Since that day, it has been five years.

After a long winter, spring finally came to Arcadia. This year in special, the winter had been very harsh and there were many people that died by starving and were frozen to death. Because of that, everyone was waiting for spring. There was n.o.body that didn´t become happy by the arrival of spring.

That wasn´t an exception to a certain bookstore of imported books that was located at some nook at the royal capital. In the winter, while they would still could sell books, they would hardly be able to get any new books s.h.i.+pped. Without new books, there were less reasons for the regular customers to buy books, and in consideration to the literacy rate, it was very rare to get new customers.

They would get new s.h.i.+pments at spring. It was a happy season for the book store.

“Hey, take that book from the thirteenth shelf. Uhh, that one that was an anatomy book from Mahs.h.i.+a. Ah, I forgot the name.”

The owner of the bookstore had received th from a customer and now called for his a.s.sistant that was at the back of the store.

“It should be the “advanced studies of anatomy”, the one written by Danvour, right? Is it the copy or the translated one?”

“That one, that one. Wasn´t that one still untranslated? I have the feeling that we received new books recently though.”

“Cough*, I translated it myself.”

Getting surprised, the owner´s eyes became wide. The customer, who had heard that, also had his eyes wide-open.

In order to write a “translated book”, it would at least be necessary to know two different languages and for the translation itself, it was required of one´s senses for word choice, which was extremely difficult. And in addition to all that, the book that was translated was one that had arrived only a few days ago.

“Then, I will have the translated version.”

“Thank you for the patronage. Hey, give me the translated one.”

“Understood. Please, wait a moment.”

While his a.s.sistant went to get the book, the owner was having a short talk with the customer. Entertaining the customers was also an important job.

“Ah, he is really talented, isn´t him? That boy.”

“The first time he came here, he couldn´t read even a single letter. But he desperately studied, read many books, and before I could notice, he was already even more knowledgeable about books than me.”

As if he was bragging about his own child, the owner showed a broad smile.

“Now, he can more or less handle the transactions of the shop, and he can even have a normal conversation with the merchants from the other countries. He is even better at foreign languages than me. Not that I am bragging about it though.”

Seeing how owner that clearly wanted to boast about his a.s.sistant, the customer could only show a wry smile to him.

“Well, but if you were to talk about his bad points…”

The owner turned his head to the back of the shop, wondering when his helper would come. The sound of footsteps coming closer. Finally, the a.s.sistant came.

“Here is the requested book. A translated version of the “advanced studies of anatomy”. Cough*, I sticked to the original as much as I could in my translation. If there are any parts that are difficult to understand, please, contact me, and I will immediately come to help you.”

It was a gray haired young man. His eyes were hidden by his unkempt long gray hair. His skin was pale. He was so full of dust to the point that it looked like he was covered in ashes. He had a bent posture. He wasn´t short, but he seemed so because of his bad posture. His appearance was dull, unattractive, and he didn´t stand out. He was a youth that gave an extremely weak impression.

“If only he kept up his appearance. When he was a kid, he used to be cute, but after he got absorbed by the books, he became like that. Well, he is very exceptional, so I can´t be complaining.”

As if the youth had already become used to people talking bad about his appearance, he didn´t show any signs of caring about being talked bad about it.

“Well, isn´t it fine? Thank you. I´ve been waiting the whole winter for this book. However, I don´t know the language of Mahs.h.i.+a. Even if I had the original book, I still would have needed to get a translator to translate for me. You saved me from some extra hards.h.i.+ps.. This really helped me.”

After saying that, the customer took out twice the price of the book from his pocket.

“This is the payment for your translations. Please, accept it.”

“Cough*, is it fine?”

The youth asked the owner. The shop owner nodded. This was something he had received directly from the client out of his own feelings.

“Thank you very much.”

The young man received exactly half of the price paid for the book. Seeing that, the client became content, and taking with him the translated book which was made with parchment paper, he left the bookstore. (TL note: Just to save your time googling what parchment is ^^ Parchment is paper made out of the skin of animals, usually it being the skin of sheep or goats.)

“Is it really fine for me to take this?”

“This is something you earned by your work. You should take it.”

The young man once again confirmed with the owner whether he could really take the money.  It was only after the owner said he could that he accepted the money. But at that same time he took the money, he violently coughed.

The owner suddenly looked over at the young man´s face. His complexion clearly seemed to be worse than the usual.

“You´ve been looking a bit sick these last few days. It´s fine if you take a break today.”

“Cough*, sorry. I will gladly accept it.”

It was still early for the bookstore to be closed, but it looked like the owner was more worried about the young man´s condition. He started to prepare to close the shop. The young man was about to help him with that, but…

“I´m fine here. Instead of helping me, you should go rest. You are not allowed to read any books, and once you get to your home, you should just eat some food and go to sleep. Tomorrow, . Alright?”

“Understood. I will be going first then.”

The young man quickly bowed. And then, he left the bookshop from the backdoor.

“I hope it is only a cold.”

The owner worriedly looked at curved back of the young man as he left the book store.

The young man didn´t catch the attention of any person. He didn´t stand out; his existence was like mist.

Even if he was to broke off from the direction of the flow of people walking in the street and went to another way, n.o.body would notice. The customer from before probably already forgot about the young man´s appearance by now.

Going to a back-alley, the flux of people that were walking by was becoming smaller. Without losing his way, the young man continued to walk. Even at the royal capital, there were places that could be called “dead spots”. n.o.body would go through those places. They were places that there wouldn´t be anyone. At the empty back-alley, a small ditch flowed under the street.(TL note: I am not sure about where exactly the ditch is supposed to be…なんでもない裡通り、通りの下には小さな用水路が走る)

“You came. You are early.”

“It looks like I have talent for acting.”

The young man scratched his head. The gaze in his eyes became now filled with energy. The contrast was to the point of it being puzzling.

“Look, Kail, Havella. These are apples I´ve just bought with the extra money I received from a tip.”

The boy threw an apples for each of the two. He also had fixed his bent back now. The aura he gave off became completely different.

“Thank you there, Al.”

Yes, the young man was Al. The boy from five years ago that had lost his sister and pledged he was going to have revenge has now turned into a grown man. His voice had finished changing and sounded more adult-like, and the ghastly aura he used to give off before became fainter. But even so, he was Al without doubt.

“Well, I was thinking the new star of the gladiator scene and the elite of the a.s.sa.s.sin´s guild wouldn´t want something like an apple though.”

Kail and Havella had also changed in those five years.

Kail became even taller. Because of his appealing large build, he was sold to the coliseum. And since then, he had been cheered at in his battles at the arena. He was a new up-coming strong combatant.

Havella joined into a guild that could be said to be one rank up from the thief guild; the a.s.sa.s.sin guild. She obtained the secret techniques from the guild which could put any opponent to shame, and by growing up, she also obtained the feminine charm, which also became a weapon for her. As a thief, she was first cla.s.s.

“Then, what is it today, our so busy friend that wouldn´t even meet with us these days?”

It has been long time since Al met Kail and Havella. The last time he met with them was half an year ago, and even before that, he didn´t meet with them often.

“It can´t be helped. It felt like dying to have to memorize all those things. Studying too.”

Kail and Havella were also busy themselves, but Al had taken it to another level. For most of his time, he indulged himself in reading books without rest, acc.u.mulating knowledge, and he also exercised so that his body wouldn´t become weak. Most of the times he would meet with Kail, he would practice with him in order to obtain the experience Kail had got in the coliseum.

“You already learned all there is to learn.”

Everything were all preparations for today…

“I also grew up a bit. Well, I´ve been keeping myself thin for the sake of keeping up with my character, but I should go back to normal after eating and sleeping a little.”

Al had been waiting for today. In these five years, he had continued to train in order to increase his strength. To Al, winter had been going on since that day. It felt to him as if this winter had ended today, and that it had become spring now.

“So, I understand that you are going to make your move now, but what are you exactly planning to do?”

Kail asked Al. He understood Al was now going to make his move. The three of them understood that what Al had been doing during these five years was all for this sake. However, they have never asked to Al what his plans were.

“That´s right. First, I will have myself killed.”

“Wha-!?”

Al declared something crazy all of the sudden. Kail and Havella could only become surprised by that.

“This is the first prerequisite. In this country, a slave can´t climb up to the top in their entire lifetime. Even if they are released from slavery, they are still [released slaves] and not proper citizens. We aren´t allowed to partic.i.p.ate in wars to increase our social status like the normal people do.”

Released slaves had privileges that were close to the ones of normal citizens. But in the end, they still wouldn´t be able to leave from the boundaries of their label as slaves. The next generation of the freed slave, or in other words, their children, would have the same privileges as normal people, thus moving up to the position of citizens. But on the other hand, the person in concern himself would forever be branded as a slave no matter what miracle was to happen.

“And that is no good. If I can´t prove them, then there is no meaning to it. Isn´t that right, nee-san?”

Al stroked his belly affectionately. Seeing that, Kail and Havella made a kind of a complex face.

“No matter how much money I pay, as long as I am a slave, I won´t become a normal citizen, much less something above that. The spots for public jobs are monopolized by the n.o.bility and besides that, they have more control in the politics than the common people to begin with. In the end, there are no other choice other than going to war. There are no other choices other than get great achievements and raise my standing.”

But if he was to do that, he would only be walking in circles. In the end, it was impossible for slaves to crawl out of their social status.

“That´s why I need to die. It is necessary that I am killed. If so, the freed slave called Al will be killed, and the label of being a slave that had been attached to me will be gone with it.”

They understood what Al was talking about. It was impossible for a slave to increase their standing. Even if one reaches the top as a gladiator, it wouldn´t be possible to partic.i.p.ate in wars. Slaves weren´t accepted by the society. However, having oneself killed was like putting the cart before the horse.

“So, for now, Kail, can you go tomorrow or so to the bookstore to tell that my condition went bad and that I want to have a few day offs? Say that I am very sorry and these other sort of things. Also, tell him that I don´t want him to get contaminated with my illness, so he shouldn´t come take care of me, and that I will be able to handle it by myself.”

As he asked Kail to tell a message to the store owner, Al headed to the ditch. Taking some water in his hands, he washed his face. The pale color of sickness and the dark circles in his eyes vanished. Behind all that, a clean and youthful skin appeared.

“Havella, I´ve also been troubling you with favors. Those were very nice makeup. Maybe it is because women use these often? Kuku, women are very good swindlers it seems.”

“But I don´t use makeup.”

“I see. It kind of feels like foul-play by you saying that. Well, I guess it´s fine.”(TL note: Not sure about the TL in this line .-. そうか。それはそれで反則な気もするが。まあいいか)

After raising his face, it could be seen Al reincarnated into a beautiful youth that was beyond recognition to his previous self. But all this was because of the makeup. In these last three years, he had never missed putting the makeup for even a day. Just by using it, it would feel like his aura would become one of another person. And in addition to that…

“After was.h.i.+ng up my hair, it will be complete.”

The gray hair. His hair that certainly was supposed to be white was looking like it was dirtied by the gray color. However, after was.h.i.+ng his hair, it became white as chalk. This was also part of his disguise. Until know, he had been acc.u.mulating all those minor acts. All these were the preparatory steps for having the freed slave Al killed.

“Well, let´s leave the rest for later. For now, I will be counting on you, Kail. Make a face as much sad as you can.”

Al wiped his wet face with the hem of his clothes.

“I have many favors to ask Havella after that. Pa.s.s by my home later when you can.”

“I don´t mind.”

“What are you going to ask her?”

“Ah, just a few little things.”

Kail looked at Al with a puzzled face, but Al acted as if that didn´t concern him at all. He completely deflected Kail´s question.

“Now then, after a few days, let´s meet here again. I will be talking about things in more detail then.”

And so, the three left the place.