Chapter 38 What Should We Do Next？
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”…Oh, is this it?”
I went back to the place where I helped Martina and found a ‘black shining stone’ near the scattered remains of the incubus, so I picked it up. According to Liz, “Since we defeated the incubus, we should collect proof of it.”
With that, I headed to the first place where I defeated the incubus.
”I found it, I found it!”
Even in the darkness of night, the black stone shone weakly. Apparently, it’s a ‘clump of miasma inside the demon’s body.’ It’s about the size of a child’s (which means my) fist. I picked up 2 stones and returned to the carriage.
(There’s no way this is over… right?)
Kazumi and Rena got out of the carriage, and since it would be awkward if they found us there, we decided to split up and search the area. We also picked up the demon stones while we were at it.
* * *
On my way back to the carriage, I ran into Liz.
”Welcome back. Did you find anything?”
I took out the two stones from my waist pouch and handed them to Liz.
”With this size, it must be a high-ranking incubus. …I can’t believe you defeated it…”
Liz also took out 2 stones from her pouch to show me.
”When we go to the royal capital, we can exchange these at the guild. My adventurer rank might go up too!”
She said this with a smile, but she wouldn’t meet my eyes. Well, I couldn’t really look at her properly either.
”So, did you find the coachman or the merchant?”
”…”
Liz shook her head silently in response to my question.
Two of us walk side by side towards the carriage.
”…They might have been killed by a incubus. Before I fought them, I couldn’t see them anymore.”
”I see…”
”They don’t care about guys. They just eat them and that’s it.”
”I see…”
*Silence…*
”Um, hey…”
Liz looks at me seriously. Yeah. She’s really looking into my eyes. I am too.
”Since I did that to Hiroya… I feel a bit embarrassed. …Sorry for being distant.”
”No, I’m a bit… sorry too.”
We both bow our heads to each other.
”…My body… well, it was the first time a guy touched me in that place, um, the incubus doesn’t count.”
”Yeah.”
”I’m worried about Ares, but… making Hiroya do that… it’s… embarrassing and I feel bad…”
Liz looks down with a bright red face.
”…I’m sorry…”
”No! H-Hiroya isn’t at fault! …So, um, I’m the one who should apologize!”
Liz bows her head again.
”Yeah. …Neither of us can pretend it didn’t happen, but…”
”Right. But let’s stay friends like before, as ‘big sister’ and ‘little brother’.”
”Yeah. Of course. Let’s keep getting along.”
Saying that, we finally looked at each other and smiled.
* * *
When we returned to the carriage, Martina and Rena were desperately trying to calm down a crying Kazumi.
”I can’t get married anymore…”
…No, Kazumi, you’re coming to marry me.
When Kazumi noticed me and Liz had come back, she cried even more.
”Hiroya found out!”
…No, I already knew Kazumi was doing that. You said it before.
As soon as Rena saw me, her face turned bright red and she looked down.
”I’m really sorry…”
I started to feel like my very existence was a sin.
* * *
”Anyway, don’t worry about it. It’s the work of a incubus, so you can’t resist. No one will blame you or even care.”
We gathered around a campfire to discuss what to do next.
While I watched Liz desperately try to calm Kazumi, I quietly asked Rena.
”…Even a goddess can get aroused…”
Before I could finish, Rena hit the back of my head.
”…This is a human body. So it can’t be helped.”
”…I’m sorry. I just got curious.”
While this was happening, Kazumi managed to stop crying, so I thought we could get to the main topic when Martina raised her hand and spoke up.
”Can I say something? It’s important.”
I knew it, but I had to tell Kazumi, Rena, and Liz something crucial.
”I… got my memories back. …About what happened in that mansion too…”
”””!”””
”Are you okay?”
”Do you have a headache?”
”Are you feeling sick? Do you remember us properly?”
Seeing the different ways they showed their concern made me and Martina exchange smiles.
”…I started remembering things other than what happened in the mansion gradually since the end of summer vacation. …But I felt like our relationships would end, so I couldn’t say anything.”
Martina looked down. Then she began to talk about what happened with the incubus earlier.
* * *
”That bastard! I’ll kill him!”
”Calm down, Liz… I already killed him…”
”Oh… right, Hiroya. Still, that was a cowardly thing to do!”
”…But I’m glad I remembered everything…”
Martina smiled at me as she spoke.
”Even though I’m like this… is it okay for me to be with everyone?”
”What are you saying!”
Kazumi stood up and shouted at Martina.
”We want to be with you, Martina! You are already our friend, our comrade, no… our family! I can’t even imagine you not being here!”
”…But… I’m… My body has been tainted by goblins… it’s dirty…”
”You’re not dirty at all.”
Liz smiled at Martina.
”Yeah, I never thought you were dirty.”
Rena rested her head on Martina’s knee.
”I never thought that way either.”
”See? Everyone loves you, Martina!”
Kazumi looked at Martina with a proud expression.
”…Is it okay if I hold hands with everyone?”
”Of course!”
”…Can I still hug Big Brother Hiroya like before?”
”Ah… that’s a bit…”
”──That’s fine.”
I answered, cutting in on Kazumi’s hesitant reply.
”Hiroya! …Well, I guess it can’t be helped.”
For a moment, Kazumi puffed out her cheeks, but then she smiled and gave permission.
”…Got it! I’ll keep hugging everyone from now on!”
Even though she was crying, Martina responded with the biggest smile.
* * *
”So… what should we do from now on?”
Liz added more firewood to the campfire.
”There are 2 4-horse carriages. The guards had 4 horses…”
”I can use a carriage.”
”Oh, me too!”
Kazumi crossed her arms as Martina and Liz raised their hands.
”Then it looks like we can get to the next town by carriage.”
Kazumi pointed at the two with both hands.
”Well, if we go to the inn town, there should be a carriage relay station. If they can arrange a driver for us, we can head straight to the royal capital… if not…”
”Are we going on horseback? Rena can ride.”
Rena, who had stepped away, suggested to Liz while leading a horse.
”Well, these guys are smart. I think they’ll run alongside the carriage and follow us properly.”
The horse that Rena petted on the nose let out a soft neigh. Now that I think about it, the guards had also followed us on horseback when they took turns resting.
”Oh, I saw that. Even without a rider, they followed us just fine.”
”Right?”
Rena puffed out her chest proudly at my words.
”Then for now, let’s go to the inn town by carriage.”
Liz made the decision.
”…I also want to help carry the merchants’ luggage.”
Kazumi muttered softly. It does feel a bit cruel to just leave it here.
”Alright! Let’s get some sleep for tomorrow! We’ll make it by tomorrow night!”
”Yeah!”
Liz put out the campfire, and we all went into the carriage.
”Hey… can I sleep on Martina’s lap tonight?”
”Ah! I was thinking the same thing!”
As soon as we returned to the carriage, Kazumi and Rena started fighting over Martina’s lap.
”Okay, Big Sis Kazumi can sit here. Big Sister Rena can sit here.”
Martina patted her thighs. Ah… I wanted to have my head on her lap too…
”Are you coming, boy?”
Liz patted her thighs.
”…No, I think I’ll sleep alone this time.”
It was a very tempting offer, though. I smiled at Liz, who looked a bit disappointed, and then I covered myself with a blanket.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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