An A-Ranked Adventurer's 'Slow-living'

Chapter 73: A Powerful Gaze

Since we found out that Flora has a talent for magic, we used a crystal that can check her attributes and learned that her talent was in wind magic.

I was wondering about what kind of reaction she was going to have, but she only made a very peaceful comment of “I’ll be able to dry my hair and the laundry faster with it!”.

For us adventurers and other normal magic users, wind magic would make us think of using blades of wind to defeat monsters or creating tornados to blow our enemies away. But for Flora who puts everyday life first, those kinds of things seem to come to her mind first.

Even if she could use magic, she would never use wind that way since she has a gentle heart.

After our talks about magic ended, Kurune wanted to ask us about how our love started.

Naturally, since she and Aisha looked fully ready to bully me, I used the excuse of having to process the venison that I brought home before to escape from the living room.

While I gave Flora who looked a bit reproachful an apologetic look, I headed to the storeroom where I had stored the deer in.

I cut up the venison into portions and wrapped them in leaves as I listened to the loud noises that came from the house.

Sometimes I heard things like “you’re so hopelessly pure-hearted”, or “Aldo’s a late bloomer in love”, but I pretended to not hear anything and simply focused on processing the meat.

Since I could still hear them chatting after I finished the processing of the venison, I decided to go work on our field instead of going back there.

We stopped in the middle of our fieldwork because Aisha and Kurune came here. I have to properly finish the work we were doing.

It’s definitely not because I don’t want to go back inside to be teased by Kurune and Aisha.

I plucked the weeds, got rid of the bugs, and checked the progress of each crop. By the time I realized it, the sun had started to set.

In less than an hour, the sky will probably be dyed in a madder red, and then it’ll be night time.

We’ll have to start preparing for dinner soon.

When I stood back up with the thought that I have to go back inside, Kurune and the others came out of the house.

Flora looked a bit tired as she walked out of the entranceway.

It’s probably because she had been answering questions without a break.

After Kurune saw me in the field, she walked towards me with a big grin on her face.

「I heard about what happened」

「…So what?」

「Nehehe, you’re both so pure」

Kurune said with a grin on her face after I responded to her with a snappy attitude.

The way she’s looking at me as if she knows everything is irritating. What’s there to grin about?

Since I learned that I’ll keep on getting attacked if I just take it as it is, I decided to fight back.

「What about you then? Do you have a boyfriend or a lover?」

「……Ahaha…」

I thought she would be agitated or frustrated, but she just let out an ambiguous laugh.

Because she’s always so energetic, that expression of hers got me suspicious.

「I never thought that you would ask me about something like that…」

When I wanted to ask her if something happened, Kurune stretched her arms out and muttered.

Well, that’s only natural considering how I was in the past. The old me would never even think about things like marriage at all.

「…I guess you never know what happens in life」

She said after she did a big stretch and exhaled deeply. A breeze that blew past us made her brown ponytail flicker in the air.

「…Well, yeah. But I gotta say, I don’t think the way I’m living right now is bad. If anything, I think this kind of lifestyle is the best 」

「…You’ve really changed, Aldo. A little while back you were like a silent and sharp sword still」

「Ahaha, I realize that myself as well so it’s embarrassing when I get told that」

It’s embarrassing when I compare myself now to how I was in the past. As I thought, if it’s someone who knew me from the past, they would probably see that difference and tell me how I have changed.

「But, the you right now isn’t bad at all. You became easier to talk to. And more importantly, you seem happy 」

「…Is that so?」

I was embarrassed by Kurune’s words so I distracted myself by looking away at Flora.

The reason I changed was probably because I came into contact with the villagers here.

The beautiful scenery of this village and the kindness of the people living here nurtured my heart. My values changed due to my involvement with everyone in this village and I was able to see things that I could not see before.

And within all the villagers, the one who changed me the most was Flora.

I’ve learned how every day is enjoyable after I met her. Going from getting up in the morning and having breakfast to cleaning the house, everything was fun.

Ever since we moved in together, that fun has multiplied many times. She added colors to my darkened world.

It’s thanks to her being next to me that made me think that I’m happy right now.

「What? What are you looking at Flora-san for? Are you trying to say that you’re happy right now because of her?」

Kurune made fun of me and poked my cheeks when she saw me looking at Flora.

「Be quiet, and stop poking me」

「Ahaha, I guessed it right! Your face is all red! Flora-san! He says that he’s happy right now because you’re here!」

「Hey you dummy! It’s true but stop that! It’s embarrassing! All our neighbours are going to hear that!」

I quickly covered Kurune’s mouth when she suddenly yelled out in a loud voice.

After looking around in a hurry, I saw all the villagers nearby looking over here with a smile on their faces.

Flora’s face completely turned bright red as she stood in the center of their gazes.

「…Mouu, Kurune-san. …That’s embarrassing」

「But you’re happy about that, aren’t you?」

「Y-yes, but don’t say that outloud! I’m going to die of embarrassment!」

Ahh, we’re going to be teased by the villagers again from tomorrow on. However, the happy time here makes it all okay.

I thought that as I looked at Flora and Aisha who were playing around with each other.

「Mmnn-?! Nmm-! I-I can’t breathe!」

While I was looking at Flora and Aisha with a smile, Kurune suddenly groaned.

She seems like she’s having trouble breathing since I had covered her nose and mouth with my hands.

I thought of leaving her like this for a while as a punishment for teasing us, but I let her go since it seems like she would be suffering if I covered them for any longer than this.

「*Puhaa!* Don’t cover my nose and mouth! How would I breathe like that?!」

「That’s payback for making fun of me」

I smiled in satisfaction as I watched Kurune catch her breath.

The sun was slowly dropping and the sky was starting to get dark.

「Speaking of which, Kurune, did you greet the village chief Ergys-san yet?」

Aisha took her to see us first, but is it okay to not pay a visit to Ergys-san since he’s the village chief?

「Oh yeah, I haven’t brought her there yet. Besides, I’m still not sure what she wants to do in this village yet」

Aisha said that to me after she and Flora came up to us. Perhaps she had overheard what I asked Kurune.

Flora’s face was still red from what was said earlier.

She did not look me in the eyes. Maybe it’s because my feelings had just been exposed by Kurune.

「What do you plan to do from here on, Kurune?」

「Maybe I’ll live here for the time being. If I can get the village chief’s permission, I was thinking about teaching magic to mainly kids who possess enough mana. Of course, I will teach any other children who want to learn as well」

Kurune told us her plan after she fixed her breathing.

Ohh I knew it, she did not give up on teaching magic after all.

Even in the middle of our quests back then, she often taught magic to children we came across.

I think rather than teaching those big shot nobles magic and knowledge at the academy, teaching normal children suited her more.

She probably realized it herself, and that’s why she came here, right? I feel like that’s the case.

「So like starting a school like the ones they have in towns?」

「Not on that big of a scale, but something like that, yeah」

「I would love to be taught magic by someone like you, Kurune. I think this will be good because the villagers’ lives would be enriched by this!」

「Thanks. It makes me happy to hear that from the village chief’s daughter」

Kurune responded shyly after Flora clapped her hands together and spoke happily to her.

In fact, things like pursuing knowledge and learning magic are rarely possible in small rural villages like this.

I think the villagers will be happy about it too.

「Okay, let’s go see the village chief then. It’ll be all dark if we don’t hurry」

「Yeah, let’s go」

「Ahh, should I come with as well?」

Kurune came here to visit me. So would it be better if I go with them to introduce her since I’m her companion?

「…No, I already know the situation so I can just let Ergys-san know. More importantly, you’re going to make dinner together with Flora」

Hm? I thought it was a bit strange how she naturally mixed in that part at the end.

「Of course we would want to have a taste of Flora’s cooking since you have fresh venison, right?」

Aisha said that with a proud expression as if she was stating the obvious while I was a bit confused.

In response, I made a dry smile, and Flora giggled slightly.

「Alright, we’re going to prepare dinner then」

「Ahh, I’m getting kind of hungry already」

「Then, go quickly and hurry back」

After those two heard what Flora said, they quickly started walking towards Ergys-san’s home.

I could hear their happy voices as they left.

「Hehehe, Kurune-san is an interesting person, isn’t she?」

「Yeah」

Kurune was always a lively and funny girl. She often gets into arguments and quarrels with Kiel who was the life of the party.

As I looked at those two’s backs while feeling somewhat nostalgic, I felt a soft feeling coming from my right arm.

When I turned to look, Flora was hugging my arm.

She looked up at me with a dissatisfied expression.

「But I was jealous because you two seem to get along with each other so well」

「Ah, sorry」

Kurune and I were companions of the past, but right now I’m a couple with Flora. She probably wouldn’t like to see me play around with a different girl in front of her.

But I’m a bit happy that she felt jealous over me.

I hugged her tightly after that and used my left hand to stroke her head for a little while. Then, she gave me a gentle smile before separating from me.

「Let’s go make dinner now since you’ve already spoiled me plenty enough. Those two are going to come back with rumbling stomachs」

「Yeah, okay」

I feel a bit reluctant to part, but we gotta stop here since we have to make dinner.

We started to walk back into our house while both of us seem to feel the same way.

「—?!」

At that moment, I felt a powerful gaze from behind.

A feeling that crawled up my spine. I looked back following my intuition that I’ve always followed my entire life.

However, there wasn’t anything there other than the same scenery as usual.

There was no presence of any villagers around.

…Was that my imagination? I felt like somebody was looking at me…Rather, I felt something looked at me with killing intent.

「…What’s wrong? 」

「No, it’s nothing. Let’s go back inside」

There shouldn’t be anyone in this village who could hide such a dangerous aura. I’m certain that there isn’t anyone in my detection range either.

With that thought in my mind, I went back into the house and started preparing for dinner.