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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Designing a Future for My Daughter (1)
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Late at night, with Lize fast asleep.
I still couldn't sleep, lost deep in thought.
This was the first time in this life that sleep had eluded me so completely.
"Maybe I should have something to drink."
Feeling like I'd be up all night if I stayed like this, I dragged myself out of my daze and headed to the kitchen to boil some water.
I wasn't much of a tea drinker, but I had some gifts I'd received tucked away.
I cleared my mind for a bit, brewed some tea from leaves I couldn't even remember the name of, and settled at the table.
I fiddled with the steaming cup and took a small sip.
...Yeah, I still don't get tea.
I sipped it steadily, little by little, and soon my body started to warm up.
But my mind remained anything but clear.
The worry keeping me up at this late hour was, of course, about Lize.
If it were just about her dream, I wouldn't be taking it this seriously. That had become trivial by now.
Lize... right now... had a clear motivation to learn the sword: to protect me, nothing more, nothing less.
And from my long experience, that was extremely serious.
The eyes of Lize as she said she'd protect me burned with an unshakeable resolve.
Yes, far beyond what you'd expect from a ten-year-old.
"Why on earth...?"
The words slipped out unbidden; I just couldn't understand it.
Lize knew exactly what protecting me meant. That's precisely why I was so worried.
But I couldn't even guess at the reason behind that motivation.
I'd fought monsters in front of her by chance, but never in any real danger, and I'd never come home from a job with so much as a scratch.
Yet here she was, declaring she'd protect me.
Well, she was only ten, so it might just remain a childish fantasy.
But if that dream didn't fade even a little in the future... that was cause for real worry.
Having lived countless lives, I knew all too well how precarious this world could be.
Disasters threatening the entire world lay ahead, time and again, claiming countless lives until I had to step in and stop them.
Knowing the future was a massive advantage, and once I even thought it was the reason for my existence.
But eventually, I stopped caring, and even those catastrophes became just another tedious part of my routine.
No matter how dire, I always returned to before they happened.
"But Lize..."
Yes, Lize was different.
She'd be facing all that for the first time.
I could avoid some with prior knowledge, but others affected the entire continent.
Like it or not, they'd impact Lize too, and if she insisted on protecting me, she might dive right into the heart of those events.
That could never happen.
It would be ideal if she lost her fixation on protecting me... but I couldn't bring myself to be that optimistic.
Especially recalling how engrossed she was with the sword.
Until now, I'd hoped she'd find the ordinary happiness shared by others, and I'd believed without a doubt that she would.
But the path she was aiming for now...
"No, that's jumping to conclusions."
I shook my head to dispel the negative thoughts and took another sip of tea.
Still, my mind wouldn't settle, so I drained the cup entirely before finally regaining some calm and clear thinking.
No one knew what Lize would think in five years—or even one.
There was no need to worry this much already.
But along with that realization came the root of why I was agonizing like this.
Unlike me, Lize... only had one life.
If she died, all my worries would mean nothing.
As my love for her grew, that fact began stirring a deep fear within me, which was why I wanted her to live an ordinary life, not the hero's path.
But even that "ordinary life" was no easy feat.
"...No helping it."
Yes, there was no helping it.
What I had to do from now on was clear.
Was it because I'd subconsciously expected this sooner or later?
The moment I decided, an astonishing calm washed over me.
Or maybe because I'd done this hundreds of times before—it felt routine.
Still, doing it for Lize sparked real motivation.
Designing a future for my daughter was simple.
Prepare perfectly, right now, for every single event that would come—for Lize's future.
And "future" here didn't mean just her ordinary life.
It included if she truly became a mercenary, a knight, or any dangerous profession... even if she wanted to be a hero.
Prepare for every possible future she might choose—that was the ultimate goal.
The world might get saved a bit, conflicts might arise, some might suffer losses—but who cared?
If anyone had a problem with me protecting my daughter, they could come say it to my face.
And if they really complained, I wouldn't forgive them.
With such a clear grand objective, detailed plans branched out naturally in my mind.
I should've started sooner, but it wasn't too late now.
Though I'd have to hustle a lot more.
"Wait, at this time..."
Recalling the timeline, one upcoming event came to mind.
Perfectly timed for this moment—almost like someone had set it up.
In so many ways, it was uncanny, leaving me with mixed feelings.
But it was an opportunity I couldn't miss.
I clicked my tongue briefly and set my immediate goal.
Majeriol Hero's Tomb.
The trigger for major events to come, a place I'd frequented to boredom, a treasure trove overflowing with divine relics.
There were things here I absolutely had to get—for Lize and me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Knock knock.
"Come in."
I opened the door at the voice from beyond and stepped inside.
A man sat at the front of the neatly organized office, exuding an overwhelming presence.
The guy boasted a build twice that of an ordinary man.
The moment he saw me, he shot up from his chair, arms spread wide.
"Haha, Ervin! It's been too long—great to see you!"
"Hello, Branch Chief Conwell."
The man managing the Pinel branch of the Mercenary Guild thudded over to me and gripped my shoulder and right hand with his massive paws.
As if to say, don't even think about running.
Ow, this actually hurts quite a bit?
Conwell grinned, holding me in that half-forced grip to show his friendliness.
"When I was searching high and low for you, you didn't show your face, but now you come to me first? Must mean we can chat all day today, right?"
"That's exactly why I avoid you—you keep pressuring me. And your pitches are always the same; no need to repeat them."
"Hey now, 'the same'? That's hurtful. Today, I'll show you all the benefits I can—"
"Enough, sit down already. I'm not here for that."
I cut him off firmly, and Conwell openly pouted.
Watching a bearded old uncle pull that face up close was nauseating.
I pried his hand off my shoulder—like I was done talking—and plopped onto the sofa.
Conwell slumped into the seat across from me, still pouting, and I snapped irritably,
"What's so great about S-rank that you keep pushing it?"
"'So great'? Aren't you taking the dream of every mercenary too lightly?!"
"Not lightly—it's just a realistic pain."
After nearly a year of the same recruitment pitch and my same refusal, I was sick of it.
An S-rank mercenary was worth more than ten A-ranks—reserved for the elite few.
But that meant taking on far riskier jobs, often lasting months.
And the empire could forcibly summon S-ranks, so no real freedom.
I knew it was prestige for prestige's sake—why would I volunteer? I'd suffered through it once before.
Staring him down with that resolve in my eyes, Conwell cleared his throat to lighten the tense air.
"Ahem, straight to the point: you're refusing S-rank because of your daughter, right?"
"You know that, so why bring it up? Lize only has me. And I only have her. I can't neglect our time together any more for work."
These days I'd already been taking jobs that kept me away for days—S-rank would cut Lize time even more?
No way in hell.
Even if heaven and earth flipped, I wouldn't let her forget her dad's face.
That's why I wrapped up every job lightning-fast.
I shot back firmly, and Conwell crossed his arms, puffing up threateningly with a serious look.
"But aren't you getting cocky? I'm just recommending you for the S-rank exam—no guarantee you'd pass. I rate your skills highly, but don't underestimate the S-rank wall—"
"Suddenly feeling like moving branches."
"Whoa, easy there. Fine, no more pushing. The higher-ups hound me to find more S-ranks, but I'll endure. Haha."
Why bother if he was just going to surrender first anyway?
In a growing branch like Pinel, my strength was vital.
I was the only A-rank settled here.
That's why Conwell wanted me at S-rank, but no chance.
"I'm not here to fight you, so let's drop it. What I have to say will help you too."
"Hm? Help me? Recommending talent?"
"Maybe someday, but not today."
I shrugged lightly, leaning forward.
"A new dungeon's been discovered recently, right?"
Conwell's eyes widened in surprise, then he chuckled wryly.
"Heh, you never cease to amaze. How do you know everything?"
"Wide network. Anyway, think I can help with that dungeon?"
"Whoa, really?!"
Grasping my meaning, Conwell lit up, half-rising from his seat.
But he soon frowned, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"That'll take at least a week, and you're volunteering...?"
Dungeons—ancient ruins or hard-to-reach areas—were usually monster lairs.
But they held treasures, artifacts, rare materials.
Exploring one typically took a week, as Conwell said.
Meaning no Lize time, so not for me.
I smirked to cut off his needless worry.
"Of course. I'll finish it in two days."