Chapter 6 - Reunion with the Fairy
When I happened to open my eyes, the sun was already quite low in the sky.
It was almost evening.
After seeing off the back of the woman who had run away, I ate my portable rations of cheese, raspberries, and biscuits.
Perhaps because my stomach was full, I felt sleepy and tried lying down under the tree, but it seemed I had fallen asleep due to how comfortable it was.
It was even more comfortable than I had expected. The shade blocked the sunlight and provided a pleasant coolness, along with the sweet scent of flowers. Every time the wind blew, the grass made a rustling sound, gently tickling my ears.
It was as if I were melting into nature.
Oops, this was no time to be getting sentimental. In a little while, this blue sky would be dyed madder red.
I wasn't living a carefree inn life right now.
Since I was being looked after, it would be disrespectful if dinner was delayed because of me.
I had to return at least before the sun set.
I sat up with momentum as if to shake off the slight sleepiness. When I did, a butterfly that must have been perched on my nose fluttered away.
My gaze almost followed the soaring butterfly, but I held it back and started running.
◆ ◆ ◆
When the blue sky was dyed madder red and the surroundings had grown dark. Having arrived at the village chief's house, I pushed the door open with a creak.
"Welcome back."
As I entered the entrance, Fiona-san poked her head out from the inner room and called out to me.
"...Ah, yes. I'm back."
It felt like it had been a very long time since I was welcomed back so warmly.
Because of that, my reaction was a bit delayed.
The welcomes from my party comrades were light, like "Oh, welcome back," "You're late," or "Training again?"
Those kinds of familiar welcomes weren't bad, but being addressed with such polite words wasn't bad either. Fiona-san's caring, warm words soaked into my chest.
I might be quite starved for motherly affection.
I had been thinking that as long as I could live a relaxed life in Nordende, it would be fine even if I couldn't get married.
But thinking that there was someone to welcome me back like this made me feel a slight desire for marriage.
"Dinner is ready, so come this way."
Fiona-san waved her hand with a bright smile.
An aroma that stimulated the appetite was drifting from the inner room. The smell of meat seasoned with herbs and the smell of cheese could be strongly felt.
Just smelling it stimulated my stomach, which let out a growl. It seemed the portable rations of cheese, cranberries, and biscuits from earlier in the day hadn't been enough after all.
Rubbing my stomach as it protested its hunger, I entered the inner room.
It seemed to be a living room with a kitchen attached; there was a kitchen in the back, a soft-looking sofa in the front, and a large table in the center that could seat about six people.
"Ah, welcome back, Aldo-san. How were the flower fields after so long?"
Elgis-san, who was seated, asked with a gentle smile.
"They were very beautiful. Much more than I had imagined... I ended up taking a nap because it was so comfortable, so I'm late getting back. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. Dinner has just been prepared. By a nap, do you mean under that tree?"
"Yes."
"That place is nice, isn't it? It's cool when you lie down, and thanks to the soft grass growing on the ground, it has good cushioning. I still take naps there whenever I have free time."
As someone who had just enjoyed it, I could strongly agree with those words.
"That spot is always popular with the villagers; adults and children alike fight over it. And after they argue and fight, they all lie down together and take a nap in harmony."
Fiona-san said in a gentle tone as she arranged the dishes on the table.
I see, so I was lucky to have been able to occupy it for half the day today. Perhaps the woman I met there had also been trying to take a break under the tree.
But there was a man she didn't recognize. Thinking that, it might make sense that she went home.
"That spot under the tree is filled with many memories."
Elgis-san muttered nostalgically. A tree that nurtured memories with the villagers.
That's nice. Things like that.
"Yes, the meeting between me and you was also under that tree. When we were children, we would have a big fight every time we met over which of us would get to take a nap."
"We were both children back then."
Surprised by Fiona-san's words, I turned my gaze toward them, and Elgis-san replied with a wry smile.
Heh, so Elgis-san, who had such a gentle personality, had a childhood like that.
"And the best memory is you proposing to me under that tree..."
"...Fiona, it's embarrassing to have you say that in front of Aldo-san..."
Fiona-san said while looking entranced, and Elgis-san said bashfully.
"Ho ho, a proposal at your place of memories, was it?"
I looked at Elgis-san with a grinning expression.
"That's a story from when I was young. M-More importantly, let me introduce my daughter to you! Hey, Flora!"
"Coming!"
When Elgis-san called out, a clear, pleasant voice could be heard from the kitchen.
""He ran away from the subject.""
Seeing the flustered Elgis-san, Fiona-san and I chuckled.
Elgis-san seemed somewhat uncomfortable as he waited expectantly for the owner of the voice.
Eventually, having perhaps finished tidying the kitchen, Elgis-san's daughter came pitter-pattering over.
"This is Aldo-san, who will be living in this village."
When I saw Elgis-san's daughter, who was called Flora, I was surprised.
Because that woman was the same one with golden hair and jade eyes whom I had met under the tree in the flower field earlier.
She seemed to have noticed as well, as she stood frozen with her eyes wide open.
"...Aldo..."
My name was muttered faintly from her beautiful pink lips.
"The one from earlier..."
I almost said 'the fairy who ran away,' but I closed my mouth.
"Oh, have you met somewhere?"
Seeing us surprised, Elgis-san asked suspiciously.
"Yes, under the tree in the flower field just now."
When I answered that, Fiona-san spoke teasingly.
"Oh my, meeting under the tree, it's just like us."
"We weren't fighting, though?"
I had just greeted her and she ran away. Saying it myself made me feel a bit sad.
To have a woman run away just because I greeted her...
Perhaps feeling that the flow of the conversation was heading in an ominous direction, or perhaps fearing it would spread to him, Elgis-san cleared his throat.
"I see. Then that makes things simple. So, Aldo-san will be staying with us today, so Flora, please look after him too, okay?"
".........."
Elgis-san spoke as if to drive the point home, but there was no reaction from Flora. She just seemed to be staring intently at my face.
"Flora?"
"Ah, yes! U-Understood! Well then, I'll go bring the food!"
Snapping back to her senses at Elgis-san's voice, Flora hurriedly returned to the kitchen.
I felt like she had run away again. That said, I suppose we'll be eating at the same table from now on.
"I'm sorry, my daughter is shy around strangers. We'll bring the food soon, so Aldo-san, please have a seat and wait."
"Yes, then excuse me."
A strange atmosphere had been drifting around, but it softened a bit when prompted by Elgis-san.
Flora is just shy around strangers, right? It's not that she's scared of me or hates me, right...?
Thinking such things, I took my seat.
[Author's Note]
Please note that there are original flowers.
For example, kiruruku is an original one. I think there will be an opportunity to describe specifically what kind of flower it is later. I am not an expert on flowers, so there may be flowers with names that already exist even if I intended them to be original, but if they are clearly different, please assume they are original flowers.