Surprise After the Fight - Part 2

“Hmph! Very well…” a woman said to herself in the distance.

Apparently, she was the proprietor of an apothecary in the city, a lady who seemed to be nearing forty. She wore a long dress in muted colors, lacking any notable embellishments; her hair, tied back in a long ponytail, looked only modestly arranged; and her gaze reflected a deep melancholy and loneliness despite her apparent smile.

“Her name is Eira. I met her when you sent me to purchase supplies for the potions, and my friend… she is wonderful. A charming lady with a warm, maternal air. I am certain—I am in love.”

“I see…”

It did not take me long to understand that it was natural, given his condition as a reincarnated man. As someone who had died in his forties, it made sense that he would seek a partner who was older and possessed a different kind of charm than that of young girls.

But even if I understood that part, there was still a problem…

“But why ask me for help? Do you truly believe someone like me would have advice on how to court a woman?”

Not only did I dress in a reserved manner with a black robe, green sweater, simple trousers, and boots, but even my long, somewhat unkempt hair covered part of my face. During our journey, it was common for people to struggle to believe that I was part of the hero’s party, and that—combined with my rather asocial personality—was not exactly a favorable combination.

In short, within the brilliant and promising hero’s party, I was more of a shadow or a stain that accompanied them.

“Because you know my situation, and I know you will not judge me. Besides, did you not have a fiancée back when you were still a noble?”

“That was when I was a child! And it was an arranged marriage, in any case. I have no real experience in these matters.”

Garrik seemed not to have realized that until now, which discouraged him and made him curl up in a fetal position, dejected at having no idea how to approach the woman who had stolen his heart.

“In any case, do you truly have no experience at all? Not even in your previous life?” It was difficult to believe that the hero—that charming and extroverted young man—had never had any sort of romance, especially considering he had lived a previous life that ended in his forties.

“I died from overwork. Do you think someone like that would concern himself with having a girlfriend?”

“Fair point.”

People who are already obsessed with work tend to neglect themselves because of it; it is rather unlikely they would think about finding a partner if they do not even have time for themselves.

“Aaaah…”

After my sigh, I continued observing the woman. Even if I had no experience in such matters, I thought that at the very least I could try to help my friend.

“Hey, is it not strange that she is unloading everything by herself?”

The woman was unloading crates of supplies from a wooden cart. It was heavy work, so normally there would be more people helping to speed up the process, yet that was not the case now. She appeared to be completely alone.

“As far as I know, she runs the apothecary by herself. She does not have any other employees…” Garrik replied, still discouraged.

How strange. Even the smallest shops in the city have at least two or three people helping. The capital is an incredibly populated place, so one must always be prepared to attend to as many people as possible. There seemed to be something behind the whole matter, yet Garrik did not appear to know much either.

Returning to the issue at hand, and after thinking about it for a moment, the only way I could imagine for Garrik to approach her was simply by offering to help. And just as I was about to suggest it, a small mishap occurred.

“Kya!” the woman cried after stumbling and dropping the crate she was carrying, spilling its contents and scattering them across the street.

“Damn it. Garrik… Huh?”

When I tried to call out to him, he was already gone. I had witnessed his speed in battle countless times; I was accustomed to it, yet this time even I was surprised. By the time I finally spotted him, he was already extending his hand to the woman.

“Please, allow me to help you,” he said in a voice worthy of a prince.

“Y-yes, thank you very much… I apologize for the trouble.”

“Not at all. On the contrary, it pleases me to assist such a beautiful lady as yourself.”

The woman, whose somewhat pale skin gave her a somber air, now had her face dyed a vivid red, clearly affected by Garrik’s words.

“That guy…” I muttered to myself.

He had been so tense when he asked for my help that I thought it truly was something beyond his control, but that was not the case at all. All he needed was a push—and what better one than seeing the woman he loved in a bind? My intervention had not even been necessary; at any moment he would have leapt in to help her.

Yes, that is who he is, helping anyone in need, no matter how small the problem may be.

I no longer had anything to do, so I decided to leave the pair alone and head off. But suddenly, I began to feel a sharp chill. It was not due to the weather, which was actually pleasant, but to something else; it felt as though someone were glaring daggers at us, and I knew perfectly well who it was, for this was not the first time something like this had happened.

Whenever Garrik shared even the slightest closeness with a woman during our journey, Aurelia would glare at both him and whichever woman he happened to be with. Despite her adorable appearance and her title as a saint, she could be incredibly jealous.

To avoid trouble, I pretended not to notice her presence and slipped away. I highly doubt she would attempt to ruin Garrik’s moment—she reveres him far too much—but he will have to deal with her later nonetheless.

Best of luck, my friend!

In any case, since Aurelia would likely be keeping an eye on Garrik for quite a while, I assumed I would not have much to do. I preferred for everyone to be gathered before informing them about the nobles and the Demon Queen.

“Kara…”

That is right—today was the day we were supposed to meet at the same tavern where we first met. Of course, it was impossible now that we knew who we truly were and after having fought to the death, yet the memory still tormented me a little.

With nothing else to do, I decided to fulfill that promise at least for myself, even if it would not be with her, and I headed toward the place. The walk was not long; I had already shortened the distance considerably while wandering aimlessly, and eventually I arrived.

The atmosphere felt quite different now that the sun was still high in the sky, and even the interior looked more illuminated, allowing certain details and decorations to be noticed that I had not seen the first time I came. Fortunately, since taverns are not as frequented during the day as they are at night, the vast majority of seats were available, so I decided to take the same stool I had used the other evening.

Once I ordered my drink—the same wine as that night—I took my time drinking it. It was still rather sweet, but now with a touch of bitterness born from my mood.

The minutes passed as I continued to drink. The front door opened again and again as customers came and went; a part of me held onto a faint hope that, just like that time, Kara would sit beside me, but once I finished my drink, that hope finally faded away.

“I am a fool,” I muttered. It was obvious things would end this way.

With my spirits low, I paid for the wine and turned toward the exit. My mind began sorting through options on how to approach informing Aurelia and Tyra about the current situation—especially Tyra, who in moments like these tends to be incredibly distracted—and just as I was about to open the door, another customer beat me to it and opened it for me, leaving us face to face.

She wore a hood along with a cloak that covered her entire body, but thanks to the sunlight I could see her face clearly. A blonde girl with features difficult to discern, surely due to the illusion magic she used to conceal her demonic traits.

It was Kara.