Chapter 167: Reuniting with Rifreya and Support Funds (1/2)

“He~re, Hikaru, this is tasty too. Aaa~hn.” (Rifreya)

“Kuro, Kuro, this is quite the delicacy too. I will share some with you. He~re, he~re.” (Jeanne)

I arrived at the dining table and I was being fed by the two girls.

It has been 1 week since Rifreya has begun living with us. By the time I noticed, the two have been trying to feed me on the regular.

But for me who lived together with my two self-indulgent little sisters in their infancy, this is an everyday thing for me.

At these kinds of times, it is the ironclad rule to just obediently let them feed me.

Clear your mind.

“Yup, tasty.” (Hikaru)

“Yay. That’s the one I bought.” (Rifreya)

“The one I bought should be tasty too. A French gourmet doesn’t lie.” (Jeanne)

“Yeah, tasty.” (Hikaru)

Nothing.

Turn into nothing.

I must not think about the fact that this embarrassing situation is being watched by millions of people.

I am done for if I end up getting conscious of it.

Even so, I can’t escape. There’s no place to escape.

Also, they are doing this out of good will.

…No, it is more likely that they are finding this amusing… At any rate, there’s no ill-intent. That alone is certain.

That’s why I will obediently become their receptacle. That’s my code of conduct.

◇◆◆◆◇

The next day after the duel ruckus with Rifreya and Jeanne.

Rifreya and her mother had come together early in the morning.

Maybe they entrusted it to the inn, or it was the same as the time when she went back a few days ago, they had a whole lot of luggage on them.

“Well then, Hikaru-san, I leave my daughter in your care. Rifreya too, devote yourself well to him.”

“Yes! I swear on the name of the Ashbird household!” (Rifreya)

“Good answer. Our family has Flora, so just think as if you don’t have a family anymore.”

“I understand. You be well too, Mother.” (Rifreya)

“No no no, wait a moment there.” (Hikaru)

The mother and daughter were beginning a lifetime farewell all of a sudden. I feel like the matter would just advance as it is if I were to leave it be. I have regained my calm to a certain degree after thinking about it for a whole night, but I still don’t understand it too well.

“Uhm, we are going to be keeping Rifreya in the house as a party member, okay? There will be breaks, and she is free to go back home.” (Hikaru)

“No, Hikaru-san. Conquering a dungeon is a grueling task that can’t be achieved with half-baked resolve. If you think you have a place to return to, it would instead put you in danger. I have challenged Meltia in my younger days, and the 4th Floor and lower are truly accursed lands… Rifreya requires resolve that has no retreats. If she is going to be a frontline warrior entrusted with the lives of her comrades, even more so.”

“I…I see…” (Hikaru)

It is true that I do feel it is a grueling task though… She does have a point.

There’s times when your strength of mind is the deciding factor in a close battle by a paper-thin difference.

Even so, the mother of Rifreya was an explorer too, huh. I heard their household brought up templars for generations, but there might unexpectedly be more variety.

“I have thoroughly told her not to be a bother to you, Hikaru-san, so please do leave her by your side.”

“There’s no way she would be a bother… Understood.” (Hikaru)

It is not my desire to begin some strange interrogation.

Whichever the case, now that it has come this far, there’s no option of not having Rifreya in my party again.

I do have complicated feelings about it, but…I will swallow them for now. At the very least, all of her problems have been resolved, and after she considered all that, she decided on this.

Also, it is in part also because Jeanne was the one who invited Rifreya, and I promised to conquer the dungeon with Jeanne, so I have no right to refuse.

“Now then, I will be returning. Flora is still recovering after all.”

“Yes. Please tell Flora to stay well too. That her older sister is not going to return until she conquers Meltia.” (Rifreya)

“Make sure you accomplish it, okay?”

In the end, it really did end up like a farewell of a lifetime, and Rifreya’s mother disappeared into the crowd.

She was one tremendous person…

“Once again, I will be under your care, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

“Y-Yeah.” (Hikaru)

“…Hikaru…you have been making a weird face all the time since yesterday… Are you not happy? Was it a bother…that I returned?” (Rifreya)

Rifreya says this with an upward glance as if not too confident about it.

Looks like my complicated emotions showed.

She must actually be uneasy about this. She is somewhat forceful, so it may be easy to misunderstand, but even if she shines like light, it is not like she doesn’t have shadows.

“Sorry, it wasn’t my intention to make you feel like that. It is just that…honestly speaking…it is mostly because of the surprise. I really thought I wouldn’t be meeting you again after all.” (Hikaru)

“Eh…isn’t that cruel? I did tell you that I would be coming back, right?” (Rifreya)

“Yeah, but I thought that becoming a templar meant working there. I thought you were just being considerate of me when you said that. Even if that wasn’t the case, there was also your little sister.” (Hikaru)

“Hm…well…that’s true. I did think that it would be hard to return to you once I got back to my home after all.” (Rifreya)

“Right? But…that’s why…I am happy.” (Hikaru)

I was surprised, but it is true that I am also happy about it.

Even though I don’t want her to be seen, I personally wanted her to stay by my side.

I am attracted to her.

It is not an emotion that would disappear just from being apart from her for a bit.

“Me too… I am also happy to be with you again, Hikaru. There’s a part of me that feels like it has turned into something a bit weird, but I am fine with anything as long as I can be together with you again, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

“But my problem hasn’t changed at all, you know. At least understand that much.” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, I heard from Jeanne-san yesterday. I will simply be joining the party as a frontline, so there’s no need for you to be on your guard for the time being, Hikaru. Jeanne did tell me too that love is prohibited in this house.” (Rifreya)

Love is prohibited, huh.