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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Clank, clank.
The well in the center of the village.
As I pulled the rope, the pulley spun, lifting the water-filled bucket.
With practiced ease, I lifted the bucket and poured the water into a metal pail.
‘Come to think of it, this used to feel quite heavy.’
Now, thanks to my increased Strength stat, the bucket felt light.
Many things had changed since I first possessed Allen’s body.
It would be strange if nothing had changed after all the effort I put in.
‘The way people look at me, for one.’
I caught snippets of conversations around me.
This guy’s sharp ears were a real asset.
“Who wants to smack Allen upside the head?”
“Hey, what are you going to do if you get caught? Remember that thief who got beaten to a pulp by Allen?”
“Yeah, but if we don’t get caught…”
“And you think you can pull that off?”
They were still kids, but they seemed to be somewhat afraid of me now.
I suppose venturing out on a journey and returning to the village gave me an air of adulthood.
Even though I had actually been to the far more dangerous Chaos Realm.
‘As long as they don’t bother me, it’s fine.’
Shouldering the two pails filled with water, I returned to the inn and pushed open the door.
Weiss was sitting at the counter, her attention focused on a ledger.
She seemed completely accustomed to working at the inn.
‘If she really is the Demon King, then this act is quite convincing.’
The Demon King infiltrated the village for reconnaissance before breaching the barrier.
Their goal was to assess the village’s defenses and gather information.
However, Weiss’s adaptability seemed too good to be true.
She integrated seamlessly into the inn’s operations, almost as if she planned to stay indefinitely. It made me question if she was truly someone who had lost their home.
‘Speaking of which…’
There he was again.
Finn, the Pathfinder who brought Weiss to the inn.
He claimed he was just checking up on her, but it was obvious he was smitten with her.
‘Not that it’s any of my business.’
I didn’t particularly care.
If anything, I was grateful he was keeping an eye on her for me.
Setting the pails down, I cleared my throat to announce my return.
Only then did Weiss seem to notice me.
“Allen? You were out fetching water? You’re so diligent.”
Diligent, she says.
Lately, I’d been cooped up in my room, consumed by Wind Manipulation training.
Her exaggerated praise made me feel uncomfortable.
“I’ll be in my room. Call me when lunch is ready. It’s my turn to cook today.”
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‘I thought I told her to call me…’
By the time Weiss called me, lunch was already prepared.
I looked down at the food in my bowl.
Various vegetables were stir-fried with potatoes.
It looked appetizing.
‘Surely, she wouldn’t try to poison me, would she?’
She clearly didn’t suspect that I was strong.
That meant she wouldn’t try to harm an innocent person, especially not to expose herself.
With a leap of faith, I took a bite.
‘Hmm?’
My eyes widened.
It was delicious.
I had convinced myself that nothing made with ingredients from this world could taste good, but this dish shattered my preconceptions.
“The young lady has quite the knack for cooking.”
The innkeeper seemed to enjoy it as well.
“Bringing her back from beyond the barrier was definitely worth it.”
Why was he always eavesdropping on our conversations?
Well, whatever.
I focused on devouring the food in front of me.
Opportunities to enjoy a meal this good were rare.
The innkeeper turned to Finn.
“So, young man, I haven’t seen you venture beyond the barrier lately. I thought you were a Pathfinder.”
Finn flinched, caught off guard by the question.
“I managed to sell some relics recently, so I have some spare change now.”
It seemed like he wasn’t the type to save money, only venturing out when he needed it.
To be fair, most Pathfinders lived that way.
Choosing that profession in the first place meant they weren’t concerned with living a long life.
However, his next words were somewhat unexpected.
“Besides, I don’t plan on being a Pathfinder forever. I want to save up enough money to open my own shop.”
The innkeeper chuckled.
“A shop, you say? Do you have any idea how much that costs?”
“Well, I was thinking of starting with a small stall.”
He seemed to have a rather naive view of running a business, but again, it wasn’t my concern.
If it didn’t work out, he could always return to being a Pathfinder.
As I got up from my seat…
“Speaking of which, have you heard about the bandits beyond the barrier disappearing? There’s a rumor going around that a hero took care of them. Any truth to that?”
My ears perked up at the mention of the bandits.
As a Pathfinder, it made sense that he would be interested in the news of their disappearance.
But a hero, he said…
‘Could he be talking about Gwen?’
It seemed news of the bandit extermination had spread, and Gwen was getting the credit.
Not that I minded. I preferred to stay out of the spotlight.
“I heard from some of the guests that a hero was staying at our inn recently.”
The innkeeper chimed in.
Being a well-connected man, he seemed to be privy to all sorts of gossip from his patrons. However, I didn’t expect him to know about Gwen as well.
“I believe they called her the Hero of Roses? Quite a famous hero, I hear.”
“A famous hero? Is she still staying here?”
“No, she’s moved on.”
“Is that so? I wanted to express my gratitude…”
The person he should be thanking was right in front of him, but I decided to keep my mouth shut.
I quickly excused myself and left the table.
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“Thank you.”
I packed the groceries I bought from the merchant into my basket.
As I reached for the basket again, another hand touched mine.
I ignored it and snatched the basket up.
“Let me carry that for you…”
“I’ve got it.”
Weiss’s shoulders slumped.
I ignored her and moved on to the next item on my list.
“Oh, Miss Weiss! Come here, come here. The vegetables are incredibly fresh today.”
“Isn’t that young man Allen? Long time no see! Are you two on a date?”
Even without turning my head, I overheard the whispers and chatter from the villagers we passed.
While I didn’t respond, it was starting to get on my nerves.
‘It’s only been a week since she arrived, yet she’s already this popular?’
It seemed like everyone in the village knew her.
Weiss, in turn, greeted everyone with a bright smile.
Well, she was indeed beautiful. And her friendly personality only added to her charm.
After what felt like an eternity of navigating the village with Weiss, I finally managed to purchase all the ingredients.
While the selection in this remote village was limited, I managed to gather a decent haul.
“Would it be alright if I prepared dinner as well?”
“I’ll cook dinner. It was my turn for lunch, remember?”
Of course, dinner would taste better if Weiss prepared it.
However, I wasn’t completely helpless in the kitchen.
I was confident I could at least cook better than the innkeeper.
“By the way, Weiss…”
We stood alone in the dimming alleyway, the grocery basket hanging between us.
It was the perfect time to ask.
“You said you lost your home, right?”
“Yes?… Well, yes, I did.”
It had been a week since we met.
It was time to find out the truth.
“But how are you able to adapt so quickly?”
“What do you…”
“How can you be so… cheerful?”
At that moment, Weiss stopped in her tracks.
I turned to look at her.
“I… I…”
Her eyes welled up with tears.
I realized then that I had crossed a line.
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“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Guilt washed over me as I watched her wipe away her tears.
I didn’t mean to hurt her. However, looking back, my questions were insensitive.
What if she wasn’t the Demon King? I hadn’t considered that possibility at all.
“…It’s alright. It’s my fault.”
“What?”
“I was trying too hard… I must have made you uncomfortable.”
No, that wasn’t it at all.
“No, you didn’t make me uncomfortable.”
I was simply curious.
“I was just curious. If you were… truly okay with losing your home.”
Thinking back, even that question was a bit too personal.
But I genuinely wanted to know.
Throughout her time here, she hadn’t shown even a hint of sadness.
“So, you’re asking if… I’m actually sad about losing my home?”
She lowered her hand, wiping away her tears.
The tears had stopped.
“Of course, I’m sad. How could I not be? My home is gone, vanished without a trace, and I’m stuck in a strange land.”
She looked up at me and offered a wavering smile.
“But what choice do I have? My home is gone, and I have to keep living.”
I stared at her, speechless.
I hadn’t realized it until now, but she was in the same boat as me.
We had nowhere to return to. Yet, we had to keep living.
And despite everything, she was smiling.
Unlike me, who had almost given up.
She was putting on a brave face, masking her sorrow with a smile.
“To survive here, I had no choice but to smile. Kindness was the only weapon I had.”
She found a way to survive in this unfamiliar world.
And that way was through kindness.
“I didn’t care if my kindness hurt anyone in the process. I was just desperate to survive.”
I wanted to tell her she was wrong, but she seemed resolute.
“So, I’m sorry, Allen.”
I couldn’t bear to look at her face any longer.
Her tear-stained face was a picture of vulnerability. And to me, it was achingly beautiful.
“Can you… forgive me?”
I couldn’t answer her question.
Not now, not yet.
Because I still might have to kill her.
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Amnesia Demon king?