Chapter 42
Girl and Gone 2
Mr. Athos is not coming home.
I got anxious when I heard about it. Mr. Athos, a warm man. My favorite beast man uncle.
He said he hadn’t come home since he went out.
Sometimes a village of cat beasts had been attacked, and it was prudent to go outside the village. Mr. Athos went out on his own only when he needed to because he was at the top of the village.
Mr. Athos said they weren’t all worried.
But Mr. Athos hasn’t come back in the time he was supposed to.
The inside of the village was crouched. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Everyone said it that way.
“Father…”
That’s how Gaius looked anxious as if his usual vigor were a lie.
I tried to comfort Gaius, but I didn’t know what to say.
“Run,”
After Gaius left by himself, “Leave me alone…” I shook Mr. Lan’s hand.
I got anxious. I got scared.
The cat beasts came to the village, listened to the story, and felt the anxiety that they felt was at the centre.
I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m worried about that. How will it turn out?
Is Mr. Athos safe? Athos said Athos was…. I was anxious, I got scared. Mr. Lan shook my hand back. Mr. Lan also has a difficult face.
“… Athos,”
“… you’re worried, Lernda”
“Yeah……”
I can’t move. I can’t even go after Gaius. Just keep thinking. Hold Mr. Lan’s hand tightly. I couldn’t move for a while.
Mr. Lan told me, “… I’ll catch a cold if I stay out all the time,” and we headed to my house together. As it was, surrounded by Mr. Run and the Griffons, I noticed, I was asleep.
I was asleep and when I woke up, I heard that some of the adults had left the village to search for Mr. Athos.
So, I wish Mr. Athos had been found, and I was hoping he would. I wanted it. I thought it would be sad, painful not to see Mr. Athos’ gentle smile.
Gaius has a sinking face all the time. Yeah, it’s not just Gaius. Everyone is saddened by the fact that Mr. Athos is not coming back because they all love Mr. Athos, because he is important.
After hearing about the cat beasts, I think I’m getting more anxious that extra, maybe…… I’m very anxious, too.
I went out looking for Mr. Athos, adult beasts.
– They, too, said they were leaving, but they didn’t.
I thought you said you’d be back by when, even if Mr. Athos couldn’t find you, he’d cut you up there and come back. And yet, why not? I guess I won’t be back.
I get anxiety.
I’m not the only one. Everybody’s anxious. Sounds sad. Me too, it’s painful.
All this time, I was alone in the village where I was born and raised. There were a lot of people around, but since the death of that old man who taught me all sorts of things, he just lived. I thought everyone loved me like that, so I could have an important place.
When everyone is sad, it’s painful.
I want you to laugh, I think. I, too, couldn’t laugh in this.
Mr. Athos, and everyone who went looking for Mr. Athos.
Everyone’s face comes to mind.
Every face, every memory spent with everyone. For me, loving, kind, happy memories.
……… That’s painful.
Maybe they all fit the hard eye. Do the people I love feel painful or something? It’s painful just to think about it.
Though I thought that way, I couldn’t do anything. I wondered if I could do something for everyone who was gone, but I could only hope.
I just wanted you to be safe, and I always wanted you to be. I wanted you back, and I wanted you to.
The Griffons and Seafo broke up and acted with the children who would protect this village and those who would go looking for everyone. The children who went looking for everyone have not yet returned.
But Gaius…
Gaius, the son of Mr. Athos, could not have waited, then, just wishing or wanting.
One day, Gaius disappeared from the village.
Maybe you went outside looking for Mr. Athos, that’s what I was talking about. I got scared. I wonder if Gaius will be gone, too. I didn’t care if I thought so, and when I realized it, I too ——— was running out of Mr. Lang’s voice to stop him.
It’s all about Gaius in my head. It’s just that I had to catch up with Gaius, that’s all I had in my head.
– With the girl, go two.
(Maybe the divine girl would then pop out of the village)