When I part ways with onii-chan, I enter the classroom. Looking around the classroom, I naturally know where to sit.
「Good morning」
I am greeted by the child next to me.
「Good morning, Rin-kun」
Rin-kun, who sits next to me, seems to have an unchanged attitude even seeing the scars on my neck. I feel a bit relieved by that. However, the children I was particularly close with seem to keep their distance from me.
It is annoying that they are peeking at me from the corners of their eyes. If they are going to keep their distance, it would be easier for me if they just ignored me.
『Rina. About those guys from earlier』
As I sit on the chair and prepare for class, Yuu speaks to me. I take a small deep breath so that I do not show surprise no matter what he says.
『From what those men were saying, it seems Carius and Taguas’s father is going to sell those children』
「Eh? ‘Cough’」
『What did you just say?』
Surprised by Yuu’s words, I let out a sound, so I hurriedly try to cover it up. Philia corners Yuu and grabs the clothes at his chest.
『Calm down, Philia』
『There is no way I can calm down! Sell them? My cute children? Is that guy intending to make not only me but also the children unhappy? Unforgivable! Truly unforgivable!』
Yuu is confused by the screaming and crying Philia. He looks this way as if asking for help, but it is impossible.
「Let us begin the class」
Ugh, class starts at this timing? I attend the class while listening to Philia’s crying and Yuu’s comforting voice.
No, it is impossible. It is too noisy next to me, and I cannot hear the teacher’s voice.
Still, for a father to sell his children. Human trafficking is considered an evil act in the teachings of the Church, so the country prohibits it.
Even in this world where the Goddess is close, things do not change. People are blinded by money and do bad things even though they know it is wrong. But they will surely pay the price for it.
「Ah」
Before I knew it, the class was over.
「Sigh」
While sighing, I put away the books used in class.
As expected, I cannot attend class properly when I am with ghosts.
I look next to me. Philia is still crying. And seeing that even Yuu looks like he is about to cry for some reason, I let out another sigh.
「Rina」
「Onii-chan」
I hurry to onii-chan, who has come to pick me up.
「Let us move a little away from here」
「Yes」
Onii-chan glared at Rina’s former friends.
「You do not need to worry about it」
I have experienced this kind of thing many times before. As someone who reacted to ghosts, I was a slightly strange child. Even if I explained the reason, I was called a liar or creepy. Children honestly spill out their malice.
I go to a secluded place with onii-chan.
What should I do? I am getting very nervous.
『Earlier, I said you should tell him everything except about us ghosts, but will it be okay?』
Yuu flies around onii-chan and me, looking worried. Philia followed with a gloomy expression.
「Rina, what do you want me to do?」
When I look at onii-chan, my tension eases a little.
「There is something I want to give to Carius and Taguas, and I also want to talk to them」
「Something to give, and talk?」
「Yes. I was asked by their mother, ah」
With this explanation, it sounds like I was asked by the deceased Philia. I intended to hide the fact that she is a ghost. Did he not hear…?
「Asked by the deceased Philia?」
Since I was speaking in a low voice, I was close to onii-chan. It is natural that he heard. What should I do? I feel like crying.
『Sorry, it is because I suggested you talk to him』
No. It was just my poor way of explaining.
「Understood」
「Eh? Understood?」
「Yes. I just need to bring the two of them here, right?」
「Yes. Um, onii-chan」
「You do not have to say things you cannot say. You are not doing anything bad, right?」
I nod at onii-chan.
「I am doing the right thing」
Giving Philia’s pendant to the two of them is not part of the contract. But I think giving them their mother’s memento is the right thing to do. It is also an apology for involving her in our problem. Also, I intend to tell them that their father is trying to sell them and advise them to escape.
「Rina」
「Yes?」
「Thank you for talking to me」
It is I who should be thanking him.
「Onii-chan, thank you for cooperating」
I was actually scared. Because I have experienced many times that being different means becoming a target for exclusion.
「I will bring the two of them during the next break」
「Thank you」
『I wish I had a brother like Agus. Onii-chan was, well, serious… really damn serious. We did not get along』
I glance at Yuu. Philia looks confused by his slightly lonely expression. It seems she was able to calm down a little because I said I would meet the two of them. That is good.
「Onii-chan. Do you know any trustworthy adventurers?」
「Eh?」
Onii-chan shows a surprised expression. Since Rina had no interest in adventurers until now, this reaction is natural.
But to help the two escape, I need an adult collaborator. Also, I need someone to deliver a letter to the Bishop in the neighboring village.
I thought adventurers would be suitable for this, but I do not know any adventurers. So I asked onii-chan, but was that a mistake?
「Do you need an adult collaborator?」
「Yes」
『I know one!』
「Eh?」
I turn my gaze to Philia.
Does she know a trustworthy adventurer?
「Ah」
I looked over again. I glance at onii-chan.
Onii-chan is looking in the direction where Philia is, or rather, slightly off from it.
「Um, onii-chan. Um…」
「It is a spirit, right?」
Onii-chan looks at me and smiles.
I want to say no. About the ghost too… but.
「I cannot say, sorry」
I wonder why. My heart strongly appeals that I must not speak about ghosts. Is Rina’s memory appealing to me?
「Yes. It is fine if you only tell me what you can」
I am happy that he shows understanding. But I feel sorry. Will I be able to tell him everything someday?
「Sorry, Rina」
I look at onii-chan.
「I do not know adventurers well. I have talked to them, but I do not know if they are trustworthy」
「Understood, thank you. That side is okay」
Since Philia seems to know one.
「I will go to the classroom to pick up the two of them during the next break」
「Thank you」
Onii-chan walks me to the classroom, and I enter. When I take my seat, Yuu places both hands on the desk.
『Adventurers are romantic, aren’t they? That is nice』
Yuu mutters enviously. Philia looks at him curiously.
『What is so good about it? Being an adventurer is a very dangerous job, you know?』
『It is dangerous, but it is a cool job, right? Plus, you save cute girls and make them fall for you』
Philia frowns and looks at Yuu.
『You are talking about adventurers? Meeting them? Is that possible? I have never heard of it』
Real-life adventurers might be far from Yuu’s imagination.
I was able to listen carefully to the next class. Because Yuu and Philia were quiet.
「Rina」
As soon as the class ended, onii-chan came to the classroom. Behind him, I can see Carius and Taguas. When Philia spots the two of them, she immediately flies over.
「Onii-chan, thank you」
「Yes. Is the place from before okay?」
「Yes」
I nod at onii-chan and bow slightly to Carius and Taguas.
「Thank you for coming」
Come to think of it, how did he bring them here?
「I heard you had something to talk to us about. Um, you said you received a message from our mother」
Carius looks at me.
「Yes. That is right」
How should I explain receiving a message from a deceased person?
「Does that mean you met our mother before she died? I had never heard Rina’s name from Mother until the morning of that day」
Eh? I see. That is what people would normally think.
「Could you tell me where you met her? And how Mother was?」
I look at Carius, who seems desperate for some reason.
「Father says Mother died of illness. But Mother was always healthy. So…」
「And as soon as Mother passed away, that woman moved into our house」
「Taguas!」
Carius pulls Taguas’s arm. Taguas makes a dissatisfied expression.
「Because it is the truth」
It seems both of them suspect their father. How much should I tell them?
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