Seras glanced outside of the cave.

[It seems that youre back.]

Coming from outside of the cave, Eve returns.

[Ive finished leashing the horses.]

[Good work.]

[Umu.]

Eve intensely shook her body.

The moisture began violently flying away from her fur.

[The place Ive tied them on should be able to withstand the rain and if something were to happen with them, we could immediately come running towards them from this place.]

I handed a dry cloth towards Eve.

[Im sorry, I made the interior wet too.]

[Its no problem.]

[After taking our meals, we would take turns in sleeping. Monroy is considerably far away from this place and we would need to get some rest. It would be quite troubling if we were exhausted from fatigue before we enter the Demon Zone.]

[Umu, youre right.]

[Pyuriii~]

Pigimaru jumped out of my robe.

Walking away from me, he started quivering nearby the wall.

It seems like hes on rest mode for a while.

As for our meal, we started cleaning up the ingredients that wouldnt last for a long time.

Eve skillfully made a fire.

I placed a small pot over the burning wood.

[If your clothes arent going to get dry before you go to bed, you should change your clothes. I would turn around.]

[I understand. Liz, should we go?]

[Y- Yes.]

Seras began pulling Lizs hand and moved into the back.

[In that case, I would start maintenance on the weapons and armors.]

Eve sat in front of me.

[..]

[Mhmm? What is it, Touka?]

[I didnt really notice it before because of the fur all over your body, but youre surprisingly more lightly dressed that I thought. Even your armor looks quite light.]

If a human were to wear something like that, you would think that kind of clothing would expose your body a lot.

I wonder if were-leopards just dont care much about exposure.

[Umu, Im wearing armor which focuses on the ease of my movement. One of the forte of the were-leopards is our agility. Isnt it better for us to take advantage of our strength?]

[I could certainly see that youre really agile. Of course, you should take advantage of it when in battle.]

For a few seconds, we went silent.

[It looks like you dont particularly want to hear about Liz or my past.]

[As long as the other party doesnt want to talk about it, I dont intend to force themselves to talk about it. After all, even I had some past that I dont want to speak of.]

Thats also the same case with Seras.

Before she became a Holy Knight, she used to be the princess in the country of the High Elves.

Why did that princess relocate to the Holy Kingdom of Neia, which was under human rule?

What happened in the country of the High Elves?

How is her life while shes in the Holy Kingdom of Neia?

If were going to talk about mysteries, that would be the first one I want to know of.

However, I wouldnt go ask her about it myself.

I also had a past that I havent told her.

She doesnt need to know everything about me.

Thats what I think.

The same goes for Eve and Liz.

[If you want to talk about it, then just say it. I dont really know that much about Seras past. However, thats fine with me.]

[I understand. Then, I wont dare to dig deeper into you and Seras past. After all, it would be better sometimes if theres a certain amount of distance from each other.]

Our journey together with Eve and Liz only goes as far as when we arrive at the home of the Witch of Taboos.

The two of them dont need to know about us that deeply.

Until I finished my revenge with that f*cking goddess, the two of them wouldnt know anything.

After we finished our conversation, Eve went to check out the horse.

Beside the small pot, I started cutting the ingredients.

Making hotpot is easy.

If you just cut up the ingredients and season them, they will all go into shape.

As for the magical leather bag I guess Ill use it if our food werent enough.

[L- Let me help you.]

Liz has already finished changing and is now standing next to me.

[Arent you tired? Dont overdo it, okay?]

[W- Would you please let me help you?]

[..]

When you have to make a face like that

[Then, will you peel off the skin of these?]

[Y- Yes.]

Liz looks happy.

She skillfully peels off the skin of the vegetables.

[Fumu, youre quite skillful.]

[I- Im thankful for your praise]

Embarrassed, Lizs shoulders shrunk.

It seems shes glad after being praised.

[I had been helping with cooking our meals before.]

[So, cooking is your strong point huh?]

[The people who come into our shop would be delighted after all. What the public knows though is that the Mistress was the one who made them]

Another sh*tty episode from that proprietress.

Geez

Feeling a bit irritated, I put my hand on my forehead.

[Fellows like them really like to show off to others]

[Touka-sama.]

[Hmm?]

[Umm I would be glad if you could leave the task of cooking to me sometimes Also, carrying our luggages]

Looking at Lizs hand, I could see that she stopped peeling.

Her body and voice were trembling.

It seems shes still a bit reluctant when asking for something.

[You dont really have to force yourself to find work you can do. Eve is working for your sake after all.]

[T- Thats not it.]

[It isnt?]

[I havent felt it back when I was in the White Coin However, now that its for Touka-sama and Seras-sama I really feel like I want to help.]

I lightly pat Liz on her back.

[I see. If that were the case, you should think positively.]

[Y- Yes]

A smile appeared on Lizs face.

[Thank you very much, Touka-sama]

After our meal, Eve and Liz fell asleep.

The both of them were sleeping soundly.

Perhaps, the fatigue came out after their nervousness disappeared.

When their nervousness disappeared, a sudden drowsiness came over them.

Or is it because the autonomic nervous system have been switched over?

I remembered hearing something like that back then.

Curbing the volume of her voice, Seras said.

[Both of them were sleeping really well.]

[They werent originally planning to flee from Monroy after all. Usually, they would have been asleep around this time.]

Putting out the fire, we sat side by side in a distance away from the two of them.

[Arent you also tired yourself, Touka-dono? Ill be keeping watch, so please take some rest.]

[Honestly, my eyes were wide awake and I cant get some sleep.]

Seras is sitting in a seiza.

She taps her lap and looks at me.

[Should I lend you my lap? Perhaps, you could take some rest if you sleep here?]

[Youre also tired yourself, right? In that case]

I shifted around my legs and is now sitting cross-legged.

Just like how Seras did earlier, I tapped my legs.

[Should I lend you mine instead?]

[I- Is that so? Well then]

Seras began crawling my way.

[.]

I was actually just kidding earlier

Seras places her head over my lap.

I look down towards her.

Seras face is directly below my face.

Her sky blue eyes were also looking up towards me

Observing me

[Umm, by no means]

She must have guessed somethings out of place based on my reaction

[Were you actually just kidding when you said that?]

Seras asked.

I nodded.

Before my eyes, a blush suddenly appeared on the High Elfs face.

As if shes trying to endure her bashfulness, Seras closes down her eyes.

[That was quite rude of me.]

[Well, its fine. Something like that isnt so bad sometimes.]

[T- Thank you for your consideration]

The redness on Seras face reached even up to her ears.

Placing my hand on my chin, I groaned.

[Hey, Seras.]

[What is it?]

[Ive been interested about it for a while but Can I touch your ears?]

With a little bit of nervousness showing on her face, Seras pinched her long ears with her slender fingertips.

[B- By all means if you like something like that.]

[Ive always wanted to touch an elfs ears once.]

[Is it your first time seeing one?]

[Yeah, its the first time.]

I timidly reach out my hand.

Im unexpectedly quite nervous.

Kunyyyuuu~

[Nhnnn H- How is it?]

[How should I say this, it feels kind of mysterious.]

It feels different to those specially made artificial ears.

These were real ears with blood flowing through them.

I pinched her ears a little bit.

Then, Seras body twisted.

[N- No Umm, thats kind of Touka-dono, that is]

[Ah, my bad.]

Her ears were quite delicate huh

After Seras got up from my lap, we started discussing our future plans.

[As I thought, Eves ability is quite terrific. I think she could still be relied upon even in the Demon Zone.]

[Thats also the case with you, Seras. However, there are also numerous situations where she could play an active role outside of just pure combat. Im quite grateful now that shes our travelling companion.]

[Umm, this might be an impolite question but]

Seras looked at Liz sleeping beside Eve.

[About Eve and Liz Does Touka-sama have any special thoughts with them?]

[Hmm? Why do you think so?]

[Putting aside how they could lead us to the Witch of Taboos, I feel like youre unusually quite soft in how you treat them For example, just like how you treat me.]

Shes quite sharp when it comes to things like this.

As I thought, she really is just like my Aunt.

[In short You think Im usually quite boorish?]

Placing her hand over her chest, Seras quickly denied my words.

[T- Thats a misunderstanding. It was by no means my intention]

[Im just kidding.]

[T- Touka-dono]

Seras shoulders drop from relief and some hints of embarrassment.

I turned toward Eve.

[Well, I guess the reasons the same with you.]

[Does she also resemble your Aunt?]

[In Eves case, it would be my Uncle.]

[Your Uncle, is it?]

[Yeah. Naturally, their genders were quite different and they also didnt have the same manner of speaking. However, the kindness within their hearts]

My uncle is a good person.

You could say that its because hes a good person that he took custody of me.

Even though his brother who he had already cut ties with, unilaterally pushed me towards him.

My uncle condemned his brother my father.

However, he never once blamed me.

My uncle who is a single-minded, good person.

My aunt who is intelligent and kind.

Its thanks to them that I could live like today.

Seras smile loosens.

[Your Uncle and Aunt must have been really important to you. Whenever you talk about them, you have that kind of face as if youre holding something special.]

Is my expression really that different?

I dont really know about it myself.

[If they werent there for me, my life would have been really awful. Im sure of that.]

I cant thank them enough.

My Uncles family may also be the only reason why I would want to return back to my original world.

At least, I want to thank them.

Id tell them Thank you for adopting me and raising me to the man that I am now.

Even just a few words were enough for me.

I just wanted to tell them so.

After that, I looked towards Liz.

[As for Liz She kind of resembles me.]

[That girl does?]

Seras Ashrain reminds me of my Aunt.

Eve Speed reminds me of my Uncle.

Lizbeth reminds me of myself.

In a sense, you could even call it a strange coincidence.

[It seems that the environment themselves placed those who resemble someone I know close to me.]

Even that proprietress reminds me of my real parents.

When I was young, I was oppressed by the poor environment around me.

Me and Liz were similar in that kind of sense.

However, there were some decisive differences between me and Liz.

That child continued to endure even if her life was oppressed by others.

Certainly, Ive also been enduring all of those days that passed.

However, killing intent has been budding within me at that time.

A killing intent directed to those who was oppressing me

If I dont kill them soon, they would kill me later.

You could say that I have been suffering from madness at that time.

No Perhaps, was it that madness is my only means to escape that life?

On the other hand, theres the kind-hearted Liz.

I cant feel any hatred from her towards the proprietress.

Perhaps, Liz might be the type that wishes to claim responsibility for herself.

Her weak self is the one to blame.

She must have thought something that way.

Our circumstances were quite similar, however it was also different.

My heart isnt as hard as stone.

If someone were to threaten me, I would eliminate them.

And as for those who cross my path, I would thoroughly trample them down.

Im that kind of person.

Touka Mimori is not someone who will save the world.

Im just someone who thinks for myself as I accomplish my own purpose.

To accomplish my revenge against them

For this reason

[I may be repeating it already, you could leave whenever you want to from this travel for my revenge. After all, this is all just for my own revenge.]

[You already know about this, I also had some things I want with the Goddess of Alion. I dont intend to leave.]

A bit of a mischievous smile appeared on Seras face.

[Besides, youve already appointed me as your adjutant, right?]

[In that case, I would be firmly relying on you.]

Seeing that I have played along with her, Seras smiles.

[Please leave it to me, Milord.]

[Lets see In return for accompanying me on this journey, I will do any one thing that you say. Of course it would only be if I can do it.]

[Eh?]

Speaking of which, what time is it now?

I took out my pocket watch and checked the time.

[Youve been going along with my selfishness after all, if I could do at least this much Well, it doesnt really have to be right now. You could take your time and think about it.]

[Understood.]

I put away my pocket watch.

[You should get some rest soon. I would stay awake until its time to switch with Eve.]

Seras started preparing to sleep.

I sat down beside her.

[Well then, Touka-dono. Im in your care.]

[Yeah.]

[..I would be seriously thinking about it, you know?]

[Hmm?]

[About what you said earlier. You said that youll listen to any one thing I say.]

[I know. I didnt say it as a joke.]

Seras hid her mouth behind a cloth.

[Yes.]

[Now then, are you finished preparing?]

[Yes.]

Seras whispered.

[Good night, Touka-dono.]

[Yeah.]

I held my hand over Seras face.

[<Sleep>] (T/N: Oyasumi.)