Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 123 - Norn and Ruijerd

Gentle. Powerful. Reliable. Handsome.

At every stage of my life, there was always someone like that by my side.

In early childhood, that person was my father.

During adolescence, that person was my brother.

Now, that person is Ruijerd.

......

This powerful figure who arrived so suddenly in my life, here to serve as Princess Ariel's guard, at my brother's suggestion.

Green hair. A spear always slung across his back. A legendary eye at the center of his forehead.

People called him a monster. A cursed thing. A blight upon the world.

But when I first met him, I didn't see any of that.

Because my sister-in-law Sylphiette has the same hair color.

"Norn Greyrat?"

"Yes. And your name is?"

"Ruijerd. For the foreseeable future, I'll be serving as your guard and Ariel's."

"Mine?"

"Yes. Your brother asked me to."

"Oh..."

My brother is incredible. I've understood that since I was very small.

Even someone this powerful can be put to work by my brother.

Well. That's nothing new.

After finishing my Student Council work, I packed up my things and prepared to leave.

At that moment, Ruijerd, who had been standing motionless this entire time, finally moved.

He simply fell into step right behind me.

"I mean... I'm heading back to the dormitory."

"Yes. I'll walk you."

"Uh... the female dormitory area doesn't allow men inside."

"Is that so? I never heard about that when escorting Ariel."

"That's because when Luke and you follow Princess Ariel, everyone knows you're guards. But you following me around would look strange."

"Why?"

"Because I... am not someone worth protecting. I don't have that kind of value."

"You are Rudeus's sister. Many people want you dead. In terms of value alone, those nobles hate you even more than they hate Ariel."

Again. My brother.

It's fine. Calm down.

I've been used to this for a long time, haven't I? My brother hasn't done anything wrong.

All these feelings welling up inside me are just me being unreasonable...

"Anyway. Don't follow me."

"But..."

"If you follow me, I'll tell my brother you were harassing me. You know how much he dotes on me, right?"

As expected, the moment I invoked my brother's name, Ruijerd furrowed his brow and went quiet.

When it comes down to it, everything around me now was given to me by my brother.

Even Princess Ariel's goodwill, it exists because I'm Rudeus's sister.

I've known that for a long time.

"I'll be going. See you tomorrow."

Shaking off those pointless feelings, I picked up my bag and left the Student Council.

The whole walk back, I made myself not think about any of it.

There's no reason to. I'm happy right now, aren't I?

Mother Zenith was healed by my brother. The troublesome Aisha went off on a trip. Father comes by every now and then to practice swordsmanship with me.

Everything, everything is wonderful.

So why?

Why does something inside me feel so unwilling?

Father once said it right to my face, in a joking tone,

[Ah, Norn doesn't seem to have much talent for swordsmanship. But that's fine! Train hard enough and beating your brother in a sword fight won't be difficult at all!]

That was one whole sentence. Yet all I heard were "no talent" and "in swordsmanship."

How petty of me. How awful.

I know my brother has no talent for swordsmanship. But his talent for magic is among the finest in the entire world.

No. Wait. Isn't it a good thing that my brother has talent?

A brother that powerful, and everything he's ever done has been for his family and the people he loves.

And I'm jealous of him?

Jealous of someone who loves me.

......

The next day.

Inside the Student Council.

Princess Ariel finished handling affairs for the Asura Kingdom and moved on to school matters.

The Student Council was very quiet. No one said a word.

No one asked about the friction between Ruijerd and me yesterday, either.

I sighed softly and submitted the finished documents to Princess Ariel.

"Thank you for your hard work, Norn."

"It's part of my duties."

"I'm sorry to ask, but could you look over these documents as well? I have something to attend to — I'll be leaving with Luke first."

"Sure, no problem."

"Thank you very much."

With that, Ariel let her royal composure settle back into place, her entire bearing shifting in an instant, and she left the Student Council with Luke.

Princess Ariel is graduating next year.

I turned toward Ruijerd.

"Why aren't you going? Aren't you Princess Ariel's personal guard?"

"She has other guards with her. Protecting you is the more important task."

"Did my brother say that?"

To my surprise, he shook his head.

"Ariel said that."

"Oh..."

I didn't say anything else. I put my head down and worked through the stack Princess Ariel had left me.

Time moved quickly. The documents weren't anything urgent, but they still took a while.

I turned toward the window. The afternoon light had gone soft.

"Norn Greyrat."

The sudden voice pulled me back.

Right. He was still here.

"What is it?"

"Yesterday, I said something wrong and seemed to upset you. I'm very sorry."

"Heh. Is it because you're afraid of my brother?"

He shook his head.

"No. It's because I don't want to make a child sad."

"A child? You mean me?"

Ruijerd nodded.

"Ha!? You're calling me a child?"

"Uh... aren't you?"

"I'm 18 years old! And look at my height, look at my figure — does this not count as a mature woman?!"

"18 years old... whether in age or in disposition, you do seem like a child. At least to me."

Since I came of age at fifteen, this was the most unbelievable thing anyone had ever said to me.

Admittedly, my figure isn't quite like Mother Lilia's. But still. I look a fair bit like Mother Zenith.

And I'm certainly not built like Sister-in-law Roxy or Sister-in-law Sylphiette.

Mother Zenith, to me, is the standard of what a perfect woman looks like.

Even Father has said I resemble her!

"You remember this. I am a fully grown adult woman. No matter who is looking."

"Mm..."

"What's with that troubled expression? How old are you, anyway? I know the Demon Race lives long, but still..."

"I stopped keeping count after 500."

"Fi... 500..."

Uh.

Over 500 years old.

I thought it would be around Sister-in-law Roxy's age at most.

"...Even so, you can't treat me like a child just because of your age. Would you think of my brother as a child?"

"...You're right. That was my mistake."

"Mr. Ruijerd, you're a little... slow sometimes, aren't you."

"Is that an insult?"

"Not exactly... Well. I also want to apologize for my rudeness yesterday. I was in a bad mood."

"It's nothing. Then — may I escort you back to the dormitory today?"

"Fine."

We didn't say much on the way.

He really was just doing his job.

When we reached the base of the dormitory building, I stopped.

"This is far enough."

"Alright. I'll head off, then."

"Wait!"

Ruijerd stopped at my shout.

I didn't even know why I'd called out to him.

After a moment of hesitation, I spoke.

"Uh... Mr. Ruijerd, you've lived for such a long time. There's something I want to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"Have you... ever been jealous of your own family?"

Ruijerd went still at that.

A long pause before he spoke.

"What a luxurious question."

"Huh?"

"I have never been jealous of my own family."

"Is that so... Well. I suppose... haha..."

How could anyone be jealous of their own family.

Honestly, what kind of question was that.

"Then I'll be going—"

"But I understand what you're thinking."

"Huh?"

"All I can say is, being jealous of your own family is nothing to be ashamed of."

"You say that like you already know what's on my mind..."

"Your elder brother is more gifted than you. Your younger sister is more gifted than you. You feel jealous of them for it. To me, that is entirely normal."

"How do you... how do you know that..."

"I have met your younger sister. Aisha Greyrat. She is a genius who surpasses even your brother."

That's true.

My brother himself says Aisha is a real genius. That in front of her, he doesn't even qualify as one, just someone with a small bit of cleverness.

Yet even that small bit of cleverness, I...

"Norn Greyrat. You don't need to think of yourself as a wicked person for feeling this way. On the contrary, someone who carries feelings like these and still loves their family, still shows up for them. That makes you a good younger sister. A good older sister."

"Is... that so...?"

Just one simple sentence.

My vision blurred.

A warmth spreading up from somewhere inside.

By the time I noticed, tears were already brimming in my eyes. I fought to hold them back. They fell anyway.

"See. You're still a child."

Ruijerd reached out and ruffled my hair.

That gentle murmur broke something open. The tears came all at once, and the sobs came with them.

......

By the time I was cried out, the sun had fully set.

I stared up at the night sky, wondering why feelings I'd kept locked away for so long had finally come undone today.

Ruijerd had stayed the entire time. Never left.

Maybe I really am a child. I can't even manage my own emotions.

"When you have time, have a real talk with your brother."

"I'm fine now. It was just me throwing a tantrum over nothing..."

"When it's time to talk, talk. Don't tell yourself there's always another day."

"Mr. Ruijerd... earlier you said my question was a luxurious one. You..."

"I no longer have a family. That is why I think so."

"I'm sorry... I'll go talk to my brother tomorrow."

"Good."

After saying that, Ruijerd reached toward my head again.

I didn't actually mind. But I knocked his hand away all the same.

"Don't treat me like a child."

"Sorry."

"I'll talk to my brother tomorrow. When I do... would you also tell me about your past?"

"Of course. Though there's nothing interesting about it."

"Very boring?"

"Yes. Very boring. You might even find yourself afraid of me after hearing it."

"Why?"

"Weren't you going to listen tomorrow?"

"Fair... Then. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow."

......

A story woven through with grief, anger, and despair.

Ruijerd told it in an even, unhurried voice.

Even so, Norn could feel it, the fury underneath, the refusal to accept what had been done.

Did Princess Ariel know about Ruijerd's past?

Did her brother know? Did Aisha know?

They probably all did. She was the last one to meet him, after all.

Without thinking, Norn reached out and laid her hand gently over the back of his.

"It will succeed. My brother promised you. So it will succeed."

Ruijerd looked down at the small hand resting over his.

Such a small hand. Trying so hard to offer comfort.

"Yes."

"I'll also — I'll do my part too!"

"Yes. Thank you."

......

After that, whenever Ariel didn't need Ruijerd, he and Norn would go out together.

They ignored the stares. They didn't care about any of it. They were only paying attention to each other, to their own quiet little [dates].

On an ordinary day off, the two of them headed out as usual.

Norn wasn't entirely sure why, but being beside Ruijerd always made her feel safe.

"Mr. Ruijerd. I've decided something."

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to write a biography. With you as the subject. What do you think?"

"With me as the subject?"

Norn nodded. She held up the last of her skewers and raised them toward his mouth.

Ruijerd lowered his head and ate without a second thought.

"Yes. You."

"Mm..."

"I'll make people understand your side of it. And help them understand the suffering of the Superd Race, everything they've had to endure."

"What do you need from me?"

At that question, Norn's expression shifted into something sly.

Ruijerd wasn't sure what to call it, exactly. Mischievous, maybe. A little teasing.

"Tell me more about your past. Your son, your wife~"

"Uh... alright."

And just like that, Norn found her purpose.

To write a story, a biography, for the Superd Race.

For Ruijerd, to be precise.

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