Ore wa Mada, Honki o Dashite Inai

As I was walking around the city, a conversation of concern popped into my ear and I accidentally stopped to listen.

"Hey, did you hear what I said about the whore?"

"Oh, you finally know who you are."

"I don't know for sure... but they say it's the lord's canoe here."

... whoops.

"Lord? Is that true?

"I don't know, but the Canoes have been moisturizing on Silver Mountain lately, right?

"Oh. What the hell is that merchant...... tadias? Rumor has it you paid off the money you borrowed from it."

"Right, that famous whore, why don't you come here and go home, it's rumored that it's for the lord's money"

"I see."

Listen, I'm a little relieved.

It doesn't look like I did anything wrong or anything.

The Canoe family has a good wingspan, that's why Hestia ate it.

Often, it can't be called flying. It's just a game of association.

No problem with rumors like this, you're welcome.

I listened a little more just in case.

Speaking of which, there's been an increase in traveler disappearances lately.

"I know that then. On the street to the capital."

"I'm talking about being exposed to something. A bandit or something."

The story went somewhere completely irrelevant. He left the place because he no longer had anything to do with me.

Rumor with Hestia?

If it's a pattern rumor like the two of us just now, you can leave it alone, but some rumors are not good if you leave it alone.

I just want to do something about it.

Walking around thinking about it.

"Isn't it the Lord who's there?

"Huh?"

Unique language specific to the whore.

Turning to his voice, Hestia was there.

When Hestia clearly recognized it was me, she always turned to me with graceful footsteps.

"I'm glad you're the Lord."

"You were looking for me?

"I wanted to thank you before I left because it's time to leave."

"Dude? Depart?"

I was surprised.

"Is that a rumor?

Mmm.

Looks like he was on his face.

Yeah, I'm surprised.

The rumor was that Hestia was like staying in this city, but I was surprised because he said he was leaving already.

Hestia spotted that and laughed as she held her mouth down and dull.

"I just stayed a little longer because there was an incident."

"Accident?"

"Yes."

Nodding Hestia.

The expression gets a little serious.

"He's better off escorting us. I've been waiting for that, Arinsu.

"I see, was it? Is he back?

"No."

Hestia slowly spreading her neck.

"He's still missing, but it's time to go back."

"I see."

"We're going to do a new escort over there. So I said hello to the Lord, so I said," Arinsu. "

"... shall I escort him?"

"Huh?"

Hestia was surprised.

"The Lord?

"Oh."

"I ask the lord to do so..."

"Never mind."

I'd rather do it, I have to.

If anything happens to her, there will be another weird rumor.

Plus he can't have a new escort, and he might turn back on his way.

It turns back along the way - a pattern that turns out to be the worst rumor I can think of.

I'll be the escort, and I'll send her in.

That should be the best.

"Let me do it"

"... ok"

Hestia stared at me for a while and kept her head down.

"Sweet to the Lord."

The next day I left the city of Pindos with Hestia.

Hestia and I are the only two travelers.

I don't know if there's anything along the way, it's a two-person journey to reduce the chance of witnesses and rumors.

"The Lord is good at swords, so Arinsu?

As he walked shoulder to shoulder in the street, Hestia heard.

The gaze was on my hips, on the long sword I brought to the weapon.

That's quite a sword. I brought it to you in the sense that I would be reassured with a decent weapon to escort you.

"It's quite all right. Whatever happens, you'll be delivered safely."

"I see."

Are you convinced or not?

Hestia hasn't heard anything since.

The two of us walk and have a chat that doesn't mean anything.

Just like a few days ago, it's the same proper conversation as the days I was jettisoned.

Take the streets while we chat like that.

Two, directly next to the street, I saw smoke rolling up from those who weren't on the proper road, and that approached us.

Oh, come on. I thought - it was a big win.

Five people, all on horses.

That came at us in a straight line, surrounding me and Hestia as I glanced.

"Hey, isn't this the top ball?"

"If you take it, you're gonna sell it for a good price."

"Brother, this guy's hip looks expensive too."

Apparently, he's a bandit.

They can say whatever they want, and they deserve me and Hestia.

Everybody's always checking. There's no such thing as mutton fish.

Well, I thought of something.

"You guys do this all the time?

"Hmm? So what?"

One of the men looked frightened.

He heard rumors in the city that a traveler was missing.

That's what these guys did.

Apparently, I saw them as habitual criminals, people who wouldn't listen if I told them.

My guess was.

"Kill the man, take the woman"

The men soon decided on a policy and had to do something about it.

I pulled out my sword, and the men pulled out their swords as well with a sneered laugh.

They're all miscellaneous fish, if you care about them, you can instantly kill them in less than a second.

- But Hestia's watching.

I want to avoid killing instantly and being "awesome".

Critical battles, of course, don't scratch one on Hestia.

I solidified my policy, and I jumped in first.

Cut with the guys, suppress the power and play good battles (,,,).

He deliberately suffered a scratch on his arm along the way, then repelled the five.

"Phew..."

Finally, he made a struggle and took a big breath.

I look at Hestia for a moment, she's frowning.

All right, you seem to have misled me well.

That night, by the street, I started a firefight and went wild.

Turn the big stone back and start a bonfire to reveal the night. A wild boarding house.

Face Hestia with the fireworks, make soup with dried meat back, and serve according to Hestia.

……

"What's up?"

……

Hestia won't accept the soup she offered.

With your eyebrows whispered, is this about the daytime bandits?

- No, you're not.

Not after a good look, Hestia's body is shaking just a little.

It's not the cold or anything, it's the frightening human tremor.

"What's wrong, Hestia, is something wrong?

……

Hestia shook her head, but her complexion grew increasingly blue.

Nothing - I can't even say Hestia.

Something happened, and something about it is definitely those bandits.

I made a struggle, but I didn't do any harm to Hestia.

Rather, it's enough to induce him to steer the fight away from Hestia somewhat.

Then why?

Well, I thought of something.

Rumors all over the city, daytime people.

And... whore.

"You, the cunt who got caught and made you a whore?

Hestia remained blue and nodded only slightly.

Common story - it is.

Until then, she was a normal daughter when she was suddenly exposed one day and told me that her routine and destiny had changed.

Hestia was exposed to the past, and it seems traumatized.

I approached her and held her softly.

"Don't worry. I won't let you, I'll protect you."

"No, the Lord..."

"Hmm?"

"He was hurt... struggling."

"... oh"

Is that why you're scared?

I struggled with a lot of people, and if anything happens, my fate is - yes, Hestia is frightened.

That was my fault.

Totally my fault.

So...

I slowly pulled out my sword.

I waved my sword toward the big stone I had on my back.

Unstoppable slaughter in the eyes, large stones smashed into pieces.

That's not all.

Things burn when they become finer powder than a very small particle, the so-called powder.

Even the stones burn - they burn.

The big stone was shattered and the scraps lit.

Big stones enough for an adult human to be on his back disappeared without a trace.

The fright disappeared from Hestia's face when she saw it, and a surprise surfaced in the change.

"I fought that way because of circumstances, but that was different"

"No?"

"Oh."

Nod, stare straight back, say.

"I'm not serious yet."

Hestia was increasingly surprised, but that was just a little bit.

When the tide of surprise draws, it's a relief to have come up instead.

It was reassuring.

Hestia pulled out of her power and left her body in my arms.

"Lord......"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you, so, Arinsu..."

That's what I said, he closed his eyes and kissed me.

I guess that's where the tension thread broke off, she fell asleep in my arms.

Scared the crap out of her, and I held her back.

I held her in my arms, with the implication of protecting her no matter what.

And I fall asleep, too.

Of course, part of my head stays awake on alert and falls asleep holding Hestia.

But in the middle of the night, I wake up happy.

Rest assured, sleeping Hestia.

Hestia is clinging to me all the time.

She kissed me. Touch my lips gently.

fruit out of lies.

Hestia had someone she liked - and she held my head to wonder if she had really made that rumor with my hands.