After travelling for a day, Alice and I has finally arrived in the village.
What stood in front of is a large wooden gate. The gate is made with poor wooden boards and sticks that were only tied together with a thin and weak rope, and beside the gate were thin wooden fences that are sticking to the ground.
I then looked inside -
The atmosphere inside the village was dark and the people inside have a look of worry on their faces. I immediately thought that the village was poor as many of the people are thin and weak-looking.
The truth is, this was not the kind of scene I was expecting to see when I received my task to go here. I was expecting their village to be more lively and clean. I was positive that I will be able to treat Alice's injuries here, but now... I have doubts that I will be able to. But since Alice looks fine now, my worry has lessened.
Holding Alice's hand, I decided to continue to walk inside.
[ Hold it right there! ]
Suddenly, a shout came from inside.
It turns out that there was a guard inside that I was not able to see immediately as his figure was hiding behind the large wooden gate earlier.
The guard that came actually doesn't look like one as he was not wearing any kind of armor in his body, furthermore, he still looks like a kid; maybe younger than me. The only thing that differentiates him from the others is the spear he's holding with both of his hands.
[ Who are you people? ] he asked with a stern look.
[ I'm an adventurer the guild sent. ] I answered.
I then took out my adventurer card from my pocket and showed it to him.
Adventurer's cards are supposed to be used this way. Having such an item will help people recognize that we're adventurers from the guild.
[ ...you...? ]
The moment I showed him my adventurer card, his face brightened in anger.
[ Just what do the guild thinks of us...!? ] he muttered angrily while looking at me from head to toes.
Afraid, Alice went behind me.
It seems that the guard was frustrated because of me. I'm sure he was expecting the guild to send someone with a higher rank. But Diana-san said that the assistant guild master has requested me personally to take this task myself, at least to scout what was the task about.
[ Umm... I'm only here to scout what was the task is about. I'm not here defeat the enemy... ]
[ ...Huh!? But we've requested immediate help! We need proper adventurers now! ] he angrily shouted at me.
[ I-I'm sorry, but the person the guild sent was me... I'm sure they will send capable adventurers after I finish my task here... ]
[ I... I can't believe this... ] he whispered, putting a palm on his head.
[ ...I will take you to the elder... ]
As if losing hope, he shook his head and looked up to me.
[ Thank you... ]
[ ...Follow me. ]
The guard then started to walk and we followed.
The guard still has a desperate look but I decided to just ignore it and continue to follow his path.
Looking around the village -
The houses inside the village, like the road, are made of cobblestones, there are some which are made of wood but the rest are stone houses. There are some children who are looking at me and Alice from the window of the houses we walk pass to.
Maybe because I'm an adventurer that they got curious, but I wonder why are they looking at Alice too.
Alice is also just a normal kid, but unlike the other kids, Alice is thin and she's smaller than any other kids. Maybe because she was not fed normally that she became like this. But still, she looks cleaner than the children here in the village as I gave her a bath and clean clothes back in Citrine.
[ Ano... By the way... Are you perhaps rich...? ] The guard suddenly asked out of nowhere.
[ Rich...? How'd you say so? ]
As far as I know, despite having black hair, my looks are not different than that of a normal adventurer.
[ I mean... You have a slave girl with you... ]
[ ...Huh...? ]
[ You're rich, right? I mean, your slave also looks so clean. ]
[ Ahh...? No-no! This kid is not my slave...! ] Waving my hands, I denied his thoughts.
[ ...Is that so...? ]
Just how come he arrived at that thought? Having a slave is something I cannot do. That is just cruel, especially when the slave is a little kid.
[ What is your relationship then...? ]
[ Relationship...? ] muttering the word, I look at Alice, and she also looks at me.
[ We're siblings. ] I said.
I don't want to tell him that I just picked up Alice on the streets the other day.
[ Siblings... ] muttered Alice.
Looking at Alice, she has a huge smile on her face.
Maybe she liked it... That I claimed that we're siblings...
I had two older sisters back at my previous world but I never had a younger one. I remember wanting to have a little sister back then... But that was back when I was still yet to be an otaku.
[ Oho~? You don't look like one... ]
[ ...Is that so? ]
That was perfectly true. Nothing about Alice and I looks the same.
[ Anyway, I'm really sorry for my attitude earlier... ] he said, he then stopped walking and bowed in front of me.
[ Ah... It's fine... ]
[ Is that so...? Thank you. ]
It seems like this kid in front of me is a really nice person. At first, I thought that he was just a normal kid with a weapon, but he definitely acts like a mature person.
[ My name is Kevin. It's nice to meet you. ] saying so, he held one of his hands in front of me for a handshake.
[ My name is Haruto Yuki. ] Introducing myself, I took his hand and shook it.
After that, we continued to walk on the cobblestone road.
- And not long after, we finally arrived at our destination.
The house in front of me was not as big as I was expecting it to be. In fact, it looks like it's about to fall down.
[ This is the elder's house. Actually, the elder is my grandfather, while the village chief is my father, so you can say that this is also my house... ]
[ Is that so...? ]
Does that mean that he has an authority inside the village... He actually acts like it is so maybe he actually has.
[ Please follow me, Haruto-san. ] saying so, he walk towards the door and we followed.
***
Inside the house is a large wooden rectangular table. The room is rundown and filled with dusts.
In front of me is an old man with a gray beard and a long hair, beside him is a middle-aged looking man with a sword on his waist, beside me is Kevin, and finally, sitting on my lap is Alice.
[ I-I'm so-sorry about our house mister adventurer-san... To make you go inside this dirty house... Ple-please...! These loaves of bread are the only thing we can offer you now... Please eat them if you're hungry... ] muttered the old man with a husky and shaky voice.
[ No-no.. I-I'm fine... And I don't mind going inside this house...! A-And I'm also just Rank-F... And I'm just here to scout so I don't need great service...! ]
[ ...Thi-This!? What the heck is the guild thinking...? Sending us a Rank-F...? ] he shouted, he then slammed a fist on the table.
SFX: BAM!!!
[ Dad...! ]
[ Kevin! I've had enough of this! We'll go rescue your brother ourselves! ]
[ Jerald! You two might die if you go now! We need to wait for the guild! ]
[ If we wait another day or two, We might not be able to see Tom breathing alive by then! ]
[ But going there with just the two of you is suicide! ]
[ I don't care! ]
...
...
...Rescue...? What the hell are they talking about...?
Looking at them arguing, I had a blank look on my face as I have no idea what is going on.
And while I'm trying to comprehend what is happening... Alice is about to finish the loaves of bread on the table.