Chapter 39: Moderate Talent

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Translator: Soafp

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I managed to use Lidiel— ahem.

After persuading her, we escaped the royal capital and boarded a shared carriage heading toward the neighboring Belhalt Empire.

“Ehh!? You want to run away to the Empire!?”

“Is there some kind of problem?”

“N-no, not a problem… um…”

When I told her our destination, Lidiel made a very complicated face.

“T-the Empire is a bad idea!! The food tastes terrible, and for someone from the Kingdom who's used to eating delicious things, you'll die from the stress!!”

“That actually makes me even more curious…”

“Ugh, b-but look, the Empire borders the demon territory, so there are lots of battles, and I really can't recommend going!!”

“A lot of battles… which means a lot of injured people?”

“Yes!! Exactly!! That's why it's dangerous, so you really shouldn't—”

“Perfect!! Now I want to go even more!!”

“Ehh!? Why!? How!?”

If there are lots of wounded people, then I definitely want to heal them.

Up until now, the Kingdom of Kishirika had been my main activity area, but this might be a good chance to extend my reach to the Belhalt Empire.

However, the crucial Lidiel was firmly against going to the Empire.

What's wrong, I wonder?

“U-umm… hey, Ask-kun. Weren't you from the prestigious Medicus Viscount House of healing magic? Which means you're a highly skilled healer, right?”

“No, I can only heal things like hangnails.”

“H-hangnails… mm, that would make you at best a fourth-class citizen…”

Fourth-class?

“Anything else!! Do you have any other special skills!?”

“Other skills? Hmm… not exactly a special skill, but I can sew and sculpt.”

After all the trial and error of making No-Face's costume and mask, I'd gained a decent level of skill.

Give me wood and a knife, and I can carve a simple sculpture.

I bought a piece of wood from a merchant riding in the same carriage, borrowed Lidiel's knife, and made a small wooden figurine.

“…What is this.”

“A one-seventh-scale Lidiel figure.”

“No, wha—this is way too good!?”

“It's nothing special.”

“It IS special!? Making something this high-quality in such a short time—you could charge money for this!?”

Lidiel is good at flattering people. Doesn't feel bad at all.

Just then, several children riding in the carriage saw the Lidiel figure and their eyes sparkled.

“Wow, mister, that's amazing!!”

“Let me see!!”

“Can you make anything else!?”

Hmm, got a request from the kids.

“Alright then, I'll make you the super-transforming-combining robot Majisugoin-ger.”

“““Yaaay!!”””

I recreated the protagonist robot from an anime I loved in my previous life—out of wood.

Naturally, I included its transformation gimmick.

Majisugoin-ger, which splits into upper body, lower body, and backpack, was extremely popular with kids back then.

No way kids in this world wouldn't love it too.

“T-this is it!!”

“Huh?”

“With this, you could become third-class… no, maybe even second-class!! You won't have any trouble with money in the Empire!!”

“That ‘something-class citizen' you keep talking about—what is it?”

“Oh? D-don't tell me you don't know? I thought the Empire's system was quite famous…”

“I'm not good at social studies.”

Hearing that, Lidiel began explaining the Empire's system.

“First, all residents of the Belhalt Empire are assigned one of five ranks. Even travelers who visit the Empire.”

“Like that fourth-class and third-class citizen thing?”

“Yes. First-class citizens have power equivalent to high nobles in the Kingdom. Second-class are like lower nobles, and third-class are ordinary commoners.”

“What about fourth-class and fifth-class?”

“…Fourth-class are slaves. Fifth-class… it's a little better under the current emperor, but they're treated as livestock with no human rights at all.”

Lidiel said this while biting back frustration.

Her expression looked like she'd swallowed something bitter.

“In the Empire, ability is everything. And when I say ability, I don't mean just brute strength.”

“What do you mean?”

“Anything that proves your worth—magic, swordsmanship… even your dexterity, like yours.”

Huh, am I really that skilled? I thought I was just average.

“Your status is determined by that?”

“Of course, there are exceptions. For example, the royal family—the value lies in their blood itself. Even if they're talentless, they're second-class citizens. If they're a little educated, they become first-class.”

“That's a strange system.”

“Silly, isn't it? Being treated as a slave or livestock just because you can't show your worth—utter nonsense.”

Is it okay for an Imperial citizen to criticize their own nation?

Lidiel chuckled.

“You were thinking that, weren't you? ‘Can an Imperial criticize the Empire?'”

“I wasn't thinking that.”

“You totally had that face.”

“I was thinking it.”

“I like honest boys.”

Lidiel stroked the crossbow in her arms with her fingertips, gazing into the distance.

“But really, I think it's stupid. My father was a fifth-class citizen, forced to work in a mine where he could die any day.”

“That's… heavy?”

“A little. …I just happened to have talent in sniping. A hunter who knew my father noticed that talent and trained me harshly. I happened to survive the training, was recognized as a second-class citizen, and now I'm the number two at the Hero Academy.”

“My granny used to say that if coincidences happen twice, they're basically fate.”

“…Heh, maybe so. But it's sad.”

“Sad?”

“The moment I became a second-class citizen, my father started speaking to me in polite language, you know? The father who used to pour all his love on me despite our poverty—he suddenly kept his distance.”

I see, that would be sad.

But I don't believe love given so sincerely would vanish overnight.

“Maybe he thought he'd get in your way. Something like that.”

“…Probably. He's that kind of person. That's why I want to change things.”

“Hm?”

“Did you know? The Empire's current system is heavily influenced by the first Hero, who emphasized ability above all.”

“Nope, didn't know.”

“Yes—so I'm going to become a Hero. Not in the sense used today as a rank in the Hero Corps, but like the ancient Hero who defeated the Demon King. And then I'll change the system!!”

…Hmm.

A very admirable ambition, but thinking calmly—doesn't that make her basically a revolutionary…?

No, that's rude.

A person who fights for their ideals deserves respect.

“I also have something I want to do.”

“Huh?”

“So I kind of understand your feelings. I'll support you.”

“…Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

Yes, I have my own dream.

I want to eradicate every disease and injury from this world and make all of humanity healthy. Even chuunibyo —that mental illness included.

“Ahhh!! Nii-san and Nee-san are flirting!!”

A child riding with us shouted loudly inside the carriage.

Lidiel panicked.

“Wha!? W-w-w-w-we were n-not flirting!!”

“Eh, you were~!!”

“You were-!!”

“We weren't!!”

And so, deepening my bond with Lidiel, we finally arrived in the Empire.