13

As time passed, the village’s excitement settled down.

The sun had completely set, and countless stars glittered in the pitch-black sky.

The villagers each went home, and only Evan, Silica, and Ains remained by the crackling bonfire.

“Ains, you truly saved us today. Your skill with magic is remarkable.”

“That’s right. I’d seen it before, but I never imagined you could stand up to magical beasts like that.”

“If you knew, you should’ve said something! When I realized Ains had gone into the forest, my heart nearly stopped.”

“I felt the same. Even if it looked impressive, I didn’t know whether it would work on magical beasts.”

Evan and Silica continued their back-and-forth.

“Um…”

Unable to bear it, Ains cut in.

“Ah, sorry. This might dampen things for you, Ains, but villagers can be fickle. I knew they’d been giving you cold looks until now.”

The earlier momentum was gone as Evan spoke quietly.

“Still, Silica and I saved you without the village’s consent, and for better or worse, allowed you to live here.”

“I understand. Winters in Tas Village are harsh. Food, fuel—everything is scarce. It’s natural to hesitate to share resources with an outsider, especially someone with disabilities who seems to bring no benefit to the village.”

“Yes. Even so, we wanted to do something about that situation… though we lacked the strength to truly fix it.”

Ains glanced sideways at Silica; she had lowered her eyes, lips pressed into a straight line.

“Even so, you’ve now changed the villagers through your own strength, to the point they thank you. No one will call you an outsider or a useless burden anymore.”

Evan paused, then grasped Ains’s shoulders.

“Ains, you’re indispensable to Tas Village now! Until now, I thought your life here was sustained only by me, Silica, and Karia—but shameless as it may be, I want you to contribute as a full member of Tas Village from now on!”

“And don’t shoulder everything alone. Do what you want to do. Trouble us as much as you like. If you seek help, we’ll do everything we can to support you. Not out of obligation—Tas Village and you will live together as villagers, helping one another!”

Evan’s grip on Ains’s shoulders tightened.

“…Thank you,”

Ains replied with his head lowered— as if turning away from guilt.

“…I’m not someone who can truly become everyone’s companion. I’m grateful to you and Silica for saving me from Silve Village. But at that time—when Silve Village was attacked—I did nothing. I didn’t act. Worse, I was captivated by the enemy’s magic. I was enthralled by a world of magic I’d never known, and longed for it. The enemy even sneered and told me to ‘die while regretting it to your heart’s content.’ …I wasn’t someone who lived for my parents or for Silve Village.”

Ains continued.

“And even after coming to Tas Village, it was the same. I was obsessed with the flames that burned that village—with the enemy’s magic—and I dove into magic. This incident too. I didn’t act out of noble intent to save those three. I entered the forest for my own pursuit of magic, thinking it a perfect chance to study magical beasts. Saving them was just a result. I didn’t act for others—never.”

His words kept flowing— how he had thought and lived since coming to Tas Village.

Like a confession. Like self-admonishment.

Evan was initially taken aback, then realized these were Ains’s true feelings and listened.

Silica had sensed as much from Ains’s behavior before, but hearing it plainly for the first time made her feel she’d grown closer to him.

“…I understand your true feelings.”

Evan said.

“Yes. …So—”

“When everyone apologized and thanked you, how did you feel? Did your heart not move?”

“No. I felt happy. And that’s why—”

“—That’s why you felt guilty, right? And that’s fine.”

“Huh?”

“It means we’ve become close enough for you to feel guilt toward us. You—who once felt nothing.”

“…”

“You’re already a full member of Tas Village. No less—and perhaps even more.”

The matter was settled.

Evan lightly patted Ains’s back and glanced at Silica.

“Come on, let’s go home. Mom’s waiting.”

“…”

Ains didn’t move.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m really happy to be accepted as your companion. Precisely because of that, there’s something I want to do—as a member of Tas Village.”

Ains’s blue eye and his clouded eye turned toward Evan and Silica.

“I want to pursue magic—no, sorcery! For Silve Village, where I accomplished nothing, and for Tas Village, which accepted me as a companion! I want to contribute with my sorcery!”

“Sorcery? …If we can continue to rely on your magical skill, that would make me very happy.”

A fire burned in Ains’s eyes—one that hadn’t been there before.

“Ains, did you find something in the forest?”

Silica prompted.

He still had more to say.

“Yes. I found a hut in the forest. From its structure to its interior and decorations, it was filled with sorcerous elements I don’t understand. I want to make it mine—not just for myself, but for everyone. So—”

“You’re going to live there, in that hut in the forest?”

“Yes.”

Evan was startled; the turn of the conversation hadn’t been clear to him.

But he quickly understood he couldn’t dismiss the conviction in Ains’s reply.

“…If you need anything or run into trouble, say it clearly. Silica or I will come to the hut as messengers.”

“Thank you. Then I’ll be going.”

“Right now?”

“I wanted to greet Karia, but I want to get started immediately!”

With a sigh, Evan said,

“I’ll tell Karia for you.”

“Thank you very much! Then—see you later.”

Ains’s wheelchair turned once more toward the forest and began to move.

The sun had set, and beneath a star-filled night sky, he advanced forward.