A young man was walking in a deep forest.
The forest had not been touched by human hands, and despite the sunlight, it was still dim. Other than the cries of birds that could sometimes be heard, there was nothing else to be heard. A place where an oppressive presence lingered.
His face was contorted into a fairly unpleasant expression, looking at the sword held in his hand.
「Aaahh…… damn it」
He spat to the side while rubbing his sword against the nearby grass. The gunk stuck to it had a horrible smell.
「No wonder no one wanted to do this job…… Jeez, I should probably rinse myself off before I go back.」
His expression turned even more foul as he noticed gunk was even stuck to his leather coat.
He had just walked away from completing the subjugation request to take out the frog-like demonic beasts that were overpopulating the forest. The subjugation itself wasn’t all that difficult. With the amount of confidence he held in his sword and magic skills, the walk there and back was the hard part.
「There was still some time until my next 『job』 so I took this up as a time-killer but…… what a total waste of time……」
His shoulders drooped as he heaved a sigh that blended in with the sound of his own splashing footsteps treading across the sticky grass.
The main reason he chose this job was because it was so close to the town he was currently staying in that it wouldn’t have taken him more than a day to make the round trip. He spat curses at himself for making such a careless decision.
The job itself wasn’t a big deal.
Both discovering and exterminating the colonies that the demonic beasts made deep in the forest were simple jobs for him.
If it hadn’t been for their biofluids and gunk, he wouldn’t be covered in it now.
The only saving grace was that his sense of smell had quickly numbed from how awful the smell was.
However, if he went back to town the way he was, even the gatekeeper he knew would be disgusted with him.
As an adventurer, his face was fairly well known among the people in the town he currently resided in.
Right now he was in a country that considered 18 the age of maturity, but in his hometown he had been recognised as an adult at the age of 15. It was then that he decided his calling as an adventurer and became accomplished after just a few years. Now, he was renowned enough that he couldn’t be made light of just because of his age.
Hair of a mix of black and brown, a leather coat made from the hide of a demonic beast. A magic gauntlet tool on the left arm too. That signature look always made people think of Dale Lecky.
「Water, by my name I command thee, heed my call 《Seek: Water》」
Reciting the incantation, he invoked his magic. Upon feeling a strong presence of water, he immediately shifted his route to an animal trail.
A flowing brook finally came into view. Dale looked relieved upon seeing his objective.
Taking off his coat, he rinsed it in the gushing water. That was all it took to clean the gunk off as this was his best piece of equipment that was enhanced with magic. Dale hung it on the nearby branch to dry, though thanks to its water resistance, that wouldn’t take very long.
He thought for a while.
Giving his body another inspection, he was again reminded of the putrid stench and gunk. He thought better of it and decided to thoroughly wash himself and put a hand to his blade-resistant tunic.
As the demonic beasts and animals of the forest were of no threat to him, Dale’s actions just went to show how composed he was.
His coat dried in no time, but his tunic and pants were still sopping wet. As Dale lit a fire, he took a seat on top of his opened coat in his underwear, and while he was taking a cold bath, he roasted some river fish that he had caught.
By the time his clothes were just about dry, the savory smell of the fish had permeated through his surroundings. Dale quickly donned his clothes while keeping an eye on the fish. As expected, even he wasn’t so brash as to enjoy a meal in his underwear in a place like this.
He then heard a rustling sound.
Dale thought that some small animal must have been lured in by the smell, but when he looked over he became speechless.
He found a very young girl was staring at him.
Her small head peeked out from the bushes.
First, Dale was surprised that he had guessed completely wrong.
Second, he was shocked that such a young girl was wandering around a forest full of demonic beasts.
The girl had small, coiling black horns protruding from her temples.
（A 『Demon Race』…… how troublesome……）
He clicked his tongue in his mind.
Among the seven 『Races』, they possessed the most powers, and they were highly prejudiced and hostile to the other Races. The 『Demon Race’s』 defining trait were the horns that protruded from their heads.
（Should I kill her……?）
It was a quick and dirty method.
She would only lead to trouble.
Dale gripped the hilt of his sword tightly――and let go.
He didn’t want to be drenched in blood right after he’d already gone to the trouble of washing himself.
That was the main reason that crossed his mind.
The girl stared at him with large grey eyes that looked like they might start crying at any moment.
Once he removed his hand from his sword and took a good look at the girl, he was finally able to cool his head. He then figured out what it was that had been bothering him since he first set eyes on her.
One of her horns was broken at the base.
（Oi oi…… A little girl like her, was a criminal……?）
Taken aback, even Dale realised the look he had on his face right now must have been pretty stupid.
A while ago, he had heard about it from his adventurer buddies, one of the Demon Race’s traditions.
――As the defining trait of their race, the 『horn』 was considered sacred. So for those that committed a great crime, their horn was broken off on one side and they were exiled.――
Upon realising that, no doubt remained. After all, the girl in front of him was much too young even if she was branded a criminal.
The 『Demon Race』 had greater longevity than Dale and the others of the 『Human Race』. Dale couldn’t be sure if Human years applied to her but based on where her head from peeking out from the bushes, she only appeared to be about 5 or 6 years old.
The age difference could hardly be seen.
The girl had her eyes set on him, but when she noticed the fire roasting by the campfire she immediately turned her gaze towards it. Dale had forgotten about the fish until then and rushed to remove the skewer. It was a little burnt.
「…………mmm……」
Moving the skewer left and right, the girl’s line of sight moved with it.
It wasn’t just his imagination, she was intently focused on the fish.
「…………want some?」
If he ate in front of this little girl, it felt like he’d be rubbing it in her face and that’d leave a bad taste in his mouth.
Thinking along those lines, he’d offered it to her offhandedly. At the same time he berated himself internally, shocked at what he’d just said.
Dale’s voice caught her attention, and she looked to face him again, her head tilted.
「＊＊＊? ＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊?」
「Hn? Oh……?」
This time Dale tilted his head at the words that came out of the girl’s mouth.
Although he wasn’t able to follow what was said, he remembered hearing some language like it somewhere before.
「Hmm……if I remember right, that guy……」
He racked his brain for more information he heard about the Demon Race from his adventurer buddy.
「The language of the Demon Tribe is the same as the language used for incantations, was that what it was……」
He clapped his hands remembering that was it.
An incantation is the language used to invoke the phenomenal power called magic. Only a few people were able to utilise it, and those people aren’t able to utilise it well…with the exception of the Demon Race. They were so apt with the language that it served as their native language.
That’s why it’s said that the Demon Race are『all born magicians』.
「Hmm…… Then…… side, come, want, this?」
As it was the language used for incantations, he strung together several words hoping she’d get his meaning. It wasn’t quite on the level of something ‘conversational’, and wondered if he even made any sense.
However, it being a language she knew, the girl had an obvious look of relief on her face. She rustled the bushes as she climbed out and approached Dale.
Even though Dale was the one that invited her over, he was still dumbfounded again.
She approached a stranger without a shred of caution――and that wasn’t all.
The girl was emaciated.
Her limbs were sticking out of some old rags that had probably been a dress at one point, and she was all skin and bones. You could tell with just a glance that she was malnourished.
He didn’t even need a sword to kill this little girl. He could just as easily put his hands around her neck and break it, without meeting any resistance.
While the Demon Race is known to be highly prejudiced, they also had a strong camaraderie with others of their race. That’s why 『exile』 was such a heavy punishment.
Furthermore, the birth rates for races with long life spans are considerably low.
It could be said that children were a treasure to the Demon Race.
Even if she was branded a criminal, he couldn’t even comprehend leaving her in such a state.
「Give…… eat…… Aah, I have no idea what to say……」
Dale frowned while pressing the girl to take the skewer. There was no word in the magic language to tell her to 「eat up」.
That’s why he handed her the skewer, but she just stared at it, then looked back at Dale.
「＊＊＊＊＊＊?」
「Come on, eat.」
The girl look at Dale, trying to read him. For now, he responded with a nod. Taking his action in good faith, the girl slowly brought the fish to her mouth.
Little by little, she ate in small bites.
As he watched her, a bit bored, he couldn’t help but think she was like a small animal.
Dale took advantage of the time it took her to eat and tried to string together another phrase.
「Aah….. thou, protect, person, together, with?」
It wasn’t for sure that her guardian was gone. The girl quietly listened to Dale’s broken speech, then answered more slowly for him this time.
「＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊. ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊」
「Okay…… together, we, not? ……beast, reject……?」
Dale could only catch a word here and there, but the meaning was obvious from her solemn face. She paused for a moment, and then with her small hands, she took Dale by the hand.
Dale questioned himself as he followed after the girl, with her tiny steps, through the forest.
Calling out to her and giving her fish were both done on a whim, and now he wondered what exactly he should do after all this.
Abruptly, the girl came to a halt. Suspicion showing on his face, Dale looked up.
「What? Ahead?」
The girl pointed her finger ahead, and shook her head.
「＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊」
「Another, beast? ……this is not, is it?」
While thinking about the meaning, Dale walked in the direction she indicated.
「!!」
And then he caught his breath.
Even though Dale made a living off using his sword, even he hesitated to look straight at the formerly 『humanoid body』 lying there.
（…… This is someone from the Demon Race, isn’t it… Judging from the shape of the horns…… a male?）
He couldn’t hazard a guess when the man had died, or even what caused his death.
The injuries were too extreme.
This forest had many demonic beasts and animals.
He was likely either attacked or mauled after his death, but Dale couldn’t tell which.
（And his horns…… are both intact…… Is he this girl’s father? ……so he didn’t let her be exiled alone）
He could probably feel relieved with that.
He remembered the girl’s words from earlier.
If he put her words together, it was probably the last instructions that the father had given.
――You can’t stay near my corpse. Beasts will eventually start to gather. A small child wouldn’t be able to defend themselves then――or something similar.
「Aah…… damn it. Now that I’ve seen this, I can’t just ignore it now can I……」
Dale roughly scratched his head.
He himself had picked up the father’s final wish.
Although she had followed those instructions and didn’t stay nearby, he had come across the small child that had quietly survived inside the same forest.
「Thou which belongs to the earth, by my name I command thee, alter to my desired form 《Earth Alteration》」
Placing his hand on the ground near the corpse, he chanted an incantation. The ground caved in with a thump and a single hole opened up.
Maybe because she had noticed his voice chanting an incantation, the child had at some point drawn near beside him, timidly looking up at Dale.
Dale faced the child.
「At the very least, let’s bury him…… Did that get through? Hmm…… bury, earth, dead, person……」
Seeming to have digested Dale’s words, the child gave a single nod.
Dale was worried for a moment if it was alright to let a little child see a corpse that was in such a terrible condition, however it seemed like the child had long accepted it. As if making a final farewell, she stared at her 『father』 without shifting away her gaze.
Perhaps she had occasionally come to see his condition
The child silently watched the series of actions as Dale settled the corpse into the hole and then filling up the hole with magic again.
「＊＊＊＊＊」
「Thanks? You don’t really need to mind it.」
On top of the grave that he had just finished making, Dale used magic again.
He placed down a pure white megalith that was summoned with earth attribute magic.
He couldn’t engrave a name into it, but it was a sufficient grave for something that was hastily made.
「…… haa…… well, I guess this is also some kind of destiny.」
Behind the child staring at the grave, Dale heaved a sigh.
「My name, 『Dale』, you, name is?」
Turning around, the child made a somewhat surprised face.
「Latina」
A single word, that sound slowly drifted away.
「So it’s Latina…… Latina, me, together, you, go?」
The child made a clearly surprised face this time due to Dale’s words――Latina shook her head up and down and gave a nod.
Unedited Checkpoint
Once again looking at the child that named itself Latina, it only had clothes that look like rags, broken shoes, and a silver bangle――looking like they were all for adult use, they look too big on Latina――worn on its body.
He was in admiration on how it was able to survive this long in that condition. The fact that the climate was in a moderate season must have been a blessing for it.
At the time Latina’s father was buried, he searched for something that could show his identity but, he didn’t find anything decent. At the very least, he wanted this child to hold on to even just one thing as a memento of its real parent, is what he was thinking.
「Hmm……If I were to let Latina walk……the day would end, wouldn’t it……」
Looking down at Latina, who had a pace that was less than half a step of his own, Dale talked to himself. Moreover, it was in this kind of condition. It didn’t look like it had any physical strength.
「I guess there’s no other way around it……」
When he extended his arms and held Latina in his arms, Latina once again made a surprised face. This child’s eyes, which were big even under normal circumstances, became even bigger when it made that face.
Latina didn’t struggle at all, and obediently settled down into Dale’s arms.
「So light!」
Latina was thin and light enough that it made him involuntarily say that out loud.
「Is it……really alright, this kid……」
Though he couldn’t really say anything as he had embraced the thought that it was an animal when they had passed each other.
Dale, from the start, was not a 『bad』 human. More than just deciding to look after it, he had a mentality that was worried about the child at work.
「It wouldn’t even be able to count as luggage……Guess I should quickly head back.」
When Dale nimbly chanted an earth attribute magic and confirmed his bearings, he started walking at a quick pace towards the direction of the town.
†
The place that Dale was currently located at was a town called 『Kreuz』.
(TN: Kreuz is the German word for cross)
This town, which, as the name states, is in the shape of a cross albeit irregularly shaped, is said to be an important position of traffic as it is on the way to the royal capital from the port. Also, with the habitats of demonic beasts close by, it’s also a place where people that live only through their own skill called adventurers gather.
The second city of the Raband country where goods and people gather. That is the town called Kreuz.
On top of that city’s disposition, being generous to travelers is another of Kreuz’s characteristics.
By giving visitors that came from the outside that were called merchants a hearty welcome, Kreuz was able to develop. By preparing prize money by having that capital as the source, the town was defended against the possible threat that was called demonic beasts.
Kreuz was established due to the travelers.
The town of Kreuz was encircled by a thick wall. The wall had gates at the east,west, south, and north, and had gatekeepers stationed at each of them. People would pay tolls there to enter inside.
Dale passed through the south gate that he always used.
A gatekeeper he was acquainted with saw Dale, and his facial expression became one that said “What’s this”.
「The toll, it’s for two people.」
「Yeah……What’s this? What’s with that kid?……Is it one of the Demon Tribe?」
His eyes stopping at Latina who was held in Dale’s arms, the middle-aged gatekeeper enquired about it while he was confirming the coin that he was handed.
「I took custody of it in the forest. It seems to have lost its parents…… There’s no problem with me having taken responsibility for it right?」
「Well, if you’re taking responsibility for it, I guess it’s fine. Just in case, you’re going to confirm it at the 『Dancing Ocelot』, right?」
「Yeah」
「Then, it’s probably alright.」
Readily saying that, the gatekeeper let Dale’s group through, and shifted his attention to the passerby.
The gatekeeper’s reaction was just as Dale had expected. He knew that his own established reputation had that amount of power.
When coming out from the south gate, what was there was the common people’s residential area and a block of shops that were related to dealing with travellers. It was a block that Dale had mainly used.
He hardly had any use for the aristocrat district of the north that was on high ground or the high class residential area of the west. At most, he would go to where the marketplace and small stores were concentrated, the craftsmen’s residential area in the east.
The Raband country decided to have the Red God (Afmal) as their chief god. For that reason, there was a respected tendency for the color red.
That could be perceived even from the townscape of Kreuz.
For example, the walls of the lined up buildings, which were bare and made up of grey stone, had various hues as if they were varnished with plaster or paints but, most of the roofs were a vivid red.
It’s said that this is as a prayer for the sake of having the building itself be granted the God’s divine protection as well as an appeal to the God that exists in the heavens that their diminutive servant is here.
Although it may be the lower parts of town, the streets full of energy.
At this period of time when the sun was beginning to go down, those that hurried on the road home, those that searched for tonight’s inn, those who would spend today’s earnings on food and drink, those that would sell foods to travellers――there were many of those kinds of people coming and going.
In Dale’s arms, Latina was looking all over the place as if it couldn’t settle down.
On its face, there wasn’t any cowardice nor fear. There was something like a pure curiosity. With a slightly dizzy face, it occasionally made its eyes go wide open. It seems that it was captivated by the many figures of people and the situations of the street.
「We’ll go through the town next time, okay~……」
Though Dale had said that to Latina, in his mind, he did a monologue saying that it probably didn’t get through to it.
「＊＊＊? Dale.」
「Ahh~……As expected, words not getting communicated really is inconvenient……」
While thinking that knowing at least the Western Continent language, which was the most major language among the tribe languages, was indispensable, Dale hastened his stride.
He smoothly proceeded down the familiar street that he had conveniently known of.
Before long, the place that he stopped his feet at was in front of a single store.
At the entrance, a mysteriously shaped ironwork sign that was in the design of an ocelot and a flag with a crest of a Pegasus on green ground set on it were lined up.
It was a store called 『The Dancing Ocelot』 that simultaneously served as a bar and an inn.
Dale went right past the entrance without stopping and went around to the back of the building. He peered into the store from the back entrance.
「Kenith, are you here?」
「Ohh……So you came back Dale……Wait, what is that?」
That place was a kitchen. The large built man in his prime who had stubble that stood out called Kenith, turned his head to Dale’s voice while shaking a frying pan and was bewildered.
「Well……I’ll tell you about it in detail later but……I picked it up.」
「Don’t say it like you picked up a dog or a cat.」
Kenith, who had splendidly arranged the completed cooking on a plate, made an even more worried face from Dale’s reply.
Fundamentally, this large built man was friendly but, up until recently, he was an adventurer that was capable of wielding a huge war axe. That was a well-known fact to those that used this store.
「For now, can I use the bath?」
「Yeah. I don’t really mind but……」
When he got Kenith’s consent, Dale opened the door of the hut created beside the back entrance.
That place was a bathroom.
With stone tiles laid out, the created bathtub was only something simple but, it sufficiently carried out its function.
Dale poured magical power into the fire and water 『Magic Tool』 that was beside the bathtub. While confirming the temperature, he filled the bathtub with hot water.
Due to the Magic Tool, needless to say that it supplied water, it also made making hot water not difficult at all. Be that as it may, in many of the general households, bathrooms don’t exist. Making use of the public bathhouses in business in various parts of the town is typical for people.
The reason why there is a bathroom at the 『Dancing Ocelot』 is to be considerate and make hot water available for the adventurers that return from a job regardless of the time.
Latina stared at Dale’s series of actions. It might of felt that the Magic Tool itself was unusual.
Dale took off his coat and, after gathering his gauntlets and sword together with the other baggage and putting it all in a corner, he called Latina over.
「Latina come」
When he beckoned it, Latina stood next to Dale.
As Dale tried to take off its clothes, Latina resisted him for the first time.
「Ah~……As I thought, you were a girl, weren’t you.」
(T/EN: Could be a ‘as I thought’ or ‘so you’re a girl’. This is where her gender is actually specified)
He stripped the reluctant-looking Latina naked and, while he threw her into the bathtub, Dale muttered.
He was somehow able to think that from her voice and garments but, he hadn’t reached the point of being confident in it. He washed out her pitiful bony body and hair. The hot water in the bathtub instantly became pitch black.
Throwing away the bath water once, he once again filled the bath.
Putting soap into the bathtub, it incidentally bubbled up. Thereupon, he washed Latina’s hair that had become something like rope from the dirt and grease.
He also washed her body. He once again changed the dirtied bath.
Filling the bath a second time, while washing Latina’s hair, Dale suddenly noticed.
(Huh? This girl is, amazing……Isn’t she raw material for a beautiful girl?)
Being washed many times over, Latina’s hair regained its silver color and radiance.
Even the horn that was only on one side showed a glossy and black gem-like feeling to it.
Although her ribs showed and was so thin that it was pitiful, that would probably improve from now on. The Demon Tribe is a tenacious tribe by nature after all.
Because her face was also emaciated, right now, only her eyes stood out but, the facial features of Latina’s cleaned of dirt face were fairly well featured.
（Ah~……This is, making me have an uneasy conscious, and isn’t it just getting more and more impossible to abandon her……）
If he were to let go of her, in the blink of an eye, she’d probably catch the eyes of a no good lecher. A Demon Tribesmen that lost one side of its horns is like announcing that they’ve been abandoned by their clan and don’t have any backing. For people that think of doing bad things to little children, that’s an appearance of prey.
（Since I did decide that I’d concern myself with her……I guess I should resolve myself……）
Dale muttered such in his heart.
It was the time that he embraced that secret determination that was inside his chest.
「Dale, I heard that you went and did something?」
The voice of a young woman had called out to his back. If Dale were to turn his gaze to the voice’s owner, from the rear entrance of 『The Dancing Ocelot』, there would have been a black haired woman.
It was Kenith’s wife, Rita.
The 『Dancing Ocelot』 is a store that is under management of this young couple.
Rita was startled by the appearance of Dale roughly washing a very young girl.
「An illegitimate child?」
「Why would it turn into that idea. From what time and what age of mine would this child be from.」
After Dale replied with an amazed look, 「I picked her up in the forest. The corpse of her parent was also there.」
and answered frankly like that. While she listened to that, Rita staringly surveyed the little girl, and noticed her pitiful appearance and that she was of another race. She also took notice of the ragged piece of cloth that had fallen close by.
「So what this child was wearing, could it be this? You’re not planning on making her wear this again, right?」
「Ah~……I forgot about that.」
「Wait there a minute.」
Rita turned around, and ran back into the store.
Dale had thought that for now he should clean off the dirt but, he had not arrived at the thought of having a change of clothes at all.
「Dale, ＊＊＊＊＊?」
「Hn? Current, question, ……Who was that just now, is it? Rita. She’s this place’s landlady.」
「……? Rita?」
「That’s right. It’s Rita.」
koten, while exchanging words with Latina who tilted her head, Rita came back. In her hand she held a variety of clothes.
「From the looks of it, you probably haven’t prepared any clothes! Use these. These are my old clothes. Though I think it might be a bit big for this child. Also underwear!」
「Ah~……my bad. Sorry about this, Rita」
「It’s nothing, stop giving me that questionable look. It’s a new product I sewed together the other day. Even I wouldn’t think of having her wear my old underwear」
Holding out underwear without a hint of sexual appeal, to Dale who had a questionable look, Rita blunty said.
Rita was that kind of woman. If she wasn’t, she wouldn’t be running a store with adventurers as customers.
Lifting Latina out of the bathtub, he wrapped a soft cloth around her that Rita handed over. While wiping the water off, Latina pointed a finger at Rita.
「Dale, Rita?」
「Yeah. That’s right」
「Rita, Latina」
Latina pointed a finger at herself and bowed to Rita.
「You were able to greet me, what a good girl~」
Rita gave a friendly smile, and crouched down to equally meet Latina’s line of sight. This landlady basically loved children. Dale also knew that during her time with Kenith, she wished to quickly be blessed with a child.
「Rita. Latina only knows the Demon Tribe language」
「Is that so? Then how do you converse with her?」
「Since it’s identical to the incantation language, I somehow managed with single words.」
「Fuun. So, what do you plan on doing? With this child?」
「For now I’ll probably check the 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』 in the store」
Without a helping hand from Dale, Latina put on the clothes she was given. It seems she was able to do the everyday things herself.
Latina seemed to be more level-headed than she appeared. If she wasn’t, she probably wouldn’t have been able to survive that kind of harsh situation.
While Latina finished changing, Dale placed his own baggage inside the store from the back entrance.
Since there were no shoes to change into, Dale once again held Latina in his arm after she finished changing. Entering the back entrance following after Rita, they passed by the kitchen, coming out to the front of the store.
Inside the store was a reasonable amount of people eating, that is to say a moderate business.
This store, on top of its disposition, would become busy at the times just before noon and when the sun had completely set. The time right now seemed to be where Kenith was still able to manage it by himself.
He sat on the corner of the counter facing Rita.
「Now then, what is it do you want to check?」
「Name is Latina. Of the Demon Tribe. Could you put out an investigation with these conditions. Or maybe if she’s being searched for, I guess.」
「That’s true. That is needed.」
Rita nodded, and slid her hand on the board shaped thing that was established on the inner part of the counter called the 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』.
「Rauha, Seggel, Yonadei」
Responding to Rita’s words, the board was tinged with a faint green light.
Rita had turned her eyes towards the board but, as if she were searching for something far away, she was looking for something that wasn’t there and was in the far off distance.
「H~n……There isn’t any corresponding information. For now, I can try re-searching with the characteristics of her outward appearance if you’d like……」
「Please do」
The 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』that Rita could operate was this store’s greatest forte.
The Green God (Akdul) is the God that governs information and protects travellers.
The Temple of the Green God (Akdul) collects every bit of information and is the place where it is managed. The Priest and Pastor of this God are able to use a powerful information transmission magic that can’t be compared to the power of 『divine protection』. That is the greatest reason.
From this, in regions that have Temples of the Green God (Akdul), there isn’t any regional disparity and equivalent information is shared.
Part of that information is left open to the town.
The ones that become those points of contact are places that, like this store, hang the flag of the crest of the Green God (Akdul)――a design of a Pegasus on green ground――at their entrance.
――In one theory, it is said that the people of the temple that want to concentrate on the information gathering itself find the interactions with the external people that are requesting information troublesome and completely entrusted it to the external people. That story is tinged with enough truth that the priests of the Green God (Akdul) live with a unique sensitivity――
The information that is open to the town is mainly things like the top news of the world, new discoveries, and information of inventions. And then, another big position it occupies other than that is information related to crimes.
Those that have committed great crimes and the like are searched for throughout the world.
Across the national border, it becomes difficult to get the foreign country’s army or their government officials to chase after the criminal. For that reason, by placing a bounty via the temples, a search can be placed. Among adventurers, there are also many that specialize in chasing after those bounty heads.
Things like large-scale demonic beast subjugation requests also gather at the temples.
The 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』was a computer terminal that pulled information from the temples. The stores that had that were the places that adventurers that sought information came to gather at. The people of the town that had their eyes on those adventurers with gathered requests also gathered in these places.
The 『Dancing Ocelot』 was a bar and an inn and simultaneously bore the duty of being an intermediary place for adventurers that were searching for work.
「There isn’t any relevant person after all」
「Then……as I thought, Latina isn’t a major criminal after all……If there isn’t an investigation by the parents either, then there’s probably no doubt that the corpse was the father……」
Dale and Rita talked with serious faces, but did she understand that they were talking about her or not?
Latina was on Dale’s lap looking around restlessly, then she looked up at Dale and fidgeted about.
From the unbalancing appearance of a child in a store like this, the stern men that were having a meal would also sometimes look this way. Repeatedly, when Latina met eyes with them, koten, she would tilt her head, and stare back at them.
A while after, a strange sound came from Latina.
More specifically her stomach rumbled.
「…………Latina?」
「Ah~……She was attracted by the smell, wasn’t she.」
Attracting the attention of the two of them, Latina had a slightly uneasy face.
Being notice by the two of them simultaneously, Latina made a slightly awkward looking face.
Rita loudly laughed, calling out to Kenith.
「Kenith, can you make a meal for this child. Make it something easy to digest please」
「Make something for me too while you’re at it please」
Dale said that, then he moved from the counter to a table seat. Since the table was too high for Latina, she was sat down after something that would be suitable as a pedestal was placed on top of the chair. Dale also brought the chair closer and sat down next to her.
「So, what do you plan to do with this child Dale?」
「I’ll look after her. Unable to communicate words, even if I leave a child of some other race to an orphanage of this town to take care of, it won’t be decent」
He declared those words to resolve himself.
It’s not like Dale thought the responsibility of taking care of a child was simple.
「I’ll become this child’s guardian (parent)」
†
With milk and a cheese risotto that had steamy vapor rising from them placed in front of her, Latina made those gray eyes of hers go round.
Beside that, there was a soup that was cooked with smoked meat and detailed vegetables in it.
Across from that considerably compactly arranged meal, Dale’s portion that was several times that amount was placed there. On Dale’s plate, there were even large sausages placed on it.
「Isn’t Latina’s share too small?」
「Idiot. Such a small child, there’s no way she would be able to eat the same amount as an idiot like you」
Rita, who was being the waitress, said that as if she were amazed.
「If you eat too much you’ll upset your stomach」
When Rita handed the spoon to Latina, she sweetly smiled. There was a difference like that of heaven and earth in how she served Dale or the customers that came to the store.
「Dale? ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊?」
「Yeah, eat up」
Dale also vaguely noticed that this young child would seek his permission for every little thing.
Even if he didn’t understand the meaning of her words, just by looking at her facial expression, he could understand that much.
When Latina inserted the spoon into the risotto, she scooped a spoonful, brought it to her mouth, then jumped.
Seeing her panicking and opening her mouth going hafu hafu, it seems that it was hotter than she thought it was.
「Rita, water~」
「Ara, was it too hot?」
She blew on the second spoonful with all her might. While smiling from that situation of Latina’s, Dale raised his voice, and Rita also made a slight frown.
Blowing the spoon for a while, Latina then went pakun and ate the risotto. Her facial expression became cheerful at once.
So easy to understand.
「I see, it’s delicious huh. That’s great, isn’t it.」
When Dale also put his own portion into his mouth, it loosened his face. It’s mysterious how when the person next to you makes a face that says that it’s that delicious, the food that should have been how it usually is feels that it’s gotten better.
She probably felt the kind emotion that was put into Dale’s words.
Latina sweetly smiled.
It was the first time she showed a smile.
「Go on. Eat more Latina. Do you want a sausage?」
「Like I said, you mustn’t feed her too much!」
Having apportioned an ample amount from his own plate on to Latina’s plate, Dale’s head was then hit with a tray with a pakon by Rita, who came carrying water.
Latina made a surprised face.
「But……it’s no good unless we giver her some nutrition, right~……」
「I’m saying not to make her eat it all at once! Snacks for children will be prepared and given to her! Kenith will! The first time, the amount she’ll be made to eat will be small, then be increased every time!」
In the distance,
「I’m the one who cooks the food though……well, not like I care……」
it felt like that kind of voice could be heard but, the two of them didn’t stop to worry about it.
Eating as she usually did, Latina continued to eat in small bites. As a result, in spite of having pretty large difference in amount, Dale finished eating first.
As if estimating that Latina was about to finish eating, Rita brought out an additional plate.
Looking at the contents, there were several slices of fruity compote.
In this store that normally doesn’t have sweet things on the menu, this was the first time he had seen something of the dessert kind here.
「To think Kenith is soft on children……it doesn’t match his appearance at all……」
Since there was still a faint warmth to it, it was probably prepared impromptu. For the sake of letting Latina eat it.
When placed in front of Latina, Latina once again looked at his face as if seeking his permission. Seeing Dale nod, she carried the fruit to her mouth.
Poahhh
is how she went and her facial expression became the brightest it had ever been up until now. Her eyes were twinkling.
「That’s good」
Becoming engrossed with eating it, Latina seemed to have been greatly pleased with the compote. Just searching for something that she could eat in that forest probably took all of her might. There shouldn’t have been anything sweet.
「So how is it? Delicious?」
Taking the opportunity while she was carrying the food of the other customers, when Rita peered over at Latina, Latina turned an even better smiling face than before at Rita.
It was a whole faced smile that seemed like there was full bloomed flower blooming in profusion at her back.
Even if she communicate her words, it was a response that got through plenty.
（I’ll urgently teach her words……so that she doesn’t get lured in by food and follow some weird guy.）
Tightly gripping his fist under the table due to that Latina’s smiling face, Dale had self-awareness that he himself had lured Latina with food.
Even after they had finished eating it all, Latina peered over at the plate of the compote.
Dale caressed the head of such a Latina. Maybe because she was surprised from it being so sudden, her body jumped up with a startle.
However, her tension went away seeing Dale’s expression.
「Did I frighten you? Sorry. You’re tired from today right? Since a lot of things happened」
While listening to Dale’s voice, Latina slightly leaned her head.
Even during that, she stared and didn’t take her eyes off of him as if she were trying to surmise Dale’s true intentions. Come to think of it, this child often looked at the surroundings. She might be excellent in her powers of observation.
Though, unexpectedly, he felt that her wariness was low.
When Dale held Latina up in his arms, she put her arms around Dale’s neck on her own. It was a bit clumsy in some respects, but even so, there was some force put into it as if fawn on Dale.
Owing to Latina being the one to cling onto him, his posture was properly stable. Dale supported Latina with one arm, and once again headed towards the counter.
「Rita, since it’s already time for Latina to sleep we’ll be going to my room」「Got it. Sleep well, Latina-chan」
Latina once again sweetly smiled at Rita’s voice. It would seem that in these short hours, she recognized Dale and Rita as safe people.
Her facial expression has gotten a lot softer from when they had first met.
That was a feeling that was very much similar to being happy and being embarrassed.
In practically no time after meeting, that was something that even Dale himself could say. To be able to think such a thing with this small child, this was something inconceivable for himself up until yesterday.
Entering from the side of the counter, he came out to the kitchen.
To the back of Kenith who was working hard,
「Kenith. Latina said the fruit was delicious」
he called out.
「Ou」
Passing behind Kenith who replied without looking back, Dale went up the stairs inside the place where the ingredients are piled up.
Passing through the second floor, he climbed another set of stairs.
They arrived in the attic.
There was various luggage left in a disorderly manner. ――Most of it was the stock of miscellaneous goods sold to adventurer on the first floor――Further inside was a corner that felt lived in.
Dale was lodging in this corner.
There being this place was one of the reasons Dale decided to take custody of Latina.
Though Dale was not resident of this town, for a place to be based in for a long term, he rented this place for a dwelling. Moving between inns is an inconvenience so he relied on his old friend Kenith was how things went.
The space of the attic Rita used as a private room before marriage became open, so he easily decided to rent the place. As long as you overlook the low ceiling, it was a sufficient dwelling.
Dale was able to pay the money fine, he didn’t do things like pocketing the stock and others things that reeked of poverty. He was not a bad lodger as the landlord couple seemed to know his character and livelihood.
Dale let Latina down in his own 『room』.
A hospitable carpet from a foreign country spread out there, and near the window was a desk and shelf. After that is a bed and large box with a lid. The luggage is too little for a resident, as a traveller it might be a considerable amount of luggage.
「Little, wait, here」
Since he checked that Latina was nodding off, Dale returned below for a moment. It was to go pick up the luggage and coat he left.
When Dale returned, Latina was wandering about inside the 『room』. As expected, this child seemed to be fairly curious. Yet she still didn’t touch what she looked at without permission and probably had strong self-control.
Though it was difficult for her to remember her own age, recalling the children he has seen playing downtown in his mind, he believed this child was levelheaded.
Dale kicked off his boots, entering his own territory,
Since his hometown had a culture that sat directly on the floor rather than on a chair, he wanted to at least be in the comfortable style he was accustomed to his own room. Since the hometown style carpet was also spread out on the floor for that reason, he didn’t want to get it dirty with mud.
Placing his coat on a nearby box, he put down his luggage. On top of the shelf near the bed was the original position for his weapons.
After opening the window and letting new air in, he took off his tunic made of blade-resistant cloth and his thick trousers.
「Latina, come.」
Having discerned the meaning with the beckoning, Latina obediently approached him. Taking her, Dale got inside the bed.
Compared to his usual lifestyle rhythm, it was a considerably early time, but being able to sleep at the time to sleep was one of the skills required as an adventurer.
Even if he were to go to sleep like this, there would be no problem at all.
He had worried about what he would do if he had done a behavior that Latina disliked, but contrary to that, Latina obediently laid her body down beside Dale.
Latina curled her body up like a kitten, and there was a little time until she was making sleeper’s breathing.
（As I thought, it’s tiring, isn’t it. You were brought to a place surrounded by humans you didn’t know, not knowing the words or the situation after all.）
Dale gently brushed Latina’s hair with a calm mood that even surprised himself.
Since he had just decided to become her guardian (parent), he found it strange that he’d be thinking this kind of thing but. It might not be bad to be living with someone like this.
While thinking such a thing, Dale fell asleep while feeling the body temperature that was warmer than his own.
That is, until Latina became ghastly pale not long after that and woke him up with a barrage that went pechi pechi.
The first word that Latina demanded to remember was 『Toilet』.
Incidentally, her dignity was protected.
A young man was walking in a deep forest.
The forest had not been touched by human hands, and despite the sunlight, it was still dim. Other than the cries of birds that could sometimes be heard, there was nothing else to be heard. A place where an oppressive presence lingered.
His face was contorted into a fairly unpleasant expression, looking at the sword held in his hand.
「Aaahh…… damn it」
He spat to the side while rubbing his sword against the nearby grass. The gunk stuck to it had a horrible smell.
「No wonder no one wanted to do this job…… Jeez, I should probably rinse myself off before I go back.」
His expression turned even more foul as he noticed gunk was even stuck to his leather coat.
He had just walked away from completing the subjugation request to take out the frog-like demonic beasts that were overpopulating the forest. The subjugation itself wasn’t all that difficult. With the amount of confidence he held in his sword and magic skills, the walk there and back was the hard part.
「There was still some time until my next 『job』 so I took this up as a time-killer but…… what a total waste of time……」
His shoulders drooped as he heaved a sigh that blended in with the sound of his own splashing footsteps treading across the sticky grass.
The main reason he chose this job was because it was so close to the town he was currently staying in that it wouldn’t have taken him more than a day to make the round trip. He spat curses at himself for making such a careless decision.
The job itself wasn’t a big deal.
Both discovering and exterminating the colonies that the demonic beasts made deep in the forest were simple jobs for him.
If it hadn’t been for their biofluids and gunk, he wouldn’t be covered in it now.
The only saving grace was that his sense of smell had quickly numbed from how awful the smell was.
However, if he went back to town the way he was, even the gatekeeper he knew would be disgusted with him.
As an adventurer, his face was fairly well known among the people in the town he currently resided in.
Right now he was in a country that considered 18 the age of maturity, but in his hometown he had been recognised as an adult at the age of 15. It was then that he decided his calling as an adventurer and became accomplished after just a few years. Now, he was renowned enough that he couldn’t be made light of just because of his age.
Hair of a mix of black and brown, a leather coat made from the hide of a demonic beast. A magic gauntlet tool on the left arm too. That signature look always made people think of Dale Lecky.
「Water, by my name I command thee, heed my call 《Seek: Water》」
Reciting the incantation, he invoked his magic. Upon feeling a strong presence of water, he immediately shifted his route to an animal trail.
A flowing brook finally came into view. Dale looked relieved upon seeing his objective.
Taking off his coat, he rinsed it in the gushing water. That was all it took to clean the gunk off as this was his best piece of equipment that was enhanced with magic. Dale hung it on the nearby branch to dry, though thanks to its water resistance, that wouldn’t take very long.
He thought for a while.
Giving his body another inspection, he was again reminded of the putrid stench and gunk. He thought better of it and decided to thoroughly wash himself and put a hand to his blade-resistant tunic.
As the demonic beasts and animals of the forest were of no threat to him, Dale’s actions just went to show how composed he was.
His coat dried in no time, but his tunic and pants were still sopping wet. As Dale lit a fire, he took a seat on top of his opened coat in his underwear, and while he was taking a cold bath, he roasted some river fish that he had caught.
By the time his clothes were just about dry, the savory smell of the fish had permeated through his surroundings. Dale quickly donned his clothes while keeping an eye on the fish. As expected, even he wasn’t so brash as to enjoy a meal in his underwear in a place like this.
He then heard a rustling sound.
Dale thought that some small animal must have been lured in by the smell, but when he looked over he became speechless.
He found a very young girl was staring at him.
Her small head peeked out from the bushes.
First, Dale was surprised that he had guessed completely wrong.
Second, he was shocked that such a young girl was wandering around a forest full of demonic beasts.
The girl had small, coiling black horns protruding from her temples.
（A 『Demon Race』…… how troublesome……）
He clicked his tongue in his mind.
Among the seven 『Races』, they possessed the most powers, and they were highly prejudiced and hostile to the other Races. The 『Demon Race’s』 defining trait were the horns that protruded from their heads.
（Should I kill her……?）
It was a quick and dirty method.
She would only lead to trouble.
Dale gripped the hilt of his sword tightly――and let go.
He didn’t want to be drenched in blood right after he’d already gone to the trouble of washing himself.
That was the main reason that crossed his mind.
The girl stared at him with large grey eyes that looked like they might start crying at any moment.
Once he removed his hand from his sword and took a good look at the girl, he was finally able to cool his head. He then figured out what it was that had been bothering him since he first set eyes on her.
One of her horns was broken at the base.
（Oi oi…… A little girl like her, was a criminal……?）
Taken aback, even Dale realised the look he had on his face right now must have been pretty stupid.
A while ago, he had heard about it from his adventurer buddies, one of the Demon Race’s traditions.
――As the defining trait of their race, the 『horn』 was considered sacred. So for those that committed a great crime, their horn was broken off on one side and they were exiled.――
Upon realising that, no doubt remained. After all, the girl in front of him was much too young even if she was branded a criminal.
The 『Demon Race』 had greater longevity than Dale and the others of the 『Human Race』. Dale couldn’t be sure if Human years applied to her but based on where her head from peeking out from the bushes, she only appeared to be about 5 or 6 years old.
The age difference could hardly be seen.
The girl had her eyes set on him, but when she noticed the fire roasting by the campfire she immediately turned her gaze towards it. Dale had forgotten about the fish until then and rushed to remove the skewer. It was a little burnt.
「…………mmm……」
Moving the skewer left and right, the girl’s line of sight moved with it.
It wasn’t just his imagination, she was intently focused on the fish.
「…………want some?」
If he ate in front of this little girl, it felt like he’d be rubbing it in her face and that’d leave a bad taste in his mouth.
Thinking along those lines, he’d offered it to her offhandedly. At the same time he berated himself internally, shocked at what he’d just said.
Dale’s voice caught her attention, and she looked to face him again, her head tilted.
「＊＊＊? ＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊?」
「Hn? Oh……?」
This time Dale tilted his head at the words that came out of the girl’s mouth.
Although he wasn’t able to follow what was said, he remembered hearing some language like it somewhere before.
「Hmm……if I remember right, that guy……」
He racked his brain for more information he heard about the Demon Race from his adventurer buddy.
「The language of the Demon Tribe is the same as the language used for incantations, was that what it was……」
He clapped his hands remembering that was it.
An incantation is the language used to invoke the phenomenal power called magic. Only a few people were able to utilise it, and those people aren’t able to utilise it well…with the exception of the Demon Race. They were so apt with the language that it served as their native language.
That’s why it’s said that the Demon Race are『all born magicians』.
「Hmm…… Then…… side, come, want, this?」
As it was the language used for incantations, he strung together several words hoping she’d get his meaning. It wasn’t quite on the level of something ‘conversational’, and wondered if he even made any sense.
However, it being a language she knew, the girl had an obvious look of relief on her face. She rustled the bushes as she climbed out and approached Dale.
Even though Dale was the one that invited her over, he was still dumbfounded again.
She approached a stranger without a shred of caution――and that wasn’t all.
The girl was emaciated.
Her limbs were sticking out of some old rags that had probably been a dress at one point, and she was all skin and bones. You could tell with just a glance that she was malnourished.
He didn’t even need a sword to kill this little girl. He could just as easily put his hands around her neck and break it, without meeting any resistance.
While the Demon Race is known to be highly prejudiced, they also had a strong camaraderie with others of their race. That’s why 『exile』 was such a heavy punishment.
Furthermore, the birth rates for races with long life spans are considerably low.
It could be said that children were a treasure to the Demon Race.
Even if she was branded a criminal, he couldn’t even comprehend leaving her in such a state.
「Give…… eat…… Aah, I have no idea what to say……」
Dale frowned while pressing the girl to take the skewer. There was no word in the magic language to tell her to 「eat up」.
That’s why he handed her the skewer, but she just stared at it, then looked back at Dale.
「＊＊＊＊＊＊?」
「Come on, eat.」
The girl look at Dale, trying to read him. For now, he responded with a nod. Taking his action in good faith, the girl slowly brought the fish to her mouth.
Little by little, she ate in small bites.
As he watched her, a bit bored, he couldn’t help but think she was like a small animal.
Dale took advantage of the time it took her to eat and tried to string together another phrase.
「Aah….. thou, protect, person, together, with?」
It wasn’t for sure that her guardian was gone. The girl quietly listened to Dale’s broken speech, then answered more slowly for him this time.
「＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊. ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊, ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊」
「Okay…… together, we, not? ……beast, reject……?」
Dale could only catch a word here and there, but the meaning was obvious from her solemn face. She paused for a moment, and then with her small hands, she took Dale by the hand.
Dale questioned himself as he followed after the girl, with her tiny steps, through the forest.
Calling out to her and giving her fish were both done on a whim, and now he wondered what exactly he should do after all this.
Abruptly, the girl came to a halt. Suspicion showing on his face, Dale looked up.
「What? Ahead?」
The girl pointed her finger ahead, and shook her head.
「＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊」
「Another, beast? ……this is not, is it?」
While thinking about the meaning, Dale walked in the direction she indicated.
「!!」
And then he caught his breath.
Even though Dale made a living off using his sword, even he hesitated to look straight at the formerly 『humanoid body』 lying there.
（…… This is someone from the Demon Race, isn’t it… Judging from the shape of the horns…… a male?）
He couldn’t hazard a guess when the man had died, or even what caused his death.
The injuries were too extreme.
This forest had many demonic beasts and animals.
He was likely either attacked or mauled after his death, but Dale couldn’t tell which.
（And his horns…… are both intact…… Is he this girl’s father? ……so he didn’t let her be exiled alone）
He could probably feel relieved with that.
He remembered the girl’s words from earlier.
If he put her words together, it was probably the last instructions that the father had given.
――You can’t stay near my corpse. Beasts will eventually start to gather. A small child wouldn’t be able to defend themselves then――or something similar.
「Aah…… damn it. Now that I’ve seen this, I can’t just ignore it now can I……」
Dale roughly scratched his head.
He himself had picked up the father’s final wish.
Although she had followed those instructions and didn’t stay nearby, he had come across the small child that had quietly survived inside the same forest.
「Thou which belongs to the earth, by my name I command thee, alter to my desired form 《Earth Alteration》」
Placing his hand on the ground near the corpse, he chanted an incantation. The ground caved in with a thump and a single hole opened up.
Maybe because she had noticed his voice chanting an incantation, the child had at some point drawn near beside him, timidly looking up at Dale.
Dale faced the child.
「At the very least, let’s bury him…… Did that get through? Hmm…… bury, earth, dead, person……」
Seeming to have digested Dale’s words, the child gave a single nod.
Dale was worried for a moment if it was alright to let a little child see a corpse that was in such a terrible condition, however it seemed like the child had long accepted it. As if making a final farewell, she stared at her 『father』 without shifting away her gaze.
Perhaps she had occasionally come to see his condition
The child silently watched the series of actions as Dale settled the corpse into the hole and then filling up the hole with magic again.
「＊＊＊＊＊」
「Thanks? You don’t really need to mind it.」
On top of the grave that he had just finished making, Dale used magic again.
He placed down a pure white megalith that was summoned with earth attribute magic.
He couldn’t engrave a name into it, but it was a sufficient grave for something that was hastily made.
「…… haa…… well, I guess this is also some kind of destiny.」
Behind the child staring at the grave, Dale heaved a sigh.
「My name, 『Dale』, you, name is?」
Turning around, the child made a somewhat surprised face.
「Latina」
A single word, that sound slowly drifted away.
「So it’s Latina…… Latina, me, together, you, go?」
The child made a clearly surprised face this time due to Dale’s words――Latina shook her head up and down and gave a nod.
Unedited Checkpoint
Once again looking at the child that named itself Latina, it only had clothes that look like rags, broken shoes, and a silver bangle――looking like they were all for adult use, they look too big on Latina――worn on its body.
He was in admiration on how it was able to survive this long in that condition. The fact that the climate was in a moderate season must have been a blessing for it.
At the time Latina’s father was buried, he searched for something that could show his identity but, he didn’t find anything decent. At the very least, he wanted this child to hold on to even just one thing as a memento of its real parent, is what he was thinking.
「Hmm……If I were to let Latina walk……the day would end, wouldn’t it……」
Looking down at Latina, who had a pace that was less than half a step of his own, Dale talked to himself. Moreover, it was in this kind of condition. It didn’t look like it had any physical strength.
「I guess there’s no other way around it……」
When he extended his arms and held Latina in his arms, Latina once again made a surprised face. This child’s eyes, which were big even under normal circumstances, became even bigger when it made that face.
Latina didn’t struggle at all, and obediently settled down into Dale’s arms.
「So light!」
Latina was thin and light enough that it made him involuntarily say that out loud.
「Is it……really alright, this kid……」
Though he couldn’t really say anything as he had embraced the thought that it was an animal when they had passed each other.
Dale, from the start, was not a 『bad』 human. More than just deciding to look after it, he had a mentality that was worried about the child at work.
「It wouldn’t even be able to count as luggage……Guess I should quickly head back.」
When Dale nimbly chanted an earth attribute magic and confirmed his bearings, he started walking at a quick pace towards the direction of the town.
†
The place that Dale was currently located at was a town called 『Kreuz』.
(TN: Kreuz is the German word for cross)
This town, which, as the name states, is in the shape of a cross albeit irregularly shaped, is said to be an important position of traffic as it is on the way to the royal capital from the port. Also, with the habitats of demonic beasts close by, it’s also a place where people that live only through their own skill called adventurers gather.
The second city of the Raband country where goods and people gather. That is the town called Kreuz.
On top of that city’s disposition, being generous to travelers is another of Kreuz’s characteristics.
By giving visitors that came from the outside that were called merchants a hearty welcome, Kreuz was able to develop. By preparing prize money by having that capital as the source, the town was defended against the possible threat that was called demonic beasts.
Kreuz was established due to the travelers.
The town of Kreuz was encircled by a thick wall. The wall had gates at the east,west, south, and north, and had gatekeepers stationed at each of them. People would pay tolls there to enter inside.
Dale passed through the south gate that he always used.
A gatekeeper he was acquainted with saw Dale, and his facial expression became one that said “What’s this”.
「The toll, it’s for two people.」
「Yeah……What’s this? What’s with that kid?……Is it one of the Demon Tribe?」
His eyes stopping at Latina who was held in Dale’s arms, the middle-aged gatekeeper enquired about it while he was confirming the coin that he was handed.
「I took custody of it in the forest. It seems to have lost its parents…… There’s no problem with me having taken responsibility for it right?」
「Well, if you’re taking responsibility for it, I guess it’s fine. Just in case, you’re going to confirm it at the 『Dancing Ocelot』, right?」
「Yeah」
「Then, it’s probably alright.」
Readily saying that, the gatekeeper let Dale’s group through, and shifted his attention to the passerby.
The gatekeeper’s reaction was just as Dale had expected. He knew that his own established reputation had that amount of power.
When coming out from the south gate, what was there was the common people’s residential area and a block of shops that were related to dealing with travellers. It was a block that Dale had mainly used.
He hardly had any use for the aristocrat district of the north that was on high ground or the high class residential area of the west. At most, he would go to where the marketplace and small stores were concentrated, the craftsmen’s residential area in the east.
The Raband country decided to have the Red God (Afmal) as their chief god. For that reason, there was a respected tendency for the color red.
That could be perceived even from the townscape of Kreuz.
For example, the walls of the lined up buildings, which were bare and made up of grey stone, had various hues as if they were varnished with plaster or paints but, most of the roofs were a vivid red.
It’s said that this is as a prayer for the sake of having the building itself be granted the God’s divine protection as well as an appeal to the God that exists in the heavens that their diminutive servant is here.
Although it may be the lower parts of town, the streets full of energy.
At this period of time when the sun was beginning to go down, those that hurried on the road home, those that searched for tonight’s inn, those who would spend today’s earnings on food and drink, those that would sell foods to travellers――there were many of those kinds of people coming and going.
In Dale’s arms, Latina was looking all over the place as if it couldn’t settle down.
On its face, there wasn’t any cowardice nor fear. There was something like a pure curiosity. With a slightly dizzy face, it occasionally made its eyes go wide open. It seems that it was captivated by the many figures of people and the situations of the street.
「We’ll go through the town next time, okay~……」
Though Dale had said that to Latina, in his mind, he did a monologue saying that it probably didn’t get through to it.
「＊＊＊? Dale.」
「Ahh~……As expected, words not getting communicated really is inconvenient……」
While thinking that knowing at least the Western Continent language, which was the most major language among the tribe languages, was indispensable, Dale hastened his stride.
He smoothly proceeded down the familiar street that he had conveniently known of.
Before long, the place that he stopped his feet at was in front of a single store.
At the entrance, a mysteriously shaped ironwork sign that was in the design of an ocelot and a flag with a crest of a Pegasus on green ground set on it were lined up.
It was a store called 『The Dancing Ocelot』 that simultaneously served as a bar and an inn.
Dale went right past the entrance without stopping and went around to the back of the building. He peered into the store from the back entrance.
「Kenith, are you here?」
「Ohh……So you came back Dale……Wait, what is that?」
That place was a kitchen. The large built man in his prime who had stubble that stood out called Kenith, turned his head to Dale’s voice while shaking a frying pan and was bewildered.
「Well……I’ll tell you about it in detail later but……I picked it up.」
「Don’t say it like you picked up a dog or a cat.」
Kenith, who had splendidly arranged the completed cooking on a plate, made an even more worried face from Dale’s reply.
Fundamentally, this large built man was friendly but, up until recently, he was an adventurer that was capable of wielding a huge war axe. That was a well-known fact to those that used this store.
「For now, can I use the bath?」
「Yeah. I don’t really mind but……」
When he got Kenith’s consent, Dale opened the door of the hut created beside the back entrance.
That place was a bathroom.
With stone tiles laid out, the created bathtub was only something simple but, it sufficiently carried out its function.
Dale poured magical power into the fire and water 『Magic Tool』 that was beside the bathtub. While confirming the temperature, he filled the bathtub with hot water.
Due to the Magic Tool, needless to say that it supplied water, it also made making hot water not difficult at all. Be that as it may, in many of the general households, bathrooms don’t exist. Making use of the public bathhouses in business in various parts of the town is typical for people.
The reason why there is a bathroom at the 『Dancing Ocelot』 is to be considerate and make hot water available for the adventurers that return from a job regardless of the time.
Latina stared at Dale’s series of actions. It might of felt that the Magic Tool itself was unusual.
Dale took off his coat and, after gathering his gauntlets and sword together with the other baggage and putting it all in a corner, he called Latina over.
「Latina come」
When he beckoned it, Latina stood next to Dale.
As Dale tried to take off its clothes, Latina resisted him for the first time.
「Ah~……As I thought, you were a girl, weren’t you.」
(T/EN: Could be a ‘as I thought’ or ‘so you’re a girl’. This is where her gender is actually specified)
He stripped the reluctant-looking Latina naked and, while he threw her into the bathtub, Dale muttered.
He was somehow able to think that from her voice and garments but, he hadn’t reached the point of being confident in it. He washed out her pitiful bony body and hair. The hot water in the bathtub instantly became pitch black.
Throwing away the bath water once, he once again filled the bath.
Putting soap into the bathtub, it incidentally bubbled up. Thereupon, he washed Latina’s hair that had become something like rope from the dirt and grease.
He also washed her body. He once again changed the dirtied bath.
Filling the bath a second time, while washing Latina’s hair, Dale suddenly noticed.
(Huh? This girl is, amazing……Isn’t she raw material for a beautiful girl?)
Being washed many times over, Latina’s hair regained its silver color and radiance.
Even the horn that was only on one side showed a glossy and black gem-like feeling to it.
Although her ribs showed and was so thin that it was pitiful, that would probably improve from now on. The Demon Tribe is a tenacious tribe by nature after all.
Because her face was also emaciated, right now, only her eyes stood out but, the facial features of Latina’s cleaned of dirt face were fairly well featured.
（Ah~……This is, making me have an uneasy conscious, and isn’t it just getting more and more impossible to abandon her……）
If he were to let go of her, in the blink of an eye, she’d probably catch the eyes of a no good lecher. A Demon Tribesmen that lost one side of its horns is like announcing that they’ve been abandoned by their clan and don’t have any backing. For people that think of doing bad things to little children, that’s an appearance of prey.
（Since I did decide that I’d concern myself with her……I guess I should resolve myself……）
Dale muttered such in his heart.
It was the time that he embraced that secret determination that was inside his chest.
「Dale, I heard that you went and did something?」
The voice of a young woman had called out to his back. If Dale were to turn his gaze to the voice’s owner, from the rear entrance of 『The Dancing Ocelot』, there would have been a black haired woman.
It was Kenith’s wife, Rita.
The 『Dancing Ocelot』 is a store that is under management of this young couple.
Rita was startled by the appearance of Dale roughly washing a very young girl.
「An illegitimate child?」
「Why would it turn into that idea. From what time and what age of mine would this child be from.」
After Dale replied with an amazed look, 「I picked her up in the forest. The corpse of her parent was also there.」
and answered frankly like that. While she listened to that, Rita staringly surveyed the little girl, and noticed her pitiful appearance and that she was of another race. She also took notice of the ragged piece of cloth that had fallen close by.
「So what this child was wearing, could it be this? You’re not planning on making her wear this again, right?」
「Ah~……I forgot about that.」
「Wait there a minute.」
Rita turned around, and ran back into the store.
Dale had thought that for now he should clean off the dirt but, he had not arrived at the thought of having a change of clothes at all.
「Dale, ＊＊＊＊＊?」
「Hn? Current, question, ……Who was that just now, is it? Rita. She’s this place’s landlady.」
「……? Rita?」
「That’s right. It’s Rita.」
koten, while exchanging words with Latina who tilted her head, Rita came back. In her hand she held a variety of clothes.
「From the looks of it, you probably haven’t prepared any clothes! Use these. These are my old clothes. Though I think it might be a bit big for this child. Also underwear!」
「Ah~……my bad. Sorry about this, Rita」
「It’s nothing, stop giving me that questionable look. It’s a new product I sewed together the other day. Even I wouldn’t think of having her wear my old underwear」
Holding out underwear without a hint of sexual appeal, to Dale who had a questionable look, Rita blunty said.
Rita was that kind of woman. If she wasn’t, she wouldn’t be running a store with adventurers as customers.
Lifting Latina out of the bathtub, he wrapped a soft cloth around her that Rita handed over. While wiping the water off, Latina pointed a finger at Rita.
「Dale, Rita?」
「Yeah. That’s right」
「Rita, Latina」
Latina pointed a finger at herself and bowed to Rita.
「You were able to greet me, what a good girl~」
Rita gave a friendly smile, and crouched down to equally meet Latina’s line of sight. This landlady basically loved children. Dale also knew that during her time with Kenith, she wished to quickly be blessed with a child.
「Rita. Latina only knows the Demon Tribe language」
「Is that so? Then how do you converse with her?」
「Since it’s identical to the incantation language, I somehow managed with single words.」
「Fuun. So, what do you plan on doing? With this child?」
「For now I’ll probably check the 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』 in the store」
Without a helping hand from Dale, Latina put on the clothes she was given. It seems she was able to do the everyday things herself.
Latina seemed to be more level-headed than she appeared. If she wasn’t, she probably wouldn’t have been able to survive that kind of harsh situation.
While Latina finished changing, Dale placed his own baggage inside the store from the back entrance.
Since there were no shoes to change into, Dale once again held Latina in his arm after she finished changing. Entering the back entrance following after Rita, they passed by the kitchen, coming out to the front of the store.
Inside the store was a reasonable amount of people eating, that is to say a moderate business.
This store, on top of its disposition, would become busy at the times just before noon and when the sun had completely set. The time right now seemed to be where Kenith was still able to manage it by himself.
He sat on the corner of the counter facing Rita.
「Now then, what is it do you want to check?」
「Name is Latina. Of the Demon Tribe. Could you put out an investigation with these conditions. Or maybe if she’s being searched for, I guess.」
「That’s true. That is needed.」
Rita nodded, and slid her hand on the board shaped thing that was established on the inner part of the counter called the 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』.
「Rauha, Seggel, Yonadei」
Responding to Rita’s words, the board was tinged with a faint green light.
Rita had turned her eyes towards the board but, as if she were searching for something far away, she was looking for something that wasn’t there and was in the far off distance.
「H~n……There isn’t any corresponding information. For now, I can try re-searching with the characteristics of her outward appearance if you’d like……」
「Please do」
The 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』that Rita could operate was this store’s greatest forte.
The Green God (Akdul) is the God that governs information and protects travellers.
The Temple of the Green God (Akdul) collects every bit of information and is the place where it is managed. The Priest and Pastor of this God are able to use a powerful information transmission magic that can’t be compared to the power of 『divine protection』. That is the greatest reason.
From this, in regions that have Temples of the Green God (Akdul), there isn’t any regional disparity and equivalent information is shared.
Part of that information is left open to the town.
The ones that become those points of contact are places that, like this store, hang the flag of the crest of the Green God (Akdul)――a design of a Pegasus on green ground――at their entrance.
――In one theory, it is said that the people of the temple that want to concentrate on the information gathering itself find the interactions with the external people that are requesting information troublesome and completely entrusted it to the external people. That story is tinged with enough truth that the priests of the Green God (Akdul) live with a unique sensitivity――
The information that is open to the town is mainly things like the top news of the world, new discoveries, and information of inventions. And then, another big position it occupies other than that is information related to crimes.
Those that have committed great crimes and the like are searched for throughout the world.
Across the national border, it becomes difficult to get the foreign country’s army or their government officials to chase after the criminal. For that reason, by placing a bounty via the temples, a search can be placed. Among adventurers, there are also many that specialize in chasing after those bounty heads.
Things like large-scale demonic beast subjugation requests also gather at the temples.
The 『Message Board of the Green God (Akdul)』was a computer terminal that pulled information from the temples. The stores that had that were the places that adventurers that sought information came to gather at. The people of the town that had their eyes on those adventurers with gathered requests also gathered in these places.
The 『Dancing Ocelot』 was a bar and an inn and simultaneously bore the duty of being an intermediary place for adventurers that were searching for work.
「There isn’t any relevant person after all」
「Then……as I thought, Latina isn’t a major criminal after all……If there isn’t an investigation by the parents either, then there’s probably no doubt that the corpse was the father……」
Dale and Rita talked with serious faces, but did she understand that they were talking about her or not?
Latina was on Dale’s lap looking around restlessly, then she looked up at Dale and fidgeted about.
From the unbalancing appearance of a child in a store like this, the stern men that were having a meal would also sometimes look this way. Repeatedly, when Latina met eyes with them, koten, she would tilt her head, and stare back at them.
A while after, a strange sound came from Latina.
More specifically her stomach rumbled.
「…………Latina?」
「Ah~……She was attracted by the smell, wasn’t she.」
Attracting the attention of the two of them, Latina had a slightly uneasy face.
Being notice by the two of them simultaneously, Latina made a slightly awkward looking face.
Rita loudly laughed, calling out to Kenith.
「Kenith, can you make a meal for this child. Make it something easy to digest please」
「Make something for me too while you’re at it please」
Dale said that, then he moved from the counter to a table seat. Since the table was too high for Latina, she was sat down after something that would be suitable as a pedestal was placed on top of the chair. Dale also brought the chair closer and sat down next to her.
「So, what do you plan to do with this child Dale?」
「I’ll look after her. Unable to communicate words, even if I leave a child of some other race to an orphanage of this town to take care of, it won’t be decent」
He declared those words to resolve himself.
It’s not like Dale thought the responsibility of taking care of a child was simple.
「I’ll become this child’s guardian (parent)」
†
With milk and a cheese risotto that had steamy vapor rising from them placed in front of her, Latina made those gray eyes of hers go round.
Beside that, there was a soup that was cooked with smoked meat and detailed vegetables in it.
Across from that considerably compactly arranged meal, Dale’s portion that was several times that amount was placed there. On Dale’s plate, there were even large sausages placed on it.
「Isn’t Latina’s share too small?」
「Idiot. Such a small child, there’s no way she would be able to eat the same amount as an idiot like you」
Rita, who was being the waitress, said that as if she were amazed.
「If you eat too much you’ll upset your stomach」
When Rita handed the spoon to Latina, she sweetly smiled. There was a difference like that of heaven and earth in how she served Dale or the customers that came to the store.
「Dale? ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊?」
「Yeah, eat up」
Dale also vaguely noticed that this young child would seek his permission for every little thing.
Even if he didn’t understand the meaning of her words, just by looking at her facial expression, he could understand that much.
When Latina inserted the spoon into the risotto, she scooped a spoonful, brought it to her mouth, then jumped.
Seeing her panicking and opening her mouth going hafu hafu, it seems that it was hotter than she thought it was.
「Rita, water~」
「Ara, was it too hot?」
She blew on the second spoonful with all her might. While smiling from that situation of Latina’s, Dale raised his voice, and Rita also made a slight frown.
Blowing the spoon for a while, Latina then went pakun and ate the risotto. Her facial expression became cheerful at once.
So easy to understand.
「I see, it’s delicious huh. That’s great, isn’t it.」
When Dale also put his own portion into his mouth, it loosened his face. It’s mysterious how when the person next to you makes a face that says that it’s that delicious, the food that should have been how it usually is feels that it’s gotten better.
She probably felt the kind emotion that was put into Dale’s words.
Latina sweetly smiled.
It was the first time she showed a smile.
「Go on. Eat more Latina. Do you want a sausage?」
「Like I said, you mustn’t feed her too much!」
Having apportioned an ample amount from his own plate on to Latina’s plate, Dale’s head was then hit with a tray with a pakon by Rita, who came carrying water.
Latina made a surprised face.
「But……it’s no good unless we giver her some nutrition, right~……」
「I’m saying not to make her eat it all at once! Snacks for children will be prepared and given to her! Kenith will! The first time, the amount she’ll be made to eat will be small, then be increased every time!」
In the distance,
「I’m the one who cooks the food though……well, not like I care……」
it felt like that kind of voice could be heard but, the two of them didn’t stop to worry about it.
Eating as she usually did, Latina continued to eat in small bites. As a result, in spite of having pretty large difference in amount, Dale finished eating first.
As if estimating that Latina was about to finish eating, Rita brought out an additional plate.
Looking at the contents, there were several slices of fruity compote.
In this store that normally doesn’t have sweet things on the menu, this was the first time he had seen something of the dessert kind here.
「To think Kenith is soft on children……it doesn’t match his appearance at all……」
Since there was still a faint warmth to it, it was probably prepared impromptu. For the sake of letting Latina eat it.
When placed in front of Latina, Latina once again looked at his face as if seeking his permission. Seeing Dale nod, she carried the fruit to her mouth.
Poahhh
is how she went and her facial expression became the brightest it had ever been up until now. Her eyes were twinkling.
「That’s good」
Becoming engrossed with eating it, Latina seemed to have been greatly pleased with the compote. Just searching for something that she could eat in that forest probably took all of her might. There shouldn’t have been anything sweet.
「So how is it? Delicious?」
Taking the opportunity while she was carrying the food of the other customers, when Rita peered over at Latina, Latina turned an even better smiling face than before at Rita.
It was a whole faced smile that seemed like there was full bloomed flower blooming in profusion at her back.
Even if she communicate her words, it was a response that got through plenty.
（I’ll urgently teach her words……so that she doesn’t get lured in by food and follow some weird guy.）
Tightly gripping his fist under the table due to that Latina’s smiling face, Dale had self-awareness that he himself had lured Latina with food.
Even after they had finished eating it all, Latina peered over at the plate of the compote.
Dale caressed the head of such a Latina. Maybe because she was surprised from it being so sudden, her body jumped up with a startle.
However, her tension went away seeing Dale’s expression.
「Did I frighten you? Sorry. You’re tired from today right? Since a lot of things happened」
While listening to Dale’s voice, Latina slightly leaned her head.
Even during that, she stared and didn’t take her eyes off of him as if she were trying to surmise Dale’s true intentions. Come to think of it, this child often looked at the surroundings. She might be excellent in her powers of observation.
Though, unexpectedly, he felt that her wariness was low.
When Dale held Latina up in his arms, she put her arms around Dale’s neck on her own. It was a bit clumsy in some respects, but even so, there was some force put into it as if fawn on Dale.
Owing to Latina being the one to cling onto him, his posture was properly stable. Dale supported Latina with one arm, and once again headed towards the counter.
「Rita, since it’s already time for Latina to sleep we’ll be going to my room」「Got it. Sleep well, Latina-chan」
Latina once again sweetly smiled at Rita’s voice. It would seem that in these short hours, she recognized Dale and Rita as safe people.
Her facial expression has gotten a lot softer from when they had first met.
That was a feeling that was very much similar to being happy and being embarrassed.
In practically no time after meeting, that was something that even Dale himself could say. To be able to think such a thing with this small child, this was something inconceivable for himself up until yesterday.
Entering from the side of the counter, he came out to the kitchen.
To the back of Kenith who was working hard,
「Kenith. Latina said the fruit was delicious」
he called out.
「Ou」
Passing behind Kenith who replied without looking back, Dale went up the stairs inside the place where the ingredients are piled up.
Passing through the second floor, he climbed another set of stairs.
They arrived in the attic.
There was various luggage left in a disorderly manner. ――Most of it was the stock of miscellaneous goods sold to adventurer on the first floor――Further inside was a corner that felt lived in.
Dale was lodging in this corner.
There being this place was one of the reasons Dale decided to take custody of Latina.
Though Dale was not resident of this town, for a place to be based in for a long term, he rented this place for a dwelling. Moving between inns is an inconvenience so he relied on his old friend Kenith was how things went.
The space of the attic Rita used as a private room before marriage became open, so he easily decided to rent the place. As long as you overlook the low ceiling, it was a sufficient dwelling.
Dale was able to pay the money fine, he didn’t do things like pocketing the stock and others things that reeked of poverty. He was not a bad lodger as the landlord couple seemed to know his character and livelihood.
Dale let Latina down in his own 『room』.
A hospitable carpet from a foreign country spread out there, and near the window was a desk and shelf. After that is a bed and large box with a lid. The luggage is too little for a resident, as a traveller it might be a considerable amount of luggage.
「Little, wait, here」
Since he checked that Latina was nodding off, Dale returned below for a moment. It was to go pick up the luggage and coat he left.
When Dale returned, Latina was wandering about inside the 『room』. As expected, this child seemed to be fairly curious. Yet she still didn’t touch what she looked at without permission and probably had strong self-control.
Though it was difficult for her to remember her own age, recalling the children he has seen playing downtown in his mind, he believed this child was levelheaded.
Dale kicked off his boots, entering his own territory,
Since his hometown had a culture that sat directly on the floor rather than on a chair, he wanted to at least be in the comfortable style he was accustomed to his own room. Since the hometown style carpet was also spread out on the floor for that reason, he didn’t want to get it dirty with mud.
Placing his coat on a nearby box, he put down his luggage. On top of the shelf near the bed was the original position for his weapons.
After opening the window and letting new air in, he took off his tunic made of blade-resistant cloth and his thick trousers.
「Latina, come.」
Having discerned the meaning with the beckoning, Latina obediently approached him. Taking her, Dale got inside the bed.
Compared to his usual lifestyle rhythm, it was a considerably early time, but being able to sleep at the time to sleep was one of the skills required as an adventurer.
Even if he were to go to sleep like this, there would be no problem at all.
He had worried about what he would do if he had done a behavior that Latina disliked, but contrary to that, Latina obediently laid her body down beside Dale.
Latina curled her body up like a kitten, and there was a little time until she was making sleeper’s breathing.
（As I thought, it’s tiring, isn’t it. You were brought to a place surrounded by humans you didn’t know, not knowing the words or the situation after all.）
Dale gently brushed Latina’s hair with a calm mood that even surprised himself.
Since he had just decided to become her guardian (parent), he found it strange that he’d be thinking this kind of thing but. It might not be bad to be living with someone like this.
While thinking such a thing, Dale fell asleep while feeling the body temperature that was warmer than his own.
That is, until Latina became ghastly pale not long after that and woke him up with a barrage that went pechi pechi.
The first word that Latina demanded to remember was 『Toilet』.
Incidentally, her dignity was protected.
