All right, I'll talk to you. But it's not much of a story. I didn't tell you about it because it's very personal. Don't expect me to be excited about it.

　After carefully repeating the preamble, Travis finally began to talk about his own past.

　Even I, who have known him for fifteen years, didn't know the story of the old days, before he became an adventurer.

It's not that I don't care what my parents do. Maybe because I was born that way, I acquired the skills to strengthen my body rather early on.

　Physical enhancement skills are basic ones that could be bestowed in many professions.

　There are a wide variety of qualities and performances, and most professions classified as physical labor are said to have potential.

'There was a girl (musume) who was as close as humanly possible in those days. In those days, there was a girl (musume) who was as close to me as anyone else," he said. But one time, the horse I was letting carry a log nearly ran over the girl in a fit of rage. Right in front of me, of all things.
'It's you, so I'm sure he tried to protect you before you could think.
But it was a bad idea.

　Travis gave a small shake of his head, as if he was feeling sorry for something that happened in the distant past.
　It's not a good time to be in the past.

To put it simply, I didn't use enough force. I pushed him away from the rampaging horse to save him, but it ended up breaking some of his bones. Maybe it was because I was usually in contact with only sturdy relatives, but ...... I still remember that feeling and that sound.

　'I guess it was better than being stepped on by a horse,' Travis continued, but still no supremacy in his voice.

'No one blamed me, but the guilt was too much for me to bear, so I left my hometown in the name of 'flying a flag in the city' ...... and the rest is as you know.
I see, so that's why it was only young women who were bad at it.

　I don't know how to handle it, and what if I break it - this reason that Travis had always said, while not wrong, was not accurate.

　It's because they are the ones that you can destroy in the first place and bring back memories, that you fear contact and you don't know how to treat them again.

''You haven't been back home since you became an adventurer?''
'No, she went home once, right after she was promoted to A grade. That girl was also a good mother at a young age. I thought if I could check that, it might improve things a bit, but in the end, it didn't change anything.

　So, as opposed to me, who couldn't leave until the problem was solved, you left to solve the problem, but it didn't work out the way you expected.

　Travis let out a long breath and leaned his lanky body against the back of the chair.

I knew I had to do something about it at some point," he said. I've been looking for an easy way to make things easier. The next thing I know, I'm in this mess.
Would you like to take this opportunity to get used to it?
'You can't let your daughter, a stranger, go through all that. I'm sorry, but tell her that the burden is too much for me to win in these circumstances: ....... You can reveal everything I've told you.

　Totally, he's still a very responsible guy in a strange way.

　He seems to think it's dishonest to even think about taking advantage of this opportunity to overcome his weaknesses.

　I think this is why I've never been able to get used to the idea that it's easier to get used to.

All right, I'll tell him that.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but I'm glad you're here to mediate. If you had come to see me all of a sudden, I wouldn't have been able to deal with it calmly.
Not maybe, but definitely.

　I can see that scene in my mind's eye.

　The only reason Leila wasn't here was because she was scared out of her mind, but even if she wanted to sit in with me, maybe I should have made her stop at my discretion.

　Well, that didn't happen in reality, so I'm just making assumptions on assumptions.

'I don't mean this in a bad way, but if I was as used to women as you are, I guess I wouldn't have been bothered by this.

　Travis looks both very tired and refreshed to have said it all.

'I'm not a good listener. I don't play around that much. Especially in the last few years, I haven't had a good relationship with them.
'I mean relative to me. But to be honest, I'm surprised you're still single. I would have thought you would have settled down sooner than I did.
"...... Don't be crazy about a guy who's a perennial E-rated guy with no outstanding skills.

　Suddenly, the topic of conversation turns to me, so I can't help but slurp my words.

　I can't stop myself from saying, "Na-ka-ta and da-ta.

　Both are in the past tense.
　The skill that was only one has undergone an unparalleled change, and now that I've changed my day job, my rank as an adventurer has no meaning.

　And above all--.

"Ah, well, ...... you've found out what you've been hiding, and you've been with us the longest outside of the guys back home. ......
'Hey, what's up with that semantics? No way, Luke, you ......

　Travis leans forward with his eyes wide open.

　Normally, he still had to keep it a secret, but he didn't feel comfortable keeping it from him at any price in this situation without saying anything.

'I can't tell you all the details yet, and I'd like you to keep it a secret, but there's a guy I'm dating with the assumption that he'll set himself up in the future.
Nah. ......!

　Travis almost screamed out loud, but he swallowed his voice at once.

　He continued to shake his shoulders for a few seconds to endure the startled outburst, then regained as much composure as possible, and once again gave a subdued reaction.

'...... Really?!　I've never heard of that before: ......!
We haven't even revealed it to anyone other than each other's relatives yet.
I don't think so, but is it one of the Daughters of the Armsman?
No, at least not the ones you have in mind.

　He was never lying. Garnett was not one of the faces that Travis had in mind when he said the Daughters of the Armsman.

It's a complicated situation, and I'm not even at the point where I can say who they are yet. Still, it's indeed ...... that I'm keeping my mouth shut, even to you in this vein, isn't it?
...... Right.

　Travis crossed his arms and thought for a moment, then looked straight at me with a serious face.

He said, "If you care about me and trust me and tell me your secrets, I'll be the last man standing if I don't respond. I promise you that I will never tell anyone. And when you make it public, let me celebrate with all my might.
'Thanks. Someday you'll be able to get that kind of blessing from me, won't you?
Mu, gu ...... don't expect too much, just wait and see.

　Travis stagnates as he gets hit in a weak spot.

　I couldn't help but laugh out loud at his reaction, which was still the same.