https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5562hc/85/
Grandpa
“Erica is my Grandma. But you already knew that right?”
“Oh ho, is she really? You looked similar enough that I thought it might be true.”
His voice was so monotone that I had to wonder why he he was bothering to lie.
I glared at Heath, not in the mood to deal with this right now, but it didn’t have any effect on the old man.
“Sorry. Perhaps now isn’t the time for my jokes. This old man’s story is a long one, but since I already told the other staff I was not feeling well, we have plenty of time.”
Heath started monologuing by himself without bothering to hear what I wanted.
“Dancers are often said to be the flowers that bloom upon the battlefield, but Erica was always so beautiful that comparing her to a flower would only be an insult. But more than that, she had a talent for reaching the hearts around her. Although her dancing ability was modest compared to others, those who gathered around her were always overflowing with happiness. Rose was one of those people as well.”
And the name of one of my acquaintances was pulled out of nowhere. I already knew that Heath and Rose knew each other, and Rose told me before that they knew my Grandma. It looks like the warrior and the dancer had their own connection there as well though.
“I fell in lover with her. Erica, I mean, of course. And she liked me back. However, as is often the case in stories like these, there was an impenetrable wall that stood before us known as the social difference between a noble and commoner. Back then, being a dancer was a prestigious job that every woman aspired to become, but that was not enough to overcome the differences between our birth.”
Heath caught his breath once before continuing on.
“We were both young, and we only fell further in love through our passion. And as a result, Erica became pregnant. I had thought that even my father, who so stubbornly refused to accept our relationship, would accept us now. And so, we went together to convince him.”
“The results were….not good?”
“Yes. My father abused Erica with every kind of insult that exists in this world. The Gray family was a distinguished family of nobles at the time. He believed her to be a vixen trying to weasel her way into the family by winning over the heir. Erica tried convincing me that we should run away together, but I was not prepared to give up on my family and the life of a noble. I tried desperately to convince her there was another way, but ultimately, she left.”
And I’m guessing that was the end of the story until today. I never had any idea that Heath and Grandma were former lovers.
“So then….do you know Don too? Apparently he prepared an expensive engagement ring for her, but she never accepted it. Maybe she was torn between the two of you and decided to choose neither?”
“Ah….well, Erica had a talent for being loved by those around her, but there was also a part of her that loved others a bit too much. She had a flashy personality, and we both argued over it several times.”
Which is probably code for Grandma being unfaithful. I have to compliment him for being able to talk about it in such a calm and respectful way, especially considering his age. If Lily had done something similar to me, I’d probably kick up a fit no matter how much time had passed. It’s an old story about an ancient past for these two, so it’s not really something for me to say anything about.”
“Hmm? Wait. Grandma’s only child is my Mom. So….is Heath-san my Grandpa!?”
“Mm. I suppose that is how it would work out.”
“No no no! Why didn’t you say anything sooner!?”
“I am in charge of the auditions, so it would look improper to have people know that one of my relatives is participating. I had fully intended to tell you as soon as you were no longer involved.”
“Haa….”
“There is more to that story. I had someone follow after Erica. She moved to a faraway village and gave birth to our child, and that child grew up, giving birth to their own child. I regularly received stories like those from my subordinates. I had missed the chance to head there myself since I never knew what I should do even if I did go, but once I earned a few wrinkles on my face, I figured nobody would recognize me even if I did go. So, I decided to travel to your village when I learned about my daughter’s pregnancy. I knew I had no right to talk to her, so I just wanted to get a look from a distance.”
I figured Heath was taking this whole situation coolly, but when he showed that there was a lot more he wanted to talk about, I decided to hear him out.
His grandchild is standing right in front of him, so I’m willing to let him act a little selfishly after how long he’s been holding himself back. Maybe it’s just that I’ve already started to become aware of my job as a hero and am willing to lend an old man an ear when they need it.
“Did you meet Grandma while you were there?”
“I did. We even spoke to each other. However, she never realized the man she was talking to was someone she once loved. An understandable result considering so many decades had passed. We met again at a bar in the village, just before you were born Lily. Erica was walking around, going up to each and every person in the bar to ask them what she should name her grandchild.”
The worst part about that is, I can absolutely imagine that woman doing just that.
“I had visited the village without ever even considering an answer to a question like that, so she caught me off guard. When I thought about it for a second though, the name of a girl who had just been born to one of our country’s ministers came to mind. I told Erica the name ‘Lily’ based off that girl. She mulled over it a few times before looking satisfied and yelling, ‘I’ll go with that!'”
“Grandma…. so Heath-san came up with my name?”
“That’s how it all worked out.”
And my name came from Lily’s. We have the same name in an even more literal sense than I thought.
“Time continued to pass, and I became a shabby old man. I took over the job of managing the Hero Audition, and while I milled through the applications, I happened to find a girl named Lily who greatly resembled Erica.”
“Me?”
“Correct. I have always wanted to make amends with Erica and her family in some way. To do something other than throwing money at my problems. And that was when I decided I would muscle you into the audition. Whether you won or not, I thought just being accepted would make you happy and open up new doors for your future.”
And he was right about that. When the news of my acceptance came, Grandma and Mom danced for hours outside in the rain.
“However, I assumed there would be problems if I were to have you admitted normally. Admittance is up to the public’s eye rather than mine, and I feared that a dancer with no family background would draw undue attention and scorn onto you. So, I decided to make it appear as if there were a mistake and sneak you in.”
“T-Then, my invitation was never a mistake? I was always supposed to be here?”
“I’m sorry if that caused you any undue stress.”
The nobles of this country really do whatever they want with this audition. I should’ve had my pledge be to clean up all these corrupt aristocrats. Although I guess it’s only because of that misappropriation that I had the chance to become a hero in the first place.
“The rest was just me playing lip service. I thought being able to participate would serve as a lovely memory for you, but you went beyond anything I expected. You made it past the first round, and before I knew it, you had made it to the finish and become a hero. You’ve really worked hard. It seems as if you inherited Erica’s talent for being loved by those around you.”
Heath looked as if he were awash with sentimentality on his own. I appreciate the compliment, but I haven’t forgotten that there are more important things right now.
“It wasn’t my talent….oh yeah! Lily-san was cheating. She was giving me the votes that were really meant for her! Can’t you please redo the vote and fix this?”
I began desperately begging Heath, but he bitterly shook his head at me.
“That isn’t possible. Voting is meant to be done by the people themselves, and nobody can change the results. If anything were to happen that would shake this fact, the Kingdom itself would lose a large portion of trust. It would be one thing if this were before the results were announced and the competition finished, but now, we lack any clear evidence that could prove this to be true.”
Heath has a point, so I can’t say anything back to him. I doubt either Lily or Olive would’ve left behind any evidence that we could easily find.
“True, but if I don’t do anything soon, Lily is going to….”
“Not a day has gone by without me regretting letting Erica go. That’s because even though I had the power to do something about the situation, I didn’t have the courage to take that last step. But you Lily, you don’t even have that yet.”
“Are you saying you’ll help me?”
I’m getting irritated seeing this guy coolly push my words aside even though he just told me he’s supposed to be my Grandpa.
“First off, I am unable to welcome you into my family. I have already adopted a child to succeed my position as head, and bringing you in would throw things into turmoil. Besides, you already hold a title far more influential than being part of some noble family in decline do you not?”
The title of a hero. But, we’re talking about the Ruhuna family here. They’re not the type of people that I can just walk in and say give me your daughter with just that.
And besides, Akatsu has been looking to permanently keep Lily from causing any problems for his family, and he isn’t going to miss this unexpected opportunity. That wedding is going to be happening soon.
“I don’t have time for this. It’ll all be too late after Lily gets married! I need to do something now!”
“Hmm….I see…. then allow me to give you a hint. I tried following after Erica when she rejected me here, but she laid me out flat on my back.”
“What? Laid you….”
Heath is stymying my energy by tripping me up with riddles. Doesn’t he get that right now isn’t the time for these kind of games? If the person I was dealing with was a guy in his prime, I would’ve laid him out on his back myself by now.
Obviously I can’t go around punching old men just because they’re annoying me though. That and Heath is able to kill a dragon in one blow, so there’s no way I’m getting into a fight with him.
While my brain was stunned, Heath left me behind with a smile that felt like he was showing off how much older he was than me.
Experimental Translations 