Scars Leave Indelible Marks (1)
A distinct sword wound remained on my chest.
Even though all the scratches from Hare's dagger had healed,
only the wound Luna had left remained on my body.
Luna stroked the scar and cried out.
"Wh-why isn't the wound healing, Estia? You said if you used divine power, it would disappear without a trace!!"
"I-I don't know either! I definitely healed it with divine power! I don't know what happened after that!"
"You're a Saint! If you're a Saint, you should know! Why did Ahjussi's wound end up like that!!"
Crash—
Luna grabbed Estia by both shoulders and interrogated her.
Why did this happen and why didn't my wound heal?
With an expression mixed with guilt, she shook Estia vigorously.
"Tell me quickly! Will the scar stay like that forever! Tell me right now!"
"I-I don't know! You stupid Hero! Let go, I'm getting dizzy!"
Thwack—
Estia escaped from Luna's grasp.
The moment Luna reached out to catch the fleeing Estia,
Hare appeared and intercepted Luna's hand.
"...Stop it. What's all this commotion in Ahjussi's room? If you're going to fight, go outside."
"We're not fighting...! I was just asking Estia if there was a way—"
"That's why I'm telling you to stop. You know too, don't you? That there's no way."
"..."
Luna lowered her gaze.
"But... Ahjussi has a scar on his body... The scar I left will remain for life... I can't just leave it like that..."
"...Right, the scar will remain for life..."
The children suddenly became gloomy.
Like dark clouds rising on a sunny day,
they were about to burst into tears.
*I don't like sad atmospheres...*
It would be strange to cry along with them, and I wasn't sad enough to empathize with their tears.
I didn't want to see others crying over a wound on my body, so I sat up in bed.
"I'm the one who got hurt, so why are you all about to cry?"
"B-but I'm the one who wounded Ahjussi's body..."
"That's all the Demon King's fault, not yours. Why are you trying to cry for no reason?"
My body is mine, and I'm saying I'm fine.
Why are you shedding tears?
Rather than stimulating the children's sensitivity, I spoke while removing as much emotion as possible to make it subside.
"It's a wound that won't even show when I'm wearing clothes anyway. I've probably gotten wounded over a thousand times living as an adventurer. There's no need to make a fuss."
"...I-it shows when you take your clothes off."
"These days, people without scars are much rarer. Now stop talking about the wound, Luna."
"Yes..."
"Now untie the rope. The wound has healed and I've rested enough. It's time to go back."
To peaceful daily life.
To the daily life where I cook and educate the children, though it's a bit busy.
It was time to return.
"Come on, untie the rope."
"Yes... I'm sorry about the chest wound, Ahjussi... I'll use my wish later to heal your wound—"
"There's no need for that. Use it for something more meaningful."
"Okay..."
Luna untied the rope with a dejected voice.
My hands became free and I gained freedom in my previously restricted movements.
However,
I couldn't carry out the daily life I had planned.
[It seems the rumor has spread, Jun-woo. The Holy Knights heard about Saint Estia healing people who were attacked by the Demon King in the auditorium. What will you do, Jun-woo?]
[1. Deal with all the Holy Knights.]
[2. Run away.]
"...So those peaceful days were for this moment."
"What do you mean, Oppa?"
"Everyone, go to your rooms right now and pack."
The time to flee had found us again.
To avoid the Holy Knights who would come to our house in 30 minutes,
we decided to move our residence to Capital Grancia, where the Cecilia family and the Goddess's Church were located together.
*I don't know how long this will take, but...*
It was also time to start working to free Saten and Estia, who were bound by the shackles of the past.
The office of the Cecilia family.
Head of Family Lennon, who had an appearance as if all the nutrients in his body had gone missing.
With an expression that suggested he would kill anyone annoying in front of him right now,
he read the document submitted by the knight.
"Still no news?"
"...Yes, it's been over four years since that bitch disappeared. There are only rumors, but we couldn't find her."
"What's the probability she died somewhere?"
"I think it's low. The story about selling her to a brothel was also a lie, and her value is high, so they wouldn't have let her die."
"Then—!!"
Bang—!!!
He struck the desk, causing his hand to bleed.
Lennon shouted fiercely as if the wound didn't matter.
"Why—!! If she's not dead—!! Can't you find her—!!"
"...I'm sorry! Even now, I'll immediately deploy all personnel—"
"Shut up—!!"
Crash—!
The glass Lennon threw hit the knight's face.
Without even stopping the flowing blood, he put both hands behind his back and bowed his head 90 degrees.
As if his anger still wasn't relieved, Lennon drew his sword and approached the knight.
"I gave you... the Black Crow Knights time..."
"I'm sorry."
"Even when the number of people who left the knights because they didn't want to follow my orders increased... I gave you more money..."
"I'm sorry..."
"But if this is the result after using time and money..."
I have no choice but to give you 'punishment.'
Lennon approached the trembling knight and swung his sword down at his left arm in one stroke.
Head of Family Lennon's insanity.
That was the reason the Black Crow Knights fell.
"Keu, kuaaak—!!"
"Saten. You'll need legs to find that bitch, so I'll spare your lower half. Run harder with both arms gone."
Lennon raised his sword high toward the knight's right arm.
Thinking that the 'keepsake' left by his dead wife was with someone else,
he held his head high and swung down his sword with cold eyes.
"Keu, keu...urgh..."
"It's just a light punishment. What are you doing instead of moving?"
The knight left the office without even being able to stop the flowing blood.
He regretted not leaving together when all the other knights submitted resignation letters saying 'there's no future in the Black Crows.'
Watching the shabby back of such a knight, Lennon frowned and wiped the blood off his sword.
"Lowly blood."
In the declining knight order, only shabby pride remained for him.
Compared to the Dungeon City Henencia,
the capital was too noisy and induced irritation.
"Even after living here for two years, I still can't get used to it."
"I-is that so? I got used to it a long time ago..."
"...It gets harder as you age."
"Hmm, really...?"
Maybe she doesn't know because she's still young.
Hare, who had already reached the age of 18.
Unlike the past, her baby fat had disappeared and she had grown taller, but
she still didn't seem to relate to the words of old me.
"Where's our next destination, Hare?"
"Next is... th-this way...! The vegetable shop is this way...!"
Hare moved forward ahead of me as if telling me to follow.
Through the gaps in her hood brushed by the wind, her pink hair was briefly visible.
She had grown her hair a bit, somewhere between short and medium length, but...
"When are you planning to cut your hair?"
"...I can just tie it up when I fight, so it's fine."
Hare didn't seem to have any intention of cutting her hair.
As she aged and grew, she probably wanted to look prettier like a girl, but
unfortunately, Hare and I had slightly different thoughts.
"Long hair gets in the way when fighting, and if you're not careful, your hair might get caught somewhere—"
"St-stop it, Ahjussi...! I-I'll take care of it myself...!"
"...Alright."
In the old days, she would have unconditionally obeyed my words.
Does aging and puberty bring this kind of rebellion?
Time truly was a frightening thing.
*Well, even though I say this, I don't really intend to force it.*
At times like this, should I say I feel the Hero Party's growth?
I always feel on my skin that 'that time' is coming, even if I don't want it.
While having such small thoughts, Hare and I arrived at the vegetable shop.
"A-Ahjussi...! Come look at the vegetables...! Is this quality good enough...?"
Hare carefully examined an onion and handed it to me.
"Hmm."
"How... is it?"
"The quality isn't bad."
Even if she can't cook, her eye for ingredients isn't bad.
In the capital, Saten and Estia's actions were restricted, so
Luna and Hare always helped purchase ingredients.
In the process, Hare developed an eye for ingredients, and
Luna developed a gourmet sense for street food sold in the market.
Including the belly fat she claimed were abs.
"Well, this onion seems sufficient."
"Th-that's a relief...! Hehe...!"
Hare smiled brightly.
Since nothing had happened for two years after fleeing from the Holy Knights, Hare's personality had become quite cheerful.
Should I say she smiled more and expressed herself more?
On the surface, she looked like a bright child with no problems.
Perhaps that's why
the vegetable shop lady also saw Hare that way.
"Oh my, the young lady has a good eye too~ The onions just came in~ Your boyfriend next to you will be happy~?"
"Boy-boyfriend...!! D-do Ahjussi and I look like a couple...?"
"Ahjussi...? Oh my, not a boyfriend but quite an age gap...? I made a slip of the tongue—"
"It's-it's fine... but b-be careful next time...! Ahjussi might feel bad...!"
"Oh my, I'm sorry, miss..."
Hare sternly scolded the vegetable shop lady.
I was behind Hare so I couldn't see her expression from the front, but
it seemed like her cheeks had risen slightly...
*...Must be my imagination.*
Who smiles while getting angry?
Anyway,
Hare and I purchased all the ingredients written on the paper, then decided to leave the market to go home.
However.
"A-Ahjussi... look over there..."
Looking in the direction Hare pointed,
there was a strange group lying on the ground with unfocused eyes staring at the sky.
They were holy water addicts whose lives had been ruined by the Church.
"It's been over four years since the kidnapping, but they're still being supplied..."
"H-how much holy water did Estia produce...?"
"That's what I'd like to know."
Or perhaps
the supply Estia provided had already run out, and
another child might be supplying it.
I left the spot while watching the Sylvester Knights head toward the addict group.
Besides the Demon King, there were far too many things in the capital that needed fixing.
"Let's go home."
"Y-yes...!"