Chapter 84

"Um... I haven't properly thanked you yet, so..."

Momo entered the room, closed the shoji door with a soft thud, and said. Despite her unnatural way of speaking, I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"What... what is it..."

"No, it's just that I've felt it since we met; you seem to struggle with polite language and honorifics, just like me. So, feel free to speak however you like."

After hearing my suggestion, Momo pouted, took a deep breath, and then knelt down. She then slumped her legs and sat in a typical girl's posture, facing me.

"Okay, I'll do that."

"Alright."

"Um... really, thank you. I'm really grateful. Even though I acted so rudely..."

Momo straightened her back, took a deep breath, and then thanked me. I understand the reason for her strong hostility, as I heard it from Takeru.

"That's understandable. Besides, anyone would be wary of a suspicious old man like me."

"Ugh..."

"Is something wrong?"

"It sounded... no, never mind."

By the way, the term "suspicious old man" was a word that came out of her mouth when Takeru and Momo were whispering to each other. Well, a little sarcasm is fine.

"Hey, I heard from Takeru. That's why..."

"Yeah. It's only natural to do it for self-defense. I don't take it personally, really."

To the point where I wish you wouldn't call me a suspicious old man.

"Really... Anyway, thank you so much."

"Yeah. Well, it's good that the old man is safe."

"Uh-huh."

Saying that, Momo closed her mouth. A moment of silence passed, and Momo, looking a bit awkward, brushed her golden hair behind her ear. She opened her plump lips slightly, then closed them, repeating this a few times before speaking again.

"Actually, it's more about self-defense."

"Hmm?"

"Um... you know, after we left the shelter, we were living together, right? It was always a close call. I thought it was impossible to survive with just the two of us. So, when we met those three men, I suggested we join them."

Momo put her hands between her legs and continued, looking down at the tatami.

"They were the first survivors we met after escaping the shelter, so I didn't doubt them at all. So, how should I put it... Takeru ended up killing someone because of me..."

Saying that, Momo pressed her nails into the tatami and fell silent.

I see.

Of course, part of the reason she was so wary of me was to protect herself and Takeru.

But more than that, she felt responsible for making Takeru kill someone and was worried that she might make him do it again.

"Well, anyway. I can't express it well, but I don't think Takeru thinks badly of you because of that."

"...Okay."

"Besides, if you ask me, in a world like this, the experience of killing someone isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"Is that... really true?"

Momo bit her lip at my words.

I meant it as a comfort, but I don't think it's wrong.

If everyone you meet in this world is good, then that's one thing, but given the possibility of encountering someone with malicious intent, that experience will surely be useful someday.

Well, Takeru and Momo have already met such people.

Without that resolve and experience, they would just be eaten.

In that case, it's not so bad to get your hands a little dirty.

I can't say this to Takeru or Momo, but I even think it's good that it only went "that far" and that they gained that experience.

"...Well, that's just what I think."

"Hehe. What's that? But thanks. You... you were trying to comfort me, right, old man?"

At the end, Momo chuckled at my words, which seemed to be a way of avoiding responsibility.

By the way, did she just start to call me "old man"?

And even after correcting herself, calling me "uncle" still stings a bit.

"Ah, no, that's fine, but I don't like being called an old man. Can you use something else?"

Scratching my head, I said that, and Momo laughed again.

"Ahaha, got it, sorry. Um, then, what should I do..."

Momo said that, put her index finger to her lips, and looked up. Just as I thought she was frowning, her face brightened up, and I had a bad feeling.

"Then... Azami-kun!"

"Of course, that's what it comes to..."

"Eh? This is a sign of affection, you know? Besides, you said I could call you whatever I wanted! If you don't like it, I'll call you old man!"

With a playful look, Momo presented me with a painful choice. I sighed deeply and made up my mind.

"Alright, then that's fine..."

"Hehehe. You know, really, thank you for everything... Azami-kun!"

I watched Momo say this with a beaming smile, looking exasperated.