Chapter 26 – Struggling Against the Past

When I said that, Seto’s face turned awkward. Then he prostrated himself in front of me, having made up his mind. I didn’t even have to compel him to do it. It was something Seto did on his own will.

[Fate, I beg you!　Please lend us your power!　I know it’s hard to ignore the bad blood from the past, and I can’t do anything about it. But, just this once……]

Seto repeatedly flung stones at me back when I left the village. He was the son of the village chief and was also 4 years older than me. He was the focus of the teenagers in the village. That day, it’s as if a rainstorm had hit me. Filled with despair for not being able to do anything.

By the way, the house I lived in was burnt to ashes by the village adults. I was exiled for the sake of village’s livelihood.

And Seto who was the reason for my exile, is now begging to me. Good grief…..how convenient is that? A guy who once drove this good for nothing out of the village. He’s just showing his power five years ago, and I knew it was something that must have been done. But when I see Seto now. That same power, I no longer saw it in him.

Now, Seto who was on the floor kissing my feet seemed miserable and very different from the past. Also, his head had become somewhat bald, maybe due to the stress of not being able to find a warrior willing to help the village.

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[This, how should I say it……Please. Lend us your power. I’ll do anything in exchange for that]

Well, I can’t reject him now, so better start helping him out. It might be good to return to the village as well…….I’ll be able to visit my parents’ grave before I go to Gallia. Besides, I could make use this occasion to feed the Gluttony skill too…….and that’s it. Not because I wanted to help you, young baldy.

[Alright. Let’s go to the village.] [Really?!　Thank you. Then, we’ll head there early morning tomorrow.]

Having said so, Seto shook his neck. To think this guy is carefree enough to wait till next morning. Is he really worried about the village at all?

[Let’s go now.] [But, it’s almost sunset. It’s dangerous at night. It’s also cloudy today. If we travel on foot during the night, we’ll be easy target for monsters.] [Isn’t it alright? I’ll be saving a lot of time if the monsters are coming for us.]

Seto’s face turned pale and his body tremble when I said that. Ehh!? Did I say something weird? I’m just saying that because I thought that that would be an efficient way to hunt. Adding to that, Greed whom I put my hand on its hilt spoke to me via《Mind Reading》.

『Well I may be biased, and I know that you have hunted a very large amount of goblins, but that’s all you are good at. Remember about the fight against the kobolds.』 [I know that already.]

My experience in fighting monsters other than goblins is certainly lacking. When fighting goblins, it’s even possible to yawn while hunting them. I can even proudly call myself a goblin slayer.

But, as what Greed had told me, making the weakest monster as a standard won’t do. Yesterday we just unlocked his second rank form, and we hunted a lot of goblins just to confirm its capability.

Using that, it felt like hunting hundreds was nothing. Well, at least the number of goblins around the capital will be on the low side for a while.

Seto watched me in confusion, since from his point of view, I was talking to myself.

[Erm……are we really going now?] [Yeah, I will go on without turning the light on. I can see just as well in the dark.] [……Alright. I’ll go along with Fate’s plan. It doesn’t matter since you are the only warrior that is willing to help.]

Warrior… is that how Seto views me as now? Well, maybe of the unemployed warrior kind. Since there were bad guys like those working for Gara, I guess it’s only fitting.

At sunset, we left the merchant town Tetra. Our destination will be the village at the mountainside west from here.

Before I was driven out, there should have been around 60 people living in that village. The main agricultural product was medicinal herbs that grew only near a clear stream. So each house could earn their living.

Although they mainly produce medicinal herbs, some of them still fallen ill from time to time. There were also periods where the harvests weren’t up to expectation.

Following that, it was great that my father had《Spear Mastery》skill. The village was on the area where monsters rarely appeared. But during those rare times, my father was the one who’d drive them away. My father had that value. That’s why, other villagers tolerated the existence of his good for nothing child who can only eat.

It did not last forever. My father died of illness, and what was left was the incompetent waste that was me. I desperately tried to help cultivate herb to help the village, but it didn’t go well. I had lost my father’s protection, and even more so was bad at herb cultivating. I was only waiting to get kicked out of the village back then.

Well, nobody knew the significance of the《Gluttony》skill back then. That’s most likely why the villagers hated me. There was even a rumour, that if I was left alone for too long, I’ll bring great misfortune to the village.

Oh well…. My relationship with the village wasn’t exactly superb. While reminiscing about the old days, I walked through the grassy mountain path uncaringly.

[Oi, Seto. Don’t get left behind, follow through properly.] [I’m sorry.]

Seto doesn’t have《Night Vision》like I do, so he had some trouble following me. I don’t have a hobby of holding a guy’s hand, so he’ll have to follow on his own. A hurried voice came from behind me.

[Hey、Fate. At the bar this morning, you were really strong. Even though you were really weak back then……] [Is that so? I haven’t eaten all that much lately, so I didn’t think it was that strong. Isn’t that normal?] [Huh?]

Seto raised his voice in confusion to my reply. Even if you had that kind of face, I don’t really want to tell you.

[That’s not important. Hurry up.] [Yeah. But can I ask you one thing? I don’t think I want to know it after coming this far……but I want to know after all.] [What is it?] [Fate, do you still hate us, the villagers？]

If I returned to the village, it wouldn’t be strange if it’s for taking revenge. Really…… coming this far, and only asking now? Well, he did get the warrior he was searching for, so at last his mind could process other things properly. As expected, those baldness was due to stress and hard work.

We went through the dark in silent for quite a while. After a while, I sighed,

[If I say that I don’t, then I’ll be lying. Regardless, that was where my parents were buried. I at least want to pay a visit.]

I still hate you. But I’ll keep it to myself for the sake of my parents. That’s it. A virtuous saint would preach on me to forgive others. But it’s only on certain circumstances, since if the other party didn’t change for the better, then it’ll all be for naught. Otherwise, I would’ve forgotten it forever. I’ve already had enough disgust toward the Burix.

That’s why….I wanted to see first if after five years, the people in that village had changed or not. Judging from how Seto begged for help at the tavern, I guess they had changed their way for the better somewhat.

After everything had been said and done, I’d still go anyways…. Perhaps I couldn’t just abandon my hometown after all. There was a nice memory there with my father. It was good even if only a little.

Within the dark road, beyond 4 more hills, the village finally came into view. I could see small lights leaking out from several houses. Apparently, the monster attacks weren’t that serious yet.

[Finally we have arrived, let’s meet your fatherーーthe village chief at once] [Yes, let’s go. I’m the one who brought you here. So they won’t dare saying anything bad about Fate. I’ll take care of everything else. That’s why, about the monsters, I’ll be counting on you.]

Seto bowed deeply. I realized now that this Seto is no longer the Seto I knew from five years ago. I just hope that other villagers had also changed like he did.