"Uncle?"
Hmm?
Hazuki cracked open one eye, staring at the small kid who was sitting beside his mother.
"What do you want?" he asked lazily, still stretched out on the back of the carriage.
The kid fidgeted. "Umm… umm…"
Hazuki tilted his head slightly, still too relaxed to sit up. "Hmm?"
The kid hesitated before finally asking, "Are you an adventurer?"
Hazuki let out a small sigh. "Hmm… not really. Well… I did register as one. Why do you ask?"
"It's just… I saw your sword. So I thought you might be an adventurer."
Hazuki glanced at his short sword, then lazily lifted it for the kid to see. "Oh, this? It's more for protection or something. I'm not really a full-fledged adventurer like those guys."
The group of adventurers inside the carriage suddenly grinned when they saw Hazuki.
One of them snapped his fingers. "Oh! I remember you! The newbie!"
Hazuki's eye twitched.
Oh, great… here we go again.
"Hey, newbie, how's the slime slashing going?"
Hazuki groaned internally. Ugh… not this again.
Without even opening his eyes, he muttered, "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
Then he rolled onto his side, trying to block out the conversation and just enjoy the peaceful ride.
The adventurers kept chatting, laughing amongst themselves, while the other passengers relaxed in their own way—
Some pulled out books, quietly reading as the carriage rocked along the road.
The kid's mother had fallen asleep, her breathing soft and steady.
Meanwhile, the kid…
…was still staring at Hazuki.
Even with his eyes closed, Hazuki could feel the gaze burning into him.
…
Why was this kid staring at him so much?!
"Ugh… don't keep staring at people like that, kid. It's rude."
The kid tilted her head. "Hmm… I'm just bored. Why don't you talk to me?"
Hazuki sighed. "Nah… too lazy. Besides, I'm still tired."
The kid blinked. "Tired from what?"
Ugh, this kid is annoying.
She just keeps asking questions over and over.
Hazuki groaned. "Hey, kid… just go to sleep, okay?"
"Umm… but I'm not sleepy."
"Yeah yeah, whatever."
A few seconds passed in silence.
Then—
"Uncle?"
"What?"
"Why did you say you're tired?"
Ugh. This damn kid.
Hazuki rubbed his temples, regretting ever answering in the first place.
"I just finished a brawl with some muscle guy, won, and now I'm here."
The kid's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Ooooh! You fought someone?! How big was he?"
"Big. Like a bear."
"Did you punch him?!"
"Yeah."
"Did he punch you?"
"…Yeah."
"Did it hurt?"
"Obviously."
"Then why fight?"
"Because he started it!"
"Then why didn't you just walk away?"
"Because—" Hazuki paused, narrowing his eyes. "Oi, stop asking so many damn questions!"
The kid giggled. "But I wanna know more!"
"There's nothing else to know!" Hazuki groaned, throwing his arms over his face.
A moment of silence.
Then—
"Uncle?"
"WHAT?!"
"How many times did you punch him?"
…
Hazuki seriously considered jumping off the carriage.
"Oi, kid."
"Hmm?"
Hazuki sighed, rubbing his face. "If you keep asking, I might just marry your mother over there."
The kid's eyes widened. "Hmm? For real? You'll become my papa?"
"Ehh?!"
"You said you wanna marry my mother."
Hazuki sat up straight, waving his hands. "Oi, oi, it was just a joke! Why would you take it seriously?!"
The kid looked at him with big, innocent eyes. "Because… I don't have a papa."
"Huh?"
Hazuki froze, completely caught off guard.
The girl hugged her knees and stared at the floor of the carriage. "My papa left a long time ago. Mama said he was an adventurer, but he never came back."
The adventurers nearby glanced at each other but said nothing.
Hazuki scratched his cheek. "Uh… well… I didn't mean it like that, kid."
The girl suddenly looked back up at him. "Then why not? You're funny, and Mama would like you! She always says she likes strong men!"
Hazuki nearly choked on his own spit. "Oi! Stop matchmaking your mother to random strangers!"
The kid giggled. "But you're not a stranger! You're Uncle Shitman!"
The adventurers burst out laughing.
Hazuki buried his face in his hands. "Kill me now…"
The kid, completely ignoring his suffering, kept talking.
"Mama works really hard, you know! She help sells bread in the market. But sometimes bad people try to take her money."
Hazuki peeked through his fingers. "Huh? What do you mean bad people?"
The girl pouted. "Just some scary guys. They say mean things and try to take stuff. But Mama is strong! She always chases them away!"
Hazuki leaned back. "Tch. Damn scumbags."
The girl nodded. "That's why if you marry Mama, you can help her too! You look kinda strong!"
Hazuki sighed, completely defeated. "Oi, kid… enough about your mom already…"
The kid giggled again but finally changed the subject.
"Uncle, what's the strongest monster you've ever fought?"
Hazuki blinked. "Uh… a slime?"
The kid gasped. "WOAH!"
Hazuki felt a tiny bit of pride—until she followed up with—
"So you're really weak, huh?"
…
This damn kid.
The kid tilted her head, eyes shining with curiosity.
"Uncle?"
Hazuki sighed. "What now?"
"Where do you live?"
"A stable."
"Eh?! Like… with horses?!"
"Yeah."
"Don't they stink?"
"A little."
"Do you sleep on hay?"
"Yeah."
"Do you eat hay?"
"Oi, I'm not a damn horse!"
The kid giggled. "But you live with them!"
Hazuki groaned, rubbing his temples. "Ugh, next question."
"Uncle, what's your name?"
"Hazuki."
"Eh? That's a weird name!"
"It's normal where I'm from!"
"Where are you from?"
"Far away."
"Like how far?"
"Like… another world far."
"Woah! So you're from another world?!"
"Uh…" Hazuki paused—he just said that without thinking. "Err, yeah. Something like that."
"Does that mean you have magic?!"
"No."
"Eh?! But people from other worlds always have magic!"
"Well, not me."
"Then do you have a special power?"
"Nope."
"Are you a prince?"
"Do I look like a prince?"
The kid stared at him, then shook her head. "Nope, not even close."
"Tch. Thought so."
"So… if you don't have magic, and you're not a prince, and you're weak… why did you come here?"
"How the hell should I know?!"
"Then what do you want to do?"
"Make money and not die."
"That's it?"
"What else do you expect from me?!"
The kid puffed up her cheeks. "You should dream big, Uncle! Like becoming the strongest warrior! Or a great hero!"
"Too much work."
"Or how about the richest man in the kingdom?!"
"Sounds nice, but I'm broke."
"Hmm… then maybe you can be the king?!"
"Oi, now you're just talking nonsense."
"But kings are cool! And if you marry Mama, you can be my king papa!"
"STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME YOUR DAD!"
The kid giggled again, completely ignoring his frustration.
"Uncle?"
"What now…?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"…"
"Uncle?"
"…"
"Uncle, are you ignoring me?"
"Tch… I don't have one, okay?! Happy now?!"
"Eh? Really?! But you're old!"
"OI! I'M ONLY 24!!!"
"That's really old, though."
Hazuki felt his soul leaving his body.
The adventurers in the carriage were snickering, clearly enjoying his suffering.
The kid wasn't done yet.
"Uncle, do you have any friends?"
"Yeah. Well… kinda. I worked with some guys before."
"Where are they now?"
"Left for their hometown."
"Oh… so you're all alone now?"
…
"Oi, why do you make it sound so depressing?"
"Because it is!"
"Tch."
The kid grinned. "Well, don't worry! You can be my friend!"
Hazuki sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever, kid."
"Yay! Uncle is my friend now!"
As the kid kept giggling, Hazuki just leaned back against the carriage wall, staring at the sky.
Why me…?
( End of Chapter )