After I got up from the bed Hector ojii-san let us borrowed, I tried to take a walk inside the village alone as Alice is not awake yet.
The sun is not completely up yet but I was able to see many villagers doing work when I left the house.
After walking for a while, I met with Jerald-san who is carrying a small animal on his shoulder.
[ Oh! you're finally awake Haruto-kun? ] Jerald-san immediately greeted me as soon as he saw me.
[ yes, we were able to sleep properly inside the house you lent us. ] I answered him honestly as the bed felt really great and the house is cozy and warm inside too.
[ is that so? then we're really glad. Father told us that you will leave today too, is that really true? ]
[ yes... our plan was to actually camp and sleep outside, then we're supposed to defeat the golems the next day. ] I told him my real intention and plan about this mission.
[ oh... then we're really sorry for causing you trouble... ]
[ no no, I'm actually glad I was able to save someone. ] I immediately felt guilty telling him that as it sounded like I was troubled and didn't have any intention of saving Carla-san. So I wave my hand and denied it.
The truth is I'm happy about what I did, that I was able to save someone's life and I also felt a sense of satisfaction with my fight with the Golems yesterday so I wasn't troubled by them requesting me to rescue Carla-san as soon as I arrived at their village
[ unn... you're a really good guy Haruto-kun. Most adventurers will surely take this kind of opportunity to gain advantage towards the people they saved and urged them to give them extra money... sometimes adventurers will even try to take the daughters of the people that owe them... ]
[ is that really true!? ] I was shocked by Jerald-san's sudden statement.
[ you're an adventurer, right? I'm sure you already heard once or twice that most male adventurers gain their wives from either buying them or taking advantage of people's kindness. ]
[ that's really... ]
Taking advantage of people's kindness and dept... I feel really uncomfortable with that as I only accept things people can and want to give me, I never took advantage of someone to get what I want.
[ you know, Haruto-kun. Yesterday, I was actually expecting you to request us to marry either Carla, who you saved yourself or one of our younger daughters. ]
[ ...yes, I noticed... ]
It was obvious what they're trying to do yesterday but I didn't have any plans to accept what they offered.
[ by the way, is Alice-chan your sister? ] Jerald-san suddenly changed the subject and asked me about Alice.
[ yes, kind of. I met her inside Citrine City and I ... just kinda decided to take care of her, but now I treat her like my sister. ]
[ is that so...? I can feel that Alice really likes you a lot and it's also obvious that you're taking care of her well. ]
Alice is just a really happy kid who is always smiling whenever I'm with her so of course people will mistake us as siblings, not that I don't like it but our faces and hair color is completely different.
[ ...yes, actually, even though we just met a few days ago, I now feel really close to Alice. She's like a real sister to me now. ]
It's not even been a week since I met Alice but we're now so close that we cling to each other whenever we sleep.
[ you know... she might still be a kid but I feel like that affection of hers to you will turn to romantic feelings when she grows up. ]
[ romantic feelings...? well, I do not think of Alice as a romantic partner. She's still just a kid. ]
I can't ever have romantic feelings for little girls such as Alice but I also don't have any specific preference for the type of girl I like.
[ we'll see that when she grows up. You too are also still young Haruto-kun so I think it's fine. ]
[ Well, for now, I only think of her as my little sister, and I'm sure that will never change. ] I'm sure that like my siblings in my previous world, we will only grow distant as we grew old.
[ well, if you ever feel lonely I can always offer you one of my daughters. I'm sure they will also agree to marry a guy like you. ]
[ haah... why are you offering your daughters like they just came out of nowhere...? ]
Jerald-san has so many daughters that she's just throwing them at me letting me choose one.
[ well, I only want what's best for them. I'm sure they will be happy too if one of them ever marries you. ]
[ I'm not what you expect me to be... ]
I'm still young and I didn't had any relationships with a girl yet so I don't have the slightest idea what should I do to take care of them.
[ oh! Haruto-kun! you're finally awake? Jerald! why didn't you told me! ]
Hector ojii-san suddenly came out of nowhere then suddenly began shouting at Jerald-san.
[ no no, I just woke up Hector ojii-san. I met with Jerald-san just now. ]
[ is that so...? then please, come to our house now. Clare-san will prepare her best dishes, that's why my son is hunting all kinds of small animals in the forest early this morning. ]
[ oh...? then I will just go and wake up Alice and go there. ]
[ yes, one of my grandkids also went to ask me to bring Alice-chan back with me, so please do so. ]
I wonder if that's the kid I saw yesterday who was just staring at Alice non-stop.
[ if John is the one who asked, then I'm sure like all the other girls he met, he has now a crush on Alice-chan. ] said Jerald-san who was just got silenced by Hector ojii-san.
[ I will go now to wake Alice up, then we will go to Jerald-san's house. ]
[ please do so. I also prepared you a small carriage and I will make my son ride you back to Citrine City ]
[ no, I don't need to- ]
[ We Insist!!! ] Hector ojii-san suddenly shouted to my face.
[ ye-yes! ] how can I disagree when someone goes as far as to shout in my face with some spit flying in my face.
[ thank you, then, see back at our house. ] Hector ojii-san finally leave, leaving me with Jerald-san who's still standing quietly beside me.
I wiped my face which is now full of ojii-san saliva which came flying towards my face earlier.
[ I'm really sorry about my father... ]
[ don't worry, I can always wash my face. ]