Chapter 42 The Determination Of Two People
"Wow, Adel-san, that's amazing. You defeated a designated Class B Wild Boar without using your Job ability."
"Well, you know..."
Maia and I are staring at the boar meat crackling over the fire.
Thanks to Maia having a flint to start the fire, I was able to make a fire even inside the cave.
"I'm sorry to bother you. Could I have some too?"
"No, it's fine. Besides, I can't finish it all by myself."
"Haha, thank you. ...Oh, it looks like it's cooked. Please have it while it's hot, Adel-san."
"Thank you..."
Maia hands me a portion of the cooked Wild Boar meat.
Both Maia and I eagerly bite into the meat.
Surprisingly, it tastes delicious compared to when it was raw.
――Wait, why am I feeling so relaxed?
I turn my gaze to Maia sitting next to me.
She calmly chews on the meat without any tension.
"Mmm, this is my first time eating it, but it's quite tasty."
"..."
The fire flickered, illuminating Maia's well-structured face.
I realized I was there, unsure if it was appropriate to touch, so I also took a bite of the meat.
"Hey, is it time? Tell me the reason you came here."
After the two of us ate the meat, I broached the main topic.
The fire we used for cooking was smoldering, and we were sitting on a nearby rock.
"Earlier, you mentioned being ordered to assassinate me. But I don't sense any hostility from you. You were casually eating meat next to me."
"Hehe, that's right. ...I was indeed given an order to assassinate you. However, I have no intention of doing so."
With a mischievous smile, Maia then adopted a slightly serious expression.
"I came to see you to give you a warning."
"A warning...?"
"Yes. To make it easier to understand, let me start by saying that I was born into a family of assassins."
Maia said, tilting her head slightly and pushing her translucent silver hair behind her ear.
Her gesture was that of a cute girl, not at all like that of an assassin.
"However, I have never killed anyone. I don't want to kill anyone in the future either."
Somehow, those words felt right.
She had been giving food and a cloak to me, a homeless.
Maia's actions didn't really fit those of an assassin in the first place.
"Even though I'm an assassin, I have never killed anyone. Despite that, my father and brother have given me an order."
"...Is that order to kill me?"
"Yes."
Maia nodded.
"So, do you know who I am?"
"I do. You are the Seventh Prince, Adel Vandale-sama."
"...Former, though."
Well, I see.
In other words, I had been judged as the perfect first target for Maia's assassination.
My job abilities aren't anything special, and since I was exiled, there's no need for lingering grudges.
That's probably the reason.
But then, it becomes even more unclear.
"Hey, Maia. Why aren't you trying to kill me? Well, of course, I don't want to be killed either."
"...It's because my mother was a kind person."
Was... that the case...
"My mother told me. Even if born into an assassin family, you are still you. Enjoy cute things like a girl, find what you love, and live for that. ...And I dislike killing people. That's all."
"I see."
For Maia, her mother was an important person.
Looking into her eyes, I somehow felt that.
"So, what's the warning?"
"Alright. I have no intention of carrying out this assassination. However, as a family of assassins, we cannot simply ignore someone we have decided to assassinate."
"Well... I suppose that's true."
"In that case, most likely my father or brother will be targeting your life. Both of them possess very powerful job abilities. So, please. After this, I want you to leave and escape to a distant place."
I see.
Maia came all the way to me to deliver this message and have a conversation.
However...
"I have one question. What will happen to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You said earlier that you have no intention of carrying out the assassination. Just like how you won't overlook me, I can't imagine the assassin family overlooking your decision."
"I suppose I will be forced into a marriage with some unknown noble. That's probably where it's heading."
"..."
"Please don't make that face. It'll be alright. I'm sure if we talk, my father and brother will understand."
Maia said in a cheerful tone to change the atmosphere.
"Maia. I'm sorry, but I think your idea is too naive."
"...Yes, I understand."
As she spoke, Maia stood up.
"Well, I'll manage somehow."
She said with a fleeting smile, and I understood.
This girl was just like me, exposed to the waves of unreasonableness due to someone else's arbitrary decisions.
While eating wild boar meat earlier, I noticed a bruise on Maia's face illuminated by the fire.
It was probably a scar inflicted by someone in her family.
In other words, Maia's current family consists of those kinds of people.
"Oh, right. Here, take this."
"...?"
Maia handed me a hemp bag.
When I peeked inside, I saw a large amount of Golarna gold coins weighing it down.
"What do you mean by this...?"
"Adel-san, you don't have money, right? With that much, you won't have trouble going to another region. Please use it to escape successfully."
...Being too kind has its limits, right?
I mean, after what happened with the apple and the black coat yesterday, she expect me to just stay quiet and run away alone?
――This is no joke.
That was a foolish question not worth pondering.
I stood up to call out to Maia, who was heading towards the entrance of the cave alone.
And then, at that moment, Maia's footsteps halted.
Looking to where Maia's gaze was fixed, a large man stood there.
"So, it has come to this, Maia."
The large man said with a smile.
Despite his imposing figure, it was a sly and sticky kind of smile.
――That man, if I remember correctly, was next to Maia the first time I saw her... which means...
"Largo-niisama..."
Maia, who had frozen in place, was trembling slightly.
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