Sword Rankers
The Sacrifice From Of Father

It has been 1 hour more Ran waiting in the UKS, but Mr. Aji is still not awake as well.

Ran starts to doubt, whether he better go home or keep waiting for Mr. Aji.

While Ran was in the midst of anxiety, Mr. Aji suddenly moved.

Ran was immediately startled and hurriedly checked the state of Mr. Aji.

"Pa-Pak Aji, are you conscious?"

Mr. Aji opened his eyes, he tried to get up, Ran instantly prevented him from panicking.

"Don't get up, sir! Just lie down, don't push yourself." Ran said in panic

Mr. Aji just smiled weakly and kept trying to stand up.

Ran can't prevent it, so at least he tries to help Mr. Aji.

Ran grabbed Pak Aji's arm, then leaned his back against the wall behind.

Mr. Aji grimaced a little when he woke up "Ughh."

Ran felt confused about what he should do next. Until, Mr. Aji opened the conversation.

"Why Ran? Do you have anything to say?"

Ran lowered his head without saying a word.

Mr. Aji smiled gently, and once again tried to convince Ran "What's the matter with Ran? If you have anything to say, just say it. No need to doubt or be afraid."

Ran's lips trembled, to him, it was very difficult to say a single word "Ma-Sorry." Said Ran slowly.

"Hmm..?" Mr. Aji can't hear it.

Ran once again tried to say it "Ma-Sorry." Ran's words were still too slow.

Mr. Aji exhaled, then said "Ran, no need to hesitate to say it, if you still can't, then you can postpone it until you're ready. It's okay if you want to postpone it, just don't slow down, so it's not too late."

Mr. Aji's words touched Ran's heart, Ran's eyes glazed over, again, with better confidence, Ran tried to say it "Ma-sorry, sorry for getting the father into trouble, if this should be my problem, not your problem." Ran uttered it with a trembling voice accompanied by sobs.

Mr. Aji smiled warmly, then rubbed Ran's head gently.

"Eh?" Ran was surprised and confused.

Mr. Aji still smiled warmly as if telling Ran not to feel guilty "Ran, after all this is my duty as a teacher, there is no way I will let a student continue to be bullied like that. You don't have to feel guilty." Warm words from Mr. Aji, making Ran sob and cry.

Ran finally spilled all his feelings.

.

.

"So how's your nose sir? Does it still hurt?"

"Yah~ was hit by a Ranker right in your nose, it must have been painful right?"

"Yeah, I know exactly how that feels."

Ran and Mr. Aji chatted casually, although some of their conversations only contained pleasantries.

"Oh yes sir, what about my exam? This is the second time my exam has been postponed."

"It looks like there will be a substitute teacher for you Ran. Don't worry, I'll make sure you get a friendly teacher."

"I hope so, but it's quite difficult to find a teacher who is a Ranker and friendly to people like me. Most of them are perfectionists who don't tolerate failure like me."

"Don't be such a pessimist, try to be a little optimistic Ran."

"I've tried to be optimistic, but there will always be other problems, such as when in class, I tried a little brave, but instead ended up falling very embarrassing."

"You're just unlucky Ran, try to be optimistic, don't let yourself be overwhelmed by such pessimism."

Their conversation continued until the bell came home.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

"Well, it's time to go home well, you've gone home Ran."

"But how's my exam?"

"It seems like it will be postponed first, in the teacher group, the teachers are busy to address the problems of your classmates, because this is a serious case categorized as "Attacks on civilians" Their parents will be called. So your exam will be postponed for a few days."

"Hadehhh... Though I had hoped to finish my exam today, so as not to have to go back and forth to school again."

"Oh my goodness, sir, I'm feeling goosebumps."

"Hehe."

"Well, I'll go home first. Take care of your health, sir." Ran stands up from his chair, and accidentally, a letter from his father, falls out of Ran's pants pocket.

Mr. Aji noticed the letter and asked Ran.

"Hey Ran, there's a letter that fell out of your pocket."

"Huh? Where's?"

"It looks like it's falling under the bed, take a look."

Ran looked under the mattress, and found a letter from his father who had been scuffed. "Oh yes, there is sir." Ran took it lazily.

Mr. Aji felt an awkwardness. "Ran, whose letter is that? Does it matter?"

Ran's expression turned uncomfortable, he was unwilling to answer a question from Mr. Aji "It's nothing, just an insignificant letter."

Although Ran answered it as an insignificant letter, Mr. Aji knew something was wrong with the letter because of Ran's strange expression.

"Don't lie Ran, if the letter isn't important, there's no way your expression will be like that. Try to be honest." Mr. Aji looks into Ran's eyes, but Ran avoids Mr. Aji's gaze and goes straight out of the UKS.

On the doorstep of the UKS, Mr. Aji once again spoke to Ran. "Ran, maybe you're afraid of the reality, but try to face it. Don't keep running away, 'cause, the truth is, it's part of your life, there's no way you're gonna get away with it forever."

"....."

Ran just kept quiet without answering the words of Mr. Aji, then Ran out of the UKS without a word.

Mr. Aji could only sigh.

.

.

On the way home.

The sky was very cloudy, it seemed that it was going to rain heavily.

Ran walked slowly while looking at the letter from his father. He was increasingly worried because of the words of Mr. Aji.

Should I read it, or not? The question kept repeating in Ran's mind.

On the one hand, he was very curious about the contents of the letter, but because of the hatred for his father, Ran became unwilling to open the letter.

Hmh! Just make the feeling bad.

Ran finally decided to read the letter.

Ran tore the envelope that wrapped the letter roughly. Then take out a scrap of paper that has been scuffed.

The writing on the letter was difficult to read because Ran squeezed the letter over and over again.

Ran painstakingly read it.

To Ran.

Ran, you might not want to read this letter, but it's okay. I won't force you to read it, I already know how big of a mistake I made for you. But, the thing you should know Ran, I love you very much. Forgive your father who was filled with this mistake, my mind was always in turmoil after your mother's death, I continue to condemn my helplessness every day. Sorry for always hitting you, sorry for not being able to give you good food, sorry for just being able to give you a bad home, sorry for not being able to buy you good clothes, but for not being able to, sorry for being such a bad dad. I know, my mistakes won't go away easily, I know you'll always hate me, but that's okay, I'll disappear from your sight. Sorry for leaving so suddenly, I went to the mining area in the north, I chose to be a miner here, this way, at least I can send money for your needs. Sorry, just being able to do this after such a long time, after knowing you were injured by monsters and Gate, I got scared. I don't want you to go through the same thing with your mother, use the money I sent you to find another job. Don't be a Ranker, find another job, a safe job so you can live a long life.

Ran read the letter with trembling.

Ran's chest was very painful, Ran cried along with the rain.

Ran fell down until his letter slipped out of his hand.

Ran sobbed loudly "Hiks.... Hix.... Hix.... W-W-Why now, ukh, why are you acting like a father only now!? Don't be a Ranker? It's bullshit! I will determine my own path, I will not give up being a Ranker."

Ran stood with a pity "No matter how painful anything is, as hard as anything." Ran wiped his eyes.

"I won't give up, I will become the strongest Ranker!!!" Ran ran very fast.

Puddles of water in the streets gushed in various directions because of Ran's trampling.

Dak! Dak! Dak!

Drrrr..... Glucud! Duars!

The thunderous roar chime with the sound of Ran's leg beating.

Until I found out, the one who made my mother like that!