Chapter 85: Still Moving Forward.

On a hill further back from where Zoak and I fought…

Kurune and I were burying Zoak’s body there.

Kurune digs up the earth with earth magic, and I sink Zoak’s body.

Zoak’s body was covered with wounds, but he had a cheerful expression.

I wanted to let out a sigh of relief at the expression on Zoak’s face, even though I had caused him so much trouble.

I put Zoak into the ground and covered him with the dirt that Kurune had dug up.

I had been an adventurer since I was a child, so this was something I was used to doing.

I am not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is a way to properly have a person go to heaven.

I wanted to give them a hand burial without using magic.

As I silently covered the earth with my hands, Kurune silently did the same with her hands.

I thanked her, though there was a hint of disgust in the air.

“Is this how it’s going to be?”

Kurune sat up as I finished burying Zoak.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Thank you for all the help you’ve given me,” he said.

“I can’t believe you’d do such a good job of burying someone who’s caused you so much trouble.”

“I’m not sure what to do about it,” he said. I’m happy now, but we did have some definite differences and goals. But if I hadn’t found anything to live for, I wonder if I would have followed the same path as Zoak. ……”

If I had chosen murder as my first way of life.

If I hadn’t found trusted friends like Kurune, Kiel, and Elliott…

If I had never found a reason to live and had sought further strength…

If I had never met Flora, I might have lived a lonely life with a sense of emptiness in my heart.

I shudder when I think about that.

While I was caught up in these dark thoughts, Kurune, who was standing next to me, tapped me on the shoulder.

“You can’t keep thinking about what-ifs, and that’s true for everyone. Instead of thinking about that, why don’t we just move on now? You get it right?”

I said, “……Yeah, I guess so.”

”I don’t blame you for being in the dark, thinking about the things you can’t control now, and thinking about what would happen if you had made a different choice in the past. But, you already made that choice and as a result, you are living in the present. Then I think you should just move forward, worrying about nothing in the past.”

When Kurune first came to me looking tired, I thought I would counsel her and heal her, but as it turns out, I feel like I’m the one being counseled and supported by her.

“Thank you, Kurune.”

“What is this all of a sudden? I’m not embarrassed. I’ve already buried Zoak and I’m going home.”

That’s something Kurune often does when she’s embarrassed.

I watched the scene smiling, but if I didn’t do anything, she would leave me behind and the sun would go down.

I came to myself with a huff and thrust Zoak’s jet-black sword, which was in my left hand, into the earth where he was buried.

If …… our paths had crossed somewhere else, you and I might have been good rivals.”

Those words spontaneously came out of my own mouth.

For some reason, I thought the words I said were funny and I laughed to myself.

The man Zoak was classified as an evil man, but he was not an outcast, a man who had strayed from the path of humanity. He trained himself with his sword more than anyone else, and he was genuinely seeking strength.

I suppose that’s why I can’t hate Zoak strongly.

Well, no one would come to his grave in such a dimly lit forest.

I, at least I who know a little about his way of life, would bring him flowers and liquor on a regular basis.

“Ald-! I’m leaving! It’s almost night!”

“Okay!”

I reply to Kurune, who is shouting in the distance, and carrying Flora up on my back, who was sitting against a tree.

He then joined her and headed for home, making sure Flora did not wake up from the shaking.

Hey, Kurune. Where have you been? Didn’t you say you were coming home in the evening?”

When I returned home after dark, I found Aisha there, looking a bit grumpy.

Apparently, she was worried about Kurune, who hadn’t come home on time, and was looking for her.

I went by my house and Flora’s house and nobody was there, so I guess she thought the three of us had gone out and were staking out the place.

“Oh! I’m sorry, Aisha! I was taking a nice nap and accidentally forgot about you.”

“……You were taking a nap and accidentally forgot? ……Well, okay. Thanks to you, I relaxed at Aldo’s house without having to help him prepare dinner.”

“Wait a minute. Wait a minute, you were relaxing at my house without my permission?”

There was something in Aisha’s words that I couldn’t help but notice.

“It wasn’t locked. No one is home, and since we are friends, why not? Or do you expect a fragile maiden like me to wait outside after dark?”

It’s just like Aisha not to run around in the dark to look for them.

“Well, it’s Aisha, so it doesn’t really matter.”

What we should be worrying about is how little food is in the house.

As I was worrying about the food in the house, Aisha peeked at Flora who was carrying the food on her back.

She asks, “By the way, is Flora sleeping?”

Aisha looks at me and says, “Oh, yeah, she’s just tired from walking around all day. She’s sleeping comfortably and I felt sorry to wake her up.”

I’m a little bit tight-lipped because of the guilt of lying to Aisha, but I’ll persevere a little longer.

After I tell Flora, Ergis, and Fiona, I will tell Aisha and Toaq.

‘ll hold out until then.

“Hmmm, she certainly looks like she sleeping comfortably. I don’t blame you if this makes it longer for you to go home.”

Aisha murmurs as she pecked at Flora’s unconscious cheek.

I would love to poke and nuzzle Flora’s cheek, but unfortunately, I’m carrying her on my back, so my hands are full. Too bad.

“Well, if Kurune is all right, that’s all that matters. We’re hungry, let’s go home.”

“Yes, okay!”

Kurune replies to Aisha’s words and starts to walk away.

Aisha then walks next to me and whispers quietly in my ear, “Can we talk later?

I replied with a few words, and Kurune nodded slightly and started walking away.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Tell Flora I said hello when she wakes up! I’m sure you’ll be able to find a way to get a good meal out of the remains. Thank you.”

“Hey, hey!”

”You son of a bitch, you used and ate the soup Flora was about to make.”

I guess I should be worried about what’s in the pot, not in the pantry.

I wanted to go after her right now, but I had Flora at my back, so I held my ground.

Aisha may have known this, and she turned her back and walked away with a very leisurely gait.

I opened the front door with one hand and went back inside the house.