54 Darkness

After meeting the kids on my way, I headed to a small hill in the vicinity.

It seemed that no matter where we went, there was always a hill with a towering tree offering wonderful shade, a cool breeze, and a picturesque view of our surroundings. Even though Hiiro himself might not have been aware of it, he had managed to rest in such a comfortable spot.

I wasn't complaining though, because we were currently very short on shelters.

They were planning on making me a housing first but of course, I had declined the shelter they were trying to build for me, knowing that if I agreed, they would spend the whole day making it as perfect as possible, and it wouldn't be temporary anymore.

I mean, you should've seen their faces when the talks for my shelter began. It seemed they were ready to fight a war or something. And Don't even get me started on the Blueprints for it. It was Mansion, No... Castle should be the right word.

Anyways, until they built some basic housing for the others, I was homeless, But I wasn't bothered in the least.

Well, it wasn't just me though.

The place, or rather the hill, I was headed to would be where we would spend the night.

As night fell and visibility gradually decreased, people wrapped up their work for the day and gathered around a massive bonfire in the center of the new area. They shared a meal brought by the Goblin Riders, enjoying it peacefully while engaging in small talk with one another.

Even after a hard day's work and the fatigue that came with it, their smiles never faded. It was evident how happy they were to be building a place where they could belong without discrimination or unease.

I was offered to join them, but once again, I declined.

I knew these folks would become tense and formal if I were seen there, and I didn't want to intrude upon their dinner, especially as I hadn't contributed much.

And Besides, I lacked a sense of smell or taste, so eating with them held no appeal to me.

Whether it was food from a five-star restaurant or pebbles from the side of the road, it all tasted the same to me in this form.

So, I just observed them for a while from a distance before heading back to my destination.

As the hill came into view, I noticed a wisp of smoke rising from it. Drawing nearer, I identified the source - a small fire flickering constantly in the wind.

In front of it sat a person, Hikari, her head cast down.

When she heard my approach, she immediately lifted her head and looked in my direction, her eyes cautious, her hands sliding down to where a jet-black dagger lay at her back. However, as I came into view, her demeanor relaxed for a moment before returning to its somber state.

Her once energetic and playful eyes now appeared hollow, filled with sorrow and regret. She kept her gaze down, seemingly unable to meet mine as she greeted me.

"...Welcome back, Lord Rimuru."

These were the same words she had spoken to me when I woke up after exhausting my magicules back in the village, but the emotions behind them were now completely different.

"Thanks, Hikari. Have you had dinner yet?"

After accepting her greeting, I inquired if she had eaten something.

However, her response was as expected, for this was just one of the many times she had given the same reply since Hiiro's collapse.

"..I don't have an appetite right now. I'll eat something later."

Her smile which attempted to reassure me seemed to have the opposite effect.

Once a confident woman who followed Hiiro's every word, she was now consumed by her own grief, regret, and her inability to help her own Master when he needed it.

She resembled her past self, the one who had once lost her parents and worn the same look of despair before Hiiro rescued her from her own darkness.

But now, her savior, her beloved Master, himself had fallen into a deep slumber.