Semi-retired Adventurer Lives Leisurely

Chapter 78: A Night-Time Talk with the Saint

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Henry: “Hey! Kay, Red! Dry your head before you head out!”

 

I was helping the two boys bathe, and we were all finishing up our baths.

 

The two barely dried their bodies before trying to escape from the changing room, and I caught them.

 

“Whaー I don’t wanna”

 

“Yeah, yeahー”

 

As kids do, they’re giving me some not-so-cute attitude and griping.
I ignore their complaints and throw a towel over each of their heads.

 

And without warning, I started roughly drying each of their heads.

 

“AHHHー!!” “ACK!!”

 

But as they screamed, they also giggled in delight as they tried to fight back.

 

…….sigh, yup.
Kids…

 

I dry the kids properly, and I finally get to dry myself.

 

Kay: “Henry! Look at those abs on your body!”

 

Kay pokes at my stomach as he speaks.

 

With a , I strengthen my abs making them even harder and more pronounced, and both boys let out an impressed “WHOA!!”

 

Kay: “Adventurers sure are strong.”

 

Red: “When we grow up, we’ll become Heroes of Legends.”

 

Henry: “Aren’t you guys followers of the Ningel Church?” Becoming a follower of the God, Grandes, is to become an Adventurer.
It’s not forbidden to be members of a different Church from the Grandes Church’s perspective for that reason.
But even if the Alvenia Kingdom has no restrictions for becoming an Adventurer (a member of the Grandes Church), there are many in the Salaiz Republic who would frown on that decision.
Or at least, that’s what I heard.

 

…….it’s their national religion, but even so, the Grandes Church’s overall political power and influence are stronger.
The Heaven’s Treasure Vault that directly blesses (benefits) the Grandes Church’s members in a visible and obvious manner makes a huge difference.

 

Kay: “But Sister Yuu is an Adventurer, right?” Henry: “……….that’s true.”

 

If their senior, Yuu, is an Adventurer, I can’t really make any argument on why they can’t become Adventurers.

 

Kay: “Hehe, once we’re Heroes of Legend, we’ll let you join our Party, Henry.”

 

Henry: “Yeah, yeah.
I’ll look forward to it.” There are countless people who try to become a Hero of Legend.
Out of those, only a handful will become Heroic Warriors.

 

But, yeah, I don’t want to be someone who laughs at kids’ dreams.
I just tell them “good luck” as I pat their heads.

 

Yuu: “Oh, Henry.
Thank you for helping the boys bathe.”

Returning to the living room, Yuu had already finished her bath and was sitting there relaxing.

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Red: “Oh, Sister Yuu! Can we have some juice?”

 

Yuu: “Just one cup.
And make sure to go to the bathroom before going to bed, okay?” “ “ Yes ma’amー ” ”

 

Kay and Red head to the refrigerator in the kitchen.
It’s a Magecraft Artifact that cools the food inside.

 

It’s not like ordinary people wouldn’t be able to afford it, but it’s an expensive item.
Most Orphanages wouldn’t ever have the funds to afford one, but Yuu has been donating a lot of her earnings here, so they seem to have quite the budget.

 

The building seemed brand new, but it was something they rebuilt and remodeled 3 years ago.

 

………Yuu really likes to take on these extra responsibilities and troubles….
But that’s also just like her.

 

Henry: “Yuu, what about my Party members?” Yuu: “They all ran from Flowtier, so it looks like everyone was tired out.
They all went to bed.”

 

Henry: “Yeah? I guess I went too easy on them with the training.”

 

I can understand the rest of the Party but Jend too? …..well, I guess the pace and distance was a lot to cover in a few hours.

 

Yuu: “You all ran the same distance…..but you and Ageha still have that endless stamina.”

 

Henry: “If you’re forced to fight 3 days and 3 nights without any breaks over and over again, anyone will turn out like this……oh, so what happened to Ageha?” Yuu: “She said she felt restless and went out for a run.” Henry: “…….that idiot.
I hope she doesn’t get caught as a suspicious suspect or something.”

 

Yuu: “Who knows? ….but I can’t imagine her ever getting caught by the guards or security.”

 

Yuu chuckles at the thought and smiles.

 

……yeahー, just looking at this alone, you would think she’s back on her feet.

 

Kay: “Alright, Sister Yuu, good nightー!”

 

Red: “Good night!”

 

Yuu: “Yes, good night to you both.
Don’t forget to use the restroom.”

 

Kay and Red finished drinking their juice and sprint towards their room.

 

Yuu: “……well, we should get some rest too.”

 

Henry: “Isn’t it still a little too early?” Yuu: “This household sleeps early and gets up early.
You’ll have to adjust to our schedule.”

 

With a “yes’mー” I reply to Yuu.

 

Henry: “So….where’s my room?” Yuu: “It’s the room next to mine.
……if you don’t like where your bed is placed, you can move it around freely.” Ah, thought so.

 

I shrug as the room arrangements were as I half suspected.

 

Yuu: “Good night, Henry.” Henry: “Yup, good night.” Yuu goes into her room, and I open the door to the room next door.

 

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I turn on the lights, and look at furniture placement.
There’s a bed, a small drawer, and a table, but the bed was opposite from the wall of Yuu’s room, so I quickly cast [Physical Enhancement] and moved the furniture around quickly.

 

I place the bed against the wall connected to Yuu’s room.

 

I sit on the bed with my back against the wall.

 

Henry: “………hey, can you hear me, Yuu.” Yuu: “Yeah, I can hear you.” Unlike how she acts in front of people, her voice was much more relaxed and casual.

 

The last we spoke was before I left Ligaleo.

 

And with this, we started our conversation.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

Henry: “Well, it’s odd saying it now, but how are you doing?” Yuu: “Yeah, it was a little busy, and I messed up and collapsed, but I’ve been well otherwise.”

 

Henry: “And what are you reading right now?” Yuu: “[Princess Prym’s Adventure]…..it’s a children’s fable.
It’s written for reading to the children.”

 

………in Ligaleo, my room was right next door to Yuu’s.

 

The inn’s walls were thin, and you could hear all the sounds in the room next door.
Usually before we slept, we talked to each other past the wall just like this.

 

Yuu would talk to me while she reads, and I would be drinking or something, and we just talk about whatever.
……well, I guess I don’t have anything to drink right now.

 

Yuu: “But Henry, I talked with them a little, but you’re new friends…..they’re all good people.”

 

Henry: “Yeah, too good for me.
I wrote it in the letter to you, but they want to go to Ligaleo in the future, so when they do, look after them for me.” Yuu: “What will you do?” Henry: “Yeahー I’m still on the fence about it, but right now, I’m still leaning towards staying where I’m at.”

 

I think about it a lot, but I still don’t have a reason to fight on the frontlines.

 

Yuu: “Well, there’s no reason to go to some place so dangerous without any motivation.”

 

Henry: “Yup, how about you? I’m sure you’re getting offers from the Cardinal and stuff like that all the time, right?”

Yuu: “There was a Duke from Alvenia and even the Emperor of Varsaldi made me an offer too.
They want to hire me as their Healer.”

 

……if it’s a Healer on Yuu’s level, she could cure almost any injury or sickness as long as they’re not dead.

 

From the world’s most powerful people’s perspective, they would want her on their team, and they’re constantly making all kinds of offers to her.

 

Henry: “If you just take up one of those offers, you’ll be set for life.” Yuu: “Unlike some people who lost their reason to fight on the frontlines, I still have my reasons for being there.” Her reasons, huh…..

 

Henry: “And how long are you supposed to be resting here?” Yuu: “They told me one month, but I’ll go back after one more week.
I’m completely recovered now.”

 

Henry: “Yeah, I can tell just by looking at you.”

 

But…..

 

There is one thing bothering me this whole time.

 

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Henry: “So….” Yuu: “……….what?” Henry: “How many people?” There was a moment of silence.
I could feel someone’s presence shake across the wall.
I just sat there silently waiting for an answer.

 

And after a bit, Yuu squeezed the answer out of her.

 

Yuu: “…….since you left Ligaleo………26.”

Henry: “That’s a lot less than I thought………but for you, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

 

Yuu: “Yeah………”

 

I hear Yuu’s crying voice in the other room.

 

………..26 people.
That’s the number of people that was carried to Yuu and their treatment didn’t make it in time and died.

 

Yuu is one of the most exceptional Healers I know, but she’s no god.
Though she says she can fix you up as long as you’re not dead, there are times when they pass as soon as they get to Yuu, and at times, they don't realize that the patient has already passed long before when they reach Yuu.

 

It’s been half a year since I departed from Ligaleo.
Being a Healer on the frontlines, if you only lost 26 people during that time, that’s an incredibly small number.

 

……….and that’s also proof of her abilities as a Healer, but because of that as well or because of her personality and character, Yuu never got used to people dying.

 

Henry: “I told you to find someone to cry to.
If not, just cry in your room when you’re alone.”

 

Yuu: “Don’t be…..ridiculous……I can’t…….let anyone……..see me like this……I don’t want to…….cry alone either…….”

 

Yuu argues back with me as she continues to cry.

 

…………it’s this.
I don’t know if it’s her pride, but she never cries when she’s alone.
When she has someone to complain to, she’s finally able to finally vent and get some of that pent up stress out.

 

Right now, I’m the only one she’s willing to vent to.

 

Henry: “Hey, you think I should go back to Ligaleo?” I don’t have a reason to fight.
But if Yuu wanted me to be there, I wouldn’t think twice about it and go.

 

Yuu: “……..I told you before.
If someone like you comes to the frontlines, and if something happens to you in that one in a million chance……..I would never be able to live with myself.”

 

Henry: “I’ll do my best to stay alive.” Yuu: “Stop it.
I’m serious…….don’t say stuff like that.
You’ll seriously piss me off……..besides, even if you’re not there, I’ll manage just fine.”

 

I shrug my shoulders.

 

We’ve been through this discussion several times before I left Ligaleo.
If Yuu showed even the slightest sign of depending on me, I would have remained on the frontlines.

 

………in the end, that didn’t happen, and even my offers today aren’t going anywhere.

 

Truthfully, Yuu is strong in many ways.
That’s why I’m not worried about her even if I’m not there.

 

Henry: “……but if you’re going to collapse from the stress, then you can’t keep repeating the same mistake.
Take a break every once in a while.”

 

Yuu: “That’s……well, from this incident, the people at the Church up top said they’ll think about it.”

 

Well, I guess that’s good.

 

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Henry: “If you’re coming back here to recuperate, just let me know.
I’ll run over and come see you again.” Yuu: “……….shut up…..” Though she says that, she didn’t refuse.
……..well, she’s a little troublesome like that.

 

Henry: “Well, whatever.
If you have other things you want to talk about, I’m here to listen.” Yuu: “………….yeah…..”

 

And that night, we stayed like that.

 

Until I fell asleep, I listened to Yuu’s gripes, complaints, and whining stories that I couldn’t tell what it was about, but I just kept listening.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

Yuu: “Good morning, Henryー!”

 

I let out a huge yawn while I walked down the steps, and I saw Yuu preparing breakfast as she greeted me.

 

Henry: “Good morning…….dang…..wellー you were up till pretty late, but you’re still so energetic…….”

 

Yuu: “This is normal for me.
Henryー maybe you’re getting too used to the slow life.” Henry: “There’s no way.” Yuu: “So what would you like to drink for breakfast?” I answer coffee and sit at the table.

 

My Party is already up and sitting there with Ageha, and Ms.
Fi-Ne and the 3 children were there too.

 

Cyril: “Henry……..what were you doing up so late last night?” Henry: “It’s been a while so we had a lot to catch up on.
We were just talking.” I answer Cyril’s probing questions without much thought.

 

And truthfully, she had way too much to talk about, and it was a little bothersome.

 

Cyril: “Hmmmm～～～? I see….” Henry: “What’s with those eyes? Like I said, we were just talking.”

 

I think she has the wrong idea, so I had to re-emphasize that point just in case.

 

Fi-Ne: “But Yuu is more energetic than usual.
It’s like a weight lifted off her shoulders.”

 

Henry: “………really? She looks the same to me.”

 

Fi-Ne: “Yes, thank you so much, Mr.
Henry.” Henry: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I tried to evade her comments, but Ms.
Fi-Ne raised Yuu, and maybe she did notice something and slightly bowed her head towards me.

 

Well, yeah.
I know she’s called the Saint of Salvation, but she was still just the same person I knew.
She hasn’t changed a bit.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation)

 

Public Bathing – I cannot speak for other Asian Cultures, but the Japanese bathing culture directly conflicts with the American Culture.
As kids, bathing together with family members is considered normal and public baths (sentō) (銭湯) (“paid public baths”) are part of the cultural norm.
Hence, there is no stigma for men bathing together like Henry did with the orphan boys.
In fact, it is normal for adult men to bathe with younger boys they're responsible for to make sure they bathe correctly.
If you go to a public bath, you will see other people you don’t know there, and they will be naked with no shame.
Unlike American apartments, if there is a nearby public bath, then some apartments Japan may not come with a shower/bath (meaning you’ll have to go and pay to take baths).
The baths are separated by gender, and there will be a locker room like area to get undressed, a washing area as you walk inside to thoroughly clean yourself off before getting into the tub.

 

A Japanese Onsen (hot spring) (温泉) in the winter mountains:

Typical layout of a public bath.
The red and blue squares are individual faucets to wash yourself (you fill a bucket, scrub yourself, wash your hair, and then dump the bucket of water over your head).

A Onsen (hot spring) would have individual baskets for your clothes.
The public baths might have lockers or coin lockers to store your belongings.