SWNOVELXO Chapter 143.2
The Reason Jake And Tifaana Have For Being Here
Yuuri and the others had distant looks as they listened to Jake’s explanation. They could totally understand. They could imagine Jake skipping all the socializing among staff and diving headfirst into research. It was probably the same as when he read books until he collapsed in the hideout.
“So, I was completely absorbed in research, but it seems that didn’t go over well…”
“…What exactly happened?”
“The other researchers started to dislike me, and things got complicated. My mentor told me, ‘You should go live somewhere else and learn how to interact with people,’ so I came here.”
“…Huh?”
“My mentor and Ali knew each other, so they thought this would be a safe place where I could teach others and learn how to interact with people.”
Yuuri and the others silently prayed for Ali in their hearts. It was clear that he had been saddled with a troublesome person. They wondered why he had even taken him in.
Incidentally, Ali took Jake in because of his exceptional talent. If he had stayed where he was, his life could have been in danger. Even in research institutes, there are power struggles. Jake, who was brilliant but completely oblivious to social nuances, had been walking on thin ice without even realizing it.
“Well, for me, I can do research anywhere, so it’s not a problem. There’s no end to learning. And if I want to publish a paper, I can just ask my mentor to handle the troublesome parts!”
“…Whoa.”
The boys realized that Jake was still a hopeless adult. No matter how high his specs were, as a person, he was still a useless adult. A man with no interest in status or fame, he left all the troubles of publishing papers to his mentor. Even when letters from his mentor arrived, he refused to show up, content to stay here and research as he pleased.
I see, Yuuri muttered softly. The world was cruel. He had thought Jake was just a talented slacker, but he was more of a mess than expected. He meant no harm and wasn’t a bad person, but it seemed like Jake was lacking in some essential human qualities.
“There’s no need to make such faces, Yuuri. This place is actually perfect as a refuge.”
“”Tifaana?””
“With Ali as an absolute protector and Brook by his side, no one in this country would dare to pick a fight with the Scarlet Links.”
“…Uh…”
Yuuri was left wondering what kind of clan this was. It was supposed to be a clan for training beginner adventurers to become treasure hunters, but it felt more like a sanctuary or a place of extraterritoriality. It didn’t make sense.
Then, Yuuri suddenly had a realization. He didn’t want to, but he did. Tifaana’s meaningful comment made him curious. …Though he usually couldn’t read the room, Yuuri had moments of strange insight.
“Could it be that Tifaana is here for a similar reason?”
“In the sense of running away from somewhere else, yes.”
“No, no, Tifaana’s situation is much more serious than mine. For me, as long as I’m not at the institute, I’m fine.”
“Oh, I think yours was quite serious too. At least I wasn’t in danger of being poisoned.”
“Hahaha. Being used for human experiments with new poisons was a bit troublesome.”
“…………”
The children fell silent at the casual conversation between the adults. They could only stay silent. Tifaana and Jake were smiling gently, but the content of their conversation was terrifying. It was horrifying. They wondered what kind of hell this scholar had been through, or rather, how he had managed to survive.
Incidentally, Jake survived because he always carried antidotes made by an apothecary friend, a result of his curiosity, and because his mentor, who was worried about his clueless disciple, had taken care of various things. If Jake had been alone, he would definitely be dead. His survival instincts needed to work harder.
“My situation isn’t that dangerous. …It’s just that the other party was a bit troublesome.”
“Troublesome?”
“Yes. A noble kept persistently asking me to marry him, and it was quite a bother. I had no intention of doing so, but as a mere adventurer, I couldn’t handle it.”
“Marriage!?”
“It was really troublesome. I refused many times, but he was persistent… It’s unreasonable to expect a commoner like me to enter noble society, and I didn’t want to marry someone I didn’t love.”
“…Yikes.”
Yuuri and the others felt an invisible intensity in Tifaana’s elegant smile. The lady was not pleased. She probably still hadn’t forgiven that person. Being forced into a marriage she didn’t want made her a proper victim. It was understandable if she was in a bad mood.
But Yuuri had a question, so he asked honestly. Given the flow of the conversation, he thought she would answer.
“But is it really okay for you to be here?”
“Yes, it’s fine. Ali is on good terms with a very high-ranking person. Targeting us, who are under Ali’s protection, would be tantamount to opposing that person.”
“…Huh? I thought this was a beginner’s clan…”
“The clan’s activities aren’t wrong, Yuuri. It’s just that some of us, like me and Jake, are here for special reasons.”
“…Whoa.”
Yuuri’s eyes grew distant. Very distant. He knew that Ali, despite her intimidating appearance, was caring, sensible, and overprotective, but he could only look into the distance. Should he say she had a big heart, was deeply compassionate, or just unlucky? He was a bit troubled. Well, in summary, she was just kind.
The apprentices were also at a loss for how to react. They had joined what they thought was a normal clan (except for Magg), but the circumstances of their instructors were just too much. It was a complete twist. They were more than just surprised.
“So, Tifaana, did you come here to escape from that noble?”
“Yes. It’s still ongoing.”
“Ongoing?”
“He still tries to contact me. Of course, I don’t respond to his letters.”
“…Wow, he’s persistent…”
“Absolutely. I’d like to teach him that persistent men are disliked, but writing a letter is too much trouble.”
“Hahaha…”
Yuuri and the others thought that sending such a letter might just provoke him further. But they didn’t say anything. They realized there was nothing they, as juniors, could say. The kids were wise in that regard.
“I can be here thanks to Ali, but it was Darius who arranged it.”
“Huh?”
“The reason I became an adventurer was also because Darius taught me how to survive on my own. So when he found out I was in trouble, he contacted Ali. He’s my benefactor.”
“I see…”
Yuuri knew that Tifaana, Arga, and Sheila were close, and that they were childhood friends. But from what he heard, it wasn’t just that the kids were close as childhood friends; their families had been close too. That’s why they were still so close now, Yuuri thought.
Incidentally, Tifaana grew up in a single-parent household, and after her mother died in an accident during her childhood, she was raised by Darius and his wife as surrogate parents. So her relationship with Arga and Sheila was more like siblings than childhood friends.
But Tifaana had no intention of explaining all that, so she just smiled as usual. Beautiful women have their secrets too. Mysterious is good.
“Everyone has their own story, huh?”
“Yes. …Well, I sometimes worry that Jake might get lost in his daily life if he weren’t here…”
“…Totally.”
“Huh? Did you say something?”
“”Nothing.””
Yuuri and Tifaana harmonized perfectly in their response to Jake, who tilted his head in confusion. They knew it was pointless to try to make this scholar self-aware.
The clan for beginner adventurers had quietly become a refuge for those in trouble.