Chapter 93 - Epilogue Two: The Clumsy Female Mage
"Haa... what lovely weather."
In front of Aisha's house, I took a deep stretch, basking in the pleasant morning sunlight.
The sky of Nordende was clear and blue, and the gentle sunlight after summer felt comfortable.
As I finished stretching and took a deep breath, the fresh air, a mix of earth and greenery, tickled my nostrils.
Then, I twisted my body and rotated my arms to further loosen my stretched muscles.
Perhaps because of the open land, moving my body like this felt good.
It might be the influence of the old man and woman next door, but waking up in the morning and loosening my body like this has recently become my daily routine.
Is it a bit like an old person? But loosening the body is good for health, so it's fine, right?
As I moved my body as if to convince my own heart, Aisha came out of the house.
"Huaaa..."
As soon as Aisha closed the door, she let out a yawn that was far too grand for a woman.
She was weak in the mornings as usual, and her long hair, which reached her waist, was jumping in places, likely due to bedhead.
It's a waste, since she would look much prettier if she paid proper attention to her appearance.
Still, her healthy tanned skin was fine-textured, and her physique was slender.
It was amazing that she could maintain that state even though she didn't particularly pay attention to it.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go."
As Aisha descended the stairs in front of the house, the door of the house opened vigorously and Ina poked her head out.
"Big Sister! Where are you going?"
"...Just to Aldo's house."
"That's fine, but make sure you're back by noon, okay? We have work in the fields today!"
"...Yes, yes, I get it. I'll be back by noon."
It was a conversation just like a mother and daughter.
Ina, who had been watching her generally lazy and careless older sister, must have naturally been forced to become serious herself. Looking at the two of them, I could clearly understand that.
"I mean it, okay? Even if you bring back leftovers of Flora-san's home cooking next time, I won't forgive you for being late!"
"...Tch, fine, I get it."
Aisha replied with a grimace, perhaps having planned to use bringing back Flora-san's home cooking as a bargaining chip.
Last time, she had received permission to be late by bringing back Flora's home cooking, but it seemed that wouldn't work this time.
Perhaps thinking that she couldn't trust Aisha based on her reply and attitude, Ina looked toward me and said imploringly.
"Kurune-san, I'm counting on you, okay? We have work starting from the afternoon, so please make sure to tell Big Sister to come home!"
"Leave it to me. If she doesn't come home today, I'll make sure she doesn't get a bath."
Since Ina really did look pitiful, I replied with a firm thumbs-up.
"As expected of Kurune-san! You're so reliable!"
"Hey, Kurune! Isn't that going too far!?"
Aisha shouted with her eyes wide, perhaps unable to bear the thought of no bath.
Recently, thanks to my magic, Aisha's family had been able to take a bath every day.
Aisha, who loved relaxing in the bath, looked forward to her daily bath, so taking it away would be effective.
"It's pitiful if you trouble Ina too much. Work when it's time to work."
"Yeah, yeah! Big Sister, you should pull yourself together a bit more!"
Ina chimed in with my words. Her words contained Ina's sincere wish, suggesting how much she had struggled until now.
"...I am Kurune's landlord, though?"
"Aisha, after living together like this, I think it's clear who has more power as the landlord?"
I answered while looking back and forth between Aisha and Ina.
I already knew who had the most authority in Aisha's house.
As a lodger who was indebted to them daily, there was no need to even think about whose side I would take.
"...Fine, I get it already. Come on, Kurune, let's go quickly."
Sensing that the odds were against her, Aisha began walking down the road as if to escape.
Ina and I chuckled at the sight of the resigned Aisha. Then, I waved to Ina and chased after Aisha.
◆
After leaving Aisha's house, I walked along the gravel road side-by-side with Aisha.
However, I was concerned about Aisha's hair, which had a lot of bedhead.
"Wait, Aisha. It's bad to walk around like that. I'll fix your bedhead, so stop."
"...Eh? It's fine. If I just tie it up like this, no one will notice."
Even though I said that, Aisha tried to gather her hair and tie it with a barrette as if it were a hassle.
Oh, honestly. Why does she treat such beautiful hair so roughly?
"It's certainly less noticeable that way, but I can still tell. This is no good for a girl."
"...Kurune, you're kind of like Ina."
That's just because I end up taking care of her because she's so sloppy.
While nearly sighing at Aisha's words, I generated hot water with magic.
Then, I poured the hot water onto Aisha's scalp where her hair was jumping, as if to let it soak in.
Once the hair was moistened, I dried it with wind magic.
I didn't have a comb, so I had to use my fingers, but with Aisha's silky hair, it wasn't a problem.
"There! All done!"
"...Is the bedhead gone?"
"It's gone! It's perfect!"
"...I see."
When I answered, Aisha muttered disinterestedly and began tying her hair back with the barrette.
"Hey! Why are you tying it up when I went to the trouble of fixing it!?"
"It's easier this way. This is fine, isn't it?"
Without listening to what I said, Aisha quickly tied her hair back as usual.
She was tying it carefully out of consideration for the fact that I had fixed it, but for me, it was unsatisfying.
As we walked along the road for a while, an old man pushing a cart came from the road ahead.
"Oh, Aisha and Kurune-san! Good morning!"
"Good morning."
"...Morning."
When we greeted him, the old man nodded happily and stopped the cart.
"Kurune-san, thank you for getting the clothes that were blown onto the roof the other day. I want to give you some vegetables as a small thanks, but would it be a nuisance if I gave them to you now?"
This old man was a villager living near Aisha's house, and I had used magic to retrieve his clothes that had been blown onto the roof the other day.
"It was nothing much, so there's no need for a reward."
I had only used wind magic to get the clothes that had landed on the roof. It wasn't something I should receive a reward for.
"No, no, even so, it was a help to me. My back hasn't been doing well lately, so climbing onto the roof was painful. If you like, please take them."
The old man held out the vegetables in his hands.
"T-Thank you very much!"
Pushed by his momentum, I accepted an armful of vegetables.
Aisha also received an apple as a bonus.
"Well then, see you later!"
Then, the old man, seemingly satisfied, pulled his cart and walked away again.
Perhaps because I had been living at the Magic Academy in the royal capital until recently, I felt like it had been a long time since I'd had such an interaction.
"...We've got a good souvenir for heading to Aldo's house. Since there's a pumpkin, let's have Flora make pumpkin soup."
"That's true."
Aisha and I laughed together and started walking.
◆
After that, as Aisha and I headed toward Aldo's house, we were called out to by many villagers.
Asking if we had any troubles, if we were eating well, telling us to come stay at their house next time, and so on.
A village where people call out so familiarly to outsiders is rare. Most villages are closed off and build walls around their hearts toward those from outside, but the villagers of Nordende are different.
They are warm and kind. They worry even about someone like me from the outside.
The adults sometimes treat me like a cute child, which can be embarrassing, but I was happy because it had been a truly long time since anyone had cared for me like that.
It's as if everyone is family. Just spending time here makes me feel my heart becoming peaceful.
It's a world of difference from the lonely life in the royal capital, where there were connections but none at all.
Nature is abundant, and many flowers are blooming beautifully. The food is delicious, the villagers are gentle, and the clothes are stylish.
"...I can see why Aldo liked it and lived here."
"...What's with you all of a sudden?"
Perhaps my inner voice had leaked out, as Aisha, walking beside me, made a suspicious sound.
I smiled a bit shyly.
"I was just thinking that Nordende is a good village."
"I see."
As I walked while feeling the scenery of the village, the house where Aldo and Flora-san lived came into view.
Around the house, fields for growing vegetables and such were spread out, and Aldo and Flora-san were tending to the crops.
"Aldo-san, look! This green bean is really big!"
"Oh, you're right. It's exceptionally large compared to the others!"
Beckoned by Flora-san, Aldo moved through the field, and the two of them looked at the crops with their shoulders close together.
"If it's just this one, it looks like we could harvest it by tomorrow."
"But I also feel like I want to watch over it to see how big it gets..."
"I understand the feeling, but if it gets too big, the flavor will get thin, you know? Besides, it might even steal the nutrition from the other green beans."
"That's no good then. It's a bit of a shame, but let's harvest this green bean tomorrow."
"Right."
Flora-san and Aldo smiled at each other.
That smile of Aldo's was a happy expression I had never seen during our past life of adventuring.
Even though such an incident happened the day before yesterday, it was peaceful now.
Despite various troubles, it seemed that the bond between Aldo and Flora-san had deepened further.
"...I expected it, but it seems those two have become even more lovey-dovey."
"Ahaha, looks like it."
They probably talked about everything, including the past. How the other was born and raised, and how they thought and acted. If they discussed those things, it's only natural for their feelings to deepen.
Really, both of them have such happy expressions. It's understandable even to an onlooker that they are happy to be together and that they love each other.
As I watched the two of them warmly, Aisha, who was beside me, stared intently at me.
"...Is it okay for Kurune?"
"Eh?"
Not understanding the meaning of Aisha's words, I let out a raspy voice.
"...I'm Flora's childhood friend, and I've watched those two until they got together. So, I don't really want to say things that would confuse Flora, but..."
No, I actually understood. Perhaps because Aisha's direct words pierced my chest, I couldn't reply properly.
"...Because Kurune looks so lonely... and envious when she looks at those two."
Told by Aisha, I pressed my hand against my face as if to check my expression.
For some reason, transparent droplets were faintly leaking from my eyes.
I have to quickly make a joke and say "That's not true." If she says any more, it'll be no good...
"...Kurune loves Aldo too, doesn't she?"
She said it. She understood.
Now that it's come to this, I have no choice but to admit it.
"Ahaha, you caught me? Aisha, you're sharp despite your slovenly personality."
"...I wonder? I think anyone would know if they saw your reaction when we first met."
While wearing a bitter smile, I wiped the tears welling up in my eyes.
I felt like if I started crying here, it would really be no good. I felt like the strong will inside me would break.
Aisha waited for me to calm down before opening her mouth again.
"So, is it okay?"
"It's okay. I don't have the right to do that."
"...The right?"
"I wasn't able to be by Aldo's side when he was having the hardest time. When Aldo was suffering, I assumed that he would be able to stand up like he always had, and I prioritized my own dreams..."
There's also the fact that I was late in realizing my true feelings. But Aldo is a human being too. Even for him, who accomplished the dragon slaying, that doesn't change.
In the end, I had only seen him as Aldred the Dragon Slayer.
It was only natural that Aldo couldn't laugh with such a natural expression when we were around.
"A woman like that has no right to convey her feelings now. Besides, there's no way I could get between those two who look so happy, right?"
I said with my best bright smile so as not to make Aisha worry.
"...That might be so."
Aisha gave an ambiguous reply after hearing my words.
That ambiguous reply made me happy right now.
"...Both Aldo and Kurune are clumsy in how they live, aren't they? What is it? Do all A-rank adventurers live such complicated lives?"
"Hey, I'd appreciate it if you didn't lump me together with Aldo!"
"It's the same, the same. You're both about the same."
When I shouted in protest, Aisha started walking as if the conversation was over.
"Oh! It's Aisha and Kurune!"
Perhaps hearing our noisy conversation, Aldo and Flora turned toward us.
Well, whatever. For now, I'll spend this fun time to the fullest.
I did it! With this, Volume Two is finished!
It ended up being much longer than I thought. To the readers who have stayed with me this far, thank you very much!
The word count has become quite something.
I'd like to keep the next Volume Three a bit shorter.
It has been released by Nox Novels. Please also check out the first volume of the light novel! It includes the story of how Flora and Aldo met, so it's a must-see.