Maseki Gurume – Vol 5 Chapter 9 Part 5

It’s Ko-Fi’s Supporters’ chapter (96/116), enjoy~

ED: Lonely-matter

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Part 5

 

Ain grabbed his sword and moved towards Lloyd.

When Grint saw this, he intensified his eyes.

“Hmph! It’ll be quick──”

It won’t take long.

Grint thought back to Lloyd’s fight earlier and was convinced that his brother Ain would never be able to cross swords with such a monster. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he thought that Lloyd might be even more powerful than Logas.

“…..”

Elena, by contrast, was watching quietly.

Suddenly, she heard her daughter cheering him on, “Ain, do your best!”

When she looked in the direction of the voice, she saw her daughter, her eyes shining and her mouth open, willing to shout even though there were many people around her.

Elena had never seen her daughter looking so happy.

Just as she realized that her daughter really loved Ain, Lily suddenly took Elena’s hand in hers.

“I’ll hold our hands together.”

“…Huh?”

“I know you don’t want to do this, but please be patient. Oh, look, here it comes.”

Elena was about to complain, “I’m not a child.”

But then her whole body was hit by a shock that seemed to crack the air, and she cowered unconsciously.

“What was that…?”

The trees were shaking. But there was no strong wind, nor was there an earthquake.

But what in the world was that shock?

Looking next to her, Grint was also surprised, but unlike Elena, he had not taken his eyes off Ain.

“Yes, yes. It’s all right.”

Elena was embarrassed, but she seemed momentarily terrified.

She wouldn’t say that Lily’s hand holding had made her feel safe.

“I think you’ll get used to it, so don’t worry about it, just watch.”

“What do you mean I will get used to it? … Kyaaa!?”

The same shock as before struck her again.

“Li-Lily! What’s going on…?”

“It’s just Ain-sama swinging his sword. I told you, he’s a hero.”

Look, it’s time for you to calm down and take a look, said Lily.

When Elena was urged in a calm tone to look at the situation, she observed the square, the figure of Lloyd, who showed the strength of a completely different person compared to earlier, and the figure of Ain, who showed a sword fight that was superior to that of Lloyd.

“…Is that really him?”

“I’d like to say it’s rude of you to call him that, but I’m pretty certain that it’s Ain-sama.”

Even while doing this, the sound of Ain and Lloyd colliding can be felt like a shockwave. It is a strong stimulus that tingles as if it were cutting through the skin.

It’s just a sword fight, but the impact is so strong that Grint is speechless.

“The two of them are really out of the ordinary. One is a hero… the other is a marshal. Dill-kun is also one of the most talented, but he is not as good as those two.”

“…Logas-dono said that the crown prince has no talent with a sword.”

With the scene in front of her, she could only think it was a lie.

“Hmm, when you say that, Lloyd-sama has no talent for swords either. His inborn skill is sewing.”

It never crossed their minds that such a person would stand at the top of the knights of a country. The fact that this is so far out of Heim’s common sense, Grint weakly let out the words, “No way…”

Then he let out a huff.

He had estimated earlier that Lloyd’s strength might be more than Logas. That would mean that Ain would also be an even stronger man.

“This really is more than my father──”

“Even Logas-dono can’t win, can he?”

“Y-you!”

“Please don’t be angry. You started it yourself.”

“Shut up. Just shut up.”

He wondered if his father could fight like those two. Will he be able to withstand that sword?

For Grint, the best battle he had ever seen was the one between Logas and Ed. But that perception had already been shattered, and this fight between Ain and Lloyd would be the pinnacle. Even though he tried to shake his head and forget about it, the shock that stung his skin would not let up.

“──Damn it!”

He gritted his teeth as if they would shatter and punched the tree next to him hard.

He then ran off towards the ship without saying a word.

“Oh, he left, didn’t he?”

“Good grief… it’s your fault too.”

“Oh, you sound just like Krone-sama!”

“We’ve had this conversation many times. You know we’re mother and daughter, right?”

She finally let go of her hand when she was able to afford to say something light.

The sea breeze blew on the separated hands and cooled Elena’s hands a little, as the warmth had just disappeared. Lily smiled and told Elena that this seemed to be the coldest goodbye of her life, as diplomatic relations had been severed, but she still kept her mischievous smile.

“…It seems like that. What do you think about it, Krone-sama?”

“I think the influence of Warren-sama has a lot to do with who I am now, but I think my mother has a greater influence on me.”

 

“…Eh?”

Lily, who was wearing a tight smile, suddenly mentioned Krone’s name.

Elena wondered why she was saying it but was surprised to hear a voice behind her.

“Krone-san, Lily-dono and I will be waiting nearby.”

“Thank you very much, Chris-san.”

Elena thought she had come alone, but it seemed she had brought Chris with her.

Chris then walked away with Lily.

“…It’s been a really long time.”

When it was just the two of them, Krone hugged Elena tightly.

The reunion during the meeting was such a moment that both sides could not talk about what they wanted to talk about. But now it was just the two of them, and they didn’t have to worry about what others thought.

“Krone, what are you doing here?”

“Lily-dono was sending a signal. Warren-sama confirmed it, so… I asked Chris-san to bring me here.”

Elena wondered when Lily had done that.

But, well, she didn’t want to worry about the details right now. This might be the last time she would be able to see Krone’s face.

 

 

She hugged her daughter, then looked at her growing face and said.

“You’ve become a much more attractive girl than you used to be.”

“Ara, was I not attractive in the past?”

“You used to be a tomboy who wouldn’t open the engagement papers and throw them in the trash.”

“Well, that’s terrible. It was Mother’s fault for not bringing Ain’s papers, you know?”

“…Even if I had brought it, you would have thrown it away.”

“That’s certainly not true. If it was Ain’s, I’m sure I would have checked it properly.”

She’s always been the same, confident, determined girl. But the reason why she looks more radiant than in the past is because Heim was too small for her, and she was polished in Ishtalika.

“How can you be so confident when you have no proof?”

“Yes, I have faith. That’s why it’s Mother and Father’s fault.”

“…Yes, yes. I’ll tell him that, too.”

Satisfied with her answer, Krone left Elena’s chest with a smile on her face.

Standing next to her, she turned her gaze to Ain, who was in the middle of a battle.

“I heard that Ain introduced you to an inn in Magna?”

“…I didn’t even realize it was the crown prince at the time. So who told you about it?”

“Warren-sama. But Ain doesn’t know about it. It’s been kept a secret from him.”

“I never thought the crown prince would be walking around alone. But now I know why he is allowed to walk free. …He’s such a strong man, isn’t he?”

“Fufu, he’s a hero after all.”

“With a hero as your companion, you can take a walk at night, right?”

Krone’s face twisted into a grimace when she heard those words.

“You know, I was about to kiss Ain that night, but I was interrupted by the third prince and his people, who came by accident.”

Krone is three years older than Ain and will be sixteen years old on her next birthday.

For a noblewoman, it is not surprising to be married at that age, and for some people, it is natural to have children.

However, the situation is different when the other party is a crown prince like Ain.

“…Krone? I understand that you like the crown prince, but…”

She was about to point out that she shouldn’t be speaking about things like kissing so easily.

“No, I don’t like Ain.”

Elena tilted her head when she heard the incomprehensible answer. She was a little surprised but relieved when she heard the following words.

“I don’t like him, but I love him. At least it is somewhat like I really love him.”

 

[T/n: Suki & Aishiteru.]

 

“Yes, yes… I understand that you love the crown prince, but…”

There is a saying that love changes a woman, and it seems that Krone is no exception.

Elena knows that her daughter has been working hard to get to her current position, but as a mother, seeing her daughter like this makes her slightly confused.

“What does the crown prince think of you?”

“I don’t know. I am not Ain, after all. …But the other day, Ain almost kissed me on the lips.”

Considering the character of Ain, Elena understood that he was thinking well of Krone.

As a mother, it was regrettable that she couldn’t hear a definite answer, but thinking back, she remembered that Lily had also mentioned that things were going well between them.

So, as a mother, she hoped that her daughter’s feelings would be fulfilled.

“I hope nothing gets in your way next time.”

And so, she supported her daughter’s love life.

 

──It was around the time when Krone and Elena were enjoying their conversation.

The battle between Ain and Lloyd has finally come to an end, and Ain has returned to his seat after working up a sweat. With the support of the royal knights, Ain enjoyed his first fight with Lloyd in a long time and showed a satisfied expression.

“Warren-san, did Krone go that way?”

“Oh, what do you mean that way?”

“You know what I mean. Fighting Lloyd-san has sharpened my mind, so I know things even better.”

Ain didn’t look back but indicated towards the forest with his eyes.

“Chris isn’t here, so she must have accompanied Krone as an escort.”

“…How did you notice Lily when she was supposed to be hiding?”

Satisfied with Warren’s answer, Ain smiled and took a sip of water.

“Hah, It’s delicious. Really… Lloyd-san is a real physical monster.”

The fight went on for a long time, resulting in a draw.

After a short break, there would be a second fight.

“Besides, it’s so hard.”

If it were a fight like a deathmatch he had with Marco, it would be a different story.

In any case, Ain has the time and means to use other techniques.

However, in a battle like this, which is an extension of training, there is no way that an opponent like Lloyd, who is fully prepared, can be finished easily.

The royal knights’ swordsmanship is solid, and Lloyd’s is even more solid.

“Ain, that was cool. Please do your best next time.”

With Olivia’s support, Ain has filled with energy once again.

“Thank you very much. I’m going to win next time!”

He replied with great enthusiasm.

“I’ve had enough of this. Is it okay with you, Mother?”

“Are you talking about Heim?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I do… I’ve come this far just because I’m a part of it… But I don’t really think about it anymore. It’s not that I don’t forgive them; it’s just that I have no interest in them anymore.”

Then Warren straightened up and said.

“As for me, I’m always ready to make a move if that’s what you two want.”

Olivia smiled and said the words, seemingly unconcerned.

“If I ask you to bring me the head of the Roundheart, will you do it for me?”

“I’ll bring it to you right now.”

“…Just kidding. It’ll pollute Ishtalika. So it’s really okay to end it.”

The relationship with Heim was now indeed and truly over.

From now on, there will be no need for any unnecessary interventions, and there will be less memory of the past relationship.

“Here, Dill! Eat meat-nya! Get your energy up and get your revenge-nya!”

“Wait… Ka-Katima-sama? It’s too much… oeeepp.”

Ain and the others were having a serious conversation, but the useless cat ruined the atmosphere.

“Ara ara, that sister of mine… Ain, can I ask you a favor?”

“I know, I know. In the meantime, I’m going to stop that useless cat before the rematch with Lloyd-san.”

The night went on, and the party continued.

Even the royal knights joined in the feast, adding color to the last hours on the island.

 

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