Mash returned to the city.
Even though he'd only been away for four days and was living in a hostel, he felt a sense of nostalgia and relief.
"It's good to be back," he sighed.
Fam shared the same sentiment.
Aidan and he parted ways at the guild. The villagers they'd rescued were temporarily placed under the protection of the guild.
After finding a room at Asuka Inn, he headed to the church to get his ribs healed.
"Can it be fixed?"
"You can be healed with a donation of twenty silver coins."
Myra smiled brightly.
"You're such a miser."
"God's miracles cost only twenty silver coins?"
Was it appropriate to call something a miracle when it could be bought with money? Of course, he paid the silver.
"But something seems strange," he muttered after the treatment.
"What's strange?"
Myra had asked about the quest, so he told her about it. He'd been surprised that there were survivors. Of course, it was better that some had lived, but he'd assumed everyone had been killed.
"Aren't all the survivors women?"
"Hmm? Now that you mention it, that's true. Is there a reason?"
Myra and Fam looked at each other, confused.
"My lord, they were kept alive by the goblins to bear children."
"Is that so?" Fam's reply seemed to reflect common knowledge in this world.
"The offspring of a monster and another creature is half monster, half beast. It becomes a powerful life form that retains strong monster traits. Goblins born from humans become particularly powerful goblins."
"Hmm? Goblins are born from humans?"
He was surprised by Myra's explanation.
"That's right. If two humans mate, the child will be of the same race as the mother. If the father is human and the mother is dog-eared, the child will be dog-eared. However, if they mate with a monster, the child becomes a monster."
If that was the case, it explained why Fam and Aidan had been so determined to investigate the village. They had operated under the assumption from the beginning that there would be survivors.
"So there was that whole backstory?"
"It's from our mythology."
Myra pointed her finger toward the ceiling.
According to myth, humans were the first race created by God in this world. As a result of humans mating with various creatures, different races were born, such as the dog-eared tribe and the cat-eared tribe.
"So, did people really have relations with dogs and cats—" "Ahem!" Myra cleared her throat loudly, drowning out his question.
"Among them, elves and dwarves are said to have been born through unions with the gods."
Dwarves reportedly had a lifespan of 200 years, and elves a thousand. The secret to their longevity was that they had divine blood.
Myra's story continued. Humans also mated with magical beasts and gave birth to demons. The gods punished them for their excessive lack of discipline and imposed restrictions. As a result, the races that exist today were fixed, and children began to be born primarily resembling their mothers.
"This is a legend preserved by the church. Elves, dwarves, and demons have different versions, but the conclusion is the same."
"Is that really the right way to end the story? Still, it was informative."
"If you enjoyed my storytelling, please make a donation."
This church was certainly hungry for money. He decided against making an offering for Myra's theatrical performance.
After the treatment, he went up to the church bell tower. It was just around dusk.
The view was open and the breeze pleasant.
There was no one else at the observation deck except them.
He could see the whole city. From this vantage point, Richelle looked smaller than expected. It was a world with far fewer people than his original one. He could see the palace in the center—home of the Lugull family who ruled the city. The huge buildings around the palace were government offices.
Another large building was the Arena. It resembled the Colosseum in Rome, but the spectator seats weren't even half as tall. The gladiator fights typically associated with arenas weren't held in this city because there weren't enough people to participate or watch.
The city had a river and road running north and south. Following the road north would lead to the Imperial Capital. The southern road branched repeatedly toward other cities, but neither the Imperial Capital nor any other cities could be seen from here.
Outside the town, farmland stretched out, eventually giving way to forest. Here and there, settlements were scattered throughout. Beyond the forest, plains and lakes could be seen, and beyond those were mountains.
He couldn't see any ocean.
He searched for the village from Aidan's quest, but couldn't spot it.
"Are you going to start gathering herbs again tomorrow?"
"What should I do? My level has increased, so maybe I should try exploring a dungeon. I want to gain more fighting experience. Once I'm confident, I'll head east to the town of Migurt."
On the eastern side of the city wall, he could see a shrine beyond the gate. Inside was the entrance to a dungeon. Mizuki's group, Wind Blade, was probably there.
"I'll come along."
"No, you don't have to join me. It'll be troublesome if you start crying or object when things get tough."
"Well, I won't cry and I'll follow orders next time."
"I was just kidding. I'm happy you're with me. You don't have to obey me, just do what you think is right."
Beyond the shrine, beyond the forest, on the distant horizon, he could see a hazy white mountain range.
"Is the village where you lived near those mountains?"
Fam shook her head.
"No, it's farther than those mountains."
"I see. The world is vast."
Beyond those mountains, Fam had once lived with her family.
"Where did you come from, my lord?"
"Don't tell anyone. Up there."
The sky above the city, already dyed red by the sunset, was beginning to darken, and stars were starting to appear. He pointed at one. Fam also looked up.
"How did you get here from there?"
Fam seemed to believe him. Was that really plausible in this world?
"Have you heard of people from the stars?"
"No, I thought that was just in stories."
He wondered what kind of person Fam thought her master was. He wished she would stop calling him "master." He'd like to hear what she really thought.
"That planet reference was more of a metaphor, or a figure of speech. To be precise, I was transported here from another world."
He didn't think there was any need to correct this misconception, but decided to anyway.
"Does that mean you're similar to the Holy Knight who defeated the Demon King one hundred years ago?"
He'd heard that Holy Knights had defeated the Demon King, but perhaps they were called that because they were led by such knights.
"I don't know anything about the Holy Knights, but I suppose we're similar in origin. I don't know much about this city, let alone this world."
"Both my master and I are strangers here. I would like to see the views from other cities like this someday."
Fam fell silent and gazed at the starry sky. He couldn't tell from her expression whether she was humoring his claim about being from another world or genuinely believed it.
"Master."
Time passed, and the sun sank further below the horizon as night approached. Fam turned to him. Her expression was serious.
"What is it?"
Fam was looking at him, her eyes glistening.
"I love you, Master. I want to be with you forever."
It was the first confession he'd ever received. He could sense her nervousness, and his heart began to pound. His hands started to sweat. He needed to respond. Fam's expression grew increasingly anxious as his silence continued.
"It's only been about ten days since we met. I'm quite a bit older than you, you know."
"I don't want you to joke right now."
She pouted.
"It doesn't matter how long we've known each other. I've been drawn to you since the beginning."
Now that he thought about it, she had been suggesting this tower visit even before Aidan's quest. She must have been planning to confess since then. Her ability to express feelings so directly was dazzling to him.
"What do you think of me, Master?"
She timidly reached out and grabbed the sleeves of his shirt.
She slowly closed her eyes, waiting for his answer.
He placed his lips on Fam's. They touched lightly before quickly separating. Her lips felt soft. The sensation enveloped his body with sweetness.
The feeling lingered even after they parted.
"I think you're cute, Fam. I like you too."
Fam's expression softened and she hugged him.
He put his arms around her back. She was warm. He wanted to hold her close like this forever.
He wanted to feel Fam's touch once more. He lifted her chin and moved her face toward his.
"Master..."
Their eyes met.
At that moment, he heard someone coming up the stairs.
They quickly separated, but the warmth from Fam that lingered in his body didn't fade.