Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death
Chapter 22.1: The End of the Year

Such an unexpected event happened the other day, but I still have everything under control.

After graduating from the local school, I remain in the village and help my father in his tasks as the lord of this territory.

The chaotic New Year’s party, which all our relatives will be attending, is drawing near, but Lian’s father says that I don’t have to force myself to come.

This makes me feel extremely happy.

For me, welcoming an endless stream of guests together with everyone in the mansion, and for the entire duration of the holiday too, equates to several days of nightmare. It’s super tiring.

And I have no right to refuse.

But this year is different. I get to escape that nightmare.

Yayyy!

That’s why I came to the church today. And I’ve been here since morning.

Even though today’s a Friday, that’s no problem at all.The New Year’s holiday lasts for a week.

And when I checked ‘Big Brother Al’s Part-time Job Schedule Investigation’ for his schedule for the holidays, it seems like he has a shift at Canal’s Bar for the whole day. Lucky me.

With a massive surge of customers every year-end, this period is the busiest but most profitable time for bars. Many shops also extend their working hours during the New Year until later in the night or even until early morning.

Because there aren’t any more carriages roaming around after the bar’s closing time, Alfred plans on staying the night at the bar and returning home the next day.

Alfred won’t be in the church for the entire day, and he won’t return until tomorrow noon.

That means Alfred’s room will be empty today.

After confirming that, I decide to stay overnight in the church. After all, he gave me permission to freely use his room when he’s not there.

Moreover, five relatives of Lian’s mother, three friends of Lian’s brother, and four colleagues of Lian’s father will be staying in the mansion for three days and two nights.

If I accidentally encounter them in the mansion, they will surely detain me and babble all night long. So to stay away from the mansion, I talk to Lian’s father about spending a night at the church.

And he agrees while holding back his tears.

I’m happy that he allowed it, but why is he crying?

As I wonder to myself, Lian’s father pats my shoulder. “If you feel more at ease in the church, then…”

Complex emotions rise within me. I want to correct him. I really want to.

My body hasn’t turned into a tattered rag. I can still become a groom. Or bride… Why did I mention bride? Anyway, I have the urge to insist that I still have a pure body, but I fight it as much as I can.

Ever since that incident, Lian’s father hasn’t forced me to do anything unreasonable and lets me do whatever I want.

This means I can act more freely.

I do think it’ll be better for me to not reveal what really happened, but… I’m still not sure how to feel about it.

Currently, my father, Lowendal, and I are the only people in the mansion who know anything about this incident.

With his index finger in front of his mouth, Lowendal tells us to keep this a secret from Lian’s mother and brother.

That’s probably for the better.

I want at least Lowendal to know the full details, but when our eyes meet, he gives me a wink.

I suspect he already knows the truth.

As expected of a capable butler like him. The extensiveness of his information network can’t be underestimated.

Well, fine.

In any case, I’m free today.

I neither have to be mindful of my actions nor of anyone’s gazes. I can do whatever I want for the whole day. Hurray for freedom!

In high spirits, I quickly pack the personal items for my overnight stay at the church and leave the mansion.

In the church’s kitchen, I help Marie prepare dinner.

Today’s menu is cream stew with vegetables and thickly sliced bacon.

As Marie stirs the stew in the stockpot with a ladle, she flashes me a smile, her expression softening. “Hehe. You look like you’re having fun, Lian-sama.”

I return her smile in the midst of slicing cucumbers for the salad.

“I am. I’ve declared today my rest day!”

“That’s great! Lian-sama is the type to work himself to the bone. If you don’t take a break every once in a while, you may eventually collapse from exhaustion.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Yes! Please make sure to rest when you have to.”

“Ok, I’ll be more careful…”

Marie stares at me before laughter spills from her lips.

“Anyway, Lian-sama is quite the skilled cook. You seem very used to cooking.”

“I-I don’t think I’m that good. And I’m used to cooking because I mostly make my own meals at home.”

“Oh my. Really?”

“Yeah. It’s because my parents worked until late at night and my grandpa had trouble with his feet. It’s also cheaper to make my own meals. Besides, I don’t mind cooking.”

I can also make whatever I want to eat.

“Ah… So that was how you lived in your world.” Marie’s smile becomes somewhat strained.

Seeing her worried about my past life, I smile wryly. I’ve never been bothered by it anyway.

I had already told Marie that I wasn’t the real Lian but another person called Nao Osaka. Whom the Goddess had summoned from another world as her helper.

Marie’s eyes had revealed perplexity at the beginning, but she still said that she believed me with a serious face.

Not a word escaping her lips, she had continued to listen to my crazy story, occasionally nodding, until I finished.

Did she know just how much stress I’d released after telling her all this?

When she had asked me whether I felt lonely, I answered that it was alright since I no longer had any relatives. That brought her into a heavy bout of tears.

She didn’t have to cry, though. I really was fine.

After years of living in this peaceful village, I’ve come to find it a good thing that I was summoned. That the Goddess did not choose another person.

For someone unwilling to leave their loved ones, and whose loved ones would have mourned their death, living alone in a different world for six years and not knowing when they can return should be tremendously painful.

It’d be very hard. For themselves and the people they left behind.

Missing each other, feeling homesick… Some people probably can’t endure it.

In that aspect, my family and my pet dog have already died. I also don’t have a lot of friends since I’m not good at socializing.

Even if I disappear, nobody in that world will worry and pray for my return.

Being the one summoned may not be a bad thing. In fact, I’m glad I was chosen.

Even if I can’t go back to my original world, I don’t mind. It doesn’t make a difference anyway. I’ll be alone wherever I live.

The Goddess’ selection is truly spot-on.

“Marie-sama. I know more people in this world than in the other world, you know?”

“Oh my!”

“Yeah. You, the kids, Alfred, the Owens, the people who work in the mansion, my classmates, my sword teacher, the villagers, the uncle at the teahouse, and the aunty at the confectionery store. That’s why I’m… starting to think about staying in this world.”

“Lian-sama…”

I flash Marie another smile.

I really do think that way. How great it would be to stay in this village for the rest of my life?

If I ever meet the Goddess again, I’m considering to request to remain in this world.

But for that to have a chance of happening, I must survive and overcome the incoming disaster.

Marie’s cheeks grow flushed as her smile deepens.

“Then… you don’t feel lonely anymore?”

“Yes. All thanks to Marie-sama and everyone else.”

“Really? I’m glad… I’m so glad to hear that.” Marie covers her face with her hands, tears running down her cheeks.

“M-Marie-sama, there’s no need to cry…”

“I’m just so happy. The happiest I’ve ever been. Because of us, you were brought to this world with a great responsibility placed on your shoulders. Yet you still have the heart to forgive us and even care for us.”

“T-that’s no big deal.”

Even as tears are still streaming down Marie’s face, she gives a smile and shakes her head.

“Thank you for your compassion. For watching over us, guiding us, and protecting us. I’m especially grateful for your protectiveness towards Alfred. That boy doesn’t even realize how lonely he is.”

“Marie-sama… About that, I’m also─”

“If you continue to stay by his side, Alfred will─”

Suddenly, there’s a faint smell of something burning.

As I look around for the source of the smell, I notice the stew starting to spill out of the pot.

“M-Marie-sama! The stew! It’s overflowing!”

“Oh no!”

We rushed to turn off the fire, before simultaneously heaving a sigh.

Upon checking the condition of the stew, I find that only the contents at the bottom seem slightly burn.

There’s a smoky smell to the stew now, but it should still be edible.

“That was dangerous.”

“Agreed. Talking while cooking is fun, but we have to be more attentive.”

“Thankfully, the stew is still good. The kids would have scolded us if it wasn’t.”

“Yeah…”

Marie and I share a look and laugh.