9 – Variables

When we arrived at Destin, we headed straight to the inn. Seeing the children looking at us with curious eyes, I prayed earnestly that my choice was not wrong.

Entering the inn, the owner who was welcoming the guest looked at me and tilted his head.

“Huh? Aren’t you a guest from before?”

“Right. You promised to come back soon. I’m here to keep my promise.”

At that, the owner scratched his head, and he seemed to think it was him. Actually, as the owner, it was just a passing word, but I needed a reason to head to Destin.

“Huh, I don’t remember because I’m old. Anyway, welcome Even though our town is small, there is a river in front and the air is good, so it’s good for a weekend break. Most of all, the innkeeper’s food skills are amazing!”

Respond with a smile to the owner who praises himself with a smirk. Roel whispered softly with a slightly puzzled expression.

“Was this the promise? I thought it was serious again.”

Seeing Roel let out a sigh of relief, I wondered what the hell my image would be to Roel.

“Did you think I had an accident?”

Looking at Roel’s body flinching at those words and avoiding his gaze, let’s narrow our eyes and stare, wondering if he really thought that. A quick-witted Ellie intervened.

“But did you really come to this village because of what you said to the owner? It doesn’t sound like a promise, it sounds like something you say to any guest.”

At Ellie’s words that hit her head, I said as if making excuses.

“Suddenly, I thought that I had never been on a trip alone with my brother, so I came here with a reason. Well, if someone told you not to come, you didn’t interfere.”

“Ah~ the weather is nice….”

When I looked at Ellie with a playful gaze, Ellie avoided looking at me and murmured.

I burst into laughter at the sight of the two criminals avoiding my gaze. I glanced at my laughter, raised my gaze, and motioned for the two of us to eat, starting with a smirk.

Were you impressed by the unexpected returning guests? The food served by the owner was the best taste to taste in a small town.

The smoked meat from wild boar caught nearby, the salad with mashed potatoes, and corn coated with honey were a pretty good combination.

“Should I rent a room for now?”

After finishing the meal, I asked Roel who was eating corn.

“Huh? Do I need to rent a room?”

“I have to leave my luggage, and I was actually planning on staying for one night.”

The one who responded to my words was Ellie, who was eating the second corn next to her.

“Others, staying out overnight?! If so, you should have told me earlier!!!”

“At first, I didn’t even know you were following me….”

“Even so!!!”

As I shook my head, Roel asked me, picking corn with his front teeth.

“You didn’t say you were staying out tonight, did you? Do you want to stay in town a little longer?”

“Since we came all the way to the village. As the owner said, there seems to be a robber in front, so I thought about borrowing a fishing rod and going fishing together.”

Before Roel came to the academy. I remembered the setting that fishing was a hobby and said that.

Roel reacted more violently than expected to the point that the corn in his mouth jumped out at my words.

“Let’s go fishing!? I thought you weren’t fishing with me anymore! How many years? 7 Years? Eight years?”

I nodded my head thinking that the setting of the novel was the same as Roel’s appearance changed in an instant with an expectant look.

And I came to regret this choice.

*

“Wow, brother Roel. How many are you already? The seeds of the fish in the village have been dried before…. I guess that talent isn’t dead. Oh my, this fish is unusual. What is this?”

“Ah, this is a goblin fish. It’s not that it has anything to do with actual goblins, but that they look like goblins….”

Let Ellie, who is quick-witted, take a seat next to her and continue to respond and praise her. The excited Roel continued the conversation.

On the other hand, I hadn’t had a bite by Roel’s side for an hour.

Because I didn’t know how to feel the difference in talent even in fishing, I was a little depressed by the sudden feeling of inferiority.

I glanced to the side, and a sigh came out naturally at the sight of the 18 fish that Roel had caught.

This is why Ross said he doesn’t go fishing with Roel.

“Brother, you must have come again!”

“Come here! I’m here! You asked correctly!”

I took out a fishing rod and checked if the bait was properly hooked.

Just in case. When you’re waiting again with a new bait. I felt eyes staring at me.

“Looks like Ross is still here….”

“Shh. You can’t talk like that. It’s courtesy of fishing.”

Let’s pretend she didn’t hear that and look at the river.

Chwaaak-!

“Again! Also! It’s so big this time!”

“This is the taste! Hey, it’s good that you came here. The fish tastes different from the village, right?”

Viewed with a squint. I only looked at my fishing rod, pretending not to see the fish the size of my forearm.

I heard somewhere that fishing is the aesthetics of waiting. If you wait carefully….

Chwaaak-!

“Kyaaah! Got it! Brother!”

“Nice Eli! Good job! Is my advice right for you? Fishing is a skill! It’s not just about throwing bait!”

I felt like my lips would pop out without realizing it, so I rested my chin on my hand and looked at the fishing rod.

Chow ah ah!

“This one is small, so please loosen it. But still haven’t caught Ross… ?”

“Shhh, you should be able to catch it soon.”

From now on, I got up from my seat, vowing that I would never go fishing with Roel.

***

After catching a lot of fish and releasing them back into the river except for a few big ones. I gave the fish I caught along with the borrowed fishing rod to the owner.

“Oh. How can the three of us catch this much? They must have been fishermen!”

Ellie excitedly replied to the master’s skill.

“Ah, I caught more, but there were too many, so I let them go!”

“Really? That’s great. I’ll season it with butter and serve it for dinner. Please rest in your room for now.”

Let’s put on a puzzled look at the fact that I don’t own any of those fish. Roel whispered, poking her side with her elbow.

“Do you want to go fishing again later? Night fishing would be fun too.”

Was the cool gaze the answer? Roel flinched and whistled as he headed toward the room.

After some time, we were able to eat good fish dishes with the skill of the host for an early dinner. Buttered and spicy seasoning was added, and the taste was quite good.

“It’s late, but should I go back now?”

I looked at him, puzzled by Roel’s sudden words. Wasn’t it over?

“It is too late. Even if we go back to the wagon now, it’s early morning, so we’ll have to sleep outside? Tomorrow is also a day off, so there’s no need to rush, right?”

At my puzzled words, Roel spoke as if he had just remembered it while mash the fish flesh with a fork.

“It’s because I might die if I stay out all night without a word….”

The sight of Roel swallowing dry spit as if he were thinking of someone reminded me of the heroines around Roel, and I thought I could do that.

Especially for Flavia, who has a sleazy personality, I couldn’t predict what she would do by not only stealing her previous promises and even staying out all night.

“But, as long as I travel there, I do it. Ellie and I…. He, he needs a guardian?”

Let’s intentionally bring out the word guardian. As expected, Roel’s sullen face brightened.

Could she have been moved by her younger brother who relied on her? As if she had never done that before, she grinned and smiled brightly as she said.

“Yes. Because today, hyung is with you as your guardian. It’s okay to stay out… Would you?”

Seeing Roel’s reasoning at the end, Eli, who was quick-witted, seemed to think it was an opportunity, so she hurriedly agreed.

“Right! The two of us are first-year academy students who don’t know anything yet! I need a protector!”

In the end, Roel, who was persuaded by us, went up to the room for a while and returned to his excited face after a while.

“Sleep, I contacted you to stay overnight with a crystal ball.”

I felt a little sorry for Roel’s exhausted appearance. Originally, I would have had a good time with Flavia tonight.

I took my pre-ordered honey beer and side dishes and moved to a seat by the window where the moonlight poured in.

She ate sweet honey beer and beef jerky, looking at the town of Destin, sprinkled with pale moonlight. The vitality of the daytime, when the sun’s rays roamed the village, and the life force emitted by nature and children changed to the stillness and silence provided by the moonlight, shining the quiet silence with moonlight and starlight.

With the exception of the inn, which uses the first floor as a pub, it was when the honey beer was exposed to the second floor that the bell sounded suddenly, announcing the attack.

How hard is the Ministry of Magic training? While listening to Ellie’s lamentable explanation, we exchanged glances at the sound of a bell.

“Brother.”

Roel, who had already noticed the abnormality, went straight to the room without answering and took the greatsword.

“You guys are waiting here with people. I’ll check and come back.”

“We will help too!”

Let Ellie say so. Roel shook her head.

“No, it’s right to check what happened first. And I’m your protector. Of course, ensuring your safety comes first.”

Contrary to her usual warm voice, Roel’s appearance, which sounded a little cold-hearted, was no different from a finished warrior.

Certainly, I was good at making the main character. When I was feeling a little proud, I heard someone’s scream outside.

“aaah! It’s oak! An orc has appeared!!!”

Roel hurriedly ran out of the inn at someone’s screaming cry. While watching, I took a spear and a potion from the room just in case, and returned to the first floor where the frightened people were gathered.

My brother met the mutant orcs as planned, so the raid on the village by the mutant orcs will end today in the hands of Roel.

I let out a sigh of relief that everything went as planned, and I looked around with the intention of staying by Ellie’s side. Ellie was nowhere to be seen.

I hurriedly checked the room to see if he had gone up to the room with an anxious mind. Ellie was nowhere to be seen.

“Do you know where the girl you came with is?”

I returned to the first floor and asked the owner, who was hiding in a corner holding a kitchen knife with a frightened face, feeling uneasy.

“If it’s a girl…. You were following the customer with the greatsword earlier?”

f*ck.

Why do anxious premonitions always come true?

I didn’t even have time to think at the owner’s words and hurriedly followed Ellie and ran outside.

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