The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

"Well, we'll be going then. Thanks for the coffee beans."

"I'm sorry we couldn't provide better hospitality. Please come visit again when you feel like it, teacher."

At the entrance of Prennarec's mansion.

The master and disciple who had reunited after 200 years were saying goodbye with the casualness of parents seeing off children on a week-long trip. For the long-lived king and the long-lived elf race, partings don't seem to be very sad.

In contrast, right next to them was a girl looking incredibly lonely.

Navi, the promising disciple of the master's disciple, with her long bangs and three braids.

"Ruruk-kun, will we meet again?"

"Of course. I'm sorry to part, but next time, let's make time to talk at leisure."

"Y-Yes!"

Navi nodded with reddened cheeks.

The reluctance to part was no lie or deception. It's truly sad... I wanted to stay until the pressure cooker design was completed. Not just that, but if we could consult and design more things like mixers and mills, it would be useful for future cooking, and more importantly, reducing preparation time means ingredients stay fresher. Of course meat, but fish too changes taste significantly with freshness. People in this world aren't very picky about taste, and they don't mind even if things are a bit rotten, so cooking technology probably doesn't develop easily—

"Mm!"

"Ouch! Hey Elen, what are you doing?"

For some reason, she stepped on my foot.

The little girl was glaring at me silently. Why? She's been in a bad mood since last night... I don't understand, so I'll leave her be.

Roze and Prennarec were laughing as they watched this.

I occasionally waved back to Navi, who was waving until we were out of sight, and finally looked ahead as we turned onto the highway.

"Good, good. She was a good kid and I'm looking forward to her future."

"Mm... Ruruk's a pervert."

"That's not it. Listen, this is for your sake too, Elen. It's a pressure cooker, you know? Not only does it heat ingredients quickly, but it makes meat super tender. You can't do this with normal stewing or grilling. It's tender, you know, tender."

"Tender..."

Elen was drooling.

"That's why we need Navi-san to work hard, so of course I'll cooperate as much as possible. Staying up all night for a day or two is nothing. In some cases, it might be more valuable than elixirs or Hihiirokane ingots. Braised pork belly, char siu, waterless stew, tomato potage... the possibilities are endless!"

"Mm, then I forgive you."

"Thank you very much!"

Elen, defeated by her appetite.

I don't really understand, but I bowed along with the flow.

"Are you done with your comedy routine? It's about time we teleport towards the border."

"Okay~"

"Mm."

At Roze's signal, we repeatedly use relative transfer to proceed south towards the border.

We passed through the border between the Dragon Duchy of Bargia and the Kingdom of Restamia without any particular trouble.

Restamia, huh.

It's another new country for me, but I heard we won't be stopping at any towns from here to the Kingdom of Mataisa, so I wasn't particularly excited.

The forests and valleys only differ in the types of monsters living there, so there's not much change in scenery.

That's why I didn't notice when Roze was advancing through the forest without hesitation.

Where we were heading now.

Along the way, we made lunch, brewed amateur coffee using the coffee beans we received as a gift (I was made to brew it by the master because I can cook. It was indeed too poorly made), and then continued through the forest without rest.

As evening approached, we arrived at an open area.

It was like an abandoned village.

The houses that must have once stood there were destroyed haphazardly. The well that was once at the center of the village was in ruins, and weeds had grown so thick you couldn't tell where the roads were. Wild animals had taken up residence in the ruined houses, and vines were creeping over the abandoned buildings near the forest.

"Master, where is this?"

"...*sniff*"

Elen was crying beside me.

In her line of sight were many stone monuments like graves.

Ah, I see.

If this is the northern edge of the Kingdom of Restamia, then—

"Mm... my hometown."

The place where Elen was born and raised.

And the place where she lost everything to monster attacks.

"Elenora. I'm sorry I couldn't make it in time... couldn't protect everyone."

Roze said gruffly.

Elen shook her head.

"Mm-mm. Roze, you saved me. Thank you."

Even when she was the last one left, she continued to resist, and when she collapsed after running out of magic power, Roze made it just in time.

If she had been even a few seconds late in rushing here, Elen wouldn't be here.

That's what I've heard.

However, even when thanked, Roze kept a sour expression as she gazed at the village.

Having overwhelming power but being unable to protect because of not being there. That must be an inescapable fact for Roze, an irrefutable truth. No matter how long one lives, it's an immutable truth.

There was nothing I could say to Roze with her grave expression.

"Mm... Ruruk, come."

Elen took my hand and led me to the stone monuments.

In one corner of the many lined-up monuments, she offered a prayer.

"Father, Mother. I'm home."

Her parents' graves, huh.

I follow Elen's lead and offer a silent prayer.

...Ah, that's right.

It's been 8 years since I came to this world.

And there, I finally realized.

It's too late. It's really too late, but as Nanairo Gaku, I died before my parents, didn't I? Are my parents praying for their lost son like this too? Are they crying?

Looking at Elen who had become all alone, I thought about how unfilial I had been.

If possible, I would have wanted to survive by any means necessary. Not for my sake, but for my parents'.

When I think about those left behind, an unbearable feeling wells up.

...Ah, I'm weak.

The bridge of my nose stings, and tears start to well up.

"Ruruk."

Before I knew it, Elen was holding onto my arm.

As if reporting to her father and mother.

"This person is Ruruk. He makes delicious food for me. He always helps me. He's strong and reliable, but a bit mean sometimes. But he's really kind, and a strange person."

She wanted to introduce me, I guess.

She was left alone, and I've been with her ever since.

...For me too, Elen has become like family.

I bow my head too, and pray so that it reaches them.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ruruk. Elenora-san always helps me. As a fellow adventurer, and as a disciple studying under the same master, I'm allowed to be with her. Over these 4 years, there have been times when I was inadequate. Times when I felt my lack of strength. I'm sure there will be many more times when I rely on her in the future. But I promise to keep protecting your daughter so that you can watch over her from heaven with peace of mind. I'm still immature and often argue with her or make her angry, but please take care of me from now on too."

I couldn't express myself well, but I think I conveyed my feelings properly.

Looking to the side, I saw Elen, usually expressionless, smiling faintly - the happiest I've ever seen her, but also sadly.

"...Mm, Ruruk."

"What is it, Elen?"

"Thank you. Please take care of me from now on too."

"Yeah. Likewise."

Those words, which needed no embellishment, echoed quietly in Elen's hometown.