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c92: Interlude　Ossan
My name is Nicole.
An unnoteworthy adventurer.
I ended up completely settling down in this town ever since that Shion’s birth, I’ve been in the town of Rinal for almost 20 years but, I haven’t lost my boiling blood as adventurer.
「Nuoooooooo」
Putting a towel on my shoulder on this day as well, I earnestly engage in practice while wiping my flying sweat.
An adventurer’s capital is their body, negligence will not be tolerated――!
「――You! Haven’t I told you to stop shouting when you’re splitting firewood!! Think of the neighborhood disturbance already!!」
「O, ou……」
……Fui～～.
An angry voice rang across the lawn from within the house.
tTaku, kaa-chan’s rebuke is what resounded through the surroundings the most by far.
While leaking idle complaints within my heart, I set about continuing my work.
After first lightly striking with my axe and biting it into the firewood, that’s swung down at a stump.
The firewood split while ringing with a slightly satisfying sound.
This work becomes rather good training.
If one was a soldier it wouldn’t be bad to do this continuously.
「However, girls who can’t hold a trifling axe are something that’re in this world I suppose.」
I thought back to the silver colored girl who became a new family member.
Watching Shion split it easily with one hand, her face became something pure red.
Alice-chan challenged firewood splitting countless times and countless times again so, that wasn’t a pretense but real wasn’t it.
According to the person in question, her abdomen has no power in it.
Back muscles also lack power.
If pulled up her arms would come off……or something or other?
Trying to think seriously about myself and other such things, that scenery was pleasant, that.
「Yossh, today’s norma cleared.」
After splitting one more with a strike, I gathered the firewood together and bundled it.
「Ou kaa-chan! I’m going out to work for a bit!」
「Hai hai, you’re going to a bar right? Don’t cause trouble for others alright.」
「He, obviously.」
It feels good scooping water from the well and putting it over the head!
Since it’s after a job it’s exceptional!
「……Ah? No, kaa-chan it’s not a bar you know! It’s work you know!?」
「Hai hai.」
「You don’t believe me!?」
Men always have to endure the ridiculous and such don’t they.
This level of dishonor or such, isn’t anything at all……
「Nee, mama! why did that person, cover himself with water while naked on the lawn!?」
「It’s because he’s Adele-san’s house’s danna-san.」
「He～, so that’s what it was～」
Ooto daughter-chan, is this town still shallow?
A parent and child were walking by so, I pleasantly greeted them.
They cheerfully waved back.
But I’m not naked but wrapped in the latest fashion of eastern style local specialty, fundoshi I say?
Come look closely okay?
This constricting and tight ass functionality is something like an irresistible masterpiece isn’t it.
Does daughter-chan still not understand?
The bar before noon still has its doing preparations sign hanging off it.
I violently force the fittingly worn down for this rural town store’s door open.
Doing that a skinhead oyaji polishing a glass at the inner counter turned toward me with good vigor.
「Oraaa! Haven’t I tooold you to open the door nicely! Do ya want to see that world!?」
The skinhead shopkeeper, is my old friend Fred.
tTaku, noisy isn’t he.
As always he has good vigor.
「It’s me me, just a bit and go ru va――tsu!?」
A frypan came flying into my face……!
Along with a bizarre voice even for me, I tasted a fluid that was familiar from my adventures flowing into my mouth.
That flowed into my stomach and, the blood throughout my body seethed.
「――Ah?」
「――Oh?」
Kicking away the frypan that fell on the floor, my face approached and glared up at the skinhead sitting at the other side of the counter.
Fred glared back with his eyebrows strongly raised.
「You……?」
「Whaz, that?」
「I said……it’s me riiiiiiiight!!?」
Giving him a full body right straight, he received that palm from the front.
「Like I know, fooooool! Like it’s me it’s me will paaass!!」
The opponent’s right punch counterattack, is received in the same way.
Opening our clutched fists together to grapple, we moved on in that manner to a test of power.
「Uuruaaaaaa!!」
「Douruaaaaaa!!」
My upper arm muscles trained up by my habits twitched and pulsed.
However that guy is, quite the ruffian so comparing our strength it was a whole 5 points.
As always you really went and did it, Fred you!
「Besides which I’ve always been unable to like you! I thought you’d wandered into town and then you went and stole Adele-san!」
「Like I’d know! This is also fate I’m sure, you’re in the wrong for not keeping it together!」
Besides which over here there’s also various stuff with kaa-chan!
「On top of that Shion-chan is beautiful and openhearted unlike you so, that’s another good woman!」
「Just what sort of thing, is unlike me!!」
She’s my beloved daughter ya get it!
「Without being satisfied with just that, this time that silver colored……I absolutely won’t forgive, having just you represent this town’s men! Absolutely!!」
「Like I’d need your forgiveness, baldy!!」
「Haa!?」
As an adult I couldn’t neglect Alice-chan you get it!
If she’s treated coldly in the town where she arrived at after being driven out of her village with no idea where to go, won’t she grow to hate humanity!
「I’m not bald!! It’s shaved!」
「It’s fine either way, baldy!」
「Want to be plucked!?」
「――You’re being noisy!! You idiots!!」
「Itee!?」
「Ugaa!?」
Our heads were struck with a frypan by, Fred’s wife who had come out from within the store.
Both of us held our heads in unison while dropping from agony.
「Really men will always be idiots. Even though there’s still things to do for the town’s reconstruction too, so don’t make a commotion in this sort of place.」
A cheerful woman with a lively personality on par with kaa-chan and, peculiar red curly hair.
That is Eleanor-chan and Teo-bou’s mother, Fred’s wife.
Good woman isn’t she, if I say that to Adele or Shion or such I’d be punished right?
I guess I’ll defer to the wife here.
「Tee, oi, is the meeting yet Fred.」
「Ke, it seems like he just arrived.」
Fred jerked his chin and, a youngster stood at the entrance bowing.
From his attire I know that he’s a knight.
「I am the kingdom knight Rick! I look forward to working with you!」
A painfully rigid person I suppose.
「Ou nii-chan, ma, let’s take it easy.」
As such for the medicinal herb collection mission, with the 3 people of I and Fred and this kingdom knight we turned to the matter of departure.
From medicine for illness to medicine for injuries, the demand for medicinal herbs as materials is high.
With Rinal partway through reconstruction these are vital goods.
It would be fine to harvest these medicinal herbs near town but, the difficult point is that it can’t be done so simply.
If experienced adventurers don’t form a party and set out to collect them they’ll often be obtained in dangerous regions.
That is the area tinged with magic power that strengthens monsters.
To say that that’s near Rinal, it’s in the vicinity of the entrance to the deep green forest.
「Fuu, since if we go until we’re deep in then certainly no amount of lives would be enough right.」
Alice-chan is a half elf.
Possibly, she came from deep within this deep green forest then.
「Nicole-san and Fred-san as well, you’re strong aren’t you! I can’t lose here!」
This kingdom knight called Rick, well mannered, good child isn’t he.
He’s also flawlessly completed the battles since before.
Even though he’s young he’s quite something.
Even though for someone like a knight to come for such a rural guild’s support request, the majority would be sulking you know.
「Has it been long since Rick-kun became a knight?」
「No! It was just recently! I’m still learning you see……」
He’s scratching his head as if he’s embarrassed but, even if he says he’s still learning the examination is strict.
I assume he put in considerable effort.
「I was just a soldier before but, after I obtained an objective, enough motivation to surprise even myself welled out.」
「Isn’t that a good thing, what objective is that?」
「Hai, it is to aid Fairy of Silver Lightning-sama!」
Fairy of Silver Lightning?
That’s a name that’s become famous in the kingdom lately isn’t it.
「What’s with, that bizarre name? Is she a princess-sama?」
「No! She’s different from princess-denka! I do revere princess-denka of course but, that great one……is lovely.」
「Hahaa, hey nii-chan, have you fallen for that kid?」
「While it is embarrassing……」
Oi oi a youth’s love story is miserable isn’t it.
「Ou Fred, youth is great isn’t it.」
「Funn, I’m still not old enough to carry such a sentiment.」
「Hehe, you talk big while balding.」
「I’m not balding!!」
We went to collect medicinal herbs while we talked.
The monsters were tough but Fred and also Rick-kun fought them reliably so, we secured materials smoothly.
We ran our horses into the forest first thing after noon, since it’d be shoddy if we don’t leave here before the sun sinks.
「Being liked by a reliable kid like Rick-kun, wouldn’t that child also rejoice.」
「No, but since I’ve already been turned down once……」
That serious face expressed a sad seeming smile and, Rick-kun murmured.
「So that’s how it went then, is that child popular?」
「That is already, something impressive!」
The likes of Fairy of Silver Lightning is called by an exaggerated name, almost like a famous dancer.
As I held such an impression, the youth looking at his dream with sparkling eyes spoke up about 『Fairy of Silver Lightning』.
「It’s to the point where there’s no one in the royal capital who doesn’t know of that girl. Dashing through the battlefield without even a single injury, she struck down a dragon. That form was almost like a legendary valkyrie. Furthermore, that kindhearted girl donated a massive sum to the church and, I hear that she took in orphans with nowhere to go and employed them. Beyond that, she innocently spreads her smile by, walking about the streets without putting on airs. I have also had an encounter with her in town……my heart was stolen.」
Isn’t the girl Rick-boy speaks of actually being a little too embellished?
「I wish for that girl’s happiness but, if possible……I really do want to stand at her side――――Alice-sama.」
「――A?」
Alice……?
Fairy of, Silver Lightning?
Silver?
Lightning?
……Oi oi, that can’t be.
「Tha, that child……did you call her Alice-chan?」
「Haii! She’s exceedingly lovely……a girl among girls.」
「With silver hair?」
「And amber eyes.」
「Breast is reserved?」
「But, it’s fine that way.」
「Don’t you understand her well, Rick-kun.」
Alice-chan’s loveliness, her ephemeralness is precisely because of that body shape!
「I, once even I feel that I’ve developed, I think I’ll confess one more time!」
「Gahahaa.」
「Hahaa, it’s embarrassing isn’t it, as expected.」
Smiling together for a while, I put a hand on Rick-kun’s shoulder.
「――Oi, lad, I’m not handing over――Alice-chan!!」
「Eh, eeh!?」
I have to discipline that diligent shitty lad looking at his dream.
If I don’t then he’ll make a pass at Alice-chan without learning his lesson――I can’t let a mistake happen!
「Alice-chan is you see, sheeeeee’ss mine!!」
「Eeh!??」
Putting power in as if to say I’d dislocate his shoulder, the shitty lad became teary eyed and began to struggle.
Han, there’s no way my discipline would end at this level right?
I’ll firmly engrave this, terror into this guy!
「Behind you! Behind you!! A monster is!?」
「Han, Nicole-sama won’t be deceived by such a visibly transparent lie?」
Kids these days can’t be allowed to try to deceive adults with that sort of simple method.
「――Fight already, you fundoshi father!!」
「Are you mocking my fundoshi!? Aah!?」
Turning around at Fred’s angry voice, that Fred was partway through fighting with monsters――
Chi, guess there’s no time for discipline!
With that I released the lad for the moment and, we focused on countless battles.
That night, having somehow secured a bundle with an amount of medicinal herbs and returned to town we dispersed after reporting to the guild.
Rick-kun to the lodging facility provided by the guild, Fred went back to the bar.
And so I’m grumbling on the bed in my house’s bedroom.
「Ow ow ow, it’s not the case that I let my guard down but well……」
The monsters are strong even at the entrance to the deep green forest.
But since medicinal herbs are valuable, this work kinda has to be done for the town’s sake.
Since at any rate medicinal herbs are valuable whatever town it is, they’re too expensive to buy.
If we hand out the reconstruction funds entrusted to us by Alice-chan and, Shion it’ll dwindle away in moments.
If that isn’t used carefully in that way then well.
Be that as it may……
「Te te, shitーI also haven’t aged have I.」
It’s pathetic.
「――Well said, if you can do that much absurd stuff, you’re still active.」
「Kaa-chan……」
Adele came into the bedroom with a bucket containing water and a towel prepared.
「Sa, I’ll put medicine on it so change out your bandages.」
「Do, don’t say something stupid! This injury came from going to collect……that precious medicine, something like using that is putting our priorities backward. This’ll heal once it’s endured for a bit.」
「Hai hai, injured people be quiet alright.」
「Oww!」
My back wrapped in bandages is struck by Adele as she closes in with a smile.
She does absurd things……
Adele smiled and, sat on the chair beside the bed.
From there she removed my bandages without my yes or no and, rubbed my body clean.
「Something like getting an injury on my back, isn’t acceptable even for an unnoteworthy adventurer is it.」
「……He, a man’s medals just increased again.」
It’s actually fairly painful but, I act as if it’s nothing at all as well as I can.
「Since way back when you’ve been, really idiotic haven’t you.」
Adele leaked a somehow nostalgic seeming smile.
「Why, abruptly bring this up.」
「Back when, when a woman who didn’t fight entered the forest to harvest medicinal herbs, the one who got badly hurt was only you.」
「……Saa, did that sort of thing happen?」
Rather than my back hurting, it’s becoming miserable.
「Fufu, actually a young knight kid came to visit a bit ago didn’t he? That you covered for him, that he was undeveloped, he went off with his head hung as he was really regretful.」
That lad……
「……Really you know, men aren’t beings that drop their head easily.」
「Isn’t he an honest good kid.」
Ma, that won’t be denied I suppose.
Having finished rubbing my body Adele, spread medicine on my injured back.
「……Even though we took so much trouble to harvest it, what a waste.」
It’s not the case that I went to harvest it so as to use it on myself after all.
「Don’t say something stupid alright. Medicine exists, for times like this you know.」
「I don’t need it you know.」
「Hai hai.」
Chi, I’m not a match for kaa-chan I suppose.
She spread the medicine as if she were kindly stroking my back and, rewrapped new bandages.
「If Alice-chan were here, I’d have her heal it immediately though I suppose.」
「Aren’t you embarrassed to rely on a child.」
「What are you saying, Shion and, Alice-chan as well, aren’t they our extremely well made prided family.」
「……No mistake there.」
In fact Shion was too good a child for us.
That person became strong.
Alice-chan also……from what I heard in our conversation it seems she’s become something incredible.
Possibly, Shion is a sort of person like she had god’s direction so as to protect Alice-chan isn’t she?
「Or like well, I’m going a little too far as a doting parent I guess.」
「That can’t be helped, since I also love and hold pride in those two and can’t help it you know.」
「Ou, with those two together it can’t be helped can it.」
「That’s right isn’t it.」
I had my bandages rewrapped and, was assaulted by drowsiness.
「……Will those guys, come back again?」
「They’ll surely come back, since they’ve inherited a dream right.」
「He, that’s a curse.」
「It’s not a curse, it has become hope you know.」
「I guess it’s fine if it’s like that though.」
「Fufu, you’re always worrying about other people, you. Rest easy for now okay.」
Adele gave me a smile and, I noticed a relieving drop on my shoulder’s burden.
「Disposition is it……」
I answered in a trance.
「――I know.」
At Adele’s voice, I fell asleep with a sense of security.
That day, within a dream I was able to see the forms of my daughter and silver girl smiling together while seeming happy.
If they’ve gone and made their way energetically somewhere, it’s fine with just that.
Shion, don’t push yourself too much okay?
Alice-chan, take care of your body okay?
Really, when did it become such that my concerns never run out――