Kays Translations

Side Story: Sheila’s Perspective

My name is Sheila Bette Ferland.

I’m currently working like a slave as a servant, but I come from a proper noble family.

Since I was little, I loved fighting and dreamed of becoming a royal knight who would protect the kingdom and make a name for myself… But that dream was shattered.

Unfortunately, my good looks and large chest caught the attention of the minister.

At 14, I was offered a position to work under the king as a servant, and my parents immediately accepted the proposal without consulting me.

The idea was that if I were lucky enough to become one of the king’s mistresses, I’d officially become part of the royal family.

Under such shallow ambitions, I was sent to work at the royal castle.

I wouldn’t have minded if they’d let me work as one of the king’s guards, but all I was given were menial chores.

The skills I honed in combat were never put to use, and seven years passed in the blink of an eye.

Since I had no interest in fashion or beauty, the king never once invited me to his chambers.

The minister, however, who seemed to fancy me, approached me countless times, but I firmly rejected him.

Perhaps as a result, I was continuously treated coldly and, even at the age of 22, remained nothing more than a servant.

While I was stuck in this frustrating situation, news spread across the kingdom that a Demon King had been born for the first time in centuries.

Though the truth was uncertain, the increased activity of monsters and the testimony of the kingdom’s sole S-rank adventurer confirmed it as fact.

While most people feared the Demon King’s birth, I, who had always wanted to take on a combat role, saw it as a golden opportunity.

Though it’s inappropriate to say, I had been secretly wishing for the world to plunge into chaos… And then the king decided to use the kingdom’s secret art, the “Hero Summoning.”

The “Hero Summoning,” as the name implies, is a ritual to summon heroes from another world.

The ritual seemed to succeed… or so it seemed, but one ordinary middle-aged man got caught up in the summoning.

Unlike the lively, promising heroes, this man looked completely unremarkable.

Although plain, he appeared to have a kind heart and said he would remain in this world until it was saved.

And somehow, I was assigned to be this unlucky man’s bodyguard.

I had long expressed my desire for a guard duty role, but protecting someone who had been dragged into this world held no significance for me.

The minister, who likely advised the king, smirked with malice. It was clear this was a petty punishment for rejecting his advances countless times.

At 15, just before I could take the entrance exam for the Royal Knights, I was forced into servitude.

At the very moment when combat roles were in demand due to the Demon King’s appearance, I was ordered to guard this unlucky man.

Such was my fate.

I resigned myself to the situation, emptied my heart, and accepted the task of being this man’s bodyguard.

But then, on the way to the villa, he made me an unexpected proposal.

“I’m sorry for making you act as my bodyguard. I’ll need your help until I get used to this world, but after that, I’ll ask the king to release you from this duty. Until then, I would appreciate your assistance.”

The vagueness of “until I get used to this world” bothered me, but his words were a light in my resigned heart.

I didn’t know why he’d say such a thing, and my mind went blank, but I managed to reply.

“Are… Are you sure? Since this is the king’s command, I’m bound to guard you.”

“Even if it’s the king’s command, I don’t want to burden you, Sheila. I’d be grateful if you could protect me until I adjust to this world.”

“Thank you so much. I will protect you with all my strength. By the way… forgive me for asking this so late, but may I know your name?”

“I’m Koichi Sato. Please call me Sato.”

“Sato-sama, then.”

“Oh no, please drop the ‘sama!’ I’m not someone worthy of such a title. If you must use an honorific, ‘san’ will do.”

“Understood, Sato-san. I will protect you with everything I have.”

It may sound exaggerated, but I felt a renewed will to live. More than that, the feeling of wanting to protect Sato-san from the bottom of my heart grew strong.

He was considerate of even a mere servant like me.

Compared to doing menial tasks in the royal castle, this was far better.

As I watched the carefree Sato-san sway in the carriage, I found myself thinking such things.

Thanks to Sato-san’s thoughtfulness, I was even allowed to stay at the villa.

I had been prepared to camp outside, but Sato-san was truly a kind man.

Unlike the minister, who only had ulterior motives, Sato-san treated me with the utmost respect, even as a live-in servant.

I had steeled myself, thinking he might demand something indecent, but his kindness made even such thoughts feel shameful.

That morning, I woke up feeling refreshed, prepared a simple breakfast, and served it to Sato-san.

One of the few joys I had during my time at the royal castle was food, as I love eating. I prided myself on my cooking skills, which I loved just as much.

However, Sato-san’s reaction to my breakfast was far more subdued than I had expected.

Though he repeatedly said it was delicious, his lack of excitement before and after eating kept nagging at me.

That said, we decided to alternate cooking duties each day, and I was thrilled at the thought of tasting food from another world.

With a light heart, I cleaned up and resolved to focus my energy on protecting Sato-san.

After relaxing for a while in the living room, Sato-san casually stepped outside.

I followed him at a slight distance, observing from afar, when a field appeared in front of him.

I assume this means he activated a skill—it must be.

It’s an extraordinary skill, far beyond common sense. However, even if someone isn’t a hero, those summoned to this world from another often gain powerful, innate professions or skills.

From our conversation in the carriage, I learned that Sato-san’s profession was [Farmer], an extremely ordinary one. Because of that, I suppose he received a stronger skill to balance it out.

The result is a skill that instantly creates farmland. Whether or not this is a “powerful” skill is… questionable.

Still, for a farmer, this skill is undoubtedly invaluable. And since Sato-san isn’t trying to save the world but simply live in it, a skill that enriches his daily life could certainly be considered powerful.

For some reason, I found myself mentally justifying Sato-san’s skill, and then…

He pulled out seedlings—though I have no idea where he got them—and began planting them in the farmland he created.

He looked so joyful doing it. Watching him happily tend to his field against the backdrop of a beautiful, natural landscape was surprisingly calming.

Though I was on guard duty, I started feeling so at peace that it made me wonder if this was okay. But with no trace of monsters and nothing but tranquility around us, I couldn’t help it.

If someone had told me a few days ago that I’d find peace by watching a carefree middle-aged man, I wouldn’t have believed them.

Despite being unexpectedly soothed, I wondered if I should help him.

But I’ve never done farm work in my entire life, so there’s a high chance I’d just get in the way.

Still, seeing how much fun Sato-san was having made me want to join in, oddly enough.

While I was debating whether to help or simply watch, it seemed the work was already done.

I decided I’d ask him tonight if I should help from tomorrow onward.

With that resolved, I continued my “guard duty,” which had essentially turned into “observing Sato-san.”

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