By evening, a small settlement of fewer than twenty households appeared by the roadside.
There were no walls, nor were there any guards.
A wooden sign at the entrance bore the name “Deerhorn Village,” though one of the characters was written incorrectly.
The village's only tavern-cum-grocery store looked small and dilapidated. When they pushed the door open, they found three wagon-driving merchants sitting inside, along with a middle-aged man dozing off on the counter.
“Excuse me, boss.”
Esper walked up to the counter and tapped on the wooden surface.
The man jerked his head up, drool still hanging from the corner of his mouth.
“Huh? Customers? You want drinks or rooms?”
So this is the owner...
“Three cups of water first, and then I'd like to ask you a few things.”
The owner pulled three wooden cups from beneath the counter and poured some rather murky-looking well water into them.
Esper took one look and decided not to drink it.
“Have you seen a grey-haired dwarf around here lately? Short, uses a hammer.”
“A dwarf?”
The owner scratched his head, looking thoroughly confused.
“Are you talking about that little girl?”
“Little girl?”
“Grey hair, and she is indeed quite short, but she's definitely no dwarf. Just a little girl, maybe ten years old? Either way, she's not much older than the granddaughter of the old man down the lane.”
Esper froze for a moment.
The commission sheet had clearly specified a grey-haired dwarf.
“Are you sure she's not a dwarf?”
“I've lived long enough to know what a dwarf looks like. That little girl might be short, but she looks no different from a human child.”
“Does the child you mentioned also carry a hammer?”
Renn walked up from behind and stood beside Esper.
The owner glanced at him.
“Yeah, probably for self-defense. How's a kid that small supposed to travel alone without a weapon to protect herself?”
“What kind of hammer is it?”
Renn continued questioning.
“Huh? Just a regular iron hammer, the kind used for blacksmithing, not one of those long-handled warhammers.”
“...She is wanted. The eyewitness claimed she was a dwarf.”
“Wanted? Why is she wanted?”
Most of the owner's sleepiness had faded by now, and his tone took on a gossipy eagerness.
“She crippled over a dozen members of an adventurer party, and the only one who escaped unscathed reported her.”
“That kid struck that hard?”
He looked deeply skeptical, his attitude clearly showing his disbelief.
Renn silently handed the wanted poster and documents to the owner.
The owner stroked his chin as he flipped through the documents page by page, even letting out a chuckle halfway through.
“Oh, that informant probably got it wrong. An adventurer passed by our place for a brief moment while fleeing earlier; that was likely him. He didn't stop here, just kept running forward, screaming at the top of his lungs. He made quite a scene.
Since he ran back so terrified he pissed himself, he probably didn't even get a clear look at her. To assume she's a dwarf based solely on her Blacksmithing Techniques and small stature, and then trying to rob and kill her when she was just a Rank E External Member taking on a high-difficulty quest... I really don't know what those people were thinking.”
“...”
Esper was utterly speechless.
She already knew the eyewitness was a piece of trash and a complete fool, but she hadn't expected him to be this incompetent.
“So when did she appear in this village?”
“The first time was a few weeks ago, and the last time was just last week.”
The owner yawned and wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
“One afternoon a few weeks ago, she walked in, bought two loaves of bread and a pitcher of water, paid, and left. She was very quiet and didn't cause any trouble.
At first, I thought she was a runaway blacksmith's apprentice, but the next day, I heard that the long-neglected commission to the north had been completed.”
He jerked his thumb toward the north.
“There was a frenzied Wild Boar King up there. Because of its high defense and sheer ferocity, the subjugation quest had been put off for a long time.
Then, the Wild Boar King died. She came back with a completely blank face and used her bounty to buy a cup of liquor, only to choke on her first sip and burst into tears.”
“...Huh?”
Did that even make sense?
Just picture a grey-haired kid walking into a bar with a deadpan expression, coldly ordering a drink, and then immediately sobbing because she choked on it.
“Are there really death marchers like that?”
Esper couldn't help but ask Renn.
“...There are indeed many individuals with unique personalities.”
Did that really fall under “unique personality”? It felt more like she was just a bit...
“And after that?”
Esper suppressed her urge to complain and continued her questioning.
“Afterward, she killed a few more high-tier beasts roaming the area. Then, one day, she suddenly left and headed north. She said she wouldn't stay in this dump of a place no matter what.”
Esper rested her chin in her hand, lost in thought.
“Aside from buying things, did she say anything else?”
“She did.”
The owner's expression suddenly turned a bit odd.
“What is it?”
“The first time that little girl bought alcohol, she said... uh...”
The owner paused.
“‘It feels just as cozy as ordering a cup of coffee at a café after dealing with some villains.’ A whole long sentence like that. And then she cried from the burn of the alcohol.”
“...”
“Later, she came back to buy some food and ordered a few slices of bread and a small cup of water. After taking a sip, she said, ‘Why does your plain water taste weird?’”
“...Taste weird?”
“I had actually given her a cup of low-alcohol liquor. She looked so lonely and pitiful, you know?”
“...And then?”
“She got drunk. She collapsed on the table, drooling all over it, and kept crying out things like, ‘I don't want to work anymore, I want to go home...’”
The owner sighed.
“I never gave her alcohol again after that.”
No, what am I even supposed to say to you, you...
“Once she sobered up, she asked if she had blabbered anything nonsensical while she was out of it. I told her exactly what she had said.
She let out a long breath, left the money for the drink on the table, and ran off.”
The owner looked toward a table nearby, as if recalling the copper coins the girl had left behind.
“She came back a few more times after that. She didn't talk much, but she always said thank you before leaving.”
Esper's lips twitched.
This was completely different from the image she had built in her mind.
“What does she look like? Be specific.”
“Very short hair, probably only reaching her earlobes. Huge eyes, greyish-green. Round face. She wore a dirty... well... rust-colored outfit? Same color as her hammer.”
“Rust-colored clothes?”
“Just clothes, made of cloth. Dirty and old, covered in patches. She's about up to my chest.”
The owner gestured with his hands.
“Oh, and she seemed to have something tattooed on her neck, though I didn't get a good look. It was black, like some sort of pattern.”
A tattoo?
“Which direction? Where did she go after she left?”
“North, straight north. I don't know if she veered off after that. The people in our village don't usually go out there; it's crawling with wild beasts and all sorts of dangerous things.”
Esper nodded.
“Thanks, boss.”
She turned and walked toward the door.
Eladia stood on the steps outside the tavern, her hands clasped in front of her. Her feet, clad in calfskin boots, were pressed close together as she waited quietly.
“Did you hear that?”
“Yes... Not a dwarf... A little girl...”
“Right. And she sounds like a bit of a dummy, too.”
“A dummy...?”
Eladia tilted her head slightly, a faint look of confusion appearing on her face.
Renn emerged from the tavern a moment later, holding a small scroll of parchment.
“What's that?”
“I just gathered some information from those merchants.”
He unrolled the parchment, revealing a few scribbled lines and crosses.
“A simple map of the northern area. The merchants sometimes have to take this route when pressed for time, so they marked a few relatively safe paths.
On these paths, wild beasts are far scarcer, and the terrain is easier to traverse, which should save us a lot of trouble.”
Esper nodded, gaining a slightly deeper understanding of the man before her.
“Also, in the past few days, some members of a caravan actually spotted Kaylar.”
“...What?”
“She's been active around this area.”
Renn pointed to one of the crosses on the map and drew a small circle around it.
Esper leaned in to take a closer look.
“How often?”
“Across several caravans, she's only been seen a handful of times. No conversation, and she never lingered. We haven't figured out any other patterns, but we can be reasonably sure she's in this area.”
Esper took the crude map and examined it more closely.
Based on the scale, searching this area at their pace would probably only take about half a day.
“We'll set out first thing tomorrow morning and take a look.”
“Understood.”
Renn put the map away.
They had dinner at the tavern—mediocre bread served with a piece of cured meat and some unrecognizable greens.
The taste was average, but at least it filled their stomachs.
“The tattoo on her neck...”
Esper muttered under her breath.
“The owner said it was a black pattern, but he couldn't see it clearly.”
“Is it a death marcher's mark?”
“It doesn't seem like it. It's more likely a mark related to the Abyss Cult. But as far as I know, there aren't any cults that tattoo their marks on the neck.”
“Then what could it be?”
“I don't know. If we see her tomorrow, we might as well ask her directly. Based on what the owner said, she seems reasonable enough to talk to.”
She was, after all, someone who insisted on paying even when offered a gift.
...
After finishing their meal, it was time to turn in.
“Ten copper coins for three rooms, eight for two, and five for one.”
Esper rubbed her hands together.
“I'm the Hero. No discount?”
“If you rent four rooms, I'll give them to you for eleven. How's that for a discount?”
“...We'll take two.”
Esper sighed.
“I'll share with her.”
She pointed to Eladia behind her.
The difference between three rooms and two was two copper coins. If they saved that, it would be enough for another meal.
“Sure. But won't it be a tight squeeze sharing with that girl? The bed is very small. You might end up tangled together.”
The owner's eyes darted back and forth between Eladia and Esper with a knowing look.
“It's fine. She can have the bed, and I'll sleep on the floor.”
Esper said casually.
The owner grunted, took the money, and snatched two keys from the pegs on the wall, tossing them over.
Esper caught them and handed one to Renn. The three of them then headed up to the second floor.
The second-floor corridor was narrow and dim, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath their feet.
Esper unlocked the door. Inside was a narrow bed, a table, a chair, and a small window.
She stepped inside, dropped her bag on the floor, and turned to look at Eladia, who had followed her in, keeping exactly three feet of distance.
“You take the bed.”
“But...”
“I said, you take the bed.”
Eladia looked at her, the final remnants of twilight reflected in her sky-blue eyes.
“...Okay.”
Esper pulled an old cloth from her bag and spread it on the floor to serve as a makeshift mattress.
Then, she sat down against the wall, resting the Holy Sword beside her and wrapping her arms around her knees.
“Esper.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think that person... is bad...?”
Esper closed her eyes and thought about it.
“I can't say for sure yet. But she doesn't sound like the type to go around slaughtering people like Zhong did.”
“Mhm...”
“We'll see tomorrow. Go to sleep.”
“...”
A few seconds of silence passed.
“...Esper...”
“What is it?”
Eladia's gaze remained fixed on the girl sitting in the corner.
“Let's choose another target...”
“Why are you saying that again?”
Esper replied, feeling somewhat helpless.
“Because you look... unhappy...”
Esper didn't answer.
“You said before... that since you came here... you should make the places you visit better... which was why you wanted to kill Zhong...”
Eladia fidgeted with her fingers, as if voicing a conclusion she wasn't entirely sure she should share.
“But... I feel... you don't think killing Kaylar... will make anything better...”
“Didn't I say I can't make a final judgment yet? Minor details in daily life don't fully represent a person's character.”
Esper buried her head in her arms, her voice sounding a bit muffled.
“She hasn't killed anyone...”
“She's a death marcher. Just because she hasn't killed anyone now doesn't mean she won't in the future.”
“...But you're hesitating...”
“...So what? Anyone would hesitate. It's not like it's a weird thing to do.”
Eladia didn't answer, but Esper heard a rustling sound.
She was getting off the bed.
“...?”
Esper raised her head. Eladia was standing barely a foot away.
There was no feeling of discomfort, nor could she feel the other girl breathing.
Then, Eladia carefully tugged the corners of her mouth upward.
If anyone else had seen her expression, they probably would have mistaken it for a warning sign before a bite.
A smile forced onto a face that lacked the emotional foundation for it—eerie, stiff, yet a smile she had promised she would only show to one person.
It was, indeed, a smile.
“What are you doing...?”
Esper asked weakly.
“...Esper said before... that she wanted to see my smile...”
Eladia's voice was incredibly soft, and she kept her exhalations to an absolute minimum so as not to let Esper touch even a trace of Holy Light.
...Now that she thought about it, she really had said something like that. Though she was pretty sure her exact words were that Eladia should only smile for her.
Should she correct her understanding?
“I thought... since Esper wanted to see my smile... it must mean that seeing it would make you a little happier...”
Her voice was so very soft.
Forget it, there's no need to correct her.
“Esper... are you a little happier now...?”
“...I am.”
Esper said, her voice muffled.
“The effect wasn't good enough...”
Eladia muttered to herself. Lowering her fingers, she took a few small steps away from Esper and resumed breathing.
Esper buried her head in her arms once more.
“Go to sleep.”
“...I'm sorry... I still didn't do it well enough... I'll practice more...”
Her voice sounded a bit dejected.
“...Just sleep.”
Only after Eladia lay back down on the bed, and after a long time had passed and very soft snores began to sound, did Esper raise her eyes again to look at that peaceful little face.
“You're the real dummy here.”
she whispered.
Rate on N.U.
