I Became the Hero While Paving a Flower Path for My Niece - Chapter 37

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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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His Cousin Bloomed a Path, and He Became a Hero – Episode 37
“How much longer until we reach Lord’s Castle, Uncle?”
Leo, having finished his lessons for the day—studying letters and sensing Mana—settled beside Alex and swung his legs back and forth.
“Not much further now. Two hours or so?”
[Two hours counts as “a little”?]
“Wow! I can’t wait to see how big it is! Bigger than Caldis Lord’s Castle! I can’t even imagine it!”
Alex smiled at Leo’s eager face and, as he usually did, drew upon the Mana Cultivation Technique to gather more mana into his second Circle.
[Getting to be medium-sized now.]
[At this rate, I’ll reach a third Circle soon enough.]
Though his pace was already swift, Alex wanted to grow stronger faster still. He pushed down his impatience and took a light, steadying breath.
He felt tiny motes of mana flowing into his body, drifting through the vast sea of energy around him.
All the while, Leo watched him from the side.
Feeling that gaze, Alex straightened his stooped shoulders and spine.

‘Keep your back straight.’

The voice of the tutor who had taught etiquette to Hero Leo and his companions in The Future whispered through his mind.
She had taught him with the philosophy that knowing something was always better than ignorance—the same way she approached table manners.

A mercenary like Alex had no real need for such courtesies, but still,

‘Leo is learning.’

Seeing Alex sit up straight and proper, Leo imitated him at once, straightening his own posture and laughing with delight.
In response, Alex resolved to set the best example he could going forward.
[Hm? Someone’s there.]
Then,
his Mana Detection picked up a presence—unmistakably human.
Alex’s head turned toward it.
In the distance, he glimpsed a small figure.
[A child?]
Patter-patter, patter-patter.
As the distance closed, the figure grew clearer. Leo, sitting beside Alex, noticed him too.
“Oh! A bigger brother!”
Not that he knew the boy.
Like most children, Leo simply called anyone taller than himself “brother.”
This “brother” appeared to be around twelve years old, clad in tattered clothes patched here and there. His only luggage seemed to be a bundle of cloth stuffed with something.
[Is he heading to Lord’s Castle too?]
The boy, gaunt from what seemed like chronic hunger, trudged forward with determination. Both Alex and Leo noticed him.
“Uncle, can’t you give that brother a ride?”
Leo made the request, and because of Hero Leo from The Future, Alex had grown soft-hearted toward children. With a small smile, he steered the cart closer to the boy.
Of course, he first used Mana Detection to scan the area for bandits. In The Future, he had learned that thieves sometimes used children as bait for ambushes.
[Kindness or caution—which is it?]
Alex let slip the observation Yibaek might have made and called out to the boy.
“You there, little one.”
“…Yes?”
The boy, who had been walking briskly, flinched in surprise and looked up at Alex.
[Oh, he’s wary.]
[Smart!]
“If you’re heading to Lord’s Castle, I can give you a ride.”
“Brother! I’m Leo, and I’m six! And this is my uncle, Alex. What’s your name? If you’re going to Lord’s Castle, come with us!”
The boy, who had gone rigid when meeting Alex’s eyes, relaxed visibly at the sight of Leo’s bright smile.
“I’m Jake. Thirteen. I’m heading to Lord’s Castle too.”
[Of course. That’s Leo for you.]
[He already got his name out of him.]
[Though for thirteen, he seems a bit small…]
It was likely from malnutrition.
Thanks to Leo, Jake’s wariness had ebbed. He asked,
“How much longer until we reach Lord’s Castle?”
Alex told him what he’d heard back in the last village.
“By cart it takes two hours, so it’ll take even longer if we walk.”
Jake rolled his eyes thoughtfully at that, his gaze flicking once toward Alex’s serene face, then toward Leo, whose eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Then I’d be grateful for the ride.”
“Yes! Get in quick! Jake!”
Leo gestured excitedly, and Jake laughed, a little giddy himself.
Jake climbed into the cart and Alex took up the reins. The brown horse Max began to walk, clip-clop, clip-clop.
“Wow! That’s fast!”
Jake’s eyes gleamed at the speed, faster than his own pace on foot.
“Right? Max is really quick. Oh, Max is our horse’s name.”
“I see. That’s wonderful!”
“I think so too!”
‘Leo’s completely thrilled,’ Yibaek thought with amusement.
‘Definitely more like a big brother than an uncle.’
The uncle, teasing even in his thoughts, mused, ‘If I had a solid form, I’d give him a good smack for that.’
“Try this, big brother. It’s delicious.”
“This looks expensive… Are you sure I can have some?”
It wasn’t especially costly, but from the worn state of Jake’s clothes, Alex could tell the boy came from a household where even modest snacks were a luxury.
“It’s fine. I have plenty more.”
Thanks to Alex’s generosity with Leo, snacks were in abundant supply. Jake swallowed hard, his eyes darting toward Alex for permission.
Alex smiled and spoke.
“Go ahead. Eat freely.”
“Then… thank you for the meal.”
Jake cautiously picked the smallest snack and popped it into his mouth, his eyes lighting up.
“It’s sweet!”
“Good, right? Try this one too!”
‘He’s charming,’ Yibaek observed.
‘Definitely more like a big brother than—!’
Suppressing the urge to actually hit him, Alex listened to Leo and Jake chattering away.
Well, as long as Leo was happy, that was what mattered.
“But big brother Jake, where were you headed to Lord’s Castle? Didn’t the others come with you?”
‘That’s what I was wondering too.’
‘Was he just traveling from a nearby village for a visit?’
Even so, it was a long journey.
Besides, even in peaceful times like these, bandits and unsavory folk weren’t entirely absent.
“I was going to see my brother.”
“Your brother?”
“Yeah. My brother went to Lord’s Castle to earn money. But he hasn’t contacted me in a month, so I’m on my way to check on him.”
‘A month? That’s a really long time without word!’
Though really, in a world where letters were the only means of communication, a month wasn’t so terribly long.
Without reliable ways to send word, long stretches between messages were ordinary.
“The villagers said he was just working hard and couldn’t find time to write… but I missed him, so I came anyway.”
Jake smiled softly as he spoke.
“My brother’s all the family I have.”
“Me too. I only have my uncle as family.”
Jake’s eyes widened with surprise at Leo’s words. Leo continued with a small laugh.
“I’m actually on my way to find my mom and dad.”
“…I hope you find them.”
“And I hope you get to see your brother too, Jake. I really do.”
“Yeah!”
‘How sweet. And a bit heartbreaking too.’
That it was.
Alex laughed softly and spoke up.
“Leo, you bought jerky earlier, didn’t you? Share some with Jake.”
“Sure, Uncle! That jerky is amazing! I bet you’ll love it, big brother!”
Leo rummaged excitedly through his things, while Jake’s expression grew flustered.
“No, really, I’m fine! Jerky must be expensive!”
Alex laughed heartily at that.
“Don’t worry. You should eat well before you meet your brother.”
“Uncle! Can I give Jake some bread too?”
Leo’s eyes were already sparkling with the fervor of someone ready to hand over their entire food supply.
“Yes. Give me everything. We can buy more once we reach Lord’s Castle.”
“Ouch!”
[Just like that.]
[Uncle and nephew cut from the same cloth.]
Yibaek chuckled softly.

* * *
“Wow!”
“Ahhh!”
Leo, sitting beside Alex, let out a cry of wonder. Jake’s eyes beside him had grown wide as saucers.
The castle walls of Brodell Lord’s Castle had come into view.
“It’s huge!”
“So many people!”
A far greater variety and number of people were streaming toward the City Gate than had filled Caldis Lord’s Castle, which had mostly drawn from nearby villages.
“Wow!”
Leo and Jake’s amazement knew no bounds at the bustling spectacle.
Their hips were bouncing as though they might leap off the cart at any moment, so Alex kept close watch to make sure neither boy bolted.
[Children never know when they’ll suddenly take off, I’ve heard.]
Yibaek chuckled.
“Uncle! Look at that! The castle wall is incredibly high!”
“And there are banners, Leo!”
[Wow! That’s amazing!]
[So there really is a difference between a Count’s house and a Viscount’s house.]
The castle walls, higher still than those of Caldis Lord’s Castle, spread before them. And banners embroidered with the Count Family’s crest hung here and there.
“Wow!”
“It’s really magnificent…!”
Leo and Jake’s wonder only grew as they drew nearer to Brodell Lord’s Castle.
Both boys had their mouths hanging wide open and showed no intention of closing them. Their heads tilted back so far they looked ready to topple right off the cart.
Laughter rippled through the onlookers at the sight of the two children. Alex and Yibaek found themselves laughing as well.
“It really is amazing! It looks even bigger than Caldis Lord’s Castle!”
[The height and thickness are definitely different.]
Alex gazed at Brodell Lord’s Castle, which he hadn’t seen in some time. Still, it felt noticeably smaller than his memories from The Future.
Just as with Caldis Lord’s Castle, Brodell Lord’s Castle had been expanded in The Future due to the influx of refugees seeking shelter.
“Um, Uncle Alex? You can drop me off here.”
Before they could line up to pass through the City Gate.
Jake spoke.
“Here?”
“Yes! I can manage on my own from here.”
[He’s quite responsible.]
Alex understood Jake’s reluctance to impose further trouble.
“How are you planning to find him?”
“He told me where he’d be going. I’m going to check there.”
That was fortunate, then.
Alex nodded and spoke.
“If any trouble comes up, go to the Mercenary Guild and find me. I’m planning to stay at the castle for a few days.”
“Yes!”
Leo said his goodbye with a reluctant expression.
“Jake, be careful on your way.”
“Okay! Once I find him, I’ll definitely come thank you.”
As Jake bowed and began to step down from the cart with a bundle full of food tucked under his arm.
Alex smiled and spoke.
“Jake. From now on, be cautious around people with children too. There are wicked folk out there who use children as bait for robbery.”
[Not that we have room to talk!]
“!!”
Taken aback by the unexpected warning, Jake quickly realized it was advice meant for him and broke into a smile.
“I will. I’ll be careful. Thank you so much! Uncle Alex! Thanks, Leo!”
“Safe travels, Jake!”
“Watch yourself!”
Jake bowed once more, bundled package in hand, and walked briskly toward the City Gate.
[A fine boy.]
There was something about how quickly the boy matured that reminded him of Leo from The Future.

* * *
“Next!”
Jake departed.
And Alex’s cart was called forward for inspection.
The soldiers examined it with keen eyes.
[These soldiers seem even sharper than the ones at Caldis Lord’s Castle, don’t they?]
Indeed they did.
They certainly had a more disciplined air about them.
“Impressive…!”
Leo’s eyes brightened as he watched them, evidently struck by the same observation.
“Through!”
Thanks to the rank-5 Mercenary Credential, Alex’s party passed without difficulty and entered Brodell Lord’s Castle.
And they gasped.
“Wow!”
A sprawling, bustling Count Family’s castle unfolded before them—grander and more crowded even than Caldis Lord’s Castle of the Viscount Family.
[Incredible!]
[It really is different from the Viscount’s domain.]
[And there are carriages.]
In Caldis Lord’s Castle, people mostly traveled in open-bed carts, but here there were quite a few proper carriages.
Perhaps because of that, the streets seemed wider and cleaner—wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side.
“Uncle! Look—there! A three-story building! A three-story one!”
And there were three-story structures that simply didn’t exist in Caldis Lord’s Castle. When Leo caught sight of a three-story building at some distance, his mouth fell open in wonder.
“Uncle! Can we go there? Please!”
“Sure, all right. Hopefully it’s an inn—we can stay there for the night.”
“That would be perfect!”
[Wait! We have to find an inn with good food!]
Alex dismissed Yibaek’s protest with familiar ease, ruffled Leo’s hair—the boy’s face flushed with excitement—and steered the cart toward that building.
“It’s so tall! Three stories! Amazing!”
But to their disappointment, it turned out to be a private residence, not an inn.
Leo was somewhat let down, yet the mere sight of the three-story structure before him was enough to satisfy him.
“The people who live there must be lucky! They get to see that beautiful view every day.”
[Wouldn’t climbing up and down all those stairs get tiring?]
[And there’s no elevator here either.]
At Yibaek’s practical remark, Alex couldn’t help but smile softly.
Clop-clop, clop-clop—
Beyond that, there were several other three-story buildings, so they wandered about sightseeing for Leo’s sake.
“Amazing!”
And all the while, Alex managed to ask passersby and locate a reputable inn known for good food.
[Alex! I knew I could count on you!]
At the delighted tone of Yibaek’s voice, Alex couldn’t help but laugh.

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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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