When I Was Reincarnated, All the Heroines Were Stolen by the Fake Hero ~ The Guy Who Dominated With Original Story Knowledge, and Me Who Dominated With Talent. It Seems the World After the Ending Is My One-Man Stage ~ - Episode 12

Episode 12

After parting ways with Freyja in the town of Kanaloa, we were riding the wagon along the road leading to the mansion in the Vixel Domain.

Freyja’s relieved expression, and her words that the morale of the soldiers might rise, gave me a slight sense of accomplishment.

However, that didn’t mean everything was resolved. The problems the Vixel Domain faced were piled up. And as things stood, we hadn’t found any fundamental solution.

While letting my body sway with the wagon’s movement, I was vaguely thinking about the future domain management, and how to stabilize the lives of the people.

It was around the time when we were approaching the distance just before reaching the mansion.

Ahead, perhaps returning from farm work, we saw a woman hurriedly running toward us.

“Sebas-sama! Is that not Sebas-sama?!”

The woman was out of breath. She was calling the name of Sebas, who was holding the reins.

Sebas pulled the reins to stop the wagon. And he asked the woman with a worried expression.

“Oh my, my lady. What has happened? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Well… Kotama-chan has come down with a fever… Right now, I have her resting at my home. But something seems off…”

At the woman’s words, Sebas’ expression stiffened.

“Kotama, you say? That’s no good. Yutaka-sama, I deeply apologize, but may I change our plans urgently?”

“Of course. I’m worried about Kotama. Let’s go check on her right away. Hurry, Sebas.”

At my words, Sebas gave a deep nod. And guided by the woman, he changed the wagon’s direction.

＊ ＊ ＊

The place we were led to was a small wooden house standing at the edge of the village.

The window parts were not glass, but rather covered with worn cloth. From which faint, unreliable light—probably from the interior—leaked out.

Sebas and I got off the wagon following the woman. And we stepped into the house with her leading the way.

In the dim interior, there was a simple wooden bed placed.

And on it, Kotama was sitting weakly.

Her cat ears drooped limply. And with unfocused eyes, she stared blankly.

Next to her, a small girl sat on a chair. She was probably the daughter of the house. She was talking to Kotama with a worried expression.

However, Kotama looked completely absentminded and showed no signs of reacting to the girl’s voice.

Noticing our presence, the little girl looked up.

“Ah, mama, welcome back!”

Then, when she noticed Sebas standing next to me, her face instantly lit up.

“Kotama-oneechan, Sebas-san is here!”

At the girl’s voice, Kotama’s ears twitched slightly. Very slowly, truly slowly, she turned her face toward us.

And the moment she caught sight of Sebas, her previously vacant expression completely changed.

Like a flower blooming brightly, she showed a defenseless smile with not a trace of caution.

“Waaah, Sebas! Welcome back!”

She said that in a childish, slurred tone. She then got off the bed with unsteady steps, and staggered toward Sebas. She threw herself into his chest.

Sebas, though surprised, gently caught Kotama.

“Ko-Kotama. It is not a matter of welcoming me back; I have come to get you. More importantly, are you all right?”

However, Kotama just rubbed her face against Sebas’ chest with a dopey look and didn’t seem to be hearing his words at all.

More than anything, even though I was standing right nearby, she showed no signs of the usual caution or tension she would normally display toward me.

Could this really be just because of the fever?

Both Sebas and I felt an unexplainable discomfort at Kotama’s strange condition.

“Sebas!”

Without noticing our inner feelings, the small girl mimicked Kotama and gleefully clung to Sebas’ leg.

Sandwiched between the affectionate Kotama and the little girl, Sebas looked flustered and confused.

“This evening, I had my hands full. So I asked Kotama-chan to go to the forest to pick some mountain vegetables. But ever since she got back, she’s been like this…”

The lady of the house explained apologetically.

“Usually, Kotama goes into the forest to gather? Alone, even?”

I asked, and the woman shook her head.

“No, until now, I’ve always gone myself. But today I was just too busy… It was the first time I asked Kotama-chan to do it.”

Once more, I looked at Kotama. She was clinging to Sebas with a completely relaxed expression.

For her to be this defenseless in front of people, especially me—someone she clearly used to fear—it was obviously strange, no matter how you looked at it.

It’s hard to believe it’s only due to a fever.

“My lady, may I take a look at the mountain vegetables Kotama gathered today from the forest?”

When I asked that, the woman said “Ah, if that’s the case…” and brought over a woven basket from the kitchen.

Inside were various types of leaves and a few forest fruits.

I carefully picked up and examined each item in the basket.

Then, my eyes stopped on one of them.

Several small yellow fruits. And along with them, a few thick dark green leaves.

It had a unique scent—faintly sweet, yet with a hint of something medicinal.

“This is…”

I couldn’t help but speak.

“Yutaka-sama, do you recognize it?”

While still holding onto Kotama, Sebas asked with a worried voice.

I pinched the yellow fruit and leaves between my fingers and showed it to everyone.

“Ah, this is most likely the cause.”

At my words, the woman looked at the plant and let out a voice as if recalling something.

“That plant… I’ve seen many of them growing deep in the forest. When you get close, it has this strange smell. So I don’t think many people pick them…”

“So, Yutaka-sama, this plant is…?”

Sebas asked again. I held up the plant and clearly declared to everyone:

“This is ‘Beast-Luring Fragrant Herb’.”