What?
You're in too much of a hurry.

　I say, "You were walking the whole way, and you just got better.

"We've been walking for hours, and you're just getting better. You should rest a little longer.
Okay, okay.

　Surprisingly honestly, Amu sat down again.

'Are you thirsty?　There's water.

　And I hold out the kettle hanging from the ceiling.
　Amu looks at it suspiciously.

To tell the truth, I've been wanting to ask you for a long time.
It's called a medicine kettle, it's a foreign tool, not a Song dynasty tool used for boiling herbal medicine. Now it's just water.

　Amu received the handle fearfully and tipped the medicine can with his mouth on the spout.

''It's ... delicious.''
I know.

　I was satisfied with the answer and took a sip of the kettle crane's water.

　The kettle crane, as its name implies, is a yakuzu that takes the shape of a medicine kettle and hangs in the mountains from a tree.
　The water in it was so delicious that I went out of my way to find it, not to mention the fact that it was harmless.
　It's quite rare, so we had to work hard to find it, but it was worth it.

　Will Amu be angry if I tell him that it is actually the body fluid of a monster?
　It's just water, though.

Let's talk about it.
Talk?
Besides, I came here today to talk to Amu. Come on, is there anything you want to ask me?

　Amu thinks for a moment and then says in a small voice.

''What attributes can you really use?''
Come on.
What?
'I honestly don't really know what attribute of magic I'm using. Uh.....

　I chuckle and say, "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't ask too many questions about magic.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask too many questions about magic. Sometimes it's hard to answer.
Hmm. Yeah.
What, are we talking about that again?
What? You didn't ask me if I wanted to ask you something.

　Then Amu glares at me.

'Have you chu-ed it?'
I didn't.
You must have rubbed her tits or at least her ass.
So what? What do you think I am?
What is it?　I'm your slave, okay?　No matter how many times I put my hands on her, no one can accuse me of anything. The guys around you are definitely looking at that girl with a bunch of horny eyes.
Huh...?　Who are those guys?
Stop being so scared all of a sudden. Huh.

　Amu sighs.

'It's boring.'
'What do you mean boring? You're like a boring old man with no class...
She's probably gonna love you.
''Well different people have told me that, but they said it was a mistake. Yifa's been with me since I was little and we're like family.
A nobleman with a slave and a family?
''It's not unusual. It's quite common for them to be educated with their children from a young age, and then let them go after they've reached adulthood to help run the estate and business. See, it's a good deal since you only need one tutor, right?
What a poor reason to do it, huh?
Yifa wasn't like that but as a concubine, I was always treated like an object at home. My mother ignored me, my brother bullied me, the maidservants talked behind my back. But Yifa was the only one who treated me like a normal person. And that's why she's not using the honorific language now.
...Yeah, I see.
Got it?　That's the distance between me and Yifa.

　----The truth is.
　I just don't really want to transfer my feelings. I don't want to have to cut you off at any time.
　Because when it comes to relationships, there are so many strings attached.

　I don't trust people in my life again.

You've been through a lot, haven't you? What about your real mother?　If the Countess took you in...did you die?
Well, come on.
Come on, now?
'Come to think of it, I never bothered.

　It didn't matter.

'Well, he's usually dead, isn't he?　Otherwise, you wouldn't have taken me in, would you?
'Light ... didn't you feel lonely?　I've had to go through that at home.
'I didn't think it was too hard, to be honest. Oh, we don't get along that well with the family now. My mother and second brother are still the same, but your father allowed me to go to the school, and I got a letter from my older brother the other day.
You know, you're a strange one, isn't you?

　I laugh and ask Amu, who seems dumbfounded, "Is your family still related to the adventurers?

"Is Amu's family still in the adventurer's business?
'How do you know? Did someone tell you that?
'Nope. I was familiar with the dungeons and the adventurer's situation, so I figured it must be so.
Yes. My mother is the head of the guild. My dad is still an adventurer.
'You seemed to be used to fighting against monsters, but did Amu also hide in the woods and labyrinths?'
...since I was ten years old. With my father.
That's right.
....
Is Amu the stronger of the adventurers?
''........I don't know. I'm not officially registered with the guild, so I'm not even at the tenth level yet on my record.
How come you're not on the roster?
You can't join the guild until you're fifteen.
And you want me to go in the maze?
''Well it's not really good, but it's not too harsh.
Wow.
....

　I can feel him not wanting to talk about it.
　Let's change the subject.

"Uh, do you have any hobbies?
...nothing.
''Speaking of which, I heard there's a swordsmanship club at the school, but won't Amu join it?''
'It was slimy, so I stopped. It was better to pretend to be alone.
Well, so... what's your favorite thing to do?
...to fight.
What?
'I like it when I'm fighting, whether they're monsters or people. More than any other, any other time I'm doing ... that's all.
....

　Oh, did you change the subject?
　I'm not sure what to say to Amu, who doesn't seem to want to talk as usual.

"It's weird, isn't it?
What?

　Amu, sitting up on his knees, hugs his own staff sword.

'Your father and your mother told me. 'Amu is crazy,'
....
'They say that adventurers ... no matter how rough they are, usually have the most important things besides adventure. Whether it's money, honor, family, or friends. No one seems to live for the adventure itself.
....
It hurts and I'm afraid I'm going to die. I think it's a trivial matter for me but that's not usually the case. Deep down inside, everyone hates to fight. I think........that feeling is broken.

　I listen to Amu's monologue in silence.

"Am I strong?　I've always been strong. I could learn sword and magic very quickly. Everyone in the guild said I was a genius. That I was brave again. Even the first time I dove into a dungeon, I defeated a bunch of monsters and was told I had guts. After a year, my skills were recognized and I was able to join a party other than my father's. But ... soon enough, that didn't happen anymore.
....
'Looking back, it's only natural. A large party had collapsed, half of them were dead, and the whole guild was in the middle of a funeral, and they were clamoring to go again without a care in the world. People started calling me battle-crazed, crazy, and eager to die. I didn't want to bother my father and mother, so I didn't join the party anymore, but after that I would sneak into the forest by myself, so everyone was right.
....
'I came to the academy partly because I wanted to get away from the guild but also because I wanted to be strong. I thought that if I learned more magic and became more powerful than anyone else, fighting would become just boring. Then I thought that I would be able to become a normal person too... but I don't think I can.
....
Because I think it's a lot more fun now than it was in class at the academy when the Lesser Demon attacked me, right?　It's crazy, this kind of thing. So..........
I don't think it's weird.

　I interrupted him.

"We're all different, you know. It's a part of who we are.
But there are limits to how much of a personality you can have.
No, there are no limits. If there's such a thing as normal, then so is Amu.
...What is that?

　Amu gives me a sideways glare.

"Don't make me feel better.
'It's not a comforting thought. Well.....

　I think about it for a minute, and then I start talking.

"Every human being, and every life, is supposed to leave behind children to pass on to future generations. So what kind of children do you think we should leave behind?
Don't you think she's a strong girl?
What do you mean, "Strong?
It's all about power and smarts.
Strength is detrimental to the amount of weight your muscles put on your body in an environment where you don't need it. Even cleverness sometimes gets in the way of new challenges.
So what do you want her to be?
I'm a diverse kid.

　I say, "There are different strengths in different environments.

I say, "Each environment has different strengths. But even God doesn't know how it changes. Will it be hotter or colder? How much less food will be left, how many enemies will be left? So life leaves behind as many diverse children as possible. No matter what the environment is, one of the children will eventually survive. That's also the reason why each person is different from each other. Even Amu is just one of those diverse children.
....
'The environment that Amu needs is simply not here yet. If there were more conflicts in the world, the ordinary people of Amu's opinion would be exhausted from the fight, but if Amu stood in front of them and encouraged them, they would be grateful. But when that happens, if Amu takes the lead and encourages everyone, I'm sure they will be grateful. No one would say you're crazy.
You may not have to wait until you're dead to find out.
'That's okay. Amu was there for a reason. He was preparing for a world of conflict. At least I don't think there's anything wrong with Amu.
Yeah, I guess.
And besides, don't you think Amu likes to do things other than fight?
What... what?
Indecent talk.

　I was poked with the butt of the sheath.
　Amu, his face flushed, glares at me.

"The adventurers are all coarse and vulgar," he says, "so my tastes have taken over!　If you tell anyone about that, I'll kill you!　And, oh, my God, I took off my clothes!
"Hmm.
What's your reaction? You're not going to threaten me?
'No, no. I just like that kind of positive thinking.

　Amu, whose eyes fluttered often, suddenly became quiet.

'Yes. You didn't say these things until after you were saved.'
You'll be fine. It will.
'Yeah...'

　After that, Amu is silent.

　In fact, there is one story I didn't tell Amu earlier.
　It's possible that Amu's battle-seeking nature is due to his being a reincarnation of a brave man.
　Although he does not seem to be a reincarnation with a memory like me, it is quite possible that his proclivities are tied to his talent for swords and magic.

　It's not really worth mentioning.

　And then.
　I looked up and looked at the ceiling.
　That, by any chance, is....

I'll be able to see you. Seika.
....
It was nice talking to you. And thank you for helping me out.
....
...Seika?

　I looked up at the empty ceiling and returned my gaze to Amu.
　Then I smiled and stood up.

'Good!　Let's go, Amu!
Yeah, yeah?
This is a dungeon, right?　I've never had an adventure before. So let's have fun. I know it's just the two of us in this party, but I'm sure we're not the only ones facing monsters.
''Well it can't be helped. As a senior adventurer, I can teach you many things. Watch and learn.

　Amu laughed and took my hand, which was extended to him.