Chapter 22
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My life with Sena is modest, but far from boring.
On sunny days, we spend the entire day training together. When food supplies run low, we go hunting or gather mountain vegetables and other blessings from the forest (which I leave entirely up to Sena). Somehow, I never find myself with idle time.
That’s not to say we’re busy day in and day out, though.
When I suggest taking a day off, Sena usually agrees. Some days we indulge in sleeping in together, while other times we spend the whole day reading books (left behind by Sena’s so-called Sensei).
When it rains and we’re forced to stay cooped up in the cabin, we engage in long conversations in addition to reading.
And so, time that I could call peaceful passes by.
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Training progresses without a hitch as well.
According to Sena, 「Ichiro has quite the talent.」
As I train exactly as she instructs, I start to sense the presence of some power within myself, distinct from mana.
My current goal is to freely manipulate this power inside my body.
「Don’t worry. There’s no need to rush.」
「I’m not rushing. We have all the time in the world.」
「You should be in more of a hurry.」
Which is it?!
In any case, training with her is going rather smoothly.
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There’s something I want to mention about her – Sena.
As it turns out, she doesn’t require food at all.
Apparently, she absorbs energy that exists in nature from the atmosphere.
So while I’m the only one who needs to eat – it doesn’t end up that way.
Just because Sena doesn’t need to eat doesn’t mean she doesn’t eat.
Right now, in front of Sena and me, there’s an assortment of lightly cooked mountain vegetables we picked together and meat from our hunt.
「It’s delicious.」
「Glad to hear it.」
Preparing meals has become part of my daily routine.
I use the seasonings and cooking utensils stored in my magic bag.
Of course, I don’t know how to do things like drain blood from meat, so I mostly leave that to Sena. But I don’t want to just rely on her – I want to gradually learn from her and become able to do it myself.
「Sena, you’re fine without eating, right?」
「That’s right.」
「Then, isn’t this a bit too much…」
The plate, piled high with grilled meat, is already empty.
I thought it would be more than enough for two people, but…
「I barely ate any of it…」
「You and I each ate exactly half.」
「That lie is too obvious when there’s only two of us.」
Sena is so slender she looks like she might break if touched, with skin so pale it seems it would vanish like snow upon contact.
So she gives off the impression of a sickly maiden who might say something like 「I’m already full」 after taking a single spoonful of soup.
But in reality, she’s a hearty eater who loves food.
「I don’t tell lies.」
She radiates a divine light (physical) while saying 「I don’t tell lies」 (a huge lie).
「That’s why I’m still hungry. I desire something sweet, Ichiro.」
Surprisingly, she requests even more food.
However, this isn’t the first time Sena has eaten a ton. When I baked cookies for dessert after a meal before, her eyes sparkled with delight.
Since then, I make it a point to prepare some kind of dessert for her after meals.
「Sure thing, the pie will be ready soon.」
I’m currently baking a nut jam pie in a small, portable assembled oven.
The filling is jam made by simmering nuts Sena and I gathered a while ago with a large amount of sugar.
「If we had apples, I could make an apple pie.」
Apple pie is a dessert I’ve made many times since coming to this world. You could say it’s one of my specialties at this point.
「Apple pie…」
Sena audibly swallows.
「Just adding rum and cinnamon is enough to get it pretty close to something you could sell.」
「Ichiro, I desire apple pie.」
「If we find a similar fruit, I’ll make it for you. We still have some ingredients left.」
「It’s a promise.」
She holds out her pinky finger.
「Yeah, it’s a promise.」
I link my pinky with Sena’s.
The scene reminds me of a promise I once made.
…I recall the promise I made with her, and my chest tightens painfully.
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That night, I have a dream.
Perhaps because we talked about apple pie.
Back when I lived with Mika, she said she loved apple pie, so I kept a portable assembled oven in my magic bag so she could eat it anytime.
When I had less experience with combat and dungeon exploration, even after clearing the Mirror Dungeon, I assumed I would continue journeying to dungeons with Mika, entrusting our backs to each other.
But that didn’t happen. As soon as she cleared the Mirror Dungeon, she declared she would become Ryūgūin’s exclusive Saint.
And Angie, who newly joined us, also went to Ryūgūin’s side. Once again, I was alone – that’s what I dreamed of afterwards.
Since Mika and Angie started working with Ryūgūin while I began acting solo, I rarely had the chance to see them face-to-face in daily life.
If anything, I hardly got to exchange words with them even during dungeon explorations.
But it’s not like we became enemies. I mean, aren’t we comrades who explore dungeons together in the first place? So in order to fulfill the promise I made before, I brought Mika’s favorite apple pie as a gift-
No, I can’t go on.
The scene becomes more vivid.
I bring the pie to the inn.
Ryūgūin and Mika are in front of me.
『I don’t really like sweet things.』
I didn’t bring it for you!
『Indeed, O Hero. To tell the truth, I’m not fond of sweets either.』
Lies! Because-
『Well, I might as well have a slice since you brought it.』
Ryūgūin casually takes a bite, then spits it out.
『It’s too sweet. You could say it’s cloying. In the first place, I don’t like apples. I prefer pears – they’re juicier. And I hate cinnamon too. What’s so great about it? You know, cinnamon smells like wood, right? It’s laughable that people revere it so much. Seriously, this is inedible. I feel like I’ll get some weird disease. Yamada, you better take responsibility if I get sick.』
『You fool!! What did you serve to the Hero?!!』
Mika raises her voice, her face flushed red.
I’ve never seen her like this.
───That’s not it, I-!
『Take it back!!』
She slaps my hand with a smack.
The dish clatters.
The apple pie splatters on the floor.
I had no ill intentions whatsoever.
As I clean the floor, my vision blurs.
『I see. My bad.』
That’s all I can manage to say.
Everything feels wretched. At the very least, though…
I turn my back to them so they absolutely can’t see my expression as I leave the room.
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「Ichiro, are you okay?」
I didn’t want to remember. That’s why I tried not to think about it.
In casual moments of daily life, I’m reminded of them.
It’s like a fit.
「There, there, don’t cry Ichiro.」
How long will it take for these feelings to vanish?
「Don’t cry, don’t cry.」
I feel the warmth of Sena’s body as she embraces me.
I can’t suppress my sobs at all until I fall asleep again.
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