Chapter 6: Pioneer Village(6)

It was a terrible nightmare.

That was the only thought in Hans’ head as he collapsed on the dirt.

As the cold night air brushed past his face, Hans could not find the courage to look below his waist.

The pain was too terrible to use the simple word ‘pain.’

It was hot like lava, and at the same time, it resembled the sharp cold of midwinter.

He could not come to his senses.

Even though the person responsible for this tragedy was slowly approaching Hans.

Purple fur.

The overall appearance resembled a wolf, but the unusually long and developed snout was different.

The moment that snout was about to swallow Hans in one bite —Kiririk noticed the footsteps of a paladin running from afar and hid himself in the darkness.

He heard the sound of someone running hurriedly, but Hans could not properly perceive it because of the terrible pain.

“… Ah… Ah… It hurts…”

Only suffering dominated his entire body.

His vision gradually darkened by the second.

The blood drains from his body and he becomes unbearably cold.

“Cold… cold…”

He dies.

The last thing that came to Hans’ mind was two girls.

One was a girl with brown hair and freckles.

A sassy young kid who suddenly appeared in the village and teased him about everything.

The other was a girl with silver hair and beautiful green eyes that were hard to believe ,she was of this world.

He had encountered her by chance while going to get something he had hidden in a cabin in the forest without telling his parents.

… But even if the latter mysterious girl were like that, why did Avalli come to mind at such a last moment?

Even as such a question arose in Hans’ mind, his mind continued to wander.

He was so overwhelmed by her beauty that he could not dare to say a word.

And since then, the memory of meeting the girl became a hot fever and tormented Hans.

Recently, he had been running away from home day and night and lingering around the cabin.

And eventually, he encountered this terrible misfortune.

It was because he did not listen to his mother.

I’ve always heard that you should be careful in the forest after the sun sets—

the surrounding sounds are quiet.

My vision finally disappears.

I feel someone holding my hand, but Hans’s dying brain cells don’t have the capacity to deduce what it is.

“… Mom…”

Please don’t be sad.

That was Hans’ last thought in this world.

No, it’s a little different.

‘… It’s warm.’

My vision is still dark.

However, a warm feeling that is the complete opposite of the fear of death from before fills Hans’ body.

‘You don’t have to fear death. The goddess watches over every place in this world.’

The priest who visited the settlement once or twice a month said something like that.

Maybe… maybe this warmth is a blessing from the goddess.

Yes. There is no need to fear death.

When you open your eyes, a beautiful goddess will be waiting for you.

And the goddess will certainly resemble the silver-haired girl—

“Are you awake?”

However, the person who greeted Hans, who suddenly opened his eyes, was neither the goddess nor the silver-haired girl.

The girl, sitting on a small chair next to the bed and looking at Hans, had shaggy brown hair.

“…… Huh.”

Hans had a hard time coming to his senses at the sudden change in scenery.

He had just seen a kaleidoscope, and now he was lying on his own bed?

“What is it, Hans? With that stupid expression.”

Avalli, who had been scorning the dumbfounded Hans, soon noticed that the boy’s eyes were half-open.

“Hans, focus here for a moment. How many fingers do I have right now?”

“… Why am I alive—”

“No, I asked the question first, Hans. Now answer. How many fingers do I have right now?”

“Three.”

Only after Hans guessed correctly did Avali let out a sigh of relief.

“What, I’m fine.”

“Now answer me. Why am I alive? Or are you dead?”

“…… Or not?”

Avali’s voice slightly changed to a tone of smoke.

An experienced adult would have noticed the change at first glance, but…

Hans was still just a young boy.

“Hans, you were found passed out by the river yesterday.”

“River?”

“Anyway. If you’re going out alone, have a safe trip. Did you trip over a rock like an idiot? How rude.”

Only after hearing Avali giggle did Hans’ senses return to reality.

You fell? By the river? … All that just now was just a dream?

“Anyway, I told you, you’re stupid. Hans, there’s no one as stupid as you.”

“… You.”

Hans raised his voice as he looked at the freckled girl who kept teasing him.

“Be careful from now on. Okay?”

It was a strangely mature tone of voice.

No, he tried to raise his voice.

“The feeling of the small palm stroking his head resembled the warmth he had felt in his dream.

“You have to answer, Hans.”

“…Okay. I’ll be careful.”

“Okay, then that’s fine.”

The girl smiled, revealing her pure white teeth.

Hans would have been seething inside at her attitude of treating him as younger than her normally—

… Strange.

But strangely, instead of getting angry—

After confirming that Hans was fine, Avali immediately left the room.

Mrs. Charles, who was preparing lunch with a worried face, looked heavy today.

“Ma’am, Hans is awake.”

“Really!”

Mrs. Charles hurriedly turned her head, and her face showed an unconcealed joy.

However, after a very short time, that emotion had turned into anger.

“This damned bastard. I told you not to go out at night, you know! You’re making people worry for nothing. I’m going to make your butt red today!”

“Um… How about we do it a little later? Hans, you still look dizzy.”

“…… Is that so?”

Mrs. Charles’ face, hearing Avali’s words, became worried this time.

Watching the change in his emotions, Avali felt a strange pain in her heart.

“It didn’t seem that bad. Anyway, I’ll go now.”

“Okay, I understand. Please give the paladin my thanks, Avali.”

“I understand!”

Avali nodded and left the house, but Mrs. Charles’ voice came into his ear.

“Hans! You damn troublemaker!”

“Mom, wait a minute! Kaaaaaaaaaah!!”

Avali thought to herself as she heard Hans scream.

… That’s family?

Avalli smiled faintly and returned to Arsene’s house right next door.

Even during the short travel time, a thousand thoughts ran through Avalli’s head.

The reason was simple.

“You’re here.”

This knight, Kyle, was sitting with a serious expression.

Arsene, sitting next to Kyle, had an equally serious expression.

Avalli knew the reason, but did her best to keep her innocent face as usual and opened her mouth.

“Yes, I’m here.”

“… Did Hans look okay?”

“Yes. He was fine. His stupid face was still the same.”

Avalli answered Arsene’s question and moved closer to the two of them to take a seat.

“That’s fortunate.”

After Arsene’s words, a brief silence fell over the house.

To be more precise, it wasn’t a metaphor, but it really became quiet.

This was because Kyle used a sacred technique to separate the sounds inside and outside the house.

It was a fairly advanced sacred technique that he didn’t usually use, but it wasn’t difficult for Kyle, who was currently burning with faith.

“Avalli.”

“Yes, knight.”

However, the midnight politeness in Kyle’s tone had disappeared.

Avalli felt more at ease this way.

Even now, when I recall the moment when the old paladin kissed my feet with hot tears, I get goosebumps.

“… You really don’t remember yesterday?”

“Yes. I don’t remember.”

Avalli nodded calmly to the trembling question.

This was the method Avalli had chosen.

To pretend that she didn’t know anything.

“I remember crossing the river with you, paladin, but then the film went black— I don’t remember very well.”

“The river…”

Right after crossing the river, Kyle smelled Hans’ blood.

Only then was Kyle able to properly organize the hypothesis he had been pondering all night.

‘It must have been when I sensed the evil magic—

Now that he thought back, Avalli seemed strangely calm from that time on.

To the point where she didn’t even let out a typical scream when a man as large as Kyle grabbed her body.

The grace of the goddess has been bestowed upon this girl.

The goddess sensed the magic surrounding the girl she had chosen and bestowed her merciful grace upon the earth.

Thanks to that, the boy Hans was saved from the brink of death, and Kyle, who witnessed the miracle, grew to a higher level as a knight and defeated the demon with one stroke.

However…

Avalli, who was the object of that grace, had no memory of that time.

‘It’s also often recorded.’

When an angel inhabits a human body, the person in question often loses all memories of the time of their descent.

Something similar must have happened when Arsene found Avalli among the corpses of demons piled up like a mountain.

However, there was one thing that bothered the knight.

‘… Could the angel have saved the boy?’

Even the angels residing in the Holy Land would not dare to perform such a miracle.

Perhaps, last night, it was not just an angel who descended into Avalli’s body—

“All right. Go out and play.”

“Understood!”

Before unholy imaginations could take over his mind, Kyle sent Avalli away.

“… Arsene.”

“Yes, Paladin.”

“It is true that the girl is blessed by the goddess. A miracle has certainly occurred. But… Could you please remain silent for a while like this?”

“I swear.”

Kyle nodded after staring into Arsene’s eyes for a long time.

The two continued their conversation for a while without breaking the silence spell.

‘…… Phew, this is working.’

Avalli let out an inward sigh of relief.

‘Is it because it’s Easy Mode?’

Well, at least one thing was resolved.

While the two men inside the house were having serious meetings all day—

Avali simply wandered around the village happily.

Another day in the pioneer village passed by like this.