With the battle in the ancient elf ruins settled, we returned to Zoltan the next day.
"Ahhhhh." I yawned lazily out in front of the shop. "Ares, you asshole…"
Upon returning home, Rit and I discovered that our beloved little shop had been
completely ransacked. I had been indignant, but Rit's rage was a sight to behold.
Fortunately for Ares, he was already dead, so Rit turned her anger into motivation.
Even though we had just returned from one of the worst fights of our lives, she had
run all over Zoltan arranging the repairs.
"I'll put up the money for it, but we're getting this repaired immediately." I could tell
from her expression that she wouldn't hear any dissent, so I just quietly nodded.
The plans had thankfully been settled quickly, and work was scheduled to start today.
We had to close for the craftsmen, who'd be arriving soon. I was outside, cleaning up
in anticipation of their arrival.
"Ah, snow."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a white snowflake floating through the sky.
Sparse flurries drifted here and there, never reaching the earth, as the wind kept them
afloat. While it never blanketed the ground, snow in southern regions had its own
unique sort of charm.
"Big Brother."
Turning around, I saw Ruti wearing an alabaster dress and a matching white hat. She
had picked out the outfit when I'd accompanied her on a trip to a nearby shop. There
was no sword at her waist, no pieces of magic armor encasing her. She had already
removed all of her rings, amulets, and other ensorcelled gear. Ruti was an average girl
now.
However…
"Achoo."
"It's cold out here."
Even in Zoltan, wearing a dress with no jacket in the snow was obviously going to be
cold.
"Eh-heh-heh." Despite the sneeze, Ruti looked content. "I'm so happy. I can't remember
how long it's been since I felt chilly."
"You'll get sick like that, you know," I chided.
"I've never been sick before. I can't wait."
I slipped my jacket off and put it over her shoulders.
"Here. My jacket will clash pretty horribly with your outfit, but take it anyway."
"…So warm…" Ruti sounded no different than any other young woman, and she smiled
sweetly.
She hadn't lost the Hero's blessing. It was still there inside her, but that nameless one
that had been born inside her had gained a name—New Truth. According to Ruti, in
the strictest sense, it wasn't really a Divine Blessing. She apparently could not feel
Demis's presence when she connected with it, something that every person felt when
they reached out to their Divine Blessings. That meant God had not granted it. If the
church found out, it would cause an uproar for sure. New Truth also possessed no
impulses, which seemed to mean that it did not serve a role.
Other than those two points, however, it was fundamentally the same as any Divine
Blessing. It had levels and skills, and defeating opponents with a blessing would allow
it to grow. Ruti said the skills were very different, though. She couldn't freely pick and
choose ones to learn upon leveling up. Instead, she had to fulfill specific requirements
to unlock them.
Thus far, she had one skill, called Ruler. It was a pretty crazy ability that let her either
nullify or forcibly activate the skills of anyone she touched. In a world where blessings
determined the vast majority of combat abilities, such a power wasn't just unfair; it
was basically cheating.
At this point, not even the mightiest demon lords of legend could lay a finger on Ruti.
However, the best news of all was that she could use this skill on herself. Currently,
Ruti was using that to control the Hero's blessing, nullifying almost all of her
immunities.
"Achoo."
"Red, Ruti, how long are you going to stay out in the cold?" Rit had come to check on
us because we had been out for so long. "Oooh, such lovely, fluffy snow. But you're
going to catch a cold."
"We should head indoors. You haven't had breakfast yet, right, Ruti? I'll go make
something, so you just relax."
"I can't wait," she replied.
We hurried out of the cold, but Ruti and Rit turned around, reluctant to go inside just
yet, wanting to watch the white snow dancing in the sky just a little longer.
After the battle in the ruins, Theodora had left Zoltan with Albert in tow. The pair had
decided to travel areas beset by the demon lord's forces.
"This is farewell."
With that final good-bye, Theodora departed and never looked back. Ruti had tried to
give her the armor and gear she had used on her journey, but Theodora refused.
"If the day ever comes when you decide you want to fight again, you may need it."
I was sure we'd never see Theodora in Zoltan again.
As for Danan, he would be staying at a local infirmary to focus on recovering for a half
a year. He'd really pushed himself. The hot-headed Martial Artist was going to have to
behave himself for a while.
We let Godwin go. Ruti no longer needed Devil's Blessing, and his efforts had been
crucial to our victory over Ares. Ruti decided to turn a blind eye to his crimes as an
expression of gratitude for everything he'd done. Had she still been the Hero, that
would have been impossible for her. She gave Godwin a good amount of traveling
money. He said he planned to make for the archipelago kingdom where the church had
less control.
"Out there, I bet even a hunted heretic like me can get by," he stated, then he glanced
at me and laughed. "Yeah, maybe I should try running an apothecary."
"Today's breakfast is a bacon and white bean tomato soup, a little pizza with sauce
using the leftover tomatoes, and fresh-squeezed orange juice."
""Thanks for the meal!""
Everyone said in unison to me.
"Your food is always so delicious," Ruti remarked with a sparkling smile. She was really
enjoying herself, as if all the joy that had been suppressed by the Hero blessing was
finally being set free.
"Are you going out with Tisse later?" I inquired.
"Yeah."
The two were looking to buy a farm in northern Zoltan. Their plan was to grow
medicinal herbs. Many were in high demand, but there was not much supply because
raising such crops yielded little. That inefficiency of return kept most farmers from
planting medicinal herbs, but Ruti wanted to try her hand at it.
"We're going to look for someone willing to sell us some land."
I never dreamed I would see the day when Ruti had an ambitious expression on her
face. After being forced to be the Hero for so long, she was finally taking on a challenge
that she had elected herself. As her brother, I couldn't be happier for her.
"Hey, Red!" Gonz called out as he entered the shop. "I know you're closed for the day,
but Tanta caught a cold."
"So you need some medicine? Give me just a minute."
I pulled one week's worth of cold remedy from a pile of other drugs on the counter
that had survived Ares's tantrum.
"Did things turn out okay with your little sister?" Gonz asked.
"Yeah, that's all taken care of now," I replied.
He looked relieved to hear that as I passed him the bag of medicine. "Good, you should
give me a proper introduction sometime."
My failure to provide a suitable explanation last time must have worried him. Still,
unlike everyone else living in Zoltan, Gonz didn't pry. He enjoyed his gossip, but he
knew that certain lines shouldn't be crossed.
Regardless, I wanted to give Ruti the chance to meet everyone properly. The Hero part
would have to be kept secret, but my friends deserved the chance to get to know her.
"Yeah, we can all go hang out together sometime."
And it wasn't just Ruti, either. I wanted folk to get acquainted with Tisse and Danan,
too. They were true allies who had fought alongside me.
In the afternoon, Ruti, Tisse, Danan, and I gathered at the church at the center of
Zoltan.
"Almighty Demis, we commend unto you your faithful child in this, his first and final
pilgrimage to your side. The life he led is engraved in his Divine Blessing along with
whatever sins he committed. We commend his blessing unto thee. If his Divine
Blessing be filled with virtue, please guide him to nirvana. And be he not yet ready to
pass through the gates, then please grant thine child Ares rest at thine side until such
day as thou grant him a new Divine Blessing."
The priest sprinkled fragrant oil over Ares's face as he lay in the casket. The faint scent
of snow—a universal symbol across all of the continent of Avalon—filled the air. It was
a pleasant smell, but because it was a staple of funerals, snow rose oil was always
associated with the image of death. As churches used it so regularly, each one had a
bed of the flower, reinforcing the connection.
It was said that every bard in Avalon would compose a ballad to the snow rose at some
point in their life. I didn't have any musical talent, but I couldn't deny that the imagery
and fragrance stirred something in my heart.
The four of us, the priest, and his two aides were the only people in attendance. It was
a simple send-off, but Ares did not have any complaints as he lay in the casket, eyes
closed in silence.
According to doctrine, one's sins were recorded in their Divine Blessing, and those
transgressions would be returned to Demis along with the Divine Blessing, leaving the
person's soul free of wrongdoing, pure and ready to be reborn in their next life
whenever they were granted a new Divine Blessing.
However, if the one in question forwent Demis's teachings in life, then God would not
accept their blessing, and their sinful soul would suffer for eternity as a slave in the
seven hells along with the demon overlords. That's what the church taught, anyway.
The priest rang a handbell. "Red," he instructed.
"Okay."
In accordance with custom, I placed a single piece of kindling into Ares's casket. Ruti,
Tisse, and Danan followed in succession, each doing the same. The priest offered up
one last prayer to convey to Demis how faithful Ares had been.
"The service is complete. I'm sure you are aware, but he will be cremated on the
seventh day following his demise. You may visit then if you wish to meet him one last
time…"
"…No, this is enough." I was a little bit unsure, but in the end, I declined. Ares was finally
free from his struggles. It was all I could do to wish him a peaceful rest.
"Very well." The priest smiled gently and rang his handbell again. So it was that Ares
the Sage's funeral came to a close.
Divine Blessings dwelled within all living creatures, but they did not exist in the dead.
Ares was no longer at the mercy of the Sage.
While I didn't sympathize with the man, I still prayed his next life would be a more
peaceful sort.
Twilight had already set in, and the sun cast red rays as it sank into the horizon.
"Haaah."
The last time I had borrowed a proper suit was for the party celebrating my shop's
completion. Now I was wearing one to a comrade's funeral. Something about that left
me feeling odd.
"Big Brother."
"What is it?"
"I'm sorry for having you bear so much."
I patted Ruti's head. "Thanks for worrying about me."
Killing Ares hadn't left me feeling remorseful. Still, I never wanted to kill one of my
allies again.
"I guess I really am more suited to a slow life out here in Zoltan."
There was no weapon at my waist. I hadn't bothered to get a replacement for my
broken bronze sword. For some reason, I just couldn't bring myself to buy a new one
until after Ares's funeral.
"Maybe I've changed a bit."
When I first settled in Zoltan, I'd avoided battle, but I still felt uncomfortable without
a weapon. When Gonz had come to me for help curing Tanta's white-eye, I had
strapped a blade on before leaving my house. Going with a bronze sword instead of a
steel one had been my way of rebelling against the combat instincts I hadn't yet
managed to shake.
"Shall we head back?" I asked.
Ruti took my arm with a smile. She didn't have a weapon at her hip, either. I grinned
back, and the two of us strolled through Zoltan, looking for all the world like a pair of
average, everyday siblings.
Making your way in this dangerous world unarmed was a difficult task. I planned to
buy a new bronze sword tomorrow. However, that wasn't because of my blessing.
Were I ever to draw it again, it would be because I wanted to protect those dear to me.
"Looks like that's the last of it."
"Yeah."
Two days after Ares's funeral, Rit and I had finally gotten our shop cleaned up. Had we
done all the work ourselves, it would have taken far longer, but thankfully, we'd
received a lot of help. There were the craftsmen we'd hired, of course, but Ruti, Tisse,
Gonz, Tanta, Mido, Nao, Dr. Newman, Stormthunder, Oparara, Al, Ademi, friends from
the Adventurers Guild, and some off-duty guards had pitched in, too.
During the appreciation banquet Rit and I held for everyone, I introduced Ruti as my
little sister, and we had a great time.
Truthfully, the last of the tidying was the cleanup after the celebration, not Ares's
rampage.
"Haaah." Rit sighed, frustrated. She'd been like that ever since we discovered our shop
had been ransacked. "If Ares were still alive, I'd really let him have it for this," she
muttered as she started shadowboxing.
I chuckled and gave Rit tea I had made to help her relax. "Here, drink some of this. We
should get bed before too long."
"Yeah."
That was enough to get her to sit, at least. It looked like she was finally settling down.
"…The bed…," Rit whispered as she stared down at the mug.
"Hn?"
"He destroyed our bed."
"Ah… yeah…"
It wasn't exactly unheard of for aristocratic ladies to hide letters inside their sheets.
Ares had been convinced that I was in secret contact with Ruti for some nefarious
purpose. He'd destroyed our bed, searching for nonexistent evidence of conspiracy.
Obviously, even if I had been in contact with Ruti, there was no way Rit or I would have
hidden the messages in a place like that. It just went to show how desperate Ares had
been.
"That was our bed…" Rit's voice quivered as she lowered her gaze to the cup in her
hands.
"Rit…"
This upset her far more than I thought. Why?
I moved over next to her, and she leaned against my shoulder.
"Sometimes at night, when it's time to go to sleep, I get really, really scared," Rit
admitted in a listless sort of tone that felt very unlike her.
"Scared?"
"I start wondering whether you will still be there when I wake up in the morning."
"Don't be silly."
"But Danan… he understands just how amazing you are, too. It's not just me. Everyone
needed your strength. You're the Guide. So long as you're there, everything is fine."
"My blessing isn't all that amazing. Other than starting out with a high level, it doesn't
have anything special. No inherent skills, and the impulses are entirely minor. I can't
even use magic or martial arts."
"No, I don't mean it in the sense of the blessing itself. The most important thing isn't
the skills or the impulses. It's you." Rit looked me straight in the eyes. "You, Red the
Guide, are amazing. The combination of the life you've led and your blessing have
made you the type that everyone counts on."
"Maybe…"
My blessing existed to protect the Hero during the early steps of her journey. As such,
it had urged me to keep the Hero safe. However, a blessing's power was proportionate
to the strength of its impulses, and Guides' were incredibly weak. Not once in my life
had I ever felt like I was being manipulated by my blessing. There was no way I had
been meant to direct anyone other than Ruti.
Still, maybe Rit was right. I had been granted power in part to fulfill my role of guiding
Ruti, and I had also put in a significant effort on my own to that same end. That
experience put me in a position where I was qualified to support people other than
my little sister. When I actually thought about it, that seemed obvious. However, in a
world where Divine Blessings were the focus of most people's lives, Rit's view was an
uncommon one.
"That's the Red I know. He's the one who showed me the way in Loggervia back when
I was still really stubborn, everything I did failed, and I fell into despair. But I was
conceited, thinking I was the only one who understood that side of you." Rit's eyes
wavered as she looked me.
"That's why… when Danan came… Well, he was always so obsessed with defeating the
demon lord… When I heard that he had halted his quest to search for you… I realized
that everyone in the party must have understood how valuable you were. It made me
glad, but I was also terrified. I wasn't the only one anymore. Part of me feared you
wouldn't need me at your side."
"…"
"I understand that this life together is something you want, too. I really do get it. But
I'm still so frightened that you might leave to guide someone else. I don't know how
long I cried when you left in Loggervia. I managed to get through it then, but I don't
know what I'll do if you leave now." Rit grabbed my hand with both of hers like she
was clinging on for dear life. "This building… and that bed… they were ours. They held
all the memories of us living together in Zoltan. So when they were all torn up like
that… it was like you had lost your place to call home…"
"You're completely wrong!" Even I was surprised at how intense my response was, but
I couldn't hold back. Seeing Rit freeze up in shock, I regretted the outburst, but I
couldn't let her words go without explaining my feelings. "You've got it wrong, Rit."
"H-how so?"
I stood from my chair and kneeled in front of Rit. I was taller, so when I hugged her
normally, my head was above hers. Down like this, however, I was gazing up at her face
as she sat in her chair.
"R-Red?" She was confused as I wrapped my hand around her waist without saying
anything. Then I hugged her, squeezing tight as I buried my head in her chest.
"I need you, Rit."
She was worried that I might leave because someone else needed me, but she had
forgotten that it went the other way, too. I wanted her in my life just as much as she
did me.
"This shop and our bed, the reason they became precious is because we shared them.
You are the one I'm coming home to. If I hadn't met you here, I'm sure I would have
given up my quiet life and taken Danan's offer. Without you, this wouldn't have been a
home."
"Ah… ugh…"
"Do you remember when we first met again in Zoltan? We talked about things I wasn't
aware of and blind spots I hadn't considered."
"Uh-huh. Of course. I'd never forget a conversation with you."
"Back then, do you recall saying that you realized I had my own weaknesses, but that
was all the more reason you wanted to be together with me?"
"Yeah… I do… but…"
"That made me so happy. It was the first time anyone had ever told me that."
I was the Guide. My role was to assist the Hero as she began her journey. Like Rit
pointed out, I could use my experiences to help out others, too. Yet the stronger the
person I was guiding became, the less relevant I was. Plus, I would never be able to
teach them martial arts or magic.
The reason I had ended my journey was not because Ares had deceived me. I had
realized there was an insurmountable wall I would eventually reach no matter what I
did.
"I'm only a Guide. Whomever I might instruct—at a certain point, they will overtake
me and move beyond. There's no pupil I'd be able to stay with forever. In the end,
everyone will go beyond my reach. That's my role."
If the Hero was a blessing destined to become so strong that everyone else was far
behind, then Guide was one destined to see everyone disappear up ahead.
"Yet even after I had been kicked out of the party, when I was no longer the man who
could lead the way for you anymore, even knowing all my faults… you still said you
wanted to be with me. After struggling so desperately to keep pace with you all on our
journey, I finally reached this slow and simple life—I finally reached you."
I squeezed Rit's body tightly so that she wouldn't disappear.
"…Red…"
"This is the end of my travels. Because I love you so, so much more than you realize."
"…!"
"That's why I'm not going to abandon you, no matter what might come. If anything,
I'm scared of you leaving. When I realized Shisandan was alive, I wasn't scared of
losing my quiet Zoltan days, I was petrified you would head off to fight him alone."
I could feel Rit's heart start beating faster as she hugged my head close.
"Will you stay with me forever, Red?"
"There's nothing I'd want more." At last, I had gotten out everything that had been
lurking in my heart. "Please don't fret over me disappearing. I'll say it again: I love you,
Rit."
"Yeah… I guess I've got nothing to worry about." Rit's body was trembling. I could hear
her sobbing. "S-sorry… but I can't… I just can't stop crying…"
I don't know how long we stayed like that, but it was time well spent. Finally, though,
Rit broke the silence.
"We're both so helpless alone. Just how weak have we gotten?" she asked.
"I'm not sure, but a life in Zoltan doesn't demand that kind of strength anyway," I
replied.
"You're right."
It was okay to be weak. Perhaps that wasn't true in a world filled with monsters and
demons, but for now, Rit and I were content that way. No one could convince me this
feeling was wrong.
"…I want to go to bed…" Rit's whisper was so soft, I nearly missed it. Looking up, I saw
her gazing down at me with scarlet cheeks.
"Y-yeah… I was thinking that, too…"
Rit's face turned even redder at my response.
Late that night.
Rit and I were sitting across from each other on the bed. Stormthunder had given us
brand-new white sheets. We both fidgeted nervously, neither saying much, constantly
looking at each other and then looking away again.
What are we doing? I thought, exasperated at our shared uncertainty.
Rit had changed into her pajamas and left the top three buttons undone. It should have
revealed her cleavage, but she was clutching a pillow to conceal both that and how
stupidly happy she was.
I'm not sure how to describe it, but at that point, even just her attempts to hide her
embarrassment were unbearably adorable.
"Rit." I steeled myself and edged closer, until our knees were touching.
"Red." Rit inched nearer to me, too. Our legs slipped past each other, interlocking, and
I could feel her warm thighs against mine. That alone made my face boil. I reached my
hand out toward Rit.
"Umm, is it okay if I move the pillow?" I asked.
"Uh-uh… just undo it like this," she said.
"Wh-what…? I can't see my hands through the pillow."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out! And I'll be doing the same to you."
There was, seemingly, no other option.
The two of us started undoing each other's pajamas with a pillow sandwiched
between us. Strange as it was, it shouldn't have been that difficult, but the softness of
Rit's breasts proved distracting. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting excited. In fact,
because I couldn't see, I was focusing much more on my sense of touch.
Her skin was like smooth silk. It felt so good that I could have kept stroking it forever.
My finger accidentally moved down into her cleavage.
"Ahhh." A gentle moan crossed Rit's lips.
In that moment of surprise, the pillow slipped out of her arms and fell to the bed.
I could see the plunging V from her shoulders to just below her breasts. Rit's body
really was gorgeous, captivatingly so.
Her face turned bright red, and her sky-blue eyes trembled. Seeing that, the love I felt
for her welled up uncontrollably inside me. However, Rit struck before I could do
anything.
"No fair! Revenge!" Rit squeezed her eyes shut as she slid her hands into my pajamas
and started stroking my chest and stomach. A tremor of pleasure raced down my spine
at first, but before long…
"Kh! Rit! That tickles! Ah-ha-ha-ha!"
The embarrassment must have been too much for her to take, because her eyes
remained closed as she tickled my sides.
This woman could wield a large, difficult-to-handle blade like a shotel with
unparalleled dexterity, and she was using every last bit of that deftness to tickle me
mercilessly.
"Stop it, Rit! Ah-ha-ha!"
"Well?! Do you give up?!"
Give up? What? Perhaps she'd gotten so flustered, she'd forgotten what we were
initially doing. Wait. If the two of us are sticking our hands in each other's pajamas like
this, at this rate…
Snap.
"Uh…"
Amid my squirming, the last button on Rit's pajamas popped off. Her top slipped away,
fully revealing her breasts. Rit's eyes went wide, and I couldn't look away.
"…"
"…"
The two of us froze. The only sound was the tick of the clock on the wall.
"Kyaaaa!" Snapping out of it, Rit leaned forward and clung to me.
That was certainly one way to hide her chest, but that soft, warm, pillowy feeling
pressing against me was seriously testing the limits of my self-control.
"Did you see?"
"Isn't it a bit late to be asking that?… You're beautiful."
"Argh!"
Rit's arms tightened around me. Her scent filled my nose, and I could feel my heart
nearly bursting with love. Before I knew it, I was holding onto her as snug as she was
to me.
"It's weird. Even this is so unbelievably satisfying," Rit said, her expression melting
into happiness.
"True… just holding each other is amazing."
Rit looked up at me with her sky-blue eyes, and that gaze alone brought me more joy
than any treasure I had ever found on my adventures.
"But." Rit kissed my neck. "It's not enough."
A thrill shot down my spine when I heard her coo that in my ear. The two of us slowly
disengaged from our embrace. We got off the bed and stood facing each other. This
time, we didn't try to hide behind a pillow as we quietly undressed.
Rit's last bit of clothing slipped to the floor. Moonlight from the window bathed her
naked form in a pale glow.
"This is embarrassing…" Rit hugged her chest to cover her breasts. The pose was so
unbelievably sexy that I couldn't help blushing. "You're practically beaming, Red."
Rit was hardly in a position to speak, though. She had the same silly grin.
"Umm… Uhhh… Yay!" Rit stood fretting for a moment before finally working up her
courage and pouncing on me. I caught her in my arms and used my Acrobatics to slow
the fall as we landed on the bed together.
Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! We both screamed internally. I didn't have any skill that could
read minds, but I was confident Rit had the same reaction I did.
We tended to spend a lot of time clinging to each other. While we still enjoyed that, it
wasn't the sort of thing that got either of us worked up anymore. However, with
nothing between our skin, it was a completely new experience.
Rit's body was so perfectly smooth and felt so good that I thought I could get addicted
to the feeling. There was just the faintest trace of sweat, and she was taut and supple
with just the right amount of muscle. Her legs were long and slender, but her thighs
had a voluptuousness, and the way they seemed to cling to me with our legs wrapped
together was amazing.
With her breasts pressed against me, there was no doubt about how soft they were.
There was a pleasant scent coming from her blond hair. Her slightly ragged breathing
tickled my ear. The line from her bottom up her back was a gorgeous curve. Along that
path was a faded scar, likely an old wound from an arrow.
Spend enough time adventuring, and you were bound to get injured at some point.
Magic could close most wounds, but occasionally, blemishes remained.
Rit trembled when I reached down and gently caressed the ancient injury. To me, even
her scars were endearing.
I let myself drown in the sensation of Rit's body on mine. My heart was already always
on the verge of overflowing, and the joy just kept welling up.
"Reeedddd."
"Rit!" Her calling my name was enough to make my heart tremble. "I love you so very
much. I love you so much, I can't even begin to explain how much I love you."
Argh, I don't even know what I'm trying to say anymore.
I could feel myself becoming more and more helpless. Rit's face drew closer, her eyes
glistening, overcome with emotion. Our lips touched, and the taste of Rit filled my
mouth.
It was undoubtedly a long kiss, but I couldn't judge for sure. During my days as a
knight, I had honed my internal sense of time to keep it together during charges and
surprise attacks, but that was all out the window now. Nothing mattered but Rit and
me in this moment together.
"Sorry, Rit… I'm reaching my limit… I don't think I can hold back anymore."
"…It's the same for me, obviously…"
Sparks flew in my mind when I heard her passionate voice.
This time, I kissed her and started touching her body. When our lips parted, Rit was
red to the tips of her ears, but smiling.
"I love you, Red."
Her whisper finally burst the dam holding my emotions in.
After that, there was no need for words.
Rit was lying in my arms. We were both exhausted. I was too content to move again
any time soon, and it looked like Rit felt the same.
Occasionally, we'd glance at each other, giggle, lean our heads together, and lightly kiss.
"I'm so happy…" Rit rested her head on my chest. "Living together with you, I was
always so glad… I thought there couldn't be anything better, but…" She touched her
stomach gently and blushed. "It's almost like you're still there… I'm so happy."
"Things only get better from here," I replied.
"Really?"
"Of course. I said this was the end of my journey before, but it's also the start of a whole
new one."
"What kind?"
"One that's quiet, peaceful, and filled with wonder." I closed my eyes, imagining it as I
put it into words. "The two of us working together in the shop, taking holidays
together, having picnics out in fields of spring flowers, standing out in the winter snow
in each other's arms again. Eventually, we may even start a family. Whether it's a boy
or a girl, I'm sure things will be lovely. After a time, it'll just be the two of us again. By
then, the tranquility might feel a little lonely. The shop will have aged. We'll need to
start oiling the creaking doors before opening in the morning. At some point, I'll turn
into a little old man, and you'll turn into a little old lady. Should we have grandkids, we
can help look after them. That might get us fretting about things getting boisterous
again, but that sounds fun in its own sort of way…"
"That sounds like such a lovely journey…"
"It sure does. Let's walk that path together all the way to the end. And whenever we
reach the conclusion of our adventure, we will both look back and say, 'What a
marvelous trip.'"
Rit sat up, looking at me with her sky-blue eyes.
"Hey, Rit."
"What, Red?"
Basking in the beauty of her visage, I replied, "I asked you before, but what kind of
gem do you like?"
Rit lay on top of me, arms wrapped around my neck. "Whatever you choose for me!
The stone you pick will be my favorite of them all!"
"Okay."
"I'm so excited! I can't wait!"
"I can't get anything rare like back when I was adventuring, though."
"Scarcity has nothing to do with it. What it's worth and what other people think don't
matter to me at all." Rit grinned from her perch on top of me, her pearly-white teeth
gleaming. "It's the gem that will join us together. That makes it far more precious than
any legendary item."
Rit kissed me again. As it continued, my heart started aching again. Before I knew it, I
had wrapped Rit in a tight embrace again.
It rained the next day.
"A ring, huh…?"
I had made a mental list of all of the gems I knew and was leafing through each to
figure out which was best suited for Rit. There wasn't a high demand for precious
stones in Zoltan. In Central, you could find everything from irregular pearls to
diamonds, from the cheapest baubles to the most expensive jewels. But not in Zoltan.
Gems were only available when seafaring traders brought them, so stock varied
depending on when you checked, and there was never a wide selection.
"I might have to reach out to one of the aristocrats, but I don't even know who to start
with."
My budget was hardly large enough to haggle with nobles anyway.
"Guess that means the mountains."
If I ventured out to the Wall at the End of the World, there was supposedly a village of
gem giants that were experts in jewels. Zoogs lived around the base of the range.
Hopefully, they'd give me some directions.
"The night of the winter-solstice festival would be a good time."
It was as classic a time to propose as you could get. All that was left was to find a gem
and get the ring made.
"Hey, Red, what are you smiling about?" Gonz asked, grinning suggestively.
He had come into the shop to escape from the rain.
"Nothing," I responded, just brushing it off.
Rit would be back in an hour. I couldn't help but smirk at that thought.
It had already been a week since Ruti had settled here in Zoltan.
"Thank you for your purchase," I said as I passed the medicine over to the customer.
Beneath the counter, the brand-new bronze sword I had gotten to replace my old one
was sitting in its scabbard. Mogrim had given me a hard time about getting another
bronze sword, but I had grown attached to the weak armament. The cheap, old
weapon was like a symbol of my determination to live a quiet life.
"I've finished up the deliveries."
Shortly after the customer departed, Rit returned. She put away the empty medicine
box and then sat down next to me. No sooner had she done so than I heard footfalls
coming from out back.
"Big Brother, we've finished tending to the herbs in the garden."
It was Ruti and Tisse.
Starting today, I would be teaching them how to raise medicinal herbs in preparation
for the farm Ruti wanted to build. For their first lesson, I had them prune a plant called
redegg. It was a shrub that generally stayed under a meter tall and got its name from
its crimson berries. During winter, it shed its leaves and went dormant. During that
period, you needed to trim the branches to help concentrate the nutrients. Generally,
you could prune around two-thirds and it would still be fine. Redegg was picked in the
early days of summer, so with Zoltan's warm climate, that meant they were gathered
pretty early.
While used in medicine, the plant had an eggplant-like flavor, so it was occasionally
used in high-class cuisine. It was effective against dangerous illness like goblin fever.
Demand for redegg was high, but its berries were small in the wild. Figuring out how
to grow larger ones seemed like both a fun and useful puzzle to solve.
"Thanks. I'll check how you did in a bit, so feel free to relax for a moment."
"…I'll help, too," Ruti stated and then plunked herself down next to me, on the opposite
side from Rit.
"Are you sure? I imagine it was hard work, right?" I questioned.
"Sitting down when your legs are tired feels really nice," Ruti responded with a
sparkling smile.
And then she wrapped her arms around my left one and leaned against me.
"Grr!" In response, Rit grabbed my right arm. Something large and soft pressed against
that arm—very different from Ruti's side.
"Nrgh." Ruti seemed vexed as she fixed Rit with a pointed glare. Rit wasn't backing
down, however, firing back with a placid stare of her own. For a moment, the air
became tense and strained. However…
"Gha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
Both Ruti and Rit burst out laughing at the same time.
"What are you two doing?" I asked with a chuckle.
However, my eyes narrowed as I saw the tranquil aura around Ruti. The figure of the
Hero that even Rit had once called scary was nowhere to be seen. All that remained
was the young woman, Ruti.
"How exactly do I break up this sort of situation?" Tisse was watching the three of us,
half-exasperated at our silliness and half-delighted at how happy Ruti looked. Mister
Crawly Wawly tapped her shoulder, glad for the change in my sister, too.
Clang!
The bell on the front door rang loudly.
"M-Ms. Ruhr!" Megria from the Adventurers Guild burst into the shop. "An urgent
request has come in! A band of ogres has come down from the Wall at the End of the
World, and they're occupying a nearby village! The C-rank adventurers who went to
take care of it got captured as well!"
Ruti released my arm and stood up. "Okay," she said with a nod.
At that, I reached beneath the counter, picked up Ruti's sword from its spot leaning
next to mine, and handed it to her. It was the goblin blade filled with holes.
"I'll be back soon, Big Brother."
"Okay. Be careful."
Zoltan's lone B-rank adventurer, Bui, had disappeared. Ruti and Tisse had formed a
party to fill the gap his absence created. It was only a part-time job, though.
The authorities in Zoltan had sounded Ruti out about taking the job, and even though
she had insisted on the clause that it would only be in her spare time while farming
medicinal herbs, they had officially promoted her to a B-rank adventurer. The name
she had given for her paperwork was Ruti Ruhr. Unlike me, she didn't take well to an
alias, so she settled on having the people close to her call her Ruti while everyone else
used Ruhr.
Ruti slipped an armored coat with iron bits woven into it over her regular clothes. One
could hardly call it sufficient protection for combat, but she had decided to commit to
a style that wasn't all about battle.
My sister wasn't the Hero anymore, nor did she feel compelled to aid others. Still, that
didn't mean she'd become the type to abandon those who were suffering and in need.
At first, she was a little bit hesitant about aiding people, but when I told her, "You
finally got your freedom, so just do what you want to do without worrying about being
captive to your blessing," it was like a weight had been lifted. She elected to become
an adventurer who would help when she wished and wouldn't be pressured otherwise.
"I think Ms. Ruti truly is a hero. She fights because she believes in what she's doing,
not because her blessing commands her," Tisse stated.
"You might be right." I nodded.
This was the path Ruti had chosen. Unburdened by her blessing, she was living a slow,
heroic life. The gallant figure she cut as she walked away was hers alone. After so long,
my sister was walking the path she wanted.
"Ruti! Is there anything you want me to make for when you get back?"
Hearing my voice, she turned toward me. "Honey milk, please," my little sister answered
with a completely natural and utterly adorable smile.
The Hero had been saved, and everyone lived happily ever after.
Yet this wasn't the end of Ruti's story. The simple life that she had sought for so long
was just getting started.