245 - Aria's Profit
Night.
While the surroundings were quiet and everyone was asleep, Monica had taken over the night watch.
Everyone was lying down and sleeping in the porter's wagon, but I alone had been called by the Fifth Head and was facing him inside the jewel.
The Third Head, the Seventh Generation, and Mireia-san were watching the scene from a short distance away. Or rather, they were watching with amusement.
『Is it that? I wonder if the Fifth Head was also troubled by something like a harem? Man, I'm glad I only had one wife.』
『Indeed. It is a hardship we cannot understand. I, for one, married after experiencing love. Well, it is a fact that Zenoa's status was superior to that of our house, which made the marriage convenient.』
『He managed it relatively well, though. I wonder if Father thought there was a problem? If it were me, I would have returned to my parents' home the moment my husband prepared a concubine. My brother's wife bore it well, despite it being a love marriage.』
Ignoring the group who were whispering and looking at us with enjoyment, the Fifth Head began to explain about Aria to me. The one who had defended Aria was the First Generation, and the Second Generation had a streak of hating her. The other successive heads had not expressed any particular opinion regarding Aria.
However, now that Aria had started saying it would be better if she didn't marry me, the Fifth Head's eyes changed as he urged me.
『Listen, Liel! That Aria—Aria Rockwood is a very important girl for you.』
"No, have you ever said such a thing even once until now? Besides, if that's what Aria wishes, as for me—"
The Fifth Head, inside the jewel, in the Room of the Round Table, manifested his weapon, the whip-sword, and with the blade facing sideways, he struck my head with the flat part.
Mireia-san, who was watching this, looked surprised.
『Oh, Father got angry at a child. That is a very rare sight.』
I pressed the spot where I was hit with my hand. Since he hadn't hit me with that much force, I continued to listen to the Fifth Head's story.
『Listen, Liel. Women sometimes lie for their own profit. They offer their bodies for money. There are times when you don't know what they are thinking behind their smiles. I've lost count of how many times I've thought we should learn from the purity of animals... right, now is not the time for talk of animals. Listen, anyway, women lie more easily than men.』
"Well, I suppose that's how it is. I'm an adventurer, so I've heard various things, and I've heard stories like that too."
Women are good at lying. I knew that, but I couldn't understand why the Fifth Head was telling me this. While I remained confused, I heard the Third Head's whispering voice.
『Huh? Liel doesn't get it.』
Mireia-san also seemed exasperated.
『My recommendations are Miranda and Shannon, so I don't care about the others, but I think that's a bit much.』
Only the Seventh Generation, like me, did not understand. He tilted his head, and the Third Head and Mireia-san looked at him with exasperation.
The Fifth Head looked at me and looked down, then put his hand to his forehead as if he had a headache, thinking for a moment. Then, raising his face, he spoke to me.
『Liel, Aria lied. It was for her own profit. Do you understand what that profit is?』
Hearing "Aria's profit," I immediately thought it was for Aria herself. Indeed, Aria would be happier finding another man than marrying me. Not just Aria. The same could be said for the other women.
However, since the Fifth Head was asking this, the answer might be different.
"Isn't Aria's profit for her own sake?"
The Fifth Head looked at my face and spoke.
『Aria intends to step aside for your sake. That girl is bad at lying. Her body moves before her head, and she says what she thinks. Did such a girl dislike it when you kissed her?』
I shook my head, but the Fifth Head held his head in his hands. He said things like "You still don't get it," while a whispering voice sounded. It was Mireia-san.
『Liel is like that, isn't he? Since he's brought down every woman he's aimed for, he doesn't really understand what it means to be hated.』
Hearing that, the Fifth Head raised his face as if remembering something and snapped his fingers.
『That's it! How were you treated at the mansion!? Remember their faces. When you said something, what kind of reaction did the other party show!?』
I remembered. Around the time I started being hated at the mansion, when I said something to those around me, they would complain. But gradually, those around me began to treat me like a nuisance. The worst was when I was treated as if I weren't there.
"They had very cold eyes. As if I didn't even exist..."
『Right. I can understand that feeling. Aria says clearly if she hates someone. Such a girl followed you all the way to Beim. She decided to fight Celes too. Why do you think that is? Do you think it's for Aria's own future? When you said you would truly grasp the continent in your hand, how many people actually believed it? Even now, it's a goal that would be laughed at if spoken aloud. What about Aria, who heard that before coming to Beim? Surely, she must have needed considerable resolve. She might have even been prepared to die.』
Hearing that, I no longer understood what "Aria's profit" was. And, what was Aria's happiness...
"...Fifth Head, I want Aria to be happy. If she continues to follow me, can she be happy... and everyone else too!"
The Fifth Head once again struck my head with the flat part of the whip-sword. This time it was quite painful. Pressing my head with both hands, my eyes welled up with tears.
『—Liel, you needed the strength of the women to defeat Celes. You also decided to accept them as they are, right? Listen, I'll tell you this much. It's not "Can she be happy?" You make her happy! Not just your wives. Among the people you will kill from now on, there will be many innocent ones. Have you thought about what will happen to Beim? For what purpose do you kill? For what purpose do you crush others and move forward? It's not just to grasp your own happiness, is it?』
The Fifth Head tossed the whip-sword into the air. Seeing the whip-sword vanish into particles of light, I listened to the Fifth Head's words.
『I couldn't do it. That's why I have no right to speak. I know that, but I'll say it anyway. The others think it's no problem if Aria leaves. No, they might think that as long as she lends her strength, it's fine if she leaves afterward, provided they take some care of her. But, I absolutely will not accept that. Because it's important, I wanted you to realize it yourself, but if you still don't understand, I'll tell you.』
Unlike the Fifth Head, the other members certainly seemed to think that as long as they could get Aria's cooperation, it was fine if she didn't become my wife afterward. However, they seemed intended to show gratitude for the cooperation. I thought that if Aria wished for that, it would be fine.
However, the Fifth Head told me with confidence.
『Aria's profit is—Liel, it's you. It's your happiness.』
Morning.
Stepping out of the porter's wagon, I saw Aria swinging her spear.
The damp morning air. The grass on the ground was wet, and my boots got wet as I walked. The cries of insects could still be heard around me, and the sun had not yet fully risen.
The surroundings looked blue.
In the midst of that, Aria, swinging her spear, seemed to be sweating. She seemed to have noticed me, but without turning her face, she spoke to me.
"What? It's distracting, so if you're going to move your body, could you go somewhere else?"
I felt that her cold, dismissive attitude was slightly different from before. Did she really step aside for my sake? Was it not a misunderstanding by the Fifth Head? While various thoughts floated through my head, I extended my left hand to the side.
A magic circle appeared, and a wooden treasure chest came out of it. It was the Seventh Generation's skill—Box. What appeared as if jumping out was the remaining sabers.
Since they were mass-produced, several were still inside the Box.
Grabbing the scabbard of the jumping saber with my left hand, I gripped the hilt with my right and drew the saber.
While holding the scabbard in my left hand, I pointed the tip of the saber at Aria.
"...Let's continue from where we left off. Last time was a landslide victory for me. We've both grown a bit since then. Don't you want to test who is stronger now?"
Aria stopped her movements, thrust her spear into the ground, and looked back at me. She looked perplexed, but also as if she were prepared... a complex expression.
"What? You don't need a woman who doesn't sway toward you? Then you should have just kicked me out from the start."
I also didn't know how to respond to Aria. Because I didn't know, words didn't come out of my mouth. Then, the Fifth Head's voice came from inside the jewel.
『Liel, don't think you're the only one who's anxious. You... don't make the same mistake I did.』
Exhaling lightly, I stepped forward and thrust the saber straight at Aria.
The fact that it was stopped by the shaft of the spear was likely because the spear was superior in quality and the shaft was sturdy.
If this had been the katana that was made for me, the story might have been different.
"Your reaction is fast."
Aria's gaze became sharp. Her consciousness seemed to have switched. From the usual Aria to the Aria during combat—.
"If you underestimate me too much—you'll get hurt!"
As Aria's power surged in an instant, I was forcibly blown away. It seemed the skill recorded in the red orb Aria possessed had been activated.
Leaping lightly backward, my footing slipped slightly on the wet grass as I landed. Aria, who was in front of me, crouched slightly and vanished from before my eyes.
"Quick!? No, the second stage!"
It was Aria's own unique skill. Because she moved instantaneously and quickly, it had more explosive power than the Fourth Generation's skill—Speed. However, the duration was very short.
Aria, who mastered such a Quick, moved to my right side for a moment and showed herself.
"Feint... left!"
Even if I tried to pinpoint her position with the Second Generation's or Sixth Generation's skills, she was too fast, and capturing her was a struggle.
With the scabbard in my left hand, I blocked the strike of the spear that Aria swung down. My body, strengthened by the First Generation's skill—Full Over—could not withstand it, so I parried Aria's strike.
However, Aria immediately moved—and came right behind me.
Rolling to the right instinctively, a slash flew through the place where I had been, gouging the ground and sending grass flying into the air.
The Fifth Head's voice could be heard.
『Don't hold back. Answer her with everything you've got. It won't go like before anymore.』
Taking a deep breath, I decided to use all the skills I possessed.
Aria noticed the change in my atmosphere and approached. The grass where Aria rushed through with Quick parted as if opening a path.
I crossed the saber and scabbard to block Aria's strike. Aria's strike, which hardened the weapon, amplified power, and increased speed, was difficult even to endure.
"You used Quick and... Slash simultaneously. That was truly dangerous."
Aria's face was close. Then, Aria was smiling slightly.
"You're the one who started the fight, Liel!"
Aria vanished from before my eyes.
I used the Fifth Head's skill—Dimension—to perceive the surrounding terrain three-dimensionally, and further gathered information with the Sixth Generation's—Real Spec.
Using even the Second Generation's—Select—I unleashed magic toward Aria. As several fireballs tracked Aria, I muttered.
"Full Burst... then Full Drive!"
Using the First Generation's and the Fourth Generation's third-stage skills simultaneously, I rapidly approached Aria. What was surprising was that even in such a situation, Aria had clearly noticed me.
Within the surroundings that moved slowly, only Aria was moving slightly faster than others. However, Aria's lips moved. Reading that movement...
[Boost]
—I read.
Immediately after, a small, truly small particle of light appeared from Aria, and Aria stepped into the world of the Fourth Generation's skill. Aria had caught up to the Fourth Generation's skill.
"Right there!"
As Aria swung her spear, the scabbard I used to block it was destroyed, unable to withstand it. She was moving faster than me, and her power exceeded mine.
"You said vanguard-type skills are unreasonable."
The characteristic of vanguard-type skills lies in their explosive power specialized for attack. Even for physical strengthening, they are more aggressive than the First Generation's skills. Due to the burden on oneself, they cannot be used for long periods, but even so, the instantaneous explosive power is different.
As Aria sent slashes flying, I ran across the ground to avoid them. The ground was gouged. My whole body was wet, and because of the mud that flew into the air, both of us were covered in mud.
Looking at the serious Aria, I spoke.
"You've gotten stronger. You're really strong, Aria!"
As I swung the saber down at Aria, the mass-produced saber shattered against Aria's hardened spear. While watching the fragments scatter slowly around us, I reached out to Aria.
Grabbing her by the collar of her clothes, I brought our bodies close to prevent her from swinging the spear.
Then, tripping her and rolling, I ended up pinning Aria down.
As the flow of time around us returned to normal, I felt the wind blow. To my sweaty body, the wind felt cold and pleasant.
"My win, then."
"...Yes. I lost again. So, why did you do this—"
—Why did I do this? Before she could finish saying that, I spoke to Aria.
"It's the answer to yesterday. Since you lost, obey me. Stay by my side. I... need you."
Aria looked at my face and looked as if she were about to burst into tears. No, tears spilled, and she covered her face with her hand.
"...I'm not amazing like everyone else. I'm weaker than Liel, and I have no money! I can't even provide manpower! You don't need me anymore! There are plenty of girls prettier than me! I... I don't want to be a burden to Liel."
At that moment, I felt as if I heard the voice of Aria's heart. Indeed, Aria had lied.
"Even so—stay by my side."
—The Fifth Head, who had been watching over Liel and Aria, breathed a sigh of relief, as if he were reassured.
『Honestly, just because it's a long relationship doesn't mean I can understand everything... he really is a handful.』
Looking at the Fifth Head, who sat at the round table looking relieved, Mireia spoke.
『Wouldn't it have been good to do at least that much in our time as well?』
The Fifth Head looked down and spoke sadly.
『...Could I? I'm the lowest of men. I weighed my family against the territory. I increased my family for the sake of the territory and made my own children unhappy. I knew it. I was wrong. Even so... that was the only choice I could make. That's why I...』
The Fifth Head's era also had many problems. That was because those around them were wary of the Walt family. From the First Generation to the Fourth Generation, they were a Baron family. That is normally impossible.
Moreover, the Fourth Generation had succeeded in governing. He had made it happen. Therefore, those around them were terrified.
The hero Slay Wolt was a fierce general who charged into an army of ten thousand with dozens of subordinates, and he was also The Righteous General.
The possibility that that blood might revive existed, and those around them feared the Walt family. Mireia spoke a bit sadly.
『It would have been better if you had told us more. Even just... just conversation would have been fine. Even I had times when I wanted you to put it into words.』
Mireia's Magic Eye also had the power to see through the opponent's mental state. She judged it by the movement of magical power, and Mireia knew that the Fifth Head, who was expressionless and uninterested in children, was always grieving.
The reason he became dependent on animals was that his spirit could not hold out.
Mireia spoke to the Fifth Head. Straightening her posture, she showed a beautiful bow.
『Please teach Liel everything. I beg you, Father. That boy needs your teachings too. The feelings you thought were unnecessary were necessary for the Walt family. Isn't it fine? Even if he's bullied, even if he's made fun of. The fact that the Walt family climbed up to the rank of Count from there is undoubtedly because of Father's achievements.』
The Fifth Head remained looking down and did not answer—.