I Want to Live a Normal Life - Episode 12: Goodbye Original Story
Episode 12: Goodbye Original Story
“――Well, that’s how it happened.”
“”……””
“……”
“……Uh, I have no idea how it came to that.”
“Neither do I.”
“”……””
Three days after some stuff went down in the capital, I met up with the Count. I had intended to join him immediately, but I had overused my magic and needed a full day to recover at the Count’s estate.
The Sasha family and the people who were captured were properly protected by the “Teldy Family” that received a letter from the former Count. They should be safe for a while. Keep up the good work.
So, when I met up with the Count and Mr. Fenfield and explained what happened, they responded like this. Well, I had only told the Count, “I’m pissed off, so I’m going to mess with the main war faction and Miltia.”
No one could have guessed that the moderate and neutral factions would rise up, seize the royal castle and temple, and that Duke Actos would commit suicide. Moreover, the king, several princes, their attendants, and the high-ranking church officials were all awaiting execution. Even I was shocked when I heard about it from the former Count.
And why is the neutral Marquis Belgard the angriest of all?
“The concern now is the actions of the surrounding countries.”
“Yes, there may be nations that use this incident as an excuse to invade.”
“Ah, about that, Lord Hale thinks that possibility is low.”
“Oh? Why does Father think so?”
“It seems the Miltia have been causing trouble in other countries too. And since the local nobles and commercial guilds were involved, they’re probably too busy dealing with that.”
Miltia really are trash. Apparently, they’ve been up to similar antics in other countries. The documents we brought along had evidence of this, which caused quite a stir. Well, because of that, the moderate and neutral factions were able to act so boldly. If we send this information to other countries, they won’t have the capacity to bother with us.
Still, I didn’t expect Miltia and the commercial guilds to be this deeply intertwined. Yet, they managed to escape in the original story. How? I guess thinking about it now won’t give me answers. Anyway, due to this incident, both will find it hard to move, so I hope they stay quiet for a while—or better yet, disappear entirely.
“Well, in any case, I’m glad you’re safe, Mine.”
“I was worried about you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So, what about that child?”
“Mine, kidnapping is not a good idea.”
“No, it’s not like that. She just got attached to me.”
The girl on my back is Seira, the four-year-old with the [Spirit Eyes]. When I stopped by the slums to exchange information with Sasha, she somehow ended up clinging to my coat. I tried to convince her to stay with Sasha, but there was a problem.
[Oh? You got a problem with our lady?]
[Oh? You wanna go?]
These guys are “spirits.” They can make others perceive their appearance and words at will. They threatened and persuaded me to take Seira along. I get that they want someone to protect her since the church would want her for her abilities. She probably has some title in her status screen.
Oh, and about that cardinal who turned out to be weaker than expected, and the unusually large explosion when I blew up the underground—that was thanks to, or rather, because of these “spirits.” They got angry when someone messed with their “beloved child” and joined in the chaos I was causing. They even heard me say things like “It’s fine to make it flashy” and “I’ll set off some big fireworks,” which got them excited. Did I really say that out loud?
Apparently, the “spirits” can only enhance or weaken other people’s magic; they can’t use magic themselves. There’s probably some higher being, like a god or spirit king, enforcing this. It’s frustrating to think they couldn’t protect Seira in the original story because of this.
Well, at least we avoided that future. And since Seira is a good kid, I’m considering taking her in. Surprisingly, Mine-kun seems quite positive about it, probably because it’s the first time someone has relied on him.
Still, I think it would be better if Seira were raised by someone more suitable, right? I mean, I’m the kind of guy who blows up the royal castle and the temple. Even without thinking about it calmly, that’s pretty crazy, isn’t it?
I also don’t know how I’ll be treated from now on. I kept some things about the cardinal hidden, but a lot got revealed to the Count and the former Count. I’d prefer to continue as an adventurer in the civil engineering field if possible. Well, considering the Count and his people, I don’t think it will turn out too bad. I trust them that much.
“Nice to meet you! I’m Liela! What’s your name?”
“Seira.”
“Seira-chan! Nice to meet you!”
“Ni-nice to meet you.”
“How old are you, Seira-chan?”
“I’m four.”
“Then I’m your big sister!”
“Big sister?”
“Yes!”
[[Aww… that’s adorable.]]
You guys, ‘spirits’, get along well, don’t you? It’s nice to see something heartwarming like this. It feels cozy. Especially after seeing nothing but horrible scenes for the past few days.
“Well, let’s head to the royal capital.”
“Right. Mine, you’ll continue as our escort, won’t you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Hey, Seira-chan, shall we ride in the same carriage?”
“Can I?”
“Is that okay, Mother?”
“Of course, dear.”
It seems Lady Seira will ride in the carriage with the women and Thor. I’m relieved they seem to be getting along. Well, both are good kids, so I wasn’t too worried.
“Oh, then I’ll…”
“Mine, you’re over here.”
“We have a lot of questions for you.”
“Right, of course.”
It looks like it’s story time for me. Can I escape? No? Okay, got it.
—
I feel like I’ve caused quite a bit of trouble, but I think it’s safe to say that Mine-kun’s original route of being experimented on in the underground of Hartelion is completely gone. Hartelia will get a new king, and the nobles’ power structure has drastically changed. At least Hartelia won’t invade Arlteria as it did in the original story. Unintentionally, I was also able to help the younger siblings in Arlight.
I never thought I’d end up living in Hartelia, but it’s not so bad. The Count’s family, Mr. Fenfield, Sasha, Lady Seira, and, although they’re a bit troublesome, the amusing ‘spirits’—I’ve been blessed with the people I’ve met. It’s hard to say if it’s “normal,” but here, both Mine-kun and I can probably live happily.
—
“Father, this checkpoint is in shambles.”
“Hmm, did something rampage here?”
“Mine, do you know anything about this?”
“No, not at all.”
Could you two grown-ups stop grinning at me? And Alt, who looks puzzled, just stay as you are, okay?
