Elfaria Chapter 35

035. Passing "Thoughts"

　After that, I stayed in Karguri and spent the rest of my days killing goblins, but I never really got the feeling that the "numbers were down" as much as I was really sick of them.

「............」

　After breakfast. Staring at the map of the area, I cross my arms and think.

　I wonder if Osada-kun was also considerate, he was staring at me without speaking to me from a few minutes ago.

「――As I thought, I think the biggest obstacle is "the lack of evidence".」

　Taking a deep breath, I looked up at the sky with a feeling of clinging.

「Did you find out anything?」

「I get it ― I mean, I've made some guesses since I got here, and I've been going around. Maybe the goblins are just going around the whole forest.」

　But considering the sighting information, the location of their appearance, and the destination of the unreturned fixers, it is thought that they are concentrated in a certain point.

「In other words, they are not dispersed, but have a large base somewhere in the Forest of Forres?」

「Yes. I'm almost sure of it. But」

「......Ah~ So that leads to what you just said.」

　No matter how many plausible theories you put forward, no one will believe you without a single "proof".

　I thought about going in alone in some cases, but that would be too reckless.

　The fixers who had come to Karguri, however, did not meet their required standards in terms of both numbers and strength.

「In the meantime, I secretly sent a letter to Hannah-san a little while ago, ...... but I am skeptical about whether or not the reinforcements will come.」

「Hmmm? Why is that again -?」

　His words were not in response to "sending a letter to Hannah-san" or even "whether reinforcements will come", but rather a choice that should normally be taken as a matter of course――I knew right away that he was alluding to "the fact that I didn't go through the Karguri branch."

「Well, I have my own thoughts on the matter. "Just in case".」

　I think I'm overthinking it, but still――

「In any case, we're going to have to work hard today.」

　With that thought, I was about to leave my seat.

「Yuuto-san. Osada-san. It's been a while.」

　The one who called out to us saying so was a fine person with glossy dark brown hair ― Akari-san.

「It's been a long time! I mean, you weren't going back to Hanaria?」

「Yes. I was originally planning to return in a few days or so, but――I'd like to talk to you about that if you don't mind.」

「Yes. I don't mind, but, is something matter?」

「I'm fine too」

　Hearing these words, Akari-san said, "Thank you very much," with a polite motion, and then led us to a certain place. It was...

「Could it be Akari-san's parents' house?」

　She said, "Yes. That is correct."

　It was a small house on the southwest side of Karguri, a peaceful place with a garden and a vegetable patch.

　A huge tree with an umbrella growing nearby moderately blocked the sunlight from shining on the house.

(It looks like a "Japanese country house," doesn't it?)

　I was having a nostalgic impression of the house.

「Let's just go inside for now.」

「Ah!」

　I quickly walked over and put my hand on the front door, thinking we'd be talking inside the house, but...

「For goodness sake, go back to Hanariaaaaaaaa!!」

　I had been completely caught off guard by the fact that I was "in town" and "at "Akari-san's parents' house," and I was truly taken aback when water was suddenly splashed on me.

「Hey! Grandpa! What are you doing!!」

　Akari-san reproached him.

「Who are you? You guys?」

　A short, elderly man with trimmed short gray hair glared at me with suspicious eyes.

　I inwardly wondered, "How shall I deal with it?" I thought seriously.

「I am so sorry! Yuuto-san! Aahhh――Sheesh!

　Akari-san gently wiped my head and face with a handkerchief, so I decided to put up with it for now. And then...

「I've said it many times, I'm not going to leave this place!」

　I was taken up to the living room for the time being, and while facing Akari-san's grandfather "Shige" who turned away with his arms folded, I sipped the barley tea that was served to me.

「......Haaaaa. I had a general idea of what was going on, but just to confirm, Akari-san wants Shige-san and the others to evacuate to Hanaria and has been trying to persuade them ever since that day, but the old man has been refusing to do so」

「Wait! Yuuto.」

　*Poke-poke*, Osada-kun poked me in the side, but neither Shige-san nor Akari-san particularly tried to blame me for my bad mouth.

「I'm ashamed to admit it, but it's true. My and Mona's parents died of illness about five years ago――my only immediate family is my grandfather――and no matter how hard I tried to persuade him, he wouldn't budge.」

「The reason?」

「'We can't leave because everyone's graves are here,' 'What if our house is ransacked during the evacuation?' "The fixers and the army will take care of it in a while," he said―My relatives are in favor of evacuation and have already moved to Hanaria.」

　Hearing this, I pressed my forehead with my hand.

　It seems that there are "stubborn old men" like him everywhere in the world.

　They take their own ideas as absolute without any evidence, and never bend or change them ― not even considering how much impact they may have on the people around them.

　I'm sure Akari-san is having a hard time with it.

「I'm already old! If I'm going to die anyway, I'm going to die here where my wife and the others are sleeping! I'm not going to run and hide now!」

　Stubborn and thoroughly ― those words came to mind, but...

「Excuse me.」

　I moved next to Shige-san and halfway forcefully held his cheeks with both hands, staring into his eyes.

「Y-Yuuto! D-don't use violen――.」

「I ain't gonna do that.」

　I went through Osada-kun's words and just kept staring into his eyes.

　Shige-san is bluffing, "W-what do you want?" And "You want a fight?", but――

「I'll tell you one thing. If you keep being stubborn like that, ...... It might be too late, you know?」

　As soon as I said this, I didn't miss the momentary flutter of agitation in Shige-san's eyes.

「My mother's father was a stubborn old-fashioned man like you. I can't tell you the details, but he had a great misfortune and became a hated man himself to reduce the burden on everyone ...... and eventually died alone.」

　He said that it certainly saved us a lot of "financial burdens," "caregiving," and other such things.

　I learned later that he also left us a small inheritance, so we didn't have to worry about funeral expenses.

「But you know what? My mom was ...... crying so hard. It's the mother, who has a personality like "I'm full of energy!”, you know? It's the same for me. Whenever I go on summer vacation or something, he's always like, "Yo! How are you?"  He would greet me with a big smile and take me fishing and catching bugs.」

　The glorious memories of that time are still sparkling in the back of my mind.

「I'll be quite frank with you. Your "self-sacrifice for the good of all" is a nuisance to those of us who will be left behind. How can you not understand the situation in this town? Goblins that don't decrease, armies that don't move, casualties that keep increasing ― you can't even imagine the "worst-case scenario" after that」

「Y-Yuuto. You, could it be...」

「Yes. I think there's a high probability that it's a "maybe". Besides, I did some research in Hanaria. There used to be a lot of towns and villages that were destroyed by goblin hordes.」

　There is no guarantee anywhere that Karguri won't be destroyed.

「But if we run away together to Hanaria, my elderly self will be a liability. If that's the case, it would be easier in many ways to have them cut me off ― or so they may think.」

　Slap! I slapped Shige-san on both cheeks with a little force.

「Is your family "bond" really that weak? Is that the extent of your "love" for Akari-san and Mona?」

　As soon as I said this, a look of shock came over Shige-san's face.

「To Akari-san and Mona, you are the only "grandpa" in the world, you know? Why don't you think about that? Why don't you think about their "feelings"? They are your family, right? Don't make them worry about you.」

「B-but――I'm troubling them」

「Did Akari-san or Mona ever once call you a "troublesome" or "hindrance"? I mean, again, your stubborn attitude is more annoying than that.」

　I let go of my hand with a long sigh and sat down next to Osada-kun again.

「In any case, if you can escape, do so as soon as possible. After all, I'm on the front line fighting the goblins, and I'm holding back so much that I'd really like to run home right now. There is no guarantee that the goblins won't come swarming back today or tomorrow――」

　――It was then

　Suddenly, the sound of the bell "Kaan! Kaan! Kaan!" rang out over the town.

「It's a Goblins!!!!!! Goblins have breached the west gateeeeeeeee!!!!」

　I heard such a voice, and I hurriedly instructed Akari-san to close all the doors and windows of the house. And then.

「Damn you!!!!!!!」

　The moment I stepped outside, I could see three goblins coming toward us.

(Tsk! Too much bad luck!)

　The location of this house was in the southwestern part of town ― close to the west gate, which was a disaster.

　I immediately speared the goblins to death.

「Kyaaaaaaaaaaaah!」

　I heard Akari-san's screams from inside and rushed back. It seemed that an individual had entered from the backyard, and when I returned, Shige-san was lying in a pool of blood.

[This ...... trashy bastaaaaaaaard!!!」

　I cut the goblin down with my sword and immediately checked Shige-san's condition. Then...

「D-don't make that big-ass voice. The bleeding is showy, though. ...... this level of injury won't kill me」

　He said as he held the left side of his chest where he thought he had been cut, but considering his age and other factors, I could not be optimistic.

「Osada-kun!」

「On it!」

　He pulled out a heal potion from his [S-Dimensional Pocket].

　I gave it to Shige and he drank it.

「[Heal]!」

　Akari-san began to heal the wound with folia. With this, I don't have to worry about his life. But

「W-What about Mona? What happened to Mona?」

　Shige-san said in a voice that sounded as if he was still in slight pain.

「S-she said she's going to her friend's house today. ......」

　Akari-san says in a shaky voice. "Tsk" I clicked my tongue and said, 

「In the meantime, you two, after tightening up the doors, don't take a single step outside until you're sure it's safe!」

　I strongly insisted, and I ran outside with Osada-kun, and while defeating the goblins that appeared, we decided to head for the west gate for the time being.

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