I Became the Hero While Paving a Flower Path for My Niece - Chapter 34

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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My Cousin’s Flower Path Bloomed, and I Became a Hero — Episode 34
After a delightful lunch, Alex prepared to depart.
The cart was loaded with Wolf Hides and Fangs, bones, and fresh vegetables the villagers had gifted them.
With Leo aboard, Alex pulled the cart toward the village entrance.
The villagers, brimming with gratitude and thanks, trailed after the cart in a little procession.
[This is just like the Pied Piper of Hamelin.]
Ibaek chuckled softly to himself.
“Village Chief.”
The Village Chief, who had come to see Alex and Leo off, answered at once.
“Yes, Mage?”
The villagers gathered behind him leaned in to listen.
“Heavy snow is coming this winter.”
“Snow?”
“Yes. It would be wise to prepare in advance.”
At Alex’s words, the Village Chief and the gathered villagers exchanged puzzled glances. This region rarely saw heavy snowfall, even when snow did come.
Yet they were quick to nod in agreement.
“Understood. We’ll prepare well.”
“Thank you for the warning!”
Words from a Mage of such caliber and kindness were worth trusting.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Farewell, everyone! Stay well!”
As Alex waved with a smile, Leo beamed and waved eagerly to his friends.
“Safe travels, Mage! And you too, cousin!”
“We are truly grateful!”
“Take care, Leo!”
They all offered heartfelt thanks to the Mage who had dealt with the fearsome wolves for such modest payment.
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
They stood there even as the cart vanished from sight, praying that the uncle and cousin’s journey would be safe.
“If the snow really does come heavy, I should warn my relatives in the next village over.”
“I should tell my parents as well.”
“We’d better prepare ahead of time.”
Everyone nodded.
“Do you think they’ll believe us?”
“Won’t they believe us if we tell them what happened today?”
Someone chuckled softly and spoke up.
“If we say a kind Mage gave us the warning, I doubt anyone would believe it at all.”
A kind (?) Mage (?)
The Village Chief and the villagers laughed at that remark. Without having witnessed it themselves, they wouldn’t have believed it either.
The rumors about the Mage were that terrifying.
“Come now, everyone. Let’s get back to work. We’ve been cooped up for days—there’s much to do.”
The villagers nodded quickly. Fear of the Wolf Monster pack had kept them from accomplishing much.
The Village Chief continued.
“The rest of you should let the neighboring villages know about the heavy snow coming this winter.”
“Yes, Village Chief!”
And so the incredible, almost unbelievable tale of the kind Mage traveling with his young cousin began to spread.

* * *
“Hmm, hmm~.”
Settled into the cart, Leo had set aside his letter practice for now and was drawing. The subject, naturally, was the great rainbow he’d seen that day.
“Hehe!”
The colorful Pastels that Arden had given him were now painting a rainbow across the paper. On another sheet, he drew his uncle wielding a sword and a ball of fire, vanquishing the wolves.
[That’s our Leo.]
[At this rate, he’ll become a painter.]
“That would be nice.”
As long as Leo didn’t become a hero, Alex was content with whatever he chose. Illegal or dangerous pursuits were, of course, exceptions.
[What became of that village in the Future?]
“I’m not sure. Times were so turbulent that many villages disappeared while new ones sprang up.”
Alex continued.
“But I’ve never heard anything about Wolf Monsters in connection with it.”
[Really?]
Then who could have killed them?
“Could’ve been anyone.”
But one thing was certain—that village wouldn’t have escaped unscathed.
[It’s thanks to you, Alex.]
“I made money too, so it evens out.”
He planned to sell the hides and byproducts at the next village he came across.
Alex checked his map to confirm their direction.
“At this pace, we should be able to spend the night in a village today.”
Then a thought suddenly occurred to him.
Belo Village and the one they’d just left were some distance apart, but still within the same interconnected fiefdom.
“Which means those wolves could easily have traveled that distance too.”
[Huh?]
Ibaek tilted his head at Alex’s words.
“The wolves that killed me—what if they’re connected to the Wolf Monster somehow?”
In that moment.
A heavy silence settled between Alex and Ibaek. Only the sound of Max’s hoofbeats and Leo humming while he drew could be heard.
[…You don’t think…?]
[…But you know, sometimes the unthinkable does turn out to be true.]
Ibaek muttered as if resigned to fate. Alex pressed his forehead with his hand.
“Could it have been a subordinate of the Wolf Monster?”
The wolf that suddenly appeared in Belo Village—one that had never been spotted there before—must have come from elsewhere.
“If that’s the case, there would have been a reason for it to move.”
If it moved in search of prey for the Wolf Monster, the same way as the three wolves that attacked the village, that would be reason enough.
[Or it could have been a scout. After the knights and soldiers came to Belo Village and decided “this place won’t work,” they settled on this village instead.]
That made sense too.
Either way.
[So you dying was because of the Wolf Monster…because of my bones.]
“It’s not certain, but….”
Both Alex and Ibaek were already convinced in their hearts.
“…We’re tangled up in quite a lot together, aren’t we?”
At Alex’s words, laden with meaning, Ibaek flustered and spoke.
[This—this is what you call fate!]
[There’s no bond as extraordinary as ours! We’ve even used Regression Magic! Hey! We’re even supposed to defeat the Demon Lord!]
Ibaek, with much to feel guilty about, tried his best to spin it positively.
[We’re the kind of companions who’d pave the way to success for Leo!]
“Yeah. That’s true.”
At Alex’s ready agreement, Ibaek let out a relieved sigh.
Leo really was the best.

* * *
“B…is for Brick! S…is for Sugar!”
While Leo finished his drawing and moved on to learning new letters, Alex was learning new magic.
“Ibaek, is there magic that creates light? I’m thinking it’d be more convenient than a torch when it gets dark.”
If he’d had light magic during this last incident, he could have moved through the forest in much brighter conditions.
[Of course there is!]
[The incantation is “Light.”]
Ibaek explained.
[You just picture light. Like a lamp or a flashlight…though those don’t exist here, do they?]
[I mean like sunlight.]
[Depending on how much Mana you use, it can be as dim as fireflies, or bright enough to hurt your eyes if you really pour it in.]
Alex pictured light and rotated his Mana Ring. A modest amount of Mana flowed through his Mana Circuit and gathered in his palm.
“Light.”
And then light bloomed.
It was a glow that would shine even brighter when night fell and darkness deepened.
As he practiced his newly learned magic, they arrived at the village where they would spend the night.
Fortunately, unlike the previous village, this one appeared to be peaceful, with no incidents in sight.
[Oh. An inn!]
Moreover, since quite a few people seemed to stay in this village, there was even a small inn with a stable.
“Are we sleeping here tonight, uncle?”
“Yes.”
Alex left Max at the stables and unpacked their things in an inn room with Leo.
“Is there a place around here where I can sell leather?”
In response to Alex’s question, the innkeeper pointed out a shop.
“Uncle, are you looking to sell leather?”
Leo, who’d come along to explore the village, asked Alex. Alex nodded.
“Yes. It’s untreated leather, so if I wait much longer it’ll spoil. Plus it’ll start to reek.”
Alex added further.
“But bones and fangs should be fine, so I’m thinking of selling those at a bigger town later. I can get a better price that way.”
“I see!”
After selling the Wolf Hide to a general goods shop, Alex returned to the inn, had dinner with Leo (naturally, he tested it first), and withdrew to their room.
Through the window, the darkened sky was visible.
“Have good dreams, Leo.”
Leo, lying in bed, grinned widely at Alex’s patting of his belly and replied.
“You too, Uncle! Sleep well!”
Sleep well, Leo. Time for me to get some rest too.
Once Alex confirmed Leo was asleep, he rose from his bedside. Now it was time for his Swordsmanship training.
No! No!
I just said goodnight!
Ibaek, forcibly dragged along as always, cried out in protest. But his complaints couldn’t stop Alex’s determination to train through the night.
“Light.”
The dark night.
Small points of light illuminated the inn’s back courtyard.
Now we’ve even got lighting.
This is perfect for training.
Listening to Ibaek’s quiet grumbling, Alex began loosening up his body. True enough, thanks to the secured sightline Ibaek mentioned, he could move a bit more comfortably.
Whish—
Alex drew his sword and delivered a proper downward strike. Swift yet controlled, every motion precise.
Whish— Whish—
The sound of the blade cutting through air rang out in steady, unbroken rhythm.

* * *
The next day.
After morning training with a groaning Ibaek and breakfast with Leo, Alex set out again in the cart.
“…Do I need to write the letters backward?”
While Leo practiced reviewing his lessons.
Alex found himself in conversation with Ibaek. The topic turned to their next destination: the Brodell Territory.
Alex! Let’s go meet the Young Lord’s fiancée!
I’m curious what the Count’s cooking tastes like.
Maybe we’ll even get a banquet made for us!
No, the conversation had been about food.
“I think it’s better if we don’t go.”
Why not?
We got a Letter of Recommendation after all.
“House Brodell doesn’t seem like that good a place to me.”
Why not?
Ibaek asked, sounding puzzled. Alex answered.
“Even after the Young Lord of House Caldis died, the girl could’ve married some other young noble, right? But the fact that they specifically sent her to an old Count instead… doesn’t that suggest the household isn’t exactly reputable?”
Hmm.
You’ve got a point there.
Alex agreed with Ibaek’s response.
“A noble house that treats its own family that coldly—imagine how ruthless they’d be to commoners and outsiders.”
But the Young Lord and his fiancée seemed to get along well with each other.
There’s a saying about birds of a feather, so wouldn’t the fiancée be a decent person too?
Alex opened his mouth.
“A Count’s daughter forced into marriage could still be a good person. But the rest of the family—the actual perpetrators—I’m not so sure about.”
The rest of the family, hm…
You’re right about that. Not all family members think alike, after all.
Ibaek nodded in agreement. Headless though he was.
“So I think it’s better to be cautious.”
Unless something serious happened, Alex had no intention of using the letter Ethan had given him.
“What was it like in the future?”
Clop-clop, clop-clop.
At Ibaek’s question, Alex adjusted the reins and let his mind drift back to the future.
“Back then… the territories were all in terrible shape.”
Refugees pressing in from every direction. Crumbling security. Invaders pouring through. Food shortages…
In that future, it was nearly impossible to find a territory that remained intact.
“House Brodell seemed to fare better, though. The Count was a Mage and capable, so I heard they held on for a decent while. Eventually they fell to the Demon Race, but still.”
“Is that so?”
“So it’s a decent place, then?”
“Well, having a bad disposition doesn’t mean you lack ability.”
“That’s true.”
“In fact, a man willing to sell off his own family might’ve done whatever it took to preserve his territory. Or at least the appearance of holding it.”
“No—not the territory, but his own power, perhaps.”
Alex shrugged.
“Hard to say for certain. But since we don’t know what might happen, it’s probably safer to stay away from the Count’s household.”
“What a shame.”
“I was looking forward to sampling their cooking.”
“We can buy plenty of delicious food once we reach the Royal Capital.”
“Oh!”
“Yes! Let’s tour the finest restaurants in the Royal Capital!”
“So earn us plenty of money, Alex!”
Ibaek’s suddenly cheerful tone—as if he’d never drooped a moment before—drew a laugh from Alex.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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