Chapter 56: The Outermostyer of the Imperial Capital


    After leaving the Ajinpany, I get on a carriage together with Finne.


    For the time being, Finne is wearing a cloak to disguise herself.


    Looking at her, I thought of something.


    Is there something wrong?


    Finne.how are you around small children?


    Umm..D, do you mean my own children!?


    Finne nervously asks me back.


    What kind of misunderstanding does she have this time.


    No no. I mean are you fine ying with small children in general.


    Ah, I seeIm totally fine! Ah, it doesnt mean that Im not fine with my own children you know!


    I know. Can we take a short detour then?


    Haua detour?


    Yeah, I am thinking about visiting an old friend.


    Saying so I direct the driver to our destination.


    The Imperial Capital has a vast castle town centered on the Castle of the Imperial Sword.


    The castle town is divided into severalyers and the poorer you are, the farther your house will be from the center of the city.


    We headed to the outermost wall of the castle town.


    There was a small sword dojo there.


    This ce is?


    Its a dojo that an old adventurer acquaintance of mine is running. He teaches swordy to the kids living in the outermostyer of the imperial capital for free.


    For free?


    Most of the outermostyer people have to struggle to make ends meet. The way out of that is to be strong as fast as possible but since they have no money to properly learn swordsmanship, he teaches them how to wield a sword for free.


    While exining so, I look into the dojo from the window.


    Finne also took a peek with me.


    There.


    Doryaaaaaaa! !


    ARHGGG! !


    UOOOO! !


    TTTTTEEEEEEI! !


    IDIOT! Oi! KNOCK IT OUT ALREADY! DONT HOLD BACK JUST BECAUSE THE STICK IS SOFT!


    .bully?


    No, he is just ying with the kids.


    In the dojo, a man is being beaten up by several children.


    Light brown hair and eyes, there is a cut scar from his cheek down to his neck, he looked somewhat strong but seeing him getting beat up by the kids like this make that impressionpletely disappeared.


    His name is Gai. When we were children we often yed with each other.


    Right now he is working as an adventurer while taking care of the children here.


    Sensei. There is someone outside.


    Ha! Who would fall for such a cheap trick! I dont see anyone!


    Ahh, he is looking like he already gave up on you too. He is definitely your acquaintance, Sensei.


    He is looking at Sensei like that because Sensei is an idiot right!


    I AM NOT AN IDIOT!


    Then just turn back and look.


    These brats..EEEIII! FINE! I WILL TAKE A LOOK!


    Saying so, Gai turned this way and met eyes with me.


    Gais eyes opened wide in surprise but the kids behind him are smiling.


    When I sigh at him, the kids all attacked him together.


    Nows the chance! DO IT!


    I did saw him alright!


    He really is a big idiot!


    GUWAA! YOU BRATS! THATS A GUEST! WAIT! WAIT A MINUTE! CALM DOOOWN!


    Fufulook like they are having fun, arent they.


    Fun huh


    Well, it doesnt look like he hated it but having fun is kind of a stretch here. If I have to deal with those energetic kids every day then my bones gonna break.


    In the end, the kids never listened to him so Gai smacked them in the head with his fist and head our way.


    YO! Al! Long time no see!


    Yeah, you look healthy Gai. By the way..are they alright? It looks like they all fainted though?


    Its alright. Dont look down on the outermostyer kids!


    Well, its fine if thats the case..


    The children here are probably a little younger than Christa.


    Its the age that kids are most energetic.


    There are only boys in the dojo. Girls are probably attending ces that aim toward them huh.


    But why did youe here all of a sudden?


    Nah, I was just wondering how you are doing. Since I havent seen you aroundtely I was a little worried.


    Never changed huh! Unlike you guys we are tough! I wont kick the bucket anytime soon alright!


    Saying so, Gai flexes his bicep.


    Thats the arm of a person who wields a sword. Despite its leanness, the muscles needed to do that are tightly packed in there.


    His scars also have increased a little. Gai is a B-ss adventurer. He is almost at A-ss but it doesnt mean that he is super strong or anything.


    Seems so. Im relieved. Even so, isnt this a swordsman dojo? You were just ying with them right?


    Its fine! Its alright to start like this. If they hit someone, it hurts when that someone hit them back. If they can learn that much then it will be alright. Its not like everyone here will be an adventurer anyway. If they have talents or a dream, they will eventually think about what path they will take themselves. If thats the case then I can just teach them when the timees.


    Like you?


    Of course! I told you not to look down on the outermostyer kid right. We dont need to be molded like those nobles. All we have to teach our children is that they will be hit back if they attack someone. If they know that then they wont blindly attack anyone. They should be taught the pain of that early. If they dont know that, they will turn out to be like that shady noble who bullied you back then.


    Gied huh.Certainly, that guy is a typical example of growing up without knowing any pain.


    While I was making a bitter smile, Gai urges me to introduce Finne with his eyes.


    Ah,


    I mutter and put my hand over my mouth.


    Then I signal Finne to reveal her face.


    Yes.


    Nnnn, nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! ! ? ?


    Yes yes. Be quiet, will you. If you scream now theres no point that we went out of our way to visit you anonymously right.


    As expected, Gai was taken by surprise and almost screamed out.


    Perhaps he is probably trying to shout the word u Mowe.


    ! ? W, What kind of trouble did you bring me this time..!?


    I didnt bring any trouble, Im just on my way back from a business with Finne.


    Work? With the u Mowe!? Dont get cocky Al! I wont forgive you!!


    Wai.m, my neck, my neck


    Shut up! Take the grudge of all the men in the imperial capital!!


    U, Uncle..


    A, Um..Al-sama is going to copse


    Ah, Yes maam. But its alright. This guy always ys with death so he is surprisingly tough.


    Releasing his hands from my neck, Gais face immediately turned into a smile as he turned toward Finne.


    This bastard


    Saying something like that.


    When I was thinking about such a thing, one of the children came out of the dojo.


    He then rushed to Finne and hugged her.


    Well, since her eyesight is low, children would find her easy to approach huh.


    Its a beautiful woman!


    Hey! You! Im jealous, you know!


    Ehehe! She smells so good. Hey Hey, Onee-san, are you Senseis girlfriend?


    Fufu, I wonder?


    Finne said while stroking the kids hair without showing any difort from being hugged by the kid.


    Perhaps he was d that she smiled at him, the kid hugs her even tighter like he wanted to be spoiled.


    Meanwhile, Gai is looking at him while clenching his teeth.


    Seriously? You are jealous of a child


    Shut up! You will never understand my feeling!


    This way!


    Kya! Umm


    Its fine. y with them for me.


    Y, Yes!


    Apparently, Finne still want to y with them more as well.


    She immediately entered the dojo and started ying with the children.


    Seeing Finne ying with the children, Gai began to shake with jealousy.


    Aaaaaaaaah..what should I do..if they dont stop soon I will want to lop my head off..but Finne-samas smile when she is looking at the children..Aah what to doIm so jealous.


    Whether you are jealous or worry about your own body, just make up your mind already.


    Worry would be better yeah. As I thought, cutting my own head is a little


    You just strangled a prince a little while ago you know, you understand that right?


    Its fine. If you are the type that cares about something like this, Elna would be the one who gets caught before I do right? So its fine, yeah.


    What kind of reasoning is that..


    Well, its exactly because of that that we are still talking like this though.


    Leaving aside when we were children when you be an adult, you would be more aware of your position.


    A prince is still a prince even if you have messed around with each other before. There are many who think like that and distance themselves.


    Among that, Gai is kind of a special existent.


    How nostalgic. Elna was such a good rival.


    I dont think rival is a good word when you lost to her about 200 times already though.


    Its 197. Dont miscount alright.


    Is that going to change anything..


    As a child, Gai was like the general of the brats in the outermostyer.


    Its a daily thing for him to go up to the middle and y pranks on people. Thats when I and Elna met him.


    If I remember correctly, at first, Gai stole a loaf of bread from a bakery and was hiding from his pursuer. Then Elna found him and beat him up.


    Since then, Gai considered her as his rival and challenged her many times, of course, he lost.


    But that experience made Gai stronger. Its true that the outermostyer people are tough. These guys absolutely will never give up.


    So? What did you actuallye here for? You didnte here just to see me, right?


    You are strangely sharp sometimes you know. Actually, Leo has been assigned to investigate an incident with the immigrants in the south. I want to ask you about the discrimination at the southern frontier since you are originally from there, what do you think?


    Gai is an immigrant.


    His parents were immigrants and he grew up surrounded by discrimination.


    Perhaps that might be the source of his rebelliousness.


    Thats why Gai was aiming to be an adventurer so that he doesnt have to deal with the immigrant stuff anymore. Even when Father epted the immigrants as the Empires citizens, the discrimination inside the imperial capital was still going on for several more years.


    Yeah, no doubt. Has it been 11 years since the Emperor dered that us immigrants are citizens of the Empire? For me, it is still just 11 years. The discrimination wont go away that easily. Especially the mindset of those nobles. They were educated that way after all.


    I see. Im relieved to hear that.


    Relieved?


    What happened at the southern frontier was kidnapping cases of the people at the immigrant viges. If no nobles were involved it wouldnt cause so much problem that the Emperor would have to dispatch Leo. This case worth sending Leo over because there is still discrimination running rampant in the area with the local nobles being involved in the practice. Leo has the ability to solve the case, thats why the Emperor decided to send him there.


    You still put your little brother on the pedestal huh. He might be simr to the Crown Prince but people like that donte around so easily you know. It was thanks to him that the discrimination inside the capital has lessened to this extent. That person is special..he was special.


    That might be the case..but, Leo also has half the blood of that man you know.


    The same goes for you right?


    Leave me alone.


    I said so while making a bitter smile.


    In the dojo, Finne is happily ying with the children.


    I brought Finne here to give her some time to rx and it seems thats the right choice huh.


    Aah, thats right. One of my students is at the castle right now. If you guys meet, take care of that guy for me alright.


    Student?


    Yeah, quite a talented child too. I rmended that fellow to take the knight training at the castle. Should be living at the castle right about now.


    Hee, whats he like?


    Its a she but shes quite a noisy guy you see. Anyway, shes quite noisy so you will know when you meet her. Shes super noooooisy.


    Gais face was full of smiles when he said that.


    I guess he really likes children huh.


    In the end, after letting Finne y with the children for a while, I and Finne head back.