Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 58: Luggage Carrier ⑯
Axe’s sudden confession came without warning.
He hates relics.
But it wasn’t surprising or unexpected; it felt inevitable.
If he didn’t hate them, he wouldn’t insist on forming a party exclusively with those who didn’t possess relics.
Whether it was out of pride or something else, it would be unnatural not to harbor anger or resentment.
So, while I wasn’t particularly shocked, hearing him say it aloud felt different.
Axe began to speak.
“My mother was a renowned explorer. She was a Grade II, known as Lightning Demon’s Claw Blade.“
“Yes, I’ve heard of her before.”
I remembered Axe mentioning it when we first met.
“My mother possessed a powerful relic. That’s why, even before I was born, everyone around me had high expectations. But when I was born, I didn’t have a relic.”
“…”
“I faced a lot of gossip—people saying my mother had an affair or that I wasn’t her real child. Some even said it right to my face when I was just a kid. Honestly, there were times I believed it myself.”
“But you are her real child, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, there’s no doubt about that. But ten years ago, I was kidnapped.”
“What?!”
“The person who kidnapped me held a grudge against my mother. I thought I was going to be killed, but one of her explorer acquaintances rescued me.”
“And your mother?”
“She was away on a job at the time. She didn’t return until… what, a month later?”
“…”
“That’s when things started to fall apart between us. We drifted apart naturally after that.”
“…”
“I don’t like my mother. There’s no helping that.”
“Axe, your mother couldn’t control whether or not you had a relic. And the kidnapping… if she hadn’t been on that job—”
“I know. I know my mother suffered because of me, because I didn’t have a relic. I understand that much. But understanding it doesn’t mean I can accept it. This is something I just… can’t let go of.”
“Then why did you decide to become an explorer?”
I pressed him a bit more firmly.
Why follow the same path as the mother he hated?
“Stubbornness. I wanted to prove I could reach Grade I without a relic. That’s all there is to it.”
“I don’t think that’s a trivial reason at all.”
I genuinely thought it was an admirable dream. Axe gave a wry smile.
“Thanks. Well, there are Grade I explorers without relics.”
“There are?!”
“Yeah. There’s one called The Blade of Blades.“
“The Blade of Blades? That’s an unusual title.”
“When I found out about them, I was kind of underwhelmed at first. But knowing that someone without a relic could make it to Grade I made the dream feel more attainable. It motivated me.”
“That makes sense.”
Having an example to follow can make a dream feel more realistic, even if achieving it is another matter entirely.
“So, I became an explorer. At first, I worked solo, but I quickly hit my limits.”
“Is soloing really that difficult?”
“Wof, are you planning to go solo?”
“Yes, that’s the plan. I’m not too keen on working with others.”
The main reason is that I have too many secrets to hide.
Axe spoke bluntly.
“I don’t recommend it. It didn’t work out for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t for you. There are solo explorers who thrive.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, back to my story. I met Rel and Hoss, who were in similar circumstances, and we formed the party Lightning Fang. We managed to climb to Grade IV together.”
Most explorers give up at Grade V.
Yet Axe and his team reached Grade IV without relics.
And now they’re considered skilled and reputable.
That must have taken extraordinary effort.
Ad
“Is your dream still to become a Grade I explorer?”
“Pretty much. I still want to prove myself, but I also just genuinely want to achieve it. Wof, you’re becoming an explorer too, right?”
“Yes, though I don’t really have a dream yet.”
“That’s fine. You’ll find one eventually.”
“I… hope so.”
Will I? A dream, huh…
“But you know, it’s frustrating. The way relics—or the lack of them—can tear families apart. It feels so unfair, so infuriating. That’s why I hate relics. And I can’t stand people who look down on others just because they have one.”
“Like Mineha?”
“My mother’s prized disciple. She became an explorer at an exceptional age and has already risen to Grade III, surpassing us. She likely has a powerful relic, is a staunch relic supremacist, and is a girl on top of that.”
“…So that’s why you can’t apologize to her yourself.”
“Isn’t it obvious why I can’t stand her?!”
Axe scowled.
“Well, I guess.”
For him, it’s like a triple whammy.
Suddenly, Axe voiced a question.
Ad
“Why did my mother send Mineha to me?”
That’s probably the witch’s doing.
The witch has made Axe pile up resentment toward his mother.
I feel sorry for Emi, his mother. That witch…
But even the witch has her reasons. I know that much.
“I don’t know either.”
“Yeah, I figured. Anyway, Wof, I can’t do it.”
“Do what, exactly?”
“I’ll honor my mother’s wishes and work with Mineha in the dungeon. But I won’t engage with her. As long as she doesn’t cause any trouble, she can do as she pleases.”
“You’re just going to ignore her?”
“It’s probably for the best—for both of us.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“It’s not about being okay or not. Neither of us is willing to make the effort to get along. I wouldn’t even have agreed to this if not for my mother’s request. But once this job is over, I’m cutting ties with her.”
I was speechless.
He’s going that far?
“You’re going to sever ties?”
“It’s for the best. We were never meant to be a family.”
Axe stated this calmly and matter-of-factly.
He’s really going that far.
Ad
“Understood. If that’s what you want, I won’t say anything else. I’ll apologize to Mineha on your behalf.”
If Axes has decided, then so be it.
From the beginning, this wasn’t my business. He can do as he pleases.
There’s neither a benefit nor a disadvantage for me in mending their relationship.
The task is solely to look after Mineha.
Making them get along isn’t part of that.
At the end of the day, it’s someone else’s problem. Even the witch hasn’t insisted on getting involved or demanded a resolution.
Axe apologizes.
“Sorry for dragging you into this.”
“You can express that with the reward.”
“O-Oh, right.”
At this point, there’s no choice but to go along.
But that’s the least he can do.
“So, what am I supposed to do?”
“Just stick with her as her helper.”
“Got it.”
That seemed to be the end of the conversation.
Then, Axescasually asked:
“By the way, Wof. You’ve got a relic, right?”
“Yes, I do.”
I answered honestly.
Why he figured that out doesn’t matter anymore.
Maybe it was just a guess, but there’s no point in lying now.
Of course, he has no way of knowing I have four of them, and I’m not about to tell him.
Axe continued.
“What do you think about relics?”
“They’re just convenient tools or technology. Nothing more, nothing less.”
I replied immediately. It’s my honest opinion, straight from the heart.
Axe looked completely taken aback. What?
“You… that’s… never mind. Thanks for listening to me complain.”
“? It’s no big deal. But can I ask you one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Why did you tell me all this?”
It struck me as odd.
Would anyone normally share something like this with someone they’ve barely known?
“I just needed to let it out.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve never talked about this with Rel or Hoss, though they probably sense it. I don’t know their deep secrets either, but I get the gist.”
“Because you’ve been working together for so long.”
“Yeah. So, I couldn’t bring myself to vent to them. Strange as it sounds, you were the perfect outlet. You’re someone I’ve only recently met, and you’re taking care of my mother’s apprentice, putting you in this middle-ground position between us.”
“That’s true.”
To be honest, it’s an awkward position—like being a middle manager.
“And a kid, at that. Though you seem to know a lot about the world for your age.”
“Just enough. In other words, I was the perfect outlet for you.”
Axe gave a sheepish smile.
“I said I wanted to vent, but I only just realized that myself. It’s probably because of her.”
The burden Axe had been carrying, the feelings he’d been suppressing all this time—
They were triggered by her and came spilling out.
“Mineha, huh?”
“Sorry. That wasn’t my intention.”
“It’s fine. So, do you feel better after getting it off your chest?”
Ad
“…I don’t know.”
A vague answer.
It made sense, given the unresolved nature of the problem.
And there was no clear resolution in sight, either.
“Anyway, dinner should be ready soon. Let’s head over.”
“Yeah.”
In more ways than one, I was feeling empty.
As we walked, I glanced toward where Mineha was camping.
She was situated centrally, but not too far from the edges. The distance wasn’t great.
And yet, to me, that distance felt immeasurably vast.