Volume 4 Chapter 42 Side Braver Xii
After saying that, the man - Rudel - shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, I'm just here as a substitute for my father. Usually, I'm allowed to do as I please, so it's quite difficult to refuse."
"By 'do as you please'... do you mean being a mercenary?"
"Yes, well. Since my older brother is the heir to the family, I, as the second son, am just extra. I'm imitating mercenaries for my future."
"Ah... is that so."
I responded vaguely to Rudel's oddly self-deprecating words.
'In noble families, the second son and beyond are just backups to the heir, who is the eldest son. In the future, they might assist the eldest son when he becomes the head of the family, or they might marry into another family, or even leave the noble world altogether.'
Leiva explains. So, the reason he's a mercenary is to think about what he'll do when the eldest son becomes the head of the family.
It's the same for farmers. Most of the time, the eldest son takes over the family's fields, and the second son either helps him or starts new fields on his own. He's probably the latter.
"By the way, I heard that Brave-sama is from the same place as 'Black Blade.'"
"Um... yeah. You mean Yukina. Well, yeah, that's true."
I know recently Yukina got the nickname 'Black Blade.' It just takes me a moment to realize it's Yukina because the words sound unfamiliar to me.
"Actually, I had another chance to work with him recently. Well, it's not really a big deal,"
He mentioned again the connection between me and Yukina, and the connection between him and Yukina. It's probably just that.
But I wondered what Yukina was doing while I was fighting in the cave.
"What kind of job did you have with Yukina?"
"There were reports of a band of bandits near a town not far from the royal capital, so it was about subduing them and rescuing the kidnapped people."
At Rudel's words, Gabert lightly stroked his own chin with his hand.
"...Oh yeah, I heard a bit about that too. They said they took down some dangerous gang led by a head that only a 2nd rank mercenary could handle."
"Yeah, that's right, Gabert-san."
"You even know my name?"
"It's definitely the name of one of the top mercenaries in the country. I'm familiar with the names of Shion-san and Mayuri-san as well."
When Rudel looked at each of them, the two of them lightly nodded.
"And thanks to Black Blade, we were really saved. Thanks to him, there were no casualties among the mercenaries. All the kidnapped people were rescued safely. Due to the guild's oversight on the bandits' strength, we also received additional rewards."
"That's... great to hear."
I have mixed feelings about Yukina being praised.
"Uh, I'm sorry. I tend to get carried away when I get excited and talk too much, it's a bad habit of mine."
As Rudel scratched his head with a chuckle, I shook my head.
"No, not at all. It was a good time for me to hear about the recent state of my friend from the same hometown."
"I'm so glad to hear you say that. Well then, I will take my leave here. I also pray for Brave-sama's good fortune in battle."
With a bow, Rudel passed me along with his servant.
After seeing him off, Mayuri said,
"Oh, Rudel Jitania, I just remembered."
"Do you know him, Mayuri-san?"
Mayuri nodded solemnly in response to Shion's question.
"He is a well-known noble in certain circles. Although he doesn't seem very interested in power relationships within the country, the head of the Jitanias family himself is reputed to be very competent."
According to Mayuri, in terms of land management, they are said to be one of the best family in the country, and even if he is not interested in power, his influence cannot be easily dismissed, no matter how one may want to.
"And Rudel Jitania. I've heard rumors that he has quite the knack for spotting talent in people. They also say he has a wandering habit, but it is whispered that it is to unearth excellent talents in various places and bring them to his territory."
"Even though he's the second son, he wouldn't be chosen as a representative just for being a prodigal son. It shows how much his abilities are trusted."
Gabert seemed to nod in agreement with Mayuri's explanation.
On the other hand, I felt even more conflicted than before.
This time, it would be strange for me to clearly feel like I 'lost' since I have left results in a different place.
Still, as I fought in the dim cave, Yukina was forming new connections with people.
I knew it was somewhat unreasonable to blame Yukina. However, I couldn't help but feel a sense of competition towards him.
――On the other hand, when it comes to Rudel parting ways with Relix...
"He was truly a man as rumored, wasn't he?"
He walked through the corridors of the royal castle, smiling cheerfully.
"He is undoubtedly a great hero like Hero Yukina. But he lacks a bit of charm."
"As expected, but I don't think you should say that to Brave, young master (若)."
In response to Rudel's cheerful demeanor, Gaddis offered some critical words. His tone was different from when he was a mercenary, clearly showing his loyalty to Rudel.
Gaddis was one of the people Rudel personally scouted for his combat skills and loyalty. He played a role in assisting Rudel both publicly and privately.
"But you're definitely interested in what I have to say, right?"
"..."
Gaddis remained silent. Although he hit the nail on the head, he hesitated to speak directly, even if he wasn't popular with those around him.
As a nobleman, Rudel may not have been known for his seriousness, but he had a keen eye for judging people. While the current head of the Jitania family is undoubtedly a capable lord, Rudel's scouting ability also played a significant role in the substantial development of the Jitania territory.
Drawn to such a person, Gaddis became a servant of the Jitania family.
Whether Rudel knew Gaddis's inner thoughts or not, he continued to talk cheerfully.
"There's no one more deserving of the title Brave than him. He has talent, genuine humility, a good personality, and handsome looks. He's truly like a protagonist in a story."
However... Rudel added with emphasis,
"In other words, you could say he's like a character in a predictable story. Do you understand what I mean, Gaddis?"
"I can't quite wrap my head around it."
"In other words, it means he's like a character in an existing story, where you can predict what will happen next."
In the story, the Brave overcomes various challenges and meets friends along the way. They rely on the help of many people to overcome difficulties and ultimately defeat a great enemy, bringing peace to the world.
This is a common theme in stories, often referred to as a classic storyline or the "hero's journey."
Or you could call it the "royal road", the golden rule of storytelling.
"Normally", the Brave's story would follow this classic path.
"But Black Blade is different."
Black Blade (Yukina) tells a different kind of story where you can't predict what will happen next. Even when researching about him, Rudel always feels excited as if reading an adventurous tale full of surprises.
"This unpredictable story by Black Blade has disrupted the expected harmony in Brave's story."
Whether that's good or bad is something even Rudel himself — no, at this moment, there's no one in this world who can definitively say. Surely, it will be left to the people of the world beyond, who will judge after this story has reached its conclusion and even beyond.
Relix and Yukina.
Brave and Hero.
They are truly contrasting two people.
Normally, they would never come together, but they are both present in this era at the same time.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of legend this man named Yukina will create. ...If it comes true, I also want to be remembered as part of that legend."
"...Please, really stop. I can't handle this, nor can Master."
Rudel was exceptional when it came to talent scouting, but his habit of wandering around was causing headaches for the people of Jitania, including Gaddis. If Rudel gets caught up in any more trouble, their worries will only increase.
"Hmm... let's give up."
"Is that really your conclusion after thinking it over?"
Gaddis let out a sigh at Rudel, who was cheerful as ever.
Rudel's character setting changed about six times, not just once or twice.
At first, he was a sarcastic noble mercenary, then a feeble old man who was surprisingly powerful and energetic like a famous Japanese historical figure.
There were other versions as well, but eventually it settled into him being Yukina's fan, a skilled and wanderlust-prone second son.
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