Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 5 Chapter 52   Before Operation Mizuki

After my conversation with Asada, I wrapped up the discussion in Nina’s room and now set out to find Miyano.

Well, it’s more like I’m just going to her room, though.

Taking a deep breath in front of Miyano’s room, I pressed the button beside the door and called out to Miyano inside.

“Yes?”

“It’s me. Do you have a moment?”

“Igami-san? …Sure, my room’s a bit messy, but please come in.”

You might be wondering why I’m coming to your room when I rarely do, especially on a day like today, but even so, Miyano welcomed me into her room.

“Preparing for tomorrow, huh?”

“More like checking the items we have in the room. The equipment and tools themselves are already prepared.”

“I see. You’re as reliable as ever.”

“I am the leader, after all.”

Upon entering the room, I noticed some items with a somewhat girlish touch, but what caught my attention even more were the equipment and tools spread out on the floor and the desk.

“So, what brings you here? Words of encouragement for tomorrow?”

“Well, something like that. Knowing you, you might not openly admit to any concerns you have about tomorrow, but I still wanted to have a conversation with you.”

“Hehe, it’s not really like that. I’ve been told countless times to rely on others, and it’s a bit late for that now.”

Miyano laughed as if recalling something, and well, that’s true. I feel like I’ve said enough about not feeling pressured and relying on others.

“To be honest, it’s not like I have no anxieties… but it’s not like I’m completely without them. Still, I’m filled with determination. I won’t lose, no matter what.”

However, Miyano’s hand trembled as she said this.

And that declaration of “I won’t lose, no matter what” just now, could it be that she said it not because she truly believed it, but to reassure herself?

Maybe she still can’t bring herself to rely on someone else… or is she considering my feelings?

“If you’ve come to talk to me, it wouldn’t be strange to visit the other team members as well. I shouldn’t burden them further amidst all this.”

Miyano probably thought along those lines. Maybe she’s downplaying her own priority. After all, she has a strong sense of responsibility.

No matter how many times I say it, it remains the same. It’s probably tied to her past. Perhaps she’s convinced that she shouldn’t burden anyone or cause suffering because of her.

There’s nothing much I can do about it… but what should I do?

“Igami-san, would you like to have this?”

While I was lost in thought, Miyano rummaged through her bag and pulled something out, offering it to me.

“What’s that? Not a replenishment drug, is it?”

“It’s a rejuvenation potion. If you become younger, wouldn’t your mobility improve compared to now?”

Oh right, she mentioned buying that before.

But she wants me to drink it?

However…

“I can’t.”

“Why not? This time, the situation is expected to be the most challenging we’ve faced so far. Even if Igami-san is strong, I think if there’s even a slight chance to increase your survival rate, it’s worth considering taking it.”

Indeed, I believe that drinking it and becoming younger would likely improve my mobility. Not to say it would turn me twenty again, but if it could even regress me by ten years… or five, it would definitely increase my chances of survival.

However, there’s a catch.

Even though it’s called rejuvenation, it doesn’t mean you’ll instantly become younger. Well, that’s only natural.

The potion Miyano has doesn’t make you younger; strictly speaking, it’s said to restore you to your prime. Now, going back to my prime from my current state… let’s say to age twenty, that would be like entirely overhauling my bones and muscles.

It would likely be accompanied by pain, and if all of that were to happen suddenly, an average person not accustomed to such pain might even die.

So, in order to become younger, it would require gradually reverting over time. That’s what it seems like. I only researched a bit before, so I’m not entirely sure, but it’s likely accurate.

“The process involves gradually rebuilding the body, but it apparently takes a month. If something is expected to happen within a week, it won’t be in time. Constantly undergoing changes in the body during combat would actually be a hindrance.”

Undergoing rapid rejuvenation during combat would only distort my senses and hinder my ability to fight properly.

“Furthermore, even if I were to revert to my prime, there wouldn’t be enough time to adjust to it.”

“I see…”

Miyano seemed disappointed with my response.

Perhaps Miyano brought this up because she’s feeling anxious.

It’s probably her anxiety that drove her to suggest something so unclear and not exactly a viable solution.

Maybe she also wishes for me to live. Seeing a younger version of me might provide a sense of distance from ‘death’.

…Perhaps I’ve been misunderstanding things. Maybe Miyano doesn’t avoid relying on others; she just doesn’t know how to ask for help.

During the previous school trip, she relied on Asada and the others to defeat the dragon, but that was an emergency situation, a dire moment. It might be different when discussing things in advance like we are now; she might not know how to ask for help.

She’s grown up without really relying on anyone, or rather, maybe she’s grown up without knowing how to rely on others.

She once told me something before: Miyano has been viewed as an “Awakened of Special Class” since she was little, both expected and avoided. And now she’s being hailed as a “Hero”. In such circumstances, it’s understandable that she might find it difficult to rely on someone else.

Also, the fact that I’m older might play a role. Even if I am in the position of an instructor, someone to rely on, it’s still harder for her to ask for help compared to someone of her own age.

So, perhaps what just happened was Miyano’s way of expressing her anxieties without directly voicing them, a way for her to indicate that she can’t ask for help easily.

“Rest assured. We don’t need to resort to such measures; we won’t meet our end that easily.”

“Really?”

With those thoughts in mind, I placed my hand on Miyano’s head and spoke clearly. I wanted to ease even a fraction of the anxiety in this child who struggles to rely on others.

And as it turned out, my assumption was correct. Miyano was indeed carrying apprehensions, as she gazed at me with uncertainty.

“Yeah… What’s the matter? You’re sounding quite timid for someone called a ‘hero’.”

“Yeah, well… But it’s only natural to feel that way, right? We’re about to launch an assault on the enemy’s stronghold, the one responsible for creating this situation. There’s a lot to consider.”

In an attempt to keep the mood from becoming overly serious, I playfully chatted. Initially, Miyano seemed a bit hesitant, but finally, she managed to pour out the anxieties she had been feeling.

“Yeah, I suppose so. But you don’t intend to die, do you?”

“Of course not.”

Despite not being able to completely dispel her unease, Miyano’s determination to not give up remained evident. She firmly denied any intention of surrendering, even though her anxieties lingered.

“In that case, don’t waste your energy fretting about the unknown tomorrow. We’re all going to make it back alive anyway. Instead of dwelling on that, focus on what comes after all of this is over.”

“Everyone making it back alive… But, what comes after…”

Coming back alive is a given. While there’s no absolute guarantee we’ll all return unscathed from the danger zone we’re diving into, I will ensure that we do.

Upon hearing my somewhat irresponsibly confident words, Miyano muttered in exasperation. However, she quickly shifted her attention to my subsequent words.

“Oh, right. There’s something you want to do, something you’d like to achieve. Let’s work hard for that. Remember that the events of tomorrow aren’t just a life-or-death battle; they’re stepping stones leading us to the day after. Keep that in mind.”

“There are so many things I want to do. Lots of things I want to achieve and places I want to go.”

Miyano lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.

I decided to remain by her side, silently waiting without offering any further words.

“…To think about the possibility of dying, it’s utterly foolish.”

“Exactly.”

After a brief pause, Miyano lifted her head and looked at me. Her expression might not have been as radiant as her usual smile, but it had definitely become brighter compared to earlier.

“Feeling a bit relieved now?”

“Well, yes. Just talking like this can make a difference.”

“I’ve said it before, but you burden yourself too much just because you’re called a hero. Though that’s been easing up recently, you’re still carrying some weight, aren’t you?”

“Yeah… That’s true. Can I ask you one more thing?”

“Sure. Feel free to ask as many as you want.”

“No, one is enough.”

“Hmm?”

Though there was a smile on her face, that smile felt somewhat resolved, as if she had steeled herself for something.

“I… like you.”

Then, her expression changed from a smile to a serious one. Miyano’s eyes, filled with determination, met mine head-on as she clearly spoke her feelings.

“Expressing my feelings in words like this is a first… but I like you.”

And if this were conveyed once again, there’s no way anyone could misunderstand.

However, caught off guard by Miyano’s sudden confession and not knowing how to respond, my thoughts and movements froze, leaving me awkwardly immobilized.

“You understood my feelings, didn’t you?”

Indeed, as she pointed out, I did understand. I understood, but…

“At first, it was just going along with the flow. But, even though you resisted and hesitated, you supported us. Even when I was crying, you were there for me.”

While I remained frozen, Miyano continued talking, seemingly indifferent to my reaction.

“You built walls around yourself, and I knew something was troubling you. So I couldn’t bring myself to say it, and then I realized Kana’s feelings too, which made me more cautious and unable to speak up…”

As if clutching onto something precious, she folded her hands over her chest and closed her eyes.

With a firm grip on her hands, she opened her eyes and looked at me again.

“One of the things I want to do is… get married. I’m still a girl after all. I have that kind of aspiration.”

Unlike her serious expression when she confessed earlier, Miyano’s current look, though still earnest, was mixed with a girlish smile, radiating a sense of charm.

“I like you. That’s my sincere and honest feeling.”

Miyano gazed at me. I almost found myself reaching out toward the girl before me, but I quickly restrained that impulse and clenched my hand firmly.

“Can I have an answer now, if possible…? Is it too much to ask?”

She must have noticed my hesitation. Miyano’s expression turned somewhat sorrowful as she posed the question.

“I… ”

I managed to start speaking, but the words didn’t come out any further.

I had intended to refuse. That was the plan.

Indeed, I had rejected Asada before, and I had even thought about turning down this kind of conversation today, contemplating it before entering this room.

However, despite my intention, my mouth felt parched as if I had been in a desert, and my voice failed me.

Surely, I had helped them… assisted Miyano and provided some support.

But, would being with someone like me contribute to their happiness?

…Nonsense. That couldn’t be true.

Love and romance might not be bound by age, but even so, getting together with someone who still carried the baggage of a past relationship wouldn’t bring them happiness.

Yet, even though I knew that, why did I almost reach out just now?

It wasn’t just about Miyano. There was also Asada.

When I almost reached out, I didn’t want Miyano to wear a sad expression. When I was talking to Asada earlier, I found solace in our conversation.

What do I really think? What do I want? Who do I want to become? I…

“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to be that troubled.”

As if interrupting my thoughts, Miyano reached out and gently placed her hand over mine as she spoke.

“You don’t have to give me an answer right now after all. I wouldn’t like being turned down casually, nor would I like a hasty agreement.”

In that moment of realization, Miyano’s expression seemed somewhat lonely, yet she managed to offer a reassuring smile.

“So, how about this? Let’s wait until after tomorrow, until the day after, to give it some serious thought.”

What should I even say in response? …I have no clue.

“Also, here.”

As she said this, Miyano rummaged through a nearby pouch and handed me a sturdy container. It was the rejuvenation potion she had shown me earlier.

“…Hey, I don’t really need that—”

“I’m not giving it to you. I just want you to hold onto it for a bit.”

With those words, Miyano let go of my hand and smiled again.

“It’s actually quite valuable, you know? So, please make sure you don’t break it or anything. Return it to me after tomorrow. Promise.”

I came here to offer reassurance, yet somehow I’m the one being given things to do.

This time, I need to clearly sort out my feelings and come up with an answer… But trying to organize my emotions with a high school girl feels like I’m just kidding myself. With a two-decade age difference, there’s quite an aura of impropriety.

…Well, regardless, I need to settle everything after the chaos of tomorrow.