CH 335

<Yasu Tomohiro POV>

Moving back time a little bit————–

△

Two wagons traveling off the main road were heading north.

Each carriage contained a dozen or so men and women of various ages.

And———— I, Yasu Tomohiro, was in the lead carriage.

It was around noon at the moment.

The sky peeking through the gap in the rear hood looked clear.

However, the expression on the face of the middle-aged woman sitting opposite me was cloudy.

[I wonder if we will make it to Jonato in one piece?]

This may have been the thought of many of the people riding in the wagon.

For a long time, we had been swaying in this carriage.

The number of words everyone exchanged gradually decreased and the time of silence increased.

Was the silence pushing out the unspoken uneasiness out of the depths of their throat?

However, seemingly as if a dam had been broken, the others broke the silence one by one.

[For Mira to have gone to war with Alion……]

[Moreover, I heard that there are areas where the Golden eyes suddenly started roaming around at the same time.]

[The last trader I met said they were flooding in from where the ruins were.]

[I wonder what those eerie crowds of white humans are too…… I hope they aren’t some harbinger of bad things to come.]

As they conversed with each other, I just lowered my head, listening to them in silence.

[The Emperor too, when the Golden-eyed monsters and those mysterious white people are appearing in the country, for him to start a war…… I do feel that he had the desire to protect the people from them but……]

The people of Mira have a lot of trust in the Mad Emperor.

Depending on the person———— You could even call it faith.

However, it isn’t as if everyone feels that way about him.

I suppose that’s only natural.

Each person has their own diverse values and views.

That is why there are people who are anxious about staying in Mira and are trying to evacuate.

[I wonder what happened back in Mira?]

Their town was attacked by a mysterious group of white people.

Many of those who escaped from the town moved to the Imperial Capital to escape.

However, those who are here……

[Don’t worry. This is why we decided to evacuate to Jonato. Jonato should be safer than Mira’s current state. In Jonato, we have relatives to call upon…… Look, this pass is perfect for entering the country.]

The owner of the carriage, a middle-aged man, said.

He was a large man with wheat-colored hair and blue eyes.

[What, when that war-like state passes, we can just always return to Mira. However, I feel like it would be best if we take refuge somewhere else.]

He was a former mercenary.

The carriage we’re riding was filled with former and active mercenaries.

They were all from the same town and knew each other.

No, more than half of the people here are from the same town.

A few of the others here, which includes me, were picked up along the way.

“Oya? Sonny, are you hurt? Where are you heading to? Hehh…… To the north huh? We’re heading to Jonato now, wanna come?”

I tried to refuse once.

But in the end, they had their way and had me ride their carriage.

Thinking about it now, I think this was for the best.

(I want to interact directly with the people of this world…… That’s why I’m traveling…… It’s alright…… If some incident occurs, I have my Unique Skill……]

At night, when we were encamped, I had a hard time sleeping.

Being in this situation reminds me of the Sixth Cavalry.

Fingernails plucked out.

Three severed fingers.

A severed tendon in my arm.

A lost right ear.

Some flesh that was shaved off……

When I see them in others, I sometimes have flashbacks of the horror I experienced those days.

Even when I fall asleep, I’ve been having nightmares.

However, seeing my state———– They were concerned about me.

Overflowing with compassion……

“Those are nasty eyes you’ve got there…… However, it’s going to be alright. You can trust the people here. You can sleep in peace. Hehe, you need not worry about those Golden eyes attacking. We’re here after all.”

Saying this, the owner of the carriage flexed his arm.

Incidentally, his wife, son and brother were also in the carriage.

As I looked at the dirt on the floor of the carriage, I pondered.

(I chose to go northbound…… but I wonder, is this really alright? No, if Sogou-san and the others are going to defeat the Great Demon Emperor, they should be heading north…… Going northbound would give me a better chance of meeting up with them……)

There’s no internet in this world.

No, not just the internet, there aren’t even TV news programs here.

News gets transmitted through something similar to newspapers, but the information acquired from there isn’t new.

(For distant information to be this difficult to acquire……)

I have been used to getting distant information in real-time by browsing social media.

However, that isn’t something I can access right now.

In this world, I have to be prepared for a time lag in getting information.

Magical war pigeons and carrier pigeons.

Messengers on a fast horse.

Letters……

There’s also too much information that can’t be normally obtained.

However, perhaps that is why information seems to be more valuable in this world.

(However, I wonder why…… This inability to constantly fiddle with my phone, as if I’m being driven by something…… makes me feel a little bit comfortable……)

Not being able to constantly acquire information makes me feel like I’m being left behind by the world.

When I’m in this world though, I don’t have that strange sense of urgency in me.

(Maybe it’s because I can’t get it even if I want to huh……)

With my smartphone connected to the internet, information is something always “within reach”.

That’s why I always find myself feeling around such information.

When I immerse myself in the internet—————

The time to think about myself slowly disappears.

The time I spent being swayed by others gradually increased.

At that moment, someone poked me in the arm.

Raising my gaze, I looked at the person who was trying to catch my attention.

[ ? ]

[Big bro, here.]

If I’m not mistaken, she’s the girl sitting next to the one I’m sitting next to.

She’s a girl with round eyes and short twin-tailed hair.

Incidentally, the one I’m sitting next to is this girl’s mother.

The girl bent down a little diagonally in front of me.

With a smile that held no ill will, she offered me shredded pieces of bread.

[Here you go!]

[Eh? Ah…… I- I’m…… alright, so……]

[Please get well.]

[I- I think…… you should just eat it……]

[Hmph.]

The girl looked at her mother with a slightly stumped look on her face.

Seeing her actions, the mother looked towards me———– though she looked a bit fatigued from the travel————- and smiled.

[Ummm…… Won’t you accept it? Doing that would make her happy.]

The mother modestly urged me to take some.

However, there’s still some food left that Belzegia had given me.

Besides, the people in this carriage shouldn’t be troubled with food yet.

In other words, they still have enough food to share with me.

And yet, this girl is trying to give me her bread.

[Big bro is probably definitely hurt. That’s why Yuuri thinks Big bro should eat a lot and get better. Yuuri will help you.]

The girl said with a smile.

Is Yuuri her name?

Ahh, I guess it’s like feeding a weak bird huh.

Faced with such goodwill and expectations———– I felt uncomfortable disregarding it.

And before I knew it, the people in the carriage were looking in our direction with smiles on their faces.

There was no sharpness in the atmosphere directed at me.

Everyone was smiling.

The middle-aged woman seated in front of me also urged me to take it.

I———– decided to accept the bread.

Then, a little shyly……

[T- Thank you…… for the bread.]

I thought I should eat it right away.

Biting into a piece of bread, I threw it all into my mouth and chewed it.

After swallowing it……

[It was…… delicious.]

[Are you feeling better?]

[……U- Unnn.]

[That’s great.]

The girl then cheerfully sat on her mother’s lap.

After happily looking at her mother’s face, the girl then smiled cheerfully and innocently my way.

Looking a bit proud……

▽

The neigh of an agitated horse resounded.

Immediately after, the speed of our carriage was disturbed.

Panicking voices came from the outside.

[I- It’s Golden-eyes———-!]

An armed man peeked out from the outside of the carriage.

[Rinji-san!]

Our carriage slowed down to a stop———–

[Tsk…… We’d still encounter them even if you avoid the roads where these Golden-eyes wander around huh. Oru, how is it like?]

[At a glance…… There are about a dozen of them! Doesn’t seem like there are any big ones at the moment!]

[Alright. Then, let’s deal with them here…… Let’s go, boys.]

The owner of the carriage———— Rinji is the first to stand up and jump out with sword in hand.

Four active and former mercenaries followed him.

Seeing them about to engage in battle, I reflexively tried to follow.

However, the last former mercenary who was about to leave stopped me.

[Whoa there! We appreciate the sentiment…… but Sonny, you’re filled with all those injuries…… Also, sorry to say this, but you don’t look like you can fight that well————- What I wanna say is that don’t push yourself to do the unreasonable.]

[U- Ummm…… I am————]

A Hero from Another World.

That is what I had intended to say.

However, I found myself not speaking it out.

(Hero? I am……? I’m a Hero…… Those people who save people? That’s not it…… I was a man who misunderstood myself a “Hero”…… and became arrogant……)

While my words were stuck in my throat, the former mercenary grinned.

[Let’s see———– Then, in case of emergency, I’ll leave protecting the carriage to you! Even Yuuri-chan would feel more at ease with Big bro around, right!?]

The man called out to the girl who had given me bread before.

The girl turned around, clinging to her mother, before nodding her head.

[Alright, it’s decided then! We’ll leave them to you, Sonny! Leave the outside affairs to us! Rinji-san, in particular, is really strong! Those monsters will be defeated in no time! Hehe…… Besides, it’s at times like this———– that we useless guys who could only eat could work for our food!]

With these words, the man energetically ran out.

Outside, the battle seemed to have already begun.

As for me———- I lowered the waist that I raised, sitting back down.

(……I am……)

With that kind of momentum, being told like that is……

I can’t say anything more in response.

Even when I was invited to ride this carriage, in the end, I had just let myself be swept away by the momentum.

Perhaps, since back then……

(I probably…… haven’t changed……)

My old vanity has vanished.

The overflowing misunderstanding I had when I arrived in another world……

Growing arrogant……

I could only feel taken aback about myself.

I probably———- no, I definitely went back to how I was before.

Back to how I am right from the very start.

[………………….]

The girl———- Yuuri clutched the fabric of her mother’s dress and trembled.

[It will be alright, Yuuri. Come, look up.]

Yuuri looks up and silently looks at her mother’s face.

[It would be just like usual, you know? When you’re scared…… Just look at mommy’s face, okay? Mommy is smiling, right? That’s why———- It will be alright?]

What a stout-hearted person.

Even though she was smiling, I could see the mother’s shoulders shaking a little.

Seeing her smile though, Yuuri’s grip on the fabric of her mother’s dress loosened a bit.

[Mommy…… Just like usual?]

[Yes…… Just like usual. The magic of a smile.]

[……Ehehe.]

Yuuri also smiled.

It’s like everything but her mother has disappeared from their world.

""

I could feel that she was very relieved.

I too somehow felt relieved.

And then———- I thought.

(Why are these people so kind…… So people like them…… in this world…… they exist……)

▽

All the monsters that attacked us were safely exterminated.

Only two of the mercenaries suffered very minor injuries.

It’s safe to say that everyone is safe.

After that———– the two carriages continued heading north.