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nchapter 29

nI felt relieved after Murus joined the villagers but then I remembered something important.

n“I had work at noon.”

nI got down to the first floor while still closing the sleeves of my work clothes.

nI woke up late today and was too focused on the game.

nThere is still some time for them to come and pick me up. I still haven’t had my breakfast

/lunch. If I miss the meal now then I will be able to eat only at dinner time.1

nMy mother wasn’t present. I decide to eat the boar meat which was sent in large quantities as tribute.

n“Thanks to them being able to defeat large number of monsters, we were able to receive this but they didn’t send the whole monster.”

nMost of the meat was smoked and preserved as they defeated more than 10 of these during the Temptation of the Evil God. I was assured that this would reduce worries for the food during the winter but then they offered it as tribute on the homemade altar.

nWell, the following day, a chunk of meat was sent to my house.

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nMy mother was so happy that she clapped her hands and said,” We don’t need to buy meat for a month now.”

nI just tried the meat yet it was so delicious.

nIt was a little harder than pork but became surprisingly soft after simmering. 2

nI really liked the taste and texture and there there was a lot of fat.

nThe sweetness of the fat is no surprising feeling.

n“It seems that anything can be offered as tribute but it’s limited to just once a day.”3

nOnce they choose a plate of fruits as the tribute but only the fruit with largest quantity disappeared and arrived at my house.

nIs there some weight limit?…..I don’t know much about the tribute system.

nThe horn rang just as I finished my meal. I took the dishes to the sink and then left the house.

nIt’s really helpful that they come to pick me up everyday.

nIt seems that some people have hard time communicating or going to school. Really no idea why this line is even there 🤔

n“Sorry to make you wait.”

n“Oh..We didn’t wait at all.”

nMy seniors were already seated at the back seat.

nYamamoto-san was playing games on his smartphone as usual.

n“Thank you.”

nYamamoto-san is usually cheerful but today he seems rather grumpy.

nShould I talk to him in such a state? I was looking at the scenary outside the window but Yamamoto-san who was being reflected at the window was looking at me.

nMaybe he wants me to ask him.

n“Oh, what happened?”

n“Can you hear some of my complaints….”

n“Oh, sure, please.”

nI was really surprised. It seems even cheerful people like Yamamoto complain sometimes.

n“Actually, as I told you before, there is a game which I am hooked too.” 4

n“Yes. You told me about it.”

n“It’s like a strategic simulation where you capture enemy land. Everything was good until I decided to take rest the day before yesterday after the event where I attacked a big base but yesterday one of my bases was destroyed.”

nOh, you are depressed because of the game.

n“I was strengthing and upgrading the way before it went all awry. I still have a base and it’s good but I spend half of my salary on that one so I am now little tight on money…”

nWow, I am more shocked than feeling sympathy for him.

nI am a similar person. What Yamamoto-san is playing is some of online game. I had played a lot of them. These kind of games have a lot of billing methods which companies take advantage of. So I left them.

n“To be honest, I understand. The game which I am currently playing also has some billing elements and I spend tens of thousands at the event, the other day.”

nHe seems to be angry that he used up his salary for such a thing so I said this in a low voice to him so only he can hear.

n“Oh, friend. Let’s do our best together.”

n“Yes.”

nWe hold each other’s hand tightly.

nThe friendship over billing system in the game is not something to be praised about. I am just purely happy that we got along on some topic.

nI want to know a little more about the game but let’s stop for now.

nRight now, I need to focus solely on Village of Fate, so I should not listen to information about other interesting games.

nI was worried about Yamamoto-san as he was depressed and seemed uneasy but it seems that he is doing his job properly.

nHis personality was a little sloppy but he did his work honestly. He sometimes joined and helped the President as well.

nToday’s cleansing job ended without any problems. They dropped me at a convenience store near my house.

nThe winter nights were considerably cold so I quickly entered the store.

n“Meat buns eaten at late at night when you shouldn’t eat then are the best.”

nIf you look around at the store, you would want to buy more stuff but my mother always prepares the evening meal so let’s just keep it simple and sweet.

nI bough four pudding as my whole family likes them.

nI checked my smartphone after paying the bill and just before leaving the store.

nI was not used to the operation method on mobile so I need to watch carefully or I will miss many things. I need to develop a habit of this.

nRight no, I was looking at the Village of Fate on mobile.

n“There is no change in the village…….No phone, no email…..”

nIsn’t it natural as I don’t have much contact excprt my family and my coworkers.I owned a Garage during my student days but discarded it after graduation from college.

nAt that time, I didn’t had many friends but I lost contact with then as I withdrew myself. I can now only talk to my family.

nHow many years has it been since a friend has talked to me.

nThe past cannot be recovered. It is really painful.

nEverything became annoying after I withdrew and shutdown myself in a shell.

nAs one steps out of the convenience store, you will tremble due to the temperature difference.

nA small breath of white slowly rises in the dark night.

n“It’s really regretful.”

nMy neighbor, my childhood friend. She is one of my oldest memories. We have been together since we were born. We were always together, from kindergarten to highschool.

nI miss her the most.

n“I ran away…..from employment, friends, family,……escapes from reality and memories.”

nI gazed at the sky while walking all alone at night.

nI was walking on the street with private houses. There was the street light and the moon and stars were clearly visible.

n“Oh…we also went to see the meteor shower when we were students.”

nA friend who always rallied with me during the most shining moments of my life.

nNow she is…

nI didn’t go back straight to my house but instead took a detour and then arrived at my house.

nI noticed a woman wearing suit standing in front of my neighbouring house.

nShe seems to be struggling with taking out her keys in front of the door. She has a crutch on her left foot. 1

n“Seika..”

nI involuntarily mentioned her name.

nSeika Tsumabuki, my childhood friend.

nSmall brownish hairs tied with elastic cords, edgeless glasses which look fresh to the eyes. Seika turned around in response to my voice and took of her glasses.

nIt’s been a long time since I saw her so close. The face gives a gentle impression. She should be over thirty just like me but still looks in her twenties.

n“Oh…”

n“It been a long time….also don’t use my nickname, It seems like name of a dinosaur in an action game.” 2

nHe exchanged words for the first time in few year yet the conversation proceeded more smoothly than expected.

nIt seems that decades of accumulation have won over several years of gap.

nIt’s been few weeks since I last saw her. On that day, I got up early and I saw her in her study through the second floor window.

nIts been years since she last saw me.

n“Are you all right?”

n“Ah, yeah. I was hospitalized for two weeks since I got involved in an accident and this my leg bone was fractured.”

n“I see.”

nAfter meeting her after such a long time, I want to talk to her but its strange to talk outside at midnights in winters.

n“See you..”

n“Wait a minute. If it’s okay, why don’t you come home?”

nHer laughing faces seemed a little lonely. Seika’s parent died few years ago and since then she lives with her grandmother.

n“I will refrain from doing that. It would be bad if I wake up oba-san.” 3

nRather, even though we are childhood friends, it’s a lot of problem for a man and woman to be together at midnight

n“Okay.”

nShe has a bad habit. She looks down and slowly bods, it is a gesture that she has compromised and gave up.”

nHer intention has always been to live in such a way that respect the surrounding without inserting in her own opinions.

n“Let’s talk about this again, my mom wanted to see obasan…. How about coming to our house with her?”

n“Oh, would it be fine?”

n“Oh, it should be fine. I only do a part-time job.”

nI was still worked that she thinks that I am unemployed so let me tell her that I have started working.

n“Yeah. I know. I have been told by Aunty and Sayuki. You are working hard.”

nDid you hear it from them? Even though I didn’t know, she seems to be in contact with my family.

nUnlike me, Seika has succeeded in finding a job and works for a large company.

nShe should be earning an income which cannot be compared to my part time job, yet I didn’t feel any sympathy or despise from her word. She seems to be really pleased.

nSeika still hasn’t changed. There were some changes in her appearance due to to age but unlike me, the important heart is still the same.

n“Um, the fruits and meat were really delicious.”

n“It’s good that you are pleased.”

nI remember properly when my mother asked.” Can I give it next door?”

nI thought to return back but I couldn’t ignore her crutching sight.

nI approached Seika, grabbed her shoulders to support her and prevent her from falling down. I borrowed the key and unlocked the house.

n“Here you go.”

n“Thank you. I will come to your house soon.”

n“Okay. I will be waiting.”

nI gently released the door and it closed and then I returned back to my house.

nI admit that we have been close toe achother for a long time and were conscious of each other.

nWhen we were kids, we were teased with being husband and wife. We were told that we were a couple.

nI had relationship with multiple friends but always less than of a lover. I had decided to confess to Seika after I graduate from college and find a job.

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nBut that never happened. Seika found a job in a large company but I didnt. My heart just went wild and wild day by day.

nThe confession would have not looked cool if my job would have been less paying and respected than Seika’s. I targeted the companies of equal or higher caliber but lost in the end.

nHer existence which has always encouraged me started to make me feel depressed and annoyed so I started keeping myself away from her.

nA lonely childhood friend who wants for you forever. Such convenient story cannot be a reality.

nEven when I became stagnant, the time continued to flow for the others.

nLet’s even if a beautiful women waits for her favorite person to recover from depression. There is no way that such an dedicated and attractive women will stay if a better man than him enters her life.

nAs a result it would be no wonder, if she fell in love with him.

nHe is still single but a man might have already appeared in her life, or she might already be in a ongoing relationship. That person might have dropped her here in his car.

nThe relationship could not return as they were in the last but at least we can be friends.

nI honestly feel that but I want to beat myself up…..

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