CH 14

「………」

“You’re not going to answer me? … I’m sorry, I’m in a hurry because I need to prepare dinner for the children.”

“……what?”

I slash the second person’s neck.

As I brush off the blood on my sword, I look back and see a man lying on the ground, dressed the same as the two whose heads I had just cut off.

I can’t tell if it’s a man or a woman because he hasn’t spoken yet.

“Body… move… what…”

From the voice, I’d say he’s a man…well, either way.

“It’s a restraint bind. Sorry, I didn’t have time to waste, so I had to restrain the two guys on top of the building as well. Surprising? I’m pretty good at magic. Now, answer me quickly.”

“Magic… when did this happen?”

“Time is up”

I cut off the head of the third person.

I ran as fast as I could through the streets of Bastok to the hut where Iska and the others lived. After all, none of the men in those robes and masks identified themselves as greedy spiders.

Of course, I’ve declared that I’ll make them suffer if they name themselves.

So if you don’t want to tell me your name, that’s the answer. …I’m afraid your question time is too short.

If they’re greedy spiders, I’m worried about the safety of Iska and the others, I don’t have time for this.

If anything happens to those kids……

The hut where Iska and his family live comes into view.

Ariamel started preparing food outside the hut, and Nina was sitting next to her holding a doll. … Good, you’re safe.

But on the way there, there were men peeking out from the shadows at the hut where Iska and the others were living. …They were the ones who were among the thugs the other day.

“Hey”

“…?! You”

“You ignored my warnings, didn’t you? And you have the nerve to spy on my daughter. You failed earlier… if you want an easy death, tell me where your friends are, let’s do this.”

I shouldn’t have left the roots of trouble in my life with those children, I should have done this from the beginning.

No peeking, ever.

“Ah, Gray-san… um, welcome home.”

“Hey, Oto-san! Welcome home!”

Ariamel looked a little embarrassed when she saw me, and Nina greeted me with a big smile.

“… Oh, I’m home.”

The thugs from earlier are still alive, though they are restrained so they can’t move.

If they lie about the whereabouts of their friends, they need to be punished.

Tonight, while Nina and the others are sleeping, I will take care of them.

Tomorrow I have to greet the innkeeper’s father and his daughter, Lina, because they have taken care of me for a long time. Thinking back, I’ve been using that inn since I started my solo business in this town, so it’s been a long time. The first time I stayed there, Lina was still small and scared when she saw my face. ……

“Father”

“What’s wrong?”

When Nina called me and I looked over, I saw Nina with her arms outstretched, smiling at me.

“Hug”

She said,

Exhales

……Ku, calm down me.

“…Oto-san?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Come on.”

I pick up Nina who looks at me anxiously.

Nina looks happy as she hugs me with all her strength, and Ariamel watches after her gently.

“Sister Aria, is there anything I can do to help…oh, Gray-san?”

When I do that, Iska and the others come out of the hut.

“Papa, no fair. Me too.”

When Stella came out of the hut, she came up to me and urged me to pick her up, so I picked up Nina with my right hand and Stella with my left.

I told the envious Ratz to take a turn and wait a bit, and he nodded his head.

Ah, that’s right… I have to tell everyone that I’ve found a house.

“Come to think of it, I saw a new house today. I still have some formalities to go through, so the day after tomorrow I’ll buy everyone’s clothes and then we can go together.”

I guess I was a little carried away at the time.

I was completely oblivious to the other unsettling aspects of my new life as a “War maiden”.