episode_0010

In the end, the Hero Party couldn’t find out Allen’s next destination.

They went around the whole town asking questions, but it seemed like Allen hadn’t informed the residents of his destination.

“It seems like it will take a little time… to find him.”

“Maybe… that’s right?”

…

The two conversed while watching Irene’s expression.

As Irene realized they couldn’t know Allen’s whereabouts, her mood rapidly deteriorated, emitting a gloomy atmosphere, making it necessary to speak carefully.

“Allen…”

“…”

“…”

The hearts of the two watching Irene desperately call Allen’s name were infinitely complex.

They wanted to find Allen quickly, but with no information about his next destination, they could only feel frustrated.

“… Just finding out Allen’s alias is already a significant achievement.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

Their words were not lies.

According to the townspeople, didn’t Allen earn money through difficult requests others couldn’t handle?

If there was a mercenary sweeping through such requests, his reputation would eventually spread widely.

The problem was whether Irene could endure until his reputation spread.

…

Just knowing they couldn’t find Allen’s whereabouts made Irene look so dejected, and uncertain stories without the conviction that they would soon find him were not comforting at all.

Irene clearly wanted to find a way to locate Allen.

“It might be good to gather rumors by visiting nearby villages.”

“Right. Maybe he went around this area…”

“No.”

Irene shook her head.

“We have to go to villages further away from here.”

“… Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Jenny and Rebecca had hesitant expressions, but soon nodded.

After all, Irene knew Allen the best, so there must be a reason for her opinion.

“If it were Allen, that’s what he would do.”

Irene forced a smile.

And she vowed.

When she eventually met Allen… she would express all the emotions she was feeling right now to him.

In any way possible.

***

Allen’s daily life was repetitive and ordinary.

Except for the fact that he was staying at the girl’s house.

“Well, I’ll be off.”

“… Okay.”

As Allen left the house with a casual smile, the girl still had fear lingering in her eyes.

She allowed him to stay due to the tempting reward Allen offered, but it was still frightening.

‘Does he need a little more time.’

Despite his efforts to get closer to the girl, there were no signs of her opening up yet.

It pained Allen to see the girl still afraid of him, but he couldn’t stay by her side all day.

Though it was early morning, as always, Allen headed towards the Mercenary Guild.

***

…

Watching Allen leave, the girl had a complicated expression.

‘A strange person.’

While Allen was still a scary figure to her, gradually, her fear was diminishing.

Suddenly, the girl remembered her childhood.

The days spent with her mother, who never expressed love but was everything to her.

And… the day her mother died.

‘Why was I born.’

The girl knew why she faced discrimination and disdain.

A hybrid mixed with demon blood.

Although she was still young and unaware of many things, she knew that her mother didn’t want her.

Forced to bear a daughter for the demons… The girl’s mother neither loved nor rejected her.

She merely fulfilled the obligation of raising the child.

Then one day, when the girl’s existence was revealed,

The villagers dragged the girl’s mother to the center of the square and burned her alive.

Witnessing that scene belatedly, the girl fled from the cruel reality.

She passed through several villages afterward, but none welcomed her.

She was stoned or nearly killed wherever she went.

Fortunately, she survived by enduring in this village where she remained.

Though she lived in a shabby abandoned house, she survived like a cockroach.

She scavenged through trash cans for food and hunted wild animals in the forest for a tough life, but she never resorted to theft or robbery.

The reason was simple.

She knew that if she did such things, she wouldn’t even be able to live in this village anymore.

Growl-

“… I’m hungry.”

The girl turned her head to look at the food laid out on the old table.

It was the meal Alan had prepared and left as lodging fee for staying in her house.

“…”

Growl-

She was hungry.

But… Is it okay to eat that?

Wouldn’t that man despise her upon realizing she is a demon-human hybrid?

Perhaps he might go out today just to hear the truth about her.

The girl was very scared.

The man who had shown her almost the only kindness in her life might suddenly change and humiliate her with disdainful words.

Growl-

While her mind continued to ponder, the girl’s body found itself in front of the table where the food was prepared.

With trembling hands, the girl slowly reached out towards the food and shed a tear at the warmth emanating from it.

“… It’s warm.”

Unable to endure any longer, the girl slowly began to eat the food.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing special.”

Alan, noticing the changed attitude of the villagers towards him, felt puzzled but casually handed out relief supplies and greeted them.

Although the number of villagers receiving relief supplies did not decrease, an unmistakable awkwardness was evident on their faces.

‘… Is it because of that girl?’

Perhaps someone among the villagers saw him with the girl and spread rumors.

Despite needing the relief supplies, they must have felt uneasy.

‘It’s unavoidable.’

Still, Alan did not blame the villagers.

Knowing that they too suffered from the demons, he understood that no one was at fault.

‘… But she’s just a child.’

Although he occasionally got angry, Alan, who restrained himself, finished his final tasks and headed back to the girl’s house.

“Oh.”

Stopping briefly, he entered a nearby restaurant.

“Could you pack the best dish for two people here?”

“… For two people?”

The man who seemed to be the owner of the shop asked with a puzzled expression.

Why would someone order food for two people?

“Yes, for two people.”

Whether he liked it or not, Alan firmly demanded food for two people.

“… Understood.”

‘Rumors spread fast.’

Perhaps that man knew that Alan was bringing food for the girl, hence the attitude.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

With a generous expression, Alan paid for the food and hurriedly walked to the girl’s house.

At the far end of the village, the girl’s house was quite a distance from the town center, so Allen had to walk a considerable amount of time, but he just walked silently.

Soon, Allen arrived at the girl’s house and cautiously knocked on the door.

Knock knock-

Creak-

The girl who opened the door carefully soon realized that the presence knocking on her door was Allen, and she opened the door wide, seemingly relieved.

“Have you eaten?”

“… No.”

Gurgle-

She had prepared breakfast and left, but now it was evening, so it was natural for the girl to be hungry.

It seemed like she hadn’t eaten since morning.

‘Oh, I should have brought more food.’

Allen regretted, but what’s done is done.

He just sighed quietly and offered the packaged food to the girl.

“What is this…?”

“It’s dinner. I’ll go wash up, can you set it on the table?”

“… Yes.”

The girl thought she answered as usual, but to Allen, she looked incredibly cute, excited like a child with delicious food in front of her.

After Allen washed up at the nearby well and returned home.

“…?”

Sitting at the table, Allen couldn’t help but wonder.

There was clearly one dish that looked appetizing and another that looked poorly made, no matter who saw it.

Even though they were clearly the same dish ordered from the same place, why such a difference?

“…”

The girl, as if it were obvious, waited for Allen with the unappetizing dish in front of her.

“…”

Only then did Allen realize the situation.

He understood that the poorly made dish was intentionally packed for him to share with the girl.

“Oh, our dishes got switched.”

Saying so, Allen exchanged the dishes in front of the girl and himself.

“Let’s eat now.”

“… Yes.”

Allen simply smiled quietly and ate his meal.

The girl also ate the dish in front of her.

With tears quietly flowing from both eyes.