「House arrest?」
「It seems that’s what it ended up being」
「Hmm」
The night before my world journey.
My journey around the world is finally about to begin tomorrow. Before my departure, Yggdrasil-san came by today to give me some encouragement.
While talking with Yggdrasil-san, I packed my things for the trip and we chatted.
The topic of our conversation was the incident that happened about a week ago.
「In the end, neither Jisrare-san nor Ralina-chan got hurt」
「Lisaberte, huh. That was fortunate」
「That’s true」
Lisaberte-san――Ralina-mama, was the one who managed to catch Ralina-chan.
I only heard the details later, but apparently after leaving my house, Ralina-chan headed straight toward Jisrare’s clinic.
However, she was spotted by Ralina-mama, who happened to be passing by.
Seeing her daughter running through the village in stealth mode, holding a weapon in her right hand with a crazed look on her face, she decided to capture her first and ask questions later.
And when she questioned her, Ralina-chan began making statements that strongly suggested what she had intended to do. Even though it was only an attempt, that was enough, so she was taken away on the spot.
Meanwhile, I had been chasing after Ralina-chan, but somehow, I completely missed the encounter between the mother and daughter. Instead, I rushed into Jisrare’s clinic alone, explained the situation to Jisrare-san, and then nervously waited for Ralina-chan, who never came.
It was such a terrifying time that I honestly felt like my lifespan was shrinking.
Well, putting my own experience aside, thanks to Ralina-mama’s actions, in the end neither Jisrare-san nor Ralina-chan… and also Father, for that matter, were injured, and the incident ended without harm.
「So Ralina received two weeks of house arrest」
「Even though nothing actually happened, what she was trying to do was still quite serious…」
If anything, when you think about it that way, the punishment might even feel a little too light…
「Then Ralina has not been allowed to go outside for this past week?」
「That’s right. She has been staying inside her house the whole time」
「Hmm. Considering that she could not even go out during the final week you were still in the village, that is a little pitiful」
「Yeah. I felt bad for her too, so I went to visit her several times myself」
By the way, when I did, Ralina-mama told me, 「Don’t worry, Alec-chan. I won’t let her go outside, so you don’t need to worry about her chasing after you later」.
I had not thought about it, but now that I consider it, that possibility really did exist…
In fact, knowing Ralina-chan, it would have been more natural to assume she would act like that…
「Come to think of it, I talked with Ralina-chan about various things, and apparently it was quite close」
「Hm? Well, yes, that girl can certainly be rather dangerous…」
「No, not that. Apparently she almost found out about the journey before I could even tell her myself」
「Is that so?」
「Yes. It seems Jisrare-san accidentally let things slip to Ralina-chan several times. Things like 『going on a journey with Alec』 or 『the two of us visiting many places together』…」
「That is not almost revealing it. That is revealing it outright…」
「Exactly…」
Apparently there were several times when she accidentally said things like that to Ralina-chan.
「After hearing those things, Ralina-chan apparently thought, 『This woman is having another strange delusion again』. She never imagined that the journey was actually real…」
「I see…」
After learning that the journey was real, Ralina-chan regretted it deeply. She said she should have pressed for a proper explanation about what it meant.
She also clearly remembered the keywords I had reacted to before, so it seems the situation had been quite close to being exposed.
「So that is how the past week went. I visited Ralina-chan from time to time while also informing the other villagers about the journey」
On top of that, I was also preparing for the trip, so when I think about it, it was actually quite a busy week.
「Hmm. You told the other villagers as well. How did they react noja?」
「Their reactions? Let’s see. They were quite varied, but the Ralina family and the Jered family both supported me normally. They told me to do my best」
Both families sincerely cheered me on.
…Well, everyone except Ralina-chan. Ralina-chan strongly opposed it.
「Fleur-san and Laudette-san were sad to hear about it」
「Hmm, hmm」
「Laudette-san’s reaction surprised me a little. She seemed unusually sad about it. She even told me she hopes I will come back as soon as possible」
「Hm? Laudette did? Ah, well, that is…」
「Yes?」
「…Yes. No, it is nothing」
「I see」
Yggdrasil-san hesitated with his words for some reason. What was that about?
「And as for Diana-chan… well, a lot happened」
「A lot?」
「She got angry at me for not telling her sooner, she complained that she wanted to go too, she said she would miss me while we could not see each other for a while, she still ended up supporting the journey… and after all that, she punched my shoulder」
「…Well, she must have had many feelings about it」
Diana-chan expressed all those complicated emotions by punching my shoulder.
It was quite a strong punch, and it actually hurt quite a bit. But maybe it also carried some encouragement behind it.
「That’s about how it went. I greeted everyone like that. Aside from the people I just mentioned, I also visited every acquaintance I had, so it was quite a lot of work」
「Everyone? When you say everyone… how exactly did you greet them noja?」
「Hm? Well, I simply visited each house one by one」
「I feel like there might have been an easier way…」
「Maybe I should have gathered everyone together instead…?」
It really was a lot of work. Almost everyone in this village is someone I know, so in the end I ended up visiting every single house. It was quite exhausting.
Still, it felt a little strange to call everyone together just because I wanted to say goodbye…
So I went around visiting every house in Meiyu Village one by one. As for Lukmine Village, I also went around greeting the people I knew there, starting with Diana’s family and the beautiful village chief.
「Both the people from Meiyu and Lukmine said they will come see me off before I depart」
「I see. You are loved by many people」
「Ah… is that so? If that’s the case, then I’m happy」
If that really is true, then I am happy. Very happy.
Alec-kun, the beloved character of everyone… yeah, that does not sound bad.
After all, even Yggdrasil-san came all the way here to encourage me.
As expected of Alec-kun, the son of the Sword Saint and the Sage, and the beloved child of the goddess.
「By the way, what will you do while I am away traveling, Yggdrasil-san?」
「Hm?」
「Will you still come to Meiyu Village during that time?」
「Hmm」
Yggdrasil-san usually visits the village about once every two weeks, but what about while I am away traveling?
「I understand if Yggdrasil-san thinks there is no reason to come to the village when I am not here」
「I never said such a thing…」
「After all, the one who is loved by every single villager, this very popular person right here, will not be around」
「You became arrogant in an instant…」
「Or perhaps the village will feel gloomy, like the fire has gone out」
「Open flames are strictly forbidden in the village」
「…………」
That was an unexpected place to get corrected.
I see. So the elf village has always been a place where the fire was already out.
「Well, that was just a joke, but Mother and the villagers will probably feel lonely, so I would be happy if you still came by from time to time」
「Indeed. I will likely visit occasionally noja. If I ask Nana, I can hear updates about you, correct?」
「Yes. I plan to exchange D-mails with Nana-san during the journey, so she should know my latest updates」
…Hmm. It seems even Yggdrasil-san is curious about me, now that I will be far away and unable to meet him.
Ah, this is tough. Being loved by everyone is tough.
「After all, I cannot help but be concerned about you」
「Wha!?」
What!?
I had only been joking to myself, saying something silly in my mind, but is that really the case? Is that how it is, Yggdrasil-san!?
「Y-You are concerned about me…?」
「I cannot help but wonder what kind of trouble you will cause during your journey」
「…Huh?」
「I am worried that you might cause some outrageous incident in the Human World noja」
「…………」
That is not it… That is not what I was imagining…
Wow… this is embarrassing. I made a very embarrassing misunderstanding.
And it is a very cliché one too, is it not? The kind of misunderstanding you often see in romantic comedies. A very classic one.
Ah… I really messed up. I seriously messed that up…
「Hmm? What is wrong, Alec?」
「I am ashamed of myself for becoming conceited and thinking I was 『a popular person loved by everyone』…」
「You became arrogant in an instant, and now you became humble in an instant…」
「I wish there were a hole I could crawl into…」
「What in the world is wrong with you noja…?」
next chapter: Let’s settle this with money.
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