“…”
Lance Peterson stared blankly at the orc sitting in front of him.
If the Orc had introduced himself as a Fortune Teller, he would have kicked him. It was because he didn’t believe in divination.
He had heard from Bratt what happened in Durkali, but he didn’t think that a competent Orc like the one from Bratt’s stories would wander the continent.
However, the title Orc Counsellor shook his heart.
Did he understand Lance’s concerns?
The orc with a tattoo on the face, said as he ordered beer.
“Honestly, the self-proclaimed fortune teller orcs wandering around the human world are all quacks. It is the energy of spirit, and the five spirits, and they pour out the plausible words with no real substance.”
“So you’re busy?”
“Me? No… there were very few consultations for me hahaha.”
The Orc laughed and gulped down the beer. And emptied the glass in an instant and ordered another and said.
“But, just telling someone what is in your mind puts you at ease.”
“…”
“I won’t say huge things like fortune tellers, and go on talking about the future or ask you to set goals for your life. Just speaking honestly is good, and it will ease your heart if you talk about your worries… if that is possible for you.”
So how about it?
Two beers in exchange of story.
Hearing that, Lance Peterson stayed silent for quite some time and then said.
“… it is a friend’s story.”
Was it because he was drunk?
Or was it because the orc said that they wouldn’t be tied in their futures?
Lance told his story more easily. And as soon as he began, even the things he didn’t want to talk about came out of his mouth.
‘No, I never thought of this.’
After a while, Lance was embarrassed at what he did.
However, after saying all that, he felt more relieved than he thought. But it felt a bit embarrassing.
He looked at the orc counsellor.
He was curious about what advice would be given to him after listening to this?
“There is no problem.”
“Uh?”
“You are living fine. I don’t think it is a situation where you need to worry.”
“…”
“Ah. Did you feel bad that I took it too easily? Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“…no.”
“No, what? I am sorry.”
Despite the orc’s apology, Lance’s expression didn’t change.
It was as the Orc said. For him, it was something serious enough to make him think of his life but seeing the reaction of the orc, he wanted to kick the orc out right away.
But the orc didn’t seem like he would leave Lance alone.
He drank the second glass and spoke with a thin smile.
“It is true that there is no problem. Don’t you already know? Your dream isn’t to be the best swordsman. So you can just have fun practicing the sword… in the meantime, if you can show your family, your teachers and the people around you that you are fine, that will be enough.”
“That…”
“I know, I know. Your head knows it, but your heart cannot accept it. It is painful… is that what you want to say?”
“…”
“Actually. It is the same.”
The orc who put down the glass looked around.
He looked at the waiter, the inn owner with a worried face, and the customers speaking to each other.
“They are all envious of someone.”
“…”
“You might be the same too, envious of someone. It is no different with friends. No matter how strong you are, no matter how good the swordsmanship, there is always someone higher. It is the same even if you reach the highest point. You will still never be the best.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Haven’t I already said it? Whether it be a good person or a bad person, there is inevitably a feeling of inferiority in everyone's heart. Well, let me change that, it is not that it is not that it isn’t a problem, but rather that everyone lives with this kind of pain.”
“But…”
“The important part comes now.”
The orc stopped speaking and looked at the man.
The eyes that were looking at him were so strong that even Lance who was close to being an Expert felt overwhelmed.
And said,
“Despite having such difficult days, almost everyone perseveres and moves forward.”
“…”
“Look at yourself now. And think about the ‘you’ five years ago.”
“…”
“Did you stop during this time or move ahead?”
“… I moved ahead.”
He said that with certainty because his childhood self was terrible. He was young and his swordsmanship wasn’t even worth looking at. It was difficult to even talk with Bratt.
“Yeah, right. Then let me ask again. Was that time as hard as now?”
“… it was.”
Thinking about it, he cried a lot and was angry a lot too.
There were days where he would be exhausted from training and collapse and yet, not see a single improvement.
He thought that he was shabby when his friends who were beside him were taking immense leaps, leaving him far behind…
“It was so hard, but you made it through. And, you have reached a place where you are far ahead of the past.”
“…”
“You were hurt, frustrated and suffered because you felt inferior to others… but in the end, you never stopped and kept moving, didn’t you? You have been doing it so far, so won’t you be able to do it in the future?”
To the orc’s question, Lance didn’t answer.
He knew it was right.
But he didn’t want to admit it.
The friends he saw, those who were ahead of him, were not like him.
To those who were living much happier than him and were more rewarding to themselves, he wanted to counter them.
Like himself, he knew that they too had their own hard times while they were moving ahead with their heart stuck on someone else.
“… I will pay for the 2 beers.”
“Really? Phew, thank God. I was worried. Your expression wasn’t that good. I thought I would have to pay, actually the advice I gave is nonsense.”
“…?”
“Why are you looking at me like that? Everything I said is bullshit. You can forget it.”
“What…”
Lance Peterson thought it was absurd.
He was the one who didn’t want to talk with orcs. It wasn’t like he realized anything big, but the fact that he confided his inner feelings to another person, made him feel relieved exactly like what the other person said.
But, making the time worthless now?
“I don’t have the sensibility to judge a person’s appearance, but your mood seems good. And you have a good physique and are tall. There are probably people around you too. If you just collect their goodwill and their advice, you will be able to see a few changes right? Am I wrong?”
“…”
“Perhaps what they say will be of more help than what I said. It could be that they would think more deeply.”
“Then…”
“Actually, there is something else I really want to say, would you listen to it?”
“…”
Lance stared at the orc.
The orc grinned begging for an answer. And he ordered another beer which was also emptied in an instant.
“At your age, dating is the best way to get out of a slump.”
“… what?”
“Don’t look at me that way. When you meet good people, you will feel better, and your mind also becomes relaxed. You will be correcting yourself through it as well. Anyway, you wouldn’t be this frustrated then. Remember that one cannot dig a cave alone.”
“…
“Date. You should definitely do it. And later, when you have more time to think about your worries, think again. Maybe your thoughts will change then. It is nothing, but why stay alone and be so serious all the time… is what I mean.”
“… what if it is still hard?”
“Then discuss it with your partner. Until then, are you going to hang onto an old orc like me?”
Drrrr!
The orc stood up. And walked away whistling.
Lance, who stared at the orc walking away, came to his senses.
‘That bastard! He drank three and not two!’
When he was thinking that.
“Think of the last drink as a cost for introducing a good person.”
“Huh? What…”
Lance frowned.
Drrr!
“….”
“Hello?”
A beautiful woman who appeared out of nowhere, spoke to him. It wasn’t a stranger but Kirill Pareira.
Lance, who looked at the orc, sighed and sat down. He didn’t know what happened, but he couldn’t leave Kirill alone in here.
“Kirill? How did you ge…”
“You aren’t acting like you don’t get it right?”
“Uh?”
“I gave a lot of hints, but you never responded.”
“…”
At her words, Lance blinked.
What did she mean?
What was she trying to say?
Maybe because he was drunk, he was thinking of a weird situation?
Either way, Kirill didn’t care.
“Should we meet often?”
“Huh?”
“UH? Forget meeting. I like you. Ah! Don’t ask why I like you. Because I don’t know it well either. It’s been like that for a long time. I am a person who hates one for no reason and likes one for no reason. And you are the latter.”
“…”
“I am going to ask you straight up. Do you not like me?”
Lance turned dumb. It wasn’t that he didn’t like her.
And it wasn’t like he liked her either.
Actually, he had just never given it much thought. It was because he was too engrossed in his own worries and didn’t look around.
So, it made sense that he couldn’t speak.
Lance concentrated on his thoughts to pick the right words with a bewildered expression.
Kirill didn’t wait much.
“You don’t know me much, right?”
“…”
“It is fine. I get what you are thinking.”
“Tha…”
“Instead of answering right now, how about getting to know each other while we date?”
“…”
“I like that one. Well, if you are still worried…then I will ask again after you drink more.”
Lance Peterson nodded his head looking at Kirill who smiled brightly with her glass.
“It doesn’t seem that bad!”
Philip Lloyd, who was disguised with magic, looked at them happily.
2 weeks after that.
“Lulu.”
“Yes?”
“We need to leave.”
“Really? Are we going to finish the trip and head back to your home to meet your family?”
“No, sorry there is another place we need to stop by,”
“Um? Where?”
Looking at Lulu, who was looking at him with her head tilted, Airn said.
“To see Ilya.”
