080. Partner.
The sun's lingering rays were passing in the far west, and the orange sky with clouds remaining sparsely――It is the time of day when the east is tinted with the colors of the sky and the stars are gradually beginning to color the heavens. Lilyza and Philly returned to the workshop...
「By the way, where did Osada-kun go?」
I asked, but Nora and Lilyza shook their heads left and right and said, "We don't know".
「After that, each of us had our hands full with our own circumstances――we didn't have time to think about others.」
「Especially in the case of Osada-kun, he was stoutly defying Grieve until the very end」
「He was told that the only thing he could be proud of was his "S-Dimensional Stomach" ability and that the rest was just an "extras"... he was quite shocked.」
「Hmmm... ...... I see.」
I nodded my head for the time being.
(How does that Guriguri know about Osada-kun's [S-Dimensional Stomach]?)
As far as I remember, I have never mentioned any information about Osada-kun's [S-Dimensional Stomach] in front of Guriguri.
On the other hand, when she first met Osada-kun. she took one look at him and declared that he was [a Dogu tribe member].
(I had never paid attention to this before, but maybe the [S-Dimensional Stomach] is not Osada-kun's unique ability, but an ability that can be used by any member of the Dogu tribe?)
Not unlikely, but if it is ......, it could be a bit troublesome.
「Sorry, all three of you. I'm going to go find my partner for a bit.」
「Sure, but――what about dinner?」
「When will you be back? I can't read it at all, so just leave it as it is」(?)
I said, and Nora, wearing an apron, blurted out, "Geez, you're so selfish".
「My bad. But ...... eating a meal without Osada-kun, it's like....you know?」
I couldn't get the words out, but she seemed to understand how I felt.
Take care――The first place I headed after being sent off was to the Leia Orphanage.
And to Leia-san, who went out of her way to meet me, I asked, "Hasn't Osada-kun been here?", but she said she had not seen him for the past few days.
I thanked her and left the orphanage and explored around town for a while. I even went to the guild and asked Hannah-san about it――But, Osada-kun's whereabouts were unknown.
(That guy........Could it be)
When the "worst-case scenario" came up into my head ...... If anything goes wrong, I'll make the person who was the source of the problem pay for it――When such a dark feeling emerged,...
「......Oh?」
It has been more than three hours since I started looking for him.
The sun has completely set and the night wind has turned cold. On the parapet of a stone bridge over a creek, a strange silhouetted figure was perched.
It seemed to be gazing absent-mindedly at something far ahead――a small island in the Bay of Hanaria and the "Tower of Jimina" erected in the center of the island.
「...... Yuuto, huh」
I approached him gently, and without turning his head, he called out my name.
I wondered what I should say back,...... but in the end, without saying a word, I stood beside Osada-kun and silently turned my head in the same direction.
And then - without a word from either of us - as we let our bodies and minds drift along with the flow of time and wind.
「Yuuto――You don't say anything, do you?
Osada-kun muttered something to me. Hearing that, I
「What? You want me to say something now? Partner」
Osada-kun finally turned his head toward me.
「...... Quit it. I――I'm not your partner」
It was the first time I heard such a bitter voice from him.
The expression on his face does not seem to have changed much due to its simple structure, but there is a clear hint of anguish in his voice.
「I'm just a simple Dogu, you know? I can only carry luggage――I'm the lowest of the low in my clan.」
「You are?」
「Yeah. I......I was born and raised in the jungle south of the large country called "Sansaoma", you see. I'm so screwed up no matter what I do, you see. I left my hometown to escape.......Once I realized how big the "world" was, I became a treasure hunter, exploring ruins and caves and stuff, but...」
Most of the time, I gave up because I couldn't traverse there.
「Before I met Yuuto, I was almost all alone, and because of my appearance, some humans and other races mistook me for a demonic beast. All the time........All the time, All my life, I've just been going with the flow.」
After smuggling myself aboard a trading ship mixed with luggage, I drifted to Hanaria――and after registering as a "Fixer", I tried to challenge the underground tunnels and got caught in a trap. ......
「As for the rest, I don't need to say that, right?」
「...... Well, yeah」
In a light-hearted way, he asked me to help him and begged me―and before I knew it, we were working together.
「Thinking back, it shouldn't have been much time since we met,...... but it feels like we've been together for years already」
「Yeah, it does. Seriously, a lot has happened.」
I know it's only been a few months――and when I think about it, we've had some really intense times, but...
「But you know what? Did I do anything useful during that time other than carrying your stuff? I ain't done much to get Yuuto to call me his 'partner'. ...... I'm useless in combat, and besides....」
Still, when I looked at Osada-kun, who was about to complain again, I...
「That's really not like you. Partner!」
I patted him on the back with a little force. The moment I did so,...
「Ouch! W-What are you doing!? You're gonna break me!」
He complained, but I just smiled and ignored it. However,
「You seem to have misunderstood me, so let me make this clear. The reason I call you "partner" is not because you have an "S-Dimensional Stomach," or because you are convenient or useful in various ways, or anything like that, okay? I mean, that's just a "bonus", and even if you can't use the [S-Dimensional Stomach] for some reason――I want Osada-kun to stay by my side.」
I looked directly into Osada-kun's eyes and expressed my pure "feelings" with no falsehoods.
「In the first place, Osada-kun, don't you think you underestimate yourself too much? You've been with me all along――you've been supported me.」
Especially after I was captured by the Evil Group and returned alive. Osada-kun, who greeted me, did not try to ask me about the deeper circumstances but treated me as he had before.
He also supported me in my training and gave me special tickets that I could use in the brothel district, telling me to "go and have a girl for a change," while warning me that I was impatient. I can't even begin to list all the things Osada-kun has done for me.
「What did Guriguri say to you? I heard about it from Lilyza and the others. What others say about you, and you take it seriously――Really, it's not like you. If the usual Osada-kun, he would say, "Let those who want to say it say it and don't let other people interfere with our relationship," right?」
「T-that's.....」
「Above all, I need Osada-kun. Of course, there is a part of me that I'm aiming for [S-Dimensional Stomach] and others, though」
「...... You're so honest.」
「What's the point of lying to your partner? Besides, though I'm repeating myself. I myself want Osada-kun to stay.」
No one else. It's my own "selfishness".
「On the other hand, does Osada-kun find it annoying to have me around? Is it painful? ...... you're not having fun?」
「......! There's no way what you said is true!」
Unusually――or rather, for the first time, Osada-kun exploded with emotion.
「Not having fun? Is it painful to be with you? No way! Rather, when I'm with you, I can't help but have fun! And yet――I am ......」
But still, Osada-kun's unprocessable "feelings"――I kept quiet for a while, but...
「The reason we're together, you see. It's enough to say, "Because it's fun". We don't need anything else, and isn't it strange that we need a reason for being together in the first place? Even though we're partners.」
「...........」
「Because I'm an idiot. I can't really understand Osada-kun's "true feelings" or "your worry and pains" in the true sense. Sure that's something Osada-kun will have to work out on his own. ...... but you know what? Even so,......, will you still stay by my side? Even if you don't do anything, even if you can't do anything, even if you don't say anything――just by having Osada-kun by my side, that is the most powerful "message" of all. That's why...」
I tried my best to convey my feelings into words.
「――Good grief. How can you say such a cringeworthy line? Isn't it embarrassing to say it?」
When I was told that, I averted my gaze a bit and said, "I know it's a cringe".
「But I mean it. Partner. Besides――I seem to be a more greedy person than I thought. I am not going to let Osada-kun go now, and I am going to continue traveling around the world, stepping on various ruins and acquiring so many things that Osada-kun's [S-Dimensional Stomach] will explode. For sure ...... Nope. No doubt, the trip would be interesting. Wouldn't it ruin the name of "treasure hunter" to miss it?」
「Heh heh. No doubt about that♪」
Seeing Osada-kun smiling at me, it seems that he is a little more optimistic now.
「There is still a long way to go, and the world is a big place. Above all, there's a saying, "Enjoy life! He who enjoys his life will be the victor of his destiny!"」
I still remember those words from my father, and I thought it was my turn to give them to Osada-kun. Then,...
「Heeh. That's a good word. ――You're right. I haven't had enough fun in my life yet, and Yuuto can get out of control sometimes. If I'm not there for him, what will he do? I don't know」
「That's what I mean♪」
With a grin and white teeth, I shook hands with Osada-kun once again.
「That's why, Osada-kun. I'm looking forward to working with you in the future.」
「Yeah! Me too!」
After confirming our bond with each other, we headed to a bar to have a drink together for the first time in a while.
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Tftc
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