Chapter 18: The Stairs of Quiet Days ①
As I prepared to return to the mountains, I had a few lingering regrets. Among them, the fact that I hadn’t been able to spend much time with Ash, who had been busy dealing with matters related to the Sealed Domain, was truly disappointing. However, unless something unexpected happened, she likely wouldn’t be going far, so I decided to look forward to the next opportunity.
After parting ways with the Tezoro Brothers, I called out to Sensei and made my way back to the mountains. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, I found Sena waiting for me. The moment I saw her, something welled up inside me, and I couldn’t help but dash toward her. Admittedly, it was a bit embarrassing to say, but I was probably just tired. The series of events that had shaken my heart—battles and farewells—had undoubtedly taken a toll on my spirit. Even though I had lost consciousness and slept for several days, my fragile heart had yet to fully recover.
“Sena…”
She was small, and when I embraced her, she fit perfectly in my arms.
“Ichiro, you’ve worked hard.”
I felt her presence enveloping me.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Sena was right here.
“Let’s go home.”
She looked up at me with gentle, caring eyes.
I followed her lead as we climbed the mountain. Despite the fact that the Hidden Mountain was supposed to be teeming with monstrous creatures, we encountered not a single wolf, and soon we arrived at the small cabin that served as our home.
Sensei had stayed behind with Bordaf to assist Anon and the others, so it was uncertain when he would return. For now, we enjoyed a leisurely time together, just the two of us. Spending time with her had always felt peculiar; it was as if time flowed differently than when I was in the Town. It was a truly relaxed and laid-back existence, to the point where I lost all sense of time.
Relaxed and laid-back───
Sena never forced me to talk. She was always patient, waiting for me. I had no intention of hiding anything from her, though.
So, regarding the recent events, we spent time together, and before long, we began to chat casually. Even when silence fell between us, it was a moment for contemplation, a precious time for both of us. Some might think that sounds a bit dry, but it was anything but. In fact, the distance between us had grown closer than before.
That day, as I settled down on the floor to read, Sena slipped in from below, leaning her back against my chest and peeking out from between my face and the book.
The book was resting against the back of her head…
“Hey, I was just getting to the good part!”
“Don’t worry about it. Just keep reading.”
“There’s no way I can ignore this situation!”
At my words, Sena arched her back, and I caught a glimpse of her upside-down face.
“I’m doing what I want to do. So Ichiro, keep reading.”
Ah, why is she so cute…?
“No way! Forget that! Sena! Let’s go hunting!”
I pulled her along, leaving the cabin behind. After that, we hunted a ton of monsters.
The next day, I was busy cooking from early morning. While I was preparing, Sena returned home after finishing her usual dance routine. I sensed a restless energy coming from her.
“Ichiro, what’s that?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
It was just a fleeting moment when I diverted my gaze, but it was enough time for Sena. The four rice balls I had just made had vanished.
“What the…?”
“Are you a hamster or something?”
“Stop it!”
I poked her puffed cheeks.
Despite Sena’s repeated interruptions, I continued cooking. This meal was for the picnic we were about to have together.
Today, we were going to have a sort of picnic. Some might wonder what exactly a “sort of picnic” is…
Let me explain briefly. We would head a little way from the cabin to a grassy area, lie down as we pleased, and spend a lazy day. When we got hungry, we’d eat our lunch, and once we were full, we’d lie back down again, spending the day like complete slackers─── I called this a “sort of picnic.”
I could just imagine some wise old figure getting furious, saying, “I certainly said, ‘Return to nature!’ But I didn’t mean to go that far!”
We spent a peaceful time together. Lying side by side, we gazed at the sky. I shared stories about the Sealed Labyrinth and my relationships with the others, rambling on without much coherence. Sena occasionally nodded along and asked me questions from time to time. Before long, we spread out our lunch and enjoyed it together. Eventually, our bellies full, we lay back down again. The wind rustled gently, and clouds drifted by. From somewhere, I could hear the roar of a beast. Even the sound of leaves rustling from distant trees reached us.
I could hear Sena’s soft breathing, a gentle “skaa… pii…”
Despite being in the mountains, the wind wasn’t strong, and it wasn’t too chilly; it was the perfect environment for a nap. I took out two blankets from my Magic Bag, draped one over Sena, and covered myself with the other before drifting off to sleep.
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I’ll take a moment to promote something.
If you’re reading this, feel free to skip ahead…
First, I’d like to mention that a story featuring Pulmy vs. Klein has been released in the latest updates, so please check it out if you’re interested…
In the most recent update, I’ve shared various information regarding the comic adaptation, so I’d appreciate it if you could take a look!
Also, on November 19th, the first and second volumes of the comic adaptation will be released simultaneously!
Additionally, the latest chapter of the comic adaptation is being updated on the Manga BANG app or the Manga BANG website!
Chapter 12 (2) will be updated next Wednesday!
Thank you for your support.