Chapter 121 Consultation
――After that, I think the Knight Order member who informed Iris and the others about my safety returned to the garrison, and――
"Laura-san!"
"Laura!"
Somehow, Basilio-san and Iris were together too.
They rushed towards me as soon as they saw me, and let out a sigh of relief. I realized I had worried them quite a bit, and felt apologetic.
"I'm glad you're safe. We couldn't see you, so..."
"Sorry, I worried you guys."
Suddenly, Basilio-san's gaze turned towards my back. What's going on, I thought, and turned around to see Marta standing there with a big smile.
Basilio-san, who was taken aback by the sudden appearance of an unknown girl, asked Iris while shielding her.
"...Who's that person?"
"I'm Marta! Laura's disciple?"
"No, not a disciple... more like a junior."
Marta let out a "Hee!" and seemed really interested in response to my answer. I guess it's rare to see a Royal Alchemist.
Basilio-san's cautious expression softened as Marta chatted away, and Iris and Marta quickly became fast friends. Marta seemed to be interested in the Royal Alchemist's work and was asking questions left and right.
As I watched them, Olivelle-san suddenly approached me. And then whispered to me in a voice that only I could hear.
"Laura-chan, about this incident... it'll probably reach Lukas-kun's ears."
I looked up at Olivelle-san with a start.
This incident reaching Lukas's ears. That's not the development I was hoping for.
"But..."
"If something happens to Elvira-chan, Arnold will tell Lukas-kun. If Arnold tells Lukas-kun that Elvira-chan might be targeted by monsters like Laura-chan, then... it'll reach Lukas-kun's ears too."
If it reaches Arnold's ears, it'll naturally reach Lukas's ears too. After all, they're traveling together.
I understand, but somehow, I just can't help but hesitate.
"It's hard to not convey my part... isn't it?"
"It's hard, and I think it's better to report it. If something happens to Laura-chan, Lukas-kun and Arnold will definitely be sad."
Olivelle-san's words made me feel a pang of guilt.
What he said was right, and I didn't want to cause trouble by being stubborn here. I let out a deep breath and nodded.
"It's also unnatural to stay silent... I understand. Just don't forget to tell me that you're not hurt, okay?"
"Of course."
Olivelle-san smiled.
His smile reassured me, and I ended up pouring out my worries.
"But, what should I do from now on?"
Until Lukas and the others defeat the demon king, monsters will definitely be sent to attack me. If that's the case, the only way to fundamentally solve this problem is to have them defeat the demon king as soon as possible. But "I" know better than anyone that it's not that simple.
Should I hide in the royal capital? But if I do, I'll be putting the royal capital and its people in danger because of me. If the royal capital falls, the entire country will be greatly shaken. We'll lose a winnable battle. I want to avoid that at all costs. So, where should I go?
"That's why it's better to hire a bodyguard."
It was Marta who responded to my muttering. As a third party who didn't know the circumstances, she was able to give a straightforward answer.
Hiring a bodyguard would naturally cost money. As a Royal Alchemist, I earn a decent salary and have some savings, but it's tough to hire a skilled bodyguard for an extended period.
Ugh, I was grumbling to myself when Basilio-san called out to me with some hesitation.
"Do you need a bodyguard or something?"
I hesitated for a moment, but I decided to be honest and speak up. If I'm being targeted by a monster, the most dangerous ones are my juniors, Basilio-san and Iris, who are with me. I thought it would be better to be straightforward, so I opened my mouth.
"I've somehow become a target of monsters. Maybe they'll keep attacking me from now on..."
"Wait, shouldn't you go back to the royal capital? It's safer there, right?"
"But I came here for synthesis, and if I go back, the monster might follow me to the royal capital..."
"Yeah, but you can't just sit around and do nothing..."
Basilio-san fell silent at that point. He probably couldn't think of a solution either.
The silence returned, and Iris slowly approached me. She looked like she wanted to say something, so I slightly bent my knees to meet her gaze. Then, she put her hand on my ear and whispered in a secretive tone.
"Should I ask Reinhardt for advice?"
――That's right, the people of Rustu.
They're a tribe that's been fighting against the demon king and monsters for a long time. They must know more than I do.
I nodded slightly.
"Yeah, please go ahead and ask."
Iris smiled happily and nodded vigorously. For now, let's rely on them. Maybe I'll find a new solution.
Yeah, and I need to wait for Kasper-san's instructions too. I need to consult with Reinhardt-san, so I'm waiting for both of their responses.
I looked at Olivelle-san. He probably didn't hear our conversation, but he seemed to sense that we had come to an agreement. Without saying a word, he just nodded.
"I'm sending a messenger to the royal capital right now. Please stay at the base until we get a response from the royal capital."
"Thank you..."
I felt a mix of guilt for causing trouble and relief that Olivelle-san and the others were protecting me, and I slowly bowed my head, holding onto both emotions.
I was the most surprised by the unexpected turn of events. I just didn't want to get anyone else involved because of me. However, I knew that if I were to become a sacrifice, there would be people who would grieve for me.
I had to find the best way out of this, and I psyched myself up with a "hah" and slapped my cheek.
In this world, I am Laura Ampère, and I will keep living from now on. This is definitely the time to take a stand.
* * *
"L-Laura-sensei. That was a close call."
――It hadn't been long since the monster attack, and Leon-san and Sieg-san came to visit me right away. Despite being busy, they didn't show a single unpleasant face and spoke to me with kind voices.
"Leon-san, Sieg-san, I'm sorry to have troubled you. Thank you for coming all the way."
When I bowed my head, the 2 of them shook their heads in a flustered manner. I hadn't had a chance to meet since the experiment, and the city of Rustu's people had probably calmed down a bit. I felt grateful that they had come to see me despite being busy, but also apologetic.
Without beating around the bush, Sieg-san got straight to the point.
"We've heard the story. Will you come to our village, which is different from the city you visited before?"
"...Huh?"
"It's a small village where we lived when we were young. It hasn't been destroyed by monsters, and we've set up a strong barrier to hide from the world. Will you hide with Elvira-san and the others there?"
His tone was casual, but I felt like he was saying, "This is the best option."
I had heard that the people of Rustu didn't gather in one place to survive, but were scattered all over. So, it was within my expectations that there was another village of Rustu's people besides the city we had visited before.
However, the proposal to hide in that village was unexpected.
It's a grateful offer. If it weren't for the incident last time ―― where someone inside was controlled by a monster and the barrier weakened ―― that place would be even safer than the royal capital. However, because of that, I can't get the people living in this peaceful village involved in such a thing.
"But if I go, there's a possibility that the village will be in danger too――"
Sieg-san interrupted my words with a gentle smile.
"There's only so much we can do, so please don't worry about it. Besides, a small monster like that can't break through the village's barrier."
Please don't worry, Sieg-san repeated.
――I started thinking that accepting the Rustu people's proposal might be the best option. In a village protected by a strong barrier, a family that's been fighting monsters would be able to protect us. If I heard that, Lukas and Arnold, who's worried about his sister, would also feel at ease.
The only thing that's worrying me is what to do about the alchemist's job. I'm still waiting for instructions from Kasper-san.
"Um, can I discuss it with my boss first?"
"Of course."
Sieg-san and Leon-san smiled at me with the same expression. Their smiles reminded me of Diona's, and I wondered what the Hero and his party were doing right now, wherever they were.
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