Wounds Leave Indelible Marks (2)
On the way home, citizens addicted to Holy Water were sprawled everywhere.
People passed by them as if accustomed to the sight, walking toward their respective destinations.
I too passed them by and spoke to Hare.
"To their eyes, drug addicts and Holy Water addicts must look the same."
"Wh-when I used to live in a bad alley long ago, my grandmother told me not to associate with people like that. She said not to even talk to people whose eyes were glazed over and whose speech was slurred..."
"So, is that why you don't get along with Estia?"
I'd never seen the two of them having a conversation alone.
Over the past two years, Hare had become quite close with Luna and Saten.
Unfortunately, she maintained an awkward atmosphere with Estia.
"Do you dislike Estia?"
"N-no, that's not it...! It's just... I just don't really click with her..."
Hare pouted, insisting it absolutely wasn't that.
"We don't have the same topics to talk about... I can't figure out what she's thinking... We can't communicate... And it annoys me how she calls you 'oppa' and speaks casually to you..."
"Hmm."
Well, she had a point.
Estia's impudence had been reaching the heavens lately.
"Still, she doesn't have bad intentions, so try to understand. She's always been like that."
"...Yes, I understand, Ahjussi. Kind me will understand."
Calling herself kind with her own mouth.
Unlike when I first met her, Hare had properly mastered the art of being thick-skinned.
She bent her waist slightly, so I lightly patted her head and said,
"Go put the ingredients in the kitchen. I'll stop by the training grounds for a moment."
"Yes...! I'll go ahead...! Please come quickly...!"
Was she happy to be praised?
Hare ran toward the kitchen excitedly.
Though we'd been living in this mansion in the capital for two years.
This estate was far too spacious for us.
"The security is thorough and there are no prying eyes around, but..."
It's always inconvenient to move around.
Irina, who knew our circumstances.
Walking through the interior of the mansion she'd rented to us, I headed toward the training grounds where Luna would be.
At this hour, she would definitely be training.
"One hundred eighteen! One hundred twenty!"
"Luna, are you swinging your sword?"
"One million twenty-one! One million twenty-two!"
"..."
It seemed the unit had changed to millions.
Was it just my imagination?
"One million twenty-three!"
Glance—
Luna glanced in my direction and stopped her sword.
Then she waved her hand at me as if glad to see me.
"Oh, Ahjussi! You're here! I was so~ absorbed in training that I didn't even notice!"
"...It looked like the numerical unit just increased."
"I-it's your imagination! Anyway! What brings you here?!"
"We'll be eating lunch soon, so prepare to finish your training."
"Got it! More importantly, what's for lunch today?!"
"Spicy stir-fried pork."
"I-I'll be right there! Don't eat it all before me!"
Whoosh—
Luna swung her sword rapidly through the air.
The speed was much faster than before, and carrying a strange Sword Ki, its destructive power was also excellent.
She moved with dazzling movements as if there were a Demon King right before her eyes.
"One million twenty-three, four, five!"
Luna swinging her sword diligently to meet her sword training quota.
Even at a glance, her swordsmanship had improved greatly.
She had mastered swordsmanship suited to her body according to her physical growth.
*Her height too, and muscles have developed well on her body. The image of the girl who only ate potatoes in the countryside disappeared long ago.*
Bright blonde hair and clear blue eyes.
Luna's grown appearance could be mistaken for a high-ranking noble's child.
Though I helped, achieving such growth in a short period was due to talent.
What I provided her was only the effect of mental growth.
*Now she'll move forward well on her own even without me.*
Thinking about such an absence, I left the training grounds and headed to the kitchen.
There, Hare was preparing ingredients in advance.
"Hare, thank you for always helping."
"Y-yes...! Thank you for being grateful...!"
"Right."
When I finish all the tasks I've prepared.
Days like this will soon end too.
I became more certain as I looked at the screen that appeared before my eyes.
[Jun-woo, I have all the answers about the Demon Kings. Two of them are in the capital. Come to the library after you finish eating.]
[1. Go to the library.]
[2. Don't go to the library.]
A problem that didn't require deliberation.
I chose option 1 without hesitation.
After moving our residence to the capital, we established rules for the mansion.
The first was not to fight with each other.
If we did fight, resolve it with words as much as possible.
This rule came about because Luna and Saten got into a fistfight.
The second was not to bother Ahjussi.
Because someone kept knocking on my door during my sleep time, or strange attempts were detected.
This rule was created at Hare's suggestion.
And the third was to always eat meals together.
No matter what happened, eat together and share what happened during the day.
This was a rule I made because there were children who were distant with each other.
So if you asked whether there were results from that...
*It wasn't that there weren't any, and there were some.*
That was the only ambiguous answer I could give.
"Ahjussi, I brought everyone..."
From the stairs, Hare came down with Estia and Saten.
Estia walked over rubbing her eyes with her hands, as if she'd just woken up.
"Haah... Oppa, what's for dinner today...?"
"It's still lunch, Estia."
"I told you to wake me for dinner... I only need to eat one meal a day!!"
"So, how are the results for you eating only two meals a day?"
While the other children were growing.
Her height grew only as much as a pinky finger.
The parts that should grow didn't grow.
"Even though you can only see a bleak future, do you really want to eat only one meal?"
"B-but I'm good at drawing! Why are you making a fuss at me from morning! I studied the scriptures hard too! Look!"
Estia wrapped Divine Power around her hand and moved her arms as if dancing.
Creating a pattern in the air like that, it suddenly emitted light and covered the space.
"See! This is a healing aura! It heals the wounds of people nearby! How about that, even with this, you say I haven't grown—"
"Clear this away and move aside."
Poke—
Saten pushed Estia from behind as if she was in the way.
"Kek—"
"Could you not block my path?"
"I-I almost got hurt! You black-haired girl!"
"With a healing aura present, how could you get hurt?"
"W-well, that is true...?"
Estia, logically persuaded.
Saten passed her and headed to the dining table where food was set.
Compared to the past when she was only bones.
Her condition had improved very much.
"She still lacks muscle, but... she has improved though."
"...I'm sorry, but please don't look at me."
Saten turned her head, refusing to make eye contact with me.
In terms of personality, she could be seen as having become a bit prickly.
*Though she's still lacking in emotional expression, the range of emotions she feels has broadened.*
She still couldn't control anger.
But in other areas, it showed a little in her facial expressions.
Just now, she coldly turned her head, but seeing her cheeks flush red, she was embarrassed.
It was probably because I stared too intently at Saten's body.
"Saten."
"Yes?"
"Unlike Estia, I'm glad your height grew appropriately."
"Are you teasing me? My height did grow, but other parts—"
"Other parts?"
"...Never mind, please forget it. I didn't say anything."
Saten pulled the black cardigan draped over her shoulders more tightly closed.
Feeling embarrassed again, her face reddened.
I decided to speak sternly to Saten.
"More than that, Saten."
"...Yes."
"Apologize to Estia for what just happened. Pushing someone without permission is wrong—"
"I know. Stop talking. I don't want to be scolded by you, Ahjussi. I know my own faults."
Saten stood up from her seat, biting her lip.
Self-loathing was reflected in her eyes.
She knew it too.
That these things kept happening because she couldn't control her emotions.
Knowing Saten's heart, I decided not to press the issue.
"Sorry, Estia. I failed to control my emotions again."
"Hmph, always with excuses... Fail to control yourself one more time in front of Luna! Bleh!"
Estia grabbed Saten's outstretched hand, stood up, and fled toward her seat.
Her personality of doing as she pleased while accepting the apology was visible at a glance.
Should I say it's good that she's optimistic?
Or should I say she's noisy because she's free-spirited?
I found that distinction truly ambiguous.
"Sit down and eat, Estia."
"Okay! More than that, Oppa! Is that teacher coming today too?"
"She is coming. She'll come until you reach an appropriate level."
"Hmph, lessons are annoying."
Estia complained about the lessons while putting spicy stir-fried pork in her mouth.
Seeming to like today's menu, she closed her mouth tightly and began eating.
Saten frowned and muttered.
"...Really, eating so vulgarly. No refinement."
"So what! What's refinement!"
"Watch and learn. Using a fork and knife like this—"
"Why do you need a knife to eat spicy stir-fried pork! A fork is all you need!"
Waaah—
Estia opened her mouth wide and put spicy stir-fried pork in.
It was an action that elicited a sigh from Saten.
"...This is why I hate religious fanatics."
"Hmph, I hate stuck-up idiots like you more! Always acting like you know everything. When actually you're all wrong~"
The two glared at each other, continuing their fight.
Hare asked in a worried tone, concerned that the sacred mealtime might turn into a fight.
"A-Ahjussi... is it okay not to stop the fight...?"
"It's fine."
"What...?"
"Kids originally grow while fighting."
Because we share mealtimes like this.
At least they exchange words and fight.
In the past, they would have holed up in their rooms and not even spoken to each other, just ignoring one another.
"Still, they're not without affection, so it'll be fine."
"Saten never had affection to begin with... And Ahjussi..."
Hare stopped her fork and said firmly.
"We're not kids anymore..."
"...I see."
Their ages had already reached that point.
While agreeing with Hare's serious words.
I had no choice but to immediately retract that opinion.
"Wh-what! I said I'd come quickly after training! Why is there only this much of the spicy stir-fried pork Ahjussi mentioned! What is this! I said I won't eat if there's no meat!"
"Haah..."
As expected, the Hero Party were children who had only grown physically.
"Luna."
"Yes!"
"Sit down and eat. I'll bring you more if it's not enough."
"Yees..."
Though if I had to add one more thing.
She was a child who listened well to *words*.
*I hope she listens well to my last words too.*
With such a small wish, today too I shared this noisy meal with the Hero Party.