Episode 12: Bandit’s Side
For me, Xenon Lestinata was an individual I both admired for their strength and felt a lingering sense of unease about.
I was originally just a bandit, but he treated and then arranged a job for me, a simple bandit. I felt gratitude for what he did, and I had no intention of betraying that.
In the past, I was a member of the Royal Knights, a prestigious profession dedicated to protecting the citizens from monsters and thieves. Many children dream of becoming a knight, swooping in as heroes to save the day. However, I had no such dreams or hopes. I joined the Knights because it was the quickest way to make a living with my sword skills. I had no dreams or hopes, but I wasn’t in a situation where I could say such things.
I had a younger sister who was sick. Her treatment required expensive medication and nutritious food.
Being a member of the Royal Knights should have provided enough money.
─But one day, I was blamed for something and fired by my superior.
Apparently, they found evidence of illegal substances in my room, something I should never have had. At that moment, it was clear that my friend, who shared the same room, had been secretly consuming those substances.
I was betrayed.
Whether it was my superior’s faint sense of conscience or not, the evidence was insufficient to arrest me. But that didn’t change the fact that it had all happened.
My circumstances garnered sympathy from many.
I truly had a miserable life.
But a crime is still a crime.
I hurt people and earned money through illegal means. There’s no room for sympathy there.
I should have been the one facing judgment. Instead, I ended up in a noble’s household, receiving a high salary as a tutor and a guardian knight.
Perhaps my sister had an inkling of the truth.
That I wasn’t involved in legitimate business. So if she heard that I was summoned to a noble’s house, she would probably be delighted.
But was that really okay?
I was a criminal. This wasn’t a false accusation.
Besides, what was Xenon Lestinata thinking?
Hiring someone who had attacked him? It was absurd.
If he were a naive and overly kind person, it could have been explained. But he clearly distinguished between right and wrong, and at times, he seems like a person who can take lives without hesitation. So his motives remained a mystery.
Is it an instinctual reason?
He seemed to have an expression as if he couldn’t quite digest the theory of why he had helped me.
Still, I was saved, and I could now afford my sister’s medical expenses and hospital bills. My social status had risen, and I could enjoy the things I liked.
…Don’t forget, I’m a criminal.
That’s why I find Xenon Lestinata somewhat unsettling. It’s as if he transcends human thought, beyond the realm of understanding.
Speaking of things that go beyond the realm of understanding, his strength, talent, and relentless work ethic also fit that description.
Honestly, he’s strong. Talented, too.
It had been a month since he started teaching swordsmanship.
Having a solid foundation from the beginning played a role, but even taking that into account, his rate of growth was abnormal.
He absorbed what he learned with his body, not just obediently following instructions… he would take what he was taught and transform it into his own style.
As the instructor, he was easy to teach, and his enthusiasm made teaching satisfying.
But even with all that, his growth rate was in a league of its own. I’m always on edge, wondering when he’ll surpass me. For now, my advantage lies in my experience as a knight. Even as a knight, I was one of the top performers. I can’t let him surpass me so easily.
The feeling of not wanting to lose began to sprout while teaching him.
Facial muscles still didn’t move much, but it was true that I had found some enjoyment in this life.
That’s why I’m not averse to self-improvement.
I haven’t forgiven myself for being so powerless against that witch. Magic and swords are different fields? That doesn’t matter. Someday, I want to be able to cut through that witch’s magical barrier with my sword. I won’t shy away from hard work. A boy who’s more than a year younger than me is working himself to the bone, and no adult can watch that without feeling inspired.
…Yet, I still have distrust and unease regarding Xenon Lestinata.
But his sense of gratitude and his attitude toward hard work are worthy of respect.
If, someday, I can dispel that unease, I want to become his right-hand man in the fight ahead.
I’m looking forward to that moment.
“Ray-san? Why are you grinning like that? It’s creepy, you know?”
“Shut up, you damn maid.”
I’ve been thinking about how to somehow detach this guy from Xenon’s side for a while now.
