Chapter 89

When I heard the old man's words, my heart thumped loudly.

"I know very well that I told you to take your time, but..."

"Hah, hah..."

But I quickly regained my composure, chuckled, and laughed softly.

The old man, who had an incredibly apologetic look on his face, gave me a puzzled expression when he saw me.

"No, sorry. But I thought you were going to say something serious with such a solemn face. Oh, it's just that."

Hearing my words, which seemed to show that I didn't really care, the old man this time widened his eyes and showed a bewildered face.

"Actually, I was planning to leave today anyway."

"Is that so...?"

"Yes. I thought it would be strange to leave without saying goodbye to you, so I ended up waiting for you to return."

The old man wouldn't know, but I was slightly shaken by his words because they reminded me of what Oda-san had said to me. It seemed to have hurt me more than I thought, and I laughed to mock myself for being shaken.

I don't have any particular feelings about leaving this place.

"From the beginning, I intended to leave without saying goodbye to the two of you. It's not something to worry about."

"But I was the one who stopped you from leaving, even though I did that..."

"Ah, it's fine, it's fine. But, how about you tell me the reason you were about to say?"

After sorting out my thoughts a bit, I looked at the old man.

The old man, probably wondering if I was really not in a bad mood, opened his mouth with a suspicious gaze.

"Of course... It's a bit of a long story, though."

The story the old man began to tell was about this town during the early days of the pandemic.

As I had said when I first came here, this town managed to stop the spread of the infection early on.

This was partly due to the low population density, but it was also a matter of good luck.

Moreover, this town is surrounded by mountains.

While being surrounded by mountains does provide some safety, that's not the whole story.

The neighboring towns are also quite rural.

During the early days of the pandemic, many people fled from the densely populated urban areas.

Those people would likely choose to stay in a place that seemed relatively safe.

They wouldn't want to take the risk of finding a place that turned out to be even more dangerous.

One of those seemingly safe places was a desolate town on the way from the city to this town.

Even in those towns, which were not much different from this one, there were people who managed to build their own communities.

That's why, according to the old man, not many people came to this town immediately after the pandemic started.

After some time, a group came to this town.

However, they were not refugees fleeing from zombies but looters.

By that time, the townspeople had already dispersed and evacuated, but one of the groups in a building was brutally attacked.

The old man, who had been prepared for something like this since the early days of the pandemic, saw the townspeople make the same resolve after this incident.

The townspeople had already gathered all the food and supplies from the town and distributed them to their respective evacuation sites. When the looters, unaware of this, came to the town to search for supplies and tried to make contact, the townspeople took the opportunity to kill them.

There were many hunters in the town, and they had more weapons than other rural towns, which was a significant factor.

Of course, there were casualties among the townspeople, but by repeatedly reducing their numbers little by little, the looters eventually fled the town.

It's only natural that they would flee when they realized that every living person around them was out to kill them.

"Everyone in this town knew each other's faces, as it's a small town. It wasn't just about revenge. If they were going to keep taking from us, it would continue until we were dead. So, we had to end their lives."

Even without saying such things, I wouldn't have any ill feelings about the townspeople killing the looters, but the old man mentioned it anyway.

"I see."

"Since then, we decided as a town not to accept outsiders anymore."

Like the man I killed at the police station, someone seeking help might actually be a looter's accomplice. Even children and women can't be guaranteed to be innocent.

It's not surprising that the townspeople decided this after a terrible experience.

"...Then why did you stop me back then?"

"You should know, right? You brought your granddaughter. Both Momo and Takao were the ones who stopped you. I couldn't just say goodbye to you. I can see that they've grown attached to you in just a couple of days. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if you stayed forever... but the rest of the town doesn't feel the same."

The people who have taken refuge here are mainly those who have a close relationship with the old man, such as those who used to come to this dojo. Naturally, Takao and Momo have been doted on since they were young. They are grateful to me for saving the two of them, and they understand the old man's feelings, which is why they welcomed me without a word.

However, some of the townspeople who have taken refuge elsewhere have raised objections today.

"We protected you, and a few people agreed with us. But the town's decision was that you should leave."

"Of course, that's natural. If they decided not to accept outsiders, it makes sense."

I knew the old man didn't say this out of malice. I didn't sense any hostility, just like when Oda-san told me the same thing. He was saying it out of necessity, for the sake of the group, just like Oda-san.

"Don't look so down. Rather, if this trivial matter causes discord among the people of this town, that would be a bigger problem for me."

So, I tried to sound as cheerful as possible, and I continued speaking to the old man, who was frowning and biting his lip.

I thought it took a long time for you to return this morning, but it seems you were having such discussions. And, coincidentally, the answer to the question I had been wondering about during the day has also been revealed.