CH 56

“… We don’t have much, but please enjoy this.”

“Oh no, we are grateful for your thoughtfulness.”

“Wow, this looks delicious!!”

Kanata’s parents’ home, located in a corner of Roggin, was very lively.

It was understandable, as Kanata’s parents and the girls, who accompanied, Kanata were all gathered there.

“But still, you haven’t done anything outrageous, have you?”

“I haven’t!”

“… If the Princess and the Saint were offended by something my foolish son did, what kind of apology should I offer?”

Kanata’s parents clearly cherished him, but it was also clear that having two important people from the Kingdom visit was unusual, and they were very careful about it.

Kanata then explained his relationship with Maria and the others in detail, including the circumstances leading up to it.

“They are all really important friends to me. Actually, I was surprised to be able to be together like this… Anyway, there’s no hidden agenda or anything like that.”

As Kanata desperately explained, Maria and Mira also attempted to calm his parents down with their words.

Watching everyone’s lively, yet desperate behaviour, Alphana chuckled.

(I’ve never been here before, but it’s a nice place.)

For Alphana, Roggin was a special place just because it was where Kanata was born and raised. 

Although it was clear it was not as bustling as the capital and not a place where outsiders would visit on purpose, Alphana felt a special warmth there because it was Kanata’s hometown.

“I mean, you said earlier that you were an assassin, right, Mira-san?”

“Yes! Actually, my name is Raven—”

“The word ‘assassin’ is just a figure of speech. She’s actually just a normal friend of ours, so don’t worry.”

“W-why are you stopping me!?”

“Shut up, shorty.”

“What did you say!?”

Maria immediately tried her best to diffuse the situation. 

The tension between Maria and Mira, who stared each other down, seemed to loosen a little, and Kanata’s parents began to soften as well.

Kanata’s mother’s name was Meza, and his father was Asta, and they had already introduced themselves.

“We apologize for the suddenness of all this. We just wanted to see the village where Kanata-sama was born and raised now that he’s returned home.”

Alphana’s words held a lot of meaning. 

She also couldn’t deny that she had a girlish desire to spend the long holiday with Kanata, but since it was basically guaranteed they would be together like this, Alphana, Maria, and even Mira were feeling on top of the world.

“That’s very kind of you to say… and thank you very much for that… Saint-sama.”

“No. If anything, I should have acted a little faster.”

“Oh, no, it’s okay!”

“?”

Meza was probably thanking them for the road that had been built to the village, as well as the installation of a protective wall. 

Maria knew about this, but Kanata and Mira, who didn’t know the truth, tilted their heads in confusion.

“Actually, it’s…”

Alphana explained to the two of them what had happened. 

Kanata immediately understood the changes that had taken place on the road and bowed his head in gratitude to Alphana.

“Thank you so much, Alphana. I see… you acted upon that little mutter you overheard.”

“Yes. However, even if we didn’t hear from Kanata-sama, we would have still done it if we knew about it. Of course, Maria would have done the same, wouldn’t she?”

“Of course! Even though Alphana acted first this time… I plan on using my princess authority to work hard too!!”

“U-Um…”

Kanata trembled as Maria leaned in closer to him.

“… Dear, what did you really do?”

“Kanata… You’ve really grown into an impressive man without us noticing, haven’t you?”

Meza was stunned, while Asta felt moved in a slightly strange way by Kanata’s newfound popularity.

After the tension loosened, they were able to have a normal conversation.

Maria enthusiastically talked about life at the academy, while Mira talked about their personal lives, causing a chaotic atmosphere. Kanata put his hand on his forehead, asking them to stop.

“… Fufu.”

Although Alphana wasn’t excluded from the conversation, she found it more enjoyable and happy to just watch and listen.

“…”

However, Alphana was also thinking about something else.

Rather than thinking, it was more like recalling. Maybe it would be better to say that something inevitable resurfaced in her mind.

(Kanata-sama… The words I told you at that time were not a lie.)

It was about the words she told him during the confession.

Even if Kanata wasn’t someone born with memories from a different world, Alphana’s love for him would not change.

Moreover, there was a proper reason why Alphana knew about that confidential information.

(… I don’t know why I caught a glimpse of the Goddess’ memories.)

Occasionally, there were moments when she lost her senses.

At those times, Alphana often surrendered herself to something, but during one such moment, she desperately resisted that sensation. 

It is unclear whether Alphana’s strong will had overcome it, but at that moment, memories of a goddess-like entity trying to enter Alphana’s consciousness flowed in.

(I recognized Kanata-sama, not everything about him, but enough to feel joy in the ability to meet him in this world and to be grateful for this miracle. At the same time, I want this world to become an important place for Kanata-sama.)

It was Alphana’s wish and her utmost love for Kanata.

Initially, she would use being alone while listening to Kanata’s live stream as an excuse to shout and scream, but now, though she might still have such peculiar behaviour, her feelings towards Kanata were undoubtedly genuine.

However, Alphana was a woman before she was a Saint.

“… Maybe it’s kind of a sleepover?”

Alphana’s cheeks were loose with a grin, as she indulged in a peachy-pink fantasy unlike a Saint’s. Things such as showering together, gazing at the stars together, talking about love, or sleeping in the same bed.

“Saint-sama?”

“Yes, what is it?”

Alphana, called out by Meza, quickly tightened her expression. 

Her swift action showed that she was indeed a Saint and that she had a strong enough will to hide anything unseemly from his parents.

“… However, we don’t have a good enough home to accommodate noble people like you.”

“Well, that’s true. We have a place to sleep, but it’s not suitable for accommodating high-ranking people like you.”

Meza and Asta were troubled about where Alphana and her companions could sleep, but they didn’t know anything about them.

As they talked, it became clear that these girls were head over heels for Kanata and, above all else, they were not the type of women to worry about such small things.

“I don’t mind at all. I’ll sleep in the same room as Kanata-kun.”

“It’s alright. I’ll sleep with Kanata-sama.”

“It’s totally fine! I’ll stick to the ceiling and sleep while staring at Kanata-sama’s sleeping face!”

Amused by how well they were getting along, Kanata lightly chopped Mira and gave her a retort.

~~~~~~~~

“… haah, I’m exhausted.”

Kanata let out a small sigh.

While he was happy that the three of them had come to his hometown, it was just too rural, and he could understand the troubles his parents were experiencing.

“You really are something, Dear…”

“You’ve grown up, Kanata.”

“That’s why I’m telling you, that’s way too off!”

And Meza slapped Asta on the back.

(… Honestly, if I was told this is what princesses looked like, I wouldn’t have believed it.)

Kanata’s gaze turned to where Maria and Alphana were happily helping with the farming.

Not only was it something they would never normally do, but as princesses, they would never do this kind of thing for eternity.

“Whew, it’s quite tiring. Oh, look at this, Maria.”

“What is it… gyaaaaaaaahhhh!?”

Alphana was holding a mini-worm, a creature that in Kanata’s previous life was called an earthworm.

It seems that Alphana has some resistance to creatures like this, but Maria seems to dislike them enough to scream in terror.

“Yippee-hoo!”

Mira returned after defeating a huge boar-like monster.

She set it down on the ground with a loud thud, and the villagers cheered her on.

“By the way, Kanata.”

“Hmm?”

It wasn’t to ruin the fun, but Meza’s words made Kanata stop thinking.

“Do you know about Haishin?”

“!?”

It would have been a nightmare for anyone else, but a question from family was especially nerve-wracking for Kanata.

However, in this case, Meza’s words were a relief for Kanata.

“Some great person used to come to this village and taught us about him. Your father and I didn’t really get into it, but he sounded like you for some reason, and it seemed silly to make a fuss about it.

“Oh, I see…”

“I don’t think there’s any way that’s you, but I don’t hate the cheerful atmosphere that reminds me of you.”

“… Mom!!”

It’s not hard to imagine that Kanata would have had a mental breakdown if they had become addicted to Haishin.

Perhaps his parents had sensed something about Haishin, but it seemed to have worked out in a positive way.

However, Kanata, this is just his parents’ reaction.

What about the other villagers? He’ll find out soon.