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As we reached a complex network of alleys near the walls dividing the city and the outskirts, Luke stopped in his tracks. In his line of sight was a girl of about ten, dressed in ragged clothes resembling tatters, barefoot and singing on the roadside, begging for alms.

“…Oh dear”

Her features weren’t unpleasant, but the grime and dirt were so severe that it made for a pitiful sight. Just as I furrowed my brows, the girl noticed us, stopped singing, and flashed a bright smile like a sunflower.

“Hello, young master! Mr. Elf isn’t with you today? —Nice to meet you, young lady.”
“Why yes… Nice to meet you, I’m Julia Fortuna. Feel free to call me ‘Jill.’ —Excuse me, are you acquainted with Luke and Ashimi?”

In response to the friendly inquiry, the girl, whom I had crouched slightly to meet eye level, seemed to brighten even more and answered with a light sparkle in her eyes.

“Yes! My name is Anise. Also the young master and Mr. Elf are our benefactors!”

Contrary to Anise’s cheerful response, Luke’s expression remained somber. It seems this is the cause of his and Ashimi’s distress around here.

“Is that so? You’re quite impressive for offering proper greetings. If you’re acquainted with Luke, then consider me your friend too. Nice to meet you.”

As she said this, she compared our faces with a slightly flustered expression.

“Um… I mean, for someone like me to be friends with a lady and a young master…”
“Oh my! Did Luke and Ashimi really say something so narrow-minded!?”

With slightly widened eyes, Anise quickly shook her head. “N-no! …But I thought yesterday was just a joke or pity…” The latter part faded into a barely audible murmur.

“It wasn’t!”
“They would never.”

Our voices in denial blended in unison.

♦♢♦

“… I see. So, you called upon the wind spirits to extinguish the fire, and they responded accordingly.”

Sitting in the shade of a large tree with a perfect canopy, perched on a hill that overlooked the slum area undergoing reconstruction, Luke and I spread out the sheet and the lunch we had brought in a basket. We chatted about various topics, and naturally, the conversation shifted from the beggar girl Anise to the arson incident Luke and the others were involved in.

(So that’s what happened. It’s surprising, honestly, that Ashimi, of all people, went to such lengths for a half-elf girl and her dwarf foster parent. I wouldn’t have expected it.)

“—? What’s the matter, Jill? You seem to be in quite a good mood.” Luke averted his eyes from me, who was blushing and squinting as if seeing something too bright.

“Of course, it’s because I’m happy. You both did a good thing.” That’s why I feel so happy, almost as if it’s my own achievement.

In contrast to my delight, Luke’s face remained downcast.

“… Do you really think so? If I had been stronger, there might have been even fewer casualties. When I think that, I can’t help but feel frustrated with my own powerlessness.”

He glanced towards the remains of the buildings that had been completely burned down and the bodies wrapped in straw mats being carried out. They were being thrown into a hastily dug large pit, as there was no proper cemetery.

He sighed wistfully, barely touching the bagel sandwich I had prepared for lunch before setting it aside.

“Did you not find it delicious?”

Since I had made extra, I gave it all to Anise. She kept saying, “delicious, delicious!” and ate everything right away, but perhaps it didn’t suit Luke’s taste.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that my chest feels heavy…”
“…”

Hmm. If delicious food doesn’t help, this issue must be quite deep-rooted. I don’t think Luke is as powerless as he believes.

“I gave Anise her lunch earlier. Do you despise me for that, Luke?”
“???”
“For example, suppose I give all the food I have to other hungry children, or organize a soup kitchen with everyone from Letindüte —since it seems the authorities aren’t providing any relief—or even distribute all my wealth to feed everyone in the slums… Do you think I’m heartless for not actually doing that?”
“—Well… even if giving away everything is impossible, at least lunch or a soup kitchen…”
“But the lunch I have now isn’t enough to distribute among the other children. At the very least, Anise wouldn’t have enough to eat. Even if we organized a soup kitchen, we might last a day or two, but doing it every day would lead to bankruptcy soon enough. —So, perhaps this is just self-satisfaction, but since Anise is a friend of yours and an acquaintance of mine, I prioritized her. Would you condemn that as cruel?”
“That is…”

“I understand. But there must be a way to save more people.” — The anguish of a boy searching for that ‘one brilliant solution’ is evident.

“Of course, now that I know about this situation, I intend to provide as much support as possible. I’ll consult with Mr. Curtis and, if necessary, even with Princess Lieselotte to get the administration involved.”
“You’re….you’re right. I’ll also do the best I can!”

Luke instantly regained his vitality. I looked into his eyes, meeting his gaze.

“Yes, let’s do our best together. That’s why, please stop blaming yourself. You may not be omnipotent, but you’ve still saved many people. As your friend, I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished”
“Jill… Thank you…so much. But still, I was just so powerless that it’s…frustrating!!”

As Luke sobbed, I gently embraced him.

“It’s okay. You did what you could. It may not have been perfect, but don’t think of yourself as powerless. There are people you saved, a town that still stands because of you. Those are undeniable facts. Please, don’t forget that.”
“—”

I whispered into Luke’s ear as he clung to me like a child. Feeling his hot tears drip down, I couldn’t help but wish for his heart’s burden to be eased, even if just a little.

Author’s Note:

Meanwhile, around the same time, Ashimi was regaining his usual demeanor while having a verbal spat with Pryui.