章 10: Family and Desire
A clear sky with few clouds, the sun was shining brightly. Green grasses scattered all over the surroundings and there's a beautiful clear lake visible on the sight.
Along the road there's a carriage pulled by a horse passing by this grassy field. A petite short green haired girl sat on the driver's seat. Inside the carriage were 2 people a young man wearing black gi and orange shirt inside tied with a blue obi.
Sitting across him was a girl wearing purple kimono with lavender thigh high socks and wooden sandals and a pink hagoromo surrounding her neck. She was humming an odd song while using her broom like an imaginative guitar.
The young man silently watched the girl with emotionless face that no one would know what he's thinking right now. The young man rolled his eyes from her to his surroundings.
"...I have to admit your hagoromo was pretty impressive and useful to be able to create a carriage in an instant."
Haruto gave his impression. Indeed the carriage they're riding in was provided by Elsie using her hagoromo, it appeared out of thin air with a *poof* like magic tricks.
"Indeed. I was very surprised when I saw it appeared suddenly out of nowhere what a very impressive artifact that is." Fia said and nodded.
"Hehehe~ It's nothing much~!" Elsie smiled cheerfully while feeling embarrassed.
Since Fia had join them on the journey travelling the world she had officially entered the party. Haruto too decided to explain about his powers and Elsie's capabilities. But he left the story about his relations to Eisha a secret, it'll be very complicated otherwise.
It's been a week since they decided to go to the capital. In that time Haruto and the others had to prepare for the journey. He also paid a visit to Rayne on the guild to inform her about his departure.
Sometime ago before they departed....
Inside the guild Haruto talked to Rayne and explained about his plans.
"...And there you have it."
"Capital...is it? Hmm...."
Rayne seemed to be deep in thought. Her head was down and she didn't say anything for some time - as if she was trying to say something but couldn't bring herself to - before she raised her head and opened her mouth,
"Well Haruto-san actually I-"
"Don't say it Rayne-san! I know how you feel! I too was very sad about this but there's no other choice!" He suddenly interjected, full of emotions.
"....will go to the capital too."
"But of course I will visit you again someday! So this won't be our..... Wait, what did you just say?"
Rayne answered as if it was natural,
"I said I'm going to the capital too."
.....
"...Excuse me, somehow I just hear that you said you're going to the capital too." Haruto said after he pressed his forehead for awhile.
"Well I am."
"But why!? How!? And what about your job here!?"
"I was promoted." She answered indifferently.
"What!? When?!"
"Yesterday. I received the notice on my desk."
"Yesterday!? That's very recent isn't it!? And wait that's not it! How did you get promoted so suddenly from a remote town to a big place like the capital at that!?"
'You're just like an ordinary employee that promoted to director instantly you know!?' Was what he shouted in his head.
"Well don't mind the details it's not important anyway."
"It is!" He said while he clutched his head.
Apparently Rayne-san was a very popular and competent receptionist so the higher-ups thought that it was a waste for her to work on this small place. Well she was a high level beauty after all and diligent at that. She was actually surprised that Haruto was planning to go to the capital too. She's very shocked and couldn't answer him immediately.
"....I never thought she would go there too, talk about anticlimactic..."
Even though he had prepared his heart to say his farewell and part ways...
"Now now, It's fine isn't it? I'm really happy that she will be there with us too. I'm quite nervous having to deal with a new receptionist after all." Fia said with a wry smile.
"Yes yes~ Rayne-san is a good person! I really like her!" Elsie added.
"Well that's true but still..." Haruto pouted, he felt wronged.
"Oh yes, thank you very much for your help with my family Haruto-san."
"Don't mind it. It's not a big deal anyway."
She smiled happily at him.
"My family was really glad to meet you too Haruto-nii especially my younger brother he really looks up at you."
"Hahaha he's a kind and caring brother alright."
A week ago after their discussion, Fia brought Haruto and Elsie to her village to visit her family. He wanted to recognize their ki signatures for Instant Transmission, and also to greet them as Fia's companions on her journey.
Her mother welcomed them happily since she heard that he was her child savior.
Fia's mother was a very beautiful woman in her thirties with long braided light brown hair. Her hair was different than Fia but her face resembled her mother very much. Haruto was sure that Fia would grow up to be a beauty just like her, perhaps even more beautiful.
There's also Fia's younger sister Nip greeting him cheerfully. She's still a five years old girl and different from Fia she inherited her mother's brown hair. She liked to play with Elsie very much.
And the last was her younger brother Ent, a fox boy with green hair like Fia. What Haruto thought was 'are all her family's names consist of 3 letters?', it seemed her mother's name was Loa, further affirming his thought.
Ent seemed to be a very shy boy, he approached Haruto while fidgeting. This boy was the one that fell ill before so he's trying to thank Haruto for saving him and helping his sister.
And so the family welcomed him and Elsie greatly and they got to know about each other. After that they talked about their plan to go to the capital. Her mother accepted that since that's what she've been trying to convince her for a long time.
Ent too encouraged his sister to do what she wished for along with Nip smiling brightly.
"...But are you really okay mom? Are you sure nothing will happened?" Fia said with concern.
"Geez you're such a worrywart, I told you we'll be just fine, and isn't Haruto-san here to help us with it?"
"That's right Onee-chan! We'll be just fine! Besides if there's something I'll just-" Ent added before he lost his words.
"Ent? What's wrong?" Asked her mother, Fia too was bewildered.
"No, it's nothing..." He said weakly.
Haruto saw him and narrowed his eyes. Then they proceed to finish the talk after convincing Fia once again.
After dinner Loa asked Haruto and Elsie to stay for a few days together with Fia, since they're going to depart soon. Haruto decided to accept after some coaxing from Loa and her children.
Before going to his room he visited Ent's room. He arrived at his door and knocked.
"Yees? Who is it?"
"It's Haruto, can i come in?"
"Eh? Y, yes you can! Please come in!"
"Then excuse me."
Haruto opened the door and entered the room, Ent was there sitting on his bed, seeming nervous.
"Sorry to intrude so suddenly but I wanted to talk to you."
"T, Talk to me? What is it?"
"...."
He was silent for a second while staring at the small fox boy's eyes deeply.
"You want to protect your family aren't you?"
"Huh?"
"You wanted to protect them while your older sister is away. No you even wanted to protect your family instead of her carrying the duty to do so. But you knew that you were weak and cannot be compared to your older sister."
"-!?"
"You're frustrated, you wished to be stronger, to be braver, to be there to protect your family with your own hands and yet reality betrays you isn't it right?"
"How did you..?"
"I know, of course i know about it because I too once the same as you." He said while smiling melancholic.
Yes, he understood this little boy's feeling. Haruto lost his parents and left alone with his older sister. His sister were sad and lonely and yet always keeping her smile in front of him but he couldn't do anything but being on her side as much as possible.
He was frustrated, he blamed himself for his inability, he strongly wished to be stronger in order to protect his sister and made her smiled cheerfully once again just like before.
That's why he knew how Ent's feels. The desire to be stronger and to be more capable for their family as the only man.
That's why he said,
"Do you want to be stronger? To be able to protect your family?"
"...."
Ent stared blankly, in his mind he was facing his own desire, what he wished for.
"...I want to be stronger." He sounded his thought.
"I want to get stronger and protect my family." His eyes now contained a fire from his burning desire.
"It's wrong for Onee-chan to be the one carrying the burden of our family. As the only man in the family I have to be the one that protected them. That's why I have to be stronger." The fire in his eyes grew stronger and brighter while sounding his frustration and hope.
And so expressing his most desire he shouted,
"I WANT TO BE STRONGER!"
He stared strongly at Haruto with eyes full of determination.
Haruto smiled, feeling satisfied with his resolve.
"Then I will help you fulfill your desire."
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット