Don't Concern Yourself With That Book
Chapter Side Story 4-2

Side Story 4-1

Translator: yun

Since that moment forth, the two would often bump into each other on the same battlefield. That was because Ray, whose ability with the blade stood out amidst the rest of the non-templars, was sent to the place where the battle was fiercest along with Hernan, the Templar of Beasts. 

“You really are an interesting man. You might not be a templar but you look to be stronger than one.”

“Are you always this unreserved when you speak, duke?”

“I don’t even know if I am.. But nothing is more accurate than my eyes when it comes to analysing combat. Because I am the strongest.”

“Yes. Thinking back again, you were always far from humble.”

“Did you leave your respect for me in your camp when you left for battle?”

“You are not even my direct commander so what’s the point of me showing you my respect?”

A sense of camaraderie developed between Ray and Hernan. This was a battlefield that only deployed the minimum number of troops to sustain the battle so even Hernan could not guarantee he would make it out alive. But even the Templar of the Beasts, who seldom opened his heart to others, entrusted Ray with his back. 

After some time passed, the day Hernan was called back to the capital arrived.

“I am leaving tomorrow.”

“Is that so?”

In the first place, Hernan had only been deployed here temporarily to extinguish the most urgent fire but those flames had been burning for a year now. 

“Will I meet you again after I return?”

“No, you won’t. Our statuses are like heaven and earth, how could we ever meet?”

“Is that so? Then, I shall leave you a gift before I go.”

“A gift?”

Hernan did not answer. The day Hernan returned, Ray discovered the gift he was referring to.

“Ray Aquita Fleram. You have been ordered to transfer to a city to the east.” It had been a city Ray had never heard of before. 

As he had been in the north all this time, he had been oblivious to the strange plague that had stricken the Empire at the time. To avoid the plague that even their divinity could not defend them against, many nobles had fled to the east and for that reason, many escorts were needed. 

‘He said that this was supposed to be a gift.’

In spite of the urgent need for escorts, manpower was lacking in the north. Hence, he could not think of a reason for this transfer. Ray had a feeling that Hernan was behind this order.

After complying with the order and arriving at the city to the east, despite the absence of war, Ray was met with a pretty turbulent day. 

That was because most of the soldiers sent there, who were templars, did not leave him alone. 

Thud.

“Ouch. Again, we’re doing this again!”

“Youch! You let your guard down!”

“Ah, I don’t think he’s ever kept his guard up.”

“Damn it.”

As he tilted his head, the soldier glared at Ray. Before lightly swinging his blade with a spin. But he still failed to catch Ray.

“You’re supposed to be a lowly non-templar!”

Ray had learned that this was the way he could piss them off the most. 

How could they all be so similar? After fighting in the war and arriving at this peaceful city, their patterns looked obvious to him. They were obvious and cumbersome. At this point, they were annoying him too. 

In any case, as they said, he was a non-templar. Being not even a Plebe (A noble who is a non-templar), success was far from his reach. He was different from the men who were leaps ahead of him. 

Ray, who had been walking briskly, paused. It was because he felt a strange texture under his feet in the middle of the area he was meant to guard. 

Pshhh– 

A gust of wind blew as soft grass that then blinded him shook. But within his narrowed line of sight, he spotted something gold. Ray soon spotted a little girl. 

At the same time, the sobbing girl spotted Ray too.

“Heup, who are you?”

That was what Ray wanted to ask. 

“Aren’t you supposed to introduce yourself before asking who I am?”

If she had been any other noble, they would have been flabbergasted but the little girl merely tilted her head.

“Really? I am Rosé Kaltanias. You?”

“…..”

Ray was frustrated. Why did he have to meet someone from the Imperial Family now?

“I am Ray.”

“Ray.”

The girl muttered.

“Alright. Why are you here?”

The girl’s eyes, that he finally saw, were purple that shone like daytime stars. They looked like amethysts. 

“Because this is the area I am patrolling.”

“You’ve been patrolling?”

“Yes. Because I am a soldier.”

“Why are you a soldier?”

“… Huh?”

“You’re strong so why are you a soldier?”

As Ray hesitated to speak after being rendered to speak, Ashley spoke.

“I see you often there. You were always fighting but you always won.”

“Do you come here often?”

“Yes.”

Perhaps the little girl had been watching the templars quarrelling. He never imagined for there to be any spectators to his fights whenever he fought which was why he never checked… But he never thought he would have such a small audience. 

“I was told strong people become knights.”

“You’re not wrong but I won’t be able to become one. Because I am not a templar.”

Ray paused. 

“Whether you’re a templar or not, you’re strong.”

Slowly raising his head, Ray stared at the little girl’s face. 

A long time ago, his father had locked him inside a lighthouse and for a strange reason, he was reminded of his moments atop the beacon as his still surroundings settled like dust. 

“It’s not the same.”

“How are you different?”

“Because strong templars receive much more than strong non-templars.”

Ray frowned gently. Her fluttering golden hair reminded him of sunlight streaming through a small window. 

“That’s not right.”

Unbeknownst to him, Ray had covered his mouth upon hearing what the young girl had to say. 

He was embarrassed. He was being moved by the words of a child whose height barely reached his waist. 

But the embarrassed boy was also a mere sixteen-year-old–one who had yet to become an adult, but he did not realise this. Ray quickly changed the subject. 

“… What brings you here, princess?”

“Woah. How did you know that I am the princess? So interesting.”

That’s because…”

Ray shook his head before he could point out the fact that she had introduced herself as a ‘Kaltanias’. Ashley briefly pressed her lips together before saying.

“Well. I am running away? I came here to escape.”

“Running away?”

“Uhm. Over there…”

Ashley spoke as she lifted her finger. 

“There are many people I would rather not see.”

The place she was pointed at was the mansion. The place where high-ranking nobles were residing in to avoid the plague. 

“They keep saying that I’m gross. They keep telling me that I’m not human.”

Ray turned to look at Ashley’s cheek. One of the girl’s chubby cheeks was occupied by wrinkled, bright red flesh. The sight of her wound did not shock Ray who had grown accustomed to such sights after fighting in the war but the same could not be said about the nobles.

“Is that why you ran away?”

“Yes. They act as though they were whispering but I can hear everything. I guess they think I wouldn’t know.”

She murmured indignantly. But she was clearly trying to hold back her tears because she couldn’t bring herself to cry in the presence of a stranger. 

A lot of Ashley’s memories had been jumbled together. The memories of her previous life and the memories of her life from her birth here to the present. But the child who could not identify with either lives was still a child.

“Running away is not the best choice to make. You’re only appeasing those who talk badly of you.”

“…..”

With his sword by his side, Ray squatted down before resting his chin on his hands and continued speaking frankly. 

“So, stop running away.”’

Ashley merely blinked before tilting her head.

“Then, what should I do?”

Looking at Ashley, Ray slowly lowered his gaze.

“Bring people to your side.”

He had been chased out of his home by his father, thrown into the battlefield and discriminated against by templars but he wanted to be of any help he could. 

“Even just one person is enough. You won’t feel lonely if there is even one person who is willing to stand by you in any circumstance.”

“Is there anyone who will be by my side?”

“There already is.”

“Hm?”

Instead of replying her, Ray stood back up and dusted off his pants.

“You came here to avoid the plague, didn’t you, princess?”

“Hm? Yeah. I did.”

“I see.”

Grabbing his sword, Ray lowered his head politely.

“It is already well past the end of my shift, so I shall be on my way.”

Staring at his distancing back, Ashley jumped up.

“Excuse me, can I see you again?”

The eyes of the boy who turned back around and the girl’s met. Staring into the eyes of the one who stopped him, Ray did not answer. 

He was close to refusing and stating their difference in status as his answer. 

He visited the same spot the next day but he did not meet Ashley. That was when he heard that the princess had returned.

Ray did not feel disappointed. It was because he had long been aware that the plague had died down. And when he met her again a few years later, Ray was not disappointed when she did not recognise him. 

He never expected for someone as distinguished as she was to remember someone as trivial as him. But that did not mean he did not gain anything. 

Because he knew what it was when he felt happy when he stared at her shadows. 

Yes. The feeling of wanting to protect someone.