The Master of the Village

“Please follow me this way. My Lord is waiting for you.”

“Alright.”

Hisaba led the way, and we soon arrived at the entrance of a building slightly larger than the other wooden houses nearby. After she stepped forward to slide the door open, she gestured for me to enter first. I took a breath and stepped into the room.

The scent of seared meat hit me immediately.

To the left was a staircase leading to the second floor, while the source of the aroma lay to my right. Following the scent, I looked toward a space resembling a main hall. A wooden table and a few benches were arranged there, with two wooden plates heaped with meat sitting on the table.

And she was sitting at the far end of that table, looking straight at me.

Her long brown hair was combed neatly, her ears stood tall, and the light armor she wore shimmered faintly under the starlight filtering through the window. This Nako woman, who carried the unmistakable air of the master of this house, was the very same person who had knocked me unconscious back in the cage.

“Welcome, Miss Human.”

Unlike our encounter in the cage, she now sat with her hands open, appearing completely ready to host me.

“……”

I remained silent.

This treatment—as if I were an honored guest—made an involuntary shiver run down my spine.

Had I done anything to deserve such hospitality? As soon as I asked myself the question, the answer was obvious.

No. Not a single thing in my memory.

“It is only natural for you to be wary. At the time… your mental state seemed unstable. I had to take action as a precaution. I hope you can understand, Miss Human.”

Standing up from her seat, she placed her left hand on her right shoulder and bowed her head.

The explanation was logical in a sense, but from the very beginning, I had felt a strong sense of unease.

“Forgive my rudeness, Madam, but you are mistaken. I am not human.”

I remembered it clearly—whether it was her repeated questioning of my race, or the Marquis and his men trying to verify it, no one had been able to accurately confirm that I was human.

“I see. It was wrong of me to presume your race. Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Ilu Kotetsu, the manager of this village, and…”

This time, the Nako woman calling herself Ilu bowed deeply to me.

“Thank you for buying precious time for me to rescue our Nako kin. You have my gratitude.”

Rescue… kin?

In that instant, flashes of everything that happened after I released the Long-Whiskered Leopard surged through my mind. Especially… her. The image of her standing in front of me, shielding me.

“No… I have not done anything worthy of such treatment.”

I am just a murderer… I was before, and I am now.

“I am Leni, just an ordinary traveler.”

To maintain etiquette, I mimicked Ilu’s gesture, placing my left hand on my right shoulder and bowing slightly.

“Regardless, you are a savior to the Nako people. Please, be seated. Forgive the humble meal.”

Ilu gestured for me to eat. Faced with this situation, I hesitated for a moment.

Can I trust her?

Studying Ilu carefully, I fell into a brief silence. Since we met, her words and actions had exuded the poise of a leader; at the very least, my first impression was that of a very upright person. Even if I entertained the thought that it was all an act, I could see the concern for her kin in her eyes—that was a sentiment that held no trace of falsehood.