A young child is coming to us as a hostage. The hostages are not free. They are not allowed to know the location of this village, and they are not allowed to find out anything about this village.


　We can't protect them unless we have to. We are, well, I am weak. Until we are stronger, until the foundations of the village are in place, we will have to do this even if we don't want to.
　In addition, I've decided to have my contracted family members monitor them more extensively. It is an act of intimidation that I can do anything I want to them at any time.


　I might not have been able to do such an act, for example, if I had not experienced various things after being abandoned. If I had not known the harshness of reality, I would not have been able to think this way.


　I prayed in front of the altar that day as well. I just told God what had happened today.
　I wondered if I had made the right choice, if I had done the right thing. I was worried. When I tell God, even though I don't get an answer, I feel my heart calming down. I thought it was good to have a place where I can let out my feelings. By the way, the place to pray is called "Lerunda's Altar" by other people, and it seems to have become a bit established ....... I suppose it's because I'm the only one who prays here.
　Other places are called the "Gryphon Altar" or the "Spirit Altar". The beings we pray to may be different, but we live together. That's because we don't think of the beings we pray to as being other than the ones we pray to.


　---They have offered us hostages. It's not an equal relationship. However, if there is no possibility, I may be naive to hope that we can work together instead of against each other. Still, I would like to get along with everyone if possible. Even though I know the reality, I still want to do so. No matter how hard the road is, that is my wish.


　Mr. Ran is producing paper little by little. He made me a notebook with it.
　In that notebook I decided to keep a record of the people I have lost.
　I want to keep them in my heart.


　In this village, the rules are gradually increasing. We are going to make some rules for the things that have been decided somehow. If the rules were in place, Roma might not have done what she did. If you break the rules, you will be punished. Such rules must be enforced.


　I thought that this is necessary because we are a group. If we were small in number, we could take care of each other. For example, if it was just me and the gryphons, we could get along without rules. But now there are so many of us. In order for us to protect our place, we need to be aware of these things.
　It's a hard thing to talk about, but I don't choose not to think about it just because it's hard. Abandoning thinking and running away will not help. That's why I'm willing to learn, no matter how difficult it is.


　In the future, we will probably never be able to completely abandon them. That is why, perhaps, we will have more and more relationships with people in the future. Maybe we'll have more friends. We did not do well this time. I couldn't make up my mind to use my power well, and I lost Roma.


　If I have my first contact with different people again, I want to be able to deal with them better. No, I will definitely do that.


　I'm determined to do that too.
　I've learned from this that being tough to not lose is necessary for the future.


　---The child who is being held hostage is very quiet. While the gryphons are watching over them, the rest of them are just going about their lives. I didn't see it firsthand, but a family that has a contract with them said so.

　As we interact with them, we are slowly getting to know them. And they're getting to know us, too. We help them to stay here, and they sometimes give us their harvest as a token of their gratitude to us.
　Time passed so peacefully between us and them that it was hard to believe that bloodshed had occurred. But I think that's because everyone I'm under contract with is keeping an eye on them. If I hadn't done that, I might not have been able to spend such a peaceful time with them now.


　I thought about this as I felt the time flowing peacefully.



　---- girl and her people 9
　I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think it's a good idea.