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

The kid feels younger than Bird in the orphanage, so he's probably five or six. I tried calling you, but you're asleep or you're not awake. I had no choice but to put the lamp down and then shake it slightly depending on the side. But I still didn't wake up.

"What do you say, Ruth?

"No way, a corpse?

"No, I'm breathing. But I'm not waking up. I'll take you there for a second."

Ruth took the unwaking child out of the cave. When I went out under the sun, I could see how the child was slightly unusual, even in the dim.

The child had white skin and a mark like a young leaf on his forehead on his water-colored hair cut out before and behind him. The outfit is of a calm hue that I don't see much of in Ruth's area. I think it looks a little Japanese.

"That's an unusual outfit, subhuman?

"No, aren't you a human child?

"You look human, but you feel a little different. There's like a mark on my forehead."

"Either way, why is such a small child alone in the mountains? Isn't it weird that you don't have a parent or something?

The four of us asked around, but we couldn't confirm the presence of the parents. I don't know what the situation is, but it seems that this child was here alone.

"For one thing, the fog is getting thicker. Can I take this kid home?

"Oh, you're taking me home like this?

"No, 'cause you can't leave me alone. It's in the mountains, right?

"Your parents might come back. Wouldn't it be a problem if we didn't have kids then?"

"But what if he doesn't come back? If you leave your little girl here, there might be a demon coming."

"But. In the first place, is that child, really a human child? Maybe the demon's turning into something, huh?

"The Spirit was on your side earlier, so that's unlikely, right?

"Well yes... you're too suspicious"

It's not like Ruth doesn't even know what Colt and Fritz are worried about.

A spirit, rarely claiming to be, deliberately glowed to guide Ruth and the others and brought them before this child. That's the first time Ruth has lived in a village for twenty years, and I honestly can't find a word for it other than to say it's suspicious.

But I felt like leaving it like this. Ruth is holding it because he's not an adult who can protect his own life, but a child no matter how he sees it. And I'm unconscious. If this was about leaving their parents behind, Ruth and the others would have left behind the lives they could have saved. I absolutely hated that.

"Daniel, what are you going to do?

"… let's take him home. There are some things that bother me, but if you're really just a kid, you don't wake up well."

"Well, that's right."

"If that's the case, we're going down the mountain."

Once Daniel decided, the two of them didn't complain. I guess they were also willing to take them home from the start, just in case they expressed their concerns.

"Ruth, lend it to me. I'll carry the child."

"Yeah, fine. As much as I'm going home with my back."

"Don't get me wrong. I have bad eyes, so I'm useless in this fog. I'm telling you, I'll let you and Colt take the lead and find a way with my eyes, sounds and signs, so I'll carry you. Sure. Grab your stuff."

"Ah, that's the thing. Yes."

Taught a really clear reason, Ruth gave Fritz the child without hesitation.

(The fog is really getting thicker...)

Fortunately, although the sun is still high and bright, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see the surroundings. It would be dangerous if Colt and I didn't move on as we checked ahead.

But after walking for a while, Fritz suddenly stopped moving.

"What's wrong? You look pale."

"Hey.... no, not really, not feeling well"

"It's unusual for you to get sick, are you okay? Give me the kid, I'll carry it."

"Bad......"

That's how Daniel was supposed to carry the child this time. Fritz follows Ruth and the others as he greets them with a bright blue face. Fortunately, he seemed to be able to walk, but it was rare for him to have strict physical control.

And after walking out again for a while, this time I noticed Daniel's complexion was getting worse.

"Daniel, aren't you feeling ill, too?

"… that, hey……………"

"No, that's true. Your feet are in danger. I'll take her."

"Uuuuuuuu, … this, about…………"

"Daniel, you can count on my best friend."

"............... ok"

Daniel seemed very dissatisfied, but he finally gave Ruth the child he was carrying in the words of his "best friend". This word seems to be valid for Daniel, who is a basic tundra.

Ruth, who left the lead to Colt to carry the child, continues, followed by two people who seem ill behind him. The surroundings are strangely quiet and there are no signs of animals or demons, but if they come out now, it will be a big deal.

(Maybe this fog is making us both ill......?

If two people, usually healthy after hunting and going down the mountain, have complained of ill health in succession, that would likely be the case.

While Ruth was thinking about that, the fog was getting pretty thick, a momentum that even they were likely to lose sight of walking with if they left at all.

"Hey, isn't this bad?

"We should be on our way to the village... Colt, are you all right with the direction?

"I just crossed a familiar river, and the magic magnet... Ah, the usual rock. Over here!"

Colt's leg quickens and Ruth and the others rush to follow it. And after a while, I began to see multiple lights. There were signs of people, and I heard voices in the distance.

"Good. - Here we are."

"I thought you were lost... thanks"

The arrival was on the entrance to the village, which was quite uneven from the direction of departure. Apparently, the fog has caused me to get pretty overwhelmed.

The reassured Ruth and the others rush to the square. There was also a thin mist in the always busy square, and several villagers with lamps were out there.

"Ruth! Good!

When we went to the square, in addition to Rossa and Celine, the people of the Golas family were gathered. Apparently after Ruth and the others went out to search for Iban and Chester, there was fog in the mountains, so he was worried about his return.

I hear you two haven't come back to the village yet to listen. Ruth and the others couldn't find it. Reporting made everyone look a little sorry, but they were more than happy to be back safely. Secondary disasters still seem to be fearful.

"Ruth, what's more important than that? The child on his back."

"Oh, he's this girl………"

When Ruth told him what had happened in the mountains, Rossa and the others twisted their necks. Again, they have never seen such action of the Spirit either.

The Spirit basically favors and lends strength to people, but he says he should stop trusting them fully because he may occasionally set up mischief. It seems difficult to say “honest and innocent” even from the character of Kannagra on Alec, so you wouldn't be wrong.

"But if there was a spirit, I guess it's not a demon for now"

"Right. You don't have to be so vigilant. Ruth, go to the priest once and have him treated. Then I'll bring you home and let you rest. When you wake up, you can listen to me."

"Yeah, okay."

"Shall we dissolve it? Sorry about the search, but I'll see you tomorrow."

"You have no choice."

The people who were gathering dissolved into Rossa's words.

Celine and Rossa head straight to the bakery next door. They're going to report today and suggest Beverly give herself up to the innkeeper because she would be anxious to be alone. I don't know what my son Ruth says, but I think his parents are fond of him.

Ruth also decided to speak to the four of them to go to church. But Colt went back to his house fine, but Daniel and Fritz remained lazy. I hope it gets better tomorrow.

(Speaking of which, me and Colt were fine in that fog... what was it?

Ruth headed to the church where the priest was, thinking about why they were looking weird.

The front of the church was noisy in preparation for the Spirit Festival, so I turned to the back door and knocked on the door, and it was the priest himself who welcomed me. Apparently, the fog came out and the weather was worse, so I had my doll creation work at the church taken home. Esther, who helped her, also said she had her way home.

Ruth is guided to the reception room.

"It's rare to have fog at this time of the Spirit Festival."

"Is this your first priest, too?

"Right. This is a lot of the first time this year."

It seems that the priest is also the first to be present at the moment when the Spirit resides in his Son in the first place. According to the village chief, the priest came about sixteen years ago, so I guess Ruth and his experience in the village are not so different.

(Speaking of which, what was the previous priest like? You don't remember at all)

Until I was about four - I don't remember Ruth until Alec came to the village, to be exact. I can remember as much as' You've had this happen 'because it was small, but I don't remember the details. The priest's face is one of them. I really should be seeing him, but I can't remember him at all. Well, but we'd all be like that.

I met Alec just when the current priest arrived, so you must have a strong impression and don't remember. That's how shocking it was for Ruth to meet Alec.

"So, what happened to the kid on your back?

"That's it."

Ruth talks about how she picked up the child. The priest understood me so well even with the poor Ruth explanation.

"I don't know exactly why the spirits wanted to do it, though. I'm sure you wanted Ruth and the others to find this girl."

"I feel that way too."

"Okay. Well, if you're injured, let's cure it."

Father, when he said that, he began to palpate the child who had put him to sleep on the couch for visitors. There has not been much progress in medical technology. To this extent I have seen or touched it in this world, but basically it was not a problem to this extent because it is likely to heal with healing techniques as long as I can discover abnormalities.

"You seem to be injuring your leg."

The child's left ankle was swollen, although it was not well visible in the mountains. You must have hit it hard or broken it.

At this level, the priest will heal you as soon as you heal. That would cure it easily - it should have.

"Oh?"

"What is it?

"That's crazy. It won't take long..."

"Shit, Father!?"

The priest, who was healing, fluttered. Ruth rushes over to look like he was going to fall and sits him in a chair that was nearby. The priest looked as pale as Daniels and the others when he was in the mountains.

"What is it?

"I don't know. I just suddenly lost my strength..."

"Do you feel ill?

"Right.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"Wow, I get it. I'll get Mr. Esther."

"Excuse me."

Along the way, he spoke to Bird and asked him to keep an eye on the priest, and Ruth brought back Esther, who was home to help him. Because when the priest who is spending time with the children in the orphanage falls, there is no one to look after him.

But when he came back with Esther, even Bird was sitting on the floor in front of the couch where he put the child to bed.

"Byrd, what's wrong!?

"Ruth...... I don't know. I suddenly feel weak."

"Mr. Ruth, let's just let them both lie down in bed for a second. Can you help me?

"Yes."

After Esther and I had then put Father and Bird to bed to see how things were going, Ruth decided to take the children home.

Neither the priest nor Bird seemed to be in bad physical condition, but there were no signs of major injuries, illnesses, etc. For that reason, Esther said it would heal as soon as she was at rest, so she decided to leave it to her. However, you will need to come and see how it goes tomorrow.

(I wonder what's wrong with you both...)

When Ruth first met, we both looked the same. Bird was about to jump to the priest. I don't think he's going to be well all of a sudden.

(Speaking of which, Daniel and Fritz felt the same way……)

I felt very similar to the two of them suddenly feeling ill in the mountains and the changes in the priests' health.

(No way…………)

Ruth gently sends her gaze to the child she carries.

The four of them who were fine went crazy after they got involved in something with this kid.

Daniel and Fritz carried, the priest healed, and Bird was also on this child's side.

And the answer that comes out of that is...

(- No, no, no, wait. There's no way this kid could have caused this!

Ruth shook his head in a panic trying to guide him through the answer. When something happens, people want to apply the cause to something nearby. But it's not a good idea to decide so easily.

In the first place, if this child was the cause, I can't explain how well Ruth is despite being on his side for a long time. Ruth hasn't changed at all.

(Anyway, I need to put this kid to bed...)

Ruth went through a square a few steps dimmer than usual with the fog and went back to the inn.