Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: To the Village, Just the Two of Us
When we returned to the cabin,
the sun had already set, and the interior was shrouded in darkness.
"It's dark."
"...."
Even so, the faint warmth lingering in the fireplace could still be felt.
I lit the lamp,
sat the child down in front of the fireplace,
and added some fresh dry logs.
As the embers sprang back to life,
along with the crackling sound, warmth gradually enveloped the room.
"It'll warm up soon."
"...."
The child's gaze turned toward the firelight.
Following the dancing flames,
orange ripples flickered in her eyes.
I gazed side by side at her and the bonfire.
"You like bonfires too?"
"....!"
The child nodded.
I sat down beside her with a few books.
"I like them too."
"...."
"They're warm, steady, unchanging. Staring at them for a long time makes my mind relax."
The child lightly grabbed the hem of my clothes.
Her eyes, which had been fixed on the firelight, now turned cautiously toward me.
I paused the hand that had been turning the pages.
"Hm? What is it?"
"...."
"Want me to hold you again?"
"....!"
I carefully pulled the child into my arms.
Her small body nestled perfectly into my embrace.
Rubbing her cheek against my chest, the child let out a faint, satisfied chuckle.
"Feel good?"
"!"
"Yeah. I'll hold you like this more often from now on."
The child smiled with her eyes and nodded.
The position was a bit uncomfortable for reading a thick book,
but since she liked it so much, I could endure that much.
"I'll get used to it soon enough."
"?"
"Nothing."
With one arm wrapped around the child,
I awkwardly adjusted my posture so the book was easier to see.
'Better.'
What I was reading now was a book on herbs.
Books on childcare
had too many unfamiliar things, all feeling alien.
So,
to clear my head,
I turned my gaze to a herbalism book as if escaping for a moment.
'This one's still in use, huh.'
I certainly knew a lot about this subject.
That's why it put my mind at ease.
Ancient knowledge,
unchanging things.
No matter how strangely the world changed,
the leaves and roots in this book were still familiar to me.
'This effect didn't exist before... Is it new? Or did they just discover something previously unknown?'
Of course, some things had changed.
Even things I believed unchanging
gradually shift with the passage of time.
Solid rocks
wear away at the edges from rain and wind.
Everything eventually erodes and wears down.
In this world, the only eternal thing
is me alone.
I examined the book I was reading.
I'd been holding it for quite a while, but hadn't gotten through much.
Comparing it to past memories had slowed my reading pace.
'I need to... organize my memories...'
But—
my memories were tangled and deeply buried.
I didn't even know what to pull out first,
or if I should pull anything out at all.
Just recalling them muddled my thoughts—they were that old and complex.
"I wonder if they can even be organized."
"...."
"...Hm?"
When I glanced down, her small eyes were half-closed.
"...Sleepy?"
"...."
The child shook her head slightly and loosely gripped the hem of my clothes.
As if saying, 'Hold me just a little longer.'
"It's okay to sleep if you're sleepy."
"...."
"Hmm..."
For some stubborn reason, the child was fighting sleep, nodding off yet forcing her eyes open.
I didn't mind holding her like this,
but I worried she might be uncomfortable if she fell asleep this way.
'No helping it.'
I spread the robe hanging on the wall across the floor.
The robe was thick and soft enough to serve as a blanket.
"Can't keep putting you to sleep like this forever anyway."
"...."
"Guess I need to buy a blanket. And a pillow."
I gently laid the child down on the robe.
Her hand still clung to the hem of my clothes, refusing to let go.
"Not gonna let go?"
"...."
Her hand tightened slightly.
I chuckled softly and lay down beside her.
"Alright. Let's sleep together."
"....!"
The child let out a high-pitched hum and burrowed into my arms.
Slowly, I stroked her pink hair.
"...Oh, right."
"?"
"I need to feed you the horn."
"...."
The child pressed even closer to me.
Then, burying her face, she whined as if refusing to eat.
I carefully pried her from my chest.
"Sorry, but no."
"...."
"Even if you don't want to, this is necessary for your body."
The child's brows furrowed slightly.
She didn't look like she would cry, but she seemed ready to sulk any moment.
I let out a small sigh and took out the horn and claw.
Scrape, scrape—
As I ground the horn with the claw, I pondered a reward for her.
"Just a little. In return... what should I do..."
"...."
"Hold you all night while you sleep... That might not be great..."
"!!!!!!"
The child's half-closed eyes snapped wide open.
Pouting lips,
raised brows,
eyes staring piercingly at me.
This was clear.
A silent protest of 'Why wouldn't that be great?'
"...Uh, that works?"
"....!"
The child looked up at me with sparkling eyes, then yanked my hand holding the powder with both tiny hands.
As if ready to shove it straight into her mouth.
"...Alright. I'll hold you all night while you sleep. Promise."
"!"
The child's face visibly brightened.
Slowly,
I carefully poured the powder into her mouth.
"....!"
The child stuck out her tongue and scrunched her face.
Her expression was all wrinkled,
but the way she pursed her lips and endured it was quite mature.
"Good job. You ate it all."
"...."
I hugged her close and patted her back.
Her eyes slowly closed again.
Her small body relaxed against me, tension easing away.
"Tomorrow, I'll buy you something tasty."
"...."
"I don't know what tastes good, but..."
The child's breathing
began to slow and lengthen.
Silence settled over the cabin.
Only the crackling of the bonfire
flowed like soft music in the heart of the night.
I slowly closed my eyes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Morning came.
I washed the child's face,
and placed the remaining rabbit grass in the corner of the cabin.
The rabbit
stretched like it was yawning, then slowly nibbled a mouthful of grass.
I carefully picked up the child who was petting the rabbit.
"We'll be back."
"...."
The child waved at the rabbit.
I gave the rabbit one last look before slowly turning away.
I closed the door and stepped outside.
The dirt path was slightly damp from the night's dew,
and the dew-kissed fallen leaves shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
I lightly draped my robe around the child.
"Today, we definitely buy a proper coat."
"...."
"Route... Better hit the bookstore first, right?"
The child nodded.
It was cute how she nodded even without understanding.
Then came the gurgling sound.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
Meanwhile, the child blushed in embarrassment and hurriedly clutched her stomach.
"Let's hit the food stalls first."
"...."
"Fruit again today? You ate it well yesterday."
"....!"
The child nodded eagerly.
Still embarrassed,
her face was flushed,
but clear anticipation shone through.
"We'd better hurry."
"...."
"It's already noisy."
At my words, the child pouted and turned her head away.
But the corner of her mouth peeking from the robe was slightly upturned.
Sunlight slanted through the trees.
The air was chillier than yesterday.
I quickened my pace a bit.
As we left the forest and the village drew near,
the murmur of voices and lively energy reached us.
The child
stiffened and clutched my robe tightly.
"...Hm?"
"...."
Her hand gripped with all her strength.
Her slender body huddled up.
Startled by the unfamiliar presence?
Or...
'Because of what I said?'
I stopped walking
and pulled her deeper into my arms.
"It's okay."
"...."
"If you want to stay with me, you can. I won't let them take you."
"...."
The child cautiously lifted her head to look up at me.
Eyes where anxiety hadn't fully faded.
Beyond the fear, a tiny spark of hope.
I slowly patted her back.
"I'm always slow, but..."
"...?"
"I can be faster than anyone if needed. We can just run if it comes to that."
"....!"
Her eyes widened round for a moment.
Then, with a faint smile, she buried her face in my chest.
Her huddled body relaxed.
The anxiety and tension had eased a little.
"So let's buy food first. Got it?"
"...."
I started walking again.
As we entered the village,
the atmosphere around us subtly shifted.
Insidiously.
But definitely.
Unfamiliar gazes quickly brushed past us.
'...They recognize us, huh.'
The child's expression darkened.
I wrapped her more securely in the robe and whispered softly.
"Don't mind them."
"...."
"We're just here to shop."
I pressed forward, eyes ahead.
Some ignored us and went about their business,
but others paused as we passed.
Vigilance.
Discomfort.
And hostility.
The stares were blatant enough for even my somewhat numb self to notice.
Holding the anxious child tightly,
I hurried faster than usual to the food stalls.
I met the eyes of the food merchant.
"Welcome, custo... Oh, you're the one from yesterday—!"
"...Huh, you remember."
"Haha, of course. You're quite distinctive."
I blinked at the unexpected reaction.
'Am I that distinctive?' As I pondered, the merchant approached.
"Here for food for the child again today?"
"Yeah."
"Ah, is this the child? She's not a newborn..."
The merchant, inspecting her, trailed off.
His gaze lingered on her face.
I could tell.
The hostility in his eyes.
Pretending not to notice, I spoke calmly.
"I want something suitable for this child."
"Don't have any."
The merchant's reply was firm.
His voice carried open rejection.
"Why?"
"Sorry. Everything suitable for a child sold out today."
"What's that then?"
The merchant flinched momentarily.
My gaze pointed to the basket inside the stall,
still piled high with red fruit.
"That's reserved. Can't sell it."
"What if I pay ten times the price?"
"Still won't sell."
Courteous demeanor.
But clear intent.
He didn't want to sell.
More precisely.
He didn't want to sell to this child.
I lowered my gaze.
In my arms,
the huddled child had heard everything.
Her delicate shoulders trembled.
I silently stared at the merchant.
He seemed about to say something but closed his mouth.
"...Fine."
"Yes. Goodbye."
I turned to leave.
The child's hand gripped the robe tightly.
Her small eyes held anxiety and guilt.
"It's okay."
"...."
"Not your fault."
Her eyes quivered.
Biting her lip, she burrowed deeper into my arms.
"Let's go to the bookstore first."
"...."
The child nodded very slowly.
Anxiety lingered, but her shoulders had relaxed a bit.