After leaving the Benas Armor Store, we went around to the fruit and vegetable stores and butcher shops where the Demon Blood People could also be found, and bought some foodstuffs.

(Good........)

　The backpack that had been filled with adventure gear during the trip is now filled with a large amount of foodstuffs.

　The backpacks carried by Iltimina-san and Solstice next to us are similarly stuffed.

　Kirt-san stares at us, who have left the shop, stunned.

''........why do you buy so much?

　Mr. Illtimina scowled.

'You may ask why, but Solstice always eats at least three servings, and lately, Marle has been eating a lot, and she's not afraid to eat about two servings.
.......... Oh, I see.

　Mr. Kilt has an indescribable look on his face.

(???)

　What's the problem?

　Oh......

''I'm sorry, Illtimina-san!　I, for one, will pay for my food from now on!

　I finally noticed and was a panicked housemate Marle.

　But Mr. Illtimina looked back at me in surprise.

'What do you mean, sir, I don't need that kind of money. If you offered it to me, I wouldn't take it.
But, but...
Didn't I tell you before, Merle?

　Then she squats down and is at eye level with me.

'I'm going to take care of you for the rest of my life,'

　.............

　I can't reply to the seriousness in her crimson eyes.

　She laughed softly at me.

''When I decided to take care of you in my home, I was prepared to do so much. So, please take this feeling into account and give up.
Miss Illtimina.

　Her white hand gently caresses my cheek as I call her name.

'Please forgive me for this self-serving selfishness of Illtimina.

　I lower my blue eyes.

'....okay.

　I nodded, happy for her feelings, even though it was heartbreaking, and I wanted to respect her heart.

　Solstice cowered at us.

　Ms. Kilt chuckled.

Well, considering how much money Irna is making right now, it shouldn't be much of an expense.
Yeah.

　'Silver Seal Demon Hunter' who nodded clearly.

　Kilt-san laughed and looked at me and Solstice's young group.

He said, "Well, it's a growing up period, so let them eat as much as they want. The best way to repay your debt of gratitude to Irna is to grow up healthy.
Yes.
Yeah, I know that.

　Me nodding and Solstice with a slight pout of her lips.

　Noticing the girl's reaction, Mr. Kilt apologized.

''I'm sorry, I was nagging you. .........Hmm, is Wawa old too?

Years...

　You're only 30 years old, Mr. Kilts.

　I say dismissively.

"What's wrong with your beauty if you sound like an old man?
"Huh?

　Mr. Kilt looked at me in surprise and smiled teasingly.

'Does the strawberry look pretty in your eyes?
Yes.

　I nodded.

'I think she's very pretty.'

　I looked her in the eye and answered honestly.

　'Kilt-san, you look somewhat taken by surprise and look away a bit panicked.

''Oh, I see.''

　His cheeks are a little red as he answers.

'............'

　In response, Illtimina-san sends a glance at Kilt-san's profile, as if she suspects something.

　Staring at the two older people, Solstice looked at me as if she was dumbfounded.

''Marle, you have that kind of thing going for you, don't you?
?

　That's what you're talking about?

It's bad enough that you don't even realize it.

　She let out one huge sigh and began to walk towards her home.

'Oh, wait,'

　I hurriedly chased after them.

　Noticing the two children who had started to precede us, Illtimina-san and Kilt-san also quickly chased after us.

　-- and so the four of us disappeared into the human wave of the royal capital Mulia.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　I thought the four of us were going back to Illtimina-san's house like this, but Kilt-san had some business to attend to, so we had to part ways on our way back.

''I have some business to attend to with the head of the adventurer's guild, the Black Iron Finger.

　He said.

　I wondered what the country's largest adventurer's guild had to do with it.

Well, it's called laying the groundwork. It's something that Irna needs to do, not just for Merle. There are many things in the adult world.
Do I have to...?

　Ms. Illtimina has no memory of what happened to her.

It's something we are doing on our own. I'll tell you more about it when the time comes.

　Mr. Kilt laughed.

　The three of us look at each other.

(What are they up to?)

　Well, I believe it's not a bad thing, because of Mr. Kilt.

　Solstice asks.

'Do you want to come back to my house when you're done?
No.

　Mr. Kilt thought for a moment and shook his head, shaking his rich silver hair.

'When we leave the Black Iron Fingers, I want to go straight to Elle's grave, too. If I go to your house, it will be quite late, I'm sure. I'm not going to do that tonight.

　Mr. Elle.

　The late Eldorado Rogue, the Golden Mark demon hunter.

　He was an old friend of mine who Kirt-san called a comrade in arms.

　Whenever he mentions that name, Kirt-san always looks a little sad.

"Yeah.

　As expected, Solstice couldn't be forced to ask him out for that reason.

''I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow.

　crumpled

　Mr. Kilt's hand stroked roughly through the girl's soft purple hair.

　Then she left the words, "Bye-bye," and began to walk down a different path from us.

(..............It's a bit sad.

　With that in mind, I look off its back.

　Solstice's profile also looks vaguely lonely.

　Eventually, when she disappeared from sight, Illtimina-san called out to us, as if she had regained her senses.

'Come on, Marle, Sol. Let's go back to our house, shall we?
Yes.
Yeah.

　We changed our minds and started walking home again.

　We continued on our way, talking about trivial things.

　Perhaps I shouldn't have been so focused on the conversation.

　Don't.

(What?)

　At the corner of the intersection, I bumped into a person at the beginning of my encounter.

　I was carrying a heavy load on my back, and I lost my balance and ended up on my ass.

'Merle,'

　Ms. Illtimina hurriedly crouched down beside me.

'Oops, I'm sorry. Are you okay?

　The person I bumped into didn't even fall down, but was surprised to see me fall and apologize to me.

"No, I was looking away, so--

　I look at them as I answer that.

(Ah.)

Oh.

　I was surprised, and the person I bumped into had the same expression on his face.

　Behind him were two companions, who seemed to be his companions. They too noticed me and had a surprised look on their faces.

　No, Illtimina-san and Solstice also have a surprised look on their faces.

　He bumped into them and said.

"Are you Merle?

　I say.

"Mr. Asbell?

　Yes, the person I bumped into was a tall young man with blue hair and brown eyes, Asbel-san.

'Lies, Marle, is that you?　Long time no see!
What's that, Merle's boy?

　Behind them are Asbell's fellow adventurer, a dark elf girl named Luta, and a muscular young man named Garion.

(Ugh, I miss it!)

　The three of us survived the Dior ruins together.

　The last time I saw them was the day before I left for Arun, so it had been almost five months since we had reunited.

''Oh, you're Asbel?''
Miss Irna!

　A joyful color comes on Asbel-san's well-rounded face as she is approached by Illtimina-san who noticed.

''Yah-ho~, Luta.''
'Solstice!　Long time no see, how are you?

　Solstice called out to her, and Luta-san took her hand as if she was impressed.

　Garion-san grabbed my hand and pulled me up.

''Well you're Marle, right?''
?

　Has he forgotten his face?

　Garion-san gazes at my face and body with a jittery look.

　I'm a bit scared because he has a sharp eye in the first place.

''You look a lot different from before.
Yeah?
'Oh. Have you grown taller...?　You're looking a lot bigger than you were.

　Really?

　I don't feel like I've grown that much taller in just a few months.

(But I hope it's true.)

　I glance at the grown woman next to me.

　I want her to be taller, too, because I want to be a grown man who looks good enough to stand next to her someday to be able to balance it out.
　Go for it, my body!

　When I told myself that.

'Asbel, Luta and Garion, it's been a long time since you three have been together. You seem to have been in quite a hurry, what's going on?

　Iltimina-san called out to her.

　The young man who is in love with her, Asbel-san, replies as if in a hurry.

''I'm sorry we bumped into each other. As a matter of fact, I received a letter from Mother Della at the orphanage saying 'I have something I need to discuss with you', so'

　The orphanage would be the orphanage where the three of them grew up.

　The director of the orphanage is Mr. Della.

(This consultation from Mr. Della?　(What is it?)

　The dark elf Ryuta-san narrowed her light blue eyes with concern.

''Somehow, looking at the text and handwriting, it sounds like it's quite an emergency. So I was in a hurry.......sorry, Marle-kun.
Nope.

　I shake my head from side to side.

　The reason we bumped into each other is because of my carelessness.

"Is there an emergency?

　Ms. Illtimina's good looks are also frowned upon with a caring frown.

　Mr. Garion is squirming around like he wants to go right away, as if he can't spare time for conversation. He may look like a violent person, but he's actually a companionable person.

(...but urgent?)

　I suddenly remembered the last time I went to an orphanage.

　There were many children my age and younger.

　They were orphans, but they were not dark, they were happy and cheerful, helping each other out.

　And among them, there was one child I will never forget.

　Poe.

　A girl about ten years old with soft, habitual blonde hair and light blue eyes.

　She was a very quiet, but mysterious child who was loved by everyone, who was named Poe as it was because she was always Poe.

(.....Po-chan, are you okay?

　The fact that it was an emergency made me feel a little buzzed.

　Why is that?

　The last time I saw him, he was involved in a ruckus. Is that why I'm so worried about it this time?

.................

　I remember those eyes that seemed to see into the heart.

You know?　Can I go to the orphanage with you?

　When I noticed, those words had escaped my mouth.

　Everyone looks at me in surprise.

　I was surprised too.

　But I'm really curious about it.

　I stare back at Asbell-san.

"It's fine, we don't mind, but...

　Puzzled, he nodded.

　Solstice stared at me in frustration, her young lips twitched.

'Hey Marl?'
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but can you two go home first?

　I apologize.

　Mr. Illtimina called my name, "...Marl," as if annoyed.
　Then she lets out a breath.

Okay. Then I'll come with you.

　I say.

(Huh?)

Lee, Irna, too?

　Mr. Asbell's voice was mixed with joy, and he expressed his confusion.

'I can't leave Marle alone. I'd be worried if something happened on the way home.

　She's still an overprotective sister.

　Asbell-san and Ryuta-san both nodded vaguely, "Huh.

　Garion-san has a dumbfounded look on her face, "Keh.

''Hey, even sister Irna?
I'm sorry, but you have to come with me, Sol. I just don't want you to be alone.

　My sister ordered my sister to go with me, even though she was surprised.

　I panicked.

''Um, this is my own selfishness, so I don't mind if I'm on my own...''
You can't.

　Mr. Illtimina cut off his rebuttal with a snap.

'As Marle's guardian, that is unacceptable. Besides, I want to let Marle do what she wants to do, as best I can.
But....

　Is that okay?

　My hesitation was met with an exasperated Garion-san's voice.

'Hey, we're in a hurry. Make up your mind!

　...........

'Okay. I'm sorry, Ms. Illtimina, Solstice.
No.
Oh, my God.

　Iltimina-san smiled gently and Solstice covered her face with her hands and looked up to the heavens.

　Ms. Asbell asked.

'Are you sure?　For us, though, it would be really encouraging if Irna-san could come too.
Yeah.

　The reliable Silver Seal Demon Hunter nodded widely.

''It's what Marle wants, you know.
..........

　Asbell-san, you look complicated.

　Luta-san laughed and quickly changed her expression and lowered her head, shaking her white braided hair.

''Thank you. Then let's hurry up.''
Yes.
Yes, sir.
Hey.....

　The six of us nodded to each other and began to hobble down the road to the royal city to the section near the city walls where the orphanage was located.