Chapter 18 : Dream of Little Warrior

The era was medieval, the culture Western…

That was the worldview I’d recognized since reincarnating into this world, and that perception remained unchanged until this moment.

So, a ninja—something you’d expect from an island nation across the sea—appearing here? Does this world have an Eastern culture somewhere?

“…”

Regardless of my assumptions, the ninja-clad intruder stared at me silently.

Since they knocked on the window to wake me instead of ambushing, I could tell they didn’t approach with hostility.

And… looking closely, they didn’t seem like a typical assassin. They looked quite young.

Roughly middle or high school age?

In this world, kids that age might already be adventurers or soldiers, but with lingering sensibilities from my past life, they felt fragile enough to be called a girl.

“…Do you have business with me?” I asked.

To learn why this ninja girl sought me, I quietly questioned her. Wordlessly, she pulled something from her robe.

In her hand was a letter.

Stamped on it was an imperial seal—recognizable to any resident of this land.

A mark often used by those in power to indirectly assert their status, more than commoners.

“Who sent it?” I asked.

But the seal alone couldn’t pinpoint the sender.

Despite my question, the ninja girl only stared silently.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Ahem.”

She was so tight-lipped, I wondered if she was mute.

Well, the letter’s contents should reveal the sender.

Carefully opening the letter, I read its words.

=========== To my dear Logan Smith,

It’s been nearly a month since our last meeting.

How have you been? As for me… things aren’t exactly great.

While I was away, plenty of issues piled up, and I’ve been clashing with vassals and the Council of Elders quite a bit.

Last meeting a month ago, vassals, Council of Elders…

Piecing it together, I realized the sender was Crown Prince William.

Come to think of it, he mentioned sending a messenger before leaving.

I never imagined the messenger would be a ninja girl, but anyway…

Knowing Crown Prince William sent this, the letter gained weight in my mind.

As a representative of humanity, he held sway over the Hero’s path, and it was through his kindness that we were entrusted with raising Rona, the Hero.

============== How has your life been since I left?

My hope is that you, your wife, and the little Hero are living a stable, everyday life.

That girl is destined to save humanity, but to do so with a righteous heart, she must live a human life.

Yes, he still hadn’t regretted entrusting Rona to us.

His sentiment shone clearly in the letter’s opening, but the following words carried a faint unease, not entirely positive.

=========== But cruelly, the world… or rather, the other representatives of humanity, aside from me, aren’t inclined to leave your family in peace.

The mere news of the Hero reaching the Council of Elders caused quite a stir.

I told them I entrusted her training to a carefully chosen war hero, but only a few were convinced.

Some believe the Hero should be entrusted to them. Others seek to place her under their influence for political gain. Some, citing history and tradition, argue she should be immediately elevated as a symbolic figure, an idol for the masses. Others insist she must be taught the justice and virtues of a Hero from childhood.

And whichever way, it’s unwelcome news for you as a couple.

Whatever their reasons, their aim is to take that child from you.

My grip on the letter tightened.

I’d expected this somewhat, but reading it in a letter from the Crown Prince hit harder.

From what I’d seen of Crown Prince William, he wasn’t a tyrant.

He’d listen to opposing voices, so if they pushed hard, he might reluctantly hand Rona over.

=============== So, I pondered for three days and nights.

How to keep that little Hero by your side.

And how to quell the complaints of those stubborn, rigid fools…

Fortunately, Crown Prince William had devised a plan.

The next part detailed his personal thoughts.

============ In truth, their main objection stems from a lack of trust in those I entrusted the Hero to.

Can your family guide the Hero on a path more righteous than they could?

If that’s the crux, the surest solution is for you to achieve results with the little Hero that they can accept.

Results.

The most certain way to prove worthiness.

=============== Thus, I asked them for a grace period to quell their immediate complaints.

This means no pressure will come your way for now, but it also means you’ve taken on a heavy burden.

For that young girl, who knows nothing and need not know yet, to produce results that satisfy those rigid old men is no easy task.

Yes, despite her potential, she’s still an immature child who can’t control her strength.

Demanding results from such a child might force her to face dangers she can’t handle.

To achieve results, pushing Rona into peril with our own hands…

Is that truly permissible as parents?

=============== But you needn’t take it too seriously.

As if anticipating my conflict, the Prince reassured me, continuing his thoughts.

================== No matter how much they rage, they’re just people sitting in meeting rooms, debating hypotheticals.

They won’t go out to verify things themselves, so the news they receive doesn’t usually resonate deeply.

In other words, if you seize a plausible pretext and embellish it with exaggeration and vanity, they’ll have no way to verify the truth and will reluctantly accept it.

In short, you don’t need to achieve something grand.

Wrap a small truth in countless lies to craft a convincing story, and they’ll have no choice but to grudgingly accept and withdraw their objections.

Deception—mixing a small truth with lies to fool others…

A tactic I’d used often on the battlefield, so I easily grasped how the Prince’s plan would work.

The question was whether it would succeed as intended.

If they’re determined to target Rona, would a single small achievement truly quell their discontent?

================ So, don’t worry. Even a small step forward, and I’ll stake my name to ensure no arrows are aimed at you.

The Prince continued to reassure my concerns.

Though I couldn’t yet guarantee success, I felt certainly that this letter was sincere.

Yes, this kind and generous leader would never betray us.

Finding comfort in that, I read the final words with a calmer heart.

================ With the important matters conveyed, I’ll end this first letter here.

Soon, a messenger will visit again to collect your reply, so please share what plans you’ve devised and what progress you’ve made.

As a side note, I’d love to hear about your family’s recent events and how much the little Hero has grown.

I wish your family continued peace.

To Logan Smith, the hero I respect most.

…Respected hero.

A title that felt heavy to me, but I understood his sentiments and the current situation.

“I’ve read the letter. Please send my regards to the Prince,” I said.

Briefly expressing my thanks, the ninja girl nodded silently.

Her immediate turn to leave suggested she intended to deliver the message and depart.

“Wait, could you hold on a moment?” I asked.

I still had questions before letting her go.

As she paused, I posed my question.

“Will you be delivering the Prince’s letters from now on?”

“…” Silence, followed by a single nod.

Reading affirmation, I shared my reason for stopping her.

“Then we’ll be seeing each other often. If it’s alright, could you tell me what to call you?”

“…”

“…Not even your name?” I pressed.

I asked just in case, but was this too much?

Thinking it might only be a professional relationship, she suddenly spoke.

“Asha.”

Turning my attention back, she covered her mouth with her scarf and repeated, “My name, Asha.”

With that introduction, she slipped away, vanishing into the predawn darkness.

Her presence faded completely in moments, showing her mastery of stealth.

Likely honed through grueling training from a young age.

“Child soldier, huh,” I muttered.

A strangely familiar feeling.

The next morning.

After breakfast, I consulted Erina about the dawn encounter.

“So, a young girl visited in the middle of the night to deliver a confidential letter to you?” she asked.

“…Not wrong, but mind your words,” I cautioned.

What if Rona overheard and misunderstood?

Glancing at Rona, playing with her doll, Erina spoke with a worried expression.

“I’m saying this now—no dangerous stuff,” she said.

“I know,” I replied.

“It might happen someday, but going to the battlefield or hunting absurd monsters… you know those are unreasonable, right?” she pressed.

“I agree,” I said.

Rona has power, but she’s still young.

Too young for harsh or cruel tasks. Having rolled through battlefields since childhood myself, I deeply wanted to spare Rona such experiences.

“But the Elders won’t leave Rona alone. Those old men are vicious and rotten,” Erina said, unrestrainedly venting her frustration.

I shared her sentiment, but her words nagged at me.

Casually spoken, they implied a deep familiarity with the Imperial Council of Elders.

Had she directly dealt with them? No, probably just bitterness from serving higher-ups as a battlefield medic.

Brushing it off, Erina glanced at Rona and said, “Should we talk to Rona?”

“Consult Rona?” I asked.

“It’s her task, so her opinion matters most. Who knows? Discussing her future might outline her path,” she explained.

Approaching Rona, playing with her doll, Erina smiled gently and asked, “Rona, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Mnya?” Rona blinked.

“When you grow big and become an adult, what do you want to do? What’s Rona’s dream? Mama’s so curious,” Erina said.

To achieve results, start with what Rona wants… so a career talk first?

Indeed, that approach wouldn’t feel off-putting to Rona.

Consulting Erina was the right call, I thought. Rona, pondering, soon grinned and shared her opinion.

“Dwaegon!” she declared.

“…What?” I asked.

“Dwaegon! Beat bad dwaegon!” she exclaimed.

Her voice rose, her eyes sparkling as she gained confidence.

Not understanding, I asked Erina, “Did you catch what she said?”

“Haha… she wants to slay a dragon. She was so impressed by a fairy tale I read her recently,” Erina explained.

Dragon…

Right, dragons existed in this world.

But mostly as legends passed orally.

Even if they existed, they’re rarely found, so Rona’s goal was, by common sense, a far-fetched dream.

Yet, Rona couldn’t contain her excitement, waving her arms vigorously, passionately chanting her dream.

“Rona! Find dwaegon, do this, do that! Then beat dwaegon!!” she shouted.

“Haha, our Rona really wants to meet a dragon,” Erina said.

“Dwaegon! Dwaegon!!” Rona repeated.

More fervent than ever, Rona’s zeal for dragons shone.

Erina looked troubled, but I felt the outline of our next steps forming.

“So, Rona’s dream is to meet a dragon?” I clarified.

Whether we could actually find a dragon was uncertain, but pursuing it would involve a process.

“Then, Rona,” I said.

Confident she’d be intrigued, I met her eyes and suggested, “How about visiting the Adventurer’s Guild with Papa?”

An adventure to find a dragon.

Isn’t that the classic plot of a fairy tale starring a Hero?