Chapter 8

The boy and girl, apparently named Kuri and Miruchi, continued their lively conversation as they walked. Their interactions, which somehow managed to hide and reveal their affection, evoked a sense of nostalgia. Dill, watching them swing from bad moods to good ones and get excited or dejected by every move of the other, thought to himself, "That's youth for you."

"Hey, can you slow down a bit...?"

Their brisk pace was a bit too fast for the old man. Dill had been trying to keep up without using his Insight skill, but he had already used it a few times to barely maintain a position three steps behind them.

"...Old man, we're already walking pretty slowly. If we go any slower, we won't be able to hunt any goblins before nightfall."

"That's right, adventurers need to be in good physical shape. If you can't even keep walking, it'll be hard to make it."

They slowed down a bit more, glancing back at him with a look of resignation, and Dill felt a bit guilty. He used his Insight skill to the fullest, moving forward while occasionally practicing the walking technique he had learned. Once the effect of Insight wore off, the two were already out of sight. Looking back, he could see Kuri and Miruchi with puzzled expressions.

"Sorry, I'll just go all out until I can't anymore. I'll take breaks, though."

"...What, you can do it when you try, huh?"

"Hey, what was that just now? You were ridiculously fast, weren't you?"

Dill, determined to move forward while the effect of Insight lasted, kept moving forward with the two behind him.

"Hey... That old man is fast!?"

"That's extreme, isn't it? His brain only knows two speeds: too fast or too slow!"

"Alright, Miruchi, let's catch up!"

"Ah, wait a minute! I'm not good at running!"

Dill, hearing their voices as background noise, focused on putting as much distance between them. He didn't realize that his determination not to be a burden was actually causing more trouble.

"Ha... ha... Old man, are you some kind of monster? This isn't the stamina of a white-haired old man..."

"Ah... I can't go any further. Let me rest a bit."

"Actually, I'm impressed. I thought starting as an adventurer at your age was a joke, but it seems you're not."

Dill and Kuri, both panting, stopped under a tree and wiped their sweat. Dill, who had used his Insight skill so many times that he had forgotten the count, was already exhausted before the battle even began.

(I, I went overboard... for my age...)

If he couldn't fight because he had pushed himself too hard, it would be pointless. He had been so focused on running that he hadn't been vigilant enough. While he could probably have handled it with his Insight skill, it was clearly a mistake to be so engrossed in running.

I need to be more careful in the future. Dill, taking deep breaths to remind himself, noticed that Kuri's gaze had changed slightly.

(...Well, if I think of it as interacting with my party members, it might not be so bad.)

He had shown that he wasn't completely useless. Dill turned around to look for Kuri, who had been left far behind due to his all-out effort.

"Old man, what's your name?"

"My name is Dill."

"Got it, then I'll call you Dill old man. I'm Kuri, call me whatever you like."

Dill felt a bit happy that Kuri had introduced himself. Having a companion who was as much as a grandson younger than him was a new experience, but it didn't seem so bad.

(Well, it's true that men are always kids, no matter how old they get.)

"Hey, a little more consideration, please... Are you guys stupid? How are you going to fight if you use up all your energy...? That's men for you... Well, one of them is an old man, but still!"

A slightly drawn-out voice gradually grew louder from a distance. Kuri laughed as Miruchi finally caught up, and he patted Dill's shoulder.

"Women just don't understand the romance of men, do they? Dill old man, you agree, right?"

"No, I think Miruchi is completely right."

"Why! This is the part where you should say, 'That's not it...' and punch a clenched fist!"

Dill, while walking on the well-maintained road, managed to become a bit closer to Kuri. "Now I can fight without any worries, ho ho ho..." he thought, stroking his beard, but then Miruchi came and hit him on the head.

All Dill could do was sincerely apologize.