Part 1
The inn Paul was staying at was the 『Dawn of the Door Inn』. Next door is a slightly larger than usual inn.
Inside is a circular wooden table with ten seats. I sit on one of them. Paul is sitting in front of me.
Though it's still the daytime, all the seats are filled up. The guys I knocked out were healed by some healing magician allies of Paul, and they were sitting around as well. It goes without saying, but the looks they were giving me weren't particularly good. It seems that everyone here is Paul's companion.
The one I notice in particular is the person behind Paul. Sitting there is a female warrior. Her hair is short and chest-nut colored, curling outwards. Her lips are a bit pouty and she gives a charming impression. Worthy of special mention is her figure.
Large breasts, a slim waist, and a full butt, covered up by the so-called bikini armor. She's a girl in her late teens.
Indeed, it's the female warrior that Paul called Vera.
Even with one look, I can tell that she's got the kind of figure that Paul is fond of.
That bikini armor isn't very unusual in this world. It's a world where a small wound can easily be fixed with healing magic. Assuming that they'd just block attacks, they'd prefer light weight armors. Things like chainmail would get in the way. There are a lot of swordsmen who think this way. It's likely that she's one of them.
Still, it's the first time I've seen someone so lightly dressed. Normally above some thin clothing they'd wear armor on their joints, like their shoulders and elbows. Even if she isn't dressed that way because we're in a bar, she could have worn an overcoat or something. At the very least, the young women I've seen up until now on the Demon Continent were like that. Isn't she cold in a get-up like that?
I've heard that because of the 7 towers in Milis, the climate is always stable here. I wonder if that's why she's fine? Well, let's just assume so for now. It's eye-pleasing.
While I'm looking at her, our eyes suddenly meet.
I was winked at.
I returned the wink.
"Oi, Rudi… Rudi?"
When Paul speaks to me, the female warrior and I break off our gazes.
"Father, it's been a while."
"What, Rudi… you survived, huh?"
Paul spoke with a tired voice. How do I say this… he's really changed.
He hasn't shaved properly, his hair is a mess, his breath reeks of alcohol, and his whole body gives off a peevish impression.
He doesn't look at all like the Paul in my memories.
"Well… yeah…"
At any rate, my mind can't keep up.
Why is Paul here?
This is Milishion.
It's as far from Asura as Africa is from Mongolia.
Is he here to search for me?
No, he shouldn't have known that I was teleported to the Magic Continent.
In that case, for a different matter, huh?
What about his job protecting the Buina village?
"And so, why are you here, Tou-sama?"
Thinking that I should ask this first, in response Paul looked surprised.
"[Why?] you ask, you saw the message didn't you?"
"Message… you say?"
Message.
What message?
I don't recall seeing anything like that.
Seeing me obviously confused, Paul frowned.
Could it be that I said something that upset him?
"Oi, Rudeus. What have you been doing up until now?"
"Even if you ask that, it was pretty rough, you know."
I'm the one who wants to know what's going on.
While thinking this, I recounted my journey up until now.
About how I had been transported to the Magic Continent, I had been saved by a certain Demon race person, how I became an adventurer, and about the year I had spent with Eris on the Magic Continent.
Thinking about it, it had been a pretty fun trip. From the troubles we had at the start, as well as the half year we had lived as adventurers; we had experienced quite a lot.
It might have been because of that, but I gradually became more talkative, and started to talk more passionately about the events that had occurred while I was journeying. Everything that I had said was completely non-fiction; a great big spectacle.
I had separated my journey into three parts:
The first was meeting Ruijerd and becoming friends with him, and then the chaos at Rikarisu town.
The second was about the Great Magician Rudeus helping Ruijerd, and his journeying to reform the world.
The third was about how some cowardly Beast People had captured me, and my desperate struggles in captivity.
Though I had dramatized a few parts, I began to speak more smoothly, and gradually my gestures became more joyful and I started to tell the story while making exaggerated sound effects.
By the way, I had left out the stuff about the Hitogami.
"And so when we got to Wind Port, what we saw was…"
"…"
Around the time when I had finished telling the second part, the 『The Journey of 3 Black-listed People Through the Magic Continent - Empathy Arc』, I suddenly stopped talking.
Paul had become sullen.
His face had distorted into an irritated expression, and he was tapping his finger on the table.
I might have upset him somehow.
Without understanding, I was about to continue my story.
"After that, we headed to the Great Forest."
"That's enough."
In an irritated voice, Paul cut me off.
"That you spent the last year gallivanting about, I understand quite well now."
I became just a little irritated at Paul's words.
"I had quite a tough time as well you know."
"Just what was tough about it?"
"Eh?"
When he had asked that in return, I let out a strange voice.
"From your tone, I didn't feel like you had even an ounce of hardship."
That's because I told it like that.
Though, certainly I may have gotten a bit carried away.
"Hey, Rudi. There's one thing I'd like to ask."
"What is it?"
"You, why didn't you gather information about the other people who had been teleported while you were on the Magic Continent?"
I stayed silent.
I had no choice but to stay silent.
Even if he asked me [Why?] I had no way to answer.
There was only one way to reply.
There was only one reason.
It was because I had forgotten.
At first we had struggled with all our strength, however even when we had room to breathe again, I hadn't even once thought that there might've been people besides us on the Demon Continent.
"I-, I had forgotten… We didn't have the time to, and…"
"Didn't have the time? Even though you had the time to help out some demon you didn't know, you didn't have the time to concern yourself about the other people who had been teleported?"
I stay silent.
I had gotten my priorities wrong.
Now that he mentions it, certainly that may have been the case.
Still, don't ask me this after it's already happened.
I had really forgotten at that time.
I can't be helped, right?
"Hah! Without searching for others, without writing a single letter, together with that cute, cute ojou-san like you were on a picnic, living as an adventurer. Not only that, you had a strong guard to escort you. And then, hah, when you first came to Milishion you saw a kidnapping, and put panties on your head and played hero?"
Paul sighs at me in ridicule, and reaches for the jug of alcohol on the neighboring table. He drank half of it in a gulp, then spat as if to make fun of me.
Because that gesture was unabashedly making fun of me, I became irritated. Though I won't tell him to stop drinking, aren't we in the middle of an important discussion?
"Even I've had to deal with one thing after another. I had decided that in a situation where I couldn't tell left from right, I would protect only Eris… Various things had happened, so it couldn't be helped, right?"
"It's not like I'm blaming you or anything."
He had spoken in a tone that ridiculed me. Finally, I began to raise my voice.
"In that case, why are you picking a fight with me!?"
I reached the limits of what I could endure. I don't understand why Paul is saying things like this.
"Why, you ask?"
Once again, Paul spits.
"I should be asking you that."
"What about me?"
I can't comprehend it. What is he trying to say?
"Was that Eris you mentioned, Phillip's daughter?"
"Eh? Ah, of course she is."
"I've never seen her, but she's definitely quite the cute ojou-san huh? Was not sending letters because you thought the number of guards around her would increase, and it'd get in the way of your flirting?"
"Didn't I just say that I had forgotten?"
I hadn't thought of anything but that.
Certainly, Eris really does have good standing.
The Greyrat family is huge.
Possibly, had we spoken to the lord of Saint Port, we might have gained one or two guards.
But I had explained that at that time I had been caught by the Beast People and so… oh, I hadn't explained, huh? I hadn't gotten up to that part yet.
Even so.
I aimed to do the things that I could, in my own way.
Though I didn't manage to do everything in the best way possible, that doesn't give him the right to blame me like this.
"Leader. How about leaving it there? He's still young so even if he had said a little too much, it can't be helped, right?"
When I became silent, the bikini warrior from before had come from behind and placed her hands on Paul's shoulders. Seeing this, I laugh in scorn.
In the end, it's this sort of thing.
Though this man speaks high and mightily, he's a man who won't discriminate when it comes to women.
He's that sort of man.
He isn't in a position to say anything to me.
I haven't laid my hands on Eris once.
Certainly there were close calls.
There were times when I was ruled by my desires as well.
But I never did lay my hands on her.
"When it comes to women, I don't want to be told this by you, Tou-sama."
"…Huh?"
Paul's eyes glaze over in irritation. I don't notice.
"What's the deal with the woman over there?"
"What about Vera?"
"Do Mother<--Esteemed mother (Kaa-sama)--> and Lilia know that you have such a beautiful woman nearby?"
"…They don't. There's no way that they would."
Paul's expression warps into one of regret but I don't see it. I was deluded into thinking that I was winning the argument.
"So you're cheating as much as you like, then? You've had her put on quite the erotic outfit. It seems that the day when I get a new brother or sister is close at hand, huh?"
Before I realize.
Before I realize, I had been hit, and was on the ground.
Paul is making a vicious expression and is looking down at me.
"Don't fuck around, Rudi."
I had been hit.
Why?
Sheet.
"Oi, Rudi. Since you're here, it means that you passed by Saint Port, didn't you?"
"And what about it?"
"Then you should know, right!?"
I don't know what's going on anymore.
Just that Paul is hiding something, and that though I don't know about it, he's blaming me because he thinks it's natural that I do.
Don't fuck around with me.
Even I have things that I don't know.
There's heaps of things that I'd like to know about.
"I don't know!"
I raised my fist and struck at Paul.
It's avoided.
At the same time, I activate my demon eye.
I stamp on Paul's leg with all my might.
I then spin around and aim for Paul's chin.
He moves really well for a drunk person.
I gather mana into my right arm.
I still can't match Paul in close quarters combat.
However, if I use magic it isn't a problem.
I create a tornado with my right hand, and Paul is sent flying.
"Whoa!?"
Paul flies spinning through the air, and is thrown behind the counter.
With a crash, he sends the jug of alcohol flying, and falls onto the bed.
"Sheet! You've fucking done it now!"
He immediately gets up but his legs are tired.
This idiot drank too much.
In the past, Paul was stronger than this.
It's likely that even in that position, he would have evaded my tornado.
"Rudi, you bastard…"
Another woman rushes over to the stumbling Paul. Even though he surrounds himself with women, he really dared to says all those things to me.
"Don't touch me!"
Paul shakes her off and walks in front of me.
"Paul, just how many women did you cheat with while I was gone?"
"Shut the hell up!"
It's a really unsightly, telegraphed punch.
Is this really the same Paul?
This is an attack that I can avoid even without my demon eye.
I grip that arm and perform a one-arm shoulder throw.
Of course I can't do anything like Judo.
I had used wind magic to kick us off and like that, I forcefully threw him.
"Guhah…!"
It seems that he didn't even perform an ukemi properly.
I don't actually know if the technique exists in this world, though.
I mount Paul who had clumsily fallen to the floor.
The same way that Eris usually does, I check both his arms with my knees, and neutralize any resistance.
"I've been trying my best, too!"
I hit him.
I hit him.
I hit him.
Paul endures it and looks at me in hatred.
Sheet.
What's with those eyes.
Why do I have to be looked at like that.
"There was no helping it, right!? I was at a place I knew nothing about! There wasn't anyone I knew! Even then I somehow managed to make it here! Why do I have to be reproached like this!?"
"…Since it was you, you should have done things better!"
"I couldn't!"
After that, I wordlessly hit Paul again and again.
Paul didn't say a word, and while bleeding from his mouth, just continued to look at me.
In an irritated way.
Like he was looking at someone who couldn't be reasoned with.
Why?
He shouldn't have been a person who would look at me like this.
Sheett…
Sheet.
"Stop itttttttt!"
At that time, something had flown at me from the side and bumped into me.
Because of the impact I had staggered, and in that instant Paul thrust me away and stood up.
I prepare myself for an attack.
However, Paul didn't move.
In the space between us stood a single little girl.
"Stop it already!"
She has a nose a lot like Paul's, and golden hair a lot like Zenith's.
I understand with just a glance.
It's Norn.
My younger sister.
She's gotten quite big.
If I remember correctly, she's five now, right?
No, has she already turned six?
Why is she facing me with her arms spread apart like that?
"Don't bully father!"
I receive those words, stunned.
Bully?
No, I mean…
Eh?
Norn is glaring at me with eyes that are about to cry.
I suddenly look around, and for some reason…
Looks of criticism are gathered on me.
"…What's with this?"
My heart suddenly runs cold.
I recall that incident from decades ago.
It was the time when I was bullied.
At that time as well, I had slightly misspoken and was looked at with criticism from everyone in the classroom.
Ahh, that's right.
I've said something wrong.
I give up.
My heart is broken.
I don't care anymore.
I'm going home.
I didn't see anything.
I don't know anything.
I'll head back to the inn and wait for Eris and Ruijerd.
Then I'll depart immediately.
Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow.
Even if it's not the capital, we can still make money, so who cares.
There should be an adventurers guild in Westport as well.
"Rudi. It wasn't just you that was teleported. Everyone in Buina village was wrapped up in the teleportation disaster too."
Paul says something and I dimly hear it.
…
Eh?
What, just now, what?
"We had left messages at Saint Port, and Westport as well. At the adventurer's guild. You became an adventurer, didn't you? Why didn't you see them…?"
Even if you say that, there wasn't anything at…
No, that's right.
I never went to the adventurer's guild in Saint Port.
Since after I went to pick up Ruijerd, I ended up at the Dorudia Clan's village.
"While you were happily travelling, countless people died."
Countless people.
That scale.
A magical disaster.
A teleportation disaster.
Why didn't I realize it?
That Hitogami said 『Large Scale Magical Disaster』.
Why did I think that Buina village would be fine?
I see.
Everyone is missing…
"In other words… Sylphy as well?"
When I say that, Paul once again makes an irritated expression.
"Rudi. You're more concerned about a woman than your own mother?"
I gulp.
"K-, Kaa-sama is still missing!?"
"Yeah. I couldn't find her at all! Lilia as well!"
Paul's bitter words hit me like a slap.
I stagger like I'd been hit.
My legs are unsteady.
I feel like I'm going to collapse.
In front of me is a chair.
I somehow manage to lean on it.
"To search for the missing people, we formed into a search party organization."
A search party.
I see.
In other words, the people here are the search party?
"B-, but why would a search party kidnap people?"
"There are those who became slaves as well."
Slaves.
Having been teleported, without knowing where they are, they're deceived, and then made into slaves…
And apparently there are a great number of people like this.
Paul and his group seem to compare slaves one by one against the missing person list, and earnestly ask the owner for their freedom. However, among them are many who don't want to part with the slaves that they've obtained. According to Milisian law, no matter the circumstances, once a person is made a slave they are the property of their master.
That's why Paul decided to forcefully abduct the slaves.
Stealing slaves is of course a crime.
But there's a loophole in this law.
Using this, Paul freed countless slaves.
Of course, if it was according to their wishes, then it would have been fine to leave the slaves.
However, the majority of the slaves begged in tears to be allowed to return to their hometown.
The boy they rescued this time was one of them.
I thought I had seen his face somewhere, that boy was one of those who had bullied Sylphy in the past, Somal.
During this past year, he had been made to live as a prostitute.
Hearing the bitter cries of those who were made into slaves, but among them were those who couldn't be saved.
In other words, there were also those who were neglected by some of the nobles, but couldn't understand the search party's high-handed way of doing things.
From above, from below, they were criticized from all sides.
Though Paul's nerves were worn down each day, he never gave up and continued to give his best.
All for the sake of saving those who were teleported due to the magical calamity.
"Rudi. I thought that you had already noticed the situation long ago, and had already taken action."
At Paul's words, I hang my head without power.
Don't say something so unreasonable…
How exactly was I supposed to realize?
Ahh, but, I see.
I see.
It's possible that during my journey on the Magic Continent, there were people from Fedoa region in one of the towns I passed through.
Had I asked one of them for their stories, I might have realized the severity of the situation.
I was negligent in confirming the situation.
I should have prioritized finding out about the disaster over Ruijerd's situation.
I've failed.
"So for you to have been having a carefree adventure is…"
Thoughtlessness.
Ahh, that's right.
That's right, isn't it?
While I was being aroused by Eris' panties.
While I was being aroused by the bodies of the young women at the adventurers guild.
While I was licking the thighs of the Demon Realm's Great Empress.
While I was groping the bodies of the beast-eared girls…
Paul had been risking his life to find our family.
Of course he's angry.
"…"
Only, I can't apologize.
Because it couldn't be helped, right?
How should I say this?
It's because I thought that I had been trying my best at that time.
"…"
Paul doesn't say a thing.
Norn is silent too.
However, I can feel from her gaze a strong sense of rejection.
That feeling gouges at me.
It gouges at my heart.
It gouges at my soul.
When I look around, I find that all of Paul's companions had been looking at me with looks of reproach.
Thoughts of my past cross my mind.
It was the day after, when the pictures of me, shown to be naked and inferior, were pasted around the school.
The looks of everyone when I entered the classroom…
The inside of my mind turned pure white.
Part 2
Before I noticed, I had returned to our inn.
I was collapsed on the bed.
I have no idea.
I have no idea about anything at all.
I don't think about anything.
There was a rustling from inside my clothing.
When I had taken a look, I found writing paper.
I crushed it and threw it away.
I didn't want to do anything.
Thinking about it, it was the first time I was treated coldly by my parents.
Both in my previous life, and my current life.
Something this or that, my parents had spoiled me.
Just now Paul completely rejected me.
That attitude was… that's right.
It was the attitude that my siblings had shown when they had thrown me out of the house.
What did I do wrong?
I don't understand.
I had planned to do things right.
Even when I think back, I hadn't made any fatal errors in judgement.
If I were to venture a guess, it'd be relying on Ruijerd at the beginning.
Even while doubting that God, I had followed his advice and saved Ruijerd.
I tried my best to speak happily about my journey too.
Though there's also the fact I had gotten carried away, I hadn't wanted to worry Paul, and there was also my ego.
'I managed to do all this', I had wanted to say.
To Paul, it's possible that it wasn't funny.
To Paul's companions as well, as expected it wasn't funny.
I really slipped up.
I didn't intend to prioritize Sylphy over my mother.
I mean, Paul and Norn were there.
I had thought that Zenith was alright as well, right?
No, that's an excuse, isn't it?
At that moment, I hadn't thought of Zenith at all.
It was Paul that had brought up the topic of women.
I haven't laid my hands on Eris at all.
I was told off by Paul who had a history of cheating.
That's why I had the right to…
Ahh, so that's how it is?
Could it be that Paul hasn't laid his hands on them?
I see.
If that's the case then of course he'd be mad.
Okay. I feel like I'm a little more collected now.
Alright.
Tomorrow, I'll talk to him one more time.
At any rate, even Paul just got a bit emotional.
Wasn't there a case like this before, as well?
If we talk, he'll understand.
Right, it'll be okay.
Even I worry about my family. It's not like I don't.
That I didn't investigate was because I missed out on the information a little.
Certainly, it's painful that in this year and a half that I could have searched the Magic Continent, I didn't do anything.
Still, I'm still alive.
I'll work things out somehow.
Exactly.
It'll be fine if I properly search for them.
Paul should understand as well.
That in this wide world, just because you didn't find them immediately, doesn't mean that they won't ever be found.
That's why I'll calm Paul down, and we'll work out this time's plan.
We'll focus on places that they haven't searched yet.
I'll lend a hand as well.
If I deliver Eris to Asura, I can continue north to search the northern regions.
Right. First I'll meet Paul…
I'll return to that bar, and meet with Paul…
"…Oopp."
Suddenly I had felt nauseous, and ran to the bathroom.
Like that, I throw everything up.
Even if I understand in theory, my heart isn't cleared up at all.
Because it had been a long time since I had faced rejection from my family, my heart completely broke.
Part 3
Ruijerd had returned a little after noon.
He had an expression more cheerful than usual, and it seemed like he had obtained something that had been made to look like an envelope. But when he saw me sitting on the bed, he frowned.
"Did something happen?" I was asked.
"My father was in this town."
When I replied as such, Ruijerd's expression grew even more severe.
"…Was something unpleasant said to you?"
"Yeah."
"It's been a while since you've met him, right?"
"Yeah."
"Tell me the details."
Without concealing anything, I told him what happened.
Ruijerd briefly said "Is that so?".
The conversation was paused there.
He left for a while.
Part 4
In the evening, Eris returned.
Something might have happened because she looks quite excited.
Leaves are stuck to her chest, and there's dirt on her cheeks. However, she looks quite happy.
Considering that appearance, it seems she had a good time goblin hunting.
I'm glad.
"Welcome back."
"I'm back, Rudeus. You know! Ah…"
When I smiled at her, she made a startled expression.
Then like that, she ran over to me.
"Who was it!? Who did this to you!?"
With a frantic expression, she started shaking me by the shoulders.
"It's nothing, you know."
"There's no way that's the case!"
She continued to ask me questions like that several times.
She was persistent, and so without hiding anything, and indifferently, I told her about my conversation with Paul.
I told her about what I had said to him, about what kind of reaction he had, and about what happened.
"What's up with that? That's!"
Hearing my story, Eris became extremely angry.
"To say something so one-sided like that, it's unforgivable! Just how hard does he think you've been working!? For him to say that was playing…! Absolutely unforgiveable! He's disqualified as a father! I'll beat him to death!"
Saying something dangerous, she rushed out of the room with sword in hand.
I didn't have the energy to stop her, and so I saw her off like that.
Part 5
A few minutes later, Eris returned.
She had been caught by Ruijerd by the scruff of the neck, and was carried in like a cat.
"Let me go!"
"Don't get involved in parent and child fights."
Ruijerd declared as such, and lowered Eris onto the bed.
Eris immediately turned her head to glare at him.
"Even if it's a fight between parent and child, there are still things that you can say and things that you can't!"
"Yeah. But I can understand the feelings of Rudeus' father."
"Then what about Rudeus' feelings!? It's Rudeus! Rudeus who's always easy going, and who'll stay calm even when he's kicked and punched, Rudeus! He's become this depressed!"
"If he's depressed, then console him. If you're a woman, you can do that much, right?"
"Wha-!"
Eris was lost for words, and Ruijerd went downstairs.
Eris who was left in the room looks like she can't calm down, and wanders about, here and there.
Sneaking glances towards me, she sometimes folds her arms in an imposing stance. Like that, she'll open her mouth to say something, but stop, and again she'll wander back and forth.
She can't calm down.
She's like a bear in a zoo.
In the end, Eris sat down next to me.
Meekly.
Without saying a word.
She sits.
She delicately increases the distance.
I wonder what kind of face Eris is making?
I couldn't really see.
I didn't have the composure to look at another's face.
A little time passed by.
I suddenly realized that Eris wasn't by my side.
When I began to wonder where she had gone to, I was embraced tightly from behind.
"It'll be alright. I'm on your side…"
Saying that, Eris held my head.
Soft, hot, and smells a little of sweat.
All of it was something that I had experienced over this past year; it was Eris' scent.
I felt a sense of security.
The feeling of anxiety I had from being rejected by my family, my fear…
I felt like all of it was being swept away.
Eris might already be part of my family.
Had Eris been there in my past life, I might have been saved at an even earlier point.
It was an embrace that let me think that.
"Thank you, Eris."
"I'm sorry, Rudeus. I'm, not really good at this kind of thing after all."
I had turned around and clasped her hand.
They were callused from her sword, strong, and not hands that you could believe belonged to the daughter of an aristocratic family.
They were hands that showed great effort.
"No, you really helped me."
"…Mmmn."
The pieces of my heart had connected, and just a little, my composure returned to me.
While thinking this, and feeling relieved, I entrusted my body weight to Eris.
I'll lean on her for just a little while.