Chapter 39: A Brother’s Burden

“Why… even though Big Brother has already worked so hard…”

I heard Vinya’s soft murmur of complaint.

I had been gone for so long, and back then, I hadn’t even said goodbye. No, under those circumstances, a farewell had been impossible.

Yet, the undeniable truth was that I had vanished without a trace, without any warning whatsoever.

Vinya, despite everything, harbored no hatred or resentment towards me. Instead, she was still thinking of me. While I felt a surge of joy, a pang of sorrow simultaneously pierced my heart.

At that time, Vinya had been merely five years old. Now, she was almost twenty.

More than a decade had passed. Typically, she should have long forgotten me, her ‘big brother’ who was not even a blood relative, a weakling unfit for royalty, someone even less than an ordinary person—though that was no longer the case.

She hadn’t forgotten me, her older brother. I felt a profound sense of relief, so deeply moved that tears almost welled in my eyes.

Back then, I might not have pondered it much, but now, I often wondered why Mother and Vinya had cherished me so dearly. What exceptional qualities did I possess?

However, the reason no longer mattered. Knowing that Vinya still held me in her heart was enough. Yet, in this moment, I was unable to reciprocate that affection.

‘Forgive me, Vinya. You are incredibly important to me, but Nina is also incredibly important. Even if she is the Demon King’s daughter and shares no blood with me, I must protect her. So… forgive this useless older brother.’

***

“Though you aren’t the Armored Man, you’ve clearly undergone training, haven’t you?” Angela concluded the discussion about the Armored Man and the Saintess, turning her inquiry back to my origins.

“Judging by your performance just now, to speak in adventurer terms, you must be at least Silver-tier, right?”

“Sil-Silver!?”

Upon hearing that tier, Zale gasped in astonishment.

Silver-tier was four levels above my current Pebble-tier, with Porcelain-tier, Black Iron-tier, and Bronze-tier in between.

Advancing a single tier not only required various achievements but also passing rigorous assessments of one’s strength, making it an exceedingly difficult feat.

However, based on the strength I had just displayed, I didn’t believe I was at the Silver tier. Angela must have overestimated me.

“Pebble-tier,” I replied flatly.

“I’m referring to your true strength, not your current registered tier.”

“None.”

“Then why do you have the confidence to protect these three adventurers?”

“It has nothing to do with me.”

“Nothing to do with you? Is that how you treat your companions?”

“They are not companions.”

Each of my answers was devoid of emotion, and to others, I might have sounded exceptionally cold. Yet, I genuinely didn’t want anyone to think I had any connection to these three adventurers.

Our meeting was merely a coincidence… or perhaps not entirely a coincidence. In any case, it wasn’t voluntary, and protecting them was simply an incidental act, a slight concession to their expectations.

However, Angela might well be displeased by this. I recalled her being highly protective of her soldiers, almost equating them to companions.

Seeing my attitude, she would likely refute me immediately. I could almost sense a flicker of anger emanating from her side.

‘She’s probably about to reprimand me next second.’

“That’s not true!” But before she could speak, Helene stepped forward, taking hold of one of my arms. “Sir Armored Man has been protecting us the whole time. He’s just… he’s just not good with words. He barely spoke to us the entire journey…”

Her voice trailed off at the end, utterly lacking conviction.

Truth be told, I wasn’t sure why she was so friendly towards me. Perhaps it was simply because I had helped them at a crucial moment, making me seem more reliable than Zale.

In any case, I was quite grateful that she was willing to speak up for me. To face Angela’s imposing aura with such courage was truly commendable.

However, there was no need to worry about Angela doing anything to me, so maintaining some distance would still be better.

“Sir Armored Man, you don’t even know this person’s name, do you?”

“Eh!? Ah… this… how should I put it? It’s just… it’s not even necessary…”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

While Zale stammered, Karen answered directly and concisely.

“As adventurers, do you not consider it extremely dangerous to form a team with a stranger whose name and appearance you do not know? You are Black Iron-tier adventurers; you should understand such basic knowledge.”

“Then, if I may ask, Your Majesty, why are you willing to invite Sir Armored Man to eliminate the humanoid wolf species?”

Helene asked, her unexpected counter-question surprising me, given her seemingly gentle nature.

“I can discern his strength, his potential, and I am confident I can subdue him. You are entirely different; your considerations should be much more cautious.”

“…Yes, my deepest apologies, Your Majesty.”

In the end, confronted by absolute power, Helene retracted her earlier statement.

But did Her Majesty Angela truly know my potential strength?

Perhaps I couldn’t defeat Sister Lily, a nine-tailed fox demon who had cultivated for hundreds of years, but I was confident I could contend with Angela.

At the very least, I wouldn’t die. After all, I was no longer the useless person who needed his sister to shield him.

“…Presumably, these three have introduced themselves to you.” Angela redirected the conversation back to me. “So, what is your name?”

“…Mori.”

“Mori… Then, Mr. Mori, are you truly unwilling to assist us?”

“Why?” I countered, more concerned with their objective for eliminating the humanoid wolf species.

I had heard that shortly after I declared the cessation of war between the two nations, Angela had left the front lines and transferred to the army guarding the royal capital.

She had effectively returned home, with no apparent intention of participating in further conflicts.

Was she planning to return and enjoy an adventurer’s life? I didn’t think so. She had no interest in such things, nor was there any need for her to bring Vinya out. For her, the safety of her family was paramount.

I couldn’t find a plausible explanation for her current decision.

“…Training.” After a few seconds of hesitation, Angela replied, “I need to cultivate Vinya into an excellent warrior. Even though the world’s situation is trending towards peace, we cannot afford to be complacent. That is all.”

Training… Hearing her say that, she was likely aiming to groom Vinya as her successor. When I left, Vinya was only five. I wasn’t sure if she possessed the capability to inherit the title of “Rose of Holy War.”

However, observing Vinya’s determined expression and resolute gaze, there shouldn’t be too much of an issue… or perhaps she merely maintained a façade of fortitude for outsiders.

At nearly twenty years old, she was already facing B-tier humanoid wolf species and A-tier demon wolves with Angela.

I wondered about Vinya’s strength and if she could endure it. Still, with Angela present, my worries were probably superfluous.

“This is the third time I’ve requested your assistance. Are you willing to help us? With your strength, clearing out these magical beasts would be effortless.”

“…Refused.”

I still refused. If it was for training, why didn’t they just go themselves? Why involve me, a stranger? It made no sense.

Or perhaps, they were probing my identity, trying to uncover the relationship between the Armored Man and the Saintess?

Were they truly suspecting I was the person from the rumors? ‘Apologies, I am merely an ordinary novice adventurer; you will gain nothing.’

“As an adventurer, are you going to forgo such an excellent opportunity for advancement?”

“…We’ve arrived.”

I evaded her question, stopping my steps and looking at the scenery before us. The other five also halted.

Unbeknownst to us, we had reached Blue Lake.