「W-what’s wrong?」
「Awawawawa…」
「H-hey, Alec-chan?」
….Ah, no, wait. That was a misunderstanding.
Right, right. Ralina papa wasn’t the kind of person who got sexually excited over monsters.
「Hey you, what did you do to Alec-chan?」
「Eh? No, I didn’t do anything…」
「But look how scared he is」
Ah, this is bad. Ralina papa is being interrogated by Ralina mama.
「I’m sorry, it’s just a misunderstanding. Um… Ralina papa suddenly appeared, and it startled me, that’s all」
「Really? It didn’t look that way to me…? Are you sure he didn’t do something to you? I heard he’s caused trouble before」
「O-ouch…」
While pulling on Ralina papa’s ear, Ralina mama questioned me.
He’s totally under her thumb… oh, but I should stop this quick. At this rate, Ralina papa’s ears are going to turn into elf ears.
「No, really, it’s nothing. Ralina papa isn’t the type to scare me… right?」
Please say no.
Please tell me it was a misunderstanding. Tell me you don’t make it your life’s work to give pleasure to walking mushrooms.
「Y-yes. At least as far as I remember, I haven’t done anything to frighten or scare Alexis-san…」
「That’s really true?」
「Y-yes…」
When Ralina papa answered, Ralina mama finally let go of his ear.
Unfortunately, his ears hadn’t turned into elf ears. Too bad.
「Um, more importantly, there’s something I’d like to ask you, Ralina papa…」
「Haa, what is it?」
「Ralina-chan told me you test techni…I mean, techniques on monsters in the forest. Is that true?」
Might as well confirm it properly. Yeah, just to be sure.
「Techniques? Well, yes. I often travel from village to village(muramura), so during those times…」
「Muramura(horny)…? Ah, no, never mind. So, you test techniques while traveling?」
「Yes. I just make sure my skills don’t get rusty, that’s all」
「I see. When traveling between villages or fighting, how many people usually go with you?」
「It’s usually just me…?」
Alone, huh? Well, I guess even as a merchant, one magic bag is enough to carry the goods, so maybe there’s no need for more people.
But still, he travels by himself… in a way, that only deepens my suspicions….
「And how do you fight? Do you, um… u-use any tools or anything?」
「Tools? Basically, I use a bow…」
「I see…」
「Sometimes though, I’ll use traps to catch(hameru) them.」
「Fuck(hame)?!?」
H-he fucks them… Ah, no, wait. He said use traps to ‘catch’ them.
「It’s not that often, but if I’m after rare monster materials, sometimes I do」
「Rare monsters, huh… Do you, um… h-have a preferred type of monster?」
「Preferred type? Let’s see… I am a merchant after all, so I suppose I prefer monsters with high demand that can sell for a good price…」
「How about walking mushrooms?」
「Eh? Walking mushrooms? No, they’re everywhere, so nothing special…」
「I see…」
「Well, mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, so if you put it that way, maybe they are my preference. When I find them, I swallow them deliciously」
「Favorite!? Swallow them deliciously!?」
H-he swallows them deliciously… No, no, wait. He meant mushrooms themselves are his favorite. Literally just eating them as food.
….Or rather, maybe I’m just overreacting.
I keep interpreting his words in that direction. Like some teenager in puberty…
「…Um, what exactly is this conversation about?」
「Eh? Ah, well, I was just curious how Ralina papa fights monsters… yes, that’s all. Nothing more」
Since I kept asking strange questions and reacting oddly, Ralina papa finally seemed suspicious.
「….Could it be that Alec-chan is worried about the first hunt?」
「Huh?」
Ralina mama, who had been quietly listening to our exchange, now asked me a question that made no sense.
「I heard from Ralina. She said Alec-chan seems to be very worried about the first hunt」
「Is that so…」
I had indeed confided in Rerina-chan once, telling her that I was anxious about my first hunt.
To be honest, I hadn’t wanted to trouble her with such a concern… but when she pressed me hard about why I was visiting the church so often, I had no choice but to say something.
「Alec-chan, weren’t you asking questions about combat because you were worried about your first hunt?」
「Uh… well…」
「So that wasn’t it?」
It wasn’t, but… fine, I’ll let her think that.
There was no way I could be honest and say, “Actually, I’ve been checking to see if your husband is trying to make any indecent advances on monsters”.
「Sigh… well, yes, I suppose so. I just… wanted to hear more details about combat from Ralina papa…」
「I knew it. That makes sense. Of course you’d feel uneasy, facing a monster for the first time would worry anyone.」
She was right. That part was true. I really was anxious about the first hunt itself.
「But I hear you’ve been training earnestly every day, haven’t you? If that’s the case, you’ll be just fine.」
「Hmm… do you really think so?」
「Of course. Besides, just between us, they don’t make you do anything truly dangerous on your very first battle. There’s no need to worry so much, you know?」
As she said that, Ralina mama reached out and gently patted my head.
「I see… Thank you, Lisaberte-san.」
TN: Her name is リザベルト(rizaberuto) but I’ll follow the official name so Lisaberte.
「….Eh?」
「Hm? What’s wrong, dear?」
「Wait… eh? Just now, did you call her ‘Lisaberte’? Alexis-san, really?」
Ralina papa’s eyes darted back and forth between me and Ralina mama, restless and full of confusion.
Was it really that shocking that I had said her name? He looked completely shaken.
「What’s the matter? That’s my name, isn’t it? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?」
「N-no, of course I haven’t forgotten. It’s just… I didn’t expect Alexis-san to remember the name ‘Lisaberte’…」
「What are you talking about…..? How many years has our family been close to theirs now?」
「I… I suppose that’s true… Then… would it be possible that you also remember ‘my’ name as well…?」
Did he really want me to say his name that badly…?
Ralina papa’s eyes burned with a strange, desperate hope as he stared at me.
…So I averted my gaze.
Next Chapter: Time’s Up
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