Chapter 51: Crisis 3

After Reina went into the back, Henry looked at me.

“Erik, are you truly all right with spending that money on the village? Your parents are there too, you know.”

“It’s fine. I’m doing it to help everyone else. Ah, but please don’t tell them I provided the money. You know what those people might do if they learn I’m earning this much, don’t you?”

“Y-Yes… I understand. Though I don’t know whether they’re even in a position to care about something like that now.”

When Henry said that, I asked if something had happened.

Even before I left the village, the villagers had strong feelings about my family.

My family had essentially neglected me, a child, and the villagers had warned them about it many times.

Yet those warnings never changed how they treated me.

In the end, my family continued behaving that way until I left home, and many villagers naturally began distancing themselves from them.

“To begin with, the people who stayed close to that household were there for your sake, Erik.”

“…So that really was the reason. I never understood why such kind people continued getting along with a family like mine.”

My family had been strange.

The villagers knew how they treated me, yet they still spoke to them amicably and maintained neighborly relations.

I’d wondered countless times why such kindhearted people would do that.

At one point, I’d even considered that they might be doing it for me.

“Even so, I still don’t understand it. Why did they treat only you that way?”

“…Because they hadn’t planned to have me. They already had my two older brothers.”

“You told me that before, but it still feels like there must be more to it… Still, I won’t ask any further. You probably don’t want to think about them anymore.”

“I’m sorry.”

Henry read my expression and ended the subject.

For a while afterward, he told me about the village after I’d left.

The villagers had asked me to help with things partly to save me, but he said my absence was now causing them trouble.

Apparently, I’d simply been too capable. Even when others cleaned the same way, a little dirt remained.

Moreover, the villagers had previously been able to do farmwork during the time when I’d handled their household chores.

Now it was difficult to secure that time, and everyone seemed to be living through busy days.

“I-I feel like that’s my fault. I’m sorry…”

“Ha ha, that’s nothing you need to apologize for. Everyone has realized all over again how much you contributed to the village. They cooperate with one another while fondly remembering what an incredible child you were.”

“…Um, would it be all right if I returned someday?”

“Why are you asking something so obvious? You may have left, but it’s still your hometown. Though when you come back, you may need a disguise so those people don’t find you and cause trouble.”

When Henry said that, I nodded.

“I’ll do that. It would be troublesome if they found out.”

Now that I’d finally gotten away from that family, I never wanted anything to do with them again.

As I thought that, Reina returned from the back.

The request seemed to be complete, and she confirmed its details with Henry.

She checked the location, the wyvern’s characteristics, and the other necessary information.

“We’ll post it on the request board immediately. As soon as an adventurer accepts it, we’ll dispatch them.”

“Thank you.”

The request board.

I didn’t use it myself, but adventurers generally chose their work by looking through the requests displayed there.

In my case, Reina recommended requests to me, so I chose from those instead.

“For now, Henry, please get some proper rest today. If you remain this exhausted, you’ll collapse before you can return to the village.”

“Yes, I will. Now that we’ve managed to submit the request, all the strength has drained out of me. I couldn’t return even if I tried…”

Henry had kept himself tense the entire time.

If he couldn’t submit a request here, the village would remain in danger.

He’d probably planned to search on foot for an adventurer willing to take the job despite the low reward.

I decided it would be dangerous to leave Henry alone, so I offered to take him to an inn.

“Before that, let me finish reporting the completion of my request.”

“All right. I’ll wait here.”

I handed Reina the report and received my reward.

Cain’s request paid five silver coins, which I accepted directly.

Then I took Henry with me and headed to the inn.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any vacant rooms.”

“Oh, I see. I’m sorry.”

I’d brought Henry back to the Fledgling Inn, but Amanda told us there were no empty rooms.

It was certainly a popular inn.

When I thought about it, there was little reason to expect a room would be available.

“Is that man an acquaintance of yours, Erik?”

“He’s Henry, the future chief of the village where I used to live. He helped me a great deal, and since he’s come to the capital this time, I brought him here because I hoped he could stay at the same inn.”

“Oh, is that so? Hmm… In that case, I’ll let him use the common room on one condition: you clean it up, Erik.”

Amanda made that offer, and by accepting her condition, I secured Henry a place to stay.

We could’ve gone to another inn, but I didn’t know anywhere better than this one.

He’d worked hard to reach the capital, so I wanted him to rest properly.

With that thought, I accepted the condition and arranged for Henry to stay at the inn.