Chapter 268: Derek

268 – Derek

As I’m turning around to head back to the shrine, the adventurer who took shelter, Derek, climbs up from under the meeting hall. Several Lithovars anxiously follow after him.

“Your injuries still haven’t healed. Are you leaving already?”

Hibi asks, and Derek nods his head after a short pause.

“I can’t stay here too long. I have to let them know I’m safe. If I spend too much time here, then…”

He doesn’t finish his thought. He’s probably thinking that he should go back right away. His companions probably think him dead, so it’s unlikely that help is on its way.

“Hey, are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?”

A man who emerged following him asks, holding a spear. He gives off the that’s okay to ask for an escort.

“…It’s okay. Besides, if you meet my companions, things could become complicated. ”

“Without a weapon, how do you intend to get across?”

The man hands his spear over to Derek. Derek is bewildered, but slowly grasps the spear pressed against him.

“It’s my beloved spear. Watch out for abysses coming at you from behind. Grafants are slow-footed, and as long as you don’t anger a morz, you’ll be fine. If you head straight out from here, then abysses are your biggest concern. ”

“…”

After looking at the spear, even though he doesn’t give any words of thanks, he bows his head slightly. He starts to leave, but a moment later turns to look back at the villagers. He looks at the man who gave him his spear, then looks at Hibi.

Derek meets Hibi’s eyes, and his face goes red. He quickly faces forwards, and Hibi tilts her head in curiosity.

Could he have fallen in love as a result of being shown kindness in such a dangerous place? Certainly, Hibi is quite the beauty. It looked like Hibi’s the one who spoke with him the most under the meeting hall, so it might not be impossible. He was showing them so much hostility at the start, so she must’ve managed to calm him down quite a bit.

“…Umm, in the future, I’d like to express my thanks for treating me. Later, when things have settled down…is it okay if I come visit?”

After hearing what Derek says, Hibi is silent for a moment, then slowly shakes her head.

“…Outsiders shouldn’t come to our village that much. If you weren’t injured, we would have threatened you away too, I expect. What you said earlier about us sacrificing you to an evil god… Though I said I had no idea what you meant, that was a lie. Please forget about today. ”

Hearing Hibi’s words, the other Lithovars hang their heads.

…That’d be about securing sacrifices for the manticore. Well yeah, if they’re offering up their relatives, then there’s no reason they’d let a traveller go. This village had been doing that too, then.

Until recently they’ve been abducting travellers, so to switch to treating them kindly all of a sudden would feel difficult. There’s no clear solution.

That’s why they threaten away uninjured people, but, out of a sense of obligation to travellers, will save them if they’re injured. Though that’s how they ended up with the manticore disguising itself as a human.

“……I see. ”

Derek says after a moment’s silence, bowing his head deeply.

“I am grateful that you saved my life. However, even if you tell me to forget, I will remember today’s events for the rest of my life. ”

Derek says, then after taking a few steps forwards, turns back again.

“After this, this place… No, it’s nothing. ”

A complicated expression appears on his face. He seems conflicted as to whether or not to say something, but then decides to stay silent. But after turning back to the front, I faintly hear him mutter “it’ll be fine, I won’t let anything happen”.

What is it? Is there something out there? I wonder if he saw some strange monster.

Thinking I could escort him halfway, I follow… But when I chase him, his face turns pale and he runs as fast as he can… It looks like his recovery is going well, at least.

“Gaah”

My partner casts [High Rest] on the fleeing Derek. Perhaps because his stamina got resorted, he starts running even faster.

She’s gotten soft, too…

Though with that status, it’d be quite dangerous if he gets attacked by an abyss, so I’m not sure he really is fine. Though since the person himself says he doesn’t need it, I’d just be imposing. I wouldn’t like it if I mess up and end up fighting his companions. If my partner got worked up, she could kill them.

On my way back to the shrine, I followed him at a distance with [Presence Perception]. I planned to leap out if there was any problem, but in the end nothing happened.

On the way, I found a sword that someone had dropped. Derek should’ve noticed it as he passed, but he didn’t pick it up. Perhaps he thought that a spear would be better for driving away monsters safely, or maybe he wanted to use the spear that he was so kindly given and acted as though he hadn’t seen it.

When he first arrived, he was shouting about them being a barbarian tribe, so I think there’s a lot I don’t know. Derek himself probably thinks that most of all, too.

I stop following once he safely arrives in the shallow forest, and turn back to the shrine… It was a fair bit off-route, and nothing happened. Aren’t I just travelling twice the distance? Well, it’s fine though.