The Traveling Hero Won’t Let the Innkeeper’s Son Escape

After a while, a sub-man who was driving us in a carriage on King Ziltania's life called out. He said he would soon arrive near the village. Everyone looks outside in that voice.

Soon it was daylight but into the dim woods. The slightly foggy forest is not so far away from the hot Ziltania that it even feels cold.

Eventually the subordinates of your lord stopped the carriage, and we were unloaded in the woods. Ahead, it seems, only those whom the king has admitted will be allowed in.

We broke up with the man of your lord and proceeded through the woods relying on the orb that was given to King Ziltania. I felt like I was being walked in the same place along the way, but eventually I could see the house if I followed the flashing of the orb.

"Not there, Yambi Village!

The village there was a smaller settlement than my home village of Hashi. Because of the mist, the atmosphere is much darker and the village feels damp. Talking to the man who was just near the entrance, he was guided, though unfathomable. When I meet the village chief who was in the most back house, I give him the testimony that was given to King Ziltania.

"I see you take the Spirit's test, don't you?

"Trial of the Spirit?

"… to meet the Spirit King is to be tested by the Spirit in our village."

My son, who was next door instead of the village chief, answered our questions. It seems to be a pretty special place with the Spirit Forest, and he said it would be a big deal to go without being prepared for it. They're saying it's a trial with that in mind.

But I also knew in discussions with my colleagues that I needed to meet the Spirit King in order to find a solution to the problems facing the world. We told him to move on without hesitation.

On that day, he decided to let the village stay in favor of the village chief. Exactly no place for all five of them to stay, so the three men went to the village chief's house and the two women were to rest in another house.

"This is the first time the three of us have ever been in one room."

"Speaking of which, it's probably the first time Curtis has joined his crew."

As Garcia and Curtis talked about it, I just sat down in a chair that came with only one round table, and I took the pen and paper out of my luggage and quickly started writing that letter to Ruth. When I was in the royal palace, I was interrupted and I had no time at all, so I have accumulated something I want to write about.

"Where's the bed... Alec? What are you doing? Letter?"

"Did you start writing quickly after all..."

I hear Garcia's voice behind my back, but completely ignore it and proceed with the pen.

(It's only been two weeks since I got back from the village, and I think I'd like to see Ruth's face again.)

Grab the pen as you want to go back to the village, write it down on paper and distract yourself. I imagined Ruth laying it down along the way and my brain was somewhat derailed, but I managed to bring my consciousness back to the letter.

"Ha, you're still all for that girl. I don't know how to pull it off."

"Ugh, shut up, Garcia. You can't concentrate."

"... Alec's attitude seems different, what do you mean, Garcia?

"Uh, Curtis might be the first to see it. I guess I'll be in the same room many times after this anyway, so you better remember. This guy usually wears a cat, but he really has a bad mouth. Now I'm more vegetarian than I used to be... and I just write letters to the right people in the village, pure young people."

"Garcia......"

When I turned around seeping my anger, my opponent was already far away and defensive.

After Garcia found out about Ruth a long time ago, this guy started putting on something and making fun of me. Well, I've never spoken properly before, so I've had quite a bit of conversation as a result, and more ease of movement as a buddy, so there are some good aspects, but let's be honest.

"... the intended opponent you left in the village?... Alec, are you nothing to Eliza?

When Garcia and I were hanging out, Curtis sounded a little surprised.

(I knew it...)

Curtis, who had just become one of us, seemed to think that me and Eliza had a special relationship. Well, wherever I went, I was expecting Curtis to be the same because I mostly feel that way.

(I don't remember behaving like that at all... but I'm behaving like hell. Sometimes it may be that Eliza doesn't care)

I think Eliza is beautiful. I also know that a normal man wouldn't feel bad if he liked those types. I also know that Eliza will be misunderstood as a man and woman because she will always stand by my side.

But let me tell you something, I don't know what you're interested in. Because even if you feel beautiful, you don't think you're cute. If you insist, you're about the same ”annoying sister” that Marianne was in the village.

("Pretty" is Ruth after all...)

Ruth does have a beautiful face, but he's tall compared to a woman, his voice is pretty low, he's not soft because he's got muscles, sewing is devastating, he's happy hunting his prey, he's bloody and he dismantles it and he's like, 'The meat looks delicious'. If we stay together, we'll know soon enough, but there's no such thing as being feminine. There is also a troubled side to favoring you that is blunt enough to attract all your troublesome opponents.

Still. Still, Ruth is definitely the only one who misses his face and can't wait to see him and be the occassion of the night.

"Think of it as an opportunity. We should talk about this, right?

Garcia looks good at saying that. I'm sure the only reason we're talking about this is because I wanted Curtis to understand it. Well, even if I were you, I'd have trouble having the wrong person in me, so when it comes to help, it sure is. I have an extra part to say, but let's say thank you.

"At this point, I'm telling you, I'm not into Eliza. I have decided from the beginning who I will live with when the journey is over. He told me that he would be waiting for me."

"I'm flattered, but don't laugh at me for not dropping it yet."

"Garcia......"

When I glanced, Garcia, who was approaching me, hurried again to distance herself. There's a laugh in the room like that.

"Ha... I thought it was a little strange after all ~"

The person who laughed out - Curtis - looked convinced for some reason.

"No, Eliza's fondness for you was obvious to anyone who saw it. But you didn't really feel like you were building a wall to that, did you? Even if I deliberately left you two alone, it seemed like you were running away for a reason."

"You were doing it with the wax after all......"

"I meant to be an old man's little concern, hey."

Curtis, who named himself an old man because of his thirty-six years, still doesn't seem to be a glimmer because he's the oldest.

I used to be locked up in a private room in the Royal Palace in Ziltania, but apparently that was Curtis's fault. Of course, I was alert to Eliza, who created a strange atmosphere, and I just broke down the door and ran away.

"If that's the case, let's not take care of you in the future. But if that's the case, can I tell you that Eliza has someone she wants?

"Even though I wasn't confessed, 'There's someone else I like,' isn't that a good place for a misguided bastard?

"Eliza doesn't seem too mentally strong……………"

"………… well, if that's the idea, let me also be static. I don't want to disturb the romantic situation of the young people."

Curtis understood quickly as he grew older. But the surface seems to loosen up just a little bit.

"Nevertheless, Alec, it was surprising that you had such an opponent. Is the same village childhood friendly or something?

"Oh yeah. I met Ruth when she was four years old."

I remember meeting Ruth.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

The first thing I remember is that I was alone somewhere I didn't know. Without knowing anything about whether that was in front of the church or the Hashi village, he stood alone if he noticed.

I remember not knowing what to do, and no one to ask, but the sun gradually tilted, and I was anxiously afraid of what would happen to me.

"Hey, you, strawberry?

That's when Ruth was the one who talked to me.

At the time, he was taller and more dependable than his age because of his father's inheritance, but he didn't feel so scared because of the adorable look of his mother's concession.

I still remember being so relieved that I cried out just because I was called out. Pretty embarrassing memories.

"Wow, I don't know... I don't know anything, hey..."

"Don't you know anything? And about your father and your mother?

"Yeah……………."

Instead of talking about my parents, I didn't even know why I was here and I almost cried out again. Because I was worried that I would be stunned because I couldn't answer any questions. But Ruth was different.

"Fine, fine. Don't cry. Then come home."

"Your no?

"Yeah. We're Yatsuya. There's plenty of nappies, so I'm going to leave you alone."

"Can I go?

"Yeah. Look, it's getting sloppy, so let's go."

Ruth, smiling, drew his hand and took him straight to the Blau family. I tried to sneak into the room, but of course, Ruth's father and aunt splattered me up, and I immediately made a scene.

Beginning with my name, I've been freaking out a lot of adults asking me questions about my parents, about my house, where I came from. However, I believe that Ruth was able to answer everything thanks to holding my hand next door for a long time.

After that, I became an orphan who was obsessed with the adventurer's parents and was to be deposited with the church. But then when I got anxious, Ruth cried and let me stay in the room. I think he was really weak.

I'm sure if I kept growing like that, I would have always lived hidden behind Ruth, even if I had the power of a brave man. And even when he was chosen by the brave, he must have chosen to run away without getting lost.

It was only a year later that there was such a big change in my relationship with Ruth.

After Ruth prayed in the church, there was a case of noise in the square.

"Why, I should have died when the car called me... why?"

Ruth suddenly began to rhetoric like an adult because of his childish language until then. Even children, but adults, creeped out at Ruth like that, and even gentle Ruth's parents gave him a bewildered look.

But I noticed that Ruth was very frightened.

I found myself anxious, like when I was suddenly put up in front of the church. It feels like I've been dropped by a strange world.

(Ruth, she's crying...)

I think something definitely changed in me at that moment. For the first time, I wanted to reassure Ruth with my own hands that I deserved to be protected.

"It's okay, Ruth. I'm not scared. So don't cry."

You can't be a weak man. For all you've ever protected, I want to be strong enough to protect Ruth. I thought so.

I've changed a lot since then. I started doing things aggressively, and I started giving my opinions. Even the big faced children like Daniels and the others began to turn to themselves.

At the same time, Ruth changed a lot.

Until then, he was like a kid general who took the initiative and did bad things, but after that time, he became more of an addict to them who did bad things. The atmosphere changed gallantly, becoming more dear or serene, making the help of the house more aggressive, and listening seriously to adults.

The kids around me got away from Ruth like that, which made Nori worse, but I thought he was so grown up and cool. And I started actively reading and studying books so that I could talk to Ruth, who sometimes says difficult things.

And I became aware of Ruth when I was ten years old and began to learn to hunt.

By this time, I had been catching up on my losing stature, and I had been able to surpass Ruth's athletic abilities, which I was proud of in my village's age. Although the accuracy of the bow could not be won, the arm of the sword and the reflex nerves had surpassed the adults as well as the children, and I was beginning to feel confident about myself. I've been ridiculed at the same age in the village before, and I've been on track.

But at that time, during the oculus hunt I did in practice, I had an accident that caused Ruth to get hurt because of the use of my powers to boast. Fortunately for the priest it was an injury that would heal immediately, but I had to watch the blood continue to flow from Ruth's leg carried by his father, and I cried and apologized after the treatment.

Ruth told me that.

"Alec, strong power can be good or evil depending on who uses it because of its strong influence on the surroundings. So a man with strong powers must have the right mind to use it without mistake and the ability to imagine what would happen if he used it. Otherwise you'll regret it later. I don't want Alec to regret it."

I wasn't sure what Ruth was talking about at the time. It's a mystery if you still understand it properly. In the first place, Ruth was a child who had never even left the same village as me at the time, where the hell did he learn to do that?

But that's when I remember Ruth finally laughing and stroking my head. I felt strongly that I was glad they didn't hate me, and I was thrilled with my hands, which touched me gently, unchanged.

Since that time, my mind has strangely turned against Ruth.

I was happy with the big nostalgia, the fact that you don't treat me special, that you worry about getting hurt even if you have healing skills. It was also a lot of fun when we acted together because we decided to share it so that it was not unfair.

Growing up, the village grown up trying to rely on me for anything. Sometimes it was hard to say no to an orphan in the care of the village, but only Ruth was angry at it, sometimes helped, sometimes made another errand and and gave me a way out.

"Alec, there's no reason I have to do anything because I can do anything."

Other people can cut trees and plow fields, so Alec just has to do what Alec can do - thanks to that word, he also learned how to get out of his hands after a while, so that he can adjust himself. Without that one, I think one day it would have crumbled.

Such Ruth's presence became indispensable to me, and I naturally wanted to protect and cherish it on my side. I was overwhelmed with emotions that I could never contain as a friend.

And after so little time, since I started seeing Ruth in my dreams, I realized I had romantic feelings.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

"Then..."

"Ah, Alec, I know enough about Mr. Ruth. I fully understand how strongly you feel. You will never mistake Eliza again."

"We haven't talked yet."

"Not enough!? - Well, what's your appearance like more than that? Is she cute? Are you beautiful?

Curtis tells us about Ruth's appearance so that for some reason he can go off the record. But I want to brag about Ruth. As far as I'm concerned, I couldn't have stayed off the subject.

"Appearance? Uh, right now, I'm gonna write it down. Ruth..."

But when I grabbed the pen again, Garcia stood up in a bit of a hurry.

"Oh, Alec, you don't have to write because I'll show you what I got in the meantime... Curtis, you better be prepared than you asked, right? Don't be ridiculous."

"Ready?...... hmmm!?

Garcia makes Curtis see the paper I wrote during this time. Curtis' expression froze once, but I'm sure it was because Ruth was cuter than I expected. If you do, you'll need to keep an eye out for me later.

(Ah, speaking of which, Ruth's status on leaving, you were changing...)

I smile weird with Niyaniya and keep my voice down so that I can't let the two of you get away with it.

The stat technique is one of the special techniques that Gio's grandfather taught me, and I can only use it within my allies. This technique is a technique that looks at the strength and abilities of the person I have tried to target, and I can see information about that person in the remarks section as an omelet.

For example, Ruth. In the Remarks section of his status, he says, "Brave childhood tame," "Son of an inn in the village of beginnings," and "Thinker of the brave." I feel somewhat mixed with subjectivity and objectivity, but I don't care about that. The problem is that this remarks section increases or changes.

(It came with a new "Brave Awareness"...)

Since this remarks section was not available when I saw the salvation and injury from the melting demon, I am certain that it followed the confession. This means that Ruth was definitely aware of my existence. There is no more joy.

(Just thinking about Ruth makes me feel powerful, isn't that a good thing to do? Do you want me to check mine too... hmm? It's up quite a bit...... Oh, you're up in brave correction talent, is that because of this)

The brave correction ability value is a special correction ability attached to me apart from the level. This correction is quite powerful, and with each increase in the correction level, the basic talent value is raised to the bottom. The width is considerably larger than the normal level. Since the current level corresponds to twelve out of twenty levels, it is that half has been crossed. I can't wait to see how strong this gets when it gets to the limit.

(But you don't know why you're going up...)

There were as many as ten correction values from the beginning. However, fighting enemies does not increase the correction value, even if the normal level increases. But before, he had risen to a level after Grandpa Gio forced him to take him home from Hashi village. That's up again now.

"Alec."

"Hmm?"

When I turned around, for some reason, there was Curtis, who looked as if he had been enlightened. Curtis, with a loving expression, laid her hand on my shoulder with her sober eyes.

"I respect your thoughts. Whatever difficulties await you, if you are so passionate about Mr. Ruth, I will give you my full support. If you're in trouble, rely on it."

"Curtis, you can't eat. I thought you were an old man, but you're a good guy... Alec, I'm here for you, too!

"Why do you two feel that way..."

I appreciate your support, but with a strange feeling of intent, I pulled a little on both of us. It's like taking a man's vow to cramp his face into two people hitting each other with fists. I have no idea what happened between us in this short time.

But when I had a hard time dealing with them, I started writing to Ruth again.

I stop remembering the letter whose hand was attached to the end of Ruth's remarks column.

"Who holds the fate of XX"

Among the general statuses of Ruth, the word uses a vocabulary and strangely releases a presence. That one never disappeared and remained unchanged.

"Is it something that holds destiny...... whose destiny is Ruth?

I couldn't help but remember the slightest anxiety in the words.