Chapter 4: Pioneer Village(4)

“You’re Avalli.”

“Yes.”

Avalli instinctively became nervous when she first saw Kyle.

“… Are you an American football player?”

Kyle’s physique resembled the American football players she sometimes saw in videos.

That means he looked like a bear sitting in the chair.

It’s not common to encounter such a near-inhuman being in real life, even in modern times.

“Uh… I’m sorry, Paladin.”

However, it was also rude to be too cautious when meeting someone for the first time, especially if the other person was of high status.

That’s why Avalli hurriedly lowered her head and apologized.

“Why are you apologizing?”

Kyle asked with the softest expression possible.

Kyle, who often encountered this, did his best to reassure the child.

However, because his sincerity wasn’t conveyed, Avalli still saw him as a ferocious beast.

“… Are you too disgusted?”

“It’s familiar. Don’t worry about it. Other girls your age would wet their pants just by making eye contact with me.”

… I guess so.

Avalli expressed her condolences to the faceless girl who was ashamed inside and cautiously approached Kyle.

“Sit down. I have a few questions for you.”

“Understood.”

Avalli nodded and sat down on the chair opposite Kyle.

She briefly wondered how this ordinary chair could support Kyle’s size, even though he was wearing a chest armor that looked incredibly heavy on his upper body.

“I heard you came from the Great Forest. Do you remember what happened back then?”

“… I don’t remember very well.”

When he brought up the Great Forest, Avalli’s expression darkened in an instant.

She wasn’t acting to fool Kyle. The moment she suddenly became a young girl, the emotions of being thrown into a forest full of ferocious beasts rose up and consumed Avalli’s body.

So to be exact, it was a memory that she had, but never wanted to recall.

Kyle clicked his tongue inwardly upon seeing Avalli’s state of anxiety.

He still saw Avalli as an ordinary girl. It was certainly a miracle that such a girl survived the Great Forest.

However, no matter how much of a miracle it was, it would not be easy to shake off the fear of death.

… It won’t be easy!

He felt sorry for her, but he couldn’t forget his duty as a paladin.

Kyle skillfully erased the sympathy in his heart and continued asking questions.

“Why were you in the Great Forest?”

“I don’t know either. I opened my eyes and I was there.”

“Before that?”

“…… I don’t remember.”

Avalli answered nervously, fearing that Kyle would yell at her.

No matter what question he asked, the only answers Avalli could give were probably ‘I don’t remember’ and ‘I don’t know either.’

‘There’s nothing I can do. You are beings from a computer game in the world I lived in. What is a computer? I can’t explain it exactly, but there are various programs—programs? Um… It’s like a program that calculates or experiments… So to put it simply, I came from another world, was originally an adult male, but somehow ended up in this girl’s body—’

‘This isn’t it. No one would believe it. If there was anyone who did, Avalli would be wary of that person. He’d definitely be crazy.’

“… Hmm.”

He asked this and that, but he kept getting the same answer.

Kyle frowned slightly and stroked his thick beard.

He was pondering rather kindly, ‘How can I ask this question without triggering this kid’s trauma?’

‘Should I tell a suitable lie?’

To Avalli, he just looked like a crazy paladin debating whether or not to start torturing her.

If Avalli had ever played the Sword and Magic series, she would have known that most paladins were good.

However, unfortunately, Avalli was suddenly dropped into this world the moment she turned on the game for the first time.

So Avalli came to the conclusion that she had to answer something before the human monster in front of her developed a bad mind.

“… Excuse me, Paladin.”

When the girl hesitantly opened her mouth, Kyle stopped thinking and looked at Avali.

“Yes. Is there something you remember?”

“Uh, can I start from the part I remember?”

“… Is that okay?”

“Yes! Of course it’s okay!”

The girl’s voice, trying to force herself to answer with a brave face, was quite pitiful.

Kyle’s eyes slightly reddened at her brave appearance, but Avalli only saw a monster with bloodshot eyes from anger.

Avalli had no intention of being killed by a monster, so she hurriedly continued speaking.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the forest. She had no memories before that.

She had wandered the forest in search of food and had been chased by countless beasts.

She had managed to chase most of them away, but she had quickly reached her limit. In the end, she collapsed from exhaustion, and the village chief, Arsene, found her and rescued her.

Even the fact that she had been living in this village of Asha since then was part of her story. There were some lies mixed in for self-preservation, but overall, it was a testimony that accurately reflected Avali’s experience.

And Kyle, who heard Avalli’s desperate story—’Poor thing’—felt an unbearable pity in his heart. The girl in front of him seemed to have gone completely crazy, unable to bear the fear of death.

“… It’s over now, Avalli.”

“Yes.”

“Go back to the room and call Arsene.”

Avalli, who had barely escaped Kyle, returned to the room with her legs shaking.

Arsene, who had come out as if he was taking turns, saw Kyle’s face, which looked complicated in many ways.

“Have you had a good harvest?”

“No. That girl doesn’t know anything. She seems to have made up lies in her head to protect herself.”

“Then those demons in the Great Forest—”

“Some other miracle must have happened. That girl must have been lucky enough to survive thanks to the mercy of that goddess.”

“It would be an honor to serve you, even for a moment, Your Majesty.”

“Please take care of me, Arsene.”

Kyle got up from his chair and extended his hand to Arsene.

After shaking hands lightly, Arsene glanced outside. It would soon be night. Just a couple of months ago, he would have turned off all the lights and trembled in fear to avoid being noticed by the demons.

“I’ve prepared a light welcome party.”

Given the recent state of the Great Forest, such an unfortunate event would not have occurred. And with a mid-level paladin currently staying in the village, any monster would be defeated with a single stroke.

“Do you have alcohol?”

“Of course.”

“… I guess I’ll have to pray that the goddess closes her eyes for a moment.”

Kyle grinned and took off his armor for the first time in a while.

“What did you say, sis?”

“They say all paladins are as strong as monsters, is that true?”

“Sister, I’m scared! The paladin is like a bear!”

“They’re using you as their vassal? Or a sex slave?”

“… Where did you hear that, Camellia?”

Camellia answered Avalli with a bright smile.

“I overheard Dad talking to the uncles at home the other day!”

“Hmm… It wasn’t a very nice thing, so forget it. I’ll make sure to tell your mother.”

“Yes, Sister Avalli.”

Darkness had descended on the forest, but Asha Village was brightly lit all around.

In the middle of the village’s open space, a large bonfire made of a lot of firewood was burning.

Near the bonfire, various meats were being grilled, giving off an appetizing smell.

The village elders gathered around Kyle, sharing drinks and hearing about recent events in the world.

On the other side, children naturally gathered around Avalli.

“Sister, I’ve never seen such a bright fire before!”

Camellia smiled brightly, grabbing Avalli’s arm.

“That’s right. This is your first time seeing it here, too.”

Avalli answered softly and watched the bonfire burn. It was the first time she had seen such a large fire since the campfire at the middle school retreat.

“It’s nice.”

She had often played the sound of a bonfire as ASMR to help her fall asleep, but it still couldn’t compare to the power of seeing it with her own eyes.

The heat of the bonfire that drove away the cool night air reminded Avalli of her mother’s embrace, whom she could not even remember.

While enjoying the barbecue with well-cooked meat, Avalli—

“……um.”

—noticed something strange.

‘Where did that brat Hans go?’

No matter where she looked, Hans was nowhere to be found.

She went to Karls’ house and knocked on the door, but there was no response. When she asked Mrs. Karls, who was already quite drunk, it seemed that she had not ordered Hans to do anything.

She felt strangely uneasy.

“… Anyway, it’s annoying.”

Avalli sighed deeply and went to find Arsene.

Arsene’s face was flushed with intoxication, just like the other adults.

“Oh, Avalli. Did you eat a lot of meat?”

“I did. But more importantly, village chief, I’m going to go out of town for a bit.”

“… What’s wrong?”

“I can’t see Hans.”

Arsene’s eyebrows narrowed after hearing Avalli’s answer.

“… You stay here. I’ll go look for him myself.”

Arsene said as he started walking, but soon his feet became tangled, and he became unsteady.

“I’ll just come find you.”

“… The Great Forest is dangerous. They say that the demons are hardly visible, but if a wild beast comes out—”

At that moment, someone cut off Arsene.

“I’ll go.”

It was Kyle, who looked relatively unharmed.

“It’s okay, Your Majesty. I can’t ask a guest to do such a bothersome thing—”

“This is also a paladin’s duty.”

Kyle said that in a serious voice, then turned his head to look at Avalli.

“Guide me, Avalli.”

“…… Understood.”

Avalli was reluctant, but she didn’t have the courage to refuse Kyle’s offer, so she nodded in the end.