“…….”
I felt a bit sentimental.
I understood it with my mind, but my body didn’t seem to follow.
Aizen said he wanted to see how far they could go without my help.
Hearing that, I was momentarily stunned.
Looking back on the past, it was true that the kids mostly just watched from behind me rather than solving anything on their own.
The chosen children must grow as Mesia.
In that process, they must gain understanding and develop courage to make a name for themselves in the world as proper heroes in the future.
“It’s definitely a necessary thing at least once…”
At first, everyone seemed puzzled and slightly resistant to the fact that I wouldn’t be accompanying them on this camping trip.
But after hearing the reason, the other children began to nod their heads one by one, except for Rune.
It seemed that Rune felt significantly uneasy about a party consisting solely of children since her time with them had been quite limited.
But even Rune eventually relented due to Aizen’s relentless persuasion.
Thus, a perfect baby hero party centered around Aizen was created.
“…It’ll be okay.”
As soon as the children finished their breakfast, they hurried back to their rooms to prepare for the camping trip.
After all, this forest had long since run out of monster seeds, and most animals were used as daily rations.
The kinds of dangerous events I imagined were unlikely to occur.
As long as they didn’t stray too far from the church, the forest was quite safe.
“…….”
I firmly advised Aizen, and the children’s stats were somewhat decent, so surely nothing I should worry about would happen.
Still, I wondered why I felt so anxious.
I should feel a great joy at the very fact that the children were trying to accomplish something on their own.
– Whoo
I walked away from the stairs in front of the church, which was like my designated spot, and sat down in front of a tall tree in the middle of the garden, staring blankly at the emptiness.
Having these different thoughts in an unusual position somehow made my mind feel clearer and slightly more relaxed. Yet, when I thought about the church turning chilly from lunch onwards, my mood grew increasingly gloomy.
– Thud
In the midst of my thoughts, a mysterious twig suddenly fell beside me.
I naturally turned my head to fix my gaze on the tree that was sturdily extending behind me.
“…I’m not so gloomy that I need comfort from a tree.”
– Thud
“Well, I’m fine, really! I didn’t feel the slightest bit ostracized by the kids.”
– Thud
“As you can see, I’m not their parent, I’m just a guardian. I don’t feel the need to be hurt or sad about such things.”
– Thud
“That just means I’ve mentally grown quite a bit, so I should be happy.”
I gradually hugged my knees deeper and slowly buried my face.
“…Time really flies. I can’t believe the kids are thinking like this already.”
It had already been half a year since I met the children.
As children with the title of Mesia, they grow day by day, clearly showing a stark difference from ordinary kids, which makes me proud.
However, their rate of growth was surprisingly fast, which was both astonishing and slightly regrettable.
– Thud
This time, a fruit plopped down, dropped by the tree.
It appeared like it was trying to comfort me.
“How have I become so sensitive all of a sudden….”
To think that I would strike up a conversation with a tree, let alone receive heartfelt comfort from it, is quite complicated.
“Levi─!! Everything’s ready!!”
How much time had passed?
After sitting blankly in front of the tree for a while, it had already become lunchtime, and it was time for the kids to leave for the forest.
“Oh, it’s already time…”
“Did you sit here since morning?”
“Yes… I didn’t have anything in particular to do, so I just sat here.”
“Are you feeling left out? Going camping just with the kids and not with you?”
“No, why would I feel left out? Honestly, it’s nice and quiet.”
I answered calmly while gazing intently at Aizen, who was speaking with great confidence.
Looking back now, it was true that I needed some alone time, and I could enjoy some leisurely moments.
Camping solely among the children wasn’t all bad.
Moreover, even grown adults struggle with camping.
When they hit a limit, it would be obvious that they would come looking for me for help.
“That being said, your expression doesn’t seem very good.”
“That’s not possible. I’m cheering for your first camping trip.”
I replied fairly calmly to Ellie’s sudden interjection.
Without batting an eye, I maintained a calm demeanor while slowly moving my gaze.
“Now that I look closely, Aizen’s baggage looks unusually big and heavy?”
“Oh, I took on the kids’ baggage because they were having a hard time carrying it.”
“What?”
“They’re only carrying preserved foods and simple tools.”
In that moment, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.
“Everyone, please sit down.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Why are you doing this, Sister…?”
“I suddenly felt uneasy.”
“…….”
I was very much aware of Aizen’s strength.
But that didn’t mean it was good to dump all the baggage on him.
“It’s not good to just throw all the baggage at Aizen just because he’s strong. We’re supposed to work together, and if we do this, it goes against the very purpose from the start.”
As I said that, I confidently spilled all of the baggage from the children’s backpacks to the ground without hesitation.
“Ellie, I clearly said this in the morning, right? Camping isn’t as romantic as you think.”
“Yes…”
“If you plan to push all the hard work onto Aizen like this, it’s still not too late to stay at the church.”
“…….”
I spoke sternly while redistributing a part of Aizen’s baggage into Ellie’s backpack.
Of course, I made sure to include Iris and Rune, who were standing beside me.
“Iris, you packed nothing but books. Are you planning to just read books in the forest?”
“Ugh…”
“Rune, you filled your bag with herbs; you didn’t bring those from the kitchen, did you?”
“Eep…”
A total disaster since the start.
I never thought they would so unfairly distribute the baggage like this.
If we were simply considering efficiency, this might be a good way to distribute it.
But this camping trip was meant for the children to gain experience and understanding for themselves.
“Levi… I said I would take the lead in carrying the kids’ things first. So please don’t…”
“Aizen’s soft attitude is the biggest problem. If you do everything from the start, you’ll definitely become the porter later.”
“Porter?!”
“It’s true that you should be kind to those weaker than you, like Aizen, but that doesn’t mean you should do everything for them.”
With those words, I redistributed all the baggage as fairly as possible back to the children.
The girls couldn’t hide their surprised expressions at the newly changed weight, but there was no other choice.
Camping is originally supposed to be quite tough from the start.
“You all aren’t going for a leisurely vacation. You’re going to gain experience in preparation for the future. That’s why I wasn’t going along with you.”
The children seemed to vaguely understand the reason I said this, bowing their heads slowly with somewhat flustered expressions.
“I-I’m sorry… I won’t do it again, so please forgive me…”
“I’m sorry…”
“I was wrong…”
While it might seem quite harsh, it was an essential lesson to teach, especially with Aizen being the only boy in the party.
Naturally, they wouldn’t have realized their actions, but if they were repeated and became familiar, it would lead to discord sooner or later.
Balancing the party is the most important thing.
“In everything, you must help each other and fulfill your roles. Otherwise, no matter how close you are, cracks will form.”
“Yes….”
Before I knew it, the children began to timidly nod their heads, looking increasingly gloomy.
This was my first time scolding in this manner, so I felt quite awkward and uneasy.
“Just knowing it is enough.”
“Sister…”
“What is it, Ellie?”
“Did I—did I disappoint you…?”
As she looked up at me anxiously, as if she were about to burst into tears, Ellie appeared incredibly small in that moment.
“Well, if I said I wasn’t disappointed, that would be a lie.”
“Ugh…. I really messed up…”
“If you’re really sorry, then when you get into the forest, make sure to give it your all. Don’t try to slack off just because I can’t see you.”
“I’ll truly do my best… I promise…”
The atmosphere, once filled with excitement for their first camping trip, quickly turned gloomy due to me.
I didn’t intend to make it this dreary, but it seems I scolded them a bit too harshly.
“I’m sorry for ruining the mood before we even started. I’ll try to hold back from now on, so don’t mind me and just enjoy yourselves.”
“Uh, okay….”
As if everyone was giving off an aura of gloom, the children began to take their first steps with heavy hearts.
Especially Ellie, who used to stick to me like a tick, was hesitantly hesitating while glancing at me.
“Tonight’s welcome party for Rune will be held tomorrow night instead, so make sure not to be late─.”
I called out energetically to the children as they gradually distanced themselves from me, waving my hand grandly.
As I flashed a faint smile, one by one, the children began to brighten up, their eyes sparkling with smiles.
“Off we go─!!”
“I’ll do my best and come back!!”
“Fighting─.”
“W-We’re having a welcome party twice…!”
The children’s cheerful voices echoed loudly around the church.
Honestly, it’s not like it’s a big deal.
It’s just a day for the kids to spend together in a safe forest without many monsters or beasts.
There’s not much for me to worry about.
I could just relax inside the church, and before I knew it, a day would pass, and it’d be time for the children to return.
“Well then, now that the kids have left, I should….”
As soon as the children disappeared from sight, I naturally stepped behind the tree and picked up the large leaf I had secretly hidden.
It was a shade cover I had used very conveniently in the elf village.
Although it had become a bit flimsy with time, it was still usable.
“I’ll be stepping out for a bit, so please take care of the church.”
I softly whispered to the tree with a bright smile.
Just as I was about to set off toward the direction the children had gone without hesitation, a root that hadn’t been there just a moment ago suddenly brushed against my ankle, causing me to fall flat on the ground.
