Chapter 48

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“Guess I’ll sleep now…”

Laying Rion – the girl who was asleep, on the bed next room, I start heading back to Ren’s room to get some rest.

“Dad…”

The girl grabs Ritsu’s clothes to prevent him from leaving her bedside. As she tried to hold Ritsu back, her face was contorted as if she was having a nightmare.

“Mm? Sleeptalking huh…”

Hearing the sleeping girl, Ritsu who was about to open the door stops in place. It was because he felt a slight fluctuation in her ‘Ki’.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt another person’s ‘Ki’, but at this range I can feel her emotions just a slight bit…”

Outside of the sanctuary, there were only spirit beasts, spirit trees, demonic beasts, and those with higher existence value than Ritsu. As a result, the transfer of emotions through ‘Ki’ was a new discovery for him.

Ritsu frowned, as the emotions he received couldn’t be called bright. He turned to face the girl again, and pulled up a chair near her bedside.

“Anxiety, confusion, fear, and loneliness… A mix of those emotions flow into me. I don’t exactly know what happened, but I’ll stay here for a while.”

As he settled himself and sat down, the softness in the girl’s facial expression somewhat returned.

◇

Early next morning, Ritsu was swinging a wooden sword at the inn’s courtyard. Pumpkin Pavilion is an inn where many explorers stay, and the courtyard is open as a space to be used for training.

There was a large number of guests, but since it was still early, Ritsu was able to use it all for himself.

“Good morning.”

Ren shows up at the courtyard still a a bit drowsy. It seems that he woke up in a hurry once he saw Ritsu doing practice swings.

“Good morning. You should sleep a bit more.”

“No. As a disciple I should have woken earlier than Ritsu-san, yet… I apologize.”

“This isn’t a dojo or anything so you don’t need to worry. Besides, it’s difficult to wake up before me, who doesn’t need to sleep.”

“That, may be true…”

Ren admits, dissatisfied.

“I’ve been told not to act as an Ousei during this trip anyways, so you shouldn’t worry so much.”

“I do not understand. Using your authority as Ousei could lessen our inconveniences and hassles.”

“My rank as an Ousei is only recognized within our sect. Forcing that upon others is not what Yozakura stands for.”

“I understand…”

Ren finally accepts the situation. Ritsu then takes out another wooden sword from his shadow, and passes it to Ren.

“Well, how about freshening up with some wooden sword swings?”

“Will you please train me!?”

Ren took the sword with glittering eyes.

“Sure. Whenever you want. Feel free to strengthen your body.”

Ritsu turns towards Ren and takes position.

“[Body Strengthening]! Here I come!”

Gripping his sword and strengthening his body using magic, Ren charges at Ritsu. Ritsu dodges it with flowing motions.

“Watch out for your feet.”

When Ren’s feet became unbalanced briefly after attacking, Ritsu targeted them to swipe him off his feet.

“UWAaaaa!?”

Ren’s vision cartwheeled, as he involuntarily lets out a voice. When he came to his senses, there was a sword already at his neck.

“You lose your balance when you attack.”

Ritsu takes Ren’s hand and raises him up.

“My balance?”

“Yeah. Your movements are needlessly large, and you’re still getting swung around by your sword.”

“I see… Thank you very much. Once more please!”

Ren picks his sword up and applies [Body Strengthening] again.

“Whenever you feel like it.”

Ritsu picks up his own and continues the training.

◇

Having finished their training, the two went to visit Kazuno’s Diner.

“Welcome!”

Greeted with a lively greeting, Ritsu and Ren sat down at an empty table. The menu only had set-meals and alcohol on it.

“Two set-meals please.”

After telling the waiter their orders, Ritsu took out the letter from his breast pocket.

“I have a letter addressed to Kazuno Taishiro. If possible, I’d like to hand it to him directly…”

The moment he said that, the atmosphere around every other table changed into a stiff one. Ritsu wondered if he said something wrong, as he looked around.

“Taishiro is our owner. Let me call him.”

“Ah, yes, if it’s not a bother.”

“Of course!”

The waiter lets out a cheery voice, then heads to the back of the diner.

After a while, a big, strong looking man came out from the kitchen. As the man looked around the tables, he noticed Ritsu and approached him.

“Hello, I am Kazuno Taishiro.”

The man lightly greets the two.

“Hello. This is a letter I was entrusted with by a man named Sonezaki Sou. He…”

Ritsu began his explanation in a low tone. At first, Taishiro’s eyes had widened in surprise, but with time he regained his composure, and listened to Ritsu’s story.

“So that’s what happened. Sonezaki was my… comrade. Thank you for everything.”

Taishiro took the letter from Ritsu’s hand while saying that.

“So, about the child we were entrusted with.”

“Ah, so she hasn’t woken up yet?”

Taishiro tilts his head, perplexed.

“Yes. She’s asleep at the inn next door.”

“Got it. I’ll make provisions to let her live here, then come visit the inn tomorrow.”

“Thanks for the wait. Here’s your daily set-meal.”

For the time being, Ritsu and Ren made a promise for tomorrow and left for the inn.

◇

“Taishiro-san, what business did those kids have?”

As soon as Ritsu and Ren left the diner, the surrounding customers all gathered around Taishiro.

“Sou died while working as a district guard when he got attacked by bandits. He happened to come across Sou in his last moments, and wanted deliver his final words and this letter.”

“I see….. So Sou has…..”

The customers that had gathered around Taishiro had darkened expression, but immediately raised their heads again as if a switch had been flipped.

“The contents of the letter?”

“Same as always. It’s about protecting the people who are likely to be taken by the district.”

“Even so, two children traveling on their must have have struggled so much. Can’t we protect them as well?”

“Hmm, I’m sure they struggled, but it doesn’t seem like they need our protection.”

Taishiro muttered as he groaned.

“What do you mean?”

“The taller of the two is quite capable. His aura was like that of someone strong. Despite his age, he didn’t so much as twitch an eyebrow in front of a giant like me.”

“Now that you say that, kids their age should have found someone like Taishiro-san scary.”

“He’s trying hard to hide that, but the strong cannot perfectly imitate the weak. He was oozing with confidence. I don’t think we need to be on guard, but it might be better to keep an eye out until they have left the town. The strong always end up summoning a storm after all.”

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