Chapter 483

"The animal rolling in the barn probably smells less than you. Just wash up. Following Luna's words, I entered the bathroom. I couldn't help but agree, as I hadn't bathed for a long time and had flipped over monster blood several times. The bathroom was filled with a huge tub of water, and the sound of burning firewood could be heard from outside. It was a strange feeling to see people who use surreal powers deliberately living primitively. Eren knew nothing about her village. So the One Moon Party must be the adults' affair in this village. If you think about it, it doesn't seem so strange to maintain this lifestyle. After becoming an adult and reaching a certain age, do you learn the secrets of the village? I'm just soaking in warm water. -Is the water okay? I couldn't help but be surprised at the rough voice coming from beyond the wall. Eren's father. It was Ronan's voice. "Ah... Yes. Thank you." What is this? It feels strange and weird, like a boyfriend visiting his girlfriend's house without his girlfriend. What is this feeling of being taken care of so well that I don't know where to put my body? And I'm not even in that kind of relationship with Eren? But... there's her father. Actually, I have the Flame of Tuesday, so it's okay not to light the fire... but I can do it alone if I want to... Will I get scolded if I say this? Let's just shut up for now. I washed off the bloodstains on my face and hair and took a proper rest for the first time in a few days. "Hoo..." I felt the tension that had been tightly wound up loosen as I realized that I had finally arrived in a safe place. I wandered through the mountains for a long time without even taking a proper rest. Eventually, I was able to reach Lysaia with the help of Eren's mother, whom I had never seen before. They were long and boring days, but they were very dangerous. I finally arrived in a safe place. In the hot water, I could only feel a strong sense of relief. Whatever happens, let's lie down on a proper bed and rest for a while. Now that I've achieved my first goal, let's think about the next one later. -Knock knock -Reinhardt. "Ah, um. Yes!" I answered reflexively, startled by the sound of knocking on the bathroom door. It was Ronan just now, and now it was Luna. -I left clothes in front of the door. Change into them. "Ah... Yes, thank you." What is this? At first, I was forcing myself to say "Mother, mother," but now that it's like this. This situation. It's so uncomfortable and awkward... After washing up, I changed into the clothes Eren's mother had prepared for me and went out to the living room. I could hear Luna doing something in the kitchen. Is she trying to cook for me? To me, Luna Artorius was a stronger person than Saviole Tanabo. It felt strange to be taken care of so well in such an ordinary home by someone like Luna who was cooking for a late guest. Eren's father, Ronan, was sitting across from me, staring at me, or more specifically, my clothes. Ronan was quite large in stature, even more so than me, and the clothes I was wearing were obviously not his. They were Eren's mother's clothes, and I realized that I was wearing Lagun Arthurius' clothes. Ronan asked if I had seen Eren since the gate incident, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Luna made a beef stew that tasted different from anything I had ever had before, and I wondered where the beef came from in this small village. The taste was not bad, just different, and I realized that they probably used herbs and wild plants instead of common spices. "So it's just a unique taste, not that it's bad. But Luna could tell that I hesitated and was clearly annoyed. She narrowed her eyes and looked out the window. 'Well, I guess it can't be helped that your taste buds are picky due to your environment. Sorry, but we can only prepare this kind of food.' This person. She's so full of herself for no reason! 'Oh, dear, what would a city boy like you know?' 'That's right.' Ronan gently patted Luna's shoulder, who was upset. Why do I have to see my friend's parents like this? Oh, right, I came here on my own? * * * After a series of twists and turns, I finished my meal and went upstairs. There were three rooms on the second floor. One was a storage room, and I could tell what the other two rooms were for. One was probably Lagun Artorius's room, and the other was Eren's room. 'This is Eren's room. Rest here.' '...Yes.' Luna handed me a blanket and I laid it on Eren's wooden bed. ...Eren's room had nothing special. Of course, it would have been empty since Eren went to the temple and after the gate incident. Naturally, there was no trace or scent of Eren left. But it was the room where Eren had spent his childhood and lived until he came to the temple. There were no fancy accessories or jewelry in the room. Of course, Eren's personality wouldn't have allowed it to be there. There was a desk, a wardrobe, a bed, and a few old wooden swords hanging on the wall. It was a room that was too plain, but it was like Eren's personality. It probably wasn't much different from when Eren actually lived here. There wasn't much in the dormitory room except for the essentials. And I was the same. Come to think of it, Eren and I had a lot in common. We both had no interest in decorating our rooms. We were both obsessed with training all day, as if we would be in trouble if we didn't. Except for that, we didn't have any personal hobbies. ...I feel strange for no reason. Because I couldn't feel any trace of Eren in Eren's room. I naturally started to think about what Eren was like. How would Eren react if he knew I came to find Lizaia for no reason? I became curious about that for no reason. Of course, I know very well that I can't do such a thing. I want to restore everything I lost to its original state. Even though I know it's almost impossible. So, for now, I have to stay alive. Even in the last fight, to avoid dying in a situation where I might have to fight Eren someday. I'm doing a ridiculous thing of coming to find the parents of the person I have to fight someday. I don't know what I can gain from being here. But for now, I succeeded in getting to Lizaia. * * * The next morning, when I opened the window, I could see the scenery of Lizaia at a glance with the morning sun." No, it was almost noon judging by the sun, not morning. It was a cozy scenery, so peaceful that it seemed like nothing would happen for hundreds of years. The villagers were going about their business, and the faces of children could be seen here and there. The number of households was not large, but the residents were living peacefully. Luna mentioned that the villagers were informed of the guest's arrival, so there would be no need for them to be surprised. The protagonist felt the accumulated fatigue, and the villagers approached him one by one, asking about his relationship with Eren. He realized that the people of Lizaia were not showing any signs of suspicion towards him, despite being a stranger. The protagonist knew that he did not have time to waste and that he came to Lizaia to receive guidance from Eren's parents. "But this is not the time to waste. Following Luna Artorius' instructions, I am exploring the village and meeting the people. However, people are still dying during this time. I left Edina's work to Charlotte, but I don't know if things are really going smoothly. There is no time to waste like this. In the peace of Lizaia, I felt restless thinking about the outside world without this peace. In the distance, I saw people coming down from the mountain slopes of the valley. Someone was carrying something on their shoulders, and in the front, I saw Ronan Artorius carrying a considerable-sized wild boar on his shoulders. Did they go hunting as a group? Somehow, this place seemed unrelated to the world's affairs. In the midst of the appearance of people leading ordinary lives, I felt a certain cruelty."