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Young Lady, Informing the youth of her shackles
The moment she heard those words, Latina’s body jumped in shock.
The spoon falls, making a loud clank. It was rare that she was being this ill-mannered.
“….? Latina?”
“….”
She had stopped moving completely as she looked straight down.
She didn’t even answer Dale’s inquiry. He was unable to pinpoint to source of her sudden change in behaviour.
“What’s wrong?”
“….It’s nothing. I’m alright”
At the repeated question, Latina patches up her expression and picked up her spoon again. She quietly resumes eating just like that.
Until the end of that meal, Latina did not say another word
Borrowing a corner of the living room, and even when she was preparing to sleep, Latina was quiet. It couldn’t be described as a comfortable bed but, having a place to rest without worrying about the weather or predators is already quite good after camping outside.
Latina wrapped herself inside her blanket, and lean her head on Dale’s back. Pressing her forehead against it.
“Are you alright Latina?”
“…Latina, is alright”
Dale sighs towards the words she had already said before.
This girl really has a lot of patience, she doesn’t even try to voice her complaints.
Twisting his body around to face Latina, he hugs her, blanket and all. Softly patting against her back as if soothing her as he lies down across from her.
“Dale?”
Dale pulls up his own blanket as he smiles. He could feel that she was relieved just by being by his side. Dale has accepted this repeatedly.
If that was case, it would be good if he could become an existence that could support her when she was anxious.
Maybe that thought of his was transmitted to her as Latina closed her eyes within Dale’s arms and muttered.
“Dale…will you stay with Latina?”
“Yes”
“If that’s the case then. ….Latina, is really alright”
While he was watching as she starts to fall asleep, light breathing exhaling out, Dale was thinking of the reasons as to why Latina was scared.
Her tightly grabbing onto his shirt as she slept was something she used to do quite often when they had first met. It’s probably because something worrying has showed up.
Recently Latina has been spoiled, and even if she asked to sleep next to him, she wouldn’t hug onto him like this, looking so anxious.
“Vanafusegi….”
The reason Latina got all strange was the instant his god’s name was mentioned.
(Then…. Could it be that…. The reason why Latina was chased out of her hometown….)
In Kroix there wasn’t a shrine for 『Vanafusegi』.
That is because the fact that shrines were originally establishments managed by those with 『Divine Protection』. The 『Divine Protection』 of 『Vanafusegi』 rarely appear among the 『Human Race』. In a Human town such as Kroix, there is no reason for a shrine like that to exist there. Faith among human was thin as well. There were few opportunities to convey their blessings, and thus it inevitably tends to have a lesser impression compared with the other gods.
However, it wasn’t like that for the 『Other races』.
The 『Divine Protection』 of 『Vanafusegi』 is the unique ability to be able to take a peek at the future. The strength of the divine protection is determined by the difference of 『what can be seen』.
Nevertheless, those who are capable of investigating the 『Weather』 or 『Disasters』 beforehand are, you wouldn’t be able to think about how important it is as a method to protect themselves for the 『Other races』 who are originally few in number.
The words coming from the priests of 『Vanafusegi』 are critical.
And probably much more so than the other 『Gods』 for 『those other races』.
Even if he knew that, it wasn’t like he could say anything.
“…A person’s future, you know, can only be vaguely predicted, even for high-ranking priests.”
He gently strokes her back over and over again.
“Based on how the explanations are done, they should be able to interpret it as many times as they want…. I wonder why, those people in your hometown, decided your fate based on such a vague thing….”
Within Dale’s mutterings, contained a touch of pain and loneliness but, in the stillness during the dead of the night, there was no one to hear him.
“Take care”
“Wait for the good news”
Setting out early in the morning, mist still in the air, next to Dale who Josef was seeing off, was Latina, tightly grasping onto Dale.
It was still much earlier than when she would normally wake up but, when Dale had just woken up, Latina had also jumped up in panic, and woke up as well.
Dale smiled bitterly but, without saying anything, he merely gently pat her.
Seeing the wheat porridge that Wuute had prepared for breakfast, Latina’s eyes would normally sparkle at the cuisine that she normally wouldn’t see at Kroix. Despite that, she went through her meal quietly and dull.
As if she is trying to hide from something. Quietly holding her breath as if she was trying not to be found, as if she was trying to let something scary pass by.
“Atiaa? Aichi?”
What changed the mood, was the innocent smile of the young girl.
Holding out the spoon towards Latina, with a wide smile on her face. Sadly, half the contents of the spoon, due to her shaky movements, ended up spilling over and falling but, it didn’t seem like Maaya cared.
“…Maaya-chan. Un, it’s yummy”
When Latina once again smiled as if she was hiding something, Maaya looked confused. Which then changed to sadness.
“Atiaa, ouchie, ouchie?”
“!?”
The same moment Latina made a surprised looking face, Maaya crunched up her face and started crying.
“Ouchie? Fuee, ee, ee…”
“Maaya-chan?”
“Uweeeeeaaaaa!”
Latina’s fright, changed over to the sudden outburst of Maaya. The sight of Latina all shaken up was something new for Dale.
“Eh? Maaya-chan…. What’s wrong?”
“It’s because little kids are very sensitive to the emotions of those around them, you see”
Wuute carries up Maaya in a familiar manner and started to comfort the wailings of her child. Befuddled, Latina smiled slightly awkwardly.
“Latina-chan too, it’s better to let it all out when you need to. Whether it’s through the painful, tough, or scary moments, ok? After all, it’s fine for children to rely on adults for that sort of thing”
Latina who had been in a daze, shakes with different emotions.
Her large eyes well up, after a short moment, large teardrops overflow as if she couldn’t hold it back anymore.
“! Uwahhh, ahh…..”
Dale silently stands next to her, and as he strokes her head several times like he normally does, Latina starts sobbing loudly as she hugs him.
For a short while, the crying voices of the two girls were all that resounded.
Once Maaya stopped crying, she immediately returned back to normal and finished her breakfast, which had ended up cold, without a care.
As expected, it seems it wasn’t as easy for Latina, who was now sipping on the herbal tea that Wuute had poured for her with a sniffling face.
“….I’m sorry. Thank you very much.”
“It’s fine. Although I’m not quite sure what Latina-chan is scared of, isn’t it better to feel refreshed after having a good cry about it for once? You’re still so young. You don’t have to push yourself too much”
Dale has a hard time reading the expressions of the Beastman but, judging from the tone of her voice, he was sure Wuute was smiling.
“Wuute-san…..I’m sorry….”
“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s a child’s job to cause trouble after all”
She says towards Latina as well.
Although Dale couldn’t tell the appearances of the Beastman, he thought from the bottom of his heart that, Josef had really married a nice person…..
“Dale….”
“Hn?”
“Latina, you know, is scared”
“….I see”
The few short words that she leaks out, Dale merely quietly accepts.
“Latina…. Is a bad girl they say, so that’s why, they say Latina can’t return back to where Latina was born… That’s what they prophesied about Latina….”
“Latina….”
“Latina’s family, you know, said that was wrong. That Latina, wasn’t bad. ….But you know, you know. It’s because of Latina that Rag had died. It’s because he was together with Latina…. *sniffle*”
With her eyes, moist once again, she faces Dale, and yet Latina continued speaking.
“It’s just as 『Prophesied』. Latina is surely, a bad girl.”
“….Latina, do you remember the contents of the 『Prophecy』?”
At Dale’s question, she thought for a while before shaking lightly.
“I don’t know… everyone said a lot of things about me…. So it was really scary….”
“I see. ….Your family said that Latina wasn’t 『bad』 right?”
“Un”
Dale smiles and puts his forehead against Latina’s. Reflected in Latina’s surprised grey pupils was him, with an expression full of love that he didn’t even notice.
“『The words of god』 are troubling for people. Especially those high-ranking 『Prophecies』 that attempt to read a person’s fate. Which is why Latina’s family, saying that 『Latina isn’t a bad girl』 are probably the ones who are right”
“Eh….?”
“At the very least, your family wasn’t taken by the words of the 『Prophecy』. The 『words』 weren’t completely stating that Latina is bad as a fact.”
Latina seemed genuinely astonished at Dale’s words. Such a possibility had never come into her mind until now.
“Dale….”
“I think that most likely, I know more about 『Divine Protections』 than you…. Latina, you don’t have a 『Divine Protection』 right?”
“Un”
“…I have a 『Divine Protection』. Although it’s not one of Vanafusegi’s. ….However I know very well what kind of thing a 『Divine Protection』 is.”
Staring at Dale, Latina smiles shyly.
“Dale is like a god… Dale, always comes to help me. Giving me so many things that I want….If the one who let me meet Dale was 『God』 then, I guess, Latina has nothing to be afraid of…..”
— Even though he has a 『Divine Protection』, even though he doesn’t have much faith, he would sometimes pray.
So that this girl can be happy, so that she can be healthy.
If it was the guidance of 『God』 who let him meet this girl then he would pray.