Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no “Kokoro”

Heyy, PolterGlast here

I want to say Thank You to Tuan for the coffeeYour support is very much appreciated

And here is a new chapter for you

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Ena guided them to a corner of the commercial district. As merchants from various countries gathered at the place, there were inns here and there so they could rest, and there were various inns from luxury inns for large merchants to cheap inns for the poor such as porters.

The inn, where Nozomu was brought in, was an inn with a sign called "Ushitotei" (Ox Head Pavillion). The first floor is a place to eat, and the second floor seems to be rooms for staying.

"This is the inn "Ushitotei" that we are running."

Ena says so and disappears toward the entrance of the inn. Nozomu followed her, and a wide-physique aunt with an apron greeted them.

"Oh, welcome home Ena-chan. Did you find Maru-boy?"

"I'm home, Hannah-san. I scolded him properly because he was disturbing others. Oh, and this person is the one that my brother made uncomfortable with

"A, I see. I'm sorry for the trouble caused by this foolish boy. Wait a minute, let us treat you as an apology, it's on the house."

"No, It's okay. I don't really care about that, and she already apologized properly, so I don't mind anymore."

"I'm glad. Then enjoy your time here. Come on! What are you doing !! Disturbing people again !! Come here for a moment !!"

"Aw aw aw !! Let me go !! Hey !!"

Hannah grabbed Mars's ears and disappeared into the kitchen, then, "Goi-n", a sound of a pot hitting someone's head rang throughout the inn.

After a while, Hannah came back with a tray. Bread and brown meat are on the plate of the tray. And salad is also served.

"Here it is. It's a dish that Ushitotei is proud of, a platter of rabbit steak and salad. This is an apology for what that foolish boy caused, free of charge."

Having said that, Hannah placed the food in front of Nozomu. The aroma of the meat and the overflowing gravy stimulates Nozomu's appetite. The time is already lunchtime. Nozomu himself felt hungry.

Hannah urges Nozomu "just eat it already", so he reaches for the dish she prepared for him.

Digger Rabbits are rabbits that live in the forests and grasslands around here, and as the name suggests, they lived by digging holes in the ground and were mainly hunted for food.

The steak of the Digger Rabbit is soft because it is prepared well and then cooked, and it has a nice scent of sake or what it was baked with, and the gravy is abundant, so the food went on by itself.

The salad and bread that had been prepared also went well with the meat, and it seemed like he could eat his heart out by dipping them in the gravy.

"Thank you for the food. It was really delicious!"

When Nozomu, who had finished eating in a blink of an eye, thanked them, Hannah and Ena also laughed with happy faces. 

"No, it's okay! Don't worry. This was for the nuisance. And I wonder if I made it tasted so good."

"That's right. Originally, that foolish brother was the cause. Nozomu-san doesn't have to worry about it. What was he thinking by suddenly inviting and slashing."

"Currently, that idiot is disciplined by my husband inside. He won’t do it again, so can you forgive him?"

"Well, I don't mind about it anymore, so that's fine ..."

He was angry that he was suddenly attacked, but Nozomu thought, it should be enough after seeing Ena's mental attack to expose Mars's past shame in a loud voice.

"I see ... I'm glad then.......... Ena-chan, I'm sorry, but my husband is about to prepare for the night, so please help him."

"Eh ......... a, yes, I understand."

Ena, who noticed Hannah who was trying to say something, disappeared into the kitchen with an empty plate.

"... say Nozomu? I have something I want to talk about ......... Is that okay?"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"That child, Mars and Ena. What do you think of them?"

"Hmm?"

Nozomu tilts his head because he doesn't understand the meaning of the question. However, when he saw Hannah, her eyes were serious, and he couldn't think of it as a joke.

"... Well ... I can't say anything because I just met Ena-chan, but I thought she was a solid child. Maybe Mars had a big influence on her."

As for Ena, He is not sure because Nozomu had just met her, but he thought she had grown up to be such a solid child because of Mars's bad behavior.

"About Mars ... I don't really know about him. He didn't really think about me and didn't try to hide it. But ......... at the end of the second year. I felt that something was wrong with his attitude. "

Mars was defeated by Nozomu in a mock battle at the end of the second grade to the point of cornered to the wall.

Since then, Mars has stopped swearing and ridiculing Nozomu.

Nozomu himself was aware that Mars's attitude had changed, but he did not know the reason.

However, Hannah, who heard about the mock battle, muttered as if she was convinced.

"I see ... as I thought"

"What is it?"

"I knew about that child's weird behavior, and when I heard Nozomu-kun's story, I understood the reason."

"Reason ………… is it?"

"Well, yeah. But I'm relieved. There is someone who can still be a friend with that child."

"... E, what does that mean?"

Hannah speaks happily, but Nozomu was skeptical of her words. Although Mars has become docile recently, looking at Mars's reaction to Nozomu so far, at least Nozomu didn't think they could become friends.

"That child, he didn't hate you coming here. Maybe, he doesn't consider you're bad anymore, right?

From what he has heard, Mars has never brought his entourage or the bad guys with whom he has a relationship to this inn. Nozomu was also surprised at this.

(He seems to know at least that what he's doing is bad, and maybe he's not as bad as Nozomu thought ...)

At least for Nozomu who has been harassed by Mars and his entourage, Mars's actions to keep his family out of his actions seemed fresh, and Nozomu felt like he knew a little about Mars.

***

Going back in time, when Nozomu was eating Hannah's food, Mars and a giant with a stern look were facing each other in the kitchen.

The name of the giant man is Dell. Hannah's husband and the owner of this inn.

Mars had been preached by Hannah until recently, and when Dell finished cooking and his wife delivered it to Nozomu, Mars was finally released from the preaching.

However, Mars had a big lump on his head because he was hit by Hannah with a frying pan, and tears were floating in his eyes, probably because it was hurt.

"Good grief ... how long are you going to do something like this?"

“……………………..”

The innkeeper was amazed when he heard about what Mars had done to Nozomu. Mars also thought it was too much, so he had no choice but to shut up.

"Is it because of him that you've been crazy lately?"

“……………………”

"From your point of view, maybe, to him ......... to Nozomu-kun. Did you lose to that child?"

"Na !!"

Mars is surprised to be told about the facts. He had never told anyone about the mock battle with Nozomu.

"How many years do you think I'm taking the place of your parents?

You’re annoyed by how many times you lost...."

"That's not it!"

"Then why did you become such a bummer?"

Mars turned away and muttered,

"... I just wanted to know why he got stronger ..."

With that said, Dell sighed,

"Haa ...".

Mars had some difficulty with Hannah and Ena. He must have pride. He had the awareness that he can protect himself.

However, there was a time when Dell talked honestly to some extent. For Mars, Dell is an irreplaceable family, a "reliable father" and, in a sense, one of his goals. Even if they have no blood connection ...

"Why don't you just say that? You just have to ask him about it from the beginning."

“……………… Why did you just tell me that thing now? Besides, I thought he was just a failure and not a decent guy"

As expected, it seems that Mars couldn't suddenly accept someone he had been swearing at until recently. Well, that would be a normal reaction.

"Why? Did you make sure yourself that he was really a bad person?"

"Are you making a fool of me!"

"Iya, impressive, when I'm always looking at you, I wonder if there's an electric jellyfish in your head ..."

"N,na, How can I know !!"

Mars turns his face bright red and denies it, but Dell feels a little relieved to see it.

Mars has had a good relationship with the bad guys, but he has never brought them to this inn.

Maybe because they only think about themselves.

Even though Mars is a bully, Mars was not against it when he saw Ena took him to the inn, Dell knows that Mars also accepts Nozomu.   

By the way, Electric Jellyfish is one of the demon beasts that live in the sea, and it floats while riding in the ocean current, and the electric current generated by the long tentacles numbs the prey and preys on it.

Although it is as large as an adult human, it has no means of movement, so it can only float in the sea, and it is said that there is not much danger.

Dell is happy that Mars has friends, hence, he told him to do what he had to do.

"......... At least apologize for what you did."

"I, I know ..."

Dell's expression naturally loosened up to Mars, who was listening to what he had to say while averting his gaze awkwardly.

***

Nozomu, who had been fully cared for, thought it would be bad to disturb them any longer, so he decided it's about time to leave.

"Excuse me for disturbing you. The food was delicious."

"It's okay. Please come again. It was quite a lot of food to eat right. This one was worth making too."

"Nozomu-san, my brother may cause you trouble again, but please take care of him."

Dell answers with his smile that doesn't look good on his stern face, and Ena also bows and thank Nozomu.

"Look, Mars. You have to send Nozomu properly because you caused trouble for him."

"I know…………"

Mars lazily responded to Hannah, who urged him. Nozomu thanked Hannah and others then went back to the dormitory with Mars.

On their way back to the dormitory, the two remained silent. Until now, Mars had only cursed Nozomu, and Nozomu never had a decent conversation with Mars, so it was reasonable.

While silence dominates, Mars speaks first.

"Ah ... I'm sorry ... for various things until now"

Mars apologized to Nozomu awkwardly.

"No, I don't mind anymore."

(As expected, I can't hurt someone who has been so tattered)

Nozomu remembers Ena, who made a fierce mental attack at that time, and Mars, whose heart was shattered by her.

As expected, Nozomu could not pursue further after such a mouth attack.

“………….  Oi, Did you think something strange just now?”

Mars asks Nozomu because he senses a disturbing atmosphere from him.

"No, as a human being, why don't you blame the person who was shattered by his own sister ..."

"Bastard! You're thinking hard huh !! How did you remember it so well !!"

"No, I can't just forget something that has such an impact ..."

"Forget it! Forget it now !! Forget it immediately !!!"

"Wait, hey! What are you doing !!!"

Nozomu leaves in a hurry and Mars rushes to Nozomu, but he feels that the distance between Mars and himself is getting closer.

(Somehow it feels nostalgic. There are only a few people besides Shisho who talk like this)

The two are going along while screaming.

No matter how others look at their back, they can only see them as bad friends, but he feels that the distance between Mars and himself is getting closer.