Foreigner Volume 6, Chapter 89

Volume 6 Chapter 89, Shock ~ 29

　As soon as he woke up, he saw the wood grain on the ceiling. He remembers seeing something similar just recently―Ah, the inside of the World Tree in the elf village was like this, Satoru thought to himself.

　How long had I been asleep? His body was heavy and he could not move well―Satoru suddenly felt the presence of someone beside him and turned his gaze in that direction. What caught his eye was a girl with moist eyes staring at him incredulously. I recognize that figure.

「...... Alice?」

「...... Good morning, Onii-chan. You're a sleepyhead, aren't you?」

　The girl then had tears in her eyes, and unable to hold them back, she clung to Satoru's chest and began to cry loudly.

　―No. She wasn't Alice.

　He knew that much even though his head was still a little fuzzy. Alice must be only eight years old. It's been a little over 40 days since he came to the other world, so please don't tell him that a few years have passed since he returned to his consciousness like Urashima Taro.

　She's not Alice. Then this girl is Liz. She is a half-elf girl who looks like Alice in the other world.

(I see you are still alive. I'm glad.)

　Satoru gently embraced the crying girl, who was bawling her eyes out in his chest, and felt guilty for having put her in his arms, and shuddered as he remembered what he had done to this poor girl.

　I had done something irreparable to a girl who resembled my sister, even if it was to save her life.

　I would return home. It was one thing to make that decision, and quite another to do what I did to her. I must make amends.

　It took some time, but Lies finally seemed to calm down a little. After the shouting subsided to a sobbing, Satoru finally spoke up.

「Liz ...... I'm ...... sorry about something ......」

「What is it?」

「!」

　Satoru was absolutely mortified when Liz's wiped her tears with her arm and said matter-of-factly. Honestly, he doesn't know what the situation is right now, but even so, Liz should at least know. It's not like she's not involved.

「I just wanted to say thank you.」

　Slowly, Liz's raised herself up, sniffed, and smiled at Satoru.

「No......thank you f-for what ......?」

　Satoru is confused. He didn't do anything to make himself laugh.

「Onii-san saved my life.」

「But for that....」

　Liz shakes her head from side to side.

「I'm not angry because it was the only way. I'm just grateful for your help. ...... Besides, Onii-chan avenged my mother.」

　I knew it, Liz knows what was done to her. She also seems to know how it happened. And yet, she is still smiling at me. Satoru feels dizzy.

　―Did she say that I have avenged her? N-No I didn't!

「No, it's not! Reine-san, it's like I dragged her into this! It's my fault that she's dead.」

「It's not Onii-san's fault! It was those bad people who did it!」

　Shaking her head from side to side, Liz's exclaimed. Satoru looked away from Liz's emotional state. He can't watch her.

「That's because it would have been better if I hadn't come ...... if only I, if only I hadn't come!」

「That's not true. My mother told you that, too. She said it was some kind of guidance.」

　How ironic - Satoru bit his lower lip in regret. She had met and died under the guidance of something. How could both Reine and Liz accept such absurd guidance?

　At the sound of Satoru's self-deprecating voice, Liz touched Satoru's arm, which was still lying down.

「I beg you, please don't make me hate Onii-san. ......」

　Satoru gasped at the sound of Liz's tearful voice. After all, in the corner of his mind, she must have the idea that Reine died because Satoru came. It couldn't be helped ― it was only natural. He almost thought that it would be better to have her hate him, but then he thought about how Liz felts when she said that she didn't want to do that.

　She had lost her mother, there was no trace of the house she had lived in, and persecution awaited her in her hometown―She must have looked to Satoru for a place to turn. It is painful for Liz to hold a grudge against the person she has been a refuge for, and that is why she told him not to hold a grudge against him.

　Satoru bit his lip. It was selfish of Satoru to want her to hold a grudge. It's just a way to make himself feel better to have her do so. There is nothing constructive in that. And if Liz really wants to resent Satoru, Satoru will be hurt even more deeply. Liz understands that much. That is why she has decided not to do anything that would make Liz resent Satoru.

　As she recalled, Liz's smile, which she forced herself to make, turned to Satoru.

「You probably don't realize it, Onii-san, but you've been asleep for three days, you know?」

「Three days!?」

　Satoru was so surprised that he made a bare voice. No wonder his body feels quite heavy, and he is convinced that he cried out of relief when he woke up.

「In the meantime, there was a bit more to it. The elves in the World Tree Village seemed to be safe, though barely. They thought it was the blessing of the World Tree.」

　In fact, I don't give a damn about them―Satoru thinks. Although he had some connection with them, Satoru didn't care about the elves in the village of the World Tree.

「The village came to investigate. Leia-san was explaining the situation. So, you see. ......」

　Liz cut off the words.

　Leia explained to the elf who came from the village to investigate? The word "surprising" dances in Satoru's mind. It was also surprising to hear Leia's name mentioned by Liz. Leia, the 【Immortal King】, has always thoroughly avoided showing herself to anyone other than her companions. The only exception was when she used the art of 【Illusion】 while scavenging for magic books in Galhassan.

　The reason for doing so is simple. The 【Immortal King】 and their 【Immortal Family】 are abhorred and feared by all living things. There is almost no one in the world who would honestly believe her words. It is surprising that Leia, knowing the risk, went out and explained it to Liz and a third party.

　Liz hesitated several times before opening her mouth boldly.

「I have decided not to return to the elven village, despite Onii-san's efforts.」

　Satoru, whose thoughts had been preoccupied with Leia's case, was surprised by Liz's unexpected admission.

「What....W-why?」

「I know you understand, but originally, it was only because my mother was there. I didn't want to go back that badly. Helmera-san―the Elder's daughter, offered to adopt me, but I turned her down.」

　This motherly daughter made the decision to return to her hometown because she thought of her mother, whose leg had deteriorated. Now that her mother, who had been a source of support for her, was gone, she no longer wanted to return―It makes sense. The Ingolshenes extermination that he did for the sake of the mother and daughter was a complete waste of time, but Satoru doesn't care about that at all.

「And now that my mother is gone. There was no need for me to go back. So...」

　Liz's face is serious as she speaks in halting tones. She takes a deep breath

「Onii-san. Please take me with you on your journey. Then, please make me your slave.」

「N....no, I won't take you with me!」

　Satoru refused immediately, his voice shaking with agitation.

　Satoru's journey is only a selfish one to return to his original world. As has been the case on previous journeys, there is no telling where danger might be lurking. Would he take Liz, a mere ordinary girl, on such a journey?

　There was no way he could do such a thing. And moreover, it would be impossible for her to become a magical slave who forces absolute obedience on her.

　In Satoru's mind, a magical slave means sex with himself.

　As the country's very existence states, a contract with a magical slave using the art of 【Slavery】 does not necessarily mean that you have to have sex with slaves, but Satoru's mind is filled with the idea that all of his magical slaves up to now have been women, and since they have all been having sex, that's the way it should be.

　The scene when he saved Liz's life could be said to have been an emergency evacuation, but it was a completely different matter when he made her follow him as a magical slave.

　Liz squints her eyes.

「So, Onii-san is just going to abandon me like this? My mother said she was asked Satoru to take care of me.」

「! T-that's ......」

　Satoru choked up when Liz's eyes narrowed and she told him in a rather cold tone of voice. Reine entrusted Liz to Satoru without knowing the details of Satoru's situation. It was an act of selfishness, and of course, ignoring it would not be a big problem. However, this was only an oral contractual agreement, and Satoru's mind was completely different. Moreover, Satoru feels that he has to make amends to Liz. However, it is a different story when it comes to accompanying him on his journey with a magical slave contract.

「If I were to travel with Onii-san, I thought it would be best for me to become a magical slave. I should tell you that both Leia and Rico were against it. But I thought it was the best thing for me to do........I came to this conclusion after thinking it over on my own.」

　Satoru takes a breath. Liz's smarts seem to be second to none. She is only 14 years old, but her penetrating awareness is astonishing. He finally came to the realization that even if she were a magical slave here, he wouldn't necessarily have to have sex with her, but that still doesn't mean that he can't accept Liz easily.

「B-But Liz ...... it's dangerous to be by my side. You might end up like Minerva, who was badly injured.」

　Satoru's mind flashed back to Minerva just before she lost consciousness. Although her appearance had been healed by Leia's 【Regenerative Healing】, her right-wing had been torn off by Satoru's outburst of magical power. Satoru was shocked to see Minerva, who had confidence in her physical strength, limp, and unable to move. Minerva had used her body as a shield to protect Solor and Rico. There was no guarantee that there would be no danger like that in the future. And Minerva's serious injury was something he had brought upon himself.

　Liz bit her lower lip. She removed her hand from Satoru's shirtsleeve, which she was holding, and turned over.

「Hmph......... Okay, then. I'm going to leave this place.」

「What?」

　Satoru can't hide his bewilderment at Liz who simply said so. Liz's eyes were fixed and she spun indifferently.

「If the person my mother asked me to take care of me doesn't accept me, then I have no choice but to leave. I don't want to go back to the village of Ruijs, where I've had such a bad experience for so long, so if I'll go, then I'll go to a human town.」

「I-If that's the case ...... y-yes. I'll send you there￥

「I don't need it. Why should I listen to someone who would ignore my mother's decisive will?」

　Satoru blinked at Liz, who said it so clearly.

　Liz is angry ― I can see that. Is she angry because she refused to accompany me on my journey and join to become a magical slave? No, that's different. Satoru knows it's different, but then why? The answer to that question is not immediate.

「Even Rico told me. She said that "if a half-elf girl like Liz was walking alone, she would be easy prey for slavers". But I don't have a choice.」

　Satoru was flustered by Liz's threatening, snide remark.

「No, no, no, I won't allow that」

「Then what do you want me to do! I can't become Onii-san's slave, and I'm not allowed to go out into human society!? Onii-san is half-assed through everything!!」

　Liz shouted. Liz's words became an intangible spear that pierced Satoru's chest. He could not even catch a single sound of complaint.

　Even if the elves promised to eliminate discrimination, it would not disappear overnight, and even if Liz returned to the World Tree Village, persecution would still await her. The scorn that is thought in the heart is a needle in a haystack just by being out of the public eye. She never wants to experience that pain again.

　On the other hand, if she goes to human society, it is doubtful that she will be able to find an honest job since she has an ordinary soul, not much skill, and no connections. As Rico pointed out, a half-elf girl walking alone would be easy prey for slavers. If that were to happen, Liz would have no human rights or anything else, and her days as a slave would be like hell.

「Not only for me but also for your sister, who is probably waiting for your return to the original world! Everything, everything is half-assed, isn't it, the way Onii-san now!」

　Each of Liz's words, crying out with tears in her eyes again, echoes through his heart like a body blow released by a heavyweight boxer.

　Liz is angry at Satoru for staying half-assed through everything. She is angry that he is irresponsible.

　She doesn't want to go back to the World Tree Village, and she says that if she were to go out into human society, the most likely life that would be waiting for her would be as a slave, and he can't allow that to happen either. So what should she do? She has nowhere to go.

「Onii-chan is going back to where Alice is, aren't you!」

　With a bam, a tremendously powerful blow struck Satoru.

　Liz knows. She knows that she and Alice are similar. Satoru sees in her the image of Alice.

　And she is screaming. Don't run away.

「Then you shouldn't be standing around here like this! Don't make Alice and me cry any, more, ......eh」

　Liz, who had been trying so hard to endure up to this point, finally couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears. Satoru was forced to sit up and hug the girl, her pretty face crumpled. The tears of grief were different from those when Satoru regained consciousness.

「Waahhhhhh!! Mother, mother!!!!」

　Satoru hugged her as much as he could, being careful not to break Liz's thin body, who started to cry.

　Words could not be spoken.

　The girl was definitely being strong. She knows better than anyone that she has nowhere to go. She lost her mother and has no place to stay. Without memories or anything else, Liz still tried her best to cheer Satoru up. It was the only thing she could do for Satoru, who had done so much for her.

　It was probably on purpose that she said such a hateful thing about being captured by slavers and becoming a slave. Of course, she didn't want to. But if she had not said so, Satoru would have half-heartedly tried to save Liz's life. That is no good. It is not good for Liz nor for Satoru.

　Hugging her thin body, Satoru clenched his teeth. He was angry at his own stupidity. This girl was encouraging Satoru even to the point of hurting herself, but what was he doing to her? Because he can feel Liz's thoughts, he marvels at this girl's cleverness, and he is ashamed of himself.

「......I'm sorry」

　Liz, who had been sobbing in an emotional outburst, regained her composure and tried to move away from Satoru with a small murmur. However, Satoru held the girl in his arms and did not let go.

「Onii-san ......?」

　Liz looks at Satoru with her red, swollen eyes up, still small and sobbing.

「It sinks in. ......Liz's words really touched my heart」

　Whispering into Liz's ear, Satoru hugged her again. She was so thin and fragile that she looked as if she would snap if he put too much pressure on her. I am so ashamed of myself for forcing a girl who was left all alone.

「 ...... Whatever you say, it's my responsibility. I will not run away. I don't want to run away.」

　A hot breath was drawn over Satoru's chest. Liz's hug was still on Satoru's chest, and she didn't move even a single muscle. She is simply wrapped in the warmth of Satoru's arms.

　I want to reward this girl.

　I want to protect the girl entrusted to me by her mother.

　―Satoru is determined and declares,

「Liz. Be my magical slave.」

　Liz did not immediately respond to Satoru's gravely proclaimed voice. After a short pause, she gave a small but firm reply.

「......Yes」

　A trembling voice echoed in his chest. Even though it was her own wish, the life of a magical slave is not something to be taken half-heartedly. Is she afraid, Satoru thinks so, too?

「Instead, I will protect you with all my might.」

「Wrong」

「Wrong?」

　He relaxed his arms a little and look at Liz's face as she gives him a response he had not expected. Her face is too much like Alice's ― if Alice grows up like that, she will probably end up like this. The face that anticipated Alice's future is in his heart. The girl looks back into Satoru's eyes and shakes her head a little to the left and right.

「Onii-san has to go back to your real sister and be there for Alice.」

「Khh, ahh......」

　Satoru was deeply moved by her words which were so straightforward.

　Satoru felt something welling up in his chest at the tenderness and strength of Liz, who was still thinking about Satoru even at this point in his life. He rushed to stop it, but it wouldn't stop. A single tear drops from the left corner of his eye.

　Liz, with her eyes swollen from crying, still turned her smile to Satoru.

「I am very happy to hear that Onii-san will protect me. But you must not lose sight of your original purpose. I am sure my mother would not want you to do that.」

「.........」

　What strength...

　Satoru realized that tears were spilling from his other eye as well. Liz in his arms was so thin and unreliable, but he wondered how much strength was hidden in her small body.

　Liz scooped up Satoru's tears with her fingers and smiled at him.

「Don't make Alice cry, Onii-chan」

　―Yeah

　Satoru sighed heavily. You are absolutely right. The most important thing I had to do was not to make Alice cry. The girl who has to make amends is right when she says that.

　Then what is it that I have to do?

　To strive to return to the original world. That is the only way.

「...... All right.」

　After wiping away tears and sniffing, Satoru returned it to Liz. Lies nodded and hugged Satoru herself this time.

「Please protect me until you return to your original world. That's all I ask.」

「Yeah got it.」

　Satoru also softly and gently accepted Liz and agreed.

　He will return to bring a smile back to Alice. For the sake of Liz, who said that he must do so. For Leia, who had always said it was her mission, and for Rico, Minerva, and Solor, who supported him. And for Reine, and above all, for Alice, and for himself.

「So ......, umm, I have a request to ask of you, too.」

　Satoru asks back, patting Liz's head, who rubs her cheek against Satoru's chest but opens her mouth unsurely.

「A request? What is it? I'll listen to it as much as I can.」

　Satoru was on a mission to fulfill any requests other than those that would be an obstacle to his return to his original world and to Alice. It is hard to believe that Liz, who said Satoru must return to the world with Alice, would make a request that would make it impossible for him to do so.

　However, Liz's request really surprised Satoru.

「I could see that Onii-chan was putting your sister's face on mine. So, I know it's difficult, but...」

　After taking a few small breaths, Liz's mouth opens with a will.

「Please hold me properly again.」

　Satoru's heart was shocked as if he had been punched with a gut punch.

　He had intended to answer immediately, but he was at a loss for an answer. It was only natural. He was going to embrace a girl who looked like his sister, even though there was an age gap between them, and who could still be called a girl? And against the girl who he forcibly took her virginity, even if it was to save her life?

　Satoru had a dizzying sensation. It didn't feel like she was joking. Liz is serious.

「.........」

「If you do that, I'll forgive you for forcibly taking my first time.」

　Jokingly, Liz laughed. Satoru's heart ached at the obviously forced smile. No matter what he said, it was true that he had taken this innocent girl's virginity. Liz forgave him for that fact by embracing her properly.

　Satoru was in anguish over what he could do for this earnest girl.

　As Satoru was lost in thought, a soft fragrance tickled his nostrils.

　Satoru's eyes widen.

　Liz put her lips on Satoru's lips. It took only a few moments to count. It was a very slow kiss as if she was pressing down on him. But the softness of her lips is a definite sensation.

　Liz's lips parted and she smiled shyly at Satoru.

「Ehe...... ehehe. It was my first kiss, you know?」

　Satoru's eyes, slightly moistened, caught Satoru's and did not let go. He did not kiss her during the intercourse he had to save her life. Satoru was so moved by Liz's kindness that he could not stop himself from being moved by her.

　Satoru was bewildered, but he was determined. He won't run away. He decided to face this healthy girl head-on.

「Just because you're going to be a magical slave doesn't mean you have to go that far, you know?」

　Liz shook her head from side to side.

「It was my decision. I ask you. Please take my first time properly.」

　I guess that's her way of putting things right.

　Satoru sighed, put his hand on her cheek, and hugged her thin body with his free hand.

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