Sevens

Volume 1, Chapter 2 – Former Fiancée Novem

Translated by: Reiji

On a wagon that was loaded with a little bit of luggage, I had taken a leaning posture against the barrel beside me.

The comfort of the wagon, with only a cloth put up as a roof, was bad. It was shaking so much that I was feeling a bit sick. If it was like this, then walking might have been better. Just, my attention was directed at Novem who was sitting snugly in front of me. She placed the square leather bag for traveling beside her and placed her staff on her lap. With her sitting posture and her position, it felt like the inside of her skirt would become visible.

As I was thinking she looked a little too defenseless, Novem also looked at me when I turned to face her. Our eyes met, and after I saw her beautiful violet eyes, I averted my gaze due to this pathetic feeling I was caught by.

The traveling merchant, seeing that from the driver stand, smiled. He might be misunderstanding something.

「Hahaha, how innocent.」

I didn’t even have the motivation to correct his misunderstanding. I simply didn’t want to be in front of Novem. Usually Novem was gentle and calm, but she had this broad-mindedness and a firm foundation somewhere inside her. Recently, I didn’t really have a chance to meet her, but she was one of the few existences who would make me smile when we met.

Why was Novem doing something like this……was she coming in order to chase after me? I glanced at the merchant and after confirming that he wasn’t paying attention over here, I proceeded to talk to Novem.

「Why are you coming along? If there is a place you want to go to, isn’t it better to ride your own coach? Are you intentionally coming to look at me who was driven out?」

I myself understood that my statement was self-depreciating. I knew that but, right now Novem’s kindness was scary. My heart wanted her to stay by my side, but…….

「Because it’s my role to stay at Lyle-sama’s side. Am I being a bother, Lyle-sama?」

Holy cow, apparently she was coming along with me. But, Novem was a daughter of a Baron house. Although she was a second daughter, normally it wouldn’t be allowed for her to come along with a man like me, who was banished from his home.

「I was banished from my house. My engagement with you was also officially annulled. That’s why, go back home……Novem.」

Even if she came along with me, there wouldn’t be any benefit for Novem or the Forxuz House. I had lost everything. Rather, it would only become disadvantageous for them.

That’s right. I couldn’t be a bother for them even more than this.

Normally, nobles would put importance on their house. I didn’t think that Novem would talk about romance or love and make a mistaken decision.

Certainly we were the same age, and we had met many times when we were children. I also had memories of both of us playing together.

However, after my parents began shunning me, I didn’t remember the two of us really talking. I had desperately thrown myself into both the study and training of sword in magic, hoping to be praised by my parents.

I only talked a bit with Novem when she sometimes came to check on me, Novem would be watching me working hard at training in the garden. Such interactions had continued for these past several years.

「I won’t return. Besides, it’s by my own will that I decided to stay at Lyle-sama’s side.」

Rather than staying at my side, I believed that Novem would be able to find a partner worthy for her right away. After all, she was a wife candidate that passed with flying colors even when tested by the Walt House’s “Family Precepts”. Surely there would be no end to the men who would receive her.

She might return home if I said something terrible to her. Because of that, I tried saying some things that even I didn’t believe.

「You’re a bother. Even though I was thinking that I’d finally be free after I got banished from home.」

「……Even so, I will come along with Lyle-sama.」

Novem said that and smiled. Seeing that, I thought. Ever since back when, she had an obstinate side to her. However, wasn’t it fine even if she didn’t show that side of her right now?

It felt painful when she treated me kindly. I thought to say even more terrible things to Novem to make her return home. I persuaded myself that it would be for Novem’s sake.

「It’s my bad, but I’m not interested in someone like you. I’m going to become an adventurer. I’ll live as I please with women serving my every whim. Even this banishment feels refreshing. That kind of house…even without this, I was going to leave it one day. That’s why…」

It made me disgusted at myself for saying that. It was the worst kind of remark. But, with this even Novem would surely get sick of me. I looked down while thinking that. I didn’t want to see Novem’s face of detest, that was my true feeling. But, if I continued like this the talk wouldn’t progress. I lifted my face. As expected, she must hate me now.

What I saw when I lifted my face was Novem’s smiling face. Her smile was gentle as though enveloping around me.

「This is something that I arbitrarily decided, myself. Even if not as a wife, please allow me to attend at your side.」

I felt terribly happy. But, at the same time it made me want to hold my head. After all, if a girl this good like Novem came along with me, she’d likely meet unhappiness

「……What about your house? Even your parents must be sad.」

When I mentioned her house, Novem kept smiling and said.

「There is no problem. My elder brother will succeed the house. I am a second daughter, I also have an elder sister and a little sister. My parents said that if it’s just me alone it’s fine for me to be free and they sent me off. When I said that I will go together with Lyle-sama, they even handed over this heirloom staff.」

Just what are you doing, Forxuz House!? What’s more, isn’t it no good if you hand over the heirloom staff to her!? I felt a headache. Why did the head of the Forxuz House send Novem to my side? Even understating it, Novem was a beautiful girl. In addition, she was strictly disciplined and educated. Even without doing anything, a ton of marriage requests would come flooding in.

By some chance it might be possible for her to even marry into a Viscount or even a Count house. With such happiness that would be hard for her to come by, it would be a waste for her to throw that away for me. Precisely because I knew Novem since childhood, I wanted her to become happy. But, the will of the person herself seemed to be unshakable. It felt like it would be pointless even if I told her. I gave up on persuading her and whispered,

「Do as you please.」

Novem put her hand on her mouth and smiled.

「Then allow me to do as I please.」

It felt like I was being made to dance on her palm. Perhaps she also noticed my feelings, because she looked happy despite the terrible things I said to her.

It was at that time──

『Oi oi, this spoiled brat. You’re really loved, huh?』

I heard a voice that made fun of me. I looked around. There was only me and Novem on the wagon. The merchant was holding the reins at the front. Around the wagon there were peddlers and traveling merchants who were similarly heading to the inn town, but they weren’t at a distance where their voices would reach.

Besides, it felt like I had heard that voice from somewhere before. It felt excessively strange.

「Novem, did you hear a voice? Somehow, there was a teasing voice.」

Novem shook her head sideways at my question. She looked a bit puzzled at my question.

「No. My apologies. I didn’t hear anything.」

Novem talked apologetically. I said 「You don’t need to worry about it」 as I looked around. The voice was male and firm in its own way. But, although there were males in the surroundings, they weren’t at a distance where their voices could be heard clearly. Was I mishearing? Was I still tired?

……Come to think of it, somehow I felt tired today. Was it because my injuries weren’t fully healed yet? My tired self looked up at the ceiling. After looking at the cloth roof covering the wagon, I closed my eyes. Perhaps I was more mentally cornered than I thought.

「Are you alright, Lyle-sama?」

Novem was worried about me. When I opened my mouth to say 「I’m fine」, another voice came from nearby. I could hear it clearly, but Novem showed no sign of noticing the voice.

『It’s already envious enough just to have a fiancée at this age. Even still, the girl is also totally in love and devoted. Just what is the meaning of this?』

『Tou-sanDad had it hard, huh?』

I who was sitting down opened my eyes and stood up, then looked around. Novem was surprised.

「What’s wrong, Lyle-sama!?」

But, there wasn’t any change in the surroundings. The voices consisted of three kinds at least──so there should be three people. And yet, there wasn’t anyone like that nearby who I could hear so clearly. The voices were also different from the merchant’s voice. I also thought about the possibility of the merchant changing his voice to make fun of me but, if that was the case there was no reason for Novem to stay quiet.

「……It’s nothing.」

I said that while thinking.

Am I tired, as I thought? Let’s rest for a bit. Besides, I don’t know why I felt so tired.

.

We arrived at the inn town within the same day. After discussing with the traveling merchant, tomorrow we would also hitch a ride with him again.

Perhaps because of the time we got here, the inn town was bustling. After confirming the time of departure with the merchant, Novem and I searched for an inn. As expected for this type of town, the number of inns were a lot. We walked around the town searching for an inn that still had empty rooms, but as expected every place was fully occupied. Even when we finally found one──

「There is only one room? Is it impossible to have two rooms?」

When I asked the inn owner, he immediately answered that it was impossible.

「There are a lot of people at this time. There is no way we can rent one room for one person. I’m sorry but, if you two are acquaintances please endure staying in one room. Besides, with it being this busy, even this room might be filled up if you don’t decide right away.」

I turned towards Novem, who is standing next to me. She did come along with me, but for me to stay in the same room as a girl was something that I wanted to avoid. However, Novem faced the owner and said 「We will take the room」 and paid the price. She paid with a large copper coin and received the room’s key.

「O, oi……」

But before I could ask if that was really okay, the inn owner said.

「The room is on the second floor. The room number is written on the tag attached to the key. Oops, breakfast and hot water will be part of the service, but we won’t provide dinner, so it will be better to have dinner somewhere else before putting your luggage in. There is a lock just in case, but we won’t be responsible even if your luggage gets stolen.」

I couldn’t understand what he meant about ‘before putting your luggage in’. If there was a key, wouldn’t it be better to leave behind the luggage? Putting me aside, Novem’s luggage was a traveling bag. Novem looked like she was carrying heavy luggage, but she said thanks to the inn owner.

「Thank you very much. We will do so. What should we do about the key?」

「I won’t feign ignorance later on after receiving your money. If you want to leave it here, take this note. If you show that note, I’ll return the key. By the way, next door is a bar, but it also sells food. I’ll guarantee the taste, and the price is also reasonable.」

After being taught that Novem smiled and,

「Then, we will make use of it.」

「Yeah, it helps if you do so.」

Helps? Eh, what does that mean?

I felt puzzled why they were making this kind of exchange, but Novem said that we would go outside and took me along. Not understanding anything, I was taken along and followed her as I was told. We had a meal at the shop next door, which seemed to be unsure whether it wanted to be a restaurant or a bar. The pedestrian traffic was heavy in this boisterous inn town. I looked around restlessly, capable of only feeling flustered at an atmosphere that was so different from thee mansion.

At that time, I could hear the voices again.

『……Wait a second. Isn’t this guy amazingly pampered? He’s way too ignorant of the world. This guy’s been a bit too unreliable for a while now!』

After the wild voice got its piece in, I could hear grandfather’s voice. It was as though it were trying to cover for me.

『That’s because he is a Count! Lyle will be the next Count! Even if he doesn’t know the small things……the, there won’t be any problem!』

But, a different voice immediately criticized me.

『No, isn’t this too terrible? Even from my point of view, he’s far too ignorant and unreliable.』

The voices could be heard again easily, even through the clamour of the inn city. I was certain that the voices came from nearby, and I also heard my name being mentioned. All of the voices were male. However, even when I looked around, there weren’t any men talking to me.

Novem was walking forward while paying attention to me. She turned around and gave me a worried look.

「Lyle-sama, are you alright? You are looking unwell.」

「I, I’m fine!」

I was flustered and talked loudly. Apparently Novem couldn’t hear the men’s voices.

『Good grief, this guy’s looking so unconcerned, even as he makes a girl carry such heavy luggage. His luggage barely amounts to anything! What an insensible guy. If it were me, I’d carry her luggage as I escorted her.』

Along with the voice that was finding fault in me, a casual voice also came. Just how many voices could I hear?

『I wonder how many years have passed since my era……a count you said? Well, in a position that high, the surroundings will do everything for you. If we’re discussin g on whether he’s like a future count…he might be like one.』

And then──

『This would be unthinkable in my time. Even so, he really is unreliable.』

「……It feels like, the voices are increasing.」

Another different voice came. Furthermore, they came from nearby. Each voice was different. There were multiple. They were conversing. I turned my gaze to the surroundings once more. When I also looked behind me, Novem called out to me.

「Lyle-sama?」

In order to not be a bother to the worried Novem, I ignored the voices. But, certainly it was no good that a girl was carrying such heavy luggage while I did nothing. Noticing the problem with that after the

「A, aa……Novem, isn’t that heavy? I’ll carry it.」

Saying that I carried Novem’s luggage. Novem said that she would carry it herself, so I took it from her half forcefully and entered the restaurant. Even still, the voices were criticizing me.

『Hold her hand and escort her by her side. After that, don’t make a woman take care of you!』

That voice could be heard when I entered the restaurant. For a moment I wondered if I should reach out and hold Novem’s hand. Or rather, we were inside the restaurant already. ……Wasn’t it pointless lending her a hand after this late? Perhaps because I was falling deep into thought over whether or not to hold Novem’s hand, it made it look like I was getting all shaken up in front of Novem.

A voice came looking at my appearance.

『……Pathetic. My great grandson is like this.』

I could hear the words great grandson again. Was it talking about me? The gazes of other people were beginning to gather on me due to my panicking at the entrance. While I was acting needlessly scatterbrained, Novem guessed the problem and gently grasped my hand.

「Lyle-sama, that seat is empty. Now, let’s go sit down together.」

Seeing Novem’s kind smile, I calmed down and nodded a beat later.

「Ah, eh……ri, right.」

After getting escorted through a short distance, Novem pulled the chair for me. After I sat down, the voice came again. It was the wild voice.

『……Oi, what the hell’s with this guy? There’s a limit even in being pathetic!』

When I was getting confused again, Novem also sat down on a chair and called out to the waiter.

「Excuse me, can I place our order?」

The waiter who was still a child came running and took the order.

「Welcome! And your order is?」

Novem who opened the menu on the table said to the waiter,

「Can we still ask for the recommendation today?」

「Yes! Is there anything else? For drinks, other than alcohol we also recommend cold juice made from squeezed fruit.」

Novem turned her gaze to me, so I looked at the menu. But, I didn’t know what to order. Novem made a slightly troubled face and turned a smile towards the waiter.

「Two of today’s recommended dish. Also, please give us warm tea after the meal.」

「Got it!」

After Novem told the waiter our order, I looked down. I talked a big game to Zel-jiisan, but I couldn’t even place an order by myself. That kind made me feel dejected

Novem talked to me.

「Apparently, the recommendation is chicken meat. It’s something to look forward to, isn’t it, Lyle-sama?」

「I, I guess. I’m unfamiliar with all the dish names though……」

I averted my gaze and could only agree. Perhaps after looking at me like that, the voices were starting to talk all at once.

『No way. This guy is just too pathetic.』

『Even being ignorant of the world is problematic if it goes this far.』

『This, it’s fine because this girl is kind and attentive. A normal girl would have abandoned him right about now.』

『The rude attitude towards the girl, then the ignorance of the world……this is the heir of a Count house?』

『……Whatever.』

『I can’t really cover for him if it’s this bad.』

『Wro, wrong! I’m telling you all, Lyle’s a good kid. Also, it feels like I’ve seen this girl from somewhere.』

I got the feeling that my evaluation had fallen rock bottom. The food was brought to the table, but the voices kept talking even during the meal. Even when I ignored them, and even when I tried blocking my ears, the voices were still audible. Novem, worried about me, carried both of our luggage when returning to the inn

Or rather, just what is it with this situation! While still not understanding anything, I returned to the unfamiliar inn and rested.

I was waiting for Novem who went to ask for hot water from the inn owner.

After a while, Novem returned to the room carrying a bucket in both hands. She said to use this hot water to wipe the body and clean off the filth.

「There’s no bathroom?」

Novem answered that question of mine.

「Depending on the price there will be inns that have it, but as expected, fundamentally using hot water to wipe the body is the typical. Even in the inns that have bathrooms, most of them will be a public bath.」

「Is that so? I thought there would be a bathroom in each room though……」

I thought that it’d be normal for a bathroom to be in an inn, but apparently that wasn’t the case. Looking carefully, the room’s interior was also terrible. The wall was thin, and the floor was covered with only wooden planks. The wind drafting through was also audible.

Novem made a troubled face and put a towel into the bucket and wrung it. And then, she told me to take off my clothes. She explained things to me as she was wiping off my body.

「There are inns with bathrooms in each room, but such an inn is expensive. There are even places that charge silver coins for a night.」

I recalled the leather bag that I received from Zel-jiisan. There were silver coins inside it.

「If it’s silver coins then I have it. It’s also hard for Novem too without a bathroom right?」

When I said that, Novem warned me. Her voice was serious.

「Lyle-sama, that’s no good! Money will be important from now on. If we don’t save money when we can, it will be gone in a flash.」

「Is, is that so?」

After wiping places like my back, Novem washed my hair next. After moving my head right above the bucket, Novem carefully washed it with hot water. Novem gently washed my hair. An exasperated voice could be heard again.

『Oi, spoiled brat. Get out of the room after you’re done washing your head.』

「Eh?」

I unconsciously almost lifted my head, but I was in the middle of getting washed so I somehow stopped myself.

「What’s the matter Lyle-sama?」

I let out a voice, so Novem called out to me. As I expected, Novem couldn’t hear the voices, no matter how clear they were to me. I told Novem it was nothing. When I was about to put the old pair of clothes in my bag, Novem stopped me.

「Lyle-sama, I will wash and dry the underwear. And then, let’s hang the clothes that we wear outside. Err, and then……」

I tilted my head at Novem, who was looking like she wanted to say something. Then, I heard a voice.

『……Are you dull? Or perhaps calculating? If you’re just sitting there slack-jawed the girl can’t take off her clothes! How long are you going to stay here? Get out quickly! It’s still ten years too early for you to know women!』

I noticed the problem after getting told and got out of the room.

「Ri, right. I’ll go outside. I’ll be outside the door.」

「My apologies for making Lyle-sama do so while you are tired. I will finish quickly.」

After looking at Novem’s apologetic face, I went out to the corridor and found a chair. When I sat on the rickety chair, I couldn’t hear the voices anymore.

「Was I hallucinating? It felt like the voices were giving me advice……no, even so, where did the voices come from? There was no one else in the room besides me and Novem.」

When I sat down, my eyelids were gradually feeling heavier. Even though I didn’t even use magic, I was attacked with a feeling of my stamina and mental strength being sapped. Normally I would recover after a good night’s sleep, but I still hadn’t recovered. Was I not in my normal condition? It was also likely that the exhaustion from fighting Celes surpassed my imagination.

「My body feels heavy.」

Or perhaps, I was tired from going on a journey that I wasn’t used to? With my tired body wiped clean and my head washed, I felt refreshed. I was feeling good, and that might have made me want to sleep. Let’s just rest for a bit…it’s the most effective way for recovering mana. After that, there were various things that I had to think about…well, fine…

.

『Get up, ya bastard!』

I heard an angry voice. I opened my eyes and found myself in a different place from before. I was sitting on a different chair. Looking around, I thought that I might be dreaming.

「Eh, ah……huh?」

It wasn’t the inn’s corridor. Thinking that I might have been taken here without me noticing, I looked at my own body. I wasn’t tied up. It didn’t look like a kidnapping.

When I looked around, it was a round room──a room with a round shape. A round table was placed in the center of the room, and a large, blue stone was embedded in the center. A part of the table looked partially raised, and the chairs were placed in proper intervals surrounding the table. People, including me, were sitting on each of the chairs. Large doors could be seen behind them, each with a different shape.

When I looked up, the ceiling also has a round blue geem embedded in the center. Around it, small round stones were lined up in a radiating shape around the center stone. I could see a total of 22 small stones. When I returned my gaze below, the people were still sitting on the chairs. Everyone had a different outfit, and I didn’t understand what kind of gathering this was.

Right in front of me was a man wearing beast fur on his shoulders. He had log-like arms, and had brown unkempt hair that looked like it had never been trimmed. He had healthy looking sunburnt skin, and his muscles were like steel. What came to mind from a glance towards the man was the word 『barbarian』. He had a large beard, and glared my way with his violet eyes and spoke.

『Your damn eyes make you look like a dead fish. You’ve got no spirit there, spirit!』

Dead fish eyes? Was it that terrible? When I looked around feeling troubled, everyone seemed like they were aged around their late twenties until their early thirties. Each person was male, and each felt like they had a strong presence.

I turned my gaze towards the barbarian in front of me. And then, I recalled his voice.

「Eh? Could it be that voice was──」

『That’s right. That was me. Us! We’ve also been the ones talking to you until now!』

The owner of the voices came to light, but I couldn’t understand the situation. I should be dozing off in the inn’s corridor. And yet, right now I was in this kind of place. A nostalgic voice called out to the bewildered me.

『Lyle!』

I was surprised when I turned there.

「Eh? Gra, grandfather!」

Over there was the figure of my grandfather in his youth. His back was straight and his build was also firmer than in my memory. His gray hair was styled and swept back. And then his sharp gaze and blue eyes. Among these people he was wearing the most expensive looking outfit.

『You have become this big……I’m really happy, Lyle.』

But, it was only grandfather who was in a welcoming mood. The people present other than him were either in indignation, disinterested, or exasperated.

Feeling the gazes directed toward me, grandfather yelled angrily at the surroundings.

『Do you guys have any complaints about my grandson, huh!?』

The one who replied to that was the barbarian styled man. He put his feet on the round table in dissatisfaction and put his hands behind his head while looking my way.

『We called him here because we have complaints! What is this delicate looking bastard! It’s just impossible that my descendant is this kind of pathetic guy!』

I was surprised hearing the words of this barbarian-like man.

「De, descendant!?」

I couldn’t grasp the situation. And then, with my grandfather here, does that make this a dream? As I was thinking that, another person spoke

『Haa…There are various things I want to say, but it looks like we’ll need to start with some self-introductions. Lyle, I am your great grandfather. We never met directly, but well met.』

「……Eh?」

The large man with light brown skin, sweeping back his red hair with his hand, introduced himself as my great grandfather. He was muscular, wore his clothes untidily, and looked like a middle aged delinquent no matter which way you looked at him. The barbarian-looking one yelled at me angrily, since I was standing there with a bewildered look on my face

『You’re really a dumb one, ain’t ya?! I’m tell-ing you, we’re your honorable ancestors!』

The man sitting next to him wore an outfit similar to a hunter’s garb gave an exasperated look not at me, but at the barbarian. And then, he looked my way withb a sharp gaze.

『I don’t want to admit it, but this guy here is a provincial noble and the founder of the Walt House. You don’t need to respect him or anything. He’s just like how he looks – a barbarian.』

「……Ha?」

Surely right now I was making a really stupid look. A man wearing glasses shrugged and said,

『A self introduction is necessary here. Let’s go by turn.』

After saying that, everyone’s gaze converged towards the barbarian looking man.

『I am Basil Walt……the first generation head of the provincial noble Walt House! Now you get it!』

The hunter looked at Basil and clicked his tongue.

『What first generation. It’s really irritating. Oops, it’s my turn. I am Crassel Walt. The second generation head.』

The next man laughed a little and introduced himself in a casual tone.

『This really is an unnatural sight, but it sure is interesting, huh? After all, all the heads of the successive generations are lined up just like this. My name’s Sleigh Walt. If we’re going by the flow of this, then I’m the third generation heard. Hope that’s ok for me to say?』

The man wearing glasses looked at the laughing man and shook his head.

『Tou-san, are you having fun? Then, it’s my turn. I’m the fourth generation head, Max Walt, Lyle-kun.』

The next person in turn to introduce himself was an unmotivated looking man.

『……Fredricks Walt. Fifth Generation.』

After saying just his name, he passed the turn to the next one in line. The huge man looked at Fredricks and gave an awkward smile.

『You are just like always, Tou-san. Lyle, I am the sixth generation head Fiennes Walt.』

The last──grandfather, cleared his throat and said,

『Fumu, I don’t think it’s necessary to introduce myself at this point but, let’s make it clear. I am the seventh generation head Brod Walt.』

Right now I was facing the past heads of the Walt House. I had no clue what was going on.