The Unaware Harem Adventure Tale of the Strongest Enchanter ~~I Don’t Know My Companions’ Faces or Identities, but I’m Pretty Sure They’re All Guys~~ - 45. Nostalgic Dining Table and Meat Pie

45. 45. 45. 45. Nostalgic Dining Table and Meat Pie

Outside the window, night’s curtain covers the world.

On the dining table lit by a lamp, there was bread, soup, and meat pie. There were also fruits. And to those who knew this house well, it was clear these were delicacies.

Kusaya-san poured grape wine into each glass.

During that time, Master slowly lowered herself onto a chair.

Sitting around the table were me, Nonon, Master Hilda, and Kusaya-san.

Grannaughts was too big. So it was waiting outside.

“To Lux’s return and to welcome your friend—cheers.”

“Cheers. Still, I didn’t expect you to bring someone along.”

Placing her glass on the table, Master smiled at Nonon.

Not noticing the gaze, Nonon let out a satisfied “Mmm~!!” as she enjoyed the food.

“She’s a dependable comrade, even if I mistook her for a guy at first.”

“Glad to know you’re doing well out there. It’s good to see you’ve grown up somewhat.”

“Hey, what kind of kid was Raku-cchi when he was in the village?”

“Hmm? Let’s see. People said he was always spacing out and hard to read. But to me, there was no kid easier to read than him. He has that habit of scratching his head, right? It comes out a lot when he’s nervous or stressed.”

“So true! Raku-cchi scratches his head a lot outside. Also, when he lies, he touches his staff. He thinks he’s hiding it, but the whole party already knows.”

…Eh? Everyone knows?

Nonon-san, could I ask you for the details on that?

“He’s a fun kid. Makes the wine go down easy. Kusaya, another round.”

“Me too!”

“Go ahead. There’s plenty of grape wine left.”

It seems Master had taken a liking to Nonon—her expression was bright.

I’d heard dwarves are strong drinkers. And indeed, Nonon’s face didn’t change at all as she gulped wine. As expected of someone who drinks from barrels.

By the way, she’s apparently 118 years old. So she’s at a legal drinking age.

I bit into the meat pie. The deliciousness made my eyes well up.

It was my favorite dish, made by Master.

Four years had passed since I left here.

It felt like I’d been away for a long time.

Master put down her knife and fork and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

“I heard about the staff from Kusaya. You’ll be staying in the village until it’s completed, right?”

“I’ll be in your care until then.”

“Stay as long as you like. This place is practically your home too.”

To Master’s smile, I bowed my head.

◇

Several days passed since coming to the village.

Grannaughts carried logs toward a house under construction.

Beastkin craftsmen at the house greeted it while stacking bricks.

They called it things like “Mr. Armor” and “Gran-san.”

Only a few people knew the inside was actually a girl.

There was no need to tell others. So we kept quiet.

After setting the logs down on the ground, Grannaughts released steam.

Maybe finding that amusing, the children who had gathered clung to its body.

“I told you, I’m working! It’s dangerous, so back off already!”

With Grannaughts’s appearance and Nonon’s way of speaking, it felt totally off.

But Nonon easily talked to people even on first meetings and was lively. So she blended into the village well.

The fact that no one knew her past self probably helped too.

The kids obeyed quietly—or so I thought. But for some reason, they came over to me instead.

“Hey Lux, come play with us.”

“I’m busy too.”

I was helping harvest in a field across from them. I was surrounded by beastkin kids—wolves and cats.

A cat girl, maybe four or five years old, climbed onto my back and played with my hair.

Meanwhile, I was plucking vegetables while stealing glances at the butt of a married rabbit woman in her thirties. She owned the field and had a mole at the corner of her mouth.

Next to me, Kuroa was also picking vegetables. And for some reason, she got mad.

“You’re doing that pervy stare again. In times like this, I’m supposed to call the guards, right?”

“You’re not. Guards don’t handle that kind of stuff.”

I replied flatly.

Guards protect public safety.

A good citizen like me wouldn’t be their concern.

Kuroa gave me a momentary glare but then shifted her mood and resumed harvesting vegetables.

This village is like one big family.

We help each other with housework. We even take care of each other’s kids.

So I often got stuck babysitting too.

Thanks to that, I quickly fit into the village.

*Rrrrrrmmm.*

Birds suddenly flew off. And the ground shook slightly.

(What was that tremor? An earthquake?)

“Rockfall!”

Someone shouted.

From the cliff behind the construction site, a huge rock came tumbling down.

The craftsmen ran. But a young man tripped.

Faced with the incoming rock, he let out a small scream.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you. I’ll definitely protect you.”

Grannaughts stood before the young man.

Facing us with a back like a wall, it spread its arms.

“Hyahh!!”

The boulder struck Grannaughts.

But it grabbed it and stood its ground.

Both feet sank into the earth.

*Thud*—it set the rock down.

Under the blue sky, bathed in sunlight, Grannaughts turned around.

“Are you hurt?”

“N-No. Thank you for saving me!”

“Yeahhh!”

“Y-Yeah…?”

Grannaughts and the young man high-fived.

But the difference between its looks and attitude was too much. And the guy was overwhelmed.

I gave it a thumbs-up for the good job.

It returned the thumbs-up.

Right then, a roar echoed.

“Rock Eater…”

Kuroa muttered in a trembling voice.

◇

Early morning.

Yawning in bed, I lightly scratched my head.

Looking around, a simple room entered my view.

Just a desk and a bed.

This was the room I used to use.

Even after I left, they had apparently kept it clean so I could come back anytime.

Outside the window, the sun hadn’t risen—twilight.

At home, I tended to slack off. But here I naturally returned to my old rhythm.

Feeling the chill morning air, I changed clothes.

When I stepped into the living room, a delicious smell of simmering vegetables greeted me.

In the kitchen, there was Master cooking.

“I’ll help.”

“Appreciated.”

Her smile warmed my heart.

I quickly chopped bacon and dropped eggs and bacon into a heated frying pan.

“You’ve really grown into a man. You were like an empty shell when I picked you up.”

“Because you trained me.”

“And now you’re a hopeless adult who ogles everything.”

“Because Kusaya-san trained me.”

Master chuckled.

My lewd tendencies were Kusaya-san’s doing.

Without him, I probably would’ve grown up more properly.

During training, Master would often grab Kusaya by the collar. She would then say “Stop teaching him weird stuff.”

An empty shell, huh.

Yeah, there was a time like that.

What comes to mind is a rainy day.

A black-haired enchanter spoke to me as I sat clutching a sword.

‘If you still have the will to live, come with me. I’ll give you a new life.’

How nostalgic.

“What are you grinning about? It’ll burn.”

“Oops.”

I moved the bacon and eggs onto a plate.

“Actually, I’m thinking of drawing my sword again.”

“That’s why it’s at your waist.”

Right now, I had a sword at my waist.

But I hadn’t drawn it yet.

Just trying to unsheathe it made me feel like vomiting.

“From the looks of it, you haven’t drawn it yet.”

“…”

Master chopped meat and threw it into a pot.

Then, with a knife, she shaved a herb to remove the odor and added it.

“That sword seals almost all of your sword saint skills. At that time, I thought that was best for you.”

Master is one of the rare mages who can use mental-type magic.

Using that magic, she isolated and sealed most of my skills.

“I still think it was the right choice.”

“I don’t regret it either. But to face what lies ahead of ‘Unknown’, I’ll need greater power.”

“Then I’m sure you can take it back. The sword saint inside you is still alive.”

“The sword saint inside me…”