Chapter 209: The Fairy Child and the Liberators’ Purpose

"Hiroyuki!"

The one who put her face out from on the cliff was a child.

She lightly jumped down from a cliff two people high and hugged my waist with amazing force.

"Hiroyuki! Good! You were alive! Really, really, uwaa!"

Then she started talking with amazing force and cried in a large voice.

I did not understand what happened and while pointing the sword at the woman’s neck I was taken aback.

Birga and the Dules and those who attacked us also froze looking this way.

The first to come to herself was the woman seeming their head leader whose throat I pointed the sword at.

She gripped the sword tip with her left hand and while glaring at me talked to the child hugging me.

"Lilli, do you know this guy?"

"I know. It’s Hiroyuki I talked about before. I talked about him saving me."

The child hugging me = Lilli talked to the woman in front.

That face I have seen.

Lilli, Lilli... ah!

"I’m really glad. I thought maybe you already died."

Lilli looking up at me.

"Lilli! You were alive!"

That’s right!

One of the three adventurers who escorted cursed me from Lübeck town to the ruins of Rade village.

When Rade village was destroyed the other two... Kuno and Thomas died but Lilli’s body was not found they say so I hoped she lived safely.

That Lilli was in front of my eyes so I unconsciously hugged her with my free left hand.

"It hurts... it hurts, Hiroyuki..."

Lilli said as if groaning.

I put a little too much power.

"A, sorry."

I released the power.

"Ku, hahahaha! I see. Lilli’s benefactor. Sorry. I won’t do anything anymore so won’t you lower the sword."

The woman laughed heartily then released her left hand gripping the sword and raised both hands up.

I hesitated a little but eventually sheathed the sword.

Because I have confidence I can draw the sword faster than this woman.

But I cannot expose the Dules to danger.

Because I have not told Muriel and the others they can lower their swords yet Muriel and the others still prepare weapons pointed at the men.

"Won’t you tell those girls too? For now they are my comrades."

"No... sorry but I cannot trust. Won’t you tell them to come this way."

It is easier to watch if gathered.

"It’s fine. Ane-san and the others are good people."

"For now."

Sorry to Lilli but I do not trust Lilli either.

I don’t know what will happen.

I suddenly becoming cautious might be because Lilli caused me to remember that time.

"...Un, that’s right. You cannot trust me either."

I startle at Lilli’s words.

I should not have put it into words.

"I ran away... I abandoned Hiroyuki, everyone and ran away... sorry... I’m really sorry... ukku... hikku..."

Large tears spilled from Lilli’s eyes.

Not crying leaving it to emotion like earlier but crying unable to endure.

"Lilli..."

"...Got it. Oi! You guys! Come this way!"

The woman put her hand on crying Lilli’s head and lightly patted then called the men.

All = 36 men gathered in front of me.

Muriel and the others seeing that approached my side still preparing their weapons.

"A, onee-san and the others were also safe!"

Lilli who saw Muriel and the others hugged Muriel, Sophia, Cathy, and Tiria.

"Etto, are there other Dule masters too?"

Lilli asked me looking at the outside Dules.

"No, all mine. More than that..."

From answering Lilli I stared at the bandits in front.

"Fu, we are..."

"Amazing! You made this many Dules well! There’s an elf and a dwarf too! Amazing, there’s a dark elf too!!"

Covering the woman’s voice Lilli made a fuss in a large voice.

Oi oi, cannot read the air even now?

"I am different!"

Anyway Birga denied in a large voice not losing to Lilli.

"Lilli..."

"A, sorry. I’ll be quiet."

Lilli glared at by the woman shrugged her neck and apologized.

But she continues chatting in a small voice.

Just earlier I thought she cried then suddenly made a fuss and now she chats with the Dules.

Are hobbits this kind of race or is Lilli special.

"Haa. A noisy one. Well because a hobbit it cannot be helped. But Lilli is our life benefactor. Further she helps like this. We are liberating Dules from those fleeing from the royal capital Torrestia."

"Liberating Dules?"

"Aa, those here all had families taken by Torrestia kingdom nobles."

When the woman said that most men hung their heads.

"Of course there are those who took back but after that they help like this."

Lies... do not seem.

"I heard your talk from Lilli. Because Lilli’s benefactor you are also our benefactor. And you treat Dules kindly they say. Dules also became Dules themselves. But..."

The woman cut the talk, sighed then looked behind me.

"I did not hear it was this many."

Then she looked at my face again.

"I am Nadja. For now I do the head. Though not my nature."

The woman laughed and held out her right hand.

She requests a handshake I suppose.

But I do not hold out my hand.

"...I see. That’s right. Those who attacked you suddenly changing attitude you beware... ka."

The woman = Nadja withdrew her hand then shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, yeah. I also have many to protect."

"I see, not treating Dules as things, ka. Got it. Then we will withdraw here..."

"Nee nee, our village is this way. Look, come, onee-san and the others. I’ll guide you! Nn~~!"

"Ch-please wait, Lilli-sama! Master..."

Lilli tried to pull Muriel’s hand.

Muriel turned a troubled-out expression toward me.

"Hahahaha, over there the talk seems settled."

"No, rather than settled it looks like she tries to take them forcibly."

The way Lilli reddening her face tries to pull Muriel and the others looks like an innocent child.

"...Fuu, just a little. We are also in a hurry."

"Grateful, also combining apology for this attack and thanks as Lilli’s benefactor I will entertain. This way is closer. I won’t take time."

Nadja gave instructions to one man behind and sent him ahead.

Then we decided to follow from behind Nadja and the others.

...

We advanced a small path in the forest.

Those guiding us are only Nadja and two others.

The rest remain at that place and clean the rocks dropped from the cliff they say.

While arriving at Nadja and the others’ village I talked with Nadja also combining information gathering.

"Law-abiding."

"Because it bothers those passing there. It becomes an obstacle to Torrestia kingdom trying to reconstruct."

Is reconstruction of Torrestia kingdom a good thing for Nadja and the others too.

"Then why attack? There are carriages loaded with relief supplies right?"

"We do not attack carriages from Lübeck town. That’s why you were defenseless right?"

I see, certainly in the previous village I did not hear such talk.

If they only target carriages from the royal capital Torrestia such information does not spread in the previous village.

In theory.

But...

"Even then rumors should flow right? Attack sites remain... aa, that’s it."

"That’s right. The reason we do cleanup is also there. And we record all carriages that passed here toward the royal capital and contact those owners. So we don’t attack by mistake on the return. Then we also have several sneak in the village."

...Quite cautious.

"Still you are also cautious. You behind us, behind that the carriage. Then behind that you place those who can fight. You seem to think those we left will attack from behind."

Nadja directed her gaze at me looking a little sullen.

Did I anger her.

Incidentally Lilli chats with the Dules behind the carriage.

"Well, yeah. Normally more easygoing but this times."

"That’s right. Cannot be helped. But that much the Dules’ mental hardship can be known."

"That’s true. You have to take better care of yourself."

The one who interrupted our talk was Cathy driving.

Nadja and the others stopped and turned toward us startled.

"Well I cause Muriel hardship... nn? What’s wrong?"

I called out to Nadja and the others frozen floating surprised expressions.

"A, aa. No... aa, you don’t get angry at that Ji-Dule?"

"Why... aa, that’s it."

A-Dule aside Ji-Dules do not put their mouth in the master’s talk they say.

Still more the earlier statement depending on interpretation can be taken as words degrading me.

Nadja points that out I suppose but...

"I don’t particularly mind but if that side minds I’ll apologize."

I’ve seen plenty of guys who hate Dules until now.

"...Ku, hahahaha, I see. I don’t mind. If I minded I wouldn’t do Dule liberation."

That’s obvious.

"Now, it came into view! Our village!"