CH 66

The lodging is named “Shining Oak Inn”, and as what Rishe-chan said before, it’s around at the same level with Ayla-san’s inn in Miniera. There’s no bath, but it posses a warm and good atmosphere.

Rishe-chan reserved two rooms, one single room and one double room. Currently I, Rishe-chan, Leila-chan, and also the child, the four of us are inside the double room one. Letting the child asleep on the bed, we’re discussing about what are going to do while sitting atop the other bed.

Mostly, about the child that was pushed onto me. Currently we’ve pretty much finished all the preparations for the journey, and it’s possible to immediately depart tomorrow. That’s why, we’re able to think about the problem we’re currently facing.

“At Miniera, orphan children will be taken care of by the guards, following the proper procedure, they’ll be entrusted to a kind of facility somewhere. When they’ve grown enough to secure their own livelihood, the country will conduct social certification procedure to them. Before they find jobs, they’ll be entrusted to the faicility, but after they find jobs, they’ll be permitted to leave. Some may turn into adventurers, some into waitresses, and some into blacksmith apprentices. Well, even if they haven’t gotten any job, if they’ve old enough, they’ll still have to leave, though.”

“Hee, quite a proper treatment, indeed.”

Miniera sure is a gentle country in many ways. Well, seems like there’s a regulation where they have to leave the facility when they’ve matured up, but that’s still an acceptable treatment. The faculty won’t be willing to keep on taking care of adults who aren’t working after all.

If they die because they’re forced out of the facility, then that’s an inevitable result. Even in this world, there’s a limit of someone’s kindness to other, after all.

“Then, is that also the case in this town?”

“Nope, this town isn’t under Miniera after all. Most likely they adopt Grandile Kingdom’s rule here.”

“Which means?”

“The law of the jungle, something along that line, Kitsune-kun.”

Rishe-chan’s face turns gloomy as if feeling hard to say it, and then Leila-chan answers me with such simple and easy to understand answer.

That means, even if we take this child to the guards, most likely she won’t receive proper treatments, huh. At worst, there’s a possibility that she might be disposed of.

Plain and simple, that reminds me of that wicked miko and fake hero… simply irritating.

“Then, what should we do with her?”

“We’ve planned to leave this town, and since we’ve also finished our preparation, we should be able to depart tomorrow… I do feel bad for her, but perhaps we should just follow this town’s rule, I think.”

“Ahaha, what a cruel word you’re saying there, Rishe-chan. But well, it isn’t like I don’t understand it, though.”

“Eh~ we’re going to leave this child? That’d be a waste, let’s just take her with us.”

Even though I and Rishe-chan are discussing quite seriously here, it’s all ruined because of Leila-chan. Just when I thought she’s turned somewhat meek, this happens, huh. She sure has turned somewhat meek, but her willful and doing-as-she-pleased traits are still there.

“Leila-chan.”

“What is it~?”

“Please be quiet for a bit.”

“Nnmu?! Puha… eh? Eh? Haa…?! Kyuu~…!”

So, I give Leila-chan; who once said that her heart’d throb when she’s about to touch me; a kiss. I’ve promised after all, and even the other day in the end she didn’t kiss me even once when I told her she could do it twice, so I decide to brace myself and try kissing her here.

When I separate my lips, Leila-chan looks somewhat as if in a daze, her face turns red in an instant, then she lose consciousness while foaming; perhaps she loses consciousness because of the strong mental impact; and collapses onto the bed.

“Kitsune… umm, what’s it… if you want to do something like that, please do it when there’s no one around….”

“We can’t continue the discussion if Leila-chan’s around, for better or worse, she’s a very selfish girl, after all.”

While looking down at Leila-chan’s; who’s fainted; red face, I caress her fluffy white hair as if combing it, and say so.

Well, I’m very unwilling but, after being together with her for quite a while, I’ve pretty much understood her. She’s definitely a troublemaker, but she’s also our mood maker. No matter how deteroited the situation was, she wouldn’t ever stray from her selfish way. That’s why I can somewhat be optimistic even after losing Finia-chan and Lulu-chan.

That’s her virtue. It’s just, depending on the situation… especially when we’re discussing seriously like this, she’s simply a nuisance though. Her character sure is an enigma.

“So, what are you going to do with this child, Kitsune? Are you going to leave her to this town’s way of doing?”

“Rishe-chan, you see, it isn’t about choosing a certain way of dealing, but about what we want to do with her.”

“!”

With faint smile, I stand up and look down on the sleeping child.

In this town, or rather in Grandile Kingdom, I’ve only been experiencing bad things. The fake hero and that wicked miko were also like that, the common sense and rules that were imposed by the royalties and nobles who built this country, I really hate them all.

I’m weak after all, that’s why I’m not suitable to life in a world with jungle rules.

“Status.”

For the time being, I decide to peek at the child’s status. I want to know her name after all, I involuntarily got this unknown child pushed onto me after all, if she die after I leave her, it’ll leave bad aftertaste for me.

◇Status◇

Name                        : Niko Arcs

Gender                     : Female Lv. 1

Strength                   : 10

Stamina                    : 20

Resistance               : 10

Agility                       : 10

Magic Power          : 10

Title                           : None

Skill                            : None

Innate skill              : ???

◇

Just as I expected it to be, just as her appearance tells, her status is very meager. She even has no skill whatsoever. In this world, she’s definitely a weakling who’ll be bullied by the strong.

That’s why, she’s worth of protecting. It’s exactly because she was born weak; similarly like me; she’s worth of protecting.

“…it’s junior-surpassing-senior time.”

There’s no reason for the weak to be unable to defeat the strong. The hell is military-power, the hell is law-of-the-jungle, I’ll tear both of them apart.

It’s not to survive, I’ll do it because I want to.

“If you (leader) say so then, I’ll follow you.”

“Quite a whimsical of you there.”

“As someone and comrade who’s following your back, it’s my duty.”

Rishe-chan somehow is very cool. So manly should I say, this girl is. But she’s a girl so, big-sis, perhaps? Such unyielding spirit, as far as I’m concerned, I like it.

Well, even if that isn’t the case, if someone who’s following you say so… I think it’ll surely make you happy.

◇　◇　◇

“M… mm… haa… hmm?”

“Oh, have you awoken, Leila?”

Opening my eyes, I put my hands on the soft bed and get up. And then, I notice that I’m in the room we reserved. The red haired girl; who’s sitting on the chair; is smiling while looking at me. At the neighboring bed, the child that was pushed onto Kitsune-kun is sleeping there, but I can’t see Kitsune-kun around.

With my indistinct mind after waking up, I try recalling what happened before I lost my consciousness.

If my memory serve right, I went shopping with Kitsune-kun… then being led by the girl over there to the inn… then… ah, that’s right, I was…!

“Hawa… hawawawa… what, what should I do….”

That’s right, I was kissed by Kitsune-kun. After that my face got very hot, my heart was beating to its very limit, my head went blank, and then before I knew it I lost consciousness.

But, there’s nothing I could do about, that was a surprise attack. Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky! Kitsune-kun was very sneaky!

“Kitsune-kun is… Kitsune-kun is….”

If that’s the case then I have to pay him back, somehow I feel like I lost to Kitsune-kun here, after all.

I’m more powerful than Kitsune-kun, after all, and I want to be the one who do that sort of things. Currently, somehow my heart is pretty calm, but I just can’t accept being this passive after getting done by Kitsune-kun!

“I’m going to Kitsune-kun’s room for a bit”!

“Eh? Ah, Leila?!”

Ignoring the red haired girl’s voice, I go to Kitsune-kun’s room. Double rooms and single rooms are on different floors, so I descend the stairs and head to the single room floor.

And then, arriving in front of Kitsune-kun’s room, I open the door. The room isn’t as spacious as double room, but it’s enough for a person to live in.

When I enter the room, without the black clothes he usually wears, wearing only short sleeves shirt and trouser, Kitsune-kun is sitting on the bed while touching miasma. I think he’s training to control it.

“Kitsune-kun!”

“Ah, Leila-chan. What’s the matter?”

I call out to Kitsune-kun. Noticing me, Kitsune-kun turns toward me and says so.

“….”

“Hmm?”

Come to think of it, what should I do next, I wonder? I haven’t thought about it.

I’ve thought about paying him back but, things like kiss or touch may be a bit too much for me… even just thinking about it makes my heart beats faster. Will it be embarrassing, I wonder… yeah, I think it will surely be embarrassing.

My heart feels so hazy… ever since we met that white girl, it’s always like this. Hazy, so hazy! I don’t want to stay in this state forever. I can’t touch Kitsune-kun, and this frustration keeps on pilling up.

“…so hazy.”

“What?”

“I’m feeling so hazy! Because of you I’ve turned strange, Kitsune-kun! Please take responsibility!”

That’s right, it’s all Kitsune-kun’s fault. Ever since I met Kitsune-kun, I was gradually turning strange. Kitsune-kun has turned me strange. That’s why it’s all Kitsune-kun’s fault, it’s his fault to be so tasty, it’s his fault to be so adorable, it’s his fault to be so interesting, also…

“…I will protect you.”

…it’s, it’s his fault to be so cool. Why is my heart so stirred up like this? Even though I want to touch Kitsune-kun, I can’t because of it.

Just what has Kitsune-kun done to me? Did he do something without I noticed it? Just like how I can’t bear to get touched by Kitsune-kun, did he not want to get touched by me that much? Somehow, that pricks my heart a bit.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about but, to put it simply, your desire isn’t satisfied?”

“… that’s not incorrect, but… that’s no it!”

“Ah, okay okay, then, what should I do?”

Somehow Kitsune-kun casually asks me what he should do, but… what I want Kitsune-kun to do, I wonder? Kiss? Or perhaps letting me taste him? I feel like it’s none of them.

“Hmm? Leila-chan?”

“…so hazy.”

“Eh?”

“It’s so itchy.”

“Eh, what?”

“Inside my chest, it’s whirling and painful… do something about it… Kitsune-kun.”

But, such words spontaneously leave my mouth. I’m sure, Kitsune-kun will be able to do something about it. Or so I feel.

After all, thus far Kitsune-kun has succeeded on many things. Also, this is all his fault, after all. So he should be able to do something about it.

“…Leila-chan, you really like me that much, huh.”

“Eh?”

“It can’t be helped… come on, don’t just standing there, come in.”

Kitsune-kun urges me. My heart suddenly beats faster.

While hesitating a bit, I walk to Kitsune-kun; who’s sitting on the bed. And then, Kitsune-kun takes my hand and pulls me toward him. As if being drawn by that power, my body falls onto the bed, and my head lands on Kitsune’s thigh.

While staring in wonder, when I look up I can see Kitsune-kun with his faint smile. When I realize that he’s giving me lap pillow, I feel like my face turns hot a bit.

But,

“Only tonight, I’ll especially do this for you, just try to sleep like this. I’m sure you’ll feel better after sleeping overnight.”

“…yes.”

Just a bit, I feel like the hazy feeling is lessening. And instead, from the depth of my body, somehow I feel like there’s a warmth that is gradually spreading in my heart.

“…good night, Leila-chan. That was quite a splendid confession, you know?”

Being attacked by drowsiness, in my fading consciousness… I feel like I can hear Kitsune-kun saying so.