Chapter 86: Is There No Other Way but With a Sword...? That's a Trouble!
Chapter 86: Is There No Other Way but With a Sword...? That's a Trouble!
Main Character's POV
A month has passed since the truce with the Demons.
Maria has chosen to run her own medical center and has been studying under Shizuko-san and Cecilia.
I had thought that Maria would be able to open a business right away, but...
Apparently not.
The 'Saint' is an expert in healing magic.
She is the one who helps Hero (Yuusha) fight against the Demon King and heals him.
If she is planning to be a healer, it is the best job for her.
In fact, Maria's power is unmatched by ordinary healers.
Since an ordinary healer can open a medical center... why can't the saint Maria open a medical center?
"It's easy to open a medical center, but once opened, it's a lot harder... Ceres-kun," said Shizuko.
"Yeah, it is going to be more prosperous... but after that..." said Misaki.
The story is that with the title of 'former saint', the business will surely flourish if it opens as usual.
However, if she does so, other medical centers in the neighborhood will go out of business.
So, to make up for this disadvantage, she has to either open a high-cost medical center that can treat patients at a level that no other healer can, or open a medical center in a rural area where there are no healers.
To do so, the current Maria is not good enough.
So, to make up the shortfall, Mel is studying with Sayo-san and Mariane, learning academic and office work.
She has decided to help Maria's medical center with administrative work.
Besides, some treatments require not only the power of a healer but also the power of magic.
Well, Mel herself is also willing to take on the administrative work so that Maria can concentrate on her healing.
And because they are childhood friends, they will work well together.
"So, Ceres... I was wondering if you could give me about 200 gold coins."
"Ceres, not only Maria, but me too, please..."
Thinking it again, I'm their stepfather.
If it's for autonomy, I'd be willing to give them that kind of money.
"Okay, I'll give a little help..."
"Ceres-kun, what are you talking about?"
"Ceres-san... Don't spoil them. You can lend them money, but you can't give it to them."
"...I understand."
Well, I can give it to them secretly when they really leave here.
As long as they work hard for the future, it's okay to do that much.
Still, Shizuko-san and the others are giving me the stink-eye, but... oh well.
* * *
But there's a problem over here.
"Lida, how about we go fishing for the first time in a while?"
"With Ceres... that sounds good."
I take Lida outside.
The problem is about Lida...
She has no other skill than fighting, and that's what she is, a sword saint.
If she chooses to fight, she is the best with the exception of Hero (Yuusha).
But her skill has no other benefits.
Well, for now, I thought I would talk to her there, holding a fishing rod.
And I decided to went on the small spring near the capital.
For the note, Lida was tomboy when she was a child.
She used to fish and catch bugs with Zect and me.
But Maria and Mel don't like insects. But, fishing is still good for them. Still, they don't often come.
Anyway, for fishing, just line up the rods and cast the line.
Then, catch a fish or don't catch a fish.
"Hey, Lida... have you found what you want to do?"
"I knew you'd say that... Ceres is hitting me where it hurts."
Since she was a little girl, I've only seen Lida swinging a stick around.
And after she became a sword saint, she has been swinging a sword.
While Maria and Mel were not only doing magic but also girlish things, Lida was wielding a sword.
In my previous life, I would say that she was 'hard to kill'.
"You don't want to fight anymore, do you?"
"Well... I'm sick of it... why do I have to be a sword saint? I wish I had another job."
"Isn't there anything you want to do with it?"
At the moment, Lida sometimes helps out at Kazuma-niisan's restaurant.
After all, unlike Maria and Mel, she has no goals for the future.
"Well, all I used to do was swing a sword... but after fighting Dragons and Mammon, I got scared and I don't want to fight anymore... but there's nothing I can do... except swing a sword. And there's nothing I want to do... what should I do?"
Her speech is childish... A habit Lida has when she is in real trouble.
"I know that's all you can do... but you can't do that anymore... for example, if you can't slay monsters, how about people? If you can slay people, how about a knight of the royal palace or a guard soldier in the town?"
"It's true that I might be able to slay people... but..."
She didn't say anything, but I guess she was trying to say 'I don't know'.
"Well... Lida, what if? If Job didn't have anything to do with it, is there anything you'd rather do?"
"Well... I don't know."
"Okay... take your time, find what you want to do... I don't care how long it takes, because it's better to take a year or two to find it than to compromise and quit right away. "
"Ceres... are you not impatient?"
"Well... there's nothing more boring in life than doing a job you hate."
"Hey, Ceres... Are you really my childhood friend...? and to be honest, you're even nicer... than my dad."
"What are you talking about...? I'm your stepdad, okay?"
"That's true... so I guess I'll just relax and not worry about it?"
"Yes, that's fine..."
After all, is there no other way but with a sword...? That's a trouble.