Chapter 84

The scene of the city in the morning was quite unexpected.

The numerous stalls lined up in a bustling manner. It seems that having breakfast at a stall rather than at the inn is the norm.

The streets lined with iron plates and pots were filled with the delicious aroma of steam rising from every corner.

The pedestrian traffic wasn't as heavy as in Iralin, but it was hard to believe that this place had been a frontier village just a few years ago.

It was as lively as if a festival had just started.

"Is it lively, or is it noisy..."

"This is actually a very good thing. It means there's plenty of food."

"I can't believe it was a village until recently... Oh, this yakisoba is delicious."

It seems to be salt yakisoba, but it's also spicy. However, it might be good to wake up in the morning.

"So, she really has no sense of crisis, huh?"

"That's probably just her nature, so let's leave her be."

We turned our eyes to Tera, who still seemed half-asleep.

Her hair was sticking up in several places due to bedhead, and she was staring blankly into space with hollow eyes.

Her wobbly walk made her look like one of those zombies you hear about in stories, and she probably wouldn't react even if an assassin came right now.

It's amazing she's managed to survive this long.

In the end, Tera's eyes didn't fully open until after we had finished eating.

"Hurry up and eat, wait for me!"

Her desperate attempt to stuff fried bread into her mouth reminded me of a pelican. She wasn't vomiting, but she did look uncomfortable.

I offered her water to prevent her from choking, and she drank it all. Even though it was my water bottle.

"Shall we go? Please lead the way."

"Sure."

After Tera had finished eating and taken a breath, we urged her to lead us to Helena's place.

She lives in a small cottage in the forest on the outskirts of the city.

"Tera! Tera! Are you there!?"

Tera shouted while knocking on the thin wooden door.

A log cabin in the forest. The camouflage around it was done rather carelessly, and it was clear that it was of a much lower grade than Gustav's safe house.

It was just placed there in a space overgrown with grass.

There was no sign of any monsters around. She must be at another location, as Tera said.

"By the way, didn't the news of our return to this town, or rather, Tera's return, reach the mayor's side? Hasn't anything been done to move Helena or something?"

"I was worried about that too, but it doesn't seem to be a problem. The response is much slower than expected, and the shoddy concealment of this cottage suggests they're not that smart."

"Maybe no one else has come this far?"

"Considering the ridiculously low reward, I doubt any explorer would take on that request just to seek help from the outside. So, maybe there was no preparation to hide her at all?"

"There's a possibility that someone from the town who doesn't know anything could come here. Shouldn't it be hidden at least?"

"True, it would be a problem if rumors spread that someone is living with monsters..."

But maybe they can keep it quiet with a little money.

Perhaps they're just not thinking deeply enough...

While talking with Leighton, we heard Tera's voice, and finally, the door opened.

With a creak, the door slowly moved. A girl peeked out from the small gap that opened.

"...Tera?"

"Thank goodness, Helena! You're safe!?"

When Tera tried to grab Helena's hand, which was on the door, Helena smoothly pulled it back and shook her head slightly.

"...No, it will burn."

For a moment, I thought she was talking about Tera's magic. Is she afraid of Tera's magic?

But the next words made it clear.

"...Sunlight is toxic to my body... I can only go out when it's darker..."

"There you go again... That's why you're so pale."

She was just a shut-in.

The conversation paused, and Helena's gaze turned to us.

"Who...!?"

She seemed to hold her breath. We had to talk in a way that wouldn't make her more wary.

"Good morning. I'm Crow, a friend of Tera. Nice to meet you."

"......I don't like it."

Before I could say more, the door slammed shut, catching Tera's hand in the process.

"Hey! Wait! Helena!"

Tera knocked on the door again, but there was no response this time.

Leighton and I exchanged glances and sighed.

"She seems to be quite a handful."

"Is this what it means to be impossible to approach?"

Maybe she's not being held captive but living here by choice.

That's what I felt.

"So, what do we do? If we can't talk to her, the plan to help her won't work."

At those words, Tera's expression stiffened.

"Normally, it's easier to talk to someone unless there's a significant issue... But if it's easier to just destroy this cottage, I'd do that. I would."

He placed his left hand on his sword's hilt and declared it.

And I'm sure he can do it. I'm confident of that.

"Even if Tera takes her out at night... I don't think we can talk then..."

"If we spend time persuading her..."

Tera muttered, staring at the door. But Leighton cut her off.

"It's not worth spending that much time on her."

"Well, for Leighton, it's just a matter of 'if possible'..."

The value of keeping her alive. Originally, that value was artificially created. Considering the time and effort needed to obtain it, it might be better to let it go.

"Could this be the reason why she wasn't known...?"

"Almost certainly, she wasn't hidden; she just didn't come out. From the state of this cottage, she's not being hidden now. But her personality is the reason why the shoddy concealment worked."

"Should we break in?"

"If she's willing to talk, that's fine too..."

We're at a standstill. It's not due to others but her personality that we're stuck.

Should we give up on approaching her?

No, but we can't resolve the situation without her cooperation.

"Well, if we wait here, she'll come out eventually."

As I was pondering, Leighton suddenly said.

"What do you mean?"

"If you were to live in this cottage, how long could you stay inside?"

"Well, if there's food, probably forever..."

You can stay inside forever without going out. Just as I was about to say that, I realized what I was saying.

"Ah, we need to get food."

"Right. From her tone earlier, she probably gets food at night. And there's no farm or anything like that around this cottage. It's impossible to grow food inside."

"So, she goes into the city."

"I don't know where she gets it, but Hedron might know."

Tera groaned at those words.

"No... Come to think of it, we never talked about that... Not since her father died, and there were no signs of it..."

"Her father is dead?"

"Yes. Her mother was apparently never around, but her father died shortly after the town was upgraded. He was a hunter but died in an accident while hunting in the mountains."

"So, she's been living alone in this cottage since then, right? In front of you."

"Even before that, she was always like this. When she was little, she used to play outside sometimes, but..."

A long-term shut-in. She's been living like this all along.

"I see. Another change."

"Please don't say you're going to kill Helena..."

Tera's voice was tinged with anger. Even though she can't win against Leighton, Helena must be important to her.

"No, not that. Just that solving the threat to Helena is off the table. She's cooperating of her own will."

"But that means—"

"Indeed, she might not like using monsters, but she's cooperating to survive."

After glancing at the cottage, Leighton took a deep breath and gave us instructions.

"From here, we'll split up. You two go and eliminate the mayor's private forces."

"What about you?"

Without solving the threat, Leighton's job seems to be over.

"I'll take care of the monsters and the tax evaders. Don't worry, I'll do my part."

"Well, I'm not worried about that."

That thought flashed through my mind, but I kept it to myself.

"What about Helena?"

"Ah, she'll stay in the cottage. We'll work with her after the case is solved."

Leighton started moving.

He nimbly jumped onto a tree and turned back to us.

"So, make sure to comfort her, Hedron."

"What do you mean!?"

Ignoring Tera's call, Leighton disappeared like the wind.

Left behind were Tera, who was frozen in a shouting pose, and I, standing there.

"What does that man plan to do to Helena!?"

Tera confronted me.

But I was at a loss. I could only speculate.

"I don't know, but I don't think he plans to do anything to Helena..."

But I'm sure something unpleasant will happen to Helena during the resolution of this case.

Her life is guaranteed by Leighton.

"If we could talk to Helena, we could understand her wishes..."

I'm not sure if that would happen, but maybe it won't come to that.

"Umm, I'm sorry, but—"

Tera fell silent and looked at the cottage.

I also looked at the cottage.

Even after all this conversation, there was no sign of her peeking outside.

She really has cut off all contact with the outside world.

What must she be feeling right now?

A situation involving her is unfolding in a place unrelated to her, causing many people to think, act, and sometimes suffer.

I don't know if she knows about it.

But what will she think when she finds out?

To be honest, I was a bit irritated by her attitude earlier.

So, a little payback is fine.

If she wants to be uninvolved, let her be uninvolved.

We started walking back to the city.

Even if the outside world is moving in an unpleasant direction without her knowledge, it's none of her business.