Hi everyone! Here it is, a chapter of Kanna that’s finally on time! I can do it if I put my mind on it. And time, too. Time I want more of. Lots more.

Either way, here’s the chapter for you to enjoy.

 

P.S. The title(なんだかんだ先生) is apparently a joke and reference to a game according to the author. Can anyone figure it out? Not sure how it’s translated to english though. If you do know, let me know so I can change. That is, if you can find out the game in the first place…Hint: It’s a fighting game. I found it, but can’t be bothered to go through google to find it nor buy all those games to find it.

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Tl: Jun

ED: Jun

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Chapter 18 Prof. In the end

 

Mr. Head servantーーRand lowers himself on one of the seats of the table we’re sitting at and orders his own alcohol. As soon as his order arrives, he lifts up a cup out of thin air.

 

“Well then, first of all, a toast.”

 

We knock the cups together. As the container makes a dull sound from being made of wood, I take one gulp out of it. One cup after work is the best isn’t it? ………… With the matter during the daytime, I can say I’ve worked right?

 

 

Rand has a nice guy look like a pretty boy who has piled up the right amount of years. Or more like, all of Faima’s servants has well-featured looks on the whole and Rand, who’s at the top, also has looks that’s at the top. Do I care? Did they not spare any daily training? I get more of a masculine impression from them rather than fresh and their lean body can be seen even more when they’re lightly dressed without armor. So this is the so-called slender macho. It’s one of men’s ideal physique. If I was a woman I would be captivated by that for a while.

 

“First things first, I want to give you my thanks about the matter during the day. You may have heard it from our lady, but please let me say it once again. If it weren’t for you Mr. Kanna, we would’ve all perished without being able to protect our lady. As the chief attendant, we give you our heartfelt thanks.”

 

I wave my hand to Rand who lowered his head very deeply and answer.

 

 

“That case is already settled, okay? We’re receiving a certain amount of reward after all.”

“That is a matter between public and private. Excuse me, but please accept it obediently.”

 

I embarrassingly point my eyes to Real, but she just nods while smiling. “I guess it can’t be helped” I think and I silently accept his thanks.

 

“So? You probably didn’t come here to say only that. Or are you truly here for the alcohol?”

 

Says Real while she puts down the cup she drank out of. I take another mouthful of the citrus flavored fruit wine. It’s good.

 

“I certainly did come here to give you my thanks, but the main question I have is something different.”

 

You don’t say.

While preparing himself, he tightened his serious face even more seriously and looks in front of me in the eye. So he has no intentions to have some silly talk over some drinks.

 

 

“What I want to say is, I’ve come to this place to request you to be milady’sーーLady Faima’s escort. This is the general consensus of all of us attendants, so there are no problems.”

“Really, you attendantsーー”

 

It was a way of speaking that had no meaning in any way.

 

 

“What about the lady in question?”

“ーーーーMilady is, she doesn’t know I’ve come to this place. This is on my own judgment. If possible I would like to request you to keep this a secret to the lady.”

 

I already thought so from the development, you know.

 

 

“I told you I would give you my reply tomorrow morning, didn’t I?”

“But, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will accept being her escort, now does it?”

“No, that’s why I’m telling you, I’m still in the middle of hesitating about that part.”

 

I’ve been stuck in between it the whole time until you got here you know.

 

“…………It’s about the lady. She certainly have given you a request to escort her, but I suppose she has no anticipation to a favorable response. We are also of the same opinion. No matter how high the rewards, if you are an adventurer who has gained experience, then you wouldn’t give your word without much thoughts. In that respect, I can put more trust in you who didn’t immediately agree.”

 

Although experience is experience, mine was that of a back alley fight.

 

 

“So you gave up halfway? If that’s the case, then why are in a place like this, Mister Rand?”

“Even if the prospects are low, putting our utmost devotion to our master is our duty.”

 

I moisten my dry lips with the wine.

 

 

“I wonder if you are seeing how serious of a situation this is, Sir Rand.”

“…………We as well as our lady are similarly aware of it.”

 

Rand nods heavily towards Real’s words.

 

 

“Lady Faima is from a certain noble house. There should be a myriad of perpetrators who would aim for someone like her. In reality there has already been several attempts up until now at assassination just like this time and abduction.”

“Go back home.”

 

Ah, shit. I unintentionally spoke up without thinking.

 

Real puts her hand on her forehead as if to suppress a headache.

 

 

“…………You really can be frighteningly honest sometimes.”

“No, it’s just as he said. The actual problem in today’s attack is that one wrong move and I would have feared for the lady’s personage. As long as I am truly concerned with her, going back home would be for the best. However…………”

 

Suddenly, his one hand that is holding the cup on the table is filled with strength. Like he is putting in his complex inner thoughts.

 

“…………We want to grant our lady her wishes. This is her final selfishness after all.”

 

What follows is generally what we expected.

 

This year, Faima turns eighteen (she’s older!?). Marriage talks also happen with her who is born as a nobleman’s daughter. She is rather a slow one among the aristocratic society, where it’s normal to marry when you’re sixteen. Or at the very least engaged. But it looks like she has turned them down until now.

 

“Our lady, who is endowed with a rare talent as a sorceress, also held great interest in magic from outside the country for some time. However, she is restricted to knowledge from books. In addition to that, acquisition itself is difficult when it comes to magic books from outside the country.”

 

I was taught only roughly about this, but sometimes magic may take an original system depending on the country. Even if it’s magic with a similar effect, the composition of the magic formula that’s composed of it creates a difference in each country. The me who can’t use magic can only imagine, but the difference is probably like a difference in the pronunciation of an American in Japanese. If their composition varies, then strengths and weaknesses will also exist and variations in scale or chanting speed will appear.

 

“If the marriage is done, then the lady herself will be all the more bound to the house. For this reason, Lady Faima had requested it to his fatherーーthe head of the house. That she wants to study the magic of the other countries before she’s engaged. However, as I mentioned before, there are many people aiming for our lady. He couldn’t possibly let his daughter go out of the country so readily.”

 

I don’t know where the head is from, but that’s an appropriate judgment.

 

“I see, I can see where this is going”

 

Real nods as she understood.

 

 

“If Miss Faima were to be engaged, then she will be able to carry on with her business as she pleases, am I correct?”

“That is correct. Even if it means becoming a priestess if she doesn’t accept.”

 

…………What does that mean?

 

 

This is how it is. She approached the head with the following proposition: as compensation for going outside the country to study magic, she will agree to the engagement that she has come to support. She even said she would enter the church and become a sister if she could not accept it. It would give her parents a bigger peace of mind if she makes a firm promise in the subject of marriage after it’s over rather than proposing a drawn out postponement on the engagement.”

“…………The lady has quite the ability to take action, doesn’t she?”

 

Is what only I can’t say.

 

“In fact, she’s not only talking big there, but she will properly realize that though. Our lady did not merely have a sheltered upbringing, you see.”

 

Real and I are halfway astonished.

 

 

“Under such circumstances, we just wish to safely end this journey at the very least. When this journey ends, what awaits Faima is a constrained married life. In that case, I would like her to enjoy the freedom even if only for a little time. For that sake we have volunteered in accompanying her in this journey.”

“And there is merit in risking your life for this?”

“That is what we’re thinking at least.”

 

She really is loved, that lady Faima. Is honestly the impression I have.

 

ーーーーBut, is this such a sad world that this can’t become a simple moving tale?

 

There are circumstances around Faima no matter where they go and we’re outsiders no matter where we go. No matter how much of a tearjerker this story is, there’s no obligation for us to get involved in this.

 

There are no obligations butーーーー.

 

“To be frank with you, I feel that as a fellow woman I would like to grant her wishes. If the situation had changed I wouldn’t be so reluctant to lend you my strength though.”

 

While saying so, Real looked my way. She must mean that she would have accepted it had I not gone on a journey together with her.

 

……………………………………………………………….

 

 

I spent around five minutes briefly putting together my thoughts and then I made up my mind.

 

Let’s just go with shouting “You coward” to Rand within my mind.

 

“I think that you would have accepted being Miss Faima’s escort in the end.”

 

Afterwards, when Rand had gone back, Real and I ordered a second cup. Naturally, my answer towards him was  「Y E S」. We promised to bind a contract with them under the premise that we will have them supplement several conditions. Originally the swinging of the scales was biased. And the conversation with Rand delivered the finishing blow to it.

 

 

“In the end you say”

“You’re a man burning with righteousness more than you think. Else you would have never considered taking me out from the castle in that situation and you would have not even tried going to the girl’s rescue in the village at the foot of the mountains. Despite having harsh complains coming out of your mouth, you can’t help lending a helping hand to those who need it.”

“…………Talking like you understand me.”

 

I face away from Real and gulp down the alcohol. The alcohol that’s stronger than the one I had before burns my throat and heats up my stomach. While becoming ill humored, I admit in my mind that what Real said was on point.

 

To tell you the truth, if the story about Faima didn’t roll in then I wouldn’t have thought that the strange magic power would have any relationship with her. I still maintain that that has nothing to do with me. If I didn’t meet Faima and was confronted with that magic power, then I would for sure choose to avoid it with all my strength.

 

Even so, why I accepted it isーーprobably because I got my hands on this handy power called 『Spirit art』. Even if I myself am an incompetent person, that power can be used to save someone.

 

If you have something you can do, a desire you want and the will to achieve it, then there should be no need to hesitate.

 

ーーExcept only for an instant.

 

I have this premonition saying “Won’t that strange magic power and I have various connections with each other wherever I go in the distant future?” I immediately denied that though.

 

…………Ultimately, that was only a wish of mine.