Leave a comment

◇

「Eh, please stop it! Your just making an embarrassment of yourself, big man!!」

Hearing the uproar of the gatekeepers, Youmu ran towards the man that they were questioning and drives a straight hit on his head.

「Aguh!? What was that about……Youmu!? You, you were safe!? For sure, I’d definitely thought……」

The moment that man sees and recognized Youmu, the big hairy giant looking like a gorilla started to cry. Though it looked weird and disturbing, it shows that he is just a normal human. Well, I did want to imply that I helped Youmu but stopped myself for now.

However, I’m more curious about why she called her master, I wonder how those two are related to each other?

「Ah jeez, could you stop that annoying cry already!! Did something happen with the guild? Were they able to properly receive the report? Ah, you guys can continue with your work, I’ll deal with this one」

Youmu kicked the weeping large man as she told the gatekeepers to leave and continue their work.

The gatekeepers were relieved when they saw Youmu and after exchanging words with her they moved out. She did say that she had a bit of recognition with the town, but it seems like it’s much broader than I have expected.

「Ugh!? Why do you feel depressed about the person who did his best to help despite knowing that it would be troublesome!? Or more like, how did you return safe? Don’t tell, you……」

「No, I didn’t use that at all. Can’t you see that I haven’t really changed? That one over there helped me, you could ask her about it」

Youmu turned to me and Chibi who were watching things happening at a distance away from them.

「Nn? It’s someone I don’t recognize……well anyway, it’s fine! So you were the ones who helped her! Let me offer you my thanks too!」

The big man came close to us patting my head as he laughed loudly. She didn’t do it to chibi, however I could see her looking as if saying「I too」 as her stared at him.

「No well, I just happened to be around that area, but……I wasn’t able to help the others……is that, no good」

「Ah……umm……Sorry, Chibi was late to help」

If only I didn’t hesitate an immediately decided to move, I could have saved some of the others. Though I know that it’s not my responsibility, I still don’t feel good about it.

However, there’s nothing that could be done to something that already happened.

「Hmm……」

The big man strokes his beard as he thought about it……

He then crouched down to my eye level and continued patting my head. Although I’m being treated like a child right now, it didn’t really feel strange or unpleasant. It’s probably because this old man is trying to reassure me that what I did was alright.

「Jou-chan, I don’t really know how you are feeling, but that was not something that you should feel responsible for. Ah, you might think that this is a childish response however it’s also important for someone else to at least tell you something like this, right? 」

His voice was rough and gritty, however those words also resonated deep within me.

「You girls may not have arrived in time, but that didn’t mean that you’ve arrived too late. Even though it’s not something that you could be proud of, it’s also not something to be looked down on, that’s why let me offer my thanks one more time」

「Thank you very much, Ojou-chan……and Chibi? Chibi-Ojou-chan? I think?」

He had such gentle eyes, despite looking like a Gorilla…… I mean a giant staring straight at us.

Ah, as after all it’s important to convey feelings to people wording it out. I know that it’s something common to do, but it seems like I have forgotten even something so obvious.

At the very least, I felt like I have been saved hearing those words.

「Umm, you’re welcome……」

「Unーーー!」

I returned a reply though a little shy about it. The big man then stood up laughing loudly and continued patting our heads again.

◇

「Oi, I’m definitely going to call you a lolicon」

Youmu was glaring at him coldly as he said those words.

「Who are you calling a lolicon! Who!!!」

「Well, I might just do that so. Anyway, I have something to talk about. You don’t have to say anything but try using appraisal on that girl. You don’t mind him doing that right? Leticia」

「ah, yeah」

It’s just a matter of time after all. It’s a road that we to cross soon enough. And this old man probably won’t do anything bad. It might be a ridiculous idea, but its fine since I’ve put my trust on him with how he reacted along with his short exchange with Youmu.

　He then stroked his beard once more responding with a 「Hmm」. Then after thinking about it, he asked 「Sorry about this, I check it now」. A chilling sensation then hit me as if cold was crawling down my spine. I can’t really get used to this kind of sensation. Well then, let’s see how the old man would react to what he discovers.

「……Wah!?」

His eyes opened wide in surprise for a moment, then swallowed his words that he almost spit out. After that, he scratched his head and let out a long sigh, then looked at me with the same straightforward eyes from before.

「You’re going to be in a lot of trouble again, Ojou-chan. You’ve already been through a lot of hardships, right? I do have a lot of questions to ask, but unfortunately this place is no good with a lot of people’s eyes looking around. For the time being, come over to my shop, you’re ok with that right? 」

「Your Shop?…… Ah, come to think of it, you were the lone master of some empty bar they mentioned or something 」

「Me being alone is none of your business. Seriously, all of you…… It’s not like I can’t drink on my own without anybody around. Well forget about that, I also forgot to introduce myself, I am 【Adlas Gadonia】. I run a bar called 【Twilight Moon Bar】 here in Folserras. People around here usually call me old man Ad or Master, so you girls shouldn’t hesitate to address me the same way since were now acquaintances, alright? 」

After saying that, Adlas went back to the gates with us tagging along. It a bit of an aggressive approach but I didn’t feel uncomfortable about it.

「Well, it seems like he was a popular adventurer in the past. Thanks to him, we should be able to contact the higher ups of the guild, and though the store might be empty most of the time I guarantee that the food is great, you know? 」

Youmu followed up to the old man to reassure me.

「Ah, that would be great because I haven’t really eaten anything other than Alps」

「Foodーー? Food!」

　Chibi’s tail was swinging around in excitement. I’m already used to her reactions, but as expected no matter how grown up she looked, a child will still be a child. I to look around carefully so that we don’t end up lost in this unfamiliar town.

◇

And so our party waled through the town of Folserras. Cobblestone roads stretch out from the gate towards the central plaza, on both sides of the road I could see buildings resembling Inns, Bars, weapon shops, armor shops, tool shops……and also rarely included were magic tool shops and magic equipment shops with the lineups not seeming to end. The buildings itself were mostly western styled, but somehow I could notice some structural improvements making them more reinforced which were probably established from the knowledge of several reincarnated people. It looks more similar to what would you find in a world from a game, but they might be more durable than what I expect.

「Hoooaーーーseeing this really make you think that it’s a different world 」

Despite us moving unconsciously, we suddenly came to a stop because of the traffic. I was overwhelmed by what we saw that I couldn’t but open our mouth in surprise.

「Amzaing! Master! There are so many people around!!」

Chibi still being Chibi looked at me with shining eyes filled with excitement.

「Hmmm…… though this kind of scenery isn’t that usual. It’s certainly a different scenery from what were used to seeing」

「I don’t really understand a reincarnated person’s view, and I don’t really feel any sort of pleasure seeing this. Even it’s only like watching water flow to me, but……we also need to move soon 」

Adlas couldn’t help but look at us as if we were strange, though Youmu did advise me to take a closer look. However, it’s not like were currently going on a sightseeing tour.

We followed Adlas who moved towards an alley, saying 「The roads will become narrower, so be sure not to turn away 」 as we pass through the alley ways. Following the winding roads going right and left for a while now, we reached a place far from the main road. And then after walking for a while, we arrived at a small shop near the corner of the city.

A wooden sign was placed on a table with the motif of sake and a crescent moon.

Just based on its location, people who only happened to stay at inns within the town would certainly not go to a place far from their place. It’s not surprising now why it was called empty or lonely.

However, despite that situation, the place gives off a certain special atmosphere. After all for Adlas, this store is his castle. Adlas glances back at us after approaching the door, then with shows us a big smile.

「Welcome to Twilight Moon Bar」