The girl's name is Raina.
My mother is Aida.
My father is no longer in this world.
My mother, Aida, was originally an adventurer and a C-rank strong man, she said. He was sharp as a beast at the same time as he had the arm of a man face loser and was skilled enough both as an avant-garde and as a scout. He was just a notorious troublemaker with bad behavior and liquor habits and, finally, not much chastity. I've been active in many ways since I was younger, but at one point I got pregnant. It was the man who happened to be at the same party that got her pregnant, and Aida was proposed by the man.
But I said no. All the adventurers and other human desolates who lived that day. He said he didn't think he could build a decent family with a decent person, and he didn't even think he could be a good wife as soon as he got married again. So Aida decided to raise Raina alone. He was raised by one of his mothers, so he wasn't sure about the situation where his father was...
But still, I never broke up with the guy at the party. The man somehow tried to act like a father. The man met with Aida and Raina frequently to assist with alimony and living expenses. An environment not wealthy but filled with such small happiness brought Raina straight up.
But a few years ago, a man died in the midst of an adventure. Aida was saddened by the death of a man she shouldn't have thought was her husband, etc., from which she started drinking a lot. One day, after an adventure to earn money while the liquor remained, I injured my leg and was unable to move as agile as before. And without quitting drunkenness, I quit the adventurer. Now he lives that day, being hired as a caution stick in a liquor store, or working a day job.
Rayna was working downstairs in a liquor store trying to support her mother like that. But the truth is, Raina herself was more popular than her mother. The food is good and thoughtful.
"My mom beat up all the customers were people who tried to dictate me...... My mom is bad too...... When I get drunk, I overdo it. Well, it's totally better than my friend's parents."
Ha, and Raina laughs powerlessly.
"Nothing compares you to anyone."
Red strokes Rayna's head.
Raina was surprised, but embraced the hand.
"Thank you...... But really, I'm still a good guy, and a kid without a parent works underneath a liquor store and does things like a lady's date. Some kids were bad, but some were good. But lately..."
So, Rayna's words were jammed.
"Is something wrong?
"... all of a sudden, there was a child who was gone. Some of my friends are gone. Adults and employers must have escaped somewhere anyway, but that's not what I'm saying. My mom was the only one who believed me properly..."
"Are you gone?
"The stepper took it!
Everyone was surprised and silenced by the gap between its imminent expression and the words that came out of its mouth.
"... a stepman"
Nick sounded familiar with the name.
but that's the name of the demon or human that came out of the magazine dealing with Yotai.
It's not a name that comes up in a serious story.
"Ho, it's true! I really have a stepman! You guys saw it, didn't you? Be transparent, jump a little!
That's not an artifact.
So Kizna, who had been silent until now, opened her mouth.
"I'm just putting up a line where perceptions from around me are inhibited. No wonder, no mystery, nothing. What's jumping is wind sorcery or physical manipulation. Maybe gravitational magic. Or maybe it was something that made it a magic guide, not magic. Well, whatever it is, it's just a little more difficult to do with existing magic and technology."
"Oh, Kizna. Wow, you've seen that far already."
Nick rarely praises Kizna.
but Kizna sighs boringly.
"Nah, I'm a stepman. I imagined something more dreamy...... Can't you post a magazine like this?"
"Right there. No, it's serious at the moment."
"Oh, yes! I can't believe there's such a scoundrel!
Rayna's face was still colored with a crying fear.
I can't help it, Nick thinks.
Because he was exposed and he was about to be exposed again.
"And... my mom got hurt too. My mom couldn't help trying to protect me."
"You can fight an invisible opponent, so I guess your arm will stand. Anyway, I just wanted to tell the Knights to make arrangements..."
"It must be difficult."
Around where Nick kept saying it, Zem added the words.
Zem is a little far from Raina, but he was far enough to talk.
"Hey Zem, you okay?
"If it was this distance. Excuse me, Mr. Raina."
"Uh, I'm not sure..."
"I lose my mind or get nauseated when I'm approached by a girl like you. Don't ask me why."
"Wow, ok...... I'll take into account"
"Anyway, the Knights around here can't be counted on anyway. It wouldn't make more sense if I just gave you my sleeve."
"That's right..."
This is the southeastern part of the labyrinth city and the power of the city's urban function is not extended. The Sun Knights here are also poorly behaved and can't expect as much strength. But there is only teamwork and power to form a detachment party. It's better to just try to do the job, and there are even chimpy blackmailers instead of protecting the weak. Protect my child from the crowd, and they won't deal with me when I complain.
"Yes, right..."
Raina squeezes out her voice sadly.
There, Zem groaned troubledly.
"Mr. Nick."
"What?
"Next adventure, may I rest? At the very least, I'd like to replace the baton until Ada recovers."
"Even if I did, I'd be all alone."
"If you gave me money, I could trust you there. I also knew you."
"You're gonna lose yourself, aren't you?"
"Still, I got my help... I was treating Ada's injuries during the day. Mr. Raina was trying to give me money, but I said no, and I decided that it was Ada's bump. And here's what I said."
"What?"
"It's your debt. That's good. You'll give it back to me one day."
Nick nods so much.
"Then Zem was helped by Zem's debt."
"That's why."
Well, I'll have to give it back.
"Yes, it is."
Nick, Zem, and Red laughed, shuddering funny.
Only Rayna had a good view of it.
"I don't know what else to do, I'll give you a little help if your buddy's gonna suffer from paying off his debts."
"No, no, it's not a golden job. Totally my own."
"It will be."
"To?"
"It'll be gold."
"Yeah, maybe I'll be fine."
Red mixed up with Nick and Zem's conversation and whined about something meaningful.
And Nick nods.
"Do you have any means?
"It's not as much a means as it is a means... Well, maybe it's a good opportunity. The third thing that an adventurer would make money for was to explain it."
"Let me hear it"
When Zem asked intriguingly, Nick nodded and returned the words.
"It's about catching prize necks and criminals."