Aaron sighed. Faced with his cousin Robert's burning enthusiasm, he did not know what to say.
He knew his cousin had always been dissatisfied with his circumstances. Robert had always considered himself someone important in Suzail.
I'm a member of the Salian family! That was how Robert had always seen himself.
But as mentioned earlier, Robert had never actually been a member of the Salian family. He was merely Salian's relative.
"Cousin, war isn't a game."
The rank, greasy slab of fat in his stomach still left Aaron faintly nauseated. He felt something threatening to erupt from his throat, as revolting as eating braised pig intestines. Hearing his cousin's impassioned declaration, Aaron shook his head repeatedly. "Forget Orks for a moment. Cousin, have you... ever even fought a bat or a wild boar?"
"Of course! Aaron, you don't know this, but once, when I was cleaning the Adventurers Guild's sewers, there was one this big, this big~" Robert gestured, indicating that the rat he had faced was about the size of the slab of fat in Aaron's bowl. "I stomped it to death with one foot!"
"Of course, I know Orks are much bigger than rats, but that doesn't matter, Aaron. I'm a clerk. I don't have to fight on the battlefield myself. Just let me accompany the army as your secretary. Then, when you earn great honors, won't I be able to pick up a title as your right-hand man?" Robert grew more excited as he spoke, even rolling up his sleeves. "Look, Aaron, I've been exercising lately, too. And I specifically joined the guild's shooting practice. I know how to use a hand crossbow. Who knows? I might even be able to help you someday!"
With that, Robert sank into a fantasy.
In his cousin's mind, a scene