Boukensha Ni Naritai To Miyako Ni Deteitta Musume Ga S Rank Ni Natteta Chapter 12

Hi everyone, sorry I took so long again. But, here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. By the way, I change the last name of the n.o.ble girls from Bordos to Bordeaux, since I thought it suit them better, should I leave it like Bordeaux? Or should I change it back? Please let me know. Thanks for reading ?

On the ground where the snow melts and becomes mottled, two figures are crossing their swords. One of the figures has red hair, while the other has platinum blonde. They are Belgriff and Sasha.

Spring has arrived in the village of Tornela, which causes the snow to melt and stain the ground, while the mountain flowers begin to bloom. From beneath the snow, wheat shoots* begin to appear looking for the warmth of sunlight. In early spring, when the winter cold disappears, the fields begin to revive in the village. The wheat is harvested, the fields are revitalized, potatoes are planted and, once everything is ready, the Spring Festival is prepared. In this festivity, everyone tries to unburden the stiff muscles that had not been able to stretch throughout the winter.

Now that the snow has stopped blocking the roads, Sasha constantly visits Belgriff, even though he is busy with his spring ch.o.r.es. Despite all the work that needs to be done, Sasha begs him to help her practice her sword technique, and Belgriff ends up accepting with a bitter smile. Although he had practiced every day during winter, it is also true that he had not been able to move his body as he would have wished. Sasha's request will allow him to move properly after so long.

Both warriors draw their swords from their sheaths. Sasha's movements are much more refined than the last time they fought, and her stroke is also much heavier. The movement of her center is smoother, allowing her to wield her sword with less effort.

Although at first, they seem even, Belgriff is gradually overwhelmed and can't help but get serious.

“Ha!”

“Ugh.”

Sasha's strike sends Belgriff's sword flying. She can't help but blink in surprise. But Belgriff reaches out his hand, grabs Sasha's wrist and twists it. The young woman screams and drops the sword. When Belgriff hears that, he's surprised and frees the girl's hand.

“I-I'm so sorry, Miss Sasha! It was a reflex… Are you hurt?”

Sasha shakes her head with teary eyes.

“No, it was my fault… But you were incredible, master**! The most dangerous moment in a fight is when you think you've already won and let your guard down! To think that you put yourself in that position just to teach me that… It seems that I, Sasha Bordeaux, still have much to learn…”

“No, no… I was really trying…”

“Next time I will definitely not let my guard down! Please don't be disappointed in me, master…!” Sasha takes Belgriff's hand as she stares at him with tears in her eyes and compliments him. Belgriff can only smile bitterly at the young woman's seriousness. But he lets it go, because the next time they face each other, he is sure that he will be completely defeated. That will clear up any misunderstanding.

Belgriff invites Sasha to the house and makes some tea. Sasha drinks the fragrant drink and sighs.

“In the Bordeaux fields, they started working earlier than here, right?” Belgriff says as he puts dried grapes on the table.

“Well, they're already revitalizing every other field, and the wheat is being harvested. And since the number of magic beasts has decreased considerably, I have had to help more with internal affairs than with missions for adventurers.”

“That kind of peace is a good thing. But why did the number of magic beasts decrease?”

Upon hearing Belgriff's question, Sasha looks at him with a surprised expression.

“Uh… haven't you heard? The Demon King lurking in the suburbs of Orphen has been subjugated. Apparently, the number of magic beasts increased because of its influence.”

Belgriff is surprised by that statement. The idea that a Demon King exists is hard to believe on its own, but then, Belgriff remembers what the Winter Lady said. Is it possible that “Those who seek to rule everything, even the winter” are related to that Demon King? According to the legends, there's not just one Demon King. It is even possible that a Demon King is capable of resurrecting. If so, this might be only the beginning.

While Belgriff a.n.a.lyses all the possibilities he can think of, Sasha continues to speak with considerable emotion.

“Besides, the members of the subjugation group was incredible! First on the list is Maria the “Dragon Slayer”, followed by “Silverhead” Dortos, Chebolg the “Destroyer”, and the person who directly faced the Demon King the “Black Haired Valkyrie” Angeline! I thought you already knew…”

Belgriff is more than surprised. His little daughter has eliminated that monster. It's clear that he's happy and proud that Angeline's name is on par with the strongest adventurers, but he's also worried that she'll have to go on such dangerous missions regularly.

Being a father is a very complicated thing, Belgriff thinks as he scratches his beard.

“Very few letters and supplies arrive at Tornela during the winter… I am sad to say that I am barely aware of everything. Thank you very much, Miss Sasha.”

“No, no… If I'd known, I'd have brought a newspaper…”

“Please don't worry. If the number of magic beasts decreases, that girl will be able to come home more often… Now, what were the errands?”

“Oh, right. I've come on behalf of my sister. She asked me to give you this.” Sasha gives him a letter. The addressee is the head of the village, Hoffman. Belgriff tilts his head.

“This is for the village chief, not for me…”

“Well, actually, the plan to improve the road from Bordeaux to Tornela has been approved.”

According to Sasha, when Helvetica first visited Tornela during the Autumn Festival, she was surprised by the poor state of the road. Although this place is part of the Bordeaux territory, it is too complicated to get here. If worse comes to shove, Tornela may be completely cut off. In addition, the processed cheeses and dried fruits that Helvetica had tasted during the Festival are of great quality. If the road is repaired, it will be much easier to sell these products, and it will also make it easier to transport more goods to Tornela.

Certainly, it's just like Sasha says. If the road is properly arranged it would be possible to send more letters and supplies, even during winter. However, this is not a decision Belgriff can make on his own. Besides, the letter is addressed to Hoffman.

“Anyway, let's go to the village chief's house,” says Belgriff and stands up with the letter in his hand…

Hoffman is in the middle of revitalizing the camps. The man has one of his donkeys plowing the field, while he whistles happily walking beside the animal.

“Hey, chief!” shouts Belgriff, and Hoffman stops his work.

“Oh, Bell! What's going on?”

“We have to tell you something. This is Miss Sasha, a member of the Bordeaux Family.” Sasha makes a clumsy bow when presented by Belgriff.

“I'm Sasha Bordeaux, are you the village chief? My sister, Helvetica Bordeaux has sent me with a message.”

“The new Lord's younger sister? This humble servant has been very rude…”

When Hoffman tries to kneel in front of her, Sasha quickly stops him. “Don't worry! It's okay! I didn't come all this way to be treated like n.o.bility!”

Seeing this scene, Belgriff can't help but smile. “I've been thinking about it for a while, but your bows are kind of strange, aren't they, chief?”

“Ugh…! I'm a countryman, so I can't help it,” Hoffman says as he shyly wipes the dust from his large body. Sasha starts laughing.

Although they belong to the n.o.bility, none of the three Bordeaux sisters has an arrogant att.i.tude towards the common folk. Originally, the Bordeaux clan was one of the most prominent families in the area, and it was they and their descendants who, along with the farmers, rehabilitated the surrounding arid lands. Even after joining a part of the princ.i.p.ality and receiving a t.i.tle, their natural behavior did not change.

The sisters regularly inspect their territories as part of their government affairs, and sometimes even work with the farmers. Despite this, their behavior never ceases to be elegant. The contradiction between their kindness and their social standing gives the Bordeaux sisters a mysterious charm. However, it was the first time they visited a place as secluded as Tornela.

Hoffman led his two guests to the table in the garden to continue their conversation. There's a little snow pile in the garden corner. Some young children play with wooden swords and climb the snow. Apparently, they're Hoffman's grandchildren.

“Hey, Honey! We've got guests! Brew our best tea!” says Hoffman aloud and then heads to the table. Sporadic clouds furrow the sky, the wind is still quite cold, but the sunlight is warm.

Hoffman nods as he reads the letter.

“I see, it's about the road… that would help us a lot.”

“I'm glad you feel the same way. We would really appreciate your cooperation with this.”

“Yes, we'll do it gladly! Won't we, Bell?”

Belgriff nods while he drinks some tea.

“I think it's a good idea. But I believe it would be better to tell everyone in the village before deciding.”

“Oh, right. It would be quite problematic if this were to become a dispute later on. Lady Sasha, I don't think anyone will object, but are you sure about this?”

“Of course! Talk to each other as much as necessary! By the way, this tea is delicious!” says Sasha with a cheerful smile.

“Oh, really? The Lent leaves we use come from my humble personal garden! It's a family recipe where we use Neri dried flowers to improve the taste!” Hearing Sasha's compliments, Hoffman couldn't help but brag a little.

Belgriff drinks more tea with a smile. There's no doubt it's delicious. Lent leaf tea is quite common in the area, but Belgriff is surprised to hear that Neri flowers were added to the drink.

Sasha decides to return home after talking for a while. It is clear that the Bordeaux fields are quite busy during the beginning of spring. But before leaving, Sasha takes Belgriff's hand with a brilliant expression.

“Master! We'll stop here for now! Next time, I'll try even harder to make you use all your strength!”

“Um, Miss Sasha… as I said before…”

“Well then! See you next time!”

Sasha gallantly rides her horse away. As an AA adventurer, Sasha doesn't need any kind of escort for trips like these.

“She's a good girl…” Belgriff says with a sigh.

“Hey, Bell! You'll be busy from now on! I'll call for a town meeting tonight! Gahahaha!”

Hoffman is excited about the biggest project Tornela has had since its inception. Belgriff smiles and scratches his beard. The best thing right now is to let Hoffmann and Kelly take care of the project. He is already very busy training the children and practicing his swordsmans.h.i.+p.

○

The carriage is shaken continuously. There is snow in some places, but the surroundings are filled with signs of spring, and the green plants can be seen by the side of the road. The carriage is pulled only by one horse and it is Anessa who holds the reins. In the back, Angeline and Miriam are traveling along with the rest of the luggage.

“The air is incredible∼! It's like it lightens my chest∼” says Miriam as she chews on dried fruit.

“Aah, you're right… The air here is very pleasant.”

“Mmm∼. Orphen was somewhat contaminated, after all. A place like this would do a lot to improve the lungs of a certain whimsical woman∼.” Miriam whispers unconsciously, letting out a sigh. Angeline can't help but smile when hearing her statement.

“You're really worried about Aunty Maria, Miri.”

“No, you're wrong! I don't know anything about that old lady∼!”

“Fufu. Well, we'll leave it at that. Here, Ane…” Angeline smiles widely and hands the dried fruit to Anessa.

“Thank you, Angie. Apparently, this will take some time. The roads are not well cared for and I can't accelerate much.”

” But then we can relax∼.”

“Right. But you're in a hurry, aren't you, Angie?” Hearing Anessa's words, Angeline shakes her head.

“Nothing will stop me now. There's no deadline for my vacation and I'm very relaxed. Fufu, when I get home, my daddy will be very surprised.”

It's been more than a month since the subjugation of the Demon King. When that fight took place, Orphen's snow was already melting, but Tornela was still buried in it. Angeline wanted to go home as soon as possible, but she had hurt her shoulder, so she decided to wait for the snow to melt and for her shoulder to heal. And then, when the snow was no longer a problem, Angeline bought a carriage and a horse herself. It was time to return home with the huge pile of souvenirs and with Miriam and Anessa, whom she had invited.

Since the defeat of the Demon King, many high-level magic beasts have appeared from time to time, but the veteran adventurers have taken care of every quest. Apparently, they are the remnants of the magic beasts that were in the dungeon.

Since then, the days when adventurers took on quests every day slowly return. Likewise, the adventurers who had left the city are coming back little by little. In addition, Lionel's acquaintances who traveled from the capital also arrived.

They worked together with Dortos, Chebolg and the rest to create the new Guild's reforms. Although it is still in the testing phase, it has been decided that, during the most pressing cases, measures and decisions will be taken with the help of a parliamentary system and not just by the Guild Master. This way, Orphen's Guild will gradually abandon the self-interest system of the Central Guild. However, there seems to be considerable pressure from the Central Guild, and problems seem to be building up.

But Angeline doesn't care about that anymore. The threat has been neutralized and Orphen and its surroundings are safe. All she cares about now is meeting with Belgriff. That's why eight days ago they left Orphen and entered the Bordeaux territory. They are now in the final part of the journey. If they don't encounter any more problems, they'll get there by the end of the day.

Angeline lies down on her luggage and puts her arms behind her head. The sky is blue and the sun is warm. She tries to fall asleep a couple of times, but every time they pa.s.s over a stone, the carriage shakes and wakes her up. The breeze carries the smell of spring. Apparently, the fragrance of the new sprouts has spread throughout the area.

“Hey, Angie∼, where'd you put the water?”

“Oh, here.”

“Miri, give me some.”

“All right∼. You want some, too, Angie?”

“I'm fine.”

When Miriam takes the cork out of the water jug, a soft aroma fills the air. Miriam takes a sip and pa.s.ses the container to Anessa. She, in turn, drinks a little and lets out a sigh.

“We can finally meet Angie's dad. I look forward to it.”

“But the “Red Ogre” sounds terrifying∼. What if she's just nice to Angie?” When she hears Miriam's jokes, Angeline can't keep quiet.

“My daddy's not like that. He's nice to everyone and he's very strong.”

“If you say so, then he must be an amazing person. Ho!”

A girl on horseback comes from the other side of the road, so Anessa slows down the carriage and gathered a bit from the center of the road.

A girl riding a horse approaches from the other end, so Anessa reduces the speed of the carriage and drives it to one side of the road. The girl pa.s.ses by the carriage and looks at the people inside. Then when it looks like she's starting to move away, she screams out loud.

“Wait! Excuse me, but… In that carriage…! That beautiful woman with black hair and eyes… Is it possible she's Angeline? The 'Black-Haired Valkyrie'?”

Angeline nods with a hesitant expression.

“I am… And who are you?”

The young woman comes down from the horse and approaches with a cheerful smile.

“Oh, I'm sorry! My name is Sasha Bordeaux! I want to thank you for helping my sister Selen! I never imagined I'd find you in a place like this…”

The young traveler's name is Sasha. She's on his way back from Tornela. But now her eyes are s.h.i.+ning because she has finally found the person she's been longing to meet. However, Angeline's face becomes blank.

“Selen's sister?”

“Yes! As a fellow adventurer, I respect you very much, Miss Angeline…”

“Really?”

“Huh?”

Angeline jumps out of the carriage. And she slowly approaches Sasha with a somewhat frightening expression. One can feel enormous pressure and intimidation. It's like Angeline's ready for battle. Sasha, who is an AA Rank adventurer, instinctively feels scared and backs down.

“M-Miss Angeline? What did I…?”

“You've got a lot of guts to try and take my daddy away from me. Don't think you'll become my mom so easily.”

“What, what are you talking about?”

“Don't try to fool me. I know you tried to take my daddy to the Bordeaux territory.”

“No, no, that's a misunderstanding! It wasn't me, it was my sister!”

“Fufufufu… No excuses. I'll personally make sure you understand my daddy's greatness.”

“What-what are you doing…?”

Angeline grabs Sasha's shoulder and looks directly into her eyes. Her look is terrifying. Sasha can't help but scream a little out of fear. Are all S Rank adventurers just as terrifying?

Angeline slowly opens her mouth. “First question… What's daddy's favorite food?”

“Hiii…! What…? FFavorite Food? Mr. Belgriff's favorite food?”

“Yes, answer quickly.”

“I don't know! We've only had a cup of tea, we've never eaten together!” at Sasha's nervous response, Angeline's expression becomes cheerful and mischievous.

“You don't even know that. Listen carefully, daddy likes to simmer sheep meat with Kirio fruit. He adds salt to give depth to the flavor and oregano to improve the aroma. He accompanies it with freshly baked bread, and also…”

“Angie, calm down a little, you dummy.” Anessa lightly hits her partner's head. Angeline squints her eyes and turns to Anessa.

“What? I'm busy right now.”

“Listen to me attentively… You've misunderstood things.”  Angeline tilts her head. Miriam is laughing in the carriage.

The misunderstanding is solved somehow by Sasha's desperate excuses. Immediately afterward, Angeline turns red from shame and Sasha, who can't stop shaking, squats.

“Are you all right? She loses some control when it comes to her father…” says Anessa as she rubs Sasha's back.

“Y-Yes, somehow…” Sasha breathes deeply a couple of times and finally recovers her calm. Miriam approaches her and offers her the water jug. Sasha makes a small bow after drinking a little and refres.h.i.+ng her body.

“Thank you very much, I've calmed down.”

“No, no, it's all this dummy's fault. Hey, Angie. Don't look so gloomy and apologize properly.”

Angers is pouting***, but eventually, she bows to Sasha.

“I'm sorry…”

“No, no, I'm glad it's all cleared up…”

“However, you are an adventurer Miss Sasha∼. I have met adventurers who set aside their n.o.bility t.i.tles, but this is the first time I see a person who is an adventurer and a n.o.ble∼”.  Hearing Miriam's words, Sasha happily scratches her cheek.

“Yes, aristocrats usually despise adventurers and say it's a despicable occupation. But I, well, I'm kind of unusual.”

“And you reached the AA Rank? If you work a little more, it is likely that your Rank will increase fast∼”.

“I still have a lot to improve! At the very least, I still lack the strength to properly face Mr. Belgriff in a fight.

“Belgriff… you're talking about Angie's father, right? Have you crossed swords with Angie's father, Miss Sasha?”

“Yes! That's right!” Sasha responds with sparkling eyes. “Lady Angeline's father, the ‘Red Ogre' Belgriff, is my master! He has a wonderful skill with the sword! Despite having a prosthesis in his right leg, his skill is better than I dared to imagine, moreover, he perfectly makes use of it to create his own movements! The sword he wields is heavy and fast since he not only uses his hands to move it but his whole body! And he also has an eye for tactics! In our previous encounter, he created a purposeful opening to attract my attack! I was thrilled when I sent his sword flying, but he caught my hand and twisted it! Don't let down your guard even when it appears that you've already won! I've received very good teachings! Next time I'll work much harder to get my master to take me more seriously!”

Anessa is enthralled by Sasha's pa.s.sionate speech. Miriam just listens with a funny expression. As for Angeline, she approaches Sasha without saying a word and takes her by the shoulder. Sasha, who still remembers the horrible experience, freezes in place.

“Sasha!”

“Y-Yes!”

“I apologize for the misunderstanding. You're a comrade, after all!” That said, Angeline hugs Sasha who is quite surprised.

“Ah-Ah! Are you acknowledging me, Miss Angeline? I, Sasha Bordeaux, swear to do my best to reach your level as soon as possible!” Sasha sheds tears of joy and embraces Angeline tightly. And then they start spinning as they hug each other.

“Mmm…I feel like we're extra luggage at this point,” murmurs Anessa with astonishment.

“Fufu∼! Sasha is very interesting!”

After a little chat, Angeline's group separates from Sasha and continues on its way again. The newly cleared road opened up in front of them. Young wheat sprouts have come out of the melting snow. They are very close to the village of Tornela. The closer they get, the more nostalgic Angeline's expression is.

“A little more…”

“Oh, the fields extend everywhere. It's beautiful.” Anessa breathes deeply. Miriam smiles maliciously and talks to Angeline.

“You're about to meet your father, Angie. How do you feel∼?”

“I'm so happy! Happy to be alive!”

“What are you talking about…?” Anessa is surprised to hear the answer, but focuses his attention on the carriage and accelerates a little.

The landscape she sees from the carriage is the same as the one she saw before leaving. Angeline's chest tightens every time she sees the fields where she played with other children, the roads she walked next to Belgriff, and the woods where she gathered acorns. She's missed this place so much. The loneliness that gradually overwhelmed her disappears. But at the same time, a strange feeling of anxiety reaches her mind.

The landscape hasn't changed but, what about Belgriff? For Angeline, no one in all of Orphen can replace Belgriff, but what if Belgriff has found someone else? In fact, he already has a new disciple, Sasha. She's the same age as Angeline. She's cheerful, bright and pretty. Her admiration for Belgriff seems sincere.

There are also little children in Tornela. Belgriff adores those little ones and treats them as if they were his own children. She has also heard that Lady Bordeaux approached him. Both Selen and Sasha are beautiful women. And most likely their sister is just as beautiful.

Apparently, Belgriff turned down her offer, but what if he feels guilty about it? Belgriff has a strong sense of responsibility, and there is a possibility that this situation will prevent him from continuing his peaceful life.

What if he no longer misses her? What if he no longer eagerly awaits her return? What if she no longer occupies a place in his heart?

“Daddy's not like that!” Angeline shakes her head.

But the anxiety doesn't go away. The closer they got to the village, the bigger the feeling. Suddenly, she feels she has to run away from Tornela, the place she wanted to return to. She feels a pain in her chest…

They finally enter the village. The villagers are working but they turn to see the horse-drawn carriage curiously, seeing Angeline, they can't help but rub their eyes. However, Angeline doesn't pay attention to the stares.

“Where should we go, Angeline?” asks Anessa.

Angeline lifts her face sadly. A familiar nostalgic landscape appears before her eyes.

“Over there…”

The horse-drawn carriage moves in the direction indicated by Angeline. After a while, they arrive at a house. Angeline shyly looks at the place. There are some children playing with wooden swords in the garden. Belgriff looks at them with a tender expression.

Angeline's chest tightens. Her eyes are clouded with tears. She comes down from the carriage with a nervous expression.

One of the children sees Angeline and points at her as he says something. At that moment, Belgriff turns to see her. Apparently, the number of wrinkles on his face has increased a little. But his kind eyes are still the same… he is still the same.

“… Ah!”

Angeline runs hastily and jumps into the garden. She lands in front of Belgirff and talks to him.

“I… I… I did my best! I reached the S Rank! I've killed many magic beasts! And, well, the other day I defeated the Demon King… And… mmm… I did my best…”

Suddenly one hand lands softly on Angeline's turbulent and agitated head. The rough palm that has held swords and plows countless times is now slowly caressing her hair. Angeline runs out of strength and lets out a sigh.

“You've grown so much,” says Belgriff.

“…Yes.”

“You also let your hair grow. It looks good on you.”

“…Yes.”

“You've changed so much that, for a moment, I didn't know who you were.”

“…Yes.”

All of Angeline's doubts disappear completely. And tears run down her cheeks.

“Welcome home, Angeline,” says Belgriff with a big smile.

“I'm home, daddy!”

This concludes the first volume.

*There seems to be a type of wheat that can be sown in the winter and harvested in early spring. You can read more here
**She calls Belgirff 師匠 (s.h.i.+sō). Should I leave it as “master” or use “teacher”?
***Something like this.