

"What is?"

Irisdina's meaningful words brought Ken's gaze back to her.

"Certainly, Lisa-kun doesn't seem to be lying. As I said before, I have confidence in my ability to assess people."

Irisdina's interpersonal experience is quite remarkable. She has been living in an aristocratic society since she was a child.

Therefore, she was sensitive to the lies of others. One's gaze, body movements, and voice modulation. She understood well the characteristics of people who tell lies.

Even from her point of view, she could confirm that there was no lie in Lisa's words.

"I have asked Nozomu about what happened between him and Lisa-kun, and he clearly stated that he did not cheat on her."

"Then Nozomu must be lying."

"No, he wasn't lying. The expression on his face at that time was as hurt as Lisa-kun's."

But at the same time, she was also convinced that Nozomu was also not telling a lie.

That proves the contradictory situation of Nozomu and Lisa, both making opposite claims, yet both not lying. Moreover, their misunderstandings have been going on for such a long period of time, then- .......

"I honestly thought that the rumors circulating in the academy were simply groundless. But maybe something different is going on."

Irisdina stared at Ken, who was looking back at her.

"Are you implying that I'm lying?"

Ken's eyes began to show a hint of anger as if he was offended.

"I didn't mean to imply that. I just think that I ought to know more about it."

"Do you? I don't think that's necessary though. Because you and he are from different backgrounds, different positions, different births, and everything else."

Indeed, if they were in an educational institution in any other country, the relationship between Nozomu and Irisdina would never have existed.

Their relationship would never have been possible without the Solminati Academy, which attracted students from all over the continent, regardless of their status.

And once they graduated, their relationship would naturally break off. That would be normal.

So leave them alone. Don't get involved. Ken said so in unspoken words.

"But that's meaningless now. I already owe him a great debt of indebtedness that I cannot repay."

Irisdina, however, remained resolute. Seeing her like this, Ken's calm eyebrows lifted slightly.

"As I told you earlier, this is a past issue between us and Nozomu. Besides, you have no right to be involved in the first place."

Irisdina's strong stance made Ken think it was useless to talk any further, so he exhaled heavily and slowly got up from his seat.

"I'm a little worried about them, so I'm leaving too. This is unexpected, though."

"What is?"

"I thought you'd be a little calmer and collected when it matters."

"What do you mean?"

As Ken stood up from his seat, his gaze fell on Irisdina's hair clip.

"Who gave you that cheap hair clip? Quite a commitment you've put into this, huh?"

Ken's mocking expression was directed at Irisdina's hair clip.

Irisdina's eyebrows naturally lifted and furrowed. A feeling of intense heat and discomfort, unparalleled to the one she had felt while interacting with Camilla earlier, surged up from deep within her chest.

"Like I said before, you should leave him right away. That way you won't get hurt."

On the other hand, while watching Irisdina's reaction, Ken's smile that had been on his face just a moment ago disappeared, and he spat out a terribly cold remark.

"Sorry, but I'm the one to decide that. As I said before, I have confidence in my ability to assess people."

"Then your eyes must be blinded after all. Lisa and Camilla saw him betray us."

After saying all that, Ken also turned on his heel and walked away.

Irisdina, who was left behind, drank down her remaining tea, leaned back against the back of her chair, and let out a sigh.

(I still can't get my head around this. Nozomu doesn't seem to be lying, but it feels awfully strange.)

However, she has no way to clarify further, as she knows nothing about the details of what happened to them at that time, even though she feels something is wrong.

(Certainly, it may not be something I should be involved in, but-......)

Maybe it's none of her business. However, the sight of him pleading his innocence, stifling his emotions, was inevitably stuck in the back of her mind.

Irisdina gently reached for the hair clip he had given her. The smooth feel of polished glass returned to her fingers.

(I wonder why. My heart aches a little ......)

She just wanted to return the favor of saving her sister's life. That was what she was trying to do.

However, the result only left her with an indescribable feeling of discomfort and frustration.

Shaking her head to dispel her anguish, and placing the cup she had drunk from on the saucer, Irisdina got up from her seat and headed for her mansion.

Before she knew it, the sun had completely set and twilight was illuminating the clouds in the sky.

◆

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