Chapter Seventeen: Departure, and the Daily Life of Paul with the First and Second Branch Families

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Rudy’s healing skill hadn’t yet reached the intermediate level. In the end, since this matter couldn’t be kept secret, Allen didn’t use the magical healing runes but instead apologized and asked Senith to treat his palm.

Paul, meanwhile, clicked his tongue in amazement at the wooden bed.

Then he turned to Allen.

“Did you exert yourself that hard in the dream? Since you’re healed now, how about we go sword practice to vent some of that excess energy?”

‘...Could you please cut me some slack, Paul...’ Allen silently rolled his eyes at him.

“Master, today I want to accompany Rudy to look at the plants around Buena Village...”

Paul and Rudy both looked at him in surprise.

“Looking at plants isn’t as exciting as sword training.”

‘A practical type... said last night he wanted to be friends with me, and today he’s following through... such impatience... fine, I’ll bring along a tag-along since he helped me out yesterday and kept the relic secret.’

Allen said nothing, quietly watching Paul.

Paul blinked, glanced at Rudy, then at Allen.

‘Almost forgot this kid is only nine years old. Making friends with Rudy sounds good... Too bad it’s a bit lonely today... Wait, Senith shouldn’t be helping at the clinic today, and Lilia’s off to the market... Heh heh, no one’s home... It’s been a while since I put Senith on the kitchen stove...’

Senith looked at Paul with a puzzled expression but suddenly realized something and unconsciously squeezed Allen’s hand tighter.

“Haha... alright, go ahead. Just remember not to venture deep into the forest; there are monsters inside...”

At the mention of this, Paul’s sly smile faltered briefly as he involuntarily glanced at Allen.

“Uh... if Allen’s coming along, it’s fine. Go ahead, but be back early tonight.”

Rudy twitched at Paul’s face.

‘Hey, Paul, your thoughts are written all over your face, and there’s still an outsider here!’

Rudy turned to Allen.

Allen stared at his own hand, lost in thought.

‘Rather than just completing a task, it’s more like using the task deadline to give me a sense of urgency... Being bullied or whatever... Something similar happened back at the orphanage in my previous life... Thinking about it only leads to selective forgetting. Sylphy... I wonder if Sylphy’s hair is short now... The dream last night must have been a day’s thoughts turning into night’s dreams...’

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After breakfast, the three adults saw the two children off at the door. Just as they were about to leave, Rudy tilted his head toward Allen.

“Do you want to go somewhere far today, or just stay around the village outskirts?”

Allen rubbed his chin.

‘Sylphy’s father seems to hunt in the forest. Sometimes he and Paul take turns watching the forest monsters from the village’s edge tower. If Sylphy was bringing him food, the bullying probably happened somewhere between the village and the tower. The forest lies to the north of the village...’

“The area from outside the village northward to the forest.”

Rudy blinked.

‘Clear goal—this kid is quite methodical.’

He turned to Paul.

“Father, we’ll be in the area between the village and the northern forest. If we don’t return by evening, it means we’ve gotten caught up in something. Please search for us along this route...”

“No need to report. There are no monsters or people around Buena Village that can threaten me. Besides, today you might be safer with me than at your home.”

Rudy blinked and looked up at Paul. Paul glanced absentmindedly at Senith’s legs beside him. He certainly heard the words but showed no particular reaction.

Then he turned to Allen, who remained with his head lowered, deep in thought, as if the confident words just spoken were not his.

‘This guy’s strength seems fully recognized by Paul; his words even subtly suggest he might be stronger than Paul, and Paul didn’t deny it.’

‘Wait, he said “today” as a precondition... Paul and Senith making little brothers and sisters won’t have energy to look after us, so being beside him is safer...’

‘Right, this guy’s expression when seeing underwear was calm, and as an adventurer, he’s probably very experienced with such things. Damn, I’m so jealous... So he instantly understood what Paul wants with Senith... Maybe that’s why he suddenly suggested going out with me today—he noticed Paul hasn’t been close with Senith at night since Allen arrived, so maybe he’s deliberately helping them...’

‘He’s more mature than I thought.’

“All right, then let’s set off.”

“Be careful on the way~”

Senith’s cheerful farewell rang out.

After the two figures had gone far, Lilia glanced at Paul and Senith, then bowed.

“I’ll head to the market to buy some things, Master, Mistress.”

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“All right~ Um... I heard the old lady at the northern end of the market picks especially fresh mushrooms... Lilia, please walk a bit farther and buy some for us.”

Lilia glanced at Senith’s smiling request, nodded, and then turned to leave.

After Lilia had been gone a while, Paul and Senith suddenly broke free from their frozen poses. Paul swept Senith into his arms and his hands roamed restlessly under her skirt, while Senith wrapped her legs around him, their faces entwined.

“Darling... since that kid arrived, you’ve been so... restrained... not at night...”

“Well, it’s Philip’s child, after all. He’s in our home, so I always feel like Philip is here... but these days I’m getting used to it... we’ll continue later... kids don’t understand these things...”

“…Okay…”

Paul lifted Senith with both hands; she straddled his arm as they moved into the house.

With a snap, the door shut.

Soon, faint sounds drifted outside through the window, with no attempt to muffle them at all.

Because the village houses were spaced far apart, no one could hear their walls. And now, the house was unusually empty.

“Darling... don’t do that... ah...”

“Don’t do what? Hmm?”

“I... I hate it...”

“The things you hate are just beginning. Brace yourself!”

“…Darling... just like this... yes...”

Outside the courtyard gate, Lilia leaned against the wall, her brow tightly furrowed in pain, the basket in her hand having somehow fallen to the ground.

She spread her hands from her waist—one smoothing her maid’s blouse upward, the other lifting her skirt downward.

Slowly, she crouched down.

After all, the houses were spaced so far apart, and naturally, no one could see the corner in front of the Greyrat residence...