Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death

“H-huh?! L-lo… love…”

Woahhh!! Please stop it.

I don’t want someone asking me that kind of question so openly!! I have trouble answering them, okay?!!

My face feels hot, but I want to think that it’s not red. Please.

I have to calm down. Clear my mind of all mundane thoughts.

In my head, my brain goes into overdrive, desperate to find a smooth and innocuous reply.

Still looking at me, Schwede laughs, eyebrows lowered and a troubled expression on his face. “I’m jealous of Fram-dono for receiving the feelings of someone like you.”

“T-that’s… uhh…”

Ahhh, please stop this conversation. I can’t affirm or deny it. It’s so difficult to answer him! For real!

I’m too embarrassed to talk about this. If possible, I want to immediately escape from this place!

“…I don’t know why, but no matter how much I love someone, my feelings never get reciprocated. And to add to my misfortune, they also get angry and scared of me in the end… It’s really troubling, isn’t it?” Schwede rests a hand on his chest and exhales a sigh, shrugging his shoulders in a playful gesture like he’s only talking about some trivial troubles. “I also want to be favored by such good luck.”

“Good luck…”

“Yes… That’s why I’m jealous.” Schwede’s smile turns unreadable again, but it disappears in an instant, returning to his usual one.

He raises one hand and turns on his heel to where his horse is waiting.

I feel like I’ve just been left behind halfway through this conversation, which ended without me saying a single word.

Standing still, I can only see off the knight with dawn-colored hair flowing all the way down his back as he’s walking away.

It took around two days to conduct the maintenance of the cliff, but the work proceeded without any problems. We successfully finished it on Thursday. Now we don’t have to worry about the next heavy rain that strikes this area.

Immersed in my slight satisfaction, I spend my Friday morning organizing the documents that have been piling up on my desk. Then in the afternoon, I prepare my luggage for tomorrow before heading to Cheddars’ Ranch.

One more fence in the western area is still under construction, so I plan to go there tomorrow.

The reason why I’ve started to make fences again is that the number of demons attacking the western area is by far the highest. If things go the same way as in my memories, their numbers should be… more than three times that in other places.

And among the demons that will attack the western area…

…is the final boss at the end of this starting village arc and the leader of the demon horde. In the game, the protagonist has to defeat it.

So these fences aren’t only to protect the villagers. They’re also to reduce Alfred’s burden… I want to do everything I can with the remaining time I have.

Another one of my reasons is that I can afford to spend more time preparing since I’ve managed to complete the first fence and defense layer more smoothly than I expected. Its construction finished right on schedule.

The more countermeasures I take, the more likely that I and everyone in the village can be saved. That’s why I have to do it. I must do it.

Even if everyone is baffled by my plans and thinks I’m going overboard.

I’ve asked the usual seven-member group of workers to go to the site after they have received the prepared materials. I’ve also given their leader the paper containing the list of goods I ordered.

So we will meet tomorrow as soon as everything is ready.

Alfred and I are planning to depart together from Cheddar Ranch and stop by a bakery along the way to buy everyone sandwiches and drinks for lunch.

That’s why I’m at Cheddar Ranch right now.

If we’re taking time efficiency into consideration, I can save time by staying here overnight the day before and then set off together next morning. This is the best choice.

And since I’ve already settled all the work that urgently needed my attention and set everything up, no one has any reason to complain if I come here early. So it’s all good. Hmm.

The sunlight after 3pm is neither too strong nor too weak, just warm enough to make me feel comfortable. The wind that occasionally blows is also nice as it gently caresses my hair and skin.

Feeling a bit tired, I gaze at Alfred, who is making hay in the grassland of Cheddars’ Ranch… I mean, I watch over him to make sure he’s not slacking off. I use a soft cushion taken out of the carriage as my pillow, while I read the novel I brought here in between my glances at Alfred.

Alfred has monstrous strength, so tying stalks of grass into a lump and piling them to form a mountain doesn’t look like a hard task for him. He finishes it so fast that it’s interesting to watch him.

I lay down on the grass. It’s soft and fluffy, a little cool, and comfortable. A natural bed.

Alfred seems to be sensible enough. He brings me a cloth and lays it underneath me. He even covers me with his coat.

At this time, the five freshly washed Boa lambs and the three kids approach me. After sticking to me, they comfortably go to sleep by my side.

Apparently, these five lambs and three kids were running around in a mud puddle earlier, and the Cheddars just washed them clean right now.

I try stroking the lambs’ fluffy cream-colored coats. They’re soft, like newly made cotton. Almost like a natural cushion.

The lambs’ bleats also sound very cute, making me wonder whether they’re sheep or cats. But well, their cuteness soothes my heart, so it’s all good.

Of course, the adult Boa Sheep is also fluffy. One day, if they ever let me, I’d like to sleep on top of a flock of sheep that are huddled together sleeping. But they’ll probably kick me out since I’m heavy and disturbing their sleep.

Before I know it, I also fall asleep.

By the time I wake up, the three kids are gone. Apparently, they woke up from hunger, so they went back home to eat something. Those kids have been eating a lot recently. Eat, sleep, play, and then eat again.

But the five Boa lambs are still stuck to me, fast asleep.

They’re so fluffy and soothing to the heart, but then Alfred comes and lifts me up from the sheets without asking for my consent. And with such ease too.

“Hey! What are you doing? Put me down.”

Isn’t he waking up the five woolly lambs too? The lambs are now whirling and circling our feet, bleating cutely. Look, don’t they look so pitiful? They’re the same as me, protesting because this bratty blond suddenly woke them up. Probably.

“I’m done with today’s work. Let’s return to the house. The sun’s setting soon, and it’s about time to have dinner.”

“I see. You worked hard, Alfred… But put me down. I can walk.”

Alfred looks down, squinting his sky-blue eyes in what seems to be a teasing manner. He flashes a smile. “If you feel tired, I can carry you back like this.”

“Idiot, I’m fine!”

Isn’t it too embarrassing to have other people see us like this? He’s not embarrassed at all?

…I don’t think he is. I know it.

I should’ve taught the future hero to be a little shier before. No, it’s not too late to start doing that now. From now on, I have to teach him common sense little by little.

Once I pinch his cheek, although he looks unwilling, he finally sets me down.

When I look up at him, Alfred has a big smile on his face, joy basically bleeding from it. Even I feel embarrassed to look at it. Unable to bear watching him, I lower my gaze.

He pulls the coat that he previously put on me toward him.

I can feel him giving me a peck on the head. Then he hugs me, his warmth completely enveloping me.

Feeling his higher body temperature, I feel a sense of relief. For some reason, I feel like I want to tear up, making me sigh.

Ah, really.

As Schwede said, to have my feelings reciprocated like this is… a very fortunate thing since it’s almost impossible for such a thing to happen. I have to be grateful for this.

I also wish for this calm, gentle, and warm time to continue forever.

Forever and forever.

Please.

Please…

I lightly close my eyes and press my cheeks on his chest, savoring the scent of the soft hay and freshly cut grass from his shirt. “You smell like grass.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah… Well, I like it. It makes me feel relieved every time I smell it.”

My favorite scent, right after the scent of the sun.

When I say that, Alfred tightens his hug even more, happiness thick in the air.

Another chapter coming soon! (This is last week’s chapter oops)