A Misunderstood Mentor 10 – A Crimson and Gold Coloured Break

If you haven’t seen my post regarding picking up this series I recommend you read it here first before continuing with this chapter.

Two characters in the previous translation have names different from the raw. I will be using the original names in my translations.
The character previously referred to as Nerissa is now Nuruhachi. As a side note her full name is Nu Rushia Hashtall Chilt hence Nuruhachi for short.
The character previously referred to as Noiria is now Chloe.

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“Here, take this. Use it to blow your nose”
“Sniff, thank you very much.”

Reia finally stopped crying and blew her nose.

“Sorry Takumi-san”
“Don’t worry about it. She’s a great sage after all. There’s hardly anyone that can defeat her”

The only time I’d ever seen Nuruhachi lose was the day we took Alice from the dungeon.

“I even broke the ban and touched Takumi-san. You had to overdo it in order to suppress your power right? You seem to be in considerable pain”
“It’s alright, don’t worry about it”

There’s no ways it’s alright.
The leg she was holding is in extreme pain.

“Ku…”

Honestly I really want to cry.
Reia bites her lips in frustration.

“…I am… still inexperienced. At that moment, I was swayed by Nuruhachi’s words”

Now that she mentions it, at that time, Nuruhachi was saying something to Reia.
A tactic that hasn’t changed after ten years.
Living for a long time has made her excel at psychological warfare.

“I have a past that I have not shared with anyone, not even Master Alice. Nuruhachi brought up that past”

This is bad.
This is that thing where she reflects on the past and the conversation becomes longer.
There is still rice that needs to be harvested today. I need to keep this brief.

“Its okay, I’ll understand even if you don’t tell me everything”
“It can’t be! No… as expected of Takumi-san. Simply by looking into my eyes, you were able to see into my whole past”
“I’m glad you understand, that is exactly right”

I have succeeded in saving time.
Besides if possible, I wouldn’t like to listen to something as heavy as a past that she hasn’t told anyone else,

“What should I do in order to move on from that past?”
“Isn’t it fine just to not care about that sort of thing?”

Its a rather frank answer from personal experience.
Its inevitable to hesitate and stress over the past.
Thinking back on the times when I was the weakest adventurer simply makes me sad.

“Within nature, things like the past feel insignificant”
“While knowing my past, you can still call it insignificant”
“Ah, aah. A past of that level will fly away if the wind blows”

Honestly I know absolutely nothing about that past.
That reminds me, Nuruhachi said that after he near-death training, she no longer felt pain.
Its scary to imagine.

I walked together with Reia through the field and we soon arrived at the rice I had planted.
The scenery changed from green to gold.
It was deep into autumn and the water had drained from the paddy fields, leaving drooping heads of rice lined up.

As the wind blew the heads swayed.
The rice was waving in the wind.¹
As the wind passed over the field, the swaying heads formed waves of gold.

“Wah”

Reia gazed at that scene like a child.

“This is the same as Alice. It will not continue for long”

I remember the words that Nuruhachi left me.

When we picked up Alice, I decided to raise her.
But, with me by her side, everything came crashing down.
At that time, I didn’t choose to accept my banishment and quit being an adventurer in order to run from Nuruhachi.

It became impossible for me who was the weakest to be beside Alice.

While massaging my injured leg, I made a small resolution.
It may have been a meaningless thing.
But, even so I’ll give it a try.

I’ll once again train my body.

Ten years after retiring as an adventurer, my body has grown weak to the point where I probably wouldn’t even win against a goblin.
Until Reia is convinced to finally leaves this place.
Even if I don’t teach her, Reia is sure to become stronger on her own.
One day, strong enough to compare to Nuruhachi and Alice.
Until that time comes, I can at least play the part of a somewhat decent teacher.

“Takumi-san please have a look, an amazing number have appeared”

On the rice, crimson coloured dragonfly known as akibeni had gathered.
The golden field had been dyed with red.
And in the center was Reia dancing.
If I recall correctly it was an dance from the east.
Surrounded by crimson and gold, I was captivated by Reia’s wondrous dance.
When she’s smiling normally, shes simply a beautiful young lady.
Its hard to imagine its the same Reia that was possessed by a god and fighting with the appearance of a demon.

“Be careful, they lay their eggs in people”
“Eeeeh!”
“They open up holes in peoples skin to lay the eggs inside. When the eggs hatch they begin to eat at the flesh…”
“I- I- I- Is that true? Really?”
“It’d be scary if it was”
“Takumi-san…!”

The two of us harvested the rice while making idle talk.
Unlike peeling potatoes, Reia was immediately a master at rice harvesting.
It seems that she is fine as long as it is not precise work.

That reminds me, in order to turn the large amount of potatoes into soup, I’ll need mou milk.
I don’t really want to leave the mountain but, I’ll need to go down to the town to buy mou milk.
While I’m at it, I’ll buy a cheap sword and shield as well.
My equipment from my adventuring days was all left behind.

“Takumi-san, somehow my body feels light. I’ve …probably… become much stronger”

Reia harvested the rice and she danced and spun around.

“Next time I will definitely win. After hugging Takumi-san as lot, I can feel a power dwelling within me even greater than during divine possession”

Another one of her fits.
Rather than a god it feels more like a demon that descends.
Maybe I should have talked to Nuruhachi and had her inspected.

“W- Well, lets not rush, take it easy. Besides, it seems Nuruhachi will be coming from time to time. Next time just draw out more power as you fight”
“Yes, Takumi-san”

I became worried by Reia who answered energetically.
If they repeat that kind of battle every time, I will be hit by a stray attack and die.

I look at the bell attached to my waist.
As expected I’m reluctant to wear it as a necklace like I did before.
Besides she’s probably going to come everyday, although if possible I’d like for her to limit it to once a week.

While thinking that, as the days passed, Nuruhachi never came to visit.

Nuruhachi had died in a fight with Alice.

It wasn’t until slightly later that the news arrived.

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Translator’s Notes:
1: The original text is a japanese word that means rice waving in the wind which is why the same sentence is seemingly repeated twice.

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