Father’s Decision
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Author’s Note:
For the time being, it’s gonna use Russel’s the point of view as the third person. A father who is trying to defend his children, I think it’s really cool.
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—Time goes back only a little, before Gerald returned from forest.
At that day, in the village, the usual daily life was as usual, which brought about boredom. It doesn’t have any shadow of turbulence, the situation is so peaceful and carefree as always.
The children is gathering and laughing happily in the plaza, while the adults cultivate the field with plow and hoes in their hands.
It’s scenery is like usual, surely, nobody ever thought that this situation would eventually be destroyed.
[Then, I’ll go out for a while] [Alright, Russel. Take care]Russel went out the house like always, Cecil was holding Sierra and saw him off. She did not forget to kiss him on the left cheek.
Naturally.
[Lovey dovey—] Being teased by Sierra, Russel’s cheeks became bright red even though it’s their morning routine.Russel is off to work, in the morning he often goes around the fields and houses that he rent out. Nevertheless, since the fields near the village are mostly are Russel’s land, it is impossible to go around all the fields just by half a day.
Therefore, Russel had adjusted and narrowed down the number of fields for only half a day, so he can go around all of them within seven days. Today, he planned to go through three fields in the morning.
Like that, as per usual, Russel left the house. However, one of the villagers came approaching Russel on his way to the field.
[Russel-san. Now, do you have time?] [Sure, no problem… Is there something wrong?] [You see, on the field that I rent from you, when I went there this morning, the crops are toppled over]Russel knitted his brows hearing the villager’s report. Deep wrinkle appear in the middle of his forehead.
[Toppled over, you said?] [Yeah, it is]According to the villager, when he went to the field this morning, all the crops in the farmland were dug up from the soil. And yet, there was no sign that the crop was eaten by something. It was as it they were being forcibly scooped out from the soil, and was thrown on the ground.
Russel listened the villager’s story and was a little doubtful.
There are certainly beasts that often ruins the farmland. Deer, wild boar, bear, or weasel. Those beasts who snatched the crops were usually being sold as human’s stock food or being sell from side to side. It’s not weird to say that the hostile creatures targeting the crops are part of the agriculture life in this village.
But, if they were only rampaging on the field without eat anything, Those are just some nasty pranks. Prank, is a cuter word for this, but the meaning is same, which is to enjoy causing trouble for others.
[Please help, Russel-san! If my field is left like this, it’ll impossible for me to harvest by this summer] [Umu. I’ll go confirm it for the time being]Even though he didn’t completely believe him, Russel changes his destination toward the flustered villager’s field.
At this time, Russel thought about this;
What, it won’t take a lot of time. I can just simply check the field, we just need to re-plant the seeds and that’ll be the end of it. It’s certainly a heavy blow, but the summer is just starting and it’s not fatal timing yet.
It would be more miserable if this occurred during the end of summer. If you think about it, he can be considered quite lucky.
However, when they reached the field, Russel learned that his naive thought was a big mistake.
On the way to the field, Russel was unable to get rid of this uncomfortable feeling.
There is something fatally wrong here. Why do I feel so uneasy just walking past the the usual road? I feel that something big is going to happen.
— It’ll be good if it’s just my imagination.
However, the uneasy feeling was growing stronger.
When I noticed an unfamiliar footprint, the ground was unnaturally gouged out, at that time I realized that bark of many trees were whittled, my uneasiness grew bigger with each step I took.
And what I feared really happened when we reached the field.
[No way…]The field, as the villagers said, was certainly overturned unnaturally. I understand after I saw it. At first glance, the fields that should have been leveled were ruined to the core, the crops were turned upside down, revealing their roots.
However the most important was the 『culprit』 that gathered on the field.
[A crowd of monsters…?]What gathered there, was definitely a group of dangerous monsters. Multitudes of bizarre creatures with various colors and shapes, were assembled as if they were having a meeting.
Russel’s foot began to tremble at the situation that was beyond his expectation. The villager was also the same as him.
Fortunately, the monsters did not seem to have noticed them yet. Piipii gyagya, they just raised unpleasant voices.
While still being conscious of his feet, Russel could not peel his sight off from them. The fear of the monsters attack made his limbs froze.
[Vi, village]Even so, he still manage to say something with a shaken voice.
[Go back to village, and inform everyone… Monsters, monsters are coming] [Y, yeah]The villager nodded at Russel.
[Inform everyone]Informing everyone, though I said that, my body didn’t move. I was blinded by fear, it made me unable to move.
However, I could not just stay frightened in such a place. My lovely wife is waiting for me in the house. I also have a daughter. Perhaps he might be stronger than me, but Gerald is still a “child” that I, Russel, have to protect.
Parents should be the one protecting their children. That’s why when Gerald and I encountered a demon in the forest, I picked up a weapon and confronted the demon. …… As a consequence, I exposed my miserable-self and was protected by my son.
Still. But still.
Isn’t it natural for a father to protect their family?
[Let’s go]I gripped the villager’s hand, and took a glance at the monsters. They seems hadn’t noticed us yet.
[If we don’t inform everyone about this, the people in village won’t notice and will be attacked by the monsters] [Russel-san… You’re right]The villager, responded and turned his glance to Russel. Both of them matched their eyes and nodded to each other, they turned their back from the monsters at the same time.
And then, they returned to the village to relay information about the monsters, but what welcomed them was —
—A flock of ugly monsters trampling the village.
[No way]Russel was unable to say anything, he began to run towards his home immediately.
He encountered Miru on his way home.
[Oldman!]Miru shouted at Russel.
[I can’t find Gerald! The situation is very strange, where the hell is he!] [… If it’s Gerald, I’m sure he is gonna be alright] [I will do something about it! Miru, you must hide yourself well. Understand?]Miru was searching for Russel because she’s worried about Gerald, she nodded even though she hesitated for a moment.
She was still a young child. She should be full of anxiety right now. Even so, she still worried about her friends, it’s hard to believe that she was thinking of others despite her of current age.
[You will really do something about it, Oldman? Gerald, you will really do something about that guy, right?]Before turning back and ran away, Miru turned her head to face Russell and left such a word.
While seeing off her brave back, Russel thought about the future of such young child.
Then what my present self is able to do, is to protect that [future]. We must survive the attacks of the demons, to protect the future of this village.
Russel’s house had not received attack from the monster yet. But, it’s only a matter of time. The monster wave will approach here soon.
[Russel! You are safe?]When I walked into house, Cecil rushed at me with uneasy face. She held Sierra on her chest.
[Yeah. I am safe… Where is Gerald?] [Still in the forest. It’ll be good if he can return back early… Ah, but it’s dangerous to come back right now…]Toward the sudden chaos situation, Cecil’s thought pattern was a royal mess.
Since Russel was not around, she must be feeling insecure.
I gripped her shoulder in attempt to calm her down, then I began to talk with a clear voice.
[Listen to me alright, Cecil? I need to go. This monster raid is a problem that will affect the entire village, so all the villagers need to do something in this situation. Do you understand?] [Yes. But…] [That’s why, I must fight. To protect the village, to protect you, to protect the children… So please, I want you to be here, hide yourself and keep Sierra safe. You can do it, right?] [What about Gerald?]Cecil whispered in painful voice.
[That child, what is going happen to him?] [He is smart and a strong kid. I’m sure, he is safe by himself… I believe in him] [But] [Do you understand? I will say it one more time. I’ll fight. So, you should hide yourself and protect Sierra]You can do it, right? Being asked by Russel, Cecil nodded while showing hesitation.
He gently raised her face and kissed her on the forehead.
[Thank you. That’s the girl I love] [Russel, I…] [I might be helpless, but as a man, as a father, as a husband — at the time like this, it’s not possible for me to ignore the situation]In the end, Russel embraced Cecil and Sierra, before he turned around and ran out of the house.
The weapon that he chose was a pickaxe. A sharp agricultural tool used for crushing hard soil in the agriculture land.
It was impossible for me to learn magic, I am incompetent, I’m weak, but I am a heroic father. He began to run towards the crowd of monsters.
There is only one feeling burning vigorously in his chest. To repel the monsters, and protect the village where they could live peacefully.
Cecil, Sierra, and even Gerald, I won’t let those monsters lay a finger on you. Because I am— your father.
With that determination in mind, Russel exerted a lot of strength into his hands and swung the pickaxe down at the head of the approaching monster.
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Author’s Note:
Next time, I will revert back to Gerald’s viewpoint.
It is a long-awaited Peerless Japanese.
