I’m Not a Hero Like You

115 – 38. You kept your promise.

“Of course we have to leave here.”

On the day of departure.

Asses asked if there was a need to discuss it.

Unlike her usual routine, she was wearing a general-purpose light suit with leather and chains attached to only important parts, and a small gym bag hanging from her straps was pressed close to her back as if she were going to leave at any moment.

“Why?”

I wonder if there was no prior discussion?

At Mines, who seemed to ask an unexpected question, Ases clicked his tongue as if he didn’t know that.

“Anyone who already knows that I stole Kariel should already know, but me and him openly show up together. What do you think the reactions will be?”

“That….”

“Right now, all eyes will be focused on me alone, so I have to use that point. Even if you join later, it’s better not to do it right now. I also have a few places to stop by, so I’ll go find them myself when I have time, so see you then. Well, I don’t know if you’ll be there even then.”

After saying that, Ashes went in the opposite direction to Kariel and Mines, carrying a small load on his shoulder.

I wonder if she was worried about her confidently moving away.

“It will be fine… would you?”

Minnes expressed his feelings in his heart.

Because Mines also wears clothes that are easy to move in, she wears plain brown pants and an undyed linen top.

She put on a short blue cape that reached her waist again over it, and unlike her usual, she continued to look at her body as if it were a little awkward.

“Worry about someone.”

It’s because Kariel and Mines are so special, that’s a disaster by the standards of the world.

How much less can you take care of yourself?

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Thanks to my growing physique, I had a problem putting on the clothes I was wearing when I came here.

Still, the cloak she received from El Hermina was still useful enough because it was of a higher grade among her magic tools.

Actually, aside from that, the lute was the only thing I brought with me when I left the island.

Even the sword she received from Elhermina was now integrated with the sword that Grandeus had arranged.

Bulky and heavy luggage was usefully stored that way.

Just like that.

The two stared at the back of Ases, who was moving away, and then turned to the opposite forest.

The heat is gone, and a cool breeze, albeit faintly, flows in with the refreshing scent of the forest.

If exposed to the sun, the skin will become hot as usual.

Other than that, the weather was perfect for travel, with the wind feeling like it was slowly getting ready to carry the cold energy.

—-

If pruning was not done in the winter, snow would fall and the frozen branches would be blown away by gusts of wind and landed on village roofs or nearby.

In some cases, children and adults passing by were often hit and injured.

So, the branches near the village are planted in advance to serve as firewood.

At this time, it wasn’t just a random pruning.

“Leo. A tree is also a living organism. But can we just throw it away for our convenience?”

“Dad. Are you saying you can’t leave this alone?”

“That’s right. So, we don’t cut off the tree’s hands or arms, we cut its nails.”

“Do trees have nails too?”

“That’s what they say.”

It was explained in an easy-to-understand way for a kid.

“Come up and see.”

Having climbed the tree skillfully, Leo raised the ladder and focused his eyes on the tree pointed at by his father, who had been on top of it.

“What do you see?”

“A tree?”

“… ….”

He pointed to a specific area with his hand.

“Look here.”

“??”

“I cut this place before. But look now how is it? Didn’t the shell take care of itself and cover the surroundings well?”

“Is that so?”

“… Cultivate your powers of observation. It’s your job if I get sick.”

“Because you are a forest keeper, do you do these things? Don’t the other guys help out when they’re busy too?”

“… So no problem like that. No, in words, I will show you.”

Following him down the ladder, Leo also slithered down the tree and headed for the tree on the other side.

“Look here.”

It’s obviously a tree with the same branches.

For some reason, unlike the ones I saw earlier, the eggplant here didn’t cover the cut section.

Is that why?

The pierced area was in poor condition, as if it had been pierced by something.

The man who dared to put his hand into it again and pull it out as if slicing through pieces or fragments.

“If you cut your nails, they grow back, but your fingers don’t. As you can see, this will kill the tree. You get sick.”

“Really?”

“The guy who cut this must have had no ill intentions. But as a result, if I hadn’t taken care of it, it would have quickly rotted away, giving off a stinky, musty smell. Well, it would be nice to have mushrooms, but if it did, everything around would be a mess. However, this is a little less.”

That way.

Leo followed his dad and was able to look around the trees, not knowing what the difference was.

“Mountains collapse when there are too few trees. Then there will be great damage to the village.”

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“Really?”

“When I was young, that’s why some of my neighbors’ houses were covered. Since then, everyone has started building houses some distance from the mountain.”

“Ah.”

If you are close to the mountain, you can go there quickly and bring firewood, but why did you have to go through the trouble of moving your luggage away?

But I thought there must have been a reason for this.

A fire and a house burning down, or a landslide that destroyed a house, were problems that could not be taken lightly.

“But we also have a cabin, right?”

“Are we the only ones using it? We write together.”

That way.

I thought if I had learned this much today, I would have learned a lot.

After a few days, I quickly forget it again.

And learn new things all over again.

It’s different depending on the season.

Every year is different.

Why is there so much to learn and know?

“… ….”

Leo, who suddenly opened his eyes at the sound of the bonfire burning, looked around her with a blank face for a moment as he watched Rui Lin rummage through it with a kindling stick.

“Did you fall asleep?”

“I heard you slept soundly? Are you tired?”

It is quite secluded.

The big thing is over, and she is away from her colleagues for a while….

No, is it just a moment?

“… ….”

“I guess it’s noisy and quiet every day, so I can’t get used to it? It’s been a few days already, but it’s always a strange face.”

“Did it look like that?”

Leo scratched his brown hair.

His black eyes were looking up at the sky that hadn’t yet dawned.

“Should I arrive by today?”

“Yes.”

Ruirin’s silver eyes matched with her mysterious hair reminiscent of her pale light purple color, beautifully shimmering with blooming lights.

Is it because I am not a perfect human?

Even though it’s been quite a while since she accompanied her, her appearance and physique didn’t show that much difference from before.

I’m sure she’s tall, but maybe a handful?

“Then I’ll close my eyes for a while. I plan to get a good rest after arriving anyway, so wake me up as soon as the sun rises.”

“Uh. Thank you for your consideration.”

Rui Lin sits with her unique magic tool cloak wrapped around her like a blanket, and her eyes are closed. Her breathing soon loosens.

“Whoa.”

Even though it is not yet winter, the dawn is still chilly.

Leo, who had once again put on the lined cloak, idly bruised the fire and rummaged through the kindling, adding firewood whenever he was confused.

– It’s been a little over 3 years since you first started traveling in earnest.

“Right.”

The holy sword was crying, so when I grabbed it, I naturally heard its voice.

-A lot of things have happened since you grabbed me, right?

“I will.”

I became a hero unintentionally.

As soon as that happened, I even faced Lord Rueld, the seat of the nine great warriors.

He said that following him would be an option, but Leo was deeply attached to his village and his country, so he humbly refused.

However, the fact that Leo became a hero caused more ripples than expected.

After that, it was very uproar, being called here and there, being swept away in all sorts of dangerous missions and conspiracies.

Still, there were colleagues, and along with them, in the journey of solving various problems and gathering clues to solve the problem Lucy had.

In the end, after a long and long chase, a decision was made separately.

-Do you think she will keep her promise?

“… She was, in a way, a victim.”

In a way, Mines, her enemy? For her resentment, she paid for it herself.

A being who wanted to kill Leo himself.

And the existence that helped make the village that way.

In the end, the demon who escaped from the Edenrevan Regiment and took on evil on their own eventually fell at the hands of Leo and his party.

The various conspiracies and scheming he was proceeding with were all dispelled and frozen from that point on.

“I think the world is complicated.”

-Sounds obvious.

A voice that seems solemn yet kindly comforting.

How long have you been like this?

I can feel a small presence, so let’s turn our gaze to that direction.

“Who is there?”

A man appeared in a frayed leather outfit.

Likewise, holding a bow that doesn’t look very good.

Just.

“Mister Jeban?”

“Huh? Who are you, uncle… Uh, you? Who do you look like? Uh, Leo? Leo, the son of Forest Keeper Jusek, right?”

“… ….”

Leo wondered if this was a dream or real life.

She had a childhood dream of being dragged around by her father in a dream she had just a moment ago.

Now….

“Samurai… Did you?”

“Samurai? It should have been safe. However… How many years have passed without us even knowing? What happened? Why are you so arrogant again? Not answer.”

Jeban who approached like that and sat near the bonfire.

Then Jeban, who had just met Rui Lin’s eyes, was startled.

“What a surprise! No, it’s not even a beast, why is it so faint?!”

“…… Leo. Do you know someone?”

“Uh, uh. That’s right. Therefore….”

Amidst the swirling emotions, Leo realized a feeling that was difficult to describe.

The words do not come out properly.

In the midst of such uplifting emotions.

Leo remembered his promise again.

‘Promise….’

You kept it.

Kariel.

And.

Mines….

Leo remembered clearly.

Inside the frozen house.

He and his family who were lying on a small bed.

But the fact that he opened his eyes like this….

“Oh, my father… How are you? What about the villagers?”

“Father? Villager? Wasn’t Daddy before that? Why is the way you say it so bad? Not your age.”

“… Under… under.”

Leo inadvertently looked at Ruirin.

She was openly showing her condescension, as if she expected everything, even though it couldn’t be.

“While you were asleep, many things happened.”

You know what?

“Because I became a hero?”

Then, everyone immediately protested.

“Let’s play the ball as well as possible. What is a mountain boy a warrior? Did the rabbit eat the dragon?”

“Uh, that….”

It’s true.

Laughing yet embarrassing, somehow sad yet happy.

Whatever.

It was really difficult to describe in words.

It was just nice.