The Prodigy Sefiria’s Overpowering Program Prodigy Sefiria’s Program to Overthrow the Higher Ranks 021

Although Nervia-san words were quite irregular, she earnestly continued telling me her past.

Such as the fact that Nervia-san’s house, which was a marquis household, has always given birth to outstanding knights for generations.
And also, there were two of her brothers, already knights and already racking up a lot of achievements, everyone was expecting a lot from them in the future.
That was why, being the youngest as well as the oldest daughter of the household, everyone also placed a lot expectation on Nervia-san.

In fact, when training with fake swords, she left a record that wasn’t overshadowed by her outstanding brothers’, her parents expected a lot from her and even the military order regarded her as good.
Truly walking on the road to becoming an elite.

Nervia-san who had been walking on that bright path to success, lost all of it only in one day

The military order’s main duty is to protect or escort important people within imperial territories, so they can’t overlook training against demons.
Therefore, every year, there will be a day mock combat examinations would be held for the sake of letting them experience the feeling of fighting against a demon in preparation actual duty that drew ever closer.

The test consisted of using a sword to fight against a weak middle-size dog monster whose named the “ball wolf”, or better put: a test to kill.
Ball wolves were considered weak and cowardly amongst monsters. It would be easy for a human to catch them. [1]
But, since the meat is not suitable for cooking, it tended to be killed miserably, used as a target in mock battles.

Nervia-san had already heard about the subject of the examination from her two older brothers, so she should’ve already known what kind of monster the ball wolf was.
On top of that, she was confident that she would pa.s.s the examination.

… But, the result wasn’t as she had expected.

The ball wolf that Nervia-san fought, was terrified due to the stench of blood from its friends which had been killed in the previous tests; it was trembling while holding its head down, curling itself up just like a ball. …That cowardice was the reason people called it the “ball” wolf.
Since there were also cases when the ball wolf would desperately try to withstand by impersonating “a cornered mouse that will bite back the cat,” they must not let their guard down in the examination, but…
Against Nervia-san who had outstanding ability that far surpa.s.sed itself, in the end, the ball wolf lost all of its will to survive. [2]
And then, in front of the trembling and frightened ball wolf, somehow the sword which Nervia-san held felt really “heavy,”: she only just realized then.
Before that, with the practice swords she had used, she had never experienced anything more than “practice” without the intention to take another’s life.
But, faced with the “real stage” of taking a life for the first time, she couldn’t even move the slightest bit.

And in the end, Nervia-san couldn’t slay the ball wolf.

Obviously she failed the examination.
A knight that that couldn’t kill a ball wolf, would be considered a person that couldn’t fight for the sake of the empire.

It left a stain in her house’s name that always gives birth to an outstanding knight for generations, and by that one mistake, Nervia-san had lost her place in the Empire and everything else.

And then, by the order to exterminate a robber, though it could be called as banishment in reality, Nervia-san was transferred to this village.

「… I, am such a failure… Something that everybody can do like normal, only I can’t manage to do it…」

While covering her face with her gloved hands, Nervia-san spoke in such a gloomy voice.

「Tha-that is why… This time, in this mission, absolutely… I must accomplish it, no matter what happens…」

Nervia-san, whose appearance looked like a high school student, always had that heavy boorish armor equipped all day long and carried that long sword with its sharp glint, keeping it close to her: maybe it was a sign of her resolution.

「Knights must… be able to defeat their enemies… I too… must…」

I gave a big sigh when hearing Nervia-san’s monologue, and feeling tired halfway through it, opened my mouth.

「Is there anything wrong with that?」

Because of my words, Nervia-san who had been hiding her face by hanging her head, slowly raised her face.
Despite the hurt I felt when I saw her worn out expression, I still continued my words.

「The duty of the Knight-sama, is it to kill?」
「… T-that, is right… After all, if unable…」
「That can’t be right. The duty of a knight-sama, isn’t it to protect everyone?」

I don’t think I can forget the blank expression she had after I told her something like that.
In response to that, Nervia-san was just stood frozen stiff with her eyes rounded, opening wide, but I still kept continuing my words.

「That is a relief, isn’t it, Onee-chan? Unable to kill the opponent, it might be good thing that you got expelled.」
「… Eh, err…」
「The people who killed the ball wolves that couldn’t fight, they were the ones who were the『Failures』! You can’t befriend those people, okay? Even mother said that we must choose our friends.」
「Uh, a…」
「It is okay, to not kill them. Since Onee-chan is strong, you don’t even need to kill, you can just beat them up!」

As I reached out my hands and drew closer Nervia-san’s face with her mouth still opening and closing in confusion, just like the other day, I held Nervia-san’s head in my chest and gently hugged her. [3]

「Thank you for always protecting everyone. In exchange, I will be the one who will protect Onee-chan, okay」

I was not trying to comfort her, that was my honest-to-G.o.d feeling.
This kindness… This girl is kind, too kind in fact. I will never, ever abandon her.
If there is no place for her in the Empire, then I will make a place for her with me. [4]
Today, after shedding tears countless times, Nervia-san wrapped her arms around my back.
Again, crying, and crying, she kept crying until satisfied.

Since that day… replacing tears, she now always radiated a refreshed smile.

 

[1] (ED: well, it would be easier if you used a master ball though.)
[2] (TL : I call upon the TLC to fix this! *raise both hand* ) (ED : I am more intrigued by the name of “Ball Wolf”) (TLC: sigh… the problem w MTL… fixed)(TL : thanks :9 )
[3] (ED : But, you still can’t pet her head, is that right?)
[4] (TL : didn’t he realize that this phrase sounds like he’s proposing to her?) (ED : looks like he triggered another flag, the flag which will lead him to the end where he will have knives all over his body from his “yandere” family.)