Chapter 51

Overwhelmed by a surge of regret and helplessness, Barretta hung her head and let tears fall to the floor, sobbing. Yet, she was also aware of another part of herself that remained unusually calm.

Beside her, Ichiro, worried about her, gently stroked her back as she trembled and cried.

Suddenly, the thought crossed her mind that she could just cling to his chest and pour out all the pent-up weakness and selfishness she had been holding back. He would surely listen to everything and understand her wishes. If she cried and pleaded with him not to leave, he would stay by her side forever.

The rational part of her mind, however, scolded her for such foolish thoughts.

Was she really going to ask for more from him, the one who had saved her father, saved the village, and watched over her warmly every day? Was she content with just using his kindness to keep him by her side? Didn't she want to be someone he needed, rather than just someone he could give to and protect?

Even as she reprimanded herself for her selfish thoughts, Barretta couldn't shake off the sweet temptation. She was certain that if she cried to Ichiro now, he would choose to stay by her side above everything else.

This young man from Japan was incredibly kind. If someone clung to him and asked for help, he couldn't help but lend a hand, even if it meant he would suffer as a result. Despite being revered and thanked by those he helped, he never showed any signs of pride or arrogance. This tendency was even more pronounced with those who became close to him and showed him affection.

Especially with her.

"Kazura..."

Why not just let everything out to him, all her weakness and selfishness? If she did, she might even be able to make him hers in the future. Driven by this tempting thought, Barretta lifted her head. But the moment her eyes met Ichiro's worried gaze, she felt a sudden chill, as if cold water had been poured over her.

"Hmm?"

Ichiro's face, responding to her call with a smile, was heavily marked with fatigue. Dark circles under his eyes and a slightly gaunt face were visible, even though only three days had passed since they parted in Isteria.

There was no need to guess the reason. He must have been working tirelessly in Isteria to save the people of Arcadia.

Since Ichiro returned to the village, Barretta had seen him many times. They had even talked face-to-face at the village entrance.

Yet, she hadn't noticed his condition at all. Or rather, she hadn't even tried to notice.

Until now, Barretta had made a conscious effort to observe Ichiro closely, trying to understand his thoughts and emotions. She had also been attentive to his health, offering massages when he seemed tired and making sure he got enough rest when they studied late into the night. Whenever she offered to help, Ichiro would say he was fine, but Barretta wouldn't give in. She was always mindful of not burdening him too much, especially with tasks like field work and gathering firewood, which he would do tirelessly if left to his own devices.

Yet, she thought, what was she doing now? Her mind was filled only with her own concerns, and she hadn't considered Ichiro at all. Where had the desire to be someone he needed, which she had been struggling with just a few minutes ago, gone?

While she had been wallowing in her own problems, Ichiro had been working hard to save the people of Arcadia. Moreover, he had rushed back to the village as soon as he heard about the bandit attack.

The sweet temptation that had made her feel feverish turned into the worst feeling. She felt a strong aversion to herself, her mouth went dry, and her chest felt tight as if she couldn't breathe.

"A... I..."

"It's okay. Calm down."

Seeing Barretta's strange behavior, Ichiro tried to comfort her with a gentle voice and a soothing touch on her head. When he saw no change, he gently pulled her into his chest, repeating that everything was okay and continuing to stroke her head.

The next morning, Ichiro was having breakfast with Barin and his family, who had prepared the meal. However, the atmosphere was different from usual, with no conversation, only the sounds of chewing and the occasional clinking of wooden dishes.

The dining room was filled with an awkward tension.

(What is this, it's so awkward...)

While sipping a hot soup made with canned soybeans and vegetables from the village, Ichiro glanced at Barretta. She had the same depressed expression as the night before, eating slowly.

When Ichiro felt Barin's gaze, he saw that Barin was asking him what had happened with his eyes. Ichiro inwardly sighed, not knowing how to explain.

After that, Ichiro had stayed by Barretta's side until she calmed down, holding her to reassure her. Of course, he had no ulterior motives; it was just a spontaneous action to help her. However, after a while, Barretta suddenly said, "I'm sorry," without meeting his eyes, and went to her room.

In this awkward atmosphere, they finished breakfast. Barin then asked Barretta to clean up and took Ichiro outside the house, saying he needed to meet other villagers.

"Kazura, Barretta seems to be acting very strangely."

Barin had assumed that Ichiro would handle the situation after leaving them alone last night. He hadn't expected Barretta's behavior to worsen. When he heard Barretta crying through the door last night, he thought she would finally let out her pent-up feelings to Ichiro. But things had only gotten worse.

"I don't know what's going on either. Did anything unusual happen to Barretta while I was away?"

"Unusual... Yes, there was something..."

Barin recalled Barretta's behavior over the past few days.

"After you and Barretta parted in Isteria, she became very depressed. I thought she would cheer up when she saw you."

"Hmm..."

Ichiro was at a loss for words, but he responded. If Barretta had been depressed since they parted, it must have been very hard for her to be away from him. It was a strange feeling to learn this from her father.

"Also, when the bandits attacked the house, Barretta was pushed to the ground by one of them. Fortunately, we managed to stop the bandit before anything happened, but..."

"What!?"

Ichiro, who had been slightly relieved by Barin's earlier information, was shocked by this new revelation. Being pushed to the ground by a bandit could have been a traumatic experience.

This meant that when Ichiro tried to comfort Barretta by holding her last night, he might have triggered a painful memory. Instead of comforting her, he had inadvertently reopened a wound. This explained her behavior from last night to this morning.

"Barin..."

"Yes?"

"You should have told me this earlier. I couldn't do anything about it."

"Ah..."

Barin, who still didn't fully grasp the situation, sighed deeply.

An hour later, Ichiro explained the situation to a young village girl who was close to Barretta, asking her to take care of Barretta.

"Normally, I would do it myself, but I think it's better to ask a fellow woman. I know it's a lot to ask, but please help."

"It's fine, but..."

The young girl, though unsure, agreed to help after hearing Ichiro's story. Ichiro also handed her a blend of herbs he had prepared secretly and taught her how to make herbal tea, asking her to drink it with Barretta.

After securing the girl's help, Ichiro went to the village entrance where Isaac and Havel were camping.

"Kazura, good morning."

When Ichiro arrived at the village entrance, Isaac and Havel were already waiting for him. Both looked well-rested and in good spirits, unlike Ichiro, who had been unable to sleep well due to his concerns.

"Good morning. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine so far. We have scouts out regularly, and no one is approaching the village."

After the attack on Gricia, Isaac seemed to be very cautious about being followed. If nothing had been found by the experienced guards, the area was likely safe.

"Do you know when the reinforcements will arrive?"

"They should have left Isteria this morning and should arrive by tomorrow night. We will have scouts along the route to inform you a few hours before they arrive."

(That means I have about two days to prepare.)

Hearing Havel's response, Ichiro began to plan his actions. In two days, 3,000 burlap bags and a large number of carts and wagons would arrive. The original plan was to wait at the village entrance for one or two days while Ichiro arranged supplies in Japan. However, with the early departure from Isteria, the plan could be adjusted for more efficient use of time.

"Understood. I will start preparing so that everything is ready by the time the reinforcements arrive. I will be going to the Divine Land for a while, so I won't be reachable, but please wait for me without worrying."

"Understood. Thank you."

With a respectful bow from Isaac and Havel, Ichiro headed towards the mixed forest that connected to Japan.

"Wow, it feels like I haven't been back in a long time."

After passing through the stone-paved path, Ichiro returned to the Japanese house after seven days. The familiar surroundings gave him a sense of relief after the rapid changes in his environment over the past week.

Enjoying the scenery for a moment, Ichiro took out his mobile phone and turned it on, then searched the internet for the information he needed.

"Let's see, direct sales of compost... Oh, this one is close."

Searching for "direct sales of compost Gunma," he found several web pages. Among them, he checked the compost sales page of "Gunner Farm," which was relatively close to the house. The farm produced a large amount of compost and had a significant stock.

For a small-scale support like in Gricia, buying fertilizer from a home center would have been sufficient. However, this time, the scale was different. He needed to revive the vast farmland that stretched to the horizon, as he had seen on his walk to Isteria.

From his experience in Gricia, he knew that using the amount of fertilizer typically used in Japan would cause the crops to grow abnormally. To revive the crops, he could use much less fertilizer than in Gricia. He could start with one-tenth of the usual amount and, depending on the growth, even one-hundredth might be enough.

Even so, the scale of the fertilizer application would be much larger than in Gricia.

"Wow, 3,000 yen per ton, that's incredibly cheap. Is this the market price...?"

Surprised by the much lower direct sales price compared to what he had bought from home centers, Ichiro confirmed the address and was about to head to his car when he suddenly stopped. He looked at the tatami floor he was standing on.

"Will the floor really hold up this time?"

He intended to transport at least 500 kilograms of compost. He planned to use a wheelbarrow or a cart, but it would be a lot of work to pull it by himself. He considered buying a four-wheeled buggy or a small tractor to help with the task.

However, he just realized a more pressing issue. Before coming to the house, Ichiro's father, Shinji, had told him that the house was a very old building passed down through generations. Pulling a cart loaded with 500 kilograms of compost with a tractor or buggy could cause the floor to collapse or at least sink. He had already pulled a wheelbarrow over the tatami many times, and it might be reaching its limit.

Worried, Ichiro lifted the edge of the tatami. To his surprise, he saw a layer of iron plates covering the entire floor.