I confessed everything.

　I haven’t completely trusted him yet. However, I had no path other than to stay with him.

　Surprisingly, he silently listened to my story.

　And when I finished talking, he spoke out his thoughts.

　……I can’t believe it. Honestly, that was the only thing I could think of.

　But if what he said is true, then… the day may come where I can be proud about myself, about my days, about that which was dear to me and feel that I was not mistaken in thinking so. He seemed to give me that gentle explanation.

“Do you want to break out from slavery? “

　He said confidently, with a calm expression.

“Break out? “

“Yeah. I was thinking of doing it after the brainwashing thing was solved…… well, if I had to explain it, it would be something like a ‘loophole’.”

　As those sweet words entered my ears, anxiety and doubt grew inside me.

“In short, your condition as a slave will be lost. The 『Unable to attack』thing will also be lost.”

“……Such a thing will? “

　There’s no way this will work.

“The Maurice Company will keep an eye on me, but well, there’s no problem with that. This is something more important than that.”

　What would be more important than turning a large company into an enemy?

“Trust me. And also, I want you to be my blacksmith.”

　…………

　Nonsense.

　It would usually be the other way around.

　Besides, even if he says this, there’s no way it can be done.

“What an unfunny joke.”

　Breaking out… in other words, releasing me from slavery without the proper release by slavery magic.

　Impossible. Such a thing can’t be done. If it was possible, there would be no way to maintain the slave business.

“Then, if I can break you out from slavery, will you trust me? “

　He grinned and said defiantly.

“…Sure, I don’t mind. I’ll trust you.”

　I answered with those words. Like challenging him, if you can do it, show me.

“Eh? Alright, then head-butt me in the chest as hard as you can.”

“…………Excuse me? “

　I don’t know what he means.

“With your head, hit me in the chest. Do it like you mean it.”

“No, but according to the contract, I can’t…”

“You can do that. It’s fine, just try it. Come on.”

　Opening his arms wide, he took a pose as if waiting for me.

　I wonder why is he so confident?

　Where does all that composure comes from?

　……And I wonder why I’m feeling drawn to him?

“I’ll do it, you know? “

“Yeah. I’m here.”

　There’s no way this will work.

　While thinking so, I closed my eyes tight and plunged into his chest with my head.

“Ouuff! “

　He groaned.

　The air leaving his lungs―― My head hit his chest, and the pain visibly begun to spread.

　…………I did it. I was able to do it.

　It wasn’t a lie. This was undeniably an ‘attack’. Just how on earth……?

“It was a success.”

　Lifting up his face, he said with a smile, and gently patted my back.

———————

“………………I.”

　I was…

　I was probably under a huge misunderstanding.

　Didn’t he never, not even once, lie to me since we’ve been together?

　Then I noticed something.

　In my head, various scenes pass through at a high speed.

　Tokun, tokun, tokun. A bit earlier I could hear his heartbeat.

　Ahh, he’s like me, just a lonely person. I felt it so. My heart then started to beat faster and faster.

　And then, I found it. His ‘traces of trust’.

　When he rescued me from the thieves, his hands were trembling as he cut my rope.

　He was scared. He fought against many bandits, and killed a lot of them. There’s no way not to be afraid.

　It was the same with me. The shaking couldn’t stop after my first job.

——————————-

　……It can’t be. No way!

　Is he truly aiming to be the top in the world?

　The reason why he left things in the dungeon to those two was for training them?

　The reason why he didn’t leave my side was because he was protecting me?

　The random teleport wasn’t a lie either. The 255km wasn’t a lie either. The distance of seven days to Pae Ho was also true.

　He kept persistently quarreling against me in order to break my brainwashing?

　He kept guard at night in order to protect me?

　He didn’t attack me. In the first place, according to the contract, he wouldn’t be able to attack me.

　Was it my mistake?

　Was it my misunderstanding?

　He also saved me from the thieves.

　He listened to my story.

　He was kind and considerate so as to not hurt me.

　He freed me from slavery. ‘Trust me’, that’s all he asked.

　All of this, everything just in order to make me grow as a blacksmith……?

　He did all this for my sake?

　For my sake, for the sake of someone like me, to go this far…!

————————–

“Can you trust me now? “

　My heart jumped when I heard his words.

“…………Yeah.”

　I responded while nodding and wiping my tears in his chest.

“For the time being. I will trust you…… my Master.”

　Second, a quirky man aiming for the top of the world.

　Maybe, if it’s him…

=====

Thank you for reading.

 

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Cheat sheet

Stats details

＜Status Details＞

• HP　Hit Points
• MP　Magic Points
• SP　Stamina Points
• STR　Short range attack skill power, strength, physical power.
• DEX　Long range attack skill power, dexterity, hit rate.
• AGI　Quickness, avoidance rate.
• INT　Attack Magic skill power.
• LUK　Good luck, critical rate.
• VIT　Simple defense.
• MGR　Magic defense.

Types of combat skills

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

1. Pawn/Soldier (Fuhyou)
2. Lance(Kyousha)
3. Knight (Keima)
4. Silver General (Ginshou)
5. Gold General (Kinshou)
6. Bishop (Kakugyou)
7. Rook (Hisha)
8. Promoted Bishop/Dragon Horse(Ryuuma)
9. Promoted Rook/Dragon King (Ryuuou).

List of Swordsmanship skills

Swordsmanship

1. 《Soldier Swordsmanship》　                  Normal attack.
2. 《Lance Swordsmanship》　                    Piercing attack.
3. 《Knight Swordsmanship》　                   Precision attack.
4. 《Silver Swordsmanship》　                     Strong single-target attack.
5. 《Gold Swordsmanship》                           Small-range attack to all directions.
6. 《Bishop Swordsmanship》                       ???
7. 《Rook Swordsmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Swordsmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Swordsmanship》　       ???

List of Shieldmanship skills

Shieldmanship

1. 《Soldier Shieldmanship》　                  Normal defense.
2. 《Lance Shieldmanship》　                    Piercing deflection.
3. 《Knight Shieldmanship》　                   Defense + knockback.
4. 《Silver Shieldmanship》　                     ???
5. 《Gold Shieldmanship》                           Ranged guided defense + knockback.
6. 《Bishop Shieldmanship》                       Reinforced defense (Temporarily boosts VIT and MGR)
7. 《Rook Shieldmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Shieldmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Shieldmanship》　       ???

List of Archery skills

Archery

1. 《Soldier Archery》　                  Normal range attack.
2. 《Lance Archery》　                    Piercing range attack.
3. 《Knight Archery》　                   Precise sniping range attack.
4. 《Silver Archery》　                     Strong single-target range attack.
5. 《Gold Archery》                           Weaker range attack with added knockback.
6. 《Bishop Archery》                       Strong piercing range attack.
7. 《Rook Archery》　                      Very strong single-target range attack with scaling % damage.
8. 《Dragon Horse Archery》　    Powerful piercing range attack.
9. 《Dragon King Archery》　       Powerful on-impact range attack.

Types of Magic skills

They use the “Form” or “step” system of martial arts. From lower to higher.

1. First Form　      　      Regular attack
2. Second Form　      　 Extended range attack
3. Third Form　      　    Strong single target attack
4. Fourth Form　      　  Strong extended range attack
5. Fifth Form　      　      Extremely powerful extended range attack

• Their cast time becomes longer in this order First→Third→Second→Fourth→Fifth.

Ranking of the skills

From lower to higher, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade.

1. 16th class
2. 15th class
3. 14th class
4. 13th class
5. 12h class
6. 11th class
7. 10th class
8. 9th class
9. 8th class
10. 7th class
11. 6th class
12. 5th class
13. 4th class
14. 3rd class
15. 2nd class
16. 1st class
17. Grade 1
18. Grade 2
19. Grade 3
20. Grade 4
21. Grade 5
22. Grade 6
23. Grade 7
24. Grade 8
25. Grade 9
26. Title

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 ToC    

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