I was on top of a pile of burlap bags, looking around.
āI love horses. Iām starting to wish I had a carriage.ā
A long mane, a well-groomed mane.
Long, sturdy legs.
In a previous life, I only saw them at horse races when I happened to be turning on a random channel on TV.
At the time, I just wanted to eat horse sashimi, but once I saw it in person, I found myself yearning for it.
In the next life, I might want a horse.
As I was gazing at the horse, something hit me on the back.
I turned around and saw Mea grabbing a burlap sack in both hands.
Maybe she threw the burlap sack at me.
Itās about time for James to cry.
āThose hair and eyes, youāre a Marren, arenāt you? What are you doing there?ā
āUm ā¦ well, Iāve run away from home. Itās just that our customs and values donāt quite mesh.ā
āEh, youāre the same as Mea. Mea also runaway.ā
āWhat, I thought you and James-san have been traveling together the whole time?ā
I didnāt expect to make a runaway friend along the way.
Maybe thereās a runaway boom going on around here.
āNo, no, it was only a week or so ago that Mea met with James-san. He happened to be in Meaās village, so I just cried to him and asked him to take me away.ā
Mea replied, shaking the burlap bag in her hand.
Itās time to get that off your hand. Youāre not going to throw it at me, are you?
āI guess the village customs donāt suit you after all?ā
āHmm, how do I say this? Look, here.ā
Mea lowered the burlap bag in her right hand and indicated her own forehead with her finger.
āApparently, not having a magic crystal on Meaās forehead, although Mea is born from the Doom tribe.ā
I remember.
Doom clan, Iāve read about them in books.
Their traits are that they have two horns and a crystal on their forehead.
Their nature is extremely nasty, the books said, and they have high magic, belligerent and cruel, and do not know how to hold back.
In other words, they were curious and in good shape.
In the book, it was written that they have a bad impression, but that was probably because the Doom people were trying to invade the royal capital at the time it was written in the book.
Five hundred years ago, the Doom tribe fearlessly declared war before attempting to assault the royal capital with a small group of men, and on the way, It is believed that the guy at the topās head was taken off and the commotion died down safely.
In short, heās an asshole whoās on a roll. Maybe thatās the perception, Iām sure of it.
It was hard to remember what species they were, but the lack of magic crystals on their foreheads made their features match because it wasnāt there.
āSo where did you put the thing that was supposed to be on your forehead?ā
āMy mother fell down while she was pregnant and thatās probably when it came off.ā
āIt can get off with just that?!ā
āRather easily. Itās as easy to remove as a pressure ulcer. Itās the pride of the Doom tribe, though, and no one voluntarily removes it. Once itās removed, it never grows back. Itās like Mea was born with her pride stolen from her.ā
I thought it was a joke, but her face is serious.
I donāt know what it is, but the crystals on the forehead of the Doom tribe seem to be like kuwai.
Itās not like it doesnāt matter because it was there, and itās easy to remove, but itās kind of a bad omen.
āBecause of that, well, Mea has fairly received a rude treatment. Itās better if it was only from other places, but my father, mother, and brother all called me āstonelessā. I just want to tell her that youāre the one that gave birth to me!ā
As she says it, Mea hits the burlap bag in her hand with her fist.
A bobbing sound can be heard.
Hey, James-san, please stop this girl.
The burlap bag will be ripped off sooner or later.
āā¦ā¦ā¦So you decided to roll into Jameās wagon as he passed by and escape?ā
āThatās about it. I think the timing of Meaās birth was a little bad, and if I stays here too long, Iāll be in trouble. So I grabbed my motherās savings and ran off with it.ā
Mea fingers a sachet from under her feet. That seems to be his motherās savings.
Sheās an aloof girl for a girl who was harassed by the whole village since she was born.
āā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā
The person in question doesnāt seem to care too much about it, but after all, sheās a bit concerned about it.
What can I say in return?
At least at this point in time, āI was almost forced to marry my sister, and when I ran away from her, she destroyed my vehicle.ā I donāt feel like I can say.
Iām starting to feel small.
Mea scratches her head with a plop.
āā¦ā¦ā¦Hmm, itās kind of a heavy feeling. Itās all over now, itās over. From now on, Mea has decided that sheās going to use her motherās savings to play hard to get in the city, so itās rather a bright story.
Mea throws the burlap bag in her hand over to me.
I canāt just avoid it, so I caught it with my hand.
āHere, here! Go ahead and throw it back at me.ā
I hesitated a bit, but maybe it was Meaās way of thinking about dispelling the heavy air.
Iāll go with her.
I threw back the burlap bag.
āWhoa, nice ball. By the way, why did Abel run away from home?ā
Mea throws again.
I catched it and throws it back. This is getting a little fun.
āNo, well, thatās why itās a value proposition.ā
I catched the burlap bag that was thrown at me again.
Just as I was about to throw it back, the next burlap bag flew at me again.
I hold out my hand and add my magic power, killing the momentum of the burlap bag and dropping it in front of me.
āWell, if you donāt want to say it, it canāt be helped. Iāve heard the Marren tribe canāt leave the village alone unless thereās a good reason.ā
The speed of the burlap bag Mea was throwing at me gradually increased.
I manage to kill the momentum with my magic and drop it in front of me.
āWhat, do my people look so introverted to other people?ā
āNo, the Marrenās are basically thin-skinned and unadaptable, so if you leave the settlement alone. It was rumored that youāll be homesick and the worst thing that could happen to you was that you would die.ā
āWhat?ā
Are you susceptible to colds and homesickness?
Arenāt the Marrenās a bit weak in mind and body?
āThereās a gap!ā
While I was confused, Mea swung at me and threw a burlap bag at me.
āAh! Thatās not fair, waitā¦ā
The burlap bag hit me in the face and went flying backward.
It was plainly painful.
āYou did it. Itās war from here on out. Youāre going to have to make me do it for real, okay?ā
I take out my staff from my pocket.
Iām confident that if I use wind magic, I can hit 300 kilometers per hour with a burlap bag.
āPlease, please. I hope so.ā
The wagon came to a halt.
James-san was looking back at me with cold eyes.
I-, Iām sorry, I was getting a little carried away.
Iāll go get it now.
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