Chapter 16

"Stella, everything you just said is true, right?"

"It's true... I'm the kind of person who would be resented by Yu, not thanked..."

"Nina, protect Yu... No, take him to the city of Kama..."

Stella's words lacked strength. She was already in a state where she could reach her limit at any moment.

"Stella, please don't worry! I'll protect Yu. I'm his friend, so I'll do it even if you don't ask me to."

"Thank you... Nina... Yu... Living with you... was... the happiest... time... in my life..."

With that, Stella took her last breath. Her expression was very peaceful, but Nina couldn't hold back her tears.

"U... U... Stella... is... dead..."

Eight hours after Stella's passing, Yu returned. Seeing Nina crying in the room and Stella, who was motionless, he collapsed to his knees.

"I didn't make it... I still... have to make it..."

Yu, unable to believe Stella's death, tried to make her drink the potion he had created on his way back, but it just dripped from her mouth.

"Grandma... please drink... I beg you..."

There was no response from Stella.

"Damn..."

He cast Heal, pouring an amount of magic power that was impossible with a normal Heal, but it had no effect. Heal is a spell that heals physical damage, not one that resurrects the dead. Yu's MP was depleted, and he sat down.

"Yu... Stella... is... u... u..."

Yu realized that his heart was broken, as he couldn't cry even in such a situation. After a while, Nina calmed down, and they discussed what to do next.

"Sniff... Let's make a grave for Stella."

Nina, with red eyes, spoke to Yu, who was still sitting down.

"Stella said she was happy to be with you until the end."

"Is that so... Grandma said that... Was she suffering?"

"No, she smiled until the end and asked me to take care of you."

"I see. I can't leave Grandma like this forever, but I want to let her rest for one more day..."

"Okay."

"What should we do from now on?"

"Let's go to the city of Kama! There are many demi-humans there, and you can become an adventurer. Besides, Stella asked us to do it."

"That's right... There's no point in staying in this village without Grandma... Are you coming, Nina?"

"Of course. I'm your friend, remember?"

That night, they stayed up preparing for the journey. In the morning, they built a grave and said their goodbyes to Stella.

"Grandma, I'm going. I'll come back to visit your grave sometimes, so look forward to it."

"Stella, I'll take care of Yu. I'll make him an adventurer that anyone would be proud of!"

"...Are you saying that because I'm training you?"

"I'm older than Yu!"

While Nina, with a smug look, said something that made no sense, Yu thanked her in his heart. Without Nina, he would have been even more distraught, and he wouldn't have been able to recover so quickly.

As they started walking, the guild master and several villagers approached from the village.

"What are you two wearing and carrying? You're not planning to leave the village, are you?"

Although they had driven him out of the village, Yu thought, what are they saying now? Something seemed different, and Nina's expression was more serious than he had ever seen.

"Grandma is dead, so I have no reason to stay here. You guys wanted me to leave, so it's good, right?"

"Who said you could leave the village on your own! The village is short of adventurers right now. Thermat, whom we sent out for a survey yesterday, hasn't returned. You can leave if you want, Yu, but Nina, you have to stay."

Nina glared at the guild master without saying a word.

"Who is this 'grandma' you're talking about?"

Yu, who had gotten used to their harassment, couldn't hold back his anger when he thought they were deliberately saying such mean things, knowing that Grandma had been sick for a long time.

"It's Stella! Cut it out!!"

"Stella?"

The guild master's reaction was strange, as if...

"Yu! Let's go!"

Just as he thought she was finally speaking, Nina pulled his hand and led him away. Her expression was still serious, and she seemed eager to leave as soon as possible.

"W... Wait!"

Ignoring them, they left the village of Resel.

"Those guys are so selfish. Ungrateful brats! Still... Who is this Stella you're talking about?"

"That's the first time I've heard that name."

"Nina, it's fine now, let go of my hand."

"Yu, don't mind what they said."

"I got angry just now, but I can't keep worrying about such things."

"That's good to hear."

"Nina, if we're going to be adventurers, we'll aim for the highest rank."

"With our combined strength, it'll be easy, right? ♪"

"Where does that confidence come from!?"

About a year after coming to Resel from Earth, I left the village to become an adventurer.