Chapter 34

"……Shiro-niichan, this way."

Right now, we were heading towards Aina-chan's house. The group consisted of four people: Aina-chan leading the way, me, Karen-san, and Rolf-san.

We were in a district even further out from the outskirts of town. In this place, surrounded by fields, there were a few scattered houses.

"……"

I looked around. There wasn't a single beautiful house; rather, most of them were dilapidated. Moreover, the vegetables planted in the fields were all small. It was clear from the cracked fields and the withered leaves that they weren't growing well. Most of all, the outskirts of the town were filled with a heavy, gloomy atmosphere.

"Karen-san, this place…?"

I whispered softly into Karen-san's ear, who was walking beside me. She immediately understood what I was asking. With a pained expression, she began to speak.

"This is… a place where the poor and the sick live. Some of them were even abandoned from other villages to reduce the number of mouths to feed."

"Such… a thing…"

"As the mayor, it's a failure, but… Ninorichi is a poor town. Every year, there are people who can't survive the winter. Many of those who live here are such people."

According to Karen-san, this area on the outskirts of town naturally formed as a place where sick people, children without family, and the elderly gathered. Because there are many sick people, they are shunned and avoided by the town's residents. The fact that they build and live in these leaning houses on the outskirts is probably because they have nowhere else to go.

I can understand it, even if I can't accept it emotionally. If the illness is something contagious, approaching them would only be a risk.

"Aina-chan has been coming to the store from such a place…?"

Just as I murmured this,

"Here it is. This is Aina's house."

It seemed we had just arrived at Aina-chan's house. Her house, which was slightly tilted, felt very small for two people to live in. Next to the house was a field where a few vegetables, similar to eggplants, were growing.

"This is called Nashu."

Noticing my gaze, Aina-chan picked up a 'Nashu' and explained it to me.

"We make soup and eat it with mom."

"…Really? Aina-chan makes it?"

"Yeah. Shiro-niichan, do you want to eat it? I'll make it for you."

"No, it's okay."

"No, I have to make it for mom, so you should eat it too. The mayor and Rolf-niichan too."

Aina-chan said this and picked two Nashu. She held them in both hands and took a deep breath, once, twice.

"Breath in… breath out… breath in… breath out…"

Then she smiled,

"Mom, I'm home!"

Aina-chan opened the door energetically. Seeing her small back, my chest felt a sharp pain.

The first deep breath was to calm her sad feelings. The forced smile… was to reassure her mother. Aina-chan, you…

"Mom, today, we have guests!"

"…Oh, how unusual."

A different woman's voice could be heard, a very gentle one.

"I'll introduce you to mom. Shiro-niichan, come in, come in!"

Aina-chan, with a smile, beckoned me. Then—

I slapped my cheeks with both hands. Come on, get pumped up.

I'll make a smile that's as bright as Aina-chan's.

"Nice to meet you, Mom. I'm Shiro Nida, and Aina-chan helps me at the store."

I entered Aina-chan's house with a smile, as if I were making a cold call.

"Yes, you are…."

There, a woman lying on a bed was there.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Aina's mother, Stella."

The beautiful woman, who looked a lot like Aina-chan, gave me a warm, albeit weak, smile.