Chapter 3

"Ugh, even though spring is approaching, it’s still quite cold at night."

From the capital to the border town of Amurs, it was about a half-month’s walk. Fortunately, Reta was able to travel with a merchant’s carriage, thanks to the guild’s kindness, all the way to a town near Amurs. The merchant had asked to use Reta’s rare skill, Item Box, just this once, but Reta agreed, considering it a fair trade.

Currently, Reta had declined the merchant’s kind offer to stay overnight in the town and was camping by a river, about three days away from Amurs.

"But, being alone is so peaceful. Did I really like being alone this much?"

In front of the campfire, Reta prepared dinner while muttering to himself. He didn’t feel lonely. Rather, he felt a sense of freedom in being alone. Reflecting on the past, he remembered how, in the adventurer party, he was always busy with various tasks, and his relationship with his partner wasn’t going well. He hadn’t had a chance to relax like this in a long time.

"I might splurge a bit and grill the thick-cut meat I got from the merchant."

Item Box was a very convenient skill; raw meat wouldn’t spoil even when stored. The ability to keep it fresh was quite valuable, and the merchant, who had recently learned about Reta’s skill, had asked him to store a large number of live creatures.

Reta took out a skillet and placed it over the fire, pouring in a generous amount of olive oil. Once it was hot enough, he started grilling the meat, which he had seasoned with salt and pepper. The sizzling sound was mouth-watering. The aroma of the grilling meat tickled his nose and made his stomach growl. Desperately trying to suppress his eagerness to eat, he moved on to preparing other dishes.

He cut the bread he had bought in town into appropriate sizes and arranged it on a plate. Taking out a small pot, he boiled root vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces, in milk, seasoning them with salt and pepper. A bubbling sound was heard.

"Huh? That wasn’t me, was it?"

Instinctively, he reached for the knife at his waist and scanned the surroundings. Was someone nearby, or perhaps a hungry monster? Tension ran through Reta, who lacked confidence in combat.

"Is someone there? Please come out."

He called out, hoping it was a human. Then,

"......"

From a distant thicket, a girl appeared.

"A girl?"

She was a small, ten-year-old girl. The moonlight illuminated her pale skin and her long, dirty, wavy blonde hair. She looked like a forest fairy drawn by the smell of food, but she wasn’t.

"Why are you dressed like that in this cold weather?"

She was human. Despite her cute appearance, her face showed no emotion. Her clothes were barely more than rags, and her bare feet had traces of blood when he looked closely.

"Where are your parents? Did you get separated from them after being attacked by a monster?"

To avoid frightening the girl, Reta put away his knife and slowly approached her. As he got closer, she shrank back in fear but didn’t run away.

"Is there anyone else with you?"

After a moment, the girl weakly shook her head.

"I see. Are you hungry? The meat is almost ready. Would you like to join me for dinner?"

There was no response. However, her gaze was fixed on the campfire behind Reta.

"Come on, come over. It must be cold, right? I promise I won’t do anything bad. I was feeling a bit lonely, trying to eat alone. It would make me happy if you joined me."

Thinking he sounded like a kidnapper trying to lure a child, Reta tried to ease her wariness. Then,

—Gurgle.

A sign of hunger came from the girl’s stomach. She instinctively pressed her stomach and looked down at the ground.

"I also have some warm soup. Come on, come over."

Without getting too close to the girl, Reta extended his right hand. She hesitated, her gaze shifting between Reta and the ground, but she seemed to feel reassured by his smile and took a tentative step forward. She cautiously reached out and gently took his hand. Her cold, small, and thin hand felt like ice.

(For a child this small to be out in the cold like this is no ordinary matter.)

Reta didn’t say anything that might make her anxious and led her back to the campfire. He made her sit in front of the fire and draped his coat over her.

"......Thank you."

"—You’re welcome."

Feeling happy that the girl had spoken for the first time, Reta eagerly cut the cooked meat.

"Let’s eat, then."

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