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

Ruth and the others, who left Dickhout's former home, then headed to Chester where they would cook their birthday meals. To invite you to a party at night and order birthday cakes.

I go down to the first floor again and now I'm in the cooking area in the back more.

"Ladies…… and you?

"Uh, we are"

Chester was just getting ready for dinner. I haven't even baked the bread yet, so I put a fire in it.

Ruth greets Chester as well as last time. As always, Chester won't have a choice because he doesn't remember anything about the village or Ruth.

"I see you've lost your secret birthday party and changed to a midnight party instead!

"Chester should come with me."

"Me too?

"Tiana, I wanted to do something that I couldn't normally do because it was my birthday... and all the people in this mansion got together and we talked about playing together. So it meant playing card games or something. You may be contacted separately, but Mr. Dickhout has asked you to join us."

"I see, that would be an honor. Thank you, lady. Please let me join you."

"Yeah!"

Tiana nodded happily at Chester's smile. They're all in favor of attending their employer's daughter's birthday party, even though it's no surprise they think it's a pain in the ass. The people in this mansion have a good relationship, it feels like that.

"So... you mean you also need a night meal. Got it. Anything else I can get you?

"I want Chester to make a cute one!

"Are you cute......?

"Tiana, I want you to make a birthday cake for your daughter's birthday. Not creative desserts."

Ruth emphasizes the last part. If I let Chester make creative desserts with no sense of modeling, it would be the last two dances.

"Is that a pretty cake, I see. Do you want a size or something?

"Hey, hey, hey!

"You're cute big! Copy that. Let me put more on your arm!

"Um, Mr. Chester. I'd rather not care too much about“ cute ”or anything like that. Orthodox cake would be nice."

"Tiana, I like it cute…………………"

"Ah...... right"

"Of course I understand, ma'am!

Chester takes Tiana's order with a good smile. It wasn't 'normal enough' from Ruth any more than Tiana was in front of him, but all I could feel was anxiety about that smile.

Ruth, fearful, hastily added.

"Oh, uh, look, Mr. Chester, do something as normal as you can! Your wife, Beverly, tells you that you want to make something normal. You see, there are children to be born, and imagine something to please -"

"-Bi, Barry...... children......?

Chester's tone accidentally went crazy. When Ruth asked Chester, who was looking at Tiana's expression, he noticed that he was hardened like a stone statue, which should have been a smile all along.

(That, could this be...)

"... Mr. Chester, could you possibly remember? About your wife, about the child you're going to have -"

Ruth said it by accident earlier, but now he tries to remind me and asks.

But a few seconds later, Chester smiled as if it was a lie that was solidifying.

"Remember? What are you talking about? I have no wife or children. I'd like to, but it's not going to be easy."

"…… Ah, ha."

There is no lie in Chester's masochistic grin. It's a face that seriously forgets the existence of both of us.

(But you seem to remember something getting caught... otherwise you wouldn't be responding like that... hmm? That, speaking of which, even before this...? Why did you see that?

"Ruth, didn't you have something else to ask Mr. Chester for?

"Ah... I was. Nice, Ed."

Ed told me and I definitely remembered every favor I had for Chester. The important thing is to speak up to Ed as well.

Ruth then did Chester a favor and left the cooking area with Tiana for the next place.

"Iban, are you there?

"Is that your daughter?

Tiana raised her voice as she entered the courtyard, which reflected a lonely landscape somewhere. This video device is dangerous, so when he comes to the courtyard, he tells Iban to speak up.

When Iban replied to Tiana, he immediately put his face away from the back of the grass.

"What's wrong, my lady? And what about the two behind you?

Neither Ruth nor Ed had to be so vigilant, thanks to having held hands with Tiana from the beginning, given Iban's character. Keep introducing yourself the same way as last time. We also talked about inviting Tiana to her birthday party in the stream.

"I see, it's not very good to be awake at your daughter's party or midnight, but it would be nice once in a while. Lady, I'd be happy to join you."

"Thank you, Iban!

Iban strokes Tiana's head, laughing happily. That just looks like my real grandfather and grandson.

(Grandpa Iban really likes kids. I can't hate being a hunting teacher... and Daniel in the first place)

Ruth was unsurprisingly concerned about how Iban would react when he talked about Daniel.

"Grandpa Iban, do you remember Daniel?

At those moments, Iban's movements stopped. It looks just like Chester did earlier.

"... so you can... who are you talking about, is that it?

And the words he uttered when he moved again were similar to Chester's. I guess they are still erased in the village by the makers of this world, not by someone else.

(But why does Grandpa Iban forget to hunt when Mr. Chester remembers to bake...?

I'm pretty sure you're forgetting what you two care about the most. But I was concerned about the difference between Chester and Iban's memory. Does it make sense how to erase memories that seem like a pain in the ass full of holes like this?

"Um, Mr. Iban, I need a favor."

"What is it, kid?

Ed was stopping by Iban's side when he noticed. I can see that Ed is a little nervous about Iban's poor eyesight.

"I was wondering if you could show me some tools for garden work."

"Hmm, why?

"Uh, I'm interested in that. What tools are there for garden work?"

Ruth immediately realized what Ed wanted to do. I'm guessing you're going to procure something to be a weapon in case of a battle at night. The Shadow Demon is not a striking opponent, but it is definitely better with even one stick than a fist.

"… dangerous for children like you. Having tools is because you're over ten years old."

"No, but..."

"Iban, can't you do Ed a favor?

"You can't even ask for your daughter's help. It's not something a child would have."

Even if he was molested by the doomsday weak Tiana, Iban would never shake his head vertically. He is a loud old man who said never to touch the tools of the hunt until he is ten years old. I didn't think it would be possible.

"Ruth"

Ed sneaks off and pulls Ruth's clothes. Ruth nodded that she had gotten it.

"Even I, Grandpa Iban"

"Daughter, you've never seen a pigeon or a scoop in that year."

"... uh, no..."

With Iban staring at him, Ruth stops lying aggressively. Sure, a noble daughter wouldn't have to know, but Ruth would only think of herself as a village person. It's too much to lie about never having seen farm tools in my life.

"Not anyway. The tools are managed by Washi and other servants. If it was an accident, it would be a liability issue. I can't show it to you even though it's useless."

"Ha, right"

Ruth had to answer that with a bitter laugh. At this rate, instead of knives in the cooking area, it would be difficult to even get mops and buckets. The stringency of controls unique to the rich seems to create a situation where they cannot even get an improvised weapon.

Now we can't help it if the Ruth and the others can't get their weapons. It wouldn't make sense to get kicked out of doing a forceful imitation.

(That bag………)

On the window of the cabin behind Iban was a large bag he had last time in the dining room. That's a gift that Tiana would have given me if it was on schedule. I guess I left it hidden here.

"Are you here, Miss Tiana? And Mr. Ruth, Ed."

After talking about that for a while, Benno and Dorte appeared. It's a little early, but it seems that you need to take a bath and get your dinner ready.

Tiana was taken by Dorte and left the courtyard first.

I guess Dorte asks Tiana alone to join the party. I'm sure we've already heard from Benno, so there's no need for Ruth's supplementary explanation either.

"Okay, excuse me. Grandpa Iban."

"Oops. See you."

Ruth and the others are also taken by Benno to leave the courtyard.

At that time, for some reason, I saw Iban's sighing, sitting on the stairs with one hand with several new books.

When Benno brought him to the guest bathroom, Ed told him not to come in and took the lead.

He really didn't want me to come in with him. As Ruth was dropping his shoulder on Ed, Benno, who was listening to it, made me tea in the next room laughing bitterly.

"Ed-kun is a boy, even if he looks young. Even though she's your sister now, she's too embarrassed to be allowed in with a woman."

I actually have no problem with it because it's the same sex, but I can't even say that to Benno, who I believe is my sister and brother, and I laughed bitterly. Ed is really shy and in trouble. I wondered if my daughter was in the mood for a father who refused to bathe with me.

"Ha... is that so? The innkeeper even asked me to take a bath, and they said," Absolutely not. "

"Inn? Not your home?

"Huh!? Uh, that home of ours runs a lodging house in the village. So there's a bath."

"I see that's what you mean. But is there a bath attached to the inn? Mr. Ruth's village is huge."

"That's not true. It's a small village."

Ruth remembered that the house with the bath was normal, but still less prevalent in this world. There is hardly a bath in a normal village inn. That's the only technology I have with Alec.

"I say Hashi Village, have you heard of it? It is a small village with a population of around 100 inhabitants. There's no specialty when it comes to this, and I manage to live in a really small place, hunting animals for food, skin, or attracting tourists to a nearby dungeon..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

……

As Ruth was talking about Hashi village, he noticed Benno's expression solidifying as he stood in the front and listened. He's not a very expressive person from time to time, but now he even looks faceless.

(That look………)

"I'm up right now."

As Ruth tried to speak up again, Ed from the bath entered the room.

I try to say 'Welcome Home' while watching Benno, but Ed's watery hair stays wet into the corner of his sight, and he stood up reflexively and accidentally put a towel over its head and began to wipe it.

"Ed, if you don't dry your hair properly, you'll catch a cold."

"So, it's okay! More than that, Ruth, bath!

"More than that, no."

"... Looks like Ed came out in a hurry for your sister. So, Mr. Ruth, you're next."

"Oh, yes..."

When Ed glanced back at Benno again, he was back at his original expression.

As prompted, Ruth was to head to the bathroom.