Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica:Volume 4 Chapter 3

Status: Incomplete

The Unchanging Truth

Part 1

After Akatsuki ended the conversation and left Sherfield Castle.

The trio went together to the market within Sherfield’s capital Erdia.

“Waaaaaa……”

Among the crowd, Miu constantly looked around, and was unable to conceal her surprise.

The battle had just ended, the people’s minds and bodies has still yet recovered from the war, but there were smiles among the pedestrians, the market on the side of the road was even bustling with vitality.

“There’s so many people, is there a festival being organized?”

“No, it is that lively almost everyday.”

Akatsuki said beside her.

“This could be called as Sherfield’s cargo distribution center, naturally it will gather merchants and goods from all over the world.”

“Isn’t it not appropriate for us to walk openly in the crowded streets?

Haruka revealed an incredulous look.

“Aren’t you the hero of this country? Everybody should know you right? If others notice you, wouldn’t it consider as if we were seeking for trouble?”

Haruka’s warning wasn’t unreasonable, in fact, Miu also felt the same way. If everyone discovers that their hero Akatsuki was walking together with the demon king’s daughter, it was bound to set off an uproar. To all the leaders of the world, the information of Miu and Akatsuki showing up together is absolutely a big problem that cannot be ignored.

Although Sherfield’s citizens may not recognize Miu, but nothing is impossible, there is no guarantee that there are no exceptions to the situation.”

This also means that the possibility that they would be recognized isn’t zero. Once they are recognized, things would become trouble, it might even cause panic at that time.

“Relax, we won’t be recognized.”

Akatsuki seem to smile carelessly.

“You see, isn’t there no one that pay attention to us in this street?”

That was true. Even while walking in the among the crowd of people, there really was no one that noticed Miu and the others.

Miu and Haruka is considered to be foreigners, so perhaps they could be passable; but the citizens on the streets actually did not notice Akatsuki’s existence, this was really strange.

This was Sherfield’s capital, which is also right inside of Erdia. Akatsuki had lived in Sherfield for many years, so he has become part of the locals. Not to mention that Akatsuki is the hero everyone knows about, according to this, he should be in the spotlight in any location, the passersby would not ignore him. Perhaps noticing Miu’s suspicion, Akatsuki laughed.

“The reason is simple, I hid my true ki. Even if others were able to see me, they wouldn't notice my presence, it is the same as being invisible.”

Besides from that……

“I also controlled your true ki, to avoid others from noitiching the demon king’s daughter appeared in Erdia’s market. So hold onto my hand tightly and do not let go.”

“Yes…”

A slightly flushed Miu nodded her head.

“Vice president, what about you? My other hand is still free.”

“There’s no need, nobody in this world knows me.”

Facing Akatsuki’s taunt, Haruka coldly replied with a “Hmmph”, and immediately looked away. Akatsuki shrugged and continued to walk forward. After some time……

“——We’re here, this is the place.”

Under Akatsuki’s instruction, Miu and Haruka both stopped. Here was an intersection of a small alley and the main road, in the alley, there was a restaurant. Haruka looked up at the sign hanging on the outside.

“ “Mountain Cat Cabin” ……The place you wanted to visit is here?”

“Yes. I have already promised the boss, if I were to visit Sherfield, I must eat a meal here.”

Akatsuki replied faintly.

“But it is hanging a sign saying it is currently preparing, and if we were to be recognized ……” Miu could not conceal the restlessness inside her heart.

“Rest assured, nothing will happen. Okay, let’s go.”

Thus, Akatsuki pulled Miu’s hand and forcibly dragged her inside.

After entering the restaurant, what appeared in their vision was the small shop front.

On top of the store were a few tables of differing sizes, the walls made of stone bricks were covered with posters and flyers. Installed on the ceiling was a huge fan, which helped circulate the air inside.

This restaurant, Mountain Cat Cabin, serves Sherfield’s local cuisine. When he was staying in Alayzard before, Akatsuki often came together with Listy, Zechs and Loutier and dined her. To Akatsuki, the furnishment in the store was undoubtedly a view from the past. He narrowed his eyes and felt the endless emotions while looking around the store.

……This place was the same as before.

An inexplicable nostalgia swept over him.

“There seems to be no one in the store, can we really come in?”

“That’s strange, there should be people here at this time.”

Facing Haruka’s question, Akatsuki could not help but scratch his head.

“Hey——! Auntie, are you here?”

Akatsuki raised his voice and called out a few times.

“……Coming, who is it?”

From the kitchen, a female voice came over.

“It can’t be that I forgot to hang the sign……I’m really sorry, we are currently preparing, can you please come back a little later?’

“Why do you treat me as an outsider? Auntie, it can’t be that you forgot my voice right?”

Akatsuki smiled while he talked.

A few minutes later, a woman stuck her head outside of the kitchen.

Seeing Akatsuki, her expression gradually changed, from surprise to joy.

“Hey Hey——Isn’t it Akatsuki? I really wonder who was it!”

The female boss wiped her hands on her apron, then hurriedly ran over.

“Long time no see, Auntie. Are you still okay these days?”

“Couldn’t be better, Auntie’s body is extremely healthy.”

The female boss issued a hearty laugh, then her gaze fell upon Miu and Haruka.

“Even bringing along two cute girls? You really have guts, aren’t you afraid that Listy-sama would get angry?”

“Too late, I was just scolded by her.”

Akatsuki gave a wry smile while he shook his head, the female boss narrowed her eyes.

“You don’t even tell me when you’re coming, it really surprised me. Everybody should stand here and talk, come and find a seat and relax! I’ll prepare something for everybody to drink!”

After saying this, the female boss immediately turned and headed to the kitchen. Then Akatsuki yelled at the female boss.

“Can we get something to eat first, I’m starving.”

“Why is that isn’t a problem? However, most of the ingredients are not prepared yet, I can, at most, only make some simple dishes, is that okay?”

“Of course, auntie’s dishes will not lose to the hotel cuisine.”

“Your really know how to sweet-talk……Okay, I’ll go prepare it now.”

The female boss slightly smiled and entered the kitchen.

“She’s really kind……”

This was Miu’s first impression towards the female boss.”

“Is she?” Akatsuki laughed and randomly picked a chair to sit down.

“Not only does auntie manage this shop alone, she is also a committee member of the People’s Council. She is passionate and enjoys to help others, it is almost impossible to find a resident in Erdia who does not know auntie. Before, I, along with Listy and the others, was always cared by auntie.”

A bustling sound came from the kitchen, probably because she was currently preparing dishes.

“Right, why did you suddenly come over today? Didn’t you return back to your own world?”

Facing the female boss’s question, Akatsuki casually replied.

“The people here found out that I secretly brought the demon king’s daughter back to my own world, Disdia even sent pursuers, which troubled me. So I simply returned to Alayzard and explained it to the Queen, Emperor and Pope of the three country alliance, hoping that they would not bother me again, and by the way,asked them to stop their aggressive actions towards the demon race.”

Akatsuki had just finished speaking, immediately, the sound of kitchen pots and pans falling to the ground rang out.

“W…What did you say……?”

The female boss stuck her head outside of the kitchen, she had both a surprised and a puzzled expression.

Akatsuki shrugged, revealing an innocent smile.

“Haha……Isn’t it like my style?”

Part 2

Although she said it was just a simple dish, the female boss’ dishes that were placed on the table, was all made carefully.

Miu, who was experience Sherfield’s local cuisine for the first time, each dish had a refreshing taste.

“How is the taste?”

The thoughtful female boss asked, Miu immediately nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, every dish is very tasty.”

“It really is delicious. Preparing that many dishes in such a short period of time, but the main point is that every dish is extremely tasty, it really isn’t that simple.”

Haruka was also full of praise.

Waving her knife around, Miu glanced at Akatsuki, Akatsuki, who was taking in a big mouthful of meat, revealed a joyful expression. Miu thought to herself, although she had often cook, but her dishes had never had this taste, it looks like it should be the female boss’s special flavor formed by her character and her culinary skills. Besides the color, smell and taste, each dish all had a sense of intimacy and warmth.

……This is the taste from a mother.

A taste that she would not be able to imitate.

Miu accidently blurted out her true feelings:

“Being able to enjoy such delicious dishes every day, auntie’s family must be very lucky, it really makes one jealous.”

“Really? Thank you, this was the most enjoyable compliment I’ve heard.”

Then she seriously faced Akatsuki.

“……I did not imagine that it will actually turn into this kind of situation.”

“Yes. When I came back, the two sides were at a explosive state.”

Akatsuki replied.

“Is there no information from the People’s Council?”

“Our side only knew about the information of the surveillance forces being wiped out, but this military action did not notify the militia and the council. Listy-sama currently believes that they cannot confirm if it was done by the demon race, they do not have an active attitude for participating in the war, if it was not for the three country military alliance agreement, I believe she had never planned to send forces out.”

The female boss stared at the empty sky.

“Only that Disdia’s attitude for revenge was extremely unyielding, Sherfield was forced to take action. In addition, the surveillance forces included part of Sherfield’s soldiers, Listy-sama could not just observe the situation, it may lead to discontent within the country.”

So that was what happened, Akatsuki muttered.

“How did the council view this incident?”

“The council’s position was to remain neutral, but is still sincerely looking forward to determine whether the situation of the surveillance forces being attack is related to the demon race.”

The female boss’s expression was very bitter.

“After all, this was the peace you and Listy-sama had earned through your hard work. We have already shed too much blood, how can we easily destroy the hard-won peace.”

It really is too much.

“This short period of peace, came to the expense of many precious lives.”

The female boss had a sorrowful tone, Miu and the others were suddenly moved, and gently put down the cutlery. Every word she had spoken was sincere and meaningful. Once she thought that there were humans with the similar ideas as herself, Miu could not help but be moved.

……If only everybody was just like her……

War would probably never happened again.

Then she saw the female boss lifted her head and looked at Akatsuki.

“Since you are standing on the demon race’s side, does this mean that the event of being attacked is unrelated to the demon race?”

“At least the targeted demon race, by the joint forces, are innocent.”

Akatsuki replied.

“Currently the three country leaders have decided to temporarily retreat , until a impartial third country re-investigates, then they will decide. This means that……the demon race temporarily gained a chance to breath.”

“I see……”

The female boss nodded with a strict expression, then she sudden revealed a wry smile.

“But to stop the war and joined the demon race’s formation, your method of doing things are too extreme.”

“I don’t think so.”

Akatsuki casually replied.

“I only do not like to leave things half-finished.”

“The moment you come back, you turn to this act, Listy-sama must be very angry?”

“Haha. If I could concede, I will,but when I need to be stubborn, I will also be stubborn till the end. For her position, being angry is natural.”

But once that remark had been said……

“——Actually, she worked really hard.”

The female boss quietly said.

“The recent work of transferring power to the People’s Council is gradually on track, the scope in which we, the committee members, are involved with has gradually increased.”

Saying up till here, the female boss could not help but sighed.

“Seeing that the elections are about to be held, I could not imagine……”

“Sorry, the election is……?”

Miu curiously asked.

“The election is to decide the new representative of Sherfield. Sherfield had taken great damages during the war against the demon race, as the last member of royalty, that person has decided to bear all the responsibility.”

Akatsuki replaced the female boss to reply.

“In short, it is to abolish the Royalty system, allow Sherfield to become a democratic country where the citizens elect representatives to manage the national policies.”

Ousawa Akatsuki thought back to the past.

What he thought back was a moment after they recovered the capital Erdia from the demon race’s grasp.

At that time, Sherfield’s king decided to enter the world, causing the country to be in turmoil, the citizens were all suffering from the threat of war. As the remaining survivor from the royal family, Listy regretted the actions her father had made, and began to seriously consider what she could do for the country.

The gentle Sherfield princess finally made two decisions, one is to defeat the demon king Galious, the other is to democratize Sherfield. The people who decide the fate of Sherfield shouldn’t be the king, but the citizens. In order to create a democratic country, Listy brought Akatsuki, Zechs and Loutier to establish the system, creating the People’s Council and the militia ——which are not loyal to the royalty, but a political organization and military that belongs to the people. Currently, the final decision for policies reside at Listy’s hands, but all the policies would have to pass through the People’s Council.

The only area that the People’s Council cannot interfere with is the matters related to the previous war.

“That person had once said, the battle was because of a wrong decision from the royal family.”

“S…So the goal of her becoming the successor of the throne is……”

Akatsuki nodded, confirming Miu’s prediction.

“Besides from the armed coup d’ etat, only royalty members are able to abolish the monarchy. But it just so happens that the country’s people all love Listy very much……”

That is also saying……

“The purpose of that person taking the throne, is to deal with the mess that the royal family had left to their people. As Sherfield’s last queen, it is a responsibility she must take.

“This……”

After learning the ins and outs of the matter, Miu was dumbfounded.

Miu abandoned the responsibility of the demon king’s daughter. OF course, this was a decision she was forced to make.

After all, the demon king is dead now, the demon king’s daughter would only become a source of unrest, so that is why Galious decided to entrust Miu to Akatsuki; and Akatsuki believed that the most appropriate solution it to bring Miu away from Alayzard, and return to his own world. Even if they had left Alayzard, Disdia still sent pursuers, attempting to harm Miu, if she had decided to stay in this world, the consequences could be disastrous.

However, the reason does not change the fact that Miu, as the demon king’s daughter, ran away from her responsibilities. As they were both the leader of their country, Listy decided to face the responsibility and up till now, continued to fight restlessly, the gap between the two was clear to see.

Ignoring the transfixed Miu, Haruka quietly asked.

“Ousawa Akatsuki, dou you really not have any regrets? Even knowing how much effort Queen Listy had given for the country, you still want to have a duel with her?”

“To prevent the battle between human and the demon race, and promoting a peaceful coexistence between the two sides, I have no other choice.”

Akatsuki replied.

“Also, this is not only for the demon race. For the sake of that person, I must stop this war.”

Is it not?

“To prevent her, who absolutely hate wars, to be forced to go down this path, so I must stop the war, and stop the tears from her that will flow down because of a war.”

“……”

Facing Akatsuki passionate speech, everyone unanimously fell into silence.

In Miu’s heart, there was a bit of self-loathing.

……Really now, what was I thinking in the end……

Even though she knew she shouldn’t have this thought, but once Miu heard that Akatsuki was willing to fight for Listy, she felt a bit bitter. Including the sense of self-loathing, it made Miu feel even more painful.

“——If you say so, then what do you plan to do?”

Haruka asked a question towards Akatsuki.

“I think you should also know right? In order to reach a peaceful agreement, the battle happening three days later must be won. But in case you won, and the impartial third-country investigation results proves that the attack is unrelated to the demon race, humans and the demon race successfully sign a peace treaty……At that moment, Sherfield will definitely be in a dilemma.”

“Are you referring to the domestic and foreign hostile forces that disagrees with the peace treaty? Of course I understand this.”

Akatsuki gave off a hmmph, then he revealed a confident smile.

“Disdia’s fourth prince isn’t a simple character to deal with, but I have my own plan.”

Translator's Notes and References

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