Chapter 86 - Moving Forward Regardless
A slightly elevated spot, a little further back from where Zoack and I fought.
Kurune and I were burying Zoack's body there.
Kurune dug up the earth with earth magic, and I lowered Zoack's body into it.
Zoack's body was covered in wounds, but his expression was truly serene.
Despite causing so much trouble, seeing Zoack with such an expression made me want to let out a deep sigh.
Once I placed Zoack in the ground, I covered him with the soil Kurune had dug up.
For someone like me who had been an adventurer since childhood, this was a familiar task.
Whether that's a good or bad thing is debatable, but I was properly returning a person to the heavens.
I wanted to bury him with my hands without using magic.
As I silently shoveled dirt with both hands, Kurune silently joined in, burying him with her hands in the same way.
A somewhat exasperated aura drifted from her, but I felt grateful to Kurune.
"Is this about right?"
Once the burial of Zoack was finished, Kurune stood up.
"Yeah. Sorry for making you help."
"To think you'd even properly bury an opponent who caused this much trouble."
As expected, Kurune seemed exasperated. She spoke while dusting off her dirt-stained hands.
"There were parts of me and Zoack that were similar. Because there were parts and goals that were decisively different, I'm able to spend this happy time now. But, if I hadn't found anything to live for, I wonder if I would have walked the same path as Zoack..."
If the first method I chose to survive was killing people.
If I hadn't found reliable comrades like Kurune, Keel, and Elliot.
If I had sought further strength without finding a reason to live.
Without even meeting Flora, I might have lived a lonely life filled with emptiness.
Thinking about it sent a shiver down my spine.
As I was trapped in such dark thoughts, Kurune, who was beside me, gave my shoulder a pat.
"There's no point in thinking about 'what ifs,' and that could be said for anyone. Rather than thinking about that, let's move forward firmly now, okay?"
"...Yeah, you're right."
There was no point in getting depressed thinking about things I couldn't change now, like what would have happened if I had made those choices in the past.
As a result of making those choices, I am living in the present. In that case, I should just move forward while worrying, just as I have until now.
When Kurune first arrived looking exhausted, I thought I would be the one giving her advice or healing her, but in the end, I feel like I was the one being supported by Kurune's advice.
"Kurune, thank you."
"What's with you all of a sudden? You're making me blush. Now that we've finished Zoack's burial, let's go home."
When I spoke with honest gratitude, Kurune's face turned slightly red, and she slapped my back before walking off.
It was a behavior Kurune often did when she was embarrassed.
I watched the scene with a smile, but if I stayed like this, Kurune would leave me behind and the sun would set.
I suddenly snapped back to my senses and thrust Zoack's pitch-black sword, which I held in my left hand, into the buried earth.
"...If our paths had crossed somewhere else, maybe you and I could have been good rivals."
Those words escaped my mouth naturally.
Finding my own murmur somewhat strange, I laughed to myself.
The man named Zoack was a villain by classification, but he wasn't a monster who had abandoned his humanity. He trained himself and his sword more than anyone, purely seeking strength.
That's probably why I can't bring myself to hate Zoack intensely.
Well, in a dark forest like this, no one will come to this grave.
Since I'm one of the few who knows how he lived, maybe I'll bring some flowers or alcohol periodically.
"Aldo—! Hurry up and come home! It's almost night!"
"I'm coming!"
I replied to Kurune, who was shouting from a distance, and hoisted Flora, who was sitting leaning against a tree, onto my back.
Then, being careful not to wake Flora with the swaying, I joined up with Kurune and headed toward the house.
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"Hey, Kurune. Where have you been? Didn't you say you'd be back by evening?"
When we returned home after sunset, there was a slightly grumpy-looking Aisha.
Apparently, she had been worried about Kurune not returning and had been looking for her.
Since no one was at my or Flora's house, she probably figured the three of us had gone out together and had been staking the place out.
"Ah! Sorry, Aisha! I was having such a pleasant nap that I completely forgot."
Completely forgot... I understand she wants to gloss over it since she needs to explain to Flora before explaining to Aisha, but isn't that reason a bit too half-baked?
"...A pleasant nap and you forgot... well, fine. Thanks to that, I didn't get roped into helping with dinner preparations and could relax at Aldo's house—I mean, I could space out in front of the house."
"Wait a minute. Were you relaxing in my house without permission?"
There was something in Aisha's words that I couldn't let slide.
"Well, the door wasn't locked. No one was there, and given our relationship, it's fine, isn't it? Or would you rather a delicate maiden like me wait outside even after the sun goes down?"
It's very like Aisha not to go running around blindly searching.
"Well, since it's Aisha, I guess it's fine."
What I should be worried about is how much the food supplies inside the house have decreased.
While I was worrying about the food, Aisha peered at Flora on my back.
"By the way, is Flora sleeping?"
"A-Ah, yeah, she seems to have gotten tired from walking around all day. She looks so peaceful sleeping, so I thought it would be a pity to wake her."
I stuttered a bit from the guilt of lying to Aisha, but it's only a little longer.
Once I've told Flora, Elgis-san, and Fiona-san, I'll tell Aisha and Toak as well.
I just have to endure until then.
"...Hmm, she certainly does look like she's sleeping peacefully. I guess it can't be helped if the return time got pushed back then."
Aisha murmured while poking the unconscious Flora's cheek.
I also wanted to poke Flora's cheek, but unfortunately, my hands were full since I was carrying her. It was a shame.
"Well, as long as Kurune is fine, that's all that matters. I'm hungry, so let's go home."
"Yeah, okay!"
Kurune replied to Aisha's words and started walking.
Then, as she passed by my side, she whispered softly in my ear.
"Can you two talk afterward?"
"Yeah, I'll explain everything properly to Flora."
When I replied briefly, Kurune nodded slightly and walked off.
"Well then, thanks, Aldo. Give my regards to Flora-san when she wakes up!"
"...The soup you were making was delicious. Thanks for the meal."
"Hey, you!"
This girl, she ate the soup Flora was in the middle of making without permission.
So it wasn't the pantry I should have been worried about, but the pot.
I wanted to chase after her right now, but I restrained myself because Flora was on my back.
Aisha seemed to know that, as she turned and walked away with a very leisurely stride.
"If possible, I'd like some kind of achievement so it doesn't look like I just ran away from chores..."
"Then, how about saying I was taking a nap and you brilliantly found me and woke me up?"
"Let's go with that. I properly searched around, and there's the achievement of waking you up. It's perfect."
After watching Aisha and Kurune converse lightheartedly for a bit, I opened the front door with one hand and returned inside the house.
By the way, in the light novel, Kyle becomes a cheerful girl named Karina.
And as a special addition, Flora's perspective of her meeting with Aldo nine years ago is included.
It's not in the web version but it's something to be curious about, so please do get a copy and read it!