Building a House (1)

I took out the high-grade potion I had been carrying and sprayed it on Sia's wounds, rubbing it in.

Sia was horrified, asking if it wasn't too expensive, but.

"What's too good for children? I can get this much again in no time."

I just gave her a smile.

Nothing is too good for children.

I just want them to grow up healthy.

Now that this world is peaceful.

From the standpoint of hoping that all people in this world would live peacefully and happily, nothing was too good to use on a child.

Of course, I have no intention of forcing my thoughts on others.

They would have their own circumstances.

I think forcing things isn't good.

I immediately put Sia on the horse.

"Wah, wah...! H-Hero oppa, this is dangerous."

Sia, saying it's dangerous and not knowing what to do.

To that, I told her it was okay, and Sia grabbed my hair tightly and trembled.

I felt a bit embarrassed, thinking it might be a little scary for a young child.

"Hero-nim, Sia is scared, you know."

"Ah... It's, it's okay, Saintess unni, I like this."

"Really?"

When Ria said something to me, Sia said it was okay and smiled brightly, going 'hehe'.
Seeing that adorable sight, Ria let out a pleased smile.

It was happy, but it wasn't the time for this.

It didn't seem like the entire forest had been eroded by demonic energy for that long, so aside from the wolf monsters, it didn't seem like anything else would jump out.

Still, if left like this, a dungeon would definitely form or it would spew out monsters, so purification was needed quickly.

"I leave it to you, Ria."

I wasn't the specialist in this area, so I stepped back slightly and Ria stepped forward.
Nodding, Ria knelt right in front of the forest and offered a prayer.

"...In the name of the great Goddess-nim, I beseech you. Please, let the land of Goddess-nim regain its original beautiful form, grant your subjects the chance to live there."

Saying that with a solemn expression, Ria drew up divine power.

'...Just seeing her use divine power makes my heart drop.'

Well, that's because ordinary figures of the Goddess Church have their lifespan fly away just by using divine power.

That was the reason I sincerely respected the people of the Goddess Church.

They were a group who did not hesitate to help others at the cost of their own lifespan, leading to short lives.

That was the reason no one said anything even if they claimed to be the Goddess's proxy.

Massive sponsorship funds flowed into the Holy Kingdom, but.

Even that, they received only limited amounts, and if it went beyond the limit, they just donated it, which was truly amazing.

You'd think they'd have reason to be greedy.

Well, even though they said the Saintess doesn't have her lifespan taken when purifying demonic energy and exterminating monsters and the demon race...

It was unavoidable that I flinched every time Ria used divine power.

After Ria's prayer fell.

The divine power that had risen slowly began to envelop the entire forest.

Soon, the demonic energy of the forest gradually faded.

The forest interior, which had been dark as pitch, seemed to slowly purify and soon completely regained its original form.

'It looks cleaner than when I lived here.'

It wasn't unbelievable, as there were widespread rumors that it was polluted even back when I lived here.

It was just surprising that the rumors weren't false.

"The purification is done."

Saying that, Ria rose from her spot.

I nodded and approached the forest with a bright smile.

"We can procure the lumber from here."
"That's right."

After all, to build a house, we needed to procure lumber, so I was worried we'd have to go to the royal capital or nearby villages to buy it, but.
If it's like this, we can just directly process and use lumber.

Building a house isn't as hard as you'd think.

After clashes with the Demon King's army, buildings were all destroyed, but there were several cases where all the villagers survived.

Each time, our party ran on our own two feet to help with reconstruction, so we learned how to build houses too.

'I can do it.'

With the Holy Sword's sharpness, the wood will be ripe and can be sliced like soft meat.

Thinking it was possible, I nodded.

"Shall we look at the house site first? And stop hogging Sia."
"Ah, okay."

Looking at me nodding, Ria suggested we look at the house site first.
To that, I nodded sheepishly and put Sia down.

"...My leg, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"It's a high-grade potion."

"Thank... you."

Sia made a very guilt-ridden expression.

To that, Ria and I tilted our heads, but.

Our thoughts seemed to align.

'...This.'

'She seems to think it's too much for her.'

She's a child who has lived thinking herself lowly.

And then, a whole bottle of high-grade potion, something she couldn't have saved herself, was used on her. How burdensome must that be?

Even Ria and I, having the positions of Hero and Saintess, didn't think like that at first, but...

'...What item could be more important than a person's life?'

No matter how much of a noble they are, they don't spare money to heal a slave.

Well, that's because a person's life is the most important value.

I heard that corrupt nobles in the past played some tricks, but.

All of those were dealt with in a large-scale purge by the Holy Kingdom over 30 years ago.

In the name of the Goddess.

So, the child doesn't need to feel burdened.

Even if there are places in the shadows that still treat human lives lightly.

That's not the case here.

Ria and I silently, firmly grabbed Sia's hand.
Then Sia, not knowing what to do, looked pitiful and cute.

"Ria, you wanted to live where I lived, right?"

"Yes."

"...Then shall we go there?"

Originally, I planned to build the house where the village hall was located, but.

It seemed that wasn't the place Ria wanted.

The house where I originally lived.

'It's not even far from the village hall, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there's not much difference.'

Since there wasn't much difference from the location with the village hall, I decided to head there.

I slowly moved my steps.

It had been so long since I moved my steps toward the place where ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my family lived.

My feet wouldn't lift easily.

I was afraid that when I went to that place again, I might find my family's bodies once more.

That was what I feared.

However, knowing I had to move forward, I took a step.

The house burning is still vivid in my mind.

'Son, Daddy... you know Daddy loves you very much, right...?'
'...Yes.'

I kept looking at my father's face because I sensed it was goodbye.

Because it was the last time, I wanted to remember as much as possible.

Because I was afraid I might forget my father's face.

I watched the house burning fiercely like that, waiting for my father to come out.

Hiding alone, I had so many thoughts.

What if I die?

What if it wasn't me, but my family died, thoughts like that.

Now, I regret those thoughts.

Because it was as if those thoughts became reality and killed my family.

It's horrifying to think that my imagination killed my family.

Thinking that, as I moved to a place not far from the village hall, I saw three small, raised mounds.

"......."
"This is......."
"......."

Ria and Sia fell silent.

Ria seemed to know from hearing my story.

And Sia seemed to instinctively realize there was something about this place.

My eyes grew red.

"...It's my family's graves."

I dug the ground for days and nights.

Then, I personally buried my family's bodies there.

Without a proper coffin, without being able to do proper post-mortem care.

My younger sister Sion's grave was the smallest.

My mother's and father's graves were the same size.

Graves formed in a shape with Sion's grave positioned between my mother's and father's graves.

I didn't even write any distinguishing epitaphs.

But still, I remember.

I knelt.

Knees that even the Demon King couldn't make kneel bent so easily here.

Tears slightly welled up.

"I've... come."

I've come back.

After finishing all adventures.

Carrying an incredibly large bundle of stories.

I've returned, having firmly tied the knot so that no more people suffering like me and us would be born.

Dawn is breaking.

Along with my sniffles, the sound of birds hit my ears.

It was the sound of birds from the purified forest.

Had new families reclaimed their homes?

Or had my family returned?

"Hnggg... "

I wanted to see them so many times, so many times.

Even though I didn't have the courage to return like this.

I even wondered if leaving to face the Demon King was actually running away ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from here.

That's how sorry I was.

Saying I'll do better from now on was useless now.

I just spat out that I'm sorry.

Even though I gained strength, wealth, and honor.

There was nothing I could do for my family.

"Haa... I'm sorry, Mom and Dad, for being such an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unfilial son."

I bowed deeply to my mother and father.
Then I turned my head and looked at Sion's grave.

"I'm sorry for being an unreliable oppa."

For not being able to protect you.

I'm sorry.

I bowed to Sion just the same.

"...May the blessing of God reach you."

Ria quietly wished a blessing from behind.
"...May, may it reach you."

Sia also followed Ria's lead and wished a blessing.

I didn't know I'd be introducing my new family in this tear-soaked state.