Seirei no Moribito

Whimpering leaking out of my throat didn't quiet me inside.

Even though I was desperately trying to stop it, every time I thought of the villagers earlier in my head, there were zero large tears, and it never subsided.

He stares at me like that worryingly, and he never speaks of rest, and after dozens of rounds,

"... Laura..."

against his hand, who tried to be put on my shoulder in awe,

"Stop, Leo..."

"... Laura"

"To me... Leo needs to worry about me, I don't... I don't deserve that..."

Yes... given what this village tried to do to him seven years ago, there is no reason for him to worry about me. The spare man and this village planned to make him a "tribute”.... and because of that he...,

"... Laura, I don't care anymore"

"What are you talking about!? Because because of us, Leo..."

He was - he was about to be killed. Yeah, it's not an exaggeration to actually want to be killed.

That's all he did, and we did.

There's no right for him to hang a kind word on me like that. I don't want you to say comfort or rest. Because……,

"- I tried to kill you...?

staring at me with a sad face. He was

"... I don't care. It's past events."

"Still... I, ha..."

"Laura."

He embraced me without any hesitation.

caressing his back quietly as if to soften a child,

"... it's natural that this village's common sense is different from mine. It was a natural defense for Laura and the others to replace the others. I set foot in such a village... and Laura."

As he whispers in my ear,

"He tried to protect me to the best of his ability. That's why I'm staying here."

"... but I..."

"Because you have a strong sense of responsibility, Laura.... I'm not saying who's to blame, but it's the village chief who should take responsibility. I was wondering if you could stop steaming back more than the village chief and I reconciled."

Easily, he tried to forgive me in his own way.

"... even if I remember now, I really think I was stupid. So I hope you're not too ashamed of yourself.... Laura would understand, wouldn't she?

"... idiot... Leo's, you like..."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that. I don't condone my enemies, but they say it's too sweet for them."

"... really, right... I wonder why you sheltered me"

I wiped Guchagu's face with tears and cuffed him back.

Large, big back, thin but properly muscled chest plate, warm smell like the day, all that... very, very cozy. I don't deserve that, even if I think so... he had the depth of nostalgia to let himself go naturally.

So I guess. I couldn't keep my distance from him from then on. As a result, I got him involved, sheltered me and even got hurt, and I really wanted to be beside him if he allowed me to.

... Oh, I'm in love with him in the bottom of my heart. I know it's a love that will never come true, but I still want to be beside you as much as I can. I want to support him... it was a small thing to start with a guilty consciousness, but somehow it turned into just self-satisfaction, but... I didn't want to leave.

Because his neighbor is very cozy. I can't help but have a rosy routine, every day is fun, his smile dazzles me...

I left my body with him for a while and immersed myself in comfort, and I inquired of him in my ascendancy.

"... Leo, about me... do you resent me?

"... it would be a lie if I said there was none at all. But I don't feel that way right now. 'Cause it's fun, every day."

"... Leo really likes you"

I exhaled small and then wiped the last Shizuku left in my eye and reached out to his face.

running to his right eye, fingering a small scar,

"... I'm sorry, Leo"

"Don't apologize, I deserve this."

I knew I laughed with my usual expression.

The ugly scar that runs on your beautiful face is what I put on it. It's so ugly... it tells the story of my stupidity that he chased him down like the village chief ordered and followed the slaughter he should have avoided.

Yes, I took him, because of me... he lost his right eye vision.

Take a good look and you'll see. His right eye left the trend open and not moving at all. I didn't realize it at first, but for the first time I didn't see it because I somehow didn't notice him in the hand that touched the wound until just before. The blindness of one eye was life-threatening for him, who made mercenaries his business. Yet he never said a word and never blamed me.

... I still don't know why, seven years later. But... I can still remember clearly what happened then.

Seven years ago, when he came to this village... the tragedy happened.

The good news arrived abruptly.

"Is that true, Master Murakami!?"

While Laura was performing her duties as a “witch," the village's too young village chief suddenly appeared to the company and smiled and said this.

"Oh, it's true, Laura. For the first time in three months a sacrifice has come to this village! Everyone in the village has it now. If he gets drunk, do what you always do as a witch!

"Yes, Master Murakami!

Laura smiled and nodded, the girl who was about to reach adulthood, without any doubt about the word sacrifice told by the village chief.

In this village, the village chief was the code of the village, and the Spirit Tree Faith was second only. However, at the strong request of the village chief, the village also decided to worship and serve the "Spirit Tree” and to offer a “tribute".

But if the “tribute” wasn't human, the "protectors” weren't convinced. So, the village chief thought about the remainder - killing the invaders and destroyers coming from outside the village and dedicating them as “tributes”.

At first, the villagers also resisted. But the unknown villagers got angry at the selfish, tyrannical and dignified attitude of the travellers who came from outside and rode the village chief's suggestion.

And the more the “protector” became happy to receive the "tribute”.

The common sense of the public that the village chief taught me, that was everything to the villagers, and all the others believed it was such a bastard. Because I believed, no hesitation arose in killing the remnants, and I wholeheartedly welcomed the remnants to this village.

- If this guy offers his next sacrifice, “Spirit Tree” will surely please you.

That was the idea that also stained Laura.

Originally, Laura had no parents. Laura was the only one to name the next generation of "witches” who appeared abruptly after the “witches” of earlier generations who were mothers had been dedicated. Only then was she festived by the “witches", but she also had no trust from the villagers because of the leftovers.

Still, she was staying with the "witch" simply because she was taking the initiative to kill and dedicate the "tribute”.

That's all she had, and that's why she nodded happily.

"... I'm looking forward to seeing you," Guardian ”will be pleased."

Laura smiled with a year-to-year smile and affirmed that she would kill people.

- She still didn't know that this was an encounter that was going to change her fate dramatically.

Dark hair with dark greenery that cannot be seen in this village was clearly a factor in informing us that it was the remnant.

(Hmm... Fine, sounds like a dangerous place, this village. I haven't hidden my killings, and I've recommended alcohol and stuff to minors... but you seem to get along well for the closed minutes)

Leo, the mercenary who was observing the people of this village with a moderate loving laugh back, was calmly analyzing behind his back what appeared to be a calm and welcoming exterior while pretending to drink and secretly let the slight spirits drain alcohol.

In the first place, I did not unconditionally trust the Spirit Faith at the time of complaining about the "flourishing Spirit Faith" based on the premise. Therefore, the more alcoholic alcohol the villagers have recommended, the more intoxicating it seems to be in one shot, the more secretly the spirits work together to break down only the alcohol and mouth it again at a time when it has become almost harmless. of, but if you mouth something that is still subtly alcoholic, it naturally gets drunk.

(... if you're alarmed, you're going to fall asleep... but I'm definitely not going to wake up forever... and I haven't finished my purpose yet)

Sink the thirteenth villager in total who has set up a drinking comparison with alcohol and wake up drunk with the Tiger Child's 'Recovery Magic Formation' in the gaps that the surrounding minds are showing up there.

This is a piece of paper that says "Magic Formation" for healing purposes, and can be used in the same way as normal “healing techniques" if activated by instilling magic into it. In this case, recognize the alcohol in your body as poison and remove it.

Leo felt the bright light dwelling on the paper and his drunkenness cooling rapidly.

However,

(Wow... you just reacted as you wish, didn't you? From the way I dress... I think this village's exclusive "Witch of the Spirit Tree” place)

The girl who reacted to the magic activated so that no one would notice her was a girl who would have the impression of being two or three years younger than Leo, who gave her a bell on a scarlet shake, and she approached this one as she took a seat quietly, shaking her pale blonde hair,

"Nice to meet you, traveler. My name is Laura, and I work as a witch in this village."

"Thank you very much. I'm Leo, a self-proclaimed mercenary."

Leo smiled at Laura, placing his hand on the sword that was placed next to him only to the restraint.

(... pale blonde with red eyes... the colour of this village is brown hair brown eyes. There seems to be no mistake in the “witch”, but it doesn't seem to be a raw villager... because the village chief also had dark hair and dark eyes, the village chief pioneered this village and the settlement that the locals were able to gather in became a village... ah, but...)

With such speculation, Leo frankly bumps into the fuzzy question.

"Could it be that" The Witch ”was born in the West?

"... no. My mother is from this village."

"Then is it your father?

"... if travelers who know more than I do think so, don't they?"

Laura, reluctantly returning the reply in an administrative manner, was not very much, but did not seem like a girl.

(... If this is an outgoing attitude, I would pass as a “witch," but I guess it's a little too much affection...?... Correction, don't you want me to be the only one)

To Leo, who continues to show an attitude of not betraying expectations in a way, my brother said, 'It's like you're imitating a well-made son.'

Zero bitterness in my heart at such an old event, as I received and drank the cup that Laura would recommend.

"… Traveler, nothing you want exists here"

"... what do you mean...?

Suddenly, Leo asks her what it means to say a few small words with a glimpse of a human eye.

"... please stand in this village before you lose everything. Otherwise, we'll get everything from you."

Just to say, Laura made a small meeting and left her seat and left.

He went down on the way to this village, and when he woke up intact, he was welcomed in a banquet state for some reason, and Leo, advised by the quote,

"... if they tell you that in depth, you'll have to look into this village. That's what Yfried said."

He reflected his spare laughter in the liquor that filled the cup, and the night was quietly further apart.