“Haa, haa, haa”
“Tsk, you shitty kid! Wait!”
Who’s going to wait! I will be killed If I did that! I keep running until the arranged location. Although the greengrocer’s boss who’s carrying a stick is chasing from behind, I will definitely not stop!
I turn right to the planned location. I go through as I lower my head and look over my shoulder and, the greengrocer’s boss took a turn as well. However
“Gaaa!?”
The boss got caught on a rope that was set to roughly the height of his neck with full force. Alright! It went smoothly! The boss who falls vigorously on his back. Over there
“Oraa! Eat this!”
“Uoo!? It, it stinks!! OeeEE!”
My comrades, Darl and Pirk aimed at the boss’ face and splashed gathered animals’ faeces on it. The greengrocer’s boss is groaning in agony from the excessive stench.
“Hey, we’re making a run for it, Mars!”
“Ouu!”
I was called by Darl and I start running. I run while making sure to not drop the vegetables I hold in both hands. And then after running for a while, Darl stops. Pilc and I follow suit and stop as well.
“Kakka, it went smoothly didn’t it, Mars”
“Aa, I was able to bring so many!”
“Amazing, Mars-nii!”
Pilc who sees the vegetables inside my arms and rejoices. I actually wanted to bring meat but, the butcher’s old lady is standing with her knife the entire time. It was impossible.
“Let’s return quickly to where everybody is!”
Pilc says that as he runs in front of me. The location just now was a street that’s slightly away from the main street but, now, it’s a sodden and shadowy back lane where the sun doesn’t shine through well.
When we proceed down that street, a worn-out house makes its appearance. Over there is our house. Kids who are younger than the 11 years old us are joyfully playing before the house. Good grief, what a bunch of carefree fellows.
“Aa, it’s Darl-oniichan and the others!”
“Welcome back!”
“Welcom bacー!”
The children who all came to hug us. All of us aren’t related by blood. Foundling, so to speak. It seems I was also abandoned before this house several years back. I don’t know the reason. Since I have never seen my parents before.
The ones who are my coevals amongst them are Darl, Pilc, and another person who’s in the house. We were already together when we realised it. It’s my precious family.
We are the oldest in this family. The reason for that, when all of those who are older than us went to receive the oracle, they were hired somewhere as it is afterwards and didn’t return.
Although we will also have our oracle soon, I will probably not leave. The reason being that person is around. I enter the house in order to meet that person.
When we open the door that looks like it’s about to break even right now, Mint, Tigre, and Emma who are children a year or two younger than me were inside. And then a girl with dark blue hair who’s sitting on a chair and knitting inside. She’s the person who’s the same age as us.
“I’m back, Tierra”
“Ara, you’re early today”
I head straight to Tiera’s side and place a chair beside her. She can’t walk ever since way back. The reason is unknown but it seems her legs won’t move. Perhaps that’s why I was abandoned by my parents, she says.
“Aa, I wanted to quickly meet Tierra”
I say that and Tierra hits my head with all her strength. That hurts.
“Geez, don’t say stupid things and go place the vegetables. You guys bought it, right?”
Tierra who asks that. Everybody here doesn’t know how we are getting the food. No, it’s fine for them to not know about it their whole life. Because it’s fine for us to be the only ones doing such dirty work. Therefore, I nod ambiguously. Tierra stares fixedly at me but, I carry the vegetables to the small kitchen without minding it.
When I hand over the vegetables to Mint and the others who can cook, Darl and the others entered the house as well.
“I’m home, everybody, Tierra”
“I’m homee!”
“Fufu, welcome back, everybody”
The kids who were playing outside enter simultaneously and the inside of the house instantly becomes lively. Tierra who looks at the kids who are lively even in the house and smiles delightfully. I was being charmed by Tierra’s profile and space out and
“Ara, what’s the matter? Looking at my face like that”
“……It’s nothing”
When I got slightly embarrassed and turn away, Tierra chuckles at me. It’s somewhat infuriating.
“Hey, everybody~, you guys came back from playing outside so go and wash your hands~”
Emma who’s the only one who can use Water Magic amongst us fills the bucket with water. The kids joyfully slap the water……those guys, isn’t the floor getting thoroughly soaked.
It can’t be helped so I tidy up the soaking wet floor and, before I know it, dinner was ready. Although if I say dinner, it’s just bland soup with the vegetables we brought back and mouldy rye bread. Well, it’s enough nevertheless.
I push Tierra’s chair for her. Two large wheels are attached to the chair and small wheels are attached to the legs of the chair, it’s a Magic Tool that when magic power is poured into it, the wheels spin.
This, I had the old lady of the Magic Tools store who does crooked deals in this back lane make. The price is……a secret.
Everybody finishes dinner while chatting clamorously. Another half a year until the oracle, I want to have an even just a slightly better occupation and let these guys have a slightly better living.
Above all, I want Tierra to live in a more cheerful place. I’m able to do my best if it’s for her sake.
However, I didn’t realise that the collapse of this life is closing in.