# 41. The Old Man is Sensitive (1)
After the old man left, Luna began pulling weeds in the yard, grumbling about him as she worked.
"Geez, the old man always picks on me! Does he hate me? Hmph, well I hate him too!"
I hate him! Totally hate him! Always making me do the hard work!
Luna vented her hurt feelings while pulling out the overgrown weeds. Though she cursed with her mouth, her body obediently followed the old man's words. And while Luna diligently pulled weeds, Hare and Estia were... having a small argument.
"You'd better stay put. The old man told me to watch you."
"I-I know! It's not like I was planning to run away anyway!"
"...How was it being in the old man's arms? Did you like it?"
"I-I don't know...! What are you even talking about?"
I can't understand this! Me, in the old man's arms? Say something that makes sense! If I were just a bit taller, I'd beat you up!
Estia imagined bonking the head of Hare, who was watching her.
*Hehe, serves you right, you pink-head!*
Why is she smiling?
Hare didn't understand, but since the old man had said Estia was sometimes strange, she just let it go. As they watched Luna remove weeds and waited for the old man, Cecilia, who had been reading a book in the shade far away, approached Hare and Estia. It was quite a rare occurrence.
"Whoa! What! This is the first time I've seen her move first!"
"...?"
Cecilia approached expressionlessly and stood quietly in front of Hare. Why was Cecilia, whom she liked least, coming here? To Hare, who had this question, Cecilia asked in an emotionless tone.
"Do you think while you live?"
"What...?"
"From what I can see, you don't seem to think at all."
"Huh...?"
I-I don't think...? When I'm always thinking about the old man, I don't think...?
Hare answered in confusion.
"I-I think about the old man so much...! Wh-what are you talking about—"
"Do you really think about the old man? Truly?"
"O-of course...! I-I like the old man—"
"Then you'll be abandoned. The old man will abandon you."
A tone full of certainty. Cecilia was convinced that Hare would soon be abandoned. Because she was ignoring what the old man cared about most. Having memories of being abandoned by her family, Cecilia could see the end of this situation better than anyone. Cecilia predicted with a tone close to certainty.
"You. Will soon be abandoned. The old man knows everything. And he doesn't like children who fight with their friends."
"Y-you saw me threatening Estia...?"
That's not what's important.
Cecilia smiled coldly at those words. It was mockery toward someone who didn't know how stupid they were.
"If you're a commoner, you should know your place. The old man is a far more outstanding person than you realize."
"No...! I know the old man is outstanding too..."
"No, you don't know properly. Just how outstanding the old man is."
If you're going to cut off a tail, cut it off cleanly. If there's a dangerous possibility, act immediately. That's why, even though he lives with four children of unknown origin, others don't find out. Moreover, he has expert-level skills in swordsmanship and magic. Magic formulas that even I, a genius, can't understand.
Having observed the old man all this time, Cecilia knew keenly that he was incredible.
"The old man moves as if he can see the future. He must have reached a level where he can see the future. So you're in big trouble."
"Uh, huh...?"
"Do you understand now? All your actions are in the old man's hands."
So.
"If you don't want to be abandoned, act properly."
"..."
To attract someone's attention, you need to properly know what that person likes and dislikes. Hare, who moved as she pleased without such thoughts, seemed stupid. She felt frustrating like a bug. At the same time, she felt a sense of kinship.
*I can't feel the emotions of being abandoned anymore, but...*
Since I know how sad that memory buried in my unconscious is, I don't really want to see someone else being abandoned. Of course, she wanted to hit the commoner Hare countless times but held back.
*If the old man didn't dislike fighting... I would have slapped her...*
That's quite regrettable.
Looking at the frustrating Hare, Cecilia's hands were itching.
"I've told you. If you act that way, you'll be abandoned. Do as you please."
"..."
As Cecilia left again for the shade of a distant tree, Hare began to be engulfed in anxiety.
"The old man knows what I did...?"
R-really...? Even if the Goddess finds out... I can't let the old man find out...
Hare, who didn't know that the Goddess and the old man were in cahoots, moved her gaze toward where the old man had left, engulfed in anxiety.
"Ah..."
Hare could only let out a sigh. The old man was returning there, and his expression was... unlike usual, it felt quite sharp.
The way back to the newly acquired house was unpleasant. People's voices felt like they would tear my ears. The sunlight was just blinding garbage. If I could get rid of it, I wanted to immediately.
"Damn aftereffects..."
These feelings must be because of the aftereffects. Normally I wouldn't have even thought about it, but right now I didn't want to hear even the voices of passing children.
After spending such a difficult time, I arrived at the new house. As soon as she saw me, Luna, who had been pulling weeds, started running over shouting.
"Old man!! I pulled lots of weeds!! You saw, right? Luna is a woman who does what she says!"
Luna boasted as if she were proud of herself. However, I wasn't in the mood to praise her right now.
"...I see."
"Huh? Th-that's it...?"
"What more needs to be said?"
"N-no, it's not that..."
Luna trailed off, perhaps sensing my mood. I didn't want to be like this, but the words I thought and the words that came out of my mouth were different. Though unintentional, it felt like I kept putting stones in snowballs and throwing them. I spoke to Luna as gently as I could manage.
"...I'll go clean the house, so stay inside, Luna."
"O-okay... I'll go in..."
Dejected—
Luna walked toward the house with her spirits dampened. Normally I would have given her at least a small compliment, but today wasn't the day. And next was Cecilia.
"I'll go inside, old man."
"...Alright."
Seeing Luna going into the house, Cecilia was already acting. I didn't particularly have anything to say to her. The one who needed conversation wasn't Cecilia. I approached the two people sitting on the yard bench.
"Estia, Hare. I think we need to talk."
Having a conversation in this state wouldn't be good, but since this matter was important, it was better to finish the conversation today. I moved my gaze to Hare and spoke. She had already sensed the anxiety.
"Hare."
"...Yes, old man."
"Don't you have something to tell me?"
"..."
Hare moved her gaze around anxiously and couldn't say anything. Of course she couldn't say anything. Because she did something wrong. Because she broke a promise. This time I asked Estia.
"Estia. You."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yes, do you have something you want to tell me?"
"Why are you being scary, oppa? I-I don't really have anything to say..."
"Really?"
"..."
Glance—
Estia checked Hare beside her with a sidelong glance. An action that seemed to say 'She's the one who did wrong!' That action alone was answer enough.
*Hare really must have thought I wouldn't know.*
Today. If I hadn't gone to the library, I would never have known, but I checked Estia's past.
*'So. Don't tell the old man about today...'*
The past where Hare held a knife to Estia's throat, threatening her not to speak. I thought she had really come to her senses, but Hare was still the same. She hadn't properly reflected.
"Hare."
Flinch—
Hare trembled as if she knew her wrongdoing. She looked pitiful, but I had no intention of letting her off.
I recited to Hare in a dry tone.
"Was telling you to get along well with your friends such a difficult thing for you?"
"N-no...!! I-I wanted to get along—"
"Don't make useless excuses. It's a waste of time."
"S-sorry..."
"Stop."
She'll apologize again this time. It's an obvious pattern. If she had truly reflected, I would have been willing to let it go, but Hare, who ignored my words and acted again, had crossed the line.
"Thinking you wouldn't get caught by me is audacious. Even thinking of silencing Estia."
"Ah, aah... Old man..."
"Hare, do you think my words are garbage?"
"N-no...!! Y-your words aren't garbage... I-I just made a mist—"
"If you made a mistake, you should reflect and never do it again for it to be proper reflection. Then what did you do? Did you just waste time there?"
"Th-that's..."
Hare fell silent. She seemed to recognize that although she had sincerely reflected, the direction was messed up. And.
"Estia."
"Y-yes!?"
"You must receive an apology from Hare later. Absolutely. If something like this happens again next time, tell me."
"O-okay...sir!"
Gulp—
Estia beside her seemed to be seeing me angry for the first time and was cowering in fear. That was all I had to say to Estia.
"Then go inside the house now."
"O-okay...sir!"
I sent Estia into the house. The remaining people were Hare and me. Now I had to finish the conversation with her. The surging emotions were annoying, and I wanted to go inside and rest quickly.
"Hare."
"Y-yes..."
Hare clenched her fists tightly and trembled. Tears were about to flow, but she seemed to barely hold them back. I harshly cornered Hare.
"What did you do wrong?"
"F-friends... I-I didn't get along well...with them..."
"You know well. Then what do you plan to do from now on?"
"F-friends... I'll get along well...with them... I-in front of...sniff, the old man... and behind him too... sniff..."
Firmly—
Hare answered while holding back tears as much as possible. My emotions kept telling me to lock her in solitary confinement, but the last remaining reason barely stopped my emotions. Instead, I had no choice but to say to Hare the words that had been constantly bothering me.
"Hare."
"Yes..."
"Did you think I didn't know your feelings?"
"O-old...man...? Wh-what do you..."
"Those feelings you have. They're just a misunderstanding and an illusion."
"What...?"
"So give them up cleanly. I have no intention of accepting your feelings."
"Ah, aah...?"
Hearing those words, Hare froze like stone. There was no movement, no voice. Only great shock remained on her expression. I coldly spat out my final words.
"Hare, if you fight with your friends next time too, I'll kick you out of the house. Behave properly."
"..."
"...I'll give you time to think. Sort out your emotions properly before coming in."
Leaving those cold words behind, I turned and walked toward the house. From behind, I could hear Hare's pitiful sobbing voice.
"I-I'm sorry... B-but... these feelings... sniff, are...genuine... N-not a misunderstanding..."
"..."
"Pl-please believe...me... O-old man..."
...Nevertheless, I left her outside and entered the house without a word. These were words I had to say someday. I absolutely had to tell her I had no intention of accepting her feelings. However.
*I had to say it someday... but it shouldn't have been today...*
After Hare grew a bit more, when she could accept the hurt, I should have said it. But unable to overcome my emotions, I ended up hurting Hare.
*...Damn it.*
Today, I'm disqualified as a guardian.