Page 131

(Walson)

Outside the window, only the desolate chirping of insects remained. And I began to wonder how long it has been since I last heard these kinds of sounds?

This is a truly nostalgic place, with its nostalgic hustle and bustle, with the nostalgic people who live in it.

Right now, we are in the Sadin Village, at the orphanage where I was reincarnated, and I met Grace, Melon, and Rifle.

This morning, we finally arrived at our first destination.

I sat on a creaky wooden chair, resting on an old wooden table. I remember, whenever the Old Nun was sewing some clothes either for one of us or herself, she would always sit on this chair, lean back, and begin to work with some smile on her face.

While leaning back, I let out a sigh of pure pleasure as I took a sip of the tea that brought back some memories. The tea that was brewed with the leaves of the first snow had a subtle taste, but its slightly sour aftertaste left some unique taste to the tongue.

Indeed, it always feels best to drink this tea here.

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to come back this year," Said a masculine voice with a deep laugh, and I felt a rough hand rubbing and patting my head.

Father Marbon, the minotaur who had some huge horns on his head, still had that hearty and honest smile on his face that I often saw, but his hair had turned considerably white...

"Don't touch me like that, I'm not a kid anymore."

"But you still look like a child! Hahaha! Besides, as the saying goes, in the eyes of parents, children will always be children!"

"..."

Hey! I'm not that much younger than you! And stop picking on my height! I may be short, but I'm still a man! Forever a young and handsome one at that!

"What about Maany?" I changed the subject, not wanting to continue this conversation.

"She's here," a voice came from behind, and I turned my head.

It was Maany, she looked exactly the same, but her face had started to show the marks of time.

"I just took the new clothes you brought and put them away. Will you hand them out yourself tomorrow? Hmm?" Maany said while gently stroking my head.

Hey! Why are you doing the same thing too!

The "new clothes" Maany mentioned were the ones I specially went to the commoner's clothing store before the trip and bought with fifteen gold coins from the owner.

The styles of those clothes were very plain, all of them in solid colors. Rather than decoration, those clothes focused more on practical functionality for warmth. Don't judge me by my appearance now, even the clothes I'm wearing are cheap ones bought from there. After all, I don't really care much about dressing up.

Really, it would be better for them to leave the glamorous and beautiful stuff to Grace and the others rather than someone plain like me.

"I'll pass on that. Let Grace handle it. That would be better," I took another sip of tea and looked at the scenery ahead.

"...The source of magic is what they call imagination. As long as you have sufficient imagination and study the syntax of incantations..."

At this moment, a group of children wearing old wizard hats, all with talents related to being a mage, gathered in the courtyard, receiving magic instruction from Grace.

"...That's it. When you combine these two elements, you'll get a very different effect." With that, Grace waved her hand, and a swirling firework burst into bloom, eliciting gasps from the children present.

Heh, turns out she's teaching a course on mixed magic. She's been practicing during lunchtime these days, and I was wondering why she was rehearsing basic spells she already mastered. It seems she wants to perform them for the children.

"Your center of gravity is off, If I just give a gentle push like this..." The child held a wooden sword in their hand and swung it, instantly soaring into the air and being caught by Melon before touching the ground.

"You'll fall like that. Pay more attention." Melon patted off the dust from the child and said.

"Okay! I want to become an admired hero like Sister Melon in the future too!" While excitedly proclaiming such words, the child's eyes were shining with admiration toward the feminine demi human.

As for Melon by the side, she was giving "combat guidance" to the children with the talent of a [Warrior].

Watching those children being knocked down but still laughing heartily, I couldn't help but feel speechless.

Before leaving this place, they also accomplished grandiose tasks like eliminating a gang of thug. Even before arriving at the capital, they were already regarded as heroes by the townspeople.

"Haha, Walson, do you know? After you left for some time, some people from the capital came here and asked a lot of questions about you guys," Maany said, looking at the scene, smiling.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, they were talking about your heroic deeds in the capital. There were even rumors of legends circulating in the City of Water about you guys."

"Huh? What's that? It sounds embarrassing."

"But nobody recognized you... It's a pity not hearing any news about you. They only heard stories of someone slaying dragons with their fists and the Black Dragon Mage."

"I just really hate being famous, that's all."

"But you're really amazing. You're such a strange child," Said Maany while patting my head.

...Oh well, I'll let this one slide.

Huh? Are you asking where the children with the [Villager] class are doing right now?

"Au! Owuu, woof!"

"I-I got defeated! This monster... was defeated by the hero!"

In another corner of the courtyard, a gigantic gray wolf and a golden-haired elf were rolling around on the ground, and the laughter and cheers of the children erupted from the nearby group of kids.

Barella and Rifle were playing a role-playing game with the children, and before this, I hadn't realized that the wine lover and Rifle had such a good relationship, while being covered in dirt and wearing twig antlers, Barella was riding on Rifle's back, playing the role of the demon king riding the world-ending beast, only to be defeated by the group of children cosplaying as a hero.

I must say, Barella, you truly sacrifice your image for this don't you? I remember you told me that you used to be an elf noble!

"Ow, ow, woof, woof!!!"

"Darn it! This monster won't admit defeat!"

And then the demon king resurrected, riding on the back of the world-ending beast, chasing after the children.

With a constant upward curve on my lips, I couldn't help but laugh along with them.

"Walson, is that elven girl your new girlfriend?" Hearing my laugh, Father Marbon leaned over me with a gossipy expression, a happy smile plastered on his face

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Don't judge her by her beautiful appearance; her personality is exceptionally awful."

"R-e-a-l-l-y?"

"Damn it, you are not a girl, and you are already so old too, why are you even still paying attention to this kind of thing, you old bull!!"