Chapter 412 – Where Lightning Grazed.

“There really is nothing left.”

The boy watched the knights roam around busily even in the pouring mist, and realized that his hometown had really disappeared without leaving a trace at the smell of the wet earth that reached the tip of his nose.

Unlike when it rarely rained in his hometown, the smell of water and salty salt permeated his nose. Now, the musty, fresh earthy smell that he smelled for the first time in his life, along with the sharp iron smell that would have come from a forge tickled his nose.

The smell of earth, which he smelled for the first time in his life, made me wonder if he had flown to a place other than Parz without knowing it.

“What the hell is going on?”

He couldn’t quite comprehend what had been going on lately. Originally, he was making money by keeping a barn somewhere in Parz or running small errands.

When he heard that there was a company leaving Parz, he thought that there were people who thought that way, and that it was someone else’s business. Somehow, I was in a position to leave Parz with those people.

It was around the time he was sitting there blankly.

“Hey, Carlos. Did you hear about that?”

It was a guy named Logan who called him by name and spoke to him. He’s always quick to gossip if he has any sources, so he’s a guy I’ve been friends with since we lived in Parz.

“That Parz is fucked?”
“Hey, did I just bring those rumors?”

This time, he must have brought up something, but when I asked him that, he opened his chest with a face full of bravado.

“Do you remember the shield that blocked the wall earlier?”
“That shield?”

The silver shield that he saw while riding in a carriage to get out of Parz, which blocked the huge land that was attacking like a tidal wave, quickly became famous. Everyone was saying that thanks to him he was able to survive from a situation where he might have died.

“You know that’s the power of a paladin, right?”
“Who knows. If it’s not a wizard, who else can use that kind of power other than a paladin?”

It was strange that he couldn’t even believe that the people leading this wagon he was in were Paladins who had come from the Holy Land.

“By the way, the owner of the shield is a girl my age?”
“What?”

Although they have reached adulthood, most of them work as chores or as someone’s assistant because they do not use their strength properly. Men are in the same situation, but what about women of your age? Most of the time, it’s normal to work under your parents and help them with their work or get married. Not just a knight, but a paladin?

“Does that make sense?”
“Because I’ve only heard rumors.”

So he thought for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Are you pretty?”
“I thought you would ask that. Where are we going, old bachelor?”
“Hey! I’m not an old bachelor yet!”

Carlos was moved to tears by Logan’s words that came back as if he had been waiting for the question, just in case. Of all the friends he knew, he was the only one who hadn’t gotten married yet.

“Gigkig, most of my peers are married, but wouldn’t it be weird if you weren’t the only one?”
“You guys did it too soon!”

Carlos was really upset. Even if you just listen to the stories of adults, when you’re the same age as him, you do chores.

His friends got married exceptionally early, which made him look even weirder. His nickname was already solidified as an old bachelor.

Even Logan, whom we’re talking about, was already married, so she made him even more uptight. Because Carlos was glaring at him, the guy shrugged his shoulders and turned away.

“Anyway, I don’t know if it’s pretty or not.”
“What.”

As he looked disappointed, Logan glanced around and whispered to him.

“I’m going to check it out now.”
“Do you know where it is?”
“I hear Lima is in her carriage with her baby.”
“Ugh, why?”

Lima was Logan’s wife. Ever since she was little, she’s had a lot of fights with him, so it was embarrassing.

“So you’re not going?”
“…Let’s go.”
“Sure it is!”

After all, it was he who was urgent. Even though she knows that it is still too early, she feels a sense of crisis when she hears from her friends that she has already married. Let’s cross between the rain-blocking tents and approach a wagon.

“Logan? Keck, why did you bring Carlos?”
“I didn’t come to see you!”

Unsurprisingly, Rima, whom he met first, causes her to quarrel.

“Can’t you not fight for a day?”

Because of this, only Logan sighs to stop them.

“I don’t know. I hate him.”
“Doesn’t anyone like it?”
“Oh, some!”

Logan, impatient with the fact that they were about to fight again, stopped it with a shout.

“But what about him?”
“What? Did you come to see that girl, not me?”
“Oh, no. I came because Carlos wanted to see me, not me.”

Carlos almost vomited as Rima turned her head away dissatisfied with Logan’s question, but Logan approached as if trying to appease her and winked at him. Carlos, who understood that to mean go first, looked around to find the rumor’s protagonist, but he didn’t have to.

“And.”

That’s why, in the middle of people clinging to as many seats as possible, I found a girl in the back of an exceptionally empty carriage.

Even though it was wet and droopy, the bright yellow golden hair that could not be concealed with just that, and the bright brown eyes looking at the pouring rain, what was so sad, added to the sadness.

It didn’t seem like it was really pretty enough to be admired, but there was a point where it caught the eye with a simple, curly feature. In addition to the sword and shield beside her, Carlos’ conviction that the girl was the owner of the shield was also in her outfit.

The combination of a chest protector that hunters would use on top of a dress that would be worn by a girl going out and a protective plate that minimally covers the shoulders, elbows, and knees doesn’t seem to match. Pale, wet limbs made him blend in.

‘How do I talk to you?’

Even if he couldn’t date Carlos right away, he was determined to at least start talking. She’s not really prettier than the girls he’s been acquainted with, but more than that, she’s a strangely attractive girl. There was no reason for other men to leave such a child alone.

‘There is a very scary older sister next to her…’

Difficulties have already been waiting for you. There was a woman with a sharp impression next to the girl. Although she is said to be wearing a maid’s uniform, there is an atmosphere that makes people around her shrink just by being still.

Because of this, other people would not have been able to come close to it and satisfy their curiosity. And that was also the case with Carlos, so he was unable to do this or that.

‘Nausicaa sister and a paladin?’

Approaching the girl from outside the carriage were two women. One was a harpy that Carlos was familiar with, and the other was one of the paladins who helped them.

‘Did they know each other?’

Even if the paladins are supposed to know each other, they thought it was strange that Nausicaa was stuck between them, so a woman with a scary impression was talking to the paladin, looked at her girl worriedly, and went out of the carriage.

‘It’s an opportunity.’

For some reason, only Nausicaa was sitting next to the girl, so he went straight to it and said,

“My sister Nausicaa.”
“Huh? Carlos! You’re all right!”
“I’m glad your sister is safe, too.”

However, her heart was pierced by the sight of Nausicaa laughing and talking happily without knowing what he was thinking. She was a popular person because she was friendly in many ways. Because of avoiding her gaze, she suddenly met her eyes with the girl’s light brown eyes.

“Uh, huh?”

Her face reddened at the unexpected situation, but the girl’s sullen expression caught her attention. From the very beginning she made an impression and she never looked good.

“By the way sister, who is this girl with a sword and a shield?”
“Oops.”

She thought it would be natural if she asked about the sword and shield and she asked. The moment she wondered at the sight of Nausicaa hitting her forehead as if she had forgotten why. What she didn’t like was that the girl distorted her face.

“I’m a man!!”

Carlos froze at the ensuing cry. I didn’t know why I heard something breaking at that moment.

“Ha ha, really.”

Usher thought of Carlos, who staggered away with a shocked look at his words and disappeared somewhere, and the people staring at him with surprised expressions.

“Do I look so unmanly?”
“Phup, yup!”

When I glanced at Nausicaa, who was trying hard to keep her mouth shut, as if holding back her laughter, she evasively avoided her gaze. That fact seemed to be enough of an answer, so Usher let out a sigh of relief.

“If only I had the original clothes…”

Since she had been wearing only her one-piece the whole time, she was only sighing at the thought that she could not help being mistaken, so Nausicaa wiggled her fingers to see if something was poking her, and opened her mouth.

“Your clothes. I have them.”
“Yes?”

Usher looked at her incomprehensible. Why would she have her own clothes on her?

“That’s what you mean…”

And talk

“Huh? You want to put on a dress?”
“That’s right! When you think you’ve become a man enough, you return the clothes with the feeling that you’ve passed! What do you think?”

Nausicaa had made such an offer when Krikaliev decided to accept him as a disciple.

“Is that a fucking stupid idea?”
“Then won’t you?”
“Let’s do it now.”

He immediately agreed.

“…”
“Uh, can you stop looking at me like that?”