"Luchi, are you alright?"
"The little girls sure are giving this old man quite a hard time."
Luchi sighed as he stared at the stone wall in front of him.
"How long has it been..."
Luchi ran his hand over the stone wall and said, "Heinzel, can you see this stone? I carved it myself. How does it look? It's the best one, isn't it?"
"The finish is terrible. It should be as smooth as my head, don't you think?"
Luchi responded with a completely serious expression. "You're right about that."
"Hmm. Your serious answer is making me feel really irritated."
After a brief silence, both of them started laughing noisily.
"Ahaha! Luchi, you seem fine to me!"
"Haha! Do I look fine? My insides are rotting away."
"Isn't that because you're still a newbie?"
"Haha... Heinzel, maybe you should visit home again. And lower your voice, what if the girls overhear?"
"Ahem, right... I forgot."
"Seems like the wrinkles in your brain have smoothed out, just like your scalp."
"Doesn't it?"
Once again, the two men burst into loud laughter.
"Hah... My cheeks hurt. Come on, let's head inside. Luchi, you can take a moment to prepare yourself."
"What's there to prepare for? Let's just go."
"Stop trying to act cool."
"Well, I only have one eye, so even if I cry, you won't see it. That way, I can keep my dignity."
"Ah... There's a benefit in that."
"Exactly."
Thud-Thud
"By the way, Luchi. What should we do about the ones following us?"
"I don't know. It would be a pain if the girls found out..."
"Maybe we should come up with some aliases?"
"Hmm. I'll call myself Rich."
"Then I'll be... Ahinkel."
"Heinzel, you have terrible taste."
"And your name sounds like something from a skeleton."
The two adventurers walked in silence until they reached the center of the ruins.
Heinzel, who had been quiet for a while, pulled out his halberd and said, "It feels like we're here to catch a runaway daughter."
Luchi drew his sword and replied, "Looking at their armor, it doesn't seem like they're here to play. They might be aiming to kill the escorts."
"Heh... These bastards."
Heinzel gritted his teeth.
"Heinzel, remember the client's instructions. We can't kill them."
"Of course, of course. But Hermila might forgive a couple of accidents, don't you think?"
"Well, it is a pretty hot day."
The two adventurers stopped walking and waited for the knights to arrive.
"Hey, Luchi, do you think three mistakes would still be forgivable?"
"Three mistakes each... Even Hermila would have trouble with that, don't you think?"
"Hmm, that's true."
* * * *
"So, Noah, please answer me now. The survivor of Havlon... Where is this person called Luchi?"
After hearing Noah mention that there was a survivor from Havlon, I pressed her for more details.
But Noah kept avoiding a direct answer, saying it was too dangerous to talk here and suggesting we continue in a safer place.
So, we hurried to the old house where we planned to rest.
"I-I don't know where exactly... I just know they exist..."
Noah avoided my gaze as she answered.
"Are you certain there's a survivor?"
"Yes... I'm sure about that."
This can't be true.
I searched for survivors, not just in Havlon, but in other ruined villages as well.
Yet, I found no one.
Not a single survivor.
I was looking for survivors for one reason only.
I wanted to know what happened to someone who met the same end as me.
Did they crumble like I did?
Or did they rise again?
If there was a survivor.
If there was someone who rose, unlike me, who fell.
I wanted to have hope.
I wanted to draw strength from them and find my courage again.
As weak as that sounded, I needed it.
I needed a place to lean on, the warmth of another person, someone who could empathize.
That's why I searched.
I used every method I could to find them.
But no one, and nothing, could be found. No traces at all.
And now, Noah claims to know about a survivor?
It was hard to believe.
"How... does Noah know something I don't?"
"My teacher... told me."
A teacher?
Noah has a teacher...?
"Your teacher?"
"Yes... Hehe..."
"Is this the person who taught you how to fight, Noah?"
Nod-
"Then... they must be amazing."
Noah might be helpless in other areas, but her fighting skills were incredible.
For someone who had only been an adventurer for two months, it was beyond believable.
So, if someone had trained Noah, they must be extraordinary.
I was expecting praise for this teacher, but instead...
"Amazing? Hmm... I just... depended on them a lot. I relied on them so much... I couldn't do anything without them..."
Noah had a somewhat distant expression as she gave that strange answer.
Although the information about the survivor was important, this needed to be addressed first.
"Depended on them...? You couldn't do anything without them?"
"Yeah... Even now,Black Sun... Ahem! when I think of my teacher... it makes me angry and upset, but I still want to see them again. Anyway, yeah... they were that kind of person. My teacher... Hehe."
Huh?
"You're angry and upset, but you still want to see them? Your teacher?"
"Yes... I know I shouldn't forget, but if I could see them again... I think I'd be able to do things right this time, without making mistakes..."
Hearing Noah's answer gave me a strange feeling.
No, it wasn't strange.
It made me angry.
Was it because she reminded me of my sister?
"Noah, is your teacher a man?"
"Huh? W-Why do you ask all of a sudden?"
"Just curious."
"Uh... Um... That's a secret."
"Hmph, so... were you two close? You and your teacher?"
"Hmm... I think we went through a lot together... There were hard times, painful times... But overall, it was good."
Noah lowered her head, embarrassed.
Crunch-
I gritted my teeth.
I closed my eyes and tried to calm the thoughts in my mind.
What is this disgusting feeling?
Thud- Thud- Thud-
I tapped the table as I tried to sort out my thoughts.
After a moment, I reached a conclusion.
Right.
It's because I see Noah as a little sister.
Noah, who I think of as my little sister.
I was jealous that she had experienced love before I had.
Not that I had any intention of dating... but still.
Noah, who's younger than me.
Much shorter than me.
With... much smaller breasts than me...
Though her face is incredibly... cute.
And her personality is so innocent and pure...
I couldn't help but feel annoyed.
And angry.
Whoever he is.
The bastard who looked at this small Noah and had those kinds of feelings.
That damned scumbag, whoever he is.
Even if Noah calls him her teacher.
This is... this is crossing a line, you beast.
"A-Aileen...?"
Noah, sensing the tense silence, spoke up first.
"What?"
My voice came out cold, even though I wasn't angry at Noah.
Well, maybe a little.
But still...
That just made me angrier at myself for being so petty.
Seriously... how annoying.
"Aren't you hungry...? Let's eat something..."
"Let's just chew on some jerky. I'm tired."
I turned my head away quickly.
It was hard to look at Noah's innocent face.
I was dealing with such a pathetic emotion, and if I saw her pure expression...
I'd feel like even more of a small-minded fool.
So, I had no choice but to look away.
"Uuuum… I'll make you food. Then… It'll be tastier than beef jerky..."
Noah fumbled as she grabbed my hand.
Her small hands squeezed mine.
Hands that were small but calloused.
Hands that had fought through so many battles.
"A-Aileen... Are you mad...? I-I'm sorry... About the survivor... I'll look for them later, so please... don't be mad, okay...?"
I turned my head to look at Noah.
She was gazing up at me, her face filled with worry.
It wasn't because of the survivor.
I was mad at the beastly teacher who had touched Noah... And also a bit jealous.
Seeing Noah, worrying over me like this, made me snap out of it a little.
Rubia, you idiot.
If you're going to be the older sister, act like one.
What are you doing to this poor girl...?
I took a deep breath and reached out to pat Noah on the head.
"I'm just messing with you. Noah is too cute, so I was playing a little prank."
Noah's expression suddenly became incredibly adorable.
It was a mixture of betrayal and relief.
And she couldn't figure out whether to laugh or stay serious.
With her emotions so plainly written on her face, I couldn't help but tease her.
"I'm serious, Noah. It was just a joke, so it's okay to laugh."
"Uh...? H-How...!"
She always reacted the same way whenever I guessed her feelings.
"I don't have mind-reading powers or anything. Don't overthink it. Hahaha..."
"Huh...!"
Now, she was covering her mouth entirely.
Too cute.
So pure.
If my little sister had survived, would she have grown up like this?
Caught in a brief memory of the past.
I couldn't resist the urge.
I opened my arms and pulled Noah into a hug.
"Mmph-!"
It seemed like she was a little suffocated by my chest, but...
Well, I'll just consider this punishment for having more experience in love than me.
Ah, and there's something else I need to ask.
"So, Noah. Is your teacher a man or a woman?"
"Mmph-?!"
And.
"Where do they live?"
I need to find them.
Ask them about the survivor's location.
And while I'm at it, make sure they never dare to look at Noah with lust again.
Even if the world ends, that bastard...
"Mmph! Huff! Huff... What are you doing?!"
Noah wriggled out of my arms.
She's freakishly strong. Tch.
"I just hugged you because you were cute. Did you hate it?"
At times like this, if I act shameless, Noah tends to back down.
I felt guilty, but her reactions were so adorable, I couldn't stop myself from teasing her.
"Ugh... No, I didn't hate it, but..."
See?
"Really? Then..."
I opened my arms again.
"Want another hug?"
I smiled at her.
Even though she couldn't see my smile, I made sure to put it in my voice.
"U-Uh... Ah... Ugh..."
Words failed to form as Noah's face turned bright red.
Her reactions were so cute, I couldn't stop teasing her.
Just as I was about to close the distance for another hug.
Noah's voice, suddenly low, stopped me.
"Wait. Two men are within 20 meters... And..."
The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed from outside.
Along with the cries of someone and the sound of flesh being torn.
"And behind them, twelve fully armed soldiers."
I quickly stood up and looked out the window.
"Over there."
Noah pointed.
What I saw was the knights of the Erden Temple.
The ones I had escaped from.