42 Girl and whereas 2




 Mr. Athos hasn't come back.


 I got worried when I heard that. Athos, you're warm. My favorite beastman uncle.
 I thought he went out and never came back.


 I've been cautious about going out of the village because of the attack on the catfolk. Athos, being the leader of the village and having the ability to do so, would go out alone only when necessary.


 He said that everyone was not worried about him.
 But when he was supposed to come back, he didn't come back.
 The whole village was buzzing. It's the first time something like this has happened, that's what everyone said.


"Dad, ......


 Gaius looked worried, as if his usual cheerfulness was a lie.
 I wanted to comfort him, but I didn't know what to say.



"Ran, sir.



 After Gaius said, "Leave me alone ......" and left me alone, I shook Mr. Lan's hand.



 I felt uneasy. I got scared.
 I felt that the anxiety I had been feeling since the cat beastmen had come to the village and I had heard their stories was coming true.
 I don't know what will happen now. That's what makes me anxious. I wonder how things are going to turn out.


 Will Mr. Athos be okay? Mr. Athos is. Mr. Athos is ....... I'm worried, I'm scared. Mr. Ran squeezed my hand back. Mr. Lan also has a difficult look on his face.


"...... Athos, sir.
"I'm worried about ...... you, Lerunda.
"Yes, .......



 I'm stuck. I can't even follow Gaius. I just keep thinking. I squeezed Ran's hand. I couldn't move for a while.
 Mr. Ran told me that I would catch a cold if I stayed outside all the time at ......, so we went to my house together. We went to my house, and I was surrounded by gryphons and Ran, when I realized I was asleep.


 I was asleep, and when I woke up, I heard that some of the adults had left the village to search for Athos.






 And I was hoping they'd find him, hoping they would. I was hoping. I thought it was sad and painful that I couldn't see Mr. Athos' gentle smile.



 Gaius has always had a downcast look on his face. No, it's not just Gaius. They all love Athos, they all care about him, and they are all sad about the fact that he is not coming back.


 After hearing the story of the cat beastmen, I think I'm even more anxious about the possibility of ....... I'm also very anxious.



 The adult beastmen who went out to look for Athos...
 ---They said they'd come back, but they didn't.


 They said they'd be back by when, even if they couldn't find Athos, they'd stop there and come back. So why... Why hasn't he come back?


 I'm getting worried.
 It's not just me. Everyone's worried. They're sad. I'm in pain, too.


 I've always been alone in the village where I grew up. There were a lot of people around me, but ever since the old man who taught me so much died, I've just been living. But now I have a place where I can love everyone and be loved.


 I feel pain when people are sad.
 I want them to smile, but... I couldn't smile in this situation either.
 Mr. Athos and everyone who went to find him.
 I can see everyone's face in my mind.
 Each and every face, the memory of our time together. My favorite, kindest, and happiest memories.



 ......... It's painful.
 I wonder if they're all going through something terrible. I wonder if the people I love are experiencing painful feelings. Just thinking about it is painful.


 Even as I thought these things, I could do nothing. I thought about what I could do for them, but all I could do was hope.


 I just kept hoping that they would be okay. I wanted them to come back.
 The gryphons and sifo split up into two groups, those who were going to protect the village and those who were going to look for the others. The ones who went to look for the others haven't come back yet.


 But Gaius...
 Gaius, son of Mr. Athos, couldn't just wait and hope and hope and hope.



 One day, Gaius disappeared from the village.
 Maybe he went out to look for Athos, that's what he said. I got scared. I wondered if Gaius would disappear too. When I thought about it, I was so worried that I too ran out, over Mr. Ran's voice to stop me.


 All I could think about was Gaius. I just had to catch up with Gaius, that's all I could think about.




 ---- The Girl and the Missing 2
 The girl, who was probably a godchild, ran away from the village.