Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death

translator: mii

editor: sleepchaser, ASplashofMusic

I clap my hands to get everyone’s attention.

Like intended, everyone shifts their focus to me. After confirming that they’re listening to me, I open my mouth and say, “The demon-repelling fence is now complete! Good work, everyone, and thank you! Thank you very much to everyone who has helped with the fence installation. Because of all of you, we were able to complete it according to schedule.”

They all cheer.

“With this, starving demons and beasts won’t come into our village to attack people or devour the crops anymore!”

Another burst of cheers and voices of agreement.

“This isn’t much, but I have prepared wine and delicious treats at Bordeaux Plantation beforehand for everyone who has worked hard. I rented their rooms too, so please don’t hold back on all the food and drinks tonight. You can rest there overnight, and then go home. For the workers, you have the day off tomorrow. But we still have more work to do, so I’m looking forward to your cooperation again next week! I’ll be counting on you!”

The cheerful cheers grow even louder than before. Everyone has a smile on their faces as they jump with their arms raised, clapping and laughing.

“Please leave it to us, Lian-sama!” say the workers, tapping their chests in confidence. The kids even imitate them.

When I see them, a wave of relief washes over me. I nod with a laugh.

I’ve already predicted that we’ll get to complete the fence installation today if everything goes well, so I asked the owner of the orchard this morning to prepare everything for tonight.

Just like what Grandpa often told me, it’s important to have both a steady start and a proper end. Besides that, I also want to show my gratitude to everyone for their hard work.

I’ve already given the owner of the plantation the meat and the other ingredients sourced from the mansion’s chef, as well as the labor fee for the cooking preparations. In response, the owner told me, “I will do my best to prepare a delicious feast! I will also serve you the best antique wine we have! Please look forward to it!”

For some reason, I really am looking forward to it now.

After we finish tidying things up, we all decide to head straight to Bordeaux Plantations but through our own ways. So for once, everyone involved in the installation disbands.

Bordeaux Plantations is located a hill away from here. It takes only around ten minutes on carriage to get there, so I have made it our main base of operations in the southern area. Because the Bordeaux family’s house has more than thirty inhabitants, consisting of the Bordeaux family and their live-in employees, they had to expand the house so that there was enough space for everyone to live in. As such, their house is big and has many rooms. It’s a bit similar in size and layout to the Owens’ guest house.

Plus, the wine they make has an elegant aroma and a moderate sweetness to it. It tastes very delicious. Lowendal even says that Bordeaux makes the best wine in this village.

As each of the workers climb onto their horse or into their carriage, they wave at me, happy and satisfied smiles on their face.

I return the gesture with a smile, seeing them off.

After all of them have left, I let out a sigh. It has grown quite cold these days.

Maybe the wind has become stronger. I can feel the hem of my thin coat flutter as the wind brushes against my cheeks and neck. It feels so cold that I instinctively shrink into myself and shiver. I should wear a thicker coat soon. I should take out the wool scarf, the gloves, and the hat too.

With these thoughts in mind, I rub my arms to generate some heat. Alfred stands right next to me to block the wind, then wraps an arm around my shoulders. He comments, “It’s getting a lot colder now.”

“Yeah. Winter’s arriving soon.”

The moment I say it, the realization floods through me.

Ah… Soon, winter will arrive. My chest stings at the thought.

It’s finally almost time, isn’t it?

Now that I’ve progressed this far into Arcadia’s storyline, it feels like it’s too soon but also too late. My heart is filled with indescribable emotions.

I close my eyes.

This village has a relatively warm climate, so it almost never snows here. But on that day of disaster, snow fell onto the village for the first time in over a decade.

And if the progression of this world somehow follows that of the game…

…then that girl will appear soon.

A kind girl who looks similar to Alfred. Blond hair reminiscent of the color of a wheat field on a sunny day and sky-blue eyes.

“…Lian?”

As I remain within Alfred’s arm, his body warmth seeps into me. Ahh, his warmth feels so relieving. I want to stay like this forever.

Then I get a slight urge to cry.

I don’t know how he will react once Alfred meets her.

But there’s something that I know well.

No one can bind people’s hearts to them. No one can force other people to have feelings towards them.

I also don’t want to forcibly tie himself to me.

I want him to be happy, to be able to gently laugh like how he just did forever.

To me, Alfred is like my foster child. I’ve led him by the hand, taught him, watched over him, and nurtured him over the past years.

At other times, he’s like a trusted friend to me, always staying by my side and telling me that he will continue to stay with me.

He also tells me that he likes me and hugs me like this… Even though I’m just a weak, miserable, and hopeless liar, he doesn’t mind all my bad qualities and still continues to love me.

So, even if he falls in love with the Holy Maiden later on…

As long as he’s happy and not lonely with her, then all’s good.

I don’t want him to give up his happiness just for the sake of honoring his promise to someone like me. He doesn’t deserve to suffer like that. I don’t want him to suffer like that either.

Because if there’s one person who I want to see be happy the most, it’s him.

That’s the only thing that won’t ever change.

So…

I reopen my eyes and look up at Alfred. His clear blue eyes look at me in confusion. My favorite color.

“It’s nothing, Alfred. We should go now. Judging from how excited they are, they’ll probably wolf down everything in sight in the blink of an eye.”

I tug at his large hand and lead him to Shurio, who is waiting for us in front of the carriage. As I do that, I recall the old days for some reason. The memories make me feel very nostalgic and also a little happy.

Alfred parts his lips, looking like he wants to say something. But after a while, he just closes it and sighs before letting me pull him by the hand.

The lively laughter and singing attract the attention of the villagers within the neighborhood. The villagers then come to join our celebration, adding more jubilance to the feast. The merrymaking continues until the moon’s high up in the sky.

When some people have already started dropping to the floor after drinking themselves into a stupor, we break up the party that was to thank everyone’s significant efforts, and which also served as a congratulatory gift.

One after another, the drunks who can still move help those who already can’t by placing them on their shoulders and carrying them out of the place and toward the prepared rooms.

Alfred and I also decide to retire to the rooms that have been prepared for us.

The owner arranged for our rooms to be next to each other, probably because Alfred is my personal escort. Mine is the best room they have, which has a personal bathroom and toilet inside.

There’s no bathroom inside other rooms, so they have to head to the shared bath on the first floor if they want to take a bath. It seems to be a large bath where even children can swim in. It sounds just like a public bath, piquing my interest.

The room where everyone else will reside in is a similarly large room. The floor of the room is covered with a mattress made from straw and cloth. It’s soft to the touch, and it smells good too. The workers once happily said that they could roll around in that room as much as they want without worrying about falling off a bed.

Long ago, after sending off the workers who were heading to the shared bath while joking with each other happily, I asked Alfred on whether we should also bathe in the shared bath. But he rejected me without hesitation and told me to use the bathroom in my room.

Why?!

It should be fine, right? Besides, I want to experience soaking inside a large bath and relaxing in the water with everyone else! After all, the western bathtub in my room is too small since it’s designed to only hold one person. I have to lie on the edge of the tub just so the hot water can reach past my shoulders. I don’t do manual labor, so my shoulders won’t grow tired from that, but it’s still needlessly complicated for me.

Alfred also emphasized back then that I should never use the shared bath and then forced me to stay in my room, refusing to hear any protests. In the end, I had no choice but to use the bathtub in my room.

If I get another chance like that again, I must insist on going to the public bath—no, the shared bath.

After leaving the banquet hall, I head upstairs, enter my room, and change into the sleepwear I brought with me.

When my gaze sweeps over the table, I notice that the owner has prepared a bottle of water, juice, and even fine wine for me. As I thank them for their hospitality inside my mind, I grab the bottle of fine wine and hold it in one hand.

Afterward, I put on my slippers before leaving my room.

Since they prepared this wine for me, how can I refuse to drink it?

I stop in front of the door of the adjacent room and take a big breath. Then I knock on the door.

At the fifth knock, the door finally opens. Alfred comes into view with a slightly surprised expression. He has a shirt and a pair of pants on, but his feet are bare. Why doesn’t he wear slippers? I guess walking barefoot may be normal for him, but doesn’t he ever feel cold?

“Lian? What happened?”

“Nothing happened! Come on, Alfred. Let’s drink! I wasn’t able to drink much at the banquet earlier! Accompany me!”