Farewells and Foreshadows

“Thank you for everything, Sian.”

“What do you mean, I’m the one who’s more grateful.”

“Haha.”

Sian stared silently at Director Ryu, who wore a relieved expression.

A week ago, Director Ryu abruptly announced that he would be leaving on another journey and quickly completed his preparations.

Like when he left on a whim in the past, he was lightly dressed.

All he took was his old luggage bundle that he always carried, and a sword.

Director Ryu originally hated having a lot of luggage.

So, even as I see him off now, I get the illusion that he’s not leaving on a long journey, but just going for a walk and coming back.

But if he leaves like this, I probably won’t be able to see him again for decades.

Director Ryu had a personality that hated settling down in one place.

He was very restless, and even when he returned to the village, he couldn’t last a year and would leave on a whim.

He stayed quite long this time.

The reason was Leon’s growth.

Director Ryu, who was interested in Leon, one of the main characters in the novel and a beastman, took charge of his training.

But now Leon has grown enough to go on an adventure at any time, and Director Ryu has decided to leave the village again.

“It seems like Leon isn’t going to see you off.”

“Haha, that kid.”

Leon was greatly shocked by the news that Director Ryu was leaving the village.

He seemed to still have a hard time accepting the reality of parting with his trusted master.

So, even today, when Director Ryu is leaving, he is holed up in his room staging a protest.

“It’s okay. We’ll meet again anyway.”

“Will we…….”

“Well, beastmen have quite long lifespans.

If he goes on a journey, won’t he run into you somewhere again?”

“……That’s true.”

Watching Director Ryu speak cheerfully, Sian felt bitterness instead.

It would be nice if I could think as easily as Director Ryu.

Why can’t I do that?

Sian felt complicated emotions and opened her mouth again.

“Let me know if you need my help at any time.”

“Haha, thank you for your concern.”

Some of the Dark Elves, who are excellent at stealth, were scattered throughout the continent to gather information.

So, if Director Ryu wanted to, he could easily contact them.

However, conversely, it’s not easy to contact him if he doesn’t want to.

This time, Director Ryu happened to return to the village at the right time, so I was able to call him.

I wonder when Director Ryu will visit the village again.

50 years later?

Or 100 years?

It’s hard to guess because he only comes back after traveling until he’s tired of it.

It was when Sian was about to send Director Ryu off alone like that.

“Uwaaaah! Don’t go, Master!”

“Leon!”

Leon, who ran out of the mansion barefoot, clung to Director Ryu, crying.

But Leon, who had grown rapidly for about 5 years, was already bigger than Director Ryu.

With Leon clinging to him, Director Ryu was almost staggering.

Sian was startled and stopped Leon.

“Leon, stop it.”

“Hwaaaah!”

“Haha, this kid…….”

Director Ryu laughed cheerfully, even though he was having a hard time handling Leon’s size.

He seemed embarrassed but happy because Leon was crying and holding on to him.

Director Ryu raised his hand and roughly stroked Leon’s head.

“You’re old enough to leave the mountain, but you’re still acting like this.”

“Wuuu, I don’t want to. I want to keep living here with Master.”

“Haha…….”

No matter how much he coaxed and appeased him, Leon stubbornly shook his head.

Director Ryu, who didn’t know that Leon would be so stubborn, looked at Sian with a troubled face and said.

“I’m sorry, Sian. It seems like my teachings were insufficient.”

“No, that’s not true.”

“But…….”

“It’s because you’re a great master that Leon doesn’t want to part with you.”

Leon has a simple personality, but he’s not a character who easily opens his heart to others.

This is partly because Leon in the original story experienced a dark time as a gladiator s*ave, but basically, beastmen don’t easily trust other races.

When Leon first came to the mansion, he was very wary of his surroundings.

Director Ryu is a good person, so Leon has come to trust and follow him this much.

But it would be difficult to keep holding on to Director Ryu, who has to leave.

Sian also felt sorry that Leon had to part with Director Ryu when he was crying so much.

But now was the time for them to part ways for the future.

Sian sighed and reached out her hand.

“Leon, you’re making it difficult for Director Ryu.”

“Wuuu wuuu…….”

“Let Director Ryu go now.”

This was the first farewell that Leon was experiencing.

He parted with his beastman parents when he was very young, so he probably doesn’t remember it well, but not now.

This is the first experience of parting with a precious person who will continue to remain vividly in his memory.

Sian couldn’t even guess how deep the sense of loss that Leon was feeling right now was.

She could only barely say the words to calmly let Director Ryu go.

“Sniffle, sniffle…….”

“Leon, stop crying now.”

Even after Director Ryu left, Leon couldn’t easily stop crying.

Sian, who sighed, turned her head, and Theodore, who had approached at some point, said to Sian.

“I’ll take him to his room.”

“Would you?”

“Yes.”

Theodore had gone to tell Leon that Director Ryu was leaving on behalf of Sian.

It seems that Leon ran and grabbed Director Ryu after hearing those words.

Theodore wore a subtle expression that was hard to read as he pulled Leon.

“Hey, let’s go.”

“Hwaaah…….”

“I said, let’s go.”

Not caring about Leon’s large size, Theodore dragged him away.

They usually bicker, but at times like this, they seem to get along well.

Sian watched the two of them return with a bitter expression.

Will I be able to be cold when I part with those children?

Leon will cry and cling to me, saying he doesn’t want to part like today, but what will Theodore do?

Imagining Theodore crying like Leon made her chest ache.

Sian didn’t think she would be able to send the children off as coolly as Director Ryu.

Especially in front of Theodore, it would be difficult to maintain her composure.

Sian stood alone in the yard and let out a long sigh.

“Haa…….”

“Master, what’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

Sian was startled and turned her head at Theodore’s voice, which came from right behind her.

Then Theodore was standing behind her.

“Leon?”

“I threw him in his room and left.”

“I, I see.”

“Yes.”

I thought they got along well a moment ago, but seeing Theodore’s calm expression, I couldn’t figure him out again.

Sian composed her flustered expression and said as if muttering.

“Leon seems to have been greatly shocked…….”

“Well, he’ll cheer up when it’s time to eat.”

“Hmm…….”

Certainly, Leon might be like that.

He’s a kid who has to eat meat even when he’s sad and in pain.

But he will still suffer from emptiness for a while.

Sian resented herself for not being able to skillfully comfort the child at times like this.

“Are you that worried about Leon?”

“Of course, I am.”

“…….”

When Sian nodded with a serious face, Theodore made another sullen expression.

But Sian, whose mind was filled with thoughts of Leon, didn’t notice.

Soon Theodore reached out his hand to Sian and said.

“Don’t worry too much about Leon, Master. He’ll cheer up soon.”

“Umm.”

“After all, the two of them were meant to part ways.”

“……!”

Sian looked at Theodore, who was speaking calmly, with a surprised face.

Theodore took one of Sian’s hands and smiled when their eyes met.

Sian was silent for a moment in confusion before barely opening her mouth.

“You too…… do you think so?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, um…….”

Theodore thought it was natural for Leon and Director Ryu to part ways.

And that was a very common-sense thought.

Everyone would think it’s natural for a grown-up disciple to leave his master and live on his own.

But I didn’t know that Theodore, who trusted and followed her like Leon, was thinking that way.

Sian swallowed hard.

Sian taught Theodore the knowledge of the Outchamber Continent without ever mentioning parting.

Even though she was anxious about when the Dane Merchant Company would return, she didn’t say a word about it to Theodore.

Thinking about it now, it was a very selfish act.

It’s the same as telling the child to suddenly leave the mountain without saying anything.

But if Theodore, unlike her thoughts, recognized that leaving the mountain was a natural thing……

If he accepted parting with her as nothing special…… then it seemed like it would be very shocking.

“You too…… do you think it’s natural to leave this place?”

“…….”

At Sian’s question, Theodore closed his mouth.

His glittering golden eyes scanned Sian up and down as if observing her.

Sian felt anxious because she didn’t know what words would come out of his mouth.

“Yes, I should.”

“……!”

“That’s why you taught me so much, Master.”

“Ah…….”

The smart Theodore already knew everything.

Well, I did so much education that would be useless if he only lived in the mountains.

Theodore would have noticed it.

But even so, Sian couldn’t help but feel lonely.

“Yes, that’s right…….”

“But I’m different from Leon or Director Ryu.”

“Huh?”

Theodore raised Sian’s hand that he was holding.

And he briefly kissed the back of Sian’s hand.

“I will definitely come back to Master.”

“……!”

Bright yellow eyes stared directly at Sian.

Sian looked at Theodore with wide eyes.