Chapter 78 – Gap.

Donar, who had just returned from a private meeting, was thinking about how to explain this, and called Usher, Belka, and Sif together.

“What’s going on?”

Sif asked anxiously when he couldn’t speak clearly even after calling them out.

“Whoa, that’s what it means. It seems impossible for us to live leisurely by ourselves in that mining town.”
“What do you mean?”

Said Usher, startled. Originally, they were planning to stay in the castle until today and go back to the mining village where the dwarfs lived. So now the people at the top were preparing to go to the mining town. Originally, they should have been included in it and rode in the wagon.

“The problem is that the families of knights who serve the lord get the right to stay in the castle and the obligation to stay in the castle at the same time.”
“That’s right. Didn’t Donnar decide to become a mercenary?”
“That’s impossible.”

When Sif was puzzled, Donnar explained the conversation he had had with Aeolus. He was originally going to do that, but the man is concerned that if they do something wrong, they might end up in trouble if they join a hostile place or a criminal organization.

“Nonsense!”

Usher exclaimed, “Where is that nonsense?” But Donnar shook his head.

“It’s a problem because it doesn’t make sense again.”

It was quite common for a wandering knight with no one else to serve, or a mercenary who had lost his means of earning a living, to join a criminal organization. So even if Aeolus forced him to become a knight, he had nothing to say. Because of this, he had to put up with his dissatisfaction.

“But you are not obliged to do that either.”
“Yes?”
“You haven’t decided to live with us yet, have you? It would be nice if you could live with us, but then you wouldn’t be able to live in a mining town.”

At Donard’s words, Usher belatedly remembered that he and Sif hadn’t answered the words of living together. He hesitated until now and he had forgotten that he was even thinking about it. Suddenly, the moment came when he had to make a choice like this. Conditions that are different from the original ones. Usher wondered what to do. It was a pity that I couldn’t live in the place I originally intended to live, but living with Donard and Schiff was good in many ways.

First of all, as Donar is a knight, it will be rare for him to be incapacitated and he will not be attacked by monsters as he lives in the castle. But what if you live apart from him? Usher had to solve the helpless part alone. However, Usher realized in the sparring with Rogi. That he was so weak that it would be difficult for him to defeat even a child of his own age, let alone an adult. If so, you have to train yourself and develop your strength, but you also have to earn money.

Is it possible? Even if it was possible, would it be possible to protect the girl in the process? And is it more efficient than being trained by an expert like Donnar? Usher was upset that neither had an advantage. But if you beholden to them, you may be hated by them. Anyway, because it was a nuisance. But Usher saw Belka. Upon encountering the golden light of the girl who had been looking at him as always, Usher made up his mind.

“I am…”

Eventually, the wagons led by Donar left the castle. He held the girl’s hand tightly and wondered if this was really the right choice. The anxiety that still remained lingered in his head and disappeared over and over again, but he could not undo what he had already chosen.

“Huh, so. Are you going to stay in the castle?”

Medea approached them and asked as if stabbing.

“You know when you see it. I dare to ask that again.”
“Actually, I was a bit surprised. I was worried that Mr. Usher and Mr. Belka would leave the castle because they said they weren’t from Pacifenia. Sir Donnar accepted them as a family.”
“Families are just living together.”

She hated being a nuisance, but even more hated not being able to protect Belka. That was it.

“No matter how much you really care about strangers, it’s rare for people to ask you to live together.”
“…At least that’s what I know.”

To Media, who was scolding him, Usher replied sullenly. I knew that. However, the memory of being betrayed by someone she believed was like her family was still vivid. So the carriages all left and Usher turned around with the girl.

“Where are you going?”
“What do you care where you go?”
“So this is my father’s house? Don’t you think I have a right to know?”

Usher clicked his tongue at the woman who never lost a word.

“I’m just going to feed the horse.”

Donard begged me not to forget, so I came out and went to feed them. Because she didn’t expect Medea’s reaction.

“Yes? You mean? Isn’t it Hildy’s Beanie?”
“I mean. There’s something else besides that.”
“Can I see it too? No, let me see it!”
“Whenever you say you’ll follow me, do whatever you want.”

Usher couldn’t understand her because he hadn’t yet realized how precious her horse was, but her words. Medea cheered when she found her horse tied up in her clearing.

“Wow, that’s what you mean! I’ve only heard of it. Unlike Hildis Beanie, it’s small and has a lot of hair.”
– Purrung!
“Hey! If you touch him!”
“Yes? Why?”

He wondered if the horse would bite Medea. She approached hurriedly, but instead of biting, she calmly showed the horse petting her. Isn’t it even wagging her tail, as if in a good mood? Mediah asked, as he was just staring at him in amazement.

“Were there many such words in the forest where Mr. Usher and Mr. Belka lived?”
“I don’t know much about that.”

Rather, thinking her Belka would know better, she glanced at her, and Belka nodded her head.

“Yes, because the forest served to protect those children.”
“I really want to go to a place like that someday.”
“That’s not allowed.”

At her girl’s resolute words, Medea as well as Usher looked at her in surprise.

“Once a child leaves the forest, he can never return to it again.”

Belka was looking at Medea in defocused gold, as if looking into the distance of her. It was the golden color of a girl who returned to normal within an instant, but her voice remained distinct.

“…And that place is no longer habitable.”
“Ah, I said the monsters attacked.”

Medea turned her head away as if she was embarrassed that she remembered what Usher had said to her. And in the awkward silence that began, Usher pondered how to resolve the situation and saw the words she was stroking.

“Would you like to ride this guy?”

I was a bit taken aback by his personality, but I thought it would be okay to see him stay still without biting even when petted.

“Really!?”

Fortunately, Medea was very happy.

“No matter how wide the castle is, I can’t run.”
“That’s great! Hildy’s Beanie is so big and scary that I don’t even dare to get close to it.”

She stamped her feet, wanting to get on her horse at any moment, but although her horse was smaller than the Hill Dis Beanies, it was oversized for them. Because of this, even when Mediah jumped up, her hands slipped on her horse’s hair, but she couldn’t climb.

“Wait a minute, I’ll upload it.”
“Yeah? That’s… Ah!”

Without thinking, Usher lifted her onto her horse as he would pick up her Belka. Then Medea looked stiff as if her body had been frozen, but she soon saw the back of her horse in front of her and she moved on it. Safely riding on her horse, she looked down at Usher with a somewhat reddened face.

“Is that what you were aiming for?”
“What?”
“…It’s nothing.”

When he really didn’t notice, she sighed and shook her head.

“Boo, Usher.”

Soon after, Belka puffed her cheeks in displeasure and tugged at his sleeves, and Usher realized belatedly that what he had done to Mediah had been misunderstood. Usher was at a loss as to how to solve this, and finally gave her girl a ride. And Usher, standing in front of his horse to guide him, could see his horse’s face.

“Do you look good?”

I wonder if I would believe it if I said that the expression on the horse’s face was sly, but it was too much to attribute it to just my mood, since he had already acted in the past.

-Hee hee!

The screams of horses echoed through the castle. Medea, who was on her horse, looked at it with a surprised expression, but she admired the way her horse started to walk quietly as Usher led her.

“Looks like you’re taming a horse by beating it!”
-Pureung?!

She shook her head and seemed to want to say no, but unfortunately Mediah couldn’t see it. Already she was engrossed in the spectacle from riding on her horse’s back.

“Really, it’s just that I’ve come up a little higher, but the feeling is completely different. Do all adults live with this feeling?”

Medea asked, but since she was Usher, there was no way she could know that. She didn’t really want an answer either, so she quietly sat atop her horse and enjoyed the seemingly different scenery. The clattering of her horse’s hooves, the pulsation of life beneath the soft, even slippery fur of her horse, and the wind she felt above it, seemed intoxicating to Medea. Then she laughed at the soft touch on her back. There was a hand holding her as if she was afraid she would fall.

“Because it’s dangerous to fall. You better be careful.”

And a husky voice is heard. Mediah thought of her mother once again at the kind girl’s words. She died when she was very young, so she doesn’t have a lot of memories, but what she remembers nonetheless is her longing for her mother. Why? A warm and cozy feeling filled her heart, as if she was somehow leaning back on her mother’s lap, who was sitting in her chair.

“Belka, do you know?”
“?”

The girl didn’t answer, but she seemed puzzled as to why she was calling.

“When I’m with Belka like this, I feel like I’m with her mother somehow.”

In fact, Mediah also knew. No matter how much she misses a girl, she knows that Belka can’t be her mother.

“I can’t do that.”

Medea was confused because she kept wanting to fool around with her. She was afraid that the more she was with her, the weaker her heart was, but she fell into that fatally sweet sensation. So today, didn’t he secretly watch Usher and Belka, anxiously hoping they wouldn’t leave the castle? So when I found out they were staying in the castle. When she found out that the reason was because Sir Donar, who was hired here, had accepted them into her family, Medea cheered and endured almost clinging.

Nothing was said after that. It was just that Belka, who was behind Mediah, stroked her hair. Realizing that it was the girl’s clumsy consolation, Mediah smiled bitterly. Yes, this sensation was so sweet that it tingled on the tip of her tongue. She likes Belka, and enough to understand Usher’s concern for her. She rode around her castle a bit on horseback, she thought. They found the sky going down before they knew it and tied the horse to its original place.

It sounded like the horse was calling pitifully, but since the stable hadn’t been built or planned yet, all it was given was several blankets and manure. Hill Disbiny’s stable was set aside because it was too big for her horse and could be bullied. They decided to ask for a stable to be built for the horses by tomorrow, and they returned to the castle.

“Whoah, I’m tired after just riding around for a bit.”

She was so tired even riding a small horse, but she didn’t know how her knights rode such a big Hill Dis beanie. Now she is back in her own room with her Belka.

“Hey! You brought Belka with you again!”

Even though Usher was thumping outside.

“What are you doing when you use a separate room anyway?”

Afterwards, Belka and Usher will be treated as Donar’s family, so they will be assigned a room for the vassals rather than a male and female guest room, but at least they weren’t assigned right now, so they had to use separate rooms until today.

“And since we’re going to wash up and eat together, Mr. Usher should either wash up or leave first, right?”
“Oh! Really!”

Hearing Usher’s voice thumping outside, Mediah chuckled.

“Please don’t tease Usher too much.”
“Whoops, but it’s so much fun.”

She couldn’t be said to have a personal mind, but she was a medium who was constantly teased because Usher’s reactions were so funny.