I was strolling through town when a conversation caught my attention and I stopped to listen.

Did you hear that story about the hooker?
'Oh?　You finally know what you are.
We don't know for sure but they say it's the Lord Cano, the lord of this place.

　.........geez.

'My lord?　Is it true?
I don't know. Isn't the Canó family well off in the silver mines these days?
Ah. What was that merchant Tadaias? Rumor has it he paid off the money he borrowed from there.
'Right?　That famous whore, why doesn't she come here and leave, rumor has it that she's in it for her lord's money.
I see.

　I'm kind of relieved to hear that.

　It's not like they found out because of what I did or anything.
　The Cano family is feathered, and that's why Hestia bit the bullet.

　It's just an association game, not a common, outlandish one.
　I have no problem with this kind of rumor, I welcome it.

　I listened a bit more, just in case.

'Come to think of it, there's been an increase in the disappearance of travelers lately.
I know that. I know that. You took the road to the capital.
I'm talking about the kidnapping of a guy. Bandits and thieves.

　The conversation went completely unrelated. It had nothing to do with me anymore, so I walked away.

　The rumor with Hestia?
　If it's a pattern rumor like the two of them earlier, I can let it go, but there are some rumors that aren't good if I let it go.
　I'd like to do something about it.

　As I walked around thinking about it.

''Is that the Lord there?''
What?

　The peculiar language of a prostitute.
　I turned at the voice and saw Hestia there.

　When Hestia clearly recognized me, she walked toward me with a graceful gait.

'It is a pleasure to dare to meet you, Lord.
You're looking for me?
I have to leave now, and I wanted to thank you before I left, sir.
Oh, boy.　Is it leaving?

　I'm surprised.

"Is that the rumor?

　Mmm.
　It was in my face.

　Yes, I was surprised.
　Rumor had it that Hestia was going to stay in this city, but I was surprised to hear that she was already leaving in person.
　Hestia saw through it and giggled, holding her mouth.

''I had an accident, so I just stayed a little longer.
Accident?
Yeah.

　Hestia nods.
　Her expression becomes a little more serious.

"The person who was supposed to be escorting Wachi is missing. I've been waiting for that.
Oh, I see. Is it back?
No.

　Hestia shakes her head slowly.

'I'm still missing, but I must get back to the other side soon, sir.
I see.
I'm going to hire a new bodyguard and head over there. So I thought I'd say hello to my Lord.
I'll give you a little protection.
What?

　Hestia was surprised.

'The Lord?'
Yeah.
''My lord, I don't want you to do that for me...''
Don't worry about it.

　I'd rather do it, I have to do it.

　If anything happens to her, there will be another weird rumor.
　And maybe the new guard is a bad guy and he'll turn back in the middle.

　She's going to turn back--that's the worst possible way for a rumor to go.

　I'll be her bodyguard, and I'll make sure she gets there.
　That's what we can do.

Just let me do it.
Okay.

　Hestia stared at me for a moment, then shuffled and bowed her head.

'I will indulge my Lord.

　　　　　★

　The next day, I left the city of Pindos with Hestia.
　It was just Hestia and me, just the two of us.

　You never know what you'll find along the way, just two people traveling together to reduce the number of witnesses and the chance of rumors starting.

"My Lord is good with a sword, are you?

　As we were walking shoulder to shoulder on the street, Hestia asked me.
　His gaze was deflected to my waist, the longsword I had brought as a weapon.
　It's a decent sword. I brought it with the implication that since I'm going to be an escort, I should have a proper weapon to reassure you.

''In its own way - don't worry, no matter what happens, I'll get you there safe and sound.
Okay, sir.

　Was he convinced or not?
　Hestia didn't ask me anything else after that.

　The two of us walked around together, chatting about nothing in particular.
　It's the same appropriate conversation as it was a few days ago, the same appropriate conversation as in the days when I was a bulwark.
　While chatting about it, we continue on the street.

　Suddenly I see a plume of dust coming from the side of the road, not a proper road, and it's coming toward me.

　I didn't think it was possible, but I had hit the jackpot.

　There were five of them, all on horseback.
　It was coming straight at us, and in no time at all, Hestia and I were surrounded by it.

"Well, that's a good one!
I think we can get a good price for the kid.
My brother, this guy's waistband is very expensive.

　Apparently, they're bandits.
　They can say what they want and price me and Hestia out.

　A quick check on them all, they're all unremarkable little fish.

　Suddenly I remembered something.

"Do you guys do this all the time?
Hmm?　So what?

　One of the men smirked.

　The rumors I've heard in town, the missing travelers.
　Well, maybe it was these guys.

　Seems they're common criminals, just won't listen.

　My guess was right.

"Kill the man, take the woman.

　The men quickly decided on a course of action and had to do something about it.

　I drew my sword, and the men grinned and drew theirs as well.
　They're all small fry, they can be killed in less than a second if they want to.

　-- but Hestia is watching.
　I don't want to blink and go "wow" at him.

　It's a last-ditch effort, and of course, it won't hurt Hestia.

　I've made up my mind, and I jumped in first.
　I'm going to cut off the men, and I'm going to play a good game (...) with less power.
　On the way, I deliberately grazed my arm and then fought off the five men.

''Huh...''

　Finally, she takes a big breath, producing a struggle.

　She glances at Hestia, her brow furrowed.
　Alright, it looks like you've fooled me nicely.

　　　　　☆

　That night, they camped out by the roadside, building a bonfire.

　Building a bonfire and spending the night with a large stone in the background. A conventional camping trip.
　Facing Hestia across the fire, I make a soup with dried meat back in it and serve it to Hestia.

'.........'
What's going on?
....

　Hestia doesn't take the soup offered to her.

　With a furrowed brow, the daytime bandit thing?

　--No, no, no.

　If you look closely, it's different, Hestia is trembling just a little bit.
　It's not the cold or anything, it's the shaking of a frightened human being.

"What's wrong, Hestia, what's wrong?
....

　Hestia shook her head, but her complexion grew paler and paler.
　It was nothing - Hestia couldn't even say that it was nothing.

　There was something, and that something was definitely those bandits.

　I staged a hard fight, but I didn't cause Hestia a single harm.
　Rather, I just guided the fight away from Hestia in a way that took the fight away from Hestia.

　So why then?
　I suddenly remembered something.

　The rumors in town, the daytime guys.
　And - whores.

Did you get kidnapped and forced to become a prostitute?

　Hestia nodded just slightly, still pale.

　It's a common story - but it is.
　The story of a girl who had been a normal girl until then, but one day she was suddenly kidnapped and her routine and fate changed forever.

　That's how Hestia was kidnapped in the past, and it seems to have been a traumatic experience for her.

　I come over to her and gently hug her.

"Don't worry. I won't let them take you, and I will make sure that you're safe.
My Lord will....
Hmm?
I'm hurt and I'm struggling, sir.
Yeah.

　That's why they're scared.
　I struggled against that level of kidnappers, and if something happens to me, my fate-- well, that's why Hestia is scared.

　That was my fault.
　That was entirely my fault.

　So--

　I pulled my sword out slowly.
　I swung my sword at the large stone I was carrying on my back.

　An unseen slash, the large stone was immediately shattered into pieces.
　That's not all.
　Things burn when they are reduced to very small particles, even finer than the so-called powder.
　Even if it's a stone, it burns - it burns.

　A large stone was shattered and its scraps were set on fire.

　The large stone, large enough to make a grown man's back, disappeared without a trace.
　When Hestia saw this, the horror vanished from her face, and surprise appeared in its place.

'I fought that way because of the circumstances, but that wasn't it.
No?
Yeah.

　He nods, stares straight back, and says

'I haven't really gotten into it yet.

　Hestia was increasingly surprised, but only briefly.
　As the tide of surprise receded, what rose instead was relief.
　It was relief.

　Hestia relaxed and rested her body in my arms.

'My Lord....'
Hmm?
Thank you, Arinsu...

　Then she closed her eyes and kissed me.

　That's when the tension must have been broken, and she fell asleep in my arms.

　I held her close, partly to apologize for scaring her.
　I held her to me as a sign that I would protect her no matter what.

　Then I fell asleep too.
　I fall asleep with Hestia in my arms, keeping part of my head up in alarm, of course.

　But in the middle of the night, I wake up with a start.
　Relieved, Hestia is sound asleep.
　Hestia is clinging to me tightly.

　Gently touching my lips as she kisses me.

　The fruit from a lie.

　Hestia has found someone she loves - I've really made the rumor about it with my hands, and I can't stop thinking about it.