165 ③ Return home

"... what do you think of that assemblyman's father talking about?

With Gill's reins to pull the luggage, and as I walked down the road with him, I tried calling that on Ai-Fa's back.

I am on my way back from the lodging town to a settlement by the forest.

The path is on foot without imposition, because of the tight slope over the thin, yet also tall trees on the left and right, with poor prospects.

I suppose it's not that bad of a road, because it used to be a road that the camuers dressed as chambers of commerce also went by, but if I was just a novice tototoss rider and I ran my luggage by accident, I'd be hitting my front on branches everywhere. Therefore, such obstacles were also a very relaxing way home, while ending with the (9) brought to me by Ai-Fa.

Ey-Fa looks flanked as he leads by his furry cloak.

"What do you think, what do you mean? I didn't find anything strange about the words of those people in the west."

"Yeah, on the contrary, I think it was a lot more favorable to the people by the woods. As I said myself, I didn't have any contact with the forest people in my normal life, so I guess that means I don't want that much."

That's what I gave Gill back, adjusting his pacing as fast as I could.

"But people who do business on the street, they're looking at people by the woods with tougher eyes, right? I feel a lot better ventilated because of the tay-sung noise, but the underlying problem isn't solved."

"What is the fundamental problem?

"Huh? That's why..."

If they ask me that directly from the front, I'm stuck in words, too.

The people of the town probably found out that not all of the forestside people seem to be spiteful outlaws, and that the forestside people are also forced to live extremely painful lives - and then that the unfair treatment of the forestside people by the power of Genos has finally come to an end.

Besides, they are not definitive information, they are just stories that could be inferred from the interaction between Tae-Sung and the people by the woods.

I think that's why people started seeing people by the woods with the kind of eyes they explore.

Are you sure these guys aren't barbarians who don't even think of the law as the law?

Were you really being treated that unfairly?

If you were being treated unfairly, aren't you resenting it?

Are the people of the castle going to be properly judged even by the people of the woods in the future?

I guess I'm trying to figure that out.

"Until now, I think the people in Inn Town have been closing their minds perfectly. The people by the woods are vicious, if we get involved, it won't be a Loc thing, because the people in the castle are guru anyway, so leave them alone - like that."

"Hmm."

"I guess that's the noise before this that brightened up a lot of things and changed my mind a little bit. I guess it feels like I'm just sneaking up and observing this one, opening the door I was closing perfectly"

"... you're like Rimi-Lou"

I imagined it, and I laughed a little.

But I can't even just laugh.

"But isn't the forest folk just behaving the way they've always been?... No, there are no more people in town who do evil, so even if they just act normal like that, I guess they can all prove their innocence - but I wonder if there's any other hand you can hit?

"I don't know. Are you going to tell me that we don't imitate as badly as the Sung people do, that we should run around town in a loud whirl?

"Mm-hmm. That's not convincing... if you're a mayor in a boarding town, then you can hit the woodland chief with a meeting."

But I had already heard from Milan-Math that there was no such thing.

It is only Castle Genos that dominates the town of Inn, and it is the aristocracy that resides in the town of Inn that falls under the category of "head of Inn Town".

"It's Asta. Come on. Aren't you too distracted? It is the job of the Donda-Lu and their chiefs to worry about such things. Your job would be to cook delicious food and connect you with the people of Inn Town?

"Yeah, but because those Donda-Lou guys are indifferent to the Inn Town in the first place.... don't you think indifference is a form of rejection? Apart from the Sung family's misconduct, I think that attitude has also contributed to deepening the gulf with the people in town..."

"It would be futile to tell you to be interested in something you are not interested in. By and large, if Donda-Lou, Graf-Zaza, etc. went down to town, wouldn't that be the only way most people would cool their liver?

Of course you're right.

Buying out to Inn Town in the first place is the job of the women, so the men rarely even go down to town. As a result, the people of Inn Town had little immunity to the Kuai hunters by the woods.

The hunters by the woods are full of life when it comes to wild beasts. Instead of Donda-Lou, even the soft-looking ones, like Ai-Fa and Rudd-Lou, after all, have a different air than the people in town.

It is also logical that if they so wrap their giva fur around them and walk with their swords down, a sense of intimidation will arise.

"But Dora's father and Tara stopped cooling their liver not only to the women, but also to Rud-Ruh and Sin-Ruh, right? So I'm sure if there's a place for interaction, we can crack it down. Even I wasn't born in the woods, so I could crack it down."

"... you lack too much ability to perceive danger. I don't think the people in Inn Town can swallow as much as you do."

"Still, the people of the woods are very strong about keeping the code and the law, aren't they? So even a man with a rough temper like Donda-Lou is never dangerous to the people in town. Well, isn't that going to work out as long as it takes?

"Isn't that why you're in the middle of taking that time now?

I = fa loosened his pace a little and came in line next to me.

That's how he turns a serious eye on me.

"Asta. You forgot what Camua-Josh said? You're probably the one who connected us to the Inn Town.... you and the women of Lew. You've come down to the lodging town like every day to prove that the people by the woods are not just spicy people. Without it, I don't think we would have been in the kind of situation we are now, even after the noise that Tay-Sung has caused. - No, rather, was there nothing left in town but fear for the people by the woods?

"Yeah. I know that logic very well, too. But... even I-Fa would have gotten a cheap mouth from the assemblyman's father earlier, right? It felt so alarming at first, but I guess it was only with the charm of I-Fa that he broke it down like that."

…………

"No, listen to me before I kick your leg! I'm never tearing it up! What I'm trying to say is, I don't think the temperament of the people by the woods itself is being repelled by the people in town. If you were people like Gazran-Rutim or Dari-Sutty, for example, don't you feel like you could crack it down a little? Dan-Lutim is going to have a great time drinking with everyone."

"... just because it is, it would be impossible for a man to go down to town without errands"

"Yeah, but, you know, it's hard to get into the ears of people in town about how the Sung family was to the people by the woods if it stays like this, how you feel about it, and how you're about to take that sin? It makes me feel a little bit worse."

As I answered, I also felt that I could clearly see what my doubts were rooted in.

"I mean, even if I say Genos in one bite, isn't Castle Town and Accommodation Town totally separate? I think we have to deal with both of them correctly if the people of the woods are to make the right connection with Genos."

Ey-Fa held his mouth for a while before eventually sighing small.

"Asta, I suppose your words are right, but aren't you still distracting me too much? The chiefs are about to take over the castles. If we don't get rid of you first, we're not quite around to anything else."

"Yeah? Yeah, I figured it would be inappropriate for me to turn my mind around like this"

"Minutes are disproportionate - it feels like something's in a hurry"

As he walks, Ai-Fa comes a lot closer to his face.

I'm getting a little faster heartbeat. Distance.

"It has been going on for eighty years that the people of the woods are being repelled by the people of the town. Zazz-Sung et al. have only poured further poison there in the last decade or so. Even if Zazz-Sung and the others perish, it doesn't seem to me that that would solve everything."

"Yeah, but the way the Zazz-Sungs perished was shocking, so I felt like this would be a good opportunity to improve their relationship with the people in town at once."

"That's why I'm saying it feels like I'm in a hurry."

and - Ai-Fa there, suddenly let his lips snap.

I get a little upset about this surprise attack again.

"You're usually more swallowing than anyone else, but sometimes you look like you're in such a hurry. I don't like it."

"Kee, you don't like it?

"I don't like it very much.... it makes me wonder if you're trying to clean up the mess before you disappear"

Speaking in a shank of tone, Ai-Fa has been grabbing all over the fabric on my hips.

"The purpose of Fa's house should be to sell Giva meat in town and bring a rich life by the woods, Asta"

"Ugh, yeah, you're right."

"To do this, the townspeople need to start asking for more giva meat. Otherwise, there will be no abundance to the woodland mistletoe."

"That's right. Of course you're right."

"Because that is the case, the people of the woods and the people of Genos must have a friendlier relationship than they do now. You must be right to be corrupt for that. … but it should take so many distracting years to accomplish it"

Ey-fa keeps her lips together, bringing her face even closer.

"So you, as a distracted person in Fa's house, should be encouraged to do the work of the Inn Town as always. Don't think it's that easy to get the job done, you lying bastard."

"No, but if there's gonna be an early fix, you've never been over it, have you?

By my reply, I - Fa - pressed in disgruntled silence.

Then I show you a bare gesture that's going to grab my shoulder with the opposite hand - and soon I'll put that hand down.

That's how I fa, now he's making fun of me.

"... you still think I want words like that?

"No, you know, so..."

"Why are you trying to make me anxious?

My words seem to have upset the feelings of I-Fa where I unintentionally did.

I shook my head in a panic and let him answer, "I didn't mean to."

Before I disappear, I want to solve the problems that Forestside and Genos have - I wasn't thinking about that much.

Was that thought hurrying me unconsciously that I just didn't want to disappear without knowing before I saw this end?

"Sorry. I just - I just hope things go in a better direction. I'm just trying to narrow my wits about what I need to do to do that."

…………

"I don't even think our relationship with Genos will fit in circles that easily, and I know that we should proceed to the tunnel, carefully.... Yeah, too many bugs to improve the relationship at once, and that's a dangerous way of thinking. That wasn't my idea enough. Reflect."

…………

"... my mood was told last night, right?

I want to be by your side, too.

With all that dialogue, I held Ai-Fa's body in my arms.

When my chest was finally beating faster and I even thought that would pass on to Ey-Fa, who hadn't even touched my body as it was - Ey-Fa let go of my hand after my hips on the fence and walked away in front with Stasta.

"... if you know, that's fine"

A low hissed Ey-Fa voice reaches his ears as he loosens on the wind.

I was worried about something I could not reply to, but I arrived at a settlement by the woods sooner than the proposal flickered.

Even so, we don't see so much change in the scene. It's just that the dirt ground flattened out and just got a little thicker.

The road we have come through is the lower part of the T-shaped road, and the road along the woods stretches long north and south. If you go all the way down south from here, it's a settlement in Luu, and if you go all the way up north for an hour, it's Fa's house.

"Okay. Then we'll finally get in the van from here on out."

Once again, when I gave him a bright voice, Ai-Fa also replied, "Uhm," at the usual rate.

While I stroke my chest with my heart, I crawl up to your table.

Once on the carrier, Ai-Fa rode himself out of it and put his hand on the back of your podium.

"That's a lot of volatile posture. So, are you okay?

"If I don't do this, I won't be able to confirm your code judgment?

Answering that way, Ai-Fa looked a lot more in the mood.

I'm sure she's dawning on her first luggage boarding.

As I looked up at that slightly soothing face, I could think that I would stop plunging in tough stories today.

"Basically, the way you drive doesn't make a big difference from when you ride directly on Totos. It's not going to change the way you treat the reins, so you're just going to change the beating behavior with your feet to beating with a whip. So, they don't have to worry about falling off your podium unless you let them start or stop so abusively, and it's so much easier for amateurs than riding Totos directly. - And Late said it."

"Well, maybe you can manipulate the crowd a little bit."

After only five days of being able to manipulate Gill like his hands and feet, my Parent said so with a soothing face.

By the way, I have managed to get him to walk slowly without falling off the horse.

How skillfully can you drive this luggage truck to me like that? It's a challenge.

"All right, let's go. It's probably gonna rock pretty bad, so be careful not to fall, okay?

As I said, I took away the leather whip.

I = fa really call me "Asta".

"... don't hurt Gill though, okay?

"Yes, sir," I responded, striking at the base of Gill's foot.

Gill walks away as usual.

While holding the leather whip, I grabbed the reins even with my right hand.

First, normal walking speed. Since Totos walks twice as fast as humans, is it about 10 km/h or something like that?

As expected, even this is quite a vibration.

On your stand, you might want to lay something instead of a cushion. After a very long ride, my ass is going to be skinned.

"Yeah, but this guy feels good"

Speed is 10 kilometers an hour, but it's a good thing you don't have to worry about falling.

Besides, the position of your podium is designed to be as high as the back of Totos, so the view is no different than when you're on Totos.

But from above my head comes the disgruntled voice of I-Fa.

"It's not fast enough to say it feels good, etc. Can't you be too relaxed, Asta?

"Yeah, well, sure. It would have been a good time if I'd been home and started working.... Then we're just gonna speed up a little bit, okay?

Keep the tension on the reins with your left hand alone and whip Gill's torso again.

Shift from regular walking to fast walking.

There seemed to be no problem adding or subtracting whips, which increased Gill's speed by about 50%.

I'm pulling a luggage truck and two humans, but I see no change in the strength of that foothold.

"The shaking is not so different. Ai-Fa, are you okay?

I felt I heard Ey-Fa's voice "unimportant" from a position closer than it had just been.

"More than that, Asta, isn't there strength in your right arm again? There seems to be a distortion in the tensile structure."

"Yeah? I guess so."

This is the point pointed out to Ey-Fa every now and again.

Still, Gilr is running straight for me, but "That's because the road is straight, Gilr is just a little lost but straight ahead," says Ai-Fa.

So, I'm sure that stray will accumulate a little fatigue in Gill's mind, so I ask you to handle the reins properly, Lord Instructor Ai-Fa.

Even Ey-Fa's association with Gill should only be the same length as mine, but the words were strangely full of persuasion.

"Are you stronger in your right arm? Isn't it natural not to be even without a little power on your right arm?"

"Hey, I'm still going to be even with this,"

"First of all, it's wrong because of the height of your arms. Lower your right elbow a little bit."

The brown fingertips grabbed my right wrist softly, along with the voice of Ey-Fa, who was getting so close.

Then a soft hair touches my right ear, bouncing my heart.

"That's about it. So, try to pull a little more power."

The voice can no longer be felt directly next to your face.

Even though I haven't made contact yet, around my right neck and shoulder, I even feel Ey-Fa's body temperature.

"Wow, okay, okay. Is this about it? Yeah, sounds good, doesn't it?

"... what are you confused about, you"

"No, because... can you explain, idiot"

"Who's an idiot," he has been oppressed with his head around the temples.

You're the one who likes to hang around, really!

"This would be a necessary measure, though? You don't like me and my skin touching each other until you're like this?

and the voices of i-fa sound more and more grumpy.

"I am also confused that you are a person who thinks that it is uncomfortable for your skin to touch your family even if they are your opponents. That's why I was so careful not to offend you."

No, because of that perception, there's not much.

"But you've been cuddling my body last night, haven't you?

So that's not what you say!

"... even I don't want to offend you. But teaching the reins judgment should be a necessary measure. Isn't that too much of an act to make my mood go away?

The condition of Ai-Fa's voice changed only slightly.

Keep your head and fingertips away from me - I just feel that voice and temperature up close.

I breathed a small breath as I adjusted the force application and subtraction of the reins to the gills on the way down the loose curve.

"Okay. Then let's solve a fundamental misunderstanding.... you know, I get upset when you touch me, not because I'm unpleasant, but because, you know, I'm embarrassed, I 'm-fa"

What is the missing narrative between?

But we are born and raised in different worlds. If there is a discrepancy in its common sense and values, there is nothing else we can do to fix it.

"... I don't know what it means to be embarrassed"

"Don't you see? 'Cause me and you are family in the same house, but there's no blood connected, is there?

"... is that why you hate skin touching each other? Even I'm not comfortable being touched by people who aren't my family."

Oh, that's why I'm getting a feeling of approximation for my reaction.

I'm desperate for thought.

"Um, but I'm sure you don't hate to make contact with Rimi-Lou or Grandma Ziva, do you, Ai-Fa?

"Naturally. Rimi-Lou and Ziva are dear friends."

The voice in the second half is small.

That's what makes me throw up an embarrassing dialogue, and I feel sorry for it.

"Well, what if you made a man friend or something? No matter how many friends, you wouldn't like it if the men hugged you like Limi-Lew, would you?

"Naturally. But is that because Rimi-Lou is a child? If even the men are as small as Rimi-Lou, it's not sticky and unpleasant"

"Yeah, but I don't suppose being hugged by Rimi-Lou as an adult would make you feel uncomfortable?

"No adult goes into such childish behavior"

"Really? If it was Rimi-Lou, I think it could be."

Silence.

I'm sure the conclusion that "could be" came to Ey-Fa's mind as well.

"Then that's a question. What if, for example, a little boy, like Sin-Lew's brother, became a friend of Ai-Fa's, and even if the kid grew up about seventeen, he'd hug him? More than unpleasant, don't you feel embarrassed?

"That may be... but you're not my friend, you're my family, it's Asta"

"Yeah, but in the world I lived in, when we grew up with each other, we didn't really touch each other."

As I said, I felt something deja vu.

The answer is presented right next to the right ear.

"I've heard that saying before. That was just before I started doing business in Accommodation Town - when I rented an inn at Rutim's main house. You said the same thing back then, Asta."

"Wow, I miss you. But I do feel like we had that conversation."

"Mm-hmm. That was a debate about the bunk."

Even though it was more than a month ago, it's something I often remember that much.

If he was impressed, for example, he suddenly grabbed his neck from across.

I can't move my gaze from the front, but I'm probably headlocked.

"And even then I should have said it. This isn't your hometown, it's a settlement by the woods. It would be the right way to follow the forest's course, Asta, as it became a forest people."

"Well, I'm sure you're right about that! Forestside families don't stick around that much from time to time, do they? I've never seen anything like it, have I?

"I don't know anything about the house. It's up to you to decide what's going on at home."

Is it my fault that I can't feel any logic?

Anyway, my neck and right shoulder are unusually hot.

Until now, the sweet scent of Ey-Fa flowing in the wind tickles my nasal cavity.

"Oh, it's dangerous! We're gonna stick it in those trees!?

"Gill hasn't fallen that far between"

With those words, the hot feeling sucked one on my cheek.

I just imagined it would be bad for my heart, but this slippery feeling is probably on the cheek of I-Fa.

"... you weren't offended, Asta."

"Huh? What? Um, I'm really going to have an accident!

"I still don't know what it means to be embarrassed, but if you're not offended, I'm glad to hear that."

They compress my neck all the time, and I can put my cheeks on my cheeks as well.

At the same time, he grabbed his right wrist again.

"We're losing power again. Don't disturb your heart, you immature bastard."

Included laughter, the voice of Ey-Fa.

I decided to keep my heart shut about who wouldn't disturb me in this situation.

In the meantime, Gilru knew nothing about it, powerfully and subtly, driving even fast down the path by the woods.