episode_0047

I ran straight to the inn where the old man was staying.

I roughly pushed open the main door and stepped inside. Slam!

The sleepy manager startled awake. “What?!”

“Hello. I, uh, have someone I need to meet…”

“Someone? There are only male guests right now. Who are you, a young woman, meeting at this hour?”

“I have urgent business.”

There’s no time for this.

The manager grinned with a strange expression. “‘Business’, huh. Ahaha. Is *that* what it is? *That*?! Hahahaha!”

“Ahaha… Yes. That’s right.”

“You’re pretty, aren’t you. How much?”

“…Huh?”

“How much? Come to my room once you’re done with work. It’s been my wish to play with a cute girl like you. Hahahaha!”

What is this man talking about?

“Oh, th-that’s… not…”

It was then. Grab!

Suddenly, a woman burst out from the back door and grabbed the manager’s hair. “You bastard, trying to pull something with a fresh-faced kid?!”

“Aargh! Let go, you old hag—!”

“You won’t learn until you die, huh?!”

They stumbled and crashed, screams overlapped, and chaos erupted.

It was better this way.

I walked past them and went up to the third floor. The last room. That’s what those guys had said.

At the end of the corridor was a luxurious door, clearly for a very wealthy guest.

I pulled on the door without hesitation. Click! Click!

Of course, they had to lock the door tight at a time like this.

“Ahjussi!”

I pounded hard on the door, but there was no answer.

“Fosao Ahjussi!”

No way… Am I too late?

I frantically looked around.

Just then, the next room was empty.

I quickly went inside and pushed the window open. Whoosh—.

Even on the third floor, it seemed quite high.

It was high enough to cause serious injury if I fell.

But urgency outweighed my fear.

I placed my foot on the windowsill and looked to the side.

About seven steps away was Fosao Ahjussi’s room.

A faint light was visible, suggesting he was still there.

Thud.

I placed my hand on the uneven outer wall.

Then, pressing my body close, I put my foot on a slightly protruding spot.

I took a deep breath and firmly grasped a protruding stone.

Little by little. Little by little.

I moved sideways along the wall.

Whoosh! Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, scattering my hair.

“……”

I wasn’t afraid.

I had even climbed down a cliff face from the middle of the mountain to Ritsu’s pharmacy before.

This much is nothing!

I stretched out my hand and grabbed the next windowsill.

Then, I lifted my feet.

I pushed open the window and stepped inside. Thud.

I had safely arrived in Ahjussi’s room.

“…Fosao Ahjussi? Are you here?”

The inside was ordinary.

His bag was next to the bed.

The clothes Ahjussi had worn until today were strewn everywhere.

It seemed as if nothing had happened. However, Ahjussi was nowhere to be seen. Looking around, I noticed ‘another door’ in one corner of the room.

Just in case, I opened that door.

Humid air rushed at my face. At the same time, a faint mass of flesh was visible through the steam.

“A-argh?!”

Ahjussi, who had been sitting in the bathtub, screamed in surprise.

“Ahjussi…?”

“T-Tia?!”

“What… are you doing in here?”

This is absurd.

Those guys are coming to target Ahjussi right now. How can he have time for a leisurely bath like this?!

“I, I was taking a b-bath…”

“Come out quickly! Quickly!”

“A-argh—!”

The startled Ahjussi scrambled out of the bathtub.

Water droplets splashed everywhere from his large body.

But… I was too flustered to think about it properly…

This Ahjussi, he was naked?!

By the time I realized that fact, it was already too late.

My two eyes had already seen a grotesque and massive ‘thing’ dangling below his corpulent thighs and wrinkled belly fat, covered in thick hair…

“Ah…”

It was so shocking my tongue froze.

That sight, as if the gates of hell had opened, was a horrific scene I never wanted to see again.

Fosao Ahjussi couldn’t even wipe off the bathwater and began fumbling into his clothes.

“W-what’s going on? Tia… why…”

“Ah… that’s…”

I shook my head to clear my mind.

“I’ll explain later. Just follow me for now!”

“A-argh?!”

I slung the bag over my shoulder and grabbed Ahjussi’s hand, pulling him along.

I ran without stopping, past the fighting manager couple, all the way to the inn I had booked.

The innkeeper asked. “Who is that guest of yours?”

“He’s my dad.”

“Ah, I see.”

After making a casual excuse, I brought Fosao Ahjussi to my room.

Thump! As soon as the door closed, all my strength drained away.

“Haa- haa-.”

“Pant- pant-.”

We silently caught our ragged breaths.

I couldn’t make sense of anything.

Fosao Ahjussi seemed to be in the same state.

He was staring blankly into space.

Only after calming down a bit could I explain what had happened.

I explained that I had accidentally overheard some men’s conversation and had to bring Ahjussi here quickly because they were targeting him.

Fosao Ahjussi lowered his head deeply. “S-so that’s it…”

“It seems there are many bad people in this town. Since I’m worried, sleep in my room tonight.”

“…R-really? Is that okay?”

“Don’t worry. If those guys come looking for us here, I’ll take care of them.”

I tapped the Rose Saber at my waist.

“Thank you… Tia.”

“You’re welcome.”

Deciding it was dangerous outside, we decided to sleep as we were.

I decided to use the bed. Ahjussi unrolled his sleeping bag and lay on the floor.

We made sure the door was securely locked, and the windows and bolts were closed.

I put my short sword under the pillow so I could prepare for any emergency.

We had definitely prepared…

But thinking that those bad guys were targeting us, I was so tense I couldn’t sleep at all.

After I tossed and turned a few times under the blankets, Fosao Ahjussi spoke from beneath the bed. “T-Tia. Can’t you sleep?”

“……No.”

“Me too… Hehe…”

“You could have slept on a soft bed, but now you’re on the floor, so it must be a shame.”

“It’s okay. Hehe… I, I like it better now.”

“Ugh. What you just said feels a little creepy.”

“N-no, that’s not it…”

Ahjussi said in a dazed voice.

“I’ve been alone all this time… It’s been a long time since I’ve been with s-someone.”

“……”

“So… I like being with T-Tia right now… Hehe.”

I fell silent at the words ‘been alone all this time’.

What would it feel like to spend 20 years alone after leaving the village?

I couldn’t even begin to imagine.

I wouldn’t know, as I’ve never experienced it.

Ritsu was always by my side.

Even now, separated from Ritsu, it was the same.

Teacher Vincent, the courtesan unnies, Sir Robert, the children of Tsarlak Village.

And Fosao Ahjussi.

There was always someone by my side.

I never felt lonely.

But Ahjussi had lived alone for such a long time.

He hadn’t married, nor had he raised any animals like dogs or cats.

All that remained was ‘that general store’ he had supposedly built with his mother.

How difficult must it have been?

If it were me… if I were hated by everyone and expelled from the village… I think I’d be incredibly sad.

Wouldn’t I have lived sadly, in despair and loneliness from being abandoned?

Without realizing it, I curled up under the blankets.

Of course, that would never happen, but just thinking about it was terrible.

Fosao Ahjussi asked. “By the way… earlier… you called me ‘dad’, didn’t you, Tia?”

“……!”

“Me, Tia’s dad…”

“That was just a quick excuse!”

“So Tia would be my d-daughter? T-that’s nice… Hehehe.”

“Be quiet!”

I threw the pillow down to the floor. Oof!

“Stop talking nonsense and just sleep. And give me back my pillow.”

“S-sorry…”

I lay back on the bed and squeezed my eyes shut.

Even I didn’t know why I had made up that Fosao Ahjussi was my dad.

I’d never seen my real dad, and I didn’t even know what a dad was supposed to be.

I wondered.

What kind of person was my dad?

“…”

* * *

I opened my eyes.

Bright sunlight streamed in through the window.

It seemed quite late in the morning.

“Ugh… Ahjussi. Wake up.”

I thought I had overslept and tried to wake Ahjussi.

But for some reason, there was no response.

Looking under the bed, it was empty.

“…Huh?”

My mind instantly cleared.

Fosao Ahjussi… he’s gone?

My chest felt cold.

I immediately got up and opened the window.

The street was quiet.

I looked around the room again.

Ahjussi’s bag, boots, and clothes were nowhere to be seen either.

What happened?

“……”

I felt hollow.

For some time now, whenever I woke up in the morning, Fosao Ahjussi was always nearby.

Snoring loudly with clothes pulled over his face.

That Ahjussi who, when poked awake, would make a foolish expression and always greet me with ‘G-good morning, Tia’.

It’s strange.

At first, I even disliked having that Ahjussi nearby.

But now that he’s suddenly gone… I feel uneasy and afraid.

Did he just leave alone?

I gathered my things and went down to the counter. “Did a man leave this morning by any chance?”

“A man? There are too many men to count.”

“…A fat person.”

“Ah, that person? He went to the stables a little while ago. He said he didn’t want to wake his daughter, so he’d go ahead.”

“Thank you. I’m checking out.”

Ugh—! How annoying, really!

I immediately ran to the stables.

People were swarming around the ticket booth for carriage tickets.

The bakery owner had said yesterday that there were many merchants going to Deseo, so it seemed the queue was backed up because of that.

That Ahjussi… he knew this would happen and moved ahead.

And I, even after hearing it directly yesterday, overslept.

Haa. To make a mistake by not even carefully considering such a small thing.

I had nothing to say.

I approached to check where Fosao Ahjussi was standing.

“Hahaha!”

“Hehe… Funny.”

People snickered, looking towards the inside of the ticket booth.

It seemed like something funny was happening.

What could it be?

I stretched my neck out and peeked inside.

A mocking voice was heard. “T-two? ‘T-two’ means 2, so are you asking for a total of 4?”

“N-no… that’s not it… t-two seats…”

“What’s ‘two-two’ seats? There’s no such thing.”

“Hahahaha!!”

The customers laughed loudly.

Some were clutching their stomachs, convulsing with laughter.

But I couldn’t laugh.

Because the man being ridiculed by everyone was… Fosao Ahjussi.

“Can you even speak properly? Say it right.”

“Two seats…”

“Oh, that sounded a bit more human just now. You’ve finally shed your beastly ways.”

“Hey, up front! Hurry up! We don’t have time!”

“If you can’t even speak properly, get lost!”

The ticket booth employee seemed to have no intention of selling tickets, continuing to torment Ahjussi by mimicking his slow speech.

From behind, a barrage of curses and insults poured out.

It seemed this had been going on even before I arrived.

Fosao Ahjussi was pale-faced, constantly sweating.

The employee snickered. “But what can we do—we can’t give you a ticket.”

“W-why… you just said there were tickets…”

“There are tickets for people, yes. But you, you should be loaded onto a freight cart, not a carriage, shouldn’t you? If we put a pig into a carriage meant for people, we’d be in trouble too.”

People burst into roaring laughter.

“Hahahaha—!!”

“That makes sense!”

“Alright, we’ll load you onto the freight cart, so pay the extra cargo fee.”

“……”

The stable employee carelessly flicked a ticket.

The ticket fluttered down to his feet.

Ahjussi bent down to pick even that up.

“Wow—. Are you really going to ride in the cargo hold? Damn, you really are like a pig.”

“Hahaha!”

That was the last laughter I heard from the onlookers.

Because somehow, I had pushed everyone aside and was striding into the ticket booth.

I didn’t know what my expression was.

I only remembered the startled faces making way for me.

Bang!

I slammed my fist onto the counter.

Everyone fell silent all at once.

The startled employee took a step back.

“…What is this bitch.”

I warned in a quiet voice. “Apologize, right now.”