I was caught off guard when he hit me but, seeing as he’s just a small child, his punch didn’t have much force behind it. I calmed down and caught the boys next punch with my hand.
“Oi, what are you doing so suddenly?”
“Ku, you coward!”
The boy was only about as tall as me as I was sitting. Even if he put all of his strength into his punches, they wouldn’t hit me.
It would be easy for me to hit him and put an end to this if I were a bad guy…. But this kid can’t be older than ten and he’s saying something about me killing his parents. As I was considering what to do, the waitress that had taken our orders came rushing from the back of the shop and pulled the boy away from me.
“What are you doing!? Stop, Rick!”
“Why are you stopping me, Remy onee-Chan!?*
“It’s because of people like them that Mother and Father are dead!”
“–Rick!”
The waitress’ right hand whipped forward in an instant. Even from this distance, I could tell she held nothing back. The child named Rick was sent sprawling to the floor.
The dining area fell silent.
…umm, what’s happening? I was the one that got hit and even I think that was a bit much….
“My Lord, I’m very sorry. He’s just a stupid child that has no sense. Please, you only need to punish me!”
She knelt down and placed her forehead on the ground. I was immediately able to understand why she hit Rick so hard. She did it to protect him because they’re both terrified of nobles.
“N-Nee-chan, what are you doing…?”
“Rick, you’re my responsibility. If you haven’t received a proper education, that’s my fault. Even if I’m taken away, you must never blame yourself.”
“…N-Nee-chan?”
Noticing how serious Remy’s tone had become, Rick’s face was dyed in fear.
“Umm, you said your name was Remy, right? Can you please raise your head?”
“…yes, my Lord.”
She slowly raised her head. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was prepared for whatever punishment I’d give her.
She just seems like an ordinary village girl…. Something must have happened to them in the past. Her younger brother said nobles were responsible for their parents’ death.
That worries me…but I should first do something about Rick’s cheek. I took a handkerchief out of my pocket and moistened it with spirit magic.
But when I reached out towards the boy’s face, my intentions were completely misunderstood and he wouldn’t let me get close.
“ –Sophia.”
“Sure, I got it.”
Sophia took the handkerchief from me and approached the boy.
Just like I thought, Remy and Rick looked nervous but didn’t avoid her.
Sophia is probably stronger than I am but people tend to let their guard down around her due to her appearance.
“Here. Hold this against your cheek.”
“…umm?”
“Use it to cool off your cheek.”
“It’s so cold! Wait, ow, that hurts! You’re being too rough!”
Sophia just gave up on explaining and pushed the cloth against Rick’s cheek. That wasn’t exactly how I wanted that to go…. It’s possible Sophia’s annoyed that Rick ruined the happy atmosphere we had going.
W-Well, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Thinking this, I turned my attention back to Remy.
“Can you tell me what your brother meant earlier?”
“That’s…. Yes, I understand.”
Given the circumstances, Remy believed she couldn’t refuse.
“Actually –”
“Wait. Can you take a seat at the table?”
“But –”
“It will be hard for us to talk if you remain kneeling.”
She was hesitant at first – I could tell how scared she was – but just like before, she believed she couldn’t refuse. Eventually, she finally pulled a chair up to the table and sat down.
“So, why does Rick hate aristocrats so much?”
“Umm, well…do you know about the famine that occurred a few years back?”
“Yes, I remember it.”
That was when Alice and I really started abusing our domestic affairs cheat.
“Our hometown, Reiji, was destroyed by that famine.”
“I see.”
I can understand why Rick would hate nobles.
The famine severely affected many areas. The Marquis of Gramp’s territory was heavily affected and every city and village in his territory was facing a food shortage.
Crane had to make a terrible decision. He chose to abandon several villages in order to save the rest.
Reiji village was one of those abandoned.
In order to save the many, a select few were sacrificed. From a political viewpoint, it isn’t wrong…but when I’m looking at two of the victims of this decision, it’s hard for me to believe that.
“I can understand that. It’s unavoidable that he’d hate the nobility.”
I understand, but that doesn’t make it any easier to convince them I’m not their enemy. Whatever I say, Remy and Rick won’t trust me.
I wonder what she thought was on my mind. Remy seemed to panic a little and continued.
“Umm, it’s true that once the famine had passed, the Marquis of Gramp rescued the few survivors and explained the circumstances to us.”
“…rescued?”
I asked her to explain to me, in detail, what she meant by this. She said the Marquis relocated the survivors from the abandoned villages to this city and helped them find jobs and places to live.
“This shop was given to us by the Marquis of Gramp. It’s a place for the survivors of Reiji to live and work, but….”
Remy’s words trailed off. When I asked what was wrong she said, “I-It’s nothing.”
Even if she says Crane rescued them, it doesn’t change the fact that he abandoned them. Even though there were many circumstances that led to his decision, I don’t expect any of the families affected would ever forgive him. I shouldn’t pursue the subject any more.
“I…understand why that decision was made. I don’t hold a grudge against any of the nobility. However, Rick is just a child. He only sees things in black and white. To him, the Marquis of Gramp decided that our parents didn’t deserve to live. So, please, forgive him and punish me in his place.”
“Uh, well….”
I never actually intended on punishing her…. How should I end this? I guess the simplest method would probably be quickest.
“It seems you were actually misunderstanding me. I’m not a nobleman.”
“…eh? I-Is that true?”
“Yep, I’m just a traveller.”
“…just a traveller? I don’t see how that’s possible….”
Remy looked over at Sophia. She was wearing a gothic dress that was, of course, made from the highest quality material in this world.
…yep, no normal person would be we wearing that.
“Umm….”
“Leon onii-chan is just travelling. He’s actually retired.”
Sophia replied in my place.
“He looks rather young to be retired.”
Remy stated the obvious.
“Onii-chan just looks really young. He’s actually in his forties.”
— pff!? T-That was close. I was barely able to stop myself from reacting.
Over forty? No matter how you look at me, I don’t look — wait, if you include my previous life, that’s actually true.
And there are around eight years of time that passed after I died on Earth and when I was reborn here.
“…that…has to be a lie, right?”
“…only one part of what we’ve said is a lie.”
“Is that so?”
Although I’m technically the head of the Grances family, I’ve basically left all of the work for Claire. So it’s not incorrect to say I’ve retired.
And if I include my age in my previous life, I’m technically over forty.
So the only lie is the fact that we actually are nobles. However, Remy seemed convinced the lie was about my age.
“You don’t have to believe it. The only thing you need to know is that I have no intention of punishing you.”
“…thank you.”
After that, Remy and Rick apologized to us several times. They offered to give us lunch for free to make up for the inconvenience.
We got caught up in a strange event but the local cuisine was really delicious. And Sophia seemed happy, so it was good that we came.
As we were eating lunch —
“– I finally found you!”
Alice, who was supposed to be out finding a hot spring, jumped into the restaurant with a shout.
“…Alice? What are you doing here?”
“Sophia-chan told me this was where she wanted to take you — that doesn’t matter! I heard from a contact at the Guild that a Lyk Skull Bear has been sighted!”
“Oh, that’s what this is about?”
That’s good. I promised Sophia that I’d definitely save Elyse, but that would’ve been impossible if we couldn’t find this bear. It’s only a matter of time until we get the liver now.
However —
“We need to hurry to the Guild! We’ll lose the liver if we stay here!”
The words that left Alice’s mouth were not what I expected.
