#5: 05 — A One-Eyed, One-Armed, One-Legged Sorcerer: 2000 Years in a Cabin in the Woods. I Found Myself Being Called a Demigod. All I Want to Do Is Explore Magic~ (WN)

Evan carried Ains on his back—Ains having lost his left leg and right arm—while Silica walked behind him with Evan’s load and the map.

There were no more tears in Silica’s eyes.

She had cried for about half an hour at the scene, and when she stood up afterward, there was no sadness left in her gaze.

“…Good eyes. You must never show that ugly display in front of this child again. That is—”

Evan did not continue.

“I understand.”

Silica’s voice was small, but it carried strength.

As Evan carried the boy bound to a cruel fate, he recalled Silica’s words from earlier.

‘This child will surely face even crueler fate from here on. But my daughter will guide him. And I will raise my daughter properly, so she can guide him.’

That would be for the child’s sake.

Evan and the others returned to Tas Village in the evening.

Once they arrived, everyone dispersed, and Evan and Silica went home.

“I’m home, Mom.”

Evan opened the door, and Silica entered behind him.

“Welcome back. …And that child?”

Evan’s wife—Silica’s mother, Karia—looked at the boy riding on her husband’s back.

“…He’s a survivor from Silve Village. But—”

Evan lowered the boy onto the sofa.

“!”

Karia’s eyes widened. Then she lowered her gaze.

No one could see the broken body of a boy of about six and not worry about his future.

“I’ll wipe him down with a clean towel and put him to bed in my bed. We’ll talk after that.”

How to treat this child. Silica’s resolve. What their family would do from now on.

A lavish dinner sat on the table. Karia had prepared it for her husband and daughter, exhausted in both body and mind, but it became a very quiet meal—the quietest they had ever had.

After they finished eating, they decided what to do going forward, and went to sleep early.

Three days later, as usual, Karia woke first and roused Evan and Silica.

“Wake up, dear.”

Evan woke easily and got up from the sofa at once.

“Ow…”

Since the bed had become the boy’s sleeping place, Evan had been sleeping cramped on the sofa.

He stretched his stiff body to loosen it.

Karia opened the door to her daughter’s room and shook Silica awake as she slept with her bedding in a mess.

The three sat at the table and began eating breakfast.

“Looks like I need to head into the mountains again today. It might start snowing soon.”

“Yes. The cold in the mornings and nights has gotten pretty harsh.”

“Yeah. We’ve more or less secured enough food to get through winter, but there’s no harm in having more.”

“What will you do today, Silica?”

“I have to go to the training hall. Geese-san told me to show my face.”

Silica shrugged as if fed up.

“So I’ll check on that boy first, then go to the training hall.”

“That’s right. He should be waking up hungry any time now.”

Karia smiled faintly and sipped her steaming soup.

They continued the pleasant morning like that, then finished their meal.

Evan put on his bow and sword and headed out.

“Silica, bring the dishes over, please.”

“I know!”

Silica answered with mild irritation—Karia always nagged her about it—while Karia washed the dishes used in the kitchen.

Silica brought the dishes to Karia, and in the same motion received a wet towel and a bucket of hot water. “Make sure you wipe him thoroughly.”

“I know.”

This time she answered quietly.

She left the living room, went upstairs, and entered Evan’s bedroom. The boy Silica had rescued was sleeping there now.

“I’m coming in—”

He probably couldn’t hear, but she said it anyway, like a formality.

When she opened the door, the boy was sitting up in bed.

“…Huh?”

She froze for a moment, then understood what she was seeing.

Silica reflexively dropped the bucket with the towel.

“M-Mom! Come here! Um—uh—he woke up! The boy!”

The words would not line up in her head.

They spilled out without order.

“What are you even saying, Silica?”

Karia’s voice came from downstairs.

“No, I mean, the boy is awake! …Hot!!”

Only now did she notice the hot water on her foot.

Balancing on one leg, she clutched the foot the hot water had splashed and writhed in place.

“…What is that child doing now, honestly…”

Exasperated, Karia came up at an unhurried pace.

Entering the room, she saw her daughter hopping on one foot and the boy looking toward the window.

“…So you’re awake.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!”

“With how you said it, I couldn’t tell, honestly.”

Karia decided to leave her daughter for the moment and crouched beside the boy.

“Are you awake?”

Karia spoke as gently as she could.

“…”

The boy looked away from the window and turned toward Karia.

His hair was silver and longer than Silica’s. His face held none of the usual emotions—no anger, no joy, no sorrow. His eyes were open, but it was unclear whether he truly saw anything; they reflected nothing.

Still, since his gaze met Karia’s, he probably could see.

“Are you hungry?”

“…”

The boy did not answer, only stared at Karia.

“Could it be he doesn’t understand what we’re saying?”

Silica asked Karia.

“That can’t be. Silve Village and Tas Village speak the same language.”

At the word “Silve Village,” the boy’s shoulder twitched once—just once.

Silica noticed.

He understood the words. From that reaction, he could hear the conversation too.

Then she had to say it. She had to tell him.

“Your village—Silve Village… it’s gone.”