101 Back to comfort
"Grandpa chief, you are right on time," Ryu said with a smirk on his face as only he and the Village chief knows,
Moving near Ryu, grandpa chief patted his back as he said,
"You can rest now Ryu,"
"You killed them? I heard the device," Ryu asked,
"Of course I did, I did not expect their secret base and this base will be nearby" Grandpa chief answered and Ryu used [Power napping] reflexively,
It had been 2 days since the incident, and the village was re-established. Grandpa chief was a bit surprised when he saw how many bandits were killed, but it was not like he didn't hear the battle from the other side of the communicator device,
The adventurers were presented to Rana, who punished them in front of the villagers. The punishment was death. This betrayal would really make people of the Waku village unbelieving of people, but they needed to learn a lesson of believing what they confirmed with their eyes.
"Ryu grandpa chief called you over," Lina said, pulling Ryu out of his thoughts
"I'll go after finishing the breakfast…. Where is Aiena?" Ryu asked. Lina made a troubled face as she said,
"She went to church early morning" she knew there was a bit of tension between Ryu and Aiena and she also knew that Ryu killed multiple humans. Although it caused her a bit of shock, Lina accepted it as she had killed a few humans back in her days as an adventurer.
'I should talk with Aiena….' Lina thought as she patted Ryu's head suddenly,
'How to face Aiena…. Even if she stays back, I don't want this awkward air around us to remain' Ryu sighed,
After he finished his breakfast Ryu wore his new adventurer's clothes even though his jacket was pierced through from behind Village chief got it mended right away, but the fabric color is different making a black sphere behind the blue jacket.
'It feels cooler this way…' Ryu thought as he moved toward Village chief house when a loud noise came from inside the room,
"Please, I beg you…. Let me live here. That Guild master is a monster, he makes me wake up at 5 am!!"
'Ahh, first relief of the day' Ryu grinned as he entered through the door,
"Yo frank, how are you doing today?" Ryu asked Frank, who was grabbing tightly on the Village chief's leg,
"You idiot!! If not for the bet with you, I wouldn't be stuck here!!" Frank shouted at Ryu with eyes filled with rage,
'Weren't you the one who made the bet!?' Ryu thought and laughed a bit as he said,
"It isn't my mistake you fell unconscious by a random imp's attack, do your best!!" Ryu gave him a thumbs up,
After the things were over, they made up the story that Frank was smacked on the head by an imp and he lost the bet. Frank was made into an assistant of Zerah's Adventurer's Guild Guild master's assistant,
"Please let me live here!! Please I would do anything…. Save me from that Guild master," Frank whined to the Village chief.
"I can't do anything Rana had given your responsibility to Guild master," the Village chief said with a slight hint of irritation on his face.
'Man seeing him like this is so relieving… I haven't felt the need for a smartphone camera in this life more than right now I want to record this so bad… and show it to him whenever we meet!!' Ryu thought and grinned,
"Frank!? What are you doing here again!? I'll make you eat beygan for dinner!" a sudden voice came from behind,
When Ryu turned backward, the guild master was standing there with a wide smile on his face.
"I am sorry he bothered you, Village chief. I will be taking him with me… and will feed him beygan as punishment. "
As he was pulled by the Guild master, Frank looked at the Village chief and Ryu with begging eyes, and both of them did what was best for the situation.
"All the best, Frank!!" both Ryu and Village chief said while giving Frank a thumbs up with a meh facial expression,
'These people don't want to help me a bit….' Frank's eyes felt betrayed as he was being pulled away, although no one cared as it had happened both the day before yesterday and yesterday.
'Man this is something one could enjoy every day!!' Ryu thought as he turned to the Village chief,
"Village chief mom told me you called me?"
"You know already, right Ryu?" The village chief smirked and Ryu nodded with a troubled look as he thought,
'Wonder if I will ever be able to figure chief grandpa whole'
"Why were they are after you Grandpa chief….? Or I should say Map changer Grandpa?" Grandpa chief's and Ryu's eyes looked into each other. Both were filled with bottomless trust but questions too,
"Ryu, if I said… an old friend of mine defected to the world's true enemy and wanted to kill me or make me join them and I killed him, would you believe me no questions asked?" The village chief asked, and Ryu thought for a bit.
'Do I need to ask anything…. Yes, he got people from the past over him, but so did we and he is more capable than me to deal with them. Me being too questioning wouldn't change anything…' and with a sigh Ryu said,
"Grandpa chief, I have a question but it is separate from this stuff"
"I will protect them," the Village chief answered before Ryu even asked and Ryu's mind went wild,
'How could he!!? This old man…. He never ceases to surprise!?'
"Ryu, why this surprised? it is only obvious that you'll ask me to protect your mom and Lana in your absence…. Do not worry, any hand that tries coming their way would be cut before it even touches their hair" this made Ryu feel relieved but also, he wanted to retort,
'That it isn't that obvious!! It is almost like you have spoilers of upcoming episodes….' But before he could Village chief asked a question.
"What is going on between you and Aiena? I thought you will confront Aiena sooner. Ryu I am disappointed…. Jue complained to me how you both won't even look each other in eyes," his voice was filled with concern.
'This brat still doesn't stop snitching!!' Ryu thought for a second, but he knew that Jue was just concerned.
"I don't know how to handle this situation Grandpa chief… Aiena when I was maddened, I saw fear in her eyes for me… I never want to see that fear on her face again, I decided if she didn't talk about leaving again, I'll leave with only Jue on the adventure,"
As he heard this Village chief looked at Ryu in pity, as he could relate with him, he too had seen those eyes of fear looking towards him.
'This kid….' He thought as he gestured for Ryu to come closer, as Ryu moved his face nearer the Village chief smacked right at his head.
"Why!?" Ryu stepped back and the Village chief said with a worry-filled voice,
"Hear me, Ryu, even I was afraid seeing what you did that day… the voice coming from the communication device was really terrifying when the bandits were begging to you, anyone would be scared especially when they never see someone die before and someone who never murdered human to kill this many in once go…. It is unreasonable to expect from Aiena that she will not be scared"
'shouldn't I be alone then….' Ryu thought for a second but the Village chief stood up and began patting his head as he spoke in a care-filled voice.
"But that doesn't mean I will stop considering you my grandchild or our affection will end… what happened back then is human nature anyone would be scared to see that much death in one go by their relative too, but the thing is even if you thought you can save Aiena from that by not taking her with you… you are very wrong, you see what happened right, even I could've been the one doing all those killing and still, Aiena would've been afraid… her silence isn't only due to the fear she experienced Ryu…." The village chief paused and Ryu curiously asked,
"Then….!?" And Village chief smirked and with a relief-filled face he spoke,
"You know when we were coming back from the Waku village and you slept due to exhaustion after power napping, Aiena was healing you on the way to Pleura even though you were healed and apologizing many times… the main reason she cannot look in your eyes with you is due to her guilt and self-doubt. And leaving her behind now would be very bad…. You should talk with her and I am sure both of you will reach a mutual understanding"
Ryu thought a lot with his finger on his chin and finally looking towards the Village chief he said,
"Thanks, chief grandpa. You are the best, I'll go right away" Village chief gave him a thumbs up and with a smile Ryu exited the village chief's house he wondered how he would confront Aiena in church,
'It isn't her mistake being startled…. She shouldn't bear the guilt,' Ryu thought and as soon as he steps outside the village chief's house he was surprised.
"Ryu…" there stood Aiena with teary eyes,
"Aiena…" Ryu said, not knowing what to say any further. Every idea he had thought of had flown out of his head in her presence, they both stared into each other's eyes when Ryu suddenly smiled,
'She is looking right in them' relief took over Ryu's body and mind as he asked Aiena casually,
"Aiena, how was your day at church?" and Aiena whose eyes were tearful burst out crying.
"I am sorry, Ryu, I am sorry…. I was scared, I didn't even realize you were hurt. Ryu is not bad for killing bad people, I should've healed faster yet…." Aiena kept sobbing, not being able to say more because her voice seemed hoarse and Ryu just hugged her.
"It is fine Aiena big sister if it was Jue who suddenly did what I did… I wouldn't be wary enough to stop him, but you actually stopped me from killing those adventurers too, there is nothing to forgive you for" Ryu said this in a calm voice patting the back of Aiena's head, who kept crying and apologizing in a small voice.
'Ahh, she still is the same' Ryu grinned as he remembers all those times when he patted Aiena's head as a kid,
"Aiena, if you keep crying, people will think I made you cry!!" Ryu said jokingly,
"Call me big sister…." Aiena requested, and Ryu thought.
'How troublesome, she is like a little kid'
"Aiena big sister calm down," Ryu said and Aiena nodded. Both were smiling as the tension from 2 days had finally left their bodies. Aiena thought
'I will remain with Ryu as big sister Lina said, for healing and for calming him when he needs it…. after all, I am his big sister!!' and smiled, still hugging Ryu.
